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Simple SummaryAppropriate intramuscular fat content (IFC) is the goal of consumers and the direction that breeders must pursue. However, it is difficult to improve the IFC but not average backfat thickness (ABT) by traditional breeding methods, and pigs must be slaughtered to accurately measure IFC. Marker-assisted selection (MAS) provides an economic and efficient method to improve the IFC in pigs. Our research indicated that the FABP3 (rs1110770079) single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) could be a candidate gene associated with IFC (but not ABT), and IFC could be improved by selecting the individuals with a favorable genotype (GG) of FABP3 (rs1110770079) SNP for pig breeding.AbstractThe present study aimed to identify the molecular markers for genes that influence intramuscular fat content (IFC), but not average backfat thickness (ABT). A total of 330 Suhuai pigs were slaughtered, and measurements of IFC and ABT were obtained. Phenotypic and genetic correlations between IFC and ABT were calculated. Thirteen single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) among 12 candidate genes for IFC were analyzed, including FABP3, LIPE, IGF1, IGF2, LEP, LEPR, MC4R, PHKG1, RETN, RYR1, SCD, and UBE3C. Associations of the evaluated SNPs with IFCIFC and ABT were performed. Our results showed that the means of IFC and ABT were 1.99 ± 0.03 % and 26.68 ± 0.28 mm, respectively. The coefficients of variation (CVs) of IFC and ABT were 31.21% and 19.36%, respectively. The phenotypic and genetic correlations between IFC and ABT were moderate. Only the FABP3 (rs1110770079) was associated with IFC (p < 0.05) but not with ABT. Besides, there was a tendency for associations of RYR1 (rs344435545) and SCD (rs80912566) with IFC (p < 0.1). Our results indicated that the FABP3 (rs1110770079) SNP could be used as a marker to improve IFC without changing ABT in the Suhuai pig breeding system.

Although the cotton bollworm Helicoverpa armigera has traditionally been controlled by application of chemical pesticides, chemical control selects for resistance, pollutes the environment, and endangers human health. New methods for controlling H. armigera are therefore needed. Heliothis virescens ascovirus 3i (HvAV-3i) is a recently identified virus of the lepidopteran larvae. We tested the effects of HvAV-3i on H. armigera larvae following oral ingestion of HvAV-3i-containing hemolymph (about 1.0 × 10 10 virus genome copies per larvae) and following injection of HvAV-3i-containing hemolymph by insertion of a needle. Following oral ingestion, first-instar to fifth-instar larvae grew and developed normally. Following needle injection, in contrast, the corrected mortality of third and fourth instars was 88.9 ± 2.1 and 93.7 ± 3.4%, respectively. Food intake was significantly lower for larvae injected with virus-containing hemolymph than with virus-free hemolymph. Larvae injected with virus-containing hemolymph had extended survival times and could not complete the pre-pupal stage. These results indicate that inoculation of HvAV-3i via needle injection, but not via oral ingestion, significantly reduced the growth and development of H. armigera larvae.

Durum wheat is one of the important food and cash crops. The main goals in current breeding programs are improving its low yield potential, kernel characteristics, and lack of resistance or tolerance to some biotic and abiotic stresses. In this study, a nascent synthesized hexaploid wheat Lanmai/AT23 is used as the female parent in crosses with its AB genome donor Lanmai. A tetraploid line YL-443 with supernumerary spikelets and high resistance to stripe rust was selected out from the pentaploid F7 progeny. Somatic analysis using multicolor fluorescence in situ hybridization (mc-FISH) revealed that this line is a disomic substitution line with the 4B chromosome pair of Lanmai replaced by the 4D chromosome pair of Aegilops tauschii AT23. Comparing with Lanmai, YL-443 shows an increase in the number of spikelets and florets per spike by 36.3 and 75.9%, respectively. The stripe rust resistance gene Yr28 carried on the 4D chromosome was fully expressed in the tetraploid background. The present 4D(4B) disomic substitution line YL-443 was distinguished from the previously reported 4D(4B) lines with the 4D chromosomes from Chinese Spring (CS). Our study demonstrated that YL-443 can be used as elite germplasm for durum wheat breeding targeting high yield potential and stripe rust resistance. The Yr28-specific PCR marker and the 4D chromosome-specific KASP markers together with its unique features of pubescent leaf sheath and auricles can be utilized for assisting selection in breeding.