Development and Validation of Markers for the Fertility Restorer Gene Rf1 in Sunflower

Hybrid breeding in sunflowers based on CMS PET1 requires development of restorer lines carrying, in most cases, the restorer gene Rf1. Markers for marker-assisted selection have been developed, but there is still need for closer, more versatile, and co-dominant markers linked to Rf1. Homology searches against the reference sunflower genome using sequences of cloned markers, as well as Bacterial Artificial Chromosome (BAC)-end sequences of clones hybridizing to them, allowed the identification of two genomic regions of 30 and 3.9 Mb, respectively, as possible physical locations of the restorer gene Rf1 on linkage group 13. Nine potential candidate genes, encoding six pentatricopeptide repeat proteins, one tetratricopeptide-like helical domain, a probable aldehyde dehydrogenase 22A1, and a probable poly(A) polymerase 3 (PAPS3), were identified in these two genomic regions. Amplicon targeted next generation sequencing of these nine candidate genes for Rf1 was performed in an association panel consisting of 27 maintainer and 32 restorer lines and revealed the presence of 210 Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms (SNPs) and 67 Insertions/Deletions (INDELs). Association studies showed significant associations of 10 SNPs with fertility restoration (p-value lt 10(-4)), narrowing Rf1 down to three candidate genes. Three new markers, one co-dominant marker 67N04_P and two dominant markers, PPR621.5R for restorer, and PPR621.5M for maintainer lines were developed and verified in the association panel of 59 sunflower lines. The versatility of the three newly developed markers, as well as of three existing markers for the restorer gene Rf1 (HRG01 and HRG02, Cleaved Amplified Polymorphic Sequence (CAPS)-marker H13), was analyzed in a large association panel consisting of 557 accessions

Application of Non-Iterative Method in Image Deblurring

This paper presents a non-iterative method that finds application in a broad scientific field such as image deblurring. A method for image deblurring, based on the pseudo-inverse matrix is apply for removal of blurr in an image caused by linear motion. This method assumes that linear motion corresponds to an integral number of pixels. Compared to other classical methods, this method attains higher values of the Improvement in Signal to Noise Ratio (ISNR) parameter and of the Peak Signal-to-Noise Ratio (PSNR). We give an implementation in the MATLAB programming package

Arbitral Solution of International Economic Disputes in the Context of International Organizations in Conditions of Integration Process

In the modern world, great attention is paid to integration processes as an imperative for many world regions, where within these regions countries join in order to exchange comparative advantages and strengthen their economic positions within the integrated area, as well as outside it. The reasons and motives are more, everyone sees their chance to boost economic power, while underdeveloped countries or countries in transition see their chances through the various privileges and reputations that such associations receive. However, as in all other social relations and in international, especially economic, there may be disputes, whose resolution, due to the specific nature of such relations and disputes, led to the development of a system of special and selected arbitration courts. The paper also analyzes the specific position and legal personality of international organizations, in order to apply the rules on their responsibility in resolving the disputes in question. By establishing the legal personality of international organizations in the establishment of international legal and economic relations, i.e. the ability to take on rights and obligations in their own name, their responsibility for non-respect of rights and non-fulfillment of obligations in the international law order are also established

Editorial: Advances in Oil Crops Research—Classical and New Approaches to Achieve Sustainable Productivity

This article is part of the Research Topic: Advances in Oil Crops Research—Classical and New Approaches to Achieve Sustainable Productivity.-- Edited by: Dragana Miladinović, Johann Vollmann, Leire Molinero-Ruiz and Mariela Torres.The world production of main oil crops is steadily increasing, mainly due to population growth and increased use of oil crops in bio-fuel production and in edible vegetable oils. From the perspective of sowing area in the world, oil crops are only preceded by cereals in importance. Edible or industrial oils are extracted from seeds, fruits or mesocarp, and nuts of both annual and perennial species. Oil can be obtained from about 40 different crops, but soybean, sunflower, olive tree, and rapeseed have a major importance in the total world trade. The purpose of the Research Topic “Advances in Oil Crops Research—Classical and New Approaches to Achieve Sustainable Productivity” is to provide the reader compiled information of the latest research results about different aspects of oil crops. This research topic incorporates 23 publications including 19 research papers, three review articles, and one perspective.Peer reviewe

Shoot development from hypocotyl protoplasts of sunflower ( Helianthus annuus L.)

The plant regeneration from sunflower protoplast was achieved by protocols that considerably differ with respect to basal medium and concentration of growth regulators added. In most cases regeneration was restricted to a small proportion of genotypes. In this experiment, sunflower inbred line Ha-74A, with a high regeneration ability was used for protoplast isolation from etiolated hypocotyls. Isolated protoplasts were embedded in agarose droplets and cultured according to different regeneration protocols. The best results were obtained when protoplasts were cultured on L4 medium followed by transfer of regenerated microcalluses to solid regeneration media. Shoot regeneration was achieved by culture of calluses on SE regeneration medium after the treatment with 2.2 μM thidiazuron

Pathogenic comparison of highly virulent O. cumana affecting sunflower in Moldova, the South of Russian Federation, Serbia and Spain

Trabajo presentado en el Third Internacional Symposium on broomrape (Orobanche spp.) in Sunflower, celebrado en Córdoba (España) del 3 al 6 de junio de 2014.The most effective method for controlling the parasitic weed Orobanche cumana (sunflower broomrape) is the incorporation of genetic resistance into cultivated sunflower. According to different genes of resistance that are overcome, several races of the parasite are pathogenically identified. Race G is the most virulent one because it infects the universal resistant inbred line P96. Besides, populations of O. cumana are molecularly clustered according to geographical origin, and pathogenic traits are secondary criteria for genetic differentiation. In this work highly virulent parasite accessions collected in Moldova, the South of Russian Federation, Serbia and Spain were pathogenically compared. Six accessions were inoculated onto differentials of highly virulent races of the parasite: NR5, L86 and P96. Plants were grown under shadehouse and glasshouse for ten weeks following a factorial on a completely randomised design. At the end of the experiment none of the accessions infected P96. According to the reactions of the inbred lines NR5 and L86, accessions from Moldova and Serbia were identified as race E, and accessions from Spain were identified as race F. Accessions from the Russian Federation showed intermediate pathogenic behaviour onto NR5 and L86. Since a highly virulent biotype of O. cumana is present in Rostov oblast and seed used in this work comes from individual broomrape plants, the presence of race F in this area might be confirmed through the study of genetically heterogeneous parasite accessions from the area. Our results show that, in order to efficiently manage the genetic resistance into cultivated sunflower, there is a need for a worldwide study of highly virulent populations of O. cumana.Financial support from the Spanish Ministry of Education and Science (research project AGL2010-17909). Broomrape collection in Serbia is a part of project TR31025 supported by Ministry of Education, Science and Technological Development of Republic of Serbia.N

Antifungal activity and genetic diversity of selected Pseudomonas spp. from maize rhizosphere in Vojvodina

Antibiotic production by plant-associated microorganisms represents an environmentally compatible method of disease control in agriculture. However, a vide application of bacterial strains needs careful selection and genetic characterization. In this investigation, selected Pseudomonas strains were characterized by rep-PCR methods using ERIC and (GTG)5 primers, and partial 16S rDNA sequence analysis. None of strains produced homoserine lactones (C4, C6, C8) as quorum sensing signal molecules. Very poor production of phenazines and no significant fungal inhibition was observed for PS4 and PS6 strains. High amount of phenazines were produced by Pseudomonas sp. strain PS2, which inhibited mycelial growth of 10 phytopatogenic fungi in percent of 25 (Verticillium sp.) to 65 (Fusarium equiseti). Genetic characterization of the Pseudomonas sp. PS2 and evaluation of phenazines production, as the main trait for growth inhibition of phytopathogenic fungi, will allow its application as a biosafe PGPR for field experiments of plant disease control.Ekološki prihvatljiv metod kontrole bolesti bilja u poljoprivredi obuhvata primenu rizosfernih mikroorganizama koji produkuju antibiotike. Široka primena bakterija zahteva njihovu pažljivu selekciju i genetičku karakterizaciju. Ova istraživanja obuhvatila su karakterizaciju selektovanih Pseudomonas sojeva na osnovu rep-PCR metode korišćenjem ERIC i (GTG)5 prajmera, kao i parcijalne sekvence 16S rDNA. Nije detektovana produkcija acil-homoserin laktona (C4, C6, C8) kao QS molekula. Sojevi PS4 i PS6 su vrlo oskudno produkovali fenazine i nisu značajno inhibirali rast fitopatogenih gljiva. Soj Pseudomonas sp. PS2 je obilno produkovao 2-OH-PCA i PCA i inhibirao rast micelija 10 fitopatogenih gljiva od 25% (Verticillium sp.) do 65% (Fusarium equiseti). Genetička karakterizacija soja Pseudomonas sp. PS2 i detekcija produkcije fenazina kao glavnog inhibitora rasta fitopatogenih gljiva omogućiće primenu ovog soja kao bezbednog PGP agensa za biološku kontrolu u budućim ogledima u polju

Agroecology of broomrape Orobanche cumana distribution in five continents

Trabajo presentado en el Third Internacional Symposium on broomrape (Orobanche spp.) in Sunflower, celebrado en Córdoba (España) del 3 al 6 de junio de 2014.The factors associated with the distribution of parasitic weed Orobanche cumana Wallr. (Broomrape), limiting sunflower production in Europe and the surrounding continents of Asia and Africa, have not been adequately investigated. The goals of this study were to broaden the understanding of environmental factors associated with broomrape’ distribution in Europe, and to predict suitable habitats based on environmental factors which would be vulnerable to invasion and establishment of broomrape in North and South America. A robust agroecological database included 35 quantitative parameters associated with trials conducted by ten public research organizations from five continents. The database consisted of 117 sites (habitats), Europe (79), Africa (3), Asia (6), and Americas (29), equally distributed between invaded and non- invaded habitats. Environmental parameters analyzed using an ANOVA and PCA showed that all sunflower areas from Europe were vulnerable to broomrape attack. The parasitic weed develops in soil and climate environmental conditions similar to non-invaded areas. Its expansion to nearby areas of the Africa and Asia continents seems to indicate a broadening of the environmental conditions to which the parasitic weed can tolerate. Habitat conditions of sunflower crop areas in South America showed more similarity to invaded habitats than North America. The absence of the ability to predict actual broomrape distribution based on environmental factors enforces the need to use cultural practices of crop rotation and genetic resistance in infected areas. Strict phytosanitary controls need to be enforced to prevent the inadvertent introduction into non-infected areas and its spread in infected areas.This work is a part of the projects TR31025, Ministry of Education, Science and Technological Development of Republic of Serbia, and PNCyO 112745, Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria, Argentina.N

Environmental adaptability of the Colorado River Valley from Buenos Aires to the parasitic sunflower weed Orobanche cumana (jopo)

Trabajo presentado en el 6th Congreso Argentino de Girasol, celebrado en Buenos Aires en mayo de 2014.El jopo (Orobanche cumana Wallr.) es una nociva maleza parásita ampliamente difundida en los principales países productores de girasol en Europa. Por medio de un singular proceso de evolución adaptativa, la maleza, originaria de la región del Mar Negro, desarrolló capacidad para parasitar al girasol (Helianthus annuus L.), introducido desde América, y migró hacia regiones linderas al Mar Mediterráneo.N