Towards a sustainable fisheries policy in Europe

The reform of the European Common Fisheries Policy (CFP) in 2013 decides whether the European fisheries can be put on a sustainable course in the next 10 years. The CFP reform must halt overexploitation of fish resources and stop harm to the marine environment by fishing activities. The European Commission published a reform proposal just recently. This proposal is already an important first step in the right direction, but is under threat of being watered down by the Fisheries Council. Necessary improvements of the current CFP include among others a binding definition of a sustainable stock management, a discard ban for all fish species, transferable fishing concessions and a cessation of all aid for building new vessels. These modifications pave the way for placing micromanagement in the hands of regions and fisheries so as to foster self‐responsibility among fishers and give greater consideration to regional circumstances.     

Wheat ferritins: Improving the iron content of the wheat grain

The characterization of the full complement of wheat ferritins show that the modern hexaploid wheat genome contains two ferritin genes, TaFer1 and TaFer2, each represented by three homeoalleles and placed on chromosome 5 and 4, respectively. The two genes are differentially regulated and expressed. The TaFer1 genes are, except in the endosperm, the most abundantly expressed and regulated by iron and abscisic acid status. The promoter of TaFer1, in contrast to TaFer2, has iron- and ABA-responsive elements, supporting the expression data. The TaFer1 and TaFer2 genes encode two isoforms, probably functional different and acting in heteropolymer structures of ferritin in cereals. Iron biofortification of the wheat grain is possible. Endosperm targeted intragenic overexpressing of the TaFer1-A gene results in a 50–85% higher iron content in the grain.     

Barley callus: a model system for bioengineering of starch in cereals

ABSTRACT: BACKGROUND: Starch is the most important source of calories for human nutrition and the majority of it is produced by cereal farming. Starch is also used as a renewable raw material in a range of industrial sectors. It can be chemically modified to introduce new physicochemical properties. In this way starch is adapted to a variety of specific end-uses. Recombinant DNA technologies offers an alternative to starch industrial processing. The plant biosynthetic pathway can be manipulated to design starches with novel structure and improved technological properties. In the future this may reduce or eliminate the economical and environmental costs of industrial modification. Recently, many advances have been achieved to clarify the genetic mechanism that controls starch biosynthesis. Several genes involved in the synthesis and modification of complex carbohydrates in many organisms have been identified and cloned. This knowledge suggests a number of strategies and a series of candidate genes for genetic transformation of crops to generate new types of starch-based polymers. However transformation of cereals is a slow process and there is no easy model system available to test the efficiency of candidate genes in planta. RESULTS: We explored the possibility to use transgenic barley callus generated from immature embryo for a fast test of transgenic modification strategies of starch biosynthesis. We found that this callus contains 4 % (w/w dw) starch granules, which we could modify by generating fully transgenic calli by Agrobacterium-transformation. A Green Fluorescent Protein reporter protein tag was used to identify and propagate only fully transgenic callus explants. Around 1 -- 1.5 g dry weight of fully transgenic callus could be produced in 9 weeks. Callus starch granules were smaller than endosperm starch granules and contained less amylose. Similarly the expression profile of starch biosynthesis genes were slightly different in callus compared with developing endosperm. CONCLUSIONS: In this study we have developed an easy and rapid in planta model system for starch bioengineering in cereals. We suggest that this method can be used as a time-efficient model system for fast screening of candidate genes for the generation of modified starch or new types of carbohydrate polymers.     

Reveille Russet: An Early,Widely Adapted,High-Count-Carton Russet for the Fresh Market

Reveille Russet (ATX91137-1Ru) is a uniform, medium-early, high yielding, high pack-out, fresh market russet cultivar, with wide adaptability, released by Texas A&M AgriLife Research in 2015. It resulted from a cross of Bannock Russet(♀) and breeding clone A8343–12(♂). Reveille Russet produces attractive, oblong tubers, with medium russeting, white flesh and excellent culinary qualities. It has a lower incidence of internal defects and a higher percentage of marketable tubers in the 170 to 284 g and 284 to 510 g (6 to 10 oz. and 10 to 18 oz.) size classes than Russet Norkotah. Reveille Russet is resistant to hollow heart, second growth and blackspot bruise. It also stores longer and tends to wound-heal to a lighter brown color upon skinning during harvest and/or handling than Russet Norkotah.     

FC‐24 Risk factors for atopic dermatitis in a Swedish population of insured dogs

Studies into the epidemiology of canine atopic dermatitis (CAD) are in great demand. Estimates of the prevalence and incidence of CAD are commonly based on hospital studies where no reference population is defined. Such studies tend to overestimate the disease frequency due to referral bias and a higher proportion of complicated cases at secondary care centres than in the general population. The aim of this paper was to present better estimates of the incidence of CAD. The Swedish dog population offers unique opportunities to study the epidemiology of CAD due to several characteristics: a large proportion of dogs are purebred, fleas and flea allergies are rare, and a secondary database of disease records is available through an insurance company that covers approximately 30% of all Swedish dogs. By accessing insurance‐claims records for the years 1995–2000, the true incidence rate of CAD was estimated as 10 cases per 10,000 dog years at risk. Univariate analysis showed that the incidence was the same across genders. Additionally, large differences in the risk of being diagnosed with CAD existed among breeds. In this study, breeds with the highest risk were the bull terrier (88 cases/10,000 dog years at risk), Staffordshire bull terrier (58/10,000), West Highland white terrier (51/10,000), Welsh terrier (50/10,000) and boxer (50/10,000). Decreased risk was observed among sighthounds; no cases were recorded among the Borzoi, Saluki and Whippet breeds. A proportional hazards (survival) model was developed in order to take sex, breed, age and geographical region into account in a multivariate analysis. Funding: Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, The Foundation for Research.     

Challenges faced by the IR-4 Programme and US specialty crop growers

The Food Quality Protection Act (FQPA) was enacted in August 1996 and required the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to reassess all existing and new crop protection active substances using a new set of health and environmental standards to further protect infants and children. The initial fear that many minor or specialty crop use registrations would be lost without adequate replacements has largely been overcome by an aggressive programme by the International Research Project no. 4 (IR-4) in partnership with the EPA and the crop protection industry to register new, safer, reduced risk products for specialty crop pest control needs. Since the FQPA, the EPA has approved over 5600 new specialty crop uses resulting from IR-4 residue programmes. This amounts to about 56% of the over 10 000 clearances received by the IR-4 programme in its 43 year history and about 50% of all new uses granted by the EPA since FQPA. The positive outcomes from these efforts have been partially negated by the lack of tolerances or Maximum Residue Levels (MRLs) in countries to which US produce is exported. This has forced some US specialty crop growers to continue to use older, less desirable products. IR-4 has been addressing this challenge by cooperating in the NAFTA (North American Free Trade Agreement) countries with Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada's Pest Management Centre and Health Canada's Pest Management Regulatory Agency to harmonize MRLs through joint projects and regulatory reviews. IR-4 has also provided leadership for the International Crop Grouping Consulting Committee to harmonize specialty/minor crop groupings and representative crops for residue studies with the long-term goal being to globally harmonize MRLs.     

Hierarchical model-based inference for forest inventory utilizing three sources of information

? Key message

The study presents novel model-based estimators for growing stock volume and its uncertainty estimation, combining a sparse sample of field plots, a sample of laser data, and wall-to-wall Landsat data. On the basis of our detailed simulation, we show that when the uncertainty of estimating mean growing stock volume on the basis of an intermediate ALS model is not accounted for, the estimated variance of the estimator can be biased by as much as a factor of three or more, depending on the sample size at the various stages of the design.

? Context

This study concerns model-based inference for estimating growing stock volume in large-area forest inventories, combining wall-to-wall Landsat data, a sample of laser data, and a sparse subsample of field data.

? Aims

We develop and evaluate novel estimators and variance estimators for the population mean volume, taking into account the uncertainty in two model steps.

? Methods

Estimators and variance estimators were derived for two main methodological approaches and evaluated through Monte Carlo simulation. The first approach is known as two-stage least squares regression, where Landsat data were used to predict laser predictor variables, thus emulating the use of wall-to-wall laser data. In the second approach laser data were used to predict field-recorded volumes, which were subsequently used as response variables in modeling the relationship between Landsat and field data.

Results

? The estimators and variance estimators are shown to be at least approximately unbiased. Under certain assumptions the two methods provide identical results with regard to estimators and similar results with regard to estimated variances.

? Conclusion

We show that ignoring the uncertainty due to one of the models leads to substantial underestimation of the variance, when two models are involved in the estimation procedure.

     

NorValley: A white-skinned chipping cultivar with cold-sweetening resistance

NorValley is a multi-purpose, high-yielding, whiteskinned cultivar suitable for processing into chips, dehydrated flakes, or for table stock use. It chips directly from long-term storage at 6 C without reconditioning. NorValley has wide adaptability and is suitable for production on irrigated or non-irrigated land and has a low incidence of hollow heart. NorValley was released by the North Dakota Agricultural Experiment Station on August 22,1996.     

Russet Legend: A full season long Russet for processing and fresh market use

Russet Legend, a moderately late maturing variety especially suitable for frozen French fry processing but also acceptable for tablestock use (boiling, and baking), was jointly released by the Agricultural Experiment Stations of Oregon, Colorado, Idaho, and Washington, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture in 1998. Russet Legend was evaluated in irrigated trials in Oregon from 1988 to 1997, and in western regional trials from 1990 to 1992. Total yields were similar to those of Russet Burbank, but Russet Legend produced higher marketable yields. In three years of regional trials at up to 13 locations in seven western states, Russet Legend averaged 47.3 Mg/ha marketable yield compared with 36.5 Mg/ha for Russet Burbank and 33.6 Mg/ha for Russet Norkotah. Russet Legend has consistently achieved lighter fry color and higher specific gravity than Russet Burbank. Russet Legend is less susceptible toVerticillium wilt than Russet Burbank or Russet Norkotah. It is susceptible to PLRV and net necrosis, and expresses PVY foliar symptoms clearly. Russet Legend is less susceptible to tuber infection and decay caused byPhytophthora infestans than Ranger Russet and Russet Norkotah. Russet Legend is less susceptible to hollow heart, brown center, growth cracks, and sugar ends than Russet Burbank     

Immunological studies on Vibrio anguillarum

Nineteen strains of Vibrio anguillarum were examined by means of several immunological methods. Nine other strains belonging to the genera Vibrio, Aeromonas and Pseudomonas were also examined for comparison.Lipopolysaccharides were prepared from seven of the V. anguillarum strains. The lipopolysaccharides seem to be species-specific for V. anguillarum, not being detected in any of the other strains examined. Common antigens are also found in V. anguillarum and other species of marine bacteria.The strains of V. anguillarum fall into three different serological groups according to the type of lipopolysaccharide in the cell wall. One of the groups comprises only one strain, this strain being the only one not isolated from diseased fish.The lipopolysaccharides were used in an indirect haemagglutination test. Inhibition of this haemagglutination with tissue extracts from diseased fish can be used for practical purposes in the diagnosis of vibriosis.