RESPONSE OF LOCALLY ADAPTED PEARL MILLET POPULATIONS TO S1 PROGENY RECURRENT SELECTION FOR GRAIN YIELD AND RESISTANCE TO RUST

In the semi-arid zones of Uganda, pearl millet ( Pennisetum glaucum (L.) R. Br.) is mainly grown for food and income; but rust (Puccinia substriata var indica (L.) R. Br.) is the main foliar constraint lowering yield. The objective of the study was to genetically improve grain yield and rust resistance of two locally adapted populations (Lam and Omoda), through two cycles of modified phenotypic S1 progeny recurrent selection. Treatments included three cycles of two locally adapted pearl millet populations, evaluated at three locations. Significant net genetic gain for grain yield (72 and 36%) were achieved in Lam and Omoda populations, respectively. This led to grain yield of 1,047 from 611 kg ha-1 in Lam population and 943 from 693 kg ha-1 in Omoda population. Significant improvement in rust resistance was achieved in the two populations, with a net genetic gain of -55 and -71% in Lam and Omoda populations, respectively. Rust severity reduced from 30 to 14% in Lam population and from 57 to 17% in Omoda population. Net positive genetic gains of 68 and 8% were also achieved for 1000-grain weight in Lam and Omoda, respectively. Traits with a net negative genetic gain in both populations were days to 50% flowering, days to 50% anthesis, days to 50% physiological maturity, flower-anthesis interval, plant height and leaf area.

Association of the solute carrier family 11 member 1 gene polymorphisms with susceptibility to leprosy in a Brazilian sample

Natural resistance-associated macrophage protein 1/solute carrier family 11 member 1 gene (Nramp1/Slc11a1) is a gene that controls the susceptibility of inbred mice to intracellular pathogens. Polymorphisms in the human Slc11a1/Nramp1 gene have been associated with host susceptibility to leprosy. This study has evaluated nine polymorphisms of the Slc11a1/Nramp1 gene [(GT)n, 274C/T, 469+14G/C, 577-18G/A, 823C/T, 1029 C/T, 1465-85G/A, 1703G/A, and 1729+55del4] in 86 leprosy patients (67 and 19 patients had the multibacillary and the paucibacillary clinical forms of the disease, respectively), and 239 healthy controls matched by age, gender, and ethnicity. The frequency of allele 2 of the (GT)n polymorphism was higher in leprosy patients [p = 0.04, odds ratio (OR) = 1.49], whereas the frequency of allele 3 was higher in the control group (p = 0.03; OR = 0.66). Patients carrying the 274T allele (p = 0.04; OR = 1.49) and TT homozygosis (p = 0.02; OR = 2.46), such as the 469+14C allele (p = 0.03; OR = 1.53) of the 274C/T and 469+14G/C polymorphisms, respectively, were more frequent in the leprosy group. The leprosy and control groups had similar frequency of the 577-18G/A, 823C/T, 1029C/T, 1465-85G/A, 1703G/A, and 1729+55del4 polymorphisms. The 274C/T polymorphism in exon 3 and the 469+14G/C polymorphism in intron 4 were associated with susceptibility to leprosy, while the allele 2 and 3 of the (GT)n polymorphism in the promoter region were associated with susceptibility and protection to leprosy, respectively.