Cereal Research Communications

Abstract The main genetic factor which initiates the flowering is the Vrn gene system, which determines the rate of many of the plant’s growth and development processes. Introgression of new Vrn gene alleles from its relatives into bread wheat makes it possible to increase genetic variables connected to the duration of the growing season parameters and individual developmental phases. Two lines of the winter cultivar of bread wheat Bezostaya 1 (Bez1) with a combination of the dominant alleles Vrn-A1L Vrn-B1a and Vrn-A1L Vrn-B1c were created which included the introgression of the Vrn-A1L (or Vrn-A1c Langdon-type deletion) allele from Triticum petropavlovskyi Udacz. et Migusch. (or T. aestivum ssp. petropavlovskyi (Udacz. et Migusch.) N.P. Gontsch). Homozygous lines were isolated from F3 hybrids by using marker-assisted selection. This lines matured earlier in relation to the original near-isogenic lines which contained the Vrn-A1L, Vrn-B1a, and Vrn-B1c alleles. The Bez1 Vrn-A1L Vrn-B1c line had a shorter germination-first node and germination-heading periods compared to Bez1 Vrn-A1L Vrn-B1a, practically showing no difference, in terms of heading, with the early-maturing line i:Bez1 Vrn-A1a. In the current paper the results of research into the productivity of the lines using different combinations of VRN-1 alleles are presented. Thus, the obtained results indicate the possibility of using the Vrn-A1L allele carrying out modification for earlier maturity arising as a result of combinations with other dominant Vrn-B1 alleles.

Abstract Developing and identifying high-yielding genotypes with shoot fly resistance in sorghum is a complex task that requires a detailed examination of genetic variability and relationships between numerous component traits related to grain yield and pest resistance. The purpose of this study was to use 15 morphological traits to assess genetic variability in 64 sorghum genotypes, which were analysed using principal component analysis (PCA) and the box plot technique. PCA identified seven components that account for almost 74% of the total variability in grain yield and shoot fly resistance. Two of the most reliable components (PC1 and PC2) were strongly correlated with a number of traits, including deadhearts per cent (21 and 28 DAE), seedling vigour, number of eggs per plant and trichome density on upper and lower surfaces, fodder yield per plot, fodder yield per plant, days to maturity and days to 50% flowering. PCA biplots identify groups of genotypes that can be suitable for specific breeding strategies. These include genotype clusters that combine grain yielding ability with resistance to shoot flies. According to the results of the box plot analysis, most of the traits showed greater variation towards grain yield and shoot fly resistance. This research has provided useful information on sorghum genotype genetic variability and its potential use in sorghum development programmes.

Abstract Salt-sensitive crop varieties suffer from oxidative stress as a consequence of osmotic and ionic stresses in plants under salinity stress. This study is aimed at identifying the effects of riboflavin (RIB) application on uplifting rice growth under salinized soil condition. Two-week-old seedlings of IR29 (a salt-sensitive variety) were supplemented with 0.5 μM of RIB, and 50 mM of NaCl was supplied for 2 weeks, inducing salinized soil conditions. The results indicated that RIB pretreatment (RP) seedlings possessed higher plant biomass, and lower electrolyte leakage ration (ELR), hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) and malondialdehyde (MDA) concentrations, higher chlorophyll, magnesium (Mg), and iron (Fe) concentrations in the leaf blades, a higher proline concentration, and a lower Na+ concentration in the leaf blades. To further understand the mechanisms behind the difference in plant growth between the RP and non-RP seedlings, molecular analysis revealed that RP seedlings upregulated OsNHX1 and OsHKT1;5 expressions were observed in the roots of RP seedlings, regulating Na+ uptake through the transpiration stream and reducing Na+ concentration in the leaf blades. Collectively, these results suggest that RP is a potent method for improving plant growth under salinized soil conditions.

Abstract Drought is a key environmental element that affects rice (Oryza sativa L.) productivity and quality. Control and drought-treated rice grain (milled) and bran fractions of two contrasting rice genotypes (N22-drought-tolerant and IR64-drought-sensitive) were evaluated based on proximate composition, vitamins, minerals, and nutritional quality indices. Except for carbohydrates and amylose content, bran from both genotypes had higher concentrations of all parameters (proximate, minerals, vitamins, phenols, amino acids, and phytic acid) analyzed in this study. Protein level ranged from 9–11% in grain to 13–15% in bran. Macronutrients (Na, Ca, K, Mg, P) increased after drought in both genotypes. Under drought, thiamine level ranged from 0.07 to 1.97 mg/100 g, riboflavin level from 0.02 to 0.43 mg/100 g, and α-tocopherol from 1.67 to 8.34 mg/100 g in both fractions. N22 showed higher amylose (20.44% and 4.84%) and phenol (0.46 mg/GAE and 2.54 mg/GAE) content in both grain and bran fractions under drought condition. Proline accumulated at higher concentration (2.732 g/100 g) than other amino acids in N22 under drought. Phytic acid ranged from 0.213 to 2.752 g/100 g in drought. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first preliminary report on nutritional quality analysis of rice grain and bran under drought stress. The current findings may help breeders in development of high-quality, drought-tolerant rice varieties, and will also provide a strong foundation for utilizing bran as an essential food ingredient to improve human nutrition and may help breeders to use this tolerant genotype as better parents in further crossings.

Abstract Calcium (Ca) and cadmium (Cd) are transition metals coexisting in the ecosystem. Ca is indispensable for the growth and development of plants as well as animals, while Cd is regarded as a toxic heavy metal for the living system. The transportation of Cd in the biological systems often used the pathways of Ca because of chemical similarities. High concentrations of cadmium replace Ca, Mn, and Zn from their respective metalloprotein sites and strongly associated with them. Replaced minerals from their metalloprotein sites are often released as an oxidative ion that is detrimental to it. The common transportation mechanism of Ca and Cd is implicit in the role of common and similar transporters for transporting them in plants. Thus, our study was done to identify the transporters for Ca and Cd and characterize them for similarity in terms of cotransportation system. A profile-based search program identified 44 transporters genes for Ca transportation and 70 genes for cadmium transportation. They were categorized into different groups based on the presence of signature motifs and domains. Identified transporters were characterized for genomic distribution, gene structure, annotation, conserved signature motifs, and domain. Further, cis motif analysis, heat map, gene ontology, and protein–protein interaction were conducted for Ca and Cd transporter genes. In silico expression showed Os05g0319800-1304 and Os0319800-6065 transporter genes were overexpressed for Ca and Os07g00232800-40298 and Os07g00384500-25924 transporter genes overexpressed for Cd transporter. These genes could be used as a candidate genes for enhancing the Ca concentration with reduced Cd content in rice using biotechnological approaches. Twenty-seven genes were found as the common transporters for Ca and Cd. Both active and passive transporter mechanisms act as cotransporters for Ca and Cd. The common signature motifs and domains can be targeted for the characterization of cotransporters of different minerals.