Genetic control of sorghum resistance to leaf anthracnose

A study was carried out to investigate the inheritance of resistance to anthracnose, caused by Colletotrichum sublineolum, in sorghum. Crosses between resistant and susceptible parents and backcrosses between F₁ plants and the susceptible parents were carried out under field conditions. The F₁ generations and the segregant populations were evaluated under artificial inoculation conditions in the greenhouse. In the F₁ generation of all crosses with the respective isolates, all of the plants presented a resistance reaction except for the F₁ plants resulting from the BR009 × SC283 cross. In the F₂ generation, the frequencies of resistant and susceptible plants conformed to the hypothesis that one gene with two alleles controls host resistance, except in one cross. Out of the eight backcrosses, six presented segregation that corresponded to the hypothesis formulated. For most crosses, resistance was dominant, and the proportions of resistant and susceptible plants in the segregant populations conformed to the frequencies expected under the hypothesis of gene‐for‐gene resistance and dominant gene action.     

Integrating species and successional classes for wood production in a mixed forest restoration system in a neotropical region

As forests in neotropical regions,particularly in developing countries,are devastated,interventions to restore biodiversity and its ecological functions are nee...     

Morphological Characterization of the Ovarian Preantral Follicle Population of Collared Peccaries (Tayassu tajacu Linnaeus, 1758)

The aim of this research was to characterize the preantral ovarian follicular population in collared peccaries (Tayassu tajacu) using light and electron microscopy. Ovaries from six mature females were collected and further fixed for histological and ultrastructural analysis. A total of 33273.45 ± 5789.99 preantral follicles (PFs) were estimated for the population in each ovary. Most preantral follicles were primordial (91.56%), followed by primary (6.29%) and secondary (2.15%) ones. Most PFs were morphologically normal (94.4%), and only a few were atretic (5.6%). At histology assessment, amounts of lipid droplets were observed into the oocyte cytoplasm, which was confirmed through ultrastructural analysis. This work characterizes for the first time the ovarian population of preantral follicles, total and per category, in collared peccaries (Tayassu tajacu). The general follicles featured at primordial, primary and secondary categories are very similar to those described for other species.     

Influence of rubber trees on leaf-miner damage to coffee plants in an agroforestry system

The coffee leaf-miner (CLM) (Leucoptera coffeella Guérin-Mèneville; Lepidoptera: Lyonetiidae), the main pest of coffee plants, occurs widely throughout the Neotropics where it has a significant, negative economic and quantitative impact on coffee production. This study was conducted in a rubber tree/coffee plant interface that was influenced by the trees to a varying degrees depending on the location of the coffee plants, i.e. from beneath the rubber trees, extending through a range of distances from the edge of the tree plantation to end in a coffee monocrop field. The most severe damage inflicted on coffee plants by the CLM (number of mined leaves) from April, which marks the start of the water deficit period, until September 2003 was in the zone close to the rubber trees, whereas the damage inflicted on plants in the monocropped field was comparable to that on coffee plants grown directly beneath the rubber trees, which received about 25–40 % of the available irradiance (I_r—available irradiation at a certain position divided by the irradiation received in full sunlight, i.e. in the monocrop). From May until July damage caused by the CLM nearly doubled in each month. In midwinter (July), the damage decreased perceptibly from the tree edge toward the open field. From September onward, with the rising air temperatures CLM damage in the coffee monocrop started to increase. Based on these results, we conclude that coffee plants grown in the full sun incurred the most damage only at the end of winter, with warming air temperatures. Coffee plants grown in shadier locations (25–40 % I_r) were less damaged by the CLM, although a higher proportion of their leaves were mined. The rubber trees probably acted as a shelter during the cold autumn and winter seasons, leading to greater CLM damage over a distance outside the rubber tree plantation that was about equal to the height of the trees. Future studies should attempt to relate leaf hydric potential to pest attack in field conditions. More rigorous measurements of shade conditions could improve our understanding of the relationship of this factor to CLM attack.     

Crops use-efficiency of nitrogen from manures permitted in organic farming

The current increase in the organic agriculture segment has created a new market for fertilisers permitted for use in organic farming. Off-farm N sources for organic farming are scarce, considering the restriction on the use of chemical fertilisers. Thus, when some products are permitted in organic agriculture, commercial opportunities become available. In this study we compare the performances of Vegethumus (Veg) and Phenix (Phe), two manures that are permitted in organic farming, with several other manures, ammonium nitrate (AN) and control treatments. A 3-year field trial and a pot experiment were carried out in order to estimate dry matter yield, N uptake, and N nutritional status of the crops, as well as soil N availability, the latter was assessed by using anion exchange membranes inserted into the soil. Apparent N recovery (ANR) values in the field trial were 6.3% and 58.2% in Veg and AN plots, respectively, after the application of 380 kg N/ha in the previous five growing seasons. In the pot experiment, the ANR of Veg and Phe, the organic amendments permitted in organic farming, were 5.0% and 13.6%, while Beiraadubo (Bei) and Nutrisoil (Nut) had ANR of 27.2% and 42.0%. The poor results of the amendments permitted in organic farming, in light of their high prices suggest that their use must be carefully considered by farmer in their fertilization strategies.     

Virulence factors of avian pathogenic Escherichia coli isolated from broilers from the south of Brazil

Sixty-three Escherichia coli strains isolated from broilers with respiratory problems were examined for virulence factors, hemolysin synthesis ability, motility, hemagglutination capacity, operon pap presence, colicin production, and serum resistance. The capacity to hemagglutinate guinea pig erythrocytes was found in 53 (84.1%) of the samples, but only 30 (47.6%) agglutinated chicken erythrocytes. D-mannose-sensitive hemagglutination against guinea pig erythrocytes was found in 19 (30.2%) samples and against chicken erythrocytes, in 15 (23.8%) samples, whereas the D-mannose-resistant hemagglutination with guinea pig erythrocytes was found in 34 (54%) samples, and 13 of these (20.6%) showed this characteristic against chicken erythrocytes. Operon pap, P fimbria codifier, was detected in 26 samples in a total of 34 D-mannose-resistant samples. Colicin production was observed in 55 (87.3%) of the strains, and 41.8% presented V colicin production. Of the samples analyzed, 56 (88.9%) presented serum resistance, six (9.5%) were intermediate, and only one (1.6%) was sensitive to the action of the complement. The diversity of virulence profiles detected in the samples in this study explains in part the multifactorial characteristics of avian colibacillosis.     

Meiotic Response of In vitro Matured Canine Oocytes under Different Proteins and Heterologous Hormone Supplementation

The impact of TCM‐199 supplemented with different proteins and heterologous hormones on the in vitro maturation (IVM) rate of bitch oocytes was evaluated by nuclear staining under fluorescence microscopy. Oocytes were recovered by slicing of ovaries from bitches presented at various stages of oestrous cycle to ovariohysterectomy. The basic culture medium was TCM‐199 supplemented with 25 mM Hepes/l, with 10% heat‐inactivated oestrous cow serum (ECS), 50 μg/ml gentamicin, 2.2 mg/ml sodium bicarbonate and 22‐μg/ml pyruvic acid, 1.0‐μg/ml oestradiol (E 8875; Sigma), 0.5‐μg/ml follicle‐stimulating hormone (FSH) (Folltropin‐V; Vetrepharm Inc., Ontario, Canada) and 0.03 IU/ml human gonadotropin (hCG) (Profasi HP; Serono, Aubonne, Switzerland). Oocytes were distributed randomly between basic culture medium (control) and the corresponding experimental treatment. Hormone treatments were: oocytes cultured in; (1) medium without FSH, (2) control medium supplemented with 20 μg/ml oestradiol, or (3) medium supplemented with 1 μg/ml human somatotropin (hST; Humatrope, Lilly, Saint Cloud, France). The second experiment consisted of oocytes cultured in medium supplemented with 0.4% (w/v) bovine serum albumin (BSA, fraction V; Gibco Grand Island, NY, USA) instead of ECS, or oocytes cultured in medium with 10% inactivated oestrous bitch serum (EBS) instead of ECS. Oocytes were cultured in 100 μl droplets (up to 25 oocytes per drop) under mineral oil at 37°C in a 100% humidified atmosphere containing 5% CO₂ in air. After 72 h of IVM, the highest rates (p < 0.05) of meiotic resumption were achieved with the 0.4% BSA supplementation. A positive influence on the metaphase II (MII) acquisition rate was observed with hST supplement. Oocytes cultured with 10% EBS supplementation did not develop to the MII stage. The results in this study show that the protein and hormone supplements to TCM‐199 culture medium tested did not promote the final steps of IVM of bitch oocytes.