Seedlings of two rice cultivars i.e. cv. Daesanbyeo and cv. Dongjinbyeo were analyzed for growth and endogenous gibberellins (GAs) in response to nitrogen nutrition applied in the forms of $KNO_3$, $(NH_4)_2SO_4$ and $NH_4NO_3$. All the growth parameters showed an increase in N applied treatments and their magnitudes of increase were different depending on different nitrogen fertilizer forms. The endogenous GAs contents were increased with N application but differentially affected by various N-forms in both rice cultivars. In cv. Daesanbyeo, maximum amount of bioactive $GA_1$ was recorded for $(NH_4)_2SO_4$, while maximum amount of bioactive $GA_1$ in cv. Dongjinbyeo was observed in $NH_4NO_3$ applied treatments. In both rice cultivars, $KNO_3$ applied rice plants contained least $GA_1$ contents. Also, $GA_{19}$ was the most abundant GA found in rice seedlings whereas $GA_4$ was absent at seedling stage. Our study indicated that different rice cultivars showed different responses for the same fertilizer depending upon the response potential of each cultivar and the pertinent physiological responses to changes of endogenous GAs in rice cultivars, which were comparatively lesser in magnitude.

Drought stress is one of the major abiotic stresses in agriculture worldwide. We report here a proteomic approach to investigate the impact of post-fertilization drought on grain quality in rice seed endosperm (Oryza sativa cv. IR-64). Plants were stressed for 4 days at 3 days before heading. Total proteins of endosperm were extracted and separated by two-dimensional gel electrophoresis. Not many protein spots showed differential accumulation in drought-stressed samples. More than 400 protein spots were reproducibly detected, including three that were up-regulated and five down-regulated. Mass spectrometry analysis and database searching helped us to identify six spots representing different proteins. Functionally, the identified proteins were related to protein synthesis and carbohydrate metabolism, such as Granule-Bound Starch Synthase (GBSS, Wx protein), which is thought to play a very important role in starch biosynthesis and quality, a very crucial factor in determining rice grain quality.

A positive selectable marker system was adapted for transformation of mature embryo-derived calli of Indica rice (Oryza sativa L.) utilizing the PMI gene encoding for phosphomannose-isomerase that converts mannose-6-phosphate to fructose-6-phosphate. The transformed cells grew on medium supplemented with 3% mannose as carbon source and calli were selected on media containing various concentrations of mannose. Molecular analyses showed that the transformed plants contained the PMI gene. The results indicate that the mannose selection system can be used for Agrobacterium-mediated transformation of mature embryo in rice to substitute the use of conventional selectable markers in genetic transformation.

A liguleless mutant, which showed complete loss of lamina joint region at the junction between leaf blade and leaf sheath, was isolated from a Ds insertional mutants derived from the source cultivar, Dongjin. This mutant could not affect other developmental patterns like phyllotaxis. Southern blot analysis, using GUS as a probe, revealed that the liguleless mutant contained three Ds copies transposed in the rice genome. Among the four genomic sequences flanking the Ds, one was mapped in the intergenic region (31661640 - 31661759), and the other two predicted a protein kinase domain (12098980 - 12098667) as an original insertion site within a starter line used for massive production of Ds insertional mutant lines. Another predicted and inserted in first exon of liguleless 1 protein (OsLG1) that was mapped in coding region (LOC_Os04g56170) of chromosome 4. RT-PCR revealed that the OsLG1 gene was not expressed liguleless mutants. Structure analysis of OsLG1 protein revealed that it predicted transcription factor with a highly conserved SBP domain consisting of 79 amino acids that overlapped a nuclear localization signal (NLS). RT-PCR revealed that OsLG1 is mainly expressed in vegetative organs.

The bean bug Riptortus clavatus Thunberg (Heteroptera: Alydidae) is an important pest, causing serious yield loss in soybean. But the information on mechanism of resistance to R. clavatus is limited. The objective of this study was to identify QTLs for R. clavatus resistance using simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers in a soybean population of recombinant inbred lines (RILs) developed from the cross PI 171451 ${\times}$ Hwaeomputkong. A genetic map from this population was constructed with a total of 136 SSR markers covering 1073.9 cM on 20 linkage groups (LGs). With 126 $F_5$ RILs, two independent QTLs for resistance to R. clavatus were mapped on LGs B1 and C2. The amount of phenotypic variation explained by these QTLs ranged from 12 to 16%. PI 171451 showed an escape response to R. clavatus. Under feeding conditions, 14.4% of RILs showed greater resistance to R. clavatus than the resistant parent. The resistance to R. clavatus in soybean from PI 171451 was incomplete and quantitatively inherited and the QTLs for resistance to R. clavatus detected in the RIL population were not significantly affected by epistatic interactions.

The objective of this work was to evaluate the germination of 12 rice genotypes under propionic acid stress, a phytotoxic compound produced in low drainage soils with high organic matter content. The tests were conducted with the first count of germination (PCG) and germination (G) of the genotypes subjective to 0, 3, 6, and 9 mM propionic acid concentrations. The seeds of each genotype were placed in germitest paper pre-soaked in treatment solutions forming individual bags. The germination was performed at $25^{\circ}C$ and the counts were carried out at 7 (PCG) and 14 days (G). A factorial random block design was performed with four replications of 50 seeds per genotype. Our study revealed that doses up to 9 mM propionic acid in the pre-soaking solution were efficient for genetic variability studies involving the character germination in rice; genetic variability for germination was detected in the collection of rice genotypes when subjected to propionic acid toxic effects. The genotypes Guichow, Dawn, and Toride-1 showed germination stability when subjected to increasing levels of propionic acid, and genotypes originated from irrigated system-cultivation performed better when subjected to propionic acid stress. These three genotypes will be a good biological material to for enhance the resistance to phytotoxic compounds in rice.

Genetic diversity of cultivated wheat is narrowing down and is increasingly becoming non-complacent in tackling new pathogenic races and adverse environmental situations. Wild relatives of wheat are rich repositories of beneficial genes that are capable of defying adverse situations. However, these wild species are not readily crossable with cultivated ones. The present study attempted to cross three wild wheat species as females with three cultivated species of varying ploidy to understand the intricate behaviour of hybrids in relation to cytology, morphology, and molecular recombination. Post-fertilization barriers caused hybrid recovery in wild species in contrast to cultivated species. Triticum monococcum did not produce hybrids in any of the crosses. Various degrees of chromosome anomalies and hybrid sterility were seen with hybrids of T. timopheevi and T. sphaerococcum. Cytoplasmic factors were suspected to add more to the abnormality. G genome from T. timopheevi could enhance more pairing between Band D of cultivated species. Precocity of certain chromosomes in laggard formation was evident, pointing towards evolutionary self balance of the genomes which prevented homeologous pairing. They are eliminated in hybrids. Molecular diversity clearly corroborated with genetic proximity of the species, which distinguished themselves by maintaining the genome homeology.

Bacterial leaf pustule (BLP) caused by Xanthomonas axonopodis pv. glycines is a serious disease to make pustule and chlorotic haloes in soybean [Glycine max (L). Merr.]. While inheritance mode and map positions of the BLP resistance gene, rxp are known, no sequence information of the gene was reported. In this study, we made five near isogenic lines (NILs) from separate backcrosses (BCs) of BLP-susceptible Hwangkeumkong $\times$ BLP-resistant SS2-2 (HS) and BLP-susceptible Taekwangkong$\times$ SS2-2 (TS) through foreground and background selection based on the four-stage selection strategy. First, 15 BC individuals were selected through foreground selection using the simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers Satt486 and Satt372 flanking the rxp gene. Among them, 11 BC plants showed the BLP-resistant response. The HS and TS lines chosen in foreground selection were again screened by background selection using 118 and 90 SSR markers across all chromosomes, respectively. Eventually, five individuals showing greater than 90% recurrent parent genome content were selected in both HS and TS lines. These NILs will be a unique biological material to characterize the rxp gene.

Field resistance is defined as the resistance that allows effective control of a parasite under natural field condition and is durable when exposed to new races of that parasite. To identify the genes for field resistance to rice blast, quantitative trait loci (QTLs) conferring the resistance for races and blast nursery screening in japonica rice cultivars were detected and mapped using SSR markers. QTL analysis was carried out in 190 RILs population from the cross between Suweon365 (moderately resistant) and Chucheong (highly susceptible). Twelve QTLs against nine blast races inoculated were detected on chromosomes 1, 2, 4, 6, 7, 11 and 12. They explained from 5.1% to 34.9% of total phenotypic variation. Eight QTLs against blast nursery screening in four regions for three years were detected on chromosomes 1, 2, 4, 11 and 12. The phenotypic variation explained by each QTL ranged from 4.3% to 37.7%. Three chromosome segment substitution lines (CSSLs) of $BC_2F_6$ by backcross method were developed to transfer the QTLs into the susceptible cultivar Chucheong as a recurrent parent. A CSSL4-1 containing two QTLs qLB6.2 and qLB7 against blast races showed to the reaction of 6 to 7 at blast nursery in two regions for two years. The CSSL4-2 and CSSL93 containing QTLs, qLB11.2 and qLB12.1 of the resistance against leaf blast in blast nursery screening, respectively, had enhanced the resistance for blast nursery screening across two regions and in two years.