The genetics of proline content in wheat.
M.V. Veer and K.A. Nayeem.
High temperatures prevailing in winter caused a high
evaporative demand, thereby inducing metabolic changes in wheat.
Free proline content increases during water deficiency (Stewart
1972; Singh et al. 1973) and might be useful as a single parameter
to measure physiological dryness. An experiment including 45 F1s
and l0 parents in two different environments (normal and very
late sown conditions) was planted during the Rabi 1995-96
season at Parbhani.
The results indicate that highest proline content
was observed in the parent, Sonalika (11.20), followed by PBN
51 (5.4 L). Among the hybrids, `PBN 3963 x Sonolika'
and `Sonolika x PBN 1607-2' recorded the highest (7.66)
and lowest (2.80) proline contents, respectively.
The degree of dominance was greater than one, revealed
by the presence of a dominant gene governing proline content.
It also was confirmed by the magnitude of the dominant component
(H1 and H2) being greater than additive. The significance of D,
H1, and H2 revealed the preponderance of additive and nonadditive
gene action in determining the genetic control of this character.
The F component, measuring the covariance of the additive and
dominant effects, was found to be significant. The magnitude of
H1 was greater than that of D and of H2, indicating the unequal
distribution of gene frequency, and was confirmed by the ratio
of H2:4H1 (0.16). The proportion of dominant and recessive genes,
as indicated by the KD:KR ratio, was more than unity, suggesting
that proline content was governed by dominant genes.
Earlier workers (Deshmukh and Shrivastava 1982; Mutters
et al., 1989; and Sarkar 1993) studied the associations between
proline accumulation and heat injury and grain yield under moisture
stress in different crop species. They concluded that high proline
accumulation results in the least amount of heat injury, which
results in high grain yield.
In the present investigation, significant proline
accumulation was observed for a normally sown crop as well as
late sown crops. The cross `PBN 3963 x Kalyansona'
possessed a high heterosis for proline content over the mid-parent
and best parent, whereas the cross `PBN-Sl x HI-977'
was greater than the standard check for a normally sown crop.
For late sown crops, the crosses `PBN 337S x PBN-51',
`PBN-3375 x PBN 3963', and `Sonalika x PBN 3235'
exhibited the highest heterosis over the mid-parents, best parent,
and standard check, respectively. However, Sharma and Bhalla (1991)
studied heterosis for proline content in 21 hybrids of maize and
observed negative heterosis for these traits under drought conditions.
To the contrary, the present studies were carried out under high
temperature conditions, i.e., very late sown conditions.
References.
Deshmukh PS and Shrivastava GC. 1982. Variation in
proline accumulation in sunflower genotypes under moisture stress
conditions. Indian J Plant Physiol 25(4):307-309.
Mutter RG, Ferreira LGR, and Hall AE. 1989. Proline
content of anthers and pollen of heat tolerant and heat sensitive
cowpea subjected to different temperatures. Crop Sci 21:1497-1500.
Sarkar RK. 1993. Effect of water stress on proline
accumulation and its association with certain biochemical characters
in soybean. Indian J Plant Physiol 26(3):184-l86.
Sharma JS and Bhalla SK. 1991. Heterosis in crosses
among drought tolerant inbred lines of maize. Indian J Aric Sci
61(8):543-545.
Singh TN. 1973. Aus J Biol Sci 26:65-76.
Stewart CR. 1972 Plant Physiol 50:679-687.
K.A. Nayeem and Syed Muzaffar.
A local land race, `Sharbati', has lustrous
amber grains of medium size, and fetches high prices in the market.
Sharbati is tall, late-maturing, and susceptible to both stem
and leaf rusts.
Pure seed of Sharbati was collected from Wakat, India,
where it completely dominates under rainfed conditions. The soils
are deep black, with the capability to retain moisture. One thousand
seeds were subjected with gamma rays at four doses (20, 30, 40,
and 50 KR) during the Rabi season of 1990-91 and sown as
an M1 generation. The 50 KR dose was lethal because no seed germinated.
In the M2, very little variability occurred for morphological
traits, and only one plant exhibited variation in plant height,
parent 130-140 cm. The genome was disturbed by the irradiation.
The M3 progeny sown showed uniformity for all the traits. In 1993-94,
this particular progeny then was re-irradiated, and l,000 seeds
were exposed again to gamma rays at BARC using 10, 20, and 30
KR doses. The R0M4 generation (re-irradiated seeds) was grown
in the following season. Of interest was one plant, among a population
of 800, that flowered in 34 days (very, very early). The pollen
of this plant was used immediately on the emasculated ears of
PBN 51, a high-tillering variety that flowers in 68-70
days. The pedigree of PBN 51 is `BVC `S'/FIK
S/VEE `S'', and it was selected at NBPGR, New
Delhi. The crossed material was sown in the subsequent generation
up to R5M4, by ear progenies. The data from this trial are presented
in Table 4.
Table 4. Characteristics of wheat in early irradiation trial.
_________________________________________________________________________
Sr. Plant No. of Ear Days
No. height tillers No. of length to Yield
Culture (cm) (cm) grains per ear flower q/ha
_________________________________________________________________________
1. PBN-4045 69.7 18.05 40.7 8.7 50.6 16.12
2. PBN-4046 90.1 18.1O 34.7 9.2 38.2 27.47
3. PBN-4047 55.5 18.50 35.9 7.9 55.5 32.44
4. PBN-4048 98.0 18.50 40.5 9.7 40.6 23.06
5. PBN-4050 48.7 16.40 33.3 8.1 49.8 25.54
6. PBN-4051 51.3 15.50 34.6 7.9 50.6 30.19
7. PBN-9052 45.1 17.1 33.9 8.0 51.0 26.08
8. PBN-4053 93.1 15.6 33.3 8.4 42.5 24.87
9. PBN-4055 48.9 19.0 33.2 8.3 38.9 24.63
10. PBN-4014 86.6 15.1 55.7 8.3 55.0 28.50
11. PBN-4022 85.8 18.3 52.6 9.7 51.2 26.75
12. PBN-4025 50.7 20.7 31.6 6.9 50.2 31.34
13. PBN-5l(C) 74.4 17.0 54.4 9.0 70.5 33.61
14. PBNS(ck) 115.4 20.7 41.1 9.1 65.6 27.47
15. HD-2189 112.5 8.2 49.2 10.2 62.0 27.50
_________________________________________________________________________
SE ± 1.37
CD at 5 % 4.14
CV % 7.25
_________________________________________________________________________
The results revealed that very early derivatives
were obtained by following irradiation + re-irradiation and crossing
with a late, high-tillered, high-yield genotype (pedigree method).
The parents, i.e., PBN 4046 (38.2 days), PBN 4048 (40.6 days),
and PBN 4055 (38 .9 days), flowered in 38 to 40 days. These are
derived from `late x late' flowering/maturity genotypes.
The genes for earliness may be incorporated for breeding wheat
suitable for high temperature conditions and a double cropping
system.
A pleiotropic gene for awn and glume color in bread wheat.
K.A. Nayeem and S.E. Adkune.
Genetic studies relating to the number of genes controlling
a particular character and common or pleiotropic genes for traits
are important as genetic markers. In the present investigation,
two bread wheat cultivars possessing contrasting glume color,
PBN 51, with straw-colored awns and glumes and HI 977, with brown
awns and glumes, were crossed. The inheritance of the awn and
glume color was studied in the F1, F2, and test cross generations
at Wheat Research Unit, Parbhani, in the 1991-92 and 1993-94
Rabi seasons.
The F1 plants exhibited brown-colored awns and glumes,
indicating that brown color is dominant over straw color. The
segregation of awn and glume color in F2 is shown in Table 5.
Table 5. Segregation for awn and glume color in F2 hybrids of bread wheat.
______________________________________________________________________
Number of plants
____________________
Frequency Brown Straw FONT SIZE=2 FACE="Symbol"c2 d.f. P
______________________________________________________________________
Observed 972 308 0.60 1 0.30-0.50
Expected (3:1) 960 320 ó ó
______________________________________________________________________
The above observations revealed a simple inheritance
of awn and glume color. To confirm the 3:1 ratio, 88 test-cross
plants of `PBN 51 x F1 (PBN 51 x HI 977)' were grown.
The segregants are listed in Table 6.
Table 6. Inheritance of awn and glume color in bread wheats.
______________________________________________________________________
Number of plants
____________________
Frequency Brown Straw FONT SIZE=2 FACE="Symbol"c2 d.f. P
______________________________________________________________________
Observed 40 48 0.7272 1 0.30-0.50
Expected (1:1) 44 44
______________________________________________________________________
The probability between 0.30-0.50 confirmed
a good fit for a test cross ratio of 1:1, thereby confirming the
F2 ratio of 3 brown:1 straw for both glume and awn color. The
awn and glume color observed for all the plants in the F2 population
was the same. Segregations of brown awns with white glumes or
brown glumes with straw-colored awns were not observed. Hence,
we infer that the same gene is responsible for two characters
of awn and glume color in T. aestivum. The pleiotropic
gene responsible for awn and glume color has been designated as
Brag. However, McIntosh (1983) indicated an association
between awn and glume color following Aslam's (1958) report.
References.
McIntosh RA. 1983. Catalogue of gene symbols in wheat.
Proc 7th Inter Wheat Genetics Symp (Miller TE and Koebner RMD
eds), Cambridge, England. Institute of Plant Science Research.
Pp. 1225-1323.
Aslam M. 1958. Genetic studies in interspecific crosses
between durum, sphaerococcum, and vulgare types of wheat. Agri
Pakistan 9:109-119.
Response of wheat to application of a dung slurry (organic
booster).
S.T. Shirale, H.H. Bhadarge, and K.A. Nayeem.
The continued use of inorganic fertilizers is depleting
the health and condition of the soil. The productivity of several
food crops has decreased and become stagnant. Inorganic fertilizers
also carry hazards to the environment through the leaching of
chemicals. Thus, it is necessary to seek alternatives to inorganic
fertilizers. Considering this, we conducted an experiment at the
Wheat Research Unit, M.A.U., Parbhani, on the response of wheat
grown on black cotton soils to a dung slurry. These studies were
during the 1992-93, 1993-94, and 1994-95
growing seasons.
Method of preparation of the dung slurry.
One ghamela cow dung (5 kg) plus 5 l of urine (collected during
one night) were addded to 300 g urea, 600 g super phosphate, and
20 l water. The solution was fermented for 4 days, after which
time it was diluted with 40 l of water for a final volume of 60
l. The slurry was applied at different dilutions at the time of
sowing (Table 7).
Table 7. The grain yield of wheat grown under different treatments with dung slurry.
_________________________________________________________________________
Yield q/ha
_____________________________
Sr.
No. Treatment 1992-93 1993-94 1994-95 Mean
_________________________________________________________________________
1. Basic solution 24.00 22.50 18.92 21.80
2. 1:3 dilution 19.00 16.20 18.24 17.81
3. 1:5 dilution 18.50 17.00 17.84 17.78
4. 1:10 dilution 18.00 16.30 17.44 17.24
5. Control (water only) 17.00 14.00 15.29 15.43
6. Recommended dose 21.00 20.00 16.86 19.28
(120:60:60 kg/ha NPK)
_________________________________________________________________________
S.E. ± 0.765
CD at 5 % 2.395
CV% 7.27
_________________________________________________________________________
The highest grain yield (21.8 q/ha) was recorded
for the appplication of the basic dung slurry solution. The increase
in grain yield of wheat was 13 % over yield from the recommended
dose of NPK fertilizer and 41 % over yield from the water control.
Dalvi et al. (1993) reported that the grain and fodder yields
of pearl millet grown with an organic booster were equivalent
to those obtained with 30 kg N/ha.
Reference.
Dalvi ND, Patil VG, Jadhav AS, and Harinarayana G.
1993. Nitrogen economy through bio-fertilizer in pearl millet.
J Mah Agril Univ 18(3):466-467.
L.N. Jawale and K.A. Nayeem.
In Maharashtra, the winter is of short duration (2-2.5
months), and temperatures often are high, with the minimum temperature
recorded only for a short time. These conditions result in about
a one-third less productivity compared to the northern state of
Nayeem (1994). The present study used stability analysis for some
physiological and yield-contributing traits at three different
sowing dates, D1 (16 November), D2 (1 December), and D3 (16 December).
The material used in the study consisted of 20 genotypes
belonging to three different species of T. aestivum, T.
durum, and T. dicoccum. The plants were sown during
the 1992-93 Rabi season on 16 November (D1), 1 December
(D2), and 16 December (D3). For D1 plants, during the growing
period from 16 November, 1992, to 1 March, 1993, the maximum temperature
recorded was 30.8_C and the minimum temperature was 10.5_C. For
D2 plants (growing period 1 December to 16 March) the maximum
and minimum temperatures were 31.1_C and 10.8_C, respectively.
The D3 plants (growing season from 16 December to 31 March) experienced
a 31.5_C maximum and a 11.1 minimum temperature.
Plots at each planting date were sown in six rows,
with a row-to-row distance of 23 cm, with a distance of 5-7
cm between plants. Five randomly selected plants from each treatment
were evaluated for number of spikelets/spike, number of grains/spike,
number of tillers/plant, chlorophyll stability index, days to
50 % flowering, 100-kernel weight, and grain yield in q/ha. The
chlorophyll content was extracted by the procedure of Arnon (1949).
The stability parameters of the 20 genotypes were computed using
the model of Eberhart and Russel (1966).
For the character of spikelets/spike, the genotypes
PBN-2024, PBN 142, and Sonolika showed average stability, whereas
PBN 1319, PBN 1637, PM 158, MACS 2496, and HD 2189 had above average
stability. The number of tillers/plant was above average for genoptypes
PBN 51, HD 2380, MACS 2496, and PM 158, whereas for grain yield,
PBN 51 was only of average stability (Table 8). PBN 51, a recently
released variety, had better performance for all environments
for most of the yield-contributing traits. Genotypes PM 158 and
PBN 2024 had an average chlorophyll stability index (Table 8).
The genotypes PPGN 1568 and PBN 1637 had a significant regression
coefficient with below average stability.
References.
Eberhart SA and Russel WA. 1966. Stability parameters
for comparing varieties. Crop Sci 6:36-40.
Nayeem KA. 1994. Genetic architecture of flowering and maturity in wheat Triticum spp. for improvement under high temperature condition. Indian J Genet 54(11):1-4.
Insert Table 6 here. Page 125-Table 6.