Effects of four egg desticking procedures on hatching rate and further survival and growth of larvae in the tench (Tinca tinca L.)

Four desticking procedures for tench eggs (A: tannic acid solution (1 g L⁻¹) for 15 s; B: alcalase enzyme solution (8 mL L⁻¹) for 60 s; C: alcalase enzyme solution (15 mL L⁻¹) for 120 s; D: Woynarovich and Woynarovich (1980) solution for 58 min followed by tannic acid solution (1 g L⁻¹) for 15 s) were tested to obtain data about influence on embryo survival to hatching stage and further survival and growth of the larvae. In the tannic acid and Woynarovich and Woynarovich (1980) treatment (A and D) few eggs stuck together and some were adhered to the incubator walls, whereas in the alcalase treatments (B and C) eggs neither stuck together nor adhered to the incubator walls. Percentages of hatched larvae did not show significant differences (mean values ranged between 47.4% in treatment A to 37.0% in treatment C). Larvae deformities observed were <0.5% in all cases. There were no significant differences among survival and growth rates of the larvae from different egg desticking origin, reaching, after 30 days, mean survival values around 90% and total length and weight of 12.5 mm and 19 mg respectively.     

Collection of Lupinus angustifolius L. Germplasm and Characterisation of Morphological and Molecular Diversity

Lupinus angustifolius L. is a Mediterranean species, domesticated in the 20th century, representing an important grain legume crop in Australia and other countries. This work is focused on the collection of wild germplasm and on the characterisation of morphological and molecular diversity of germplasm accessions. It reports the collection of 81 wild L. angustifolius accessions from the South and Centre of Portugal, available at the ‘Instituto Superior de Agronomia Gene Bank’, with subsequent morphological and molecular characterisation of a selection of these and other accessions. A multivariate analysis of morphological traits on 88 L. angustifolius accessions (including 59 wild Portuguese accessions, 15 cultivars and 14 breeding lines) showed a cline of variation on wild germplasm, with plants from Southern Portugal characterised by earlier flowering, higher vegetative development and larger seeds. AFLP and ISSR molecular markers grouped modern cultivars as sub-clusters within the wider diversity of wild germplasm, revealing the narrow pool of genetic diversity on which domesticated accessions are based. The importance of preserving, characterising and using wild genetic resources for L. angustifolius crop improvement is outlined by the results obtained.     

Effects of elevated temperature, elevated CO2 and fertilization on quality and subsequent decomposition of silver birch leaf litter

We examined the quality and decomposition of naturally abscised leaves of silver birch (Betula pendula) seedlings subjected to three different levels of fertilization under ambient and elevated levels of temperature and CO₂. At the end of the second growing season, the chemical composition of the litter collected from the seedlings was analyzed. Whole-leaf samples from pooled litter from each of the four replicates from each treatment were put in mesh bags and transferred to ambient climate in the field. The remaining mass of litter was measured by sampling bags in May and October throughout the four-year incubation period. Fertilization with all nutrients decreased the initial carbon and tannin contents of litter, and increased the proportion of the fast-decomposing fraction, but still fertilization slowed down the decomposition of this fraction. Initially, the estimated proportion of the fast-decomposing fraction was smallest in elevated CO₂ + temperature, and largest in ambient climate. During decomposition, elevated growth-temperature slowed down decomposition of the fast fraction under ambient CO₂ but increased it under elevated CO₂. The changes in litter decomposition rates found over four years were not very large. However, we conclude that the interactions of different factors lead to different results than if the factors had been studied separately, and future studies should take interactions into account.     

Efficacy of five selected acaricides against Tetranychus urticae (Acari: Tetranychidae) and their side effects on relevant natural enemies occurring in citrus orchards

BACKGROUND: Three groups of natural enemies are fundamental in citrus IPM in Spain: coccinellid and phytoseiid predators and hymenopteran parasitoids. Tetranychus urticae Koch is an important pest affecting citrus, for which biological control has not yet been achieved; therefore, acaricides are commonly used to control it. The goal of this study was to measure the efficacy of different acaricides on this mite and their side effects on three natural enemies relevant for citrus (Cryptolaemus montrouzieri Mulsant, Neoseiulus californicus McGregor and Aphidius colemani Viereck).RESULTS: Some products proved highly effective against T. urticae and harmless to A. colemani (mineral oil, tebufenpyrad, clofentezine and fenazaquin). However, almost all products tested were slightly harmful for both the predators considered. Fenazaquin was even moderately harmful for N. californicus. CONCLUSION: Further studies, like that presented here, are necessary to gain a better understanding of integrating biological and chemical controls. When considering both efficacy and side effects on beneficial arthropods, the best options would seem to be mineral oil, tebufenpyrad and clofentezine. However, it is urgent to complete testing of the side effects of the acaricides used in citrus. This question is crucial if the fact that two recently introduced Tetranychidae are being controlled in citrus by chemical means exclusively is considered.     

Typical and atypical manifestations of Anaplasma phagocytophilum infection in dogs

Eighteen clinically ill dogs, naturally infected with Anaplasma phagocytophilum, were examined at a veterinary practice in Baxter, Minnesota. A clinical examination, complete blood cell count, enzyme- linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for A phagocytophilum, Borrelia burgdorferi, and Ehrlichia canis antibodies and Dirofilaria immitis antigen, and a polymerase chain reaction test for A phagocytophilum DNA were obtained for all dogs. Physical examination findings included fever, arthropathy, lymphadenopathy, epistaxis, acute gastritis, cervical hyperpathia, and central nervous system dysfunction. Complete blood cell count abnormalities included thrombocytopenia, morulae in neutrophils, anemia, leukopenia, eosinopenia, lymphopenia, and monocytosis. Seroreactivity to A phagocytophilum was found in 61%, B burgdorferi antibodies in 17%, and D immitis antigen in 5% of the dogs. Fever, arthropathy, neurologic dysfunction, and epistaxis are clinical syndromes that can be associated with A phagocytophilum infection. Treatment with doxycycline resulted in rapid resolution of clinical signs in all dogs.     

Accumulation of specific flavonoids in soybean (Glycine max (L.) Merr.) as a function of the early tripartite symbiosis with arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi and Bradyrhizobium japonicum (Kirchner) Jordan

This study is the first report assessing the effect of soil inoculation on the signalling interaction of Bradyrhizobium japonicum, arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) and soybean plants throughout the early stages of colonisation that lead to the tripartite symbiosis. In a study using soil disturbance to produce contrasting indigenous AMF treatments, the flavonoids daidzein, genistein and coumestrol were identified as possible signals for regulating the establishment of the tripartite symbiosis. However, it was unclear whether soil disturbance induced changes in flavonoid root accumulation other than through changing the potential for AMF colonization. In this study, soil treatments comprising all possible combinations of AMF and B. japonicum were established to test whether (1) modifications in root flavonoid accumulation depend on the potential for AMF colonization, and (2) synthesis and accumulation of flavonoids in the roots change over time as a function of the early plant-microbial interactions that lead to the tripartite symbiosis. The study was comprised of two phases. First, maize was grown over 3-week periods to promote the development of the AM fungus Glomus clarum. Second, the interaction between soybean, G. clarum and B. japonicum was evaluated at 6, 10, 14 and 40 days after plant emergence. Root colonization by G. clarum had a positive effect on nodulation 14 days after emergence, producing, 30% more nodules which were 40% heavier than those on roots solely inoculated with B. japonicum. The tripartite symbiosis resulted in 23% more N₂ being fixed than did the simpler symbiosis between soybean and B. japonicum. The presence of both symbionts changed accumulation of flavonoids in roots. Daidzein and coumestrol increased with plant growth. However, development of the tripartite symbiosis caused a decrease in coumestrol; accumulation of daidzein, the most abundant flavonoid, was reduced in the presence of AMF.     

Effects of different variable sets on the potential distribution of fish species in the Amazon Basin

Estimating species’ potential distribution is one of the main objectives of macroecology, especially when sampling biases can affect knowledge on how environmental variables affect species distribution. Ecological niche models estimate species’ environmental niches from different variables and their occurrences. Using the presence-only data from eight Amazonian fish species, which inhabit rivers and streams, we aimed to (a) explore the effect of different sets variables on the spatial distributions of target species and (b) evaluate the predictive responses of MaxEnt to sets of variables with different degrees of complexity. MaxEnt has high flexibility in relation to the input data and its performance is influenced by a moderate number of adjustable parameters, allowing for high precision results when balancing underestimation and overestimation errors. We used environmental predictors in MaxEnt the principal components of climatic, topographic and edaphic variables as inputs. The combination of topographic and edaphic variables produced more precise and spatially restricted distribution ranges for all species when compared to those generated with climatic variables. All models reached high AUC values, especially for stream species. Modelled range sizes were broader for the river species, suggesting different tolerance thresholds and habitat preferences when compared to stream species. The complexity of the different variables sets did not affect MaxEnt's prediction capacity. However, for stream species, MaxEnt showed a greater predictive power. This work increases the knowledge with regards to the influence of different environmental predictors on the spatial patterns of the distribution of Amazonian fish.     

Interaction of parasitism and nutrition and their effects on production and clinical parameters in goats.

Weaned wether goats (n = 144) approximately 6 months of age were placed in a 2 x 3 factorial design experiment for 5 months to test the main effects and interaction of two levels of nutrition (growth + maintenance, NUT1; twice growth + maintenance, NUT2) and three levels of Haemonchus contortus burden (0, 500 and 2000 larvae administered every 2 weeks: W0, W500 W2000, respectively) on weight, feed intake, level of infection and packed cell volume (PCV). The rationale for the experimental design was based on the lack of information concerning the interaction between nutritional status and worm burden. Results indicated significant effects of worm burden levels on PCV, faecal egg contents (eggs per gram of feces (EPG)), actual worm numbers, feed intake and efficiency of feed utilization. Nutrition x worm burden interactions were also significant for PCV and EPG. However, the differences detected for PCV and actual worm numbers did not translate into large or consistent differences in body weight. Goats on NUT2, after an initial period, showed little difference in body weight, irrespective of worm burden. Within the NUT1 level, W0 kids weighed more than W500 or W2000 kids throughout the study. Although not statistically significant, this constitutes a trend towards an interaction between nutrition and worm burden. In both nutrition levels, there were no body weight differences between W500 and W2000 until the last 14 days. Feed intake was depressed in the first 3 months of the experiment for infected animals, but was subsequently followed by a compensatory reaction. Lower establishment rates, based on actual worm counts, were observed for the higher infection level, but in both infection levels establishment rates tended to decrease with time. Nutrition was found to be more important to counteract the consequences of a parasitic infection than to counteract the establishment of that same infection.     

Amplified fragment length polymorphism as a tool for molecular characterization of almond germplasm: genetic diversity among cultivated genotypes and related wild species of almond,and its relationships with agronomic traits

Amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP) analysis is a rapid and efficient method for producing DNA fingerprints and molecular characterization. Our objectives were to: estimate genetic similarities (GS), marker indices, and polymorphic information contents (PICs) for AFLP markers in almond cultivars; assess the genetic diversity of almond cultivars and wild species, using GS estimated from AFLP fingerprints and molecular characterization; and facilitate the use of markers in inter-specific introgression and cultivar improvement. The genetic diversity of 45 almond cultivars from Iran, Europe, and America, were studied assaying 19 primer combinations. In addition, several agronomic traits were evaluated, including flowering and maturity times, self-incompatibility, and kernel and fruit properties. Out of the 813 polymerase chain reaction fragments that were scored, 781 (96.23%) were polymorphic. GS ranged from 0.5 to 0.96, marker indices ranged from 51.37 to 78.79, and PICs ranged from 0.56 to 0.86. Results allowed the unique molecular identification of all assayed genotypes. However, the correlation between genetic similarity clustering as based on AFLP and clustering for agronomic traits was low. Cluster analysis based on AFLP data clearly differentiated the genotypes and wild species according to their origin and pedigree, whereas, cluster analysis based on agronomic data differentiated according the pomological characterization. Our results showed the great genetic diversity of the almond cultivars and their interest for almond breeding.     

Responses to water withdrawal of tobacco plants genetically engineered with the AtTPS1 gene: a special reference to photosynthetic parameters

We have previously obtained several lines of tobacco transformed with a trehalose-6-phosphate synthase gene of plant origin (Arabidopsis thaliana), involved in the first step of the biosynthesis of trehalose, a known osmoprotectant. Two showed distinct intensity of expression: high (B5H) and low (B1F). Such lines were analyzed for trehalose-6-phosphate content and the obtained results demonstrated to be in accordance with the expression results. In order to study the responses of photosynthesis to water deficit of transgenic lines in comparison to wild type (WT), three experiments were performed under different conditions: (1) Relative water (2) Leaf gas exchange (3) Modulated Chlorophyll a Fluorescence. Different responses in RWC of plant lines to water withdrawal were detected, with transgenic line B5H indicating less water loss after the water withdrawal period. Similar responses to water deficit regarding the leaf gas exchanges were recorded for the three lines. When subjected to water deficit stress situations, higher F _v/F _m, Φ_PSII and qP were detected for the transgenic lines. Under a SWC of 20% where higher values for such parameters were detected with special relevance for the B5H line, indicating a possible higher ability to withstand severe drought stress and to resist to prolonged periods without water than the B1F and WT lines.