Estudos genético quantitativos e moleculares são fundamentais para o melhoramento animal e sua realização com a raça Nelore é de grande importância devido a ampla participação dessa no rebanho de corte nacional. A estimação constante dos parâmetros genéticos das características de produção é necessário para a adequada condução do processo de seleção dos animais. A melhoria de características relacionadas à carcaça bovina é essencial para a eficiência e sustentabilidade da atividade e a implementação de métodos de seleção animal baseados em informações moleculares pode revolucionar a produção zootécnica e deve ser profundamente estudado. Sendo assim, os objetivos do presente estudo foram estimar parâmetros genéticos e componentes de variância através de diferentes modelos matemáticos para um total de 14 características fenotípicas (o peso ao nascimento, peso a desmama, peso ao sobreano, ganho de peso entre a desmama e o sobreano ajustado para um intervalo de 345 dias, perímetro escrotal ao sobreano, altura de garupa ao sobreano, escores visuais avaliados ao sobreano de conformação, precocidade, musculosidade, comprimento de umbigo e ossatura, e ainda características de carcaça mensuradas por ultrassonografia realizada após 30 a 45 dias de confinamento como a área de olho de lombo, espessura de gordura subcutânea, espessura de gordura na picanha). Foram estimadas correlações entre todas estas características com as de carcaça mensuradas por ultrassonografia. Sob o enfoque molecular, desenvolveu-se um programa para imputação de genótipos faltantes e estudaram-se diferentes métodos de associação de marcadores moleculares do tipo mutação de base nitrogenada única (SNP) a características de produção incluídas no índice de seleção de um programa de melhoramento da raça Nelore, utilizando inferência bayesiana. Todas as características estudadas podem ser selecionadas esperando-se progresso genético na população. Os efeitos maternos foram importantes em algumas características onde normalmente estes efeitos não têm sido considerados atualmente. A quantidade de escores atribuídos a uma característica categórica assim como o número de observações fenotípicas resultam em diferenças nas estimativas quando avaliadas por modelos lineares ou de limiar. Não deverão ser obtidos resultados satisfatórios na melhoria das características de carcaça se a seleção for baseada nas tradicionais avaliações visuais utilizadas no momento. Os métodos utilizados na análise de associação dos marcadores podem originar diferentes resultados. Os marcadores que apresentaram efeitos altamente relevantes (P<0,01) geralmente apresentaram resultados semelhantes, independentemente do método utilizado. Certos marcadores podem ter efeitos positivos para algumas características componentes do índice de seleção e negativos para as demais. A análise em conjunto com todos os SNP\'s e todos os dados fenotípicos disponíveis é viável e parece ser a mais adequada. O método desenvolvido de imputação de genótipos faltantes a partir do parentesco de animais genotipados foi eficiente. / Quantitative and molecular genetic studies are very important for animal breeding and studies with Nellore cattle have great importance due to the large participation of that breed in the Brazilian beef cattle industry (around 80% of the herd). The constant estimation of genetic parameters for traits linked to production is necessary for properly perform selection of animals. The improvement of carcass traits is essential for efficiency and profitability of the activity. The implementation of methods for animal selection based on molecular information could revolutionize animal production and should be deeply studied. Thus, the objectives of this study were to estimate genetic parameters and variance components using different mathematical models for a total of 14 traits, such as birth weight, weaning weight, yearling weight, post-weaning weight gain between weaning and yearling adjusted for 345 days, yearling scrotal circumference, yearling hip height, yearling visual scores like conformation, finishing, muscularity, bone structure and navel length. Ultrasound measurements for carcass traits performed at feedlot (30 to 45 days, at approximate age of 20 months) such as rib-eye area, fat thickness, rump fat thickness were, also, evaluated. Estimate correlations between all these traits with the carcass traits measured by ultrasound were estimated. As concerned to molecular study, an algorithm for imputation of missing genotypes was developed and different methods to analyze molecular marker (single nucleotide polymorphism - SNP) association with traits components of the selection index of a breeding program that is applied to the population studied, using bayesian inference, were used. Genetic progress will be expected for selection of all the traits studied. Maternal effects were important in some traits in which those effects are not usually considered. The amount of scores assigned to a categorical trait and the number of observations could result in different estimates when evaluated by linear or threshold models. The selection for visual scores traditionally used in that population will not improve carcass traits. The methods used to analyze the association of markers may lead to different results. The SNP\'s with association effects of high relevance (P<0.01) generally express their effects regardless of the method used to analyze. Some markers may have positive effects for some traits of selection index, but negative for others. The joint analysis with all SNPs and with all available phenotypes is feasible and appears to be more appropriate. The algorithm developed for imputation of missing genotypes from pedigree information of genotyped animals was efficient.

Groat oil content and composition are important quality traits in oats (Avena sativa L). These traits are controlled by many genes with additive effects. The chromosomal regions containing these genes, known as quantitative trait loci (QTL), can be discovered through their close association with markers. This study investigated total oil content and fatty acid components in an oat breeding population derived from a cross between high oil ('Dal') and low oil ('Exeter') parents. A genetic map consisting of 475 DArT (Diversity Array Technology) markers spanning 1271.8 cM across 40 linkage groups was constructed. QTL analysis for groat oil content and composition was conducted using grain samples grown at Aberdeen, ID in 1997. QTL analysis for multiple agronomic traits was also conducted using data collected from hill plots and field plots in Ottawa, ON in 2010. QTLs for oil content, palmitic acid (16:0), stearic acid (18:0), oleic acid (18:1), linoleic acid (18:2) and linolenic acid (18:3) were identified. Two of the QTLs associated with oil content were also associated with all of the fatty acids examined in this study, and most oil-related QTL showed similar patterns of effect on the fatty acid profile. These results suggest the presence of pleiotropic effects on oil-related traits through influences at specific nodes of the oil synthesis pathway. In addition, 12 QTL-associated markers (likely representing nine unique regions) were associated with plant height, heading date, lodging, and protein content. The results of this study will provide information for molecular breeding as well as insight into the genetic mechanisms controlling oil biosynthesis in oat.

Disease resistance is critical in soft red winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) cultivars. Leaf rust caused by Puccinia triticina Eriks and stripe rust caused by Puccinia striiformis Westend. f.sp. tritici Eriks. are destructive pathogens of wheat. From 2014 to 2015 phenotypic data was collected at diverse locations for resistance to leaf rust (North Carolina, Texas, and Virginia) and stripe rust (Arkansas, North Carolina, Georgia, Texas, and Virginia) in a Pioneer ‘25R47’ /‘Jamestown’ (P47/JT) population composed of 186 F5:9 recombinant inbred lines (RILs). Analysis of the P47/JT population identified two quantitative trait loci (QTL) for leaf rust resistance on chromosome 5B and two QTL for stripe rust resistance on chromosomes 3B and 6A. Phenotypic variation (%) explained by the putative leaf rust resistance QTL of Jamestown on 5B was as high as 22.1%. Variation explained by the putative stripe rust resistance QTL of Jamestown on 3B and 6A was as high as 11.1 and 14.3%, respectively. Jamestown is postulated to contain gene Lr18. Seedlings of 186 F5:9 recombinant inbred lines from the P47/JT population and 200 F2 seedlings from eight other crosses including Jamestown and/or the Lr18 host differential line RL6009 (Thatcher*6/Africa 43) were screened with P. triticina race TNRJJ. Genetic analysis of the populations was conducted to validate the presence of Lr18 in Jamestown. Results of linkage analysis identified SNP maker IWB41960 linked within 5 cM of gene Lr18 in all three populations. From 2016 to 2017 phenotypic data was collected at diverse locations for resistance to leaf rust (Illinois, North Carolina, and Virginia) in a ‘2013412’ (PI 667644) / VA10W-21 (PI 676295) population (412/21) composed of 157 doubled haploid (DH) lines. The 412/21 DH lines were genotyped via genotyping by sequence (GBS). Analysis of the 412/21 population identified one quantitative trait loci (QTL) region associated with adult plant resistance to leaf rust on chromosome 1B. Phenotypic variation (%) explained by the putative leaf rust resistance QTL of 2013412 on 1B was as high as 40.1%. Kompetitive allele-specific (KASP) markers KASP_S1B_8414614 and KASP_S1B_8566239 were developed as markers for use in marker assisted selection. / Ph. D. / Disease resistance to leaf rust and stripe rust is important when growing soft red winter wheat. Genetic resistance can have a benefit to cost ratio of up to 27:1, considerably better than that of fungicide treatments. From 2013 to 2017 disease data was collected across multiple locations spanning the eastern United States (Arkansas, Georgia, Illinois, North Carolina, Texas, and Virginia). DNA molecular markers were used to identify specific chromosome regions containing genes associated with leaf and stripe rust resistance. DNA markers associated with genes conferring resistance to leaf rust resistance were identified in three chromosome regions, and genes in two regions were associated with stripe rust resistance. These genes and molecular markers associated with them can be used by scientists to further enhance resistance in wheat cultivars. Another study was conducted to determine if Lr18, a gene for leaf rust resistance that has a large effect, is present in the Virginia Tech soft red winter wheat breeding material. This gene (Lr18) is known to have been introduced from an ancestral species highly related to wheat. Wheat seedlings derived from crosses between lines postulated to carry Lr18 with susceptible lines were tested for resistance to a specific strain of leaf rust lacking virulence to Lr18. Genetic analysis of the ratio of resistant versus susceptible seedlings and association between DNA molecular markers and resistant seedlings were conducted to validate the presence of gene Lr18. A molecular marker linked tightly to gene Lr18 was identified in the study. This gene was found to be widely distributed in soft red winter wheat breeding materials and the molecular marker associated with gene Lr18 will be useful for scientists to further improve resistance in wheat cultivars.

No description available.

Made available in DSpace on 2015-03-26T13:42:06Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 texto completo.pdf: 240857 bytes, checksum: 3f9c86d66de4b1f6bcf6c09ccae2d966 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2008-02-26 / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior / Due to difficulties in the performance of the phenotypic selection for the resistance to the soybean cyst nematode (NCS), the need to implant the marker-assisted selection to this pathogen, and the little knowledge about the genetic diversity of the resistant cultivars developed by the Brazilian breeding programs, the objectives of this work were (1) to use marker-assisted selection strategies to evaluate the efficiency of the selection of the QTL (Quantitative trait loci) near microsatellites of the linkage groups (GL) G and A2 in populations come from the crossing between isolines from the cultivars CD201 and Vmax and (2) to evaluate the genetic diversity in NCS resistant soybean cultivars developed by six Brazilian breeding programs and in sources of resistance to NCS, by means of QTL near microsatellites, which give resistance to the pathogen. As to the first objective, seven F5 populations were selected based on the microsatellite marker polymorphism of GL G and A2. These populations were phenotypically evaluated as to the resistance to the race 3 of the NCS (HG type 5.7). Families F6:7 of the populations selected by the GL A2 were susceptible and those selected by the GL G and A2 achieved four resistant families and four moderately resistant families, thus demonstrating that the QTL of greater effect of the GL A2 is not present in the source of resistance of the present study. The microsatellites of the GL G presented high selection efficiency and can be used with success in the assisted selection for the resistance to race 3 and in populations come from Vmax. As to the second objective, 36 genotypes were used, including Brazilian resistant cultivars and original genotypes (sources of resistance to NCS and the cultivar Lee, used as a standard of susceptibility). 24 QTLs near microsatellites were used of NCS resistance present in the linkage groups G, A2, D2, E, J and M. The genetic diversity of each microsatellite was evaluated by the polymorphism index content (PIC) and by the average dissimilarity of a genotype in relation to the other genotypes evaluated. Genotype grouping analyses were carried out by the Tocher method and graphic dispersion. A total of 77 alleles, with an average of 3.2 alleles per locus, was achieved for the 36 cultivars. The PIC varied from 0.11 to 0.71, with an average of 0.36. A greater number of alleles were found in the original sources, in comparison to the commercial varieties. The GL D2 was very important in the discrimination of genotypes which are resistant and moderately resistant to the race 14. The genetic basis as to the NCS resistance in the commercial variety developed by the Brazilian breeding programs is very narrow, and it is necessary to increase the diversity of the genes used, by introducing different accesses. / Diante da dificuldade na realização da seleção fenotípica para a resistência ao nematóide de cisto da soja (NCS), da necessidade da implantação da seleção assistida por marcadores a este patógeno e do pouco conhecimento da diversidade genética das cultivares resistentes desenvolvidas pelos programas de melhoramento do Brasil, este trabalho teve como objetivos: (1) utilizar estratégias de seleção assistida por marcadores para avaliar a eficiência de seleção de microssatélites próximos a QTLs (Quantitative trait loci) dos grupos de ligação (GL) G e A2 em populações originadas do cruzamento entre isolinhas derivadas das cultivares CD201 e Vmax; e (2) avaliar a diversidade genética entre cultivares de soja resistentes ao NCS desenvolvidas por seis programas de melhoramento do Brasil e entre fontes de resistência ao NCS, por meio de marcadores microssatélites próximos a QTLs que conferem resistência ao patógeno. Em relação ao primeiro objetivo, foram selecionadas sete populações F5 com base no polimorfismo de marcadores microssatélites dos GL G e A2, as quais foram avaliadas fenotipicamente quanto à resistência à raça 3 do NCS (HG tipo 5.7). Famílias F6:7 das populações selecionadas pelo GL A2 foram suscetíveis, e as selecionadas pelos GL G e A2 tiveram quatro famílias resistentes e quatro moderadamente resistentes, evidenciando que o QTL de efeito maior do GL A2 não está presente na fonte de resistência do presente estudo. Os microssatélites do GL G apresentaram alta eficiência de seleção e podem ser utilizados com sucesso na seleção assistida para a resistência à raça 3 e em populações derivadas de Vmax. Em relação ao segundo objetivo, foram utilizados 36 genótipos, incluindo cultivares resistentes do Brasil e genótipos originais (fontes de resistência ao NCS e a cultivar Lee, utilizada como padrão de suscetibilidade). Foram utilizados 24 microssatélites próximos aos QTLs de resistência ao NCS presentes nos grupos de ligação (GL) G, A2, D2, E, J e M. A diversidade genética de cada loco microssatélite foi avaliada pelo conteúdo da informação de polimorfismo (PIC) e pela dissimilaridade média de um genótipo em relação aos demais genótipos avaliados. Foram realizadas análises de agrupamento dos genótipos pelo método de Tocher e dispersão gráfica. Um total de 77 alelos, com uma média de 3,2 alelos por loco, foi obtido para as 36 cultivares. O PIC variou de 0,11 a 0,71, com uma média de 0,36. Entre as fontes originais encontrou-se um número de alelos maior que entre as variedades comerciais. O GL D2 foi muito importante na discriminação entre genótipos resistentes e moderadamente resistentes à raça 14. A base genética quanto à resistência ao NCS nas variedades comerciais desenvolvidas pelos programas de melhoramento no Brasil é muito estreita, sendo necessário aumentar a diversidade de genes utilizados, por meio da introdução de diferentes acessos.

Doctor of Philosophy / Agronomy / Allan K. Fritz / Bikram S. Gill / Gary M. Paulsen / Post-anthesis high temperature stress in wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) is a major cause of yield reduction. This process results in the loss of viable leaf area and a decrease in green leaf duration ultimately causing a yield loss. The objectives of this study were to (i) phenotype a recombinant inbred line population for heat tolerance traits, (ii) understand the genetic basis of heat tolerance by mapping quantitative trait loci (QTL) linked to yield-related traits under high temperature, (iii) model stay-green under high temperature stress and map the QTL linked to stay-green parameters, and (iv) validate the markers linked to QTL under field conditions. A filial6:7 (F6:7) recombinant inbred line (RIL) population was developed by crossing Ventnor, a heat-tolerant white winter wheat with Karl 92, a relatively heat susceptible hard red winter wheat. From 10 DAA to maturity, the treatments of optimum temperature or high temperature stress (30/25°C) were imposed on the RILs. The traits measured included grain filling duration (GFD), kernels per spike, thousand kernel weight (TKW), and grain filling rate (GFR). The stay-green traits calculated were: i) time between 75% and 25% green, ii) maximum rate of senescence, iii) time to maximum rate of senescence, and v) percent green at maximum senescence. Genetic characterization was performed using microsatellite (SSR), amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP) and a sequence tag site (STS) markers. GFD was positively correlated with TKW and negatively with GFR and maximum rate of senescence. Principle component analysis (PCA) showed kernels per spike, maximum rate of senescence, and TKW accounted for 98% of total variability among the genotypes for heat tolerance. The most significant QTL for yield traits co-localized with marker Xgwm296 for TKW, Xgwm356 for kernels per spike, and Xksum61 for GFR. The QTL for stay-green traits co-localized with markers P41/M62-107 on Chromosome 2A, Xbarc136 on Chromosome 2D, P58/MC84-146 on Chromosome 3B, P58/M77-343 on Chromosome 6A, and. P58/MC84-406 on Chromosome 6B. These results indicate that increased green leaf area duration has a positive effect on the grain yield under high temperature. Once the kernels per spike are established, GFD and TKW can be used as selection criteria for post-anthesis heat-tolerance.

No description available.

Leaf rust caused by Puccinia hordei is an important disease of barley (Hordeum vulgare) in many regions of the world. Yield losses up to 62% have been reported in susceptible cultivars. The Rph5 gene confers resistance to the most prevalent races (8 and 30) of barley leaf rust in the United States. Therefore, the molecular mapping of Rph5 is of great interest. Genetic studies were performed by analysis of 93 and 91 F2 plants derived from the crosses 'Bowman' (rph5) x 'Magnif 102' (Rph5) and 'Moore' (rph5) x Virginia 92-42-46 (Rph5), respectively. Linkage analysis positioned the Rph5 locus to the extreme telomeric region of the short arm of barley chromosome 3H at 0.2 cM proximal to RFLP marker VT1 and 0.5 cM distal from RFLP marker C970 in the Bowman x Magnif 102 population. Synteny between rice chromosome 1 and barley chromosome 3 was employed to saturate the region within the sub-centimorgan region around Rph5 using sequence-tagged site (STS) markers that were developed based on barley expressed sequence tags (ESTs) syntenic to the phage (P1)-derived artificial chromosome (PAC) clones comprising distal region of the rice chromosome 1S. Five rice PAC clones were used as queries to blastn 370,258 barley ESTs. Ninety four non-redundant EST sequences were identified from the EST database and used as templates to design 174 pairs of primer combinations. As a result, 10 EST-based STS markers were incorporated into the 'Bowman' x 'Magnif 102' high-resolution map of the Rph5 region. More importantly, six markers, including five EST-derived STS sequences, co-segregate with Rph5. Genes, represented by these markers, are putative candidates for Rph5. Results of this study demonstrate the usefulness of rice genomic resources for efficient deployment of barley EST resources for marker saturation of targeted barley genomic region. / Ph. D.

Chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) was recently introduced to the Canadian prairies, a region which has a short growing season in which crop maturation often occurs under cool and wet conditions. To improve the yield of chickpea, crop duration must closely match the available growing season. The objectives of this study were to: i) examine the days to flowering of diverse chickpea accessions grown in either long or short-days; ii) examine the days to flowering of selected chickpea accessions grown in a range of thermal regimes combined with either long or short days and to examine the interaction between photoperiod and day and night temperatures on crop duration; iii) determine the timing and duration of the photoperiod-sensitive phase in selected chickpea accessions, and vi) determine the genetic basis of the association between flowering time and reaction to ascochyta blight in chickpea. A wide variation was observed in chickpea accessions for their response to flowering under long (16/8 hours day /night) and short days (10/14 hours day/night). Earlier flowering was observed under long photoperiod regimes compared with the short photoperiod regimes. Variability was detected among chickpea accessions for their flowering responses when different temperatures were combined with different photoperiods. Earlier flowering was observed under long days (16/8 hours day/night) coupled with high to moderate temperature regimes (24/16 ºC and 20/12 ºC, day and night respectively) compared to short-days (10/14 hours day and night) and moderate to low temperature regimes (20/12 ºC and 16/8 ºC day and night, respectively). Those chickpea accessions such as ICC 6821 and ICCV 96029 which originated from the lower latitudes of Ethiopia and India, respectively, flowered earlier compared to accessions such as CDC Corinne and CDC Frontier which originated from the higher latitudes and cooler temperate environments of western Canada. Photoperiod sensitivity phases were detected in chickpea accessions adapted to the cold environments of western Canada, whereas no photoperiod sensitivity phase was identified in the extra-early flowering cultivar ICCV 96029. The duration of the photoperiod sensitive phase in the chickpea accessions was longer under short days compared to long days. Field and growth chamber evaluation of a chickpea RIL population (CP-RIL-1) revealed the presence of variability among the lines and the two parents for their days to flowering and level of resistance to ascochyta blight. Broad sense heritability across different site-years for days to flower 0.45 to 0.78, plant height 0.48 to 0.78, ascochyta blight resistance 0.14 to 0.68, days to maturity 0.26, photoperiod sensitivity 0.83 and nodes number of first flowering 0.37 to 0.75 were estimated. Days to flower and photoperiod sensitivity were significantly r = -0.21 to -0.58 (P ≤ 0.05 to 0.001) and -0.28 to -0.41 (P ≤ 0.01 to 0.001), respectively and negatively correlated with ascochyta blight resistance in the CP-RIL-1 population. A genetic linkage map consisting of eight linkage groups was developed using 349 SNP markers. Seven QTLs were identified for days to flowering under growth chamber and field conditions on chromosomes 3, 5, 6 and 8 each and 3 QTLs on chromosome 4. The total phenotypic variation explained by QTLs for days to flowering ranged from 7 to 44%. Two QTLs for days to maturity were identified on chromosomes 3 and 8. Three QTLs, one each on chromosomes 3, 4 and 5 were identified for photoperiod sensitivity. The total phenotypic variation explained by each QTL for photoperiod sensitivity ranged from 7 to 41%. A total of three QTL for node of first flowering, one on chromosomes 3 and 8 each, and two on chromosome 4 were identified. The two QTL on chromosome 4 explained total phenotypic variations of 11 and 32%, respectively. Ten QTLs distributed across all chromosomes, except chromosomes 2 and 5, were identified for ascochyta blight resistance. The phenotypic variability explained by each QTL for ascochyta blight resistance ranged from 7 to 17%. The molecular markers associated with these QTLs have potential for use in chickpea breeding.

No description available.