ALBERT

Description: The ability to restore American chestnut (Castanea dentata) through the planting of blight-resistant (Cryphonectria parasitica) trees is currently being tested. Forest-based research on the species’ silvicultural requirements and chestnut blight development are lacking. Pure American chestnut seedlings were planted in a two-age shelterwood forest with low residual basal area and in a midstory-removal treatment with high residual basal area. Survival did not differ between silvicultural treatments and averaged 67 percent across both treatments by the fifth year. Trees in the two-age shelterwood were 2.36 m and 16.8 mm larger in height and ground-line diameter, respectively, compared to trees in the midstory-removal by the fifth growing season. Blight occurrence was not affected by silvicultural treatment. Exploratory analyses indicated that seedling grading at planting and keeping trees free-to-grow through competition control would have resulted in a two-year gain in height and GLD growth in the two-age shelterwood treatment. The two-age shelterwood represented the most efficacious prescription for chestnut restoration, but the midstory-removal prescription may offer a reasonable alternative in areas where harvesting must be delayed.

Description:    A genomic DNA library enriched with GA/TC repeats from Camelina sativa variety Calena has been analysed. After sequencing of about 200 randomly selected clones, approximately 60 % of them showed to contain simple or compound microsatellites with a high number of repeats. Among all microsatellite markers analysed 15 primer pairs amplified polymorphic fragments. Forty C. sativa accessions of different origin were genotyped with 15 microsatellite markers that generated 134 alleles with an average of 8.93 alleles per locus . The observed heterozygosity (Ho) among the accessions ranged from 0.0 to 0.15 with an average of 0.0370, whereas the average of expected heterozygosity (He) among accessions was 0.2769. The analysis of the average total heterozygosity (H T  = 0.651), the intrapopulation genetic diversity (H S  = 0.260), the interpopulation genetic diversity (D ST  = 0.391) and the coefficient of genetic differentiation among populations (G ST  = 0.574) demonstrated that 57.4 % of the genetic diversity is among the accessions, while 42.6 % resides within them. Phylogenetic tree of the 40 C. sativa accessions was constructed based on Nei’s genetic distance. The unweighted pair group method with arithmetic mean (UPGMA) dendrogram shows, except for CAM108 and CAM170, a clear discrimination among C. sativa accessions grouping them in five subgroups. ANOVA analysis indicates significant differences in some biochemical and agronomic parameters among the C. sativa accessions grouped according to Nei’s genetic distance. The result of the Tukey HSD test demonstrated that the A4 subgroup showed a significant higher TWS and linoleic acid (LA) content, while the subgroup A1 showed a significant higher linolenic and lower LA content compared to the remaining groups. Content Type Journal Article Category Research Article Pages 1-14 DOI 10.1007/s10722-012-9913-8 Authors Antonella Manca, Istituto di Biologia e Biotecnologia Agraria, IBBA-CNR, Via Bassini 15, 20133 Milan, Italy Paola Pecchia, Istituto di Biologia e Biotecnologia Agraria, IBBA-CNR, Via Bassini 15, 20133 Milan, Italy Sergio Mapelli, Istituto di Biologia e Biotecnologia Agraria, IBBA-CNR, Via Bassini 15, 20133 Milan, Italy Piernicola Masella, Istituto di Biologia e Biotecnologia Agraria, IBBA-CNR, Via Bassini 15, 20133 Milan, Italy Incoronata Galasso, Istituto di Biologia e Biotecnologia Agraria, IBBA-CNR, Via Bassini 15, 20133 Milan, Italy Journal Genetic Resources and Crop Evolution Online ISSN 1573-5109 Print ISSN 0925-9864

Description: Imperata cylindrica is an invasive plant species that threatens diversity and forest productivity in southeastern ecosystems. We examined the effects of disturbance events, particularly fire and hurricane/salvage harvesting, to determine the effects on I. cylindrica abundance in longleaf pine (Pinus palustris) forests in the Florida panhandle. Areas that were burned or had greater biomass removal following a hurricane had a greater number of I. cylindrica patches and larger patch size. These results highlight the importance of disturbance events on expanding invasive species populations in this region and are likely applicable for other invasive species as well. Monitoring and treatment should follow disturbance events to ensure that invasive species populations do not exceed unmanageable levels.

Description: A recent policy response to halting global forest deforestation and degradation, and any resulting greenhouse gas emissions is REDD+, which also includes the role of conservation, sustainable management of forests and enhancement of forest carbon stocks. Although still in its infancy, the success of REDD+ will depend significantly on whether it can be economically viable and if any resulting payments are sufficient to cover the opportunity cost plus any transaction cost. Where tenure security over forest is weak, REDD+ can pose a risk for forest communities, who could be dispossessed, excluded and marginalized. This review of existing studies explores how payment for avoided deforestation, and forest tenure impact the success of REDD+ projects in terms of effectiveness, efficiency and equity. Effectiveness refers to the difference between deforestation with and without REDD+, efficiency refers to avoiding deforestation at minimal cost, and equity refers to the implication of REDD+ on benefit sharing. We conclude that the potential success or failure of REDD+ as a means to reduce deforestation and carbon emission on forest commons depends critically on designing projects that work within existing informal tenure institutions to ensure that carbon storage benefits align with livelihood benefits.

Description:    In situ population studies of wild relatives of crops are crucial for the conservation of plant genetic resources, especially in regions with high genetic diversity and a risk of local extinction. Ethiopia is the center of origin for sorghum, yet little is known about the genetic structure of extant wild populations. Using 9 Simple Sequence Repeat loci, we characterized 19 wild populations from five regions, 8 local cultivar populations from three regions, and 10 wild sorghum accessions from several African countries. To our knowledge, this is the most comprehensive study to date of in situ wild sorghum populations in Africa. Genetic diversity corrected for sample size was significantly greater in the wild populations in situ than in local cultivars or the accessions. Approximately 41 % of the genetic variation in the wild plants was partitioned among populations, indicating a high degree of differentiation and potential value for germplasm conservation, and the average number of migrants (N m ) per generation was 0.43. Cluster analyses showed that some wild populations were grouped by geographic region, whereas others were not, presumably due to long-distance seed movement. Four wild populations from disjunct regions formed a unique cluster with an Ethiopian accession of subsp. drummondii and probably represent a weedy race. STRUCTURE and other analyses detected evidence for crop-wild hybridization, consistent with previous molecular marker studies in Kenya, Mali, and Cameroon. In summary, in situ wild sorghum populations in Ethiopia harbor substantial genetic diversity and differentiation, despite their close proximity to conspecific cultivars in this crop/wild/weedy complex. Content Type Journal Article Category Research Article Pages 1-16 DOI 10.1007/s10722-012-9921-8 Authors Asfaw Adugna, Department of Biology, Addis Ababa University, P.O. Box 1176, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia Allison A. Snow, Department of Evolution, Ecology and Organismal Biology, Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA Patty M. Sweeney, Department of Evolution, Ecology and Organismal Biology, Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA Endashaw Bekele, Department of Biology, Addis Ababa University, P.O. Box 1176, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia Evans Mutegi, Department of Evolution, Ecology and Organismal Biology, Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA Journal Genetic Resources and Crop Evolution Online ISSN 1573-5109 Print ISSN 0925-9864

Description:    Eight species of the genus Asparagus , members of the group of European species closely related to A. officinalis , were analysed using internal transcribed spacer (ITS), and expressed sequence tag-derived simple sequence repeat (EST-SSR) markers, as well as cytological observations of their hybrids, to study their phylogenetic relationships and the possibility of broadening the narrow genetic base of cultivated varieties. Phylogenetic analysis using ITS data revealed two major clades: clade I consisting of A. acutifolius and clade II (referred to in this study as the ‘ officinalis group’) comprised of sequences derived from species closely related to A. officinalis ; but the different species within the ‘ officinalis group’ could not be clearly separated. In contrast, cluster analysis of EST-SSR marker data showed six major clades and clearly separated each population, grouping most of the genotypes from each population together. That is, EST-SSR markers were found to be more informative than ITS markers about the relationships within the ‘ officinalis group’, indicating that EST-SSR markers are more useful than ITS sequences for establishing phylogenetic relationships at the intrageneric level. All the crosses carried out at the same ploidy level were successful. The high crossability, together with the regular meiotic behaviour and high pollen and seed fertility observed in the interspecific hybrids analysed, suggest relatively close relationships between the species studied. We conclude that the group of species classified in the ‘ officinalis group’ are in the primary gene pool, indicating that these species could be used to increase the genetic diversity of the cultivated species. In addition, the tetraploid landrace “Morado de Huétor” could be employed as a bridge to generate new cultivated germplasm. Content Type Journal Article Category Research Article Pages 1-14 DOI 10.1007/s10722-012-9918-3 Authors P. Castro, Dpto de Genética, Universidad de Córdoba, Campus de Rabanales Edificio C5 2ª planta, 14071 Córdoba, Spain J. Gil, Dpto de Genética, Universidad de Córdoba, Campus de Rabanales Edificio C5 2ª planta, 14071 Córdoba, Spain A. Cabrera, Dpto de Genética, Universidad de Córdoba, Campus de Rabanales Edificio C5 2ª planta, 14071 Córdoba, Spain R. Moreno, Dpto de Genética, Universidad de Córdoba, Campus de Rabanales Edificio C5 2ª planta, 14071 Córdoba, Spain Journal Genetic Resources and Crop Evolution Online ISSN 1573-5109 Print ISSN 0925-9864

Description:    The genus Corylus, a member of the birch family Betulaceae, includes several species that are widely distributed throughout temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere. The development of microsatellites or simple sequence repeats (SSRs) for non-coding regions of the chloroplast genome and their higher sequence variation compared with coding regions has provided a higher resolution tool for the study of cultivars and closely related taxa. Chloroplast polymorphisms provide a marker system to evaluate the genetic structure of plant populations. This study investigated genetic diversity in three cultivars and 32 genotypes of Corylus avellana L. from Portugal: 13 wild genotypes and 19 Portuguese landraces. Four of ten cpSSR loci were polymorphic, with diversity indices ranging from 0.111 to 0.244. Eleven chlorotypes were detected, and their relationships were analyzed using a network model. Haplotype A was most frequent in landraces and cultivars. Four chlorotypes (H, I, J and L) were found only in wild hazelnuts. The diversity of chlorotypes in the wild hazels, and the limited number reported in cultivars, suggests that northern Portugal was a refuge for hazel during the last ice age. Content Type Journal Article Category Research Article Pages 1-7 DOI 10.1007/s10722-012-9919-2 Authors S. Martins, Department of Genetics and Biotechnology, University of Trás-os-Montes and Alto Douro, 5001-801 Vila Real, Portugal F. Simões, Molecular Biology Group (GBM)/Genetic Resources, Ecophysiology and Plant Breeding Unit, INRB, Estrada do Paço do Lumiar, 22, 1649-038 Lisbon, Portugal D. Mendonça, Molecular Biology Group (GBM)/Genetic Resources, Ecophysiology and Plant Breeding Unit, INRB, Estrada do Paço do Lumiar, 22, 1649-038 Lisbon, Portugal J. Matos, Molecular Biology Group (GBM)/Genetic Resources, Ecophysiology and Plant Breeding Unit, INRB, Estrada do Paço do Lumiar, 22, 1649-038 Lisbon, Portugal A. P. Silva, Centre for the Research and Technology of Agro-Environment and Biological Sciences, University of Trás-os-Montes and Alto Douro, 5001-801 Vila Real, Portugal V. Carnide, Department of Genetics and Biotechnology, University of Trás-os-Montes and Alto Douro, 5001-801 Vila Real, Portugal Journal Genetic Resources and Crop Evolution Online ISSN 1573-5109 Print ISSN 0925-9864

Description:    Genetic diversity among 19 Triticum aestivum accessions and 73 accessions of closely related species was analyzed using simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers. Forty-four out of 497 SSR markers were polymorphic. In total 274 alleles were detected (mean 6.32 alleles per locus). The polymorphic information content (PIC) of the loci ranged from 0.3589 to 0.8854 (mean 0.7538). The D genome contained the highest mean number of alleles (6.32) followed by the A and B genomes (6.13 and 5.94, respectively). The correlation between PIC and allele number was significant in all genome groups (0.7540, 0.7361 and 0.7482 for A, B and D genomes, respectively). Among the seven homologous chromosome groups, genetic diversity was lowest in group 7 and highest in group 5. In cluster and principal component analyses, all accessions grouped according to their genomes were consistent with their taxonomic classification. Accessions with the A and D genomes were clustered into two distinct groups, and AABB accessions showed abundant genetic diversity and a close relationship. Triticum durum and T. turgidum were clustered together, consistent with their morphological similarity. Cluster analysis indicated emmer is closely related to hexaploid wheat. Compared with common wheat, higher genetic variation was detected in spelt, T. aestivum subsp. yunnanense and subsp. tibetanum . In addition, a close genetic relationship between T. polonicum and T. macha was observed. The results of the clustering and principal component analyses were essentially consistent, but the latter method more explicitly displayed the relationships among wheat and closely related species. Content Type Journal Article Category Research Article Pages 1-13 DOI 10.1007/s10722-012-9907-6 Authors Yajuan Wang, State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Biology for Arid Areas, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, 712100 Shaanxi, China Changyou Wang, State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Biology for Arid Areas, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, 712100 Shaanxi, China Hong Zhang, State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Biology for Arid Areas, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, 712100 Shaanxi, China Zhongna Yue, College of Agronomy, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, 712100 Shaanxi, China Xinlun Liu, State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Biology for Arid Areas, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, 712100 Shaanxi, China Wanquan Ji, State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Biology for Arid Areas, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, 712100 Shaanxi, China Journal Genetic Resources and Crop Evolution Online ISSN 1573-5109 Print ISSN 0925-9864

Description:    The berries of eight plants of Vitis cinerea Engelm. ex Millardet growing in the mountains of the southern region of the State of Mexico, Mexico, during 2008–2010 (three seasons) were characterized according to the IPGRI descriptor. In addition, the fruit phenolics, total and reducing sugars and total soluble solids (TSS) were determined. Plant 169 produced over 100 fruits per bunch, with a berry weight of 0.32 g; these fruits presented an increased TSS value (20.4°B). The fruit phenolic content was increased in the berries of all the plants (at least 3 mg g −1 fresh weight) compared with the values reported for the commercial cultivars. Principal components 1 and 2 explained nearly 65 % of the observed variance. According to the biplot analysis, three groups were formed. Plants 169 and 183 were correlated with fruits per bunch, seeds per 10 fruits, the weight of berries per bunch, TSS, total sugars, bunch width and length. Plants 176, 188 and 129 were correlated with phenols, reducing sugars, seed weight in 10 fruits, seed length, the weight of 10 fruits, the weight of 100 seeds, and fruit and seed width. Additionally, plants 148, 180 and 184 were associated with peduncle length. Content Type Journal Article Category Notes on Neglected and Underutilized Crops Pages 1-8 DOI 10.1007/s10722-012-9908-5 Authors Omar Franco-Mora, Laboratorio de Horticultura, Centro de Investigación y Estudios Avanzados en Fitomejoramiento, Facultad de Ciencias Agrícolas, Universidad Autónoma del Estado de México, Campus El Cerrillo, C. P. 50000 Toluca, Mexico Sara Aguirre-Ortega, Laboratorio de Horticultura, Centro de Investigación y Estudios Avanzados en Fitomejoramiento, Facultad de Ciencias Agrícolas, Universidad Autónoma del Estado de México, Campus El Cerrillo, C. P. 50000 Toluca, Mexico Andrés González-Huerta, Facultad de Ciencias Agrícolas, Universidad Autónoma del Estado de México, Campus El Cerrillo, C. P. 50000 Toluca, Mexico Álvaro Castañeda-Vildózola, Facultad de Ciencias Agrícolas, Universidad Autónoma del Estado de México, Campus El Cerrillo, C. P. 50000 Toluca, Mexico Edgar Jesús Morales-Rosales, Facultad de Ciencias Agrícolas, Universidad Autónoma del Estado de México, Campus El Cerrillo, C. P. 50000 Toluca, Mexico Delfina de Jesús Pérez-López, Facultad de Ciencias Agrícolas, Universidad Autónoma del Estado de México, Campus El Cerrillo, C. P. 50000 Toluca, Mexico Journal Genetic Resources and Crop Evolution Online ISSN 1573-5109 Print ISSN 0925-9864

Description:    Dill ( Anethum graveolens L.) leaf, seed and their essential oil are rich source of antioxidants. The plant is native in Southwest Asia and is cultivated in Europe, India and the United States. This study evaluated the genetic diversity structure of 135 accessions of A. graveolens from different continents, based on random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) markers. The selected 10 RAPD primers generated a total of 142 highly reproducible bands, among which 89 were polymorphic. Percentage of polymorphism varied from 41.17 % (OPB20) to 92.85 % (OPB15) with an average of 77.74 %. A relatively high genetic diversity was detected among all the accessions with the Nei’s genetic diversity ( H ) values ranged from 0.346 (OPB07) to 0.444 (OPB18) with a mean of 0.401. When estimated for Shannon’s information index ( I ), it has ranged from 0.530 (OPB12) to 0.652 (OPB18), the mean was observed as 0.581. The respective values of H and I were found to be the highest value for primer OPB18. Cluster analysis of RAPD data using UPGMA algorithm based on Nei’s genetic similarity matrix placed the 135 accessions into two main clusters. Although a number of groups can be identified, the clusters show little to no association with the geographic origin of the material. The implication of the results of this study in developing a strategy for the conservation and breeding of dill germplasm are discussed. Content Type Journal Article Category Research Article Pages 1-11 DOI 10.1007/s10722-012-9886-7 Authors Sundan Suresh, National Agrobiodiversity Center, National Academy of Agricultural Science, Rural Development Administration, Suwon, 441-853 Republic of Korea Jong-Wook Chung, National Agrobiodiversity Center, National Academy of Agricultural Science, Rural Development Administration, Suwon, 441-853 Republic of Korea Jung-Sook Sung, National Agrobiodiversity Center, National Academy of Agricultural Science, Rural Development Administration, Suwon, 441-853 Republic of Korea Gyu-Taek Cho, National Agrobiodiversity Center, National Academy of Agricultural Science, Rural Development Administration, Suwon, 441-853 Republic of Korea Jong-Hyun Park, National Agrobiodiversity Center, National Academy of Agricultural Science, Rural Development Administration, Suwon, 441-853 Republic of Korea Mun Sup Yoon, National Agrobiodiversity Center, National Academy of Agricultural Science, Rural Development Administration, Suwon, 441-853 Republic of Korea Chung-Kon Kim, National Agrobiodiversity Center, National Academy of Agricultural Science, Rural Development Administration, Suwon, 441-853 Republic of Korea Hyung-Jin Baek, National Agrobiodiversity Center, National Academy of Agricultural Science, Rural Development Administration, Suwon, 441-853 Republic of Korea Journal Genetic Resources and Crop Evolution Online ISSN 1573-5109 Print ISSN 0925-9864

Description:    Variation of high molecular weight glutenin subunits (HMW-GS) in 28 Iranian Aegilops tauschii (2 n  = 2 x  = 14, DD) accessions studied by sodium dodecyl sulphate electrophoresis method (SDS-PAGE). The results showed high variation of HMW-GS in the accessions. The range of frequency in 14 HMW-GS combinations was 3.57–25 % in the accessions. AMOVA showed the molecular variance between the geographic areas was lower than within the geographic areas. According to Nei’s genetic diversity, the highest diversity levels were in Semnan, Golestan and Azarbayjan, on the other hand the lowest levels of diversity were found in Khorasan, Gilan and Mazandaran accessions. Hence, the Caspian Sea South East accessions also Azerbayjan in Iran have more diversity. AMOVA did not show variance between strangulata and tauschii but there was more genetic diversity in ssp. tauschii subspecies in comparison of ssp. strangulata according to Nei’s gene diversity and Shannon information index. It showed Iranian Ae. tauschii have a good potential for bread making quality improvement in bread wheat. Content Type Journal Article Category Research Article Pages 1-7 DOI 10.1007/s10722-012-9887-6 Authors Zahra Tahernezhad, Seed and Plant Certification and Registration Institute, Nabovvat BLVD, Karaj, Iran Zeyn-alabedin Musavi, Department of Agronomy and Plant Breeding, Zabol University, Zabol, Iran Mohammad Javad Zamani, Seed and Plant Improvement Institute, Karaj, Iran Mohammad Jafar Aghaei, National Plant Gene Bank of Iran, Karaj, Iran Bahram Rostam Foroudi, Seed and Plant Improvement Institute, Karaj, Iran Journal Genetic Resources and Crop Evolution Online ISSN 1573-5109 Print ISSN 0925-9864

Description:    The aim of present study was to explore and document medicinal plants used for the traditional dermatological healthcare management practices by the the Tharu tribal community of Uttar Pradesh. The study was conducted during 2000–2004. Information was gathered from 230 informants residing in 46 villages in Terai region of Indo-Nepal boarder using questionnaires; oral interviews and group discussions. Total 92 medicinal plant species were cited for the preparation of 113 crude drug formulations. Voucher specimens of cited plant species were collected and identified as belonging to 82 genera and 49 families. Thirty-nine medicinal plant species were reported for the first time for dermatological healthcare problems from India. The dermatological healthcare problems managed were cut and wounds, ringworm, leprosy, eczema, scabies, leucoderma, boils, carbuncles, pimples, skin blemishes, spots, eruption, and burns etc. The most commonly and popularly used medicinal plant species for management of dermatological healthcare problems in the study area were Curcuma longa L., Azadirachta indica A. Juss and Melia azedarach L. It is concluded that dermatological healthcare management practice in the study area depends largely on wildly growing medicinal plant species. There is an urgent need to properly conserve the medicinal plant species growing in this area for human welfare. There is also need for further phytopharmacological studies to provide scientific explanation for the usages of 57 medicinal plant species for which to the best of our knowledge phytopharmacological literatures are not available. Content Type Journal Article Category Research Article Pages 1-22 DOI 10.1007/s10722-012-9826-6 Authors Akhilesh Kumar, Department of Botany, Maharani Lal Kunwari Post Graduate College, Balrampur, 271 201 Uttar Pradesh, India Vimal Chandra Pandey, Department of Botany, Maharani Lal Kunwari Post Graduate College, Balrampur, 271 201 Uttar Pradesh, India Anant Gopal Singh, Department of Botany, Maharani Lal Kunwari Post Graduate College, Balrampur, 271 201 Uttar Pradesh, India Divya Darshan Tewari, Department of Botany, Maharani Lal Kunwari Post Graduate College, Balrampur, 271 201 Uttar Pradesh, India Journal Genetic Resources and Crop Evolution Online ISSN 1573-5109 Print ISSN 0925-9864

Description:    The contribution of farmers to the creation and maintenance of genetic diversity is beginning to receive more recognition in developed countries. Although the use of landraces and historic varieties has largely disappeared in countries with industrialized agricultural systems and formal seed markets, certain varieties with particular cultural significance have been continuously cultivated by farmers and other varieties have been preserved ex situ in genebanks. Recently, associations of organic farmers have become involved in the conservation and use of landraces and historic varieties (called farmer varieties in this article) because these varieties possess agronomic and quality traits that they have not found in modern varieties. In this study, eight farmer varieties of bread wheat from Europe selected by participating farmers were evaluated in on-farm trials during 3 years of cultivation. Each variety was grown on each farm, and phenotypic changes in each variety were measured the third year in a replicated split-plot trial on each farm comparing the version of each variety the farmer had multiplied to a sample of each variety from the region of origin. All varieties, including the two modern pureline varieties used as checks, showed statistically significant phenotypic changes over 3 years of multiplication. However, the magnitude of these changes was moderate and did not call into question varietal identity or distinctness. In addition, some traits of putative agronomic and adaptive importance, such as grain weight per spike and thousand kernel weight, did not respond positively to natural selection (environmental conditions and management practices) which suggests the necessity of farmer selection to maintain and improve varietal performance. Content Type Journal Article Category Research Article Pages 1-19 DOI 10.1007/s10722-012-9822-x Authors J. C. Dawson, UMR de Génétique Vegetale, Ferme du Moulon, 91190 Gif-sur-Yvette, France E. Serpolay, INRA SAD Paysage, 65 rue de St. Brieuc, 35042 Rennes, France S. Giuliano, Ecole d’Ingénieurs de Purpan, 75 voie du Toec, 31076 Toulouse, France N. Schermann, INRA SAD Paysage, 65 rue de St. Brieuc, 35042 Rennes, France N. Galic, UMR de Génétique Vegetale, Ferme du Moulon, 91190 Gif-sur-Yvette, France J.-F. Berthellot, Réseau Semences Paysannes Cazalens, 81600 Brens, France V. Chesneau, Réseau Semences Paysannes Cazalens, 81600 Brens, France H. Ferté, Réseau Semences Paysannes Cazalens, 81600 Brens, France F. Mercier, Réseau Semences Paysannes Cazalens, 81600 Brens, France A. Osman, Louis Bolk Institute, 3972 LA Driebergen, The Netherlands S. Pino, Istituto di Genetica e Sperimentazione Agraria, Lonigo, Veneto, Italy I. Goldringer, UMR de Génétique Vegetale, Ferme du Moulon, 91190 Gif-sur-Yvette, France Journal Genetic Resources and Crop Evolution Online ISSN 1573-5109 Print ISSN 0925-9864

Description:    In the present study, analyses of SSR molecular markers were performed to investigate the genetic diversity of 133 tuber mustard cultivars. Eighty-one pairs of SSR primers from a total of 600 in Brassica produced stable amplified bands. In addition, 810 bands were detected among the cultivars, and 724 of those were polymorphic (89.38 %). The average number of bands per locus was 10.0 with a range from 5 to 16. Shannon’s information index for each SSR locus varied from 0.52 to 3.72, with an average of 2.74. The coefficients of genetic similarity in the SSR marker patterns among the 133 cultivars ranged from 0.77 to 0.91, with an average of 0.85. The cluster analysis showed that the cultivars could be classified into six clusters when the genetic similarity was 0.83, with 90.23 % of the cultivars included in Clusters 5 and 6. Principal component analysis was carried based on the SSR data. The results showed that the first three principal components could explain the genetic variation with 85.47, 0.67, and 0.61 %, and the 133 cultivars could be divided into six clusters according to the nearest phylogenetic relationship. It was indicated that the similarity was high and the genetic diversity was narrow among the 133 mustard tuber cultivars. 360 individuals from 24 cultivars were analyzed to reveal the genetic structure and genetic diversity within cultivars. A total of 925 alleles were detected in the 24 cultivars. Estimates of the mean number of alleles ‘A’, the effective allelic number ‘A e ’, the observed heterozygosity ‘H o ’, and expected heterozygosity ‘H e ’ were 6.0, 3.6, 0.64, and 0.37, respectively. An obvious genetic deviation from Hardy–Weinberg expectation was observed both among and within cultivars and a considerable genetic variation was revealed within rather than among cultivars. It is necessary to broaden the genetic basis of the breeding germplasm in tuber mustard. Based on their geographical distributions, the tuber mustard cultivars in this study can be divided into up-Yangtze river, mid-Yangtze river, and down-Yangtze river groups. Genetic diversity was highest in mid-Yangtze river group, followed by up-Yangtze river group, and then down-Yangtze river group. It was presumed that the origin center or genetic diversity center of tuber mustard was mid-Yangtze river, and the crop was transmitted along the Yangtze river in both directions. Content Type Journal Article Category Research Article Pages 1-15 DOI 10.1007/s10722-012-9821-y Authors Ping Fang, Department of Life Sciences, Yangtze Normal University, Fuling, 408100 People’s Republic of China Fa-Bo Chen, Department of Life Sciences, Yangtze Normal University, Fuling, 408100 People’s Republic of China Qi-Lun Yao, Department of Life Sciences, Yangtze Normal University, Fuling, 408100 People’s Republic of China Ke-Cheng Yang, Key Laboratory of Crop Genetic Resources and Improvement, Maize Research Institute, Sichuan Agricultual University, Yaan, 625014 People’s Republic of China Guang-Fan Zhou, Fuling Agricultural Science Institute of Chongqing, Fuling, 408000 People’s Republic of China Yong-Hong Fan, Fuling Agricultural Science Institute of Chongqing, Fuling, 408000 People’s Republic of China Zhao-Rong Zhang, Fuling Agricultural Science Institute of Chongqing, Fuling, 408000 People’s Republic of China Jin-Juan Shen, Fuling Agricultural Science Institute of Chongqing, Fuling, 408000 People’s Republic of China Hong Zhang, Fuling Agricultural Science Institute of Chongqing, Fuling, 408000 People’s Republic of China Journal Genetic Resources and Crop Evolution Online ISSN 1573-5109 Print ISSN 0925-9864

Description: Åsmund Bjørnstad: Vårt daglege brød—kornets kulturhistorie [Our daily bread—the biological and the cultural history of the cereals] Content Type Journal Article Category Book Review Pages 1-2 DOI 10.1007/s10722-012-9829-3 Authors Axel Diederichsen, Plant Gene Resources of Canada, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, 107 Science Place, Saskatoon, SK S7N 0X2, Canada Journal Genetic Resources and Crop Evolution Online ISSN 1573-5109 Print ISSN 0925-9864

Description:    Diospyros kaki Thunb. originated in Eastern Asia, as evidenced of its culture in China as early as several centuries B.C. In the seventh century, persimmon was introduced to Japan and later, in the fourteenth century to Korea. There is no information about persimmon culture in Europe until the seventeenth century, with the spread over the world occurring in the eighteenth century. The genus Diospyros contains more than 400 species, with levels of ploidy ranging from diploid (2n = 2x = 30) up to nonaploid (2n = 9x = 135). The primary economic crop species is Diospyros kaki Thunb., which is mainly hexaploid (2n = 6x = 90) and includes hundreds of cultivars. Although a relatively recent introduction in Europe, the species has adapted well, and the genetic diversity have been expanded with culture and selection for the past 200 years in the Mediterranean basin. These locally adapted cultivars were evaluated with cultivars from Asian origin in a germplasm collection established at IVIA in Valencia, Spain. In this paper 27 cultivars from the IVIA collection were studied by multivariate analysis, and 37 variables were analyzed using a Principal Components Analysis and cluster analysis following the method UPGMA. Studies on correlations and significance among variables identified the most relevant ones, and thus provided information for a future core collection. Content Type Journal Article Category Research Article Pages 1-9 DOI 10.1007/s10722-012-9828-4 Authors J. Martínez-Calvo, Instituto Valenciano de Investigaciones Agrarias (IVIA), Apartado Oficial 46113, Moncada, Valencia, Spain M. Naval, Instituto Valenciano de Investigaciones Agrarias (IVIA), Apartado Oficial 46113, Moncada, Valencia, Spain E. Zuriaga, Instituto Valenciano de Investigaciones Agrarias (IVIA), Apartado Oficial 46113, Moncada, Valencia, Spain G. Llácer, Instituto Valenciano de Investigaciones Agrarias (IVIA), Apartado Oficial 46113, Moncada, Valencia, Spain M. L. Badenes, Instituto Valenciano de Investigaciones Agrarias (IVIA), Apartado Oficial 46113, Moncada, Valencia, Spain Journal Genetic Resources and Crop Evolution Online ISSN 1573-5109 Print ISSN 0925-9864

Description:    Emmer wheat ( Triticum dicoccon Schrank) is still largely cultivated in India, and highly appreciated for the preparation of traditional dishes. Moreover, its nutritional characteristics could justify a development of its cultivation. The perspective of genetic improvement however requires a good knowledge of the genetic diversity existing within the eco-geographic group of Indian emmer wheats. A set of 48 emmer wheat accessions from India including 28 from a local collection and 20 Indian accessions obtained from CIMMYT, Mexico, was assessed for genetic variability using 47 microsatellite (SSR) markers, distributed over all the 14 chromosomes. The number of alleles per locus ranged from 2 to 9, with an average of 3.87 alleles per locus. A total of 201 alleles were detected at 52 loci with average polymorphic information content of 0.35 per locus and a mean resolving power of 1. The pair-wise similarity coefficients calculated from binary data matrix based on presence or absence of alleles varied from 0.15 to 0.98, but was greater than 0.5 for most accessions, indicating a high level of similarity. A cluster analysis based on the similarity matrix identified nine distinct accessions and three clusters. All the recently developed commercial varieties were distinctly different from the clusters. Based on the analysis, it appears that Indian emmer wheats are not very diverse. Consequently, there is a need to increase the diversity within the Indian emmer wheat eco-geographic group, by introducing diversity from other eco-geographic groups, or even from other wheat species. Content Type Journal Article Category Research Article Pages 1-10 DOI 10.1007/s10722-012-9823-9 Authors Arvindkumar Salunkhe, Genetics Group, Agharkar Research Institute, Agarkar Road, Pune, 411004 India Shubhada Tamhankar, Genetics Group, Agharkar Research Institute, Agarkar Road, Pune, 411004 India Sujata Tetali, Genetics Group, Agharkar Research Institute, Agarkar Road, Pune, 411004 India Maria Zaharieva, Centro Internacional de Maiz y Trigo (CIMMYT), A. P. 6-641, 06600 Mexico, DF, Mexico David Bonnett, Centro Internacional de Maiz y Trigo (CIMMYT), A. P. 6-641, 06600 Mexico, DF, Mexico Richard Trethowan, Plant Breeding Institute, University of Sydney, 107 Cobbitty Road, Cobbitty, NSW, Australia Satish Misra, Genetics Group, Agharkar Research Institute, Agarkar Road, Pune, 411004 India Journal Genetic Resources and Crop Evolution Online ISSN 1573-5109 Print ISSN 0925-9864

Description: Visitor information often serves as the basis for the management plan of parks. However, there exist few scientific and fundamental surveys for parks and open spaces in Japan. We analyzed the correlation between the number of visitors and the various factors in a suburban open space in a northern Japanese city, Takino Park. To explain the fluctuations in the number of visitors in Takino Park, multiple regression analyses with the stepwise method were conducted. The analyses employed social factors and meteorological factors, such as the day of the week, school vacations, temperature and the weather. The results show that the most influential factor is the day of the week, i.e., Sundays and holidays. The weather is also influential as the number of visitors decreases on rainy and snowy days. Comparing different seasons of the year, we found that influential factors varied from one season to the other. A key distinguishing finding of our results is that the weather conditions at the departure site and the weather forecast are also determining factors. These findings will help park managers understand the current situations and examine future management strategies to maintain and enhance visitor satisfaction, and improve information services.

Description:    Twenty two germplasm accessions of Cordia myxa were collected from Rajasthan and established at the field gene bank for conservation and evaluation. Morphological characterization of 10 year-old trees for 17 traits indicated wide variations among the accessions tested. Higher number of flowers per cyme was found in accession ACHM11 and higher pulp:stone ratio in AHCM25. Overall, AHCM22 was found to be a superior germplasm line for most of the horticulturally useful traits among the accessions tested as it had higher percent of fruit set, pulp:stone ratio and fruit weight. High significant positive correlation was obtained between leaf, fruit characters and pulp:stone ratio. However, these characters were found to be negatively correlated with number of flowers per cyme. Out of 50 random decamer primers used for random amplification (RAPD), 25 were polymorphic. Average polymorphism resolved by these markers among these accessions was 69.8% with an average polymorphic information content of 0.43. Genetic diversity revealed by Jaccard’s co-efficient was between 0.44 and 0.94, and three major clusters were identified among these accessions by phylogenetic analysis using NTSYSpc-2.02e software. RAPD markers associated with leaf size and pulp:stone ratio were also identified. This study shows the existence of high genetic diversity among these accessions. Content Type Journal Article Category Notes on Neglected and Underutilized Crops Pages 305-316 DOI 10.1007/s10722-011-9781-7 Authors P. N. Sivalingam, Central Institute for Arid Horticulture (ICAR), NH-15, SriGanganagar Road, Beechwal, Bikaner, 334006 India Dhurendra Singh, Central Institute for Arid Horticulture (ICAR), NH-15, SriGanganagar Road, Beechwal, Bikaner, 334006 India Sarita Chauhan, Central Institute for Arid Horticulture (ICAR), NH-15, SriGanganagar Road, Beechwal, Bikaner, 334006 India Journal Genetic Resources and Crop Evolution Online ISSN 1573-5109 Print ISSN 0925-9864 Journal Volume Volume 59 Journal Issue Volume 59, Number 2

Description:    109 Pyrus accessions including 92 local Chinese accessions of P. bretschneideri were identified genetically using nine microsatellite loci developed from apple and pear. The nine SSR loci revealed 129 alleles in 109 pear accessions and 114 alleles in 92 Chinese white pears. Among the 92 local Chinese accessions of P. bretschneideri , 70 could be differentiated successfully except for 10 sets of synonymous or mutants. For the 92 accessions, the number of putative alleles per locus ranged from seven to 18, with an average of 12.67; the average values of observed heterozygosity and Shannon’s Information index were 0.60 and 1.85, respectively. A phenogram based on the SSR (simple sequence repeat) genotypes was obtained. The 109 accessions clustered into 11 groups based on geographical origin. The European pears and the Asian pears did not form independent two groups, but three P. communis cultivars grouped together independently. The Japanese P. pyrifolia cultivars mingled together with the Chinese P. bretschneideri cultivars, but four P. ussuriensis cultivars except for one (Jianbali) grouped together independently. The results indicated that the relationship of P. bretschneideri cultivars and P. pyrifolia cultivars was much closer than others. Content Type Journal Article Category Research Article Pages 317-326 DOI 10.1007/s10722-011-9785-3 Authors Luming Tian, Research Institute of Pomology, CAAS/Key Laboratory of Fruit Germplasm Resources Utilization, Ministry of Agriculture, Xingcheng, 125100 Liaoning, China Yuan Gao, Research Institute of Pomology, CAAS/Key Laboratory of Fruit Germplasm Resources Utilization, Ministry of Agriculture, Xingcheng, 125100 Liaoning, China Yufen Cao, Research Institute of Pomology, CAAS/Key Laboratory of Fruit Germplasm Resources Utilization, Ministry of Agriculture, Xingcheng, 125100 Liaoning, China Fengzhi Liu, Research Institute of Pomology, CAAS/Key Laboratory of Fruit Germplasm Resources Utilization, Ministry of Agriculture, Xingcheng, 125100 Liaoning, China Jun Yang, Research Institute of Pomology, CAAS/Key Laboratory of Fruit Germplasm Resources Utilization, Ministry of Agriculture, Xingcheng, 125100 Liaoning, China Journal Genetic Resources and Crop Evolution Online ISSN 1573-5109 Print ISSN 0925-9864 Journal Volume Volume 59 Journal Issue Volume 59, Number 3

Description: Long-term changes for invasive trees and shrubs presence in 16 floras encompassing four remnant urban forests of the coastal northeastern United States were examined for relationships with arboricultural introductions’ residence time and planting intensity, and state level recognition of regional invasive woody taxa. The number of invasive woody taxa significantly increased over the period 1818 to 2011 which encompasses the 16 floras. No significant Pearson product moment correlations were found for residence time as the year of introduction to arboriculture with presence in the 16 floras as well as with the 4 most recent floras. In contrast to residence time, planting intensity from the North American flora and two botanical gardens floras of the region from 1811 to 1818 and New York and Philadelphia parks floras from 1857 to 1903 did have significant correlations with the 16 floras and the 4 most recent floras. State level recognition of regional invasive woody taxa showed significant correlations with presence in all 16 floras as well as the 4 most recent floras. Monitoring for range expansion by the regional invasive woody taxa is essential because only 18% of the 98 taxa are present in all 4 of the most recent floras.

Description: Forest management strategies and policies such as REDD (reduced emissions from deforestation and forest degradation) may have unintentional implications for forest sectors in countries not targeted by such policies. The success of a policy effort like REDD would result in a significant reduction in deforestation and forest degradation and an ensuing reduction in the supply of natural forest timber production within participating countries. This could in turn result in price increases, inducing a supply response outside project boundaries with possible implications for forest management as well as global carbon emissions. This paper reviews the literature to discern potential timber market implications for countries sourcing wood products from developing countries affected by REDD related conservation efforts. The literature reviewed shows varying degrees of market effects leakage—policy actions in one place creating incentives for third parties to increase timber harvesting elsewhere through the price mechanism—ranging from negligible to substantial. However, wood products in the studies reviewed are dealt with on quite an aggregated scale and are assumed to be more or less perfect substitutes for wood products outside conservation effort boundaries. The review suggests that a thorough mapping of the end-uses of tropical timber is needed to comprehensively analyze impacts on wood-product markets in regions such as Europe from conservation efforts in tropical developing countries. The types of tropical timber expected to be affected, in which applications they are used, which are the most likely substitutes and where they would be sourced, are issues that, along with empirical analysis of supply and demand price elasticities and degree of substitutability, should be investigated when assessing the overall effectiveness of REDD.

Description: Understanding the spatial pattern of ecosystem services is important for effective environmental policy and decision-making. In this study, we use a geospatial decision-support tool (Marxan) to identify conservation priorities for habitat and a suite of ecosystem services (storage carbon, soil retention and water yield) in the Upper Paraná Atlantic Forest from Misiones, Argentina—an area of global conservation priority. Using these results, we then evaluate the efficiency of existing protected areas in conserving both habitat and ecosystem services. Selected areas for conserving habitat had an overlap of carbon and soil ecosystem services. Yet, selected areas for water yield did not have this overlap. Furthermore, selected areas with relatively high overlap of ecosystem services tended to be inside protected areas; however, other important areas for ecosystem services (i.e., central highlands) do not have legal protection, revealing the importance of enforcing existing environmental regulations in these areas.

Description:    Madagascar has 59 species of Coffea, of which 42 are listed as Critically Endangered, Endangered, or Vulnerable by criteria of the Red List Category system of the World Conservation Union. In an attempt to assess the conservation value of ex situ collections of Malagasy coffee species, a study was undertaken using the field genebank collections maintained at the Kianjavato Coffee Research Station. Three species were selected for this purpose, C. kianjavatensis, C. montis - sacri, and C. vatovavyensis , and for comparative purposes extant, in situ populations of the same species were studied. Parentage analyses of ex situ propagated offspring of C. kianjavatensis and C. montis - sacri were performed to assess if crossing with other Coffea species maintained in the field genebank is compromising the genetic integrity of the collection. For these three species, higher genetic diversity was observed in the ex situ populations compared to the in situ populations, highlighting the importance of preserving the plants currently in ex situ collections. Parentage analyses of seed-propagated offspring of C. kianjavatensis and C. montis - sacri revealed that cross contamination with pollen from other Coffea species in the ex situ field genebank is occurring. These results have significant implications for the conservation management of wild Coffea species and for the management of ex situ genebanks. Content Type Journal Article Category Research Article Pages 1-16 DOI 10.1007/s10722-012-9898-3 Authors Sarada Krishnan, Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO 80309, USA Tom A. Ranker, Division of Environmental Biology, National Science Foundation, 4201 Wilson Blvd, Arlington, VA 22230, USA Aaron P. Davis, The Herbarium, Library, Art and Archives, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, Richmond, Surrey, TW9 3AB UK Jean Jacques Rakotomalala, FOFIFA-DRA, P.O. Box 1444, 101 Antananarivo, Madagascar Journal Genetic Resources and Crop Evolution Online ISSN 1573-5109 Print ISSN 0925-9864

Description:    A collection of 220 accessions of parsley ( Petroselinum crispum [Mill.] Nyman) was evaluated at two experimental stations (Gatersleben and Quedlinburg, Germany) under natural infection. Widespread origins of tested accessions provide the opportunity for first-time characterization of existence, spreading and level of resistance/susceptibility to the economically important pathogens Septoria petroselini Desm., Plasmopara petroselini Săvul. et O. Săvul. and Erysiphe heraclei DC. ex Saint-Aman causing Septoria blight, downy mildew and powdery mildew respectively throughout the species P. crispum . For each pathogen, accessions free or nearly free of symptoms were found: S. petroselini : free 1, nearly free 25, P. petroselini : free 51, nearly free 22 and E. heraclei : free 166. Eight accessions are free or nearly free of symptoms for all three pathogens: PET36, PET169, PET172, PET177, PET178, PET192, PET212 and PET214. The accession PET16 is free of symptoms for both S. petroselini and P. petroselini . Most of the resistant material comes from Southern and Eastern Europe. There could be a centre for resistances of parsley. Content Type Journal Article Category Research Article Pages 1-14 DOI 10.1007/s10722-012-9897-4 Authors F. Marthe, Institute for Breeding Research on Horticultural and Fruit Crops-Quedlinburg (ZGO-Q), Julius Kuehn Institute, Federal Research Centre for Cultivated Plants, Erwin-Baur-Str. 27, 06484 Quedlinburg, Germany T. Bruchmüller, Institute for Breeding Research on Horticultural and Fruit Crops-Quedlinburg (ZGO-Q), Julius Kuehn Institute, Federal Research Centre for Cultivated Plants, Erwin-Baur-Str. 27, 06484 Quedlinburg, Germany A. Börner, Leibniz Institute of Plant Genetics and Crop Plant Research Gatersleben, Corrensstr. 3, 06466 Stadt Seeland, Germany U. Lohwasser, Leibniz Institute of Plant Genetics and Crop Plant Research Gatersleben, Corrensstr. 3, 06466 Stadt Seeland, Germany Journal Genetic Resources and Crop Evolution Online ISSN 1573-5109 Print ISSN 0925-9864

Description:    Panicum virgatum L. (switchgrass) is an obligate outcrossing C 4 perennial prairie grass currently being pursued for the production of lignocellulosic ethanol. Commercial production of switchgrass for bioenergy has increased substantially in the United States. Understanding the degree of native genetic diversity within and among switchgrass populations will facilitate effective germplasm improvement, conservation, and management programs. In this study, the genetic diversity and differentiation among natural and agronomic switchgrass populations were analyzed at the molecular level by using random amplified polymorphic (RAPD) DNA markers. The mean genetic diversity among populations ranged from 0.051 ± 0.136 to 0.243 ± 0.214 and the mean genetic similarity among all the switchgrass populations was 0.775. The clustering pattern of switchgrass populations grouped the individuals based on their sites of origin, with agronomic cultivars predominantly separated into distinct clusters. The grouping of individuals within and across the populations was corroborated by principal component analysis. These results are consistent with previous reports for switchgrass accessions. RAPD DNA markers were suitable for quickly estimating the genetic diversity of native and agronomic switchgrass populations, and suggest that introgression of agronomic genes into natural switchgrass populations and subsequent changes in genetic structure may be detectable. Content Type Journal Article Category Research Article Pages 1-12 DOI 10.1007/s10722-012-9903-x Authors Madhugiri Nageswara-Rao, Department of Plant Sciences, The University of Tennessee, 252 Ellington Plant Sciences, 2431 Joe Johnson Dr., Knoxville, TN 37996, USA C. Neal Stewart Jr., Department of Plant Sciences, The University of Tennessee, 252 Ellington Plant Sciences, 2431 Joe Johnson Dr., Knoxville, TN 37996, USA Charles Kwit, Department of Plant Sciences, The University of Tennessee, 252 Ellington Plant Sciences, 2431 Joe Johnson Dr., Knoxville, TN 37996, USA Journal Genetic Resources and Crop Evolution Online ISSN 1573-5109 Print ISSN 0925-9864

Description:    The preservation of plant genetic resources involves the conservation of the microbial biota associated with them. The presence of culturable bacteria in a series of 16 bean seed batches, corresponding to nine local bean varieties, stored in a germplasm bank was studied by amplifying and sequencing the 16S rDNA. Microorganisms identified in seed lots were classified into three groups: environmental biota (present in all samples), biota characteristic of humans and animals (present in 53 % of samples) and phytopathogenic biota (present in 19 % of samples). Genus diversity ranged between 0.6931 and 2.0942 according to the Shannon–Weaver Index (H’), the sample presenting the highest number of plant pathogenic bacteria being the most diverse. This result suggests that contrary to common practice in diagnostic laboratories, it is necessary to identify all culturable bacteria isolates from each sample. In addition, the fact that potentially phytopathogenic bacteria have been preserved in a genebank should emphasize the importance of rigorous sanitary controls for plant genetic resources. Content Type Journal Article Category Short Communication Pages 1-7 DOI 10.1007/s10722-012-9902-y Authors Estefanía Trapiello, Laboratorio de Fitopatología, Servicio Regional de Investigación y Desarrollo Agroalimentario (SERIDA), Carretera de Oviedo s/n, 33300 Villaviciosa, Asturias, Spain Ana J. González, Laboratorio de Fitopatología, Servicio Regional de Investigación y Desarrollo Agroalimentario (SERIDA), Carretera de Oviedo s/n, 33300 Villaviciosa, Asturias, Spain Journal Genetic Resources and Crop Evolution Online ISSN 1573-5109 Print ISSN 0925-9864

Description: Site index (SI) curves for H20 (dominant height at 20 years total age) were constructed for hybrid larch (Larix × eurolepis Henry) growing in 26 stands on former farmland in southern and central Sweden (Latitude 56–60° N.). The mean total age of the stands was 23 ± 10 (range 17–49) years; the mean diameter at breast height (ob) was 16 (7–34) cm; the mean height was 14 (8–29) m; and the stands had a mean density of 993 (266–2195) stems ha−1. A model derived by Cieszewski (2001) performed best for the data. The model explained 99% of the observed variation in height development. No apparent bias across the range of predicted site indices was found. SI was examined in relation to soil types. Multiple samples were available for three soil types: light clay, medium clay and till. There were no significant differences between these soil types with respect to the choice of SI curve.

Description:    Jerusalem artichoke is a diversely-utilized crop. Selection for high yield, inulin content and other economically important traits are useful for improving this crop. The objectives of the present study were to evaluate genetic variability for qualitative and quantitative traits among Jerusalem artichoke accessions and to identify different groups of accessions using morphological and agronomic traits. Seventy-nine accessions were evaluated in a randomized complete block design with two replications in the late rainy season 2008, the early rainy season 2009 and the late rainy season 2009 at Khon Kaen University agronomy farm, Thailand. Morphological and agronomic characteristics were evaluated for genetic variations. High variations were found among Jerusalem artichoke accessions for qualitative and quantitative characters, and selection for these characters is possible. High variations were observed for tuber width, number of tubers/plant, biomass, fresh tuber yield and tuber size. Correlation coefficient between fresh tuber yield and tuber size was positive and significant (0.58, P  ≤ 0.01). Improvement of tuber size is a means to improve yield and tuber quality. Based on morphological and agronomic characteristics, Jerusalem artichoke accessions were clustered into four distinct groups (R 2  = 0.88). These groups may be used as parental material to generate progenies for further improvement of this crop. This information will enable breeders to make informed decisions about possible heterotic groups for their breeding programs and germplasm conservation. Content Type Journal Article Category Research Article Pages 1-16 DOI 10.1007/s10722-012-9870-2 Authors Ratchanee Puttha, Department of Plant Science and Agricultural Resources, Faculty of Agriculture, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen, 40002 Thailand Sanun Jogloy, Department of Plant Science and Agricultural Resources, Faculty of Agriculture, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen, 40002 Thailand Bhalang Suriharn, Department of Plant Science and Agricultural Resources, Faculty of Agriculture, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen, 40002 Thailand Preeya Puangsomlee Wangsomnuk, Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen, 40002 Thailand Thawan Kesmala, Department of Plant Science and Agricultural Resources, Faculty of Agriculture, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen, 40002 Thailand Aran Patanothai, Department of Plant Science and Agricultural Resources, Faculty of Agriculture, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen, 40002 Thailand Journal Genetic Resources and Crop Evolution Online ISSN 1573-5109 Print ISSN 0925-9864

Description:    The US Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, National Clonal Germplasm Repository in Corvallis, Oregon, preserves more than 800 accessions of hazelnut ( Corylus ), including C. avellana cultivars and representatives of 10 other recognized shrub and tree species. Characterization and study of genetic diversity in this collection require cross-transferable markers, such as trinucleotide microsatellite or simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers and universal chloroplast SSR markers. We developed new SSR markers and evaluated 114 Corylus accessions representing 11 species and 44 interspecific hybrids. Eight of 23 SSRs generated easy-to-score alleles in all species and seven were highly polymorphic. For those seven, the average heterozygosity was moderate at 0.49, and mean allele number, genetic diversity and polymorphism information index were high at 11.71, 0.79 and 0.76, respectively. The three most polymorphic SSRs were CaC-C008, CaC-C040 and CaC-C118. Neighbor-joining (NJ) clustering and structure analysis agreed with classical taxonomic analysis and supported inclusion of C. maxima within the large polymorphic species, C. avellana . Analysis also indicated that C. californica is a distinct species rather than a botanical variety of C. cornuta . Six universal cpSSRs were polymorphic in Corylus and generated 21 distinct chlorotypes with an average of 3 alleles per locus. Diversity at these cpSSRs was high and ranged from 0.33 to 0.64, with an average of 0.54. Incongruence in NJ topologies between the nuclear and chloroplast markers could be attributed to chloroplast capture related to hybridization during the ancestral diversification of the genus, or to homoplasy. The phylogeographical relationships among the 21 chlorotypes in the 11 Corylus species support Asia as a refugium where several hazelnut lineages survived during glaciation and from which they continued to evolve after dispersal from Asia through the Mediterranean to Europe, and across the Atlantic and/or the Bering land bridge to North America. Content Type Journal Article Category Research Article Pages 1-26 DOI 10.1007/s10722-012-9857-z Authors Nahla Bassil, United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), Agricultural Research Service (ARS), National Clonal Germplasm Repository (NCGR), 33447 Peoria Road, Corvallis, OR 97333, USA Paolo Boccacci, Plant Virology Institute, National Research Council (IVV-CNR), UOS of Grugliasco, Via Leonardo da Vinci, 44, 10095 Grugliasco, TO, Italy Roberto Botta, Dipartimento di Colture Arboree, Università degli Studi di Torino, Via Leonardo da Vinci, 44, 10095 Grugliasco, TO, Italy Joseph Postman, United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), Agricultural Research Service (ARS), National Clonal Germplasm Repository (NCGR), 33447 Peoria Road, Corvallis, OR 97333, USA Shawn Mehlenbacher, Department of Horticulture, Oregon State University, Agricultural and Life Sciences Bldg., 4017, Corvallis, OR 97331, USA Journal Genetic Resources and Crop Evolution Online ISSN 1573-5109 Print ISSN 0925-9864

Description:    The tricepiro “Don René INTA” is an artificial hybrid with 2n = 42 chromosomes, including 14 rye (RR) and 28 wheat (AABB) chromosomes, with introgression of Thinopyrum ponticum (Podp.) Barkw. et Dewey on chromosome 6A. The aim of this work was to study the spatial distribution of the genomes and chromosomes of rye and wheat in metaphase cells from the root tip of this hybrid. The rye chromosomes were recognized by genome in situ hybridization using total genomic DNA as a probe of rye and wheat DNA as the blocking agent. Two points were determined in each cell: one representing the genomic mean distance of rye chromosomes (G R MD) and the other the genomic mean distance of wheat chromosomes (G W MD). The distance between the rye chromosomes and G R MD and G W MD showed no statistically significant difference, thus indicating that there would be no differential spatial domains for both genomes. The fluorescence in situ hybridization analysis of rye chromosomes using the pSc119.2 probe suggested that all chromosome pairs present somatic association in mitotic metaphase. Content Type Journal Article Category Short Communication Pages 1-6 DOI 10.1007/s10722-012-9875-x Authors Maia Fradkin, Laboratorio de Citogenética y Evolución, Departamento de Ecología, Genética y Evolución, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Intendente Güiraldes 2160—Ciudad Universitaria, C1428EGA Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires, Argentina María Rosa Ferrari, Física Biológica, Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires, Argentina María Isabel Remis, Laboratorio de Genética de la Estructura Poblacional, Departamento de Ecología, Genética y Evolución, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires, Argentina Eduardo José Greizerstein, Facultad de Ciencias Agrarias, Universidad Nacional de Lomas de Zamora, Lomas de Zamora, Prov. Buenos Aires, Argentina Lidia Poggio, Laboratorio de Citogenética y Evolución, Departamento de Ecología, Genética y Evolución, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Intendente Güiraldes 2160—Ciudad Universitaria, C1428EGA Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires, Argentina Journal Genetic Resources and Crop Evolution Online ISSN 1573-5109 Print ISSN 0925-9864

Description:    Hessian fly, Mayetiola destructor (Say), Russian wheat aphid (RWA), Diuraphis noxia (Kurdjumov), and Sunn pest, Eurygaster integriceps (Puton), are among the most important insect pests of wheat in North Africa, West and Central Asia. Host plant resistance is the most economical, environmentally friendly and practical means of controlling insect pests. Through field and greenhouse screening, several sources of resistance to Hessian fly, RWA and Sunn pest have been identified in wheat and its wild relatives. To further broaden the genetic base of resistance to these pests, 914 fixed lines of synthetic hexaploid wheat (SHW) commonly designated as primary synthetic wheat were evaluated for resistance to Hessian fly, RWA and Sunn pest. The initial screenings for RWA and Sunn pest were carried out in the field at Tel Hadya, Aleppo, Syria, and for Hessian fly in the greenhouse at Tel Hadya during the 2009 and 2010 seasons. Promising accessions from the initial screening for Hessian fly, RWA and Sunn pest were evaluated for confirmation in replicated trials in the greenhouse and field. Fifteen SHWs showed high levels of resistance to Hessian fly and four showed moderate resistance. A wheat line derived from the cross ( Triticum turgidum / T. dicoccoides ) also showed a high level of resistance to Hessian fly. The level of resistance to RWA in SHW was considerably lower; only one SHW and one durum wheat ‘Altar 84’ exhibited a high level of resistance, while four SHW were moderately resistant. There were 21 SHW genotypes and one durum wheat ‘Langdon’ found resistant to Sunn pest feeding at the vegetative stage. Crosses between these potentially novel resistance sources and elite bread wheat were initiated. Genetic and genomic studies using these accessions are ongoing to identify and characterize the resistance genes and reveal potentially new resistance genes, which will be useful in breeding programs to develop wheat germplasm with multiple resistances to these pests. Content Type Journal Article Category Research Article Pages 1-7 DOI 10.1007/s10722-012-9861-3 Authors M. El Bouhssini, International Center for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas (ICARDA), Aleppo, Syria F. C. Ogbonnaya, International Center for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas (ICARDA), Aleppo, Syria M. Chen, USDA-ARS and Department of Entomology, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS 66506, USA S. Lhaloui, Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique (INRA), Settat, Morocco F. Rihawi, International Center for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas (ICARDA), Aleppo, Syria A. Dabbous, International Center for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas (ICARDA), Aleppo, Syria Journal Genetic Resources and Crop Evolution Online ISSN 1573-5109 Print ISSN 0925-9864

Description:    Red–yellow ( Pisum fulvum Sibth. et Sm.) and Ethiopian ( Pisum abyssinicum A. Br.) peas have become of increasing interest to breeders in the last decade, as they have been found to be partially or completely tolerant to various biotic stresses, such as to attack by pea weevil, mildew blight or rust. A trial was carried out at the Institute of Field and Vegetable Crops at Rimski Šančevi from 2005 to 2007, with 13 accessions each of red–yellow and Ethiopian peas sown at 100 viable seeds m −2 , in plots of 0.5 m 2 . Seed yield per plant in red–yellow pea was significantly and positively correlated with seed number per plant ( r  = 0.881**), pod number per plant ( r  = 0.839**) and number of fertile nodes ( r  = 0.820**). The highest positive correlation among the agronomic characteristics in Ethiopian pea was between number of fertile nodes and number of pods ( r  = 0.937**). Seed yield in Ethiopian pea was highly significantly correlated with number of seeds ( r  = 0.807**), pods ( r  = 0.692*), and fertile nodes ( r  = 0.638*). The results suggest that plant morphology of the progenies between red–yellow or Ethiopian peas and grain-type common pea could not differ significantly from that of individual parents. That means that it could be possible to develop hybrid lines that could keep the desirable morphological traits of grain-type common pea, such as lodging-tolerance and high seed yields, and to make an introgression of a specific resistance from wild pea taxa, especially by back-crosses with the former. However, one must always be aware of unpredicted outcomes as a result of rather different genetic basis of individual seed yield components. Content Type Journal Article Category Research Article Pages 1-10 DOI 10.1007/s10722-012-9862-2 Authors Aleksandar Mikić, Institute of Field and Vegetable Crops, Novi Sad, Serbia Vojislav Mihailović, Institute of Field and Vegetable Crops, Novi Sad, Serbia Miodrag Dimitrijević, Department of Field and Vegetable Crops, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Novi Sad, Novi Sad, Serbia Sofija Petrović, Department of Field and Vegetable Crops, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Novi Sad, Novi Sad, Serbia Branko Ćupina, Department of Field and Vegetable Crops, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Novi Sad, Novi Sad, Serbia Vuk Đorđević, Institute of Field and Vegetable Crops, Novi Sad, Serbia Valentin Kosev, Institute of Forage Crops, Pleven, Bulgaria Branko Milošević, Institute of Field and Vegetable Crops, Novi Sad, Serbia Živko Jovanović, Institute for Molecular Genetics and Genetic Engineering, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia Željko Milovac, Institute of Field and Vegetable Crops, Novi Sad, Serbia Journal Genetic Resources and Crop Evolution Online ISSN 1573-5109 Print ISSN 0925-9864

Description: Eastern forests of the US are valued both as a carbon sink and a wood resource. The amount of biomass that can be harvested sustainably from this biome for bioenergy without compromising the carbon sink is uncertain. Using past literature and previously validated models, we assessed four scenarios of biomass harvest in the eastern US: partial harvests of mixed hardwood forests, pine plantation management, short-rotation woody cropping systems, and forest residue removal. We also estimated the amount and location of abandoned agricultural lands in the eastern US that could be used for biomass production. Greater carbon storage was estimated to result from partial harvests and residue removals than from plantation management and short-rotation cropping. If woody feedstocks were cultivated with a combination of intensive management on abandoned lands and partial harvests of standing forest, we estimate that roughly 176 Tg biomass y−1 (~330,000 GWh or ~16 billion gallons of ethanol) could be produced sustainably from the temperate forest biome of the eastern US. This biomass could offset up to ~63 Tg C y−1 that are emitted from fossil fuels used for heat and power generation while maintaining a terrestrial C sink of ~8 Tg C y−1.

Description: In 2002, the Biscuit Wildfire burned a portion of the previously established, replicated conifer unthinned and thinned experimental units of the Siskiyou Long-Term Ecosystem Productivity (LTEP) experiment, southwest Oregon. Charcoal C in pre and post-fire O horizon and mineral soil was quantified by physical separation and a peroxide-acid digestion method. The abrupt, short-term fire event caused O horizon charcoal C to increase by a factor of ten to 〉200 kg C ha−1. The thinned wildfire treatment produced less charcoal C than unthinned wildfire and thinned prescribed fire treatments. The charcoal formation rate was 1 to 8% of woody fuels consumed, and this percentage was negatively related to woody fuels consumed, resulting in less charcoal formation with greater fire severity. Charcoal C averaged 2000 kg ha−1 in 0–3 cm mineral soil and may have decreased as a result of fire, coincident with convective or erosive loss of mineral soil. Charcoal C in 3–15 cm mineral soil was stable at 5500 kg C ha−1. Long-term soil C sequestration in the Siskiyou LTEP soils is greatly influenced by the contribution of charcoal C, which makes up 20% of mineral soil organic C. This research reiterates the importance of fire to soil C in a southwestern Oregon coniferous forest ecosystem.

Description:    Triple staining with the fluorochromes chromomycin A3, distamycin A and 4′-6-diamidino-2-phenylindole (CMA/DA/DAPI) was applied to somatic metaphases and interphase nuclei of 11 taxa of wild chili peppers ( Capsicum ), with 2 n  = 2 x  = 24 ( C. annuum var. glabriusculum , C. cardenasii , C. chacoense , C. flexuosum , C. galapagoense , C. eximium , C. praetermissum and C. tovarii ) and 2 n  = 2 x  = 26 ( C. recurvatum , C. rhomboideum and C. villosum ) to analyse heterochromatin type, amount and distribution in wild members of this genus. Heterochromatic banding patterns allowed the identification of all the taxa examined and contributed to their taxonomic grouping. GC-rich heterochromatin (CMA+/DAPI−) was typical in all taxa; only C. praetermissum possessed also AT-rich (CMA−/DAPI+) and mixed GC- and AT-rich (CMA+/DAPI+) bands. Heterochromatin amount (expressed as % of karyotype length) ranged between 1.72 ( C. chacoense ) and 16.82 ( C. flexuosum ) and was positively correlated with karyotype length in most of the taxa examined. Heterochromatin located mainly at terminal position of chromosomes but intercalary position prevailed in C. flexuosum . Nucleolus organizer regions (NOR)-associated GC-rich heterochromatin was exclusively terminal and included the distal macrosatellite and a small portion on the corresponding arm. In all the taxa analysed, an equilocal heterochromatin distribution in non-homologous chromosomes of karyotype was observed, suggesting concerted evolution of heterochromatin dispersion in Capsicum . Content Type Journal Article Category Research Article Pages 1-17 DOI 10.1007/s10722-012-9867-x Authors Marisel A. Scaldaferro, Instituto Multidisciplinario de Biología Vegetal (IMBIV), Universidad Nacional de Córdoba-CONICET, Av. Vélez Sarsfield 1611, X5016GCA Córdoba (Argentina), 5000 Córdoba, Argentina Mauro Grabiele, Instituto Multidisciplinario de Biología Vegetal (IMBIV), Universidad Nacional de Córdoba-CONICET, Av. Vélez Sarsfield 1611, X5016GCA Córdoba (Argentina), 5000 Córdoba, Argentina Eduardo A. Moscone, Instituto Multidisciplinario de Biología Vegetal (IMBIV), Universidad Nacional de Córdoba-CONICET, Av. Vélez Sarsfield 1611, X5016GCA Córdoba (Argentina), 5000 Córdoba, Argentina Journal Genetic Resources and Crop Evolution Online ISSN 1573-5109 Print ISSN 0925-9864

Description:    Pandanus amaryllifolius is cultivated in home gardens in coastal regions of India. Leaves of P. amaryllifolius are scented and exploited commercially by flavour industry. In the present attempt, 40 clonal populations were used for genetic diversity assessment using ISSR and AFLP molecular marker. In ISSR based diversity analysis, out of 38 scorable primers, only one primer showed polymorphism and most of the polymorphic fragments were found in clonal populations from Thailand locality only. In AFLP based diversity analysis all clonal populations from India showed very low genetic distance except Kolkata and Amtala but these populations showed more similarity with Sri Lanka clones and these two localities showed more similarity with Thailand population. Present study confirms that the species has very low level of genetic variation even though it is exposed to a wide range of environmental conditions across peninsular India. Thus, the genome of P. amaryllifolius is said to be highly conserved and remained unaffected through its spread. As per previous report P. amaryllifolius has been introduced in Kolkata, India in 1798 from Indonesia, the similarity is shown by the populations of West Bengal with Thailand population which is close to Indonesia. The populations from Sri Lanka showed similarity with the populations from east and west coast of India suggests that Sri Lanka may be the another source of introduction of P. amaryllifolius in India. Content Type Journal Article Category Notes on Neglected and Underutilized Crops Pages 1-13 DOI 10.1007/s10722-012-9882-y Authors Kantilal V. Wakte, Department of Botany, University of Pune, Pune, 411 007 M.S., India Rahul L. Zanan, Department of Botany, University of Pune, Pune, 411 007 M.S., India Ajay Saini, Molecular Biology Division, Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, Mumbai, 411 085 M.S., India Narendra Jawali, Molecular Biology Division, Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, Mumbai, 411 085 M.S., India Ratnakar J. Thengane, Department of Botany, University of Pune, Pune, 411 007 M.S., India Altafhusain B. Nadaf, Department of Botany, University of Pune, Pune, 411 007 M.S., India Journal Genetic Resources and Crop Evolution Online ISSN 1573-5109 Print ISSN 0925-9864

Description:    An ethnobotanical field study on the traditional uses of wild medicinal and food plants was conducted in three linguistically distinct mountainous communities located at the East End of the Occitan macro-area, in the Western Italian Alps. Interviews with a total of 81 mid-aged and elderly informants were undertaken using standard ethnobotanical methods. The uses of 92 vascular plants belonging to 40 different plant families were recorded. Comparison of the collected data with the ethnobotanical findings of previously conducted studies in other Occitan/Provençal valleys (specifically the Stura and Varaita valleys) has shown that nearly the half of the uses recorded in this study were not reported in other valleys, strongly suggesting a heterogeneous character to Occitan ethnobotany. The specific uses of certain wild plants as famine foods and medicines in this region are highlighted. Content Type Journal Article Category Research Article Pages 1-17 DOI 10.1007/s10722-012-9859-x Authors Giulia Mattalia, University of Gastronomic Sciences, Piazza Vittorio Emanuele 9, 12060 Pollenzo, Italy Cassandra L. Quave, Center for the Study of Human Health, Emory University, 550 Asbury Circle, Candler Library 107, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA Andrea Pieroni, University of Gastronomic Sciences, Piazza Vittorio Emanuele 9, 12060 Pollenzo, Italy Journal Genetic Resources and Crop Evolution Online ISSN 1573-5109 Print ISSN 0925-9864

Description:    Characterization of 15 chickpea ( Cicer arietinum L.) accessions (6 cultivars, 3 selected lines and 6 landraces) was performed using morphological, agronomic, and technological traits, together with biochemical (seed storage proteins) and molecular markers. Field trials, performed in two different geographical areas of Southern Italy, one in a plain area near Tyrrhenian sea and one in an hilly internal area, revealed a high influence of field location on yield. A wide variation was also registered for technological traits and molecular markers. Microsatellite (SSR) markers grouped chickpea accessions in different clusters, providing useful information on genetic variation and relationships among them, with polymorphic fragments useful to discriminate among all accessions. On the contrary, seed storage protein pattern showed scarce variation resulting very similar among all the accessions considered. Content Type Journal Article Category Research Article Pages 1-13 DOI 10.1007/s10722-012-9884-9 Authors Massimo Zaccardelli, CRA-Centro di Ricerca per l’ Orticoltura, Via dei Cavalleggeri 25, 84098 Pontecagnano, SA, Italy Gabriella Sonnante, CNR-Istituto di Genetica Vegetale, Via Amendola 165/A, 70126 Bari, Italy Francesco Lupo, CRA-Centro di Ricerca per l’ Orticoltura, Via dei Cavalleggeri 25, 84098 Pontecagnano, SA, Italy Angela Rosa Piergiovanni, CNR-Istituto di Genetica Vegetale, Via Amendola 165/A, 70126 Bari, Italy Gaetano Laghetti, CNR-Istituto di Genetica Vegetale, Via Amendola 165/A, 70126 Bari, Italy Francesca Sparvoli, CNR-Istituto di Biologia e Biotecnologia Agraria, Via Bassini 15, 20133 Milan, Italy Lucia Lioi, CNR-Istituto di Genetica Vegetale, Via Amendola 165/A, 70126 Bari, Italy Journal Genetic Resources and Crop Evolution Online ISSN 1573-5109 Print ISSN 0925-9864

Description: We investigated the sprouting capacity of poplar stumps in ten 8–21-year old stands growing on former farmland in Sweden situated between 55°N and 60°N. Seven of the stands were planted with the clone OP-42 (Populus maximowiczii Henry × Populus trichocarpa Torr. and Gray), one with black cottonwood (Populus trichocarpa Torr. and Gray) and two with unidentified clones. The poplars’ mean age was 17 years (range 8–21); six of the stands were growing on clay soils, two on tills and two on loam. The studied sprouts were 1–7 years old. Stump sprouting was observed in all studied stands. The number of sprouts per living stump decreased as sprout age increased. The mean dry mass of all sprouts stump−1 was 16.1 ± 14.0 (range 3.3–37.2) kg. A biomass equation was constructed for estimating sprout biomass from the sprouts’ diameter at 10 cm above the ground (D10). The mean total sprout weight per hectare for sprouts amounted to 16.9 ± 14.6 (range 1.2–41.3) tons ha−1 when calculated for the actual living stumps in the studied areas.

Description:    Genetic diversity and population structure of Guinea yams and their wild relatives collected from south and south west Ethiopia were assessed using microsatellite markers. The total number of alleles amplified for the 7 loci studied was found to be 60, with an average of 8.6 alleles per locus. The average expected heterozygosity for the entire population was found to be 64 % indicating that Guinea yams and their wild relatives in the study area display a high level of genetic diversity. Using allelic richness as a measure of genetic diversity the wild forms exhibited greater allelic diversity than the cultigens. Contrary to what is expected in vegetatively propagated crops, none of the seven loci studied showed a significant excess of heterozygotes. In all the comparisons made, a low mean F ST (but significant) has been observed, indicating that the majority of microsatellite diversity in the populations under study was found within rather than between populations. Content Type Journal Article Category Research Article Pages 1-13 DOI 10.1007/s10722-012-9856-0 Authors Wendawek Abebe Mengesha, Dilla University, P.O Box 419, Dilla, Ethiopia Sebsebe Demissew, National Herbarium, Addis Ababa University, P.O Box 3434, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia M. F. Fay, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, Richmond, Surrey TW9 3AB, UK R. J. Smith, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, Richmond, Surrey TW9 3AB, UK I. Nordal, Department of Biology, University of Oslo, P.O. Box 1066, Blindern, 0316 Oslo, Norway P. Wilkin, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, Richmond, Surrey TW9 3AB, UK Journal Genetic Resources and Crop Evolution Online ISSN 1573-5109 Print ISSN 0925-9864

Description:    Commiphora wightii (Arn.) Bhandari syn. C. mukul Engl. (Burseraceae) is an economically and pharmacologically important slow growing, dioecious, balsamiferous woody, multipurpose shrub heading towards extinction. Commonly known as “Guggul” due to the presence of steroidal compound guggulsterone in the oleo-gum resin, it has been used in treating various ailments and disorders since ancient times (2000 B.C.). Evaluation and confirmation of hypolipidemic effects of guggul based on Ayurvedic text in 1960s provided a new insight into its pharmacological applications. Two bioactive isomers of guggulsterone, E and Z, are responsible for lipid- and cholesterol-lowering activities. Recently, it has been shown to have anti-cancerous activity also. It is found in the dry regions of Indian subcontinent, namely India, Pakistan and Bangladesh. Ruthless and unscientific harvesting of oleo-gum resin from the wild, by local populations, for economic benefits with negligible conservation efforts has made this species endangered and has led to its inclusion in Red Data Book of IUCN. Although this plant has many excellent traits, adequate attention has not been focused on its conservation and improvement. Conventional propagation methods i.e., seeds, cuttings and air layering are in place but have many limitations. Therefore, application of modern biotechnological tools needs to be standardized for harnessing maximum benefits from this pharmaceutically important plant. An efficient regeneration system needs to be in place for improvement of this genus through genetic transformation and production of useful metabolites in cell cultures. Studies are in progress for micropropagation through shoot multiplication and somatic embryogenesis, as well as for secondary metabolite (guggulsterone) production in callus cultures and bioreactors. No selected germplasm is available for C. wightii since it is a wild plant. Breeding programs have not yet been started due to lack of systematic cultivation and conservation programs. Moreover, little information has been gathered regarding the genetic variability in this species using RAPD and ISSR markers. No details are available about genetic makeup and QTL linkage maps. Investigations are in progress to search sex linked markers in this dioecious species. Research is also in progress to decipher the molecular mechanisms underlying various pharmacological actions of guggul. Since the approval of use of guggul as a food supplement by United States Food and Drug Administration in 1994, an exponential increase in research publications on various aspects of research on guggul have been published. Present communication summarizes the problems, progress made and suggests some future directions of research for this important endangered medicinal plant. Content Type Journal Article Category Notes on Neglected and Underutilized Crops Pages 1-32 DOI 10.1007/s10722-012-9854-2 Authors Alpana Kulhari, Centre for Plant Biotechnology, CCS HAU Campus, Hisar, 125004 Haryana, India Arun Sheorayan, Centre for Plant Biotechnology, CCS HAU Campus, Hisar, 125004 Haryana, India Sanjay Kalia, Department of Biotechnology, Block 2, 6th–8th Floor, CGO Complex, Lodhi Road, New Delhi, 110003 India Ashok Chaudhury, Department of Bio- and Nanotechnology, Guru Jambeshwar University of Science and Technology, Hisar, Haryana, India Rajwant K. Kalia, Centre for Plant Biotechnology, CCS HAU Campus, Hisar, 125004 Haryana, India Journal Genetic Resources and Crop Evolution Online ISSN 1573-5109 Print ISSN 0925-9864

Description:    Showy partridge pea, Chamaecrista fasciculata is used in the USA for cover cropping, ornate flowers in native gardens, honey crop, as an annual reseeding legume for restoration and conservation plantings, and wildlife food. However, its greatest potential may be as a bio-control plant for the control of mole crickets, cactus moth, and additional pest species. The United States Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, Plant Genetic Resources Conservation Unit (USDA, ARS, PGRCU) conserves 36 accessions originating from the USA. Content Type Journal Article Category Notes on Neglected and Underutilized Crops Pages 1-5 DOI 10.1007/s10722-012-9881-z Authors J. B. Morris, Plant Genetic Resources Conservation Unit, USDA, ARS, 1109 Experiment St., Griffin, GA 30223, USA Journal Genetic Resources and Crop Evolution Online ISSN 1573-5109 Print ISSN 0925-9864

Description:    The Fagopyrum cymosum complex is a group of wild perennial buckwheats which includes the diploid species F. megaspartanium Q. F. Chen and F. pilus Q. F. Chen as well as the allotetraploid species F. cymosum (Trev.) Meisn. The flavonoid content in leaves and inflorescences of the accessions of the F. cymosum complex native to Guizhou, Yunnan, Sichuan, Hunan, Hubei, and Tibet has been studied by means of the spectrophotometry and high-performance liquid chromatography. The results showed that there are significant differences of flavonoid content among different species, different accessions and different plants. The average flavonoid content of leaves of F. megaspartanium is higher than that of F. pilus and of F. cymosum . The average flavonoid content of inflorescences of F. megaspartanium is higher than that of F. pilus . The results also showed that the flavonoid content in inflorescences was significantly higher than that in leaves, and that they have positive relationships to each other. There is a significant difference of rutin content between leaves and inflorescences, but there is no significant relationship to each other. There is also no significant relationship between leaf rutin contents and leaf flavonoid contents, but significant positive relationship between inflorescence rutin contents and inflorescence flavonoid contents. Content Type Journal Article Category Research Article Pages 1-14 DOI 10.1007/s10722-012-9878-7 Authors Na Liu, Research Center of Buckwheat Industry Technology, Institute of Plant Genetics and Breeding, School of Life Sciences, Guizhou Normal University, Baoshan Beilu 116, Guiyang, 550001 People’s Republic of China Friedrich Josef Zeller, Bavarian State Research Centre for Agriculture (LFL), Institute of Agronomy and Plant Breeding, 85354 Freising, Weihenstephan, Germany Qing-Fu Chen, Research Center of Buckwheat Industry Technology, Institute of Plant Genetics and Breeding, School of Life Sciences, Guizhou Normal University, Baoshan Beilu 116, Guiyang, 550001 People’s Republic of China Journal Genetic Resources and Crop Evolution Online ISSN 1573-5109 Print ISSN 0925-9864

Description:    A descriptor list of 34 phenological and morphological characters was applied to assess the changes of diversity in 57 Nordic spring wheat ( Triticum aestivum L.) cultivars released between 1892 and 1994 and to compare their diversity to 22 Nordic landraces. The field observations were conducted at the Nordic Genetic Resource Centre at Alnarp, Sweden, in 2010. Over time the cultivars became shorter, less inclined to lodging, earlier in heading and maturity. The spikes became shorter and denser with more grains per spikelet, and seed shattering of mature spikes decreased. The morphological type of Nordic spring wheat cultivars did not change after the 1960s, although improvements in disease resistances, yield and quality characters still occurred. All recent cultivars represented T. aestivum L. var. lutescens (Alef.) Mansf., characterised by awnless spikes with white glabrous glumes and red grains. Compared to the cultivars, the landraces were generally earlier in heading and maturity, much taller, inclined to lodging and they had looser spikes with less grains per spikelet than cultivars. In some characters such as glume colour and awnedness the landraces showed more diversity within and among the accessions than the cultivars and hence represented more infraspeficic taxa than the cultivars. Nordic landraces seemed adapted to low-input growing conditions. However, for the use in ecological agriculture, they would need improvements, e.g. in reducing seed shattering, lodging and enhancing disease resistances. The role of plant breeding in preserving and developing genetic diversity in Nordic spring wheat with emphasis on Sweden is discussed. Content Type Journal Article Category Research Article Pages 1-17 DOI 10.1007/s10722-012-9858-y Authors Axel Diederichsen, Plant Gene Resources of Canada, 107 Science Place, Saskatoon, SK, Canada Svein Ø. Solberg, Nordic Genetic Resource Center, P.O. Box 44, 230 53 Alnarp, Sweden Simon Jeppson, Nordic Genetic Resource Center, P.O. Box 44, 230 53 Alnarp, Sweden Journal Genetic Resources and Crop Evolution Online ISSN 1573-5109 Print ISSN 0925-9864

Description:    Wild potato germplasm represents a unique, diverse and accessible resource for disease and pest resistance, along with useful agronomic traits that may be introgressed into the cultivated potato ( Solanum tuberosum L.). Hybridization of diploid wild Solanum species with haploids (2×) of cultivated potato (4×) is generally an effective technique for introducing genetic diversity and desirable traits into potato. However, in this study, hybridization barriers were found in crosses between S. tuberosum haploids and the wild species S. raphanifolium. Male sterility, likely due to nuclear-cytoplasmic interactions, was observed in some haploid tbr ×  S. raphanifolium hybrids. In addition, pollen-pistil incompatibilities were observed in backcross, F2, and reciprocal cross hybridization attempts that failed to produce seed. More crosses were successful when F1 clones were crossed as females to wild clones than to cultivated clones. When crosses were made in the other direction, with F1 hybrids used as male parents, seeds were almost never produced. Content Type Journal Article Category Short Communication Pages 1-7 DOI 10.1007/s10722-012-9883-x Authors B. N. Weber, Department of Horticulture, University of Wisconsin, 1575 Linden Drive, Madison, WI 53706, USA A. J. Hamernik, USDA/ARS, Vegetable Crops Research Unit, 1575 Linden Drive, Madison, WI 53706, USA S. H. Jansky, Department of Horticulture, University of Wisconsin, 1575 Linden Drive, Madison, WI 53706, USA Journal Genetic Resources and Crop Evolution Online ISSN 1573-5109 Print ISSN 0925-9864

Description:    Improved agronomic performance and nutritional profile are among the major objectives in pea breeding, but the narrow gene pool available in pea germplasm has slowed progress. Therefore, the objective of this work was to evaluate 169 diverse pea accessions from Eastern Europe, Western Europe, Australia and Canada for agronomic performance, Mycosphaerella blight resistance and nutritional profile under western Canadian growing conditions. In general, eastern European accessions required less days to flower, had higher protein, acid detergent fibre and neutral detergent fibre concentrations in the seeds, compared to western European and Canadian pea accessions, which had better lodging resistance, less days to maturity, higher grain yield and seed weight, greater resistance to Mycosphaerella blight and powdery mildew and higher starch concentration in the seeds. Significant correlations were observed between different traits. Principal component analysis revealed significant variation among traits with the first four principal components explaining 68 % of the total variation. The wide range of variation in agronomic performance, Mycosphaerella blight resistance and nutritional profile detected will provide useful parents for pea breeding. Content Type Journal Article Category Research Article Pages 1-15 DOI 10.1007/s10722-012-9871-1 Authors Ambuj Bhushan Jha, Crop Development Centre, University of Saskatchewan, 51 Campus Drive, Saskatoon, SK S7N 5A8, Canada Gene Arganosa, Crop Development Centre, University of Saskatchewan, 51 Campus Drive, Saskatoon, SK S7N 5A8, Canada Bunyamin Tar’an, Crop Development Centre, University of Saskatchewan, 51 Campus Drive, Saskatoon, SK S7N 5A8, Canada Axel Diederichsen, Plant Gene Resources of Canada, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, 107 Science Place, Saskatoon, SK S7N 0X2, Canada Thomas D. Warkentin, Crop Development Centre, University of Saskatchewan, 51 Campus Drive, Saskatoon, SK S7N 5A8, Canada Journal Genetic Resources and Crop Evolution Online ISSN 1573-5109 Print ISSN 0925-9864

Description:    Eighty-seven Phaseolus vulgaris landraces, still cultivated in Calabria (Italy), were investigated in order to study the patterns of common bean genetic diversity in this region, to better understand the evolutionary development of beans in Europe and to properly manage these genetic resources. Four American accessions and five Italian varieties were also included. Different markers, such as 12 microsatellites, seed traits, phaseolins and 100-seed weight were combined with different statistical approaches. For each microsatellite, expected ( H e ) and observed ( H o ) heterozygosities, polymorphism information content (PIC), probability of identity (PI) and homozygosity were calculated. Furthermore, in Calabrian group of bean landraces, total ( N a ) and private ( N pa ) number of alleles, observed ( H o ), expected heterozygosities ( H e ) and allelic richness (AR) were calculated. Genetic distances among landraces were estimated using Nei’s coefficient and a cluster analysis using the UPGMA algorithm was performed. The results clearly indicated that: (1) Calabrian germplasm showed a high level of diversity ( H e  = 0.595); (2) Mesoamerican and Andean gene pools were clearly distinguished in Calabrian germplasm, with the Andean gene pool predominating (83 %); (3) Calabrian landraces were largely hybridized within and between the gene pools. A model-based approach, using the STRUCTURE software, was adopted. Six groups, including 4 of Andean origin and one of Mesoamerican origin were identified. Even more interesting, a small group (8 %) showed a distinct genetic structure, in which interspecific hybridizations with runner bean ( Phaseolus coccineus L.) could have occurred. Nevertheless, a relatively high proportion of Calabrian bean landraces (12.6 %) was derived from intra and interspecific hybridizations. Content Type Journal Article Category Research Article Pages 1-14 DOI 10.1007/s10722-012-9879-6 Authors Francesco Mercati, Dipartimento di Biotecnologie per il Monitoraggio Agroalimentare ed Ambientale (Bio.M.A.A.), Università degli Studi “Mediterranea” di Reggio Calabria, Salita Melissari, 89124 Reggio Calabria, Italy Maria Leone, Dipartimento di Biotecnologie per il Monitoraggio Agroalimentare ed Ambientale (Bio.M.A.A.), Università degli Studi “Mediterranea” di Reggio Calabria, Salita Melissari, 89124 Reggio Calabria, Italy Antonio Lupini, Dipartimento di Biotecnologie per il Monitoraggio Agroalimentare ed Ambientale (Bio.M.A.A.), Università degli Studi “Mediterranea” di Reggio Calabria, Salita Melissari, 89124 Reggio Calabria, Italy Agostino Sorgonà, Dipartimento di Biotecnologie per il Monitoraggio Agroalimentare ed Ambientale (Bio.M.A.A.), Università degli Studi “Mediterranea” di Reggio Calabria, Salita Melissari, 89124 Reggio Calabria, Italy Monica Bacchi, Dipartimento di Biotecnologie per il Monitoraggio Agroalimentare ed Ambientale (Bio.M.A.A.), Università degli Studi “Mediterranea” di Reggio Calabria, Salita Melissari, 89124 Reggio Calabria, Italy Maria Rosa Abenavoli, Dipartimento di Biotecnologie per il Monitoraggio Agroalimentare ed Ambientale (Bio.M.A.A.), Università degli Studi “Mediterranea” di Reggio Calabria, Salita Melissari, 89124 Reggio Calabria, Italy Francesco Sunseri, Dipartimento di Biotecnologie per il Monitoraggio Agroalimentare ed Ambientale (Bio.M.A.A.), Università degli Studi “Mediterranea” di Reggio Calabria, Salita Melissari, 89124 Reggio Calabria, Italy Journal Genetic Resources and Crop Evolution Online ISSN 1573-5109 Print ISSN 0925-9864

Description: Biological activity and the physical environment regulate greenhouse gas fluxes (CH4, N2O and NO) from upland soils. Wildfires are known to alter these factors such that we collected daily weather records, fire return intervals, or specific fire years, and soil data of four specific sites along the Colorado Front Range. These data were used as primary inputs into DAYCENT. In this paper we test the ability of DAYCENT to simulate four forested sites in this area and to address two objectives: (1) to evaluate the short-term influence of fire on trace gas fluxes from burned landscapes; and (2) to compare trace gas fluxes among locations and between pre-/post- fire suppression. The model simulations indicate that CH4 oxidation is relatively unaffected by wildfire. In contrast, gross nitrification rates were reduced by 13.5–37.1% during the fire suppression period. At two of the sites, we calculated increases in gross nitrification rates (〉100%), and N2O and NO fluxes during the year of fire relative to the year before a fire. Simulated fire suppression exhibited decreased gross nitrification rates presumably as nitrogen is immobilized. This finding concurs with other studies that highlight the importance of forest fires to maintain soil nitrogen availability.

Description: Distribution models of invasive plants are very useful tools for conservation management. There are challenges in modeling expanding populations, especially in a dynamic environment, and when data are limited. In this paper, predictive habitat models were assessed for three invasive plant species, at differing levels of occurrence, using two different habitat modeling techniques: logistic regression and maximum entropy. The influence of disturbance, spatial and temporal heterogeneity, and other landscape characteristics is assessed by creating regional level models based on occurrence records from the USDA Forest Service’s Forest Inventory and Analysis database. Logistic regression and maximum entropy models were assessed independently. Ensemble models were developed to combine the predictions of the two analysis approaches to obtain a more robust prediction estimate. All species had strong models with Area Under the receiver operator Curve (AUC) of 〉0.75. The species with the highest occurrence, Ligustrum spp., had the greatest agreement between the models (93%). Lolium arundinaceum had the most disagreement between models at 33% and the lowest AUC values. Overall, the strength of integrative modeling in assessing and understanding habitat modeling was demonstrated.

Description:    Thirty five villages randomly selected across ethnic and agro-ecological zones of Benin were surveyed to document the indigenous knowledge associated with the domestication (bringing into cultivation), production and utilization of vegetable Gbolo ( Crassocephalum spp.). The study revealed the existence of different morphotypes (1–4 per village) corresponding to two botanical species ( Crassocephalum rubens (Juss. ex Jacq.) S. Moore) and ( Crassocephalum crepidioides (Benth.) S. Moore) found unequally distributed throughout the country. The domestication (bringing into cultivation from the wild) of Gbolo was started in many villages and with some tribes in southern Benin, the vegetable is already being produced in sole cropping for commercial purposes. Regular consumption (49.90 % of responses) and scarcity (20.30 % of responses) were the two main reasons attributed by the interviewees for domestication of the vegetable. The cultural practices recorded were of five categories. The commonest cropping system found was mixed or inter-row cropping (92.31 % of producers) with either vegetable crops (53.85 % of producers) or non-vegetable crops (38.46 % of users). Sauce prepared with either fresh or dried leaves was the main type of preparation of Gbolo and the vegetable was reported to possess special nutritional and medicinal values. For further promotion, important researches directions are suggested. Content Type Journal Article Category Notes on Neglected and Underutilized Crops Pages 1-15 DOI 10.1007/s10722-012-9901-z Authors A. Adjatin, Laboratory of Agricultural Biodiversity and Tropical Plant Breeding, Faculty of Science and Technology (FAST), University of Abomey-Calavi (UAC), P.O. Box 526, Cotonou, Benin A. Dansi, Laboratory of Agricultural Biodiversity and Tropical Plant Breeding, Faculty of Science and Technology (FAST), University of Abomey-Calavi (UAC), P.O. Box 526, Cotonou, Benin C. S. Eze, Department of Crop Science, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Nigeria P. Assogba, Crop, Aromatic and Medicinal Plant Biodiversity Research and Development Institute (IRDCAM), 071 BP 28 Cotonou, Benin I. Dossou-Aminon, Laboratory of Agricultural Biodiversity and Tropical Plant Breeding, Faculty of Science and Technology (FAST), University of Abomey-Calavi (UAC), P.O. Box 526, Cotonou, Benin K. Akpagana, Laboratory of Botany, Faculty of Sciences (FS), University of Lomé, P.O. Box 1515, Lomé, Togo A. Akoègninou, National Herbarium, Department of Botany and Plant Biology, Faculty of Sciences and Technology (FAST), University of Abomey-Calavi (UAC), P.O. Box 526, Cotonou, Benin A. Sanni, Laboratory of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Sciences and Technology (FAST), University of Abomey-Calavi (UAC), P.O. Box 526, Cotonou, Benin Journal Genetic Resources and Crop Evolution Online ISSN 1573-5109 Print ISSN 0925-9864

Description:    Data from microsatellite markers have been extensively used for both in situ and ex situ conservation strategies by determining the level of genetic diversity of natural populations that can widen the gene pool of cultivated plants. Such conservation practices are based on understanding of the between and within population genetic variations and partitioning populations on the basis of geographic origin. Therefore, the objective of this study was to assess the genetic diversity of Oryza longistaminata Chev. et Roehr and how this variation is partitioned within and between the eight O . longistaminata populations found in the different geographic regions of Ethiopia using simple sequence repeat markers. Five microsatellite markers in 320 samples generated 64 alleles that revealed the presence of large amount of genetic variability (Ho = 0.225; He = 0.768; Na = 7.375; Ne = 6.565 and P  = 0.744). The F-statistics detected by the microsatellite loci showed Fst = 0.064 and Fis = 0.743 and there was no population in Hardy–Weinberg equilibrium. The genetic diversity results obtained from this data indicated that there are high levels of genetic diversity in the populations of O. longistaminata studied and it is higher within than between populations. Among the eight populations sampled, five populations were identified as priorities for conservation strategies. Thus, national collection and conservation strategies need to consider these populations. Content Type Journal Article Category Research Article Pages 1-10 DOI 10.1007/s10722-012-9900-0 Authors Getachew Melaku, Microbial, Cellular and Molecular Biology Program Unit, College of Natural Science, Addis Ababa University, P.O. Box 1176, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia Teklehaimanot Haileselassie, Biotechnology Program Unit, College of Natural Science, Addis Ababa University, P.O. Box 1176, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia Tileye Feyissa, Microbial, Cellular and Molecular Biology Program Unit, College of Natural Science, Addis Ababa University, P.O. Box 1176, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia Samuel Kiboi, School of Biological Sciences, University of Nairobi, P.O. Box 30197-00100, Nairobi, Kenya Journal Genetic Resources and Crop Evolution Online ISSN 1573-5109 Print ISSN 0925-9864

Description:    In Mexico and all over the world, the number of studies on the species of the Jatropha genus has increased because of the use of its seed oil to produce biodiesel. However, the knowledge of the taxonomy, distribution, and ethnobotany of these and related species is incomplete. This article presents the distribution of the genus in Mexico according to its internationally accepted taxonomic identity. The distribution is linked to environmental variables such as elevation, climate type, soil, and soil moisture patterns. In addition to showing the current taxonomical knowledge in Mexico, this article discusses its biogeography, its traditional uses and the research lines to follow in further study of the genus. The distribution results show that some species are broadly adapted; as a consequence, they are present in many different environments. Species such as J. dioica , J. curcas , J. cordata , J. cinerea and J. gaumeri are distributed in areas with well defined environmental conditions. However, the distribution of species such as J. riojae has not yet been ascertained. Three areas with high species richness were identified, and they are very important for the study and conservation of the genus. Mexico is a global center of diversity for this genus. Food and medicinal uses have been reported for some species. This article concludes with recommendations for further study to improve the knowledge of this genus in Mexico. Content Type Journal Article Category Research Article Pages 1-18 DOI 10.1007/s10722-012-9906-7 Authors J. Fresnedo-Ramírez, Graduate Group in Horticulture and Agronomy, Department of Plant Sciences, University of California, One Shields Ave. Mail Stop 2, 2053 Wickson Hall, Davis, CA 95616, USA Q. Orozco-Ramírez, Geography Graduate Group, University of California, One Shields Ave, Davis, CA 95616, USA Journal Genetic Resources and Crop Evolution Online ISSN 1573-5109 Print ISSN 0925-9864

Description: Species-specific and mixed-species volume and above ground biomass allometric equations were developed for 15 indigenous tree species and four tree fern species in New Zealand. A mixed-species tree equation based on breast height diameter (DBH) and tree height (H) provided acceptable estimates of stem plus branch (〉10 cm in diameter over bark) volume, which was multiplied by live tree density to estimate dry matter. For dead standing spars, DBH, estimated original height, actual spar height and compatible volume/taper functions provided estimates of dead stem volume, which was multiplied by live tree density and a density modifier based on log decay class from field assessments to estimate dry matter. Live tree density was estimated using ratio estimators. Ratio estimators were based on biomass sample trees, and utilized density data from outerwood basic density surveys which were available for 35 tree species sampled throughout New Zealand. Foliage and branch ( 〈 10 cm in diameter over bark) dry matter were estimated directly from tree DBH. Tree fern above ground dry matter was estimated using allometric equations based on DBH and H. Due to insufficient data, below ground carbon for trees was estimated using the default IPCC root/shoot ratio of 25%, but for tree ferns it was estimated using measured root/shoot ratios which averaged 20%.

Description: The Glentress Trial Area is an extensive research area in southern Scotland of 117 ha where a long-term trial of the transformation of even-aged plantations to continuous cover has been in progress since 1952. During the assessment of permanent sample plots in 1990 information on the species and spatial position of saplings (trees taller than 1.3 m with a diameter at breast height of 〈 7 cm) was recorded. This provided a unique opportunity to investigate the long-term survival of saplings during the transformation process when the Trial Area was reassessed in 2009. The main finding was that 37% of saplings survived the 19-year period and the majority developed into trees (≥7 cm diameter at breast height). There was considerable variation between species, the lowest survival of saplings was European larch (Larix decidua Mill.) (13%) and the highest European beech (Fagus sylvatica L.) (55%); however differences between species were not significant. There were, however, significant differences between the six management areas with three with high sapling survival (55% to 61%) but others much lower (27% to 32%). If this result is confirmed by other studies, covering a broader range of sites, management guidance that assumes 90% survival will need to be revised.

Description: Invasive plant species have long been known to cause extensive damage, both economically and ecologically, to native ecosystems. They have historically been introduced by the public, both intentional and not, for a variety of reasons. Many of the woody shrubs, such as Lonicera maackii and Rosa multiflora were introduced for wildlife cover, forage, and ornamental value. These invasives have quickly out-competed native flora, in many cases drastically impacting and changing the environment they inhabit. In this review, chosen species characteristics have been described, their pathway to invasion explained, and their impacts to native wildlife highlighted. Based on a review of the scientific literature, we determined that not all effects by invasive plants are negative. Many positive impacts can be seen throughout the literature, such as native frogs utilizing Microstegium vimineum for cover and nesting habitat. However, some important invasive plant species were not included in this review due to a lack of literature on the subject of the effects on fauna. While much is known about their economic impact and the impact on native plant species, additional work needs to be done in the field of wildlife research to determine current impacts and future implications of non-native, invasive plants on native fauna.

Description:    The maintenance of plant genetic resources in living plant collections (genebanks) causes costs due to employment of staff, usage of buildings, equipment and consumables. Since this is especially challenging in vegetatively propagated material, studies were performed for the case of garlic, which is one of the major vegetatively maintained crops in the genebank of IPK Gatersleben. Data were recorded to compare various scenarios of the main strategies field maintenance and cryopreservation. A spreadsheet tool was developed to be used for cost assessment and for drawing conclusions concerning the most effective way of maintenance. Field culture is cheaper in the short term, whereas after a break-even point cryopreservation becomes the more efficient storage method in the long term. This break-even point depends on the particular scenario, which is determined by various factors such as field and in vitro multiplication rates of various genotypes, presence of bulbils in a part of the genepool, the sample size of the accessions as well as the number of stored accessions in cryopreservation. The comparative discussion is exemplified for a 1-year field rotation versus cryopreservation using either in vitro plantlets or a combination of bulbils and unripe inflorescence bases as organ sources. For the more expensive use of in vitro plants cryopreservation becomes less costly than field culture only after 13 years, whereas this is the case already after 8–9 years when using a combination of bulbils in winter and inflorescence bases in summer. Content Type Journal Article Category Research Article Pages 1-14 DOI 10.1007/s10722-012-9888-5 Authors E. R. Joachim Keller, Leibniz Institute of Plant Genetics and Crop Plant Research (IPK), Corrensstr. 3, 06466 Seeland, OT Gatersleben, Germany Christine D. Zanke, Leibniz Institute of Plant Genetics and Crop Plant Research (IPK), Corrensstr. 3, 06466 Seeland, OT Gatersleben, Germany Angelika Senula, Leibniz Institute of Plant Genetics and Crop Plant Research (IPK), Corrensstr. 3, 06466 Seeland, OT Gatersleben, Germany Andreas Breuing, Pflanzenhandel Lorenz von Ehren GmbH & Co. KG, Maldfeldstr. 4, 21077 Hamburg, Germany Bernd Hardeweg, Center for Business Management in Horticulture and Applied Research, Leibniz Universität Hannover, Herrenhäuser Str. 2, 30419 Hannover, Germany Traud Winkelmann, Institute of Floriculture and Woody Plant Science, Leibniz Universität Hannover, Herrenhäuser Str. 2, 30419 Hannover, Germany Journal Genetic Resources and Crop Evolution Online ISSN 1573-5109 Print ISSN 0925-9864

Description:    Vitellaria paradoxa C. Gaertn. (shea butter tree) is an indigenous African tree species that is widely distributed in the dry areas of northern and eastern Uganda. The species is widely known for its oil which is used in cooking, cosmetics and traditional medicine. Local folk classification recognises the presence of different ethno-varieties on the basis of fruit and nut characters. In the present study, 176 trees representing 44 ethno-varieties from three farming systems of Uganda were assessed to determine the patterns of morphological variation and establish the congruence between morphological variation and folk classification. The results show high variation in pulp weight (CV = 35.9 %), stem diameter (CV = 28.48 %), fruit weight (CV = 27.81 %) and canopy diameter (CV = 26.69 %). There was a strong positive correlation between pulp and fruit weight (r = 0.963, p  〈 0.001), leaf length and leaf width (r = 0.652, p  〈 0.001) and between petiole length and leaf length (r = 0.788, p  〈 0.001). There was no underlying quantitative morphological structuring among the 44 ethno-varieties. Hierarchical cluster analysis using quantitative morphometric data produced three groups without clear aggregation based on ethnographic or geographic separation. However, a combination with qualitative traits as perceived by farmers provided good congruence with folk classification. Quantitative morphological data alone does not resolve any discrete forms of V. paradoxa that are related to folk classification. There is need to utilise biochemical and molecular markers to unravel the underlying variation for use in selection and improvement of shea butter tree ethno-varieties. Content Type Journal Article Category Notes on Neglected and Underutilized Crops Pages 1-16 DOI 10.1007/s10722-012-9905-8 Authors Samson Gwali, School of Forestry, Environmental and Geographical Sciences, Makerere University, P. O. Box 7062, Kampala, Uganda Grace Nakabonge, School of Forestry, Environmental and Geographical Sciences, Makerere University, P. O. Box 7062, Kampala, Uganda John Bosco Lamoris Okullo, School of Forestry, Environmental and Geographical Sciences, Makerere University, P. O. Box 7062, Kampala, Uganda Gerald Eilu, School of Forestry, Environmental and Geographical Sciences, Makerere University, P. O. Box 7062, Kampala, Uganda Philip Nyeko, School of Forestry, Environmental and Geographical Sciences, Makerere University, P. O. Box 7062, Kampala, Uganda Peter Vuzi, School of Biological Sciences, Makerere University, P. O. Box 7062, Kampala, Uganda Journal Genetic Resources and Crop Evolution Online ISSN 1573-5109 Print ISSN 0925-9864

Description:    The Mesoamerican (MA) gene pool of lima bean ( Phaseolus lunatus L.) is widely distributed from northern Mexico to northern Argentina in its wild forms and from the southern United States to the east coast of Brazil in its domesticated forms. This broad distribution and lack of wild accessions of the MA gene pool in many areas of its natural distribution has impeded determining its center of domestication and establishing whether it has a single or multiple centers. To answer these questions, we evaluated 262 accessions of P. lunatus using two intergenic spacers of chloroplast DNA: atpB - rbcL and trnL - trnF . The data were analyzed using a maximum likelihood tree (ML), a haplotype network and two estimators of genetic differentiation ( N ST and G ST ). Nucleotide diversity (π) and haplotype (Hd) were quantified to estimate the percentage of reduction in genetic diversity (%r) as a founder effect. The ML tree and haplotype network indicated the existence of three groups (AI, MI and MII), which was supported by the high values of N ST (0.61–0.80). Values for %r were high (58.67–60.83 %). Existence of Mesoamerican and Andean gene pools was confirmed, with two genetically and geographically distinct groups (MI and MII) within the MA gene pool. We present the first evidence for multiple origins of domestication for the MA gene pool. For MI, we propose western central Mexico as the domestication area and between Guatemala and Costa Rica for MII. We observed a founder effect in the MA gene pool as a result of domestication. Content Type Journal Article Category Research Article Pages 1-18 DOI 10.1007/s10722-012-9904-9 Authors R. H. Andueza-Noh, Centro de Investigación Científica de Yucatán, Calle 43 No. 130, Colonia Chuburná de Hidalgo, C.P. 97200 Mérida, Yucatán, Mexico M. L. Serrano-Serrano, Departamento de Biología, Faculta de Ciencias, Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Cra30 Cl45, Bogotá, Colombia M. I. Chacón Sánchez, Departamento de Biología, Faculta de Ciencias, Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Cra30 Cl45, Bogotá, Colombia I. Sanchéz del Pino, Centro de Investigación Científica de Yucatán, Calle 43 No. 130, Colonia Chuburná de Hidalgo, C.P. 97200 Mérida, Yucatán, Mexico L. Camacho-Pérez, Centro de Investigación Científica de Yucatán, Calle 43 No. 130, Colonia Chuburná de Hidalgo, C.P. 97200 Mérida, Yucatán, Mexico J. Coello-Coello, Centro de Investigación Científica de Yucatán, Calle 43 No. 130, Colonia Chuburná de Hidalgo, C.P. 97200 Mérida, Yucatán, Mexico J. Mijangos Cortes, Centro de Investigación Científica de Yucatán, Calle 43 No. 130, Colonia Chuburná de Hidalgo, C.P. 97200 Mérida, Yucatán, Mexico D. G. Debouck, Centro Internacional de Agricultura Tropical-CIAT, Km 17 recta Cali-Palmira, Apartado Aéreo, 6713 Cali, Colombia J. Martínez-Castillo, Centro de Investigación Científica de Yucatán, Calle 43 No. 130, Colonia Chuburná de Hidalgo, C.P. 97200 Mérida, Yucatán, Mexico Journal Genetic Resources and Crop Evolution Online ISSN 1573-5109 Print ISSN 0925-9864

Description: To quantify the climate change impacts of forestry and forest management options, we must consider the entire forestry system: the carbon dynamics of the forest, the life cycle of harvested wood products, and the substitution benefit of using biomass and wood products compared to more greenhouse gas intensive options. This paper presents modelled estimates of the greenhouse gas balance of two key native forest areas managed for production in New South Wales for a period of 200 years, and compares it to the option of managing for conservation only. These two case studies show that forests managed for production provide the greatest ongoing greenhouse gas benefits, with long-term carbon storage in products, and product substitution benefits critical to the outcome. Thus native forests could play a significant part in climate change mitigation, particularly when sustainably managed for production of wood and non-wood products including biomass for bioenergy. The potential role of production forestry in mitigating climate change, though substantial, has been largely overlooked in recent Australian climate change policy.

Description: In dry western Unites States forests where past resource management has altered the ecological role of fire and stand characteristics alike, mechanical thinning and prescribed burning are commonly applied in wildfire hazard abatement. The reduced surface fuel loads and stand structures resulting from fuels modifications are temporary, yet few studies have assessed the lifespan of treatment effects. We sampled forest fuels and vegetation following fuels reduction in a chronosequence of time since treatment in the northern Sierra Nevada and southern Cascade regions of California. Treatments altered overstory characteristics including stand density, basal area, and species composition. These effects were still present on the oldest treatment sites (8–15 years post-treatment). Other stand characteristics, particularly timelag fuel loads, seedling density, and shrub cover, exhibited substantial variability, and differences between treatment age classes and between treatment and control groups were not statistically significant.

Description: Longleaf pine has been classified as very shade intolerant but leaf physiological plasticity to light is not well understood, especially given longleaf pine’s persistent seedling grass stage. We examined leaf morphological and physiological responses to light in one-year-old grass-stage seedlings and young trees ranging in height from 4.6 m to 6.3 m to test the hypothesis that young longleaf pine would demonstrate leaf phenotypic plasticity to light environment. Seedlings were grown in a greenhouse under ambient levels of photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) or a 50% reduction in ambient PAR and whole branches of trees were shaded to provide a 50% reduction in ambient PAR. In seedlings, shading reduced leaf mass per unit area (LMA), the light compensation point, and leaf dark respiration (RD), and increased the ratio of light-saturated photosynthesis to RD and chlorophyll b and total chlorophyll expressed per unit leaf dry weight. In trees, shading reduced LMA, increased chlorophyll a, chlorophyll b and total chlorophyll on a leaf dry weight basis, and increased allocation of total foliar nitrogen to chlorophyll nitrogen. Changes in leaf morphological and physiological traits indicate a degree of shade tolerance that may have implications for even and uneven-aged management of longleaf pine.

Description:    A total of 198 accessions representing 18 species of the genus Cajanus , assembled at the ICRISAT genebank, was characterized for 27 morpho-agronomic traits at ICRISAT farm, Patancheru, India. Newman–Keuls test of significance for mean values indicated significant differences among the species for one or more traits under study. Mean diversity for all traits was maximum in C. scarabaeoides ( H ′ = 0.590 ± 0.010). First three principal components (PCs) captured 84.3 % of total variation among all species. Cluster analysis resulted in three clusters. C. albicans and C. mollis formed Cluster 1; C. cajanifolius , C. crassus and C. platycarpus formed Cluster 2 and C. acutifolius , C. scarabaeoides , C. lineatus and C. sericeus formed Cluster 3. C. platycarpus for extra early flowering (34–40 days); C. scarabaeoides for early flowering (51–118 days); C. albicans for broad pods; C. mollis , C. albicans , C. cinereus for more seeds per pod (〉6) and C. crassus , C. cajanifolius , C. mollis , C. platycarpus and C. albicans for high seed protein (〉30 %) were found as promising sources. Long duration perennial species such as C. crassus , C. mollis and C. albicans are good sources for forage. Five accessions (ICP 15661, ICP 15664, ICP 15666, ICP 15668 and ICP 15671) of C. platycarpus , two accessions (ICP 15653 and ICP 15658) of C. mollis and one accession each of C. acutifolius (ICP 15611), C. albicans (ICP 15620), C. cajanifolius (ICP 15632), C. crassus (ICP 15768), C. lineatus (ICP 15646), C. scarabaeoides (ICP 15922) and C. sericeus (ICP 15760), found as promising for multiple trait combinations are useful in pigeonpea improvement programs. Content Type Journal Article Category Research Article Pages 1-21 DOI 10.1007/s10722-012-9864-0 Authors H. D. Upadhyaya, International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT), Genetic Resources, Patancheru, 502324 Andhra Pradesh, India K. N. Reddy, International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT), Genetic Resources, Patancheru, 502324 Andhra Pradesh, India Sube Singh, International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT), Genetic Resources, Patancheru, 502324 Andhra Pradesh, India C. L. L. Gowda, International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT), Genetic Resources, Patancheru, 502324 Andhra Pradesh, India Journal Genetic Resources and Crop Evolution Online ISSN 1573-5109 Print ISSN 0925-9864

Description: This paper compares carbon (C) and nutrient contents in soils (Alfisols derived from andesite), forest floor and vegetation in a former fire (1960) and an adjacent forest in the Sagehen Watershed in the Sierra Nevada Mountains of California. Soils from the former fire (now occupied predominantly by Ceanothus velutinus, a nitrogen-fixing shrub) had significantly lower contents of extractable SO42− and P (both Bray and bicarbonate) but significantly greater contents of exchangeable Ca2+ than the adjacent forested site (dominated by Pinus jeffreyii). 15N data suggested that N fixation had occurred in the former fire site, but N contents did not differ between the two sites. O horizon C and nutrient contents did not differ between the two sites, but vegetation C and nutrient contents were significantly greater in the forested than former fire site. These results contrast with those from a nearby, previous study at Little Valley Nevada, also dominated by P. jeffreyii growing on a different soil type (Entisols derived from granite). In the Little Valley study, soil C, N, Ca2+, Mg2+, and K+ contents within the former fire (1981, now also occupied predominantly by Ceanothus velutinus) were greater than in the adjacent forest (Pinus jeffreyii) but soil extractable P contents either did not differ or were greater in the former fire. We conclude that soil parent material is an indirect but strong mediator of the effects of post-fire vegetation on soils in this region, especially with respect to soil P changes, which vary substantially between andesite- and granite-derived soils.

Description:    A set of 77 markers was used to describe the genetic diversity in a group of 58 tetraploid wheat accessions. Analysis was performed using 31 neutral SSR markers, 31 SSR/STS markers linked with reported major stem rust resistance genes and 15 SSR markers linked with QTL identified for resistance to Ethiopian stem rust races of Puccinia graminis Pers. f. sp. tritici Eriks. et E. Henn. ( Pgt ),including Ug99. The material consisted of 32 ( Triticum durum s.l. incl. T. aethiopicum Jakubz., Triticum turgidum and Triticum polonicum ) landraces and 22 registered T. durum varieties from Ethiopia that were released 1966–2009 and four T. durum varieties from ICARDA. A total of 720 alleles were detected. Considering the three marker sets, the mean number of alleles was higher for major stem rust resistance gene linked markers (9.9) followed by neutral SSR markers (9.2) and markers linked with QTL for stem rust resistance (8.5). Dendrograms derived from UPGMA analysis grouped the accessions into two major clusters. The principal component analysis based on the combination of the three marker sets formed three groups. The 1st group was composed of all the improved varieties, whereas the 2nd and the 3rd group contained the landraces. All the landraces that formed the 3rd group were susceptible to Ethiopian stem rust races of Pgt including Ug99. The information on the extent of the genetic diversity of the improved varieties obtained in this investigation will be helpful for developing appropriate breeding strategies to broadening the genetic base of durum wheat varieties in further breeding programmes. Content Type Journal Article Category Research Article Pages 1-15 DOI 10.1007/s10722-012-9855-1 Authors Jemanesh K. Haile, Leibniz Institute of Plant Genetics and Crop Plant Research (IPK), Corrensstr. 3, 06466 Gatersleben, Germany Karl Hammer, Department of Agrobiodiversity, Institute of Crop Sciences, University of Kassel, 37213 Witzenhausen, Germany Ayele Badebo, Ethiopian Institute of Agricultural Research, Debre-Zeit Agricultural Research Centre, P.O. Box 32, Debre-Zeit, Ethiopia Miloudi M. Nachit, ICARDA, ICARDA BIGM, Durum Improvement Program, P.O. Box 5466, Aleppo, Syria Marion S. Röder, Leibniz Institute of Plant Genetics and Crop Plant Research (IPK), Corrensstr. 3, 06466 Gatersleben, Germany Journal Genetic Resources and Crop Evolution Online ISSN 1573-5109 Print ISSN 0925-9864

Description: Many scientists and managers have an interest in describing the environment following a fire to understand the effects on soil productivity, vegetation growth, and wildlife habitat, but little research has focused on the scientific rationale for classifying the post-fire environment. We developed an empirically-grounded soil post-fire index (PFI) based on available science and ecological thresholds. Using over 50 literature sources, we identified a minimum of five broad categories of post-fire outcomes: (a) unburned, (b) abundant surface organic matter (〉85% surface organic matter), (c) moderate amount of surface organic matter (≥40 through 85%), (d) small amounts of surface organic matter (

Description:    The low molecular weight glutenin subunits (LMW-GS) are the major components of glutenins and are important for the end-use quality of wheat. Five novel LMW-GS genes (designated as LMW - Jiachazharen , LMW - Bangdadongmai - 3 , LMW - Jiachaaigan , LMW - Maoyintumai and LMW - Rikezehongmai ) were isolated from Tibetan wheat landraces. The coding regions of LMW - Jiachazharen , LMW - Bangdadongmai - 3 , LMW - Jiachaaigan , LMW - Maoyintumai and LMW - Rikezehongmai were 912, 897, 915, 927 and 906 bp in length, which encoded 302, 297, 303, 307 and 300 amino acid residues, respectively. Analysis of the deduced amino acid sequences showed that the five novel genes were classified as LMW-m type, with the predicted molecular weights of 32,013.97, 31,622.89, 32,107.07, 32,939.41 and 31,731.64 Da, respectively. The LMW-Jiachazharen, LMW-Jiachaaigan, LMW-Maoyintumai possessed seven cysteine residues, which resulted from a single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) of the G–A transition. However, except for eight conserved cysteine residues, LMW-Bangdadongmai-3 contained an extra one, as the result of a SNP of the T–C transition. In addition, the corresponding five LMW-GS were identified and confirmed by sodium SDS-PAGE and MALDI-TOF-MS, respectively. Phylogenetic analysis indicated that the five novel genes were glutenin-like proteins and designated as LMW-m type genes. The five novel genes may be new candidate LMW-GS genes with potential value for wheat quality improvement. Content Type Journal Article Category Research Article Pages 1-8 DOI 10.1007/s10722-012-9877-8 Authors Qiuxia Lan, Chengdu Institute of Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, P.O.Box 416, Chengdu, 610041 China Bo Feng, Chengdu Institute of Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, P.O.Box 416, Chengdu, 610041 China Zhibin Xu, Chengdu Institute of Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, P.O.Box 416, Chengdu, 610041 China Guojun Zhao, Chengdu Institute of Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, P.O.Box 416, Chengdu, 610041 China Tao Wang, Chengdu Institute of Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, P.O.Box 416, Chengdu, 610041 China Journal Genetic Resources and Crop Evolution Online ISSN 1573-5109 Print ISSN 0925-9864

Description:    Bambara groundnut an indigenous crop of African origin is drought tolerant and the third most important leguminous crop in Ghana and Sub-Saharan Africa. In order to assess the level of genetic diversity within a small collection of Ghanaian landraces, molecular analysis was performed using microsatellite markers alongside characterization of morphological features. Genetic distance based on Jaccard’s similarity coefficient from the SSR marker analysis ranged from 0.48 to 0.9 among the landraces. 80 individual genotypes were clustered into 17 units with substantial levels of inter- and intra-landrace polymorphism. The analyses of variance from the morphological characterization for all quantitative traits were statistically significant ( p  〈 0.05) except for terminal leaflet width. The first 4 principal components accounted for 41.97, 20.15, 13.39 and 9.81 % respectively of the morphological variations among the landraces. Qualitative traits however accounted for less of these variations. The results of the present study support the availability of high level of polymorphism within the collection of bambara groundnut analysed. This report is useful to crop improvement and germplasm conservation of bambara groundnut in Ghana. Content Type Journal Article Category Research Article Pages 1-11 DOI 10.1007/s10722-012-9874-y Authors Aliyu Siise, CSIR-Savanna Agricultural Research Institute, Nyankpala N/R, Ghana Festo J. Massawe, School of Biosciences, The University of Nottingham, Malaysia Campus, Jalan Broga, 43500 Semenyih, Selangor Darul Ehsan, Malaysia Journal Genetic Resources and Crop Evolution Online ISSN 1573-5109 Print ISSN 0925-9864

Description: Based on theoretical underpinnings and an empirical review of forest laws and regulations of selected countries throughout the Americas, we examine key components of natural forest management and how they are addressed in the legal frameworks of Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Nicaragua, Paraguay, Uruguay, and the U.S. We consider forest policy directives in terms of legislative, planning, operational, environmental/ecological, social, and economic aspects and classify them by the type of policy obligation: (1) non-discretionary laws or rules; or (2) discretionary, voluntary directives; and, further, by the type of policy approach: (1) a specific technology or practice required or recommended; (2) a process or system requirement or recommendation; or (3) a performance or outcome based requirement or recommendation. Protection of at-risk species and riparian buffers are required in all countries and include specific prescriptions in most; forest management planning and secure, legal land title or tenancy are commonly required; and mandatory processes to protect soil and water quality are customary. Less common requirements include forest monitoring and social and economic aspects, and, when in place, they are usually voluntary. Implications for improved policies to achieve sustainable forest management (SFM) are discussed.

Description:    Italy and Spain are the countries with the oldest record of tomato cultivation in Europe and arguably, with the higher number of traditional and heirloom varieties. In this work we evaluated the genetic diversity and structure in a sample of 26 cultivated accessions belonging to four traditional tomato types, Muchamiel and De la Pera from Spain, and San Marzano and Sorrento from Italy. The (GATA) 4 fingerprinting of the 109 genotypes confirmed the ability of this DNA marker to discriminate tomato plants that are otherwise difficult to distinguish. Furthermore, both the estimated population structure and the genetic differentiation statistics were consistent in indicating that subpopulations are more likely to correspond to farmers’ breeding efforts and market specialization than to country-specific groups. Our results provide useful information not only for germplasm description and management but also for current breeding programs in both regions. Content Type Journal Article Category Research Article Pages 1-10 DOI 10.1007/s10722-012-9876-9 Authors Santiago García-Martínez, Department of Applied Biology, Miguel Hernández University, Orihuela, Spain Giandomenico Corrado, Dipartimento di Scienze del Suolo, della Pianta, dell’Ambiente e delle Produzioni Animali, Università degli Studi di Napoli Federico II, Via Università 100, 80055 Portici, Italy Juan José Ruiz, Department of Applied Biology, Miguel Hernández University, Orihuela, Spain Rosa Rao, Dipartimento di Scienze del Suolo, della Pianta, dell’Ambiente e delle Produzioni Animali, Università degli Studi di Napoli Federico II, Via Università 100, 80055 Portici, Italy Journal Genetic Resources and Crop Evolution Online ISSN 1573-5109 Print ISSN 0925-9864

Description:    Cacao ( Theobroma cacao L.) is a significant agricultural commodity in the Dominican Republic, which ranks 11th in the world for cacao exports. To estimate genetic diversity, determine genetic identity, and identify any labeling errors, 14 SSR markers were employed to fingerprint 955 trees among cacao germplasm accessions and local farmer selections (LFS). Comparisons of homonymous plants across plots revealed a significant misidentification rate estimated to be 40.9 % for germplasm accessions and 17.4 % for LFS. The 14 SSRs amplified a total of 117 alleles with a mean allelic richness of 8.36 alleles per locus and average polymorphism information content (PIC) value of 0.67 for the germplasm collection. Similar levels of variation were detected among the LFS where a total of 113 alleles were amplified with a mean of 8.07 alleles per locus and PIC of 0.57. The observed heterozygosity (H obs ) was 0.67 for the germplasm collection and 0.60 for LFS. Based on population structure analysis 43.9 % of the germplasm accessions and 72.1 % of the LFS are predominantly of the Amelonado ancestry. Among these Amelonado, 51.7 % for the germplasm collection and 50.6 % for LFS corresponded to Trinitario hybrid lineage. Criollo ancestry was found in 7.6 and 9.5 % of the germplasm accessions and LFS, respectively. The Contamana, Nacional, and Iquitos backgrounds were also observed in both populations, but the Curaray background was only detected in the germplasm accessions. No Purús or Guiana ancestry was found in either of the populations. Overall, significant genetic diversity, which could be exploited in the Dominican Republic breeding and selection programs, was identified among the germplasm accessions and LFS. Content Type Journal Article Category Research Article Pages 1-15 DOI 10.1007/s10722-012-9860-4 Authors Edward J. Boza, C/O USDA-ARS Subtropical Horticulture Research Station, 13601 Old Cutler Road, Miami, FL 33158, USA Brian M. Irish, USDA-ARS Tropical Agriculture Research Station, 2200 P. A. Campos Ave., Suite 201, Mayagüez, PR 00680, USA Alan W. Meerow, C/O USDA-ARS Subtropical Horticulture Research Station, 13601 Old Cutler Road, Miami, FL 33158, USA Cecile L. Tondo, C/O USDA-ARS Subtropical Horticulture Research Station, 13601 Old Cutler Road, Miami, FL 33158, USA Orlando A. Rodríguez, Instituto Dominicano de Investigaciones Agropecuarias y Forestales (IDIAF), Mata Larga, San Francisco de Macorís, Dominican Republic Marisol Ventura-López, Instituto Dominicano de Investigaciones Agropecuarias y Forestales (IDIAF), Mata Larga, San Francisco de Macorís, Dominican Republic Jaime A. Gómez, Confederación Nacional de Cacaocultores Dominicanos, Inc. (CONACADO), Calle Altagracia Saviñon No. 11, Los Prados, Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic J. Michael Moore, C/O USDA-ARS Subtropical Horticulture Research Station, 13601 Old Cutler Road, Miami, FL 33158, USA Dapeng Zhang, USDA-ARS Sustainable Perennial Crops Laboratory, 10300 Baltimore Avenue, Bldg 001 BARC-West, Beltsville, MD 20705, USA Juan Carlos Motamayor, C/O USDA-ARS Subtropical Horticulture Research Station, 13601 Old Cutler Road, Miami, FL 33158, USA Raymond J. Schnell, C/O USDA-ARS Subtropical Horticulture Research Station, 13601 Old Cutler Road, Miami, FL 33158, USA Journal Genetic Resources and Crop Evolution Online ISSN 1573-5109 Print ISSN 0925-9864