<div>Background: Notable advancements in the selection indices have led to the development of exceptional breeding strategies, which have eventually led to the selection of elite dairy animals. The comparison of trends is facilitated by their estimation which permit the assessment of progress in a particular trait. The purpose of this study was to investigate genetic trends in economic traits of Murrah buffaloes, which is predominantly present as a high milk producer using the regression method. The study was designed to estimate the phenotypic, genetic and environmental trends, which represent the changes accrued over time and hence, determines the efficiency of breeding programme. 
 
Methods: The present study was conducted on 659 Murrah buffaloes, sired by 188 bulls, over a period of 27 years (1991-2017). The economic traits studied were first lactation milk yield (FLMY), first lactation length (FLL), age at first calving (AFC), first calving interval (FCI), first service period (FSP) and first dry period (FDP). The phenotypic trends were obtained as regression of population performance on year and the genetic trends were obtained by Smith method I and II. 
 
Result: The results revealed that the phenotypic trends obtained were significant and desirable for all the traits except for first lactation length, which was non-significant. The standard errors obtained by Smith method-I were higher than those obtained from method-II. As the Smith method-II avoids year to year fluctuations in the environment and those of contemporaries, it gives more realistic estimate as compared to the first method with lower standard error.</div>

<div>Estimation of Phenotypic and Genetic Trends in Economic Traits of Murrah Buffaloes</div>

<div>Background: Principal component analysis is a multivariate technique that transforms a number of possibly correlated variables into smaller number of uncorrelated variables leads to dimension reduction. Various economic traits of layer chicken are used for selection of parent birds which need to adjust for selection strategies to augment the genetic improvement.&nbsp; 
 
Methods: The data was collected from 2020-2021 which includes weekly body weight (g) from 0 day to 20th week and 40th week, Body weight (g) at first egg production, age at sexual maturity (days), weight of first egg (g), egg numbers at 40th week, egg weight at 40th week (g), egg numbers at 52nd week, egg weight at 52nd week (g). The least squares mean was estimated considering three different genetic groups of layer chicken (N=450, 150 each group). The main focus of this study was to identify the principal components for economic traits in layer chicken. Further varimax rotation method was applied for the transformation of components to approximate simple structure. 
 
Result: The genetic group Desi cross 1 performed better than Desi cross 2 followed by Punjab Red layer chicken. A total of three principal components were obtained which explained a total variance of 75.524%. Principal component 1 had high loads on body weight 10th week to 20th week (BW 10-BW 20) and BWSM and had a variance of 38.892%. Similarly, PC2 and PC3 explained variance of 27.072% and 9.560% respectively and had high loads on 1 week body weight to 9-week body weight (BW1-BW9) and age at sexual maturity, 40-week egg production, 52-week egg production respectively. From this study it was included that PCA can be used for selecting the economic traits for breeding purpose of layer chicken.</div>

Principal Component Analysis of Different Economic Traits in Layer Chicken

<div>Background: Yak as a unique domestic animal that has extremely important social value and influence on the local culture and economy in the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. The current study aimed to evaluate the genotype distribution of a series of economic traits (growth, meat quality and lactation) related to single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) in three Tibetan yak populations. 
 
Methods: A total of 238 yaks from three populations [Sibu (SB), Chawula (CWL) and Jiali (JL) yaks] including 34 SB, 104 JL and 100 CWL yak individuals were collected. All samples were genotyped for 12 SNP markers by using SNaPshot technology. 
 
Result: All loci had abundant polymorphisms in the three populations, except for the Hesx1_G618C locus. The dominant growth-related genotype was MyoD1_C1710T (C/T), which had the highest frequency in the three Tibetan yak populations. However, the growth-related dominant genotypes at UCP2_T1499C (C/T) and CYP4A11_G4806A (G/A) loci were rare genotypes in the three Tibetan yak populations. Results of Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium (HWE) analysis showed that all sites did not deviate from the HWE within the population. This finding indicated that these populations belonged to a natural one without having been subjected to artificial selection on economic traits. Overall, this study provided valuable reference for the future molecular breeding of yak based on the genotype distribution of economic-trait candidate markers in three yak populations in Tibet.</div>

​Dominant-genotype Frequency Analysis of Economic Traits Related to SNP Candidate Markers in Three Yak Populations

Background: An experiment entitled &ldquo;Characterization of cashew (Anacardium occidentale L.) genotypes based on morpho-economic traits&rsquo;&rsquo; was conducted&nbsp; during the year 2021-2022 at the Cashew Research Station (CRS), Odisha University of Agriculture and Technology, Bhubaneswar, Odisha. Fifteen cashew genotypes planted during the year 2014 were evaluated for various morpho-economic traits.&nbsp; 
 
Methods: The experiment was laid out following the statistical design RBD (Randomized block design) with two replications. All the standard package of practices were adopted throughout the evaluation period. Evaluation of fifteen cashew genotypes for various morpho-economic traits revealed significant variations within the genotypes.&nbsp; 
 
Result: Estimation of variability revealed that high GCV, PCV, heritability, genetic advance and genetic advance (as % mean) were recorded in traits viz. shelling %, nut yield, kernel weight, nuts m-2 and mean annual nut yield. Flowering laterals m-2, nuts panicle-1, nuts m-2 and kernel weight recorded significant positive correlation with nut yield plant-1 both at genotypic and phenotypic level. Nut weight (1.846) had the highest positive direct effect on nut yield at phenotypic level followed by shelling % (0.837) and nut m-2 (0.486). Evaluation of genotypes for nut yield and yield attributing traits revealed that, genotype, RP-2 recorded the highest number of nuts panicle-1 (10.50), nuts m-2 (61.43) and shelling% (32.55). Significantly highest apple weight (75.0 g) was recorded in genotype VTH-711/4. Number of total laterals m-2 (26.99), number of flowering laterals m-2 (24.18), duration of flowering (60.5), mean annual nut yield plant-1 (12.33 kg) and cumulative nut yield plant-1 (40.73 kg) were recorded maximum in genotype, C2-6. The genotype C2-6 recorded (13.70%) higher yield than the check genotype BPP-8 (10.64 kg plant-1) at 6th harvest.&nbsp;

Characterization of Cashew (Anacardium occidentale L.) Genotypes based on Morpho-economic Traits

<div>Background: Gossypium hirsutum, the most widely cultivated crop in the world has concurrent importance for both fibre quality and yield. Polygenes regulate cotton output and a variety of factors affect the characteristic. As a result, it is essential to have thorough knowledge of the relationships between different component traits and fibre quality. Thus, the aim of the study was framed to know about the correlation along with cause-and-effect relationship among the economic traits.&nbsp; 
 
Mathod: Eight parents and 56 hybrids made up the experimental sample for our study, which were evaluated for 18 economically significant traits. The study was conducted at Department of Cotton, Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore, in 2021-2022. 
 
Results: Analysis of variance was highly significant for all the traits studied. The result of correlation revealed that the traits viz., number of bolls per plant, boll weight, number of seeds per boll, upper half mean length and fibre strength had a high magnitude of positive correlation with seed cotton yield at both genotypic and phenotypic levels. Path analysis represented the direct effects of upper half mean length, uniformity index, number of bolls per plant, number of seeds per boll and fibre strength on seed cotton yield. Hence, these traits can be used as selection criteria for yield improvement in cotton.</div>

Association Analysis for Economic Traits in Upland Cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.)

Background: Principal component analysis (PCA) is a biometrical technique or a dimensionality reduction method where large number of measurements could be replaced by fewer measurements without significant loss of information. PCA is a multivariate methodology and helps to eliminate redundant traits and transforms original group of variables into another group known as principal components. It can be used with success when characteristics are correlated. PCA can help in accurate selection of superior animals. 
 
Methods: The present study was carried out in HD-K75 pigs maintained at ICAR-All India Coordinated Research on Pig, AAU, Khanapara, Guwahati, Assam, India. A total of 13 economic traits viz. age at sexual maturity (ASM), age at first fertile service (AFFS), age at first farrowing (AFF), farrowing interval (FI), litter size at birth (LSB), litter weight at birth (LWB), litter size at weaning (LSW), litter weight at weaning (LWW), teats number (TN), body weight at Birth (BWB), body weight at weaning (BWW), body weight at 5 month (BM5) and body weight at 8 month (BM8) were considered. Data were collected from a total of 164 sows. Data belonged to 8 years from 2015 to 2023. The principal component analysis was performed using the factor module in SPSS 24. 
 
Result: Factor analysis with varimax rotation uncovered four principal components, collectively explaining 84.18% of the total variance. The first, second, third and fourth principal component accounted for 29.71%, 29.33%, 12.683% and 12.452% of the variance. High component loading was found for LSW and LWW in first component, LSB for second component, BW5 for third component and BW8 for fourth component respectively. The communality values ranged from 0.980 (ASM and AFFS) to 0.608 (BWW). These findings indicate that PCA can serve as a valuable tool in breeding programmes, allowing for a significant reduction in the number of economic traits to be used in selection procedure.

Principal Component Analysis of Economic Traits in HD-K75 Pig, A Crossbred Pig Variety of India

<div style="text-align: justify;">In order to reveal the association between genotypes of SET domain-containing protein 7; Histone H3-lysine 4-specific methyltransferase (SETD7) gene and economic traits in pigs, this study tested the association between SNP (single nucleotide polymorphism) genotypes of 3&rsquo;-untranslated region of SETD7 g.1354C&gt;T and growth and carcass traits in a resource population of the crossbred Landrace &times; Jeju Black pig (JBP). SETD7 T- pigs showed significantly thicker back fat levels than those of CC homozygotes (P&lt;0.05). However, the levels of average daily gains, body weights, loin muscle area, marbling score, and meat colors did not show significant association (P&gt;0.05). These results reveal faster growth rates in the late period of production, especially backfat deposition at the subcutaneous region according to genotypes of the SETD7 gene. These findings indicate that SETD7 genotypes may involve fat deposition or adipocyte differentiation and assist as molecular genetic markers for improving the JBP-related crossbreeding systems.</div>

<div style="text-align: justify;">3&rsquo;-UTR polymorphisms of SETD7 gene associate with economic traits in an F2 population between Landrace and Jeju (Korea) Black pigs</div>

<div style="text-align: justify;">Diallel analysis was used to understand the nature of gene effects to determine the nature, magnitude and direction of heterosis and to identify promising single cross based on mean performance, heterosis, GCA and SCA effect and to dissect the kind of gene action governing the economic traits in lentil. Eight lentil parents and their 28 F1S (excluding reciprocals) along with 2 checks were evaluated. Among parents, investigation of highest gca effects illustrated that PL 406 and L 4188 were good general combiners for most of yield. Cross PL 7 x PL 406 showed better parent as well as standard heterosis over check for maximum number of traits viz., harvest index, pods per cluster, seeds per pod and secondary branches per plant and yield. Both additive and non-additive gene actions were involved in governing the inheritance of traits. This study suggests, even parents with poor GCA possess the potential to produce heterotic crosses. The manifestation of high amount of heterosis for seed yield and component traits by a large number of crosses suggest for the need to maintain heterozygosity in the population for maximum expression of the traits in desired direction.</div>

Gene action, heterosis and combining ability studies for economic traits in diallel crosses of lentil (Lens culinaris Medikus.)

Background: French bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) production in the tropics is threatened by heavy incidence of anthracnose disease causing substantial crop loss when infection is at the early growth stages. Breeding strategies for tolerance against anthracnose disease along with enhanced productivity, and high pod protein content are to be formulated.

Methods: Genotypes having broad genetic base and phenotypic diversity in 5 bush and 1 pole types were crossed in a 6 &times; 6 half diallel mating design to estimate combining ability, mode of gene action, and extent of heterosis for 11 quantitative traits.

Result: The additive genetic effect was evident for percent disease index (PDI) of anthracnose and 10 pod weight. Rapid genetic gain can be achieved due to predominance of additive gene action in their control and can therefore be selected in early generation through simple breeding methods. Rest of the economic traits controlled by additive and non-additive gene effects could be improved through biparental mating, reciprocal recurrent selection, or diallel selective mating. Anthracnose disease tolerant and high yielding cultivars of might be developed utilizing parents, &lsquo;Laxmi&rsquo;, &lsquo;Arka Sharath&rsquo; and &lsquo;Vaishnavi-264&rsquo; with high gca effects. Although two cross combinations &lsquo;Arka Sharath &times; Lakshmi&rsquo; and &lsquo;Arjun &times; Arka Sharath&rsquo; showed significant heterobeltiosis in desired direction for PDI of anthracnose and other desirable horticultural traits but could not be exploited at commercial level due to complexity in hybridization. Identifying pure lines with tolerance against anthracnose disease and favorable horticultural attributes could be accomplished in segregating generations of the prospective hybrids.

Breeding Strategies for Simultaneous Improvement in Anthracnose Disease Resistance and Economically Important Traits in French Bean

<div>Background: Many genomic imprinting left during long-term selective evolution may drive the formation of important economical traits of introduced and indigenous sheep breeds. 
 
Methods: In this study, OvineSNP50 BeadChip data of the introduced breeds GMM and DOR and the indigenous breed Sunit were downloaded from public databases. Selective sweep base on Pi and Fst strategy initially screened for a number of candidate genes that could explain the genetic mechanism elucidated the genetic-molecular mechanisms underlying the differentiation of growth development and reproductive traits between introduced and indigenous breeds. 
 
Result: In the DOR_VS_GMM group, 32 genes were identified. In the DOR_VS_SUN group, 26 genes were identified. In the GMM_VS_SUN group, 25 genes were identified. GO, KEGG enrichment analysis showed that these genes are mainly involved in the pathways of muscle development and reproductive regulation. We speculate that EHBP1, CSRP1, TNNI1, MBNL1, AADACL3, RDH13, TNNI3, BMP2, Wfdc8, PPP1CC2 and MOV10L1 may have left deep marks on the genome during long-term domestication and evolution and may be responsible for the productive and reproductive performance in the Merino and Sunit sheep. These genes have played an important role in the evolution of selection in the three breeds. It is expected that the selected candidate genes will provide some insights for future sheep germplasm mining and foreign introductions.</div>

Estimation of Phenotypic and Genetic Trends in Economic Traits of Murrah Buffaloes

Principal Component Analysis of Different Economic Traits in Layer Chicken

Dominant-genotype Frequency Analysis of Economic Traits Related to SNP Candidate Markers in Three Yak Populations

Characterization of Cashew (Anacardium occidentale L.) Genotypes based on Morpho-economic Traits

Association Analysis for Economic Traits in Upland Cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.)

Principal Component Analysis of Economic Traits in HD-K75 Pig, A Crossbred Pig Variety of India

3’-UTR polymorphisms of SETD7 gene associate with economic traits in an F2 population between Landrace and Jeju (Korea) Black pigs

Gene action, heterosis and combining ability studies for economic traits in diallel crosses of lentil (Lens culinaris Medikus.)

Breeding Strategies for Simultaneous Improvement in Anthracnose Disease Resistance and Economically Important Traits in French Bean

Selection Signature Analysis for Important Economic Traits in Sheep (Ovis aries)