Accumulation and erosion of Mars' south polar layered deposits

Mars' polar regions are covered with ice-rich layered deposits that potentially contain a record of climate variations. The sounding radar SHARAD on the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter mapped detailed subsurface stratigraphy in the Promethei Lingula region of the south polar plateau, Planum Australe. Radar reflections interpreted as layers are correlated across adjacent orbits and are continuous for up to 150 kilometers along spacecraft orbital tracks. The reflectors are often separated into discrete reflector sequences, and strong echoes are seen as deep as 1 kilometer. In some cases, the sequences are dipping with respect to each other, suggesting an interdepositional period of erosion. In Australe Sulci, layers are exhumed, indicating recent erosion.     

Detection of PVY extreme resistance genes in potato germplasm from the uruguayan breeding program

Breeding goals in potato programs encompass several important commercial traits such as market aspects (skin color, eye depth, shape), category use (fresh or processed), yield, crop duration, and pest and disease resistance. In light of medium- and long-term changes in trait requirements, breeders rely on a range of wild and commercial germplasm in their efforts to reach the multiple objectives that determine the success of a new variety. Readily selectable markers for the recognition of multiple introgressed traits in breeding populations would therefore be practical high-value tools. In subtropical countries, warm climate and the continuous cropping of potato promote high vector pressure and the spread of viruses, rendering seed certification schemes difficult.Potato virus Y (PVY) constitutes a constant problem in several developing countries and it was recently reported as a challenge for seed production in the U.S.A. and Spain, resulting in rejection of seed lots in certification programs. Here we report the simultaneous use of two molecular markers to identify genes for extreme resistance to PVY in the Uruguayan potatobreeding program germplasm. Simplicity and compatibility of the marker system (allele specificity) were emphasized in implementing a reliable and efficient procedure. Forty-four percent of the genotypes tested were shown to carry extreme resistance to PVY, in the majority of cases fromSolanum tuberosum ssp.andigena (Ry_adg). Furthermore, a single marker originating fromSolanum stoloniferum (M45) could be used to recognize both Ry_sto and Ry_adg. The molecular phenotype data corresponding to M45-Ry genotypes was in accordance with virus field exposure observations of resistance.     

Impact of fungicide application volume on ASIAN rust control and soybean crop yield

European Journal of Plant Pathology - Multisite fungicides are an anti-resistance strategy to control Phakopsora pachyrhizi. Among the protective fungicides, mancozeb is a fungicide that has been...     

Unmanned aerial vehicle to evaluate frost damage in coffee plants

Damage caused by frost on coffee plants can impact significantly in the reduction of crop quality and productivity. Remote sensing can be used to evaluate the damage caused by frost, providing precise and timely agricultural information to producers, assisting in decision making, and consequently minimizing production losses. In this context, this study aimed to evaluate the potential use of multispectral images obtained by unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) to analyze and identify damage caused by frost in coffee plants in different climatic favorability zones. Visual evaluations of frost damage and chlorophyll content quantification were carried out in a commercial coffee plantation in Southern Minas Gerais, Brazil. The images were obtained from a multispectral camera coupled to a UAV with rotating wings. The results obtained demonstrated that the vegetation indices had a strong relationship and high accuracy with the frost damage. Among the indices studied the normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) was the one that had better performances (r?=?? 0.89, R²?=?0.79, MAE?=?10.87 e RMSE?=?14.35). In a simple way, this study demonstrated that multispectral images, obtained from UAV, can provide a fast, continuous, and accessible method to identify and evaluate frost damage in coffee plants. This information is essential for the coffee producer for decision-making and adequate crop management.

     

Zucchini growth,yield, and fruit quality in response to sodium chloride stress

Zucchini (Cucurbita pepo L. cv. Moschata) plants were grown in a pot experiment under greenhouse conditions at Almería (Southeastern Spain) in 1994 and 1995. Sodium chloride (NaCl) added to the irrigation water at 0 (control), 0.25, 0.50, and 1.0 g L^‐1 and complemented with a fertilizer solution. Yield was determined on number and weight (kg) of fruit per plant. The hidric content (%W) per fruit was calculated using fruit fresh and dry weights. Fruit diameter, fruit length, and fruit firmness were also measured. Electrical conductivity, soluble solids concentration, titratable acidity, and pH as well as non‐structural carbohydrates concentration were determined. Zucchini yield, quality, and quantity increased as NaCl concentration was increased to 1 g L^‐1. This cultivar appears to suitable to be grown in coastal locations where soil and irrigation water contain salt concentration that limit the growth of other crops less tolerant to salinity.     

Acetochlor Persistence in Surface and Subsurface Soil Samples

Two cadmium-resistant bacteria, Ralstonia sp. TAK1 and Arthrobacter sp. TM6, produced exopolymers that promoted cadmium solubilization in contaminated soil. The enhancement of cadmium uptake and accumulation in a monocot (Vetiveria nemoralis, vetiver grass) and a dicot (Ocimum gratissimum, African basil) was investigated in a greenhouse study. Compared with the uninoculated control, Ralstonia sp. TAK1 and Arthrobacter sp. TM6 increased cadmium accumulation in the roots and shoots of V. nemoralis. These cadmium-resistant bacteria increased the cadmium content of whole V. nemoralis plants similarly to ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) treatment alone. In contrast, only Arthrobacter sp. TM6 enhanced cadmium accumulation in the roots and shoots of O. gratissimum. The highest cadmium content of whole O. gratissimum plants was observed when the plant was treated with EDTA following treatment with Arthrobacter sp. TM6. The phytoextraction coefficient and translocation factor (TF) of bacteria-inoculated V. nemoralis were higher than those of O. gratissimum. Arthrobacter sp. TM6 increased the phytoextraction coefficients and TFs in V. nemoralis and O. gratissimum. These results indicate that Arthrobacter sp. TM6 and both tested plant species promote cadmium phytoextraction in contaminated soil.     

Amino acid digestibility in low-fat distillers dried grains with solubles fed to growing pigs

The objective of this experiment was to determine the standardized ileal digestibility（SID） of amino acids（AA） in 3sources of distillers dried grains with solubles（DDGS） with different concentrations of fat.Twelve growing barrows（initial body weight：76.1 ± 6.2 kg） were randomly allotted to a replicated 6×4 Youden square design with 6 diets and 4 periods.The fat content of the 3 sources of DDGS were 11.5,7.5,and 6.9%respectively.Diets contained 60%DDGS and fat concentration of the diets were 7.5,52,and 5.2%,respectively.Two additional diets containing the 2sources of DDGS with 75 and 6.9%fat were also formulated,and corn oil was added to these diets to increase the concentration of fat in the diets to levels that were calculated to be similar to the diet containing conventional DDGS with 11.5%fat.A N-free diet was also formulated to calculate endogenous losses of crude protein（CP） and AA from the pigs.Pigs were fed experimental diets during four 7-d periods.The first 5 d of each period were an adaptation period and ileal digesta were collected on d 6 and 7 of each period.The apparent ileal digestibililty（AID） and SID of CP and all indispensable AA,except AID Pro and SID of Trp,were greater（P 〈 0.01） in conventional DDGS than in the 2 sources of DDGS with reduced fat.Adding oil to the diets containing the 2 sources of DDGS with reduced fat did not consistently increase SID of AA.In conclusion,conventional DDGS has greater SID values for most AA compared with DDGS that contains less fat and inclusion of additional oil to diets containing low-fat DDGS does not increase AID or SID of AA.The lower AA digestibility in low-fat DDGS could not be overcome by the inclusion of additional fat to the diets.     

Porcine circovirus type 2 detection in in vitro produced porcine blastocysts after virus sperm exposure

This study was aimed at assessing the capability of semen experimentally infected with porcine circovirus type 2 (PCV2) to produce porcine blastocysts PCR positive for PCV2. Embryos were obtained from in vitro maturation (IVM) and in vitro fertilization (IVF) of porcine oocytes or by parthenogenesis. Sperm suspension was exposed to PCV2b and utilized for IVF. PCV2 spiked semen did not reveal any reduction in sperm viability or motility but its ability to produce infected blastocysts was irrelevant as only one out of 15 blastocysts obtained by IVF were PCV2b; however two blastocysts were PCV2a positive. Furthermore, the presence of PCV2 was demonstrated also in embryos obtained by parthenogenesis (one out of 17 was PCV2b and one PCV2a positive). Even if PCV2 firmly attaches to the surface of spermatozoa, experimentally spiked sperm were not effective in infecting oocytes during IVF and in producing PCR positive embryos. The infected blastocysts we obtained derived most probably from infected oocytes recovered at the abattoir.     

Cooked Common Beans (Phaseolus vulgaris) Protect Against β-cell Damage in Streptozotocin-Induced Diabetic Rats

Diabetes is a disease characterized by a hyperglycemic stage that leads to a chronic inflammatory state. We evaluated the in vivo effect of a diet supplemented with 25 % cooked black bean cultivar Negro 8025 (N8025) flour in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats. The effect was assessed before (preventive-treatment) and after (treatment) the onset of diabetes. There is a significant decrease of total phenolic, tannins and anthocyanins content after cooking, and the concentration of most of the single phenols analyzed are only slightly decreased. The treatment group showed a significant reduction of glucose (22.8 %), triglycerides (21.9 %), total cholesterol (29.9 %) and LDL (56.1 %) that correlates with a protection of pancreatic ß-cells. The diet with N8025 flour before the induction of diabetes did not exert a protective effect (glucose levels are similar to the diabetic control) but they have low levels of total cholesterol (47.5 %) and LDL (56.1 %). The preventive-treatment group did not inhibit the increase of TNF-α and IL-1β, whereas the treatment group did, compared to the diabetic control. Therefore, N8025 bean supplementation can be recommended to control diabetes.     

Predictive value of prepartum serum metabolites for incidence of clinical and subclinical mastitis in grazing primiparous Holstein cows

The aim of this study was to measure changes in biochemical markers in the peripartum period of primiparous Holstein cows diagnosed with subclinical and clinical mastitis. In this study, 37 dairy cows were monitored daily during milking until 60 days postpartum and were categorized according to the occurrence of clinical mastitis (group mastitis (GM), n?=?9) or subclinical mastitis (group subclinical mastitis (GSUB), n?=?10) or absence of symptoms (control group (CG), n?=?18). Blood samples were collected weekly from ?30 to 60 days from calving. Samples were grouped for prepartum (?30 to 0 days from calving), early postpartum (0 to 30 days from calving), and late postpartum (30 to 60 days from calving) periods. Prepartum serum non-esterified fatty acid (NEFA) concentration was higher in GM than in CG (P?<?0.01). In addition, CG had higher prepartum serum glucose concentration than GM (P?=?0.03). In the early postpartum period, aspartate aminotransferase (AST) activity was lower in CG than in GSUB (P?<?0.05), and in the late postpartum period, AST activity was lower in CG than GSUB and GM (P?=?0.01). Somatic cell count was higher during the early and late postpartum periods for GM and GSUB when compared to CG (P?<?0.01). In this study, primiparous cows with low glucose and higher NEFA in the prepartum were more susceptible for mastitis in the early postpartum, probably due to low immune function associated to a more negative energy balance. In sum, increased prepartum serum NEFA concentration and decreased glucose in primiparous cows were associated with clinical mastitis incidence in the postpartum period.