Ranunculus is a well-known flower having a great economic value for its bright colors and vibrant patterns. Given the importance of the ranunculus cut flower, conducting this study elucidated the genetic behavior and variability of various morphological attributes in ranunculus genotypes. Assessment of six ranunculus genotypes measured germination percentage (%), days to emergence, days to maturity, stem length, stem thickness, flowers per plant, flower size, and flower duration on the plant. Analysis of variance depicted significant variation in all the studied traits except days to emergence, number of stems, and germination percentage. Clustering ranunculus genotype with the Euclidean distances-based hierarchical clustering resulted in two clusters of the genotype. One genotype (red) did not join any group, indicating an early separation of this genotype during the evolution of Ranunculus species. Correlation analysis showed that most studied traits negatively correlated, with only a few positively correlating traits. The number of flowers per plant and stem length showed a d positive correlation (0.7437 and 0.8064, respectively). Overall, the results showed that the red, yellow, and rose genotypes are the best performers for cultivation to produce better-quality flowers. Genetic analysis using line × tester analysis revealed higher values for the SCA component than GCA, suggesting non-additive gene action for most traits under study. Moreover, the hybrids developed in the current study developed new color combinations/shades. These hybrids could further benefit ranunculus stable variant improvement.

Keywords: Ranunculus, color variance, general combining ability, specific combining ability, flower quality, gene action

Key findings: The red, yellow, and rose genotypes are the best performers. Most studied traits are under non-additive gene action control. Based on better GCA, the genotypes T1 (yellow) and T3 (white) could benefit future breeding programs for quality improvement.

Line × tester analysis is an efficient method to evaluate many entries for GCA (general combining ability) and SCA (specific combining ability) effects. Fifteen lines and three testers of sesame (Sesamum indicum L.) gained evaluation for shattering, yield, and oil quality traits. Crossing selected tolerant and sensitive accessions in line × tester fashion ensued, with the resultant F₁, parent material, and commercially cultivated varieties sown in the field to ascertain the genetic mechanisms to assess heterosis manifestation and generation turnover. Combining ability analysis exhibited variable direction and magnitude of GCA effects among line and testers and SCA effects among crosses. The lines SG-41, G-43, and SG-50 and testers SG-60 and SG-1 were the best general combiners. Crosses SG-44 × SG-60, SG-50 × SG-60, SG-103 × SG-14, SG-103 × SG-60, SG-110 × SG-14, SG-50 × SG-1, and SG-113 × SG-60 had a positive significant SCA effect for maximum yieldrelated traits. SG-39 × SG-60, SG-44 × SG-60, and SG-50 × SG-60 had positive significant SCA effects for maximum oil-related qualities. Crosses SG-41 × SG-1, SG-41 × SG-60, SG-43 × SG-60, SG-50 × SG-14, and SG-50 × SG-60 had positive and significant heterosis over the mid-parent, a better parent, and commercial hybrids for most of the traits. Conditioning on secondary branches, flower initiation, capsule length, and 1000-seed weight were by non-additive genetic effect, with all the other parameters under the control of additive gene action. The variance ratio of GCA to SCA showed less than unity; in contrast, the additive genetic variance was more than the dominant variance for all traits except for secondary branches, flower initiation, capsule length, and 1000-seed weight. The association of traits based on correlation and path analyses suggested that plant height, oil content, and 1000-seed weight can serve as criteria for selecting sesame for a future breeding program.

Keywords: Sesame (Sesamum indicum L.), heterosis, line × tester analysis, GCA and SCA, gene action, correlation

Key findings: Crosses SG-44 × SG-60, SG-50 × SG-60, SG-103 × SG-14, SG-103 × SG-60, SG-110 × SG-14, SG-50 × SG-1, and SG-113 × SG-60 had the positive significant SCA effects for maximum yield-related traits; these crosses were best specific combiners for most of the traits.

The knowledge of genetic variability, combining capability, and gene activity are vital in enhancing wheat productivity. Six diverse wheat genotypes, Anmol91, Fatehjung16, Khattakwal, Auqab2000, PR128, Abaseen 2021, and KT06, crossed with three strip rust-resistant wheat lines, i.e., YR5, YR10, and YR15, employed line × tester hybridization. The analysis determined that the general combining ability (GCA) and specific combining ability (SCA) variances were significantly different for examined parameters (p < 0.05). Parental lines Auqab2000 and Fatehjung16 emerged as better general combiners for earliness and yield-related attributes; however, Auqab2000 × YR5, KT06 × YR5, Khattakwal × YR10, PR128 × YR5, Khattakwal × Auqab, and KT06 × YR10, proved the top particular cross combinations for contributing features of grain yield per plant. Results also showed that lines import sufficient variety to manifest the traits under investigation. For almost all tested qualities, the value of σ²_gca/ σ²_sca demonstrated a non-additive gene effect, except for days to maturity, which the additive gene action influenced. The selection of superior plants should take time until later segregation generation when non-additive gene activities dominate. The genotypes chosen for the current study are crucial genetic resources for wheat’s continued gene development.

Keywords: Combining ability, tester analysis, parental lines, heritability, YR-5, YR-10

Key findings: The wheat genotypes Anmol91, Fatehjung16, Khattakwal, Auqab2000, PR128 Abaseen2021, and KT06, crossed with three strip rust-resistant wheat lines, i.e., YR5, YR10, and YR15, showed their GCA and SCA variances significantly (p < 0.05) for examined traits. Parental lines Auqab2000 and Fatehjung16 resulted as better general combiners for earliness and yield-related attributes. Likewise, Auqab2000 × YR5, KT06 × YR5, Khattakwal × YR10, PR128 × YR5, Khattakwal × Auqab, and KT06 × YR10 demonstrated the best particular cross combinations for contributing features of grain yield per plant.

An investigation of the phenotypic characteristics of 19 rhizobial strains, isolated from root nodules of different plant legumes grown in the soil of agriculture farms in Ismailia governorate, transpired. Most isolates were creamy or white opaque, mucoid, with a convex elevation, translucent, and smooth margined. Microscopic investigation revealed that all bacterial isolates were rod-shaped and had no positive affinity for Gram-stain. Identifying rhizobial cultures from any bacterial contaminants employed confirmatory tests based on prepared special media, including YMA supplement with Congo red, glucose peptone agar, Kit-lactose agar, and Hoffer’s alkaline test. Based on an infectivity test, all isolates proved their ability to reinfect their host. These rhizobial isolates, classified into two categories, included fast and slow-growing rhizobia according to their growth in the YEM medium containing bromothymol blue (BTB). Meanwhile, the assessment of the genetic diversity among these isolates proceeded using ISSR and RAPD markers, which ISSR marker proved a more powerful tool in discriminating among the tested isolates than the RAPD marker. The cluster analysis, with the RAPD marker, classified the isolates into two main groups. The first group included the isolates (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, and 13), while the second group contained the isolates (12, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, and 19). Moreover, using ISSR markers also showed a cluster of two main groups with diverse categories; the first cluster included isolates 1 to 11, and the second group contained isolates 12 to 19.

Keywords: Rhizobia, ISSR, RAPD, and phenotypic characterization

Key findings: ISSR markers proved a more powerful tool in discriminating among the tested rhizobial isolates than RAPD markers.

The study, conducted at the research area of Raja Wala farm, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad, Pakistan, assessed the sunflowers’ (Helianthus annuus L.) early maturity and yield improvement. Experimental material came from the United States Department of Agriculture and the National Agricultural Research Centre. Cytoplasmic male sterile lines and restorers, grown in the field, had their data gathered regarding early maturity. Then, the crossing of selected lines employed the line × tester design. The following season, the resulting crosses and their parents’ evaluation proceeded in a randomized complete block design (RCBD) using three replications. The crosses declared as best hybrids in terms of early maturity and yield were 7-A × 86-R, 11-A × 83-R, 23-A × 81-R, 25-A × 80- R, 25-A × 94-R, and 27-A × 80-R. These best hybrids further underwent oil content and quality analysis. The crosses 23-A × 81-R and 25-A × 80-R revealed good performance for oil contents (palmitic, stearic, linoleic, and oleic acids) and quality traits like early maturing with better yield. Using RAPD markers, the authenticity assessment of the best hybrids through the presence and absence of bands compared with parents ensued. These hybrids will be helpful in future breeding programs for the development of early maturing varieties with improved achene yield and quality, which is rare in Pakistan. This material will also help develop the required hybrids.

Keywords: sunflower, male sterility, line × tester, oil quality parameters, primers

Key findings: Genotypes 80-R, 81-R, 83-R, 86-R, 94-R, and 96-R proved early maturing. The hybrids 23-A × 81-R and 25-A × 80-R emerged as the best crosses for early maturity, yield, and oil qualityrelated traits.

Early maturity and genotype by environment interaction (GEI) have always been challenging concerns for breeders in selecting appropriate parents for breeding programs. The presented study aimed to investigate early maturity and the dimension of gene action, as well as, assess the performance of half-diallel populations using eight advanced sweet corn inbred lines and their 28 F₁ hybrids with two commercial checks for maturity and yield-related traits in the spring of 2018 at the Nowshera (plain) and Swat (hilly) areas, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. Analysis revealed significant differences among the genotypes for the studied traits over both locations. General combining ability (GCA) effects were significant for all the traits at both the agro-climatic conditions, except 100-kernel weight, with the specific combining ability (SCA) effects relevant for grain yield at both locations. The GCA-SCA ratio for studied traits indicated dominance gene action, which also gained support by higher values of SCA than GCA variances. Based on the results, the identified inbred lines SWTS-1-8 and SODS-1 serve as good general combiners for traits like earliness and grain yield attributes, making them better parents to improve the stated characteristics in sweet corn. However, the F₁ hybrids, i.e., NARCCCRI-19 × CCRI-34 at Nowshera and CCRI-34 × SODS-1 at Swat, showed the best specific combiners for maturity. Likewise, F₁ hybrids, i.e., SWTS-1-4 × SWTS-1-8 and SWTS-1-8 × CCRIS-34, emerged as desirable for grain yield at Nowshera and Swat, respectively. The inbred lines for the mentioned hybrids can be a source of germplasm improvement, breaking through undesirable linkages in future sweet corn breeding programs.

Keywords: Sweet corn, combining ability, specific combining ability, general combining ability, Hayman’s half diallel approach, gene action

Key findings: Combining ability analysis revealed that variations in the genetic magnitude over the two test locations indicated a significant role of environment on gene expression and would likely concentrate favorable alleles for the target corn yield attributes. Most of the traits showed nonadditive gene linkage, which indicates that inter matting of selected progeny in the upcoming early segregating generation obtained by crossing these parents will release hidden genetic variability through the breakage of undesirable linkages. Over-dominance gene action revealed that delayed selection could be more effective in developing early maturing sweet corn hybrids with modified plant architectures.

The enhancement in cayenne pepper (Capsicum frutescens L.) productivity is intently needed due to the ever-increasing demand, considered a vital vegetable commodity with complete nutrition and high economic value in Indonesia. Conventional plant breeding is one of the strategies to produce superior cultivars with increased yield. Thus, the latest research aimed to identify genetic diversity and gene inheritance patterns for selecting high-yielding F₂ populations of cayenne pepper made through double and three-way crosses. The said research employed an augmented design combined with a randomized complete block design as an environmental design. The research factors consisted of non-repeating cayenne pepper (Capsicum frutescens L.) lines with a limited number of seeds originating from 10 parental populations. The resulting 100 and 52 F2₂ individual populations, obtained from double and three-way crosses, respectively, were evaluated in comparison with four control cultivars, i.e., Bara, Dewata, Ungara, and Katokkon. The non-repeated rows, divided into five blocks, included the control cultivars planted repeatedly in each block. The results indicated that almost all traits have high genetic diversity and heritability and have potential use as selection criteria. The traits plant habitus (0.135), stem diameter (0.202), number of productive branches (0.359), and fruit weight (0.171) have a direct utmost influence on yield compared with other traits; thus, these promising traits can serve as selection criteria along with yield.

Keywords: Cayenne pepper (Capsicum frutescens L.), double and three-way crosses, growth traits, heritability, path analysis

Key findings: Lines selection in F₂ populations is most important in developing cultivars in crop plants, including cayenne pepper (Capsicum frutescens L.). The results revealed that the genetic traits of plant habitus, stem diameter, number of productive branches, and fruit weight directly impact yield compared with other traits; thus, these distinct traits can be effective selection criteria, along with yield.

Wheat Research Institute (WRI), Faisalabad, Pakistan, a premier foundational birthplace of the Green revolution in Pakistan, has played a vital role in attaining food self-sufficiency. Latest grown varieties have succumbed to ever-changing pathogens, unable to stand in the fields. Hence, the initiative to develop an indigenous type to withstand high disease pressure producing better grain yield transpired during 2008–2009, with the hybridization of Dilkash-20 (WBLL*2/4/SNI/TRAP#1/3/KAUZ*2/TRAP//KAUZ/5/ PB.96//LU26/HD2179). It proceeded with segregating generations from F2 to F7 from 2009 to 2016. During 2016–2017 and 2017–2018, its testing followed at station yield trials, including Preliminary (A) and Regular (B), under code V-16005. It produced a significantly higher yield (10.86% and 10.40%) than the check varieties (Faisalabad-08 [FSD-08] and Punjab-11 [PB-11]). In provincial trials, it out-yielded a check variety by 4.06%. Testing in national yield trials, line V-16005 produced 17.40% and 12.03% higher grain yield than check cultivars during 2018–2019 and 2019–2020, respectively. It yielded better when planted on the first 10 days of November with a 100 kg ha^-1 seed rate and 120:90:60 NPK (kg ha^-1) fertilizer rate. The Dilkash-20 variety is a medium-height (105–115 cm), semi-erect producing 425 tillers per m², with 119 days to heading and 145–150 days to maturity. It is of excellent quality, with protein (15.1%), starch (52.7%), gluten (28.7%), and test weight (72.1 kg hl^-1), highly suitable for chapatti making. It has an effectual, durable resistance against brown and yellow rusts based on adult plant resistance genes. Therefore, the Punjab Seed Council approved Dilkash-20 for general cultivation throughout the irrigated areas of Punjab.

Keywords: Wheat variety, better yielding, rust resistant, enhanced quality, Punjab

Key findings: Dilkash-20 is a novel wheat genotype with higher yield potential and disease resistance, having better quality attributes and has approval for commercial cultivation in the irrigated areas of Punjab, Pakistan.

The Turkestan region is a cotton-growing zone in South Kazakhstan, but also the northernmost cotton-growing area in the world. Annually, medium-staple cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) cultivation occurs on 115,000–125,000 ha, with 80,000–85,000 ha grown in the Districts of Maktaaral and Zhetysay, Kazakhstan. This region is highly susceptible to salinity, drought, invasion of dangerous pests (cotton budworm, beet borer, spider mites, and aphids), and diseases (fusarium blight [wilt] and gummosis). An extremely high salt content and aridity in the arable soil are the main limiting factors of that region, hence, genotype selection through genetic principles is the most effective and economical way to reduce their negative impacts on vegetation. Therefore, the research on developing resistant cotton cultivars suitable for such soil and climatic conditions is most relevant. Considering the above situation, assessment of newly developed high-yielding cotton cultivars with fiber quality of types III–IV for tolerance to heat and drought, salinization, and pests and diseases ensued during 2019, 2020, and 2021 at the Agricultural Experimental Station of Cotton and Melon Growing, Atakent, Kazakhstan. Their promising cotton genotypes resulted from strains developed through intraspecific and interspecific diallel hybridization. The newly developed eight cotton cultivars, grown on more than 92% of the hectarage in the Southern region of Kazakhstan, are PA-3031, PA-3044, M-4005, M-4007, M-4011, Bereke-07, Myrzashol-80, and M-4017.

Keywords: Medium-staple cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.), salinity, drought, insect pests and diseases, seed cotton yield, fiber quality traits

Key findings: Long-time and extensive breeding work developed highly productive cotton cultivars of medium-staple size, grown only for 118–122 days, with a high rate of boll retention and opening, fiber yield (38.0%–39.4%), and fiber quality of type IV-IV that meets the requirements of the textile industry. In the cultivars’ testing program, promising cotton cultivars, i.e., Maktaaral-4003, Maktaaral- 4006, Maktaaral-4015, and Maktaaral-4017, excelled the standard cultivar in almost all the parameters. These cotton genotypes are sources of economically valuable traits widely used in longterm hybridization programs.

The study aimed to determine the role of workers’ comprehension level in agricultural extension centers through their knowledge of administrative processes when providing agricultural extension services in some central governorates of Iraq, as well as, some of the respondents’ characteristics and the relationship between the studied independent variables. The research area has 220 employees, with a sample of 50% selected in four governorates (Babylon, Anbar, Baghdad, and Salah al-Din) using simple random sampling. A number of agricultural extension workers selected from each of the studied governorates came from outside the research sample as a pretest to express the opinion of the sample members regarding the provision of agricultural extension services to these centers. Their number reached 25 agricultural extension workers. The reliability coefficient was 0.89 degrees, and the respondents provided data in October 2022. The arithmetic mean, standard deviation, percentage, simple and multiple correlation coefficients, and frequency distribution tables helped analyze and interpret the research results. The findings indicated that 44.55% of respondents had no knowledge about extension centers’ instructional, planning, and promotional roles in agricultural extension services. It also appears from the results that there is a weakness in the role of the respondents in the processes studied, namely, planning, coordination, communication, training, and education. The research suggests holding extension meetings to inform extension workers of their role in understanding the administrative processes of agricultural extension centers while providing extension services and the importance of that to them, as well as, training workers in their roles and using their knowledge to understand the administration.

Keywords: Role of workers, agricultural extension centers, administrative operations, extension service

Key findings: In light of the results, 44.79% of the workers surveyed had low knowledge of the role of extension centers. Outcomes revealed the sample members’ low educational role (50%), planning role (46.36%), and a direct and significant association between agricultural extension centers’ extension services and their staff’s unique traits. The results indicated that 49.09% of the sample members do not know the counseling extension center’s coordination role, while 44.80% do not know its training role.