Search Results (31)

Introduction: Scattering of kernels due to angular dehiscence is a key bottleneck in mechanized harvesting of oilseed rape. Materials and Methods: In this study, a dual-track “genotype–phenotype” screening strategy was established by innovatively integrating high-throughput KASP molecular marker technology and a standardized random collision phenotyping system for the complex quantitative trait of angular resistance. Results: Through the systematic evaluation of 634 oilseed rape hybrid progenies, it was found that the KASP marker S12.68, targeting the cleavage resistance locus (BnSHP1) on chromosome C9, achieved a 73.34% introgression rate (465/634), which was significantly higher than the traditional breeding efficiency (<40%). Phenotypic characterization screened seven excellent resources with cracking resistance index (SRI) > 0.6, of which four reached the high resistance standard (SRI > 0.8), including the core materials NR21/KL01 (SRI = 1.0) and YuYou342/KL01 (SRI = 0.97). Six breeding intermediate materials (44.7–48.7% oil content, mycosphaerella resistance MR grade or above) were created, combining high resistance to chipping and excellent agronomic traits. For the first time, it was found that local germplasm YuYou342 (non-KL01-derived line) was purely susceptible at the S12.68 locus (SRI = 0.86), but its angiosperm vascular bundles density was significantly increased by 37% compared with that of the susceptible material 0911 (p < 0.01); and the material 187308 (SRI = 0.78), although purely susceptible at S12.68, had a 2.8-fold downregulation in expression of the angiosperm-related gene, BnIND1, and a 2.8-fold downregulation of expression of the angiosperm-related gene, BnIND1. expression was significantly downregulated 2.8-fold (q < 0.05), indicating the existence of a novel resistance mechanism independent of the primary effector locus. Conclusions: The results of this research provide an efficient technical platform and breakthrough germplasm resources for oilseed rape crack angle resistance breeding, which is of great practical significance for promoting the whole mechanized production. Full article

Effective management of straw in rice (Oryza sativa L.)–rape (Brassica napus L.) rotation systems is essential for optimising resource efficiency and improving soil quality. This two-year study investigated the impact of seven straw treatment methods on soil organic carbon (SOC) dynamics. The treatments examined were as follows: (1) control (CK); (2) rice straw (SF); (3) rapeseed straw (YF); (4) rice-straw-derived biochar (SB); (5) rapeseed-straw-derived biochar (YB); (6) mixed straw (YSF); (7) mixed biochar (YSB). Soil properties, enzyme activities and carbon fractions were subsequently analysed. During the canola growing season, the application of rice straw biochar increased oxidisable carbon (ROC), dissolved organic carbon (DOC) and microbial biomass carbon (MBC) by 25.7%, 61.7% and 67.2%, respectively, compared to the control. Notably, SB was more effective than unprocessed rice straw (SF) at increasing SOC and ROC. Furthermore, SB demonstrated superior performance in enhancing ROC (56.4%), MBC (36.0%) and DOC (12.2%) compared to hybrid biochar (YSB). SB consistently exhibited a higher carbon accumulation trend than the rapeseed-derived treatments (YF, YB and YSB). The results of the study indicated that applying rice straw biochar during the oilseed rape growing season was effective in increasing variable carbon pools and soil organic carbon accumulation. Full article

This paper presents a pilot project conducted by ISPRA and ARPA Campania to develop a monitoring protocol to detect the presence of genetically modified (GM) oilseed rape (Brassica napus) plants resulting from accidental seed dispersal during transportation from entry points to storage and processing facilities; the project has been implemented in Italy’s Campania region. The unintentional dispersal of GM oilseed rape seeds and the potential establishment of feral populations have been identified as environmental concerns in various countries, even when GM oilseed rape is imported solely for processing and not for cultivation. The project activities were designed, taking into account the characteristics of the Italian environment and infrastructures. Multiple sampling campaigns were conducted in autumn 2018, spring 2019, and autumn 2019 to validate the selected transects and assess the presence of Brassicaceae species, with a particular focus on oilseed rape. These efforts involved direct monitoring and sample collection along transport routes from the port of Salerno to seed companies in the provinces of Benevento and Caserta. Field observations and import data revealed a decrease in oilseed rape movement at the port of Salerno in the years preceding the survey, while seed companies near Benevento remained active sites for white mustard (Sinapis alba). The presence of S. alba and the simultaneous occurrence of oilseed rape and Raphanus raphanistrum—a species with high hybridization potential—support the hypothesis that seed companies may act as hotspots for accidental seed dispersal and that potential interspecific gene flow can occur. The study also validated the adopted sampling and molecular analysis methods, including DNA extraction and PCR, for the detection of the Cruciferin A (CruA) gene in all Brassica species collected. These findings highlight the need to strengthen post-marketing monitoring plans, even when GM rapeseed is imported solely for processing, to mitigate the potential risks associated with unintended gene flow. Full article

Background: The BBR-BPC gene family is a relatively conservative group of transcription factors, playing a key role in plant morphogenesis, organ development, and responses to abiotic stress. Brassica napus L. (B. napus), commonly known as oilseed rape, is an allopolyploid plant formed by the hybridization and polyploidization of Brassica rapa L. (B. rapa) and Brassica oleracea L. (B. oleracea), and is one of the most important oil crops. However, little is known about the characteristics, conservation, and expression patterns of this gene family in B. napus, especially under abiotic stress. Methods: To explore the characteristics and potential biological roles of the BBR-BPC gene family members in B. napus, we conducted identification based on bioinformatics and comparative genomics methods. We further analyzed the expression patterns through RNA-seq and qRT-PCR. Results: We identified 25 BBR-BPC members, which were classified into three subfamilies based on phylogenetic analysis, and found them to be highly conserved in both monocots and dicots. The conserved motifs revealed that most members contained Motif 1, Motif 2, Motif 4, and Motif 8. After whole-genome duplication (WGD), collinearity analysis showed that BBR-BPC genes underwent significant purifying selection. The promoters of most BBR-BPC genes contained cis-acting elements related to light response, hormone induction, and stress response. RNA-seq and qRT-PCR further indicated that BnBBR-BPC7, BnBBR-BPC15, BnBBR-BPC20, and BnBBR-BPC25 might be key members of this family. Conclusions: This study provides a theoretical foundation for understanding the potential biological functions and roles of the BBR-BPC gene family, laying the groundwork for resistance breeding in B. napus. Full article

Rape (Brassica napus) is an important oilseed crop widely cultivated worldwide. Due to its relatively short evolutionary and domestication history, its intra-species genetic diversity is limited. Radish (Raphanus sativus), belonging to a different genus but the same family as B. nupus, possesses an abundance of excellent gene resources. It is commonly used for B. nupus germplasm improvement and genetic basis expansion, making it one of the most important close relatives for distant hybridization. In the present study, a novel method for detecting alien chromosome fragments, called Anchor Mapping of Alien Chromosome (AMAC) was used to identify radish chromosome segments in the progeny of rape–radish interspecific hybrids. Based on the AMAC method, 126,861 pairs of IP (Intron Polymorphism) and 76,764 pairs of SSR (Simple Sequence Repeat) primers were developed using the radish Rs1.0 reference genome. A total of 44,176 markers (23,816 pairs of IP and 20,360 pairs of SSR markers) were predicted to be radish genome specific-single-locus (SSL) markers through electronic PCR analysis among four R. sativus, one B. napus, one B. rapa, one B. juncea, and one B. juncea reference genome. Among them, 626 randomly synthesized SSL markers (478 SSL IP markers and 148 SSL SSR markers) were used to amplify the genome of 24 radish samples (R. sativus), 18 rape (B. napus), 2 Chinese cabbage (B. rapa), 2 kale (B. oleracea), and 2 mustard (B. juncea) samples, respectively. Then, 333 SSL markers of the radish genome were identified, which only amplified in the radish genome and not in any Brassica species genome, including 192 IP markers and 141 SSR markers. Furthermore, these validated SSL markers were used to identify alien chromosome fragments in Ogura-CMS restorer line 16C, Ogura-CMS sterile line 81A, and their hybrid-Yunyouza15. In 16C, one marker, Rs1.0025823_intron_3, had an amplification product designated as anchor marker for the alien chromosome fragment of 16C. Afterwards, four novel radish genome-specific IP markers were found to be flanking the anchor marker, and it was determined that the alien chromosome segment in 16C originated from the region 8.4807–11.7798 Mb on radish chromosome R9, and it was approximately 3.2991 Mb in size. These results demonstrate that the AMAC method developed in this study is efficient, convenient, and cost-effective for identifying excellent alien chromosome fragments/genes in distant hybrid progeny, and it can be applied to the molecular marker-assisted breeding and hybrid identification of radish and Brassica crop species. Full article

The improvement in quantitative traits (e.g., yield, size) in F₁ offspring over parent lines is described as hybrid vigour, or heterosis. There exists a fascinating relationship between parental genetic distance and genome dosage (polyploidy), and heterosis effects. The contribution of nuclear heterozygosity to heterosis is not uniform across diploid and polyploid crops, even within same species, thus demonstrating that polyploid crops should be part of any discussion on the mechanisms of heterosis. This review examines the records of correlating heterosis with parental genetic distance and the influence of adding supplementary genomes in wide crosses. Increasing nuclear heterozygosity through parental genetic distance has been shown to be an imperfect predictor for heterosis in a variety of commercial crops such as maize, rice, and pepper. However, increasing the ploidy level raises the maximum number of alleles that can be harboured at any one locus, and studies on crops such as oilseed rape, potato, alfalfa, maize, and rice have demonstrated that heterosis may be maximised upon increasing multi-locus nuclear heterozygosity. The novel heterotic phenotypes observed above the diploid level will contribute to our understanding on the mechanisms of heterosis and aid plant breeders in achieving the righteous goal of producing more food with fewer inputs. Full article

White mold (Sclerotinia sclerotiorum de Bary) is one of the most important fungal diseases of winter oilseed rape (OSR). Since the pathogen can persist in the soil for a long time with its sclerotia, prevention and non-chemical methods (specifically biological agents) are important pillars in the integrated plant protection strategy against this pathogen. Mapping the intraspecific variability of the pathogen is an important step in the development of resistance to S. sclerotiorum. S. sclerotiorum isolates were collected from different OSR growing locations in Hungary during the 2020/21 and 2021/22 growing seasons. The morphological characteristics of sclerotia obtained from infected OSR stems were studied in the laboratory, and seedlings of four OSR hybrids were infected in vitro with isolates. The strains from four locations have different morphological characteristics. Significant differences in the level of aggressivity were also observed between strains; a correlation was also found between mycelial growth after 24 h, weight of sclerotia, and aggressivity. Among the four tested hybrids, OSR PT271 proved to be the most susceptible to most S. sclerotinia strains. Full article

Resistance of agricultural crops to herbicides is an important topic that concerns many researchers. One of the most popular groups of herbicides is the imidazolinone group. Resistant forms of crops such as wheat (Triticum aestivum L.), sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.), corn (Zea mays L.), rice (Oryza sativa L.) and oilseed rape (Brassica napus L.) have been developed to this group of herbicides. All crops resistant to this group of herbicides have the commercial name Clearfield^®. In this review, the information concerning oilseed rape resistance to the imidazolinone group of herbicides is collected and summarized; it will be useful for breeders and researchers engaged in this direction. This review touches upon the topic of mechanisms of oilseed rape resistance to imidazolinones. Mutation variants known to date, which provide resistance to this group of herbicides, are described, and known molecular markers of them are presented. Approaches to the selection of oilseed rape for resistance to the imidazolinone group of herbicides are mentioned. Various methods of utilizing imidazolinone resistance to improve the purity of hybrid seeds are also considered. Full article

Clubroot disease, caused by the protist pathogen Plasmodiophora brassicae, is an emerging threat to cruciferous crops, including oilseed rape (Brassica napus L.). Most of the current commercial cultivars are highly susceptible, and efficient management tools are lacking practical implementation. Over three years and three experimental periods, we studied the effects of isotianil in comparison with Bacillus amyloliquefaciens QST713-HiCFU against clubroot disease under greenhouse experiments. Our results show control effects, which were strongly dependent on seasons, host plant genotype, and clubroot isolates: isotianil and B. amyloliquefaciens QST713-HiCFU reduced disease severity consistently at variable, but field-relevant spore concentrations of clubroot isolates; with seed treatments showing superior effects compared to drench applications. The co-application of isotianil with B. amyloliquefaciens QST713-HiCFU could, in some cases, increase the efficacy. Interestingly, all studied hybrids reacted to treatments, albeit to a somewhat different extent. When tested against a field isolate, the results obtained with the single spore isolate were partially confirmed but with greater variability. Overall, the generally positive effects of isotianil and B. amyloliquefaciens QST713-HiCFU on the reduction of clubroot were repeatedly observed. The inoculation of clubroot disease with different spore counts indicates a dose–response effect for tested products. This study highlights the importance of performing experiments holistically over multiple, consecutive seasons, with various isolates, application types, and different genetic resources of host plants. Full article

Brassica napus L., winter oilseed rape (OSR), is a major crop worldwide, with a wide range of uses and high profitability. Viruses, such as turnip yellows virus (TuYV), are becoming increasingly important, and in certain years, they can cause significant infestations in OSR. It is difficult to detect the presence of the virus during visual field inspections, as the symptoms it causes can be confused with either those caused by abiotic factors (e.g., low winter temperature, soil compaction, nutrient deficiencies, etc.) or by other viruses. The objective of this study was to determine the susceptibility of four commercial hybrids of oilseed rape to TuYV in Hungary and to determine the effect of the virus on phenotypic and yield parameters. The results showed that infection with the TuYV can be significant in OSR in some growing seasons. It was found that the appearance of visual symptoms (e.g., anthocyanin leaves) does not always confirm the presence of the virus (based on the ELISA (enzyme-linked immuno assay)), and it does not always detect a negative effect of TuYV on all phenotypic and yield parameters of the tested hybrids based on the results in one growing season. Full article

Cold stress is among the most important environmental factors reducing the yield of crops. The present study aimed to investigate the impact of increasing cold stress conditions on winter oilseed rape polyamines, proline, and ethylene metabolism in acclimated and non-acclimated winter oilseed rape. This study was carried out under controlled conditions in the laboratory. The winter oilseed rape hybrid ‘Visby’ was used in the experiment. Acclimated and non-acclimated plants were subjected to a two-day-long increasing cold (from −1 °C to −3 °C) treatment. HPTLC, RT-qPCR, spectral analysis, and gas chromatography methods were used to analyse the levels of polyamines, gene expression, proline, and ethylene, respectively. This study showed a decrease in putrescine, spermidine, and spermine content during cold acclimation and a decrease in putrescine and spermidine levels at sub-zero temperatures. There were intensive changes in ADC2 gene expression, proline, and ethylene levels in non-acclimated plants: a substantial increase after exposure to −1 °C temperature and a sharp decrease after exposure to −3 °C temperature. The changes in these parameters were lower or absent in acclimated plants. The phenomena observed in this study add new insights to the knowledge about the plant stress response and suggest questions to be answered in the future. Full article

A crucial aim for rapeseed breeders is increasing the seed yield through improving yield- and silique-related traits. In this research, traits including the number of seeds per silique, silique length, silique width, and thousand-seed weight combined with seed coat color were investigated. Yellow-seeded lines of oilseed rape have a thinner seed coat, lower fiber content, and higher protein and oil content than traditional varieties. Hybrids of yellow- and black-seeded Brassica napus, which combine the advantages of both types of seeds, are tested for their suitability in breeding. Therefore, the aim of this study was to assess a population of 78 doubled haploid lines with different seed coat colors to select genotypes connecting a light color of seeds with good yielding characteristics. Multivariate methods such as analysis of variance, correlation analysis, regression analysis, canonical variate analysis, Mahalanobis distances, and estimation of gene effects were used. The results showed that all tested genotypes were significantly different regarding all five studied traits. The multidimensional analyses gave an accurate overview of the relationship between the examined features. The color and weight of seeds were considered the most important for breeding rapeseed with better seed properties. Although a negative correlation between these two characteristics occurs quite commonly, it was not present in our plant material, which allowed us to select lines with a-light seed color and high thousand-seed weight, which is a significant achievement. As a result, two doubled haploid lines were chosen as valuable breeding material for creating oilseed rape varieties with improved biochemical characteristics of seeds. Full article

European agri-environment schemes include the use of flower-rich field margins to promote on-farm biodiversity, but species mixtures rarely include Brassicaceae. As pests of oilseed rape (OSR; Brassica napus) and their parasitoids are mostly brassica specialists, including brassica ‘banker plants’ in the mixtures would help support these important biocontrol agents and improve pest control throughout the crop rotation. We assessed the potential of six brassicaceous plants (replicated plots grown in the field) to enhance populations of parasitoids of OSR pests whilst minimising proliferation of their pest hosts. Fodder radish (Raphanus sativus) facilitated high production of parasitoids of the pollen beetle pest (Brassicogethes aeneus) but may proliferate Ceutorhynchus weevil pests due to low parasitism. Turnip rape (B. rapa) and the B. rapa hybrid ‘Tyfon’ showed potential to perform a trap cropping function for pests, but their early flowering phenology resulted in B. aeneus larvae escaping parasitisation, potentially assisting proliferation of this pest. Forage rape B. napus exhibited similarly high B. aeneus parasitoid production characteristics to R. sativus but did not potentiate problems with other pests, indicating that it would be a favourable banker plant option. Careful selection of plants in field margin mixtures is therefore needed to maximise their benefits and ideally the whole crop pest-beneficial complex needs to be studied, as focus on a single major pest risks unintended consequences with other pest problems. Full article

Oilseed rape (Brassica napus) has significant heterosis and Ogura CMS is a major way to use it. Ogura CMS has the advantages of complete and stable male sterility and easy-to-breed maintainers. Therefore, to breed better restorers has become an important goal for this system. Incidentally, clubroot is a soil-borne disease that is difficult to control by fungicidal chemicals, and it has been the main disease of oilseed rape in recent years in China, severely restricting the development of the oilseed rape industry. At present, the most effective method for controlling clubroot disease is to cultivate resistant varieties. One Ogura CMS restorer line (R2163) has shown much better combining ability, but lacks the clubroot disease resistance. This study was carried out to improve R2163 through marker-assisted backcross breeding (MABB). The resistant locus PbBa8.1 was introduced into the restorer R2163, and we then selected R2163R with clubroot disease resistance. Using the new restorer R2163R as the male parent and the sterile lines 116A and Z11A as the female parent, the improved, new resistant hybrids Kenyouza 741R and Huayouza 706R performed well, providing strong resistance and good agronomic traits. This work advances the utilization of heterosis and breeding for clubroot disease resistance in B. napus. Full article

The identification of markers responsible for regulating important agronomic traits in rapeseed supports breeding and increases the seed yield. Microsatellite (SSR) markers are mainly used as ‘neutral’ genetic markers but are also linked with many biological functions. The objective of this study was identification of microsatellite markers associated with important agronomic traits affecting the seed yield of winter oilseed rape and with the heterosis effect for these traits. The plant material consists of four parental lines, 60 doubled haploid (DH) lines, 60 single cross hybrids, and 60 three-way cross hybrids. The association between molecular markers and observed traits was estimated using regression analysis. Among 89 SSR markers, 43 were polymorphic, and 15 were selected for mapping because they demonstrated stability in both years of observation. These markers were physically mapped in the rapeseed reference genomes and their immediate vicinity was searched to identify candidate genes associated with the studied traits. Six markers (BrGMS3837, BnEMS1119, BrGMS2901, BnGMS0509, BrGMS3688, BrGMS4057), which showed a positive estimation effect in our association analysis, and thus increased the value of a given trait or heterosis effect, turned out to be linked with genes that could be responsible for the development and growth of plants. Full article