Comparison of ddRADseq and EUChip60K SNP genotyping systems for population genetics and genomic selection in (Maiden).

is one of the most important species for short-fiber pulp production in regions where other species of the genus are affected by poor soil and climatic conditions. In this context, holds promise as a resource to address and adapt to the challenges of climate change. Despite its rapid growth and favorable wood properties for solid wood products, the advancement of its improvement remains in its early stages.

Peculiarities of the Transformation of Family Species: The Cases of Sunflower and Lettuce.

The family is the largest and most diversified family of the Angiosperms, characterized by the presence of numerous clustered inflorescences, which have the appearance of a single compound flower. It is estimated that this family represents around 10% of all flowered species, with a great biodiversity, covering all environments on the planet, except Antarctica. Also, it includes economically important crops, such as lettuce, sunflower, and chrysanthemum; wild flowers; herbs, and several species that produce molecules with pharmacological properties.

RNAi Expression in Cotton for Control of Herbivorous Insects.

Cultivated cotton (Gossypium hirsutum) is heavily attacked by various species of insects worldwide and breeding of new varieties resistant to pests is still a hard battle to win. RNAi technology is an important reverse genetics tool to induce gene silencing in eukaryotic organisms and produce phenotypic modifications. In cotton, RNAi was applied to investigate gene function and enhance resistance to insects and pathogens.

Validation of Reference Genes for Quantitative PCR in Johnsongrass ( L.) under Glyphosate Stress.

Weeds are one of the main causes of the decrease in crop yields, with Johnsongrass ( L.) being one of the most significant. Weeds can be controlled by herbicides, but some have developed resistance.

On-field phenotypic evaluation of sunflower populations for broad-spectrum resistance to Verticillium leaf mottle and wilt.

Sunflower Verticillium Wilt and Leaf Mottle (SVW), caused by Verticillium dahliae (Kleb.; Vd), is a soil-borne disease affecting sunflower worldwide. A single dominant locus, known as V1, was formerly effective in controlling North-American Vd races, whereas races from Argentina, Europe and an emerging race from USA overcome its resistance.

Midgut Genes Knockdown by Oral dsRNA Administration Produces a Lethal Effect on Cotton Boll Weevil.

The "cotton boll weevil" (Anthonomus grandis Boheman) is a key pest in America whose larval stage develops within the cotton flower bud. During its development, the larva uses the flower bud as food and as a shelter from predators. This behavior limits the effective control through conventional insecticide applications and biocontrol techniques.

Exploring sunflower responses to Sclerotinia head rot at early stages of infection using RNA-seq analysis.

Sclerotinia head rot (SHR), caused by the necrotrophic fungus Sclerotinia sclerotiorum, is one of the most devastating sunflower crop diseases. Despite its worldwide occurrence, the genetic determinants of plant resistance are still largely unknown. Here, we investigated the Sclerotinia-sunflower pathosystem by analysing temporal changes in gene expression in one susceptible and two tolerant inbred lines (IL) inoculated with the pathogen under field conditions.

Potato Snakin-1: an antimicrobial player of the trade-off between host defense and development.

Snakin-1 (SN1) from potato is a cysteine-rich antimicrobial peptide with high evolutionary conservation. It has 63 amino acid residues, 12 of which are cysteines capable of forming six disulfide bonds. SN1 localizes in the plasma membrane, and it is present mainly in tissues associated with active growth and cell division.

Potato snakin-1 gene enhances tolerance to Rhizoctonia solani and Sclerotinia sclerotiorum in transgenic lettuce plants.

Snakin-1 is a cysteine-rich antimicrobial peptide (AMP) isolated from potato tubers, with broad-spectrum activity. It belongs to the Snakin/GASA family, whose members have been studied because of their diverse roles in important plant processes, including defense. To analyze if this defensive function may lead to disease tolerance in lettuce, one of the most worldwide consumed leafy vegetable, we characterized three homozygous transgenic lines overexpressing Snakin-1.

Integration of transcriptomic and metabolic data reveals hub transcription factors involved in drought stress response in sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.).

By integration of transcriptional and metabolic profiles we identified pathways and hubs transcription factors regulated during drought conditions in sunflower, useful for applications in molecular and/or biotechnological breeding. Drought is one of the most important environmental stresses that effects crop productivity in many agricultural regions. Sunflower is tolerant to drought conditions but the mechanisms involved in this tolerance remain unclear at the molecular level.

Transcriptomic survey of the midgut of Anthonomus grandis (Coleoptera: Curculionidae).

Anthonomus grandis Boheman is a key pest in cotton crops in the New World. Its larval stage develops within the flower bud using it as food and as protection against its predators. This behavior limits the effectiveness of its control using conventional insecticide applications and biocontrol techniques.

Sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.).

Sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) is still considered as a recalcitrant species to in vitro culture and transformation in spite of the publication of different protocols. Here we describe a routine transformation system of this crop which requires mature HA89 genotype seeds and Agrobacterium tumefaciens EHA105 strain for gene delivery, being both easily available.

Identification of candidate genes associated with leaf senescence in cultivated sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.).

Cultivated sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.), an important source of edible vegetable oil, shows rapid onset of senescence, which limits production by reducing photosynthetic capacity under specific growing conditions. Carbon for grain filling depends strongly on light interception by green leaf area, which diminishes during grain filling due to leaf senescence.

The P0 protein encoded by cotton leafroll dwarf virus (CLRDV) inhibits local but not systemic RNA silencing.

Plants employ RNA silencing as a natural defense mechanism against viruses. As a counter-defense, viruses encode silencing suppressor proteins (SSPs) that suppress RNA silencing. Most, but not all, the P0 proteins encoded by poleroviruses have been identified as SSP.

Population genetics structure of glyphosate-resistant Johnsongrass (Sorghum halepense L. Pers) does not support a single origin of the resistance.

Single sequence repeats (SSR) developed for Sorghum bicolor were used to characterize the genetic distance of 46 different Sorghum halepense (Johnsongrass) accessions from Argentina some of which have evolved toward glyphosate resistance. Since Johnsongrass is an allotetraploid and only one subgenome is homologous to cultivated sorghum, some SSR loci amplified up to two alleles while others (presumably more conserved loci) amplified up to four alleles. Twelve SSR providing information of 24 loci representative of Johnsongrass genome were selected for genetic distance characterization.

De novo assembly and characterization of leaf transcriptome for the development of functional molecular markers of the extremophile multipurpose tree species Prosopis alba.

Background: Prosopis alba (Fabaceae) is an important native tree adapted to arid and semiarid regions of north-western Argentina which is of great value as multipurpose species. Despite its importance, the genomic resources currently available for the entire Prosopis genus are still limited. Here we describe the development of a leaf transcriptome and the identification of new molecular markers that could support functional genetic studies in natural and domesticated populations of this genus.

Development, characterization and experimental validation of a cultivated sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) gene expression oligonucleotide microarray.

Oligonucleotide-based microarrays with accurate gene coverage represent a key strategy for transcriptional studies in orphan species such as sunflower, H. annuus L., which lacks full genome sequences.

Association mapping in sunflower for Sclerotinia Head Rot resistance.

Background: Sclerotinia Head Rot (SHR) is one of the most damaging diseases of sunflower in Europe, Argentina, and USA, causing average yield reductions of 10 to 20 %, but leading to total production loss under favorable environmental conditions for the pathogen. Association Mapping (AM) is a promising choice for Quantitative Trait Locus (QTL) mapping, as it detects relationships between phenotypic variation and gene polymorphisms in existing germplasm without development of mapping populations. This article reports the identification of QTL for resistance to SHR based on candidate gene AM.

Glyphosate resistance in perennial Sorghum halepense (Johnsongrass), endowed by reduced glyphosate translocation and leaf uptake.

Background: In a large cropping area of northern Argentina, Sorghum halepense (Johnsongrass) has evolved towards glyphosate resistance. This study aimed to determine the molecular and biochemical basis conferring glyphosate resistance in this species. Experiments were conducted to assess target EPSPS gene sequences and (14)C-glyphosate leaf absorption and translocation to meristematic tissues.

Detection of single copy sequences using BAC-FISH and C-PRINS techniques in sunflower chromosomes.

Bacterial artificial chromosome-fluorescence in situ hybridization (BAC-FISH) and cycling-primed in situ labeling (C-PRINS) techniques were evaluated for integration of physical and genetic maps of sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.). Single-site SSR markers were selected from three linkage groups of a high-density sunflower genetic map.

Comparison of predictive methods and biological validation for qPCR reference genes in sunflower leaf senescence transcript analysis.

The selection and validation of reference genes constitute a key point for gene expression analysis based on qPCR, requiring efficient normalization approaches. In this work, the expression profiles of eight genes were evaluated to identify novel reference genes for transcriptional studies associated to the senescence process in sunflower. Three alternative strategies were applied for the evaluation of gene expression stability in leaves of different ages and exposed to different treatments affecting the senescence process: algorithms implemented in geNorm, BestKeeper software, and the fitting of a statistical linear mixed model (LMModel).

Functional characterization of a sucrose:fructan 6-fructosyltransferase of the cold-resistant grass Bromus pictus by heterelogous expression in Pichia pastoris and Nicotiana tabacum and its involvement in freezing tolerance.

We have previously reported the molecular characterization of a putative sucrose:fructan 6-fructosyltransferase (6-SFT) of Bromus pictus, a graminean species from Patagonia, tolerant to cold and drought. Here, this enzyme was functionally characterized by heterologous expression in Pichia pastoris and Nicotiana tabacum. Recombinant P.

The complete genome sequence of a virus associated with cotton blue disease, cotton leafroll dwarf virus, confirms that it is a new member of the genus Polerovirus.

Cotton blue disease is the most important virus disease of cotton in the southern part of America. The complete nucleotide sequence of the ssRNA genome of the cotton blue disease-associated virus was determined for the first time. It comprised 5,866 nucleotides, and the deduced genomic organization resembled that of members of the genus Polerovirus.