Mapping and pyramiding of two major genes for resistance to the brown planthopper (Nilaparvata lugens [Stål]) in the rice cultivar ADR52

The brown planthopper (BPH), Nilaparvata lugens (Stål), is one of the most serious and destructive pests of rice, and can be found throughout the rice-growing areas of Asia. To date, more than 24 major BPH-resistance genes have been reported in several Oryza sativa ssp. indica cultivars and wild relatives. Here, we report the genetic basis of the high level of BPH resistance derived from an Indian rice cultivar, ADR52, which was previously identified as resistant to the whitebacked planthopper (Sogatella furcifera [Horváth]). An F2 population derived from a cross between ADR52 and a susceptible cultivar, Taichung 65 (T65), was used for quantitative trait locus (QTL) analysis. Antibiosis testing showed that multiple loci controlled the high level of BPH resistance in this F2 population. Further linkage analysis using backcross populations resulted in the identification of BPH-resistance (antibiosis) gene loci from ADR52. BPH25 co-segregated with marker S00310 on the distal end of the short arm of chromosome 6, and BPH26 co-segregated with marker RM5479 on the long arm of chromosome 12. To characterize the virulence of the most recently migrated BPH strain in Japan, preliminary near-isogenic lines (pre-NILs) and a preliminary pyramided line (pre-PYL) carrying BPH25 and BPH26 were evaluated. Although both pre-NILs were susceptible to the virulent BPH strain, the pre-PYL exhibited a high level of resistance. The pyramiding of resistance genes is therefore likely to be effective for increasing the durability of resistance against the new virulent BPH strain in Japan

Implementation of Neural Network Based Electricity Load Forecasting

This paper proposed a novel model for short term load forecast (STLF) in the electricity market. The prior electricity demand data are treated as time series. The model is composed of several neural networks whose data are processed using a wavelet technique. The model is created in the form of a simulation program written with MATLAB. The load data are treated as time series data. They are decomposed into several wavelet coefficient series using the wavelet transform technique known as Non-decimated Wavelet Transform (NWT). The reason for using this technique is the belief in the possibility of extracting hidden patterns from the time series data. The wavelet coefficient series are used to train the neural networks (NNs) and used as the inputs to the NNs for electricity load prediction. The Scale Conjugate Gradient (SCG) algorithm is used as the learning algorithm for the NNs. To get the final forecast data, the outputs from the NNs are recombined using the same wavelet technique. The model was evaluated with the electricity load data of Electronic Engineering Department in Mandalay Technological University in Myanmar. The simulation results showed that the model was capable of producing a reasonable forecasting accuracy in STLF

From Ceasefire to Dialogue: The Problem of “All-Inclusiveness” in Myanmar’s Stalled Peace Process

A key principle underpinning Myanmar’s peace process has been the principle of “all-inclusiveness.” Initially, this principle represented a commitment to the inclusion of all ethnic armed organizations (EAOs) in a nation-wide ceasefire agreement (NCA) that would serve as a basis for reconciliation, political dialogue and negotiation over constitutional reform. When President Thein Sein’s transition government (2011–16) began making peace overtures, the principle was widely embraced by EAOs and the military, and ultimately enshrined in the text of the NCA. When Aung San Suu Kyi’s National League for Democracy (NLD) came to power in 2016 and made the peace process its top priority it, too, championed the principle of “all-inclusiveness.” However, as the NLD and the military struggle to convince more EAOs to sign the NCA, it has become apparent that, for all its good intentions, the principle of “all-inclusiveness” has become an obstacle to the peace process. This chapter reviews the peace process to date to examine the problems that have emerged around the concept of “all-inclusiveness.” Drawing on interviews with signatories of the NCA and other key stakeholders,1 the chapter highlights a central challenge confronting the government in its efforts to advance Myanmar’s stalled peace process

Demographic Parameters of Long-term Laboratory Strains of the Brown Planthopper, Nilaparvata lugens Stål, (Homoptera: Delphacidae) on Resistance Genes, bph20(t) and Bph21(t) in Rice

The demographic parameters of four laboratory strains of the brown planthopper (BPH), Nilaparvata lugens (Stål) collected in Japan between 1966 and 2005, were evaluated using near-isogenic lines (NILs) and pyramided line (PYL) of rice carrying recently identified genes, bph20(t) and Bph21(t) conferring resistance to BPH. Six traits: adult survivorship, development of female abdomen, nymph survivorship, nymphal developmental period, adult body weight, and oviposition were examined. Based on the adult survivorship and development of female abdomen, the BPH strains of Hatano-66 and Chikugo-89 were avirulent to bph20(t)-NIL and Bph21(t)-NIL as well as their PYL carrying both bph20(t) and Bph21(t). On the other hand, the BPH strains of Isahaya-99 and Nishigoshi-05 were virulent to bph20(t)-NIL and Bph21(t)-NIL but still avirulent to their PYL. Four other demographic parameters of the avirulent strains of BPH showed low nymph survivorship, prolonged nymphal developmental period, light body weight of adults and small number of eggs laid on the resistant lines to BPH. These results suggest that a resistance mechanism such as feeding inhibition caused by the two major genes resistance to BPH, similarly affect both on nymphal and adult stages. The PYL with both bph20(t) and Bph21(t) had an epistatic effect of resistance to the BPH strains migrated into Japan since 1999