Intra-specific variation of wheat grain quality in response to elevated [CO2] at two sowing times under rain-fed and irrigation treatments

In order to investigate the intra-specific variation of wheat grain quality response to elevated atmospheric CO₂ concentration (e[CO₂]), eight wheat (Triticum aestivum L.)cultivars were grown at two CO₂ concentrations ([CO₂]) (current atmospheric, 389 CO₂ μmol mol⁻¹vs. e[CO₂], FACE (Free-Air CO₂ Enrichment), 550  ±  10% CO₂ μmol mol⁻¹), at two water levels (rain-fed vs. irrigated) and at two times of sowing (TOS₁, vs. TOS₂). The TOS treatment was mainly imposed to understand whether e[CO₂] could modify the effects of timing of higher grain filling temperatures on grain quality. When plants were grown at TOS₁, TKW (thousand kernel weight), grain test weight, hardness index, P, Ca, Na and phytate were not significantly changed under e[CO₂]. On the other hand, e[CO₂] increased TKW (16%), hardness index (9%), kernel diameter (6%), test weight (2%) but decreased grain protein (10%) and grain phytate (11%) at TOS₂. In regard to grain Zn, Mn and Cu concentrations and some flour rheological properties, cultivar specific responses to e[CO₂] were observed at both sowing times. Observed genetic variability in response to e[CO₂] in terms of grain minerals and flour rheological properties could be easily incorporated into future wheat breeding programs to enable adaptation to climate change.     

Tanjungides A and B: New Antitumoral Bromoindole Derived Compounds from Diazona cf formosa. Isolation and Total Synthesis

Tanjungides A (1) (Z isomer) and B (2) (E isomer), two novel dibrominated indole enamides, have been isolated from the tunicate Diazona cf formosa. Their structures were determined by spectroscopic methods including HRMS, and extensive 1D and 2D NMR. The stereochemistry of the cyclised cystine present in both compounds was determined by Marfey’s analysis after chemical degradation and hydrolysis. We also report the first total synthesis of these compounds using methyl 1H-indole-3-carboxylate as starting material and a linear sequence of 11 chemical steps. Tanjungides A and B exhibit significant cytotoxicity against human tumor cell lines.     

Drivers for spatial modelling of a critically endangered seabird on a dynamic ocean area: Balearic shearwaters are non-vegetarian

1. Spatial modelling is an important research tool to improve our knowledge about the distribution of wildlife in the ocean. Using different modelling techniques (MaxEnt and a generalized linear mixed model), a predictive habitat suitability model was developed for one of the most threatened seabirds in the world: the Balearic shearwater, Puffinus mauretanicus.
2. Models were developed using a 10-year dataset from the Gulf of Cádiz (on the south-western Iberian Peninsula), a key foraging area for Balearic shearwaters during migration and the non-breeding season.
3. Predictive habitat maps strongly matched the observed distribution patterns, pointing to bathymetric features as the main modelling drivers. The species was concentrated on shallow areas (up to approximately 100 m in depth) of the continental shelf, very close to the mouth of the Guadalquivir River. In contrast with previous studies, Balearic shearwater distribution in the highly dynamic Gulf of Cádiz was not correlated with areas of high chlorophyll a concentration.
4. This lack of spatial correlation probably arises from the delay between the phytoplankton bloom and the response of the zooplankton and small fish that are preyed upon by Balearic shearwaters, which may result in important displacements of this trophic chain across the Gulf of Cádiz.
5. The analysis presented contributes to a better understanding of the spatial distribution and ecology of the critically endangered top predator in the Gulf of Cádiz and offers important information to improve management plans.

     

Occurrence of Pesticides in Water, Sediments, and Fish Tissues in a Lake Surrounded by Agricultural Lands: Concerning Risks to Humans and Ecological Receptors

Lake Vela (Littoral Centre of Portugal) is considered a natural habitat with community interest and consequently was included in the Natura 2000 Network. However, this freshwater ecosystem has been potentially exposed to diffuse pollution generated by agricultural and livestock activities, which seriously compromise its ecological balance. As part of the Ecological Risk Assessment (ERA) proposed for Lake Vela, this study aimed to evaluate the occurrence of pesticides in different compartments: surface water, groundwater, sediments, and fish tissues. Moreover, to assess potential concerning effects on ecosystem and human health, the measured concentrations of pesticides were compared with regulatory and toxicological benchmarks. The results confirmed the presence of high concentrations of pesticides, including organochloride pesticides banned decades ago, in surface water, groundwater, and sediment. The measured concentrations of pesticides, compared with toxicological benchmarks, indicated that harmful effects are likely for aquatic species due to the presence of alachlor, aldrin, and dieldrin. Additionally, the concentrations of pesticides detected in groundwater were also above the recommended safety levels for drinking water, which constitutes a concern for the local population’s health. Results also showed an accumulation of alachlor in predator and benthic fish species which could represent a risk to human consumers and particularly to the regular fish predators (e.g., otters and birds). This study, as the first exposure characterization performed on the Lake Vela system, constitutes valuable and useful information for the ERA process. Although this preliminary assessment of risks should be continued and confirmed through a weight-of-evidence approach, it had already unraveled how concerning are the problems in this ecosystem and the urgency of implementing restoration measures to guaranty its sustainability. Furthermore, this study reinforces the importance of evaluating similar freshwater ecosystems that are also highly threatened by diffuse pollution.     

Digestion criteria in nursing beef calves supplemented with limited levels of protein and energy.

This study was conducted with grazing nursing calves (197 kg) to determine the effects of 1) limiting creep feed intake and 2) increasing the concentration of ruminal escape CP in creep feed at a limited level of creep feed intake on fescue and milk intake, ruminal NDF digestion, and total tract digestibility in calves fed high-quality, freshly harvested fescue. The treatments were 1) control (no creep feed), 2) limited intake of creep feed (.60 kg/d) having a moderate concentration of CP (13%), 3) limited intake of creep feed (.60 kg/d) having a high concentration of CP (35%), and 4) unlimited (high) intake (1.62 kg/d) of the same creep feed fed in Treatment 2. Forage OM intake was negatively correlated (r = -.995, P less than .05) with level of creep feed OM intake, whereas milk OM intake was not affected by level of creep feed intake. Decreases in ruminal fiber digestion and total tract NDF digestion caused by unlimited creep feeding were partially avoided by limiting creep feed intake. Digestible OM intake increased by .47 kg per kilogram of creep feed OM intake.     

Comparison of the Reproductive Performance of Similarly-Sized Wild and Captive Farfantepenaeus paulensis

The reproduction of wild-caught Farfantepenaeus paulensis in captivity has been successfully achieved since 1983. However, year-round supply of wild broodstock is costly and unpredictable. This study compares the reproductive performance of animals of similar size (females from 32–33 g and males from 19–21 g) but from different sources: estuary-caught juveniles reared indoors for 9 mo and wild-caught adults from shallow coastal waters. Groups of 20 males and 30 unilaterally eyestalk-ablated females were maintained for 60 d in four maturation tanks under controlled environmental conditions. A higher number of eggs per spawning event (78,414 ± 34,491) and total egg production (4,469,600) were observed for the wild females. Nevertheless, captive females produced a higher number of nauplii (1,788,259) due to their higher percentage of fertilized spawns. Therefore, within the size range of this study, the reproductive performance of estuary-caught F. paulensis juveniles over-wintered indoors was found to be equivalent to that of wild-caught females from shallow coastal waters.     

非典型猪繁殖和呼吸综合症的回顾

研究表明,猪繁殖和呼吸综合症病毒是造成近10年来美国所谓非典型猪繁殖和呼吸综合症流行的原因。美国的养猪业尽管取得了重大进展,但仍然容易受到各种疾病的侵害,因而需要开发出能快速鉴别新感染的手段。　　现在我们称之为猪繁殖和呼吸综合症的复杂的临床症候群,首次在1989年报告于北美。自那时以来,大量调查研究得出结论认为猪繁殖和呼吸综合症病毒是这一灾难性疾病的病原因子。九十年代早期展现在美国猪兽医面前的猪繁殖和呼吸综合症临床症状是:妊娠后期广泛性繁殖失败、妊娠母猪或公猪临床症状轻微或没有其它临床症状,以及幼猪出现呼吸…     

Selection of Adequate Species for Degraded Areas by Oil‐Exploitation Industry as a Key Factor for Recovery Forest in the Ecuadorian Amazon

One of the requirements for the forest restoration of soils disturbed by the oil‐exploitation industry is that saplings be able to endure soil‐adverse conditions. In this study, saplings of 20 species susceptible to be used in reforestation programs were evaluated for their ability to grow on substrates derived from soils disturbed by petroleum extractions in the Ecuadorian Amazon. Seeds of each species were planted in germination trays. Once seedlings reached 5 cm in height they were transplanted to plastic bags with three treatment substrates: two derived from petroleum‐exploitation activity (soils from mud and drill cutting cells and from areas surrounding oil wells) and a control soil. Plant survival rate, stem height, and diameter were measured on a weekly basis until 14 weeks after transplantation, when we harvested the plants and also measured plant biomass and calculated the Dickson quality index for each species. Oil‐exploitation by‐product substrates impaired the performance of many saplings, with the substrate from mud and drill cutting cells being the one that most affected plant performance. Only saplings of five native species in the Amazon basin—Apeiba membranaceae, Cedrelinga cateniformis, Inga densiflora, Myroxylon balsamum, and Pouroma cecropiifolia—exhibited high or similar Dickson quality index values in all soil treatments and performed better than the rest. The use of these five species in remediation of soils disturbed by petroleum extraction in the Amazon basin could prove important because of their high potential to adapt to these disturbed sites. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Utilization of genetic resources for the introduction and adaptation of exotic vegetable crops: The case of pepino (Solanum muricatum)

Summary Pepino (Solanum muricatum), a vegetatively propagated plant from the Andean region used for its edible fruits, has been identified as a potential crop for greenhouse cultivation in Mediterranean regions. However, attempts for introducing it have been unsuccessful, either because of the low yield, poor fruit quality, or both. Screening of germplasm under Mediterranean conditions showed that sources of variation for high yield existed in the cultivated genepool and that wild species S. caripense and S. tabanoense could contribute to a considerable improvement of soluble solids content (SSC) of pepino. Progenies obtained after crossing genetically distant (AFLP-based) parental clones were heterotic for yield, and allowed the selection of clones with an improved combination of yield and SSC. As a result of this intraspecific programme, two new improved cultivars (‘Turia’ and ‘Valencia’), which outperform the rest of cultivars available, have been selected for cultivation in Mediterranean conditions. The interspecific programme involved the selection of clones with high yield and SSC in backcross generations. The results show that introgression of genes from the wild species can contribute to improve the SSC of pepino. The backcross programme is in an advanced stage and new cultivars derived from the interspecific crosses are expected to be released in a near future. New prospects for the future in pepino breeding include the genetic transformation, the establishment of a genetic map, and the use of the genomic information from related Solanaceae important crops. All the information obtained is illustrative for the breeding for adaptation of vegetatively propagated crops.     

Implications of the number of years assessment on recommendation of common bean cultivars

In the common bean crop in Brazil, the requirement of the value for cultivation and use trials is that these experiments must be conducted over two years in three locations per region. Information in regard to the necessary number of years to ensure precision in cultivar recommendation and the influence of evaluated years in the estimation of the GE interaction are still scarce. Using grain yield of five check varieties assessed over 11 years in three sowing seasons per year, the aims of this study are as follows: to measure the relative contribution of the GE interaction, evaluating the implication of the number of years in the estimates of the GE interaction, and infer how many years are needed to ensure precision in cultivar recommendation. For instances, analysis of variance was carried out involving all environments and also combinations of years. The results showed that the GE interaction was greater than all other cross‐effects involving lines. The use of at least two years allows good coincidence in cultivar recommendation compared to the whole period. Increasing the evaluation time is a good strategy, especially when it is difficult to grow three different sowing seasons.