Effects of tetracycline administration on the proteomic profile of pig muscle samples (L. dorsi)

Effect of tetracycline (TC) administration on the proteomic profile of pig muscle was evaluated by 2D electrophoresis and MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry. The TC content at slaughter was determined in L. dorsi samples by HPLC-DAD. Mean residual concentration of TC in the muscle of treated animals, calculated as the sum of TC and epi-TC was 126.3 microg/kg, indicating a rapid elimination of TC in this tissue. Several differential spots (n = 54, p < 0.05) were observed in protein profiles from control and treated animals. MALDI-TOF identification gave a positive match for 5 differential spots, that is, glycerol-3-phosphate dehydrogenase 1 (G3PD1), phosphoglycerate kinase 1, novelprotein (0610037L13Rik), leucine aminopeptidase 3 (LAP), and hypothetical protein isoform 2. Results show that proteomics could be a useful tool to reveal pharmacological treatments with TC, even if the possible uses of differential spots as biomarkers to detect illegal administration of TC require further studies. Different spot patterns as a consequence of TC treatments seem to be another interesting issue for the consequences on tissue metabolism and meat quality.     

Study of some physicochemical and functional properties of quinoa (chenopodium quinoa willd) protein isolates

The amino acid composition and the physicochemical and functional properties of quinoa protein isolates were evaluated. Protein isolates were prepared from quinoa seed by alkaline solubilization (at pH 9, called Q9, and at pH 11, called Q11) followed by isoelectric precipitation and spray drying. Q9 and Q11 had high levels of essential amino acids, with high levels of lysine. Both isolates showed similar patterns in native/SDS-PAGE and SEM. The pH effect on fluorescence measurements showed decreasing fluorescence intensity and a shift in the maximum of emission of both isolates. Q9 showed an endotherm with a denaturation temperature of 98.1 degrees C and a denaturation enthalpy of 12.7 J/g, while Q11 showed no endotherm. The protein solubility of Q11 was lower than that of Q9 at pH above 5.0 but similar at the pH range 3.0-4.0. The water holding capacity (WHC) was similar in both isolates and was not affected by pH. The water imbibing capacity (WIC) was double for Q11 (3.5 mL of water/g isolate). Analysis of DSC, fluorescence, and solubility data suggests that there is apparently denaturation due to pH. Some differences were found that could be attributed to the extreme pH treatments in protein isolates and the nature of quinoa proteins. Q9 and Q11 can be used as a valuable source of nutrition for infants and children. Q9 may be used as an ingredient in nutritive beverages, and Q11 may be used as an ingredient in sauces, sausages, and soups.     

Nutritional response of seedling tomato plants under different lighting treatments

In order to describe the effect of complementary artificial light supply on the nutrient status of tomato seedlings, fluorescent lamps were compared to each other. Nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and potassium (K) concentrations were measured (mg g^?1 dry matter). Blue, red and far-red relationships were established. The N, P and K higher concentration and uptake have been found under high efficiency fluorescent lamps. Phosphorus uptake increasing was observed at high levels of irradiation. Potassium concentration is significantly higher under compact fluorescent lamps. The relationship between ratios and N, P and K extractions were used as indicators of limitation for plant. The ratio N/P and N/K present a low relation with N extraction. The ratio N/P presents a significant correlation with P extraction, also the ratios N/K and P/K with K extraction. Significant differences in constant of lineal equation have been found in P/K ratio and K extraction.     

Weed abundance and soil seedbank responses to tillage systems in continuous maize crops

Weed abundance in crops undergoes frequent changes, often due to changes in tillage practices. Annual species, with quick germination, a short vegetative stage, profuse seed production and long-lived seeds become problematic under zero-tillage systems. Portulaca oleracea L. and Amaranthus blitoides L. are widespread weeds in the Mediterranean area, prominent in irrigated crops. We studied the total weed abundance in the field, and specifically these two species (Portulaca oleracea and Amaranthus blitoides) with high frequency of occurrence in monoculture maize, from 2012 to 2014, in the field and soil seedbank. Results showed significant differences between zero-tillage (ZT) and conventional tillage (CT) systems on total weed abundance and relative abundance of Portulaca oleracea. Total weed abundance decreased in ZT plots (from 136 plants m^?2 to 25 and 46 plants m^?2, in 2013 and 2014 respectively). The same trend was observed in Portulaca oleracea recorded in ZT plots, but the abundance of Amaranthus blitoides did not vary in this system. Weed seedling germination and weed seed numbers both of total weed seedbank and Portulaca oleracea, were greater in ZT plots compared to CT, regarding Amaranthus blitoides seedling germination and seed count, the values did not increase with ZT, in continuous maize crops.     

烫漂时间对香椿嫩芽颜色及挥发性风味成分的影响研究

为了研究香椿嫩芽烫漂过程中颜色热降解规律及挥发性风味成分的变化,分别采用分光光度法和光电反射光度法对香椿嫩芽叶绿素含量和色差进行测定,同时利用顶空固相微萃取及GC-MS联用技术对不同烫漂时间下香椿嫩芽的挥发性成分进行鉴定,并对各种处理后的风味物质进行主成分分析。结果表明,香椿嫩芽叶绿素降解和绿色损失均属于一级动力学反应,且叶绿素的减少与绿色损失相关性较好,呈极显著水平。烫漂后香椿嫩芽挥发性成分种类增多,含硫类等呈刺激性气味的化合物相对含量减少,烯类等呈柔和气味增加,提升了香椿的香味品质。综合颜色及挥发性成分随烫漂时间的变化规律,确定最佳烫漂时间为30s。主成分分析结果显示,第1、第2和第3主成分累积贡献率达98.742%,能够较好的代表原始数据所反应的信息。第1主成分包含噻吩类、烯类、醇类和醛类,贡献率大小为噻吩类烯类醇类醛类;第2主成分包含酮类和其它类,贡献率大小为酮类其它类;第3主成分为烃类。本研究结果为香椿嫩芽精深加工过程中颜色和风味的控制提供了理论依据。     

From on-farm solid-set sprinkler irrigation design to collective irrigation network design in windy areas

In this paper, a contribution to the design of collective pressurised irrigation networks in solid-set sprinkler-irrigated windy areas is presented. The methodology is based on guaranteeing minimum on-farm performance, using a historical hourly wind speed database and a ballistic solid-set irrigation simulation model. The proposed method was applied to the Montesnegros Irrigation District (central Ebro basin, Spain). The district irrigates an area of 3493 ha using an on-demand schedule. The average wind speed in the area is 2.8 m s⁻¹. An analysis of district water records showed that farmers often reduce water demand when the wind speed is high, but their irrigation decision making is limited by the capacity of the irrigation network and by the unpredictable character of local winds. Simulations were performed for 11 irrigation seasons, 2 triangular sprinkler spacings (18 m × 18 m and 18 m × 15 m), and 2 sprinkler models. The percentage of monthly suitable time for irrigation was determined for four management strategies. The first one was based on a wind speed threshold (3 m s⁻¹), while the other three were based on three levels (standard, relaxed and restrictive) of two irrigation performance parameters: the Christiansen Uniformity Coefficient (CU) and the Wind Drift and Evaporation Losses (WDEL). The standard strategy classified the time as suitable for irrigation when CU ≥ 84% and WDEL ≤ 20%. The thresholds limits of the irrigation parameters for the relaxed strategy were CU ≥ 80% and WDEL ≤ 25%. Finally, the restrictive strategy used thresholds of CU ≥ 90% and WDEL ≤ 15%. The suitable time for the first strategy (56%) was always lower than for the standard and the relaxed strategies (with respective average values of 75 and 86%), and higher than for the restrictive strategy (30%). In order to design the collective network, the hydrant operating time was equalled to the suitable time for irrigation. The differences in the cost of the collective network plus the on-farm equipment were particularly relevant between the restrictive strategy and the other three. Differences in suitable operating time were clear between sprinkler spacings, and less evident between sprinkler models. The application of the proposed methodology may be limited by the availability of historical wind speed records and CU estimates for different combinations of sprinkler models, sprinkler spacings and wind speed.     

Subsurface drip irrigation and reclaimed water quality effects on phosphorus and salinity distribution and forage production

In the Canary Islands, water scarcity is one of the constraints for agricultural activity. Non-conventional water resources generally represent more water volume than conventional ones. The distribution of these resources frequently permits the possibility of a conjunctive use of desalinated (DW) water and reclaimed municipal wastewater (RW). Field testing with both water qualities and different irrigation systems is necessary for optimal site-specific management. The objective of this work was to evaluate soil salinity and phosphorus distribution, and alfalfa yield in a 20 month field experiment carried out in the island of Gran Canaria, using municipal RW and freshwater (FW) under subsurface drip irrigation (SDI). Phosphorus speciation was performed both in irrigation waters and in soils (Olsen's inorganic, organic, and microbial). RW had large EC values (2.4 dS m⁻¹) with a remarkable nutrient load contribution and an average total P around 3 mg L⁻¹, predominantly hydrolysable forms, while FW had very low salinity and negligible amounts of P. For the RW treatment a salt gradient was established, causing plant mortality between the irrigation lines. The study of P speciation allows describing P distribution and plant uptake in terms of P forms. Large values of microbial P were produced for the two irrigation waters around the emitters, especially for FW.A faster P-cycling could have contributed to the significantly larger inorganic P contents observed in FW irrigated soils, in spite no external sources were added by the irrigation water.     

果实膨大剂对陕西省猕猴桃产业负效应的调查分析

使用膨大剂处理猕猴桃幼果,能使果实体积显著增大而增产.但同时造成果实外观畸变不雅、风味变酸、果肉绿色减褪、硬度下降易软化、抗病性降低易腐烂、果实不耐贮藏、削弱树势造成大小年、潜伏食品质量安全问题等负效应,滥用膨大剂已对陕西省猕猴桃产业带来灾难性后果.     

基于高光谱与集成学习的单粒玉米种子水分检测模型

为建立单粒玉米种子水分含量的高精度检测模型,制备了80份不同水分含量的玉米种子样本。针对玉米种胚朝上和种胚朝下分别进行高光谱反射图像采集,每份样本取样100粒,波长范围为968.05～2 575.05 nm。采用PCA快速提取单粒种子光谱,经多元散射校正预处理后,分别采用随机森林(RF)和AdaBoost算法建立单粒种子水分检测模型,并集成两种算法特征提出基于加权策略的改进RF用于单粒种子水分含量建模。利用单粒玉米种子胚朝上的光谱信息建立的改进RF模型训练集相关系数R为0.969,训练集均方根误差(RMSEC)为0.094%,测试集R为0.881,测试集均方根误差(RMSEP)为0.404%;利用单粒玉米种子胚朝下的光谱信息建立的改进RF模型训练集R为0.966,RMSEC为0.100%,测试集R为0.793,RMSEP为0.544%。实验结果表明：改进RF的泛化能力和预测精度明显优于RF和AdaBoost算法;种胚朝上的单粒玉米种子水分含量检测模型优于种胚朝下的模型。高光谱检测技术结合集成学习算法建立的玉米种子水分检测模型预测精度高,稳健性好。     

Genetic diversity of apricot revealed by a set of SSR markers from linkage group G1

Eight polymorphic simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers located in the G1 linkage group of apricot (Prunus armeniaca L.) were previously developed and evaluated in a small set of cultivars. Those primers were used for studying variability in 77 apricot cultivars belonging to five different geographical groups, such as Chinese, Asian (Irano-Caucasian and Central Asian), North American, Mediterranean and Western European as well as Middle European cultivars. Six of the markers were polymorphic and revealed a total of 71 alleles ranging from 5 (aprigms11) to 20 (aprigms1) alleles per locus with a mean value of 11.83 alleles per locus. In conclusion, the SSR loci located in the G1 linkage group show a level of polymorphism which is similar to loci dispersed throughout the entire genome. The total number of alleles and the number of unique alleles were the highest in Chinese apricots and the lowest in Middle European cultivars. Heterozygosity also showed a decrease from Asia and China to Middle Europe. No association could have been observed between any SSR markers tested and plum pox virus (PPV) resistant phenotype of cultivars. PPV resistant cultivars did not form a separate clade on the dendrogram obtained by UPGMA cluster analysis. Middle European and Chinese cultivars formed separate clusters while other genotypes formed smaller multiple sub-groups or scattered among different clusters. Our results support previous hypotheses on the origin of PPV resistance in North American apricots. The allele data was also presented in a form that allowed the easy observation of allele frequencies in each geographical group at each locus. Using this data field, differences and similarities between cultivar groups can be easily assessed. The analysis demonstrated the links between the North American and Mediterranean apricot germplasm and confirmed that the Chinese and Eastern European cultivars are distantly related.