Effect of a Bowman-Birk proteinase inhibitor from Phaseolus coccineus on Hypothenemus hampei gut proteinases in vitro

The coffee berry borer, Hypothenemus hampei (Ferrari), is an important devastating coffee pest worldwide. Both trypsin and chymotrypsin enzyme activities from H. hampei larval midgut can be inactivated by proteinaceous enzyme-inhibitors. A serine proteinase inhibitor belonging to the Bowman-Birk class was purified from a wild accession of Phaseolus coccineus L. seeds. The inhibitor (PcBBI1) is a cysteine-rich protein that is heat-stable at alkaline pH. MALDI-TOF/MS analysis showed that PcBBI1 occurs in seeds as a monomer (8689 Da) or dimer (17,378 Da). Using in vitro inhibition assays, it was found that PcBBI1 has a high inhibitory activity against H. hampei trypsin-like enzymes, bovine pancreatic chymotrypsin, and trypsin. According to this, PcBBI1 could be a promising tool to make genetically modified coffee with resistance to coffee berry borer.     

Less is more: Little seed processing required for direct seeding in seasonal tropics

Seed processing and dormancy break treatments are recommended for rendering seeds restoration-ready. Conversely, fruit structures and seed coats may protect seeds from environmental harm in the field. We evaluated the effects of seed processing (by either keeping fruit structures or extracting seeds) and/or scarification (of physically dormant seeds) on the seedling emergence and establishment of 10 legume tree species from tropical forests and savannas of Central Brazil. We sowed seeds in a greenhouse for reference and in a field experiment conducted in tilled ready-to-seed sites. We monitored seedling emergence and survival for a year. We calculated the costs of harvesting, processing, and pretreating seeds, and considered the final cost of a 1-year-old seedling. Seed extraction resulted in lower emergence for most species in the greenhouse and in the field. It also accelerated emergence of three and four species in the greenhouse and the field, respectively. Scarification resulted in lower seedling emergence in the field for half of the species, while it increased emergence of three species in the greenhouse. Most species presented accelerated emergence both in the greenhouse and the field. The seedling cost was 1.6 to 74.6 times higher when seeds were processed, and 1.3 to 6.0 times when seeds were scarified, except for one species. Keeping fruit structures and seed coats reduced the costs of seeds and increased the success of direct seeding.

     

Climate tolerances of Philaenus spumarius should be considered in risk assessment of disease outbreaks related to Xylella fastidiosa

The bacterium Xylella fastidiosa (Xf) is an invasive insect-borne pathogen, which causes lethal diseases to important crops including olives, citrus, almonds and grapes as well as numerous forest, ornamental, and uncultivated plants. Outbreaks of Xf-related plant diseases are currently occurring in the Mediterranean region, causing substantial losses to various agricultural sectors. Several models have recently been published to identify which regions are at highest risk in Europe; however, such models did not consider the insect vectors, which constitute the key driver of short-range Xf spread. We fitted bioclimatic species distribution models to depict the macroclimatic preferences of the meadow spittlebug Philaenus spumarius L. (1978) (Hemiptera: Aphrophoridae), the major epidemiologically relevant vector currently responsible for Xf spread in the Europe. Many regions of Western Europe and Mediterranean basin are predicted by models as highly climatically suitable for this vector, including all regions where severe Xf have occurred so far. Conversely, the driest and warmest areas of the Mediterranean basin are predicted as little suitable for P. spumarius. Models forecast that agricultural-important parts of the southern Mediterranean area might experience a substantial decrease in climatic suitability for P. spumarius by the period 2040–2060. Areas predicted as highly suitable just for the bacterium but not optimal for this vector are apparently still free of severe Xf outbreaks, suggesting that climate tolerances of P. spumarius might partly explain the current spatial pattern of Xf outbreaks in Europe and should always be considered in further risk assessments.

     

Basis and monitoring of methoxyfenozide resistance in the South American tomato pinworm Tuta absoluta

The South American tomato pinworm, Tuta absoluta (Meyrick, 1917) (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae), is heavily targeted by insecticide applications. Methoxyfenozide is highly effective against T. absoluta with reduced side effects to natural enemies. This work aimed to (1) genetically and biochemically characterize resistance of the T. absoluta GBN population to methoxyfenozide, (2) establish cross resistance profiles with other insecticide groups and (3) monitor resistance in populations with the goal of improving T. absoluta insecticide resistance management (IRM). Methoxyfenozide resistance was completely recessive, polyfactorial and autosomal. Effective dominance revealed that 10 mg methoxyfenozide/L would be enough to eliminate susceptible homozygotes and heterozygotes, thus used to diagnose resistance in field populations. The synergism of methoxyfenozide toxicity in the resistant population for PBO (SR?=?95×), DEF (SR?=?51×) and DEM (SR?=?45×), suggested monooxygenases, esterases and glutathione S-transferases as resistance mechanisms. However, only monooxygenase activity appeared to be involved in methoxyfenozide resistance. Resistance ratio for methoxyfenozide (2352-fold) after selection and cross-resistance ratios of a lab-selected GBN strain (“GBN-Sel”) were significant relative to a susceptible strain “JDR1-Sus” for tebufenozide (656-fold), cartap hydrochloride (10.68-fold), deltamethrin (4.70-fold), abamectin (2.65-fold), lufenuron (2.22-fold) and indoxacarb (1.92-fold), with negative cross-resistance to spinetoram (0.32-fold). Evidence of control failures was observed in 10 field populations of T. absoluta (mortalities between 13 and 76%), and all populations showed frequencies of resistant phenotypes (percentage survivorship ranging between 4 and 96%). A rational basis for managing resistance to bisacylhydrazines is discussed, along with details of recommended T. absoluta resistance management tactics.

     

Changes in soil carbon and nitrogen stocks after conversion of subtropical natural forest to loblolly pine plantations

Pinus plantations have increased in Brazil, and native forest areas have been converted for timber production. The clearing and the long-term loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) land-use effects on soil carbon and nitrogen stocks were evaluated in a natural broadleaved forest and in loblolly pine sites cultivated for 29, 35, 38 and 49 years, as well the soil contribution as ecosystem carbon pool. According to the exponential-decay model fitted to changes in carbon stock, the initial soil carbon stock of 200 Mg ha^?1 to a depth of 100 cm in the natural forest decreased by 36% over 49 years of pine cultivation (around 72.4 Mg ha^?1 of C). Around two-thirds of this decrease occurred in the top 30 cm of the soil and intensively in the first 12 years of cultivation, but slowly faded as carbon stock tended to reach a new steady state after approximately 49 years of cultivation. The soil nitrogen stock in the natural forest was 14.2 Mg ha^?1 to a depth of 100 cm and decreased by 36% over the 49 years. This decrease was linear according to the fitted model, especially in the top 30 cm where nitrogen decline was 83% and was proportionally more intense than the carbon decline. Despite the soil carbon decrease, soil remained the largest carbon reservoir in the ecosystem for the growing rotation time of loblolly pine in this region.

     

Litter production and nutrient deposition from native woody species in the Brazilian semi-arid region

Agroforestry Systems - The use of native trees in agroecosystems is a promising way to increase litter deposition and nutrient cycling and foster the recovery of degraded areas, especially in...     

Carbon dynamics in small tropical catchments under preserved forest and cacao agroforestry systems

Agroforestry Systems - Inland waters such as streams that receive carbon from terrestrial landscapes usually have a net heterotrophic metabolism and emit significant amounts of CO2 to the...     

Variable-rate seeding in soybean according to soil attributes related to grain yield

Precision Agriculture - Defining the ideal soybean stand is essential for obtaining maximum grain yield. As a hypothesis of the work, it was questioned whether it is possible to vary seeding...     

Fish feed can show genotoxic damage

Fish Physiology and Biochemistry - The present study was carried out to evaluate the genotoxic potential of nutritional quality of feed, using erythrocytic nuclear abnormalities assay in Nile...     

Higher feeding diets effects on age and liveweight gain at puberty in crossbred Nelore × Hereford heifers

This study was conducted to determine the age and liveweight at puberty of 120 crossbred beef heifers submitted to four diets to achieve predetermined weight gains (kg/day): 0.5 (G500; n?=?32), 0.75 (G750; n?=?32), 1.0 (G1000; n?=?29), and 1.25 (G1250; n?=?27). Animals were classified depending on their level of crossing between Nelore (N) and Hereford (H): 25%N-75%H, 37.5%N-63.5%H, 43.7%N-56.7%H, 50%N-50%H, and 75%N-25%H. Reproductive evaluation was performed at the beginning and at the end of the experimental period by ultrasonography and hormone analysis. The average age and liveweight at puberty were 388.0?±?1.9 days and 331.4?±?1.3 kg, respectively. Animals from the 25%N-75%H group reached puberty earlier than heifers from other genetic groups supplemented with G1250 diet (P?<?0.05). Heifers with higher degree of Nelore (75%N-25%H) fed with G1000 diet showed estrus 42 days prior to mating, but only 57 % reached puberty at mating (P?<?0.05). Heifers with follicles of higher diameter reached puberty (P?<?0.05) earlier. Higher average daily weight gain showed a positive effect on follicular diameter and IGF-I level at puberty (P?<?0.01). Concentrations of GH were lower in heifers fed G1250 compared to G1000 diet (P?<?0.05). There was a significant interaction between nutritional level and insulin levels at puberty (P?<?0.01). We demonstrated the relationship between IGF-I and average daily gain on the onset of puberty in heifers. In conclusion, heifers submitted to the higher feeding level showed a higher follicular diameter and were younger at puberty.