Göte Turesson’s research legacy to Hereditas: from the ecotype concept in plants to the analysis of landraces’ diversity in crops

Hereditas began with articles on plants since its first issue in May 1920 (six out of eight) and continued with more original articles (43% of the total of this journal) on plants (of which 72% of those in plants were on crops) until today. In December 1922, the 140-page article The Genotypical Response of the Plant Species to the Habitat by evolutionary botanist Göte Turesson (Institute of Genetics, Lund University, Åkarp, Sweden) became available. This publication shows that plant phenology has a genetic basis and may ensue from local adaptation. As a result of this research involving various plant species, Turesson elaborated further in this article his term ecotype “as an ecological sub-unit to cover the product arising as a result of the genotypical response of an ecospecies to a particular habitat.” Although plant articles included in Hereditas involved from its beginning, trait inheritance, mutants, linkage analysis, cytology or cytogenetics, and more recently gene mapping and analysis of quantitative trait loci with the aid of DNA markers, among others, since the mid-1980s several publications refer to the population biology of plant landraces, which are locally grown cultivars that evolved over time by adapting to their natural and cultural environment (i.e., agriculture), and that may become isolated from other populations of the same crop. This article provides a briefing about research on plant science in the journal with emphasis on crops, summarizes the legacy to genetics of Göte Turesson, and highlights some landrace diversity research results and their potential for plant breeding

Food crops low in seed-phytate improve human and other non-ruminant animals’ health.

Background: Low phytic acid crops may offer improved nutrition for human population that largely depend upon on cereals- and legume-based staple foods, reduce the risk of eutrophication, but may compromise crops productivity and nutritional quality. Methods: Google search was conducted for the period between 2000 to 2021 to search for published literature in high impact factor journals focusing key words/phrases such as ‘genes and diagnostic markers’, ‘genetically modified low-seed phytate crops’, ‘high-seed phytase activity’, ‘low-seed phytate mutants’, ‘phytate and minerals bioavailability and absorption’, ‘phytate and stress tolerance’, ‘phytate-human-nonruminant livestock’s health’, ‘seed phytate, plant growth, development and yield’, ‘seed phytate and germination & seedling establishment’, ‘seed phytate and nutritional quality’, and ‘seed phytate and baking and nutritional quality’. Results: Low phytate mutants (except with few exceptions in barley and common bean) often carry negative pleiotropic effects in grain crops. Oil and protein contents in soybean lpa mutants were not affected, but some mutants relative to the wild type (WT) had greater sucrose and isoflavone and lower raffinose. Predominance of crossing parents on the metabolite profile and imprinting of a specific mutation induced metabolites—consistently expressed in the homozygous lpa mutant offspring—were noted across generations and environments. A few functionally characterized genes and many putative candidate genes associated with low seed phytate or seed phytase have been discovered in grain crops. Both crossbreeding and biotechnology-led genetic improvement with lpa led to offspring combining high yield and low seed phytate in maize, rice, soybean, and wheat. Crossbreeding has shown that it is possible to combine lower seed phytate with greater iron and zinc in the offspring. A few lpa cultivars are commercially grown in USA and Canada, while such developments are yet to occur in the developing world. A fine balance between yield-nutrition-stress tolerance may be achieved by deploying modern biotechnology. Accumulated evidence suggests more bioavailable iron in biofortified and lpa grains than normal phytate grains. The lack of phytic acid however perturb Ca distribution, which as a consequence may alter cooking time and stability of storage proteins, thereby causing serious gastrointestinal discomfort, and should be factored while developing biofortified or lpa beans. The low phytate-based products by and large were not associated with detrimental effects on nutritional and baking quality or retention of nutrients in the food. A long-term assessment may be necessary to assess bioavailability and absorption of minerals from diets differing in phytate concentrations and its effect on human health. Low-phytate-based feed has demonstrated substantial health and productivity benefits to nonruminant animals. Enabling policy for taxing high phytate animal waste may encourage more investments on private agricultural research programs to deal with excess phytate in food and feedstocks. Conclusions: This review highlights advances regarding seed phytate or phytase activity in cultigen gene pools and suggests how to organize cost-effective breeding programs for developing low seed phytate cultivars. The use of modern biotechnology effectively untangled negative pleiotropic effects associated with low phytate grains. A moderate reduction of seed phytate should be achievable to combining crops productivity and adaptation across environments. Effects of low phytate diet on human and nonruminant livestock’s health are also highlighted

Critical role of plant biotechnology for the genetic improvement of food crops: perspectives for the next millennium

This article reviews some of the highlights of modern plant biotechnology and discusses the potential applications of biotechnology in the betterment of farming systems in the next millennium. Plant biotechnology will facilitate the farming of crops with multiple durable resistance to pests and diseases, particularly in the absence of pesticides. Likewise, transgenes or marker-assisted selection may assist in the development of high yielding crops, which will be needed to feed the world and save land for the conservation of plant biodiversity in natural habitats. Hence, crops should be engineered to meet the demands and needs of consumers. The genetic base of crop production can be preserved and widen by an integration of biotechnology tools in conventional breeding. Similarly targeting specific genotypes to particular cropping systems may be facilitated by understanding specific gene-by-environment interaction(s) with the aid of molecular research. High quality crops with improved nutritional and health characteristics as well as other aspects of added-value may be obtained through multidisciplinary co-operation among plant breeders, biotechnologists, and other plant scientists. Co-ordinated efforts between consumers, policy makers, farmers and researchers will be required to convert the various aspects of a crop ideotype into components of new and improved farming systems of the next millennium

Advances in transgenic vegetable and fruit breeding

Vegetables and fruits are grown worldwide and play an important role in human diets because they provide vitamins, minerals, dietary fiber, and phytochemicals. Vegetables and fruits are also associated with improvement of gastrointestinal health, good vision, and reduced risk of heart disease, stroke, chronic diseases such as diabetes, and some forms of cancer. Vegetable and fruit production suffers from many biotic stresses caused by pathogens, pests, and weeds and requires high amounts of plant protection products per hectare. United States vegetables farmers are benefiting from growing transgenic squash cultivars resistant to Zucchini yellow mosaic virus , Watermelon mosaic virus , and Cucumber mosaic virus , which were deregulated and commercialized since 1996. Bt- sweet corn has also proven effective for control of some lepidopteran species and continues to be accepted in the fresh market in the USA, and Bt- fresh-market sweet corn hybrids are released almost every year. Likewise, transgenic Bt- eggplant bred to reduce pesticide use is now grown by farmers in Bangladesh. Transgenic papaya cultivars carrying the coat-protein gene provide effective protection against Papaya ring spot virus elsewhere. The transgenic “Honey Sweet” plum cultivar provides an interesting germplasm source for Plum pox virus control. Enhanced host plant resistance to Xanthomonas campestris pv. musacearum , which causes the devastating banana Xanthomonas wilt in the Great Lakes Region of Africa, was achieved by plant genetic engineering. There are other vegetable and fruit crops in the pipeline that have been genetically modified to enhance their host plant resistance to insects and plant pathogens, to show herbicide tolerance, and to improve features such as slow ripening that extends the shelf-life of the produce. Consumers could benefit further from eating more nutritious transgenic vegetables and fruits. Transgenic plant breeding therefore provides genetically enhanced seed embedded technology that contributes to integrated pest management in horticulture by reducing pesticide sprays as well as improving food safety by minimizing pesticide residues. Furthermore, herbicide-tolerant transgenic crops can help reducing plough in fields, thereby saving fuel because of less tractor use, which also protects the structure of the soil by reducing its erosion. Transgenic vegetable and fruit crops could make important contributions to sustainable vegetable production and for more nutritious and healthy food. Countries vary, however, in their market standards of acceptance of transgenic crops. Biotechnology products will be successful if clear advantages and safety are demonstrated to both growers and consumers

La transformación de la filosofía en América Latina para la época actual

Analiza el impacto de las nuevas tecnologías con respecto a la formación de la sociedad. Busca comprender si las tecnologías realmente han transformado los diversos ámbitos de la vida y si por tal motivo, se requiere modificar la filosofía para que se pueda adaptar a esta nueva época de cambios. Analiza el rol del hombre y su transformación a lo largo de la historia hasta la época actual, donde predominan las nuevas tecnologías pero no una filosofía de la tecnología propiamente reconocida, así como el determinismo tecnológico y la idea de una tecnología autónoma. Para ello se debe tener en cuenta al hombre en el tiempo y, con ello, a la antropología del hombre junto al humanismo. Considera que se debe desarrollar ideas en torno a las interacciones que se dan entre los seres humanos. Formula las pautas acerca de la relación que se ha dado históricamente entre las personas y sus grupos socioculturales, para luego poder situar el encuentro con “el otro” en la época actual. Analiza el surgimiento de la idea de interculturalidad como un desafío para el desarrollo de una autentica práctica filosófica en Latinoamérica. Determina la idea de la filosofía, por lo cual se reflexiona sobre la naturaleza del pensamiento filosófico, el objeto de la filosofía y, en especial, la función de la filosofía en la época actual donde. Aborda el valor de las humanidades para el ser humano, así como la importancia de la filosofía vinculándola con la enseñanza, en tanto pensamos que se requiere analizar las prácticas pedagógicas y el desarrollo de la enseñanza de la filosofía para construir una teoría y práctica filosófica que esboce la constitución del campo de la Filosofía de la Educación para el beneficio del continente Latinoamericano.Tesi

La importancia de las aulas virtuales para la enseñanza de la filosofía en el Perú

La importancia adquirida por la educación virtual es uno de los motivos que me ha llevado a desarrollar el presente trabajo de investigación, ya que considero que haciendo un uso adecuado de la filosofía y la tecnología para la enseñanza–aprendizaje de la filosofía se puede contribuir desde esta disciplina académica a que mejore la calidad educativa en nuestro país, condición necesaria para alcanzar mayores niveles de desarrollo. Y es que es necesario luchar por combatir la brecha tecnológica que nos separa de los países desarrollados, pero también se deben corregir los errores que se han producido en la educación del peruano, ya que al hacerlo se podrá incluir a nuestro país en el lugar que le corresponde (...) Espero, al término del presente trabajo, poder probar porqué es importante el uso de las aulas virtuales para la enseñanza de la filosofía en el Perú y de qué manera lo podemos llevar a cabo; de qué manera nosotros, que somos “migrantes digitales”, podemos enseñarles a las futuras generaciones en esta era tecnológica.Tesi

Plant breeding for organic agriculture: something new?

The role of both organic (OF) and conventional (CF) farming remains open to debate particularly when related to food security and climate change. Targeting plant breeding for OF can contribute to reduce its yield gaps vis-à-vis CF. Currently, the cultivars produced for CF are also used in OF, however, it is unreasonable that all lines bred for CF will always perform well in OF. Nonetheless, plant breeding goals for OF and CF converge at aiming for high productivity, host plant resistance or tolerance to biotic and abiotic factors, and high resource-use efficiency. Likewise end-use quality and local adaptation may be more important for OF as the resource recycling and quality of the inputs that are used vary from region to region, even though OF practices are highly regulated. This article provides an overview on organic plant breeding (OPB) with a perspective from conventional plant breeding, highlights the main traits, their source of variation, and what methods and tools are available for their breeding. It concludes listing some organic crop breeding achievements and providing an outlook on what needs to be done for OPB

Mitigating tradeoffs in plant breeding

Tradeoffs among plant traits help maintain relative fitness under unpredictable conditions and maximize reproductive success. However, modifying tradeoffs is a breeding challenge since many genes of minor effect are involved. The intensive crosstalk and fine-tuning between growth and defense responsive phytohormones via transcription factors optimizes growth, reproduction, and stress tolerance. There are regulating genes in grain crops that deploy diverse functions to overcome tradeoffs, e.g., miR-156-IPA1 regulates crosstalk between growth and defense to achieve high disease resistance and yield, while OsALDH2B1 loss of function causes imbalance among defense, growth, and reproduction in rice. GNI-A1 regulates seed number and weight in wheat by suppressing distal florets and altering assimilate distribution of proximal seeds in spikelets. Knocking out ABA-induced transcription repressors (AITRs) enhances abiotic stress adaptation without fitness cost in Arabidopsis. Deploying AITRs homologs in grain crops may facilitate breeding. This knowledge suggests overcoming tradeoffs through breeding may expose new ones

Genetic gains in potato breeding as measured by field testing of cultivars released during the last 200 years in the Nordic Region of Europe

Genetic gains (Delta(G)) are determined by the breeders' equation Delta(G) = [(ck sigma(2)(G))/(y sigma(P))], where c, k and y are the parental control, a function of the selection intensity and number of years to complete one selection cycle, respectively, while sigma(2)(G) and are sigma(P) the genetic variance and the square root of the phenotypic variance. Plant breeding programs should deliver above 1% of annual genetic gains after testing and selection. The aim of this research was to estimate genetic gains in potato breeding after testing of cultivars released in western Europe in the last 200 years under high yield potential, and stress-prone environments affected by a pest (late blight) or daylength. The annual genetic gains for tuber yield and flesh's starch content for potato breeding in Europe were about 0.3 and -0.1%, respectively, thus telling that the realized genetic gains of foreign cultivars for both traits are small or negative, respectively, in the Nordic testing sites. The national annual productivity gains in potato grown in Sweden were on average 0.7% in the last 60 years while the genetic gains for tuber yield considering only the table cultivars released after the 2nd World War were about 0.36%, thus showing that breeding contributed just above 1/2 of it. Furthermore, genetic gains for breeding low reducing sugars in the tuber flesh, and high host plant resistance to late blight were small (<0.2% per year). These results highlight that genetic gains are small when testing bred germplasm outside their target population of environments