Characterisation of sugar beet (Beta vulgaris L. ssp. vulgaris) varieties using microsatellite markers

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Sugar beet is an obligate outcrossing species. Varieties consist of mixtures of plants from various parental combinations. As the number of informative morphological characteristics is limited, this leads to some problems in variety registration research.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>We have developed 25 new microsatellite markers for sugar beet. A selection of 12 markers with high quality patterns was used to characterise 40 diploid and triploid varieties. For each variety 30 individual plants were genotyped. The markers amplified 3-21 different alleles. Varieties had up to 7 different alleles at one marker locus. All varieties could be distinguished. For the diploid varieties, the expected heterozygosity ranged from 0.458 to 0.744. The average inbreeding coefficient F_iswas 0.282 ± 0.124, but it varied widely among marker loci, from F_is= +0.876 (heterozygote deficiency) to F_is= -0.350 (excess of heterozygotes). The genetic differentiation among diploid varieties was relatively constant among markers (F_st= 0.232 ± 0.027). Among triploid varieties the genetic differentiation was much lower (F_st= 0.100 ± 0.010). The overall genetic differentiation between diploid and triploid varieties was F_st= 0.133 across all loci. Part of this differentiation may coincide with the differentiation among breeders' gene pools, which was F_st= 0.063.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Based on a combination of scores for individual plants all varieties can be distinguished using the 12 markers developed here. The markers may also be used for mapping and in molecular breeding. In addition, they may be employed in studying gene flow from crop to wild populations.</p

Chemical interaction at the buried silicon/zinc oxide thin-film solar cell interface as revealed by hard X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy

Hard X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (HAXPES) is used to identify chemical interactions (such as elemental redistribution) at the buried silicon /aluminum-doped zinc oxide thin-film solar cell interface. Expanding our study of the interfacial oxidation of silicon upon its solid-phase crystallization (SPC), in which we found zinc oxide to be the source of oxygen, in this investigation we address chemical interaction processes involving zinc and aluminum. In particular, we observe an increase of zinc- and aluminum-related HAXPES signals after SPC of the deposited amorphous silicon thin films. Quantitative analysis suggests an elemental redistribution in the proximity of the silicon/aluminum-doped zinc oxide interface – more pronounced for aluminum than for zinc – as explanation. Based on these insights the complex chemical interface structure is discussed