Bacillus velezensis strain Ag75 as a new multifunctional agent for biocontrol, phosphate solubilization and growth promotion in maize and soybean crops.

Soybean and maize are some of the main drivers of Brazilian agribusiness. However, biotic and abiotic factors are of great concern, causing huge grain yield and quality losses. Phosphorus (P) deficiency is important among the abiotic factors because most Brazilian soils have a highly P-fixing nature. Thus, large amounts of phosphate fertilizers are regularly applied to overcome the rapid precipitation of P. Searching for alternatives to improve the use of P by crops is essential to reduce the demand for P input. The use of multifunctional rhizobacteria can be considered one of these alternatives. In this sense, the objective of the present work was to select and validate bacterial strains with triple action (plant growth promoter, phosphate solubilizer, and biocontrol agent) in maize and soybean, aiming to develop a multifunctional microbial inoculant for Brazilian agriculture. Bacterial strains with high indole acetic acid (IAA) production, phosphate solubilization, and antifungal activity against soil pathogenic fungi (Rhizoctonia solani, Macrophomina phaseolina, and Fusarium solani) were selected from the maize rhizosphere. Then, they were evaluated as growth promoters in maize under greenhouse conditions. Based on this study, strain 03 (Ag75) was selected due to its high potential for increasing biomass (root and shoot) and shoot P content in maize. This strain was identified through genomic sequencing as Bacillus velezensis. In field experiments, the inoculation of this bacterium increased maize and soybean yields by 17.8 and 26.5%, respectively, compared to the control (25 kg P2O5). In addition, the inoculation results did not differ from the control with 84 kg P2O5, indicating that it is possible to reduce the application of phosphate in these crops. Thus, the Ag75 strain has great potential for developing a multifunctional microbial inoculant that combines the ability to solubilize phosphate, promote plant growth, and be a biocontrol agent for several phytopathogenic fungi.

Efficiency of Combining Strains Ag87 (Bacillus megaterium) and Ag94 (Lysinibacillus sp.) as Phosphate Solubilizers and Growth Promoters in Maize.

Increasing phosphorus (P) use efficiency in agricultural systems is urgent and essential to significantly reduce the global demand for this nutrient. Applying phosphate-solubilizing and plant growth-promoting bacteria in the rhizosphere represents a strategy worthy of attention. In this context, the present work aimed to select and validate bacterial strains capable of solubilizing phosphorous and promoting maize growth, aiming to develop a microbial inoculant to be used in Brazilian agriculture. Bacterial strains from the maize rhizosphere were evaluated based on their ability to solubilize phosphate and produce indole acetic acid. Based on these characteristics, 24 strains were selected to be further evaluated under laboratory, greenhouse, and field conditions. Among the selected strains, four (I04, I12, I13, and I17) showed a high potential to increase maize root growth and shoot P content. Strains I13 (Ag87) and I17 (Ag94) were identified by genomic sequencing as Bacillus megaterium and Lysinibacillus sp., respectively. These strains presented superior yield increments relative to the control treatment with 30% P. In addition, combining Ag87 and Ag94 resulted in even higher yield gains, indicating a synergistic effect that could be harnessed in a commercial inoculant for Brazilian agriculture.

Impact of Genomic Prediction Model, Selection Intensity, and Breeding Strategy on the Long-Term Genetic Gain and Genetic Erosion in Soybean Breeding.

Genomic-assisted breeding has become an important tool in soybean breeding. However, the impact of different genomic selection (GS) approaches on short- and long-term gains is not well understood. Such gains are conditional on the breeding design and may vary with a combination of the prediction model, family size, selection strategies, and selection intensity. To address these open questions, we evaluated various scenarios through a simulated closed soybean breeding program over 200 breeding cycles. Genomic prediction was performed using genomic best linear unbiased prediction (GBLUP), Bayesian methods, and random forest, benchmarked against selection on phenotypic values, true breeding values (TBV), and random selection. Breeding strategies included selections within family (WF), across family (AF), and within pre-selected families (WPSF), with selection intensities of 2.5, 5.0, 7.5, and 10.0%. Selections were performed at the F4 generation, where individuals were phenotyped and genotyped with a 6K single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) array. Initial genetic parameters for the simulation were estimated from the SoyNAM population. WF selections provided the most significant long-term genetic gains. GBLUP and Bayesian methods outperformed random forest and provided most of the genetic gains within the first 100 generations, being outperformed by phenotypic selection after generation 100. All methods provided similar performances under WPSF selections. A faster decay in genetic variance was observed when individuals were selected AF and WPSF, as 80% of the genetic variance was depleted within 28-58 cycles, whereas WF selections preserved the variance up to cycle 184. Surprisingly, the selection intensity had less impact on long-term gains than did the breeding strategies. The study supports that genetic gains can be optimized in the long term with specific combinations of prediction models, family size, selection strategies, and selection intensity. A combination of strategies may be necessary for balancing the short-, medium-, and long-term genetic gains in breeding programs while preserving the genetic variance.

A Comprehensive Analysis of Wheat Resistance to Rhopalosiphum padi (Hemiptera: Aphididae) in Brazilian Wheat Cultivars.

Rhopalosiphum padi L. is one of the predominant aphids affecting wheat crops worldwide. Therefore, the identification of resistant genotypes and the understanding of molecular response mechanisms involved in wheat resistance to this aphid may contribute to the development of new breeding strategies. In this study, we evaluated the resistance of 15 wheat cultivars to R. padi and performed morpho-histological and gene expression analyses of two wheat cultivars (BRS Timbaúva, resistant and Embrapa 16, susceptible) challenged and unchallenged by R. padi. The main findings of our work are as follows: 1) most Brazilian wheat cultivars recently released are resistant to R. padi; 2) Green leaf volatiles are probably involved in the resistance of the BRS Timbaúva cultivar to the aphid; 3) trichomes were more abundant and larger in the resistant cultivar; 4) the internal morphology did not show differences between cultivars; 5) the lipoxygenase-encoding gene was downregulated in the susceptible cultivar and basal expression remained level in the resistant cultivar; and 6) the expression of resistance-related proteins was induced in the resistant but not in the susceptible cultivar. Lipoxygenase is the first enzyme in the octadecanoic pathway, a well-known route for the synthesis of signaling molecules involved in the activation of plant defense. The overall analyses suggest that the key steps in BRS Timbaúva resistance to R. padi may be presence or absence of green leaf volatiles decreasing the aphid preference and the action of nonglandular trichome as a physical barrier, which allows continuous lipoxygenase-encoding gene expression.

Teste de alelismo entre os mutantes de amadurecimento alcobaça e non-ripening em tomateiro / Allelism test between the alcobaça and non-ripening mutants in tomato plants

Desde o início da década de 1980, são relatadas na literatura divergências quanto às relações de alelismo ou não entre os mutantes de amadurecimento de frutos de tomateiro denominados alc (= alcobaça) e nor (=non-ripening). Para dirimir tais dúvidas, foi realizado um teste de alelismo entre os genes considerados. Foram avaliadas 364 plantas F2 provenientes do cruzamento entre as linhagens de tomateiro TOM-559 (alc/alc) e TOM-613 (nor/nor), além de vinte plantas de cada uma das linhagens TOM-559 (alc/alc), TOM-613 (nor/nor), de cada um dos híbridos F1 [(TOM-559 x TOM-613), alc+/alc nor+/nor], F1 [(Floradade x TOM-559), alc+/alc nor+/nor+] e F1 [(Floradade x TOM-613), alc+/alc+nor+/nor], bem como da linhagem de genótipo normal Floradade (alc+/alc+nor+/nor+ rin+/rin+). TOM-559 e TOM-613 são linhagens isogênicas à cv. Floradade, da qual diferem apenas quanto à presença dos genes alc e nor, respectivamente. Frutos de Floradade colhidos no estádio breaker apresentam coloração vermelha normal quando maduros (fenótipo normal), enquanto frutos de TOM-559 ou de TOM-613 permanecem amarelados ou amarelo-alaranjados (fenótipo mutante). De cada planta, foram colhidos quatro frutos no estádio breaker de maturação, que foram avaliadas quanto ao fenótipo (normal ou mutante) quando maduros. Os resultados dos testes de alelismo indicam que a hipótese mais provável é a de que alc e nor sejam alélicos. Dessa maneira, alc é considerado um terceiro alelo no loco nor, e sugere-se a substituição de seu símbolo para norA.

Since the early 1980's there are conflicting reports on the possible allelic relations between the tomato ripening mutants alc (=alcobaça) and nor (=non-ripening). In order to end these controversies, a test of allelism between the genes alc and nor was performed. A total of 364 plants of the F2 population between the tomato lines TOM-559 (alc/alc) and TOM-613 (nor/nor) were screened, along with 20 plants each of lines TOM-559 (alc/alc) and TOM-613 (nor/nor), of hybrids F1 [(TOM-559 x TOM-613), alc+/alc nor+/nor], F1 [(Floradade x TOM-559), alc+/alc nor+/nor+] and F1 [(Floradade x TOM-613), alc+/alc+nor+/nor], and of the normal phenotype line Floradade (alc+/alc+nor+/nor+). TOM-559 and TOM-613 are near-isogenic lines to Floradade, and differ from the latter only due to the presence of genes alc and nor, respectively. Floradade fruit harvested at the breaker stage show normal red color (normal phenotype) when fully ripe, whereas fruit of either TOM-559 or TOM-613 remain yellow or yellowish-orange (mutante phenotype). Four fruits per plant were harvested at the breaker stage and subsequently evaluated for their mature fruit color phenotype (normal or mutant). The results of the test of allelism indicate that the most likely hypothesis is that alc and nor are allelic to each other. Therefore, alc was considered to be a third allele at the nor locus, and the symbol norA was substituted for alc.

Capacidade combinatória entre híbridos simples de milho em dialelo circulante / Combining ability in corn single-cross hybrids by circulant diallel

Onze híbridos comerciais de milho (AS 1550, DKB 214, DKB 215, DKB 330, Dow 2B150, Dow 8460, P 30F33, P 30F53, P 30P70, Penta e Premium Flex) foram intercruzados, obtendo-se 44 híbridos duplos, segundo um dialelo circulante com p=11 (onze genitores) e s=8 (intercruzados 8 a 8), avaliado em delineamento em blocos casualizados com três repetições. Foram conduzidos dois experimentos na Região Centro-sul do Paraná, nos municípios de Guarapuava e Goioxim. Os dados referentes à produção de grãos, altura média de planta e altura média de inserção de espiga foram submetidos à análise dialélica. Houve diferenças significativas entre os locais e entre os híbridos do dialelo para as três características avaliadas. Também houve efeito significativo da interação locais x híbridos do dialelo para a produção de grãos. Houve diferenças significativas para a capacidade geral de combinação (CGC) em todas as características e para a capacidade específica de combinação (CEC) apenas na produção de grãos. Destacaram-se por sua CGC os híbridos Penta, P 30F53 e Dow 8460 na produção de grãos, o híbrido AS 1550 quanto á menor altura de planta e de inserção da espiga. A melhor combinação híbrida para a produtividade foi Penta x P 30F53, por apresentar a maior média, elevada CEC e ambos os genitores terem as maiores estimativas de CGC. O genitor P 30F53 participou de três dos quatro híbridos duplos mais produtivos. É possível a obtenção de novas populações a partir de cultivares comerciais que se destacaram por sua CGC, e que, nos cruzamentos em que participaram, houve, também, estimativas favoráveis da CEC.

Estimatives of the general combining ability (CGA) and specific combining ability (SCA) among eleven commercial maize hybrids were obtained in this study. Single-cross hybrids AS 1550, DK B214, DK B215, DK B330, Dow 2B150, Dow 8460, P 30F33, P 30F53, P 30P70, Penta and Premium Flex were intercrossed in a circulant diallel scheme with p=11 (eleven parents) and s=8 (crossed 8 to 8) to obtain 44 double hybrids. These genotypes were evaluated in randomized block design with three replications. Two experiments were carried out in Center-South Paraná State, in Guarapuava and Goioxim, Brazil. The yield, plant height and ear height were obtained and submitted to diallel analysis. There were significant differences between localities and between diallel hybrids for both traits. Significant differences were observed for localities x diallel hybrids interaction for grain yield. Significant differences were detected for GCA in all characteristics and for SCA only in yield. Parents Penta, P 30F53 and Dow 8460 were outstanding for CGA values in yield, and parent AS 1550 in plant height and ear height. The best hybrid combination was Penta x P 30F53, since it showed the highest yield, high SCA value and both parents presented the highest GCA estimative. The hybrid P 30F53 was parent of three among four of the most productive double hybrids. It is possible to obtain good populations from the commercial cultivars that were outstanding because of GCA and SCA estimatives in hybrid combinations.

Produtividade e rendimento comercial de bulbos de cebola em função da densidade de cultivo / Productivity and commercial yield of onion bulbs in function of growth density

A distribuição adequada das plantas de cebola (Allium cepa L.) na lavoura torna-se necessária devido a influência sobre a competição por água, luz e nutrientes, determinando o tamanho dos bulbos e a produtividade total. Objetivou-se, no trabalho, avaliar a produtividade e os padrões comerciais de bulbos de cebola, em função da densidade de plantio adotada. As mudas de cebola foram produzidas em bandejas de poliestireno de 200 células, com substrato comercial Plantimax®. O experimento foi instalado em delineamento experimental de blocos casualizados (DBC) com 4 repetições, com parcelas de 2 m². Utilizou-se a cultivar Buccaneer, nas densidades de 50, 75 e 100 plantas m-2. Foram avaliadas a produção comercial, a produção total e a massa média de bulbos. Observou-se que a densidade de 100 plantas m-2 proporcionou a maior produtividade (92,20 t ha-1). No entanto, a menor densidade de plantas avaliada proporcionou bulbos com a maior massa média (171g). As densidades de 50 e 75 plantas m-2 apresentaram os maiores valores distribuídos na classe 4 (> que 70 até 90 mm de diâmetro) e 3 cheio (> que 60 até 70 mm de diâmetro), respectivamente. A densidade de 100 plantas m-2 proporcionou uma maior quantidade de bulbos na classificação 3 cheio. Os resultados obtidos demonstraram que o aumento na densidade de plantas proporcionou uma maior produtividade, uma menor massa média de bulbos e uma maior produção na classificação comercial 3 cheio, considerada ideal para comercialização em função da preferência pelos consumidores.

The adequate distribution of onions (Allium cepa L.) within a crop becomes necessary due to their influence on the competition for water, light, and nutrients, which determines the size of the bulbs and the total yield. The goal of this work was to evaluate the yield and commercial pattern of onion bulbs as a function of the crop density employed. The onion seedlings were produced on polystyrene trays with 200 cells filled with commercial substrate Plantimax®. The experiment was carried out according to a randomized block design (RBD), with four replications and 2-m² plots. The cultivar Buccaneer was evaluated in densities of 50, 75, and 100 plants m-2. The commercial bulb yield, the total yield, and the average mass of bulbs were evaluated. The density of 100 plants m-2 provided the greatest yield (92.20 t ha-1). However, the lower density of plants provided bulbs with the greatest average mass (171g). Densities of 50 and 75 plants m-2 presented the greatest values distributed in class 4 (> 70 up to 90 mm of diameter) and 3 full (> 60 up to 70 mm of diameter), respectively. Density of 100 plants m-2 provides a larger amount of bulbs in the 3-full classification. The results obtained in this experiment showed that an increase in the density of plants provided greater yield, smaller average mass of bulbs and greater production in the commercial 3-full classification, which is considered ideal for the market due to the consumers' preference.

Yield and post-harvest quality of tomato hybrids heterozygous at the loci alcobaça, old gold-crimson or high pigment.

The effects of the fruit ripening mutant gene alcobaça (alc) and color development mutants, old gold-crimson (ogc) and high pigment (hp), on yield and post-harvest quality of tomato fruits were investigated. Five tomato hybrids were obtained by crossing near isogenic lines with Flora-Dade background [Flora-Dade (alc+/alc+ ogc+/ogc+ hp+/hp+), TOM-559 (alc/alc ogc+/ogc+ hp+/hp+), TOM-591 (alc/alc ogc/ogc hp+/hp+), TOM-593 (alc/alc ogc+/ogc+ hp/hp), and TOM-589 (alc/alc ogc/ogc hp/hp)] with the pollen parent line Mospomorist (alc+/alc+ ogc+/ogc+ hp+/hp+). Hybrid fruit was harvested at the breaker stage and stored on shelves at 15oC and 60% relative humidity for 16 days, and then evaluated for firmness, development of red color, and carotenoid contents. The different genotypic combinations at the loci alc, ogc and hp had no effect on fruit yield. The alc+/alc hybrid genotype significantly increased fruit firmness and significantly delayed the development of red color in maturing fruit. Simultaneous usage of ogc+/ogc and hp+/hp promoted an increase in the red color and lycopene content of alc+/alc hybrids, but did not have any additional effect on fruit firmness.

Inheritance of acylsugar contents in tomatoes derived from an interspecific cross with the wild tomato Lycopersicon pennellii and their effect on spider mite repellence.

Acylsugars present in Lycopersicon pennellii are responsible for the high levels of pest resistance often found in this wild tomato taxon. We investigated the inheritance of acylsugar contents in segregating populations of the interspecific tomato cross L. esculentum x L. pennellii and estimated correlations between leaflet acylsugar contents and the levels of mite repellence. Acylsugar contents were quantified with the Sommogy-Nelson colorimetric method in the acessions L. esculentum 'TOM-584' (P(1), low acylsugars), L. pennellii 'LA-716' (P(2), high acylsugars), in the interspecific F(1) (P(1) x P(2)) and in the F(2 )(P(1) x P(2)) generations. Mite resistance was assessed by a repellence test. Broad-sense heritability of acylsugar contents was moderately high (h(2)(b) = 0.476). Frequency distributions in the P(1), P(2), F(1) and F(2) can be explained by the action of a single major locus, with near-complete dominance of the L. esculentum allele for low-acylsugar content over the L. pennellii allele for high content. Indirect selection for high levels of acylsugars in leaflets led to correlated increases in the levels of mite repellency, indicating that acylsugars may be the main factor involved in mite resistance.