Drought and low soil nitrogen are major factors limiting maize production in Sub-Saharan Africa. Genotypic and phenotypic characterization of maize testcross hybrids developed from four biparental populations: CML441 x CML444, CML440 x COMPE, CML444 x K64R and CML312 x NAW was conducted. The objectives were (a) to evaluate the performance of F2:3 line testcrosses across stressed and non-stress conditions, (b) to estimate heritabilities for grain yield and secondary traits, (c) to assess the relationship between testing environments, (d) to estimate genetic correlations among relevant traits, (e) to estimate direct and indirect genetic gain from selection, and (e) to have a preliminary assessment of the efficiency of marker-assisted selection. Studies were conducted under no nitrogen fertilization, low nitrogen, drought, well- watered and high nitrogen in Malawi and Zimbabwe. About 100 entries from each population were tested using an alpha lattice design with two replications at all locations. Traits measured were grain yield, plant height, anthesis date, anthesis-silking interval, ears per plant, grain moisture at harvest and leaf senescence. Highest grain yield across environments was obtained from population CML444 x K64R (3.82 Mg ha-1) and the lowest from CML440 x COMPE (3.64 Mg ha-1). Testcrosses from CML441 x CML444 and CML444 x K64R had higher heritability estimates compared to CML440 x COMPE and CML312 x NAW. Drought and high nitrogen environments had higher heritability estimates than low nitrogen and well-watered conditions. Drought and well-watered environments discriminated testcrosses in a similar manner as well as high and low nitrogen environments. All populations had negative correlations between grain yield and anthesis silking interval, while positive correlations were observed between grain yield and ears per plant. No consistent differences were observed between overall means of best and worst marker based selected line testcrosses across populations and environments. Highest direct expected genetic gains were observed from high nitrogen environments. Direct selection under specific environments (e.g. drought ) was estimated to be more beneficial than indirect selection in other environments.

Drought and low soil nitrogen are major factors limiting maize production in Sub-Saharan Africa. Genotypic and phenotypic characterization of maize testcross hybrids developed from four biparental populations: CML441 x CML444, CML440 x COMPE, CML444 x K64R and CML312 x NAW was conducted. The objectives were (a) to evaluate the performance of F2:3 line testcrosses across stressed and non-stress conditions, (b) to estimate heritabilities for grain yield and secondary traits, (c) to assess the relationship between testing environments, (d) to estimate genetic correlations among relevant traits, (e) to estimate direct and indirect genetic gain from selection, and (e) to have a preliminary assessment of the efficiency of marker-assisted selection. Studies were conducted under no nitrogen fertilization, low nitrogen, drought, well- watered and high nitrogen in Malawi and Zimbabwe. About 100 entries from each population were tested using an alpha lattice design with two replications at all locations. Traits measured were grain yield, plant height, anthesis date, anthesis-silking interval, ears per plant, grain moisture at harvest and leaf senescence. Highest grain yield across environments was obtained from population CML444 x K64R (3.82 Mg ha-1) and the lowest from CML440 x COMPE (3.64 Mg ha-1). Testcrosses from CML441 x CML444 and CML444 x K64R had higher heritability estimates compared to CML440 x COMPE and CML312 x NAW. Drought and high nitrogen environments had higher heritability estimates than low nitrogen and well-watered conditions. Drought and well-watered environments discriminated testcrosses in a similar manner as well as high and low nitrogen environments. All populations had negative correlations between grain yield and anthesis silking interval, while positive correlations were observed between grain yield and ears per plant. No consistent differences were observed between overall means of best and worst marker based selected line testcrosses across populations and environments. Highest direct expected genetic gains were observed from high nitrogen environments. Direct selection under specific environments (e.g. drought ) was estimated to be more beneficial than indirect selection in other environments.

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Made available in DSpace on 2014-06-11T19:22:17Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2003Bitstream added on 2014-06-13T19:27:26Z : No. of bitstreams: 1 myczkowski_ml_me_botfca.pdf: 94102 bytes, checksum: acf2ae8422a1d023a113297ec3036a90 (MD5) / O presente trabalho teve como objetivo avaliar a variabilidade genética para teor de óleo entre progênies autofecundadas da cultivar de mamona Guarani. O material utilizado foi constituído de 135 progênies obtidas de plantas individuais, por meio de autofecundações artificiais, divididas em três experimentos e parcelas com 10m2. As avaliações foram realizadas em duas localidades, em Araçatuba - SP e em São Manuel - SP, na Fazenda Experimental São Manuel, da Faculdade de Ciências Agronômicas – UNESP/Botucatu. Foi avaliado o teor de óleo obtido por meio do método químico Soxhlet. Para cada localidade foram realizadas análises estatísticas segundo o delineamento de blocos ao acaso e também uma análise conjunta para os dois locais. Foram determinados os parâmetros genéticos, variância genética e coeficiente de herdabilidade. Os quadrados médios da interação de progênies por locais avaliadas na análise conjunta foram significativos a 5% de probabilidade pelo teste F em todos os experimentos, o que define a existência de comportamento diferencial de progênies em relação aos locais quanto ao teor de óleo. Os quadrados médios da análise de variância entre progênies dentro de locais apresentaram significância a 5% de probabilidade pelo teste F em todos os experimentos de Araçatuba, mostrando a existência de diferenças genéticas entre progênies, já nos experimentos de São Manuel os quadrados médios não foram significativos indicando assim ausência ou baixa variabilidade genética para teor de óleo. A média de teor de óleo, em São Manuel foi 43,22%, variando de 34,87% a 49,24%. Em Araçatuba, a média foi 43,59%, variando de 30,24% a 53,60%. A variância genética e o coeficiente de herdabilidade foram, respectivamente 0.32 e 0,10 para São Manuel e 4,87 e 0,44 para Araçatuba. Estes valores mostram a possibilidade de sucesso na seleção para teor de óleo nas condições de Araçatuba. / The purpose of the research was to evaluate the genetic variability for oil content among lines of castor bean, cv. Guarani. Using artificial self- fertilizations, 135 lines were obtained from individual plants and tested in two locations in the state of São Paulo : Araçatuba and São Manuel, utilizing randomized block design with three replications and plots with 10m2. Oil content was determined by the Soxhlet chemical method. Individual and joint analysis of variance were made to estimate genetic parameters. The mean squares of the line x location interaction were significant by the F test with 5% of probability, that demonstrated the existence of differential behavior of lines due locations for oil content. The mean squares of the variance analysis among lines were significant by the F test with 5% of probability in Araçatuba, showing the existence of genetic differences among lines. However, in São Manuel, the mean squares were not significant, showing absence or low genetic variability for oil content. Average of line oil content, in São Manuel was 43.22% (from 34.87% to 49.24%). In Araçatuba the oil content mean was 43.59% (from 30.24% to 53.6%). Genetic variance and heritability coefficients were respectively 0.32 and 0.10 for São Manuel and 4.87 and 0.44 for Araçatuba. Those values show the possibility to improve the oil content by selection in Araçatuba conditions.

An in vitro technique was adapted for screening the ability of Rosa hybrida L. genotypes to form embryogenic callus to elucidate the inheritance of this ability. Filament and leaf petiole explants of modern rose cultivars 'Tournament of Roses' and 'Baby Love' were cultured on somatic embryogenesis induction media and evaluated for the ability to produce embryogenic callus. Cultures of 'Tournament of Roses' produced somatic embryos at a much higher frequency versus 'Baby Love' that produced no embryos. Subsequently, filament explants of eleven 'Tournament of Roses' x 'Baby Love' progeny genotypes were cultured on somatic embryogenesis induction media and evaluated for the ability to undergo somatic embryogenesis. The progeny genotypes produced somatic embryos at varied frequencies. The results obtained indicated that the ability to undergo embryogenesis in Rosa hybrida L. is heritable in an additive fashion with the involvement of more than one gene.

Epigenetic studies hold the promise of addressing some of the fundamental questions of human biology including development, cell differentiation, and the aetiological mechanisms of complex disease. Over the last years, several new large scale high throughput technologies have been developed to allow genome wide profiling of epigenetic signals such as DNA methylation and histone modifications. Two of such technologies were developed in our laboratory enabling a genome wide microarray based profiling of DNA methylation signatures and a high throughput method for the site specific interrogation of the density of methylated cytosine. Using these techniques, we identified a DNA methylation difference in the 3’UTR of the DLX1 gene with potentially functional implications to discordance in risk taking behavior in a single pair of MZ twins. We modeled a power analysis on the effect size of the detected difference and determined that approximately 6~25 discordant twin pairs will be adequate to yield 80% power across the entire 12 K CpG island microarray platform using our epigenomic microarray profiling technique. We performed a DNA methylome analysis of MZ twins in white blood cells (WBC), buccal epithelial cells, and gut (rectum) biopsies (N=57 pairs in total) using 12K CpG island microarrays providing the basis for the first annotation of epigenetic metastability of ~6,000 unique genomic regions in MZ twins. We performed a classical twin study on DNA methylation differences in WBC and buccal epithelial cells from 39 pairs of MZ twins to 40 pairs of DZ twins. DZ co-twins exhibited significantly higher epigenetic difference compared to the MZ co-twins in buccal cells (p=1.2x10-294). While such higher epigenetic discordance in DZ twins can result from DNA sequence differences, our in silico SNP analyses and comparison of methylomes in inbred vs. outbred mice favour the hypothesis that this is due to epigenomic differences in the zygotes. This study suggests that molecular mechanisms of heritability may not be limited to DNA sequence differences.

Epigenetic studies hold the promise of addressing some of the fundamental questions of human biology including development, cell differentiation, and the aetiological mechanisms of complex disease. Over the last years, several new large scale high throughput technologies have been developed to allow genome wide profiling of epigenetic signals such as DNA methylation and histone modifications. Two of such technologies were developed in our laboratory enabling a genome wide microarray based profiling of DNA methylation signatures and a high throughput method for the site specific interrogation of the density of methylated cytosine. Using these techniques, we identified a DNA methylation difference in the 3’UTR of the DLX1 gene with potentially functional implications to discordance in risk taking behavior in a single pair of MZ twins. We modeled a power analysis on the effect size of the detected difference and determined that approximately 6~25 discordant twin pairs will be adequate to yield 80% power across the entire 12 K CpG island microarray platform using our epigenomic microarray profiling technique. We performed a DNA methylome analysis of MZ twins in white blood cells (WBC), buccal epithelial cells, and gut (rectum) biopsies (N=57 pairs in total) using 12K CpG island microarrays providing the basis for the first annotation of epigenetic metastability of ~6,000 unique genomic regions in MZ twins. We performed a classical twin study on DNA methylation differences in WBC and buccal epithelial cells from 39 pairs of MZ twins to 40 pairs of DZ twins. DZ co-twins exhibited significantly higher epigenetic difference compared to the MZ co-twins in buccal cells (p=1.2x10-294). While such higher epigenetic discordance in DZ twins can result from DNA sequence differences, our in silico SNP analyses and comparison of methylomes in inbred vs. outbred mice favour the hypothesis that this is due to epigenomic differences in the zygotes. This study suggests that molecular mechanisms of heritability may not be limited to DNA sequence differences.

An in vitro technique was adapted for screening the ability of Rosa hybrida L. genotypes to form embryogenic callus to elucidate the inheritance of this ability. Filament and leaf petiole explants of modern rose cultivars 'Tournament of Roses' and 'Baby Love' were cultured on somatic embryogenesis induction media and evaluated for the ability to produce embryogenic callus. Cultures of 'Tournament of Roses' produced somatic embryos at a much higher frequency versus 'Baby Love' that produced no embryos. Subsequently, filament explants of eleven 'Tournament of Roses' x 'Baby Love' progeny genotypes were cultured on somatic embryogenesis induction media and evaluated for the ability to undergo somatic embryogenesis. The progeny genotypes produced somatic embryos at varied frequencies. The results obtained indicated that the ability to undergo embryogenesis in Rosa hybrida L. is heritable in an additive fashion with the involvement of more than one gene.

Orientador: Maurício Dutra Zanotto / Resumo: O presente trabalho teve como objetivo avaliar a variabilidade genética para teor de óleo entre progênies autofecundadas da cultivar de mamona Guarani. O material utilizado foi constituído de 135 progênies obtidas de plantas individuais, por meio de autofecundações artificiais, divididas em três experimentos e parcelas com 10m2. As avaliações foram realizadas em duas localidades, em Araçatuba - SP e em São Manuel - SP, na Fazenda Experimental São Manuel, da Faculdade de Ciências Agronômicas - UNESP/Botucatu. Foi avaliado o teor de óleo obtido por meio do método químico Soxhlet. Para cada localidade foram realizadas análises estatísticas segundo o delineamento de blocos ao acaso e também uma análise conjunta para os dois locais. Foram determinados os parâmetros genéticos, variância genética e coeficiente de herdabilidade. Os quadrados médios da interação de progênies por locais avaliadas na análise conjunta foram significativos a 5% de probabilidade pelo teste F em todos os experimentos, o que define a existência de comportamento diferencial de progênies em relação aos locais quanto ao teor de óleo. Os quadrados médios da análise de variância entre progênies dentro de locais apresentaram significância a 5% de probabilidade pelo teste F em todos os experimentos de Araçatuba, mostrando a existência de diferenças genéticas entre progênies, já nos experimentos de São Manuel os quadrados médios não foram significativos indicando assim ausência ou baixa variabilidade genética para teor de óleo. A média de teor de óleo, em São Manuel foi 43,22%, variando de 34,87% a 49,24%. Em Araçatuba, a média foi 43,59%, variando de 30,24% a 53,60%. A variância genética e o coeficiente de herdabilidade foram, respectivamente 0.32 e 0,10 para São Manuel e 4,87 e 0,44 para Araçatuba. Estes valores mostram a possibilidade de sucesso na seleção para teor de óleo nas condições de Araçatuba. / Abstract: The purpose of the research was to evaluate the genetic variability for oil content among lines of castor bean, cv. Guarani. Using artificial self- fertilizations, 135 lines were obtained from individual plants and tested in two locations in the state of São Paulo : Araçatuba and São Manuel, utilizing randomized block design with three replications and plots with 10m2. Oil content was determined by the Soxhlet chemical method. Individual and joint analysis of variance were made to estimate genetic parameters. The mean squares of the line x location interaction were significant by the F test with 5% of probability, that demonstrated the existence of differential behavior of lines due locations for oil content. The mean squares of the variance analysis among lines were significant by the F test with 5% of probability in Araçatuba, showing the existence of genetic differences among lines. However, in São Manuel, the mean squares were not significant, showing absence or low genetic variability for oil content. Average of line oil content, in São Manuel was 43.22% (from 34.87% to 49.24%). In Araçatuba the oil content mean was 43.59% (from 30.24% to 53.6%). Genetic variance and heritability coefficients were respectively 0.32 and 0.10 for São Manuel and 4.87 and 0.44 for Araçatuba. Those values show the possibility to improve the oil content by selection in Araçatuba conditions. / Mestre

Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) / Brain imaging genetics is an emerging research field aimed at studying the underlying genetic architecture of brain structure and function by utilizing different imaging modalities. However, not all the changes in the brain are a direct result of the genetic effect. Furthermore, the imaging phenotypes are promising for genetic analyses are usually unknown. In this thesis, we focus on identifying highly heritable measures of structural brain networks derived from Diffusion Weighted Magnetic Resonance imaging data. Using data for twins that is made available by the Human Connectome Project (HCP), the reliability of edge-level measures, namely fractional anisotropy, fiber length, and fiber number in the structural connectome, as well as seven network-level measures, specifically assortativity coefficient, local efficiency, modularity, transitivity, cluster coefficient, global efficiency, and characteristic path length, were evaluated using intraclass correlation coefficients. In addition, estimates of the heritability of the reliable measures were also obtained. It was observed that across all 64,620 network edges between 360 brain regions in the Glasser parcellation, approximately 5% were significantly high heritability based on fractional anisotropy, fiber length, or fiber number. Moreover, all tested network level measures, that capture network integrity, segregation, or resilience, were found to be highly heritable, having a variance ranging from 59% to 77% that is attributable to an additive genetic effect.