Effects of maternal environment on mortality and growth in young Pinus sylvestris in field trials

The same full-sib families of Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) were created by artificial pollination of genetically identical grafts at three localities in Sweden at approximately 56, 59 and 64 degrees N. Two field trials were established with one-year-old plants in different years at latitude 64 degrees N. Height and survival were monitored for 4-5 years following planting. Maternal environment had significant aftereffects on the height of progeny. In both field trials, plants with the maternal parent at 59 degrees N were tallest and plants with the maternal parent at 64 degrees N were shortest. The aftereffects of maternal environment were as large in six-year-old plants as in one-year-old plants. In one field trial, maternal environment had a significant effect on mortality six years after germination but not after three years. Mortality increased with decreasing latitude of the maternal location. We conclude that the aftereffects of maternal environment are too large and too permanent to be regarded as unimportant.     

Peyote alkaloids: identification in a prehistoric specimen of lophophora from coahuila, Mexico

Mescaline, anhalonine, lophophorine, pellotine, and anhalonidine have been identified in alkaloid extracts of a prehistoric specimen of Lophophora from a burial cave in west central Coahuila, Mexico. The specimen is associated with radiocarbon dates of A.D. 810 to 1070 and is one of the oldest materials ever submitted to alkaloid analysis.     

Unequal deployment of clones to seed orchards by considering genetic gain, relatedness and gene diversity

Related clones in seed orchards lead to inbreeding depressionand reduced genetic value of the seeds. This study aims to developthe methodology for deployment of related clones to seed orchardswhen the breeding value and the pedigree are available for eachcandidate. The following goals were considered: high geneticgain, high genetic gain adjusted for predicted inbreeding depression(net gain), high gene diversity, and high effective clone number.The selection strategies included truncation selection withor without relatedness restrictions, maximizing genetic gain(linear deployment) with or without restrictions on relatednessand maximizing net gain. The selection strategies were appliedto Norway spruce seed orchard candidates evaluated in clonaltests. The material comprised full-sib and half-sib relationships.Comparisons were made both at the same gene diversity and atthe effective clone number. Maximizing net gain by unequal rametnumber deployment resulted in considerable higher net gain anda considerable reduction of related ramets in many comparisons.Linear deployment restricted against related clones comparedat the same status number resulted in almost as high net gain.Reduction in gene diversity may be a more important reason toavoid relatives in seed orchards than the subsequent inbreedingfor achieving a high net gain.     

Premie race participation is associated with increased career longevity and prize money earnings in Norwegian-Swedish Coldblooded Trotters

Norwegian-Swedish Coldblooded Trotters can participate in premie races as two year olds, where prize money is awarded for finishing the race within a specific time interval rather than winning. In this study, the association with premie race participation and future competitive racing success was evaluated. Analyses including all raced horses born between 2000 and 2009 (n?=?9350) showed a relationship between premie race participation with reduced career longevity and prize money earnings. However, when analyses only included horses that raced competitively (n?=?7497; i.e. horses with participation in only premie or qualification races were excluded), premie race participation was associated with increased racing success. These findings indicate that premie race fields consist of both horses with good racing ability as well as horses with limited talent. Overall this study shows that premie racing is likely to be beneficial for both the horse and the trainer.