Performance and Stability Analysis of Selected Durum Wheat Genotypes Differing in Their Kernel Characteristics.

Breeding of high-yielding and stable durum wheat varieties with improved kernel characteristics is needed for dry regions around the globe. The aim of this study was to investigate the performance and stability of eight durum wheat genotypes varying in their kernel characteristics across 15 contrasting environments. The tested material included three recombinant inbred lines (NUR-072, NUR-106 and NUR-238) derived from a cross between Norsi, a Jordanian landrace with special kernel characteristics and UC1113 Yr36+Gpc-B1, an elite line from USA. Field trials were carried out for three constitutive growing seasons under rainfed conditions, except for three environments where supplementary irrigation was provided. After the harvest, grain yield (GY), total yield (TW), and harvest index (HI) were recorded. Additionally, several kernel-related traits, including thousand kernel weight (TKW), kernel area (KA), kernel width (KW), kernel length (KL), kernel circularity (KC), and kernel length-width ratio (KL:KW) were evaluated. Analysis of variance for all tested traits revealed high significant variations (p ≤ 0.01) between the genotype (except for TW) and the genotype × environment (G × E) interaction. Genotype effect contributed to substantial percentage of variation (>75%) for KA, KL, KC and KL:KW, whereas KW showed a lower percentage similar to GY. Regarding the G × E effect, explained variation was highest for the TW (67.79%), and lowest for KL (6.47%). For GY, Norsi produced significantly the lowest mean value (249.99 g.m-2) while, Bolenga produced the highest mean value (377.85 g.m-2) although no significant differences were observed with the remaining genotypes. On the other hand, Norsi, NUR-072 and NUR-106 showed best performance for TKW and kernel-related traits with NUR-106 producing the highest mean value for KL (9.07 mm). The GGE biplot and AMMI analysis of GY identified Bolenga, Um Qais and NUR-106 as good performers across several environments, while Norsi exhibited the poorest performance. For TKW, Norsi was the best performer across different environments followed by NUR-106, which showed excellent performance under irrigated and saline conditions. For stability analysis, NUR-106 emerged as the most stable genotype in this study for GY and several kernel-related traits, particularly for KL and KC. In conclusion, the results of this study offer valuable insights for durum wheat breeders seeking to develop high-yielding and stable varieties with special kernel characteristics suitable for cultivation in dry areas.

Assessment of genetic diversity and yield performance in Jordanian barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) landraces grown under Rainfed conditions.

BACKGROUND: Barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) is a major cereal crop, which is cultivated under variable environmental conditions and abiotic stresses in marginal areas around the globe. In this study, we evaluated 150 Jordanian landraces obtained from ICARDA Gene Bank and four local checks for yield and yield components related-traits in two locations across Jordan for three growing seasons under rainfed conditions. The study aims to identify superior Jordanian barley genotypes under dry conditions, to understand the genotype × environment (G × E) interactions, to analyze stability parameters and to identify markers associated with yield and yield components under rainfed conditions. RESULTS: The barley accessions exhibited significant variation for all traits studied. Three accessions with high yield, cultivar superiority and stability under specific environments were identified with accession G69 is the highest yielding and superior for Madaba and overall environments and G144 is the highest yielding at Ramtha. Accession G123 was high yielding in all environments and was stable across different environments. At the genetic level, the Jordanian landraces were found to be diverse with a clustering that was based on row-type. The GWAS analysis identified 77 significant markers-traits associations for multiple traits including grain yield (GY) with three significant QTLs located at 1H, 2H and 7H, which seem important for dry environments. CONCLUSION: Utilizing Jordanian barley landraces can effectively improve and adapt the current barley cultivars for cultivation under environmental stresses in dry regions. Utilization of markers associated with important agronomical traits and their incorporation in breeding using marker assisted selection can improve barley tolerance to drought stress.

Who uses the emergency room services?

This study aimed to clarify whether patients attending an emergency room generally had non-urgent problems. A study was made of 2841 patients attending the emergency room of Prince Zaid Ben Al-Hussein military hospital (south Jordan) over a 1-month period using data from the registration book. Patients were classified into four classes of urgency (life-threatening, urgent, non-urgent, trivial). The attendees were mainly children (26.4%). The admission rate was 3.2% and non-urgent conditions accounted for 91% of cases. Much of the use of emergency services was found to be inappropriate, a situation which should be changed.

Who uses the emergency room services?

This study aimed to clarify whether patients attending an emergency room generally had non-urgent problems. A study was made of 2841 patients attending the emergency room of Prince Zaid Ben Al-Hussein military hospital [south Jordan] over a 1-month period using data from the registration book. Patients were classified into four classes of urgency [life-threatening, urgent, non-urgent, trivial]. The attendees were mainly children [26.4%]. The admission rate was 3.2% and non-urgent conditions accounted for 91% of cases. Much of the use of emergency services was found to be inappropriate, a situation which should be changed

Familial dystonia and visual failure with striatal CT lucencies.

A unique disorder is described in seven members of two families in whom dystonia was variably associated with subacute visual loss or asymptomatic optic atrophy, and striking bilateral symmetrical lucencies on CT scan, especially involving the putamen. It is possible that this is a variant of Leigh's disease. However, there were considerable differences between these patients and those with pathologically proven Leigh's disease. This condition must be excluded in all patients thought to have idiopathic dystonia, subacute visual failure similar to Leber's optic neuropathy, or a combination of these disorders.

Disordered pigmentation, spastic paraparesis and peripheral neuropathy in three siblings: a new neurocutaneous syndrome.

Three siblings in a Jordanian family presented with a distinctive syndrome consisting of disordered skin and hair pigmentation, progressive spastic paraparesis and peripheral neuropathy. Sural nerve biopsy revealed axonal degeneration and skin biopsy showed abnormal epidermal pigmentation. Skin fibroblast repair studies were normal. No underlying biochemical defect has been found in this previously undescribed neurocutaneous syndrome.

Different B lymphocyte alloantigens associated with multiple sclerosis in Arabs and North Europeans.

The frequencies of HLA and B-lymphocyte alloantigens were investigated in 32 Arab patients with clinically definite or early probable multiple sclerosis (M.S.) and compared with those found in 43 healthy Arab controls. A significant association was found between M.S. and the B-lymphocyte alloantigen, BT 102; this contrasts with previous findings of an association between the B-lymphocyte alloantigen BT 101 and M.S. in North Europeans. It is suggested that this difference is due to the involvement of different environmental agents, possibly viruses, in the pathogenesis of M.S. in these populations.