I have been involved in research, teaching and outreach at the university and research institute level for over 15 years. My professional areas of expertise are study genetics of plants, identify genes for traits of interest, molecular marker assisted selection, enhance yield and nutritional aspects of crops through conventional, molecular and biotechnological approaches. At Fayetteville State University, I am responsible for overall research for the study of soybean genetics and genomics funded by the Department of Defense (DoD) and supervise graduate and undergraduate students. I am working to develop comprehensive genetic maps of quantitative trait loci (QTL) for value added trait in soybean seeds, with a focus on seed isoflavones, protein, and oil contents. Till date, I have authored or co-authored 7 refereed publications (having more than 39 citations) and six non-refereed papers. I have also presented several talks to scientists, farmers and industry clientele in the past years both in the US and internationally.
Abstract: Temperatures for storage of crapemyrtle (Lagerstroemia spp.) pollen over time were studied using clones of two interspecific hybrids (L. ‘Cheyenne’ and L. ‘Wichita’) and five species (L. indica ‘Catawba’, L. subcostata (NA 40181), L. limii (SHL2004-1), L. speciosa (MIA 36606), and L. fauriei ‘Kiowa’). Pollen samples were stored at room temperature (23 ± 1 °C), 4 °C, −20 °C and −80 °C. Germination of pollen samples was examined at 0, 7, 15, 45, 75, or 105 days of storage (DOS) and data were analyzed using linear models. Fresh (0 DOS) pollen of L. ‘Cheyenne’ showed the highest germination (80%). For all other clones, pollen germination at 0 DOS ranged from 44% (L. speciosa) to 77% (L. fauriei ‘Kiowa’). Pollen of all clones lost their viability within 7 DOS at room temperature. Overall, this study indicated that Lagerstroemiapollen is best maintained over time when pollen is stored under refrigeration, with a storage temperature of −20 °C often being preferable to 4 °C. Lowering the storage temperature to −80 °C is generally unnecessary, but not deleterious to pollen germination. Storage of viable crapemyrtlepollen for no longer than 75–105 days is adequate for allowing breeders to efficiently execute hybridization of germplasm flowering at different times or in widely separated locations.
Abstract: The anthocyanin, total polyphenol and antioxidant activity of 29 common bean from diverse origins and seed coat color, was assessed. Among the bean genotypes, fourteen were developed by CIAT in various interests; thirteen were from the USA, representing several market classes and one each from Brazil and India. The seeds of included genotypes have shown distinction in shape, color and seed weight. The variations of seed color are white, cream, purple, red and black, with variations being striped, rhomboid spotted and circular mottled. Bean genotypes exhibited distinguishing differences in anthocyanin, total polyphenol and antioxidant activities. Anthocyanin content varied significantly among genotypes and market classes, ranging from 0.05 to 0.47 mg g-1. The bean genotypes with total polyphenol content ranging from 5.87 to 14.14 mg of gallic acid equiv/g and the sample also exhibited significant variation in antioxidant activity (17.09 to 36.96%). Considering the profile of bioactive compounds the genotypes T-39, XAN 176, BAT 93 and MIB 154 are promising. Generally bean genotypes with high anthocyanin and polyphenol content exhibit high antioxidant activity. The information of this study can be used for selecting superior bean genotypes for targeted food and feed purposes and also for a breeding program.
Abstract: In this study, the variation of zinc (Zn), iron (Fe), calcium (Ca), and magnesium (Mg), and the interference of phytic acid (PA) on their availability was investigated in 29 US grown and CIAT breeding genotypes of common bean. Fe levels showed the highest variation (8.9–112.9 mg/kg) followed by Ca (58.67–122.98 mg/kg) and Zn (30.90–64.60 mg/kg) while variability of Mg concentration (6.47- 11.05 mg/kg) is the least among the mineral components. PA showed a wide range of variability (12.52– 316.42 m/kg) and inversely correlated with Fe, Ca and Mg concentrations. The results of the minerals and PA concentration can be interpreted in terms of expected bio-availability of minerals and the correlation study indicated that the presence of high concentration of PA inhibit the availability of most minerals under study in common beans. We suggest that the genotypes, MIB466, MIB465, MIB152 and JaloEEP 558 could be considered as sources of high Zn and Vista and NUA56-1770 for high seed Fe. We also identified G122 for high Ca and JaloEEP558 genotype for high Mg. We conclude that there is scope for the enhancement of mineral contents of common bean by selecting suitable genotype and bean products require processing for dephytinization for the improvement of mineral availability.
Abstract: This study was conducted to determine the effect of foliar salicylic acid (SA) applications on growth, yield and bioactive compounds of red amaranth grown under greenhouse conditions in 2008 at Gifu University, Japan. SA was applied at three different concentrations (10-3, 10-4 and 10-5 M), three times during the vegetation at 7-day intervals one week after sowing. Growth parameters (plant height, stem length, number and size of leaves, root length) and yield (fresh and dry matter weight) were recorded from treated and control plants on 28 days after sowing. Among bioactive compounds, betacyanins, chlorophyll, total polyphenol and antioxidant activity were the determined from the leaves of treated and control plants. All of three doses SA application enhanced the plant growth, yield and leaf's bioactive compounds compared to the control. The growth parameters and yield of red amaranth was significantly influenced by foliar SA applications. The highest yield, antioxidant activity, amount of betacyanins, chlorophyll and total polyphenol occurred in 10-5 M SA treatment. According to our results, applications SA at rate of 10-5 M should be recommended in order to improve yield and bioactive compounds in red amaranth.
Abstract: The objectives of this study were to determine the effects of daily air temperature and sunlight intensity variations on biomass production, leaf color and betacyanin accumulations in red amaranth (Amaranthus tricolor L.). For this purpose, two improved cultivars; BARI-1 and Altopati were grown in seven different period (from April to October, 2006) under vinyl house condition in the experimental facilities of Gifu University, Japan. The mean daily temperatures fluctuated from 18 (growing month- April) to 29ºC (August), while the mean sunlight intensities varied from 850 (October) to 1257 μmol m-2 S-1 (August). The highest biomass yield and betacyanin accumulation was obtained in the warmer growing period (July and August) at 28 to 29ºC mean air temperatures and 1240 to 1257 μmol m-2 S-1 sunlight intensity. At the warmer growing period red amaranth produced red leaves with high color index, which enhanced the betacyanin accumulations. The biomass yield and betacyanin accumulations were reduced significantly in the growing period/month April and October under low temperature regimes (mean air temperature 18 and 19ºC, respectively). However, growing period’s air temperature contributed more for biomass and betacyanin accumulations in red amaranth than sunlight intensity. Comparing two cultivars the biomass yield of BARI-1 was higher biomass yield than that of Altopati and Altopati highlighted with the higher betacyanin accumulations than that of BARI-1 in all growing period. Quantification of the effects of daily air temperature and sunlight intensity on biomass and betacyanin accumulation is important for growers producing these crops for fresh market and also optimize the best
growing period. Therefore the influence of air temperatures and sunlight intensity should be considered while grown red amaranth for maximum yield with bioactive compounds like betacyanin and should be grown in between 28 to 29ºC air temperature and 1240 to 1257 μmol.m-2.S-1. of sunlight intensity.
Abstract: Nine wheat varieties (Shatabdi, Showrav, Protiva, Ahgrani, Kanchan, Akbar, Barkat, Sonalika,
Kheri) from Bangladesh were analyzed for determination of total polyphenol (TP), polyphenoloxidase
(PPO), antioxidant activities (AA) and color index (CI). The highest TP (1.316 mg /gm GAE) and AA
(14.58%) determined in Shatabdi and PPO (0.295 U × ml-1 × min) in Barkat. The lowest TP (1.280 mg
/gm GAE), PPO (0.145 U × ml-1 × min) was determined in Akbar and the lowest AA (7.64%) was in
Sonalika . Least color index was obtained in Akbar but good color parameters for wheat like brightness
and yellowness values were found higher in Shatabdi. There was stronger correlation found between AA
and TP than among TP, AA, PPO and CI. Comperatively new released varieties, Protiva, Shourav (BARI
Gom-19) and Shatabdi (BARI Gom- 21) have higher level of TP, AA with brighter color profile.
Abstract: Biomass yield and accumulations of betacyanin, chlorophyll, total polyphenol, and antioxidant activity were evaluated growing red amaranth (Amaranthus tricolor L.) in spring season under five different shades made of white, blue, green, yellow, and black polyethylene, and non-shaded frame. Temperature and light intensity varied significantly (P < 0.05) under the different colored polyethylene shades, and these differences in microclimate are implicated for the variability in growth and accumulations of bioactive compounds. The highest temperature was obtained under the blue polyethylene shade and the plants achieved highest plant height, stem length and leaf number, fresh and dry matter biomass, betacyanins, total polyphenol, and antioxidant activity. The achieved biomass yield and accumulation of bioactive compounds were almost similar to field grown red amaranth in summer season. Blue polyethylene shade has probably ensured the optimum microclimate for growth and development of red amaranth in the studied growing period. Exceptionally the plants grown under green polyethylene shade accumulated highest chlorophyll. Although non-shaded plants received highest sunlight intensity but gave the poor biomass yield as well as accumulated less bioactive compounds than plants grown under blue polyethylene shade due to low air temperature. Thus, the results indicated that blue polyethylene has potentials to increase the yield with health beneficiary bioactive compounds betacyanins, polyphenol and antioxidant activity during the low temperature regime in spring season.
Abstract: Genetic diversity of a set of introgression lines of Triticum aestivum L./T. polonicum L. with long glume and T. petropavlovskyi Udacz. et Migusch. were analyzed by Amplified Fragments Length Polymorphism (AFLP). Small-scale bulk breeding method was applied throughout until F6 generation to develop the introgression lines. Thirty-eight hexapolid F7 plants with long glume phenotype and their parents were subjected to AFLP analysis by four primer combinations. A total of 47 polymorphic loci were detected between the parents, 15 of them were introgressed across the 38 lines. It was hypothesized that approximately 50% of A or B genomes associated polymorphic loci were introgressed. The variation of introgression lines was limited within the diversity between their parents, T. aestivum L. cv. Novosibirskaya 67 (N67) and T. polonicum L. cv. IC12196. N67 was closer to 38 introgression lines than that of IC12196. The UPGMA cluster and principal coordinate analysis (PCO) grouping showed 0.84 to 0.98 similarity values between N67 and the introgression lines. Eleven T. petropavlovskyi accessions were distinguished from introgression lines with UPGMA clusters and PCO groupings, and T. petropavlovskyi was located between the introgressions lines and IC12196. Several introgression lines resembled with T. petropavlovskyi for awning and glume length. The genetic variation among 38 introgression lines was much wider than that of T. petropavlovskyi. We concluded that T. petropavlovskyi was established by intensive selection of hybrid between T. aestivum/T. polonicum.
Abstract: Seventy-two Xinjiang Triticum and Triticum polonicum accessions were subjected to AFLP analyses
to discuss the origin of Triticum petropavlovskyi. A total of 91 putative loci were produced by four primer combinations. Among them 56 loci were polymorphic, which is equivalent to 61.53 % of the total number of putative loci. Genetic diversity among 11 T. petropavlovskyi accessions was narrow due to the lowest number (32) of polymorphic loci among the wheat species. Forty four polymorphic loci were found in T. aestivum and
T. compactum, whereas the highest polymorphism was observed in T. polonicum. On the basis of the UPGMA
clustering and PCO grouping and genetic similarity estimates from the AFLPs, we noted that T. petropavlovskyi
was more closely related to the Chinese accessions of T. polonicum than to T. polonicum from other countries.
Two accessions of T. aestivum were grouped with T. petropavlovskyi in the UPGMA clustering. Both of them
were similar to T. petropavlovskyi in respect of spike structure, i.e. the presence of awn, glume awn and also the
presence of leaf pubescence. Six loci, which were commonly absent in Chinese T. polonicum, were also absent in almost all of the T. petropavlovskyi accessions. Findings of this study reduced the probability of an independent allopolyploidization event in the origin of T. petropavlovskyi and indicated a greater degree of gene flow between T. aestivum and T. polonicum leading to T. petropavlovskyi. It is most likely that the P-gene of T. petropavlovskyi hexaploid wheat was introduced from T. polonicum to T. aestivum via a spontaneous introgression or breeding effort.
Abstract: The quality of durum wheat (Triticum turgidum ssp. durum) is influenced by polyphenol oxidase
(PPO) activity and its corresponding substrates. A saturated molecular-marker linkage map was constructed previously by using a set of recombinant inbred (RI) lines, derived from a cross between durum wheat cultivars
Jennah Khetifa and Cham 1. Quantitative trait loci (QTL) for PPO activity in seeds were mapped in this population. PPO activity in seeds of the parents and 110 RI lines was measured spectrophotometrically. The PPO activity of Cham 1 was significantly lower than that of Jennah Khetifa. QTL analysis of these data indicated that most of PPO activity was associated with major loci on the long arm of chromosome 2A. The trait was found to be strongly associated with the SSR marker Xgwm312@2A. With this knowledge, marker-assisted selection can be used to select genotypes with lower PPO activity in durum wheat populations.
Abstract: Portuguese wheat landraces, ‘Arrancada’ were collected from the Aveiro region, Portugal before the 1950s. We found in eight accessions of `Arrancada' hexaploid wheat with the long glume phenotype. We assessed the comparative genetic diversity among Portuguese `Arrancada' wheat and Triticum petropavlovskyi Udacz. et Migusch. using AFLP assays and discuss the origin of long glumed `Arrancada' wheat. With the four primer pairs a total of 4885 visible bands were scored corresponding to 99 AFLP markers as putative loci, of which 55 markers (54%) were polymorphic. UPGMA clustering and PCO grouping showed that long glumed ‘Arrancada’ wheat and T. petropavlovskyi were genetically diverse. Long glumed ‘Arrancada’ hexaploid wheat separated into two clusters (groups) in both the UPGMA dendrogram and in PCO analysis. Four long glumed accessions fell in the cluster of tetraploid wheat. A similar argument could be made for another four accessions which belong to the cluster of hexaploid wheat. The substantial level of genetic variation indicated that long glumed ‘Arrancada’ wheat and T. petropavlovskyi originated independently. It is most likely that the P-gene of long glumed ‘Arrancada’ hexaploid wheat was introduced from T. turgidum ssp. polonicum (L.) Thell. to T. aestivum via natural introgression or breeding. We suggest that the long glumed ‘Arrancada’ hexaploid wheat did not originate from T. aestivum through spontaneous mutation at the P locus
