Effect of Sprouting on Proteins and Starch in Quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa Willd.)

Plant Foods for Human Nutrition - This study aims at understanding the relation among sprouting time (from 12 up to 72 h), changes in protein and starch components, and flour functionality...     

Sorption-desorption of aminocyclopyrachlor in selected Brazilian soils

Aminocyclopyrachlor sorption/desorption was investigated in 14 soils from Brazil, representing a range of pH, and organic carbon (OC) and clay contents. The Freundlich equation adequately described behavior of aminocyclopyrachlor in soil. Freundlich sorption coefficient (K(f)) values ranged from 0.06 to 1.64 and 1/n values for ranged from 0.9 to 1.0. Sorption was correlated to OC (K(f,oc) ranged from 11 to 64) and clay contents. The lowest sorption was found for soils with very low OC contents (0.50-0.65%) and loamy-sand to sand textures. The 1/n values for desorption were lower than those observed for sorption, suggesting that aminocyclopyrachlor sorption by soil was not reversible; hysteresis coefficients ranged from 0.13 to 0.74. The results suggest that although aminocyclopyrachlor would be very mobile based on its sorption coefficients, its potential depth of leaching may be overestimated due to the hysteretic desorption.     

Response of grapevine cv. ‘Tempranillo’ to timing and amount of irrigation: water relations, vine growth, yield and berry and wine composition

The effects of several moderate irrigation regimes on vine water status, yield, and must and wine composition, were investigated during five seasons in a vineyard planted with Vitis vinifera cv. Tempranillo. Treatments consisted of non-irrigated vines and six differentially irrigated treatments with contrasting watering regimes during the pre-veraison and post-veraison periods. There were large differences in yield and grape and wine quality responses to irrigation among seasons, probably as consequence of the different environmental conditions and crop levels. It was, however, clear that vines benefit more of the irrigation supplied in years of high yield levels. Across seasons, yield increased in proportion to the amount of water applied mostly due to the larger berries of irrigated vines, and there was no clear response to the timing of irrigation supplied. In addition, there were no carry over effects due to irrigation on bud fertility. The post-veraison water application was necessary to increase must sugar level and wine alcohol content. However, water restrictions during the pre-veraison period lead to more concentrated berries in terms of total phenolic and anthocyanins. The only noticeable detrimental effect of irrigation, regardless of the timing of its application, on wine composition was an increase in wine pH.     

Effective monitoring of freshwater fish

Freshwater ecosystems constitute only a small fraction of the planet's water resources, yet support much of its diversity, with freshwater fish accounting for more species than birds, mammals, amphibians or reptiles. Fresh waters are, however, particularly vulnerable to anthropogenic impacts, including habitat loss, climate and land use change, pollution and biological invasions. This environmental degradation, combined with unprecedented rates of biodiversity change, highlights the importance of robust and replicable programmes to monitor freshwater fish. Such monitoring programmes can have diverse aims, including confirming the presence of a single species (e.g., early detection of alien species), tracking changes in the abundance of threatened species, or documenting long‐term temporal changes in entire communities. Irrespective of their motivation, monitoring programmes are only fit for purpose if they have clearly articulated aims and collect data that can meet those aims. This review, therefore, highlights the importance of identifying the key aims in monitoring programmes and outlines the different methods of sampling freshwater fish that can be used to meet these aims. We emphasize that investigators must address issues around sampling design, statistical power, species’ detectability, taxonomy and ethics in their monitoring programmes. Additionally, programmes must ensure that high‐quality monitoring data are properly curated and deposited in repositories that will endure. Through fostering improved practice in freshwater fish monitoring, this review aims to help programmes improve understanding of the processes that shape the Earth's freshwater ecosystems and help protect these systems in face of rapid environmental change.     

Food supplementation by an invasive fleshy‐fruited shrub sustains body condition of a native frugivorous bird during winter

Birds tend to adjust their behavior and physiology to changes in food availability in their environment. Seasonal fluctuation of food resources may act as an energetic challenge, augmenting hypothalamus–pituitary–adrenal axis (HPA axis) activity, leading to an increase in corticosterone concentrations and promoting the metabolism of energy stores. Plant invasions may alter seasonal food fluctuations by providing a food supply during scarce seasons. This could attenuate the energetic challenge, reducing HPA axis activity and the metabolism of reserves. Using a system with seasonal fluctuation in food availability, we tested if fruit supplementation by the invasive fleshy‐fruited Pyracantha angustifolia during the season of native fruit scarcity decreases the consumption of energy stores through activity attenuation of the HPA axis. We measured changes in body condition and circulating corticosterone (CORT) concentration in Turdus chiguanco occurring at sites both invaded and not invaded by P. angustifolia over 3 time periods that correspond to the periods prior to, during and after highest fruit production of the plant. Fruit scarcity in the ecosystem appears as an energetic challenge for T. chiguanco, given that body mass, fat score and residuals of body mass/tarsus length decreased during winter in a site not invaded by the exotic shrub. Conversely, the presence of the invasive plant seemed to attenuate the metabolism of energetic reserves, as we did not record changes in body condition in birds inhabiting the invaded site. Unexpectedly, plasma CORT concentration did not vary between sites or periods. Further evaluation is required to elucidate how enhanced body condition, resulting from the consumption of a fleshy‐fruited invasive plant, affects survivorship and reproductive performance in T. chiguanco.     

Fresh and stored copra meal in meat quail diets

Tropical Animal Health and Production - The aim of the current study was to evaluate the addition of fresh and stored copra meal to the diet of meat quails. Two hundred eighty-seven-day-old male...     

Genetic gain in agronomic traits of common bean in the region of Planalto Catarinense

The purpose of this study was to predict the genetic progress in the selection for common bean agronomic traits based on the trait expression, using two indices of adaptive selection. The existence of correlation between various traits in common bean breeding is a major restriction, but some tools that allow breeders to predict the expected gains could optimize results. The following traits were evaluated: (1) plant cycle (days), (2) plant height (in cm), (3) stem diameter (cm), (4) insertion of the first pod (cm); (5) number of pods per plant; (6) number of grains per pod; (7) pod length (cm). Results show the possibility of selecting accessions for several agronomically important traits evaluated together. The only genotype selected by both indices was UDESC 03, confirming the possibility of selecting plants with superior agronomic traits among genotypes of common bean landraces.     

Digestive peptidases and proteinases in the midgut gland of the pink shrimp Farfantepenaeus paulensis (Crustacea, Decapoda, Penaeidae)

Proteases from the midgut gland of the Farfantepenaeus paulensis juveniles were assessed. Enzyme activity was determined using protease substrates and inhibitors. The effect of pH, temperature and calcium on proteolytic activity was assayed. Caseinolytic activity was analysed in substrate-sodium dodecyl sulphate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE). Trypsin, chymotrypsin and leucine aminopeptidase activity was detected. Proteolytic activity was strongly inhibited by the specific trypsin inhibitors. Tosyl-phenylalanine chloromethyl ketone inhibited 59.3% of chymotrypsin activity. The greatest trypsin-like activity occurred at pH 8.0 and 45 °C. Chymotrypsin-like activity reached maximal values at alkaline pH (7.2–9.0) and 55 °C. CaCl₂ did not increase trypsin-like activity, but rather inhibited it at concentrations of 30 (20%), 50 (30%) and 100 mM (50%). The substrate-SDS-PAGE zymogram revealed eight proteinase bands. Two possibly thermal-resistant (85 °C, 30 min) chymotrypsin isoforms were found, which were inhibited by phenyl-methyl-sulphonyl-fluoride. Aminopeptidase activity of enzyme extracts (Arg, Leu, Lys, Phe and Val) and the recommended concentrations of these essential amino acids in penaeid shrimp diets were positively correlated ( P <0.05). Beause protein digestion involves the combined action of different enzymes, adequate knowledge of shrimp digestion and enzyme characteristics is required for the assessment of the digestive potential of different feed sources and development of in vitro digestibility protocols.