Papers by Armghan Shahzad
BMC Plant Biology, Jun 1, 2020
Background: Two-line hybrid wheat system using thermo-photo sensitive genic male sterility (TPSGM... more Background: Two-line hybrid wheat system using thermo-photo sensitive genic male sterility (TPSGMS) is currently the most promising approach for wheat heterosis utilization in China. However, during past 20 years only few TPSGMS lines were developed in hybrid wheat breeding, which has been the main limiting factor to create heterotic hybrids. Application of doubled haploid (DH) breeding provides a useful strategy to efficiently develop practically usable TPSGMS lines. Results: F 1 s and selected F 2 and F 3 sterile plants of eight crosses made from two commercial TPSGMS lines were used to produce DH lines. We developed a total of 24 elite DH sterile lines with stable sterility, good outcrossing and yield potential, resistance to yellow rust and powdery mildew, as well as desirable plant height (50-60 cm). These DH lines were developed within 4 years through at least 1 year of evaluation. The stability of male sterility was confirmed for most (20/24) of these elite DH sterile lines by multiple tests in two or 3 years. These lines are expected to be used in hybrid wheat breeding. The percentage of elite lines developed from the tested DH lines produced from filial generations was in the order of F 2 > F 3 > F 1. Conclusions: We demonstrate that coupling DH techniques with conventional breeding is an efficient strategy for accelerating the development of more practical wheat TPSGMS lines. Generation of DHs from F 2 generation appeared to be the better choice considering the balance of shortening breeding time and overall breeding efficiency.
Background: Soil salinity has been affecting wheat production worldwide over past few decades. Ev... more Background: Soil salinity has been affecting wheat production worldwide over past few decades. Evaluation of wheat genotypes for salinity tolerance at germination and vegetative growth level is crucial. Marker assisted selection is a technique used extensively for choosing salt-tolerant genotypes from breeding populations to introduce novel genes. Methods and materials: The current study's main goal was to discover salt-stress resistant genes; genetic divergence and genome-wide connection by using recently designed candidate gene-based simple-sequence-repeat markers (cg-SSRs). The phenotypic connection of morphological features during the germination growth stage i.e., germination period, root length/weight and shoot length/weight, and vegetative growth stages i.e., root length/weight and shoot length/weight were tested in a group of 50 wheat genotypes. Significant difference was observed in germination rate, root length and weight among control and saline treatments. Conclusion...
Brazilian Journal of Biology, 2023
Utilization of modern breeding techniques for developing high yielding and uniform plant types ul... more Utilization of modern breeding techniques for developing high yielding and uniform plant types ultimately narrowing the genetic makeup of most crops. Narrowed genetic makeup of these crops has made them vulnerable towards disease and insect epidemics. For sustainable crop production, genetic variability of these crops must be broadened against various biotic and abiotic stresses. One of the ways to widen genetic configuration of these crops is to identify novel additional sources of durable resistance. In this regard crops wild relatives are providing valuable sources of allelic diversity towards various biotic, abiotic stress tolerance and quality components. For incorporating novel variability from wild relative’s wide hybridization technique has become a promising breeding method. For this purpose, wheat-Th. bessarabicum amphiploid, addition and translocation lines have been screened in field and screen house conditions to get novel sources of yellow rust and Karnal bunt resistan...
Two-line hybrid wheat system using thermo-photo sensitive genic male sterility (TPSGMS) is now a ... more Two-line hybrid wheat system using thermo-photo sensitive genic male sterility (TPSGMS) is now a dominant and promising approach of wheat heterosis utilization in China. However, few TPSGMS lines available for practical application have always been a bottleneck affecting the efficiency of creating hybrids with strong heterosis since its establishment in 1992. This study aimed to improve the efficiency of developing TPSGMS lines by doubled haploid (DH) breeding. F 1 s and selected F 2 and F 3 sterile plants from 8 crosses made with 2 commercial TPSGMS lines K78S and K456S were used to produce DH lines by wheat × maize system. 24 elite sterile lines possessing stable sterility, good outcrossing and yield potentials, resistance to yellow rust and powdery mildew, and desirable plant height (50-60 cm) were obtained within 4 years. 20 out of 24 elite lines that performed stable sterility in tests of two or three years and high outcrossing rate (>70%) under open pollination, will be use...
Sustainability
The potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) is an important cash crop with a complex genome and with featur... more The potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) is an important cash crop with a complex genome and with features of aneuploidy with a high level of heterozygosity. It is a prerequisite for potato breeding to have knowledge of genetic diversity and population structure. To understand the genetic characteristics of potato cultivars in Pakistan, 25 potato varieties were characterized with simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers to distinguish closely related varieties. In total, 214 alleles were amplified with 35 SSR markers exhibiting 89.2% polymorphism. The maximum number of alleles and polymorphic alleles per locus were 20 and 14 for the markers S25 and S174, respectively. The polymorphic information content (PIC) extended from 0.00–0.87. The size of the amplified PCR product ranged between (30–1000 bp). A cluster analysis divided the 25 varieties into three clusters: cluster I revealed the most diversity, followed by cluster II with 11 varieties and cluster III with 13 varieties. Nei’s genetic div...
Trend in expression of amylase gene along with changes in starch and total sugar contents in diff... more Trend in expression of amylase gene along with changes in starch and total sugar contents in different banana cultivars during fruit ripening stages were examined. Five exotic cultivars of banana were selected. The ripening stages of fingers were designated by changes in color from green to yellow. RT-PCR analysis revealed that expression of amylase gene was barely detectable during first three stages (6 weeks), but gradually increased at 4th stage and became very strong during 6th to 7th stage (ripening stage). A significant decrease in starch content was observed in all the cultivars at ripening stage while sugar contents increased correspondingly. In all the cultivars, the starch contents ranged from 21.8% to 24.67% at first stage and decreased to almost zero (0.32 to 0.60%) at 11th stage. On the other hand sugar contents were increased from 1% to 1.90% (23.2 to 24.2) from 1st to 11th stage. These findings have future implications in developing functional food products having des...
Crop productivity is impaired by a wide range of abiotic stresses. Cold stress is the main factor... more Crop productivity is impaired by a wide range of abiotic stresses. Cold stress is the main factor that causes the decrease in productivity of tomato. Through genetic engineering, a single gene can be easily transferred with desired characteristics into local best performing varieties. CBF/DREB1 is the most effectively used gene family to engineer cold stress tolerance in tomato. The aim of this study was to focus on the transgene expression and inheritance pattern in segregating generation of tomato lines and impact of transgene in different genetic backgrounds. In this study, transfer of transgene through conventional breeding into two elite cultivars (BSX-935 and 95017) was carried out. The lines used for detection and confirmation of transgene were previously developed by genetic transformation with a construct containing the AtDREB1A gene driven by the stress-inducible promoter lip-9. Transformants of T4 generation were identified by PCR and were selfpollinated to generate T5 pr...
Modern Concepts & Developments in Agronomy, 2019
A two year field study was conducted on a permanent layout to investigate the effect of crop resi... more A two year field study was conducted on a permanent layout to investigate the effect of crop residues (CR) incorporation and P application (0, 40, 80, 120kg P 2 O 5 ha-1) on rehabilitation of saline soil (EC e =4.59 dS m-1 ; pH=8.38; CaCO 3 =3.21%; Extractable P=4.07mg kg-1 ; sandy clay loam) during 2011-12. The experiment was laid out according to split plot design with three replications. Planting of direct seeded rice (DSR) with and without crop residue incorporation @2ton ha-1 were placed in main plots and P application was in sub plots. Data on productive tillers, panicle length, paddy/grain and straw yields was collected. Soil was sampled (0-15cm) before initiation and after the harvest of last crop. On an average of two years, maximum productive tillers (18), panicle length (33), paddy yield (3.26t ha-1) and was produced with P application @ 80kg P 2 O 5 ha-1 along with CR incorporation. Similarly in case of wheat grown after DSR, maximum tillers (17), spike length (17), grain panicle-1 (66) and grain yield (3.56t ha-1) were produced with P application @80kg P 2 O 5 ha-1 along with CR incorporation. Although, the growth and yield contributing parameters with this treatment (80kg P 2 O 5 ha-1 +CR) performed statistically equal to 120kg P 2 O 5 ha-1 without CR incorporation during both the years, but on an average of two years, grain yield of DSR and wheat was significantly superior (22 and 24% respectively) than that of higher P rate (120kg ha-1) without CR. Overall, continuous two year CR incorporation further increased (17%) paddy yields during the follow up year of crop harvest. Higher concentration of P, K and Ca 2+ in both DSR and wheat plant tissues was found where 80kg P 2 O 5 ha-1 was applied along with CR incorporation or 120kg P 2 O 5 ha-1 alone while Na + and Mg 2+ concentration decreased with CR incorporation and increasing P rate. The soil salinity was decreased and fertility was improved significantly after two years of study.
Pakistan Journal of Botany
Evaluation of drought stress effects on germination and
Agronomy
Banana is one of the major cash and fruit crops of Pakistan. The lack of information concerning g... more Banana is one of the major cash and fruit crops of Pakistan. The lack of information concerning genetic diversity and purity within locally cultivated banana varieties is a major bottleneck in improving its genetics. Due to the existence of a narrow genetic background, it’s quite important to find genomic variations in banana varieties. DNA marker-based techniques have been used to effectively characterize banana varieties. In the current study, Inter Simple Sequence Repeat (ISSR) markers were used to characterize banana cultivars and to assess the genetic diversity of 14 local banana varieties grown in Pakistan. Out of the 45 primers used, 40 primers revealed reproducible results and produced 121 polymorphic bands, which contributed a ratio of 47.87 polymorphism. The ISSR UBC-835 and UBC-834 possessed the highest PIC ranged between (86–88%) in banana varieties, while the lowest PIC (46%) was detected in the case of UBC−857 marker with (100–1500 bp) PCR product size. Pairwise Jaccar...
EURASIAN JOURNAL OF SOIL SCIENCE (EJSS)
Soil Microbiologists have been concentrating on manipulation of rhizosphere microbes in cereals, ... more Soil Microbiologists have been concentrating on manipulation of rhizosphere microbes in cereals, but many researchers have reported that rhizobia can act as plant growth promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR). Rhizobium species impacted the crop ontogeny by root / endophytic colonization, producing phytohormones, efficient nutrient use and nutrient solubilization / mineralization. Field studies were performed at Soil Bacteriology Section and Soil Chemistry Section, Faisalabad to assess the comparative potential of Rhizobium species for promoting the growth, yield of wheat and rice. Auxin biosynthesis potential of isolates of Rhizobium species (mung (Vigna radiata), berseem (Trifolium alexandrinum), chickpea (Cicer arietinum), lentil (Lens culinaris) and peanut (Arachis hypogaea)) was determined and isolates of each species having higher values were used for field experiments. Assay for root / shoot elongation, root colonization in plates were carried out under controlled conditions. The rhi...
Pesquisa Agropecuaria Brasileira, Dec 10, 2016
Salt stress is one of the major limitations for wheat plant growth and development. Screening of ... more Salt stress is one of the major limitations for wheat plant growth and development. Screening of wheat cultivars for salt tolerance is an effective technique to identify tolerant cultivar for salt affected soil. In present study wheat genotypes (Pasban-90 and Frontana) were germinated in petri plates against control, 50mM, 75mM, 100mM, 125mM and 150mM salt levels and root & shoot length, fresh & dry weight, physiological indices like plant height stress indices (PHSI), plant fresh weight stress indices (PFSI), plant dry weight stress indices (PDSI), salt stress tolerance indices (STI), root toxicity (RT), shoot toxicity (ST) and germination energy (GE) were recorded for screening purpose. Root length (27%), shoot length (48%), fresh weight (47%), dry weight (58%), PHSI (38%), PFSI (43%), PDSI (40%), GE (35%) and SSTI (39%) decreased with increasing salt levels. Correlation analysis of all observed traits shows highly positive correlation between PHSI, PFSI, PDSI, STI and GE while significant negative correlation with root and shoot toxicity. On the basis of morphological data and physiological indices Pasban-90 is categorized as a salt tolerant cultivar while Frontana as salt sensitive cultivar.
Applied Ecology and Environmental Research, 2018
Present study was conducted to check the ameliorative effect of foliar applications on iron (Fe) ... more Present study was conducted to check the ameliorative effect of foliar applications on iron (Fe) deficiency in peanut. The hydroponics experiments were performed at National Agriculture Research Centre, Islamabad, Pakistan. Various foliar treatments were used to check FeSO4 alone and its combined effect with citric acid and surfactants. FeSO4 alone and in combination with citric acid showed ameliorative effect on Fe deficiency in peanut. Active Fe concentration of BARI-2000 and BARD-699 increased up to 52% and 25% as compared to control, when foliar treatment of FeSO4 was applied. Combined effect of FeSO4 and citric acid resulted 55% and 56% increase of active Fe concentrations compared to control. However, foliar application of surfactant (sodium dodecyl sulphate) suppressed the growth of peanut. Various morpho physiological parameters showed that BARD-699 was more responsive to foliar applications, while citric acid alone and in combination can be used in correcting Fe deficiency ...
Brazilian Journal of Biology, 2023
Application of different fertilizers to check the efficiency of expression of Bt (Bacillus thurin... more Application of different fertilizers to check the efficiency of expression of Bt (Bacillus thuringiensis) gene in one of the leading commercialized crops (cotton) against Lepidopteran species is of great concern. The expression of Cry protein level can be controlled by the improvement of nutrients levels. Therefore, the myth of response of Cry toxin to different combinations of NP fertilizers was explored in three Bt cotton cultivars. Combinations include three levels of nitrogen and three levels of phosphorus fertilizers. Immunostrips and Cry gene(s) specific primer based PCR (Polymerase Chain Reaction) analysis were used for the presence of Bt gene that unveiled the presence of Cry1Ac gene only. Further, the ELISA (enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay) kit was used to quantify the expression of Cry1Ac protein. Under various NP fertilizers rates, the level of toxin protein exhibited highly significant differences. The highest toxin level mean was found to be 2.3740 and 2.1732 µg/g und...
The genetic basis of salt tolerance was investigated in six bread wheat cultivars (Local white, P... more The genetic basis of salt tolerance was investigated in six bread wheat cultivars (Local white, Pavon, Pasban 90, Frontana, Tobari 66 and Chakwal 97) differing in salinity tolerance, and their F1 crosses made in a half diallel mating design. The F1s and parents were germinated in pots, and were subjected to 200 mM NaCl salt stress after one month. Most of the crosses had high heterosis for yield suggesting that breeding for high yield under salt stress is possible. Narrow sense (h2 N) heritability estimates ranged from 0 to 51%, whereas broad sense (h2 B) heritability estimates ranged from 25 to 84 % for the studied traits. Additive genetic effects were significant for days to heading, days to maturity, plant height and fertile tillers plant-1, suggesting that early selection could be useful to bring desirable changes in these characters under NaCl stress. Dominance effects were significant for yield and yield contributing traits, indicating that selection for yield under NaCl stres...
Pakistan Journal of Agricultural Sciences, 2016
Wheat stripe rust is caused by Puccinia striiformis f.sp. tritici. It adversely affects the yield... more Wheat stripe rust is caused by Puccinia striiformis f.sp. tritici. It adversely affects the yield and quality of wheat grain. Seeds produced from stripe rust damaged crop have low vigour and poor emergence following germination. Stripe rust pathogen can cause 100% yield losses in susceptible cultivars if stripe rust occurs at an early stage and the infection continues to develop during wheat’s growth. Stripe rust has caused yield losses ranging from 10-70% in most areas of wheat production (Chen, 2005). The wide range of yield losses depend on the susceptibility of wheat cultivar grown, timing of the initial infection, rate with which stripe rust develops and duration of stripe rust infection (Chen, 2005). Wheat rusts can either be controlled by spraying chemical fungicides or by developing resistant varieties. Fungicides are expensive, environment non-friendly and need to be applied at a specific growth stage. On the other hand, development of resistant varieties is relatively inex...
Uploads
Papers by Armghan Shahzad