A comparison of the use of different swab materials for optimal diagnosis of amoebic gill disease (AGD) in Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar L.)

Routine gill swabbing is a non-destructive sampling method used for the downstream qPCR detection and quantitation of the pathogen Neoparamoeba perurans, a causative agent of amoebic gill disease (AGD). Three commercially available swabs were compared aiming their application for timelier AGD diagnosis (Calgiswab^® (calcium alginate fibre-tipped), Isohelix^® DNA buccal and cotton wool-tipped). Calcium alginate is soluble in most sodium salts, which potentially allows the total recovery of biological material, hence a better extraction of target organisms’ DNA. Thus, this study consisted of (a) an in vitro assessment involving spiking of the swabs with known amounts of amoebae and additional assessment of retrieval efficiency of amoebae from agar plates; (b) in vivo testing by swabbing of gill arches (second, third and fourth) of AGD-infected fish. Both in vitro and in vivo experiments identified an enhanced amoeba retrieval with Calgiswab® and Isohelix® swabs in comparison with cotton swabs. Additionally, the third and fourth gill arches presented significantly higher amoebic loads compared to the second gill arch. Results suggest that limiting routine gill swabbing to one or two arches, instead of all, could likely lead to reduced stress-related effects incurred by handling and sampling and a timelier diagnosis of AGD.     

Heavy Metals in Water Percolating Through Soil Fertilized with Biodegradable Waste Materials

The influence of manure and composts on the leaching of heavy metals from soil was evaluated in a model lysimeter experiment under controlled conditions. Soil samples were collected from experimental fields, from 0- to 90-cm layers retaining the layout of the soil profile layers, after the second crop rotation cycle with the following plant species: potatoes, spring barley, winter rapeseed, and winter wheat. During the field experiment, 20 t DM/ha of manure, municipal sewage sludge composted with straw (SSCS), composted sewage sludge (SSC), dried granular sewage sludge (DGSS), “Dano” compost made from non-segregated municipal waste (CMMW), and compost made from municipal green waste (CUGW) was applied, i.e., 10 t DM/ha per crop rotation cycle. The concentrations (μg/dm³) of heavy metals in the leachate were as follows: Cd (3.6–11.5)?<?Mn (4.8–15.4)?<?Cu (13.4–35.5)?<?Zn (27.5–48.0)?<?Cr (36.7–96.5)?<?Ni (24.4–165.8)?<?Pb (113.8–187.7). Soil fertilization with organic waste materials did not contaminate the percolating water with manganese or zinc, whereas the concentrations of the other metals increased to the levels characteristic of unsatisfactory water quality and poor water quality classes. The copper and nickel content of percolating water depended on the concentration of those metals introduced into the soil with organic waste materials. The concentrations of Cd in the leachate increased, whereas the concentrations of Cu and Ni decreased with increasing organic C content of organic fertilizers. The widening of the C/N ratio contributed to Mn leaching. The concentrations of Pb, Cr, and Mn in the percolating water were positively correlated with the organic C content of soil.     

Effects of a short period of drought on changes in tuber volume and specific leaf weight. II. Diurnal changes

Summary Single-stemmed potato plants, cv. Bintje, were grown on a nutrient solution under controlled conditions. They were exposed to a short drought stress, or remained untreated. Short-term changes in tuber volume and in specific leaf weight were measured non-destructively. Tubers from control plants increased rapidly in volume during the night and did not grow, or even shrivelled during the day. Tubers of stressed plants did not show a uniform response; some tubers markedly declined in volume during the day. The patterns of volume increase of stressed plants became erratic after the stress, mainly because some plants never fully recovered. Patterns of diurnal fluctuation in tuber volume were similar to diurnal changes in specific leaf weight; tubers within the same stressed plant sometimes reacted differently. In these cases the effects on the diurnal fluctuation partly reflected the long-term effects, reported in an earlier paper.     

Expression of proopiomelanocortin, proenkephalin and prodynorphin genes in porcine luteal cells

The objective of the study was to examine the expression of the genes coding for proopiomelanocortin (POMC), proenkephalin (PENK) and prodynorphin (PDYN) in porcine luteal cells isolated from corpora lutea (CL) collected on days 3-6, 8-10 and 13-16 of the oestrous cycle. Total RNA was purified from non-incubated cells and from cells incubated for 48 h in the absence or presence of luteinising hormone (LH). The semi-quantitative RT-PCR technique, involving coamplification of the target and control cDNA (beta-actin or 18S rRNA), was used to examine gene expression. It was found that the genes coding for opioid precursors are expressed in both non-incubated and incubated porcine luteal cells representing the early, mid- and late luteal phase. In non-incubated cells, only POMC mRNA content changed during CL development, whereas the expression of PENK and PDYN genes remained relatively constant. Additionally, the treatment of cells with LH markedly affected the expression of POMC and PENK, but no influence on PDYN expression was observed. The present study indicates that porcine luteal cells may produce opioid peptides and that gene expression of their precursors (except for PDYN) may be modulated in these cells by LH. Moreover, the present results support the involvement of opioid peptides in local regulation within the CL of the pig.     

The effects of GnRH and adrenergic agents on PRL and beta-endorphin secretion by porcine pituitary cells in vitro

The direct effects of alpha- and beta-adrenergic agents on PRL and beta-endorphin (beta-END) secretion in vitro by porcine pituitary cells have been investigated. Pituitary glands were obtained from mature gilts, which were ovariectomised (OVX) one month before slaughter. Ovariectomised gilts, assigned to four groups, were primed with: (1) vehicle (OVX); (2) and (3) oestradiol benzoate (EB; 2.5 mg/100 kg b.w.) at 30-36 h (OVX+EB I) and 60-66 h (OVX+EB II) before slaughter, respectively; and (4) progesterone (P4; 120 mg/100 kg b.w.) for 5 consecutive days before slaughter (OVX+P4). Isolated anterior pituitary cells were submitted to 3.5 h incubation in the presence of GnRH, alpha- and beta-adrenergic agonists [phenylephrine (PHEN) and isoproterenol (ISOP), respectively], or alpha- and beta-adrenergic blockers [phentolamine (PHENT) and propranolol (PROP), respectively]. The culture media were assayed for PRL (exp. I) and beta-endorphin-like immunoreactivity (beta-END-LI) (experiment II). In experiment I, GnRH did not influence PRL release by pituitary cells in all experimental groups. Some of tested doses of adrenergic agonists, PHEN and ISOP, increased PRL release from pituitary cells of OVX gilts, but not from those of OVX+EB I animals. In the OVX+EB II group, PHEN alone, but ISOP with PROP, potentiated PRL secretion by the cells. In OVX+P4 animals, PHEN alone or in combination with PHENT and also ISOP alone or with PROP enhanced PRL output from the cells. In experiment II, addition of GnRH increased beta-END-LI release from pituitary cells only in the OVX+EB II group. PHEN and PHENT potentiated beta-END-LI secretion by pituitary cells in OVX+EB II and OVX+P4 groups, while ISOP and PROP increased beta-END-LI secretion by the cells of OVX and OVX+EB II animals. In turn, in the OVX+EB I group, effect of PHENT and PROP on PRL secretion by pituitary cells was inhibitory. In conclusion, our results suggest that adrenergic agents can modulate PRL and beta-END secretion by porcine pituitary cells in a manner dependent on the hormonal status of gilts.     

QTLs for potato tuber resistance to Dickeya solani are located on chromosomes II and IV

The goal of this research was to identify quantitative trait loci (QTLs) for potato tuber resistance to the soil- and seedborne bacterium Dickeya solani and for tuber starch content, to study the relationship between these traits. A resistant diploid hybrid of potato, DG 00-270, was crossed with a susceptible hybrid, DG 08-305, to generate the F₁ mapping population. Tubers that were wound-inoculated with bacteria were evaluated for disease severity, expressed as the mean weight of rotted tubers, and disease incidence, measured as the proportion of rotten tubers. Diversity array technology (DArTseq) was used for genetic map construction and QTL analysis. The most prominent QTLs for disease severity and incidence were identified in overlapping regions on potato chromosome IV and explained 22.4% and 22.9% of the phenotypic variance, respectively. The second QTL for disease severity was mapped to chromosome II and explained 16.5% of the variance. QTLs for starch content were detected on chromosomes III, V, VI, VII, VIII, IX, XI, and XII in regions different from the QTLs for soft rot resistance. Two strong and reproducible QTLs for resistance to D. solani on potato chromosomes IV and II might be useful for further study of candidate genes and marker development in potato breeding programmes. The relationship between tuber resistance to bacteria and the starch content in potato tubers was not confirmed by QTL mapping, which makes the selection of genotypes highly resistant to soft rot with a desirable starch content feasible.     

Impact of crop production system on the content of macronutrients in potato tubers

ABSTRACT

The content of macronutrients in potato tubers arouses interest because of their substantial consumption in the world and significant role in elements' budget in human diet. The research objective has been to evaluate the content of macronutrients in tubers of potatoes grown in different systems of crop production in Poland. In 2012–2014, an experiment was conducted to test potato cultivation in three-crop production systems: conventional, integrated and organic. In each of the six-field crop rotation systems, there were five potato cultivars classified into different earliness groups. The following macronutrients in dry mass of potato tubers were determined: N, P, K, Ca, Mg, Na, S and Cl, and the various ratios between them were calculated. The research carried out proved that potatoes production systems affect the chemical composition of tubers, which is additionally modified by whether condition and genetic features of cultivars. Potato tubers from organic farming contained by about 20% less N than tubers from conventional or integrated systems. Potato tubers from organic production system displayed lower content of Ca and Na in comparison with the conventional and integrated systems. The least of P and S were detected in tubers of the potatoes grown conventionally.     

The effect of rhizobiophages on<Emphasis Type="Italic"> Sinorhizobium meliloti</Emphasis> -<Emphasis Type="Italic"> Medicago sativa</Emphasis> symbiosis

Using Tn5 mutagenesis of lysogenic Sinorhizobium meliloti strain L5–30 (L54), three neomycin-resistant transconjugants differing in phage-resistance profiles were isolated. Two of them increased the dry weight of plants and were capable of establishing root nodules, whereas the third one was ineffective. The bacterium-phage interaction did not have observable consequences in the Medicago sativa - S. meliloti symbiosis because it did not affect the number of nodules on M. sativa or plant dry weight.