Genetic analysis and selection criteria in Bambara groundnut accessions based yield performance

The knowledge of genetic variability and breeding techniques is crucial in crop improvement programs. This information is especially important in underutilized crops such as Bambara groundnut, which have limited breeding systems and genetic diversity information. Hence, this study evaluated the genetic variability and established the relationship between the yield and its components in Bambara groundnut based on seed weight using multivariate analysis. A field trial was conducted in a randomized complete block design with three replications on 28 lines. Data were collected on 12 agro-morphological traits, and a statistical analysis was conducted using SAS version 9.4 software, while the variance component, genotypic and phenotypic coefficient variation, heritability, and genetic advance values were estimated. A cluster analysis was performed using NT-SYS software to estimate the genetic relations among the accessions. The results showed significant variability among the accessions based on the yield and yield component characteristics. The evaluated lines were grouped into seven primary clusters based on the assessed traits using the UPGMA dendrogram. Based on the overall results, G5LR1P3, G1LR1P3, G4LR1P1, G2SR1P1 and G3SR1P4 performed the best for the yield and yield components. These improved lines are recommended for large-scale evaluation and utilization in future breeding programs to develop high-yield Bambara groundnut varieties

Genetic variability, heritability, and clustering pattern exploration of Bambara groundnut (Vigna subterranea L. Verdc) accessions for the perfection of yield and yield related traits

Bambara groundnut (Vigna subterranea L. Verdc.) is considered an emerging crop for the future and known as a crop for the new millennium. The core intention of this research work was to estimate the variation of landraces of Bambara groundnut considering their 14 qualitative and 27 numerical traits, to discover the best genotype fitted in Malaysia. The findings of the ANOVA observed a highly significant variation () for all the traits evaluated. There was a substantial variation (7.27 to 41.21%) coefficient value, and 14 out of the 27 numerical traits noted . Yield (kg/ha) disclosed positively strong to perfect high significant correlation ( to 1.00; ) with traits like fresh pod weight, dry pod weight, and dry seed weight. The topmost PCV and GCV values were estimated for biomass dry (41.09%) and fresh (40.53%) weight with high heritability (Hb) and genetic advance (GA) %, % and %, %, respectively. The topmost heritability was recorded for fresh pod weight (99.89%) followed by yield (99.75%) with genetic advance 67.95% and 62.03%, respectively. The traits with and suggested the least influenced by the environment as well as governed by the additive genes and direct selection for improvement of such traits can be beneficial. To estimate the genetic variability among accessions, the valuation of variance components, coefficients of variation, heritability, and genetic advance were calculated. To authenticate the genetic inequality, an unweighted pair group produced with arithmetic mean (UPGMA) and principal component analysis was executed based on their measurable traits that could be a steadfast method for judging the degree of diversity. Based on the UPGMA cluster analysis, constructed five distinct clusters and 44 accessions from clusters II and IV consider an elite type of genotypes that produce more than one ton yield per hectare land with desirable traits. This study exposed an extensive disparity among the landraces and the evidence on genetic relatives will be imperative in using the existing germplasm for Bambara groundnut varietal improvement. Moreover, this finding will be beneficial for breeders to choose the desirable numerical traits of V. subterranea in their future breeding program

DNA fingerprinting, fixation-index (Fst), and admixture mapping of selected Bambara groundnut (Vigna subterranea [L.] Verdc.) accessions using ISSR markers system

As a new crop in Malaysia, forty-four Bambara groundnut (Vigna subterranea L. verdc.) genotypes were sampled from eleven distinct populations of different origins to explore the genetic structure, genetic inconsistency, and fixation index. The Bambara groundnut, an African underutilized legume, has the capacity to boost food and nutrition security while simultaneously addressing environmental sustainability, food availability, and economic inequalities. A set of 32 ISSRs were screened out of 96 primers based on very sharp, clear, and reproducible bands which detected a total of 510 loci with an average of 97.64% polymorphism. The average calculated value of PIC = 0.243, RP = 5.30, H = 0.285, and MI = 0.675 representing the efficiency of primer set for genetic differentiation among the genotypes. The ISSR primers revealed the number of alleles (Na = 1.97), the effective number of alleles (Ne = 1.38), Nei's genetic diversity (h = 0.248), and a moderate level of gene flow (Nm = 2.26) across the genotypes studied. The estimated Shannon’s information index (I = 0.395) indicates a high level of genetic variation exists among the accessions. Based on Nei’s genetic dissimilarity a UPMGA phylogenetic tree was constructed and grouped the entire genotypes into 3 major clusters and 6 subclusters. PCA analysis revealed that first principal component extracted maximum variation (PC1 = 13.92%) than second principal component (PC2 = 12.59%). Bayesian model-based STRUCTURE analysis assembled the genotypes into 3 (best ΔK = 3) genetic groups. The fixation-index (Fst) analysis narrated a very great genetic diversity (Fst = 0.19 to 0.40) exists within the accessions of these 3 clusters. This investigation specifies the effectiveness of the ISSR primers system for the molecular portrayal of V. subterranea genotypes that could be used for genetic diversity valuation, detection, and tagging of potential genotypes with quick, precise, and authentic measures for this crop improvement through effective breeding schemes

Half diallel analysis for biochemical and morphological traits in cultivated eggplants (Solanum melongena L.)

Eleven morphologically diverse cultivated eggplant accessions were used for hybridization following half diallel mating design to obtain 55 hybrids. Evaluation of hybrids along with the parents was conducted over two locations followed by randomised complete block design with three replications to study gene action and combining ability of 15 morphological and biochemical traits. The analysis of variance indicated highly significant differences among the environments and interaction of genotype and environment, except for fruit length to width ratio. Additive gene effects were significant for the inheritance of these traits and expression of these additive genes were greatly affected by environments. The general combining ability (GCA) was greater than their respective specific combining ability (SCA) for all traits except for fruit yield per plant. High values of GCA and SCA effects for characters of interest were dispersed among different genotypes. From this study it was observed that the best parental line was BT15 based on days to first flowering, total number of fruits per plant, total soluble solids and total phenol content. Besides, the parent BM5 showed good general combining ability effects for fruit yield per plant, fruit length and fruit length to width ratio and the parent BB1 performed good general combining ability for fruit diameter, fruit girth and fruit weight. Besides, other parents showed the best performance for only one trait. On the other hand, the hybrid BT6 × BT15 was reported bearing early flowering with high total phenol content and the hybrid BM9 × BB26 has high fruit yield with high soluble solids. Besides, the hybrid BM9 × BB1 has a high fruit diameter and fruit weight. All other hybrids except for these three (BT6 × BT15, BM9 × BB26 and BM9 × BB1) were shown the best performance for only one trait. Hence, based on the desired trait, the hybrid can be selected for future use after large scale evaluation

Genetic diversity, heritability and genetic advance of Solanum melongena L. from three secondary centers of diversity

Indo-Birmanian is considered as the domesticated region and primary center of eggplant diversity from where it spread to other secondary centers of diversity. In this study, the genetic diversity among 56 eggplant genotypes from three secondary centers of diversity (Bangladesh, Malaysia and Thailand) was assessed using 11 morphological traits. The experiment was laid in a complete randomized block design with three replications. A wide significant variation was observed for all the morphological traits, and highly significant differences among the three centers of diversity. High heritability and genetic advance was found for different traits i.e. fruit length, fruit diameter, fruit girth, fruit length to width ratio, average fruit weight, number of fruits per plant, fruit yield per plant, plant height and number of primary branches per plant. The selected best traits i.e. number of fruits per plant, average fruit weight and fruit yield per plant showed high heritability along with high genetic advance and less environmental influence but the high value of PCV and GCV. So these traits could be useful for selection criteria in the future breeding program. These results are relevant for evolutionary studies, breeding programs, and management of eggplant genetic resources

Genetic diversity in eggplant (Solanum melongena L.) germplasm from three secondary geographical origins of diversity using SSR markers

Indo-Burmese region was the primary center of eggplant diversity from where the crop extended to several secondary origins of diversity. In this study, the genetic diversity among fifty-six eggplant accessions collected from three countries was assessed using sixteen polymorphic SSR markers to determine suitable parents for heterotic hybridization. The estimation of genetic diversity among the population of three countries (Bangladesh, Malaysia, and Thailand) varied from 0.57 to 0.74, with Shannon’s index value of 0.65. The mean value of expected heterozygosity and Nei’s index was 0.49, with an average PIC value of 0.83. A dendrogram was constructed based on UPGMA (unweighted pair group method with arithmetic mean), and the dendrogram categorized all accessions into six groups. The AMOVA (analysis of molecular variance) revealed a 77% total variation within the population from three different countries and 23% total variation among the populations. The result revealed a high genetic differentiation among the eggplant germplasms while the accessions that are farther from each other show a high level of diversity; thus, they can be recommended as parental in breeding programs. Hence, accessions, EB12, ET11, ET13, ET15, ET16, and ET17 could be crossed with accessions EM3, EB34, and EB3 for improvement in the future breeding program

The impact of carbon dioxide (co2) enrichment on rice (Oryza sativa l.) production: a review

Rice (Oryza sativa L.) is one of the world's most important crops and the primary source of calories for more than three billion people worldwide, especially in Asia. Currently, atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) concentration is 416 µmol mol-1 and increasing rapidly due to industrialization, which is the main cause of global warming. Current climate change and rising CO2 concentration in the atmosphere have varying global impacts on crop performance. As CO2 is one of the limiting factors in photosynthesis, adding this gas can increase carboxylation activity, hence increasing productivity and yield. Elevated CO2 (eCO2) significantly impacted C3 crops' productivity by increasing photosynthesis, biomass, and grain yield. Plants cultivated under eCO2 conditions demonstrated better development and photosynthesis, lower transpiration, improved water efficiency, decreased inorganic nutrition concentration, increased plant hormone, and compact stomatal density than the plants grown under ambient CO2 (aCO2) conditions. This review discusses the effects of eCO2 on rice plant photosynthesis and growth. The review also describes that eCO2 increased yield components of rice plants. Finally, the current review emphasizes the grain quality of rice that was negatively affected by eCO2. The review paper aims to describe rice production under CO2 increases under climate changes in the future. The synthesis of all this information is helpful to the researchers, advisors of rice farmers, and policymakers to provide a favourable plan by using eCO2 to increase rice plant growth and yield and maintain grain quality through enriching free-air CO2 enrichment (FACE) system for the rice plant to produce enough, and high-quality food for the increasing population of the world

Growth and yield of selected forage corn hybrids and weed composition under different fertilizer application regimes

Key focus for improving fertilizer use efficiency and increasing corn productivity is timing of fertilizer application at suitable crop growth stage. Therefore, a field research was conducted during 2019, at Field 15, Faculty of Agriculture, University Putra Malaysia, to quantify the effect of four fertilizer application regimes T1 (1, 3 and 4 weeks after planting–WAP), T2 (2, 4 and 6 WAP), T3 (2, 4, 6 and 8 WAP) and T4 (2, 4, 8 and 10 WAP) on growth and yield attributes of two corn varieties (GWG888 and CP888) and weed composition. The results indicated that both factors (fertilizer application regimes and varieties) significantly influenced corn growth, yield and weed composition. It was observed that T3 (application of fertilizer at 2, 4, 6 and 8 WAP) for GWG corn variety produced the highest plant height, leaf area, cob length, dry matter yield and crude protein, while it decreased NDF, ADF and lignin content compared to other treatments. Meanwhile, broad leaf weeds showed higher dominance in all fertilizer application regimes compared to grasses and sedges weed. The findings suggested that the use of fertilizer up to 8 WAP resulted in sufficient nutrients supply for flowering and after flowering stages, which improved corn growth, yield and forage quality

A Systematic Review of the Potential of a Dynamic Hydrogel as a Substrate for Sustainable Agriculture

Adopting environmentally friendly or green technology and incorporating new alternative substrates for a sustainable agricultural industry has garnered the attention of numerous researchers. Although super absorbent hydrogels have exhibited great potential, natural hydrogel-based absorbents have gained more interest due to their environmentally safe properties. The sources for the novel green polymer are easily obtained from agricultural wastes, such as polysaccharides, agarose, chitosan, and mucilage, with zero to minimal cost. The polymer also offers several attributes, including water usage and cost efficiencies, versatile application, and increasing plant growth. Furthermore, the polymer can act as a carrier agent and aid in improving the properties of planting mediums. The present review focuses on natural and chemical hydrogel-based polymers. It discusses their potential application in sustainable agriculture and the conservation of ecosystems by providing balanced protection for seeds, plants, and soil. Future perspectives based on previous investigations are also presented

Unravelling the dynamics of genotype and environment interactions on chilli (Capsicum annuum L.) yield-related attributes in soilless planting systems

Evaluation of genotypes to identify high-yielding and stable varieties is crucial for chilli production sustainability and food security. These analyses are essential, particularly when the breeding program aims to select lines with great adaptability and stability. Thirty chilli genotypes were evaluated for yield stability under four soilless planting systems viz; fertigation, HydroStock (commercial hydrogel), BioHydrogel (biodegradable hydrogel), and hydroponic to study the influence of genotype by environment interaction. The research used a split-plot randomized complete block design (RCBD) with two cropping cycles and five replications. The GGE biplot analysis was employed to assess the mean versus stability perspective in explaining the variation in genotypic and genotype-by-environment effects on the yield-related attributes for yield per plant, fruit number, fruit length, and width. Stability analysis denoted genotypes G26 and G30 as the most stable for yield per plant, while G16, G22, and G30 were stable for the number of fruits per plant. Among the four planting systems evaluated, HydroStock and BioHydrogel outperformed the others in yield per plant, demonstrating the highest level of informativeness or discrimination. These findings offer critical insights for future crop breeding programs and the optimization of agricultural practices