A 4-week repeated oral dose toxicity study of dairy fat naturally enriched in vaccenic, rumenic and α-linolenic acids in rats

Few studies have focused on the toxicological risks of dairy fat intake. A standard dairy fat (SDF) with a 70% SFA content and a naturally enriched dairy fat (EDF) in vaccenic, rumenic and α-linolenic acids and low in SFA (54%) have been examined in a 4-week repeated dose oral toxicity study as a daily dose of 2000 mg/kg bw by gavage in rats. Comparisons were established with a third group of rats (control) which did not receive fat administration. Both fats were well tolerated, and no adverse events or mortality were observed during the treatment nor after a 2-week observation period. EDF and SDF did not cause significant differences with respect to a control group in body weight gain, food consumption, clinical observations, organ weight ratios, histopathological findings and most of the hematological and biochemical parameters including total cholesterol and cholesterol fractions in plasma. In rats treated with SDF, a significant increase of triglycerides was observed as compared to the control group. By contrast, in rats treated with EDF, a significant decrease in triglycerides was detected. EDF orally administered to rats was safe, and no treatment-related toxicity was detected. The results also suggest that EDF could protect against the increase of triglyceride concentrations in plasma.     

Pigment metabolism of 'Sikitita' olive ( Olea europaea L.): a new cultivar obtained by cross-breeding

The new olive cultivar 'Sikitita' was obtained from a cross between the 'Picual' and 'Arbequina' varieties. 'Sikitita' was selected for its features, making it particularly suited to high-density olive hedgerow orchards. From the standpoint of chloroplast pigment metabolism, the fruits of the 'Picual' and 'Arbequina' varieties have significant differences. It is therefore extremely interesting to analyze the descendants of both cultivars. With regard to chlorophyll catabolism, 'Sikitita' has proven to be a cultivar with low pigmentation and low levels of chlorophyllase activity. This is contrary to the findings obtained to date, where varieties with low pigmentation are a consequence of high chlorophyllase activity ('Arbequina') and highly pigmented fruits are due to low chlorophyllase activity ('Picual'). 'Arbequina' was, until recently, the only cultivar described that had developed a carotenogenic process, despite its anthocyanic ripening. However, from its father ('Arbequina'), the 'Sikitita' cultivar has inherited the pool of enzymes necessary to esterify xanthophylls at the chromoplast level. This makes 'Sikitita' a very interesting cultivar, with potential chemotaxonomic differences (such as esterified xanthophylls in the olive oils), and demonstrates the interest in genetic improvement programs for olive cultivars with different organoleptic characteristics.     

Conjugated linoleic acid in processed cheeses during the manufacturing stages

Conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) is a naturally occurring micronutrient in milk fat and dairy products consisting of a group of geometric and positional isomers. The purpose of this study was to assess the level and type of CLA isomers found in two commercial processed cheeses (portions and slices) as well as to monitor their evolution during the different manufacturing stages. Total CLA concentrations ranged from 7.5 to 7.9 mg/g of fat, and rumenic acid (cis-9,trans-11 C18:2), the isomer responsible for the biological functions, represented >80% of total CLA. trans-11,cis-13 and trans-11,trans-13 were, with approximately 4% each, the second main CLA isomers. trans-trans isomers accounted for <10% of total CLA. The processing parameters used in this research had negligible effects on the CLA content of processed cheese and did not modify the isomer profile in these dairy products, thereby confirming the stability of rumenic acid during manufacturing.     

Plant genetic adaptedness to climatic and edaphic environment

Summary Genetic adaptation implies the shaping of population and species gene pools in response to environmental challenges. The two components of the abiotic land environment are climate and soil, both of which determine much of the evolutionary adaptedness of plants as, besides representing a set of surrounding physical, chemical and sometimes limiting traits, they determine the availability of nutrients and energy, of which they are the immediate source. Ecogeographical distribution of species and ecotypes and different physiological mechanisms and developmental patterns are good evidence of plant adaptedness to soil and climate. However, it is not always easy to determine the underlying genetics of adaptive processes, because 1) environmental factors to which the plants are responding are not always evident and are sometimes too complex, 2) several genes may be involved in the response to a given environmental factor, and 3) the same gene/s may be involved in different adaptive responses. In particular, data on Avena species and temperature as a key environmental factor will be used to illustrate some examples of climatic and edaphic adaptedness. Temperature affects the genetic evolution and geographical distribution of all organisms, and a great deal of evidence indicates that species and populations are genetically adapted to different temperature regimes. Isozymes and other molecular markers have helped in the understanding of the genetic basis of adaptedness. There are many examples of correlation between isozyme and DNA-marker variation and environmental differences. For many population geneticists, isozyme markers are just genetic markers with little or no direct involvement in adaptation. However, metabolic processes are controlled by enzymes, influenced by the environment and used to react in response to it. Evidence that isozymes, and perhaps other molecular polymorphisms, are directly involved in adaptedness will be also presented. Molecular genetic analyses at gene and population levels are opening the ways to a better understanding of plant genetic adaptation.     

Linkage relations among eyespot resistance gene Pch2, endopeptidase Ep-A1b, and RFLP marker Xpsr121 on chromosome 7A of wheat

Marker-based selection of Ep-D1b has been used successfully to incorporate Pch1, the gene for eyespot resistance on chromosome 7D, into commercial wheat. However, attempts to transfer resistance conferred by Pch1 (on chromosome 7A) through selection for Ep-A1b have not always been successful. Linkage relations among eyespot resistance gene Pch2, a gene encoding for an isozyme of endopeptidase, Ep-A1b, and RFLP marker Xpsr121 on chromosome 7A were determined using 80 homozygous recombinant substitution lines. The recombinant lines were derived from eyespot susceptible ‘Chinese Spring’ hybridized with a resistant disomic substitution line of ‘Cappelle Desprez’ that has chromosome 7A substituted into ‘Chinese Spring’. Segregations of Pch2, Ep-A1b and Xpsr121 fit an expected 1:1 single-locus ratios based on χ² tests. Linkage analysis revealed that Pch2 was not tightly linked to Ep-Alb (15% recombination). However, close linkage (3.8% recombination) existed between Ep-A1b and Xpsr121. The order of these loci is Pch2-Xpsr121-Ep-A1b. Unlike Pch1 and Ep-D1b, where little or no recombination is found, Pch1 and Ep-A1b showed considerable recombination and therefore linkage cannot be utilized efficiently in marker-based selection.     

Evapotranspiration and crop coefficients of irrigated biomass sorghum for energy production

New cultivars of sorghum for biomass energy production are currently available. This crop has a positive energy balance being irrigation water the largest energy consumer during the growing cycle. Thence, it is important to know the biomass sorghum water requirements, in order to minimize irrigation losses, thus saving water and energy. The objective of this study was to quantify the water use and crop coefficients of irrigated biomass sorghum without soil water limitations during two growing seasons. A weighing lysimeter located in Albacete (Central Spain) was used to measure the daily biomass sorghum evapotranspiration (ET_c) throughout the growing season under sprinkler irrigation. Seasonal lysimeter ET_c was 721 mm in 2007 and 691 mm in 2010. The 4 % higher ET_c value in 2007 was due to an 8 % higher evaporative demand in that year. Maximum average K _c values of 1.17 in 2007 and 1.21 in 2010 were reached during the mid-season stage. The average K _c values for the 2 years of study were K _c-ini: 0.64 and K _c-mid: 1.19. The seasonal evaporation component was estimated to be about 18 % of ET_c. The average basal K _c (K _cb) values for the two study years were K _cb-ini: 0.11 and K _cb-mid: 1.17. The good linear relationship found between K _cb values and the fraction of ground cover (f _c) and the excellent agreement found between Normalized Difference Vegetation Index and different biophysical parameters, such as K _cb and f _c, will allow monitoring and estimating the spatially distributed water requirements of biomass sorghum at field and regional scales.     

Collection,ex situ conservation and characterization of mangaba (Hancornia speciose Gomes) germplasm in coastal lowland of Northeastern Brazil

Genetic Resources and Crop Evolution - This study aimed to evaluate the Mangaba Genebank of Embrapa Tabuleiros Costeiros, Brazil, since its implementation in 2006 and characterize the accessions in...     

The chromosomal location of the embryo plus scutellum alcohol dehydrogenase isozymes in the hexaploid wheat kernel

Summary Analysis of individual parts of Triticum aestivum L. and T. turgidum var. durum kernels showed two classes of alcohol dehydrogenase patterns: 1) A three banded pattern (ADH-1, ADH-2 and ADH-3) for endosperm (Ed) and 2) a seven banded pattern (ADH-F1, ADH-F2, ADH-1, ADH-2, ADH-3, ADH-S1 and ADH-S2) for embryo (E), scutellum (S) and embryo plus scutellum (E+S). The use of nullitetrasomic and ditelosomic series of Chinese Spring wheat allows alcohol dehydrogenase to be associated with arms 4A, 4BL and 4DS.A five subunit forming dimer hypothesis is postulated to explain the newly reported seven isozyme pattern. Subunits , and are coded by chromosome arms 4A, 4BL and 4DS respectively, and the newly postulated and are coded also by chromosome arm 4BL.     

Effect of Particle Size and Reused Organic Substrates on Tomato Crop Production

The bagasse of mezcal maguey and the fiber of coconut fruit are organic byproducts of the mezcal and copra agro-industries in Oaxaca, Mexico. The effects of different particle sizes and prior usage times as substrates on the production and quality of tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill) were studied. Three independent and simultaneous experiments were conducted in multi-tunnel greenhouses. Three prior growing cycles of tomato crop, each 150 days in length days of use (DOU), were used for the usage time experiments with mezcal maguey bagasse as the growth medium. In the first experiment, tomato plants grown on substrate with 150 DOU produced the highest yields, the largest number of commercial quality fruits and the fewest non-commercial quality fruits. In the second experiment, the combination of fine particle size and maguey bagasse substrate with 150 DOU produced the highest yields. In the third experiment, fine and medium-sized particles of maguey bagasse and coconut fiber produced the highest yields. The data indicate that both coconut fiber and mezcal maguey bagasse can be used as substrates for tomato cultivation without affecting fruit quality; furthermore, the use of fine and medium-sized particles increases production. Maguey bagasse with up to 150 DOU as a substrate is best for culture, as prior usage beyond this length of time negatively affects production.