Charcoal rot (CR) disease caused by Macrophomina phaseolina is responsible for significant yield losses in soybean production. Among the methods available for controlling this disease, breeding for resistance is the most promising. Progress in breeding efforts has been slow due to the insufficient information available on the genetic mechanisms related to resistance. Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) enable unraveling the genetic architecture of resistance and identification of causal genes. The aims of this study were to identify new sources of resistance to CR in a collection of 459 diverse plant introductions from the USDA Soybean Germplasm Core Collection using field and greenhouse screenings, and to conduct GWAS to identify candidate genes and associated molecular markers. New sources for CR resistance were identified from both field and greenhouse screening from maturity groups I, II, and III. Five significant single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) and putative candidate genes related to abiotic and biotic stress responses are reported from the field screening; while greenhouse screening revealed eight loci associated with eight candidate gene families, all associated with functions controlling plant defense response. No overlap of markers or genes was observed between field and greenhouse screenings suggesting a complex molecular mechanism underlying resistance to CR in soybean with varied response to different environments; but our findings provide useful information for advancing breeding for CR resistance as well as the genetic mechanism of resistance.

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This study aimed to estimate the parameters related to the genetic control of the physical characteristics of the fruits, oil content, and oil yield, and to proceed with the selection of macaw palm accessions. Forty-four macaw palm accessions of the active germplasm collection of the Federal University of Viçosa were collected for the evaluation of epicarp dry matter, pulp dry matter, endocarp dry matter, kernel dry matter, oil content, and oil yield. Narrow-sense individual heritability estimates were considered as of intermediate magnitude. The coefficient of repeatability and the accuracy in family selection was of high magnitude. Oil yield per plant presented the highest coefficient of individual genetic variation. Five different accessions contributed to the ten first individuals selected by the individual BLUP. The Mulamba and Mock's rank index allowed classifying the accessions in a sequence favorable to selection.

ABSTRACT. Macaw palm (Acrocomia aculeata) is a promising species for use in biofuel production, and establishing breeding programs is important for the development of commercial plantations. The aim of the present study was to analyze genetic diversity, verify correlations between traits, estimate genetic parameters, and select different accessions of A. aculeata in the Macaw Palm Germplasm Bank located in Universidade Federal de Viçosa, to develop a breeding program for this species. Accessions were selected based on precocity (PREC), total spathe (TS), diameter at breast height (DBH), height of the first spathe (HFS), and canopy area (CA). The traits were evaluated in 52 accessions during the 2012/2013 season and analyzed by restricted estimation maximum likelihood/best linear unbiased predictor procedures. Genetic diversity resulted in the formation of four groups by Tocher's clustering method. The correlation analysis showed it was possible to have indirect and early selection for the traits PREC and DBH. Estimated genetic parameters strengthened the genetic variability verified by cluster analysis. Narrow-sense heritability was classified as moderate (PREC, TS, and CA) to high (HFS and DBH), resulting in strong genetic control of the traits and success in obtaining genetic gains by selection. Accuracy values were classified as moderate (PREC and CA) to high (TS, HFS, and DBH), reinforcing the success of the selection process. Selection of accessions for PREC, TS, and HFS by the rank-average method permits selection gains of over 100%, emphasizing the successful use of the accessions in breeding programs and obtaining superior genotypes for commercial plantations.

Accelerated in vitro propagation of elite oil palm genotypes (Elaeis guineensis Jacq.) by substituting cytokinin with putrescine Clonal multiplication of oil palm enables the formation of commercial plantations with higher yield, which is possible through somatic embryogenesis. However, due to different modifications made in the existing protocols to avoid the appearance of the "mantled flower", the success of this technique has been limited. Thus, this study aimed to apply a cloning protocol, using somatic embryogenesis, to 32 elite oil palm genotypes from a commercial plantation on which cytokinin was substituted with putrescine. All tested genotypes responded positively to callus induction. Moreover, the percentages of responses were differentiated: 65.62% of these genotypes produced embryogenic lines, and 40.62% out of that percentage presented lines with moderate or high multiplication capacity, which is the main factor that enabled the obtaining of clones to form a commercial clonal plantation. The somatic embryogenesis was efficient, making this protocol applicable at a commercial scale, since it allows the obtaining of clones up to 360 days. However, future evaluations on these clones are needed to investigate the appearance of the "mantled flower".

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, SÉRGIO HENRIQUES SARAIVA 5 RESUMO-O Brasil é um dos maiores produtores de goiaba, Psidium guajava L., do mundo. Pomares de propagação seminal, devido à polinização cruzada, apresentam ampla variabilidade, permitindo a seleção de genótipos ao melhoramento. O objetivo deste trabalho foi estudar a diversidade genética de genótipos de goiabeiras selecionadas em pomar de origem seminal (denominadas Cortibel de I a XIII) e compará-las às cultivares Paluma e Pedro Sato, e ao genótipo Roxa, quanto a características morfológicas e de qualidade de frutos. Verificou-se divergência entre os genótipos Cortibel. A Cortibel I, de polpa vermelha, foi o genótipo mais divergente, exibindo o melhor desempenho para as características de frutos. Os genótipos CVIII e CIV apresentaram os melhores desempenhos dentre os genótipos de polpa clara. As seleções de Cortibel apresentaram desempenho semelhante a cultivares comerciais para a qualidade do fruto, sendo bons materiais para o uso como novas cultivares ou para hibridações em programas de melhoramento. Termos para indexação: Psidium guajava; melhoramento de plantas; qualidade de frutos; descritores morfológicos. GENETIC DIVERSITy IN CORTIBEL GUAVA SELECTIONSABSTRACT -Brazil is one of the largest producers of guava, Psidium guajava L., of the world. Orchards from seminal propagation, owing to cross-pollination, result in large variability, allowing the selection of genotypes for crop improvement. The aim of this essay was to study the genetic diversity of genotypes selected from seminal origin orchard (named Cortibel I to XIII) and compare them to Paluma and Pedro Sato and Roxa genotype (purchased in nursery), by morphological and quality of fruit characteristics. There was divergence between Cortibel selections. Cortibel I was the most divergent between red pulp genotypes and between all the others, showing the best performance for fruit characteristics. CVIII and CIV genotypes obtained the best performance between light pulp genotypes. Cortibel selections presented similar performance about fruit quality to commercial crops, providing good material for use as new cultivars or for hybridizations in breeding programs.