Stress integrated tests and cytological analyses reveal Brassica villosa subsp. drepanensis seed quality decrease upon long-term storage

Under stress integrated germination test (SIGT), seeds undergo osmo-saline stresses, which enable to detect differences in vigour of long-term stored seeds with high germination percentage (G%). The quality of Brassica villosa subsp. drepanensis seeds stored in a genebank (at ? 20°C for 16 years) was compared with seeds at harvest by standard germination tests (GT), SIGT and cytogenetic analysis. No differences were detected in G% and mean germination time under GT. Conversely, SIGT performed with NaCl ? 0.9 MPa osmotic potential did not influence G% at harvest but reduced that of stored seeds, SIGT at ? 1.4 MPa reduced G% of both. Cytogenetic analysis showed reduction of mitotic index, appearance of chromosomal aberrations and smaller nucleoli in stored seeds compared with harvest seeds germinated in water. SIGT at ? 0.9 MPa had no effect on mitotic index, but increased chromosome aberrations and nucleoli number. SIGT at ? 1.4 MPa inhibited G% of harvest and stored seeds, reduced mitoses in harvest and completely prevented it in stored seeds. The results indicate that GT does not faithfully reflect the quality of stored seeds, with misinterpretation of their vigour, whereas SIGT and cytogenetical parameters are sensitive, reliable and inexpensive methods for early prediction of genetic erosion in germplasm banks.     

Plant cryopreservation: Progress and prospects

Summary Cryopreservation (liquid nitrogen, −196°C) represents the only safe and cost-effective option for long-term conservation of germplasm of non-orthodox seed species, vegetatively propagated species, and of biotechnology products. Classical cryopreservation techniques, which are based on freeze-induced dehydration, are mainly employed for freezing undifferentiated cultures and apices of cold-tolerant species. New cryopreservation techniques, which are based on vitrification of internal solutes, are successfully employed with all explant types, including cells suspensions and calluses, apices, and somatic and zygotic embryos of temperate and tropical species. The development of cryopreservation protocols is significantly more advanced for vegetatively propagated species than for recalcitrant seed species. Even though its routine use is still limited, there are a growing number of examples where cryopreservation is employed on a large scale for different types of materials, including seeds with orthodox and intermediate storage behaviour, dormant buds, pollen, biotechnology products, and apices sampled from in vitro plantlets of vegetatively propagated species. Cryopreservation can also be employed for uses other than germplasm conservation, such as cryoselection, i.e., the selection through freezing of samples with special properties, or cryotherapy, i.e., the elimination of viruses from infected plants through apex cryopreservation. Because of its high potential, it is expected that cryopreservation will become more frequently employed for long-term conservation of plant genetic resources.     

Cryopreservation and long-term storage of pear germplasm

Summary Germplasm collections of vegetatively propagated crops are usually maintained as plants in fields or potted in greenhouses or screened enclosures. Safety duplication of these collections, as duplicate plants or separate collections, is costly and requires large amounts of space. Cryopreservation techniques which were recently developed for long-term storage of pear germalasm may offer an efficient alternative to conventional germplasm collection maintenance. Pear (Pyrus L.) germplasm may now be stored as seeds (species), dormant buds or pollen from field-grown trees, or shoot tips fromin vitro-grown plants (cultivars). Pear germplasm may now be cryopreserved and stored for long periods (> 100 yr) utilizing slow-freezing or vitrification ofin vitro-grown shoot-tips. Dormant bud freezing, pollen, and seed cryopreservation of other lines are being developed to complete the base collection forPyrus. This cryopreserved collection provides base (long-term) storage for the field-grown pear germplasm collection at the National Clonal Germplasm Repository, Corvallis, Oregon. Based on a presentation at the 1997 Congress on In Vitro Biology held in Washington, D.C., June 14–18, 1997.     

国家种质库部分作物种子生活力监测结果与分析

对国家种质库中23种作物1.8万多份种子进行了生活力监测,结果表明,贮存10～12年后,96%以上的被监测种子发芽率仍保持在85%以上,但有95份种子(占被监测份数的0.51%)出现了明显的下降(发芽率从80%以上降至70%以下).胡萝卜、莴苣、棉花、胡麻、蓖麻等5种作物种子整体监测发芽率平均值都出现了显著下降,而胡萝卜、莴苣这二种作物的监测发芽率下降更为显著.不同起始发芽率水平及贮存前所处环境条件对贮存种子的生活力下降有一定影响.     

Conservation of rice genetic resources: the role of the International Rice Genebank at IRRI

Rice genetic resources, comprising landrace varieties, modern and obsolete varieties, genetic stocks, breeding lines, and the wild rices, are the basis of world food security. The International Rice Genebank at the International Rice Research Institute in the Philippines conserves the largest and most diverse collection of rice germplasm. The facilities of the genebank ensure the long-term preservation of this important diversity. In field research, factors that affect long-term viability of rice seeds have been identified, leading to the introduction of modified practices for germplasm multiplication and regeneration. The value of conserved germplasm can be assessed in terms of useful traits for rice breeding and the economic impact that germplasm utilization has on rice production and productivity. The application of molecular markers is changing perspectives on germplasm management. International policies affecting access to and use of rice germplasm are discussed.     

Rice genetic resources: history,conservation, investigative characterization and use in Japan

Rice has been grown in Japan for about 3000 years. Although both japonica and indica varieties have been grown in Japan, now japonica rices are grown. Japanese rice breeding has used an ecological breeding approach. While emphasis in rice breeding in the 1940's and 1950's focussed on yield in recent decades quality has been of major importance. Consumer preference and name recognition of high quality varieties, such as Koshihikari, has resulted in slow acceptance of new varieties.Rice germplasm was systematically collected throughout Japan between 1962 and 1963. Subsequent acquisition and collecting, in Japan and other countries, has resulted in 28,000 accessions being conserved in the National Genebank, based at the National institute of Agrobiological Resources (NIAR).Research on genetic diversity of rice using a range of techniques, for example esterase isozymes, has revealed clinal variation in rice radiating from the center of diversity of rice in and around southwest China. Newly found genes in traditional rice germplasm, such as genes for non-elongating mesocotyl, are now routinely identified on the rice genome. Pioneering studies on eco-genetic differentiation of species in the genus Oryza in Japan has revealed much about the complex genepool for which rice evolved.Pest and disease resistance sources, particularly to blast, bacterial blight and brown plant hopper, from many countries have been incorporated into Japanese varieties. Cold tolerance at the booting stage was found in the Indonesian variety Silewah. In the future in characterisation of rice germplasm and interaction between rice germplasm specialists and rice molecular scientists, both in Japan and internationally, will be corner stones to securing rice genetic diversity and rice improvement in the next century.     

我国作物种质资源保存研究与展望

我国于１９８４年１９８６年在北京建成两座国家种质库,９０年代初又在青海建立一座复份库,形成了国家库中,长期配套和异地结合的种质资源保存体系。截止１９９３年底,国家库保存种质资源达２７万余份,到１９９５年保存总数将达到３０余万份。与种子入库时,在国家库的管理,种子质量检测,种子干燥以及低温保存技术研究等方面取得一定进展,今后将继续扩大种质贮存、加强贮存种子生活力跟踪监测,无破坏性检测技术,贮存生理和     

Early survival and growth of Allanblackia stuhlmannii (Clusiaceae): a threatened tropical rainforest tree of high economic value in Tanzania

Rural households living in tropical ecosystems depend heavily on forest trees for valuable nontimber forest products that are, however, undergoing unsustainable harvesting. This study assessed early survival and growth of Allanblackia stuhlmannii (Clusiaceae), a nontimber tree species endemic to Tanzania. A total of 400 seedlings sourced from twenty elite female trees were planted in two adjacent locations. Data were collected over 59 months for survival, height and root collar diameter. Seedling survival at 59 months was significantly different between Emau and Shebomeza, being on average ~11% higher in Shebomeza. However, survival of the progenies of each female tree at 59 months was not significantly different. Overall, mean RCD (range: 6.8–59.7 mm) and height (range: 17.1–274.4 cm) were positively correlated (r = 0.84, P < 0.001). The correlations in heights of individuals between 17 and 59, and 23 and 59 months were positive (r = 0.34 versus 0.53, respectively). Results also suggested that if growth rate is related to ontogeny from juvenile to adult, then the progenies of ten female trees that have shown consistently higher growth rates may flower and fruit earlier than other progenies. Future planting for conservation of this threatened, overharvested tree species can therefore be based on data gathered from these field genebanks.     

Increases in the longevity of desiccation-phase developing rice seeds: response to high-temperature drying depends on harvest moisture content

Background and Aims Previous studies have suggested that the drying conditions routinely used by genebanks may not be optimal for subsequent seed longevity. The aim of this study was to compare the effect of hot-air drying and low-temperature drying on subsequent seed longevity for 20 diverse rice accessions and to consider how factors related to seed production history might influence the results.Methods Seeds of rice, Oryza sativa, were produced according to normal regeneration procedures at IRRI. They were harvested at different times [harvest date and days after anthesis (DAA), once for each accession] and dried either in a drying room (DR; 15 % relative humidity, 15 °C) or in a flat-bed heated-air batch dryer (BD; 45 °C, 8 h d^–1) for up to six daily cycles followed by drying in the DR. Relative longevity was assessed by storage at 10·9 % moisture content and 45 °C.Key Results Initial drying in the BD resulted in significantly greater longevity compared with the DR for 14 accessions (seed lots): the period of time for viability to fall to 50 % for seeds dried in the BD as a percentage of that for seeds dried throughout in the DR varied between 1.3 and 372·2 % for these accessions. The seed lots that responded the most were those that were harvested earlier in the season and at higher moisture content. Drying in the BD did not reduce subsequent longevity compared with DR drying for any of the remaining accessions.Conclusions Seeds harvested at a moisture content where, according to the moisture desorption isotherm, they could still be metabolically active (>16·2 %) may be in the first stage of the post-mass maturity, desiccation phase of seed development and thus able to increase longevity in response to hot-air drying. The genebank standards regarding seed drying for rice and, perhaps, for other tropical species should therefore be reconsidered.