A Comparison of Two Firmness-testing Machines for Measuring Blueberry Firmness and Size

Firmness is an important fruit quality trait in northern highbush blueberry (Vaccinium corymbosum). Many researchers, growers, and packers rely on machines for measuring firmness right after harvest and during postharvest cold storage of fresh fruit. In this study, we compared two machines that use compression firmness measurements to determine a force-deformation value. The first firmness-testing machine has been in use for the past 30 years by blueberry (Vaccinium) researchers and packers worldwide. The second has been on the market for the past 5 years. We compared fruit firmness and size measurements for several commercial cultivars and breeding accessions of northern highbush blueberry by both machines at harvest and 2 weeks postharvest. In general, we found there were slight differences in fruit firmness and size measurements between the two machines, but these measurements were generally consistent across the machines. Our study suggests that, in general, one machine can predict the measurements taken on the other machine

Improving Freedom to Operate in Carrot Breeding through the Development of Eight Open Source Composite Populations of Carrot (Daucus carota L. var. sativus)

The intellectual property rights (IPR) landscape for plant germplasm has changed dramatically over the past 50 years, moving from the public domain into proprietary structures. Using carrot as a model crop, we explored the freedom to operate for plant breeding and research in relation to the diversity present in 140 commercially available cultivars in the United States. To determine freedom to operate, we characterized the phenotypic and genotypic diversity across cultivars and the IPR that were associated with each cultivar. With 87 of the 95 cultivars that were not restricted by IPR, we developed eight diverse composite populations of carrot through two cycles of breeding that are meant to encompass the available diversity in commercial germplasm. These populations are being released through the Open Source Seed Initiative (OSSI, www.osseeds.org). This is the first example of crop germplasm that has been collected, characterized, and bred specifically for entry into an open source commons

Freeing Crop Genetics through the Open Source Seed Initiative.

For millennia, seeds have been freely available to use for farming and plant breeding without restriction. Within the past century, however, intellectual property rights (IPRs) have threatened this tradition. In response, a movement has emerged to counter the trend toward increasing consolidation of control and ownership of plant germplasm. One effort, the Open Source Seed Initiative (OSSI, www.osseeds.org), aims to ensure access to crop genetic resources by embracing an open source mechanism that fosters exchange and innovation among farmers, plant breeders, and seed companies. Plant breeders across many sectors have taken the OSSI Pledge to create a protected commons of plant germplasm for future generations

A New Generation of Plant Breeders Discovers Fertile Ground in Organic Agriculture

sustainabilit

Lettuce cultivars released using three different mechanisms.

<p>Plant cultivars released into the public domain are often utilized in developing subsequent cultivars [<a href="http://www.plosbiology.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pbio.1002441#pbio.1002441.ref008" target="_blank">8</a>] that are then protected using various forms of intellectual property rights (IPR). The following lettuce cultivars are released using a variety of IPRs that allow subsequent users to utilize cultivars in future breeding in different ways. <i>Photo credits</i>: <i>Multigreen 57</i>, <i>Osbourne Seed Company; Chartreuse Butter Tongue</i>, <i>Karen Morton; SM13-R2</i>, <i>Jose Orozco</i>, <i>USDA/ARS</i>.</p

Germplasm IPRs and their effects on plant breeding.

<p>For more detail on IPR protections (excluding Open Source), see [<a href="http://www.plosbiology.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pbio.1002441#pbio.1002441.ref002" target="_blank">2</a>].</p

Assessment and Accessibility of Phenotypic and Genotypic Diversity of Carrot (<i>Daucus carota</i> L. var. sativus) Cultivars Commercially Available in the United States

<div><p>Increased use of intellectual property rights over plant germplasm has led to a complicated landscape for exchange among plant breeders. Our goal was to examine phenotypic and genotypic diversity present in commercially available carrot (<i>Daucus carota</i> L. var. sativus) germplasm in relation to the freedom to operate—the ability for plant breeders to access and use crop genetic diversity. A collection of 140 commercially available carrot cultivars were grown in replicated field trials in the Madison, WI area in 2013 and 2014. Phenotypic measurements were recorded for leaf and root characteristics. Illumina sequencing was used to conduct genotyping by sequencing analysis on all cultivars to understand the range of genetic diversity present. Additionally, the intellectual property rights associated with each cultivar was noted to determine the freedom to operate. We found that although one-third of the commercially available US carrot cultivars in our study are restricted through some form of intellectual property rights, the genetic and phenotypic variability of the protected cultivars does not represent a completely separate group from the available material. Phenotypic analyses including ANOVA and principal components analysis, suggest that many of the traits differed significantly based on market class, but not by whether the cultivar had freedom to operate. The principal components and F_st analyses on the genotyping by sequencing data revealed that carrot market classes (F_st = 0.065) and freedom to operate classes (F_st = 0.023) were not genetically distinct, and that principle components 1 and 2 account for only 10.1% of the total genotypic variation, implying that cultivated carrot germplasm in the US forms an unstructured population. Our findings suggest that the genetic diversity present in carrot cultivars that have freedom to operate is potentially large enough to support carrot breeding efforts in most market classes given present levels of intellectual property protection.</p></div

Results from an Analysis of Variance comparing effects of the model with different phenotypic traits as response variables.

<p>Chi square value is reported for random effects and F statistic is reported for fixed effects.</p

Broad sense heritability estimates (H²) for phenotypic traits measured based on the global variation in phenotype, the location (over both years) and site specific variance.

<p>Broad sense heritability estimates (H²) for phenotypic traits measured based on the global variation in phenotype, the location (over both years) and site specific variance.</p

Factor loadings showing contributions of each trait to PC 1 and 2 for the principal components analysis of the phenotypic data.

<p>Factor loadings showing contributions of each trait to PC 1 and 2 for the principal components analysis of the phenotypic data.</p