Association between frost tolerance and the alleles of high molecular weight glutenin subunits present in Polish winter wheats

Subunits of high molecular weight glutenins strongly influence wheat bread making quality and can be associated with important agronomic traits. Polish winter wheats show a significant quantitative dominance of the null allele over the coding alleles of the Glu-A1 locus. To identify the causes of such skewed distribution, 116 F₅ lines obtained from six cross combinations were analyzed for their HMW glutenin subunits and 11 agronomic characteristics, such as plant height and uniformity, leaf blotch and leaf rust resistance, grain yield per plot, number of grains per ear, grain yield per ear, 1000 kernel weight, frost tolerance, total protein content and the SDS-sedimentation value. The SDS-sedimentation value, resistance to leaf blotch and frost tolerance showed statistically significant associations with the status of the Glu-A1 locus. It appears that chromosome 1A with the null allele at Glu-A1 carries a closely linked locus responsible for frost tolerance. With early strong selection for winter hardiness, the null allele of Glu-A1 becomes fixed in advanced breeding materials despite its strong negative impact on the end use quality.     

Application of near infrared spectroscopy for authentication of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Picea abies</Emphasis> seed provenance

Authentication of seed provenance is an importance issue to avoid the negative impact of poor adaptation of progenies when planted outside their natural environmental conditions. The objective of this study was to evaluate the potential of near infrared (NIR) spectroscopy as rapid and non-destructive method for authentication of Picea abies L. Karst seed provenances. For this purpose, five seed lots from Sweden, Finland, Poland and Lithuania each were used. NIR reflectance spectra were recorded on individual seeds (n = 150 seeds × 5 seed lots × 4 provenances = 3000 seeds) using XDS Rapid Content Analyzer from 780 to 2500 nm with a resolution of 0.5 nm. Classification model was developed by orthogonal projection to latent structures-discriminant analysis. The performance of the computed classification model was validated using two test sets—internal (the same seed lots as the model but excluded during model development; n = 600 seeds) and external (seed lots not included in the model; n = 1158 seeds). For the internal test, the model correctly recognized 99% of Swedish, Finnish and Polish samples and 97% of Lithuanian seeds. For the external test samples, the model correctly assigned 81% of Swedish, 96% of Finnish, 98% of Lithuanian and 93% of Polish seeds to their respective classes. The mean classification accuracy was 99 and 95% for internal and external test set, respectively. The spectral differences among seed lots were attributed to differences in chemical composition of seeds, presumably fatty acids and proteins, which are the dominant storage reserves in P. abies seeds. In conclusion, the results demonstrate that NIR spectroscopy is a very promising method for monitoring putative seed provenances and in seed certification.     

Estimation of Fine Root Biomass of Alders Growing on Technosols Using Two Different Methods

Fine roots play an important role in organic matter accumulation in reclaimed mine soils. However, estimation of the increment of fine root biomass is difficult and none of the existing methods is universal. The paper examined two methods for measurement of fine roots biomass increment (FRBI): i) with using the root-ingrowth core method (RIC) and ii) the monolith sampling method (MSC). The study was conducted under alder plantings (Alnus incana, A. glutinosa and A. viridis) introduced on technosols at a combustion waste disposal site and a former open-cast sand mine. The FRBI determined using MSC method was significantly lower (33–481 g m^?2 yr^?1) and less variable than the FRBI measured with RIC (85–2317 g m^?2 yr^?1). However, the results obtained with both methods were correlated (r = 0.70, P = 0,05). Consequently, MSC is better to qualitatively compare the habitats of tree species in terms of their ability to produce fine roots. However, in the initial soils where plants very often produce more fine roots, RIC seems to be more suitable. This method shows the actual ability of trees to produce roots in order to satisfy their life needs when acquiring a new habitat on reclaimed soils. Such information is particularly important in oligotrophic soils where nutrient deficiency may be balanced only by the efficient circulation and decomposition of organic matter (SOM) including the fine roots that die off after each growing season.     

Atrioventricular valvular anomalies and their role in the etiopathogenesis of cardiorespiratory syndrome in farmed common foxes (Vulpes vulpes)

Background: Cardiorespiratory syndrome of common foxes is associated with a mortality rate ranging from 2.1% to 20%.

Objective: The aim of this study was to analyze the prevalence of cardiac abnormalities in common foxes (Vulpes vulpes) from Polish farms with a history of cardiorespiratory syndrome.

Animals and methods: The prevalence of cardiac abnormalities in common foxes from a Polish farm with a history of cardiorespiratory syndrome was assessed as well as morphological examination of 60 heart specimens from clinically healthy animals. In addition, 38 foxes were examined echocardiographically and subjected to postmortem examination.

Results: Atrioventricular valvular abnormalities were found in 57 out of the 98 (58%) analyzed hearts. The abnormalities of the mitral valve documented in more than 20% of the foxes in involved tendinous chords (completely lacking or shortened), papillary muscles and mitral cusps associated with both insufficiency and stenosis of the left atrioventricular orifice. Abnormalities of the tricuspid valve included significant shortening of the tendinous chords and thickening of the valve cusps with the impairment of their mobility. The results of the echocardiographic and postmortem examination were consistent in 79% of the cases. The specimens collected from animals with and without atrioventricular valvular anomalies did not differ significantly in terms of cardiomyocyte width, number of inflammatory cells, adipose tissue content and presence of polychromatic cardiomyocytes.

Conclusion: Congenital atrioventricular valvular defects may be involved in the etiology of cardiorespiratory syndrome in common foxes, and echocardiography can be used as a measure of stock's health and a criterion for selection for mating.     

Thecaphora dahuangis,a new species causing leaf smut disease of the traditional medicinal plant dahuang (Rheum palmatum) in China

Chinese rhubarb (Rheum palmatum) is an important crop that has been used in traditional Chinese medicine for over 2,000 years. The main cultivation areas are the Chinese provinces of Gansu, Qinhai, Tibet, and Sichuan. Various fungal diseases threaten Chinese rhubarb, the most common of which is leaf smut. In literature, the causal agent of this disease is described as Thecaphora schwarzmaniana. We present morphological data and molecular phylogenetic data of two rDNA loci (ITS1-5.8S-ITS2 and 28S D1-D2) that justify the classification of the causal agent as a distinct species. Here we describe the new species Thecaphora dahuangis for the leaf smut pathogen of Chinese rhubarb.     

Identification of the causal agents of crazy root disease on hydroponically cultivated cucumber plants in Poland

European Journal of Plant Pathology - In April 2019, hydroponically cultivated cucumber plants with characteristic symptoms of crazy root disease were found in two different commercial production...