PROGRESSES ON THE NATURE AND BIOTIC STRESS OF POTATO (SOLANUM TUBEROSUM L.)

Potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) is the third largest crop in terms of consumption by human, most important tuber crop in the world and a vital plant for global food security. Instead, potato breeding is slow compared to other crops. Transforming potato into a diploid F1 hybrid crop is a hopeful method to increase potato genetic gain. Studies on breeding and genetics of potato has big potential to solve many problems exist in potato. Another potential area for these studies are diseases which are seriously targeting this crop worlwide started from Irish potato famine which effected whole Europe continent. Here in this review, some of latest significant problems and approaches related to potato production are given below.

Comparison of carcass and non-carcass characteristics of Local and Pekin ducks

The purpose of this study was to evaluate carcass and non-carcass characteristics of local ducks. The research material was carcasses of five local male ducks aged 24 weeks (relative weight of about 1220 g) and five male Pekin ducks of 9 weeks of age (relative weight of about 1440 g) which were kept in the duck cage at the laboratory of Breeding and Genetics, Faculty of Animal Science, Hasanuddin University, Indonesia using intensive housing systems and commercial feed. The research method was all ducks were fasted and rested for 8 hours, slaughtered, carcasses, and parameters analyzed. Parameters measured were weight and percentage of carcass traits (wings, dorsal, thighs, breast, and neck), weight and percentage of non-carcass traits (head, shank, kidney, heart, trachea, esophagus, gizzard, liver, intestine, feathers), three types of weight (live weight, slaughter weight, and carcass weight), percentage of the total carcass, and meat bone ratio (thigh and breast). The results showed that there were no significant differences in all carcass and non-carcass parameters between local ducks and Pekin ducks except for non-carcass parameters, namely head, gizzard, shank, intestine, heart, and trachea. At different ages, Pekin ducks and local ducks showed similar carcass characteristics. These results show that the growth rate of Pekin ducks is faster than that of local ducks. These results become one of the bases and references that local ducks still need a breeding program for improving carcass growth to reach optimum carcass characteristics.

Capa-casein gene polymorphism in cows of different breeds of dairy productivity

Genetic polymorphism of milk proteins, in particular kappa-casein, is of considerable research interest due to its possible associations with economically important traits of dairy cattle. The aim of the study was to determine the polymorphism of the kappa-casein gene and its association with signs of milk productivity in cows of different breeds. Polymorphism of the kappa-casein gene was studied in cows of Ukrainian red-spotted dairy (UCHERM), Ukrainian black-spotted dairy (UCHRM), Montbeliard (M) breeds and crossbred cows obtained by crossing cows of Ukrainian red-spotted dairy breed with Mongolians. DNA studies were performed in the Department of Animal Genetics and Biotechnology of the Institute of Animal Breeding and Genetics nd. a. M.V.Zubets NAAS using the PCR-RFLP method. As a result of research, three genotypes of the kappa-casein gene were identified: AA, AB, BB. Genotypes AA and AB were found in all studied groups of cows, genotype BB was found only in cows of Montbeliard breed with a frequency of 0.366. The highest hopes for 305 days of the first lactation among all studied cows were in crossbred cows with genotype AB (7029 kg), the lowest - in crossbred animals with genotype AA (6359 kg). According to the distribution of genotypes and alleles of the kappa-casein gene, domestic breeds of UCHRM and UCHERM are similar in genetic structure and have a low concentration of B-allelic variant, apparently due to the fact that these breeds were created by reproductive crossing with Holstein breed, in populations of which this allele quite low. The presence of such genotypes in the studied groups of first-borns is determined by the peculiarities of selection work in the herd of SE "DG" Niva "of the Institute of Animal Breeding and Genetics named after MV Tooth of NAAS ». Research results genotypes and alleles of the kappa-casein gene is an additional genetic characteristic of animals, which makes it possible to create herds with the desired characteristics of milk productivity

Seasonal abundance of Blister Beetle, Mylabrispustulata Thunberg on Pigeonpea and Mungbean

Seasonal abundance and activity period blister beetle (Mylabrispustulata) on pigeonpea and mungbean were recorded at Research Farms of Pulses Section, Department of Plant Breeding and Genetics, Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana. The results showed that the blister beetle started appearing in pigeonpea and mungbean in late August under Punjab conditions. During the crop season, its activity increased and reached at its peak in the end of September (13.90 beetles / 4 meter row length in pigeonpea and 5.48 beetles / 1 sq. meter quadrate in mungbean) coincided with the maximum flowering and afterwards it started declining due to the termination of flowers. The activity of blister beetle was more in the morning (20.23 beetles / 4 meter row length in pigeonpea and 8.04 beetles / 1 sq. meter quadrate in mungbean) and evening hours (21.04 beetles / 4 meter row length in pigeonpea and 8.06 beetles / 1 sq. meter quadrate in mungbean) as compared to the noon hours (0.43 beetles / 4 meter row length in pigeonpea and 0.33 beetles / 1 sq. meter quadrate in mungbean).

Introduction

This chapter introduces plant breeding, which is intended to alter plants genetically in such a manner that they adapt more appropriately to the needs of human beings. It describes the objectives of plant breeding which are tightly interwoven with the general goals of agricultural plant production. It also recounts the first work on plant breeding and genetics that was conducted by an Augustinian monk named Gregor Johann Mendel in the mid-1890s. This chapter reviews how the unsuitability of patent protection and the lack of protection of plant breeding in many countries increased the demand for protection of plant varieties on an international basis. It mentions the preamble of the International Union for the Protection of New Varieties of Plants (UPOV) Convention, which states that the protection of new varieties of plants is important for the development of agriculture and safeguarding the interests of breeders.

TO THE 85TH ANNIVERSARY FROM BIRTHDAY DOCTOR OF AGRICULTURAL SCIENCE PROFESSOR BORYS YEVHENOVYCH PODOBA BORYS YEVHENOVYCH PODOBA – A RECOGNIZED AUTHORITY ON AGRICULTURAL ANIMAL GENETIC

Borys Yevhenovych Podoba, a well-known scientist, chief researcher of the laboratory of information systems of the Institute of Animal Breeding and Genetics nd. a.M.V.Zubets of NAAS is celebrating his 85th birthday. Borys Podoba was born on April 28, 1936 in Chernigov. In 1959 he graduated from the agronomic faculty of the Ukrainian Academy of Agricultural Sciences. In 1959–1968 he worked at the Ukrainian Research Institute of Poultry, where in 1966 he defended his Ph. D. thesis on the topic "The use of heterosis in duck breeding." In 1968 he began working at the Scientific Research Institute of Animal Husbandry of the Forest-Steppe and Polesye of the Ukrainian SSR, where he worked as a senior researcher, and since 1976 – as the head of the laboratory of genetics. In 1976 he was awarded the academic title of senior research fellow with a degree in breeding and selection of farm animals. Since 1978, B. Ye. Podoba has been working at the Institute of Animal Breeding and Genetics as a senior researcher, then as head of the laboratory for the genetic foundations of breeding. In 1997 he defended his doctoral dissertation "The use of polymorphism of erythrocyte antigens for assessing breeding resources, increasing the genetic potential and preserving the gene pool of cattle", by the specialty "genetics". Borys Yevhenovych Podoba developed the theory and methods of using blood groups in the genetic monitoring system when creating and improving breeds, preserving biodiversity in animal husbandry in Ukraine, and made a significant contribution to the organization and improvement of the immunogenetic service of Ukraine. One of the directions of his scientific work was the combination of immunogenetic methods with breeding aspects of the individual development of animals. This work connects the generations of breeders G. F. Podoba on the methodological approaches of selection breeding of breeding young cattle used in the creation of a herd of Mining Schwyz, and E. G. Podoba on the principles of selection to improve the efficiency of feed use by farm animals. All years of scientific activity, B. Ye. Podoba has been an active member, first of the All-Union and then the Ukrainian Society of Geneticists and Breeders nd. a. N. I. Vavilov. In 2015 he received the title of degree professor in genetics. The results of B. Ye. Podoba's scientific research are presented in more than 300 scientific works published by him, including 9 monographs, 11 scientific articles in foreign publications, more than 20 recommendations and breeding programs, 7 patents and copyright certificates on genetics, selection, breeding, preservation of the genepool and biodiversity of farm animals, which have become a significant contribution to the treasury of Ukrainian science. The staff of the Institute congratulates the esteemed professor Borys Yevhenovych Podoba and wishes him good health and creative longevity!

Incorporation of a Statewide Webinar Series into an Existing County-based Beef Cattle Extension Program

With the objective of continuing educational delivery while county Extension offices were unable to host large group meeting due to pandemic response regulations, a series of webinars were developed as a component of the Tennessee Master Beef Producer program. A secondary objective was to maintain a county-based approach to programmatic delivery. To reach these objectives, individual webinars (Zoom Video Communications, San Jose, CA; n = 9), each lasting approximately 1.5 hr were developed by UT Extension Specialists and offered between October and November of 2020 covering the topics of breeding and genetics, reproductive management, nutrition, animal handling, economics, health management, and forages. Questions were administered during the live session via the Zoom polling function to assess production statistics and collect evaluation data. The series was advertised in local communities through UT Extension County Agents. Agents were given the opportunity to choose as many or as few to incorporate into their local delivery and could choose to give producers the option of viewing at home, at socially distanced group meetings, or either. Interaction was limited to the chat function within Zoom with the expectation that attendees would make audio and video interaction difficult to manage. Total live participation was 8,009 and averaged 890 ± 15.3 unique views per session. Each webinar was recorded and posted to YouTube to be used by agents for later delivery. In-webinar polling showed that an average of 91% of the webinar participants planned to implement a change on their operation as a direct result of information provided in the presentation. Post-webinar Likert scale (1 to 5) analysis of participants indicated approval of speaker ability (4.52 ± 0.03) and content quality (4.51 ± 0.03). These results indicate a high adoption rate by agents and that webinars are an effective tool for achieving behavioral change through a county-based Extension system.

Breeding and Genetics of Forages for Semi-Arid and Arid Rangelands

Rangelands are the Earth’s largest land type and provide the feed source for the extensive grazing of beef and dairy cattle (Bos taurus), sheep (Ovis aries), goat (Capra aegagrus hircus), horse (Equus ferus caballus), camel (Camelus spp [...]