QTL Mapping of Combining Ability and Heterosis of Agronomic Traits in Rice Backcross Recombinant Inbred Lines and Hybrid Crosses

BACKGROUND: Combining ability effects are very effective genetic parameters in deciding the next phase of breeding programs. Although some breeding strategies on the basis of evaluating combining ability have been utilized extensively in hybrid breeding, little is known about the genetic basis of combining ability. Combining ability is a complex trait that is controlled by polygenes. With the advent and development of molecular markers, it is feasible to evaluate the genetic bases of combining ability and heterosis of elite rice hybrids through QTL analysis. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: In the present study, we first developed a QTL-mapping method for dissecting combining ability and heterosis of agronomic traits. With three testcross populations and a BCRIL population in rice, biometric and QTL analyses were conducted for ten agronomic traits. The significance of general combining ability and special combining ability for most of the traits indicated the importance of both additive and non-additive effects on expression levels. A large number of additive effect QTLs associated with performance per se of BCRIL and general combining ability, and dominant effect QTLs associated with special combining ability and heterosis were identified for the ten traits. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: The combining ability of agronomic traits could be analyzed by the QTL mapping method. The characteristics revealed by the QTLs for combining ability of agronomic traits were similar with those by multitudinous QTLs for agronomic traits with performance per se of BCRIL. Several QTLs (1-6 in this study) were identified for each trait for combining ability. It demonstrated that some of the QTLs were pleiotropic or linked tightly with each other. The identification of QTLs responsible for combining ability and heterosis in the present study provides valuable information for dissecting genetic basis of combining ability

Determination of herbage quality and mineral matter in some pastures of the Sivrice District of Elazig Province in Turkey

Investigating the herbage quality and mineral composition of pastures is crucial for understanding the nutritional dynamics of grazing ecosystems. This study analyzed the quality of herbage and mineral content in four unique natural pasture regions of the Sivrice District (Hazar Lake) in Elazig Province between 2022 and 2023. The average values determined in dry herbage over two years are as follows: crude protein content in leguminous plants was (CP) 21.21%, acid detergent fibre (ADF) 18.21%, and neutral detergent fibre (NDF) 33.89% of the sample consists of digestible dry matter (DDM) with a content of 74.71% and a dry matter intake (DMI) of 3.58%. The relative feed value (RFV) is 207.79%, while the potassium (K) content is 2.71%, magnesium (Mg) is 0.32%, calcium (Ca) is 2.66%, and phosphorus (P) is 0.42%. In grasses, the crude protein (CP) content is 13.75%, acid detergent fibre (ADF) is 27.49%, neutral detergent fibre (NDF) is 51.30%, with DDM of 67.49%, DMI of 2.37%, RFV of 124.32%, and K, Mg, Ca, and P contents of 2.54%, 0.20%, 0.54%, and 0.40%, respectively. In other plant families, the CP content is 18.30%, ADF is 25.22%, NDF is 35.21%, with DDM of 69.26%, DMI of 3.47%, RFV of 187.10%, and K, Mg, Ca, and P contents of 2.66%, 0.32%, 1.46%, and 0.32%, respectively. The two-year study indicated that all the pastures studied were in generally good condition in terms of herbage quality, but Pasture-4 (Surek village) had higher values than the other pastures in terms of HP, ADF, NDF, DDM, DMI, RFV, Ca and Mg, especially in legumes and plants belonging to other families; and Pasture-3 (Guney village) had higher values than the other pastures in terms of the same characteristics in grasses

Genotype-environment interactions and stability analysis for dry-matter yield and seed yield in hungarian vetch (Vicia pannonica CRANTZ.)

This study was conducted to determine genotype-environment interactions and the stability status of twelve Hungarian vetch (Vicia pannonica Crantz.) genotypes in terms of dry-matter yield and seed yield under the ecological conditions of the Southeastern Anatolia Region of Turkey. The experiments were performed in five locations in the region during the 2008-2009 and 2009-2010 growing seasons. The experiments were performed according to a complete randomized block design with three replications. Genotype-environment interactions were found to be highly significant (P < 0.01) for dry-matter yield and seed yield, indicating that the Hungarian vetch genotypes' dry-matter yield and seed yield were significantly affected by the year and condition of the location. The stability of the genotypes was estimated using the mean yield of genotypes (xi), regression coefficient (bi), regression deviation mean square (S2di), determination coefficient (R2), and regression line intercept (a). Stability analysis indicated that although the most stable genotype was the Ege Beyazi-79 cultivar in terms of dry-matter yield, the Oguz-2002 cultivar was the most stable in terms of seed yield

Identification of certain agricultural traits and inter-trait relationships in the Helianthemum Ledifolium (L.) Miller var. Lasiocarpum (Willk.) Bornm

This study was conducted to determine certain plant traits and inter-trait relationships in the Helianthemum ledifolium (L.) Miller var. lasiocarpum (Willk.) Bornm. which is grown naturally in the protected area at the campus of Dicle University in 2015 and 2016. Two-year average of the research showed that the plant height was 30.04 cm, the number of main stem per plant was 1.02, the main stem diameter was 1.24 mm, the number of branch per plant was 1.06, the capsule number per plant was 4.04, the capsule diameter was 7.21 mm, the seed number per capsule was 158.5, the seed weight per capsule was 0.065 g, the thousand seed weight was 0.421 g, the seed yield per plant was 0.265 g and the germination rate was 0.5%. According to analysis results belonging to dry forage of the plant, the crude protein ratio was determined as 18.79%, ADF ratio as 26.23%, NDF ratio as 49.21%, calcium ratio as 1.14%, magnesium ratio as 0.04%, phosphor ratio as 0.42% and potassium ratio as 3.79%. The correlation analysis results showed that positive and highly significant relation was found between seed yield per plant and plant height, branch number per plant, capsule number per plant, number of seeds per capsule, seed weight per capsule traits. To increase seed yield in Helianthemum genotypes, exclusively that traits should be taken into account. Results of the study indicated that forage of Helianthemum ledifolium (L.) Miller var. lasiocarpum (Willk.) Bornm had sufficient digestibility and nutrient contents for livestock. But, it is recommended that new investigations should be carried out in order to determine the content of harmful substances in the forage of these plants for safely using the forages in the livestock feeding. © 2018, Pakistan Botanical Society. All rights reserved

Determining quality traits of some concentrate feedstuffs and assessments on relations between the feeds and the traits using biplot analysis

The study was conducted to determine quality traits of some concentrate feedstuffs. For this purpose, commonly used eight concentrate feedstuffs samples were subjected to laboratory analyzes with three replications. According to the analysis results the means of investigated traits were ranged as follow; dry matter contents (DM) 87.29-92.13%, crude ash contents (CAC) 1.57-7.21%, organic matter contents (OM) 81.35-89.01%, crude protein contents (CP) 7.07-45.94%, crude oil contents (CO) 0.89-9.07%, crude cellulose contents (CS) 3.40¬ 39.50%, metabolic energy values (ME) 3112.1¬ 3265.3 kcal/kg, nitrogen-free extract (NFE) 28.50¬ 72.95%, calcium contents (CA) 0.20-1.48%, magnesium contents (MG) 0.02-0.37%, phosphor contents (P) 0.27-0.50%, potassium contents (K) 0.36¬ 2.60%, acid detergent fiber (ADF) contents 9.12 - 44.03%, neutral detergent fiber (NDF) contents 11.12-62.88%, digestible dry matter (DDM) contents 54.60-80.24%, dry matter intake (DMI) 1.91¬ 13.16% and relative feed value (RFV) values 80.77-809.68. Additionally, biplot analysis revealed that there were positive relationship among ADF, NDF, CS, CO and DM traits. Accordingly; safflower meal (1) and cottonseed meal (2) went ahead for these traits. Similarly, positive relationship was determined among ME, RFV, DDM, DMI, NFE and K traits. Exclusively, the ground corn grain (3) was found superior for the important traits, so it was found as having best quality feedstuff. © 2021 Parlar Scientific Publications. All rights reserved