Determination of genetic relatedness among Turkish apple germplasm based on ISSR markers

Apple (Malus domestica Borkh) is the most economically important pome fruits worldwide and Turkey is within origin center of apple. In this research, inter-simple sequence repeat (ISSR) markers were used to determine relationships among the Turkish apple accessions and some selected foreign cultivars and species.  Fourteen ISSR primers produced a total of 111 fragments and 76 of them were polymorphic. The number of average polymorphic fragments per primer was 5.4. The mean polymorphism information content (PIC) was 0.37. The unweighted pair group method arithmetic average (UPGMA) analysis demonstrated that the accessions had a similarity range from 0.79 to 0.98. All accessions studied were discriminated and many subgroups were determined in the dendrogram based on the UPGMA analysis. High level of variation among the Turkish apples existed. Foreign cultivars, M.baccata, M. prunifolia and M. sylvestris accessions studied mix-clustered among the Turkish accessions. For sub-structuring Bayesian analysis, 71 loosely or uncorrelated markers with less than 10% missing data were used. This indicated absence of subpopulations, meaning well and equal introgression of genetic backgrounds or species available among the accessions. It can be concluded that Turkey was rich in apple genetic diversity, which may provide opportunity for apple breedind programs

Buffalograsses: Their organelle DNA, chinch bug resistance variation, and peroxidase enzyme responses to chinch bug injury

Information on genetic diversity and relationship of native buffalograss germplasm is limited and genetic basis of agronomic traits is unknown. The objectives of this research were to determine: (1) the genetic diversity, relationships, and organelle DNA inheritance based on cpDNA and mtDNA, (2) chinch bug resistance variation in natural buffalograss populations characterized for cpDNA and mtDNA; (3) the degree of correlation between total protein content, basal peroxidase level, chinch bug injury, and ploidy level, and (4) total protein content and peroxidase changes of resistant and susceptible germplasm in response to chinch bugs. Fifty-six, 48, 28, and, 6 buffalograsses were evaluated for organelle DNA, chinch bug resistance, correlation analysis, and peroxidase changes, respectively. Six cpDNA and three mtDNA non-coding regions were amplified by polymerase chain reaction, using universal chloroplast and mitochondrial primer pairs. Each amplified fragment was digested with 2 to 6 different restriction enzymes. For the chinch bug study, genotypes were evaluated in replicated trials under greenhouse conditions. Leaf samples were collected for peroxidase changes from infested and control plants at 7, 14, 21, and 28 day after exposure (DAE) to chinch bugs. Peroxidase analyses were carried out using native gels stained for anionic peroxidases and enzyme kinetics were measured with a spectrophotometer. Forty-seven of 56 genotypes had identical cpDNA and mtDNA RFLPs and the rest showed only a few polymorphic markers, which suggests a single maternal origin for the four buffalograss ploidy levels. Based on the use of cpDNA primers amplifying intergenic region between psbC and trnS genes, and restriction enzyme Hae III, cpDNA was determined to be maternally inherited in buffalograss. The germplasm had considerable diversity for chinch bug resistance, with approximately 10% of the germplasm having a high resistance level. There was no significant correlation between chinch bug resistance and ploidy level or chinch bug resistance and pubescence. Of the genotypes studied, 4 were highly resistant, 22 were moderately resistant, 19 were moderately susceptible and three were highly susceptible to chinch bug injury, showing a continuous distribution. Basal peroxidase expression levels measured in the 28 non-infested plants of resistant and susceptible buffalograsses did not correlate with chinch bug injury. All six genoptypes evaluated for chinch bug activity showed an increased level of peroxidase levels in infested plants, suggesting upregulation in response to chinch bug injury. Relatively low levels of peroxidase in a highly chinch bug resistant genotype, PX-3-5-1, infers contribution of other genes to chinch bug resistance. Overall results indicate substantial genetic variation in buffalograss germplasm that can be used to enhance buffalograss breeding programs and increase understanding of the chinch bug resistance mechanism

STATUS OF PUMPKIN SEED PRODUCTION IN TURKEY

Pumpkin seed contains very valuable nutrients and may have some beneficial health effects. The aim of this study was to overview status of pumpkin seed production in Turkey. The production has sharply risen from 11.500 tons in 2015 to 42.181 tons in 2016. The area has also indicated sharp increase from 172.580 da to 628.441 tons in the same period. The first section provides introduction of topics, and later nutrition value of pumpkin seed, taxonomy, production, bottlenecks and breeding efforts are summarized. They have several advantages such as their short vegetation time that just fits the Central Anatolia conditions where vegetation time available is too short for many other crop plants, net profit per de compared to the other crop plants, extended storability, etc

Understanding ploidy complex and geographic origin of Buchloe dactyloides genome using cytoplasmic and nuclear marker systems

Characterizing and inferring the buffalograss [Buchloe dactyloides (Nutt.) Engelm.] genome organization and its relationship to geographic distribution are among the purposes of the buffalograss breeding and genetics program. This buffalograss study was initiated to: (1) better understand the buffalograss ploidy complex using various marker systems representing nuclear and organelle genomes; (2) determine whether the geographic distribution was related to nuclear and organelle genome variation; and (3) compare the genetic structure of accessions with different ploidy levels. The 20 buffalograss genotypes (15 individuals from each genotype) that were studied included diploid, tetraploid, pentaploid, and hexaploid using nuclear (intersimple sequence repeat (ISSRs), simple sequence repeat (SSRs), sequence related amplified polymorphism (SRAPs), and random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPDs)) and cytoplasmic markers (mtDNA and cpDNA). There was a significant correlation between the ploidy levels and number of alleles detected using nuclear DNA (ISSR, SSR, and SRAP, r=0.39, 0.39, and 0.41, P < 0.05, respectively), but no significant correlation was detected when mitochondrial (r=0.17, P < 0.05) and chloroplast (r=0.11, P < 0.05) DNA data sets were used. The geographic distribution of buffalograss was not correlated with nuclear and organelle genome variation for the genotypes studied. Among the total populations sampled, regression analysis indicated that geographic distance could not explain genetic differences between accessions. However, genetic distances of those populations from the southern portion of buffalograss adaptation were significantly correlated with geographic distance (r= 0.48, P < 0.05). This result supports the hypothesis that genetic relationship among buffalograss populations cannot be estimated based only on geographic proximity

Silent Victims: Male Targets of Female Sexual Aggression

Snapdragon (Antirrhinum majus L) is an important cut flower and cover plant grown worldwide because of their attractive flowers and long flowering duration. In this context, morphological and molecular characterization was carried out among 20 different accessions (17 local genotypes and 3 commercial cultivars) sampled from Kayseri region, where it is naturally found. The genotypes were evaluated for 15 different morphological characteristics such as leaf blade, flower, plant and time of flowering. Despite the commercial type has higher value (40 mm) than local genotypes for flower length, some local genotypes in terms have wider (11 mm) flower than commercial cultivar. Some local genotypes had higher plant heights than the commercial variety. The minimum value of the leaf length was measured at the number 19 (28 mm), while the maximum value was found at the number 4 (77 mm) in local genotypes. Inter-simple sequence repeat marker analysis (ISSR) indicated that the similarity coefficients were between 0.55 and 0.95. The cluster analysis divided the samples into two main branches. All local genotypes were clustered together in the first subgroup, while the second subgroup included the commercial variety alone. In conclusion, the local snapdragon genotypes were significantly different from the popular commercial cultivar, meaning that they can be used for broadening genetic background of the commercial varieties

Buffalograss Germplasm Resistance to \u3ci\u3eBlissus Occiduus\u3c/i\u3e (Hemiptera: Lygaeidae)

Plant germplasm collections may offer genetic variability useful in identifying insect resistance. The goal of this project was to evaluate buffalograss genotypes [Buchloe dactyloides (Nutt.) Engelm.] for resistance to the chinch bug, Blissus occiduus Barber (Hemiptera: Lygaeidae), and to relate resistance to ploidy level, chinch bug number, and pubescence. Forty-eight buffalograss genotypes from diverse geographic locations were evaluated in replicated studies under greenhouse conditions. Of the genotypes studied, four were highly resistant, 22 were moderately resistant, 19 were moderately susceptible, and three were highly susceptible to chinch bug damage. The mean number of chinch bugs was significantly different among the 48 genotypes. There was no significant correlation between chinch bug resistance and ploidy level or chinch bug resistance and pubescence. These results indicate the genetic source of resistance to chinch bugs exists in buffalograss germplasm. Highly resistant genotypes can be used in breeding programs to further improve buffalograss cultivars

Effectiveness of extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy on intrahepatic biliary calculi developing after choledochal cyst surgery: A case report

The development of intra-and extrahepatic bile duct stones has been reported as one of the most serious complications after choledochal cyst excision with biliary-enteric reconstruction through Roux-en-Y hepaticojejunostomy (HJ). Here, we report our experience with extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy (ESWL) in a case of giant intrahepatic stones developing after choledochal cyst surgery. ESWL is an excellent therapeutic modality for large intrahepatic biliary calculi, and after dilating the HJ anastomosis percutaneously, it can be offered as first-line therapy to these patients