QTL mapping of improving forage maize starch degradability in European elite maize germplasm

Improving maize starch content is of great importance for both forage and grain yield. In this study, 13 starch degradability traits were analysed including percentage of the seedling area, floury endosperm, hard endosperm of total grain area, percentage of the floury endosperm surface and vitreousness ratio surface hard: floury endosperm surface, etc. We mapped quantitative trait loci (QTL) in a biparental population of 309 doubled haploid lines based on field phenotyping at two locations. A genetic linkage map was constructed using 168 SSR (simple sequence repeat) markers, which covered 1508 cM of the maize genome, with an average distance of 9.0 cM. Close phenotypic and genotypic correlations were found for all traits, and were all statistically significant (p = 0.01) at two locations. Major QTL for more than two traits were detected, especially in two regions in bins 4.05–4.06 and 7.04–7.05, associated with 13 and 9 traits, respectively. This study contributes to marker‐assisted breeding and also to fine mapping candidate genes associated with maize starch degradability.     

Decision making in urban forestry by using approval voting and multicriteria approval method (case study: Zvezdarska forest,Belgrade, Serbia)

This paper deals with a common urban forestry problem: selecting the most appropriate management policy for a forest situated within a city zone. In the presented case study, we analyzed this problem within the Zvezdarska forest in Belgrade, Serbia. The decision makers that took part in the decision making process represented the two main stakeholder groups – the public and the experts. The public group is divided into three different subgroups: local residents, tourists and environmentalists. The experts group is represented by local authorities and academic experts. The procedure implemented for evaluating and selecting the most desired management policy for the case study area combines approval voting and the multicriteria approval method, two social choice theory methods suitable for decision-making in forestry. The main reason for combining these techniques is to be sure that the selected policy will be accepted as the most desired option by both the public and the experts. The results and discussions with involved decision makers clearly show that the applied procedure possesses sufficient analyticity and full transparency in the decision-making process; hence it is applicable to problems in urban forest management as well as to natural resources in general.     

Study of the Chemical Changes and Evolution of Microbiota During Sourdoughlike Fermentation of Wheat Bran

Several studies have emphasized the possibility of enhancing nutritional properties of cereal by‐products through biotechnological processes. Bran fermentation positively affects the bioavailability of several functional compounds. Moreover, bran fermentation could increase water‐extractable arabinoxylans (WEAX), compounds with positive effects on glucose metabolism and prebiotic properties. This study was aimed at increasing the amount of bran bioactive compounds through a sourdoughlike fermentation process. Wheat bran fermentations were conducted through continuous propagation by back‐slopping of fermented bran (10% inoculum) until a stable microbiota was established, reaching high counts of lactic acid bacteria and yeasts (10⁹ and 10⁷ CFU/g, respectively). At each refreshment step, bacterial strains were isolated, clustered, molecularly analyzed by randomly amplified polymorphic DNA, and identified at the species level by 16S rRNA gene sequencing. Leuconostoc mesenteroides, Lactobacillus brevis, Lactobacillus curvatus, Lactobacillus sakei, Lactobacillus plantarum, Pediococcus pentosaceus, and Pichia fermentans dominated the stable sourdough ecosystem. After fermentation, levels of soluble fiber increased (+30%), and WEAX and free ferulic acid were respectively fourfold and tenfold higher than in raw bran, results probably related to microbial xylan‐degrading activity, whereas phytic acid was completely degraded. These preliminary data suggest that fermented bran could be considered an interesting functional ingredient for nutritional enhancement.     

Decomposition of cattle manure and colonization by macroinvertebrates in sediment of a wetland of the Middle Paraná River

Purpose

The study was carried out in a wetland of the Middle Paraná River system, Argentina, in order to evaluate the processes associated with the decomposition of manure, which includes changes in chemical composition, nutrient release of manure, and colonization of invertebrates. We also compared the invertebrate assemblage that colonized manure with that present in the benthos of the wetland.

Materials and methods

Nylon bags were filled with fresh cattle manure and anchored to the littoral zone of the wetland. Six bags were collected after 1, 2, 6, 14, 21, 28, 33, 55, and 79 days: three for invertebrate determination and the other three bags for determination of dry mass and chemical analyses. The nutrient content, cellulose, lignin, and total phenolic compounds of manure were determined. In addition, the leachate of manure was collected for nutrient analyses. Samples of the wetland benthic sediment were collected for benthic invertebrate determination and particle size analyses. Spearman rank correlation was used to evaluate the relationship between chemical compounds of manure and breakdown rate. Principal component analysis was used to explore invertebrate assemblage composition of manure and sediment during the experiment.

Results and discussion

Limnodrilus, Dero, and Chironomus were dominant in the manure. Gatherer-collector was the dominant group in the manure, comprising almost 95 % of the total density of invertebrates. Breakdown rate was significantly related with nutrients, cellulose and total phenolics of manure. An ordination plot showed changes in invertebrate assemblages of manure and sediment samples over time.

Conclusions

This study provides new insight on the importance of manure as a substrate for macroinvertebrate colonization. Cattle manure needs to be considered as a potential source of nutrients for aquatic systems and a substrate for invertebrate assemblages.

     

Deoxynivalenol, deoxynivalenol-3-glucoside, and enniatins: the major mycotoxins found in cereal-based products on the Czech market

Fusarium toxins, Alternaria toxins, and ergot alkaloids represent common groups of mycotoxins that can be found in cereals grown under temperate climatic conditions. Because most of them are chemically and thermally stable, these toxic fungal secondary metabolites might be transferred from grains into the final products. To get information on the commensurate contamination of various cereal-based products collected from the Czech retail market in 2010, the occurrence of "traditional" mycotoxins such as groups of A and B trichothecenes and zearalenone, less routinely determined Alternaria toxins (alternariol, alternariol monomethyl ether and altenuene), ergot alkaloids (ergosine, ergocryptine, ergocristine, and ergocornine) and "emerging" mycotoxins (enniatins A, A1, B, and B1 and beauvericin) were monitored. In a total 116 samples derived from white flour and mixed flour, breakfast cereals, snacks, and flour, only trichothecenes A and B and enniatins were found. Deoxynivalenol was detected in 75% of samples with concentrations ranging from 13 to 594 μg/kg, but its masked form, deoxynivalenol-3-β-d-glucoside, has an even higher incidence of 80% of samples, and concentrations ranging between 5 and 72 μg/kg were detected. Nivalenol was found only in three samples at levels of 30 μg/kg. For enniatins, all of the samples investigated were contaminated with at least one of four target enniatins. Enniatin A was detected in 97% of samples (concentration range of 20-2532 μg/kg) followed by enniatin B with an incidence in 91% of the samples (concentration range of 13-941 μg/kg) and enniatin B1 with an incidence of 80% in the samples tested (concentration range of 8-785 μg/kg). Enniatin A1 was found only in 44% of samples at levels ranging between 8 and 851 μg/kg.     

Alternative pathways in the life history of Gracilaria gracilis (Gracilariales, Rhodophyta) from north-eastern Sicily (Italy)

The reproductive phenology of Gracilaria gracilis has been followed closely in a brackish water lake in Sicily. The life history of this red alga deviated from the typical Polysiphonia-type cycle and was characterized by the predominance of the tetrasporophytic phase over gametophytes, in situ development of germinated gametophytes and the presence of sterile pleustophytic thalli. Release of spherical agglomerates of cells produced by young tetrasporophytes was observed as well. Their ability to germinate forming new thalli appears to represent an alternative reproductive strategy of this organism. The population structure appears to reflect a predominance of the diploid phase except during the warmer summer season when only vegetative juveniles were found in the lake. Release and early stages of development of carpospores and tetraspores were critically observed in culture. A Dumontia type pattern of germination was observed for both types of spores, showing an erect thallus arising from a multicellular basal disk. Compared to tetraspores, carpospores are less readily released resulting in a subsequent delay in the development of new gametophytes.     

Collection,ex situ conservation and characterization of mangaba (Hancornia speciose Gomes) germplasm in coastal lowland of Northeastern Brazil

Genetic Resources and Crop Evolution - This study aimed to evaluate the Mangaba Genebank of Embrapa Tabuleiros Costeiros, Brazil, since its implementation in 2006 and characterize the accessions in...     

Seroepidemiological characterization and risk factors associated with seroconversion to Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis in goats from Northeastern Brazil

Goat breeding in the Northeast region of Brazil plays an important socioeconomic role. However, there are significant losses caused by sanitary deficits and infectious diseases, particularly caseous lymphadenitis (CL). Although CL is considered endemic in Northeastern Brazil, a comprehensive and up-to-date study of this disease in goat herds in this region is necessary. The objective of this study was to determine the farm-level and animal-level seroprevalences for the disease and to identify the possible risk factors that characterize CL in the caprine species of five Northeastern’s states (Ceará, Piauí, Rio Grande do Norte, Paraíba, and Sergipe). A total of 2744 goat serum samples from 230 farms were collected between 2010 and 2012. The diagnosis of Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis infection was performed using the indirect ELISA technique. Farm-level and animal-level seroprevalences were 87.8% and 30.3%, respectively, suggesting that C. pseudotuberculosis is widespread in goat herds of the Northeast region. The risk factors were as follows: absence of forage silage (odds ratio?=?5.39), not separating animals by sex (odds ratio?=?4.16) or by age (odds ratio?=?6.30), not replacing old goat breeders (odds ratio?=?7.80), and non-treatment of CL lumps prior to spontaneous rupture (odds ratio?=?10.34). This study supports the idea that caseous lymphadenitis is widely disseminated in goats from Northeastern Brazil and based on the risk factor analysis attention should be given to the need to establish adequate control measures, such as incision and early drainage of superficial abscesses, quarantine and elimination of affected animals, periodic inspection of the herd, non-introduction of infected animals, and early disposal of animals with recurrent CL.

     

Can we face different types of storms under the same umbrella? Efficiency and consistency of connectivity umbrellas across different patchy landscape patterns

Context

The umbrella approach applied to landscape connectivity is based on the principle that the conservation or restoration of the dispersal habitats for some species also can facilitate the movement of others. Species traits alone do not seem to be enough to identify good connectivity umbrella species, showing the need to investigate the influence of additional factors on this property.

Objectives

We test whether the potential of a species as a connectivity umbrella can be influenced by landscape composition and configuration.

Methods

We simulated movement routes for eight hypothetical species in artificial patchy landscapes with different levels of fragmentation, habitat amount and matrix permeability. We determined the effectiveness of the connectivity umbrella of the virtual species using pairwise intersections of important habitats for their movements in all landscapes.

Results

The connectivity umbrella performance of all species was affected by the interaction of fragmentation level and habitat amount. In general, species performance increased with decreasing fragmentation and increasing habitat amount. In most landscapes and considering the same dispersal threshold, species able to move more easily through the matrix showed higher umbrella performance than those for which the matrix offered greater resistance.

Conclusions

The connectivity umbrella is not a static feature that depends only on the species traits, but rather a dynamic property that also varies according to the landscape attributes. Therefore, we do not recommend spatial transferability of the connectivity umbrella species identified in a landscape to others that have divergent levels of fragmentation and habitat quantity.

     

Immune defense of wild‐caught Norway rats is characterized by increased levels of basal activity but reduced capability to respond to further immune stimulation

Studies of wild animals' immunity often use comparison with laboratory‐raised individuals. Using such an approach, various data were obtained concerning wild Norway rat's immunity. Lower or higher potential of immune system cells to respond to activation stimuli were shown, because of analysis of disparate parameters and/ or small number of analyzed individuals. Inconsistent differences between laboratory and wild rats were shown too, owing to great response variability in wild rats. We hypothesized that wild rats will express more intense immune activity compared to their laboratory counterparts which live in a less demanding environment. To test this, we analyzed the circulating levels of inflammatory cytokine interleukin‐6 (IL‐6), a mediator which has a central role in host immune defense. In addition, we examined the activity of the central immune organ, the spleen, including cell proliferation and production of pro‐inflammatory cytokines interferon‐γ (IFN‐γ) and interleukin‐17 (IL‐17), which are major effectors of cellular adaptive immune response. In order to obtain reasonable insight into the immunity of wild Norway rats, analysis was conducted on a much larger number of individuals compared to other studies. Higher levels of plasma IL‐6, higher spleen mass, cellularity and basal IFN‐γ production concomitantly with lower basal production of anti‐inflammatory cytokine interleukin‐10 (IL‐10) revealed more intense immune activity in the wild compared to laboratory rats. However, lower responsiveness of their spleen cells' proinflammatory cytokine production to concanavalin A (ConA) stimulation, along with preserved capacity of IL‐10 response, might be perceived as an indication of wild rats' reduced capability to cope with incoming environmental stimuli, but also as a means to limit tissue damage.