The study of the sorghum genetic diversity using the mul¬tiplex microsatellite analysis

This study is focused on evaluation of the genetic structure and diversity of the national sorghum collection. Analyzing the genetic diversity of crop species is of great importance for genetic resources management and food security of any country. Huge genetic diversity of sorghum provides a great opportunity to improve the agronomic characteristics of this crop. The efficiency of microsatellite  analysis has been demonstrated in many studies on the genetic diversity of different races and geographical groups of sorghum plants. Development of multiplex PCR analysis systems based on a set of polymorphic microsatellite loci will facilitate genetic tests on a large number of plant samples, thus making the research on sorghum diversity more efficient and comprehensive. A system of multiplex PCR analysis based on 12 polymorphic microsatellite loci was developed to perform single-stage high-throughput screening of cultivated and wild forms preserved in the sorghum germplasm collection. As a result of the microsatellite analysis of 200 sorghum plants, 229 alleles were detected. The studied loci showed high polymorphism. More than 17 alleles were identified in most loci, their polymorphic index content (PIC) ranging from 0.694 to 0.954. The value of the effective multiplex ratio (EMR) in the developed system was estimated at 0.833. The microsatellite analysis of sorghum accessions resulted in obtaining quantized gene expressions profiles, with a DNA profile for each accession, and revealed significant polymorphism among the plants of different sorghum varieties (races). The developed multiplex PCR system was shown to be efficient for evaluation of the genetic diversity and genetic relationships of sorghum plants from different races. The analysis of the obtained data using three bioinformatic techniques, NJ cluster analysis, PCoA, and the Bayesian model-based clustering, helped to classify the analyzed sorghum accessions into cluster groups according to their morphological and agronomic traits

New prospects of vocational education and training

The article is focused on the key issues of vocational education and training (VET) reform in Russia. What is necessary for the transition from state regulation of vocational educationand training to market regulation? What should be VET development strategy under these circumstances? What are the problems of the legal regulation of VET? Organizational and methodical issues of quality assurance of vocational education and training and European experience in this sphere is considered in the article. Common Quality Assurance Framework (CQAF) for continuing education and training is also described

Evaluation of the Heterogeneity of Wheat Kernels as a Traditional Model Object in Connection with the Asymmetry of Development

Wheat is one of the most important crops in the world, providing food for most of the world’s population. Wheat seeds are a popular model object for many experiments to evaluate various factors that improve germination or protect against various adverse stressful effects. Based on the high significance of increasing the productivity of this cereal crop and the applicability of this object, a detailed statistical evaluation of wheat grain (kernel) morphometry was carried out to assess the asymmetry of parameters of this ideal model. Depending on the location of the kernels in the spikelet of a wheat spike, there was a significant asymmetry between the right and left cheeks of the kernels located closer or further from the center of the spikelet. The expressiveness of asymmetry, and consequently, the kernel deformation was higher in the lower kernels of the spikelet. The degree of symmetry; that is, the similarity of the two halves (cheeks) and the kernel as a whole, was higher in kernels located higher in the spikelet. It seems that the reason for this phenomenon lies in the mechanical nature of kernel deformation. The ultrastructure of A-type and B-type starch grains in the central part of the kernel had significant differences between the upper and lower kernels, which indicated in favor of a high probability of differences by the composition and quality of kernels of the same variety when assessed separately. Uniform development of kernels and smaller differences between them may reveal more valuable genotypes in the future, provided their steady reproduction under adverse conditions of a changing climate

Evaluation of the Heterogeneity of Wheat Kernels as a Traditional Model Object in Connection with the Asymmetry of Development

Wheat is one of the most important crops in the world, providing food for most of the world’s population. Wheat seeds are a popular model object for many experiments to evaluate various factors that improve germination or protect against various adverse stressful effects. Based on the high significance of increasing the productivity of this cereal crop and the applicability of this object, a detailed statistical evaluation of wheat grain (kernel) morphometry was carried out to assess the asymmetry of parameters of this ideal model. Depending on the location of the kernels in the spikelet of a wheat spike, there was a significant asymmetry between the right and left cheeks of the kernels located closer or further from the center of the spikelet. The expressiveness of asymmetry, and consequently, the kernel deformation was higher in the lower kernels of the spikelet. The degree of symmetry; that is, the similarity of the two halves (cheeks) and the kernel as a whole, was higher in kernels located higher in the spikelet. It seems that the reason for this phenomenon lies in the mechanical nature of kernel deformation. The ultrastructure of A-type and B-type starch grains in the central part of the kernel had significant differences between the upper and lower kernels, which indicated in favor of a high probability of differences by the composition and quality of kernels of the same variety when assessed separately. Uniform development of kernels and smaller differences between them may reveal more valuable genotypes in the future, provided their steady reproduction under adverse conditions of a changing climate

Manifestations of Different El Niño Types in the Dynamics of the Extratropical Stratosphere

The behavior of planetary waves and their influence on the global circulation of the Northern Hemisphere during different El Niño types is studied. Three sets of five boreal winters were chosen for each El Niño type: Modoki I and II and canonical El Niño. Based on data of the Japanese 55-year Reanalysis and the Modern-Era Retrospective Analysis for Research and Applications, the spatio-temporal structure of planetary waves and the residual mean circulation were analyzed. The results show that the canonical El Niño type is characterized by the weakest wave activity in March. It is also demonstrated that warming of the polar stratosphere, accompanied by maximizing wave activity and weakening of the zonal wind, may lead to earlier stratospheric polar vortex collapse and the early spring transition under Modoki I conditions. This study is the next step in understanding of the so-called long-range teleconnections, consisting of the propagation of a signal from the tropical El Niño Southern Oscillation source into the polar stratosphere

Manifestations of Different El Niño Types in the Dynamics of the Extratropical Stratosphere

The behavior of planetary waves and their influence on the global circulation of the Northern Hemisphere during different El Niño types is studied. Three sets of five boreal winters were chosen for each El Niño type: Modoki I and II and canonical El Niño. Based on data of the Japanese 55-year Reanalysis and the Modern-Era Retrospective Analysis for Research and Applications, the spatio-temporal structure of planetary waves and the residual mean circulation were analyzed. The results show that the canonical El Niño type is characterized by the weakest wave activity in March. It is also demonstrated that warming of the polar stratosphere, accompanied by maximizing wave activity and weakening of the zonal wind, may lead to earlier stratospheric polar vortex collapse and the early spring transition under Modoki I conditions. This study is the next step in understanding of the so-called long-range teleconnections, consisting of the propagation of a signal from the tropical El Niño Southern Oscillation source into the polar stratosphere