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...     

Mechanical analysis of glulam beams exposed to changing humidity

This study deals with the mechanical analysis of glulam beams during changing relative humidity of the surrounding air. The computational part of the article includes two separate numerical procedures. First, the diffusion equation is solved to determine the temporal and spatial distribution of water content in the cross-section of the beam. The results of the first computational stage are used as the input data for the numerical analysis of mechanical response of the beam. The displacements and stress distribution at some characteristic cross-sections are presented. In the article some experimentally determined values of vertical displacements in the middle of span are shown and compared to the results of numerical analysis.     

MS based proteomic approaches for analysis of barley malt

In this review, we summarize advances in the proteomic analysis of barley, especially those involving mass spectrometric detection. We focus particularly on monitoring of global protein expression in barley malt and changes in proteins during the technological processing of barley grains.     

Tubifex production using agro-industrial wastes and raw cattle dung

ABSTRACT

Tubifex (Tubifex tubifex) was cultured in captivity using three different wastes: rice mill sludge (RMS), dairy sludge (DS), and raw cattle dung (RCD). Three experiments were conducted: 10, 20, and 30 days. A total of 100 g of tubifex at 62.5 g m^?2 was inoculated in 1.6 m² fiberglass-reinforced plastic tanks. Comparing all production parameters, RMS > DS > RCD. Growth rate (g m^?2 d^?1) did not differ among durations. RMS- and DS-fed tubifex contained higher protein and fat than RCD-fed tubifex. Efficiency on production of g tubifex per kg of waste material was highest at 10 days, declining with time for all waste materials. This experiment suggests that RMS and DS are effective wastes for tubifex culture, with total production increasing with no reduction in growth rate through 30 days, but with efficiency declining after 10 days.