Microsatellites or SSRs (simple sequence repeats) are ubiquitous short tandem duplications occurring in eukaryotic organisms. These sequences are among the best marker technologies applied in plant genetics and breeding. The abundant genomic, BAC, and EST sequences available in databases allow the survey regarding presence and location of SSR loci. Additional information concerning primer sequences is also the target of plant geneticists and breeders. In this paper, we describe a utility that integrates SSR searches, frequency of occurrence of motifs and arrangements, primer design, and PCR simulation against other databases. This simulation allows the performance of global alignments and identity and homology searches between different amplified sequences, that is, amplicons. In order to validate the tool functions, SSR discovery searches were performed in a database containing 28 469 nonredundant rice cDNA sequences.

Resumo -O objetivo deste trabalho foi determinar o padrão de desenvolvimento de afilhos em genótipos de trigo contrastantes para esse caráter, em diferentes densidades de semeadura, bem como seus efeitos sobre os componentes do rendimento de grãos. O experimento foi conduzido no Município de Capão do Leão, RS, em 2006. Dez cultivares de trigo, selecionadas com base na capacidade de afilhamento, foram utilizadas em delineamento de parcelas divididas, com a parcela composta pelo fator cultivar, e as subparcelas pelas densidades de semeadura, com 50, 200, 350, 500 e 650 sementes aptas por metro quadrado. Observou-se que a senescência de afilhos esteve diretamente relacionada ao potencial de afilhamento dos genótipos. Os genótipos com elevada capacidade de afilhamento apresentaram efeito mais pronunciado da senescência, com o aumento da densidade de semeadura. O melhor ajuste dos componentes do rendimento foi obtido por meio da adequada densidade de semeadura, que deve ser realizada com base no potencial de afilhamento dos genótipos. Além disto, o efeito compensatório de genótipos com reduzido potencial de afilhamento é resultante de maior massa de grãos por espiga, em detrimento do número de espigas por unidade de área.Termos para indexação: Triticum aestivum, estádio de desenvolvimento, potencial de afilhamento, senescência, sobrevivência de afilhos. Tiller development and yield components in wheat genotypes under different seeding densitiesAbstract -The objective of this work was to determine the developmental pattern of tillers in wheat genotypes showing contrasting number of tillers. The genotypes were tested under different seeding densities, in order to evaluate their effect on grain yield components. The experiment was performed in Capão do Leão County, Rio Grande do Sul State, Brazil, in 2006. Ten wheat cultivars, selected by their tillering ability, were tested in a split plot design, where plots were formed by the genotype (cultivar), and subplots by different seeding densities: 50, 200, 350, 500 and 650 seeds per square meter. Results indicated that tiller senescence is directly correlated to tillering potential of the genotypes, and genotypes with higher tillering ability presented higher senescence values, when subjected to higher seeding densities. The best adjustment of yield components is obtained from the adequate seeding density, which can be achieved by matching the density and tillering potential. Also, higher yield in genotypes with reduced tillering potential is achieved by increasing grain mass per ear, to compensate for their lower number of ears per area unit.

The multicollinearity in path analysis was investigated in different scenarios. A biometrical approach identified the multicollinearity‐generating traits. Data derived from averages overestimated the correlation coefficients. The use of all sampled observations increased the accuracy in path analysis. A simple sample tracking method that reduces multicollinearity is proposed. Some data arrangement methods often used may mask correlation coefficients among explanatory traits, increasing multicollinearity in multiple regression analysis. This study was performed to determine if the harmful effects of multicollinearity might be reduced in the estimation of the X′X correlation matrix among explanatory traits. For this, data on 45 treatments (15 maize [Zea mays L.] hybrids sown in three places) were used. Three path analysis methods (traditional, with k inclusion, and traditional with trait exclusion) were tested in two scenarios: with X′X matrix estimated with all sampled observations (ASO, n = 900) and with the X′X matrix estimated with the average values of each plot (AVP, n = 180). The condition number (CN) was reduced from 3395 to 2004 when the matrix was estimated with all observations. On average, the factors that inflate the variance of regression coefficients were increased by 61% in the AVP scenario. The addition of the k coefficient reduced the CN to 85.40 and 51.17 for the ASO and AVP scenarios, respectively. Exclusion of multicollinearity‐generating traits was more effective in the ASO than the AVP scenario, resulting in CNs of 29.62 and 63.66, respectively. The largest coefficient of determination (0.977) and the smallest noise (0.150) were obtained in the ASO scenario after the exclusion of the multicollinearity‐generating traits. The use of all sampled observations does not mask the individual variances and reduces the magnitude of the correlations among explanatory traits in 90% of cases, improving the accuracy of biological studies involving path analysis.

RESUMO -A produção de fitomassa é uma função da eficiência de conversão da radiação solar fotossinteticamente ativa interceptada em fotoassimilados, variando conforme as condições em que as plantas são cultivadas. Assim, este trabalho teve como objetivo quantificar a eficiência de conversão da radiação solar fotossinteticamente ativa interceptada em fitomassa -εb -de mudas de Eucalyptus grandis W. Hill ex Maiden (eucalipto) quando submetidas a diferentes tamanhos de tubetes e densidades de plantas. Para tanto, foi conduzido um experimento, em delineamento de blocos ao acaso, para estudar a produção de mudas em dois tamanhos de tubetes (pequeno e médio) e duas densidades de plantas na bandeja (alta com 100% de ocupação da bandeja e média com 50%), em que foram determinados a radiação fotossinteticamente ativa interceptada (RFAi), o índice de área foliar e a fitomassa seca total das mudas. O volume do tubete não interferiu nos valores de eficiência, mas, sim, a densidade de plantas, pois o índice de área foliar é quem determina tal valor. A εb foi de 7,33 g.MJ -1 em tubete médio e pequeno em densidade alta e de 3,26 g.MJ -1 em tubete médio e pequeno em densidade média.Palavras-chave: Ocupação da bandeja, Densidade de plantio e Radiação fotossinteticamente ativa. EFFICIENCY OF THE CONVERSION OF PHOTOSYNTHELICALLY ACTIVE RADIATION DRY BIOMASS IN EUCALYPTUS SEEDLINGS

Seeding density adjustments is one of the practices that most influence grain yield, as well as other agronomic traits. Therefore, the objective of this study was to determine the ideal plant stand to achieve the maximum grain yield in genotypes showing differential tillering ability. Also, to establish the associations between the genotypes used with tillering and other agronomically important traits as weight of a thousand grains. Two experiments were conducted in 2005 and 2006 in Capão do Leão, Rio Grande do Sul state, Brazil. Five low (JURITI, BR 18, CEP 29, BR 18 and CD 108) and five high (CD 114, SAFIRA, FIGUEIRA, BRS 177 and UMBU) tillering potential wheat cultivars were tested for two years on a split-plot design. The results indicate the need for recommending cultivars based on more than one year of cultivation, especially when dealing with contrasting genotypes for the trait fertile tillers. Regarding the ideal plant stand, seeding density of low tillering ability genotypes ranges from 417 to 555 seeds m -2 , in order to obtain maximum yield and grain weight. On the other hand, for high tillering ability genotypes, the ideal stand ranges from 221 to 422 seeds m -2. These results were year independent. Furthermore, low tillering ability genotypes showed a closer association of number of fertile tillers with grain yield. However, an inverse association was found between number of fertile tillers and weight of a thousand grains.