Selection for Non-Shattering Common Vetch, Vicia sativa L.

Loss of seeds from mature pods is common in Vicia sativa L., an important annual, resown forage legume in West Asia and North Africa. Pod shattering restricts its use as a leguminous forage crop. This paper reports the results of germplasm evaluation for non-shattering pods and of breeding and selection to improve seed retention. Wide variation in pod-shattering exists between common vetch ecotypes collected from different regions. Three wild mutants with almost completely non-shattering pods were identified and isolated for use as a genetic resource in cross breeding programmes. Genetic studies revealed that the non-shattering character in the wild types of common vetch is due to a simple recessive gene, whereas shattering in the cultivated types is due to an allelic dominant pair of genes. Incorporation of the non-shattering gene into agronomically-promising lines was achieved by back-crossing. Lines having an average of 95—97 % non-shattering pods were obtained, as compared to 40—50 % in the original cultivated lines which represents a major agronomic advance in common vetch breeding. The importance of seed retention to the economics of seed production is discussed.     

Diversity in White Lupin (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Lupinus albus</Emphasis> L.) Landraces from Northwest Iberianplateau

All the accessions (35) of white lupin (Lupinus albus L.) landraces collected from northwest Iberian plateau and maintained at the Spanish germplasm collection (CRF of INIA), were studied with the general objective of assessing the biodiversity of these landraces and to ascertain their value as genetic resources for the development of germplasm adapted to the areas where they were collected with long and chilly winters. The characterization study comprised 51 qualitative and 50 quantitative characters. Quantitative parameters were analyzed by Principal Components Analysis (PCA). The 2-dimensional plot (49.3% of cumulative variability) formed a main group of accessions and 4 outliers (#1, #9, #27 and #28) separated in the first PC. The characters with a higher contribution to the first PC were inflorescence length, leaf petiole length and leaf central foliole area. The presence of alkaloids, the percentage of plants killed by soil borne fungal diseases, the phenology, the yield per plant and yield components were also assessed. Twenty six accessions (the main group in the PCA plot) showed high homogeneity, with the following highlights: bitterness, indeterminate growth habit, early ripeness and spring sowing with the exception of #18, in which seeding date is unknown and it had a later phenology. By contrast accessions #9 and #27 were bitter of autumn sowing with determinate growing habit and they had the longest values of primary inflorescence length and a later phenology when they were sown in spring. Average values for yield and yield components showed a broad range of variation between accessions. The main yield component was the number of pods per plant. Accession #22 had the highest mean seed mass, although this had not significant influence in yield. Accession #17 showed the highest yield and #1 the lowest. This last also had the lowest values of inflorescence length, leaf petiole length and leaf central foliole area. No significant differences of resistance to soil-borne fungi were found between accessions. The year had a significant effect in the phenology, yield and yield components except for number of seeds per pod. The studied material might be of interest for the development of spring sowing germplasm adapted to north Iberian peninsula.     

Effect of Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi and Phosphate-Solubilizing Bacteria Consortia Associated with Phospho-Compost on Phosphorus Solubilization and Growth of Tomato Seedlings (Solanum lycopersicum L.)

ABSTRACT

The exploitation of phosphate mines generates an important quantity of phosphate sludge that remains accumulated and not valorized. In this context, composting with organic matter and rhizospheric microorganisms offers an interesting alternative and that is more sustainable for agriculture. This work aims to investigate the synergetic effect of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF), phosphate-solubilizing bacteria (PSB) and phospho-compost (PC), produced from phosphate-laundered sludge and organic wastes, and their combination on plant growth, phosphorus solubilization and phosphatase activities (alkaline and acid). Inoculated mycorrhizae and bacteria strains used in this study were selected from plant rhizosphere grown on phosphate-laundered sludge. Significant (p < .05) increases in plant growth was observed when inoculated with both consortia and PC (PC+ PSB+ AMF) similar to those recorded in plants amended with chemical fertilizer. Tripartite inoculated tomato had a significantly (p < .05) higher shoot height; shoot and root dry weight, root colonization and available P content, than the control. Co-inoculation with PC and AMF greatly increased alkaline phosphatase activity and the rate of mycorrhizal intensity. We conclude that PC and endophytic AMF and PSB consortia contribute to a tripartite inoculation in tomato seedlings and are coordinately involved in plant growth and phosphorus solubilization. These results open up promising prospects for using formulate phospho-compost enriched with phosphorus-solubilizing microorganisms (PSM) in crop cultivation as biofertilizers to solve problems of phosphate-laundered sludge accumulation.     

An approach for precision farming under pivot irrigation system using remote sensing and GIS techniques

The current work is aimed to realizing land and water use efficiency and determining the profitability of precision farming economically and environmentally. The studied area is represented by an experimental pivot irrigation field cultivated with maize in Ismailia province, Egypt. Two field practices were carried out during the successive summer growing seasons (2008 and 2009) to study the response of maize plants single hybrid 10 (S.H.10) to traditional and precision farming practices. Traditional farming (TF) as handled by the farm workers were observed and noted carefully. On the other hand precision farming (PF) practices included field scouting, grid soil sampling, variable rate technology and its applications. After applying PF a dramatic change in management zones was noticed and three management zones (of total four) were merged to be more homogenous representing 84.3% of the pivot irrigation field.Under PF Remote Sensing and Geographic Information System techniques have played a vital role in the variable rate applications that were defined due to management zones requirements. Fertilizers were added in variable rates, so that rationalization of fertilizers saved 23.566 tonnes/experimental pivot area. Natural drainage system was improved by designing vertical holes to break down massive soil layers and to leach excessive salts. Crop water requirements were determined in variable rate according to the actual plant requirements using SEBAL model with the aid of FAO Cropwat model. Irrigation schedule of maize was adopted considering soil water retention, depletion, gross and net irrigation saving an amount of water equal to 93,718 m³ in the pivot irrigation field (153.79 acre). However costs of applying PF were much higher than TF, the economic profitability (returns-costs) achieved remarkable increase of 29.89% as a result of crop yield increment by 1000, 2100, 800 and 200 kg/acre in the management zones 1, 2, 3 and 4, respectively. Finally applying adequate amounts of fertilizers beside water control the environmental hazards was reduced to the acceptable limits.     

Comparative Earth History and Late Permian Mass Extinction

The repeated association during the late Neoproterozoic Era of large carbon-isotopic excursions, continental glaciation, and stratigraphically anomalous carbonate precipitation provides a framework for interpreting the reprise of these conditions on the Late Permian Earth. A paleoceanographic model that was developed to explain these stratigraphically linked phenomena suggests that the overturn of anoxic deep oceans during the Late Permian introduced high concentrations of carbon dioxide into surficial environments. The predicted physiological and climatic consequences for marine and terrestrial organisms are in good accord with the observed timing and selectivity of Late Permian mass extinction.     

The proton microprobe: a powerful tool for nondestructive trace element analysis

A proton microprobe capable of focusing proton beams with energies up to 6 million electron volts to a spot size of 2 x 2 square micrometers has been used for chemical analysis of small grains of minerals in lunar samples by proton-induced x-ray emission. The proton microprobe is preferable to the electron microprobe for analyzing trace elements whose concentrations are below the detection limit of the latter and for analyzing objects with numerous major and trace elements with a wide range of atomic numbers. Application of the proton microprobe to biological samples is feasible.     

Parotid salivary duct sialocele associated with glandular duct stenosis in a cat

Feline parotid salivary duct sialocele is an uncommon disorder that has been previously reported in association with traumatic rupture of the duct in only two cats. Both cases were successfully treated by proximal duct ligation. We describe the successful surgical treatment of a parotid duct sialocele, secondary to spontaneous salivary duct stenosis, in an adult domestic shorthair cat. The cat was referred for assessment of a recurrent fluid-filled swelling on the left side of the face. Cytology of the aspirated fluid was consistent with serous saliva. The anatomical localisation of the lesion and the nature of the fluid were indicative of parotid gland/duct involvement. Retrograde sialography by parotid duct cannulation was unsuccessful because the left parotid duct opening was stenosed and obstructed by scar tissue. Surgical exploration revealed a parotid salivary duct sialocele, which was completely removed along with the parotid gland without complications.     

Evaluation of glycoproteins purified from adult and larval camel ticks (Hyalomma dromedarii) as a candidate vaccine

In order to identify antigens that can help prevent camel tick infestations, three major glycoproteins (GLPs) about 97, 66 and 40 kDa in size were purified from adult and larval Egyptian ticks, Hyalomma (H.) dromedarii, using a single-step purification method with Con-A sepharose. The purified GLPs were evaluated as vaccines against camel tick infestation in rabbits. The rabbits received three intramuscular inoculations of GLPs (20 µg/animal) on days 0, 14, and 28. In the immunoblot analysis, Sera from the immunized rabbits recognized the native GLPs and other proteins from larval and adult H. dromedarii ticks along with those from other tick species such as Rhipicephalus sanguineus but not Ornithodoros moubata. The effects of immunity induced by these GLPs were determined by exposing rabbits to adult H. dromedarii ticks. These results demonstrated that GLP immunization led to a slightly decreased reproductive index and significantly reduced rates of egg hatchability. These results demonstrated that immunization with the purified GLPs can provide protection against infestation by H. dromedarii and some other tick species. Further studies are needed to confirm the effectiveness of immunization with GLPs against other tick species.