Genetic variability, stability and heritability for quality and yield characteristics in provitamin A cassava varieties

Open Access Article; Published online: 25 Jan 2020Cassava is widely consumed in many areas of Africa, including Ghana, and is a major part of most household diets. These areas are characterized by rampant malnutrition, because the tuberous roots are low in nutritional value. Provitamin A biofortified cassava varieties have been developed by the International Institute for Tropical Agriculture, but adoption of these varieties in Ghana will largely depend on their agronomic performance, including fresh root yield, dry matter content, resistance to major pests and diseases, mealiness, starch content and the stability of these traits. Eight provitamin A varieties with two white checks were planted in three environments for two seasons to determine stability and variability among the varieties for important traits. There were significant variations in performance between varieties and between environments for cassava mosaic disease, root number, fresh root yield and starch content. High broad-sense heritability and genetic advance were observed in all traits, except for storage root number, and could be exploited through improvement programs. This study identified the best performing enhanced provitamin A varieties for traits that are key drivers of variety adoption in Ghana. In view of this, some varieties can be recommended for varietal release after on-farm testing. The study also showed the possibility of tapping heterosis after careful selection of parents

Heritability and expression of selected mixograph parameters in progeny of parents varying for mixing time

The mixograph performs certain rheological measurements during dough mixing and is a good predictor of wheat end-use quality. The aim of this study was to determine the expression and the heritability of mixing characteristics measured with Mixsmart® software and some quality characteristics in hard red spring wheat parents and their F1 progeny. Six parents varying in midline peak time and envelope peak time were crossed in a half diallel design. Parents and progeny were planted in three different environments. General combining ability (GCA) was a significant source of variation for the measured characteristics, and parents differed widely in terms of GCA effects. Midline-development time, -peak integral and -peak time showed high narrow sense heritability. Envelope peak-integral and -tail width displayed high narrow sense heritability for some, but not all locations. High GCA:SCA (specific combining ability) ratios indicated the prevalence of additive gene effects for midline-development time, -peak integral and -peak time, indicating that these characteristics are largely genetically determined, and that selection for them should lead to genetic gain

Quantification of Mineral Composition and Total Protein Content in Sorghum [ (L.) Moench] Genotypes

Sorghum is a drought tolerant cereal and staple food which is a dietary source of protein and more than 20 minerals. The concentration of the mineral elements and protein content in sorghum varies due to genotypic and environmental influences and genotype by environment interactions. The objective of this study was to determine the contents of eight mineral elements (Ca, Fe, K, Mn, Na, P, Zn and Mg) and protein in sorghum genotypes. The analysis of variance showed significant differences in mineral and protein contents. There was a significant relationship between Zn and Fe and between protein and P and Zn. The principal component (PC) analysis showed that Fe, Mn, P, Zn and protein contributed largely to clustering of the genotypes in PC1; Ca, P and Mg to PC2 and Ca, K and Na to PC3. The presence of a considerable amount of compositional variability of mineral and protein contents among tested genotypes suggests that they can be a valuable source of genes for nutritional quality improvement of sorghum

Paediatric chronic kidney disease

Doctors use various guidelines on paediatric chronic kidney disease (CKD) for managing their patients according to the availability ofresources. As with adolescent and adult patients, CKD in children can also progress to end-stage renal failure – the time course beinginfluenced by several modifiable factors. Decline in renal failure is best categorised in stages, which determine management and prognosis.Staging is based on three categories, i.e. cause, glomerular filtration rate and proteinuria. Early diagnosis of CKD allows for the institutionof renoprotective treatment of modifiable factors and treatment to prevent the development of complications. The two most importantmodifiable factors that can be treated successfully are hypertension and proteinuria.The objective of this article is to provide information on the diagnosis and treatment of CKD in children. Early identification andtreatment of modifiable risk factors of CKD decreases the burden of disease and delays or prevents the need for renal replacement therapy

Proteomic analysis of proteins responsive to drought and low temperature stress in a hard red spring wheat cultivar

Drought stress is becoming more prevalent with global warming, and has been shown to have large effects on gluten proteins linked to wheat bread making quality. Likewise, low temperature stress can detrimentally affect proteins in wheat. This study was done to determine the differential abundance of high molecular weight (HMW) glutenin proteins in a drought and low temperature stressed high quality hard red spring wheat cultivar (PAN3478), against a control. The treatments were applied in the greenhouse at the soft dough stage. HMW glutenin proteins were extracted from the flour, and were separated by using two-dimensional gel electrophoresis. Protein spots that had p values lower than 0.05 and fold values equal to or greater than 1.2 were considered to be significantly differentially abundant. These proteins were further analyzed by using tandem mass spectrometry. There was a 1.3 to 1.8 fold change in 17 protein spots due to the cold treatment. The drought treatment caused a 1.3 to 3.8 fold change in 19 protein spots. These spots matched either HMW or low molecular weight (LMW) glutenin subunits. In the latter case, the C subunits of LMW glutenins were notably found to be up-regulated under both stress conditions. All the proteins that have been identified can directly influence dough characteristics. Data are available via ProteomeXchange with the identifier PXD017578

Genetic variation and trait associations of yield, protein and grain micronutrients for identification of promising sorghum varieties

Sorghum is, globally, the fifth most important cereal after maize, rice, wheat and barley. The crop is tolerant to semi-arid and arid climatic conditions. Twenty-five sorghum varieties grown in South Africa were evaluated in the field at two locations with the objective of identifying high yielding, micronutrient dense genotypes. Two clusters were formed based on measured traits. Tx430 (G13), CIMMYT entry 49 (G12), E35-1 (G16), Framida (G19), IS1934 (G7) and IS14380 (G14) formed cluster A. The rest of the sorghum entries formed cluster B. Wide variation was exhibited for grain yield, ranging from 1.12 t ha−1 to 3.96 t ha−1 with a mean grain yield of 2.83 tha−1. Analysis of variance also revealed significant differences among the varieties for protein, total starch, amylose and mineral content. Two varieties, Tx430 and AR-3048 exhibited very high protein content. Fe content ranged from 43.7 mg kg−1 (Kuyuma) to 61.2 mg kg−1 (IS14380) with an average of 50.5 mg kg−1. Zn content ranged from 13.7 mg kg−1 (Macia) to 23.4 mg kg−1 (Tx430) with a mean of 17.4 mg kg−1. Grain yield was significantly positively correlated with plant height, panicle weight and thousand kernel weight. Significant positive correlations were observed between Fe content and Zn, Cu, Mn and P. This data indicated that simultaneous genetic improvement of sorghum varieties for Fe and other important minerals, and starch content in the same genetic background was possible, without a penalty to grain yield

‘Deliberate Preparation’ as an evidence-based focus for primary physical education

There is substantial scientific research suggesting the physical and psychological health benefits of a physically active lifestyle. Consequently, governments worldwide prioritize policies, finances, and resources in healthcare, education, and sports sectors to increase mass participation in physical activity. However, practices in physical activity promotion are often not underpinned by evidence-based standardization that is requisite in other domains of epidemiology. The aim of this article is to examine critically the available scientific research on promoting life-long physical activity participation and to propose an evidence-based model for implementation in school physical education. Reasons are discussed as to why programs that integrate physical, psychological, and behavioral skills have been long acknowledged in physical education and physical activity domains but remain lacking in empirical validation. Finally, future directions are suggested that are required to examine the application of this approach to practice in primary-level physical education

Genetic analysis of yield and quality characteristics in provitamin A hybrid cassava families in Ghana

Open Access Journal; Published online: 23 Sep 2021Cassava is the most widely cultivated and consumed crop in Ghana. Malnutrition is endemic in cassava-producing regions of Africa, partly due to the low micronutrient content of this crop. The aim of this study was to generate genetic information on characteristics such as total carotenoid content, dry matter content, root weight and number, and cassava mosaic disease (CMD), and their possible combination in cassava clones, using a North Carolina II breeding scheme. Five genetically diverse yellow-fleshed clones at advanced selection stages, with CMD resistance, were used as females and two high dry matter content white-fleshed clones, selected from farmers’ fields in Ghana, were used as males. Ten F1 families were generated, and evaluated at two locations in Ghana. General combining ability (GCA) mean squares were larger than specific combining ability (SCA) mean squares for harvest index, CMD, and carotenoid content, indicating additive genetic effects. The positive significant correlations that were observed between pulp color and carotenoid content; carotenoid content and CMD; pulp color and CMD; and pulp color and cortex color, make the screening of large numbers of progenies possible in the cassava breeding program. This could allow breeders to combine carotenoid content and CMD at the early breeding stages through visual assessment of pulp color and CMD symptoms. Large numbers of genotypes can be evaluated and a few can be selected to be quantified for carotenoid content at later stages of the breeding program, to save costs. One of the parents (P6), showed positive GCA effects for carotenoid content, dry matter content, CMD and storage root weight, hence could be used as a parent to generate clones that combine carotenoid content and dry matter content

Quality assessment with HPLC in released varieties of tetraploid (Triticum durum Desf.) wheat from Ethiopia and Spain

Quality of durum wheat is of importance for pasta production. Our aim was to evaluate the quality of released durum wheat at Ethiopia by the use of pheno-quality traits as well as composition and amount and size distribution of proteins; these attributes were also compared with the same ones for Spanish released wheat grown in the same environment. Large variation was obtained among the released durum wheat for all parameters investigated. The evaluation of protein parameters indicated the varieties Klinto, LD-357, Tob-66 and Ude to have suitable protein composition for pasta production, while Tob-66 showed high protein concentration and Tob-66, LD-357 and Yerer showed high gluten strength. The most promising Ethiopian variety for pasta production as to the results from the present study was Tob-66. Also, LD-357 showed promising protein characteristics, although the kernels were white, which is not desired for pasta production. Some of the evaluated varieties might be of interest for production of local leavened bread although the quality is not good enough for pasta production