La fibre de coton est la première fibre naturelle utilisée dans le monde. Le coton fournit un revenu à plus de 10 millions de personnes en Afrique occidentale et centrale. Au Cameroun, il est produit en conditions pluviales et le manque d'eau est le principal facteur abiotique limitant le rendement et la qualité de la fibre. Dans ce contexte, un programme de sélection a été initié en 1950 avec l'objectif d'augmenter le rendement, la qualité de la fibre et la résistance aux maladies. En 60 ans, plus de 20 cultivars ont été créés. Cependant, depuis une trentaine d'année, un plafonnement du rendement en coton graine est constaté. Cette étude a analysé la croissance et le développement des principaux cultivars vulgarisés de 1950 à nos jours, pour évaluer le progrès génétique, y compris celui de caractères d'adaptation au stress hydrique indirectement sélectionnés. Elle a analysé les interactions génotype x environnement x pratiques culturales (GEI) dans des conditions hydrique limitantes afin de pouvoir utiliser un modèle de simulation de la croissance du cotonnier. En utilisant ce dernier, les rendements ont pu être prédits et des idéotypes pour les conditions de culture du coton au Cameroun ont été conçus. Une application de ces travaux a été d'identifier des caractères d'adaptation au stress hydrique pour aider les sélectionneurs à choisir les cultivars qui résistent mieux au stress hydrique. Dans un premier temps, le progrès génétique et son interaction avec les conditions de culture au Cameroun ont été évalués au champ et en milieux contrôlés sur le développement du coton, la croissance (y compris racinaire), le rendement et la qualité de la fibre. Les résultats ont montré que la sélection a réussi à améliorer le potentiel de rendement et de qualité de la fibre lorsque la culture atteint la maturité physiologique, avant la fin de la saison des pluies. Cependant, lors de stress hydrique de fin de cycle, le programme de sélection a réduit la qualité de la fibre. La plupart des variables de développement et de croissance n'ont pas changé avec le temps, sauf le nombre de feuilles qui a été réduit. La sélection a créé des cultivars avec un meilleur potentiel de production et de qualité de fibres mais en perdant en plasticité en conditions sub-optimales et n'a pas amélioré l'accès à l'eau du sol. Dans un second temps, les analyses des GEI des caractères d'adaptation à la sécheresse ont montré que le déficit en eau a un impact négatif sur presque toutes les fonctions de la plante, à la fois au champ et en milieux contrôlés. Le cultivar récent L484, créé pour la zone de production la plus sèche, a maintenu le plus haut niveau de photosynthèse et de transpiration par unité de surface foliaire dans les conditions défavorables, maintenant ainsi le plus haut niveau d'efficience d'utilisation du rayonnement et de l'eau. Cependant, cela n'a pas permis d'améliorer la biomasse, l'indice de récolte et le rendement de ce cultivar. Le programme de sélection du coton au Cameroun a réussi à fournir un cultivar (L484) mieux adapté aux conditions locales, avec une plus grande stabilité et un développement plus rapide, mais sans aucune augmentation de rendement. Dans un dernier temps, le modèle de simulation de la croissance du cotonnier, CROPGRO-Cotton, a été utilisé afin de définir les idéotypes conduisant à des rendements plus élevés. Des expériences de terrain au Cameroun ont été utilisées pour constituer l'ensemble de données minimum pour l'étalonnage du modèle. Les cultivars AC, L484 et quarante-deux cultivars virtuels avec ± 20% par rapport aux valeurs de paramètres de L484 ont été comparés dans 99 années de temps généré en deux lieux. Par rapport à L484, les idéotypes avaient une durée réduite entre levée et floraison et plus longue de phase reproductive, un plus haut niveau de photosynthèse maximum avec des feuilles plus épaisses, et des feuilles plus petites pour la région de l'Extrême Nord ou plus grandes pour la région du Nord. / Cotton lint is the first natural fiber used in the world. Cotton provides income to more than 10 million people in West and Central Africa. In Cameroon, it is produced in rainfed conditions and water shortage is the major abiotic factor limiting yield and lint quality. In this context, a breeding program was initiated in 1950 to increase lint yield, fiber quality and disease resistance. After 60 years, this program has released more than 20 cultivars. However, seed cotton yield has been levelling off for more than thirty years.This study analyzed growth and development of main cultivars released from 1950 to-date to evaluate genetic gain including drought adaptation traits indirectly bred for. It also analyzed genotype by environment by crop management interactions (GEI) under water limited conditions in order to use a cotton simulation model in Cameroonian conditions. Then, crop simulation model was used to design cotton ideotypes under Cameroonian cropping conditions. An application of this work was in providing key drought adaptation traits to breed for cultivars that better withstand water stress.Firstly, phenotype evolution over breeding time and its interaction with cropping conditions in Cameroon was evaluated on cotton development, growth (including roots), yield, and fiber quality. Ten major cultivars were studied under rainfed conditions (field) and controlled conditions (greenhouse and phytotron). Classical GEI analysis of variance of cultivars and regression over their respective year of release were done. The results showed that the breeding program succeeded in improving cotton lint yield and the potential of fiber quality when the crop reached physiological maturity before the end of the rainy season. In late season drought, breeding reduced the fiber quality (fiber length, uniformity and strength). Most of the development and growth variables did not change with time, except the number of leaves which reduced. Breeding created cultivars with better potential fiber production and quality, but with reduced plasticity to sub-optimal environments and access to soil water. Secondly, an analysis of GEI for ecophysiological traits conferring a good response to drought was done in good and water limited conditions for a subset of four cultivars. The results indicated that water deficit had a negative impact on almost all plant functions, both under field and controlled environments. The recent cultivar L484 bred for the driest production area had the fastest development, thickest leaves with most chlorophyll and thus maintained the highest level of photosynthesis and transpiration per unit of leaf area in water-limited conditions. In these conditions, L484 had the highest radiation use efficiency and water use efficiency maintenances. Despite these traits this cultivar did not show any improvement in terms of biomass, harvest index and cotton yield across water conditions. Cotton breeding program in Cameroon succeeded in providing a cultivar (L484) better adapted to local conditions, with a higher stability and faster development coupled with a strategy of growth maintenance, without any improvement in yield. Thirdly, the crop simulation model CROPGRO-Cotton was used in order to design ideotypes with higher yield than existing cultivars. Field experiments in Cameroon were used to constitute the minimum dataset for the crop model calibration. Then, cultivars AC, L484 and forty-two virtual cultivars with ±20% from L484 parameter values were compared across 99 years of generated weather in two locations. Compared to L484, the cotton ideotypes in Cameroonian rainfed conditions had reduced emergence to anthesis duration, longer reproductive duration, higher maximum level of photosynthesis with thicker leaves, and smaller leaves for Far North region or bigger ones for North region.

Naminė obelis (Malus x domestica Borkh.) yra vienas plačiausiai auginamų ir ekonomiškai svarbių vaismedžių. Obels vainiko architektūra yra biologinis požymis, nuo kurio priklauso vaismedžio derėjimo tipas, sąnaudų genėjimui poreikis. Obels vainiko architektūros tyrimai apima augimo reguliatorių taikymo, šakų vystymosi, genėjimo, aplinkos veiksnių poveikio augalų vainiko architektūrai tyrimus. Genetiniai ir fiziologiniai aspektai kol kas mažai ištirti. Tyrimų tikslas – ištirti obels vainiko architektūros paveldėjimą, nustatyti morfologinius ir molekulinius žymenis, susietus su obels vainiko forma ir numatyti jų panaudojimą juvenaliniame raidos tarpsnyje prognozuojant obels hibridų vainiko formą. Pirmą kartą nustatyti koloninės ir svyrančios vainiko formos obelų morfologiniai ir biocheminiai žymenys juvenaliniame raidos tarpsnyje. Šių žymenų naudojimas leidžia atrinkti norimos vainiko formos hibridus pirmais auginimo metais. Nustatyti obels morfologinių požymių, tiesiogiai susietų su vainiko architektūra, paveldėjimo dėsningumai. Ištirta, kad kryžminimuose naudotų koloninių veislių Co genas yra heterozigotinėje būsenoje. Pirmą kartą ištirta augalo hormonų dinamika skirtingos vainiko formos obelų lapuose vegetacijos laikotarpiu. Atskleistas abscizo ir giberelo rūgščių antagonistinis ryšys bei sinergetinis ryšys tarp giberelo rūgšties ir zeatino kontroliuojant obelų tarpubamblio ilgį. Pirmą kartą nustatyti biocheminiai žymenys, tinkami hibridų koloninei vainiko formai... [toliau žr. visą tekstą] / Apple (Malus x domestica Borkh.) is one of the most widespread and economically important fruit trees. Canopy architecture of an apple determines fruit bearing and demand for pruning. Main apple canopy architecture topics are related to application of growth regulators, fertilizers, studies of shoot development and pruning, and environmental influence. Genetic and physiologic aspects are studied less. The aim of the research was to investigate inheritance of apple tree canopy architecture, to identify morphological and molecular markers related to canopy architecture and to evaluate their usage in predicting canopy ideotype of apple seedlings in juvenile phase. Morphological and biochemical markers for selection of columnar and weeping apple seedlings were identified for the first time. Usage of these markers enables to select hybrids with desired canopy form during first year of growing. Regularities of morphological trait inheritance were established. It was established, that Co gene is dominant heterozygous in parental columnar clones. Dynamics of phytohormones in leafs of apple trees with different canopy architecture during vegetation were evaluated for the first time. Antagonistic relation between abscisic and giberelic acids and synergetic link between giberelic acid and zeatin controlling apple internode length was identified. Biochemical markers for identifying columnar seedling canopy in juvenile phase were established for the first time. High amount of auxin and... [to full text]

The justification for development of elite loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) genotypes includes potential increases in stand uniformity and reduction in planting densities and corresponding establishment costs. However, some genotypes produce less desirable characteristics than others. The ability to realize full potential genetic gains is dependent on selecting appropriate combinations of genetic material and silvicultural management. In 2008, a study was established in the upper coastal plain of Mississippi to examine the performance of two varietal loblolly pine genotypes, a “crop tree” ideotype (CROP) and a “competitor” ideotype (COMP), at two levels of management intensity and three different initial tree spacings. After nine growing seasons, differences in crown morphology, top dieback frequency, and growth and yield variables are apparent between genetics and silvicultural intensity. The COMP ideotype had, on average, greater crown volume, less acute branch angles, and LAI than the CROP ideotype. Increasing management intensity had greater impact on crown characteristics than genotype. Current annual increment growth of stem wood was statistically higher in the COMP ideotype under intensive management and lowest stocking level. The interaction of ideotype, management intensity and spacing level significantly impacted growth and yield. The COMP ideotype is projected to produce greater volume than the CROP ideotype on this site. There was no significant difference between ideotypes with respect to specific gravity for any combination of cultural treatments. Instances of top dieback were significantly higher in the CROP ideotype across management and spacing levels. Nutrient sufficiency levels for fast growing loblolly pine and foliar levels in the current study were statistically significant. Differences due to management intensity were related to reduced competition and lower incidence of damage. The results of this study provide a reference point for elite loblolly pine under different silvicultural regimes for landowners interested in performance potential in Mississippi’s upper coastal plain.

Varietal forestry may increase the productivity of loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) in the Southern United Sates. However, the effects of these genetic x environment interactions are still poorly understood. In this study we examined the responses in growth, stand uniformity and leaf level physiology of loblolly pine clonal varieties and families to silvicultural intensity and site effects. We also looked for patterns in observed traits that were consistent between crown ideotypes. Two varieties of each crown ideotype (narrow vs broad crowns) and two families (controlled mass pollinated (CMP) and open pollinated (OP) family) were tested on the Virginia Piedmont (VA) and the North Carolina Coastal Plain (NC) under different silvicultural intensities (operational vs intensive), and planting density (617, 1235 and 1852 trees per hectare). Data were collected during the first four growing season after establishment. At NC, intensive silviculture increased crown-width, height and dbh by 33%, 14%, and 23%, respectively. At VA, intensive silviculture increased crown-width, height and dbh by 41%, 10%, and 23%, respectively. Intensive silviculture also increased slightly but significantly the stand uniformity of stem growth. However, the differences in productivity between silvicultural treatments were not explained by differences in leaf-level physiology. Across all treatments and sites the varieties generally grew faster than the OP family, but the differences were higher at VA. Varieties did not differ in stem growth, but the broadest crown variety had greater stand uniformity, photosynthetic rate (Asat), carbon isotope discrimination (∆¹³) and lower fascicle size than the OP family. None of the traits assessed inthis study was consistent within the ideotypes. Varieties classified in the same crown-ideotypes may respond differently to the environmental effects of site and silviculture, which reinforces the need of matching varietal forestry with precision silviculture to achieve gains in productivity. / Ph. D.

This study was designed to investigate the development of the crown architecture of six genotypes of loblolly pine across a variety of growing conditions, and also to investigate the stability of the crown ideotype for these genotypes over a range of site and silvicultural management regimes. The objectives were to determine whether the crown dimensions that determine the crown ideotype of four clones, a mass-control-pollinated family, and an open-pollinated family of Pinus taeda L. are consistent within their respective genotypes, and to determine whether those same crown dimensions and genotypes follow consistent patterns even when established on different sites with contrasting qualities and different silvicultural regimes. The study was conducted on a 5-year-old plantation with an initial spacing of 1,235 trees per hectare. The plots had not reached crown closure, which provided the opportunity to assess the crown characteristics of individual trees of each genotype and how they developed over in a variety of growing conditions, without the interactions of other individuals. The study was a split-split plot design with the whole plot divided between two sites of contrasting quality; one site established in the Virginia Piedmont and a second site established in the North Carolina Coastal Plain. The sub plots were divided between high and low intensity silviculture. The sub-sub plots were divided among the six genotypes of loblolly pine. Seventeen tree and crown characteristics were measured, and means were compared using analysis of variance and Tukey's HSD test. We hypothesized that the branch and crown attributes would follow consistent patterns among these genotypes on the two sites and between the two silvicultural regimes. The results generally confirm these hypotheses. When the genotypes were compared, interactions only occurred with total branches, internode length, total foliage mass, and total leaf area. Tree height, diameter at breast height (dbh), stem volume, and crown volume averaged 4.8 m, 7.5 cm, 0.03 m3, and 7.1 m3, respectively at the site in Virginia, compared to values of 4.1 m, 6.2 cm, 0.02 m3, and 4.9 m3 at the site in North Carolina. Tree height, dbh, stem volume, branch diameter, branch length, and crown volume averaged 4.7 m, 7.5 cm, 0.03 m3, 1.3 cm, 90.3 cm, and 7.3 m3, respectively under high intensity silviculture compared to values of 4.3 m, 6.2 cm, 0.02 m3, 1.1 cm, 68.7 cm, and 4.7 m3 under low intensity silviculture. There were differences among the genotypes in branch diameter, branch length, and crown volume, with the branch diameter of clones 1 and 3 averaging 1.2 cm compared to an average of 1.3 cm for clones 2 and 4. Branch length for clone 1 averaged 72.4 cm and clone 3 averaged 77.0 cm, while branch length for clone 2 averaged 83.3 cm and clone 4 averaged 86.7 cm. Crown volume for clone 1 averaged 4.9 m3 and clone 3 averaged 6.3 m3, while clone 2 averaged 7.1 m3 and clone 4 averaged 7.2 m3. These differences conform to the crown ideotype for these clones, where clones 1 and 3 were considered narrow crowned and clones 2 and 4 were considered broad crowned. The branch diameter and branch length of the open pollinated family (OP) was similar in size to the broad crowned clones (1.3 cm and 84 cm, respectively), while the branch diameter and branch length of the mass control pollinated (MCP) family was smaller than the narrow crowned clones (1.1 cm and 71.2 cm, respectively). Crown volume for the OP family was intermediate between the clonal ideotypes, averaging 5.9 m3, while the MCP family had the smallest crown volume, averaging 4.7 m3. A single-degree-of-freedom ANOVA comparing the two clonal ideotypes yielded similar results. There were interactions with branch diameter, total branches, internode length, and total leaf area, but the broad crown ideotype was larger in every measured parameter than the narrow crown ideotype. The lack of interactions and the general conformity to crown ideotype in this study indicated stability among these genotypes across this variety of growing conditions. / Master of Science

Au Sahel, la répartition des pluies irrégulière dans le temps et dans l’espace engendre une forte interaction variété x année et variété x lieu. Pour déterminer les variétés les plus productives en espérance en fonction des lieux, il faudrait de nombreuses années d’expérimentation en chaque lieu, ce qui prendrait beaucoup de temps.Une alternative est de maximiser la production prédite à l’aide d’un modèle de culture décrivant la croissance et le développement de cultures en interaction avec leurs conditions agro-environnementales.La production à maximiser est moyenne sur une distribution de probabilitéd’entrées environnementales, spécifique du lieu, alors que les paramètres variétaux qui maximisent cette production définissent un but de sélection que l’on appelle idéotype.Dans ce travail, nous voulons déterminer une carte d’idéotypes de sorgho. Nous sommes donc confrontés à un problème d’optimisation d’un modèle complexe. Une méthode classiquement utilisée dans ce contexte est la méthode Efficient Global Optimization (EGO), fondée sur un métamodèle de krigeage. Ici, une telle approche n'est pas adaptée. En effet, la distribution des entrées météorologiques suit un modèle stochastiquedont les paramètres varient continûment dans l’espace en suivant un gradient Nord-Sud. L’optimisation des paramètres variétaux est alors conditionnelle à ces paramètres de climat. D’autre part, la fonction à maximiser n’est connue que par un nombre limité de simulations, donc à une erreur près.Notre cadre de travail concerne donc l'optimisation conditionnelle d'une fonction bruitée. Les extensions existantes de l'algorithe $EGO$ ne prennent pas en charge ce cadre. Dans cette thèse, un nouveau critère pour l'optimisation conditionnelle d'une fonction bruitée est proposée et étudié. Une métaphore de l'optimisation conditionnelle est la recherche d'une ligne de crête. A partir de simulations sur des fonctions test, une étude des performances de ce nouveau critère est proposée, de même qu'une comparaison avec le critère habituellement utilisé pour la recherche de ligne de crête. Les résultats de cette étude montrent l'intérêt de notre critère.L'application à la cartographie d'idéotypes de sorgho a été testée sur l'espace couvert par le Sénégal, le sud du Mali et le Burkina Faso. Elle a consisté à maximiser le rendement espéré en fonction de 4 paramètres du modèle Samara : la longueur de la phase végétative, la longueur maximale des racines, le potentiel de réserve des tiges, et la mortalité des feuilles. Les résultats de cette optimisation recoupent en partie l'analyse de sensibilité menée sur ces mêmes paramètres. / In the Sahel region, the irregular rainfall distribution in time and space generates variety x year and variety x location interactions. Therefore, determining variety with the best expected yield would take many years of experimentation in each location.Alternatively, the best variety could be identified by maximizing the predicted yield using a crop simulation model that describes growth and development of a crop in interaction with agro-environmental conditions.The average yield depends on the probability distribution of environmental inputs, which is location specific, while the cultivar parameters that maximizethis yield define the ideotype, i.e. the selection target.In this work, we want to draw the map of sorghum ideotypes in Sub Saharan Africa. To face the problem of optimizing a complex model, an algorithm conventionally used in this context is the Efficient Global Optimization method (EGO), based on kriging as a surrogate model. Here, the distribution of meteorological inputs follows a stochastic model whose parameters varycontinuously in space along a North-South gradient. Consequently, the optimization of varietal parameters is conditional on these climate parameters. Moreover, the function to maximize is noisy, because expectation and quantilesare merely estimated with a limited number of simulations. We aimed at adapting the EGO algorithm to the conditional optimization of a noisy function. Extensions exist either for the optimization of noisy functions or for the conditional optimization of deterministic functions, ie the search for the values of a subset of parameters that optimize the function conditionally to the values taken by another subset, which are fixed. A metaphor for conditional optimization is the search for a crest line. No method has yet been developed for the conditional optimization of noisy functions: this is what we propose in this thesis. Testing this new method on test functions shows that, in case of a high level of noise on the function, the PEQI criterion that we propose is better than the PEI criterion usually implemented in such a situation.The application of this new optimization method sorghum ideotypes parameters mapping has been tested in the area covered by Senegal, southern Mali and Burkina Faso. It consisted in maximizing the expected yield with respect to 4 parameters of Samara model: vegetative phase length, maximum root length, stem reserve potential, and leaf mortality. The results of this optimization partly coincide with the sensitivity analysis conducted on these same parameters.

The association between individual plant performance and seed yield variability within and between field pea crops was investigated. In 1988/89 six F8 genotypes with morphologically distinct characteristics were selected from a yield evaluation trial. Analysis of the individual plant performance within these crops indicated an association between low seed yields and the location and dispersion of plant harvest index (PHI) and plant weight (PWT) distributions. The analyses also showed there was a strong linear relationship between the seed weight (SWT) and PWT of the individual plants within each crop, and that the smallest plants tended to have the lowest PHI values. A series of 20 simulations was used to formalize the relationships between SWT, PWT and PHI values within a crop into a principal axis model (PAM). The PAM was based on a principal axis which represented the linear relationship between SWT and PWT, and an ellipse which represented the scatter of data points around this line. When the principal axis passed through the origin, the PHI of a plant was independent of its PWT and the mean PHI was equal to the gradient of the axis. However, when the principal axis had a negative intercept then the PHI was dependent on PWT and a MPW was calculated. In 1989/90 four genotypes were sown at five plant populations, ranging from 9 to 400 plants m⁻². Significant seed and biological yield differences were detected among genotypes at 225 and 400 plants m⁻². The plasticity of yield components was highlighted, with significant genotype by environment interactions detected for each yield component. No relationship was found between results for yield components from spaced plants and those found at higher plant populations. The two highest yielding genotypes (CLU and SLU) showed either greater stability or higher genotypic means for PHI than genotypes CVN and SVU. Despite significant skewness and kurtosis in the SWT, PWT, and PHI distributions from the crops in this experiment, the assumptions of the PAM held. The lower seed yield and increased variability in PHI values for genotype CVN were explained by its higher MPW and the positioning of the ellipse closer to the PWT axis intercept than in other genotypes. For genotype SVU, the lower seed yield and mean PHI values were explained by a lower slope for the principal axis. Both low yielding genotypes were originally classified as having vigorous seedling growth and this characteristic may be detrimental to crop yields. A method for selection of field pea genotypes based on the PAM is proposed. This method enables the identification of weak competitors as single plants, which may have an advantage over vigorous plants when grown in a crop situation.