Early flowering promotes early maturity, production, and the capacity to counteract biotic and abiotic stresses, making it an important agronomic trait in zucchini.  The present study demonstrated that the zucchini inbred line ‘19’ consistently flowered early, taking significantly fewer days to bloom the first female flower (DFF) than the inbred line ‘113’.  Genetic analysis revealed that DFF, an inheritable quantitative trait, is controlled by multiple genes.  Based on the strategy of quantitative trait locus (QTL) sequencing (QTL-seq) combined with linkage analysis, three QTLs for DFF were identified on chromosomes 4, 11, and 20.  This study used additional F₂ populations grown under different environmental conditions for QTL mapping analysis of DFF with insertion/deletion (InDel) markers to validate these results.  Using the composite interval mapping (CIM) method of R/qtl software, we only identified one major locus under all environmental conditions, located in a 117-kb candidate region on chromosome 20.  Based on gene annotation, gene sequence alignment, and qRT-PCR analysis, we found that the Cp4.1LG20g08050 gene encoding a RING finger protein may be a candidate gene for the opposite regulation of early flowering in zucchini.  In summary, these results lay a foundation for a better understanding of early flowering and improving early flowering-based breeding strategies in zucchini.

To dissect the genetic control of the sensory and textural quality traits of Chinese white noodles, a population of recombinant inbred lines (RILs), derived from the cross of waxy wheat Nuomai 1 (NM1) and Gaocheng 8901 (Gc8901), was used.  The RILs were tested in three different environments to determine the role of environmental effects on quantitative trait loci (QTL) analysis.  A total of 45 QTLs with additive effects for 17 noodle sensory and textural properties under three environments were mapped on 15 chromosomes.  These QTLs showed 4.23–42.68% of the phenotypic variance explained (PVE).  Nineteen major QTLs were distributed on chromosomes 1B, 1D, 2A, 3B, 3D, 4A, and 6A, explaining more than 10% of the phenotypic variance (PV).  Clusters were detected on chromosomes 2B (3 QTLs), 3B (11 QTLs) and 4A (5 QTLs).  The cluster detected on chromosome 4A was close to the Wx-B1 marker.  Five co-located QTLs with additive effects were identified on chromosomes 2B, 3D, 4A, 6A, and 7B.  The two major QTLs, Qadh.sdau-3B.1 and Qspr.sdau-3B.1, in cluster wPt666008–wPt5870 on chromosome 3B were detected in three different environments, which perhaps can be directly applied to improve the textural properties of noodles.  These findings could offer evidence for the selection or development of new wheat varieties with noodle quality using molecular marker-assisted selection (MAS).

    In this study, two ploidy mutant lines of Myrica rubra cv. Dongkui (DK) were identified and named as DB1 and DB2. The floral organ, leaf cell structure, ploidy, and number of chromosomes of the two mutants were investigated. Meanwhile, anthocyanin contents at different developmental stages were analyzed, and the Cy-3-glu contents of DB1 and DB2 at the full ripe stages are significantly higher than that of DK by 27.84 and 23.51%, respectively. Furthermore, 6 RNA libraries at two developmental stages (young fruit stage and full ripe stage) were built for RNA-Seq. By mapping to the reference database, 28 407, 28 043, and 28 683 genes were detected in the young fruit of DB1, DB2, and DK, respectively, while 28 040, 22 256, and 27 351 genes were detected in the full ripe stage, respectively. There were 281 differentially expressed genes between DB1 and DK, with 123 and 158 genes up-regulated and down-regulated, respectively, and 47 differentially expressed genes between DB2 and DK, of which 8 and 39 genes were up-regulated and down-regulated. Using real-time PCR, the expression levels of the eight functional genes at different developmental stages of the fruit were also analyzed. These comprehensive analyses showed that both mutants are different from DK, which is the result of natural doubling of ploidy, thereby generating a pleiotropic effect. As we known, it is the first report to study the relationship between bayberry ploidy alterations and genes involved in regulation of fruit mutations, which will help to identify the morphological and cytological characteristics of M. rubra germplasm, and provide a theoretical basis and technical support for genetic improvement and creation of breeding resources.

This study was carried out to unravel the mechanism of reductions in production performances in high stocking densitygeese flocks during summer months in “geese-fish” production system. Experiment 1 observed the water bacterialgrowth, lipopolysaccharde concentrations in water and geese blood, and geese reproductive performances from summerto winter, in two flocks with varying on water stocking densities. Results showed that counts of total bacteria, Escherichiacoli and Salmonella in water, as well as water and geese plasma LPS concentrations, exhibited a tendency decreasing fromthe highest levels in summer, to intermediate levels in autumn, and to the lowest values in winter. Such seasonaldecreases in bacteria and LPS concentrations were associated with similar seasonal decreases in embryo mortality duringincubation. In addition, embryos dead or showing development retardation by day 25 of incubation contained copiousLPS in allantoic fluid, in contrast to the negligible amount in normal developing embryos. Raising on water stockingdensity elevated bacteria counts, LPS concentrations in water and geese plasma, and decreased egg fertility but increasedembryo mortality during incubation. In experiment 2, exogenous LPS treatment to the geese depressed egg laying,reduced egg hatchability, caused sickness behavior in the goslings hatched. In experiment 3, exogenous LPS directlyadministered to day 8 and 18 embryos during incubation dose dependently increased mortality and decreased hatchability,and caused sickness behavior in the goslings hatched. It is concluded that the raising on water geese stocking densitystimulates pathogenic bacteria growth in water, which via LPS contamination impaires embryo development in incubationand therefore reduces geese reproductive performance and gosling quality during the hot summer months.

Synthetic hexaploid wheat (SHW) represents a valuable source of new resistances to a range of biotic and abiotic stresses. A recombinant inbred line (RIL) population with 127 recombinant inbred lines derived from a SHW-derived variety Chuanmai 42 crossing with a Chinese spring wheat variety Chuannong 16 was used to map QTLs for agronomic traits including grain yield, grains per square meter, thousand-kernel weight, spikes per square meter, grain number per spike, grains weight per spike, and biomass yield. The population was genotyped using 184 simple-sequence repeat (SSR) markers and 34 sequence-related amplified polymorphism (SRAP) markers. Of 76 QTLs (LOD>2.5) identified, 42 were found to have a positive effect from Chuanmai 42. The QTL QGy.saas-4D.2 associated with grain yield on chromosome 4D was detected in four of the six environments and the combined analysis, and the mean yield, across six environments, of individuals carrying the Chuanmai 42 allele at this locus was 8.9% higher than that of those lines carrying the Chuannong 16 allele. Seven clusters of the yield-coincident QTLs were detected on 1A, 4A, 3B, 5B, 4D, and 7D.

PpMYB10 and PpMYB114 have been identified as the key R2R3-MYB transcription factors (TFs) that positively regulate anthocyanin biosynthesis in pear. Our previous study demonstrated that the ethylene-induced PpERF9-PpTPL1 co-repressor complex represses PpMYB114 expression, but not PpMYB10, via histone deacetylation. However, the precise molecular mechanism underlying the ethylene-mediated inhibition of PpMYB10 expression remains to be elucidated. The results of the present study reveal a high correlation between the expression patterns of PpMYB114 and PpMYB10 in response to ethylene signaling. Moreover, PpMYB114 was found to promote the expression of PpMYB10 by directly binding to the MYB-bind site (MBS) element within its promoter region. Transient overexpression or silencing of PpMYB114 resulted in the promotion or inhibition of PpMYB10 expression in mature pear fruit, respectively. The overexpression of PpMYB114 in pear calli significantly induced PpMYB10 expression and anthocyanin biosynthesis. Conversely, transient silencing of PpMYB10 in PpMYB114-OX pear calli hindered the promotive effect of PpMYB114 on anthocyanin biosynthesis, indicating that PpMYB114 induces anthocyanin biosynthesis at least partially, depending on the transcriptionally activating PpMYB10. Collectively, these results indicate that ethylene may inhibit the expression of PpMYB10 by repressing PpMYB114. Our findings provide insights into a possible mechanism involving ethylene-inhibited PpMYB10 in pear and reveal the regulatory relationship between the R2R3-MYBs involved in anthocyanin biosynthesis.