A high‐resolution einkorn (Triticum monococcum L.) linkage map involving wild,domesticated and feral einkorn genotypes

A high‐resolution consensus linkage map of Triticum monococcum was assembled from two separate maps involving domesticated, feral and wild einkorn wheat accessions. The genotyping‐by‐sequencing (GBS) approach based on DArTseq markers yielded overstretched maps. Deleting all markers with missing data and then converting dubious singletons to missing data produced two maps of about 1,380 cM, close to the published genome size. The consensus map spanned 1,562 cM, had one bin mapped every 0.92 cM and showed only one gap > 10 cM. Chromosome length varied between 151 cM (chromosome 4) and 270 cM (chromosome 7). The consensus map was compared to other A‐genome maps, and the sequences of genetically mapped DArTseq were used to anchor contigs of the T. monococcum, T. urartu and T. aestivum draft genomes based on sequence homology to assess colinearity and to assign mapped markers to the seven chromosomes of the bread wheat A‐genome. Finally, an in silico functional characterization of the sequences was performed. This high‐resolution map will facilitate QTL and association analysis and assist the genome assembly of the einkorn genome.     

Comparative Study on Trace Metal Accumulation in Liver of Mediterranean Deep-Sea Fish and Their Selenium/Mercury Molar Ratios

The objectives of this study were to determine and compare the concentrations of Hg, Cd, Pb, Zn, Cu, Ni and Se in the liver of macrourid fish as Trachyrinchus scabrus, Nezumia sclerorhynchus and Coelorhynchus coelorhynchus from the Mediterranean Sea, Italy. It was also carried out to evaluate the relationship between metal concentration and fish size and to explore selenium/mercury molar ratio. The highest concentrations were in T. scabrus, followed by N. sclerorhynchus and C. coelorhynchus. In all species, any element displayed significant correlation between metal body burden and fish size, except Hg. The mean selenium/mercury ratios were greater than one in all fish species indicating that Se antidotal effect in counteracting Hg occurred. This report represents one of the few surveys providing information on trace metal in deep-sea fish from Mediterranean Sea constituting, thus, an essential baseline work with which future levels may be compared.     

Impact of Treated Industrial Effluent on Physical and Chemical Properties of Three Subtropical Soils and Millet Nutrition

The use of treated industrial effluents to irrigate plants is an alternative, because of nutrients that can increase yield of the agricultural crops. This study was conducted to determine irrigation with treated effluent and gypsum application, which changes the chemical and physical characteristics of soils and the growth and nutrition of millet (Pennisetum glaucum). Thus, an experiment was conducted on PVC columns with three soil classes, Typic Hapludox, Typic Hapludult, and Arenic Hapludult. Nutrient and Na⁺ concentrations in the millet biomass reflected concentrations of elements in the effluent and soil. In the control, low N levels were found in the biomass, while higher leaf N concentrations were observed, due to irrigation with treated effluent. In the short term, irrigation with treated industrial effluent by controlled application could be an alternative and a complementary source of nutrients for plants, reducing the volume of nutrients and organic materials discharged into water bodies.     

Role of secondary metabolites in the biocontrol activity of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Pseudomonas corrugata</Emphasis> and <Emphasis Type="Italic">Pseudomonas mediterranea</Emphasis>

Colletotrichum gloeosporioides is the causal agent of Camellia oleifera anthracnose, mainly infecting fruits and leaves. The fungus secretes degrading enzymes to destroy the cuticle of aerial plant parts and help infect the host successfully. To validate whether a cutinase gene (CglCUT1) was required for cutinase activity and pathogenicity of C. gloeosporioides, the CglCUT1 gene was cloned and analyzed. The characterization of CglCUT1 predicted protein suggests that the cloned DNA encoded a cutinase in C. gloeosporioides affecting C. oleifera. The CglCUT1 showed a high homology to those from C. gloeosporioides causing papaya anthracnose and C. capsici causing pepper anthracnose, as well as those of other ascomycetes. The whole CglCUT1 gene was knocked-out and the knockout mutant (?CglCUT39) was subsequently complemented using Agrobacterium tumefaciens mediated transformation. The knockout transformants exhibited significant decreases in cutinase activity and virulence compared with the wild-type strain. The complemented transformants of the disrupted transformant ?CglCUT39 showed a significant increase in cutinase activity and virulence compared with the disrupted transformant ?CglCUT39. This study suggests that the CglCUT1 gene has a positive effect on fungal virulence of the hemibiotrophic C. gloeosporioides on C. oleifera.     

Characterization of stable humic–enzyme complexes of different soil ecosystems through analytical isoelectric focussing technique (IEF)

Conventional parameters (total organic carbon, total nitrogen, humic acids and fulvic acids) frequently associated with soil quality were measured and compared with the amount and activity of β-glucosidases associated with the humic–enzyme complex. Soil quality may be defined as the maintenance of an “enzymatically active humic carbon pool” which may express soil resilience and ecological functions. The combination of ultrafiltration (UF) and isoelectric focussing (IEF) permitted the extraction and purification of the humic-bound β-glucosidases. Even though humic-β-glucosidases represent only a small part of soil humic matter either in terms of total soil β-glucosidase activity (3–21%) or as a proportion of the humic-C content (4–8%), they proved to be discriminating parameters (significative differences at P < 0.05) for defining soil biochemical quality. Specifically, on the basis of the amount of β-glucosidase activity in the humic fraction >10⁴ Da (IEF peaks in the pH range 3.5–4.5), the soils were distributed in a decreasing order of quality: undisturbed meadow > tree plantation > 60-year vineyard > agricultural soil > 1-year vineyard.     

The effect of density on sea bass (Dicentrarchus labrax) performance in a tank-based recirculating system

Sea bass (Dicentrarchus labrax) (135 ± 4 g) were reared under tank-based recirculating aquaculture system for a 63-day period at four densities: 10, 40, 70, 100 kg m^?3. Fish performance, stress indicators (plasma cortisol, proteonemia plus other blood parameters—Na⁺, K⁺, glucose, pH, total CO₂^?) and water quality were monitored. At the end of the 63-day period, resistance to infection was also studied by a nodavirus challenge. A 25-day test was performed on fish from two extreme densities (10 and 100 kg m³) and one intermediate density (40 kg m³).With regards to the different density treatments, there was no significant difference between the daily feed intake (DFI) and the specific growth rate (SGR) up to a density of 70 kg m^?3. No significant difference was found between treatments concerning the feed conversion ratio (FCR) and the mortality rate. No density effect was observed on the fish stress level (plasma cortisol) or on sensitivity to the nodavirus challenge. Under these experimental rearing conditions, the density above 70 kg m^?3 has an impact on growth performance (DFI and SGR) indicators and also some blood parameters (CO₂) at the highest density tested (100 kg m^?3).This study suggests that a density up to 70 kg m^?3 has no influence on sea bass performance and welfare. At 100 kg m^?3, average specific growth rate was decreased by 14% without welfare deterioration according to the welfare indicators monitored.     

The possible role of quinate in the mode of action of glyphosate and acetolactate synthase inhibitors

BACKGROUND: The herbicide glyphosate inhibits the biosynthesis of aromatic amino acids by blocking the shikimate pathway. Imazethapyr and chlorsulfuron are two herbicides that act by inhibiting branched‐chain amino acid biosynthesis. These herbicides stimulate secondary metabolism derived from the aromatic amino acids. The aim of this study was to test if they cause any cross‐effect in the amino acid content and if they have similar effects on the shikimate pathway. RESULTS: The herbicides inhibiting two different amino acid biosynthesis pathways showed a common pattern in general content of free amino acids. There was a general increase in total free amino acid content, with a transient decrease in the proportion of amino acids whose pathways were specifically inhibited. Afterwards, an increase in these inhibited amino acids was detected; this was probably related to proteolysis. All herbicides caused quinate accumulation. Exogenous application of quinate arrested growth, decreased net photosynthesis and stomatal conductance and was ultimately lethal, similarly to glyphosate and imazethapyr. CONCLUSIONS: Quinate accumulation was a common effect of the two different classes of herbicide. Moreover, exogenous quinate application had phytotoxic effects, showing that this plant metabolite can trigger the toxic effects of the herbicides. This ability to mimic the herbicide effects suggests a possible link between the mode of action of these herbicides and the potential role of quinate as a natural herbicide. Copyright © 2009 Society of Chemical Industry     

Metal Pollution by Old Lead-Zinc Mines in Urumea River Valley (Basque Country,Spain). Soil,Biota and Sediment

Soil, aquatic biota (moss: Brachythecium rivulare; aquatic macrophytes: Juncus effusus, Potamogeton crispus; fish: Salmo trutta fario, Anguilla anguilla, Phoxinus phoxinus, Chelon labrosus) and sediment samples from the Urumea river valley were analysed for metals by acid digestion and atomic absorption spectroscopy. The sediments show the presence of metal pollution (Cd: 2.5–24 mg kg^-1; Pb: 125–1,150 mg kg^-1; Zn: 125–2,500 mg kg^-1) because mining and industrial wastes. A selective retention of dense minerals in dam sediments contributes to the load of metal, but interstitial water analysis (Cd: <0.02–0.1 mg L^-1; Pb: 0.3–1.0 mg L^-1; Zn: <0.05–0.6 mg L^-1) shows that precipitation equilibrium controls their mobilisation. Biota samples show evidence of metal accumulation, moss reaching 1,100 mg kg^-1 in lead and 6,800 mg kg^-1 in zinc. Soil from the valley is polluted by both, river carried material and industrial sources (Cd: 1.0–4.0 mg kg^-1; Pb: 26–1,120 mg kg^-1; Zn: 105–1,390 mg kg^-1/math>), but they are used, indistinctly, for farming and pasture.