Genetic variation in crop species and their wild relatives holds the key to the successful breeding of improved crop cultivars with durable resistance to disease. The importance of the conservation, characterization and utilization of plant genetic resources nationally and internationally has been recognised, though much remains to be done. Gene banks have now been established in many countries and at most of the international crop research centres. Cell and tissue culture techniques and biotechnological aids have done much to ensure the creation and safe transfer of healthy germplasm around the world. Multidisciplinary, international research and collaboration are essential to the successful breeding of improved disease resistant cultivars. Examples are given of the effective use of genetic resources in breeding disease resistant cultivars of a number of crops, including cotton, rice, potatoes and pearl millet.

Gene banks and their contribution to the breeding of disease resistant cultivars

Studies on transcription factors involved in seed oil biosynthesis

................................................................................................ i TABLE OF CONTENTS ............................................................................. ii LIST OF FIGURES .................................................................................... iv LIST OF TABLES ....................................................................................... v CHAPTER ONE ..........................................................................................1 Plant Breeding and Cultivar Assessment Using Biotechnology ...............1 General Description of Colocasia ............................................................3 Colocasia Breeding .................................................................................4 Genetic Diversity of Colocasia ................................................................7 Project Introduction ............................................................................... 10 CHAPTER 2 ............................................................................................. 14 Introduction ........................................................................................... 14 DNA isolation from Colocasia leaf tissue ........................................... 14 Marker Choices .................................................................................. 16 Genetic Stability Analysis ................................................................... 18 Genetic Diversity Analysis ................................................................. 18 Materials and Methods .......................................................................... 23 Sample collection and preparation ..................................................... 23 DNA Isolation ..................................................................................... 25 Quantification of DNA ........................................................................ 26 Polymerase Chain Reaction Based Inter Simple Sequence .............. 26 Agarose Gel Electrophoresis ............................................................. 28 Banding Patter Scoring ...................................................................... 28 Statistical Analysis and Genetic Quantification .................................. 29 Results and Discussion ......................................................................... 29 DNA Isolation and Quantification ....................................................... 29 Banding Pattern Scoring .................................................................... 30 Genetic Stability Analysis ................................................................... 34 UPGMA .............................................................................................. 35 iii Principal Coordinates Analysis........................................................... 40 Genetic Diversity Quantification ......................................................... 44 Conclusion ................................................................................................ 49 Literature Cited ......................................................................................... 50 Appendix A ............................................................................................... 59 Appendix B ............................................................................................... 61 Appendix C ............................................................................................... 64 Appendix D ............................................................................................... 69 Appendix E ............................................................................................... 73 Appendix F ............................................................................................... 83 VITA ......................................................................................................... 99

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Evaluation of Genetic Diversity and Stability of Colocasia Cultivars Using ISSR

In order to study the influence of expression of heterologous genes of different origin (cyp11A1 and desC) on canola thermotolerance improvement on leaf membrane level the fatty acid composition was analyzed under short-time heat test. Cyp11A1 gene encodes cytochrome P450 SCC from bovine adrenal cortex mitochondria and was shown to affect the biosynthesis of steroid compounds. DesC gene encodes ∆9-acyl-lipid desaturase of cyanobacterium Synechococcus vulcanus. Decrease in palmitlinolenic acid content and index unsaturation as well as increase in total fatty acid and palmitic acid content were identified in cyp11A1 canola in comparison with wild-type plants in stressfull conditions. But control and desC plants demonstrated similar changes in saturated (16:0), trienoic (16:3 and 18:3) fatty acid quantity, total fatty acid content and index unsaturation. Heterologous desC gene expression did not influence fatty acid composition and did not give advantages for plant under heat. Integration of cyp11A1 gene in canola led to thermotolerance improvement on membrane level.

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Changes in Fatty Acid Composition in Leaf Lipids of Canola Biotech Plants under Short-time Heat Stress

Dedication: Fredrick A. Bliss Teacher, Researcher, and Director of Plant Breeding

Plant breeding is an integrative discipline that is defined by the product, i. e., a crop cultivar. Principles of breeding provide the framework, while technologies (including biotechnology) provide the tools for implementation. The successful execution of plant breeding depends on: availability of genetically variable populations, effective selection in such populations, and efficient testing of breeding lines. A measure of the contribution of biotechnology is to consider examples of its present and future impact on each of these steps in the breeding process.

Biotechnology and plant breeding

https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/pdf/10.1080/13102818.1993.10818684

F. A. Bliss

Papers

Biotechnology and plant breeding

Biotechnology and Plant Breeding