Biotechnology and genetics
ali darvishian; Farhad Nazarian-Firouzabadi; Mostafa Darvishnia; Ahmad Ismaili
Abstract
Saffron (Crocus sativus L.) is the most valuable spice in the world. Due to the lack of genomic information, saffron breeding has encountered many problems. To this end, generating and collecting genetic data using Next Generation Sequencing (NGS) techniques is crucial for saffron traditional and molecular ...
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Saffron (Crocus sativus L.) is the most valuable spice in the world. Due to the lack of genomic information, saffron breeding has encountered many problems. To this end, generating and collecting genetic data using Next Generation Sequencing (NGS) techniques is crucial for saffron traditional and molecular breeding programs. Molecular markers, especially powerful co-dominance markers such as simple sequence repeats (SSRs) markers play an important role in breeding projects. In the present study for the first time, SSR markers related to genes associated with F. oxysporum disease of corms were identified following a RNA-Seq based transcriptomic approach. To this end, total RNA was extracted from mature corms and RNA-Seq was performed based on the Novaseq6000 platform. The De-novo assembly was performed with Trinity software and the MISA search tool was used to identify SSRs. Based on the results of this study, 357028 transcripts were identified. A total of 70060 transcripts were identified to contain SSR sequences. BLAST algorithm analysis revealed that the highest similarity between saffron SSRs was found with that of rice and Arabidopsis. Among the identified unigenes, 18846, 23988 and 10969 genes were identified in UNIPROT, Nr and GO databases, respectively, in which 10375 unigenes were common to all databases. Due to the high priority of saffron in Iran as a strategic crop plant, any genetic information, including mining SSRs, is of great importance in studying genetic diversity, constructing genetic maps, linkage and QTLs analysis in saffron future breeding programs.
Agriculture
Saeid Heidari; Khosrow Azizi; Ahmad Ismaili
Abstract
In order to study the effect of bio-fertilizers, planting method and superabsorbent polymer on quantitative yield of saffron under rainfed condition, a factorial experiment based on randomized complete block design with three replications was conducted at the Agricultural Research Station of Khorramabad, ...
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In order to study the effect of bio-fertilizers, planting method and superabsorbent polymer on quantitative yield of saffron under rainfed condition, a factorial experiment based on randomized complete block design with three replications was conducted at the Agricultural Research Station of Khorramabad, Iran during 2015-2016 growing seasons. In this study, Nitroxin bio-fertilizer (consumption 5 Lit/ha and non-consumption), Stockosorb superabsorbent polymer (consumption 240 kg/ha and non-consumption) and planting method (streaking and cluster) was tested. Results showed that triple interactions was significant for number of corm/m2 in first and second year and combined treatment including non-Nitroxin in cluster culture method using superabsorbent with 80.67 corm/m2 for first year and with 183.67 corm/m2 for second year was the superior treatment. Results showed significant differences for number of produced flowers and for fresh and dry weight of stigma in both years; and in the first year, treatment included cluster method cultivation, consumption of superabsorbent and no consumption of Nitroxin was superior; while in the second year, superior treatment was use of superabsorbent, Nitroxin and cluster method. For stigma dry weight of saffron, triple interactions was significant and in the first year, cluster method and consumption of superabsorbent and no usage of Nitroxin was superior (with 0.6 kg/ha), and in the second year, use of Nitroxin and superabsorbent and cluster method was superior (with 0.719 kg/ha). In general, results of the present study in dry-farming conditions over the two years, cluster method cultivation with usage of superabsorbent and Nitroxin could be recommended. Reasons of this recommendation and introduction of the mentioned method are dry climate conditions in area of study and reduction in consumption of chemical fertilizers for development of sustainable agriculture.
