Plant carotenoid derived β-ionone has been shown to have diverse biological effects on some insect herbivores and herbivore parasitoids. In this study, Arabidopsis transgenic plants over-expressing a carotenoid cleavage dioxygenase1 gene (AtCCD1) were generated to test whether β-ionone emissions could be enhanced and used to control feeding by the crucifer flea beetle (Phyllotreta cruciferae Goeze). The transgenic plants exhibited a morphological phenotype indistinguishable from the wild type (WT) control over their complete life cycle. Gas chromatography and mass spectrometry analyses of headspace volatiles collected from 6-wk-old intact flowering plants revealed substantially enhanced β-ionone emission from transgenic plants compared with WT, but no β-ionone enhancement occurred at a young vegetative stage (4-wk-old seedlings). Bioassays in an enclosed environment showed that AtCCD1 over-expression resulted in ≍50% less leaf area damage by flea beetles on transgenic plants compared with WT plants. The mean number of damaged transgenic leaves per plant also was significantly lower in transgenic plants (P<0.05). Our results indicate that AtCCD1 over-expression and induced β-ionone emission might find application in the control of pests for Brassica crops grown in greenhouse operations. Potentially, β-ionone also could be used on crops grown in open-air ecosystems if this allomone is released in sufficient quantities to discourage herbivore foragers.

Excess rainfalls may be the cause of waterlogging in soil, which affects the growth and development of wheat. Therefore, the objectives of this study were to examine the effects of waterlogging on shoot and root growth and physiological characteristics of wheat. Three experiments were conducted: experiment 1 (E1): evaluation of seedling growth on ten Iranian winter wheat varieties with waterlogging periods (1-4, 4-8, 8-12, and 12-16 days starting from seed germination). Seminal roots and plumule were investigated at seedling. The others are E2: pretreatment of waterlogging (15 days) at tillering and stem elongation stages and its effects on shoot and root growth at anthesis stage and experiment 3 (E3): pretreatment of waterlogging (15 days) at tillering and jointing stages and its effects on yield and yield components and also evaluation of stress tolerance indexes. The results of the seedling growth test (E1) showed that 1-4- and 4-8-day waterlogging severity reduced seminal root length (94.5 to 93.7 %) and plumule length (86.2 to 50.0 %) compared to control. Results of E2 indicated that waterlogging stress decreased shoot dry weight, root dry weight, total secondary root length, and chlorophyll a + b content of flag leaf by 28-31, 44-35, 20-31, and 28-35 %, respectively. Also, result of E3 showed that the grain yields of wheat varieties at two conditions of stress were different in base tolerance indexes. In general, the responses of wheat varieties to waterlogging were different at the three experiments. The varieties that had the most of dry weight and length of the root were tolerant. Thus, it is possible to use these characteristics as an index for selecting the varieties with tolerance to waterlogging.

AA performed all the experimental work and analyzed the results. AZ, MRA and JMSS designed the experimental work and analyzed the results. JMSS wrote the manuscript.

growth rate and twinning rate are economic traits that can be used in goat breeding objectives. the aim of this study was to investigate polymorphisms in the insulin-like growth factor 1(IGF-I) and insulin-like growth factor binding protein (IGFBP-3) genes and their relationship with growth traits and twinning in Markhoz goats. Two sets of specific primers were used to amplify a 249bp fragment of IGF-I gene and a 316bp fragment of IGFBP-3 gene. pCr-ssCp analysis revealed three banding patterns for each gene that confirmed presence of a mutation in position 1617 of the IGF-I gene and a mutation in position 58 of IGFBP-3 gene. the genotype frequencies of IGF-I gene were 0.81 (gg), 0.16 (ga) and 0.03 (aa). also, the genotype frequencies of IGFBP-3 gene were 0.79 (TT), 0.17 (TC) and 0.04 (CC). The Odds Ratio estimated for twinning rate was 1.11 for second on first parity, 0.19 for third on first parity and 5.71 for second on third parity. The chi-square statistics were 6.46 for IGF-I gene and 3.32 for IGFBP-3 gene. the results also indicated that different genotypes of these genes had no significant effect on birth weight, weight at 6 months, at 9 months and at 12 months but the interactions between different genotypes of IGF-I and IGFBP-3 genes were significant for weaning weight and average daily gain from birth to weaning. These results suggest that twinning rate in markhoz breed is statistically affected by these genes and can be considered in breeding programs.