Microsatellite characterization of Andean races of common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.).

The Andean gene pool of common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) has high levels of morphological diversity in terms of seed color and size, growth habit and agro-ecological adaptation, but previously was characterized by low levels of molecular marker diversity. Three races have been described within the Andean gene pool: Chile, Nueva Granada and Peru. The objective of this study was to characterize a collection of 123 genotypes representing Andean bean diversity with 33 microsatellite markers that have been useful for characterizing race structure in common beans. The genotypes were from both the primary center of origin as well as secondary centers of diversity to which Andean beans spread and represented all three races of the gene pool. In addition we evaluated a collection of landraces from Colombia to determine if the Nueva Granada and Peru races could be distinguished in genotypes from the northern range of the primary center. Multiple correspondence analyses of the Andean race representatives identified two predominant groups corresponding to the Nueva Granada and Peru races. Some of the Chile race representatives formed a separate group but several that had been defined previously as from this race grouped with the other races. Gene flow was more notable between Nueva Granada and Peru races than between these races and the Chile race. Among the Colombian genotypes, the Nueva Granada and Peru races were identified and introgression between these two races was especially notable. The genetic diversity within the Colombian genotypes was high, reaffirming the importance of this region as an important source of germplasm. Results of this study suggest that the morphological classification of all climbing beans as Peru race genotypes and all bush beans as Nueva Granada race genotypes is erroneous and that growth habit traits have been mixed in both races, requiring a re-adjustment in the concept of morphological races in Andean beans.

Microsatellite marker diversity in common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.).

A diversity survey was used to estimate allelic diversity and heterozygosity of 129 microsatellite markers in a panel of 44 common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) genotypes that have been used as parents of mapping populations. Two types of microsatellites were evaluated, based respectively on gene coding and genomic sequences. Genetic diversity was evaluated by estimating the polymorphism information content (PIC), as well as the distribution and range of alleles sizes. Gene-based microsatellites proved to be less polymorphic than genomic microsatellites in terms of both number of alleles (6.0 vs. 9.2) and PIC values (0.446 vs. 0.594) while greater size differences between the largest and the smallest allele were observed for the genomic microsatellites than for the gene-based microsatellites (31.4 vs. 19.1 bp). Markers that showed a high number of alleles were identified with a maximum of 28 alleles for the marker BMd1. The microsatellites were useful for distinguishing Andean and Mesoamerican genotypes, for uncovering the races within each genepool and for separating wild accessions from cultivars. Greater polymorphism and race structure was found within the Andean gene pool than within the Mesoamerican gene pool and polymorphism rate between genotypes was consistent with genepool and race identity. Comparisons between Andean genotypes had higher polymorphism (53.0%) on average than comparisons among Mesoamerican genotypes (33.4%). Within the Mesoamerican parental combinations, the intra-racial combinations between Mesoamerica and Durango or Jalisco race genotypes showed higher average rates of polymorphism (37.5%) than the within-race combinations between Mesoamerica race genotypes (31.7%). In multiple correspondance analysis we found two principal clusters of genotypes corresponding to the Mesoamerican and Andean gene pools and subgroups representing specific races especially for the Nueva Granada and Peru races of the Andean gene pool. Intra population diversity was higher within the Andean genepool than within the Mesoamerican genepool and this pattern was observed for both gene-based and genomic microsatellites. Furthermore, intra-population diversity within the Andean races (0.356 on average) was higher than within the Mesoamerican races (0.302). Within the Andean gene pool, race Peru had higher diversity compared to race Nueva Granada, while within the Mesoamerican gene pool, the races Durango, Guatemala and Jalisco had comparable levels of diversity which were below that of race Mesoamerica.

Cross-species amplification of cassava (Manihot esculenta) (Euphorbiaceae) microsatellites: allelic polymorphism and degree of relationship.

Microsatellite amplification was performed on cassava (Manihot esculenta) and six other different species (all wild) of the Manihot genus. We used ten pairs of microsatellite primers previously developed from cassava, detecting 124 alleles in a sample of 121 accessions of the seven species. The number of alleles per locus ranged from four to 21 alleles, and allelic diversity was greater in the wild species than in cassava. Seventy-nine alleles, including unique ones, were detected in the wild species but were not found in the crop. The lower level of heterozygosity in some wild species probably resulted from a combination of fine-scale differentiation within the species and the presence of null alleles. Overall, microsatellite primers worked across the genus, but, with increasing genetic distance, success in amplifying loci tended to decrease. No accession of M. aesculifolia, M. carthaginensis, and M. brachyloba presented a banding pattern at locus Ga-140; neither did one appear for M. aesculifolia at locus Ga-13. Previous work with amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP) markers and this microsatellite analysis show that these three wild taxa are the most distant relatives of the crop, whereas the wild forms M. esculenta subsp. flabellifolia and M. esculenta subsp. peruviana appear to be the closest.

Population dynamics and effects of Oebalus ornatus (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae) on rice yield and quality in southwestern Colombia.

Field experiments were conducted from 1989 to 1992 to determine the effects of Oebalus ornatus (Sailer) on Cica 8 rice, Oryza sativa L., yield and to study the population dynamics of the insect. The effect of O. ornatus was measured for seven population levels (0, 2, 3, 4, 8, 12, and 24 sexed pairs per 20 panicles) at three stages of grain development (flowering, milk, and soft dough stage). Insect feeding during the flowering and milk stages of grain development caused more damage than feeding during the soft dough stage. The action threshold was calculated to be 14 O. ornatus adults per square meter for the flowering and milk stages and 67 for the soft dough stage of grain maturity. Population densities that would reduce rice yield in southwestern Colombia were not observed during the 3 yr of the study.

AFLP assessment of genetic variability in cassava accessions (Manihot esculenta) resistant and susceptible to the cassava bacterial blight (CBB).

Cassava bacterial blight (CBB) is caused by Xanthomonas axonopodis pv. manihotis (Xam). Resistance is found in Manihot esculenta and, in addition, has been introgressed from a wild relative, M. glaziovii. The resistance is thought to be polygenic and additively inherited. Ninety-three varieties of M. esculenta (Crantz) were assessed by AFLPs for genetic diversity and for resistance to CBB. AFLP analysis was performed using two primer combinations and a 79.2% level of polymorphism was found. The phenogram obtained showed between 74% and 96% genetic similarity among all cassava accessions analysed. The analysis permitted the unique identification of each individual. Two Xam strains were used for resistance screening. Variation in the reaction of cassava varieties to Xam strains was observed for all plant accessions. The correlation of resistance to both strains, had a coefficient of 0.53, suggesting the independence of resistance to each strain. Multiple correspondence analysis showed a random distribution of the resistance/susceptibility response with respect to overall genetic diversity as measured by AFLP analysis. A total heterozygosity index was calculated to determine the diversity within clusters as well as among them. Our results demonstrate that resistance to CBB is broadly distributed in cassava germplasm and that AFLP analysis is an effective and efficient means of providing quantitative estimates of genetic similarities among cassava accessions.