Synthesis and herbicidal activity of isoxazole-substituted 1-aminoethylphosphonates and 1-hydroxyethylphosphonates

Isoxazole-substituted 1-aminoethyl- and 1-hydroxyethyiphosphonates were synthesized by a multi-step procedure and were screened for herbicidal activity against Lepidium sativum L. and Cucumis sativus L. All the synthesized compounds exhibited notable herbicidal activity.     

Identification of a novel recessive gene for resistance to powdery mildew (Blumeria graminis f. sp. hordei) in barley (Hordeum vulgare)

One of the most important diseases of barley (Hordeum vulgare) is powdery mildew, caused by Blumeria graminis f. sp. hordei. Spring barley line 173-1-2 was selected from a Moroccan landrace and revealed broad-spectrum resistance to powdery mildew. The objective of this study was to map and characterize the gene for seedling powdery mildew resistance in this line. After crossing with the susceptible cultivar ‘Manchuria’, genetic analysis of F₂ and F₃ families at the seedling stage revealed powdery mildew resistance in line 173-1-2 conditioned by a single recessive gene. Molecular analysis of non-segregating homozygous resistant and homozygous susceptible F₂ plants conducted on the DArTseq platform (Diversity Arrays Technology Pty Ltd) identified significant markers which were converted to allele-specific PCR markers and tested among 94 F₂ individuals. The new resistance gene was mapped on the long arm of chromosome 6H. No other powdery mildew recessive resistance gene has been located on 6H so far. Therefore, we concluded that the 173-1-2 barley line carries a novel recessive resistance gene designated as mlmr.     

The role of floods and droughts on riverine ecosystems under a changing climate

Floods and droughts are key driving forces shaping aquatic ecosystems. Climate change may alter key attributes of these events and consequently health and distribution of aquatic species. Improved knowledge of biological responses to different types of floods and droughts in rivers should allow the better prediction of the ecological consequences of climate change‐induced flow alterations. This review highlights that in unmodified ecosystems, the intensity and direction of biological impacts of floods and droughts vary, but the overall consequence is an increase in biological diversity and ecosystem health. To predict the impact of climate change, metrics that allow the quantitative linking of physical disturbance attributes to the directions and intensities of biological impacts are needed. The link between habitat change and the character of biological response is provided by the frequency of occurrence of the river wave characteristic—that is the event's predictability. The severity of impacts of floods is largely related to the river wave amplitude (flood magnitude), while the impact of droughts is related to river wavelength (drought duration).     

Influence of lupin (Lupinus luteus L. cv. 4492 and Lupinus angustifolius L. var. zapaton) and fenugreek (Trigonella foenum-graecum L.) germination on microbial population and biogenic amines

Microbial population and bioactive amine profile and levels of two lupin species (Lupinus luteus L. cv. 4492 and Lupinus angustifolius L. var. zapaton) and fenugreek (Trigonella foenum-graecum L.) seeds as affected by germination were investigated. Microbial population increased considerably mainly in the first stage of germination (2 days), then small changes in bacterial numbers were observed up to 5 days to levels between 7.8 and 8.9 log colony-forming units/g. Microorganisms belonging to the Enterobacteriaceae family were dominant for the legumes tested. Ungerminated legume seeds contained putrescine, cadaverine, histamine, tyramine, spermidine, and spermine. Bioactive amine levels found in fenugreek seeds were between 3- and 4-fold higher than those found in lupin seeds. The highest total amine levels were found in fenugreek seeds [162 mg/kg of dry weight (dw)], followed by L. angustifolius var. zapaton seeds (84 mg/kg of dw) and, finally, L. luteus cv. 4492 (46 mg/kg of dw) seeds. The concentration of individual amines showed a gradual rising trend during the germination period in all tested sprouts, reaching levels >3 times higher than those found in ungerminated seeds. After 5 days of germination, the fenugreek sprouts contained the highest amount of total bioactive amines. Tyramine was the predominant amine in both lupin varieties, whereas cadaverine was the main bioactive amine detected in fenugreek. The results of this work thus indicated that microbial population and biogenic amine levels in the studied lupin and fenugreek sprouts are not a risk for healthy consumers or for individuals with restricted activity of detoxification enzymes.     

Acclimation of leaves to contrasting irradiance in juvenile trees differing in shade tolerance

Leaves developing in different irradiances undergo structural and functional acclimation, although the extent of trait plasticity is species specific. We tested the hypothesis that irradiance-induced plasticity of photosynthetic and anatomical traits is lower in highly shade-tolerant species than in moderately shade-tolerant species. Seedlings of two evergreen conifers, shade-tolerant Abies alba Mill. and moderately shade-tolerant Picea abies Karst., and two deciduous angiosperm species, highly shade-tolerant Fagus sylvatica L. and moderately shade-tolerant Acer pseudoplatanus L., were grown in deep shade (LL, 5% of full irradiance) or in full solar irradiance (HL) during 2003 and 2004. Steady state responses of quantum yield of PSII (Phi(PSII)), apparent electron transport rate (ETR), nonphotochemical quenching (NPQ) and photochemical quenching (qP) were generally modified by the light environment, with slower declines in Phi(PSII) and qP and greater maximal ETR and NPQ values in HL plants in at least one season; however, no link between quantitative measures of plasticity of these traits and shade tolerance was found. Plasticity of nine anatomical traits (including palisade cell length, which was reduced in LL) showed no relationship with shade tolerance, but was less in conifers than in deciduous trees, suggesting that leaf life span may be a significant correlate of plasticity. When LL-acclimated plants were exposed to HL conditions, the degree and duration of photoinhibition (measured as a decline in maximum quantum yield) was greatest in F. sylvatica, much lower in P. abies and A. alba, and lowest in A. pseudoplatanus. Thus, as with the other traits studied, vulnerability to photoinhibition showed no relationship with shade tolerance.     

Production of complex human glycoproteins in yeast

We report the humanization of the glycosylation pathway in the yeast Pichia pastoris to secrete a human glycoprotein with uniform complex N-glycosylation. The process involved eliminating endogenous yeast glycosylation pathways, while properly localizing five active eukaryotic proteins, including mannosidases I and II, N-acetylglucosaminyl transferases I and II, and uridine 5'-diphosphate (UDP)-N-acetylglucosamine transporter. Targeted localization of the enzymes enabled the generation of a synthetic in vivo glycosylation pathway, which produced the complex human N-glycan N-acetylglucosamine2-mannose3-N-acetylglucosamine2 (GlcNAc2Man3GlcNAc2). The ability to generate human glycoproteins with homogeneous N-glycan structures in a fungal host is a step toward producing therapeutic glycoproteins and could become a tool for elucidating the structure-function relation of glycoproteins.     

Prediction of cow's fertility based on data recorded by automatic milking system during the periparturient period

The results of most studies show the beneficial effect of milking automation on production parameters of dairy cows, but its effect on fertility traits is debatable. Therefore, a study was undertaken to predict cow fertility – services per conception (SC) and calving interval (CI) – based on automatic milking system (AMS) data collected in the periparturient period subdivided into the second and first week before calving, 1–4, 5–7, 8–14, 15–21 and 22–28 days of lactation. SC and CI were predicted using daily indicators such as concentrate intake, number of milkings, cow box time, milking time, milking speed, colostrum and milk yield, composition, temperature and electrical conductivity. The study material was derived from the AMS management system and from the SYMLEK milk recording system. The analysis covered data for 16,329 milkings of 398 Polish Holstein-Friesian (PHF) cows, which were used in three AMS herds. The collected numerical data were statistically analysed by correlation analysis in parallel with decision tree technique (SAS statistical package). The present study showed that due to the low, mostly non-significant coefficients of correlation between AMS data collected between 2 weeks before and 4 weeks after calving, it is not possible to predict cow fertility based on single traits. It has been established that the decision tree method may help breeders, already during the postcalving period, to choose the level of factors associated with AMS milking, which will ensure good fertility of cows in a herd. The most favourable number of services per conception is to be expected from cows that were milked <1.6 times per day from 1 to 4 days of lactation and electrical conductivity of their colostrum did not exceed 69 mS during that time. In turn, shortest CI (366 days) will be characteristic of the cows whose average daily colostrum yield did not exceed 20.2 kg and their daily concentrate intake from 8 to 14 days of lactation was at least 5.0 kg.     

Effect of Metal Ions on the Entomopathogenic Nematode Heterorhabditis Bacteriophora Poinar (Nematoda: Heterohabditidae) Under Laboratory Conditions

The effect of sixteen metal ions: Al, Cd, Co(II), Cr(III), Cr(VI), Cu(II), Fe(III), Li, Mg, Mn(II), Mo(VI), Ni(II), Pb(II), Se(IV), V(V), and Zn on the mortality and infectivity ofHeterorhabditis bacteriophora were observed over a 96 hr period. All ions except Pb(II) even at naturally unrealistic concentrations did not cause the mortality of the nematodes. A weak vitalizing effect could eventually be observed with Mn(II), Mg, Fe(III) and Ni(II) (Table 1). However, such treatment generally lowered infectivity of the nematodes with respect to wax moth caterpillars.Galleria mellonella. This effect was particularly significant with Ni(II) and Pb(II).