Assessment of genetic diversity in Venezuelan rice cultivars using simple sequence repeats markers

In Venezuela, pedigree analyses indicate that the rice varieties currently under cultivation are closely related. Effective breeding programs, based on knowledge of the genetic diversity of cultivars, are needed to broaden the genetic bases of rice germplasm in the country. In this study, we used a set of 48 simple-sequence-repeat (SSR) markers to assess the genetic diversity of 11 Venezuelan rice cultivars, released by the National Rice Breeding Program between 1978 and 2007. A total of 203 alleles were detected, the number of alleles (NA) per marker ranged from 2 to 9, with an average of 4.23. The average genic diversity (H) over all SSR loci for the 18 genotypes was 0.524, ranging from 0.105 to 0.815. Positive correlations were found between H at each locus, NA, the allele size range and the maximum number of repeats. Venezuelan cultivars showed lower H (mean = 0.37) and NA (total = 124, mean = 2.58) than the whole sample. UPGMA-cluster-analysis based on genetic distance coefficients clearly separated all the genotypes, and showed that the Venezuelan rice varieties are closely related. Molecular identification of 7 Venezuelan cultivars could be done with 9 primers pairs which produced 10 genotype-specific-alleles. Although the genetic diversity was low, SSRs proved to be an efficient tool in assessing the genetic diversity of rice genotypes. Implications of the low genetic diversity detected and relatedness of Venezuelan cultivars are discussed.

Growth yield and nitrogen allocation in two rice cultivars under field conditions in Venezuela

Se estableció un experimento de campo para evaluar las diferencias en producción de biomasa, economía de nitrógeno y producción de grano entre dos cultivares de arroz, Araure 4 (A4) y Fonaiap 2000 (F2000), con rendimientos potenciales diferentes. Se determinaron la biomasa aérea y distribución de N a diferentes estadios de crecimiento para relacionarlas con el rendimiento. A4 produjo mayor biomasa que F2000. Sin embargo, el rendimiento e índice de cosecha de A4 fueron 13 y 27 por ciento menores, respectivamente, que los de F2000. Las espiguillas por unidad de área de suelo y el peso de 1000 granos fueron mayores en F2000, lo que se tradujo en mayor capacidad del sumidero en F2000. A4 mostró mayores tasas de producción de biomasa que F2000 hasta la antesis; durante el llenado del grano la tendencia fue contraria. Las concentraciones de N en los órganos fueron similares entre cultivares. A4 acumuló 15 por ciento más N que F2000 durante el ciclo de crecimiento; 92 por ciento del N en A4 fue absorbido antes de la antesis, mientras que en F2000 más del 30 por ciento del N total se acumuló después de la floración, mayormente para desarrollo del grano. El 60 por ciento del N total acumulado por F2000 fue al grano, mientras que en A4 esta fracción fue 44 por ciento. En consecuencia, el índice de cosecha de N y la eficiencia de uso de N en producción de grano fueron mayores en F2000 que en A4. El mayor rendimiento de F2000, comparado con A4, puede atribuirse parcialmente a una mayor capacidad del sumidero, y mayores tasas de crecimiento, acumulación y traslado de N hacia el grano. Estas características pueden compensar la menor producción de biomasa en F2000

Effects of drought during grain filling on PS II activity in rice.

The Rice varieties Araure 4 (A4) and Fonaiap 2000 (F2000) were grown in the glasshouse under natural sunlight and subjected to drought at heading. The drought induced changes in chlorophyll a fluorescence parameters, pigment composition, D1 contents and carbohydrate accumulation were investigated. Drought decreased phiPS II, FV'/FM' and qP, and increased qN in both varieties. F2000 had larger values of phiPS II and FV'/FM' at a lower RWC than A4. With the onset of drought only A4 increased the xanthophyll cycle pool, F2000 remaining constant throughout the drought cycle. Irrigated plants of A4 had a Larger de-epoxidation state (DEPS) of the xanthophyll cycle than F2000. A 40% increase in DEPS was induced by drought in both varieties but in A4 it was attained at a larger RWC than in F2000. Drought increased glucose and fructose contents of leaves 8-fold in A4 and 3-fold in F2000. Contrarily, sucrose contents decreased with drought but the effects were larger in A4 than in F2000. Sugars accumulation preceded and was proportional to the decrease in PS II activity elicited by drought in both varieties. In F2000 a decrease in D1 content smaller than 20% occurred at 70% of RWC, whereas droughted plants of A4 had lost 80% of D1 protein at 77% of RWC. Our data show that drought severely affected PS II activity and its main regulatory mechanisms in rice. There are genotypic differences in the response of PS II activity to drought that could be exploited as traits for selection to drought tolerance. There is a possible link between the drought-induced sugars accumulation in the flag leaf and the response of PS II to water deficit.

Operation of the xanthophyll cycle and degradation of D1 protein in the inducible CAM plant, Talinum triangulare, under water deficit.

Changes in photochemical activity induced by water deficit were investigated in Talinum triangulare, an inducible CAM plant. The aim was to analyse the interactions between C3 photosynthesis, induction and activity of CAM, photosynthetic energy regulation and the mechanisms responsible for photoprotection and photoinhibition under water stress. Gas exchange, chlorophyll a fluorescence, titratable acidity, carotenoid composition and relative contents of the PSII reaction centre protein (D1) were measured. A decrease in xylem tension (psi) from -0.14 to -0.2 MPa substantially decreased daytime net CO2 assimilation and daily carbon gain, and induced CAM, as shown by CO2 assimilation during the night and changes in titratable acidity; a further decrease in psi decreased nocturnal acid accumulation by 60%. Non-photochemical quenching of chlorophyll a fluorescence (NPQ) increased with water deficit, but decreased with a more severe drought (psi below -0.2 MPa), when CAM activity was low. NPQ was lower at 0900 h (during maximum decarboxylation rates) than at 1400 h, when malate pools were depleted. Down-regulation of PSII activity related to the rise in NPQ was indicated by a smaller quantum yield of PSII photochemistry (phiPSII) in droughted compared with watered plants. However, phiPSII was larger at 0900 h than at 1400 h. The de-epoxidation state of the xanthophyll cycle increased with drought and was linearly related to NPQ. Intrinsic quantum yield of PSII (FV/FM) measured at dusk was also lower in severely stressed plants than in controls. Under maximum photosynthetic photon flux and high decarboxylation rates of organic acids, the D1 content in leaves of droughted plants showing maximal CAM activity was identical to the controls; increased drought decreased D1 content by more than 30%. Predawn samples had D1 contents similar to leaves sampled at peak irradiance, with no signs of recovery after 12 h of darkness. It is concluded that under mild water stress, early induction of CAM, together with an increased energy dissipation by the xanthophyll cycle, prevents net degradation of D1 protein; when water deficit is more severe, CAM and xanthophyll cycle capacities for energy dissipation decline, and net degradation of D1 proceeds.