Stability in the composition equivalence of grain from insect-protected maize and seed from glyphosate-tolerant soybean to conventional counterparts over multiple seasons, locations, and breeding germplasms

Insect-protected maize MON 810 and Roundup Ready soybean 40-3-2 represent major milestones in the adoption of genetically modified (GM) crops to enhance agricultural productivity. This study provides an assessment of the compositional stability of these products over multiple seasons, multiple germplasms, and diverse geographies encompassing North, Central, and South America and Europe. The compositional assessment evaluated levels of proximates in MON 810 and proximates, antinutrients, and isoflavones in 40-3-2. The means and range values for component levels in the GM crops and their conventional comparators were consistently similar to each other within each corresponding year from 2000 to 2009. To our knowledge, this study represents the first meta-analysis of comparative composition assessments of GM products. This approach, combined with graphical approaches, provided an effective summary of the overall data set and confirmed the continued compositional equivalence of these important crops to their conventional counterparts over time.     

Evaluation of compositional equivalence for multitrait biotechnology crops

Compositional analysis is an important tool in the evaluation of the safety and nutritional status of biotechnology-derived crops. As part of the comparative assessment of a biotechnology-derived crop, its composition is evaluated by quantitative measurement of the levels of key nutrients, antinutrients, and secondary metabolites and compared to that of conventional crops. To evaluate the effect of combining multiple biotech traits through conventional breeding, the forage and grain compositions of the double combinations MON 810 × NK603, MON 863 × MON 810, and MON 863 × NK603 and the triple combination MON 863 × NK603 × MON 810 were compared to their respective near-isogenic, conventional control hybrids. Overall, a total of 241 statistical comparisons between the multitrait biotechnology crop and its corresponding conventional controls were conducted. Of these comparisons 192 (79.7%) were not statistically significantly different (p > 0.05), and all 49 of the differences were within the 99% tolerance interval for commercial hybrids grown in the same field or related field trials. These data on combined trait biotechnology-derived products demonstrated that the forage and grain were compositionally equivalent to their conventional comparators, indicating the absence of any influence of combining insect protection and herbicide tolerance traits by conventional breeding on compositional variation.     

Cryopreservation of European Mouflon (Ovis Gmelini Musimon) Semen During the non-Breeding Season is Enhanced by the Use of Trehalose

The influence of trehalose on European mouflon spermatozoa cryopreservation during the non-breeding season was tested. Semen was frozen in two different extenders: (a) recommended Tris-based ram extender (CTR); (b) CTR extender supplemented with trehalose 0.147 mm (TRH). Sperm viability and acrosome integrity were assessed using propidium iodide and fluorescein isothiocynate labelled Pisum Sativum agglutinin. Trehalose significantly enhanced sperm viability after thawing compared with CTR extender (62.7% vs 51.8%; p < 0.05), whereas no differences were observed on acrosome integrity (42.9% vs 42.1%). Trehalose influence was also evidenced in the in vitro fertility test performed with sheep oocytes matured in vitro. Both fertilization rates (60.9% TRH vs 43.6% CTR; p < 0.05) and cleavage rates (58% TRH vs 39.8% CTR; p < 0.001) were higher for trehalose frozen semen compared with control extender frozen semen. A higher percentage of zygotes resulting from fertilization with trehalose cryopreserved semen presented the first cleavage earlier if compared with the group fertilized with control semen (48.7% vs 31.5%, respectively; p < 0.01). This result was confirmed by embryo kinetic development. Fertilization with trehalose cryopreserved semen leaded to an higher percentage of blastocysts (40.2% vs 27.8% CTR; p < 0.05), and enhanced in particular the number of blastocysts that developed on the day 6th of culture (28.6% vs 17% CTR; p < 0.05). Our data demonstrated that, during mouflon non-breeding season, trehalose extender enhances spermatozoa viability and its in vitro fertilizing capacity, allowing the production of an higher number of blastocysts.     

Metabolite analyses of grain from maize hybrids grown in the United States under drought and watered conditions during the 2002 field season

Understanding natural variation in the composition of conventional crop germplasms is critical in establishing a baseline for comparison of biotechnology-derived crops. This is particularly relevant to such traits as tolerance to drought stress. Thus, there is both a need to understand the contribution of stress conditions to natural variation in plant nutritional components and to determine whether levels of small molecule metabolites such as osmoprotectants and stress metabolites are also affected. As a first step in developing such information for maize, seven conventional hybrids were grown under different moisture regimens and the impact of moisture on composition was assessed. The regimens included well-watered conditions, water restriction during the vegetative phase, and water restriction during grain fill. Compositional analyses of the harvested grain included assessments of the levels of proximates (moisture, protein, oil, starch) and small molecule metabolites such as fatty acids, free amino acids, organic acids, sugars, total glycerol, glycine betaine, and abscisic acid. Ranges for these analytes were determined across all moisture regimens, and the effect of the different water regimens on these analytes was also evaluated. The number and type of grain analytes that showed statistically significant differences in levels between different water regimens differed quite markedly by maize hybrid. However, the magnitude of mean differences between well-watered and water-restricted samples was typically small, and statistically significant differences for any given analyte were typically observed in only one to three of the seven maize hybrids. Only two analytes, free glutamine and free proline, showed a significant drought-induced difference in at least four maize hybrids.     

Immunogenicity of Mycoplasma gallisepticum

The serological response and protective immunity elicited in the chicken by the pathogenic Ap3AS strain and the moderately pathogenic 80083 strain of Mycoplasma gallisepticum and variants of strain 80083 attenuated by repeated passage in mycoplasma broth were investigated. Strain 80083 elicited a substantial serum antibody response after administration either in drinking water or by conjunctival sac instillation to 7-week-old SPF chickens. No vaccinated chickens developed air sac lesions when challenged by intra-abdominal (IA) injection with the virulent Ap3AS strain. Chickens vaccinated with strain 80083M (50 broth passages) showed only a weak serological response but were substantially protected when challenged 4 weeks after vaccination. Chickens vaccinated with 80083H (100 broth passages) were serologically negative 4 weeks after vaccination and developed severe air sac lesions after challenge. Thirty-seven-week-old hens vaccinated 6 months previously with strain 80083 had high serum antibody levels and were completely protected against IA challenge with the homologous strain. However, 4/6 showed mild air sac lesions when challenged intra-abdominally with strain Ap3AS. Another group showed high M. gallisepticum serum antibody levels 6 months after vaccination with strain Ap3AS but 4/6 and 2/6 showed mild lesions after IA challenge with strains Ap3AS or 80083, respectively. Strains 80083 or 80083M were administered by conjunctival sac instillation to susceptible 11-week-old commercial pullets at the time of fowl pox vaccination. The concurrent use of both vaccines had no apparent adverse effect on the health of the chickens. Similar protection against IA challenge with strain Ap3AS was produced with the M. gallisepticum vaccines whether used alone or in combination with fowl pox.     

EPIDEMIC ADENOVIRUS INCLUSIONS BODY HEPATITIS OF THE CHICKEN IN AUSTRALIA

The occurrence of inclusion body hepatitis (IBH) on 11 properties in Australia is described. The 6 Victorian cases occurred between 1967 and 1973 and were identified as incidental findings accompanying other diseases or occurred as ill-defined, minor economic disease episodes. In well-managed flocks the extra mortality attributable to IBH was as low as 1.8% which represented a 50% increase in total mortality. The 1973 epidemic in New South Wales on 5 related farms resulted in flock mortality of 8.4% to 32.3% and an average mortality of 19.5% of 814,000 birds. For uninfected flocks of 307,000 birds the average mortality was 8.5%. Higher mortality in male flocks was statistically highly significant as was lowered efficiency of feed conversion. Growth rate in both sexes was depressed by about 0.15 kg in 70 days and heavy downgrading at processing occurred. Secondary infections were important. The cardinal features of IBH were fatal necrotising hepatitis with Cowdry type-A intranuclear inclusion body formation; secondary bacterial infections were also important causes of loss.