Changes in allele frequencies in landraces, old and modern barley cultivars of marker loci close to QTL for grain yield under high and low input conditions

Changes in alleles frequencies of marker loci linked to yield quantitative trait loci (QTL) were studied in 188 barley entries (landraces, old and modern cultivars) grown in six trials representing low and high yielding conditions in Spain (2004) and Syria (2004, 2005). A genome wise association analysis was performed per trial, using 811 DArT^® markers of known map position. At the first stage of analysis, spatially adjusted genotypic means were created per trial by fitting mixed models. At the second stage, single QTL models were fitted with correction for population substructure, using regression models. Finally, multiple QTL models were constructed by backward selection from a regression model containing all significant markers from the single QTL analyses. In addition to the association analyses per trial, genotype by environment interaction was investigated across the six trials. Landraces seemed best adapted to low yielding environments, while old and modern entries adapted better to high yielding environments. The number of QTL and the magnitude of their effects were comparable for low and high input conditions. However, none of the QTL were found within a given bin at any chromosome in more than two of the six trials. Changes in allele frequencies of marker loci close to QTL for grain yield in landraces, old and modern barley cultivars could be attributed to selection exercised in breeding, suggesting that modern breeding may have increased frequencies of marker alleles close to QTL that favour production particularly under high yield potential environments. Moreover, these results also indicate that there may be scope for improving yield under low input systems, as breeding so far has hardly changed allele frequencies at marker loci close to QTL for low yielding conditions.     

New data and phylogenetic placement of the enigmatic Old World lupin: <Emphasis Type="Italic">Lupinus mariae</Emphasis>-<Emphasis Type="Italic">josephi</Emphasis> H. Pascual

Lupinus mariae-josephi H. Pascual is an intriguing lupin species recently discovered in the Mediterranean region. New data from seed coat micromorphology, cytology, and DNA sequences were generated in order to extend our knowledge on this species and to examine its evolutionary relationships within Lupinus. This species shows morphological similarities with the Mediterranean smooth seeded species of sections Micranthi and Lutei. It shares the same chromosome number 2n = 52 with the latter Old World taxa, but also with unifoliolate lupins from Florida. Besides, L. mariae-josephi exhibited a seed coat micromorphology “intermediate” between the rough and the smooth seed coat types. Phylogenetic analyses using ITS and ETS nrDNA spacers, and the LEGCYC1A locus supported L. mariae-josephi as a distinct Old World line, placed out of the Scabrispermae, but without clear placement amongst the Mediterranean smooth-seeded lineages. Unexpectedly, LEGCYC1A data revealed phylogenetic affinities between L. mariae-josephi and L. villosus, a unifoliolate North American lupin that might have experienced a reticulated evolutionary process. All together, the data underline the phylogenetic interest of L. mariae-josephi in Lupinus and the need of additional investigations in order to definitely elucidate its enigmatic status. Moreover, as L. mariae-josephi is one of the rare Old World lupins strictly restricted to poor basic soils, it opens new perspectives of ecological and agronomic interests in the wide areas of poor calcareous soils in the Mediterranean region.     

Determinants of barley grain yield in a wide range of Mediterranean environments

Barley grain yield in rainfed Mediterranean regions can be largely influenced by terminal drought events. In this study the ecophysiological performance of the ‘Nure’ (winter) × ‘Tremois’ (spring) barley mapping population (118 Doubled Haploids, DHs) was evaluated in a multi-environment trial of eighteen site–year combinations across the Mediterranean Basin during two consecutive harvest years (2004 and 2005). Mean grain yield of sites ranged from 0.07 to 5.43 t ha⁻¹, clearly dependent upon both the total water input (rainfall plus irrigation) and the water stress index (WSI) accumulated during the growing season. All DHs were characterized for possessing molecular marker alleles tagging four genes that regulate barley cycle, i.e. Vrn-H1, Vrn-H2, Ppd-H2 and Eam6. Grain yield differences were initially interpreted in terms of mean differences between genotypes (G), environments (E), and for each combination of genotype and environment (GE) through a “full interaction” ANOVA model. Variance components estimates clearly showed the greater importance of GE over G, although both were much lower than E. Alternative linear and bilinear models of increasing complexity were used to describe GE. A linear model fitting allelic variation at the four genes explained genotype main effect and genotype × environment interaction much better than growth habit itself. Adaptation was primarily driven by the allelic constitution at three out of the four segregating major genes, i.e. Vrn-H1, Ppd-H2 and Eam6. In fact, the three genes together explained 47.2% of G and 26.3% of GE sum of squares. Grain yield performance was more determined by the number of grains per unit area than by the grain weight (phenotypic correlation across all genotypic values: r = 0.948 and 0.559, respectively). The inter-relationships among a series of characters defining grain yield and its components were also explored as a function of the length of the different barley developmental phases, i.e. vegetative, reproductive, and grain filling stages. In most environments, the best performing (adapted) genotypes were those with faster development until early occurrence of anthesis. This confirmed the crucial role of the period defining the number of grains per unit area in grain yield determination under Mediterranean environments.     

The use of tuna industry waste in the practical diets of juvenile Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus,L.): effect on growth performance,nutrient digestibility and oxidative status

A 45‐day feeding trial was conducted to study the effect of replacing dietary fish meal (FM) with a tuna by‐product meal (TBM) on the growth, feed efficiency, carcass composition and stress oxidative status of juvenile Nile tilapia, Oreochromis niloticus L.). Triplicate groups of fish (2.21 ± 0.01 g) were fed on four iso‐nitrogenous and iso‐energetic diets. The control diet (A₀) used FM as the sole source of animal protein. In the other three diets (A₁₀–A₃₀), 33%–100% of FM was substituted by TBM at 10% increments. There were no significant differences (P>0.05) in growth performance among fish fed on diets A₀, A₁₀ and A₂₀. Fish fed these experimental diets (i.e., A₀, A₁₀ and A₂₀) showed significantly (P<0.05) better daily mass gain, specific growth rate and protein efficiency ratio than those fed on diet A₃₀. Feed conversion ratio increased with increasing TBM content, but only the value found in fish fed on diet A₃₀ differed significantly (P<0.05) from the other treatments. The fish accumulated increasing quantities of lipids and decreasing levels of ash in their carcasses with increasing levels of dietary TBM. At the end of the experimental period, a significant increase (P<0.001) in catalase and glutathione S‐transferase activities was seen only in groups fed on diet A₃₀. Similarly, a significant enhancement in glutathione peroxidase and superoxide dismutase activities was observed in groups fed on diets A₂₀ and A₃₀ compared with the other groups. The results show that this product can be included up to 20% in practical Nile tilapia diets without any detrimental effects.     

Barley adaptation and improvement in the Mediterranean basin

To study barley adaptation and improvement in the Mediterranean basin, a collection of 188 entries comprising landraces and old genotypes and current modern varieties from the Mediterranean basin and elsewhere was tested on moisture‐contrasted environments in seven Mediterranean countries, during 2004 and 2005 harvest seasons. The experimental design consisted of an unreplicated trial for all entries, augmented by four repeated checks to which a partial replicate containing a quarter of the entries was added. Best Linear Unbiased Predictions (BLUPs) representing adjusted genotypic means were generated for individual trials using a mixed model. BLUPs were used for genotype by environment interaction analysis using main effect plus genotype by environment interaction (GGE) biplots of yield ranked data and for comparisons of landraces, old and modern genotypes using analysis of variance. Mean yields ranged from near crop failure to 6 t/ha. Local landraces were better adapted to environments yielding below 2 t/ha, thus breeding has mostly benefited environments yielding above 2 t/ha where modern genotypes out yielded landraces and old cultivars by 15%. Current barley selection is leading to specifically adapted genotypes.     

Alveld-Producing Saponins: II. Toxicological Studies

The phototoxic lamb disease alveld, prevalent in South-Western Norway, is caused by ingestion of Narthecium ossifragum. Earlier studies have shown that peroral administration of large amounts of crude saponins from this plant elicits the disease. Such saponins have now been purified further by 2 different methods (A and B). Two A type preparations resulted in alveld when fed to 2 lambs. The most highly purified preparation (type B) did not cause alveld in the 2 lambs tested. Lambs vary, however, in their susceptibility to the disease. Both types of preparations led to increases in serum aspartate aminotransferase, bilirubin and 5′-nucleotidase in rats when injected intraperitoneally in amounts of 50 or 100 mg/kg body Weight. Cannulation of the bile duct showed that injected saponins reduced both the volume of bile and the amounts of bilirubin and bile acids excreted. Histological changes seen in the light microscope were, except for the most peripheral parts of the liver, hardly noticable. These observations support the view that saponins are the liver-toxic agents responsible for alveld. The possibility is discussed that the effect arises through a change in the lipid environment of carrier-mediated transport systems.     

Serum bile acids as an indicator of liver disease in dogs

Total serum bile acids were determined in 62 dogs with different primary or secondary liver diseases, using 3α-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase coupled to nitrobluetetrazolium in a centrifugal analyzer. A reaction time of 4 min was sufficient, yielding a within run coefficient of variation of 7% at 6 µmol/1 and 3% at 27 µmol/1. A reference range of 0–4.4 µmol/1 2 h post prandially was observed. The sensitivity of bile acids as a liver function test was superior to that of alanine and aspartate aminotransferase, alkaline phosphatase, γ-glutamyltransferase and combinations of two of these. The bile acids test detected 36 of 39 patients with a morphological or clinical liver diagnosis. For dogs with heart failure the bile acids test was a markedly more sensitive indicator of secondary liver involvement than alanine aminotransferase or alkaline phosphatase. For secondary liver affections associated with pyometra or epilepsy medication the opposite was the case. Bile acid values in the pooled patient material was not correlated to any of the 4 enzymes measured. For cirrhosis there was positive correlation, however, with the amino transferase values.     

Seroprevalence of camel brucellosis (Camelus dromedarius) in Somaliland

The present study was delineated to investigate the prevalence and risk factors of camel brucellosis in Northern Somalia (Somaliland). The study was carried out at three main districts of camel-rearing regions of Somaliland (Awdal, Waqoyi Galbed and Togdheer) in the period from July to November, 2008. A total of 1246 camel blood sera were randomly collected from 42 sporadic small scale camel herds. Two serological tests were used to screen all serum samples, Rose Bengal Plate Test (RBPT) and indirect ELISA (I-ELISA). Multivariate logistic regression was constructed to study the risk factors associated with Brucella seropositive cases. The overall prevalence of camel brucellosis in districts under investigation was 3.9% by RBPT and 3.1% by (I-ELISA). Multivariate logistic regression on animal level showed that locality (P < 0.05; OR: 6.254; CI, 1.186–32.976), herd size (P < 0.001; OR: 5.493; CI, 2.956-10–207), rearing with other ruminants (P < 0.001; OR: 12.433; CI, 3.957–39.060), and contact with other camels (P < 0.05; OR: 5.311; CI, 1.093–25.800) were the potential risk factors. However, herd size (P < 0.05; OR: 5.425; CI, 1.181–24.932), and rearing with other ruminants (P < 0.05; OR: 20.466; CI, 1.456–28.638) were recorded as risk factors on the herd level. The results of the present investigation indicate that the Brucella spp. exists within the camel herds in Somaliland. Further studies need to be done on Brucella infection in the other ruminants to determine which measure should be followed for control of brucellosis.