Untersuchungen zur zuechterischen Nutzung mutagen induzierter Variation des Fettsaeuremusters bei Lein (Linum usitatissimum L.)

Available from: Zentralstelle fuer Agrardokumentation und -information (ZADI), Villichgasse 17, D-53177 Bonn / FIZ - Fachinformationszzentrum Karlsruhe / TIB - Technische InformationsbibliothekSIGLEDEGerman

Prospects for macro-level analysis of agricultural innovation systems to enhance the eco-efficiency of farming in developing countries

Agricultural innovation is an essential component in the transition to more sustainable and resilient farming systems across the world. Innovations generally emerge from collective intelligence and action, but innovation systems are often poorly understood. This study explores the properties of innovation systems and their contribution to increased eco-efficiency in agriculture. Using aggregate data and econometric methods, the eco-efficiency of 79 countries was computed and a range of factors relating to research, extension, business and policy was examined. Despite data limitations, the analysis produced significant results. Extension plays an important role in improving the eco-efficiency of agriculture, while agricultural research, under current conditions, has a positive effect on eco-efficiency only in the case of less developed economies. These and other results suggest the importance of context-specific interventions rather than a one size fits all approach. Overall, the analysis illustrated the potential of a macro-level diagnostic approach for assessing the role of innovation systems for sustainability in agriculture. Acknowledgement : The authors would like to thank the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation for funding this research

Mutations affecting nodulation in grain legumes and their potential in sustainable cropping systems

Many spontaneous and a large number of induced mutants that show altered nodulation pattern have been isolated in pea, soybean, common bean, faba bean, chickpea, groundnut and pigeonpea. Available information on nodulation mutants in these crops is summarised. The importance of nodulation mutants in basic studies on plant-microbe symbiotic interactions, nitrogen fixation and breeding of cultivars with higher yield and nitrogen fixation rate are examined. The nodulation mutants, after inoculation with specific bacterial strains or a number of different strains, show either: no nodulation (nod-), few nodules (nod+/-), ineffective nodulation (fix-), hyper nodulation (nod++) or hypernodulation even in the presence of otherwise inhibitory nitrate levels (nts). No spontaneous hypernodulation or nts mutants have been found, all have been induced in independent experiments using different cultivars of pea, soybean and common bean after mutagenising seeds. Most nodulation mutants show monogenic recessive inheritance, though semi-dominant and dominant inheritance is also reported. Nodule number is controlled by a process known as autoregulation; hypernodulating mutants show relaxed autoregulation. By grafting shoots of hypernodulating soybean mutant on normal nodulating soybean, mungbean and hyacinth bean, presence of a common, translocatable signal has been shown. Nodulation mutants have contributed to the understanding of the genetic regulation of host-symbiont interactions, nodule development and N fixation. Initially, the hypernodulating mutants were found to be poor in yield. Using the induced hypernodulating mutant, a new soybean cultivar 'Nitrobean 60', has been released in Australia. This cultivar is reported to have given 15% higher yield over cv. 'Bragg', and contributed a higher amount of fixed N to the following cereal crop in rotation. Prospects of using the nodulation mutants in developing grain legume cultivars that combine high yield with high residual N, within the bioenergetic constraints, for developing sustainable cropping systems are examined

Breeding of shortening of generation cycles for a fastrer bambara groundnut

International audienc

Oilseed cultivars developed from induced mutations and mutations affecting fatty acid composition

One hundred and sixty-three cultivars of annual oilseed crops, developedusing induced mutations, have been officially approved and released forcultivation in 26 countries. The maximum number of cultivars have beenreleased in soybean (58), followed by groundnut (44), sesame (16), linseed(15), rapeseed (14), Indian mustard (8), castorbean (4), white mustard(3) and sunflower (1). The majority (118 of 163) of the cultivars havebeen developed as direct mutants and 45 of 163 by using the inducedmutants in a crossing programme. While in soybean 53 out of 58 cultivarswere selected as direct mutants, in groundnut 22 from 44 were developedafter hybridization. Eighty-three cultivars were developed directly byexposing seeds to gamma or X-rays. Attempts have been made to inferthe successful dose range, defined as the range which led to thedevelopment, registration and release of the maximum number of mutantcultivars for gamma and X-rays. The successful dose ranges in Gy forthe main oilseed crops are: soybean 100-200, groundnut 150-250, rapeseed600-800, Indian mustard 700 and sesame 100-200. The maincharacteristics of the new cultivars, besides higher yield, are altered planttype, early flowering and maturity and oil content. Mutants altering fattyacid composition have been isolated in soybean, rapeseed, sunflower,linseed and minor oil crops. New cultivars having altered fatty acidcomposition have been released in rapeseed, sunflower and linseed. Thelatter, previously grown for non-edible oil, has been converted to a newedible oil crop

Prospects for macro-level analysis of agricultural innovation systems to enhance the eco-efficiency of farming in developing countries

Agricultural innovation is an essential component in the transition to more sustainable and resilient farming systems across the world. Innovations generally emerge from collective intelligence and action, but innovation systems are often poorly understood. This study explores the properties of innovation systems and their contribution to increased eco-efficiency in agriculture. Using aggregate data and econometric methods, the eco-efficiency of 79 countries was computed and a range of factors relating to research, extension, business and policy was examined. Despite data limitations, the analysis produced significant results. Extension plays an important role in improving the eco-efficiency of agriculture, while agricultural research, under current conditions, has a positive effect on eco-efficiency only in the case of less developed economies. These and other results suggest the importance of context-specific interventions rather than a “one size fits all” approach. Overall, the analysis illustrated the potential of a macro-level diagnostic approach for assessing the role of innovation systems for sustainability in agriculture

Recent Progress and Prospects of Biotechnology In Sunflower Breeding

WOS: A1991GQ55700002The cultivated sunflower (Helianthus annus) - just like other Helianthus species - is highly recalcitrant with regard to an application of biotechnology, i.e. cell and tissue culture techniques in vitro. Although substantial progress has been made during recent years, e.g. in embryo, tissue and anther culture, several problems still deserve future research activities in this field. Further improvements are particularly required with regard to the regeneration frequencies of somatic and gametic (haploid) cells and tissue. For an advantageous application of androgenetic doubled haploids ("haploidy technique") and of interspecific hybrids in sunflower breeding programmes more efficient chromosome doubling techniques must be developed. Furthermore, a better characterization and description of sunflower and wild Helianthus species including their biochemical and molecular genetics is required. And, finally, applicable techniques for the successful and stable genetic transformation of intact sunflower plants have to be worked out for an application in future breeding programmes