The emerging oilseed crop Sesamum indicum, also known as the queen of oilseeds, is being grown globally for its oil content for medicinal and nutritional values. One of the key challenges of sesame cultivation is its low productivity. In the present study, sodium azide (NaN3) was used as a chemical mutagen. The aim of this study was to examine the effect of NaN3 on quantitative and qualitative stem traits in the M2 generation of Ethiopian sesame (Sesamum indicum L.) genotypes. Seeds of fourteen sesame genotypes were used in this study and germinated and grown under greenhouse conditions. Different qualitative and quantitative data were collected and analyzed. Traits such as plant height, ground distance to first distance, and internode length were significantly affected by NaN3 treatment. The highest plant height was recorded in the control on Humera 1 and Baha Necho genotypes, while the lowest was observed on Setit 2 and Hirhir treated with the chemical. The highest ground distance to the first branch was observed in Gumero, while the least ground distance was recorded in Setit 1 in the treated and control genotypes, respectively. The best internode length was recorded on Setit 2 and ADI in the control, while the lowest internode length was observed in Setit 1 genotype treated with sodium azide. Genotypes such as ACC44, ADI, Baha Necho, Borkena, Gonder 1, and Setit 1 treated with NaN3 have showed glabrous type of stem hairiness. All the fourteen genotypes (both treated and control) were clustered into four groups. In conclusion, we observed a highly significant variation among the genotypes due the effect of the chemical and genotypes themselves. Hence, this report would create more genetic diversity for further sesame genetic research improvements.

Online databases containing genetic information are crucial to extract new candidate genes from existing data and web‐based resources. The objective of this study was, therefore, to predict putative candidate genes associated with resistance to SBR in line UG‐5 and understand their functions using different bioinformatics tools from the online available databases. The physical positions for the flanking markers of the identified putative QTLs were searched on the SoyBase database genome browser based on Glyma 1.01 assembly. The putative candidate genes and annotated functions of the surrounding genes were discovered in the vicinity using SoyBase and Phytozome databases. A total of 18 putative candidate genes were predicted on approximately 482.7 kb region of QTL‐3 (chromosome 18), among which, six putative candidate genes were found to encode leucine‐rich repeat (LRR), Ser/Thr protein phosphatase, leucine‐rich repeat receptor‐like protein kinase (LRR‐RLK) and chitinase‐related proteins, which are associated with plant defence signalling pathways. Moreover, F‐box and leucine‐rich repeat, glycosyltransferase family member and serine/threonine‐protein phosphatase 2A catalytic subunit coding genes were predicted on the novel putative QTL detected on chromosome 9. This information could, therefore, be used for further prediction and annotation of candidate genes from sequenced regions of line UG‐5 as these putative candidate genes were predicted from the Glyma 1.01 assembly.

Soybean rust, Phakopsora pachyrhizi, is one of the most serious and widespread foliar diseases of soybean causing high yield losses worldwide. The objective of this study was to identify and map quantitative trait loci (QTLs) resistant to soybean rust in genotype UG 5. Ninety-seven F 2 mapping plants, obtained from a cross between Wondersoya and UG 5, were used for this study. Quantitative trait locus analysis using QTL IciMapping software identified three putative QTLs associated with soybean rust (SBR) on chromosomes 6, 9 and 18 with logarithms of odds (LOD) scores ranging from 3.47 to 8.23 and phenotypic variance explained by the QTLs ranging from 18.3 to 25.6%. The putative QTL detected on chromosome 9 is novel and has not been reported elsewhere. The putative QTLs identified in this study could help to facilitate SBR resistance breeding towards efficient markerassisted selection approach and gene pyramiding leading to the development of durable resistance.

BackgroundNonrenewable energies have been used as the major sources of energy in the world so far. However, they are not sustainable and environmentally friendly and there is an urgent need to search for alternative renewable sustainable energy sources. Sweet sorghum is a sugar rich plant that can be used as an important alternative source of bioenergy that is renewable with a low contribution to global warming without computing food security. This study aimed to investigate the potential of sweet sorghum juice for bioethanol production using yeast isolated from fermented sweet sorghum juice. MethodsSweet sorghum juice o Brix was determined using a digital refractometer.Yeasts isolated from fermented sweet sorghum juice were characterized using different biochemical tests. Potent yeast was used in the fermentation of sweet sorghum juice which was carried out at different fermentation parameters, mainly pH, temperature, and incubation period, using a completely randomized factorial design. Ethanol content was determined using a potassium dichromate solution. ResultsAbout 18 of yeast isolates were selected based on the sugar fermentation test for further characterization. The morphology and biochemical tests of the yeasts carried out suggest that all the yeast isolates have belonged to the genus Saccharomyces. The most ethanol tolerant yeast isolate, SJU14, was used for fermentation. ANOVA showed that, maximum ethanol content (18.765%) was produced at 30/26 o C, pH of 4.5, incubated for 96 hrs. ConclusionSweet sorghum juice found excellent source of potent yeasts and these yeasts have important industrial property such as able to grow at high ethanol and glucose concentration. Sweet sorghum juice can be used as an alternative substrate for bioethanol production to minimize the environmental threat caused by fossil fuels. Further research is recommended to strategically develop value-added utilization of sweet sorghum vis-à-vis improving food system and mitigating climate change.

The bruchid, Callosobruchus maculatus (F.) is one of the most destructive pests and causes substantial losses to cowpea during storage in tropical and subtropical regions. The development of successful breeding strategy requires knowledge on gene action and trait inheritance in local and improved sources. In this study, the mode of inheritance, the types of gene action and maternal effects of cowpea resistance to bruchid was investigated. Nine parental lines and their 72 F 2 segregating populations, created in a full diallel Griffing's method 1 approach, were evaluated for resistance to bruchid attack in a randomized complete block design (RCBD) with three replications. Data were recorded on number of eggs laid by the bruchid (NE), adult bruchid emergence (NEI), median development period (MDP) and Dobie Susceptibility index (DSI) was computed. Genotype had highly significant effects on NE, NEI and MDP and DSI. General combining ability (GCA) effects of parents, specific combining ability (SCA) effects of crosses, and maternal and reciprocal effects were highly significant for all the traits. The ratios of GCA to SCA for all the traits were greater than 50% suggesting the preponderance of additive over non-additive gene action in the expression of the traits. Narrow sense heritability estimates were 64.12, 77.69 and 80.99% for NE, NEI and MDP, respectively. Parents 2419, TVu-2027 and IT84s-2246 were identified as promising general combiners for resistance to bruchid and the seven best selected crosses based on their SCA and DSI values were, IT84s-2246 × 2419, 2419 × MU9, TVu-2027 × SECOW2W and 2419 × IT90K-76, 2419 × WC69, 2419 × SECOW5T and 2419 × SECOW2W. The selected parents and/or crosses could be valuable genetic materials for breeding cowpea resistance to bruchid in Uganda or similar environments.