Multilocus sequence typing analysis of Italian Xanthomonas campestris pv. campestris strains suggests the evolution of local endemic populations of the pathogen and does not correlate with race distribution

Xanthomonas campestris pv. campestris (Xcc) is the causal agent of black rot in Brassicaceae. It is widespread in Italy and severe outbreaks occur under conditions that favour disease development. In this study a multilocus sequence typing approach (MLST) based on the partial sequence of seven loci was applied to a selection of strains representative of the main areas of cultivation and hosts. The aim was to investigate whether the long tradition of brassica crops in Italy has influenced the evolution of different Xcc populations. All loci were polymorphic; 14 allelic profiles were identified of which 13 were unique to Italian strains. Based on the seven loci, the most common genotype within the Italian Xcc strains (AP1) was also the most representative genotype found in worldwide Xcc strains. This genotype was included in a new clonal complex in addition to three other clonal complexes already identified in Xcc populations. The phylogenetic reconstruction using a concatenated dataset of four conserved protein-coding genes, dnaK, fuyA, gyrB and rpoD, showed that the Italian strains belonged to two genetic groups. Physiological races were also investigated for the first time in Italy. The race structure of Xcc was determined by inoculating eight differential Brassica lines belonging to five species and showed that, in Italy, race 4 is the most widespread, followed by races 1 and 6. No correlation was found between allelic profiles, host of isolation, geographical origin and races, although a prevalent race was identified within the same clonal complex.     

Impact of High Night‐Time and High Daytime Temperature Stress on Winter Wheat

High temperature is a major environmental factor that limits wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) productivity. Climate models predict greater increases in night‐time temperature than in daytime temperature. The objective of this research was to compare the effects of high daytime and high night‐time temperatures during anthesis on physiological (chlorophyll fluorescence, chlorophyll concentration, leaf level photosynthesis, and membrane damage), biochemical (reactive oxygen species (ROS) concentration and antioxidant capacity in leaves), growth and yield traits of wheat genotypes. Winter wheat genotypes (Ventnor and Karl 92) were grown at optimum temperatures (25/15 °C, maximum/minimum) until the onset of anthesis. Thereafter, plants were exposed to high night‐time (HN, 25/24 °C), high daytime (HD, 35/15 °C), high daytime and night‐time (HDN, 35/24 °C) or optimum temperatures for 7 days. Compared with optimum temperature, HN, HD and HDN increased ROS concentration and membrane damage and decreased antioxidant capacity, photochemical efficiency, leaf level photosynthesis, seed set, grain number and grain yield per spike. Impact of HN and HD was similar on all traits. Greater impact on seed set, grain number and grain yield per spike was observed at HDN compared with HN and HD. These results suggest that HN and HD during anthesis cause damage of a similar magnitude to winter wheat.     

Spatial assessment of aesthetic services in a complex mountain region: combining visual landscape properties with crowdsourced geographic information

Context

Human and natural systems interact at multiple scales which are context specific in relation to ecosystem service supply. Scenic beauty is recognised as a cultural ecosystem service whose aesthetic value is perceived at a holistic landscape level.

Objectives

In this study we provide methodological advancements for assessing the relationship between landscape visual character and scenic beauty based on crowdsourced geographic information. The final aim is to demonstrate, through a case study application, an empirical method for mapping the scenic beauty of complex mountain landscapes from the perspective of observers which are realistically exposed to the environment being evaluated.

Methods

We propose a viewshed based approach which relies on visual indicators and the location of visitors retrieved by public image storage analysis. A cluster analysis was used to integrate visual characters of the landscape and visiting users’ preferences.

Results

Four different typologies of landscapes were finally characterized by distinct values of visual indicators. The spatial distribution of the landscape typologies presented a clustered pattern, allowing a regionalization of the landscape characters. The analysis of the visiting users’ provenance revealed that visual scale, naturalness and ephemera attract mainly foreign users, while imageability, complexity and historicity attract mostly domestic and local users.

Conclusions

The combination of crowdsourced images with visual indicators allows a systematic analysis of landscape scenic beauty properties. In all, by understanding how specific landscape characters contributes to aesthetic service provision we provide a tool for facilitating the visualization and interpretation of complex landscape characters.

     

Evaluation of Various Drying Methods on Bioactives,Ascorbic Acid and Antioxidant Potentials of Talinum triangulare L., foliage

Plant Foods for Human Nutrition - The aim of this study was to assess the efficiency of different drying methods (room, sun, oven, microwave, cross-flow, infra-red, dehumidifier, and freeze-drying)...     

Cause and Consequence in Maize Planting Dates in Germany

An important part of agricultural adaptation is the timing of crop sowing dates, affecting yields and the level of risk incurred during a particular season. Cold stress is especially relevant in maize, Zea mays L., so that the timing of planting in the spring is a tactical response to short‐term weather, but is also subject to strategic planning with regard to longer‐term climate. Both factors compare the potential implications of cold stress to the additional yield obtainable through earlier planting. New cultivars suited to growing conditions in Europe and generally increasing spring temperatures have enabled earlier planting, but it is still dependent on short‐term weather during the planting period. In the context of field‐level decision‐making, a panel regression is used to estimate the relationship between weekly local temperature and precipitation and planting dates at specific sites throughout Germany. Next, localised weather data and planting behaviour are linked to yields at the district (Landkreis) level to show the effects of planting date on yield. Based on these relationships optimal planting dates are explored with some associated costs and benefits. Results show a trend towards earlier planting that follows observed increasing spring temperatures and the availability of more cold‐tolerant cultivars but this advance is buffered by the increasing severity of minimum temperatures during a critical period. Earlier planting potentially increases yield but this is offset by additional management costs and risk. A robust and simple depiction of farmer behaviour in climatic, technological and economic context can help to understand trends in crop management and productivity that effect agricultural landscapes.     

Seed Shattering of Cañahua (Chenopodium pallidicaule Aellen)

Cañahua (Chenopodium pallidicaule Aellen) is a semi‐domesticated relative of quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa Willd.) with high nutritious quality. It is tolerant to frost, drought, saline soils and pests. One seed yield limitation is seed loss during the maturity stages. Two greenhouse experiments in Denmark and field experiments in Bolivia were carried out to determine seed shattering in landraces and cultivars with different growth habits. 15–21 % of the seed shattering in the fields took place whilst the plants still were flowering and 25–35 % during physiological maturity. Seed shattering varied between locations on the Bolivian Altiplano. Cañahua types with the semi‐prostrate growth (‘lasta’) had the highest seed shattering rate in the greenhouse experiments. The Umacutama landrace had lower seed shattering (1 %) than the cultivar Kullaca (7.2 %) both of the ‘lasta’ type. Under field conditions, the cultivar Illimani with the erect growth (‘saihua’) had the highest seed shattering rate (6.4–33.7 %) at both locations and at four different sowing dates. The Umacutama had the lowest rate (0.5–1.5 %). There were no significant differences between plants of the ‘lasta’ and the ‘saihua’ types. The landrace had significantly less seed loss than the cultivars. However, in the greenhouse, the landrace yield was approximately 25 % lower than the yields of the cultivars. In general, cañahua cultivars had higher yield compared to landraces, but also a higher seed shattering rate. Landraces may be used in breeding programmes to develop high‐yielding cultivars with reduced seed shattering.     

Equol,a Blood–Brain Barrier Permeable Gut Microbial Metabolite of Dietary Isoflavone Daidzein,Exhibits Neuroprotective Effects against Neurotoxins Induced Toxicity in Human Neuroblastoma SH-SY5Y Cells and Caenorhabditis elegans

Plant Foods for Human Nutrition - Emerging data support that plant food based isoflavones have ameliorating effects on a variety of neurodegenerative diseases including Parkinson’s disease...