Functional male sterility (ps-2) in tomato (Lycopesicon esculentum Mill.) and its application in breeding and hybrid seed production

Data and findings concerning the development of an effective male sterility system (as already applied in the practice of producing tomato hybrid seed) through the use of the positional sterility (ps 2) gene are reported. Undesirable selfing and the necessity of emasculation are discussed as the two main disadvantages that limit the use of ps 2-sterile seed parents in tomato hybrid seed production. The following specific characteristics in the performance of ps 2-lines were evaluated: 1) the percentage of selfing in the ps 2-lines varies within and between the years of growing, being forever lowest during the period of hybrid seed production; 2) the percentage of selfed seeds when using a ps 2-line as seed parent in producing hybrid seed is significantly lower than the percentage of selfing, observed on this same line; 3) the ps 2-gene expressivity varies depending on the genotype. This enables the breeding of ps 2-lines exhibiting very low percentage of selfing; 4) stamen emasculation at anthesis (as applied in ps 2-lines) is significantly easier and more rapid than emasculation in floral buds. The easy maintenance of the sterile lines – by artificial selfing it is possible to produce 100% ps 2 progeny – and the high yield of hybrid seed obtained are discussed as important advantages in using this type of sterility in tomato hybrid seed production. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Nature and Origin of Lipids in Clay Fractions from a Fluvisol in a Sewage Sludge Deposition Field

Few studies on free lipids in total solvent extracts from soil clay fractions directly measured by gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC/MS) have been reported so far. In this study, we aimed to examine the free lipids in the clay fraction separated from a Fluvisol profile on which sewage sludge was deposited 6 years ago and provide information on the sources, diagenetic processes and organic pollutants derived from the sludge. Clay fractions were separated from the four horizons of a Fluvisol and analysed for the biochemically stable lipid pool. The GC/MS analysis of the lipid fraction showed that lipid signatures were dominated by alkanes (C₁₇–C₃₃), alkanoic acids (C₁₂–C₁₈), alkanols (C₁₄–C₃₀), aromatic acids and phthalate esters. Sources of lipids show predominant bacterial contribution as shown by the alkane, fatty acids and n-alkanol distributions. The preservation of lipids of microbial origin in the clay fraction was revealed by the presence of even number, branched alkanes and short-chain and branched fatty acids. These results imply that similar pedogenic processes took place in this soil profile affected by hydromorphic conditions with some quantitative changes in the clay lipid compositions between different soil horizons. Some aromatic acids and xenobiotics such as phthalates were detected in the lipid extracts of the clay fractions in depth (0–85 cm) of the soil profile, which has implications for pollution of soils and ground waters in situations of sewage sludge deposition.     

Microbiological Quality of Ready-to-Eat Pickled Fish Products

The microbiological quality of 18 commercially available in Spain ready-to-eat fish products containing Engraulidae was evaluated through application of the corresponding ISO procedures for total mesophilic aerobic microbial counts, detection and enumeration of enterobacteria, and detection of Staphylococcus spp. All isolates were identified to the species level using two different biochemical methods: the API® test and the Biolog® identification system. The most commonly occurring contaminants found were Enterobacteriaceae—such as Citrobacter freundii and other Citrobacter species, Enterobacter cloacae, Cronobacter sakazakii, Hafnia alvei, Pantoea, Proteus ssp., and Escherichia coli. The presence of such opportunistic pathogens and contaminant microflora was confirmed in 61% of the foods sampled.     

Biogenic and Anthropogenic Lipid Markers in Sediments from a Marsh Habitat Associated with the LCP Chemicals Superfund Site in Brunswick,Georgia, USA

The use of organic wastes in bioremediation of oil-contaminated desert soils has received little attention, although their use is cost-effective. We evaluated the use of spent mushroom compost (SMC), poultry manure (PM), and urea in the stimulation of respiration activities and oil degradation in a polluted desert soil. Moreover, we followed post treatment shifts in bacterial community structure using MiSeq sequencing. The addition of SMC and PM resulted in a significant increase in the evolved CO₂ from 8.7?±?1.9 to 25.7?±?1.6 and to 23.4?±?1.2 mg CO₂?g^?1 soil after 96 days of incubation, respectively. In contrast, changes in respiration activities after the addition of urea were insignificant. Gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC-MS) analysis revealed that most of the alkanes (C₁₄-C₃₀) were degraded in all biostimulated soils at a rate of 0.12–0.19 mg g^?1 soil day^?1, which was significantly higher than in the untreated soil (P?Firmicutes, Actinobacteria, and Proteobacteria. While the relative abundance of Firmicutes remained unchanged after the addition of PM (37–48 % of total sequences), it increased in the urea treatment (44–87 %) and dramatically decreased in the SMC treatment (0.5–4.5 %). The remaining bacterial groups were still detectable after the treatments, although no clear treatment-related shifts could be observed, due to the large difference in the relative abundance of the same bacterial groups among the same replicates. We conclude that the use of organic wastes could be one of the ways of combating petroleum pollution in desert soils.

     

Evaluation of growth response of phytopathogens Alternaria alternata,Diaporthe nobilis and Phytophthora plurivora to inhibitory potential of three essential oils of Monarda didyma genotypes

Journal of Plant Diseases and Protection - The growth response of three phytopathogens to inhibitory activity of essential oils (EOs), derived from three monarda (Monarda didyma L.) genotypes, was...     

Lipid biomarkers and their environmental significance in mine soils from Eastern Europe

The present study describes signature lipid biomarkers in reclaimed mine soils (RMSs), an unreclaimed spoil and a natural soil (Vertisol) for a major coal mine basin in Eastern Europe. Alkanes, fatty acids and fatty alcohols, as well as coal biomarkers were abundant in the mine soils and the unreclaimed spoil. The alkanes distribution in the RMSs was bimodal with maxima at C₁₈ and C₂₉/C₃₁ and points at two origins for the alkanes, terrigenous plants, including soil borne and from the coal source. Fatty acid carbon preference indices (CPI_even/odd = 10.4 and 8.1 for the mine soils under pine and grass vegetation) reflect the increasing role of terrestrial vegetation in the formation of organic matter. The higher concentrations of the long-chain alkanes, fatty acids and alcohols are speculated as the reason for the severe and extreme water repellency observed with the Vertisol and the unreclaimed spoil. The presence of terrigenous steroid and triterpenoid markers in the RMSs is an indication of the ongoing soil formation processes. The analysis of lipid extracts allowed for the assessment of sensitive molecular indicators of biogenic terrigenous and coal origin and the degree of soil recovery following >20 years of spoils reclamation.     

Effect of three anthocyaninless genes on germination in tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.) II. Seed germination under stress conditions

Seeds from four pairs of tomato isogenic/near-isogenic lines (IL/NIL) differing for anthocyaninless of Hoffmann (ah), three pairs of IL/NILs differing for anthocyaninwithout (aw) and six pairs of IL/NILs differing for baby lea syndrome (bls) were evaluated for their germination ability under stress conditions: low and high temperature, salt and osmotic stress. Mutant genes affecting anthocyanin biosynthesis enhanced tomato germination capacity under all above mentioned treatments, except for the aw gene under a PEG-6000 treatment. Testa removal accelerated germination under stress conditions, but differences in time to 50% germination between the wild type lines and their ah-, aw- and bls-IL/NILs although diminished, were not eliminated. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Effect of three anthocyaninless genes on germination in tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.) I. Seed germination under optimal conditions

The effect of three mutant genes affecting anthocyanin biosynthesis – anthocyaninless of Hoffmann (ah), anthocyaninwithout (aw) and baby lea syndrome (bls) – on tomato germination capacities at 24 ° C was investigated. The study was performed on nine anthocyanin containing lines – Apedice, Apeca, Ailsa Craig, Monfavet 167, Monfavet 168, Por, Piernita, VF 36 and VFNT cherry and 13 isogenic/near isogenic lines (IL/NIL) from them: 4 differing for gene ah, 3 differing for gene aw and 6 differing for gene bls). In the majority of the anthocyaninless IL/NILs germination began earlier than that in the wild type lines. Significant differences were observed in the time to 50% germination between the anthocyanin-containing and the anthocyaninless IL/NILs except for the most rapidly germinating line VFNT cherry. Seed weight, water uptake, effect of testa removal and presence or absence of maternal effects in F1 germination responses were investigated in order to elucidate the causes of the more rapid germination in the anthocyaninless IL/NILs. The increased amount of water uptake by the anthocyaninless lines, the shorter treatment time necessary for their testa removal, the important maternal effects in the genetic variability of the time to 50% germination and the differences in germination capacities between the wild type and the mutant IL/NILs after testa removal, indicated that the seed coat and the endosperm had to be affected by the effects of the three genes in a way that caused enhanced germination. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

番茄ps-2雄性不育系01222的育性观察

对从保加利亚引入并选出的含有番茄ps - 2基因的雄性不育新品系 0 12 2 2进行了杂交制种试验。结果表明 ,该不育品系虽然会发生自交 ,但座果率极低 ,其中正常果率只占 2 9% ,其余均为僵果。通过开花后 1～ 3d人工去雄授粉和蕾期去雄杂交制种试验比较说明 ,即使 3d后的处理杂交种子纯度仍可达 99%以上 ,符合国际种子质量标准 ,但是杂交座果率、单果种子含量却随开花天数的增加而降低 ,以蕾期和开花后 1d处理最佳。表明该不育系是一个很有应用价值的新材料。     

Near infrared spectroscopy for biomonitoring: cow milk composition measurement in a spectral region from 1,100 to 2,400 nanometers

The potential of near infrared spectroscopy (NIRS; 1,100 to 2,400 nm) to measure fat, total protein, and lactose content of nonhomogenized milk during milking and the influence of individual characteristics of each cow's milk on the accuracy of determination were studied. Milk fractions were taken during milking, twice per month, for 6 mo. Samples were taken every 2nd and 4th wk at the morning and the evening milkings. Teatcups were removed at each 3 L of milk yield as determined with a fractional sampling milk meter. A total of 260 milk samples were collected and analyzed with an NIRSystem 6500 spectrophotometer with 1-mm sample thickness. Partial least squares (PLS) regression was used to develop calibration models for the examined milk components. The comparison with the reference method was based on standard error of cross validation (SECV). The obtained SECV varied from .107 to .138% for fat content, from .092 to .125% for total protein, and from .066 to .096% for lactose content, and the accuracy of the reference method (AOAC, 1990, method No 972.16) was .05% for all measured milk components. The obtained models had lower SECV when an individual cow's spectral data were used for calibration. The reduction of SECV for each cow's individual calibration, when compared with SECV for the set of all samples, differed with the different constituents. For fat content determination, the reduction reached 22.46%, for protein 26.40%, and for lactose 31.25%. This phenomena was investigated and explained by principle component analysis (PCA) and by comparing loading of PLS factors that account for the most spectral variations for each cow and the measured milk components, respectively. The results of this study indicated that NIRS (1,100 to 2,500 nm, 1-mm sample thickness) was satisfactory for nonhomogenized milk compositional analysis of milk fractions taken in the process of milking.