Lactoferrin concentration and expression in New Zealand cows milked once or twice a day

This study evaluated the concentration and expression of lactoferrin (LF) in cows selected for once a day (OAD) milking compared to twice a day (TAD) milking. Milk samples were collected from the Massey University TAD and OAD herds. Milk traits and expression of LF and insulin‐like growth factor 1 (IGF‐1) were analyzed with a general linear model that included the fixed effects of milking frequency, lactation number, interaction between milking frequency and lactation number, and as covariates proportion of F, heterosis F × J and deviation from the herd median calving date. Cows milked OAD produced milk with higher (p < .01) concentrations of protein and lactose than TAD milked cows. Compared to TAD cows, cows milked OAD had higher expression of the LF gene (1.40 vs. 1.29 folds, p = .03) and the IGF‐1 gene (1.69 vs. 1.48 folds, p = .007). The correlation between the expression of LF gene and the concentration of LF in milk was strong (r = .66 p < .001), but the correlation between the expression of the IGF‐1 gene and LF concentration was stronger (r = .94, p < .001). These results suggest that milking frequency affects the milk composition and expression of milk composition genes at early lactation.     

Chinese melon (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Cucumis melo</Emphasis> L.) diversity analyses provide strategies for germplasm curation,genetic improvement,and evidentiary support of domestication patterns

The genetic diversity of melon market types (Cucumis melo L., 2n = 2x = 24) in China, an important secondary center of diversity, has not been examined. Therefore, reference accessions from India and Africa, Crete/Greece, Japan, Europe, U.S.A., Spain, and 68 Chinese cultigens (fresh-market non-netted thin-skinned; non-netted thick-skinned; netted thick-skinned; and non-netted thin-skinned, and vegetable) were evaluated by using 17 10-mer RAPD primers (32 mapped loci), days to flower, sex expression, lateral-branch number, and fruit number and weight per plant. While Chinese thin-skinned melons differed from vegetable melon types only in sex expression, the U.S. Western Shipping market type reference accession “Top Mark” and Chinese thick-skinned melons were similar for all of the morphological traits examined. The average similarity (Jaccard Coefficient) between any two pairs of accessions examined as estimated by RAPD variation was 0.47 ± 0.14. Within-group genetic similarities ranged between 0.94 (thin-skinned type) and 0.08 (non-netted thick-skinned type). The average/standard deviation, maximum, and minimum similarity between any two Chinese reference accessions was 0.41 ± 0.13, 0.75, and 0.12, respectively. Cluster analysis partitioned accessions into two main branches consisting of Group Cantalupensis and Inodorus reference accessions (clade 1) and Chinese accessions (clade 2). A second cluster analysis partitioned China, India, and Africa accessions into one major group, and accessions from Japan, Europe, and U.S.A. into another. Results indicate that Chinese accessions are a rich source of genetic diversity for plant improvement, and that molecular assessments support previously described theoretical melon domestication patterns constructed from historical and archeological evidence.     

西瓜果形基因图位克隆及分子标记开发

【目的】基于GBS（Genotyping-by-sequencing）高密度遗传图谱初步定位结果,通过图位克隆方法对西瓜果形基因进行精细定位,并开发功能性分子标记,有助于全面研究果形基因的功能及分子标记辅助选择育种。【方法】利用114份纯合西瓜品系全基因组重测序数据及其果形指数表型进行GWAS（genome-wide association study）分析,结合GBS高密度遗传图谱初步定位结果确定果形基因候选区段,以商业小型西瓜品种纯化所得品系K2（椭圆形、FSI=1.54±0.13）和L1（圆形、FSI=1.11±0.07）为材料构建F₂群体,通过开发分子标记对果形基因ClFSI进行精细定位,根据西瓜参考基因组‘97103’v1注释信息确定候选基因,并通过实时荧光定量PCR（qRT-PCR）进行验证。【结果】利用1 152份F₂群体,最终将ClFSI精细定位于3号染色体的FMFSI-1与FMFSI-2标记之间物理距离约63 kb区间内,共包含5个注释基因。其中Cla011257属于已报道与控制果实纵径和果形相关的SUN基因家族。经测序分析发现,西瓜椭圆形品系K2在该基因第3外显子上存在两个非同义突变位点Chr3：26846636 G-A和Chr3：26847041 G-A（‘97103’v1）,分别导致天冬酰胺（Asn）替换为天冬氨酸（Asp）和谷氨酸（Glu）替换为赖氨酸（Lys）,并利用Chr3：26847041突变位点开发功能性分子标记FSICAPS-2。qRT-PCR分析表明,K2（椭圆形）与Charleston Gray（细长形）中候选基因表达量无显著性差异,但均显著高于L1（圆形）。【结论】本研究将控制西瓜果形的ClFSI精细定位于3号染色体63 kb区间内,推测Cla011257为最终目的基因,Chr3：26847041和Chr3：26846636突变位点是导致果形不同程度伸长的重要位点,并开发了可以同时鉴定Cla011257多种突变类型的功能标记FSICAPS-2。     

Azospirillum brasilense Az39 and Bradyrhizobium japonicum E109, inoculated singly or in combination,promote seed germination and early seedling growth in corn (Zea mays L.) and soybean (Glycine max L.)

Inoculants are biological formulations that combine a stable microorganism population and various types of compounds produced and released during fermentation, such as phytohormones and plant growth regulators. Azospirillum brasilense strain Az39 and Brayrhizobium japonicum strain E109 were previously shown to produce indole 3-acetic acid (IAA), gibberellic acid (GA₃) and zeatin (Z). We tested the hypothesis that such compounds are responsible for early growth promotion in inoculated corn (Zea mays L.) and soybean (Glycine max L.) seedlings. Seeds were inoculated with Az39, E109, or both, and kept in a chamber at 20–30 °C under a controlled photoperiod to evaluate seed germination. To evaluate root and shoot length and dry weight, and number of nodules and percentage of nodulated seedlings, in soybean, seedlings were kept in a growth chamber for 14 days under similar photoperiod and temperature conditions. Az39 and E109, singly or in combination, showed the capacity to promote seed germination, nodule formation, and early development of corn and soybean seedlings. Both strains were able to excrete IAA, GA₃ and Z into the culture medium, at a concentration sufficient to produce morphological and physiological changes in young seed tissues.     

Production of carbon dioxide and nitrous oxide in alkaline saline soil of Texcoco at different water contents amended with urea: A laboratory study

Soil of the former lake Texcoco is alkaline saline with pH often >10 and electrolytic conductivity (EC) >70 dS m^?1 with rapidly changing water contents. Little is known how fertilizing this area with urea to vegetate the soil would affect emissions of carbon dioxide (CO₂) and dynamics of N. Texcoco soil with electrolytic conductivity (EC) 2.3 dS m^?1 and pH 8.5 (TEXCOCO A soil), EC 2.0 dS m^?1 and pH 9.0 (TEXCOCO B soil) and 200 dS m^?1 and pH 11.2 (TEXCOCO C soil) was amended with or without urea and incubated at 40% of water holding capacity (WHC), 60% WHC, 80% WHC and 100% WHC, while emissions of nitrous oxide (N₂O) and CO₂ and dynamics of ammonium (NH₄⁺), nitrite (NO₂^?) and nitrate (NO₃^?) were monitored for 7 days. An agricultural soil served as control (ACOLMAN soil). The emission of CO₂ increased in the urea amended soil 1.5 times compared to the unamended soil, it was inhibited in TEXCOCO C soil and was >1.2 larger in soil incubated at 40%, 60% and 80% WHC compared to soil incubated at 100% WHC. The emission of N₂O increased in soil added with urea compared to the unamended soil, was similar in TEXCOCO A and B soils, but was <0.2 mg N kg^?1 soil day^?1 in TEXCOCO C soil and generally larger in soil incubated at 60% and 80% WHC compared to soil incubated at 40% and 100% WHC. The water content of the soil had no significant effect on the mean concentration of NH₄⁺, but addition of urea increased it in all soils. The concentration of NO₂^? was not affected by the water content and the addition of urea except in TEXCOCO A soil where it increased to values ranging between 20 and 40 mg N kg^?1. The concentration of NO₃^? increased in the ACOLMAN, TEXCOCO A and TEXCOCO B soil amended with urea compared to the unamended soil, but not in the TEXCOCO C soil. It decreased with increased water content, but not in TEXCOCO C soil. It was found that the differences in soil characteristics, i.e. soil organic matter content, pH and EC between the soils had a profound effect on soil processes, but even small changes affected the dynamics of C and N in soil amended with urea.     

油菜裸苗物理机械特性试验研究

对油菜裸苗茎秆进行物理机械特性试验,包括不同生长期油菜裸苗茎秆截面直径的测定,不同生长期油菜裸苗茎秆的压缩、剪切、拉伸试验。试验研究了油菜裸苗茎秆直径随生长时间的变化规律以及油菜裸苗茎秆压缩、剪切、拉伸极限随生长时间的变化规律,建立了油菜裸苗茎秆截面直径与生长时间的数学模型。研究表明:湘杂1613的油菜裸苗茎秆直径的增长与生长时间呈线性关系;油菜裸苗茎秆的耐压、耐切、耐拉的能力随时间的增加而增加。该结论为设计移栽机械提供了初步的实验基础,同时为进一步研究油菜移栽机械取苗、护苗、栽插参数等关键部件结构和运动学、动力学参数提供了理论依据。     

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.