Bean golden mosaic virus (BGMV) causes the main common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) viral disease in Brazil, causing yield losses of 40 to 100%. Effective resistance to BGMV has not been identified in common bean lines tested in Brazil. Therefore, Embrapa used a transgenic approach to develop effective resistance to BGMV (event Embrapa 5.1), using RNA interference and plant transformation through the biolistic method. In the present work, we evaluate the agronomic performance and yield stability of 10 transgenic BGMV‐resistant common bean elite lines from the carioca market class in 31 field trials conducted in Brazil from 2012 to 2014 to identify superior line suitable for release as a new cultivar. The results showed that the presence of the transgene did not cause any loss in yield and conferred greater yield stability in the transgenic elite lines because of the resistance to BGMV. The first commercial product developed with the BGMV resistance was selected, the line CNFCT 16205 (cv. BRS FC401 RMD), which is also the first genetically modified common bean cultivar developed in the world. The line exhibited high yield potential and stability, standard commercial seeds, a normal growing cycle (85–94 d), and effective resistance to BGMV. In addition, it has moderate resistance to anthracnose. However, it is susceptible to Cowpea mild mottle virus (CPMMV). BRS FC401 RMD can contribute to the sustainability of the common bean crop in Brazilian agriculture sector, and to the stability in the supply and price of common bean in the domestic market.

Sugarcane is the main source for sugar production and the most important crop for energy production, as well as for byproducts like ethanol and fibers in the world. With a complex genome, the plant has its species from crosses between species of the genus Saccharum, which were the basis for sugarcane breeding programs worldwide. The production of sugarcane has increased worldwide due to breeding programs that have developed more productive clones for specific uses and adapted to different climatic conditions. The future objective of breeding programs is to develop sugarcane with high productivity, high sucrose content, drought tolerance, and high production of ethanol and biomass, i.e., plants with high fiber content and with cell walls easily broken to favor the production of ethanol from bagasse, efficient plants with low nitrogen fertilizer use, and others, and consequently to reduce environmental impacts. Currently, the demand for products derived from sugarcane is consistently increasing; the ethanol byproduct has been pointed out as one of the important sources to feed the demand for renewable energy in fossil and nonrenewable fuel substitution programs in different countries around the world. This chapter describes the genetic improvement of sugarcane and its current goals.

Resumo -O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar o potencial dos marcadores microssatélites em predizer o comportamento dos híbridos entre clones-elite de eucalipto da empresa Aracruz Celulose. Foram utilizados 21 clones-elite, cruzados conforme o esquema de dialelo balanceado. Os 137 híbridos obtidos, além dos 21 pais e 11 híbridos repetidos, foram avaliados em três locais: Aracruz, São Mateus e Caravelas, em delineamento de blocos incompletos 13x13 com 40 repetições. As parcelas foram constituídas de uma planta, espaçadas 3x3 m. Os caracteres circunferência à altura do peito (CAP) e densidade básica da madeira foram avaliados aos dois anos de idade. Os dados foram submetidos à análise dialélica e, posteriormente, foi obtida a correlação entre a divergência genética dos genitores, obtida por meio dos marcadores microssatélites, e as estimativas dos parâmetros do dialelo. A divergência genética apresentou coeficientes de correlação significativos apenas com a capacidade específica de combinação para CAP e com a média dos híbridos para CAP. A predição por meio de marcadores microssatélites possui baixa precisão para poder ser utilizada em substituição aos cruzamentos dialélicos.Termos para indexação: Eucalyptus, análise dialelo, divergência genética, melhoramento genético. Potential of hybrids among elite clones of eucalypt by microsatellite markersAbstract -The objective of this work was to evaluate the potential of microsatellite markers to predict the performance of hybrids among elite clones of eucalypt from Aracruz Celulose. Twenty one elite clones were crossed in a full-diallel mating scheme. One hundred and thirty seven hybrids, 21 parents and 11 repeated hybrids were evaluated in three sites: Aracruz, São Mateus and Caravelas, in an experimental design of incomplete blocks 13x13 with 40 replicates, comprising single plant plot and spaced 3x3 m. The characters evaluated were the circumference at breast height (CBH) and the wood basic density, two years after the planting. Means were submitted to diallel analysis and, later, the correlation between the genetic divergence of parents by microsatellite markers and the estimative of diallel parameters were obtained. The genetic divergence was correlated with the specific combining ability to CBH height and with the means of hybrids to the same character. The other coefficients of correlation with the genetic divergence were not significantly different from zero. The prediction by microsatellite markers is of little accuracy to be utilized in place of diallel estimates.

BRS FS311 is a cultivar of common bean in the striped seed coat group, with high yield, larger bean grain, and visual appearance suitable for the striped seed coat standard. It also has a cycle of semi-early, upright architecture and moderate resistance to fusarium wilt and anthracnose.

BRS FP403 is a common bean cultivar from the black bean market class with high grain yield and yield potential, high commercial and cooking quality, and moderate resistance to fusarium wilt (Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. phaseoli) and root rot diseases (Fusarium solani f. sp. phaseoli and Rhizoctonia solani).Crop Breeding and Applied Biotechnology -19: 240-244, 2019 TLPO Souza et al. CONCLUSIONSThe common bean cultivar BRS FP403 of the black bean class has a normal growing cycle (85-95 days), high grain yield and yield potential, high commercial and cooking quality, yield stability, and moderate resistance to fusarium wilt and root rot diseases. BRS FP403 is recommended for growing in the following states and growing seasons: rainy, dry, and winter seasons in the states of Mato Grosso, Goiás/Distrito Federal, Minas Gerais, Bahia, Espírito Santo, and Rio de Janeiro; rainy and dry seasons in Mato Grosso do Sul, Paraná, Santa Catarina, Rio Grande do Sul, and São Paulo; winter season in Tocantins; and rainy season in Maranhão, Sergipe, Alagoas, Pernambuco, Rio Grande do Norte, Piauí, Ceará, and Paraíba.