Agronomic Practices at Low Environmental Impact for Durum Wheat in Mediterranean Conditions

The application of conservative agricultural practices such as crop rotation, shallow tillage, and organic fertilizer could usefully sustain crop yield and increase soil fertility, thus playing an important role in the sustainable agriculture. This study was conducted to determine the effects of conservative agronomic practices on yield and quality of wheat. The effects of these practices on soil fertility were further investigated in this four-year study (2005–2008). Two cropping systems, durum wheat in continuous cropping, and in two-year rotation with leguminous crops, were investigated at Foggia (Southern Italy) in rain-fed conditions. Within each cropping system, two levels of crop management were compared: i) conventional, characterized by a higher soil tillage management and mineral fertilizers application; ii) conservative, with a lower soil tillage management and organic-mineral fertilizers. The seasonal weather greatly affected the wheat yield and quality, inducing lower production in years that were characterized by unfavorable climatic conditions. This trend was found when the conventional treatment was applied, both in continuous cropping and rotations. The effects of cropping systems and crop management pointed out the positive role played by the leguminous crops (common vetch and chickpea) in crop rotation. This introduction improved wheat yield in rotation (6.47% compared to the continuous cropping), improved grain protein content (5.88%), and reduced the productive gap between conventional and conservative treatments (9.24 and 14.14% of the wheat in rotation and continuous cropping, respectively). Conversely, the effects of cropping systems and crop management on soil fertility were not very high, since the differences found at the end of the study in total nitrogen values were poor. However, total organic carbon (16.04 and 17.58% for cropping system and crop management, respectively) and available phosphorus values (11.30 and 7.43%) depend on root organic matter contribution, plant biomass residues, and fertilizations. The suitable crop rotation and the sustainable crop management appear important agronomical practices to improve yield and quality of wheat, and may reduce the environmental risks resulting from conventional intensive cropping systems.     

Isozyme analysis of genetic diversity in wild Sicilian populations of Brassica sect. Brassica in view of genetic resources management

In Sicily and in the small surrounding islands the section Brassica of the genus Brassica comprises five species, B. insularis Moris, B. incana Ten., B. macrocarpa Guss., B. rupestris Raf. and B. villosa Biv. These taxa represent a genetic resource as relatives of kale crops but some populations are endangered or threatened, thus isozyme analyses were performed to assess the genetic diversity degree at population and species levels in order to assist the design of conservation management programs.Eleven loci from five enzyme systems (aconitase, leucine aminopeptidase, 6-phosphogluconate dehydrogenase, phosphoglucoisomerase phosphoglucomutase) were analyzed in sixteen natural population (fifteen from Sicily, one from Calabria). Mean within-population genetic diversity was moderate (P = 41%, A = 1.54, H = 0.16). In some cases a great number of heterozygous individuals were detected, in other cases fixation index (F) deviated significantly from Hardy-Weinberg genotypic expectations.A total of 37 alleles was recognized, six of which resulted exclusive to single populations. The among-population component of the total genetic diversity (Gst mean values) for each species was 0.30–0.37, indicating genetic differentiation among populations.Among B. villosa and B. rupestris populations genetic distance values resulted rather low and they resulted high with B. incana and B. macrocarpa populations.The results are discussed with regard to the distribution of the genetic diversity level and the genetic resources management.     

Hunting or habitat degradation? Decline of primate populations in Udzungwa Mountains,Tanzania: An analysis of threats

Hunting and habitat degradation are universal threats to primates across the tropics, thus deciphering the relative impact of threats on population relative abundance is critical to predicting extinction risk and providing conservation recommendations. We studied diurnal primates over a period of nearly 6 years in the Udzungwa Mountains of Tanzania, a site of global importance for primate conservation. We assessed how population relative abundance of five species (of which two are endemic and IUCN-Endangered) differed between two forest blocks that are similar in size and habitat types but contrast strongly in protection level, and how abundance changed during 2004–2009. We also measured habitat and disturbance parameters and, in the unprotected forest, evaluated hunting practices. We found significant differences in primates’ abundance between protected and unprotected forests, with the greater contrast being the lower abundance of colobine monkeys (Udzungwa red colobus and Angolan colobus) in the unprotected forest. At this site moreover, colobines declined to near-extinction over the study period. In contrast, two cercopithecines (Sanje mangabey and Sykes’ monkey) showed slightly higher abundance in the unprotected forest and did not decline significantly. We argue that escalating hunting in the unprotected forest has specifically impacted the canopy-dwelling colobus monkeys, although habitat degradation may also have reduced their abundance. In contrast, cercopithecines did not seem affected by the current hunting, and their greater ecological adaptability may explain the relatively higher abundance in the unprotected forest. We provide recommendations towards the long-term protection of the area.     

The interaction between microbiome and pig efficiency: A review

The existence of genetic control over the abundance of particular taxa and the link of these to energy balance and growth has been documented in model organisms and humans as well as several livestock species. Preliminary evidence of the same mechanisms is currently under investigation in pigs. Future research should expand these results and elicit the extent of genetic control of the gut microbiome population in swine and its relationship with growth efficiency. The quest for a more efficient pig at the interface between the host and its metagenome rests on the central hypothesis that the gut microbiome is an essential component of the variability of growth in all living organisms. Swine do not escape this general rule, and the identification of the significance of the interaction between host and its gut microbiota in the growth process could be a game-changer in the achievement of sustainable and efficient lean meat production. Standard sampling protocols, sequencing techniques, bioinformatic pipelines and methods of analysis will be paramount for the portability of results across experiments and populations. Likewise, characterizing and accounting for temporal and spatial variability will be a necessary step if microbiome is to be utilized routinely as an aid to selection.     

Pharmacokinetics of levosulpiride after single‐dose administration in goats (Capra hircus) by different routes of administration

Levosulpiride (LSP) is the l‐enantiomer of sulpiride, and LSP recently replacing sulpiride in several EU countries. Several studies about LSP in humans are present in the literature, but neither pharmacodynamic nor pharmacokinetic data of LSP is present for veterinary species. The aim of this study was to assess the pharmacokinetic profile of LSP after intravenous (IV), intramuscular (IM), and oral (PO) administration in goats. Animals (n = 6) were treated with 50 mg LSP by IV, IM, and PO routes according to a randomized cross‐over design (3 × 3 Latin‐square). Blood samples were collected prior and up to 24 hr after LSP administration and quantified using a validated HPLC method with fluorescence detection. IV and IM administration gave similar concentration versus time curve profiles. The IM mean bioavailability was 66.97%. After PO administration, the drug plasma concentrations were detectable only in the time range 1.5–4 hr, and the bioavailability (4.73%) was low. When the AUC was related to the administered dose in mg/kg, there was a good correlation in the IV and IM groups, but very low correlation for the PO route. In conclusion, the IM and IV administrations result in very similar plasma concentrations. Oral dosing of LSP in goats is probably not viable as its oral bioavailability was very low.     

Development of real-time PCR systems based on SYBR? Green I and TaqMan? technologies for specific quantitative detection of Phoma tracheiphila in infected Citrus

Real-time PCR assays based on SYBR? Green I and TaqMan? technologies were developed for in planta detection and quantification of Phoma tracheiphila, the mitosporic fungus causing ‘mal secco’ disease on citrus. Primers and a hybridization probe were designed on the basis of the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region of the nuclear rRNA genes. The real-time PCR assays were compared with a classic isolation method in two separate experiments carried out on 6 and 24 month-old sour orange seedlings, artificially inoculated with a conidial suspension of the pathogen. Both technologies made it possible to follow the progression of infection by P. tracheiphila, enabling detection and quantification of the target fungus prior to the development of symptoms. The detection limit was 10 copies of the cloned target sequence and 15 pg of genomic DNA extracted from fungal spores. The values of the cycle threshold (Ct) were linearly correlated with the concentration of the target DNA, indicating that the method is suitable as a qualitative and quantitative assay. The presence of non-target fungal DNA had no effect on the specificity of the assay, but resulted in a 10-fold reduction of sensitivity. Total inhibition of the reaction occurred when conidia of the target pathogen were mixed with an organic soil substrate before extracting DNA using the standard protocol, while an alternative purification kit resulted in a significant decrease in sensitivity. Compared to classic methods, real-time PCR proved faster and easier to perform and showed a higher sensitivity. These results suggest that real-time PCR, based on both chemistries, has a great potential for early diagnosis of ‘mal secco’ disease and for quantitative estimation of fungal growth within host tissue.     

Clavibacter michiganensis subsp. michiganesis: Tracking strains using their genetic differentiations by ISSR markers in Southern Turkey

There is no available data published related to the dissemination of bacterial canker caused by Clavibacter michiganensis subsp. michiganensis (Cmm) and its genetic diversity in Turkey. It is important to control new introduced inoculum sources by commercial seeds and seedlings. Pathogens were identified by morphological features and the identity was confirmed by PCR amplification using a specific primer PSA-4, PSA-R in addition to microbiological tests. ISSR markers showing high polymorphism ratios were selected and used to characterize Cmm strains. The collected strains were classified into different groups on the basis of ISSR-PCR fingerprints, which showed remarkable genetic specificity and diversity not previously identified in Cmm, suggesting that genetic differences are related to dissemination of the pathogen in the region. This is the first ever study carried out on the characterization of Cmm using ISSR. The selected ISSR primers to characterize Cmm can be used to determine genetic differences in further studies.     

Small ruminant lentiviruses in Jordan: evaluation of sheep and goat serological response using recombinant and peptide antigens

Small ruminant lentiviruses infect sheep and goats worldwide, causing chronic progressive diseases and relevant economic losses. Disease eradication and prevention is mostly based on serological testing. The goal of this research was to investigate the presence of the small ruminant lentiviruses (SRLVs) in Jordan and to characterize the serological response in sheep and goat populations. A panel of sera were collected from flocks located in Northern Jordan and Jordan Valley. The samples were tested using three ELISA assays: a commercially available ELISA based on p25 recombinant protein and transmembrane peptide derived from British maedi–visna virus (MVV) EV1 strain, an ELISA based on P16-P25 recombinant protein derived from two Italian strains representative of MVV- and caprine arthritis encephalitis virus (CAEV)-like SRLVs, and an ELISA based on SU5 peptide from the same two Italian isolates. The results indicate that both MVV- and CAEV-like strains are present in Jordan and that the majority of the viruses circulating among sheep and goat populations belong to the MVV-like genotype.     

Heavy Metal Contents and Distribution in Coastal Sediments of the Gulf of Trieste (Northern Adriatic Sea, Italy)

A set of ten heavy metals (Al, As, Cd, Cr, Cu, Hg, Ni, Pb, V, and Zn) was investigated in surface sediments (0–5 cm) collected in 21 sites of the Gulf of Trieste, Northern Adriatic Sea (Italy). The aim of this work was to obtain a preliminary assessment about the levels and spatial distribution of these selected elements. Ancillary parameters such as grain size, total organic carbon, and total nitrogen were also determined. The enrichment factor was calculated to discriminate if a natural condition or a status of anthropogenic contamination occurs. In addition, a set of sediment quality guidelines, mean effect low range and effect medium range quotients, was also applied in order to predict the probability of adverse biological effects on the benthic community.