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The TATA box is one of the best characterized transcription factor binding sites. However, it is not a ubiquitous element of core promoters, and other sequence motifs such as Y Patches seem to play a major role in plants. Here, we present a first genome-wide computational analysis of the TATA box and Y Patch distribution in rice (Oryza sativa L. subsp. japonica) promoter sequences. Utilizing a probabilistic sequence model, we ascertain that only approximately 19% of rice genes possess the TATA box, but approximately 50% contain one or more Y Patches in their core promoters. By computational processing of identified elements, we generated extended TATA box and Y Patch nucleotide frequency matrices capable of predicting these motifs in plants with a high degree of confidence.

Plant genomes are unique in an intriguing feature: the range of their size variation is unprecedented among living organisms. Although polyploidization contributes to this variability, transposable elements (TEs) seem to play the pivotal role. TEs, often considered intragenomic parasites, not only affect the genome size of the host, but also interact with other genes, disrupting and creating new functions and regulatory networks. Coevolution of plant genomes and TEs has led to tight regulation of TE activity, and growing evidence suggests their relationship became mutualistic. Although the expansions of TEs represent certain costs for the host genomes, they may also bring profits for populations, helping to overcome challenging environmental (biotic/abiotic stress) or genomic (hybridization and allopolyploidization) conditions. In this paper, we discuss the possibility that the possession of inducible TEs may provide a selective advantage for various plant populations.

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In 1993 we observed the sensitivity of wheat powdery mildew populations (Erysiphe graminis DC f.sp. tritici Marchal) from the Czech Republic, Austria, Hungary and Slovakia to the fungicides triadimenol, tebuconazole, propiconazole, flutriafol and fenpropimorph. The highest resistance value was shown to triadimenol, which attained a mean resistance factor (MRF) of 29 (expressing how many times the population is more resistant than are standard sensitive isolates) in the mildew population from the Czech Republic. The mildew populations from eastern Slovakia and eastern Hungary, populations geographically isolated from the other populations, showed very high sensitivity to all fungicides tested. There was most sensitivity to fenpropimorph (smallest MRF values) compared with the other fungicides. Cross‐resistance was established among all triazoles used, but not between triazoles and fenpropimorph. Sensitivity of wheat powdery mildew populations from Central Europe to these fungicides is considered adequate, and the development of resistance has shown a decreasing tendency in recent years.

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