Yearly variation in maize silage fermentation and nutritive quality

A significant effect of year on maize nutritive value has been reported in many studies; however, the direct effect of year on both nutritive values and fermentation traits of maize silage has not been directly investigated. During a 7‐year period (2006–2012), we investigated the following variables of 597 maize silages commercially produced in bunker silos on farms in the Czech Republic: dry‐matter content (DM), crude protein (CP), starch, amylase‐treated neutral detergent fibre (aNDF), acid detergent fibre (ADF) and net energy lactation (NEL), as well as fermentation traits such as pH, contents of lactic acid (LA), acetic acid (AA), butyric acid (BA) and the ratio between LA and volatile fatty acids. The effect of year and DM explained 16 and 30% of the variability in nutritive and fermentation traits respectively. Although a common silage DM content was used for each year, the climatic effect of year significantly changed almost all tested variables, but particularly aNDF, ADF, starch, AA and BA. The year contribution to trait variability effect was as much as two times higher for fermentation traits (12·6%) as for nutritive value (6·1%). Temperature–precipitation relationships associated with achieved maize yield were considered as factors explaining the year effect. Temperature and precipitation averaged over the full vegetation period had low relevance to nutritive and fermentation traits. This study reveals the importance of year‐to‐year variation in silage nutritive value and fermentation, which could be useful for understanding the contribution of year to these changes in both field experiments and national assessments.     

LAMP assay and rapid sample preparation method for on‐site detection of flavescence dorée phytoplasma in grapevine

In Europe the most devastating phytoplasma associated with grapevine yellows (GY) diseases is a quarantine pest, flavescence dorée (FDp), from the 16SrV taxonomic group. The on‐site detection of FDp with an affordable device would contribute to faster and more efficient decisions on the control measures for FDp. Therefore, a real‐time isothermal LAMP assay for detection of FDp was validated according to the EPPO standards and MIQE guidelines. The LAMP assay was shown to be specific and extremely sensitive, because it detected FDp in all leaf samples that were determined to be FDp infected using quantitative real‐time PCR. The whole procedure of sample preparation and testing was designed and optimized for on‐site detection and can be completed in one hour. The homogenization procedure of the grapevine samples (leaf vein, flower or berry) was optimized to allow direct testing of crude homogenates with the LAMP assay, without the need for DNA extraction, and was shown to be extremely sensitive.     

Characterization of Potato spindle tuber viroid (PSTVd) incidence and new variants from ornamentals

We analyzed the spreading and persistence of PSTVd variants in several ornamentals in the territory of the Czech Republic. The pool of PSTVd variants detected in Solanum jasminoides, S. muricatum, Datura sp. and Brugmansia sp. was biolistically transferred to Matricaria chamomilla, Argyranthemum frutescens and Diascia sp., species which we found as sensitive hosts for PSTVd from ornamentals. The PSTVd pool showed sequence changes and increased variation after its transfer to potato, suggesting a wide adaptation potential of PSTVd in this crop. Potato exhibited genotype-dependent leaf and spindle tuber symptoms, when inoculated with the sap from S. jasminoides infected with the predominant and sequence-stable PSTVd-S1.     

Phytosanitary status of grapevine in Montenegro

During 2006 and 2007, a survey on the incidence and distribution of fourteen grapevine viruses was carried out in the Skadar Lake basin, one of the two main grapevine‐growing areas of Montenegro. In total 165 samples were collected from four red (‘Vranac’, ‘Krato?ija’, ‘Merlot’ and ‘Cardinal’), two white (‘Chardonnay’ and ‘Rkaciteli’) and a few unknown grapevine varieties in the vicinity of Podgorica and Bar. The phytosanitary status of the collected samples was analysed by DAS‐ELISA and the presence of Grapevine fanleaf virus (GFLV), Grapevine leafroll‐associated virus 1 (GLRaV‐1), Grapevine leafroll‐associated virus 2 (GLRaV‐2) and Grapevine leafroll‐associated virus 3 (GLRaV‐3) was confirmed in some of them. The most frequently found virus in assayed samples was GLRaV‐3 (54.5%), followed by GFLV (23%), GLRaV‐1 (20%) and GLRaV‐2 (0.6%). These serological analyses showed the absence of Grapevine leafroll‐associated virus 6 (GLRaV‐6), Grapevine leafroll‐associated virus 7 (GLRaV‐7), Raspberry bushy dwarf virus (RBDV), Strawberry latent ringspot virus (SLRSV), Tomato ringspot virus (ToRSV), Raspberry ringspot virus (RpRSV), Arabis mosaic virus (ArMV), Tobacco ringspot virus (TRSV), Tomato black ring virus (TBRV) and Cherry leaf roll virus (CLRV) from all tested samples.     

Estimation of quantitative genetic parameters for grain yield and quality in winter wheat under high and low nitrogen fertilization

The main question connected with developing wheat cultivars adapted to low nitrogen (N) is whether separate breeding programs for low and high input conditions are necessary. Nineteen wheat cultivars were grown over three years in Croatia in a total of eight environments at high N and low N in order to determine the effect of two N levels on means, variances and heritability of grain yield and bread-making quality and to assess the relative efficiency of indirect selection under high N in improving trait means under low N. Means of grain yield and grain protein content decreased under low N 10 and 13 %, respectively compared to the high N, whereas higher reductions of means due to lower fertilization were observed for grain N yield (21 %), wet gluten content (20 %), Zeleny sedimentation value (27 %) and for most rheological parameters, whose mean values were reduced from 20 % to as much as 57 %. Heritabilities for grain yield and grain N yield at high N were 0.82 and 0.76, respectively, and 0.77 and 0.43 at low N. Heritability for dough development time, stability and resistance also tended to be higher at high N than at low N due to a decrease in genetic variance and an increase in error variance at low N. The genetic correlation coefficients between high and low N were higher than 0.90 and the efficiency of indirect selection under high N for performance under low N was near 1.0 for grain yield and for most bread-making quality traits.     

Degradation Kinetics of an Aged Hydrocarbon-Contaminated Soil

PM2.5 and PM10 samples were collected in the urban atmosphere of Elche (southeastern Spain) between December 2004 and November 2005. The samples were analyzed for mass and water-soluble inorganic ions (Na⁺, ${\text{NH}}^{{\text{ + }}}_{{\text{4}}}$ , K⁺, Ca²⁺, Mg²⁺, Cl^?, ${\text{NO}}^{{\text{ - }}}_{{\text{3}}}$ and ${\text{SO}}^{{{\text{2 - }}}}_{{\text{4}}}$ ) with the aim of investigating the influence of the climatic and geographic features of a coastal semiarid area on the contribution of these species to PM levels. Secondary inorganic ions ( ${\text{SO}}^{{{\text{2 - }}}}_{{\text{4}}}$ , ${\text{NO}}^{{\text{ - }}}_{{\text{3}}}$ , ${\text{NH}}^{{\text{ + }}}_{{\text{4}}}$ ) were the major components in the fine fraction (PM2.5), accounting for 40% of the total mass. The relationship between non-marine ${\text{SO}}^{{{\text{2 - }}}}_{{\text{4}}}$ and ${\text{NH}}^{{\text{ + }}}_{{\text{4}}}$ indicated that fine sulfate particles were completely neutralized by ammonium. In the coarse fraction (PM10–2.5), nitrate (as NaNO₃ and Ca(NO₃)₂), together with crustal (CaCO₃) and marine species (NaCl) accounted for almost 50% of the total mass. Fine sulfate and coarse nitrate showed summer maximums. In contrast, the concentrations of fine ${\text{NO}}^{{\text{ - }}}_{{\text{3}}}$ were lowest in the warm period. Ammonium presented both winter and summer maximums. The levels of marine ions, except for coarse Cl^?, were highest in summer when the dominant wind flow is from the sea. No significant seasonal variations were observed for coarse Ca²⁺ and ${\text{SO}}^{{{\text{2 - }}}}_{{\text{4}}}$ . The concentrations of all inorganic ions increased during Saharan dust events, in particular, fine ${\text{NH}}^{{\text{ + }}}_{{\text{4}}}$ and ${\text{SO}}^{{{\text{2 - }}}}_{{\text{4}}}$ and coarse $NO_3^ - $ . Coarse calcium was proved not to be a good tracer for this type of episode in our region since the average levels of this cation are elevated and the relative increase in its concentrations during African events was not as high as expected.     

Alkaline Comet Assay as a Potential Tool in the Assessment of DNA Integrity in Freshwater Zooplankton Affected by Pollutants from Water Treatment Facility

Water, Air, & Soil Pollution - In this pilot study, we evaluated the usefulness of the alkaline comet assay as a biomonitoring tool at the level of plankton communities affected by varying...     

Determination of annual reproductive cycle in male sterlet,Acipenser ruthenus using histology and ultrasound imaging

Fish Physiology and Biochemistry - The aim of this study was to evaluate seasonal testicular development in the cultured sterlet, Acipenser ruthenus. During annual sexual cycle of male sterlet,...     

Novel technique for definite blastomere inhibition and distribution of maternal RNA in sterlet Acipenser ruthenus embryo

Fisheries Science - The cleavage pattern of a vertebrate’s embryo is either holoblastic (complete) or meroblastic (partial). Sturgeon and other basal bony fishes represent a transition of the...