Genomic-regions associated with cold stress tolerance in Asia-adapted tropical maize germplasm.

Maize is gaining impetus in non-traditional and non-conventional seasons such as off-season, primarily due to higher demand and economic returns. Maize varieties directed for growing in the winter season of South Asia must have cold resilience as an important trait due to the low prevailing temperatures and frequent cold snaps observed during this season in most parts of the lowland tropics of Asia. The current study involved screening of a panel of advanced tropically adapted maize lines to cold stress during vegetative and flowering stage under field conditions. A suite of significant genomic loci (28) associated with grain yield along and agronomic traits such as flowering (15) and plant height (6) under cold stress environments. The haplotype regression revealed 6 significant haplotype blocks for grain yield under cold stress across the test environments. Haplotype blocks particularly on chromosomes 5 (bin5.07), 6 (bin6.02), and 9 (9.03) co-located to regions/bins that have been identified to contain candidate genes involved in membrane transport system that would provide essential tolerance to the plant. The regions on chromosome 1 (bin1.04), 2 (bin 2.07), 3 (bin 3.05-3.06), 5 (bin5.03), 8 (bin8.05-8.06) also harboured significant SNPs for the other agronomic traits. In addition, the study also looked at the plausibility of identifying tropically adapted maize lines from the working germplasm with cold resilience across growth stages and identified four lines that could be used as breeding starts in the tropical maize breeding pipelines.

Genome-wide association mapping in maize: status and prospects.

Genome-wide association study (GWAS) provides a robust and potent tool to retrieve complex phenotypic traits back to their underlying genetics. Maize is an excellent crop for performing GWAS due to diverse genetic variability, rapid decay of linkage disequilibrium, availability of distinct sub-populations and abundant SNP information. The application of GWAS in maize has resulted in successful identification of thousands of genomic regions associated with many abiotic and biotic stresses. Many agronomic and quality traits of maize are severely affected by such stresses and, significantly affecting its growth and productivity. To improve productivity of maize crop in countries like India which contribute only 2% to the world's total production in 2019-2020, it is essential to understand genetic complexity of underlying traits. Various DNA markers and trait associations have been revealed using conventional linkage mapping methods. However, it has achieved limited success in improving polygenic complex traits due to lower resolution of trait mapping. The present review explores the prospects of GWAS in improving yield, quality and stress tolerance in maize besides, strengths and challenges of using GWAS for molecular breeding and genomic selection. The information gathered will facilitate elucidation of genetic mechanisms of complex traits and improve efficiency of marker-assisted selection in maize breeding. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s13205-021-02799-4.

Genetic gains with rapid-cycle genomic selection for combined drought and waterlogging tolerance in tropical maize (Zea mays L.).

Rapid cycle genomic selection (RC-GS) helps to shorten the breeding cycle and reduce the costs of phenotyping, thereby increasing genetic gains in terms of both cost and time. We implemented RC-GS on two multi-parent yellow synthetic (MYS) populations constituted by intermating ten elite lines involved in each population, including four each of drought and waterlogging tolerant donors and two commercial lines, with proven commercial value. Cycle 1 (C1 ) was constituted based on phenotypic selection and intermating of the top 5% of 500 S2 families derived from each MYS population, test-crossed and evaluated across moisture regimes. C1 was advanced to the next two cycles (C2 and C3 ) by intermating the top 5% selected individuals with high genomic estimated breeding values (GEBVs) for grain yield under drought and waterlogging stress. To estimate genetic gains, population bulks from each cycle were test-crossed and evaluated across locations under different moisture regimes. Results indicated that the realised genetic gain under drought stress was 0.110 t ha-1 yr-1 and 0.135 t ha-1 yr-1 , respectively, for MYS-1 and MYS-2. The gain was less under waterlogging stress, where MYS-1 showed 0.038 t ha-1 yr-1 and MYS-2 reached 0.113 t ha-1 yr-1 . Genomic selection for drought and waterlogging tolerance resulted in no yield penalty under optimal moisture conditions. The genetic diversity of the two populations did not change significantly after two cycles of GS, suggesting that RC-GS can be an effective breeding strategy to achieve high genetic gains without losing genetic diversity.

Evaluation of positional accuracy of the Varian's exact-arm and retractable-arm support electronic portal imaging device using intensity-modulated radiotherapy graticule phantom.

PURPOSE: The aim of the present study was to compare the positional accuracy of varian's exact-arm (E-arm) and retractable-arm (R-arm) supporting electronic portal imaging device (EPID) systems (amorphous silicon flat-panel detector) using the intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) graticule phantom. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The known shifts of 0.5, 1.0, and 1.5 cm were introduced to the given phantom in longitudinal, lateral, and vertical directions, respectively, with respect to treatment couch of medical linear accelerator. The experiment was repeated for different gantry angle and varying source to imager distances (SIDs). The images were acquired for each shift at varying SIDs and beam orientations for both EPID supporting systems. The corresponding shifts obtained from treatment planning system (TPS) were recorded and compared. RESULTS: The known (expected) and observed (recorded from TPS) shifts obtained for different beam angles (namely, 0°, 90°, 180°, and 270° for anterior, left lateral, posterior, and right-lateral portal images, respectively) in the longitudinal, lateral, and vertical direction at varying SID were compared. The maximum shift in the observed value from the expected one was 3 and 2 mm, respectively, out of the all beam configuration for R-arm and E-arm. These shifts were randomly observed for all imager position and beam orientation. CONCLUSION: The IMRT graticule phantom is an effective tool to check the mechanical characteristic and consistency of different EPID supporting arms. The effect of EPID sag due to gravity (gantry and treatment couch) was not significant for detection of shift in patient's position. The E-arm support EPID has better mechanical stability and accuracy in detection of patient's position than that of R-arm.

Management of small-cell lung cancer with radiotherapy-a pan-Canadian survey of radiation oncologists.

BACKGROUND: The management of small-cell lung cancer (sclc) with radiotherapy (rt) varies, with many treatment regimens having been described in the literature. We created a survey to assess patterns of practice and clinical decision-making in the management of sclc by Canadian radiation oncologists (ros). METHODS: A 35-item survey was sent by e-mail to Canadian ros. The questions investigated the role of rt, the dose and timing of rt, target delineation, and use of prophylactic cranial irradiation (pci) in limited-stage (ls) and extensive-stage (es) sclc. RESULTS: Responses were received from 52 eligible ros. For ls-sclc, staging (98%) and simulation or dosimetric (96%) computed tomography imaging were key determinants of rt suitability. The most common dose and fractionation schedule was 40-45 Gy in 15 once-daily fractions (40%), with elective nodal irradiation performed by 31% of ros. Preferred management of clinical T1/2aN0 sclc favoured primary chemoradiotherapy (64%). For es-sclc, consolidative thoracic rt was frequently offered (88%), with a preferred dose and fractionation schedule of 30 Gy in 10 once-daily fractions (70%). Extrathoracic consolidative rt would not be offered by 23 ros (44%). Prophylactic cranial irradiation was generally offered in ls-sclc (100%) and es-sclc (98%) after response to initial treatment. Performance status, baseline cognition, and pre-pci brain imaging were important patient factors assessed before an offer of pci. CONCLUSIONS: Canadian ros show practice variation in sclc management. Future clinical trials and national treatment guidelines might reduce variability in the treatment of early-stage disease, optimization of dose and targeting in ls-sclc, and definition of suitability for pci or consolidative rt.

Investigating the response of tropical maize (Zea mays L.) cultivars against elevated levels of O3 at two developmental stages.

Tropospheric ozone (O3) concentrations are rising in Indo-Gangetic plains of India, causing potential threat to agricultural productivity. Maize (Zea mays L.) is the third most important staple crop at global level after rice and wheat. Two high yielding cultivars of Indian maize (HQPM1-quality protein maize and DHM117-normal/non quality protein maize) were exposed to two levels of elevated O3 above the ambient level (NFC) viz. NFC + 15 ppb O3 (NFC + 15) and NFC + 30 ppb O3 (NFC + 30) using open top chambers under field conditions. The study was conducted to evaluate the biochemical responses of two cultivars at different developmental stages leading to change in yield responses. Initially at lower O3 dose, photosynthetic pigments showed an increase but reduction at later stage, while higher dose caused a decline at both the stages of sampling. Levels of superoxide radical (O2 (-)) and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) significantly increased and contributed to lipid peroxidation at elevated O3. Histochemical localization assay of O2 (-) and H2O2 showed that guard cells of stomata and cells around trichomes took deeper stain at elevated O3 reflecting more formation of reactive oxygen species. Secondary metabolites like total phenol, flavonoids and anthocyanin pigments also increased in plants under O3 stress. Enzymatic antioxidants were triggered in both the cultivars due to elevated O3, while induction of non-enzymatic antioxidants was more in HQPM1. Native PAGE analysis also showed that SOD, POX, CAT, APX and GPX were stimulated at elevated O3 concentrations compared to NFC. SDS-PAGE showed reductions of major photosynthetic proteins with higher decrease in DHM117. Principal Component Analysis showed that both the cultivars showed differential response against O3 at two developmental stages. HQPM1 maintained the analogous defense strategy at both the sampling stages while DHM117 showed variable response. Overall metabolic induction of antioxidants related to defense was more in DHM117 than HQPM1. This suggests that DHM117 utilized more assimilates in maintaining the homeostasis against imposed oxidative stress, causing less translocation of assimilates to reproductive parts and thus affecting the final yield. In terms of yield it is suggested that performance of HQPM1 (quality protein maize) was better than the DHM117 (non quality protein maize).

Assessment of growth and yield losses in two Zea mays L. cultivars (quality protein maize and nonquality protein maize) under projected levels of ozone.

Rapid industrialization and economic developments have increased the tropospheric ozone (O3) budget since preindustrial times, and presently, it is supposed to be a major threat to crop productivity. Maize (Zea mays L.), a C4 plant is the third most important staple crop at global level with a great deal of economic importance. The present study was conducted to evaluate the performance of two maize cultivars [HQPM1: quality protein maize (QPM)] and [DHM117: nonquality protein maize (NQPM)] to variable O3 doses. Experimental setup included filtered chambers, nonfiltered chambers (NFC), and two elevated doses of O3 viz. NFC+15 ppb O3 (NFC+15) and NFC+30 ppb O3 (NFC+30). During initial growth period, both QPM and NQPM plants showed hormetic effect that is beneficial due to exposure of low doses of a toxicant (NFC and NFC+15 ppb O3), but at later stages, growth attributes were negatively affected by O3. Growth indices showed the variable pattern of photosynthate translocation under O3 stress. Foliar injury in the form of interveinal chlorosis and reddening of leaves due to increased production of anthocyanin pigments was observed at higher concentrations of O3. One-dimensional gel electrophoresis of leaves taken from NFC+30 showed reductions of major photosynthetic proteins, and differential response was observed between the two test cultivars. Decline in the number of male flowers at elevated O3 doses suggested damaging effect of O3 on reproductive structures which might be a cause of productivity losses. Variable carbon allocation pattern particularly to husk leaves, foliar injury, and damage of photosynthetic proteins led to significant reductions in economic yield at higher O3 doses. PCA showed that both the cultivars responded more or less similarly to O3 stress in their respective groupings of growth and yield parameters, but magnitude of their response was variable. It is further supported by difference in the significance of correlations between variables of yield and AOT40. Cultivar response reflects that QPM performed better than NQPM against elevated O3.