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Background. Solanum melongena is a medicinally important vegetable crop that belongs to the family Solanaceae, which is cultivated worldwide. Methodology. In the present study, 22 eggplant varieties from the different ecogeographical regions were evaluated for nine quantitative and twenty-two qualitative morphological characters. A significant divergence was observed in all characters and wide regional variations for plant characteristics, flower, and fruit characteristics. Principle component analysis (PCA) was performed using PAST3 software to determine the relationship among eggplant accessions. Results. The principal component analysis showed that the first two principal component axes explained 97.17% of the total multivariate variation. Cluster analysis using the Unweighted Pair Group Method of Arithmetic Means (UPGMA) grouped the 22 eggplant accessions into two main clusters based on similarities in morphological characteristics. The study showed that the Solanum melongena accessions belonging to Pakistan and other geographical regions of the world possess marked variation in fruit weight, fruit shape, fruit color, leaf spine, number of locules in fruit, plant height, and flower color. Conclusion. Based on morphological diversity, the best cultivars of eggplant that show better yield can be selected for farmers.

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Serpins (serine protease inhibitors) constitute one of the largest and most widely distributed superfamilies of protease inhibitors and have been identified in nearly all organisms. To gain significant insights, a comprehensive in silico analysis of the serpin gene family was carried out in the model plant for temperate grasses Brachypodium distachyon and barley Hordeum vulgare using bioinformatic tools at the genome level for the first time. We identified a total of 27 BdSRPs and 25 HvSRP genes in Brachypodium and barley, respectively, showing an unexpectedly high gene number in these model plants. Gene structure, conserved motifs and phylogenetic comparisons of serpin genes supported the role of duplication events in the expansion and evolution of serpin gene family. Further, purifying selection pressure was found to be a main driving force in the evolution of serpin genes. Genome synteny analysis indicated that BdSRP genes were present in syntenic regions of barley, rice, sorghum and maize, suggesting that they evolved before the divergence of these species from common ancestor. The distinct expression pattern in specific tissues further suggested a specialization of functions during development and in plant defense. These results suggest that the LR serpins (serpins with Leu-Arg residues at P2–P1′) identified here can be utilized as candidates for exploitation in disease resistance, pest control and preventing stress-induced cell death. Additionally, serpins were identified that could lead to further research aimed at validating and functionally characterizing the role of potential serpin genes from other plants.

Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.), being a staple food crop, is an important nutritional source providing protein and minerals. It is important to fortify staple cereals such as wheat with essential minerals to overcome the problems associated with malnutrition. The experiment was designed to evaluate the status of 11 micronutrients including grain iron (GFe) and zinc (GZn) in 62 wheat cultivars released between 1911 and 2016 in Pakistan. Field trials were conducted over two years and GFe and GZn were quantified by both inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectroscopy (ICP-OES) and energy-dispersive X-ray fluorescence spectrophotometer (EDXRF). The GZn ranged from 18.4 to 40.8 mg/kg by ED-XRF and 23.7 to 38.8 mg/kg by ICP-OES. Similarly, GFe ranged from 24.8 to 44.1 mg/kg by ICP-OES and 26.8 to 36.6 mg/kg by EDEXR. The coefficient of correlation was higher for GZn (r = 0.90), compared to GFe (r = 0.68). Modern cultivars such as Zincol-16 and AAS-2011 showed higher GFe and GZn along with improved yield components. Old wheat cultivars WL-711, C-518 and Pothowar-70, released before 1970, also exhibited higher values of GFe and GZn; however, their agronomic performance was poor. Multivariate analysis using eleven micronutrients (Fe, Zn, Al, Ca, Cu, K, Mg, Mn, Na, Se and P) along with agronomic traits, and genome-wide SNP markers identified the potential cultivar with improved yield, biofortification and wider genetic diversity. Genetic gain analysis identified a significant increase in grain yield (0.4% year−1), while there was negative gain for GFe (−0.11% year−1) and GZn (−0.15% year−1) over the span of 100 years. The Green Revolution Rht-B1 and Rht-D1 genes had a strong association with plant height and grain yield (GY), while semi-dwarfing alleles had a negative effect on GFe and GZn contents. This study provided a valuable insight into the biofortification status of wheat cultivars deployed historically in Pakistan and is a valuable source to initiate a breeding strategy for simultaneous improvement in wheat phenology and biofortification.