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Water stress is one of the most common environmental stresses that limited tobacco production in IRAN. Identification of genetic diversity in tobacco germplasm and genetic relationships between traits help to improve tolerant varieties. In this study, the genetic diversity of 100 flue–cured tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum L.) cultivars was analyzed using 15 morpho-physiological traits and 25 ISSR primers. The cultivars were cultured in a simple lattice design (10×10) with two replications (with and without water stress) in Tirtash Tobacco Institute, Iran. Results showed relative water content (RWC) and cell membrane stability (CMS) in normal condition were significantly higher than stress condition. The estimated broadsense heritability was low for RWC and CMS that represents large environmental effects on these two traits. The results of genotypes clustering by UPGMA method with ISSR markers and by WARD method with morph-physiological traits did not match. Primer UBC814: (CT) 8A with 16 polymorphic bands of the 17 bands, had higher resolution than other primers and seems appropriate for molecular diversity studies in tobacco. The K394 genotype was identified as well as drought tolerant varieties. We can use results of this study for selecting genotypes with great genetic differences and chose the desirable traits and use in breeding programs for producing high heterosis hybrid with tolerance to drought stress in tobacco.

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Chrysanthemum is one of the world's most important cut flower crops. The genetic diversity assessment among present Iranian Chrysanthemum cultivars are needed for future Chrysanthemum breeding programs. In an attempt to reveal the genetic variation and relationship among 30 Chrysanthemum cultivars, some morphological and a chloroplastic gene (rpoC) DNA molecular markers were employed. Chrysanthemum cultivars were cultivated in a Randomized Complete Block design (RCBD) with 3 replications in the field. Meanwhile, a phylogenetic tree was constructed based on chloroplast rpoC gene sequence. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) indicated that a significant variation exists among the Chrysanthemum cultivars for almost all the traits under study. In general, phenotypic coefficient of variation was higher than the genotypic coefficient of variation indicating the predominant role of environment effects. Ward Cluster analysis divided cultivars in two main clusters with highest number of cultivars falling under cluster I. Phylogenetic relationships among Chrysanthemum cultivars based on Maximum likelihood method showed that Iranian cultivars belong to Chrysanthemum morifolium, suggesting that these cultivars have presumably been bred from the same set of parents. Furthermore, genetic distance between cultivars ranged from 0.4 to 2.9, indicating sufficient genetic diversity among cultivars for crossing and selecting the most appropriate parents for Chrysanthemum morifolium breeding programs.

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Under drought stress conditions, as one of the most important limiting factors of grain yield in wheat at arid and semi-arid regions, the remobilization of assimilates gain would be more valuable to grain filling. There are a few reports on the importance of remobilization of the root during the grain filling period under drought stress conditions. An advanced mutant line of bread wheat (T-65-7-1) along with its wild type (cv. Tabasi), were planted at two moisture conditions (normal and 30-40% of field capacity) as a factorial experiment based on a completely randomized design with three replications. Sampling for gene expression analysis was conducted from the root in two stages (7 and 21 days after anthesis). In these genotypes, fructan remobilization, efficiency of fructan remobilization, and relative expression of genes involved in the synthesis and hydrolysis of fructan during the grain filling period, in root, were studied under terminal drought stress. The results showed that the stored fructan in the root participated in the assimilate remobilization. Higher fructan remobilization through root to grain in mutant line under drought stress conditions was due to over-expression of genes involved in the synthesis of fructan (1-SST and 6-SFT) at 7-days after anthesis and in hydrolysis of fructan (6-FEH) at 21-days after anthesis, compared to wild type. Drought stress did not cause a significant change in gene expression of 1-FFT and 1-FEH genes in the root of both genotypes, which confirms the only β (2,6) linkages as predominant form of fructan has affected under drought stress conditions. In wheat breeding programs, 1-SST, 6-SFT and 6-FEH can be used as molecular markers for selecting genotypes with high fructan content and more remobilization.

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To conduct any breeding program, understanding of the genetic structure of traits and effect of environment and genetic by environment interaction as well as effects of random or fixed in the analysis of results is essential. Subsequently, analysis of variances and variance components are important in plant and animal breeding. The ANOVA is one of the best estimators for variance components. But this estimator is not preferred to maximum likelihood (ML) and Restricted Maximum Likelihood (REML) methods when variance components are negatively estimated and unbalanced datasets arise. Therefore, the objective of this research is a review of comparison of estimates of variance components using ANOVA, ML and REML method in linear mixed models using experimental data.
 

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Figs as an important product in recent decades due to biotic and abiotic stresses have been faced to genetically erosion. The aim of this study was to determine the genetic diversity of taxa belonged to Ficus genus using Inter-simple sequence Repeat markers (ISSR). For this purpose, 23 accessions belonging to the fig genus collected from across the Iran country and genomic DNA was extracted from leaves. Out of 18 ISSR primers pairs, six primers pairs selected and PCR process were achieved for them. A total of 83 bands were produced, of which 78 were polymorphic. Using PAUP software, through Neighbor Joining methods, 23 populations of fig were divided in four groups. Among the primers, (AG) 8 C, (TG) 8 A and (GT) 8 C were identified as the most appropriate primers for using in future studies. Based on the results obtained from the analysis of data from ISSR, 23 populations of Ficus were classified into four groups. The results of the analysis of molecular variance (AMOVA) showed that there is no difference between the taxa and the highest genetic distance between populations within species. The results of this study showed that taxa belonging to the Ficus genus in Iran are very closely related phylogentically, and the relationship between reproductive and genetic flow is high.
 

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Drought is a worldwide risk seriously influencing production of agricultural plants such as coriander. In order to evaluate heritability and gene action for important quantitative traits in coriander in three irrigation regimes, including well water (WW), mild water stress (MWS) and severe water stress (SWS), a cross between two genotypes of TN-59-158 (Sensitive parent) and TN-59-230 (Tolerant parent) was done. Parents and progenies of triple test cross were evaluated in filed condition through a randomized complete block design with three replications. Days to 50% flowering (DTF), days to harvest (DTH), fruit yield (FY), thousand fruit weight (TFW), harvest index (HI), relative water content (RWC), essential oil yield (EOY) were measured. Results showed that total epistasis effect was observed for all traits except RWC in WW. Also, total epistasis effect was observed for all traits except DTF in MWS and SWS. Partitioning of total epistasis revealed that [i] type of epistasis was contributed to determining DTF and TFW in WW and MWS treatments, DTH, FY and RWC in MWS and SWS treatments, and HI and EOY in WW, MWS and SWS treatments.
 

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Ispaghula (Plantago ovata) is used to reduce gastrointestinal and urinary tract infections, as well as control blood glucose and cholesterol levels in the human body. The phylogeny and genetic diversity of 22 different ecotypes of Ispaghula were evaluated using 12 ISSR markers and nine morphological and phenological traits. Analysis of variance showed that there were significant differences among cultivars for all traits. Cluster analysis grouped 22 different ecotypes of Ispaghula in two groups using UPGMA method based on field data. The assessment of genetic diversity among ecotypes based molecular markers showed that the 12 primers amplified 91 polymorphic bands. The maximum number of bands (11) was produced by UBC813 and primers UBC811 with 10 bands were in the next steps, respectively. The minimum band number (4) was produced by UBC824. Polymorphism information content (PIC) value was varied from 0.26 to 0.45 and Marker index (MI) was varied from 0.90 to 4.13. Cluster analysis using UPGMA based on molecular markers, placed 22 ecotypes in the study in five groups, include 1, 1, 2, 3 and 15 ecotypes, respectively. Grouping of ecotypes with molecular markers was different with classification of the ecotypes based morphological traits. According to the results, ecotypes that are far apart can be used in the breeding program of Ispaghula.

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Drought stress is one of the factors that reduces yield in the world. Considering that wheat is grown mostly in semi-arid areas, much attention has been paid to develop drought tolerant varieties. This experiment was conducted during 2013-2014 in Tabriz University research farm, Iran. In this investigation the inheritance of some agronomic and physiological traits was studied in the field condition through generations mean analysis. The generations were produced from the cross of Arg (tolerant to drought) and Moghan3 (sensitive to drought) varieties. The experiment was a split plot design based on randomized complete blocks with two replications. The irrigation conditions were arranged in the main plots and generations in the subplots. In the stress condition, irrigation was withheld after pollination. Based on the analysis of variance, significant difference were observed among different generations in terms of plant height, peduncle length, flag leaf length, flag leaf width, number of fertile tillers, leaf chlorophyll content, leaf temperature, days to maturity, spike weight, straw weight, biomass, grain yield and harvest index. The interaction between generations and irrigation conditions was significant only for grain yield. The generation mean analysis in both normal and drought stress conditions showed that chi-square of three parameter model was significant for all of the studied characteristics, indicating the presence of non-allelic interactions in the inheritance of these traits. The broad sense and narrow sense heritabilities for the traits under study were estimated as 0.502-0.946 and 0.244-0.429 in the normal condition and 0.653-0.951 and 0.221-0.377 in the water stress condition, respectively. The average degree of dominance for all of the characters in both normal and water stress conditions was greater than one which indicated the existence of over-dominance gene action in controlling these traits. At both conditions, the dominance genetic variance was higher than the additive genetic variance for all of the traits. The results indicate the necessity of selection in advanced generation or exploiting dominance gene action in the breeding programs, if hybrid varieties are produced in the wheat plant.

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Breeding of adapted and variation germplasm can be a main element for strength of research political in stable agricultture system. This is achived by targeting variety selection onto different growing environments under natural heat and drought stresses. To realize this, breeding programs usually undertake a rigorous genotypes performance evaluation across locations and years mostly at the final stage of variety development process. More accurate selection of wheat genotypes requires reducing environmental effects for explaining of their genetic potential with appropriate analysis of genotype × environment. In this research, 18 improved bread wheat genotypes were planted in randomized compelet block design with 4 replications in Gachsaran, Khoramabad, Gonbad, Moghan and Ilam stations during three years (2011-2014). Simple and combined analysis variance were done on grain yield data. Due to significant interaction effects for Year × locatin and genotype × year × locatin, yield stability of considered genotypes were analysed using some parameteric and nonparametric methods. Obtained results showed genotypes no. 10 and 17 with 3107 and 3028 kg/ha had the highest grain yield. Based on parametric statistics: CV_i, , , ،, MS_Y/L and MSPI and non-paramertric statistics: , , , Top, Mid, Low،, R-Sum, and SDR, G10 had more yield stability. More over, G12 and G17 showed suitable yiled stability among high production genotypes. Earliness Genotypes 10 and 17 lines had optimum plant height and partially high thousand kernel weight.

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Black stem disease is one of the most important fungi diseases in sunflower. Information about the mode of heritability and the effects of genes controlling trait could be most important for selecting breeding methods to black stem disease resistance. In this study, genotypes ENSAT-B5 and AS613 and a mutant genotype M5-54-1 with different response to MP8 and MP10 isolates were selected and F₁, F₂, BC₁ and BC₂ generations were made from ENSAT-B5×AS613 and ENSAT-B5×M5-54-1 crosses. Generations of crossing and parents of each set were planted in a completely randomized design with three replications and infected by M8 and M10 isolates. With the exception of the [(♀) M5-54-1 × ENSAT-B5 (♂)-MP10] cross, the lack of fit test of simple three parametric additive-dominance models for the [(♀) AS613 × ENSAT-B5 (♂)-MP8] and [(♀) AS613 × ENSAT-B5 (♂)-MP10] crosses were significant, indicating the presence of non-allelic interactions in the inheritance of the black stem disease resistance. In the estimated models for the different crosses, high and significant amount of dominant effects and dominant × dominant interactions suggested the importance of non-additive genetic effects. Therefore, selection for this trait in early generation could not be effectively successful and hybrid development is highly recommended for increasing the resistance to the black stem disease.

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Drought stress is one of the most important factors involved in reducing wheat production and identifying genetic structure and gene action type in controlling grain yield in water stress condition is essential for choosing appropriate breeding methods. In this study, 9×9 one way diallel crosses were used to study the genetic structure of wheat grain yield at stress and non- stress conditions. Combining ability analysis by the second Griffing method for both conditions resulted in significant GCA and SCA variances, representing grain yield may be controlled by additive and non- additive effects of genes. The results of applying combining ability analysis indicated that among the parents, genotypes Ghods and Bam had the highest GCA for grain yield and the best specific crosses were Arg × Ghods, Navid × Moghan, Bam × Alvand (for both irrigation regimes) and Bam × Ghods (in stress condition). Biplot analysis of diallel data was used to display GCA and SCA for parents and to determine heterotic groups and the best crosses. In general, according to the results, Bam, Ghods and Arg were tolerant cultivars and had the ability to maintain yield in drought stress condition as well as to transfer these properties to the hybrids. So these genotypes can be used to improve stress tolerance in breeding programs.

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Tomato leafminer (Tuta absoluta) is one of the important pests of tomato in Iran. It causes serve losses to tomato yield between 50 to 100% in the world. The cryIAb gene has been introduced into many plant species, including maize resulting in protection of the maize plants against corn borer larvae. In most studies, constitutive promoters such as CaMV35S were employed for genetic transformation; however the constitutive expression of genes led to changes in plant metabolic pathways due to permanent energy consumption in plants. Since, wound inducible promoter MPI (Maize Protease Inhibitor) posses more efficiency and strength than CaMV35S promoter. Therefore, in the current study, transgenic tomato (cv. Falat) plants harboring cryIAb gene under control of the MPI promoter were developed for the first time. The MPI promoter was isolated from maize and cloned into pPZP122 expression vector replacing the CaMV35S promoter. The cryIAb gene was isolated from pCIB4427 and cloned in pPZP122:MPI:cryIAb and the resulting construct was transformed into Agrobacterium AGL1 strain using In planta approach. Initial selection of the transgenic plants was carried out in media culture containing gentamicin. PCR analysis confirmed the presence of transgene in gentamycin-resistance plants in the first and second generations by rate of 62.5% and 75.58%, respectively. Protein dot blotting using anti-CryIAb polyclonal antibody confirmed the presence of protein in the second generation of transgenic lines. Based on the result of Tuta bioassay, transgenic plants demonstrated an enhanced resistance against Tuta. Thus, the wound inducible promoter MPI can be used in genetic transformation of crop plants if insecticidal protein-encoding genes (such as different types of cry) are used and therefore, it is important to be used when plants asked to express only when are being attacked by insect pests.

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Evaluation of genetic diversity in medicinal plants is one of the most important evolutionary and breeding goals. Recent developments in polymerase chain reaction brings the possibility of evaluation the individuals of a population in more sites of genome, and among different DNA molecular markers, the ISSR marker was successfully used in study of the genetic diversity of different plants. The genetic diversity of 43 individuals from five populations of Styrian Pumpkin (Cucurbita pepo var. styriaca) and 4 individuals from one population of C. maxima which cultivated in Shahid Beheshti University collection (Tehran, Iran) was investigated using 12 ISSR markers. Totally, 83 scorable bands were produced by ISSR markers and the mean for the produced band for each marker was 6.91 and 100% of scorable bands were polymorphic. Dendrogram was illustrated based on Jaccard coefficient similarity matric and algorithm of Complete Linkage. Based on cluster analysis, individuals of populations divided into five main groups. The results of the grouping through principal coordinate analysis and cluster analysis showed that groupings by the two mentioned methods were consonant with each other and have made a similarity grouping. The cophenetic coefficient was calculated as 0.97. Totally, the results of present study showed that the some of used ISSR markers could be useful for future study of genetic variation in Cucurbita pepo.

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