MYB10.1 and MYB10.3, with bHLH3, are the likely regulators of anthocyanin biosynthesis in peach fruit. MYB10.1/2/3 forms a cluster on the same genomic fragment where the Anther color ( Ag ) trait is located. Anthocyanins are bioactive compounds responsible for the pigmentation of many plant parts such as leaves, flowers, fruits and roots, and have potential benefits to human health. In peach [Prunus persica (L.) Batsch], peel color is a key determinant for fruit quality and is regulated by flavonoids including anthocyanins. The R2R3 MYB transcription factors (TFs) control the expression of anthocyanin biosynthetic genes with the help of co-activators belonging to the basic-helix-loop-helix (bHLH) and WD40 repeat families. In the peach genome six MYB10-like and three bHLH-like TFs were identified as candidates to be the regulators of the anthocyanin accumulation, which, in yellow flesh fruits, is highest in the peel, abundant in the part of the mesocarp surrounding the stone and lowest in the mesocarp. The expression of MYB10.1 and MYB10.3 correlates with anthocyanin levels of different peach parts. They also have positive correlation with the expression of key structural genes of the anthocyanin pathway, such as CHS, F3H, and UFGT. Functions of peach MYB10s were tested in tobacco and shown to activate key genes in the anthocyanin pathway when bHLHs were co-expressed as partners. Overexpression of MYB10.1/bHLH3 and MYB10.3/bHLH3 activated anthocyanin production by up-regulating NtCHS, NtDFR and NtUFGT while other combinations were not, or much less, effective. As three MYB10 genes are localized in a genomic region where the Ag trait, responsible for anther pigmentation, is localized, it is proposed they are key determinant to introduce new peach cultivars with higher antioxidant level and pigmented fruit.

Analyses of frequency profiles of markers on disease or drug-response related genes in diverse populations are important for the dissection of common diseases. We report the results of analyses of data on 405 SNPs from 75 such genes and a 5.2 Mb chromosome, 22 genomic region in 1871 individuals from diverse 55 endogamous Indian populations. These include 32 large (>10 million individuals) and 23 isolated populations, representing a large fraction of the people of India. We observe high levels of genetic divergence between groups of populations that cluster largely on the basis of ethnicity and language. Indian populations not only overlap with the diversity of HapMap populations, but also contain population groups that are genetically distinct. These data and results are useful for addressing stratification and study design issues in complex traits especially for heterogeneous populations.

A field experiment was carried out at the Horticultural farm of the Bangladesh Agricultural Research Institute (BARI), Joydebpur, Gazipur, during September 2006 to April 2007 to investigate growth and yield of sweet pepper as influenced by spacing. There were three levels of spacing viz. 50×50 cm, 50×40 cm, 50×30 cm. The experiment was laid out in a Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) with three replications. Data were recorded on various parameters and subjected to statistical analysis. The plant spacing had significant variation in almost all the growth and yield components except pericarp thickness. Number of branches per plant, number of leaves per plant, stem girth, number of fruits per plant, days to first harvest, fruit length, individual fruit weight, yield per plant were found to be significantly increased with the increasing of plant spacing but plant height at different stages, number of fruits per plot, days to 50% flowering, fruit breadth, yield per plot and yield per hectare were found to be significantly increased with the decreasing plant spacing. Considering the yield of fruits per hectare, cost of production and net return, 50×30cm spacing appeared to be recommendable for the cultivation of sweet pepper.

Watermelon (Citrullus lanatus) is a nutritionally rich and economically important horticultural crop of the Cucurbitaceae family. Gummy stem blight (GSB) is a major disease of watermelon, which is caused by the fungus Didymella bryoniae, and results in substantial economic losses in terms of yield and quality. However, only a few molecular studies have focused on GSB resistance in watermelon. Nucleotide binding site (NBS)-encoding resistance (R) genes play important roles in plant defense responses to several pathogens, but little is known about the role of NBS-encoding genes in disease resistance in watermelon. The analyzed NBS-encoding R genes comprises several domains, including Toll/interleukin-1 receptor(TIR), NBS, leucine-rich repeat (LRR), resistance to powdery mildew8(RPW8) and coiled coil (CC), which are known to be involved in disease resistance. We determined the expression patterns of these R genes in resistant and susceptible watermelon lines at different time points after D. bryoniae infection by quantitative RT-PCR. The R genes exhibited various expression patterns in the resistant watermelon compared to the susceptible watermelon. Only six R genes exhibited consistent expression patterns (Cla001821, Cla019863, Cla020705, Cla012430, Cla012433 and Cla012439), which were higher in the resistant line compared to the susceptible line. Our study provides fundamental insights into the NBS-LRR gene family in watermelon in response to D. bryoniae infection. Further functional studies of these six candidate resistance genes should help to advance breeding programs aimed at improving disease resistance in watermelons.