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Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi inoculation enhances nutritional quality of prickly pear (Opuntia ficus-indica) fruits and cladodes
Get PDFThe effects of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) inoculation on the chemical composition of the fruits and cladodes of two Opuntia ficus-indica cultivars, characterized by their red and yellow fruit color, were investigated under field conditions. AMF treatment was found to significantly influence the concentration of phytonutrients in the fruits. The concentrations of betacyanin and betaxanthin increased by 1.2- and 1.9-fold in red and yellow fruits, respectively. The polyphenol content increased by 50%, with piscidic acid being the most abundant polyphenol in the red fruits. A similar increase in ascorbic acid was observed in the yellow fruits. Regarding the cladodes, AMF treatment was found to significantly affect macronutrient levels, with glucose and fructose contents being 90% and 34% higher, respectively. Additionally, cladodes from plants grown with AMF inoculation showed a 20% increase in ascorbic acid and phosphorus. These results demonstrate cultivar- and part-of-plant-dependent effects of AMF inoculation and confirm the nutritional and sustainable potential of Opuntia ficus-indica, particularly when coupled with mycorrhizal biofertilization practices
Contribution of aboveground and belowground biomass of Robinia pseudoacacia trees to total plant carbon stocks in a young agroforestry system
No full textAllocation to aboveground and belowground compartments of tree biomass in Mediterranean agroforestry systems (AFS) is poorly documented, especially for young trees. This work aimed at (i) characterizing the effects of land use (Agroforestry, AF vs. Tree Plantation, TP) on 5-year-old black locust tree growth, tree biomass allocation, and tree C stocks at plot scale, and (ii) assessing the effect of land use on total carbon stocks (AF vs. TP vs. Crop Monoculture). Allometric equations were built for upscaling tree biomass at the plot scale. Biomass of understory vegetation and crops were estimated at the plot scale in the three land uses. Tree diameter was 19 % higher in the AF than in TP, likely due to different light microclimate, while tree height did not vary significantly between land uses. Tree biomass allocation to aboveground and belowground compartments (70 % and 30 % of total tree biomass, respectively) did not vary between land uses. Higher efficiency in building tree carbon stock was shown in agroforestry than in tree plantation per area unit. Trees accounted for 39 % and 66 % of total carbon stocks in biomass in AF and TP, respectively. Understory vegetation accounted for 8 % and 34 % of total carbon stocks in biomass in AF and TP, respectively. Land equivalent ratio values, which involved tree, crop and understory vegetation carbon stocks, did not yet indicate a synergetic effect on accumulation of plant carbon compared to sole crop or tree plantations. This study provides new reference values of carbon stocks in biomass in a young AFS
Quel genre de terre ? Quelques enjeux de l'accès aux terres agricoles pour les femmes à Madagascar
No full textA common form of dominant human IFNAR1 deficiency impairs IFN-α and -ω but not IFN-β-dependent immunity
Get PDFAutosomal recessive deficiency of the IFNAR1 or IFNAR2 chain of the human type I IFN receptor abolishes cellular responses to IFN-α, -β, and -ω, underlies severe viral diseases, and is globally very rare, except for IFNAR1 and IFNAR2 deficiency in Western Polynesia and the Arctic, respectively. We report 11 human IFNAR1 alleles, the products of which impair but do not abolish responses to IFN-α and -ω without affecting responses to IFN-β. Ten of these alleles are rare in all populations studied, but the remaining allele (P335del) is common in Southern China (minor allele frequency ≈2%). Cells heterozygous for these variants display a dominant phenotype in vitro with impaired responses to IFN-α and -ω, but not -β, and viral susceptibility. Negative dominance, rather than haploinsufficiency, accounts for this dominance. Patients heterozygous for these variants are prone to viral diseases, attesting to both the dominance of these variants clinically and the importance of IFN-α and -ω for protective immunity against some viruses
Know your men and women farmers: Ensuring host farmers in participatory trials represent heterogeneity within the target environment
Get PDFThere is growing interest in participatory varietal selection and gender-responsive breeding in research and development initiatives. On-farm testing is increasingly used to ensure that new varieties perform within the target environments. However, there are few established approaches for selecting host women and men farmers who reflect the diversity of the overall target population of smallholder farmers. This study sought to evaluate ex-post if recruited farmers within a participatory breeding network in Zimbabwe were representative of the surveyed population and pilot an approach to developing comprehensive farm typologies to ensure more gender-responsive and socially inclusive breeding. A sample of over 2,000 randomly selected women and men farmers, including those hosting breeding trials, were surveyed. A typology was constructed to group farms with similar characteristics associated with household demographics, maize production and resource endowments. This facilitated the subsample of trial-hosting farmers characteristics to be compared with the broader typology. The distribution of farm types selected by extension agents to host trials closely reflected the distribution of farm types within the surveyed population. Two farm types associated with women household heads and three types associated with men-headed households were identified, highlighting the heterogeneity within these groups. Other important factors of differentiation included farm assets, livestock ownership and maize production features. Sampling strategies that explicitly incorporate agronomic and socio-economic diversity within the target population should be used in the selection of host women and men farmers for participatory research to ensure appropriate gender and social inclusion
Distribution of plant-parasitic nematode genera in relation to host vegetable crops and ecological regions in Benin, West Africa
Get PDFPlant-parasitic nematodes (PPNs) are a serious threat to vegetable production. A survey was conducted from April to December 2023 across 49 villages/towns in Benin for a comprehensive understanding of their diversity and spatial distribution. Twenty PPN genera were morphologically identified, with African eggplant and pepper fields exhibiting the highest nematode diversity (16 genera). Genus richness, Shannon-Wiener, and evenness indexes were significantly influenced by ecological regions. The Niger valley was the most diverse ecological region with 15 PPN genera. Meloidogyne was the most prevalent. The highest Meloidogyne densities were recorded from pepper fields, with 2,151 nematodes per g root in the Oueme valley and 691 nematodes per 100 cm³ soil in the Niger valley. Significant associations were observed between nematode genera, vegetable crops, and ecological regions. This study highlights the relationship between PPN diversity, vegetable crops, and ecological regions and provides valuable insights for developing effective PPN management strategies
Antibiotic resistance and antibiotic use in companion animal veterinary medicine: A qualitative study in Southwestern France
Get PDFAntibiotic resistance (ABR) is a major global health threat and its connection to antibiotic use (ABU) in animals has been less explored in companion animals compared to food animals. To better understand how French companion animal veterinarians perceive ABR and reduce ABU, we conducted semi-structured interviews with 23 veterinarians (20 practitioners in Southwestern France and 3 institutional officials). Participants noted substantial progress in ABR awareness over the past two decades, despite the low incidence of ABR cases in routine non-referral companion animal care. They considered veterinarians had significantly reduced ABU, driven by concerns over prescription/sale decoupling and efforts such as awareness campaigns, regulations, and best practice guidelines. Personal factors, including values, life experiences, interest in alternative medicine, career paths, and practical experience, also played an important role. However, certain best practices remain inconsistent, particularly antimicrobial susceptibility testing and avoiding peri/post-operative ABU or first-intention cefovecin use in cats. Several factors were widely agreed upon as influencing ABU, including type of pathology, geographic location, veterinary peer influence, and client factors (particularly compliance and financial capacities). Yet, perceptions diverged regarding the impact of pharmaceutical inspections by health authorities, generational differences among practitioners, work pressure, and the corporatization of veterinary practices. While progress has been made, companion animal veterinarians recognized there is still room for ABU improvement. Looking ahead, they called for health authorities to trust veterinarians' clinical judgment, balance required efforts between veterinary and human medicine, avoid punitive actions or unnecessary restrictions, and focus on sensitization (awareness-increasing) through accessible, evidence-based, and context-dependent recommendations
Leverage points for scaling nature-based adaptation to climate change
Get PDFDespite ambitious goals and policies, climate change adaptation efforts remain slow and insufficient compared to the pace and magnitude of climate change. Nature-based Solutions (NbS) offer a holistic approach, with assumed co-benefits that jointly address climate change adaptation and mitigation, biodiversity conservation and other societal challenges. NbS are increasingly implemented to enhance local adaptation to climate change; however, they remain mostly marginal and isolated considering the magnitude of the challenge. Therefore, pathways to rapidly scale NbS are urgently needed. We hypothesise that NbS implementors are limited in their scaling strategies by their decision context. We propose an empirical framework for systemic analysis of decision contexts for scaling NbS, showcased for the Grenoble Region in the French Alps. We use mixed qualitative methods—policy and strategy document analysis, interviews and workshops with NbS experts, to explore a pathway to a conducive decision context. To characterize this context and the pathway to scaling, we identified the main leverage points, their underpinning levers and their interactions. According to workshops participants, NbS scaling should be supported by a combination of several deep and some shallow leverage points working simultaneously, including knowledge production and sharing, values and perception, local governance, supportive policies, financial support and landscape planning culture. Our results stress the need for more emphasis on how to support the integration of NbS principles into cultural roots and values; and on how to integrate deep leverage points into adaptation policies and strategies. However, this entails many challenges because of the diversity of actors with different objectives, values and power, and the multiple institutional scales and timeframes. We propose our integrative approach as a way to further support decision-makers in navigating complex decision contexts for scaling NbS and building on simultaneous progress within each leverage point