DSP: database of disease susceptibility genes in plants.

Host-pathogen interaction is the most crucial factor that evokes the host immune system to fight against pathogens. In contrast to specialized immune cells present in humans and animals, plants have disease resistance (R-) and disease susceptibility (S-) genes. R-genes confer disease resistance and are generally introgressed from wild crop relatives to cultivated crops. S-genes, on the other hand, assist pathogens in establishing contact, displaying counter-defense measures, and spreading the infection. To achieve resistance in a variety of crops, researchers are now focusing on the identification, silencing, editing, or elimination of crucial S-genes. To aid in this field, we created the first curated database of disease susceptibility genes in plants (DSP), with the simple and advanced search tool that allows researchers to restrict the query and mining of specified hits. SSR marker identification and primer designing could be performed with the help of MISA and Primer3 software, respectively. The DSP database is available at http://45.248.163.60/bic/sgenos/ and http://14.139.62.220/sgenos/ .

Marker-assisted introgression of genes into rye translocation leads to the improvement in bread making quality of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.).

Introgression of genes from related species can be a powerful way to genetically improve crop yields, but selection for one trait can come at the cost to others. Wheat varieties with translocation of the short arm of chromosome 1 from the B genome of wheat (1BS) with the short arm of chromosome 1 from rye (1RS) are popular globally for their positive effect on yield and stress resistance. Unfortunately, this translocation (1BL.1RS) is also associated with poor bread making quality, mainly due to the presence of Sec-1 on its proximal end, encoding secalin proteins, and the absence of Glu-B3/Gli-B1-linked loci on its distal end, encoding low molecular weight glutenin subunits (LMW-GS). The present study aims to replace these two important loci on the 1RS arm with the wheat 1BS loci, in two popular Indian wheat varieties, PBW550 and DBW17, to improve their bread-making quality. Two donor lines in the cultivar Pavon background with absence of the Sec-1 locus and presence of the Glu-B3/Gli-B1 locus, respectively, were crossed and backcrossed with these two selected wheat varieties. In the advancing generations, marker assisted foreground selection was done for Sec-1- and Glu-B3/Gli-B1+ loci while recurrent parent recovery was done with the help of SSR markers. BC2F5 and BC2F6 near isosgenic lines (NILs) with absence of Sec-1 and presence of Glu-B3/Gli-B1 loci were evaluated for two years in replicated yield trials. As a result of this selection, thirty promising lines were generated that demonstrated improved bread making quality but also balanced with improved yield-related traits compared to the parental strains. The study demonstrates the benefits of using marker-assisted selection to replace a few loci with negative effects within larger alien translocations for crop improvement.

Bread wheat with enhanced grain carotenoid content: a novel option for wheat biofortification.

Colored wheat has piqued the interest of breeders and consumers alike. The chromosomal segment from 7E of Thinopyrum ponticum, which carries a leaf rust resistant gene, Lr19, has been rarely employed in wheat breeding operations due to its association with the Y gene, which gives a yellow tint to the flour. By prioritizing nutritional content over color preferences, consumer acceptance has undergone a paradigm change. Through marker-assisted backcross breeding, we introduced an alien segment harboring the Y (PsyE1) gene into a high yielding commercial bread wheat (HD 2967) background to generate rust resistant carotenoid biofortified bread wheat. Agro-morphological characterization was also performed on a subset of developed 70 lines having enhanced grain carotene content. In the introgression lines, carotenoid profiling using HPLC analysis demonstrated a considerable increase in ß-carotene levels (up to 12 ppm). Thus, the developed germplasm caters the threat to nutritional security and can be utilized to produce carotenoid fortified wheat. Supplementary Information: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s11032-022-01338-0.

Pyramiding of genes for grain protein content, grain quality, and rust resistance in eleven Indian bread wheat cultivars: a multi-institutional effort.

Improvement of grain protein content (GPC), loaf volume, and resistance to rusts was achieved in 11 Indian wheat cultivars that are widely grown in four different agro-climatic zones of India. This involved use of marker-assisted backcross breeding (MABB) for introgression and pyramiding of the following genes: (i) the high GPC gene Gpc-B1; (ii) HMW glutenin subunits 5 + 10 at Glu-D1 loci, and (iii) rust resistance genes, Yr36, Yr15, Lr24, and Sr24. GPC increased by 0.8 to 3.3%, although high GPC was generally associated with yield penalty. Further selection among high GPC lines allowed identification of progenies with higher GPC associated with improvement in 1000-grain weight and grain yield in the backgrounds of the following four cultivars: NI5439, UP2338, UP2382, and HUW468. The high GPC progenies (derived from NI5439) were also improved for grain quality using HMW glutenin subunits 5 + 10 at Glu-D1 loci. Similarly, progenies combining high GPC and rust resistance were obtained in the backgrounds of following five cultivars: Lok1, HD2967, PBW550, PBW621, and DBW1. The improved pre-bred lines developed following multi-institutional effort should prove a valuable source for the development of cultivars with improved nutritional quality and rust resistance in the ongoing wheat breeding programmes. Supplementary Information: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s11032-022-01277-w.

Juvenile heat stress tolerance in Triticum durum-Aegilops tauschii derived synthetics: a way forward for wheat improvement.

BACKGROUND: Exponentially increasing population and everchanging climatic conditions are two major concerns for global food security. Early sowing in the second fortnight of October is an emerging trend with farmers in Indo Gangetic Plains to avoid yield losses from terminal heat stress. This also benefits the use of residual soil moisture of rice crop, conserving about one irrigation. But most of the available wheat cultivars are not well adapted to early-season sowing. METHODS AND RESULTS: Two in-house developed SHWs, syn14128 and syn14170, were screened for juvenile heat stress. Seedling length, biochemical parameters, and expression of amylase gene immediately after heat shock (HS) of 45 °C for 12 h and 20 h, and 24 h indicated significantly lower malondialdehyde, hydrogen peroxide, and higher free radical scavenging activities. Syn14170 reported higher total soluble sugar (TSS) under both HS periods, while syn14128 had a sustainable TSS content and amylase activity under HS as well as the recovery period. CONCLUSIONS: Both the SHWs had lower oxidative damage along with high free radical scavenging under heat stress. The higher expression of amy4 along with sustainable TSS after heat stress in syn14128 indicated it as a potential source of juvenile heat stress tolerance. Variable response of SHWs to different biochemical parameters under heat stress opens future perspectives to explore the enzymatic pathways underlying these responses.

An approach for high-resolution genetic mapping of distant wild relatives of bread wheat: example of fine mapping of Lr57 and Yr40 genes.

KEY MESSAGE: The article reports a powerful but simple approach for high-resolution mapping and eventual map-based cloning of agronomically important genes from distant relatives of wheat, using the already existing germplasm resources. Wild relatives of wheat are a rich reservoir of genetic diversity for its improvement. The effective utilization of distant wild relatives in isolation of agronomically important genes is hindered by the lack of recombination between the homoeologous chromosomes. In this study, we propose a simple yet powerful approach that can be applied for high-resolution mapping of a targeted gene from wheat's distant gene pool members. A wheat-Aegilops geniculata translocation line TA5602 with a small terminal segment from chromosome 5 Mg of Ae. geniculata translocated to 5D of wheat contains genes Lr57 and Yr40 for leaf rust and stripe rust resistance, respectively. To map these genes, TA5602 was crossed with a susceptible Ae. geniculata 5 Mg addition line. Chromosome pairing between the 5 Mg chromosomes of susceptible and resistant parents resulted in the development of a high-resolution mapping panel for the targeted genes. Next-generation-sequencing data from flow-sorted 5 Mg chromosome of Ae. geniculata allowed us to generate 5 Mg-specific markers. These markers were used to delineate Lr57 and Yr40 genes each to distinct ~ 1.5 Mb physical intervals flanked by gene markers on 5 Mg. The method presented here will allow researchers worldwide to utilize existing germplasm resources in genebanks and seed repositories toward routinely performing map-based cloning of important genes from tertiary gene pools of wheat.

Development of white-grained PHS-tolerant wheats with high grain protein and leaf rust resistance.

The present study involved incorporation of two major QTLs for pre-harvest sprouting tolerance (PHST) in an Indian wheat cultivar named Lok1, which happens to be PHS susceptible. For transfer of two QTLs, two independent programmes with two different donors (AUS1408, CN19055) were utilized. The recipient cv. Lok1 was crossed with each of the two donors, followed by a number of backcrosses. Each backcross progeny was subjected to foreground and background selections. KASP assay was also used for confirming the presence of PHST QTL. In one case, PHST QTL was later also pyramided with a gene for high grain protein content (Gpc-B1) and a gene for leaf rust resistance (Lr24). The MAS derived lines were screened for PHS using simulated rain chambers leading to selection of 10 PHST lines. Four of these advanced lines carried all the three QTL/genes and exhibited high level of PHST (PHS score 2-3) associated with significant improvement in GPC and resistance against leaf rust. Supplementary Information: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s11032-021-01234-z.

A robust KASP marker for selection of four pairs of linked leaf rust and stripe rust resistance genes introgressed on chromosome arm 5DS from different wheat genomes.

Stripe rust and leaf rust are among the most devastating diseases of wheat, limiting its production globally. Wheat wild relatives harbour genetic diversity for new genes and alleles for all major wheat diseases. However, the use of this genetic variation from wild progenitor and non-progenitor species has been limited in the breeding programs. Reasons include limited recombination of donor and recipient genomes and the lack of tertiary gene pool markers. Here, we describe the development of a SNP based marker from the flow-sorted and sequenced Aegilops umbellulata chromosome 5U which can be used for marker assisted selection of four pair of alien leaf rust and stripe rust resistance genes. Lr57-Yr40_CAPS16 marker was reported earlier to be linked with alien leaf and stripe rust resistance genes introgressed on wheat chromosome 5DS. Due to its dominant nature and laborious to work with, a new SNP-based KASP marker, XTa5DS-2754099_kasp23, was developed from the same CAPS marker contig. XTa5DS-2754099_kasp23 was tested in Aegilops umbellulata, Ae. geniculata, Ae. peregrina and Ae. caudata derived alien introgression lines, which harbour four pairs of linked leaf and stripe rust genes; Lr76-Yr70, Lr57-Yr40, LrP- YrP, LrAc-YrAc, respectively. This KASP marker was found to be effective for the selection of the aforesaid four pairs of leaf rust and stripe rust resistance genes. Further, we tested and validated XTa5DS-2754099_kasp23 on commercial varieties and advanced breeding lines from four countries (India, Egypt, Australia and UK) including hexaploid and durum wheat. Our results provide evidence that KASP marker, XTa5DS-2754099_kasp23 can be used in marker-assisted selection of the four pairs of rust resistance alien genes in wheat breeding programmes.

Cloning, expression analysis and In silico characterization of HSP101: a potential player conferring heat stress in Aegilops speltoides (Tausch) Gren.

Heat shock protein (HSP101) function as molecular chaperones and confer thermotolerance to plants. In the present investigation, identification, comprehensive expression analysis, phylogeny and protein modelling of HSP101 gene has been done in Aegilops speltoides accession Pau3583. In the present study, we cloned and in silico characterized a HSP101C gene designated as AsHSP101C-Pau3583. AsHSP101C-Pau3583 is 4180 bp long with seven exons and six introns and encoded a polypeptide of 910 amino acids predicted by FGENESH. We have identified 58 SNPs between the AsHSP101C-Pau3583 and reference gene sequence extracted from Ae. speltoides TGAC assembly. Real-time RT-PCR analysis of expression levels of HSP101 gene in two wheat genotypes under heat stress revealed that gene namely HSP101C was up-regulated in Aegilops speltoides acc. Pau3583 by > fourfold in comparison to Triticum aestivum cv. PBW343 under heat stress signifies that it plays a role in conferring heat tolerance. Sequence comparison and phylogenetic analysis of AsHSP101C-Pau3583 with seven wheat homologs Triticum aestivum, Aegilops speltoides (TGAC), Triticum durum cv Cappelli, Triticum durum cv Strongfield, Triticum monococcum, Aegilops tauschii and Triticum urartu showed significant similarities with highly conserved coding regions and functional domains (AAA, AAA + 2, ClpB domains), suggesting the conserved function of HSP101C in different species. The illustration of the protein models of HSP101C in homologs provided information for the ATP-binding motifs within the nucleotide binding domains (NBD), specific for the chaperone activity. These findings are important and identified SNPs could be used for designing markers for ensuring the transfer of AsHSP101C-Pau3583 gene into hexaploid wheat and its role in heat tolerance. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s12298-021-01005-2.

RNA-sequencing based gene expression landscape of guava cv. Allahabad Safeda and comparative analysis to colored cultivars.

BACKGROUND: Guava (Psidium guajava L.) is an important fruit crop of tropical and subtropical areas of the world. Genomics resources in guava are scanty. RNA-Seq based tissue specific expressed genomic information, de novo transcriptome assembly, functional annotation and differential expression among contrasting genotypes has a potential to set the stage for the functional genomics for traits of commerce like colored flesh and apple color peel. RESULTS: Development of fruit from flower involves orchestration of myriad molecular switches. We did comparative transcriptome sequencing on leaf, flower and fruit tissues of cv. Allahabad Safeda to understand important genes and pathways controlling fruit development. Tissue specific RNA sequencing and de novo transcriptome assembly using Trinity pipeline provided us the first reference transcriptome for guava consisting of 84,206 genes comprising 279,792 total transcripts with a N50 of 3603 bp. Blast2GO assigned annotation to 116,629 transcripts and PFam based HMM profile annotated 140,061 transcripts with protein domains. Differential expression with EdgeR identified 3033 genes in Allahabad Safeda tissues. Mapping the differentially expressed transcripts over molecular pathways indicate significant Ethylene and Abscisic acid hormonal changes and secondary metabolites, carbohydrate metabolism and fruit softening related gene transcripts during fruit development, maturation and ripening. Differential expression analysis among colored tissue comparisons in 3 cultivars Allahabad Safeda, Punjab Pink and Apple Color identified 68 candidate genes that might be controlling color development in guava fruit. Comparisons of red vs green peel in Apple Color, white pulp vs red pulp in Punjab Pink and fruit maturation vs ripening in non-colored Allahabad Safeda indicates up-regulation of ethylene biosynthesis accompanied to secondary metabolism like phenylpropanoid and monolignol pathways. CONCLUSIONS: Benchmarking Universal Single-Copy Orthologs analysis of de novo transcriptome of guava with eudicots identified 93.7% complete BUSCO genes. In silico differential gene expression among tissue types of Allahabad Safeda and validation of candidate genes with qRT-PCR in contrasting color genotypes promises the utility of this first guava transcriptome for its potential of tapping the genetic elements from germplasm collections for enhancing fruit traits.

Aegilops umbellulata introgression carrying leaf rust and stripe rust resistance genes Lr76 and Yr70 located to 9.47-Mb region on 5DS telomeric end through a combination of chromosome sorting and sequencing.

KEY MESSAGE: Lr76 and Yr70 have been fine mapped using the sequence of flow-sorted recombinant 5D chromosome from wheat-Ae. umbellulata introgression line. The alien introgression has been delineated to 9.47-Mb region on short arm of wheat chromosome 5D. Leaf rust and stripe rust are among the most damaging diseases of wheat worldwide. Wheat cultivation based on limited number of rust resistance genes deployed over vast areas expedites the emergence of new pathotypes warranting a continuous deployment of new resistance genes. In this paper, fine mapping of Aegilops umbellulata-derived leaf rust and stripe rust resistance genes Lr76 and Yr70 is being reported. We flow sorted and paired-end sequenced 5U chromosome of Ae. umbellulata, recombinant chromosome 5D (5DIL) from wheat-Ae. umbellulata introgression line pau16057 and 5DRP of recurrent parent WL711. Chromosome 5U reads were mapped against the reference Chinese Spring chromosome 5D sequence, and alien-specific SNPs were identified. Chromosome 5DIL and 5DRP sequences were de novo assembled, and alien introgression-specific markers were designed by selecting 5U- and 5D-specific SNPs. Overall, 27 KASP markers were mapped in high-resolution population consisting of 1404 F5 RILs. The mapping population segregated for single gene each for leaf rust and stripe rust resistance. The physical order of the SNPs in pau16057 was defined by projecting the 27 SNPs against the IWGSC RefSeq v1.0 sequence. Based on this physical map, the size of Ae. umbellulata introgression was determined to be 9.47 Mb on the distal most end of the short arm of chromosome 5D. This non-recombining alien segment carries six NB-LRR encoding genes based on NLR annotation of assembled chromosome 5DIL sequence and IWGSC RefSeq v1.1 gene models. The presence of SNPs and other sequence variations in these genes between pau16057 and WL711 suggested that they are candidates for Lr76 and Yr70.

Comparative analysis of chromosome 2A molecular organization in diploid and hexaploid wheat.

Diploid A genome wheat species harbor immense genetic variability which has been targeted and proven useful in wheat improvement. Development and deployment of sequence-based markers has opened avenues for comparative analysis, gene transfer and marker assisted selection (MAS) using high throughput cost effective genotyping techniques. Chromosome 2A of wheat is known to harbor several economically important genes. The present study aimed at identification of genic sequences corresponding to full length cDNAs and mining of SSRs and ISBPs from 2A draft sequence assembly of hexaploid wheat cv. Chinese Spring for marker development. In total, 1029 primer pairs including 478 gene derived, 501 SSRs and 50 ISBPs were amplified in diploid A genome species Triticum monococcum and T. boeoticum identifying 221 polymorphic loci. Out of these, 119 markers were mapped onto a pre-existing chromosome 2A genetic map consisting of 42 mapped markers. The enriched genetic map constituted 161 mapped markers with final map length of 549.6 cM. Further, 2A genetic map of T. monococcum was anchored to the physical map of 2A of cv. Chinese Spring which revealed several rearrangements between the two species. The present study generated a highly saturated genetic map of 2A and physical anchoring of genetically mapped markers revealed a complex genetic architecture of chromosome 2A that needs to be investigated further.

Fine mapping of Aegilops peregrina co-segregating leaf and stripe rust resistance genes to distal-most end of 5DS.

KEY MESSAGE: Novel rust resistance genes LrP and YrP from Ae. peregrina identified on chromosome 5D and the linked markers will aid deployment of these genes in combination with other major/minor genes. Aegilops peregrina, a wild tetraploid relative of wheat with genome constitution UUSS, displays genetic variation for resistance to leaf and stripe (yellow) rust. The wheat Ae. peregrina introgression line, IL pau16058, harbouring leaf and stripe rust resistance, was crossed with wheat cv. WL711 to generate an F2:3 mapping population. Inheritance studies on this population indicated the transfer of dominant co-segregating resistance to leaf and stripe rust. Ethyl methane sulphonate mutagenesis of IL pau16058 identified independent loss-of-function mutants for leaf and stripe rust resistance, indicating that the leaf and stripe rust resistance is controlled by independent genes, herein designated LrP and YrP, respectively. A high-resolution genetic map of LrP and YrP was constructed using the Illumina Infinium iSelect 90K wheat array and resistance gene enrichment sequencing (RenSeq) markers. The map spans 4.19 cM on the distal-most region of the short arm of chromosome 5D, consisting of eight SNP markers and one microsatellite marker. LrP and YrP co-segregated with markers BS00163889 and 5DS44573_snp and was flanked distally by the SNP marker BS00129707 and proximally by 5DS149010, defining a 15.71 Mb region in the RefSeq v1.0 genome assembly.

Fine mapping of powdery mildew resistance genes PmTb7A.1 and PmTb7A.2 in Triticum boeoticum (Boiss.) using the shotgun sequence assembly of chromosome 7AL.

KEY MESSAGE: A novel powdery mildew resistance gene and a new allele of Pm1 were identified and fine mapped. DNA markers suitable for marker-assisted selection have been identified. Powdery mildew caused by Blumeria graminis is one of the most important foliar diseases of wheat and causes significant yield losses worldwide. Diploid A genome species are an important genetic resource for disease resistance genes. Two powdery mildew resistance genes, identified in Triticum boeoticum (A(b)A(b)) accession pau5088, PmTb7A.1 and PmTb7A.2 were mapped on chromosome 7AL. In the present study, shotgun sequence assembly data for chromosome 7AL were utilised for fine mapping of these Pm resistance genes. Forty SSR, 73 resistance gene analogue-based sequence-tagged sites (RGA-STS) and 36 single nucleotide polymorphism markers were designed for fine mapping of PmTb7A.1 and PmTb7A.2. Twenty-one RGA-STS, 8 SSR and 13 SNP markers were mapped to 7AL. RGA-STS markers Ta7AL-4556232 and 7AL-4426363 were linked to the PmTb7A.1 and PmTb7A.2, at a genetic distance of 0.6 and 6.0 cM, respectively. The present investigation established that PmTb7A.1 is a new powdery mildew resistance gene that confers resistance to a broad range of Bgt isolates, whereas PmTb7A.2 most probably is a new allele of Pm1 based on chromosomal location and screening with Bgt isolates showing differential reaction on lines with different Pm1 alleles. The markers identified to be linked to the two Pm resistance genes are robust and can be used for marker-assisted introgression of these genes to hexaploid wheat.

Genome-wide identification and characterization of flowering genes in Citrus sinensis (L.) Osbeck: a comparison among C. Medica L., C. Reticulata Blanco, C. Grandis (L.) Osbeck and C. Clementina.

BACKGROUND: Flowering plays an important role in completing the reproductive cycle of plants and obtaining next generation of plants. In case of citrus, it may take more than a year to achieve progeny. Therefore, in order to fasten the breeding processes, the juvenility period needs to be reduced. The juvenility in plants is regulated by set of various flowering genes. The citrus fruit and leaves possess various medicinal properties and are subjected to intensive breeding programs to produce hybrids with improved quality traits. In order to break juvenility in Citrus, it is important to study the role of flowering genes. The present study involved identification of genes regulating flowering in Citrus sinensis L. Osbeck via homology based approach. The structural and functional characterization of these genes would help in targeting genome editing techniques to induce mutations in these genes for producing desirable results. RESULTS: A total of 43 genes were identified which were located on all the 9 chromosomes of citrus. The in-silico analysis was performed to determine the genetic structure, conserved motifs, cis-regulatory elements (CREs) and phylogenetic relationship of the genes. A total of 10 CREs responsible for flowering were detected in 33 genes and 8 conserved motifs were identified in all the genes. The protein structure, protein-protein interaction network and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) analysis was performed to study the functioning of these genes which revealed the involvement of flowering proteins in circadian rhythm pathways. The gene ontology (GO) and gene function analysis was performed to functionally annotate the genes. The structure of the genes and proteins were also compared among other Citrus species to study the evolutionary relationship among them. The expression study revealed the expression of flowering genes in floral buds and ovaries. The qRT-PCR analysis revealed that the flowering genes were highly expressed in bud stage, fully grown flower and early stage of fruit development. CONCLUSIONS: The findings suggested that the flowering genes were highly conserved in citrus species. The qRT-PCR analysis revealed the tissue specific expression of flowering genes (CsFT, CsCO, CsSOC, CsAP, CsSEP and CsLFY) which would help in easy detection and targeting of genes through various forward and reverse genetic approaches.

Comparative mitochondrial genome analysis reveals a candidate ORF for cytoplasmic male sterility in tropical onion.

Cytoplasmic male sterility (CMS) has been widely exploited for hybrid seed production in onions (Allium cepa L.). In contrast to long-day onion cultivars, short-day onion has not yet been investigated for mitochondrial genome structure and DNA rearrangements associated with CMS activity. Here, we report the 3,16,321 bp complete circular mitochondrial genome of tropical onion CMS line (97A). Due to the substantial number of repetitive regions, the assembled mitochondrial genome of maintainer line (97B) remained linear with 15 scaffolds. Additionally, 13 and 20 chloroplast-derived fragments with a size ranging from 143 to 13,984 bp and 153-17,725 bp were identified in the 97A and 97B genomes, respectively. Genome annotation revealed 24 core protein-coding genes along with 24 and 28 tRNA genes in the mitochondrial genomes of 97A and 97B, respectively. Furthermore, comparative genome analysis of the 97A and 97B mitochondrial genomes showed that gene content was almost similar except for the chimeric ORF725 gene which is the extended form of the COX1 gene. Supplementary Information: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s13205-023-03850-2.

Characterization of sugarcane mutants developed through gamma irradiations for their lignin content and caffeic acid-O-methyl transferase (COMT) gene mutations.

PURPOSE: Bagasse, the residue left after extracting juice from sugarcane stalks, is rich in lignocellulosic biomass. The lignin present in this plant biomass is the key factor that hinders the efficient extraction of ethanol from the bagasse. In the current study, γ-irradiated sugarcane mutants were evaluated for variation in lignin content and its corresponding caffeic acid-O-methyl transferase (COMT) gene. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The acetyl bromide method was used to estimate lignin content in sugarcane mutants. PCR-based cloning of the COMT gene was performed in low lignin mutants as well as control plants in E. coli (strain DH5α) to understand the mechanism of variation at the molecular level. The Sanger sequencing for cloned gene was performed to check variation in gene sequence. RESULTS: In comparison to the control (21.5%), the mutant plants' lignin content ranged from 13 to 28%. The Sanger sequencing revealed approximately the same length of the gene from mutants as well as a control plant. In comparison to the reference gene, the mutated gene showed SNPs and indels in different regions, which may have an impact on lignin content. CONCLUSIONS: Therefore, γ-irradiated mutagenesis is an acceptable approach to develop novel mutants of sugarcane with low lignin content to enhance bioethanol production from waste material using bioprocess technology.

Stress adaptive plasticity from Aegilops tauschii introgression lines improves drought and heat stress tolerance in bread wheat (Triticum aestivum L.).

Aegilops tauchii is a D-genome donor of hexaploid wheat and is a potential source of genes for various biotic and abiotic stresses including heat and drought. In the present study, we used multi-stage evaluation technique to understand the effects of heat and drought stresses on Ae. tauschii derived introgression lines (ILs). Preliminary evaluation (during stage-I) of 369 ILs for various agronomic traits identified 59 agronomically superior ILs. In the second stage (stage-II), selected ILs (i.e., 59 ILs) were evaluated for seedling heat (at 30 °C and 35 °C) and drought (at 20% poly-ethylene glycol; PEG) stress tolerance under growth chambers (stage-II). Heat and drought stress significantly reduced the seedling vigour by 59.29 and 60.37 percent, respectively. Genotype × treatment interaction analysis for seedling vigour stress tolerance index (STI) identified IL-50, IL-56, and IL-68 as high-performing ILs under heat stress and IL-42 and IL-44 as high-performing ILs under drought stress. It also revealed IL-44 and IL-50 as the stable ILs under heat and drought stresses. Furthermore, in the third stage (stage-III), selected ILs were evaluated for heat and drought stress tolerance under field condition over two cropping seasons (viz., 2020-21 and 2021-22), which significantly reduced the grain yield by 72.79 and 48.70 percent, respectively. Stability analysis was performed to identify IL-47, IL-51, and IL-259 as the most stable ILs in stage-III. Tolerant ILs with specific and wider adaptability identified in this study can serve as the potential resources to understand the genetic basis of heat and drought stress tolerance in wheat and they can also be utilized in developing high-yielding wheat cultivars with enhanced heat and drought stress tolerance.

Genome-wide identification and characterization of parthenocarpic fruit set-related gene homologs in cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.).

Cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.), a major horticultural crop, in the family Cucurbitaceae is grown and consumed globally. Parthenocarpy is an ideal trait for many fruit and vegetables which produces seedless fruit desired by consumers. The seedlessness occurs when fruit develops without fertilization which can be either natural or induced. So far, a limited number of genes regulating parthenocarpic fruit set have been reported in several fruit or vegetable crops, most of which are involved in hormone biosynthesis or signalling. Although parthenocarpic cucumber has been widely used in commercial production for a long time; its genetic basis is not well understood. In this study, we retrieved thirty five parthenocarpy fruit-set related genes (PRGs) from bibliomic data in various plants. Thirty-five PRG homologs were identified in the cucumber genome via homology-based search. An in silico analysis was performed on phylogenetic tree, exon-intron structure, cis-regulatory elements in the promoter region, and conserved domains of their deduced proteins, which provided insights into the genetic make-up of parthenocarpy-related genes in cucumber. Simple sequence repeat (SSR) sequences were mined in these PRGs, and 31 SSR markers were designed. SSR genotyping identified three SSRs in two polymorphic genes. Quantitative real-time PCR of selected genes was conducted in five cucumber lines with varying degrees of parthenocarpic fruit set capacities, which revealed possible association of their expression with parthenocarpy. The results revealed that homologs CsWD40 and CsPIN-4 could be considered potential genes for determination of parthenocarpy as these genes showed parental polymorphism and differential gene expression in case of parthenocarpic and non-parthenocarpic parents.

Combining high carotenoid, grain protein content and rust resistance in wheat for food and nutritional security.

Globally, malnutrition has given birth to an alarming predicament, especially in developing countries, and has extensively shifted consumer preferences from conventional high-energy diets to a nutritionally balanced, cost-effective, sustainable, and healthy lifestyle. In keeping with this view and the mandate for developing high-yielding, disease-resistant biofortified staple food (wheat) for catering to the demand-driven market, the current research aimed at stacking together the enhanced grain protein content, carotenoid content, and disease resistance in an elite bread wheat background. The Y gene (PsyE1) and the GpcB1 gene were used as novel sources for enhancing the grain carotenoid and protein content in the commercial elite bread wheat cultivar HD2967. The combination also led to the stacking of resistance against all three foliar rusts owing to linked resistance genes. A stepwise hybridization using Parent 1 (HD2967 + PsyE1/Lr19/Sr25) with Parent 2 (PBW550 + GpcB1/Yr36+ Yr15), coupled with a phenotypic-biochemical selection, narrowed down 2748 F2 individuals to a subset of 649 F2 plants for molecular screening. The gene-specific markers PsyE1, PsyD1, Xucw108, and Xbarc8 for the genes PsyE1, PsyD1, GpcB1, and Yr15, respectively, were employed for forward selection. Four bread wheat lines positive for all the desired genes with high carotenoid (>8ppm) and protein (>13%) content were raised to the F5 generation and will be evaluated for yield potential after bulking. These improved advanced breeding lines developed following multipronged efforts should prove a valuable and unique source for the development of cultivars with improved nutritional quality and rust resistance in wheat breeding programs.