Mapping of QTLs associated with biological nitrogen fixation traits in soybean.

Biological nitrogen fixation (BNF) is a key process, but despite the economic and environmental importance, few studies about quantitative trait loci (QTL) controlling BNF traits are available, even in the economically important crop soybean Glycine max (L.) Merr. In this study, a population of 157 F2:7 RILs derived from crossing soybean cultivars Bossier (high BNF capacity) and Embrapa 20 (medium BNF capacity) was genotyped with 105 simple sequence repeat markers (SSRs). The genetic map obtained has 1231.2 cM and covers about 50% of the genome, with an average interval of 18.1 cM. Three traits, nodule number (NN), the ratio nodule dry weight (NDW)/NN and shoot dry weight (SDW) were used to evaluate BNF performance. A composite interval mapping for multiple traits method (mCIM) analysis mapped two QTLs for SDW (LGs E and L), three for NN (LGs B1, E and I), and one for NDW/NN (LG I); all QTLs were of small effect (R-values ranging from 1.7% to 10.0%) and explained 15.4%, 13.8% and 6.5% of total variation for these three traits, respectively.

Heterose e distâncias genéticas moleculares para a produção de grãos em soja / Heterosis and molecular genetic distances for grain yield in soybeans

Em soja, tem sido relatada a ocorrência de heterose para a produção de grãos, e embora a utilização de cultivares híbridas não seja ainda uma realidade nesta espécie, o conhecimento da heterose é importante para uma pré-seleção de cruzamentos, visto que cruzamentos mais heteróticos estão associados a uma maior divergência entre os genitores. Entretanto, a obtenção de sementes F1 em quantidade suficiente para a avaliação experimental em parcelas é muito difícil e, assim, outros indicadores da ocorrência da heterose poderiam ser muito úteis. Objetivou-se, neste trabalho a avaliação da heterose para a produção de grãos em soja e as suas relações com as distâncias genéticas (DG), obtidas com o marcador molecular AFLP. Seis híbridos F1 oriundos de cruzamentos com diferentes distâncias genéticas (DG) e os respectivos genitores foram avaliados em experimentos com quatro repetições, empregando o delineamento em blocos ao acaso. Foi observada uma grande variação entre os cruzamentos quanto às heteroses, isso é, de 6,29 a 56,50 por cento em relação à média dos genitores ( h mg) e de -0,34 a 51,30 por cento em relação ao genitor superior (h gs). As correlações entre as distâncias genéticas (DG) e as heteroses foram elevadas (r = 0,83 e 0,60, respectivamente, para h mg e h gs), indicando que as distâncias genéticas podem ser utilizadas como indicativas de cruzamentos mais divergentes e, consequentemente, como um dos auxiliares na seleção de genitores mais divergentes em soja.

Heterosis has been reported for grain yield in soybeans, and despite the fact that hybrid cultivars have not been used yet, the knowledge of heterosis magnitude is very important for a previous selection of crosses, since heterosis is related to parental divergence. However, the obtention of enough F1 seeds for experimental evaluation in plots is a time-consuming task, and thus, other indicators of the occurrence of heterosis could be very useful. The objective of this work was to evaluate heterosis and its relationship with AFLP molecular genetic distance (DG). Six F1 hybrids, derived from parents with different levels of genetic distances (DG) and their respective parents, were evaluated in completely randomized block designs, with four replications. Heterosis estimates were very different among different crosses, varying from 6.29 to 56.50 percent for mid-parent heterosis (h mg) and from -0.34 to 51.30 percent for high-parent heterosis (h gs). Besides, the correlation between heterosis and genetic distances (DG) were very high (0.83 and 0.60,respectively, for h mg and h gs), which indicates that DG can be used as indicative of more divergent crosses, and thus, as one criterion for selection of more divergent parents.

New resistance genes in the Zea mays: exserohilum turcicum pathosystem

The use of monogenic race-specific resistance is widespread for the control of maize (Zea mays L.) helminthosporiosis caused by Exserohilum turcicum. Inoculation of 18 Brazilian isolates of E. turcicum onto elite maize lines containing previously identified resistance genes and onto differential near-isogenic lines allowed the identification of new qualitative resistance genes. The inoculation of one selected isolate on differential near-isogenic lines, F1 generations and a BC1F1 population from the referred elite lines enabled the characterization of the resistance spectrum of three new genes, one dominant (HtP), one recessive (rt) and a third with non-identified genetic action. Three physiological races of the pathogen were also identified including two with new virulence factors capable of overcoming the resistance of one of the resistance genes identified here (rt).

Estimates of genetic parameters of wood traits for sawn timber production in Eucalyptus grandis

In this study, the breeding perspectives of 41 open-pollinated progenies of Eucalyptus grandis were evaluated based on their wood traits. The progenies were distributed in two experiments in a randomized complete block design, with three replicates and linear plots containing six plants each. The traits were assessed at eight years of age. Two trees from each plot were selected for this assessment based on better growth, stem form and phytosanity. Significant differences in basic density, sapwood/heartwood ratio, bowing, specific gravity, parallel compression and static bending were detected among the progenies. These traits were potentially promising for breeding programs, with heritability coefficients that varied from 0.34 to 0.61 on a progeny mean basis. There was no genetic variation in the moisture content, board end-splitting, log volume under bark, log eccentricity, bark content, crooking, and shear strength of the progenies. Intermediate to highly significant genetic correlations were detected among the physical and mechanical properties, as well as between pairs of traits such as basic density and log end-splitting, basic density and bowing, specific gravity and bowing, sapwood/heartwood ratio and bowing, log volume and bowing, and log volume and log end-splitting. These results show that the levels of growth stress in trees can be reduced by selection using indirect traits such as the sapwood/heartwood ratio and bowing.

Isolation and characterization of soybean-associated bacteria and their potential for plant growth promotion.

Endophytic and epiphytic bacteria were isolated from two soybean cultivars (Foscarin and Cristalina). Significant differences were observed in bacterial population densities in relation to season of isolation, soybean growth phase and the tissues from which the isolates were obtained. The isolates were identified by partial 16S rDNA sequence analysis, with most of the isolates belonging to the Pseudomonaceae, Burkholderiacea and Enterobacteriaceae groups. The potential of the isolates for plant growth promotion was evaluated by screening for indoleacetic acid (IAA) production and mineral phosphate solubilization; 34% of endophytic bacteria produced IAA and 49% were able to solubilize mineral phosphate whereas only 21% of epiphytic bacteria produced IAA although 52% were able to solubilize mineral phosphate. A high frequency of IAA producing isolates occurred in the early ripening Foscarin cultivar whereas a high percentage of phosphate solubilizing isolates were obtained from plants in the initial development stage (V6). We also found that 60% of endophytic and 69% of epiphytic isolates that produced IAA and solubilized mineral phosphate were also able to fix nitrogen in vitro. The soybean-associated bacteria showing characteristics related to plant growth promotion were identified as belonging to the genera Pseudomonas, Ralstonia, Enterobacter, Pantoea and Acinetobacter.

Predicting performance of soybean populations using genetic distances estimated with RAPD markers

In order to verify whether genetic distance (GD) is associated with population mean (PM), genetic variance (GV) and the proportion of superior progenies generated by each cross in advanced generations of selfing (PS), the genetic distances between eight soybean lines (five adapted and three non-adapted) were estimated using 213 polymorphic RAPD markers. The genetic distances were partitioned according to Griffing's Model I Method 4 for diallel analysis, i.e., GDij = GD+ GGDi+ GGDj + SGDij. Phenotypic data were recorded for seed yield and plant height for 25 out of 28 populations of a diallel set derived from the eight soybean lines and evaluated from F2:8 to F2:11 generations. No significant correlation for seed yield was detected between GD and GV, while negative correlations were detected between GD and PM and between GD and PS (r = -0.74** and -0.75**, respectively). Similar results were observed for the correlation between GGDi + GGDj and PM and between GGDi + GGDj and PS (r = -0.78** and -0.80**, respectively). No significant correlation was detected for plant height. The magnitudes of the correlations for seed yield were high enough to allow predictions of the potential of the populations based on RAPD markers