The present study aims at integrating the characterization studies conducted on the Cuban germplasm collection of Xanthosoma sagittifolium (Araceae) preserved in the Research Institute of Tropical Roots and Tubers Crops (INIVIT). Differentiation of accessions was done by combining qualitative and quantitative descriptors to clarify the relationships between six well-defined groups. The results may be used to establish a core collection for improved management of Xanthosoma spp. germplasm. Show less

Four nitrogen forms and four biofertilizer were application as well as their interactions on growth analysis of sugar beet (Beta vulgaris L). The important results could be summarized as follow. Urea treatment achieved maximum increase in Leaf Area Index were 69.71, 81.32 and 166.54 at 120, 140 and 160 day in the 1st season, respectively, The highest one was 160.6 in the 2nd also was ammonium nitrate application at 160 days. Urea treatment inclusion in seeds with ntrobin application resulted the highest values of leaf area index (LAI), crop growth rate (CGR) and leaf area duration (LAD) and in the 1st season. A slight increase was 0.03 g/week in this case was found due to urea treatments as compared with the others treatment at the period from Relative growth rate (RGR3) in the 1st season. Ammonium nitrate treatment achieved the maximum values from Crop Growth Rate was 39.16 g/day in (CGR1), 93.24 and 13.5 g/day in (CGR2) and (CGR3) from urea treatment at the 1st season. The highest net assimilation rate was 0.66 g/dm.week achieved by ntrobin as compared the others treatment whereas, the lowest one 0.11 g.dm /week with the phosphorine application. Ammonium sulphate treatment with (phosphorin + ntrobin) obtained the highest net assimilation rate (NAR) in the 1st season. The highest values from leaf area duration were 0.11, 0.19 and 0.15 dm2/week achieved with urea and ntrobin in the 1st season at (LAD2), (LAD3) and (LAD4). Ammonium nitrate treatment with phosphorin obtained the highest leaf area duration (LAD) in the 2nd season. Generally, it could be recommended that fertilizing sugar beet plants variety Ymer with nitrogen forms inoculated with biofertilizer (ntrobin 600gm/fed) increased the growth of sugar beet plants under sandy soil conditions. Show less

Rice, as one of the most important crops in the world, is facing an ever-accelerating challenge from climate change. Epigenetic modification with its substantially high epimutation rate and the possibility for some epigenetic variation to act as a heritable contributor to crop environmental adaptability may hold great potentials for rapid crop breeding. Epigenetic modification is controlled by epigenetic pathways, and mutations disturbing the epigenetic pathways may lead to significant epigenetic and/or genetic changes. This is especially true for rice, whose genome is rich in epigenetic modifications and transposable elements (TEs) that are generally epigenetically silenced. Here, in this paper, we first reviewed the pathways that establish, maintain and remove rice DNA methylation, which is the most well studied epigenetic marker, as well as the genes that are involved. We then discussed how TEs amplify the phenotypic impact of epigenetic changes that could be a result of epigenetic pathway disturbances. At last, we presented the enormous amount of rice genome data that are publically available, within which great genetic variation in the genes that are involved within the epigenetic pathways is embedded. This genetic variation awaits to be exploited for their potentials in generating a heritable source of variation for rapid environmental adaptation, which may hold tremendous importance for rice breeding in the face of climate change. Show less

We evaluated a set of 37 chilli genotypes collected and maintained at Assam Agricultural University, Jorhat for 27 different traits related to plant habit (5), leaf (6), flower (2), fruit (13) and biotic stress (1). The variation in fruit yield among the genotypes could be attributed to high coefficients of variability for component traits viz., number of fruits per plant (91.7%), plant height (80.8%), leaf breadth (55.9 %), fruit weight (49.7%), leaf length (45.4%) fruit length (35.8%), fruit breadth (35.5%) and number of branches per plant (22.2%). Maximum phenotypic variants were observed for fruit traits followed by leaf characteristics. Phylogenetic analysis revealed Euclidean distances varying from a minimum of 2.065 and a maximum of 13.311 indicating the diverse nature of the genotypes. UPGMA clustering grouped the genotypes into 5 distinct clusters. The largest one, cluster I, had 26 genotypes belonging to Capsicum annuum var. acuminatum. Cluster II consisted of Capsicum annuum var. conoides with cone-shaped fruits. Cluster III included Moni Jolokia, a perennial shrub with cone-shaped globose erect fruits which clustered in between the other local C. annuum sp. Bireek and Mem Jolokia. The fourth cluster (IV) included the local chilli genotypes - Mem Jolokia, Bhekuri Jolokia and Haitha Jolokia which were perennial, with green stem and leaves. Cluster V included the C. chinense genotypes consisting of Manipuri Bhut, Bor Bhut and Lota Bhut. The first principal component explained 34.93% of the total variation contributed by mostly leaf and fruit characteristics. The fruit characters in this component showed significant positive correlation with leaf length, breadth and plant height indicating their importance in the morphological characterization of the chilli genotypes. Show less