Morphometric and genetic analysis of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Carassius auratus</Emphasis> complex from an artificial wetland in Morava River floodplain,Czech Republic

A Carassius auratus complex from an artificial wetland in the Morava River basin is composed of triploid females. Based on body depth, sampled females could be divided into two groups: (i) high-dorsal (42.5% of standard length); and (ii) low-dorsal (36.1% of standard length). Both groups differed also in number of gill rakers (50.2 versus 45.4, respectively). In concordance with morphological differences, genetic analysis proved the existence of two haplotypes in examined individuals. The first haplotype is bound to the high-dorsal form with higher number of gill rakers. This is the most frequent haplotype in populations of the C. a gibelio form in the Czech Republic. The second haplotype is characteristic of the low-dorsal form with a lower number of gill rakers. This haplotype is close to haplotypes described in the C. a. langsdorfii form, which is known from Japan. and its occurrence within haplotypes specified in European territory is sporadic.     

Preservation of land-races of cultivated plants in Czechoslovakia

Summary At present, the collection of cultivated plants comprises in Czechoslovakia 40883 cultivars of field, vegetables and fruits, vine grape and ornamental plants. The collection has been located in the Research Institute of Crop Production, Praha-Ruzyn, which also renders the central coordination, and in 17 specialized Research Institutes and Breeding Stations which are responsible for investigation, maintenance, exploration of the collections of special crops. Continual research has assumed since 1951 when former collections of different research stations (amounting only 6000 cultivars) were united.The first efforts to collect cultivars by the different research and breeding stations were started in the SSR already at the beginning of this century. A part of the then collections coming from different research and breeding stations has been conserved up to present time and represents, together with later collected cultivars, a valuable gene pool of 2000 cultivars of Czechoslovak origin. The original Czechoslovak cultivars are represented by selections, lines or clones from land-races (wheat, barley, oat, legumes, flax, hop, self-pollinated fodders and vegetables), or populations (maize, oil plants, fodders vegetables and ornamental plants). The major part of the collection is represented by Czechoslovak cultivars coming from combination crossing.The old cultivars of vine grape, fruits and ornamental plants have been maintained since the beginning of this century in old plantations of the research institutes or they are registred by them. Also cultivars of wheat (Czech red wheats, Czech alternate wheats, South-Moravian awnless and awned wheats, Slovak awned wheats) and of barley (spring malting Haná barley, Haná is territory in middle Moravia) come from the same period. The oldest native as well as foreign cultivars of other agricultural crops originate from thirties being conserved at different degree of breeding intensity at the time of their cultivation.

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Die Erhaltung der Landsorten von Kulturpflanzen in der SSR

Zusammenfassung Gegenwärtig umfaßt die Kollektion in der SSR 40883 Sorten von Feldfrüchten, Gemüse, Obst, Weinreben und Zierpflanzen. Die Kollektion befindet sich im Forschungsinstitut für Pflanzenbau Prag-Ruzyn, das für die zentrale Koordinierung zuständig ist, sowie in 17 spezialisierten Forschungsinstituten und Zuchtstationen, die für die Untersuchung und Erhaltung der Kollektionen spezieller Kulturpflanzen verantwortlich sind. Kontinuierliche wissenschaftliche Untersuchungen begannen im Jahr 1951, als die früheren Kollektionen verschiedener Forschungsstationen (nur etwa 6000 Sorten) vereinigt wurden.In der SSR bemühten sich bereits zu Beginn dieses Jahrhunderts verschiedene Forschungs- und Zuchtstationen um die Sammlung von Sorten. Ein Teil der damaligen, aus verschiedenen Forschungs- und Zuchtstationen stammenden Sammlungen wurde bis zur Gegenwart erhalten und stellt, zusammen mit später gesammelten Sorten, einen wertvollen Genpool von 2000 Sorten tschechoslowakischer Herkunft dar. Die tschechoslowakischen Originalsorten sind durch Linien oder Klone von Landsorten (Weizen, Gerste, Hafer, Leguminosen, Lein, Hopfen, selbstbefruchtende Futterpflanzen und Gemüse) oder Populationen (Mais, Ölfrüchte, Futterpflanzen, Gemüse und Zierpflanzen) vertreten. Den größten Teil der Kollektion bilden tschechoslowakische Sorten, die durch Kombinationszüchtimg entstanden sind.Die alten Sorten von Weinrebe, Obst und Zierpflanzen werden seit Beginn, dieses Jahrhunderts in alten Anpflanzungen von wissenschaftlichen Instituten erhalten und durch diese registriert. Auch Sorten von Weizen (böhmische Rotweizen, böhmische Wechselweizen, südmährische grannenlose und begrannte Weizen, slowakische begrannte Weizen) und Gerste (Sommerbraugerste Hanna; die Hanna ist ein Gebiet in Mittelmähren) stammen aus dem gleichen Zeitraum. Die ältesten einheimischen und ausländischen Sorten anderer landwirtschaftlicher Kulturpflanzen, die aus den dreißiger Jahren stammen, werden entsprechend dem Stand der Züchtung z. Z. ihres Anbaues erhalten.

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Mediterranean cork oak wooded grasslands: synergies and trade-offs between plant diversity,pasture production and soil carbon

Mediterranean wooded grasslands that emerge from silvopastoral activities are multifunctional systems that result in high biodiversity and offer ecosystem services such as forage production and soil carbon sequestration. During 3 years, ten grazed wooded grassland fields were studied in the Berchidda–Monti long-term observatory, located in NE Sardinia, Italy, with the aim of exploring the synergies and trade-offs between biodiversity and selected ecosystem services. Positions below and outside the canopy of three cork oak trees in each field were randomly selected to compare seasonal pasture production, pasture utilization rate by animals, botanical composition, biodiversity indicators (Shannon index and plant species richness) and soil organic carbon. In autumn, dry matter production of pasture was similar in the two positions; in two winters out of three it was greater below the trees than outside, and in spring it was greater outside than below the trees. While plant species richness and Shannon index were not significantly influenced by the position, the overall wooded grassland plant species richness was 31% higher than that outside of the tree crown. The soil organic carbon content in the 0–40-cm soil layer was also higher below the trees. Our findings highlight that if the main purpose of the wooded grasslands is to provide forage for grazing animals rather than conserving and/or enhancing plant diversity and soil fertility, the presence of trees constrains the overall forage productivity, although the greater forage availability in winter under the trees can contribute to improve the seasonal distribution of forage production.     

Embryo Transfer in Anovulatory Recipient Mares Treated with Estradiol Benzoate and Long-Acting Progesterone

This study aimed to prepare anovulatory mares in anestrus or in the transitional period as embryo recipients. Ninety embryo-recipient mares were divided into two groups (G). G1 (n = 45) comprised animals in anestrus or in the transitional period; these animals were treated for 3 days (D) with 5, 3, and 2 mg of estradiol benzoate (intramuscular) on D0 (day of the donor's ovulation), D1, and D2 (after ovulation), respectively, followed by weekly application of 400 mg of long-acting progesterone (intramuscular) from D3 after ovulation (donor) until the 120th day of gestation. G2 (n = 45) comprised mares with normal estrous cycles. Plasma levels of progesterone (P₄) were measured on days D1, D2, D8, and D14. Sixty percent of the animals in G1 and 71.1% in G2 (P > .05) completed the pregnancy. On D8, there was no difference in P₄ levels between G1 and G2 animals, but there was a difference in P₄ levels on D14 (P < .05). It was concluded that anovulatory mares in anestrus or in the transitional period could be used as embryo recipients. The protocol was efficient and also considered an appropriate alternative to prepare the uterine environment for embryo transfer; long-acting progesterone administration kept P₄ levels high enough to maintain pregnancy until the 120th day and provided recipients during the time of the year when fewer mares were cycling and ovulating.     

Mineral Deficiency in Passiflora alata Curtis: Vitexin Bioproduction

ABSTRACT

A greenhouse experiment was performed to evaluate macronutrients and boron deficiencies on vitexin bioproduction by sweet passion fruit leaves. Sand irrigated with nutrient solution was used as substrate in a complete randomized design, with eight treatments: 1) complete, 2) nitrogen-deficient(-N), 3) phosphorus-deficient(-P), 4) potassium-deficient(-K), 5) calcium-deficient(-Ca), 6) magnesium-deficient(-Mg), 7) sulfur-deficient(-S), and 8) boron-deficient(-B). After thirty days, the fourth fully expanded leaves were harvested. Under deficiency treatments, leaf dry matter concentrations of N, P, K, Ca, Mg, S, and B were 52, 53, 62, 76, 69, 31, and 80% lower than in complete treatment, respectively. Nitrogen, P, and K deficiency increased vitexin leaf concentration by 46, 16, and 18%, although Ca and B deficiencies decreased vitexin concentration by 22 and 33%, respectively, when compared to complete treatment. Magnesium and S deficiencies had no significant effect on vitexin concentration. In complete treatment, the concentration of nutrients and vitexin, in leaf dry matter were: 43.4 g kg^{? 1} of N, 2.47 g kg^{? 1} of P, 27.4 g kg^{? 1} of K, 15.6 g kg^{? 1} of Ca, 3.8 g kg^{? 1} of Mg, 5.28 g kg^{? 1} of S, 64 mg kg^{? 1} of B, and 5.57 mg kg^{? 1} of vitexin.     

A possible role of capybaras (Hydrochoerus hydrochoeris hydrochoeris) in foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) endemicity

The susceptibility of capybaras exposed to foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) virus by the intramuscular route and the rodents' close coexistence with cattle in FMD endemic ecosystems suggested that the species might play an important role in the virus' survival in the field.In the present study 2 capybaras and 2 cattle were exposed by contact to a capybara inoculated intramuscularly with FMD virus. Both pairs of exposed animals were then used as a contact source with another 2 cattle and 2 capybaras, respectively. All the animals became infected prior to the appearance of clinical lesions in the respective donor animals and developed generalized FMD clinical lesions. Specific neutralizing antibodies and antibodies to virus-infection-associated antigen (VIA) were also developed.Virus was isolated from feces and from throat swabs of 1 of the capybaras up to 17, but not at 23 days post-contact. Virus was isolated from the remaining animals up to 7–14 days post-contact.The results indicate that these rodents might transmit virus over long distances due to their migratory movements, but probably do not act as natural virus reservoirs.     

Synthesis, characterization, absolute structural determination and antifungal activity of a new chlorinated aromatic avenaciolide analogue

BACKGROUND: Avenaciolide, a natural product isolated from Aspergillus avenaceus H. Smith, possesses several interesting biological properties, such as antifungal and antibacterial activities and inhibition of glutamate transport in mitochondria. In a study aiming to discover new compounds with antifungal activity, a bis‐γ‐lactone analogous to avenaciolide was prepared and characterized by elemental analysis, mass spectrometry, and infrared and NMR spectroscopy. RESULTS: The absolute structures of this compound and of the synthetic precursor (also a bis‐γ‐lactone) were determined by X‐ray diffraction analysis. The bis‐γ‐lactones synthesized crystallize in the orthorhombic space group P2₁2₁2₁, and the crystal packings are supported by C? H···O hydrogen bonds. The compound showed antifungal activity against Colletotrichum gloeosporioides (Penz.) Penz. & Sacc., while the synthetic precursor was inactive under the in vitro test conditions employed. CONCLUSION: The results indicate that it is not only the bis‐γ‐lactone skeleton that is important to antifungal activity. The latter also depends on the presence of the exocyclic double bond possibly due to a Michael addition type reaction with the fungal enzymes. Copyright © 2008 Society of Chemical Industry     

The evaluation of agricultural machines field trafficking intensity for different soil tillage technologies

Fields trafficking by wheeled farm machines results often in unfavourable soil compaction. In order to monitor trafficking intensity under different soil tillage technologies, every machine was equipped with a DGPS signal receiver before the entrance into the field under conventional, minimum and zero tillage technology. Positioning data was automatically logged every 2 s and the dimensions of tyres (mainly width) and wheel spacing were marked for every machine. Trajectories of farm machines trafficking and wheel tracks covering 1 ha area are shown for different technologies evaluated during one growing season. The results document that up to 95.3% of the total field area was run-over with a machine at least once during a year, when using conventional tillage. Up to 72.8% or 55.7% of the total field area was run-over when using minimum tillage and direct seeding, respectively. It was calculated that 145.6% of covered area can be run-over repeatedly for conventional tillage, 44.8% for minimum tillage and 18.4% only for direct seeding.     

Exploring the natural variation for reproductive thermotolerance in wild tomato species

Climate change has become a serious threat for crop productivity worldwide. The increased frequency of heat waves strongly affects reproductive success and thus yield for many crop species, implying that breeding for thermotolerant cultivars is critical for food security. Insight into the genetic architecture of reproductive heat tolerance contributes to our fundamental understanding of the stress sensitivity of this process and at the same time may have applied value. In the case of tomato (Solanum lycopersicum), germplasm screenings for thermotolerance have often used yield as the main measured trait. However, due to the complex nature of yield and the relatively narrow genetic variation present in the cultivated germplasm screened, there has been limited progress in understanding the genetic basis of reproductive heat tolerance. Extending the screening to wild accessions of related species that cover a range of climatic conditions might be an effective approach to find novel, more tolerant genetic resources. The purpose of this study was to provide insight into the sensitivity of individual reproductive key traits (i.e. the number of pollen per flower, pollen viability and style protrusion) to heat-wave like long-term mild heat (LTMH), and determine the extent to which genetic variation exists for these traits among wild tomato species. We found that these traits were highly variable among the screened accessions. Although no overall thermotolerant species were identified, several S. pimpinellifolium individuals outperformed the best performing cultivar in terms of pollen viability under LTMH. Furthermore, we reveal that there has been local adaptation of reproductive heat tolerance, as accessions from lower elevations and higher annual temperature are more likely to show high pollen viability under LTMH.     

Rock Powder Can Improve Vermicompost Chemical Properties and Plant Nutrition: an On-farm Experiment

Together with farmers, we evaluated nutrient availability from vermicomposted gneiss powder, assessed its influence on growth promotion, nutrition and heavy metal accumulation in maize plants and the effect on soil chemical properties in the field. Three soil treatments were applied: fertilization with vermicompost with gneiss powder, fertilization with vermicompost without gneiss powder, and soil without fertilization (control), in a randomized block design with five replicates. The dry weight of shoots and the concentrations of potassium, calcium, magnesium, manganese, nickel, chrome and lead in the dry matter of maize were higher with vermicompost with gneiss powder. In the soil, the potential of hydrogen and phosphorus, potassium and calcium concentrations were higher with vermicompost with gneiss. There were no detectable levels of heavy metal wastes in the soil after the experiment. We conclude that vermicomposted gneiss powder has potential for use in agriculture as a nutrient source and can improve soil chemical properties.