Varshney RK, Song C, Saxena RK, Azam S, Yu S, Sharpe AG, Cannon S, Baek J, Rosen BD, Tar'an B, Millan T, Zhang X, Ramsay LD, Iwata A, Wang Y, Nelson W, Farmer AD, Gaur PM, Soderlund C, Penmetsa RV, Xu C, Bharti AK, He W, Winter P, Zhao S, Hane JK, Carrasquilla-Garcia N, Condie JA, Upadhyaya HD, Luo M-C, Thudi M, Gowda CLL, Singh NP, Lichtenzveig J, Gali KK, Rubio J, Nadarajan N, Dolezel J, Bansal KC, Xu X, Edwards D, Zhang G, Kahl G, Gil J, Singh KB, Datta SK, Jackson SA, Wang J & Cook DR (2013). Draft genome sequence of chickpea (Cicer arietinum) provides a resource for trait improvement. Nature Biotechnology (2013). (DOI:10.1038/nbt.2491).

Chickpea (Cicer arietinum) is the second most widely grown legume crop after soya bean, accounting for a substantial proportion of human dietary nitrogen intake and playing a crucial role in food security in developing countries. We report the ~738-Mb draft whole genome shotgun sequence of CDC Frontier, a kabuli chickpea variety, which contains an estimated 28,269 genes. Resequencing and analysis of 90 cultivated and wild genotypes from ten countries identifies targets of both breeding-associated genetic sweeps and breeding-associated balancing selection. Candidate genes for disease resistance and agronomic traits are highlighted, including traits that distinguish the two main market classes of cultivated chickpea—desi and kabuli. These data comprise a resource for chickpea improvement through molecular breeding and provide insights into both genome diversity and domestication.

 Full article (1.37 MB)

Lucas MR, Huynh B-L, Ehlers JD, Roberts PA, Close TJ (2013). High-resolution single nucleotide polymorphism genotyping reveals a significant problem among breeder resources. The Plant Genome 6(1):1–5. (DOI: 10.3835/plantgenome2012.08.0020). (G6010.02/ G7010.07).

The logistics associated with a modern breeding program can be complex, relying on accuracy and communication between plant breeders, pathologists, quantitative geneticists, and support staff. International and academic facets may bring additional challenges to already error prone activities including the development, maintenance, and distribution of lines. Furthermore, practices such as bulking of seed and the maintenance of within accession variation among landraces must be considered when pursuing marker-assisted approaches to breeding.

 Full article (872.33 kB)

Ouma E, Ligeyo D, Matonyei T, Agalo J, Were B, Too E, Onkware A, Gudu S, Kisinyo P and Nyangweso P (2013). Enhancing maize grain yield in acid soils of western Kenya using aluminium tolerant germplasm. Journal of Agricultural Science and Technology A 3:33–46. (ISSN: 1939-1250). (G7010.03.05). Not open access: view abstract

Wang S-G, Zhu J-G, Sun D-Z, Shi Y-G, Cao Y-P, Fan H and Jia S-S (2013). Analysis of drought resistance of Shanxi wheat at seedling stage. Journal of China Agricultural University 18(1):39–45. Article in Chinese with abstract in English. Not open access; view abstract. (G7010.02.01)

Melo JO, Lana UGP, Piñeros MA, Alves VMC, Guimarães CT, Liu J, Zheng Y, Zhong S, Fei Z, Maron LG, Schaffert RE, Kochian LV and Magalhaes JV (2013). Incomplete transfer of accessory loci influencing SbMATE expression underlies genetic background effects for aluminum tolerance in sorghum. The Plant Journal 73(2):276–288 (DOI: 10.1111/tpj.12029). First published online in November 2012. Not open access; view abstract.

Dignat G, Welcker C, Sawkins M, Ribaut JM and Tardieu F (2013). The growths of leaves, shoots, roots and reproductive organs partly share their genetic control in maize plants. Plant, Cell & Environment Printed online 7 January 2013. (DOI: 10.1111/pce.12045). (G3005.15). Not open access: view abstract

Moretzsohn MC, Gouvea EG, Inglis PW, Leal-Bertioli SCM, Valls JFM, Bertioli DJ (2013). A study of the relationships of cultivated peanut (Arachis hypogaea) and its most closely related wild species using intron sequences and microsatellite markers. Annals of Botany 111(1):113–126 (DOI: 10.1093/aob/mcs237). Not open access; view abstract. First published online in November 2012. (G6010.01)

Liu X, Li R, Chang X and Jing R (2013). Mapping QTLs for seedling root traits in a doubled haploid wheat population under different water regimes. Euphytica 189(1):51−66 (DOI: 10.1007/s10681-012-0690-4). First published online in May 2012. Not open access; view abstract. (G7010.02.01)

Krishnamurthy L, Kashiwagi J, Upadhyaya HD, Gowda CLL, Gaur PM, Singh S, Purushothaman R, Varshney RK (2013). Partitioning coefficient – A trait that contributes to drought tolerance in chickpea. Field Crops Research 149: 354–365. (ISSN 0378-4290, DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.fcr.2013.05.022). (G4008.12). Not open access: view online

Melo JO, Lana UGP, Piñeros MA, Alves VMC, Guimarães CT, Liu J, Zheng Y, Zhong S, Fei Z, Maron LG, Schaffert RE, Kochian LV and Magalhães JV (2013). Incomplete transfer of accessory loci influencing SbMATE expression underlies genetic background effects for aluminum tolerance in sorghum. The Plant Journal 73(2):276–288. (DOI: 10.1111/tpj.12029). (G3007.04).

Impaired root development caused by aluminum (Al) toxicity is a major cause of grain yield reduction in crops cultivated on acid soils, which are widespread worldwide. In sorghum, the major Al-tolerance locus, AltSB, is due to the function of SbMATE, which is an Al-activated root citrate transporter. Here we performed a molecular and physiological characterization of various AltSB donors and near-isogenic lines harboring various AltSB alleles. We observed a partial transfer of Al tolerance from the parents to the near-isogenic lines that was consistent across donor alleles, emphasizing the occurrence of strong genetic background effects related to AltSB.

 Full article (794.25 kB)