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Serotyping of Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae based on whole genome sequencing: validation of a bioinformatic tool
Get PDFSerovar detector is a new bioinformatic tool for determining the serovar of Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae using whole genome sequencing. The composition of cps genes of isolates is compared to those of the serovar reference strains, and the outcome is determined both by the number of common genes and the similarities between the homologous genes. The validation of the bioinformatic tool utilized a broad collection of 732 isolates, including representatives from all described serovars. The isolates included had been characterized by conventional serotyping, PCR tests or different bioinformatic tools. The collection also includes isolates that have been difficult to allocate to a serovar using serology to test the performance of the Serovar detector when potential new varieties or combinations of cps genes are present. Out of the 732 isolates included in the investigation, only 36 isolates (4.9%) could not be allocated to the 19 recognized serovars. The validation showed that the Serovar detector is a robust method for determining the serovar of an isolate and a valuable tool for further characterization of the genetic heterogeneity both within serovars and within the A. pleuropneumoniae species.This work was supported by the UK Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (Grant Nos. BB/S002103/1 and BB/G018553/1).info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio
Permanent crop cover as a strategy for drought-resistant viticulture: insights on how rhizosphere metagenomics influences leaf-level -omics for an enhanced overall plant response
Get PDFThe viticulture sector is currently threatened by climate change, impacting grape quality and yield through altered weather patterns and reduced soil health. The incorporation of cover crops can significantly bolster sustainability by enhancing soil moisture retention and structural integrity, both of which are essential for the enduring viability of vineyards in the long term. Cover cropping presents numerous advantages, such as the enhancement of soil health, mitigation of erosion, and facilitation of nutrient cycling; however, it may also pose certain short-term risks, including competition for vital resources like water. In spite of the progress made in comprehending the advantages of cover crops in vineyard settings, the intricate dynamics between plant–microbe interactions and the leaf-level metabolic responses of grapevines at the leaf level to drought conditions remain unexplored. This study examines the impact of water availability and green cover (comprising perennial ryegrass and Trifolium repens) on grapevine photosynthetic and metabolism efficiency, positing that crop cover fosters a microhabitat that bolsters microbial communities and drought resilience. Through comprehensive examinations of gas exchange, isotopic analysis, etabolomics, transcriptomics, and soil metagenomics, this study clarifies the relationships among irrigation methodologies, photosynthesis, and soil health, ultimately aiding in the fortification of agricultural resilience in the face of climate change. Our investigation demonstrates that the adoption of cover crops yields unexpected immediate benefits in bolstering drought resilience for vineyards. Despite an observed increase in overall evapotranspiration during drought conditions, the use of cover crops facilitated carbon accumulation and enhanced osmolyte-acting metabolites (including sugars and sugar alcohols) and abscisic acid (ABA) concentrations, alongside a comprehensive molecular adaptation to drought stress. Moreover, cover cropping was shown to promote the expression of defense-related pathways, while vineyards devoid of cover crops exhibited minimal transcriptional responses; certain taxa exhibited responses contingent upon the treatment, with Tistrellales and Gaiellales being linked to crop cover under
favorable conditions, whereas Rhizoctonia demonstrated a strong association with rhizospheric soil during drought conditions when crop cover was present.
Our study is the first to show that cover cropping can boost cash crop resilience to drought through intricate plant–soil–microbe interactions, providing benefits from the outset.The author(s) declare that financial support was received for the research and/or publication of this article. This study has been funded by the Department of University, Innovation and Digital Transformation of the Government of Navarre and the European Union (FEADER funds) in the context of the CUALVID project. Iván Jauregui acknowledges the support of the Government of Navarra for his contract through the Atracción de Talento Senior Andia 2021 program, and Government of Navarre and the European Union (FEADER funds) in the context of the NITROECOMPOST project. This work was supported by MCIN/AEI/10.13039/501100011033 grant PID2020-120229RA-I00 and the “Ramón y Cajal” contract RYC2019-028030-I to Igor Florez-Sarasa. Furthermore, Ariadna Iglesias-Sanchez received a predoctoral fellowship from the MCIN/AEI FPI program (PRE2018-083610).info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio
Recomanació de varietats de colza 00 convencional i clearfield d'hivern
No full textDurant les darreres campanyes, s’han assajat els nous híbrids de colza convencional i clearfield del tipus 00, en tres zones agroclimàtiques de Catalunya: l’interior de Girona, els secans frescals i els regadius de Lleida. En aquesta article es mostren els índexs productius plurianuals disponibles; si bé, el nombre d’assaigs és limitat en algunes zones, degut sobretot a problemes d’implantació.FEDER/ / /EU/ /GC/ / /CAT/Millora de la sostenibilitat i noves opcions de comercialització (XARXA COLZA)/info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio
Recombinant gonadotropin induced out-of-season spawning and larval culture of flathead grey mullet (Mugil cephalus)
Get PDFThe flathead grey mullet (Mugil cephalus) held in intensive captive condition does not sexually mature. The present study, aimed to apply recombinant gonadotropin (rGth) protocols to advance spawning by three months and demonstrate the protocols potential for juvenile production. Eight females and seven males were divided into an rGth group that was treated with species specific recombinant follicle stimulating hormone and recombinant luteinizing hormone and a control group treated with saline. The rGths-treated males completed spermiation and the females completed vitellogenesis and spawning in June–July, three months before the natural spawning period (September – October). Control females did not advance with oogenesis and control males did not advance to spermiation. Eggs were incubated, and hatched larvae were reared in three replicated densities (16, 32, and 51 larvae/L, 100 L tanks) and in grey and black 500 L tanks at 30 larvae/L. Final survival at 16 larvae/L was 14.13 ± 5.2 % at 42 days post- hatching (dph) and a correlation between survival and stocking density predicted 3 juveniles/L could be obtained at 42 dph with an initial density of 38 larvae/L. Larvae reared in black tanks had a superior growth rate (16.70 ± 0.05 mm) in comparison to the grey tanks (11.40 ± 2.80 mm) at 42 dph (P = 0.01). Together, these findings confirm the high efficacy (close to 100 %) of rGths induction protocols, that out-of-season spawning can be induced, and that rGth induced mullet spawning has good potential as a bases for juvenile production.Thanks are given to María Curto for her support with the steroid analysis. Thank you to Olga Bellot, Fernanda Delziovo and Roberta Anjos for help with histological analysis. Also thank you very much to Esteban Hernández, Gerard Turon, Magda Monllaó, Ricard Carbó and Sandra Molas for their care of the fish and larvae, as well as their technical assistance during the sampling process. This study was funded by the Spanish Government, MINECO project RTA2021-126070OR-100 awarded to Neil Duncan. Giancarlo Cerrud was support by a PhD grant from the Government of Panama-SENACYT.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio
Advancing the valorisation of meat co-products in food, pet food, and biomedicine applications
Get PDFGlobal population growth is driving a significant rise in meat production, leading to an increased supply of edible
co-products such as offal. While direct consumption remains the most profitable and sustainable option, shifting
cultural and dietary trends have led to its decline, resulting in surplus co-products often diverted to lower-value
applications. This review explores various valorization strategies aimed at maximizing raw material utilization
and minimizing waste with a special focus on recent advancements in innovative technologies that enhance
extraction efficiency and functionalization for high-value applications in food, animal feed, and biomedicine.
While the pet food industry and recent regulatory changes in animal feed have expanded opportunities for
valorizing meat co-products, their potential in food ingredient development remains relatively unexploited.
Similarly, despite their suitability as sources of structural components and active pharmaceutical ingredients,
their biomedical applications remain limited. Therefore, key challenges in these areas have been discussed,
including consumer perceptions of recovered proteins, processing complexities, the role of biotechnology, and
competition from the growing demand for premium pet food.Partial financial support was received from the European Research Council (ERC) under the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme (grant agreement No. 866126). This publication was in part supported by Science Foundation Ireland (SFI) (Grant numbers 19/FFP/6982 and 13/RC/2073_2).info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio
Integrating whole-genome resequencing and machine learning to refine QTL analysis for fruit quality traits in peach
Get PDFIncreasing marker density results in better map coverage and efficiency of genetic analysis. Here, we resequenced a large (N = 235) F1 progeny from two distant peach cultivars, ‘Zhongyou Pan #9’ and ‘September Free’, and constructed two parental maps (1:1 segregations) and one combined map (1:2:1 segregations) with 134 277 SNPs. Markers with the same genotype for all individuals studied were grouped in bins and a unique genotype for each bin was inferred to avoid mapping problems derived from erroneous data. The total genetic distance of the two parental maps was 431.9 and 594.2 cM with a short mean distance, 0.9 cM, between contiguous bins (groups of markers with the same genotype) and high collinearity with the peach genome. The genetics of eight fruit-related traits was analyzed for 2 years, allowing the positions of two major genes, fruit shape (S) and flesh adhesion to the stone (F), to be established, along with nine quantitative trait loci (QTLs) for quantitative traits including fruit soluble solids concentration, titratable acidity, weight, maturity date, and flesh color (yellow to orange). We developed a machine learning-based linear model to assess flesh color, which proved more efficient than physical colorimetric parameters (L, a*, b*), detecting consistent QTLs. Based on map position, gene expression patterns, and function, candidate genes were identified. Overall, our results provide two new elements: ultra-high-density maps with resequencing data to enhance mapping resolution and phenotyping strategies based on machine learning models that improve the quality of quantitative measurements to help understand the genetic control of key fruit quality traits.The authors would like to express their gratitude to Guizhi Li and Hongyang Xing for their contributions to fruit sampling. This work was financially supported by the National Key Research and Development Program (grant nos. 2023YFE0105400, 2022YFD1200503), the National Natural Science Foundation of China (32102328, 32472701), China Agriculture Research System (grant no. CARS-30-1-04), and the China Scholarship Council.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio
The effects of temperature changes on Totoaba macdonaldi larval development, growth, and respiratory rates
Get PDFUnderstanding the effects of environmental temperature on marine fish larvae is crucial for optimizing feeding regimes and promoting optimal development and growth from a zootechnical perspective in aquaculture practices. The present study investigated the impact of different rearing temperatures on development, growth, and oxygen consumption rates of Totoaba macdonaldi larvae. An open-flow seawater recirculating system was used in which larvae (150 specimens/L) were exposed in triplicate to four rearing temperatures (20, 24, 26, and 28 °C) for 24 days under standard larval rearing conditions. Larvae were sampled at 7, 12, 16, 20, and 24 days post hatching (DPH) to assess growth performance, survival, histological condition, and respirometry. At the end of the trial, the highest total length (TL) and body weight (BW) values were observed at 26 °C, with larvae displaying negative allometric growth in terms of TL and BW, similar to those reared at 24 and 28 °C. In contrast, larvae reared at 20 °C showed lower growth and an isometric growth pattern. No significant differences in Fulton’s condition factor (K) were detected among treatments. Survival rates were the highest at 28 °C, while increased cannibalism at 26 °C was associated with elevated specific growth rates and thermal growth coefficients. Histological analysis revealed better structural organization in the gills and liver of larvae reared at 26 °C, whereas other treatments showed signs of inflammation. Respirometry results indicated that larvae reared at 20 °C had significantly higher metabolic rates. However, these differences diminished by DPH 20 and 24, likely reflecting developmental changes and phenotypic plasticity during the larval-to-juvenile transition. Based on physiological and metabolic indicators, a rearing temperature of 26 °C is recommended for T. macdonaldi larviculture.The research reported here was supported by the Universidad Autónoma de Baja California (Project UABC 2022–2024, program 395), México, and the Consejo Nacional de Ciencia y Tecnología (CONACyT) (SADER-CONACYT No. 247698); Hernández-Montiel (933793) and Larios-Soriano (464281) also received fellowships from Secretaria de Ciencias, Humanidades, Tecnología e Innovación Secihti (postgraduate and postdoctoral respectively). Collaboration between Ibero-American researchers has been conducted under the framework of the network LARVAplus “Strategies for the development and improvement of fish larvae production in Ibero-America” (117RT0521) funded by the Ibero-American Program of Science and Technology for Development (CYTED, Spain).info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio
The impact of biological control on pest survival and Aspergillus flavus in two stored maize genotypes
Get PDFDuring storage, maize is attacked by various insect pests that damage its seeds and reduce their quality. A promising approach to control these pests is the use of natural enemies. However, there is limited knowledge about how natural enemies interact with different maize genotypes or generations. Additionally, the presence of storage pests often creates favorable conditions for Aspergillus flavus, one of the most common storage fungi. This study evaluates the biological control of three common storage pests: Sitotroga cerealella, Sitophilus zeamais, and Oryzaephilus surinamensis, by their respective natural enemies: Blattisocius tarsalis, Anisopteromalus calandrae, and Cephalonomia tarsalis. It examines how these biocontrol agents impact pest survival, kernel damage and A. flavus conidia count. These traits are compared across two commercial maize genotypes: a transgenic genotype expressing the insecticidal Cry1Ab protein and its non-transgenic near-isoline counterpart. Commercial seeds are used for both genotypes (F1), along with seeds obtained from field-grown transgenic and near-isoline plants (F2). Our findings demonstrated that natural enemies effectively reduced pest populations and pest-induced kernel damage, particularly in the F2 transgenic genotypes. The presence of A. flavus increased with kernel damage and rising pest populations; however, natural enemies suppressed fungal activity by reducing pest numbers, thereby improving kernel quality. Overall, these findings support the potential of an integrated pest management strategy combining transgenic resistance with biological control to manage pests and A. flavus, thus enhancing maize quality and safety during storageThis research was funded by the Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación, la Agencia Estatal de Investigación, and FEDER (EU) under grant PID 2021-125284OR-100 (MCIN/AEI/https://doi.org/10.13039/501100011033/FEDER, EU), as well as by the CERCA Program (Centres de Recerca de Catalunya, Spain) of the Generalitat de Catalunya. Additionally financial support was provided by the Consolidated Research Group grant awarded to the Institut de Recerca i Tecnologia Agroalimentàries (IRTA), under grant number 2021 SGR 01429 (Technologies and Crop Solutions for Drought Mitigation—AGRI DROUGHT HUB). Julia Parsons gratefully acknowledges the Internal Predoctoral Research Fellowship funded by IRTA.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio
Fibre-like structure formation in fava bean protein based extrudates: effects of extrusion inputs and potential of outputs for process control
Get PDFHigh moisture extrusion processing (HMEP) is a complex process in which product formulation and extrusion conditions play a key role in fibre-like structure formation. The aim of this work was to study the effect of process input parameters (formulation, liquid feed, and extrusion temperature) on the texture development of a high moisture extrudate (HME) based on fava bean protein concentrate (FBPC), combined with a different protein source (pea protein isolate - PPI) or an oil ingredient (extra virgin olive oil (EVOO)). The influence of extrusion outputs (melt temperature, pressure, and torque) on texture parameters and its potential to control the texturisation process was also investigated. Formulation (protein source and added oil) and moisture content had a significant effect on textural characteristics of HME, while a variation of barrel temperature of 10 °C (from 145 to 155 °C) was not sufficient to influence the final product texture. Addition of PPI to FBPC-based HME increased hardness and fibrousness of the product, while oil addition had a lubricating effect which difficulted the formation of fibre-like structures in the direction of the extrusion flow. Out of the studied extrusion outputs, torque was highly correlated with the HME textural characteristics, showing potential for inline control of the HMEP process.This work was financially supported by the Horizon 2020 UE programme through the project “CROPDIVA” [grant number 101000847]; by the Spanish MCIN/AEI/10.13039/501100011033/ FEDER [grant number PID2021–122285OR-I00]. Acknowledgements are extended to the Spanish MCIN/AEI/10.13039/501100011033 and FSE invierte en tu futuro for financing the first author’s doctorate studies [grant number FPU20/04009], to the consolidated Research Group (2021 SGR 00461) and CERCA program from Generalitat de Catalunya. The authors also want to acknowledge Clàudia Sánchez-Martínez for her contribution by performing experimental work.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio