Estimation of genetic parameters for characters related to potato propagation by true seed (TPS) in an andigena population

Genetic variances were estimated for a population ofSolarium tuberosum L. subsp.andigena, selected for adaptation to north temperate climatic conditions. Estimates for 15 traits, including some unique to true seed (TPS) propagation, were obtained from trials conducted under short day conditions in Peru. Only non-additive variance was found for yield, but heritability estimates were relatively high for tuber number and tuber size. The results indicated that yield could be increased through selection utilizing additive variance for the component traits, especially tuber size. Estimates of genetic variability for tuber uniformity were low. TPS yield was positively correlated with most other traits except tuber number.     

Determination of glycoalkaloids in potatoes (S. Tuberosum) with a bisolvent extraction method

A solvent mixture of methanol and chloroform (2∶1) was employed in the determination of glycoalkaloid in potatoes. The result obtained from bisolvent extraction was higher than that obtained from Soxhlet extraction with 3% acetic acid in ethanol. A more reproducible result was obtained with the steam-blanched surface sample than with the diced raw sample. Solanine and chaconine, the two components of glycoalkaloid in potato, could only be differentiated with thin layer chromatography, and they were determined colorimetrically. B5141-6 potatoes had much higher glycoalkaloid than did Russet Burbank and Kennebec potatoes as determined by the bisolvent extraction method using sliced samples.     

Processing characteristics of Solanum tuberosum—S. stoloniferum hybrids

Two hybrids having high total solids were compared with established commercial varieties for processing into french fries, potato chips, and potato flakes. Russet Burbank was used as a control for potato flakes and french fries, and Kennebec for potato chips. The hybrids were processed initially at harvest and at two intervals after harvest. The solids in the hybrids varied from 23.0% to 26.9% and the products generally had a better color and yielded more product per pound of raw material than the controls. The hybrids had a high level of xanthophyl, stable in the french fries and potato chips but unstable in the potato flakes. Antioxidants retarded the loss of the yellow color in the flakes. Oil absorption was found to be inversely related to solids in the potato chips and french fries. By means of sensory evaluation, the hybrids were generally considered different from the controls with respect to color, flavor, and texture but no preferences were obtained. Potatoes with high solids result in more finished product per pound of raw material.     

Effects of amino acids and glucose on the fry colour of potato crisps

Summary Amino acids and sugars were removed from slices of potato of the cultivar Record. The slices were then soaked in solutions of the amino acids and various concentrations of glucose to study their effect on the fry colour of crisps. Glutamine was an important amino acid in the development of fry colour intensity at low glucose concentrations and also contributed to the dark fry colour when combined with glucose concentrations above 0.15%. The basic amino acid arginine had a similar but lesser effect and other amino acids used gave the same effect at glucose concentrations above 0.45%. Asparagine could play an important role in the development of fry colour quality and may decrease the grey colour intensity developed by the mixture of amino acids.     

Daily rhythm of cerebral blood flow velocity

Background  

CBFV (cerebral blood flow velocity) is lower in the morning than in the afternoon and evening. Two hypotheses have been proposed to explain the time of day changes in CBFV: 1) CBFV changes are due to sleep-associated processes or 2) time of day changes in CBFV are due to an endogenous circadian rhythm independent of sleep. The aim of this study was to examine CBFV over 30 hours of sustained wakefulness to determine whether CBFV exhibits fluctuations associated with time of day.     

Co-culture of osteocytes and neurons on a unique patterned surface

Neural and skeletal communication is essential for the maintenance of bone mass and transmission of pain, yet the mechanism(s) of signal transduction between these tissues is unknown. The authors established a novel system to co-culture murine long bone osteocyte-like cells (MLO-Y4) and primary murine dorsal root ganglia (DRG) neurons. Assessment of morphology and maturation marker expression on perlecan domain IV peptide (PlnDIV) and collagen type-1 (Col1) demonstrated that PlnDIV was an optimal matrix for MLO-Y4 culture. A novel matrix-specificity competition assay was developed to expose these cells to several extracellular matrix proteins such as PlnDIV, Col1, and laminin (Ln). The competition assay showed that approximately 70% of MLO-Y4 cells preferred either PlnDIV or Col1 to Ln. To co-culture MLO-Y4 and DRG, we developed patterned surfaces using micro-contact printing to create 40 μm × 1 cm alternating stripes of PlnDIV and Ln or PlnDIV and Col1. Co-culture on PlnDIV/Ln surfaces demonstrated that these matrix molecules provided unique cues for each cell type, with MLO-Y4 preferentially attaching to the PlnDIV lanes and DRG neurons to the Ln lanes. Approximately 80% of DRG were localized to Ln. Cellular processes from MLO-Y4 were closely associated with axonal extensions of DRG neurons. Approximately 57% of neuronal processes were in close proximity to nearby MLO-Y4 cells at the PlnDIV-Ln interface. The surfaces in this new assay provided a unique model system with which to study the communication between osteocyte-like cells and neurons in an in vitro environment.     

Stem density and maturation studies with the potato cultivars Maris Peer and Pentland Marble

Summary Effects of set size, harvest date and stem density were examined with cv. Maris Peer and of stem density and harvest date with cv. Pentland Marble. At maturity average tuber weight for both varieties fell initially as density was increased becoming virtually constant at the higher densities, and was about 45% greater for Maris Peer than for Pentland Marble. Numbers of tubers/m² were similar for each cultivar at low densities but were greater for Pentland Marble than for Maris Peer at high populations. Total yield at maturity for each variety was asymptotically related to density. Yields of canningsized tubers (20–40 mm) increased over the lower part of the density range becoming constant at about 70 stems/m², and representing about 50% of the total yield for Maris Peer and over 80% for Pentland Marble.

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Zusammenfassung Der Anbau von Maris Peer für die Verarbeitung auf Dosenkartoffeln (ganze Knollen) ist in Grossbritannien weit verbreitet. Vor kurzer Zeit ist Pentland Marble als eine speziell zur Verabeitung als Dosenkartoffel geeignete Sorte zum Anbau freigegeben worden. Diese Sorten wurden in getrennten, aber angrenzenden Versuchen angebaut, wobei bei Maris Peer die Einflüsse auf die Ertr?ge von vier Stengeldichten, zwei Pflanzknollengr?ssen und vier Erntedaten und bei Pentland Marble die Einflüsse von drei Stengeldichten und zwei Erntedaten untersucht worden. Einzelheiten der Verfahren sind in Tabelle 1 aufgeführt. Das durchschnittliche Gewicht der Tochterknollen von Maris Peer war vor der Reife der Knollen bei den grossen Mutterknollen gr?sser als bei den kleinen (Abb. 3). Zur Reifezeit fiel das durchschnittliche Knollengewicht anfangs, als die Bestandesdichte angestiegen war, stark; aber bei Bestandesdichten von mehr als ungef?hr 70 Stengeln/m² waren die Werte innerhalb eines gegebenen Erntedatums ?hnlich. Die Knollenzahl/m² erh?hte sich anf?nglich, als die Bestandesdichte von beiden Pflanzknollengr?ssen angestiegen war, aber bei Dichten von über 70 Stengeln/m² war sie im wesentlichen konstant (Abb. 4a). Der Gesamtertrag verhielt sich also asymptotisch zur Bestandesdichte und grosse Knollen gaben nur beim ersten Erntedatum h?here Ertr?ge als kleine (Abb. 2). Zur Reifezeit stiegen die Ertr?ge in der für die Konserven-industrie ben?tigten Knollengr?sse (20–40 mm) in dem Masse, als die Bestandesdichte bis auf ungef?hr 70 Stengel/m² angewachsen war; nachher blieben sie konstant. Der gr?sste Anteil am Gesamtertrag in der für die Konservierung ben?tigten Gr?sse betrug ungef?hr die H?lfte, und dieser Stand wurde ebenfalls bei etwa 70 Stengeln/m² erreicht. Im Gegensatz dazu nahm der Ertrag an Speisekartoffeln (>40 mm) mit fortschreitendem Ansteigen der Bestandesdichte bis auf 70 Stengel/m² ab. Bei noch gr?sseren Stengeldichten blieb er bei etwa der H?lfte des Gesamtertrages konstant. Das durchschnittliche Gewicht der Tochterknollen von Pentland Marble war weniger als die H?lfte desjenigen von Maris Peer bei vergleichbaren Stengeldichten zur Reifezeit (Abb. 3). Die Knollenzahl/m² war bei geringen Stengeldichten bei beiden Sorten ?hnlich, aber bei grossen Stengeldichten erzeugte Pentland Marble bis zu 45% mehr Knollen/m² als Maris Peer (Abb. 4b). Die Ertr?ge in der für die Konserven ben?tigten Knollengr?sse betrugen bei Unreife über 90% des Gesamtertrages und überstiegen bei Reife 80% des Gesamtertrages bei Dichten von über 70 Stengeln/m² (Abb. 6). Der Ertrag an Speiseware war bei der ersten Ernte nicht bedeutend, aber bei der zweiten Ernte erreichte er einen hohen Anteil am Gesamtertrag bei kleiner Stengeldichte und weniger als 5% des Totals bei gr?sseren Dichten. Es wird angenommen, dass in einer gegebenen, aber durch Konkurrenz beeinflussten Umwelt die Knollenzahl pro Einheit Fl?che von der Menge der verfügbaren Assimilate bestimmt wird und dass daher auch für einzelne Sorten die Anzahl der Stengel pro Fl?cheneinheit zur Zeit des Beginns der Knollenbildung von Bedeutung ist. Niedrige Stengeldichten würden zur Bildung von weniger Knollen pro Fl?cheneinheit führen als hohe Stengeldichten, und bei Dichten über einem gewissen Stand w?ren die Assimilate konstant und führten zur Bildung einer konstanten Knollenzahl. Nachheriges Wachstum der Triebe und die verfügbaren Assimilate würden die sich daraus ergebende durchschnittliche Knolleng?sse bei einer gegebenen Stengeldichte bestimmen. Die Ertr?ge und Ertragskomponenten (Durchschnittsgewicht der Tochterknollen und Knollenzahl/Fl?cheneinheit) von Pentland Marble wiesen auf ein im Vergleich zu Maris Peer betr?chtlich gr?sseres Potential zur Produktion von Kartoffeln für die Konservenindustrie hin. Immerhin waren bei Pentland Marble relativ hohe Mengen an Pflanzgut von ungef?hr 10 t/ha n?tig, um zur Reifezeit einen hohen Anteil am Gesamtertrag in der für die Herstellung von Dosenkartoffeln geeigneten Gr?sse zu erreichen. Verwendung einer kleineren Pflanzkartoffelgr?sse k?nnte die ben?tigte Pflanzgutmenge heral setzen, ohne zu, einer Ertragsverminderung zu führen.

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Résumé Maris Peer est cultivée sur une grande échelle au Royaume-Uni dans le but de satisfaire à toute la production de pommes de terre appertisées. Récemment, Pentland Marble a été abandonnée comme variété spécifique de l'appertisation. Ces variétés ont été mises en culture dans des expériences séparées mais attenantes dans lesquelles on a étudié, pour Maris Peer, les effets sur la production de quatre densités (de tiges), de deux séries de calibres et de quatre dates de récolte, et, pour Pentland Marble, les effets de trois densités, et deux dates de recolte. Les détails des traitements sont donnés dans le tableau 1. Le poids moyen des tubercules de la descendance de Maris Peer s'est révélé plus grand avec les gros plut?t qu'avec les petits plants dans le cas de récolte avant maturité (fig. 3). A maturité, le poids moyen par tubercule tombe d'abord rapidement quand augmente la densité, mais aux densités excédant 70 tiges par m² environ, les valeurs sont semblables quelle que soit la date de la récolte. Le nombre de tubercules par m² augmente d'abord avec l'accroissement de la densité et ce, pour les deux grosseurs de plants, mais le nombre devient constant lorsque les densités dépassent 70 tiges par m² (fig. 4a). La relation entre la production totale et la densité est également asymptotique: les gros tubercules donnent une production plus élevée que les petits lors de la première récolte seulement (fig. 2). Les productions à maturité de tubercules de forme convenant à l'appertisation (20–40 mm) augmentent avec les densités jusqu'à la densité d'environ 70 tiges par m², et restent constantes par après. La proportion maximale de la forme convenant à l'appertisation dans la récolte totale est d'environ la moitié, proportion qui est également atteinte à 70 tiges par m² environ. Au contraire, la production ‘commerciale’ (>40 mm) diminue avec les augmentations progressives de densités jusqu'à 70 tiges par m², et pour les densités supérieures, elle se maintient constante à environ la moitié de la production totale. A maturité et pour des densités comparables, le poids moyen d'un tubercule de la descendance de Pentland Marble est moindre que celui de Maris Peer (fig. 3). Aux faibles densités de population, les nombres de tubercules par m² sont similaires chez Pentland Marble et chez Maris Peer, mais aux hautes densités, la première produit jusqu'à 45% en plus de tubercules par m² que la seconde (fig. 4b). Lorsque les densités dépassent 70 tiges par m², les productions de tubercules non m?rs de forme convenant à l'appertisation, représentent plus de 90% de la production totale, et, à maturité, dépassent 80% de la production totale (fig. 6). Les productions de tubercules commerciaux sont insignifiantes au premier arrachage, mals au second elle représentent une proportion élevée de la production totale lors des faibles densites et moins de 5% de la production totale aux densités plus élevées. Les résultats suggèrent que, dans un millea donné et sous l'influence de la competition, la quantité de matières assimilables disponibles détermine le nombre de tubercules par unité de surface au moment de l'initiation des tubercules. Avec de faibles densités, il y aurait un moindre nombre de tubercules ‘initiés’ par unité de surface qu'avec de hautes densités et, pour des densités au-dessus d'un certain seuil, les matières assimilables resteraient constantes, de là résulteralt un nombre constant de tubercules ‘initiés’. Le développement subséquent du feuillage, et de là, les quantités disponibles des matières assimilables auraient pour résultats de déterminer la grosseur moyenne des tubercules pour une densité donnée. Les productions et les divers facteurs de la production (poids moyen des tubercules de la descendance et nombre de tubercules par unité de surface), révèlent que Pentland Marble possède un potentiel de production de tubercules convenant à l'appertisation considérablement plus élevé que Maris Peer. De même, les co?ts relativement élevés des plants pour quelque 10 tonnes/ha sont nécessaires pour que Pentland Marble atteigne à maturité une proportion élevée, de la production totale, de tubercules convenant à l'appertisation. L'utilisation de plants de plus petit calibre peut diminuer les frais de plantation, sans qu'il en résulte une réduction de la production.

     

Captive sentinel hosts efficiently measure the establishment,seasonality and dispersal of a parasitoid biological control agent

Introduced biological control agents are used to suppress populations and reduce the damage caused by many exotic herbivorous insects in New Zealand pasture. Understanding the dispersal behaviour of a recently introduced biocontrol agent in its new environment is important as it helps biocontrol practitioners make decisions on the number and location of future releases. In this study, a monitoring device which contained sentinel hosts was developed to monitor the establishment and dispersal of the Irish strain of Microctonus aethiopoides (Hymenoptera, Braconidae) into areas of the South Island of New Zealand where the clover pest Sitona obsoletus Gmelin (Coleoptera, Curculionidae) had recently become established. Field tests of the monitoring device at five sites in Marlborough confirmed that M. aethiopoides would enter the device through a 900 µm mesh and parasitise the sentinel weevils within. In a further trial conducted over 4 years at four sites in North Canterbury, monitoring devices successfully tracked the dispersal and establishment of M. aethiopoides at sites up to 27 km from the original release site. Monitoring devices containing sentinel hosts may help reduce the cost of classical biological control programmes as they enable rapid sampling of numerous sites and largely eliminate the time consuming practice of dissecting field collected hosts to determine the presence of the parasitoid.

     

Biochar addition affected the dynamics of ammonia oxidizers and nitrification in microcosms of a coastal alkaline soil

Biochar amendments have frequently been reported to alter microbial communities and biogeochemical processes in soils. However, the impact of biochar application on bacterial (AOB) and archaeal ammonia oxidizers (AOA) remains poorly understood. In this study, we investigated the responses of AOB and AOA to the application of biochar derived from cotton stalk at rates of 5, 10, and 20 % by weight to a coastal alkaline soil during a 12-week incubation. The results showed that the amoA gene of AOB consistently outnumbered that of AOA, whereas only the AOA amoA gene copy number was significantly correlated with the potential ammonia oxidation (PAO) rate (P?<?0.01). The significant decrease of PAO rates in biochar treatments occurred after incubation for 4–6 weeks, which were distinctly longer than that in the control (2 weeks). The PAO rates were significantly different among treatments during the first 4 weeks of incubation (P?<?0.05), with the highest usually in the 10 % treatment. Biochar application significantly increased the abundance of both nitrifiers in the 4 weeks of incubation (P?<?0.05). Biochar amendment also decreased AOA diversity, but increased AOB diversity, which resulted in different community structures of both nitrifiers (P?<?0.01), as shown by the differences between the 5 % biochar and the control treatments. We conclude that biochar application generally enhanced the abundance and altered the composition of ammonia oxidizers; the rate of biochar application also affected the rate and dynamics of nitrification, and the risk for increasing the alkalinity and N leaching of the studied soil was lower with a lower application rate.