Deciphering genotype-by-environment interaction in new soybean lines based on multiple traits using different adaptability and stability methods.

The multi-environmental trials aid breeders in selecting the best genotypes for specific or general adaptability to different environments before commercial release. This study aimed to assess the stability of 13 new soybean pure lines, along with two controls, in terms of seed yield and important agronomic traits. The assessment was based on a completely randomized block design with three replications across four areas during 2020-2022. Various adaptability methods, including parametric, AMMI, GGE biplot, PCA, and SIIG were employed. The mixed analysis showed that the effects of environment, genotype, and genotype-environment (GE) interaction were significant for most studied traits. The AMMI showed the highest portion of environment (65.89%) in soybean seed yield. Based on all stability parameters, lines 2 and 5 were selected for their average seed yields of 3349 and 3142 kg ha-1, respectively. Additionally, lines 6 and 5 showed the most stability, yielding higher than the average, which were 2992 and 3142 kg ha-1, respectively, according to GGE biplot results. Furthermore, lines 2, 5, and 8 were identified as the ideal genotypes concerning seed yield and other agronomic traits, with high SIIG parameters and yields exceeding the average. Finally, the soybean line 5 was deemed the most suitable due to its higher yield, stability, and early maturity (128-day growth period). Therefore, line 5 is considered appropriate for its high stability and earliness in various regions of Iran.

Screening Iranian endemic coriander genebank germplasm for drought tolerance using a new multivariate statistical method.

Drought is one of the serious abiotic factors influencing crop production such as coriander. Development of tolerant genotypes is prevented by the lack of effective selection criterion. Objectives of this study were evaluation of coriander accessions for water deficit stress and introduce a new multivariate method to select drought tolerant genotypes. For investigation of 19 traits, 16 Iranian endemic coriander genotypes were grown in a glasshouse under control and water deficit stress conditions. Shoot dry weight (SDW), fruit weight per plant (FWPP), fruit number per plant (FNPP) and umbel number per plant (UNPP) were decreased (Susceptibility Index>38%) under water deficit stress condition compared with the control condition. While the mean values of root dry weight (RDW) and root to shoot ratio (RTSR) were increased 1.49% and 97.33% under water stress condition, respectively. Because of high inheritance, high expected genetic gain, high genotypic correlation with together, well response to drought stress and high explanation of FWPP variation in regression model, the FWPP, branch number per plant (BNPP), FNPP and SPAD chlorophyll content in grain filing stage (SCCIGFS) traits were selected to screen coriander genotypes for drought tolerance in coriander. The principal component analysis mediated method (PCAMM) indicated as comprehensive criterion to screen drought tolerant genotypes. This method was highly heritabl, able to separate the Fernandez described A, B, C and D groups, no multicollinear and using multiple drought tolerance related traits. The PCAMM results showed that G13, G16, G2 and G12 genotypes belonged to Fernandez described A, B, C and D groups, respectively.

Drought-stress induced changes of fatty acid composition affecting sunflower grain yield and oil quality.

Water availability is the most important key factor affecting sunflower productivity and its oil quality. This study investigated the effect of drought stress on sunflower fatty acids and its effects on grain yield and related components. Thirteen sunflower hybrids were evaluated as randomized complete block design with three replications under normal and drought stress conditions in Karaj, Iran, during 2 years (2019 and 2020). Drought stress was imposed by water withholding during the reproductive stage. Drought stress accelerated the maturity of sunflower and caused a reduction in grain yield (30%), grains weight (11%), and grain numbers/head (22%) compared with normal irrigation. Means of grain yield were 2.7 and 1.8 t/ha under normal and drought stress conditions respectively. Grain numbers/head had higher correlation with grain yield than grains weight under both conditions. Among the fatty acids, the contents of palmitic and linoleic acids were increased (11% and 3%, respectively) while stearic and oleic acids were decreased (6% and 11%). The results indicated that sunflower hybrids benefit from the escape strategy differentially to adapt drought stress condition. However, this adaptation changes sunflower fatty acid profile that reduces grain yield and quality of sunflower oil in Karaj conditions in Iran. In order to achieve the higher yields and higher oil quality, it is necessary to avoid drought stress in sunflower production fields.

Genotype by yield* trait (GYT) biplot analysis: A novel approach for phenotyping sunflower single cross hybrids based on multiple traits.

Sunflower is one of the most important oilseed plants in the world and its oil has nutritional and high economic value. Selection of high-yielding hybrids is important in sunflower breeding. In this regard, 11 new hybrids along with four cultivars were evaluated in a randomized complete block design with four replications during the 2018-2020 growing seasons. The phenological and agronomic traits including days to flowering, days to ripening, plant height, stem diameter, head diameter, seed number per head, thousand-seed weight, oil content, and seed yield were measured. In this study, the methods of genotype × trait (GT) and genotype × yield × trait biplot (GYT) were used to identify interrelationships between different traits and to select the best sunflower hybrids based on multiple traits. According to the results, GYT biplot method was more efficient compared to the GT biplot method. Considering both superiority index (SI) and GYT biplot, the genotypes G8, G11, G5, and G3 were superior in terms of agronomical attributes such as flowering and maturity times, stem and head diameter, plant height, thousand-seed weight, and seed number per head in close relationship with grain yield. Oil content of the hybrids G8, G11, G5, and G3 was 47.9%, 46.4%, 45.8%, and 46.3%, respectively. The results indicated that there is a potential for simultaneous genetic improvement of the characteristics (i.e., plant height, thousand-seed weight, seed number per head, early maturity) in sunflower. Overall, the GYT graphical biplot method provides a practical and efficient new approach for the identification of suitable hybrids according to the set of intended characteristics in sunflower improvement under multi-years or multi-locations.

Water deficit stress changes in physiological, biochemical and antioxidant characteristics of anise (Pimpinella anisum L.).

This study was designed to evaluate the impact of water deficit stress on the seed yield and its components, physiological functions, fatty acid content and compositions, essential oil (EO) content and compositions, phenolic acids and flavonoids amounts, and antioxidant activities of anise seeds. Plants evaluations were performed under well-watered (WW), moderate water deficit stressed (MWDS), and severe water deficit stressed (SWDS). The results revealed that SWDS significantly reduced seed yield, branch number per plant, seed number, umbel number, and thousand seed weight. Water deficit stress also caused a decrease in chlorophyll content, relative water content, quantum efficiency of photosystem II, and cell membrane stability, while increasing leaf temperature. The analysis of fatty acid composition indicated that petroselinic acid was the main fatty acid and its percentage increased by 8.75% and 14.60% under MWDS and SWDS, respectively. Furthermore, MWDS increased the EO content by 1.48 times, while it decreased by 41.32% under SWDS. The chemotype of EO was altered from t-anethole/estragole in WW seeds to t-anethole/ß-bisabolene in treated seeds. Higher levels of total phenolics were detected in stressed seeds. Water deficit stress increased the amount of the major class, naringin, by 1.40 and 1.26 times under MWDS and SWDS. The evaluation of antioxidant activity through reducing power, DPPH, and chelating ability assays indicated that stressed seeds exhibited the highest activity. The study's findings suggest that the application of drought stress before harvesting can regulate the production of bioactive compounds, which can affect the industrial and nutritional values of anise seeds.

Exploring the quantitative genetics of traits associated with drought tolerance and yield in Pimpinella anisum L. under different water regimes.

MAIN CONCLUSION: Genetic improvement of seed yield and drought resistance could be simultaneously gained in anise when breeding for drought resistance. Improving the water use efficiency of anise is a primary objective of anise breeding programs aimed at mitigating the impacts of drought stress. This study aimed to determine the predominant mechanisms involved in drought tolerance and investigate the genetic control of associated traits with drought tolerance and higher grain yield. According to these aims, 10 half-diallel hybrids and their five parents were evaluated in both field and greenhouse lysimetric experiments under well-watered and water deficit stress conditions. The results indicated that the inheritance of grain yield is complex and affected by water deficit stress. Similar heritability and genetic architecture were detected for flowering time and percentages of photosynthate partitioned to grain (PPPG) in both well-watered and water deficit stress treatments. Significant negative genetic correlations were observed between grain yield and flowering time, root dry mass, root diameter, root volume, root number, percentages of photosynthate partitioned to shoot, and percentages of photosynthate partitioned to root. Therefore, the selection of low values of these attributes can be used to improve grain yield under drought conditions. In contrast, a positive significant genetic linkage between grain yield and PPPG, chlorophyll content, cell membrane stability, and leaf relative water content reveal selection for high values of these attributes is favored. These attributes could be used as surrogate selection criteria in the early segregating generations. The P1 parent (early ripening parent) contained key genes associated with PPPG and drought escape. It was concluded that improvement of drought tolerance and grain yield could be simultaneously achieved in anise breeding programs.

Phenotyping new rapeseed lines based on multiple traits: Application of GT and GYT biplot analyses.

The selection based on multiple traits enhances the crop cultivars merit to farmers. In this regard, 19 breeding lines as well as two commercial cultivars were studied using a randomized complete block design (RCBD) with three replications in three locations during the 2020-2021 growing season. In this study, to identify the association among different traits and to select the best rapeseed lines based on multiple traits, genotype × trait (GT) and genotype × yield × trait (GYT) biplot analyses were used. The results showed that using GYT biplot is more efficient than GT biplot. Based on the GYT biplot and superiority index (SI), the breeding lines G16 and G18 were considered as superior genotypes in combination with the agronomical traits, that is, 1000-seed weight, number of seeds per pod, number of pods per plant, number of lateral branches, plant height, and pod length with seed yield, which represents a genetic gain in rapeseed breeding program. Based on seed yield combination with phenological traits (early maturity), the breeding line G15 was selected as the best one. Moreover, the line G2 was defined as the superior one in combination of seed yield with pod length. The results indicated that there is a potential for simultaneous genetic improvement of the characteristics (i.e., plant height, number of seeds per pod, early maturity) in rapeseed. Generally, the graphical method of the GYT biplot represented an efficient and practical new way to recognize superior genotypes based on multiple traits in rapeseed breeding programs.

Dissection of Genetic Effects, Heterosis, and Inbreeding Depression for Phytochemical Traits in Coriander.

Increasing seed yield, fatty acids, and essential oil content are the main objectives in breeding coriander. However, in order to achieve this, there is a need to understand the nature of gene action and quantify the heterosis and inbreeding depression. Towards this, six genetically diverse parents, their 15 F1 one-way hybrids, and 15 F2 populations were evaluated under different water treatments. The genetic effects of general (GCA) and specific combining ability (SCA) and their interactions with water treatment were significant for five traits. Water deficit stress decreased all traits in both F1 and F2 generations except for the essential oil content, which was significantly increased due to water deficit stress. Under water deficit stress, a non-additive gene action was predominant in the F1 generation, while an additive gene action was predominant in the F2 generation for all the traits except seed yield under severe water deficit stress. There was a positive high heterosis for the traits examined in some hybrids. Furthermore, in the F2 generation, even after inbreeding depression, some promising populations displayed appropriate mean performance. The results show that the parents used for crossing had a rich, diverse gene pool for the traits studied. Therefore, selection between the individuals of relevant F2 populations could be used to develop high yielding hybrids or superior lines.

Removal of Phenazopyridine from wastewater by merging biological and electrochemical methods via Azolla filiculoides and electro-Fenton process.

In the present study, the potential of Azolla filiculoides (A. filiculoides) was first investigated for degradation of Phenazopyridine (PhP), an analgesic drug. The effects of main variables such as initial pharmaceutical concentration, amount of plant, and pH were studied on the efficiency of the biological process. It was observed that A. filiculoides was able to remove pharmaceuticals from contaminated water up to 85.90% during 48 h. Then, the electro-Fenton (EF) method was applied for further removal of PhP yielding a removal rate of about 98.72% under optimum conditions during 2 h. The effects of variables including the current, amount of catalyst, and pH were also studied in this phase. Also, the probability of adsorption was investigated during this step. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis were performed for the used magnetite nanoparticles, total organic carbon (TOC) were performed to investigate PhP removal efficiency during the reaction time and Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) were performed to analyze degradation byproducts of PhP. Based on the results, it was found that a combination of these bioremediation and electrochemical removal steps were capable of PhP removal from contaminated water. Therefore, this approach may be effective for phytoremediation of pharmaceutical-contaminated aquatic ecosystems.

Genetic combining ability of coriander genotypes for agronomic and phytochemical traits in response to contrasting irrigation regimes.

Knowledge of genetic combining ability and gene action would help breeders to choose suitable parents and devise an appropriate breeding strategy for coriander. In the present study, six diverse genotypes of coriander, their 15 F1s and 15 F2s were evaluated through randomized complete block design with three replications to study genetic combining ability for agronomic and phytochemical traits in coriander. Plants were subjected to well-watered (WW), mild water-deficit stress (MWDS) and severe water-deficit stress (SWDS) irrigation regimes. The results indicate that water-deficit stress decreased all of the measured traits in both the F1 and F2 generations. General combining ability and specific combining ability effects were highly significant for all of the traits in both the F1 and F2 generations. Additive gene action was predominant for phonology and fruit yield component traits in all irrigation regimes in both the F1 and F2 generations. For fatty acid content and total lipid yield, non-additive gene action was predominant in the F1 generation while additive gene action was predominant in the F2 generation under MWDS and SWDS conditions. The P4 parent had the highest general combining ability for fruit yield components in both the F1 and F2 generations. The P6 parent had the highest general combining ability for phenological and phytochemical traits. The P4 and P6 parents are promising material to develop early flowering and early maturing genotypes coupled with high total lipids in advanced generations of segregation.