A putative gene-for-gene relationship between the effector gene and the resistance locus of × accession MAL0004.

The bacterial pathogen causes fire blight on rosaceous plants, including apples and their wild relatives. The pathogen uses the type III secretion pathogenicity island to inject effector proteins, such as Eop1, into host plants, leading to disease phenotypes in susceptible genotypes. In contrast, resistant genotypes exhibit quantitative resistance associated with genomic regions and/or R-gene-mediated qualitative resistance to withstand the pathogen.

Structural variation in the pangenome of wild and domesticated barley.

Pangenomes are collections of annotated genome sequences of multiple individuals of a species. The structural variants uncovered by these datasets are a major asset to genetic analysis in crop plants. Here we report a pangenome of barley comprising long-read sequence assemblies of 76 wild and domesticated genomes and short-read sequence data of 1,315 genotypes.

Physiological phenotyping of transpiration response to vapour pressure deficit in wheat.

Background: Precision phenotyping of short-term transpiration response to environmental conditions and transpiration patterns throughout wheat development enables a better understanding of specific trait compositions that lead to improved transpiration efficiency. Transpiration and related traits were evaluated in a set of 79 winter wheat lines using the custom-built "DroughtSpotter XXL" facility. The 120 l plant growth containers implemented in this phenotyping platform enable gravimetric quantification of water use in real-time under semi-controlled, yet field-like conditions across the entire crop life cycle.

Bacterial N-Acyl Homoserine Lactone Priming Enhances Leaf-Rust Resistance in Winter Wheat and Some Genomic Regions Are Associated with Priming Efficiency.

Leaf rust () is a common disease that causes significant yield losses in wheat. The most frequently used methods to control leaf rust are the application of fungicides and the cultivation of resistant genotypes. However, high genetic diversity and associated adaptability of pathogen populations hamper achieving durable resistance in wheat.

Hyperspectral imaging for pest symptom detection in bell pepper.

Background: The automation of pest monitoring is highly important for enhancing integrated pest management in practice. In this context, advanced technologies are becoming increasingly explored. Hyperspectral imaging (HSI) is a technique that has been used frequently in recent years in the context of natural science, and the successful detection of several fungal diseases and some pests has been reported.

PEG treatment is unsuitable to study root related traits as it alters root anatomy in barley (Hordeum vulgare L.).

Background: The frequency and severity of abiotic stress events, especially drought, are increasing due to climate change. The plant root is the most important organ for water uptake and the first to be affected by water limitation. It is therefore becoming increasingly important to include root traits in studies on drought stress tolerance.

Dissecting the genetic basis of resistance to Soil-borne cereal mosaic virus (SBCMV) in durum wheat by bi-parental mapping and GWAS.

Soil-borne cereal mosaic virus (SBCMV), the causative agent of wheat mosaic, is a Furovirus challenging wheat production all over Europe. Differently from bread wheat, durum wheat shows greater susceptibility and stronger yield penalties, so identification and genetic characterization of resistance sources are major targets for durum genetics and breeding. The Sbm1 locus providing high level of resistance to SBCMV was mapped in bread wheat to the 5DL chromosome arm (Bass in Genome 49:1140-1148, 2006).

Origin and evolution of the bread wheat D genome.

Bread wheat (Triticum aestivum) is a globally dominant crop and major source of calories and proteins for the human diet. Compared with its wild ancestors, modern bread wheat shows lower genetic diversity, caused by polyploidisation, domestication and breeding bottlenecks. Wild wheat relatives represent genetic reservoirs, and harbour diversity and beneficial alleles that have not been incorporated into bread wheat.

Phenomic Selection for Hybrid Rapeseed Breeding.

Phenomic selection is a recent approach suggested as a low-cost, high-throughput alternative to genomic selection. Instead of using genetic markers, it employs spectral data to predict complex traits using equivalent statistical models. Phenomic selection has been shown to outperform genomic selection when using spectral data that was obtained within the same generation as the traits that were predicted.

Fine mapping a QTL for BYDV-PAV resistance in maize.

Barley yellow dwarf (BYD) is one of the economically most important virus diseases of cereals worldwide, causing yield losses up to 80%. The means to control BYD are limited, and the use of genetically resistant cultivars is the most economical and environmentally friendly approach. The objectives of this study were i) to identify the causative gene for BYD virus (BYDV)-PAV resistance in maize, ii) to identify single nucleotide polymorphisms and/or structural variations in the gene sequences, which may cause differing susceptibilities to BYDV-PAV of maize inbreds, and iii) to characterize the effect of BYDV-PAV infection on gene expression of susceptible, tolerant, and resistant maize inbreds.

Spectroscopic Investigation of Tomato Seed Germination Stimulated by spp.

Seed germination is a complex process that can be negatively affected by numerous stresses. spp. are known as effective biocontrol agents as well as plant growth and germination stimulators.

Genetic diversity in vector populations influences the transmission efficiency of an important plant virus.

The transmission efficiency of aphid-vectored plant viruses can differ between aphid populations. Intra-species diversity (genetic variation, endosymbionts) is a key determinant of aphid phenotype; however, the extent to which intra-species diversity contributes towards variation in virus transmission efficiency is unclear. Here, we use multiple populations of two key aphid species that vector barley yellow dwarf virus (BYDV) strain PAV (BYDV-PAV), the grain aphid () and the bird cherry-oat aphid (), and examine how diversity in vector populations influences virus transmission efficiency.

Major chromosome rearrangements in intergeneric wheat × rye hybrids in compatible and incompatible crosses detected by GBS read coverage analysis.

The presence of incompatibility alleles in primary amphidiploids constitutes a reproductive barrier in newly synthesized wheat-rye hybrids. To overcome this barrier, the genome stabilization process includes large-scale chromosome rearrangements. In incompatible crosses resulting in fertile amphidiploids, the elimination of one of the incompatible alleles Eml-A1 or Eml-R1b can occur already in the somatic tissue of the wheat × rye hybrid embryo.

Novel PHOTOPERIOD-1 gene variants associate with yield-related and root-angle traits in European bread wheat.

PHOTOPERIOD-1 homoeologous gene copies play a pivotal role in regulation of flowering time in wheat. Here, we show that their influence also extends to spike and shoot architecture and even impacts root development. The sequence diversity of three homoeologous copies of the PHOTOPERIOD-1 gene in European winter wheat was analyzed by Oxford Nanopore amplicon-based multiplex sequencing and molecular markers in a panel of 194 cultivars representing breeding progress over the past 5 decades.

Genomic prediction in : evaluating the benefit of imputed whole-genome sequencing data.

Advances in sequencing technology allow whole plant genomes to be sequenced with high quality. Combining genotypic and phenotypic data in genomic prediction helps breeders to select crossing partners in partially phenotyped populations. In plant breeding programs, the cost of sequencing entire breeding populations still exceeds available genotyping budgets.

Genetic control of root morphology in response to nitrogen across rapeseed diversity.

Rapeseed (Brassica napus L.) is an oil-containing crop of great economic value but with considerable nitrogen requirement. Breeding root systems that efficiently absorb nitrogen from the soil could be a driver to ensure genetic gains for more sustainable rapeseed production.

Sugar beet PMT5a and STP13 carriers suitable for proton-driven plasma membrane sucrose and glucose import in taproots.

Sugar beet (Beta vulgaris) is the major sugar-producing crop in Europe and Northern America, as the taproot stores sucrose at a concentration of around 20%. Genome sequence analysis together with biochemical and electrophysiological approaches led to the identification and characterization of the TST sucrose transporter driving vacuolar sugar accumulation in the taproot. However, the sugar transporters mediating sucrose uptake across the plasma membrane of taproot parenchyma cells remained unknown.

High-resolution mapping of Ryd4, a major resistance gene to Barley yellow dwarf virus from Hordeum bulbosum.

We mapped Ryd4 in a 66.5 kbp interval in barley and dissociated it from a sublethality factor. These results will enable a targeted selection of the resistance in barley breeding.

Effect of a QTL on wheat chromosome 5B associated with enhanced root dry mass on transpiration and nitrogen uptake under contrasting drought scenarios in wheat.

Background: A sufficient nitrogen supply is crucial for high-quality wheat yields. However, the use of nitrogen fertilization can also negatively influence ecosystems due to leaching or volatile atmospheric emissions. Drought events, increasingly prevalent in many crop production areas, significantly impact nitrogen uptake.

Phenotyping and Exploitation of Kompetitive Allele-Specific PCR Assays for Genes Underpinning Leaf Rust Resistance in New Spring Wheat Mutant Lines.

Leaf rust ( Eriks) is a wheat disease causing substantial yield losses in wheat production globally. The identification of genetic resources with permanently effective resistance genes and the generation of mutant lines showing increased levels of resistance allow the efficient incorporation of these target genes into germplasm pools by marker-assisted breeding. In this study, new mutant (M generation) lines generated from the rust-resistant variety Kazakhstanskaya-19 were developed using gamma-induced mutagenesis through 300-, 350-, and 400-Gy doses.

Series of Resistance Genes in Barley () that Control Barley Yellow Mosaic Virus Multiplication and the Root-to-Leaf Systemic Movement.

The infection of young winter barley (e L.) root system in winter by barley yellow mosaic virus (BaYMV) can lead to high yield losses. Resistance breeding is critical for managing this virus, but there are only a few reports on resistance genes that describe how the genes control BaYMV propagation and the systemic movement from the roots to the leaves.

ants use aphid supplemented foods to alleviate effects during the acute phase of a fungal infection.

The modulation of nutritional intake by animals to combat pathogens is a behaviour that is receiving increasing attention. Ant studies using isolated compounds or nutrients in artificial diets have revealed a lot of the dynamics of the behaviour, but natural sources of medicine are yet to be confirmed. Here we explored whether ants exposed to a fungal pathogen can use an artificial diet containing foods spiked with different concentrations of crushed aphids for a medicinal benefit.

The Past, Present, and Future of Wheat Dwarf Virus Management-A Review.

Wheat dwarf disease (WDD) is an important disease of monocotyledonous species, including economically important cereals. The causative pathogen, wheat dwarf virus (WDV), is persistently transmitted mainly by the leafhopper and can lead to high yield losses. Due to climate change, the periods of vector activity increased, and the vectors have spread to new habitats, leading to an increased importance of WDV in large parts of Europe.

Quantitative Trait Locus Mapping for Fire Blight Resistance in an F Population of MAL0045 Uncovers Novel Resistance Loci.

Several fire blight resistance loci in genotypes map on different linkage groups (LGs) representing chromosomes of the domesticated apple. Prior genetics studies primarily focused on F populations. A strong resistance quantitative trait locus (QTL) explained up to 66% of phenotypic variance in an F progeny derived from crossing the highly resistant wild apple genotype MAL0045 and the highly susceptible apple cultivar 'Idared', which was previously mapped on LG10 () of MAL0045.