Effects of Genotype and Environment on Phenolic Acids Content and Total Antioxidant Capacity in Durum Wheat

In cereals, phenolic acid (PA) content and total antioxidant capacity (TAC) may have a wide range of variability, probably because of several factors influencing the occurrence of grain antioxidants, which include genotype, environment, and their possible interactions. However, only a few studies have investigated the influence of these factors on durum wheat. In the present study, we investigated the impact of the genetic and environmental factors on the profile and content of PAs occurring as soluble free, soluble conjugated, and insoluble bound compounds, as well as on the TAC level, in three genotypes of durum wheat grown in three different Italian agroclimatic areas during two crop years. The results show that genotype, environment, and crop year have highly significant effects on TAC levels and on PA contents. In particular, TAC and free PAs are most influenced by year, whereas conjugated and bound PAs are most influenced by environment × year and genotype, respectively. Therefore, it is evidenced that genetic and environmental factors affect the antioxidant activity and the content of the three forms of PAs in durum wheat to different extents.     

The pine reproductive process in temperate and tropical regions

Our knowledge of the pine reproductive process is confined to the developmental stages and time relations in a particular species. Lacking in the literature is a comparative analysis from a broader perspective such as pines from temperate versus tropical regions. Also, important information that may have beneficial implications for pine breeding and management purposes may be missed by going with a single generalized reproductive cycle model which is usually derived from well-studied northern temperate species. Detailed developmental analysis of the reproductive process is necessary, particularly for tropical pines where information is limited. Most pines undergo a reproductive cycle that spans three calendar years with two dormant periods. In temperate pines, many of the stages that are initiated by fall generally come to a halt during the winter and development resumes in spring of the following year. In tropical pines, reproductive development appears to be generally a continuous process characterized by a gradual rate of development with indistinct first dormant period. The distinct first dormant period in north temperate pines serves to synchronize pollen release and seed-cone receptivity which results in higher pollination success and seed production. Tropical pines exhibit asynchrony in pollen release and thus has extended pollination period. Relatively less pollen are available which results in lower pollination success and seed set. Interestingly, since asynchrony may enhance cross-pollination, tropical pines might benefit from this through the capture of genetic diversity. The length of the second dormant period is generally the same in temperate and tropical pines which indicates strong genetic control.     

Swimming stimulates oocyte development in European eel

In this study, we subjected eels from Lake Balaton (Hungary) to a swimming period of 1 week and 2 or 6 weeks. Most eels were silver and were 13–21 years old. Time dependent changes in morphometrical parameters and developmental characteristics of the oocytes were determined. Already after 1 week of swimming, the gonadal mass increased and oocytes became larger, filled with large numbers of lipid droplets. After 2 and 6 weeks of swimming we found in addition a significant enlargement of the eyes, which is a sign of sexual maturation. In contrast to the resting eels, that had oocytes in the primary growth phase (stage 1–2); the swimming eels had oocytes in stage 3; the cortical alveolus or lipid droplet stage. The results indicate that lipid mobilisation induced by swimming is a requirement for the natural incorporation of lipid droplets in the oocytes, a crucial step in oocyte maturation. As the Balaton eels responded stronger to swimming than young farmed eels, it is suggested that older eels are more sensitive for maturation triggers.     

Application of a low-cost RGB sensor to detect basil (Ocimum basilicum L.) nutritional status at pilot scale level

Precision Agriculture - In this work, basil plants were fertilized with 0, 2.5 mM and 10 mM nitrogen (with different NO3?/NH4+ ratios), and then monitored using a low-power...     

Rheological Behavior of Undeveloped and Developed Wheat Dough

Undeveloped wheat dough is essentially wheat flour that has become fully hydrated without being deformed. The rheological properties of this material were compared to dough (developed dough) made using the standard method involving a farinograph. Flow behavior of undeveloped and developed dough samples made from hard and soft wheat flours were tested using creep tests, frequency sweep oscillatory tests, and temperature sweep oscillatory tests. All experiments showed that the undeveloped dough requires less resistance for deformation than developed dough. The differences are due to the energy input received by the developed dough and the influence of this factor in forming the protein matrix associated with developed dough. To attain a comparable state as the dough made in the farinograph, an energy input must be applied to the undeveloped dough material. Understanding the differences between undeveloped and developed dough may lead to new products, equipment, and processes in the bakery industry.     

Phenotyping of Urochloa humidicola grass hybrids for agronomic and environmental performance in the Piedmont region of the Orinoquian savannas of Colombia

In the low fertility acid soils of the Orinoquian savannas of Colombia, Urochloa humidicola cv. Tully or Humidicola is one of the most widely planted tropical forage grasses for improving livestock productivity. Low nutritional quality of this grass limits sustainable livestock production in this region. In this study, we conducted a phenotypic evaluation under field and greenhouse conditions of one of the first hybrid populations of U. humidicola generated from the forage breeding program of CIAT. Our objective was to identify a set of new hybrids of U. humidicola that combine improved productivity and nutritional quality plus the biological nitrification inhibition (BNI) trait/ability to reduce nitrogen (N) losses via leaching and nitrous oxide (N₂O) emissions. To this end, we tested 118 hybrids (planted in pots) in the greenhouse for over 6 months and measured potential nitrification rates (NR) using soil microcosm incubation. NR values observed ranged from 0.27 to 5.75 mg N-NO₃⁻ kg soil⁻¹ day⁻¹. Later, 12 hybrids with different levels of NR were selected and field-tested in the Orinoquia region over a 4 years period (2013–2017) for dry matter production, nutrition quality (crude protein, in vitro digestibility and fibres content) and NR in each year. In the rainy season of 2018, two hybrids with superior agronomic performance and contrasting field level NR (Uh08/1149 and 0450) were subjected to analysis of soil-borne N₂O emissions after fertilization during 13 days. The NR values recorded were not directly correlated with the forage quality parameters evaluated, however, the two grasses with the lowest NR values were among those with the highest biomass production, crude protein content, and N uptake. The grass hybrid Uh08/1149 and the germplasm accession CIAT 16888 were found as materials with superior forage value, with production of 14.1 and 14.6 tons dry matter ha⁻¹ year⁻¹ (up to 8% higher than the cv. Tully), crude protein of 11.5 and 9.1% per cut (up to 20% higher than the cv. Tully), and N uptake of 31.6 and 25.7 kg N ha⁻¹ cut⁻¹ (up to 30% higher than the cv. Tully). Additionally, these two grasses are likely to exhibit high-BNI ability, with potential to improve N use efficiency in managed pastures.     

MyoD,myogenin and proliferating cell nuclear antigen expression in growing Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus L.)

In the present study, immunohistochemical and morphometric analysis was used to characterize variations in muscle growth performance during muscle fibre recruitment and hypertrophy. As in fisheries, fish were classified into four age stages: alevin 35 days (0.65±0.08 g); juvenile 60 days (13.67±1.35 g); adult 90 days (73.18±4.70 g) and adult 190 days (349.76±34.62 g). The number of nuclei expressing MyoD and myogenin was similar in alevin, juvenile and adult 90 days; however, in adult 190 days, the number of nuclei expressing myogenin was higher than the number expressing MyoD. The number of proliferating cell nuclear antigen‐stained nuclei in each stage was higher than MyoD and myogenin staining with peaks in alevin and adult 90 days. These data suggest that growth per se stimulated cellular proliferation and nuclei accretion of Nile tilapia muscle fibres in alevin, juvenile and adult 90 days. Muscle fibre differentiation was more pronounced in adult 190 days.