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Over the last decade, there has been an ongoing revolution in the exploration, manipulation and synthesis of biological systems, through the development of new technologies that generate, analyse and exploit big data. Users of Plant Genetic Resources (PGR) can potentially leverage these capacities to significantly increase the efficiency and effectiveness of their efforts to conserve, discover and utilise novel qualities in PGR, and help achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). This review advances the discussion on these emerging opportunities and discusses how taking advantage of them will require data integration and synthesis across disciplinary, organisational and international boundaries, and the formation of multidisciplinary, international partnerships. We explore some of the institutional and policy challenges that these efforts will face, particularly how these new technologies may influence the structure and role of research for sustainable development, ownership of resources, and access and benefit sharing. We discuss potential responses to political and institutional challenges, ranging from options for enhanced structure and governance of research discovery platforms to internationally brokered benefit-sharing agreements, and identify a set of broad principles that could guide the global community as it seeks or considers solutions.

The potency and challenges of sorghum development in tidal swamplands in Indonesia have yet to be well studied. Thus, our study is the first to evaluate the land suitability, economic performance, and strategies for developing sorghum in the tidal swamplands in Central Kalimantan. We use the land suitability evaluation method, a gross margin and profit analysis, a break-even analysis, and a competitive analysis as the methods for assessing the potency and utilization of sorghum in this study. As a tool for decision-making, SWOT was also used, followed by a quantitative strategic planning matrix (QSPM) analysis. The results show that 578,511 ha of arable land is suitable for sorghum development. Economically, sorghum farming can generate IDR 12,894,000 per ha with a revenue-cost ratio of 1.72; the break-even price would be IDR 2447 per kg, around 42% lower than the current market price. Sorghum is also more competitive than cassava (Q = 0.76), sweet potato (Q = 0.58), and soybeans (Q = 0.61) and less competitive than maize (Q = 1.33). Based on the QSPM analysis, five alternative strategies were obtained for developing sorghum in tidal swamplands: (1) optimization of productivity; (2) improvement in the quality of human resources for farmers; (3) facilitation of partnership cooperation; (4) application of site-specific technology; and (5) optimization of waste utilization. These strategies show that the expansion of sorghum planting has potential in the tidal swamplands and economic value for the community.

This study assessed the structure and genetic diversity of rice populations of Southeast Asian varieties, based on quantitative morphological and molecular traits. Population structure analysis revealed four distinct populations as ancestral origin of the varieties in the collection. Some traditional varieties from different countries share the same ancestry, while on the other hand, admixture was observed in the ancestry of some varieties. High diversity in quantitative morphological traits was confirmed in the rice collection. Spikelet fertility and plant height contributed significantly to the diversity.

Background Sorghum has potential as a source of material for food, bioenergy, and animal feed, making it a worthy candidate for promotion. This cereal thrives in regions characterized by low moisture and dry conditions. To address the diminishing availability of arable dry land, it may be necessary to explore the cultivation of sorghum in tidal swamplands and sandy soils. Methods Twelve sorghum varieties were evaluated in tidal swamplands during the rainy and dry seasons, as well as in sandy soil during the dry season, using two levels of organic fertilizers to create six test environments. The experiments were arranged in a completely randomized block design with three replications. To choose sorghum varieties with features that closely resemble an idealized sorghum variety, the Multi-trait Genotype-Ideotype Distance Index (MGIDI) was utilized. Simultaneously, genotype plus genotype-environment interaction (GGE) biplots were employed to determine the best circumstances for choosing broadly adaptable varieties that exhibit desirable features, as well as to find varieties that thrive environmental contexts. Results Based on the MGIDI ranking on the average across environment, two varieties, i.e., Numbu and Kawali were selected. However selected varieties in each environment were differed due to significant variety-environment interaction. In terms of grain weight, the Soper 7 Agritan variety exhibits adaptability across diverse environments, while the Numbu variety likewise demonstrates versatility in various environmental conditions. When evaluating forage yield, several adaptable varieties have emerged. Tidal swamplands treated with a high application of organic fertilizer, as well as sandy soils, provide optimal environments for selecting broadly adaptable varieties that focus on both grain and forage yields. Conclusion Adaptable varieties differ for various groups of environments and different traits under consideration. Optimal environments for identifying broadly adaptable varieties varied by trait. The MGIDI proves to be a valuable tool for selecting varieties based on multiple traits. In parallel, the GGE biplots effectively identifies adaptable varieties based on individual traits.

Background Sorghum has potential as a source of material for food, bioenergy, and animal feed, making it a worthy candidate for promotion. This cereal thrives in regions characterized by low moisture and dry conditions. To address the diminishing availability of arable dry land, it may be necessary to explore the cultivation of sorghum insorghum in tidal swamplands and sandy soils. Methods Twelve sorghum varieties were evaluated in tidal swamplands during the rainy and dry seasons, as well as in sandy soil during the dry season, using two levels of organic fertilizers to create six test environments. The experiments were arranged in a completely randomized block design with three replications. To choose sorghum varieties with features that closely resemble an idealized sorghum variety, the Multi-trait Genotype-Ideotype Distance Index (MGIDI) was utilized. Simultaneously, genotype plus genotype-environment interaction (GGE) biplots were employed to determine the best circumstances for choosing broadly adaptable varieties that exhibit desirable features, as well as to find varieties that thrive environmental contexts. Result Based on the MGIDI ranking on the average across environment, two varieties, i.e., Numbu and Kawali were selected. However selected varieties in each environment were differ due to significant variety-environment interaction. In terms of grain weight, the Soper 7 Agritan variety exhibits adaptability across diverse environments, while the Numbu variety likewise demonstrates versatility in various environmental conditions. When evaluating forage yield, several adaptable varieties have emerged. Tidal swamplands treated with a high application of organic fertilizer, as well as sandy soils, provide optimal environments for selecting broadly adaptable varieties that focus on both grain and forage yields. Conclusion Adaptable varieties differ for various groups of environments and different traits under consideration. Optimal environments for identifying broadly adaptable varieties varied by trait. The multitrait genotype-ideotype distance index proves to be a valuable tool for selecting varieties based on multiple traits. In parallel, the GGE biplot effectively identifies adaptable varieties based on individual traits.

Morphological and molecular characterization of rice genotypes with varied genetic background is highly considerable to be carried out to their utilization and to genetic variability incorporation into rice breeding program. In this study, the diversity within 60 rice genotypes from different subspecies of indica, japonica and tropical japonica was analyzed for 19 morphological traits and 384-plex SNPs with GoldenGate assay. Principal component analysis (PCA) clustered the germplasm into three main groups (indica, indica/tropical japonica/ japonica and indica/tropical japonica). PCA axes 1 and 2 and morphological traits with eigenvalue at arbitrary above 0.2, explained 24.60% of total variation in the rice germplasm. Seven traits (leaf color, leaf sheats color, ligule color, diameter of basal internode, culm color, ligule length, and flag leaf angle) could be the potential traits as descriptors for further characterization and conservation studies in Indonesian rice germplasm. Based on total morphological traits and 384 SNPs, two major clades were generated and differentiated most genotypes into subspecies/cultivar group according to their individual genetic background. Of total 154 SNPs associated with 15 morphological traits, approximately 48 SNPs were highly significant associated with quantitative and quantitative traits. The associated SNPs which were located inside or very near to genes of interest/QTLs would be potential as genetic markers. These alleles could provide breeders to effectively identify, track and incorporate regions of chromosomes governing the desired morphological traits to improve rice varieties in Indonesia.

Various new pulsed fiber lasers operating in single-wavelength and dualwavelength modes are proposed and demonstrated using a low cost and simple approach. At first, a stable passive Q-switched fiber laser operating at 1543.5 nm is demonstrated using a double-clad Erbium-Ytterbium co-doped fiber (EYDF) as the gain medium in conjunction with nonlinear polarization rotation (NPR) technique. Polarization dependent isolator is used in conjunction with a highly nonlinear EYDF to induce intensity dependent loss in a sufficiently-high loss ring cavity to achieve Qswitched operation. At 980 nm multimode pump power of 500 mW, the EYDF laser (EYDFL) generates an optical pulse train with a repetition rate of 46.95 kHz, pulse width of 5.3 μs and pulse energy of 75.6 nJ. A dual-wavelength EYDFL is also demonstrated using the similar NPR technique. Besides, the NPR, graphene oxide (GO) could also be used as a saturable absorber (SA) in fiber laser cavity for pulse generation. In this work, two different Q-switched Erbium-doped fiber lasers (EDFLs) are demonstrated using a GO paper as a SA. A stable and self-starting Q-switched operation was achieved at 1534.4 nm by using a 0.8 m long Erbium-doped fiber (EDF) as gain medium. The pulse repetition rate changes from 14.3 to 31.5 kHz while the corresponding pulse width decreases from 32.8 to 13.8 µs as the pump power is increased from 22.0 to 50.5 mW. A narrow spacing dual-wavelength Q-switched EDFL can also be realized by including a photonics crystal fiber and a tunable Bragg filter in the setup. Finally, a mode-locked EDFL is demonstrated by using the similar GO paper SA. A GO SA based mode-locked EDFL can be realized by using a 1.6 m long EDF in conjunction with 1480 nm pumping. The laser generates a soliton pulse train with a repetition rate of 15.62 MHz and pulse width of 870 fs. These results show that the proposed GO paper is a suitable SA component for generating both Q-switched and mode-locked EDFL operating in 1.5 micron wavelength region.

Survival probabilities of genes or gametic types and other quantities of genetic interest in various types of finite partially selfing populations under selection were calculated algebraically and numerically. A finite Markov chain with trinomial transition probabilities was employed to approximate fixation probabilities, cumulative heterozygosity and cumulative additive variance contributed by the favorable gene during its life-time. This approximation was carried out by expanding the transition probabilities in terms of power series of the selection coefficient. Multitype branching process theory was used to approximate the survival probabilities of mutant genes in a two-locus diploid population and in an autotetraploid population. An expression for the variance effective size of an autotetraploid population with an arbitrary degree of double reduction was also derived. It is concluded that when there is additive gene action and a Poisson offspring distribution or equivalently if the population size is not too small, the survival probabilities are not much affected by the rate of selfing. In the two-locus situation, where there are initially two mutant genes which have epistatic effects on fitness, tight linkage between the two loci is necessary for the survival of the mutant genes.

Deep eutectic solvents (DES) are a mixture of two or more components and are classified as ionic solvents with special properties such as low volatility, high solubility, low melting points, low-cost materials and are less toxic to humans. Using DES has been suggested as an eco-friendly, green method for extraction of bioactive compounds from medicinal plants and are a safe alternative for nutritional, pharmaceutical and various sector applications. Conventional solvent extraction methods present drawbacks such as long extraction period, safety issues, harmful to the environment, costly and large volume of solvents required. The extraction method with DES leads to higher extraction yield and better bioactivity results as compared to the conventional solvents. This review provides a summary of research progress regarding the advantages of using DES to extract bioactive compounds such as phenolic acid, flavonoids, isoflavones, catechins, polysaccharides, curcuminoids, proanthocyanidin, phycocyanin, gingerols, ginsenosides, anthocyanin, xanthone, volatile monoterpenes, tannins, lignin, pectin, rutin, tert-butyl hydroquinone, chlorogenic acids, resveratrol and others, as opposed to using conventional solvents. The bioactivity of the extracts is determined using antioxidant, antibacterial and antitumor activities. Hence, DESs are considered potential green media with selective and efficient properties for extracting bioactive ingredients from medicinal plants.

Tuberculosis (TB), caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB) remains one of the deadliest, infectious diseases worldwide. The detrimental effects caused by the existing anti-TB drugs to TB patients and the emergence of resistance strains of M. tuberculosis has driven efforts from natural products researchers around the globe in discovering novel anti-TB drugs that are more efficacious and with less side effects. There were eleven main review publications that focused on natural products with anti-TB potentials. However, none of them specifically emphasized antimycobacterial phenolic compounds. Thus, the current review’s main objective is to highlight and summarize phenolic compounds found active against mycobacteria from 2000 to 2017. Based on the past studies in the electronic databases, the present review also focuses on several test organisms used in TB researches and their different distinct properties, a few types of in vitro TB bioassay and comparison between their strengths and drawbacks, different methods of extraction, fractionation and isolation, ways of characterizing and identifying isolated compounds and the mechanism of actions of anti-TB phenolic compounds as reported in the literature.