Relationship between common wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) gluten proteins and dough rheological properties

This paper reports the correlation between the rheological properties of bread wheat dough and the types and quantities of endosperm proteins in 28 common wheat cultivars. Different methods were used to analyse the allelic composition of these cultivars and the relative quantities of the different proteins contributing to the gluten structure. Neither dough strength (W) nor tenacity/extensibility (P/L) correlated with allelic composition. Different wheats with the same allelic composition (i.e., with respect to glutenins) showed different rheological properties. The glutenins were the most influential components of W and P/L, especially the high molecular weight (HMW) glutenin subunits and in particular the type x form. These proteins seem to increase W and are the main constituents of the gluten network. The gliadins and low molecular weight (LMW) glutenin subunits appear to act as a “solvent”, and thus modify the rheological properties of the dough by either interfering with the polymerisation of the HMW glutenin subunits, or by altering the relative amounts of the different types of glutenin available. Thus, the protein subunits coded for by the alleles Glu-B1x7 and Glu-D1x5 stabilised the gluten network, whereas those coded for by Glu-B1x17 and Glu-D1x2 had the opposite effect. Dough properties therefore appear to depend on the glutenin/gliadins balance, and on the ratio of the type x and type y HMW proteins. The influence of external factors seems to depend on the allelic composition of each cultivar.     

Monitoring and Modeling Nitrate Persistence in a Shallow Aquifer

A modeling study on fertilizer by-products fate and transport was performed in an unconfined shallow aquifer equipped with a grid of 13 piezometers. The field site was located in a former agricultural field overlying a river paleochannel near Ferrara (Northern Italy), cultivated with cereals rotation until 2004 and then converted to park. Piezometers were installed in June 2007 and were monitored until June 2009 via pressure transducer data loggers to evaluate the temporal and spatial variation of groundwater heads, while an onsite meteorological station provided data for recharge rate calculations via unsaturated zone modeling. The groundwater composition in June 2007 exhibited elevated nitrate (NO ₃ ^? ) and chloride (Cl^?) concentrations due to fertilizer leaching from the top soil. The spatial distribution of NO ₃ ^? and Cl^? was heterogeneous and the concentration decreased during the monitoring period, with NO ₃ ^? attenuation (below 10?mg/l) after 650?days. A transient groundwater flow and contaminant transport model was calibrated versus observed heads and NO ₃ ^? and Cl^? concentrations. Cl^? was used as environmental tracer to quantify groundwater flow velocity and it was simulated as a conservative species. NO ₃ ^? was treated as a reactive species and denitrification was simulated with a first order degradation rate constant. Model calibration gave a low denitrification rate (2.5e^?3 mg-NO ₃ ^? /l/d) likely because of prevailing oxic conditions and low concentration of dissolved organic carbon. Scenario modeling was implemented with steady state and variable flow time discretization to identify the mechanism of NO ₃ ^? attenuation. It was shown that transient piezometric conditions did not exert a strong control on NO ₃ ^? clean up time, while transient recharge rate did, because it is the main source of unpolluted water in the domain.     

Identification and characterization of genes differentially expressed in cherimoya (Annona cherimola Mill) after exposure to chilling injury conditions

Cherimoyas (Annona cherimola), like other subtropical/tropical fruits, are susceptible to damage from exposure to temperatures between 0 and 5 °C (chilling injury, CI), which may affect fruit quality. To increase our understanding of the molecular mechanisms involved in the CI response, a forward suppression subtractive hybridization (SSH) cDNA library was constructed. In this work, we obtained 75 genes that could potentially be involved in the CI response. The CI induced activation of genes that are involved in a range of metabolic pathways, such as primary metabolism, transport, and endomembrane traffic, among others. We also characterized the expression of 12 selected genes in different A. cherimola tissues by polymerase chain reaction (PCR), and we confirmed the differential expression of a subset in CI fruits by real-time quantitative PCR (qPCR). The expression of six A. cherimola genes: annexin (AcAnex), UDP-glucose pyrophosphorylase (AcUGP), syntaxin of plants 71 (AcSyp71), 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic-acid synthase (AcACS), ubiquitin carrier-like protein (AcUCP), and enolase (AcEnol), was up-regulated after cold storage for 12 days at 0 °C. These results imply that selected genes could be related to the development of internal browning observed in cherimoyas after exposure to CI conditions. The information generated in this study provides new clues that may aid in understanding the cherimoya ripening process.     

A MODIFIED CAPACITANCE PROBE TECHNIQUE FOR ESTIMATING PASTURE YIELD

An instrument for estimating pasture yield electronically was constructed. It was a modification of that described by Campbell et al (1). A transistorized crystal oscillator was incorporated to provide a highly stable frequency standard for use in the field. This provided a zero reference point for both the measuring head oscillator and the reading oscillator before and during use. The instrument is fully described and details are given of its field adjustment and operation.     

Monitoring forest structure to guide adaptive management of forest restoration: a review of remote sensing approaches

New Forests - With the demand for, and scale of, ecological restoration increasing globally, effectiveness monitoring remains a significant challenge. For forest restoration, structural complexity...     

Is nitrogen fertilization in the nursery a suitable tool for enhancing the performance of Mediterranean oak plantations?

Mediterranean oaks frequently have poor performance in forest restoration projects. We analyzed if nitrogen (N) fertilization during nursery cultivation enhances the outplanting performance of two ecologically distinct oaks, Quercus coccifera L. an evergreen shrub, and Quercus faginea L., a deciduous tree. Additionally, we compared the sufficiency N levels of both oaks and if root growth capacity (RGC) and photosynthesis testing at low air temperature better discriminated among fertilization treatments than testing at mild temperature. Plants were cultivated under five N fertilization rates (0, 30, 75, 150 and 200 mg N plant^?1) for one growing season. At the end of the cultivation period several plant material and performance attributes were measured. RGC and photosynthesis were assessed at mild temperature and cool conditions in Q. coccifera, while in Q. faginea these attributes were only analyzed at mild temperature conditions. Q. coccifera seedlings were transplanted into four terraces that imposed increasing drought stress, while Q. faginea seedlings were transplanted into an abandoned wheat cropland. Sufficiency level was higher for the tree (150 mg N plant^?1) than for the shrub (75 mg N plant^?1) Nitrogen-deprived Q. coccifera plants had higher frost damage than remaining treatments, which did not differ among them. Fertilization in Q. faginea did not affect photosynthesis rate but it delayed leaf senescence and abscission. RGC increased with fertilization in both species. Testing temperature did not change the effect of fertilization on RGC in Q. coccifera. Photosynthesis in cool conditions discriminated N-deprived seedlings from the remaining treatments, but treatments did not differ in photosynthesis at mild temperature. Fertilization enhanced outplanting survival in Q. coccifera, primarily in the terraces imposing stronger drought stress, while fertilization only increased growth in the terraces imposing mild drought stress. Overall, survival and growth was positively related to seedling size at planting in both oaks. Additionally, Q. coccifera survival was also positively related to RGC in the harsh planting conditions. Field growth was positively related to RGC and plant N concentration in both oaks but the relation was weak or nonexistent under harsh conditions in Q. coccifera. We conclude that fertilization in the nursery is an important tool for improving the success of oak plantations in Mediterranean continental sites, and that large and N-rich seedling have greater field performance than small and low tissue N concentration seedlings, especially in harsh field sites.     

Description of the Responses of Some Blood Constituents to Rodeo Exercise in Chilean Creole Horses

The aim of this study was to assess the effect of the Chilean rodeo exercise on some blood constituents, classically used to assess welfare, during rest; training with and without steer; and before and after official competitions. During the training season, 13 horses were assessed at their farms of origins, and samples were taken at rest and after training with and without a steer; then during the competition season, 16 horses were assessed at four different times, one before and three after the competition. The blood constituents assessed were packed cell volume (PCV), total proteins, fibrinogen, cortisol, neutrophil:lymphocyte ratio, creatine phosphokinase, aspartate transaminase, glutathione peroxidase, and serum amyloid A. Analysis of variance for repeated measures was applied using the Statistix 8.0 software, and a significance level of P < .05 was applied. For horses assessed during exercise with and without a steer, significant differences were observed for PCV, which were significantly lower at rest than after both exercises, and total proteins, which showed a significant increase only after exercise with steer. In the case of official competitions, PCV was significantly higher immediately after rodeo, and the lowest value for cortisol was observed the evening after competition (P < .05); among the enzymes assessed, creatine phosphokinase plasma concentrations immediately after rodeo and the evening after competition were significantly higher than concentrations the next morning. The use of physiological indicators did not seem to be sufficient to assess the overall effect of rodeo on the welfare of these horses, and other types of indicators should be considered in future studies.     

Nutritional and microbial analysis of bully sticks and survey of opinions about pet treats

The objectives of this study were to measure the caloric density of bully sticks, to analyze the bully sticks for bacterial contamination, and to assess owner opinions about these and other pet treat products. Mean caloric density was 15 kcal/inch (38 kcal/cm) [range: 9 to 22 kcal/inch (23 to 56 kcal/cm), 2.96 to 3.07 kcal/g]. Of 26 bully sticks that were tested for bacterial contamination 1 (4%) was contaminated with Clostridium difficile, 1 was contaminated with methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), and 1 with a tetracycline resistant Escherichia coli.     

The effect of keel fractures on egg production,feed and water consumption in individual laying hens

1. The impact of keel bone fractures on egg production, egg weight and feed and water consumption in individual laying hens. A total of 165 Lohmann brown laying hens were obtained from a commercial farm that consisted of 105 with keel fractures and 60 without keel fractures.

2. After a 4-d period of acclimatisation, hens were individually housed and provided with ad libitum food and water for a 24-h period. The number of eggs laid, egg weight, feed and water consumption during this period were recorded. Keel bone strength was also assessed.

3. Hens free from keel fractures laid more eggs (91.7% vs. 84.9%) of significantly heavier weight (61.9 g vs. 60.2 g), ate less feed (139 g vs. 151 g) and drank less water (212 ml vs. 237 ml) than hens with fractures.

4. There was a significant positive association between keel fracture severity and water consumption, and a significant negative association between keel fracture severity and egg weight and keel bone strength.

5. This small-scale study on individual birds shows that keel bone fractures may have an impact on the economics of egg production.