Potatoes are one of the world’s most important food crops, but breeding them is not always easy. The majority of diploid potato clones (Solanum spp.) possess gametophytic self-incompatibility that is primarily controlled by a single multiallelic locus called the S-locus which is composed of tightly linked genes, S-RNase (S-locus RNase) and multiple SLFs (S locus F-box proteins), which are expressed in the style and pollen, respectively. Using S-RNase genes known to function in the Solanaceae gametophytic SI mechanism, we identified S-RNase alleles with flower-specific expression in two diploid self-incompatible potato lines using genome re-sequencing data. Recent advances in genome editing, especially using a Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats/CRISPR-associated protein 9 (Cas9) approach, have provided a promising solution. By carefully targeting and modifying the genes responsible for self-incompatibility, researchers can make diploid potatoes self-compatible. This change allows plants to produce seeds through self-fertilization, speeding up breeding programs and making the development of disease-resistant, climate-tolerant, and higher-yielding potato varieties much more efficient.
Key words: Genome, potato, diploid, breeding
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The present study evaluated colony population dynamics and pectin degradation efficiency of six bacterial isolates (D4N16, D5M4, D5M5, D5R2, D5R15, and MCG4) over a 120-day storage period. Significant variations were observed among isolates and across storage durations. Colony numbers were highest at 15 DAS, with D4N16 (294) and D5R2 (287) showing superior survival, while all isolates gradually declined with time, reaching lowest counts at 120 DAS (ranging from 28 in D5M4 to 108 in D4N16). Pectin degradation activity also showed a decreasing trend over time, with maximum activity recorded at 15 DAS (29.00 in D5M5), followed by a gradual reduction across isolates. Among tested strains, D4N16 and D5R2 maintained relatively higher colony counts and degradation activity, suggesting their potential stability in sugarcane bagasse as a carrier system. These findings highlight sugarcane bagasse as a sustainable and effective medium for bacterial storage, with implications for its application in rapid jute retting.
Key words: Pectinolytic bacteria, storage period, sugarcane bagasse
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Diseases are a major constraint for Tossa jute (Corchorus olitorius) production, and management strategies require a clear understanding of epidemiological factors. An experiment was conducted at the Genome Research Centre, Bangladesh Jute Research Institute, Dhaka, from February to June 2025, to evaluate the effects of sowing date and variety on disease severity and plant survival. The study was laid out in a two-factor Randomized Complete Block Design, assessing four sowing dates (20-February, 05-March, 20-March, 05-April) and four varieties (BJRI Tossa pat 8, O-795, BJRI Tossa pat 9, JRO-524). Data were collected on the severity of die back, stem rot, wilt, and seedling blight, along with total plant population. The results indicated that sowing date, variety, and their interaction significantly influenced disease incidence. Early sowing (20-February) led to the highest severity of wilt (5.27), while late sowing (05-April) corresponded with the highest incidence of seedling blight (14.96). Among varieties, O-795 exhibited superior plant stands and resistance to die back but was most susceptible to wilt. The interaction effect proved most critical; the wilt susceptibility of O-795 was drastically reduced when sowing was delayed to late March. The combination of sowing O-795 on 20-March emerged as the optimal strategy, yielding a high plant count (146.00), the absolute lowest incidence of die back (1.00), and low severity of other diseases.
Key words: Jute, Corchorus olitorius, die back, wilt
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The present experiment was carried out to investigate the effect of biochar application as a soil amendment on rice yield under SAU (AEZ-28), Dhaka region Boro season condition in 2022-23. The rice variety, BRRIdhan100 were used as planting materials with treatment T0: without biochar, Treatment T1: Rice husk @ 3.0 t ha-1 + cowdung @ 10 t ha– 1, and T2: Biochar application types included Mango Biochar@ 3.0 t ha-1 which was applied at time of final land preparations for broadcasting in surface soil followed by base fertilizer application along with row position directly seeding the pre-germinated seeds)Mahagany biochar @ 3.0 t ha :(at initial stage of seedlings transplanting). The findings of the current study indicated that BRRI dhan100 biochar application treated by Mahagany biochar had significantly the tallest plant (114.78 cm), highest chlorophyll content (40.95) more tillers hill–1 total (1486.44) and filled grains panicle-1, longest panicle (26.72 cm) as well as highest weight of 1000-grain (22.54 g) which could be led to increase the grain yield 8.97 t ha-1, straw yield 9.47 t ha-1 and harvest index 48.66 %. In correlation coefficient, all the selected characters were positively correlated with grain yield means they have direct contribution for create grain yield but length of panicle and number of effective tillers hill–1 had greater contribution for BRRI dhan100. Further, PC analysis resulted positive and negative response showing such type of contribution for brings about the grain yield. Maximum change in postharvest soil nutrients were also found highest in Mahagany biochar applied plot of BRRI dhan100. Thus, the utilization of biochar might be a sustainable tool to improve plant growth and more yield production across the various agro-climatic zone of Bangladesh also justify the soil health and sustainable crop production.
Key words: Biochars, productivity, BRRI dhan100, soil improvement
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Plants are susceptible to different types of environmental pest including pathogens, insects and mites, which cause colossal financial shortfalls (pre- and post-harvest) and threaten global crop production. Yellow mite, Polyphagotarsonemus latus [Banks] (Acari: Tarsonemidae) is one of the major pests of jute crops in Bangladesh, and pest of diverse crops in tropical and subtropical regions. Yellow mites attack, causing significant economic losses, especially fiber, stick and seed yield loss may be 50 to 74%, 37- 57%, and 22-48%, respectively (Kamruzzaman, A. S. M. M., et al, 2013). In conventional jute breeding, it takes approximately a decade to pyramid multiple resistance genes into a jute variety via crossing and backcrossing, while the high pest variability in jute often leads to the rapid break down of resistant cultivars. Thus, application of genome editing for the development of broad-spectrum host resistance has been suggested as an effective approach for breeding varieties resistant to yellow mite. In the present study, for the development of yellow mite resistant jute variety via CRISPR/Cas9, we predict that modification and/or transcriptional activation of Jasmonic acid (JA) pathway candidate gene CoAOC. This system will initiate the upstream and downstream signaling processes network, leading to increased accumulation of associated Jasmonic acid (JA) and thereby host (jute) systemic resistance against yellow mite would be induced.
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