Intralesional bovine papillomavirus DNA loads reflect severity of equine sarcoid disease

Reasons for performing study: Sarcoids are nonmetastasising, yet locally aggressive skin tumours that constitute the most frequent neoplasm in equids. Infection by bovine papillomaviruses types 1 and 2 (BPV‐1, BPV‐2) has been recognised as major causative factor in sarcoid pathogenesis, but a possible correlation of intralesional virus load with disease severity has not been established thus far. Hypothesis: Given the pathogenic role of BPV‐1 and BPV‐2 in sarcoid disease, we suggest that intralesional viral DNA concentration may reflect the degree of affection. Methods: Severity of disease was addressed by recording the tumour growth kinetics, lesion number and tumour type for 37 sarcoid‐bearing horses and one donkey. Viral load was estimated via quantitative real‐time PCR (qPCR) of the E2, E5, L1 and L2 genes from the BPV‐1/‐2 genome for one randomly selected lesion per horse and correlated with disease severity. Results: Quantitative PCR against E2 identified viral DNA concentrations ranging from 0–556 copies/tumour cell. Of 16 horses affected by quiescent, slowly growing single tumours or multiple mild‐type lesions, 15 showed a viral load up to 1.4 copies per cell. In stark contrast, all equids (22/22) bearing rapidly growing and/or multiple aggressive sarcoids had a viral load between 3 and 569 copies per cell. Consistent results were obtained with qPCR against E5, L1 and L2. Conclusions: While tumours of the same clinical type carried variable virus load, confirming that viral titre does not determine clinical appearance, we identified a highly significant correlation between intralesional viral load and disease severity. Potential relevance: The rapid determination of BPV viral load will give a reliable marker for disease severity and may also be considered when establishing a therapeutic strategy.     

The potential drivers in forming avian biodiversity hotspots in the East Himalaya Mountains of Southwest China

Little has been published to describe or interpret Asian biodiversity hotspots, including those in the East Himalayan Mountains of Southwest China (HMSC), thus making necessary a review of the current knowledge. The Pliocene and Pleistocene geological and glacial histories of the Asian continent differ from those of Europe and North America, suggesting different mechanisms of speciation and extinction, and, thus, different responses to climate changes during the Quaternary glaciations. This short review summarizes potential drivers in shaping and maintaining high species richness and endemism of birds in the HMSC. The geographical location at the junction of different biogeographical realms, the wide range of habitats and climates along the extensive elevational range, the complex topography and the distinct geological history of this region have probably contributed to the evolution of an exceptionally species‐rich and endemic‐rich, specialized montane avian fauna. The Mountain systems in the HMSC may have provided refugia where species survived during the glacial periods and barriers for preventing species dispersal after the glacial periods. More studies are required to further test this refugia hypothesis by comparing more cold‐tolerent and warm‐tolerent species.     

Pharmacokinetics of ascorbic acid in horses

The pharmacokinetics of ascorbic acid were studied in 29 horses after intravenous (iv), subcutaneous, intramuscular (im) and oral administration. Following iv injection of 5 and 10 g ascorbic acid, respectively, a biphasic decline of ascorbic acid serum levels was found, indicating that the vitamin distributes in the body according to a two-compartment open model. The apparent volume of distribution (average value for V_d(ss)= 0.6 litre/kg) was approximately equivalent to the volume of total body water. The terminal half-life of the biexponential serum level-time curve (t_1/2β) varied between 5 and 17 h. Both distribution and elimination were found to be positively correlated with the iv dose administered. Following subcutaneous and im injection, the average bioavailability of ascorbic acid amounted to 82 and 61 per cent, respectively. However, both routes of administration gave rise to marked local irritation. Following oral administration, the systemic availability of ascorbic acid was very poor. Serum levels in most experiments were not increased above the endogenous pre-administration values of the vitamin. Thus, in horses iv injection appears to be the only satisfactory route of administration of ascorbic acid if supplementation is required.     

Effects of varying nitrogen doses on yield,yield components and artemisinin content of Artemisia annua L.

Artemisia annua L. is an aromatic-antibacterial herb that destroys malarial parasites, lowers fevers and checks bleeding, and of which the secondary compound of interest is artemisinin. The objective of the present study was to determine yield, yield components and artemisinin content of A. annua L. grown under four nitrogen applications (0, 40, 80 and 120 kg ha⁻¹) in the Çukurova region of Turkey in 2004 and 2005. Field trials were conducted at Çukurova University, Agricultural Faculty Field Crops Department. In the study, plant height, number of branches, fresh herbage yield, dry herbage yield, fresh leaf yield, dry leaf yield, essential oil content and artemisinin content (by high performance liquid chromatography, HPLC) were examined. By analysis of variance, nitrogen doses had no any statistical effect on the traits investigated except for artemisinin content. Artemisinin content of the dried leaves were significantly affected by nitrogen applications, which varied from 6.32 to 27.50 mg 100 g⁻¹. Contents were from 120 and 80 kg ha⁻¹ nitrogen for the years of 2004 and 2005, respectively.     

Construction and characterization of a BAC library for sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.)

A bacterial artificial chromosome (BAC) library was constructed using the sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) restorer line RHA325, which carries the restorer gene Rf1 and the Pl2-gene conferring resistance to downy mildew. High molecular weight DNA was prepared from nuclei using leaf material from two-week old seedlings. The library was constructed using the HindIII site of pBeloBAC11. The current BAC library comprises 104,736 clones. The insert size of the clones varied between 20 and 270 kb, with an average insert size of 60 kb. The whole 1.9× sunflower BAC library was spotted in duplicate on four high-density filters, each carrying 55,296 clones. The content of organellar DNA, which was estimated by colony hybridisation against the mitochondrial probe coxI and the chloroplast probe rbcL, proved to be less than 0.03 and 0.1%, respectively. BAC pools, allowing PCR-based screening, were made and used to identify positive BAC clones for the markers OP-K13_454, closely linked to the restorer gene Rf1. The PCR-based screening was verified by the results obtained for this marker by colony hybridisation.     

Selection of wheat based on economic returns per unit area

This study aimed to investigate a cultivar selection criterion based on income ha⁻¹ in common wheat. Regional yield trials with 20 entries were planted in Diyarbakır, Hazro and Ceylanpınar in southeast Anatolia in the 2004/2005 growing season. A randomized complete block design with four replications was employed. Grain samples from each location were subjected to quality analyses, and then presented to randomly selected grain purchasers with the local commodity market for market price estimations. Entries 1, 9, 10, 7 and 6 were the top five ranking entries for grain yield, giving 5,320, 5,290, 5,280, 5,140 and 5,130 kg ha⁻¹, respectively. From the market price perspective, entries 17, 3, 7, 20 and 8 received the five highest marketing price offers with the values 239.0, 238.1, 237.1, 236.9 and 236.7 US$ tonne⁻¹, respectively. There was a US$ 10.94 tonne⁻¹ market price difference between entries with the highest and the lowest market price. The only quality analyses showing significant correlations with market price were Zeleny sedimentation value and hectolitre weights (kg hl⁻¹). From thev production income [= marketing price (US$ tonne⁻¹) × grain yield (kg ha⁻¹)] point of view, entries 9, 10, 1, 7 and 6 were ranked from 1st to 5th for production income ha⁻¹ with the values 1,241.0, 1,238.0, 1,219.9, 1,214.2 and 1,209.3 US$ ha⁻¹, respectively. All five high yielding entries were also high-income entries. A rank stability analysis further indicated that entry numbers 6, 7, 8, 4 and 1 stable for high production income ha⁻¹. A simulation study, based on allocation of additional premiums for high quality indicated that entries 9,1,10, 7, and 6 would be top ranking for high income ha⁻¹ if given an additional premium of as much as twice the standard deviations of market price for each entry (the highest premium limit; 20.24 US$ tonne⁻¹). The order for cultivar preference for high production income ha⁻¹ would change and would generate 1,321.94, 1,296.20, 1,281.11, 1,258.06 and 1,243.01 US$ ha⁻¹, respectively. It was concluded that the relatively quality conscious Şanlıurfa commodity market does not offer adequate premiums for the high quality grains. This results in farmer preference for high yielding lower quality cultivars. Even though quality cannot be neglected, and cultivar preference could change with additional premiums, breeders must give more attention to high production income ha⁻¹.     

The Impact of Wood Ash and Green Liquor Dregs Application on Ca, Cu, Zn and Cd Contents in Bark and Wood of Norway Spruce

To counteract nutrient depletion and acidification of forest soils, recycling of waste products from the forest industry has been suggested. Spreading of these waste products will probably change the concentration and availability of Ca and heavy metals in forest soils and thereby the contents of these metals in trees. This field study aimed at examining the influence of pellets of wood ash (ash) or a mixture of wood ash and green liquor dregs (ash+GLD) on the contents of Ca, Cd, Cu and Zn in wood and bark of Norway spruce [Picea abies (L.) Karst.]. The waste products were spread in an amount of 3000 kg ha^?1 in 1996 at a felling site in Sweden and in 1999 and 2002 young spruce trees, planted in 1995, were collected and wood and bark were analysed for Ca, Cd, Cu and Zn with AAS. Changes in the metal content of wood and bark of young spruce trees were found 3 and 6 years after spreading pellets of ash or ash+GLD compared with the control. The effect of the treatments on the metal contents of bark and wood differed and was larger after 3 years than after 6 years. Treatment with ash+GLD tended to have less effect on the metal contents of bark and wood than treatment with only ash. An increase in the contents of Cu and Zn in bark or wood, compared with the control, was only found for the ash treatment and only 3 years after application. Both the ash and ash+GLD treatment decreased the Cd content of the wood and/or bark after 3 years, and after 6 years it still was, or tended to be, lower than the control.     

STUDIES ON DIFFERENTIAL RESPONSE OF SPRING CANOLA CULTIVARS TO BORON TOXICITY

Although many states recommend boron (B) fertilizer for many field crops, information about B toxicity of canola is lacking. This experiment was carried out at Central Anatolia, Turkey from 2002 to 2003, to determine genotypic range in B efficiency of eight spring canola cultivars, to identify the B-inefficient cultivars and to identify specific responses. The cultivars were grown under B moderate deficiency (extractable B 0.56 mg kg^?1) and toxic B applied (15 kg B ha^?1) conditions. According to the results, seed yield varied significantly among the cultivars and B application decreased the seed yield by 31% on average. Also, toxic B application reduced protein and oil contents similar to seed yield, and increased leaf B concentration in all varieties. This study has shown that leaf B concentration has increased considerably when B is applied to Pactol and Star cultivars, but seed yield of +B and ?B has not shown significantly a change. It is possible to say that Star and Pactol—which have not been affected by the toxic B application—are genotypes that are tolerant to B toxicity and may be cultivated at B toxic lands.     

Phylogenetic relationships among Triticum L. and Aegilops L. species as genome progenitors of bread wheat based on sequence diversity in trnT-F region of chloroplast DNA

Cultivated wheat, (Triticum aestivum L.), is one of the most important food crops in the world. The Aegilops L. genus is frequently utilized by plant breeders for improving the current wheat cultivars due to their close relationships. Therefore, understanding the phylogenetic relationships among the species of these genera is not only valuable for plant taxonomy, but also for plant breeding efforts. The presented phylogenetic analysis was based on the sequences of trnT-F chloroplast DNA containing three non-coding sub-regions. Twelve genotypes belonging to four species of Triticum L. genus and twenty-four genotypes belonging to eight species of Aegilops genus were used in the current study. The results postulated a close genetic relationship between diploid Aegilops species containing the BB genome and polyploid Triticum species. With the exception of Aegilops cylindrica Host (CCDD), all other Aegilops species having the CC genome were alienated from Aegilops speltoides Tausch (BB) and clustered together. These two clusters joined by a third cluster including the AA genome containing diploid Triticum species.     

Determination of vc and mating types of Cryphonectria parasitica isolates by multiplex PCR and their genetic diversity in 13 chestnut-growing provinces of Turkey

Vegetative compatibility (vc) and mating types and genetic diversity of Cryphonectria parasitica isolates were determined using 183 isolates obtained from 215 infected chestnut trees growing in 13 provinces of Turkey. Based on the cultural aspects, 143 of these isolates were evaluated as virulent whereas the remaining 40 isolates were hypovirulent. When vc types of 183 isolates were classically differentiated, 135 of them matched to EU-1 (82.3%), 29 of them to EU-12 (17.6%) vc type, whereas 19 of them did not match to the two. When molecular vic markers were used, all the isolates were assigned to two EU vc types; 149 to EU-1 (81.4%) and 34 (18.5%) to EU-12. Of the majority of the isolates, 134 (73.2%) had mating-type MAT-1, while 44 (24%) isolates had MAT-2 and 5 (2.8%) isolates had both mating types. The population analysis based on two DNA marker systems, Inter-Primer Binding Site and Start Codon Targeted Polymorphism, showed no intraspecific genetic variation among the C. parasitica isolates. The prevalence of two dominant vc types revealed by this study shows that biological control with hypovirulent EU-1 and EU-12 isolates will be significant for the country. The results might be helpful to chestnut breeders carrying out resistance breeding studies to manage this disease based on hypovirulence attributed to Cryphonectria hypovirus 1.