Kolmogorov Similarity Hypotheses for Scalar Fields: Sampling Intermittent Turbulent Mixing in the Ocean and Galaxy

Kolmogorov's three universal similarity hypotheses are extrapolated to describe scalar fields like temperature mixed by turbulence. By the analogous Kolmogorov third hypothesis for scalars, temperature dissipation rates chi averaged over lengths r > L_K should be lognormally distributed with intermittency factors I that increase with increasing turbulence energy length scales L_O as I_chi-r = m_T ln(L_O/r). Tests of Kolmogorovian velocity and scalar universal similarity hypotheses for very large ranges of turbulence length and time scales are provided by data from the ocean and the Galactic interstellar medium. The universal constant for turbulent mixing intermittency m_T is estimated from oceanic data to be 0.44+-0.01, which is remarkably close to estimates for Kolmogorov's turbulence intermittency constant m_u of 0.45+-0.05 from Galactic as well as atmospheric data. Extreme intermittency complicates the oceanic sampling problem, and may lead to quantitative and qualitative undersampling errors in estimates of mean oceanic dissipation rates and fluxes. Intermittency of turbulence and mixing in the interstellar medium may be a factor in the formation of stars.Comment: 23 pages original of Proc. Roy. Soc. article, 8 figures; in "Turbulence and Stochastic Processes: Kolmogorov's ideas 50 years on", London The Royal Society, 1991, J.C.R. Hunt, O.M. Phillips, D. Williams Eds., pages 1-240, vol. 434 (no. 1890) Proc. Roy. Soc. Lond. A, PDF fil

MOBILIZATION OF LOCAL SAMPLES OF VEGETABLE CROPS, CUCURBITS AND LEGUMINOUS CROPS DURING THE EXPEDITION TO THE REPUBLIC OF ARMENIA IN 2017

In 2017, an expedition was conducted in the Republic of Armenia. Its purpose was to collect local samples of vegetable crops, cucurbits and leguminous crops. The mission of the expedition was to study the seed assortment in markets, agricultural stores, farm fields, and a territorial survey of a number of districts in the Republic in accordance with the developed route. It was found out that common bean, tomato, onion, sweet pepper and hot pepper, spicy-flavored crops and cucurbits are widely used by the local population. Farmers were observed to have a wide diversity of crop varieties derived from their own seeds. As a result, 415 samples were collected and delivered to VIR, including 280 samples of vegetable crops (tomato, onion, coriander, dill, basil, radish, cucumber, sweet pepper, etc.), 70 of leguminous crops (common bean, etc.), 37 of cucurbits, 14 of oil and fiber crops, 12 of wild species, and 2 of alfalfa (one of them wild). Among fruit-bearing vegetable crops and cucurbits there are sources of valuable traits, such as ornamentality, productivity, resistance to abiotic and biotic stressors in the challenging climate conditions of the Republic of Armenia

Molecular genetic characteristics of broccoli (Brassica oleracea L. var. italica Plenck) from the VIR collection

Background. Broccoli is an early-ripening vegetable crop that contains many biologically active compounds and mineral elements. According to the Genesys database, the global genebank collections contain no more than 465 different broccoli accessions. Fourteen cultivars and hybrids developed in Russia are registered in the State Register of the Russian Federation. The need to improve the assortment in a number of important breeding target areas (small habitus, non-spawning, bud size, disease resistance, etc.) requires the use of new effective techniques, including marker-assisted selection methods and association mapping. In this regard, it seems relevant to evaluate the VIR collection of broccoli using molecular genetic markers, which will provide new source material for breeding.Materials and methods. A molecular genetic study involved 39 broccoli cultivars and hybrid populations of different geographical origin, with various biological characteristics, and for various uses. For the analysis, 35 markers of microsatellite sequences specific to the Brassica L. genome were selected. PCR products were separated by electrophoresis on a 3% agarose gel.Results and conclusions. As a result, 110 polymorphic fragments were identified. In the studied loci, 3 to 7 alleles were pinpointed. The discriminating power of markers ranged from 0.75 to 0.96, and averaged 0.91; the average number of fragments per marker was 4.4. Ten unique alleles and 12 rare alleles (found in less than 8% of the samples) were observed in the studied accessions. On the other hand, the 201 bp allele of the locus BC65 was found in 95% of accessions, that is, it was almost common. All used markers have a sufficiently high diagnostic value and can be recommended for DNA identification in broccoli cultivars. An analysis of the genetic similarity of the collection accessions, carried out in the DarWin program using the Unweighted Neighbor-Joining method, made it possible to establish four closely related clusters

Possibilities of biotechnological methods in breeding of vegetable crops at the VIR Laboratory of Breeding and Cell Technologies

Basic and applied scientific research in plant cell technologies contribute to the successful development of agricultural plant breeding, which allows the creation of new forms of plants 2-4 times faster than by traditional breeding methods. To obtain inbred lines of most vegetable crops, about 5-7 cycles of self-pollination are required. As a result, the creation of a new cultivar/hybrid takes more than 10-12 years on an average. To successfully create a variety or hybrid, it is necessary to select parental pairs in the form of inbred lines. The VIR collection of vegetables and cucurbit crops includes 52,889 accessions, representatives of 29 families, 145 genera, and 610 species. The use of biotechnological methods is an important direction for accelerating the breeding of vegetable crops. Due to the relevance of introducing cell technologies into the breeding programs of the VIR Department of Genetic Resources of Vegetable and Cucurbit Crops, a Laboratory of Breeding and Cell Technologies was set up in 2022. The goal of the research to be performed at the new laboratory is to accelerate the creation of source material, cultivars and hybrids by combining traditional breeding methods and cell technologies. The objects of the study include cultivated forms and wild relatives of cabbage Brassica oleracea L., turnip Brassica rapa L., lettuce Lactuca L., tomato Lycopersicon Mill and vegetable sweet corn Zea mays var. saccharata Sturt. In the present review, we consider the main results of breeding cabbage, tomato, and lettuce which have been obtained through applying cell technologies. Despite the progress obtained, there are still several problems in this area. The lack of standardized, efficient and reproducible protocols for in vitro methods often hinders their practical use. The tasks facing the laboratory in creating the initial breeding material and new cultivars and hybrids with the use of both conventional methods and cell technologies are relevant and correspond to the world level

Basket of Growth: New Export Industries in Sverdlovsk Region

The authors examine an export basket and reveal the new export goods for Sverdlovsk region, which might be used to transform the productive structure and upgrade export of the region. For each product, in which the region might develop its comparative advantage, the authors develop a measure of efforts, which are supposed to be made to include this good into the export basket, and a measure of the income level for the product. As a result the authors get a cluster of new and the most attractive export goods. Special methodology is used to choose the best cities to allocate the production of the new export goods.Export goods, comparative advantages, industrial cluster, production allocation

Monitoring of the diamondback moth (<i>Plutella xylostella</i> L.) on the <i>Brassica oleracea</i> L. collection in the vicinity of St. Petersburg

Background. Diamondback moth (Plutella xylostella L.) has now acquired the status of the most dangerous pest of plants from the Brassicaceae family in the world, including Russia. In order to identify genotypes resistant to the pest, cabbage accessions from the VIR global collection were assessed in the field according to plant infestation and damage by diamondback moth in the vicinity of St. Petersburg.Materials and methods. The infestation of plants by diamondback moth was assessed on model accessions when examining all plants in the plot by (1) the number of larvae and pupae, and (2) leaf damage, assessed using a standard scoring scale. The number of adults was monitored using sticky Delta traps of two designs: (1) cardboard traps equipped with commercial dispensers with synthetic sex pheromone, and (2) plastic LED traps designed at VIZR.Results. The results of field surveys attested to very high variation among cabbage accessions in the rates of infestation and damage to plants caused by diamondback moth. The data on the abundance of adults caught by pheromone traps correlated well with the estimates of larval and pupal density of the pest on plants. The capture rate of diamondback moths with LED traps varied greatly during the season. In June/early July, i.e., during the period of the so called “white” nights, LED traps caught diamondback moths much worse than pheromone ones, but during the second half of July and August their capture rate significantly exceeded that of pheromone traps. As a result, the relationship between numbers of diamondback moth larvae on plants and adults in LED traps turned out to be negative. Conclusion. The resulting materials indicate obvious prospects of studying the VIR global collection in order to identify sources of host plant resistance to diamondback moth. The abundance of this pest in northern regions of its spreading is recommended to be controlled with pheromone traps

The Russian Brassicaceae collection – from N.I. Vavilov and E.N. Sinskaya till nowadays

This article  presents the  history  of the  formation  of the  Russian state  Brassicaceae  collection  maintained at  the N.I. Vavilov All-Russian Institute of Plant Genetic Resources (VIR). Nowadays this one of the world’s richest collections encompasses more than 10,750 accessions of different status from 32 species and 11 genera: vegetable, fodder, oilseed, spicy, ornamental crops and continues to grow through collecting missions and exchange of material. The first intraspecific botanical  and agrobiological ecologo-geographical divisions of many crops – cole, turnip, radish, small radish, Swede – were performed by E.N. Sinskaya and T.V. Lizgunova over years of research. These unique works have been continued by M.A. Shebalina and L.V. Sazonova: the cultivar types of Chinese cabbage and pakchoi have been determined; the development of the classifications of white cabbage, broccoli, small radish, turnip is being  continued. The objective laws of variability of valuable biochemical  traits are presented; a comparative analysis of nutritive and biologically active substances, primarily secondary metabolites, allowed us to determine specific biochemical  compounds: those common for the related  species Brassica oleracea and B. rapa but occurring in them at different frequencies and those unique for species, subspecies and separate cultivar types; this is the beginning of taxonomic studies. With phytopathological studies, the common diseases of Brassicas in the northwestern part of Russia were determined, and the level of their distribution and development depending on the crop was shown. Genetic studies of the Brassicaceae collections at VIR include DNA analysis to search for duplicates in the collections, to compare original seeds  and the seeds  after reproduction and to assess the authenticity of saved accessions, to assess biodiversity, including that of new material from collecting missions, to develop phylogenetic studies. Chromosome loci controlling flowering time, morphological and biochemical  traits were determined by QTL analysis and association mapping, the molecular  markers found  are used for screening the collection and breeding material. The sources and donors of traits valuable for modern breeding directions have been found for use in various breeding programs

Genetic diversity of VIR Raphanus sativus L. collections on aluminum tolerance

Radish and small radish (Raphanus sativus L.) are popular and widely cultivated root vegetables in the world, which occupy an important place in human nutrition. Edaphic stressors have a significant impact on their productivity and quality. The main factor determining the phytotoxicity of acidic soils is the increased concentration of mobile aluminum ions in the soil solution. The accumulation of aluminum in root tissues disrupts the processes of cell division, initiation and growth of the lateral roots, the supply of plants with minerals and water. The study of intraspecific variation in aluminum resistance of R. sativus is an important stage for the breeding of these crops. The purpose of this work was to study the genetic diversity of R. sativus crops including 109 accessions of small radish and radish of various ecological and geographical origin, belonging to 23 types, 14 varieties of European, Chinese and Japanese subspecies on aluminum tolerance. In the absence of a rapid assessment methodology specialized for the species studied, a method is used to assess the aluminum resistance of cereals using an eriochrome cyanine R dye, which is based on the recovery or absence of restoration of mitotic activity of the seedlings roots subjected to shock exposure to aluminum. The effect of various concentrations on the vital activity of plants was revealed: a 66-mM concentration of AlCl3 · 6Н2О had a weak toxic effect on R. sativus accessions slowing down root growth; 83 mM contributed to a large differentiation of the small radish accessions and to a lesser extent for radish; 99 mM inhibited further root growth in 13.0 % of small radish accessions and in 7.3 % of radish and had a highly damaging effect. AlCl3 · 6Н2О at a concentration of 99 mM allowed us to identify the most tolerant small radish and radish accessions that originate from countries with a wide distribution of acidic soils. In a result, it was possible to determine the intraspecific variability of small radish and radish plants in the early stages of vegetation and to identify genotypes that are contrasting in their resistance to aluminum. We recommend the AlCl3 · 6Н2О concentration of 83 mM for screening the aluminum resistance of small radish and 99 mM for radish. The modified method that we developed is proposed as a rapid diagnosis of aluminum tolerance for the screening of a wide range of R. sativus genotypes and a subsequent study of contrasting forms during a longer cultivation of plants in hydroponic culture (including elemental analysis of roots and shoots, contrasting in resistance of accessions) as well as reactions of plants in soil conditions

Molecular-genetic marking of Brassica L. species for resistance against various pathogens: achievements and prospects

Cruciferous plants  belonging to the  genus  Brassica of the  Cabbage family (Brassicaceae) are cultivated  as vegetables, oilseeds and forage crops; they occupy one of the first places in Russia in the gross yield of vegetables. The yield of cabbage crops is adversely affected  by various pathogens, including bacterial, viral and fungal infections. The diseases such as black rot of cabbage (caused by the bacterium Xanthomonas campestris pv. campestris), downy mildew (caused by Hyaloperonospora parasitica), Turnip Mosaic Virus (TuMV) are not included  in the list of quarantine diseases  in the territory of the Russian Federation and Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU), but they can affect a part of the sown area and lead to significant (up to 100 %) crop losses. The development of cultivars resistant to these  pathogens is an important trend  in Brassica crop breeding in addition  to existing methods of agrotechnical and chemical protection. The development of molecular  marker techniques and marker-assisted selection  (MAS) methods makes it possible  to significantly increase  the efficiency of breeding resistant cabbage cultivars. The review contains  information on the currently  known  genes  and quantitative trait loci (QTLs) associated with resistance to black rot, downy mildew, and TuMV. Molecular mapping data for resistance genes  of Brassica species are shown. The molecular markers (RFLP, AFLP, SSR, EST, SNP, InDel, SLAF and others) closely linked to the resistance loci and SCAR-, STS- and dCAPS-markers derived from them  for molecular screening are listed. The use of the markers reviewed  to assess  the  Brassica accessions  and  lines can help  the  researchers in finding  sources  and  donors  of pathogen resistance of cabbage crops

Genetic resources of vegetable crops: from breeding non-traditional crops to functional food

In this review, the authors considered the promising species of vegetable crops for introduction and breeding in the Russian Federation. An attempt was made to assess the possibilities of their breeding improvement from the standpoint of the presence of traits that limit large-scale production. Species that could potentially serve as sources of a high content of functional food ingredients (FFI) have been identified and characterized. For the successful introgression of these species in the Russian Federation, we proposed the methodological approaches including the assessment of the potential cold resistance of thermophilic crops in the mature male gametophyte in vitro (e. g., asparagus bean). The increase in the biodiversity of vegetable plants and improving of their nutritional value should be recognized as one of the main tasks, along with the growth of crop productivity. It is proposed to use the ratio of the total number of the registered cultivars of a particular crop to the number of years since the first cultivar of that crop has been included in the State Register of Breeding Achievements Admitted for Use as a measure of demand. It is advisable to formalize the trait“high content of FFI” in crops, taking as a basis, for example, a 2–4-fold excess of the content of any FFI or their complex in a cultivar over the crop’s standard (reference) value. Such varieties should be included in the State Register of Breeding Achievements Approved for Use as a separate list. The purpose of their separation in the State Register is to ensure the potential interest of investors and business structures in the sale of functional food on the market. The paper discusses in detail the most promising species of introduced vegetable crops from five families (Brassicaceae, Amaranthaceae, Solanaceae, Leguminosae, Cucurbitaceae). The following species are proposed as potential sources of high FPI content: Brassica oleracea ssp. oleracea, B. oleraceae var. alboglabra, B. rapa ssp. chinensis, B. rapa ssp. narinosa, B. rapa ssp. nipposinica, B. rapa ssp. rapa, B. uncea, Cochlearia officinalis, Lepidium sativum, Amaranthus caudatus, A. cruentus, A. hypochondriacus, A. dubius, A. tricolor, lividus, species in the genus Physalis L., Momordica charantia, Benincasa hispida, Cucumis metuliferus, Vigna unguiculata