Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
26.1 INTRODUCTION
Galega orientalis
Lam. is a new promising leguminous crop with high genetic po-
tential, which has important practical value in the intensification of agricultural pro-
duction. Because of the lack of
breeding study, its genetic potential is not yet fully
revealed. The urgent problem in the selection of the crop is to obtain genotypic vari-
ability and breeding of new, patentable varieties [1].
Patentability of cultivars acquired urgency after adoption of the law in the Repub-
lic of Belarus “On Patents for Plant Varieties” (1995), which guarantees protection
of copyright of the breeders at the state level [2]. After the entry of the Republic of
Belarus in the International Union of states-parties on the Protection of New Variet-
ies (UPOV) [3], such protection is made possible at the international level. By 2001,
UPOV had been tasked to include in the number of protected all kinds of crops, includ-
ing
G. orientalis
[4].
In connection with this, the problem of the development of criteria of novelty,
distinctness, uniformity, and stability (DUS) became urgent, the solution of which is
not possible without in-depth theoretical study on the selection of the crops and get-
ting genetically diverse selection material. Belarus through membership in UPOV was
able to not only use the joint experience of other states, but also to contribute to the
development of the international plant breeding. The main problem in this work is to
create a new gene pool and expand the spectrum of genotypic variability [5]. To solve
this problem, we need theoretically substantiated and purposeful use of both natural
and developed by breeding sources of genotypic variation [6].
Science has shown that genetic diversity of all cultivated plants was formed as a
result of a long morphogenic process taking place under the infl uence of both natural
factors and human activities. The most intensive morphogenic process in most species
was in the center of their origin for a long historical period, which contributed to the
formation of a wide range of variability traits, the nature of inheritance of which is
refl ected in the law of homologous series of N.I. Vavilov.
In the feed crops introduced recently, morphogenesis occurred in the wild popula-
tions less intensively and without human intervention, so their genetic potential is not
fully disclosed yet [7]. The law of homologous series in hereditary variability, which,
as noted M.E. Lobashov, “opens vast prospects of scientifi c knowledge and foresight”
is of fundamental signifi cance to speed up the process of selective improvement of
feed crops and obtain a wide range of genotypic variability of traits (it is quoted on
[8]).
The laws defi ned by N.I. Vavilov consist of a striking parallelism of the mor-
phogenetic process in manifestation of genetic variation in closely related species,
genera, and families. For example, for legumes, consistent and similar manifestation
of variability in the fl ower color is theoretically substantiated, which is characterized
by certain amplitude of variation and controlled by genes that have common evolu-
tionary origin. As a result of study of the morphogenetic process in legumes (peas,
lathyrus, gram, and beans), N.I. Vavilov found that primitive, mostly dominant forms,
are distinguished by small steadfast seeds, beans are prone to splitting when ripe, are
characterized by blue and often dark-blue fl owers. In the selection improving process
enlarged, white-seed, pink-fl owering forms appear, and more highly cultivated forms
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