Maize (Zea mays L.) is one of the world's most important crop plants following wheat and rice, which provides staple food to large number of human population in the world. It is cultivated in a wider range of environments than wheat and rice because of its greater adaptability. Molecular characterization is frequently used by maize breeders as an alternative method for selecting more promising genotypes and reducing the cost and time needed to develop hybrid combinations. In the present investigation 40 genotypes of maize from Czechoslovakia, Hungary, Poland, Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, Slovakia and Yugoslavia were analysed using 20 Start codon targeted (SCoT) markers. These primers produced total 114 fragments across 40 maize genotypes, of which 86 (76.43%) were polymorphic with an average of 4.30 polymorphic fragments per primer and number of amplified fragments ranged from 2 (SCoT 45) to 8 (SCoT 28 and SCoT 63). The polymorphic information content (PIC) value ranged from 0.374 (ScoT 45) to 0.846 (SCoT 28) with an average of 0.739. The dendrogram based on hierarchical cluster analysis using UPGMA algorithm was prepared. The hierarchical cluster analysis showed that the maize genotypes were divided into two main clusters. Unique maize genotype (cluster 1), Zuta Brzica, originating from Yugoslavia separated from others. Cluster 2 was divided into two main clusters (2a and 2b). Subcluster 2a contained one Yugoslavian genotype Juhoslavanska and subcluster 2b was divided in two subclusters 2ba and 2bb. The present study shows effectiveness of employing SCoT markers in analysis of maize, and would be useful for further studies in population genetics, conservation genetics and genotypes improvement.

The castor-oil plant (Ricinus communis L.), a member of the spurge family (Euphorbiaceae), is a versatile industrial oil crop that is cultivated in many tropical and subtropical regions of the world. Castor oil is of continuing importance to the global specialty chemical industry because it is the only commercial source of a hydroxylated fatty acid. Castor also has tremendous future potential as an industrial oilseed crop because of its high seed oil content, unique fatty acid composition, potentially high oil yields and ability to be grown under drought and saline conditions. Knowledge of genetic variability is important for breeding programs to provide the basis for developing desirable genotypes. The aim of this study was to assess genetic diversity within the set of 60 ricin genotypes using 10 SSR primers. Ten SSR primers revealed a total of 67 alleles ranging from 4 to 9 alleles per locus with a mean value of 6.70 alleles per locus. The PIC values ranged from 0.719 to 0.860 with an average value of 0.813 and the DI value ranged from 0.745 to 0.862 with an average value of 0.821. Probability of identity (PI) was low ranged from 0.004 to 0.018 with an average of 0.008. A dendrogram was constructed from a genetic distance matrix based on profiles of the 10 SSR loci using the unweighted pair-group method with the arithmetic average (UPGMA). According to analysis, the collection of 60 diverse accessions of castor bean was clustered into six clusters. We could not distinguish 2 genotypes grouped in cluster 1, RM-96 and RM-98, which are genetically the closest. Knowledge on the genetic diversity of castor can be used to future breeding programs of castor.

Molecular characterization is frequently used by maize breeders as an alternative method for selecting more promising genotypes and reducing the cost and time needed to develop hybrid combinations. In the present investigation 20 genotypes of maize from Czechoslovakia, Hungary, Poland, Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, Slovakia and Yugoslavia were analysed using 5 Start codon targeted (SCoT) markers. These primers produced total 29 fragments across 20 maize genotypes, of which 22 (77.90 %) were polymorphic with an average of 4.40 polymorphic fragments per primer and number of amplified fragments ranged from 4 (SCoT 8) to 7 (SCoT 12 and SCoT 23). The polymorphic information content (PIC) value ranged from 0.652 (ScoT 8) to 0.816 (SCoT 23) with an average of 0.738. The dendrogram of 20 maize genotypes based on SCoT markers using UGMA algorithm was constructed. The hierarchical cluster analysis divided maize genotypes into two main clusters. Unique 2 maize genotype Slovenska žltá and Slovenska krajová velkozrná, originated from Slovak Republic, separated from others. Cluster 2 containing 18 genotypes was divided into two main subclusters. Subcluster 2a contained two Poland genotypes Przebedowska Burskynowa and Zloty Zar, two genotypes of Union of Soviet Socialist Republics- Partizanka and Krasnodarskaja and one Czechoslovakian genotypes Milada. In subcluster 2b were grouped 13 maize genotypes. The present study shows effectiveness of employing SCoT markers in analysis of maize, and would be useful for further studies in population genetics, conservation genetics and genotypes improvement.

Rye (Secale cereale L.) is our traditional cereal used for baking. The genetic variability of grown rye has been reduced by modern agronomic practices, which subsequently prompted the importance of search for species that could be useful as a gene pool for the improving of flour quality for human consumption or for other industrial uses. Therefore, the aim of this study was to detect genetic variability among the set of 45 rye genotypes using 8 SCoT markers. Amplification of genomic DNA of 45 genotypes, using SCoT analysis, yielded 114 fragments, with an average of 14.25 polymorphic fragments per primer. The most polymorphic primer was SCoT 36, where 21 polymorphic amplification products were detected. In contract the lowest polymorphic primer was SCoT 45 with 5 polymorphic products. Genetic polymorphism was characterized based on diversity index (DI), probability of identity (PI) and polymorphic information content (PIC). The hierarchical cluster analysis showed that the rye genotypes were divided into 2 main clusters. One rye genotype Motto, origin from Poland formed a separate subcluster (1b). Subscluster 2a included only genotype Valtické (CSK). In this experiment, SCoT proved to be a rapid, reliable and practicable method for revealing of polymorphism in the rye cultivars.

The (1,3)-β-D-glucan also referred to as callose is a main component of cell walls of higher plants. Many physiological processes are associated with the changes in callose deposition. Callose is synthesised by the callose synthase complex while its degradation is regulated by the hydrolytic enzymes β-1,3-glucanases. The latter one specifically degrade (1,3)-β-D-glucans. This work is aimed to study β-1,3-glucanase activities in the leaves of plants at two leaf stage in two diploids (Agilops tauschii, Triticum monococcum L.), four tetraploids (Ae. cylindrica, Ae. triuncialis, T. araraticum, T. dicoccum) and two hexaploids (T. aestivum L, T. spelta L.). The leaves were subjected to qualitative and quantitative β-1,3-glucanase activity assays. Our results showed that the total β-1,3-glucanase activities were variable and genotype dependent. No significant correlation between β-1,3-glucanase activities and ploidy level was observed. The gel activity assays revealed a single fraction of ~52 kDa Glu1 that was found in all genotypes. The Glu1 fraction corresponds to a single or two acidic Glu isoforms in dependence on genotype. However, none of the acidic Glu fractions can be assigned as a specific for di-, tetra- or hexaploid genotypes. A single basic GluF isoform was detected and found as present in all genotypes.