Drought stress is one of the key factors impeding agricultural productivity worldwide. This experiment aimed at investigating the polyethylene glycol (PEG)-induced drought stress effects on seed germination, physiology, and biochemical mechanisms in Tartary buckwheat genotypes. Four PEG-induced stress conditions (0%, 10%, 20%, and 30%) were applied to 14 selected genotypes at the germination stage to evaluate their stress tolerance capacity. Significant differences were obtained in germination percentage, relative water content (RWC), and all growth parameters among the studied 14 genotypes. Based on the stress tolerance index (STI), XiNong 9943, XiNong 9940, and QianKu-5 were found to be tolerant, and QuanKu-4 was susceptible. These cultivars were selected for further physiological and biochemical characterization. The results demonstrated that the activity of enzymes was significantly increased with the increase in PEG dose. SOD (superoxide dismutase), POD (peroxidase), CAT (catalase), and APX (ascorbate peroxidase) levels obtained at 30% PEG in the XiNong 9943 genotype were 2.01, 2.19, 4.92, and 4.46 times higher, respectively, than the normal growth condition (T₀). Moreover, the secondary metabolite content also increased with the increase in PEG dose. At 30% PEG, the genotype XiNong 9943 yielded phenols, flavonoids, polyphenol oxidase (PPO), and phenylalanine ammonia lyase (PAL) levels that were higher by 131%, 95%, 154%, and 164%, respectively, than T₀ condition. From both the findings of the activity of enzymes and the secondary metabolite content, the genotypic response to drought was ranked in the following order: XiNong 9943 > XiNong 9940 > QianKu-5 > QianKu-4, which supported the STI selection system. Assessing the overall performance, the genotype XiNong 9943 shows drought tolerance, which can be useful material for future buckwheat breeding programs.

• 2S albumin genes consisted of g11, g13, g14, g28, and a possibly non-functional g03. • g14 content was 3- and 40-fold higher than that of g11/g28 and g13, respectively. • g11/g28, which is similar to Fag e 8kD, were more processed to ∼8 kDa than g14. • Recombinant and native g13 showed lower apparent molecular sizes than expected. • Hydrophobicity of g13 might contribute to the low apparent molecular size of g13.

Significant variations were observed for most of the characters among the three promising M5 rapeseed mutants. Mutant RM-025 produced the highest seed yield of 1945 kg/ha followed by RM-005 (1892 kg/ha) and had 11.6 and 8.5% higher seed yield, respectively than the control variety. Under farmers’ management, on an average, mutant RM-025 and RM-005 produced 1824 and 1725 kg/ha with 11.3% and 5.2% higher seed yield, respectively than the control variety. These two mutants also had higher number of primary branches and siliquae/plant, and 1000-seed weight and required shorter maturity period than the control variety under both management practices. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3329/bjb.v41i1.11089 Bangladesh J. Bot. 41(1): 111-114, 2012 (June)

An experiment was conducted to estimate the genetic variability of 15 indigenous and exotic squash genotypes assessing 18 quantitative and 8 qualitative traits. Results showed that the accessions have high variability in qualitative traits like fruit size, fruit shape, fruit skin colour,lustre and fruit productivity, which allowed selection for considerable gains in these characteristics. The quantitative traits such as fruits yield per plant, fruit weight, length, diameter and total yield per hectare showed the greater phenotypic coefficient of variation (PCV) along with higher heritability which can helps to identify desirable genotypes. The obtained significant and positive correlation between fruit yield with number of leaves, nodes, fruit length, weight and number could assist in selection to improve this crop. Cluster analysis resulted in the formation of 4 groups, confirming the genetic variability among the studied genotypes. Eventually, the attained PCA analysis result revealed that the number of fruits per plant, fruit yield per plant, fruit length and days to first female flowering are the most discriminating traits which are accelerating the variability in squash genotypes. On the basis of the yield and its attributing traits, First Runner is the best genotype suited in this environment.

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