The whitefly-transmitted tomato yellow-leaf curl gemini-virus (TYLCV) is a major pathogen of tomatoes. The wild tomato species Lycopersicon chilense, which is resistant to the virus, was crossed to the cultivated tomato, L. esculentum. The backcross-1 selfed (BC1S1) generation was inoculated and a symptomless plant was selected. This plant was analyzed using 61 molecular markers, which span the tomato genome, to determine which L. chilense chromosome segments were introgressed. A BC2S1 population was cage-inoculated with viroliferous whiteflies (Bemisia tabaci), the natural insect vector of the virus, and subjected to RFLP analysis. Markers on chromosomes 3 and 6 were significantly associated with the level of tolerance; the association of chromosome-6 markers was further substantiated in two additional BC2S1 populations. A tolerant BC2S1 plant which was homozygous for L. chilense introgressions in chromosomes 3, 6 and 7 was crossed to generate a BC3S1 population which was planted in an infested field. A TYLCV-tolerance gene with partial dominance, TY-1, was mapped to chromosome 6; two modifier genes were mapped to chromosomes 3 and 7. Field and whitefly-mediated cage inoculations of nearly-isogenic lines in BC3S3 supported our conclusion that TY-1 is the major TYLCV-tolerance locus.

In plants, as in other aerobic organisms, 02is a commonly encountered intermediate of oxygen reduction and superoxide dismutases provide a defense against the potential cytotoxicity of this radical. The superoxide dismutases found in plants resemble those encountered in other organisms. Within chloroplasts one finds the CuZn enzyme, while mitochondria contain the Mn enzyme. Nymphaceae, ginkoaceae and cruciferae are unusual among plants, indeed among eukaryotes, in that they contain an iron superoxide dismutase. Bipyridylium herbicides. such as paraquat, exert their effect by diverting electron flow from photosystem I and thus increasing 02production. Paraquat-resistant genotypes of horseweed, tobacco and rye grass were found to contain elevated superoxide dismutase.This enzyme also appears to provide a defense against sulfur dioxide. sunscald and photooxidative death. The evidence supporting these statements and possible explanations are discussed.

Lycopersiconesculentum, tomato, flower drop, fruit set, high temperatures.Seven tomato cultivars and lines were studied under high temperature conditions. Fruit set varied between 77.3% in the heat tolerant cv. Hotset, 62% in cv. Gamad and 16.3% in the most sensitive cv. Hosen-Eilon. The characters contributing to low fruit set were bud drop, splitting of the antheridial cone, style exsertion and reduction of the quantity and/or functionality of the gametes. Employing the above characters as criteria for selection, fruit set of an Fa line, phenotypically similar to the sensitive parent, was improved to 63.1%. Improved fruit set, 87.6%, was also obtained in an Fi hybrid between 'Hotset' and 'Gamad'. The importance is discussed of various easily recognizable flower components contributing to satisfactory fruit set under high temperatures and their possible use in breeding is elaborated.

BackgroundGarlic is cultivated and consumed worldwide as a popular condiment and green vegetable with medicinal and neutraceutical properties. Garlic cultivars do not produce seeds, and therefore, this plant has not been the subject of either classical breeding or genetic studies. However, recent achievements in fertility restoration in a number of genotypes have led to flowering and seed production, thus enabling genetic studies and breeding in garlic.ResultsA transcriptome catalogue of fertile garlic was produced from multiplexed gene libraries, using RNA collected from various plant organs, including inflorescences and flowers. Over 32 million 250-bp paired-end reads were assembled into an extensive transcriptome of 240,000 contigs. An abundant transcriptome assembled separately from 102,000 highly expressed contigs was annotated and analyzed for gene ontology and metabolic pathways. Organ-specific analysis showed significant variation of gene expression between plant organs, with the highest number of specific reads in inflorescences and flowers. Analysis of the enriched biological processes and molecular functions revealed characteristic patterns for stress response, flower development and photosynthetic activity. Orthologues of key flowering genes were differentially expressed, not only in reproductive tissues, but also in leaves and bulbs, suggesting their role in flower-signal transduction and the bulbing process. More than 100 variants and isoforms of enzymes involved in organosulfur metabolism were differentially expressed and had organ-specific patterns. In addition to plant genes, viral RNA of at least four garlic viruses was detected, mostly in the roots and cloves, whereas only 1–4% of the reads were found in the foliage leaves.ConclusionsThe de novo transcriptome of fertile garlic represents a new resource for research and breeding of this important crop, as well as for the development of effective molecular markers for useful traits, including fertility and seed production, resistance to pests and neutraceutical characteristics.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12864-015-1212-2) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

An understanding of temperature and photoperiod effect on garlic (A. sativum L.) growth and florogenesis might solve the enigma of garlic sterility and provide environmental tools for flowering regulation and fertility restoration. The effect of storage temperature and growth conditions on the interactive relationships between the developing vegetative and reproductive organs was studied. A long photoperiod for more than 2 weeks was required for both dormancy induction of the axillary buds and clove formation. In contrast, combination of low temperatures with short photoperiod resulted in sprouting of the axillary buds. Four phases were recognized in the florogenesis of garlic, including: transition of the apical meristem, scape elongation, inflorescence differentiation, and completion of floral development. In garlic accession #2091, meristem transition is autonomous and occurs in growing plants under a variety of storage and growth conditions. A long photoperiod triggers the initial elongation of the scape in post-transitional plants. The temperature effect was quantitative: low storage and growth temperatures combined with long photoperiod promoted scape elongation, whereas warm temperatures and long photoperiod promoted the translocation of reserves to the cloves, and the degeneration of the developing inflorescence. Differentiation of topsets followed flower formation and was dominated by and required lengthy exposure to long photoperiod. Hence, under short photoperiod with only short interruption of long photoperiod, normal development of fertile flowers occurred. We conclude that in bolting garlic genotypes, manipulation of the environment, both before and after planting, can regulate the development of flowers and regain fertility. Normal flowering cannot be achieved if any of the four developmental stages of florogenesis mentioned above is inhibited.