Anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and antifungal furanosesquiterpenoids isolated from Commiphora erythraea (Ehrenb.) Engl. resin

The topical anti-inflammatory, free radical scavenging and antifungal activities of essential oils and extracts of Commiphora erythraea (Ehrenb.) Engl. resin were investigated. The hexane extract significantly inhibited oedema when applied topically in Croton oil-induced ear oedema assay in mice. The same extract showed antioxidant activity in DPPH radical scavenging assay. A bioguided separation of the hexane extract led to the isolation of furanosesquiterpenoids 1 and 2 that showed a weak antifungal activity, while compounds 3-5 resulted to be antioxidant (EC₅₀ 4.28, 2.56 and 1.08 mg/mL, respectively) and anti-inflammatory (30, 26 and 32% oedema reduction, respectively).     

Host preference of Thrips hawaiiensis for different ornamental plants

Journal of Pest Science - Thrips hawaiiensis is a common thrips pest that damages the flowers of various plants. The differing population sizes of T. hawaiiensis among host plants suggest its...     

Identifying superior rainfed barley genotypes in farmers’ fields using participatory varietal selection

This study was carried out to identify superior barley genotypes for the rainfed areas of western Iran using a participatory varietal selection (PVS) approach. Three field experiments were conducted in two randomly selected farmers’ fields and in one rainfed research station in the 2006–07 cropping season with 69 genotypes (including one local and one improved check). Several univariate and multivariate methods were used to analyze qualitative (farmers’ scores) and quantitative (grain yield) data. Individual farmers’ scores in each village were positively correlated, indicating that the farmers tended to discriminate genotypes in similar fashion, although the genotypes actually selected by farmers were different in the two villages. In recent years, a greater number of farmers in western Iran preferred the improved variety (Sararood-1) over the local barley (Mahali), while in this project the farmers preferred the new genotypes over the two checks. This was also verified by the quantitative data showing that the checks were outyielded by the new genotypes. Farmers were efficient in identifying the best genotypes for their specific environment, as shown by biplot analysis, indicating their competence in selection. The genotypes selected by the breeder and farmers were almost similar but some differences existed. In conclusion, PVS is a powerful way to involve farmers for selecting and testing new cultivars that are adapted to their needs, systems and environments.     

Evolutionary analysis of Citrus tristeza virus outbreaks in Calabria,Italy: two rapidly spreading and independent introductions of mild and severe isolates

The evolution of citrus tristeza virus (CTV) from outbreaks occurred in Calabria, Italy, was compared with that of CTV outbreaks reported previously in another two proximal Italian regions, Sicily and Apulia. Examination of four genomic regions (genes p20, p25 and p23, and one fragment of open reading frame 1) showed two recombination events, and phylogenetic analysis disclosed two divergent CTV groups in Calabria: one formed by severe and the other by mild isolates. This analysis, together with others involving population genetic parameters, revealed a low migration rate of CTV between the three Italian regions, as well as significant differences in selective pressures, epidemiology and demography, all affecting the genetic structure of CTV populations.     

First interception of the asiatic Bamboo longhorn, <Emphasis Type="Italic">Chlorophorus annularis</Emphasis> (F., 1787) (Coleoptera,Cerambycidae) in Italy

This study provide information on the first occurrence in Italy of the Coleoptera Cerambycidae Chlorophorus annularis (Fabricius, 1787). It is a species naturally and widely distributed in Asia and in oriental tropical and subtropical areas. This cerambyx is a post-harvest pest of bamboo belonging to several genera as Bambusa, Dendrocalamus, Phyllostachys, Sinocalamus, but it can also infest cultivated plants as Citrus spp., Gossypium, Liquidambar spp., Saccharum officinarum L., Vitis spp., and Zea mays L.     

Resistance traits and AFLP characterization of diploid primitive tuber-bearing potatoes

Worldwide, a variety of pathogens negatively affect potato production, resulting in an estimated 22% annual yield reduction. Wild Solanum species represent a unique gene pool where all the traits necessary to improve the cultivated potato can be found. Therefore, breeding efforts for improved disease resistance and research aimed at characterizing wild germplasm have been extensively made. In this paper, sources of resistance to Phytophthora infestans, Erwinia carotovora subsp. carotovora, Fusarium solani and Globodera spp. have been investigated in several clones of two Solanum species originating from Central Mexico (S. bulbocastanum and S. cardiophyllum). Interestingly, we found sources of combined resistance to late blight and bacterial soft rot. This is an important finding considering that the development of resistant potato varieties has been hindered by the scarcity of resistant germplasm. In addition, we explored molecular differences within and between the two species generating AFLP fingerprints. By means of six primer pair combinations, we found 13 and 16 putative species-specific AFLP markers for S. bulbocastanum and S. cardiophyllum, respectively, and a bounty of markers useful for mapping, MAS, and cloning purposes. The phenotypic and molecular information associated to S. bulbocastanum and S. cardiophyllum for designing strategies of assisted selection are discussed.     

Relationship between inbreeding and milk production traits in two Italian dairy sheep breeds

The effects of inbreeding in livestock species breeds have been well documented and they have a negative impact on profitability. The objective of this study was to evaluate the levels of inbreeding in Sarda (SAR, n = 785) and Valle del Belice (VdB, n = 473) dairy sheep breeds and their impact on milk production traits. Two inbreeding coefficients (F) were estimated: using pedigree (F_PED), or runs of homozygosity (ROH; F_ROH) at different minimum ROH lengths and different ROH classes. After the quality control, 38,779 single nucleotide polymorphisms remained for further analyses. A mixed-linear model was used to evaluate the impact of inbreeding coefficients on production traits within each breed. VdB showed higher inbreeding coefficients compared to SAR, with both breeds showing lower estimates as the minimum ROH length increased. Significant inbreeding depression was found only for milk yield, with a loss of around 7 g/day (for SAR) and 9 g/day (VdB) for a 1% increase of F_ROH. The present study confirms how the use of genomic information can be used to manage intra-breed diversity and to calculate the effects of inbreeding on phenotypic traits.     

Molecular characterization of a compost and its water-soluble fractions

A sequential chemical fractionation was applied to a compost, with its dissolved organic matter (DOM) extracted in water and separated in hydrophilic (HiDOM) and hydrophobic (HoDOM) components and a water extract, following oxidation of compost suspension with an oxygen flux (TEA). The components sequentially isolated by mild extractions and hydrolyses as structurally unbound (SU), weakly bound (WB), and strongly bound (SB) to the matrix of the bulk compost and its water-soluble fractions were identified in their molecular structure. The bulk compost was rich with components derived from both aromatic (phenolic compounds) and aliphatic (long-chain fatty acids, hydroxy acids, diacids, and alcohols) structures of suberins, whereas components derived from cutins were especially extracted from TEA, HoDOM, and HiDOM. The TEA sample also yielded a significant amount of oxidized products that was dominated by dehydroabietic acids. The fractionation sequence highlighted the different intermolecular interactions that bound the isolated molecular components to the compost complex matrix. While a significant part of the bulk compost was still present as a solid residue at the end of the sequential fractionation, all water-soluble fractions were almost completely hydrolyzed. These results indicate that the water-soluble components of compost may be readily separated from the compost matrix and contribute to the environmental dynamics of natural organic matter.     

Genetic variation for phenolic acids concentration and composition in a tetraploid wheat (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Triticum turgidum</Emphasis> L.) collection

Phenolic acid intake through the consumption of whole-wheat foods provides important health benefits associated with reduced risks of cardiovascular diseases and colon cancer. The genetic variation for phenolic acids was extensively studied in common wheat, but a comprehensive survey in tetraploid wheat is lacking. In this study we evaluated the genetic variability for individual and total phenolic acids concentration existing in a large collection of tetraploid wheat (Triticum turgidum L.). A 2-year evaluation was undertaken on the whole-meal flour of 111 genotypes belonging to seven T. turgidum subspecies including cultivars, landraces and wild accessions. Durum cultivars [T. turgidum subsp. durum (Desf.) MacKey], had the highest average concentration of total phenolic acids (828.7 μg g^?1 dm in 2012; 834.5 μg g^?1 dm in 2013) with amounts varying from 550.9 μg g^?1 dm to 1701.2 μg g^?1 dm, indicating a variation of greater than threefold fold. The lowest concentration of phenolic acids was found in T. turgidum subsp. dicoccum (Schrank ex Schübler) Thell. Rivet wheat (T. turgidum L. subsp. turgidum) had phenolic acid concentrations similar to those in durum, but less variation was noted among the accessions. On the other hand, the accessions of the four remaining subspecies showed lower phenolic acid concentrations and variation among the accessions as compared to durum. A total of six phenolic acids were identified across the wheat genotypes. The effects of genotype, year and year × genotype were estimated by ANOVA and resulted significant for all phenolic acids. The ratio of genotypic variance to total variance suggested the possibility of improving phenolic acid content in elite wheat germplasm through appropriate breeding programs. Moreover, significant correlations between phenolic acids and other quality characteristics of the grain were detected.