I. KHAN, S. GUL, N.U. KHAN, O.O. FAWIBE, N. AKHTAR, M. REHMAN, N. SABAH, M.A. TAHIR, A. IQBAL, F. NAZ, I. HAQ, and A. RAUF Citation: Khan T, Gul S, Khan NU, Fawibe OO, Akhtar N, Rehman M, Sabah N, Tahir MA, Iqbal A, Naz F, Haq I, Rauf A

A. RAUF, M.A. KHAN, F. JAN, S. GUL, K. AFRIDI, I. KHAN, H. BIBI, R.W. KHAN, W. KHAN, and T. KUMAR Citation: Rauf A, Khan MA, Jan F, Gul S, Afridi K, Khan I, Bibi H, Khan RW, Khan W, Kumar T (2023). Genetic analysis for production traits in wheat

Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) production faces major yield loss due to biotic stresses. Developing genetically resistant cultivars presents a sustainable alternative to chemical controls, which are often costly and ineffective. This study utilized 10 molecular markers, including SSR, SCAR, and CAPS markers, to assess resistance to six major diseases, including Fusarium wilt, late blight, bacterial wilt, root-knot nematode, Tomato Mosaic Virus (ToMV), and Tomato Yellow Leaf Curl Virus (TYLCV), across 964 tomato accessions comprising both wild germplasm (371) and cultivars (593). Wild germplasm, especially S. peruvianum, showed the highest frequencies of resistance loci. Markers linked to TYLCV and Fusarium wilt were particularly prevalent, with frequencies of 31.8% (TY-1/3_K), 34.0% (P1-16), and 55.8% (I2(OH)). Several wild accessions carried up to six resistance loci, highlighting the potential for gene pyramiding and the utility of wild species as reservoirs of multi-locus resistance. In contrast, resistance loci were limited in S. lycopersicum. Two S. lycopersicum germplasm collections were screened: a geographically representative collection from four Southeast Asian national genebanks and a genetically representative core collection from global public genebanks. The highest resistance frequencies in S. lycopersicum were observed for bacterial wilt-associated markers SLM12-2 and SLM12-10. However, the overall scarcity of resistance alleles in S. lycopersicum emphasizes the need for further introgression of resistance genes from wild relatives. This study provides valuable genetic insights into tomato germplasm for combating biotic stress, forming a foundation for sustainable breeding strategies to enhance disease resistance and safeguard global tomato production.

Line × Tester combining ability analysis involving five lines (cultivars i.e., CIM-446, CIM-473, CIM-506, CIM-554 and SLH-284) and three testers (cultivars viz., CIM-496, CIM-499 and CIM-707) was carried out during 2015 and 2016 to determine the inheritance for earliness, yield and lint traits in upland cotton. Genotypes revealed significant (P≤0.01) variations for all the traits. On average, F1 hybrids showed the significant increase over parental means for yield traits. Mean squares due to general (GCA) and specific combining ability (SCA) were highly significant, which suggested that additive and non-additive gene actions were involved in controlling all the characters. However, the preponderance of non-additive type of gene action observed for majority of the traits. Lines (SLH-284, CIM-473) and pollinators (CIM-707, CIM-496) were leading general combiners for majority of the traits. F1 hybrids (CIM-473 × CIM-496, SLH-284 × CIM-707 and CIM446 × CIM-496) which involve best general combiners, showed the leading performance for yield and lint traits. Heritability was moderate to high with appreciable genetic gain for majority of the traits. Except for lint %, the correlation of seed cotton yield was positive with other traits. The significance of additive and non-additive components suggested integrated breeding strategies with delayed selection for development of cotton hybrids with improvement in earliness and seed cotton yield.

This chapter explores the use of plant-mediated production of biocompatible metal nanoparticles (MNPs) for sustainable agriculture. It highlights the benefits of this green synthesis method, including its environmental friendliness, affordability, and renewable resource use. The chapter discusses the processes by which phytochemicals in plant extracts act as reducing and capping agents, enabling the creation and stabilization of MNPs with specific features. It also discusses the characterization methodologies used to evaluate the dimensions, morphology, electrical charge, and compatibility with living organisms of the synthesized MNPs. The chapter also discusses the potential uses of MNPs in sustainable agriculture, such as targeted nutrient delivery, plant development promotion, and environmentally friendly pest control. The chapter explores the use of IoT technology for immediate monitoring and accurate implementation of plant-mediated MNPs in agriculture, highlighting the financial implications, cost reductions, and market opportunities for environmentally friendly solutions.

H. RAMZAN, M.A. TAHIR, G. SARWAR, N.U. SABAH, S. GUL, and M.Z. Manzoor Citation: Ramzan H, Tahir MA, Sarwar G, Sabah NU, Gul S, Manzoor MZ (2023). Potassium application using the 4R nutrient stewardship approach for improving wheat growth and yield traits. SABRAO J. Breed. Genet. 55(1): 187-201. http://doi.org/10.54910/sabrao2023.55.1.18. Summary