Genome-wide association study of common resistance to rust species in tetraploid wheat

Rusts of the genus Puccinia are wheat pathogens. Stem (black; Sr), leaf (brown; Lr), and stripe (yellow; Yr) rust, caused by Puccinia graminis f. sp. tritici (Pgt), Puccinia triticina (Pt), and Puccinia striiformis f. sp. tritici (Pst), can occur singularly or in mixed infections and pose a threat to wheat production globally in terms of the wide dispersal of their urediniospores. The development of durable resistant cultivars is the most sustainable method for controlling them. Many resistance genes have been identified, characterized, genetically mapped, and cloned; several quantitative trait loci (QTLs) for resistance have also been described. However, few studies have considered resistance to all three rust pathogens in a given germplasm. A genome-wide association study (GWAS) was carried out to identify loci associated with resistance to the three rusts in a collection of 230 inbred lines of tetraploid wheat (128 of which were Triticum turgidum ssp. durum) genotyped with SNPs. The wheat panel was phenotyped in the field and subjected to growth chamber experiments across different countries (USA, Mexico, Morocco, Italy, and Spain); then, a mixed linear model (MLM) GWAS was performed. In total, 9, 34, and 5 QTLs were identified in the A and B genomes for resistance to Pgt, Pt, and Pst, respectively, at both the seedling and adult plant stages. Only one QTL on chromosome 4A was found to be effective against all three rusts at the seedling stage. Six QTLs conferring resistance to two rust species at the adult plant stage were mapped: three on chromosome 1B and one each on 5B, 7A, and 7B. Fifteen QTLs conferring seedling resistance to two rusts were mapped: five on chromosome 2B, three on 7B, two each on 5B and 6A, and one each on 1B, 2A, and 7A. Most of the QTLs identified were specific for a single rust species or race of a species. Candidate genes were identified within the confidence intervals of a QTL conferring resistance against at least two rust species by using the annotations of the durum (cv. 'Svevo') and wild emmer wheat ('Zavitan') reference genomes. The 22 identified loci conferring resistance to two or three rust species may be useful for breeding new and potentially durable resistant wheat cultivars

Nitrogen fertilizers shape the composition and predicted functions of the microbiota of field-grown tomato plants

The microbial communities thriving at the root_soil interface have the potential to improve plant growth and sustainable crop production. Yet, how agricultural practices, such as the application of either mineral or organic nitrogen fertilizers, impact on the composition and functions of these communities remains to be fully elucidated. By deploying a two-pronged 16S rRNA gene sequencing and predictive metagenomics approach, we demonstrated that the bacterial microbiota of field-grown tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) plants is the product of a selective process that progressively differentiates between rhizosphere and root microhabitats. This process initiates as early as plants are in a nursery stage and it is then more marked at late developmental stages, in particular at harvest. This selection acts on both the bacterial relative abundances and phylogenetic assignments, with a bias for the enrichment of members of the phylum Actinobacteria in the root compartment. Digestate-based and mineral-based nitrogen fertilizers trigger a distinct bacterial enrichment in both rhizosphere and root microhabitats. This compositional diversification mirrors a predicted functional diversification of the root-inhabiting communities, manifested predominantly by the differential enrichment of genes associated to ABC transporters and the two-component system. Together, our data suggest that the microbiota thriving at the tomato root_soil interface is modulated by and in responses to the type of nitrogen fertilizer applied to the field

Effects of innovative biofertilizers on yield of processing tomato cultivated in organic cropping systems in northern Italy

Nowadays agriculture needs to increase crop sustainability and the organic cropping system has emerged as an interesting alternative approach with respect to the conventional one. On the other hand, the current unfavorable yield gap between organic and conventional systems reduces the organic system’s value. Processing tomato is a globally important horticultural crop and used as crop model. The objective of this study was to investigate different biofertilizers that could improve the yield and quality of processing tomato in organic cropping system. An experiment was conducted in Po Valley, northern Italy, during spring-summer 2017. The cultivar used was ‘Barone Rosso’ blocky fruit genotype, using 2.8 plants m-2, in randomized complete block design with seven biofertilizer treatments (pelleted digestate, granular biofertilizer, biochar, compost tea as foliar spray biostimulant, SiO2 as foliar spray biostimulant, compost tea + SiO2 as foliar spray biostimulant, zero biofertilizer as a control) and three replications. Agronomical and physiological parameters were recorded during the crop cycle. Results showed that tomato grown with biochar recorded the maximum commercial yield (136 t ha-1), followed by pelleted digestate (117 t ha-1) and compost tea + SiO2 as foliar spray biostimulant (113 t ha-1) while the minimum production (71 t ha-1) was recorded in untreated plots. On average, the results revealed that biochar, pelleted digestate and compost tea + SiO2 as foliar spray biostimulant, increased the vegetative vigor of plant (+10%), the number of flowers (+13%) and fruits (+41%), the average weight of fruits (+20%), the total biomass production (+48%), the harvest index (+15%) and the Brix t ha-1 (+49%), with respect to the control. Considering the overall performance, innovative biofertilizers could be promising to improve yield and quality of processing tomato cultivated in organic cropping systems, reducing the yield gap with conventional one

Common bean genotypes for agronomic and market-related traits in VCU trials

Value for Cultivation and Use (VCU) trials are undertaken when evaluating improved common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) lines, and knowledge of agronomic and market-related traits and disease reaction is instrumental in making cultivar recommendations. This study evaluates the yield, cooking time, grain color and reaction to anthracnose (Colletotrichum lindemuthianum), Fusarium wilt (Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. phaseoli) and Curtobacterium wilt (Curtobacterium flaccumfaciens pv. flaccumfaciens) of 25 common bean genotypes derived from the main common bean breeding programs in Brazil. Seventeen VCU trials were carried out in the rainy season, dry season and winter season from 2009 to 2011 in the state of São Paulo. Analyses of grain color and cooking time were initiated 60 days after harvest, and disease reaction analyses were performed in the laboratory under controlled conditions. In terms of yield, no genotype superior to the controls was observed for any of the seasons under consideration. Grains from the dry season exhibited better color, while the rainy season led to the shortest cooking times. The following genotypes BRS Esteio, BRS Esplendor and IAC Imperador were resistant to anthracnose, Fusarium wilt and Curtobacterium wilt and, in general, genotypes with lighter-colored grains were more susceptible to anthracnose and Fusarium wilt