Image Analysis of Grain and Chemical Composition of the Barley Plant as Predictors of Malting Quality in Mediterranean Environments

We have explored the possibility of predicting the malting quality of barley grain, indicated by malt extract yield, by characteristics measured either on plants at anthesis or in mature dry grain by image analysis. To produce barley samples with varying levels of all the characteristics studied, we used grain from an experiment designed to study the influence of lowinput husbandry practices on malting quality of barley by growing five malting genotypes at each of four environments (site × season) and with two different agronomic treatments (N fertilization and herbicide-mechanical roguing of weeds). The results showed that nitrogen content in the plant at anthesis was a good predictor of grain protein content, this characteristic in turn being positively correlated with embryo size and grain volume, as estimated by image analysis, and negatively correlated with nonstructural carbohydrate content in the plant at anthesis. Extract yield was positively correlated with Kolbach index (ratio of soluble to total wort protein) and negatively correlated with wort viscosity and barley grain protein content. Thus, the only practical predictor of malt extract was grain protein content.     

Sea turtle strandings reveal high anthropogenic mortality in Italian waters

• 1. Spatio‐temporal distribution and anthropogenic mortality factors were investigated in loggerhead turtles (Caretta caretta) found stranded or floating in the waters around Italy. A total of 5938 records for the period 1980–2008 were analysed concerning loggerhead turtles measuring from 3.8 to 97 cm curved carapace length (mean: 48.3 cm).
• 2. Results highlighted the following conservation issues: (i) in the study area, anthropogenic mortality is higher than natural mortality; (ii) interaction with fisheries is by far the most important anthropogenic mortality factor; (iii) longlines are an important mortality factor in the southern areas; (iv) trawlers are the cause of high numbers of dead strandings in the north Adriatic; (v) entanglement in ghost‐gear or in other anthropogenic debris affects high numbers of turtles; and (vi) boat strikes are an important source of mortality in most areas but mostly in the warm seasons.
• 3. Results also indicate that: (vii) the north Adriatic is the area with the highest turtle density; and (viii) the south Adriatic and to a lesser extent the surrounding areas of the north Adriatic and the Ionian, are important developmental areas for loggerhead turtles in the first years of life.
• 4. Italy is in the centre of the Mediterranean Sea and borders major foraging areas for the loggerhead turtles in the region, and these results confirm previous concerns about the level of anthropogenic mortality in Italian waters. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

     

Fish photobacteriosis—The importance of rapid and accurate identification of Photobacterium damselae subsp. piscicida

MALDI‐TOF MS was tested for the identification of Photobacterium damselae subsp. piscicida on isolates grown on two media, cultured at three incubation times and applied on the target plate by the direct sample spotting (DS), by the on‐target extraction (OTE) and by the full extraction (FE) method, in triplicates. The identification of samples grown on blood agar (BA) outperformed identification on tryptic soya agar (TSA) by 0.64% for DS and OTE. The OTE gave the highest scores in both culture media, all incubation times and replicates. Reliable 24‐hr species identification was 61.54%, 84.61% and 53.85% for samples grown on TSA and identified by DS, OTE and FE, respectively. For isolates grown on BA, they were 76.92%, 96.15% and 30.77%, respectively. When identified by OTE, the 48‐hr identification was 93.58%, but for 72 hr declined to 71.79%. The reliable identification with the highest score from the first measurement was 100% only for OTE from BA (24 hr), whereas OTE from TSA gave 84.61% (24 hr), 76.92% (48 hr) and 84.61% (72 hr). The reliable MALDI‐TOF MS identification of Ph. damselae subsp. piscicida is incubation time, media, target plate preparation and replicate‐dependent.     

Assessment of potential trade‐off between maternal colouration and offspring quality in the ornamental “red cherry” shrimp Neocaridina davidi (Bouvier)

Maternal colouration based on carotenoids has been proposed to negatively affect offspring quality in several taxa, since females might trade off their limited carotenoid resources between body colouration and eggs. This study investigated in the ornamental “red cherry” shrimp (Neocaridina davidi) the relationship between maternal colouration and female reproductive performance, as well as offspring quality. Females selected displayed a broad array of body colour, from less coloured to intensely red coloured and were paired with transparent males. The first two spawning events of each female were studied and compared. The number of newly hatched juveniles was associated to maternal weight, but not to maternal colouration. Offspring quality was measured in terms of survival at the end of the 90‐day growth period, weight and length increment for 0–30 days and 30–60 days periods, and protein, lipid and glycogen contents in 30‐day‐old offspring. Yet, neither of these variables was associated to maternal colouration. These results indicate that there is no trade‐off between maternal colouration and offspring quality in this species. Furthermore, no association was found between maternal and offspring colouration, evaluated at a similar age. However, body colouration in 180‐day old females was significantly higher than in 90‐day‐old females, indicating that female colouration is strongly influenced by age.     

A review of reported effects of pelagic longline fishing gear configurations on target,bycatch and vulnerable species

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Balance and concentration of nitrogen and potassium affect growth and nutrient status in soilless cultivated lisianthus

Purpose: Nitrogen (N) / potassium (K) nutrient balance has been studied for some ornamental plants, however, available information is limited. Here we investigate the optimum N and K balance and concentration for lisianthus production in soilless medium.

Materials and methods: The effect of three N / K balances: 1.43, 2.14 and 4.29, prepared by varying the concentration of N and K, were evaluated in lisianthus grown in soilless medium (volcanic rock).

Results: Plants fertigated with a N / K balance of 2.14 exhibited enhanced height and stem dry weight when compared to plants fertigated with a balance of 4.29, and a higher flower buds count and total dry weight than those fertigated with a balance of 1.43 or 4.29. Plants fertigated with a balance of 2.14 exhibited increased dry weight when N was reduced from 15 to 9?meq?L^?1 and K from 7 to 4.2?meq?L^?1, suggesting that lisianthus does not require high levels of these nutrients. Although shoot N concentration was not correlated with N concentration in the nutrient solution or balance, increasing N in the shoot was associated with higher P and Mg in the plant tissues. In general, P, Ca, and Mg in plant tissues were unaffected by the external N / K balance, however, the internal P and Mg concentrations were positively correlated with shoot dry weight. Shoot K concentration significantly increased when the N / K balance decreased, which is related to the higher concentrations of external K when the balance decreased.

Conclusions: The optimum N / K balance for lisianthus was 2.14. However, there was a concentration effect, as fertigation with solutions containing a N / K balance of 2.14 and an N and K concentration of 9 and 4.2?meq?L^?1 respectively, resulted in plants with the greatest dry weight.     

Combining ability of common bean parents in different seasons,locations and generations

The objectives of this study were to obtain information about genetic parameters of a partial diallel in common bean, as well as to evaluate the effects of growing seasons, locations and generations in these estimates in order to define the best strategies for the use of diallel analysis as methodology of selection of parents and populations in common bean breeding. Twelve parents were crossed in a partial diallel scheme (5?×?7), and the F₁ and F₂ generations were evaluated in four experiments (I, II, III, and IV). The effects of seasons were determined in the Experiments I and II, in which the F₁ generation was evaluated in two distinct growing seasons. To quantify the effect of locations, we used Experiments III and IV, in which the F₂ generation was evaluated in the same season, but at different locations, and to quantify the effect of generations, the experiments II (generation F₁) and III (F₂ generation) were evaluated in the same season and location. As for grain yield the genetic control varied according to the environment. An effect of interaction on the genetic parameters of the diallel was observed for generation, whereas for grain yield, effects of season and location were observed. For plant architecture, parental combining ability should therefore be estimated using the F₁ generation, while for grain yield, both the F₁ and F₂ can be used. The recombination between the best hybrids is a promising strategy for extraction of superior black bean lines.     

Dietary protein:lipid ratio changes growth,digestive enzyme activity,metabolic profile and haematological parameters in hybrid surubim (Pseudoplatystoma fasciatum × Leiarius marmoratus)

Studies investigating improved protein:lipid ratios based on their effects on growth, nutrient utilization, digestive enzyme activities, blood metabolites and erythogram in tropical carnivorous fish are very scarce. This study evaluated the effect of different protein:lipid ratios on these parameters in the hybrid surubim Pseudoplatystoma corruscans × Leiarius marmoratus. Juvenile fish (8.90 ± 0.94 g initial weight) were fed 3% of total biomass for 60 days using four isoenergetic experimental diets with different protein:lipid ratios (9.00, 4.60, 3.54 and 1.78). Higher growth performance parameters were observed at higher protein:lipid ratios. The activities of intestine total alkaline protease, trypsin and lipase (U/mg protein) were not affected by dietary treatments. Chymotrypsin (U/mg protein) was higher in the 4.60 protein:lipid ratio group. Amylase (U/mg protein) was higher in intermediate groups. Blood glucose, total plasma protein, triglycerides, cholesterol and free amino acids decreased as the protein:lipid ratio decreased. Haematocrit was higher at the 9.00 and 4.60 protein:lipid ratios. Hybrid surubim showed metabolic adaptation to the different protein:lipid ratios tested. These results suggest that the 4.60 protein:lipid ratio showed the best protein‐sparing effect of lipids.     

Not the one,but the only one: about <Emphasis Type="Italic">Cannabis cryptic virus</Emphasis> in plants showing ‘hemp streak’ disease symptoms

Interveinal chlorosis and leaf margin wrinkling are widespread symptoms of Cannabis sativa. They are traditionally attributed to the so-called hemp streak virus (HSV), but its existence has not been demonstrated yet. To our knowledge, no molecular investigation has so far been performed in order to identify the causal agent of this symptomatology, we therefore decided to use traditional and molecular virology techniques to better characterize symptoms and pursue the etiological agent. No pathogenic virus was found by using targeted PCR reactions and by RNA sequencing, whereas we were able to detect the Cannabis cryptic virus (CanCV) with both techniques. We, therefore, developed an RT-qPCR assay based on a CanCV-specific TaqMan probe and applied it to a wide range of symptomatic and symptomless plants, using a two-step (for quantification), or a one-step (for fast detection) protocol. Both symptoms and the virus were only shown to be transmitted vertically and did not pass via mechanical inoculation or grafting, though we could not find any cause-effect correlation between them. In fact, the virus was found in all the tested hemp samples, and its abundance varied greatly between different accessions and individuals, independently from the presence and severity of symptoms. The suggestion that hemp streak is caused by a virus is therefore questioned. Some abiotic stresses seem to play a role in triggering the symptoms but this aspect needs further investigation. For breeding purposes, a selection of parental plants based on the absence of symptoms proved to be efficient in containment of the disease.