Lentil is one of the most important pulse crops in the world as well as in Bangladesh. It is now considered a main component for training and body building practising in first world countries. Yield varies tremendously from year to year and location to location. Therefore, it is very important to find genotypes that perform consistently well even in ecological farming systems without any intercultural operations. Twenty lentil genotypes were tested during the period from November 2010 to March 2011 and from December 2011 to March 2012 with three replicates in each season to determine genetic variability, diversity, characters association, and selection indices for better grain yield. The experiment was conducted at the breeding field of the Department of Genetics and Plant Breeding, Bangladesh Agricultural University, Mymensingh. This study revealed that all the genotypes possess a high amount of genetic diversity. Plant height and 100-grain weight showed significant positive correlation with grain yield plant−1 that was also confirmed by path analysis as the highest direct effect on grain yield. The genotypes BM-513 and BM-941 were found to be the best performer in both the seasons and were considered as consistent genotype. The genotypes were grouped into four clusters based on Euclidean distance following Ward's method and RAPD analysis. However, discriminant function analysis revealed a progressive increase in the efficiency of selection and BM-70 ranked as the best followed by the genotypes BM-739, BM-680, BM-185, and BM-513. These genotypes might be recommended for farmers' cultivation in ecological farming in Bangladesh.

Eleven Brassica germplasm were characterized through the application of 12 oligonucleotide Inter Simple Sequence Repeat (ISSR) primers. A total 1248 bands were amplified through polymorphic chain reaction and were visualized by agarose gel electrophoresis. Among the amplified marker bands 71.47% were polymorphic in nature and 352 bands were found to be monomorphic. The polymorphic bands of the amplified DNAs mostly ranged between 110 bp and 3 kb. Genetic distance among the germplasm ranged between 0.0468 and 0.7189. Moreover, three isozyme systems such as esterase, acid phosphatase and peroxidase were analyzed for allozyme variability that detected distinct 93 isozyme loci of which nearly 61.9% were polymorphic. Two dendrograms were constructed based on the ISSR profiling and isozyme data obtained through electrophoresis to find out the relatedness and phylogenetic relationship among the investigating Brassica germplasm. The clusters of the phylogenetic tree revealed 4 distinct groups of Brassica based upon their ISSR banding patterns and isozyme analysis. Nei’s genetic distance analysis provided strong information about the existence of variability among the germplasm of Brassica. All the germplasm was found to be clustered according to their respective species. Brassica carinata (Ethiopian mustard) showed individuality from all the germplasm studied and made a different branch in the phylogenetic tree suggesting its diverse origin. From the clustering pattern and genetic relationship obtained with ISSR markers and isozyme analysis, breeders can successfully identify the diverse germplasm from different cluster and use them in their future breeding program.

Cymbidium aloifolium (L.) Sw. is an epiphytic orchid distributed locally in Bangladesh. Natural populations of this orchid are under threat due to its high commercial value in the floriculture industry by over exploitation. Mass propagation provides an alternative means of satisfying the demand. In this study, half strength of MS supplemented with BAP or different combinations with NAA was evaluated for seed germination and early protocorm development of C. aloifolium (L.) Sw. The maximum percentage of seed germination (98) was obtained on modified MS (half strength of micro and macro nutrients and full strength of vitamin) supplemented with 0.5 mg/l BAP and 0.5 mg/l NAA after three weeks of culture. Maximum number of shoots (9.6 shoots per single shoot) were developed from shoot tip explants on half strength of MS supplemented with 1.0 mg/l BAP and 0.5 mg/l NAA. The most effective auxin source promoting root production (3.2 roots per shoot) was 1.0 mg/l IBA in combination with 0.5 mg/l BAP. The seedlings were successfully acclimatized (survival percentage 99) in a nethouse using a rooting medium of crushed sterile brick, cocopit and charcoal (1 : 1 : 1 v/v). Plant Tissue Cult. & Biotech. 29(1): 73-79, 2019 (June)

The present investigation was carried out for assessment of genetic diversity among the 28 tomato genotypes though three random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) markers. A total of 15 distinct DNA fragments ranging form 100-1000 bp were amplified by using three selected primers of which 5.00 polymorphic bands per primer and over all polymorphic loci was 100 percent. The extent of genetic diversity among these genotypes was computed through parameters of genetic diversity and Shanon’s information indices. The highest genetic distance was observed among the accession Cl-3d-0-99 (V93)  vs. F1 (G X V12), F1 (G X V17), F1 (G X V29) and  Durch fuegel  (G) vs. F1 (G X V17) and F1 (G X V93) vs. F1 (G X V12), F1 (G X V17), while the lowest genetic distance was observed among the accessions Fut. Wed Abrid (V94) vs. Sunlight pole (V67) and F1 (V67 X VG) vs. F1 (V17 X VG), F1 (V93 X VG) and F1 (V93 X V17) vs. F1 (V17 X VG), F1 (V67 X VG), F1 (V93 X VG). The Unweighted Pair Group Method of Arithmetic Mean (UPGMA) dendrogram based on Nei’s genetic distance divided the genotypes into two main clusters: A & B. Cluster ‘A’ consists of 19 accessions and cluster ‘B’ consists of 9 accessions. The information generated from this study could be useful in gene mapping and marker assisted breeding for future tomato breeding programs. Progressive Agriculture 29 (4): 276-283, 2018