4629 research outputs found
Sort by
Resultats de les noves varietats d'ordi de primavera
No full textNo s’han observat diferències significatives en producció entre les varietats assajades els darrers anys. Al litoral de Girona però, els rendiments més elevats s’han vist en RGT ASTEROID, KWS CHRISSIE, KLARINETTE i RGT SKYLAB. Als regadius de Lleida les més productives han estat LG ANDANTE, KLARINETTE, FLORENCE, LAUREATE, SY SOLAR, LG FLAMENCO i RGT SKYLAB. Pel que fa l’espigat destaquen KWS CHRISSIE, RGT GAGARIN, RGT PLANET i RUBIALES per la seva precocitat, i LAUREATE i SKYWAY per presentar un cicle més llarg. S’observa una sensibilitat elevada a helmintosporiosi en totes les varietats, mentre que les més sensibles a rovell bru han estat LG BELCANTO i RGT ORBITER. Han mostrat un pes hectolítric i un contingut en proteïna elevats KLARINETTE, LG ANDANTE, PEWTER i RUBIALES.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio
Field-scale composting of solid fraction of swine slurry: Reducing veterinary antibiotics and resistance selection risk in agricultural soils
Get PDFAntibiotic (AB) use in intensive livestock farming drives antibiotic resistance risks in agroecosystems, yet field-scale data on composting as mitigation strategy remain scarce. Here, we present a novel field-scale composting trial (24 m³ per pile) treating the solid fraction of pig slurry with different bulking agents (maize straw or tree prunings) over 280-day. Of 16 veterinary ABs monitored, 7 were consistently detected, spanning fluoroquinolones, tetracyclines, lincosamides, and sulfonamides, with concentrations up to 167 mg·kg⁻¹ dry weight. Over 90 % AB removal was achieved, with faster degradation using tree pruning residues (half-life ∼43 days) than maize straw (∼55 days), highlighting the role of bulking agents in composting. Crucially, this is the first field-scale study to evaluate antibiotic resistance selection risk (RQRS) and leaching potential in real compost-amended soils. While raw pig slurry posed high resistance selection risk in soil (RQRS > 1), composting —especially with tree prunings— reduced this risk below 0.1. These findings provide strong field-based evidence that composting not only mitigates AB residues but also substantially reduces resistance risk under practical, operational conditions.This work was supported by grants from the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation (MCIN/AEI/10.13039/113760501100011033, grant PID 2021–128084OB-I00), and the Generalitat de Catalunya (2017SGR902). Jessica Subirats was supported by a Marie Skłodowska-Curie Individual Fellowship under the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme (Grant number 101109035).
The composting process experiment and the specific sampling have been conducted thanks to the LIFE PROGRAMME AGRICLOSE project (LIFE 17 ENV/ES/000439) and the staff: Anna Puerta, José Montero and Cristian Morales. We also acknowledge the contribution of Melisa Turiel and Dr. Rosa M. Teira (University of Lleida). We acknowledge the funding of the capitalization and demonstration project COMdeHORT (Promotion of the decentralized composting for the use of compost in horticulture), Support to the demonstrative activities (operation 01.02.01 of Technological Transfer. Program of Rural Development in Catalonia (Departament d′Acció Climàtica, Alimentació i Agenda Rural (DACC)-Catalan Government and EU-European Fund for Rural Development. IDAEA-CSIC is a Center of Excellence Severo Ochoa (Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation, Project CEX 2018–000794-S, ERDF A way of making Europe). IRTA received the support of the CERCA Program-Generalitat de Catalunya (Catalan Government). R. Cáceres belongs to the Consolidated Research Group of Sustainability in Biosystems, funded by the AGAUR (Generalitat de Catalunya; ref. 2021 SGR 01568). Thanks, are also extended to Yolanda Rodríguez for her valuable help in the chemical samples analysis.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio
El proyecto CITRUSREG maximiza la optimización del riego en una plantación citrícola
Get PDFEl IRTA ha llevado a cabo un estudio el proyecto CITRUSREG con el objectivo de aportar datos reales que conduzcan a la maxima optimización del riego en una plantación citrícola.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio
Intranasal inoculation with African swine fever virus genotype II reveals dose-dependent infectivity, pathogenesis and diagnostic challenges in pigs
Get PDFThe African swine fever virus (ASFV) surveillance strategies, including the early diagnosis, are key for prevention and control of African swine fever (ASF). This work studies the effects of different doses of ASFV Georgia strain: high dose (104 HAU); moderate dose (102.5 HAU) and low dose (10 HAU), inoculated intranasally in three groups with 20 pigs each. The qPCR was used to follow the infection dynamics in a wide sample panel (clinical, tissues, non-invasive and environmental), together with LAMP, serological tests and cytokine detection. After inoculation, the Georgia strain was lethal for all animals that resulted infected, including those in the low-dose group, where such low ASFV doses, as used in this study, have rarely been tested before. However, in the low dose group only one pig developed the ASF, while the rest remained negative despite being in contact with the infected one. Here, blood was confirmed as the gold standard sample but other matrices such as serum, spleen, tonsils, bone marrow, ear tip and tongue could be useful for the early ASFV diagnosis. We also showed the air and non-invasive samples as helpful monitoring tools for ASFV. No ASFV-specific antibodies were detected in most of the animals. Our data support the relevance of both molecular and serological diagnostic strategies for ASF control. The rapid detection together with strict biosecurity measures can efficiently minimize the ASFV dissemination.This research was funded by the National Animal Health Laboratory Network from the United States Department of Agriculture under grant AP21VSD&B000C011 and by the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation grant PID2021-125599OB-100. AMA was supported by the ICA grant 001–2022. LC was supported by the Juan de la Cierva Program (2022), the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation. PM was supported by FPI PRE2022-101808, the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation. SH was supported by PTA2022-022356-I, the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio
Thinning efficacy of the new chemical thinner brevis in New York state
Get PDFOur work over the last 10 years with the new chemical thinner Brevis (Metamitron) has shown that Brevis can cause thinning over a wider range of fruit sizes and its thinning severity varies by year and is affected by environmental conditions in the days before and after application. The most important weather factors affecting thinning efficacy were solar radiation, minimum temperature (night) and maximum daily temperature on the day of application and for the next few days.These studies were supported by NY State Apple Research and Development program, NY Farm Viability Institute and by grants from ADAMA-USA.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio
Balancing cover crop benefits and economic realities in Mediterranean rice farming
Get PDFCover crops (CC) have the potential to reduce the dependency of rice (Oryza sativa L.) production on chemical N fertilizers and the associated environmental and economic risks. While extensively studied in tropical and subtropical systems, their potential in Mediterranean lowlands remains underexplored. This study evaluated whether CC could reduce chemical N fertilization in a Mediterranean rice system (Ebro Delta, Spain). Rice was grown during three seasons (2020–2023) preceded by a bare fallow, hairy vetch (Vicia villosa Roth), or ryegrass (Lolium multiflorum Lam.) during the winter period, and with 4 different fertilizer N rates (0, 120, 180, and 240 kg N ha−1) under a split-plot design. Besides testing rice productivity, we developed a simple but effective indicator to assess the economic impact of cover crops by adapting the marginal net return of grain production to include cover cropping costs. Differences in biomass accumulation between the CC species were variable across years, with ryegrass being more dependent on precipitation, but also negatively affected by the N fertilization for the rice from the previous season. Due to its sole reliance on soil N uptake, ryegrass never produced more biomass N than hairy vetch. Rice yields were 13% lower and N use efficiency 16% lower after ryegrass than after bare fallow across fertilization levels. Hairy vetch tended to improve rice development (i.e., NDVI and panicle density) but did not translate into higher yields or N use efficiency compared to bare fallowing, potentially due to inhibited N mineralization under anaerobic conditions in flooded environments. Consequently, CC implementation significantly reduced profitability, showing how economic incentives are needed to encourage adoption. Implementing hairy vetch as CC increased the soil total N by 10%, potentially benefiting long-term rice production. These findings offer practical insights for agronomists and policymakers focused on enhancing the sustainability of Mediterranean rice systems.Open Access funding provided thanks to the CRUE-CSIC agreement with Springer Nature. This work was funded by the Kellogg’s Origins program and University of Lleida. G. Nascimento is a recipient of an UdL-IRTA PhD fellowship. The IRTA authors acknowledge the CERCA program (Generalitat de Catalunya) contribution.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio
Evaluation of a fluidised catalytic cracking co-processing method for the production of renewable fuels using Category 3 animal fat and used cooking oils
Get PDFAn alternative processing method for the production of renewable fuels from rendered animal fats, pretreated using standard processing methods 1–5 or method 7 and used cooking oils, derived from Category 3 animal by-products, was assessed. The alternative method is based on a fluidised catalytic cracking co-processing treatment with a preheat stage by at least 145°C and a pressure of at least 1.4 barg for at least 13 s, followed by a reactor stage by at least 500°C for 2 s. The applicant selected the use of spores of pathogenic bacteria as primary indicators without carrying out a full hazard identification, which is acceptable as per previous EFSA evaluations. The EFSA BIOHAZ Panel considers that the application and supporting literature contain sufficient evidence to support that the alternative method can achieve a reduction of at least 12 log10 of C. botulinum spores and 5 log10 of the spores of other pathogenic bacteria. The Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point plan contained some inadequacies: the reception of raw materials should be considered a prerequisite (with acceptance criteria) rather than a critical control point and quantitative limits for temperature and holding time at the reactor should be defined. The information provided by the applicant suggests that appropriate corrective actions are in place for dealing with risks associated with interdependent processes and with the intended end use of the products. The applicant also considers as part of the alternative processing method the operation under an unplanned shutdown. EFSA only assesses the alternative processing methods under normal operating conditions. Thus, the procedures under an unplanned shutdown were not assessed as part of the alternative processing method. Overall, the alternative method under evaluation is considered equivalent to the processing methods currently approved in the Commission Regulation (EU) No 142/2011.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio
Exploring the therapeutic potential of recombinant bovine β-defensins for antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory functions in sepsis management
Get PDFβ-defensins are multifunctional peptides of the host immune system involved in responses to infectious diseases. We investigated the potential of five recombinant proteins based on bovine β-defensins (bovine neutrophil β-defensins (BNBD) 1, 2, 3, and 4, and the tracheal antimicrobial peptide (TAP)) in functions relevant to sepsis such as antimicrobial activity, lipopolysaccharide (LPS) binding and neutralisation, and the stimulation of cytokine response in epithelial cells. These β-defensins were produced in Lactococcus lactis as fusion proteins. Antimicrobial activity was tested against Escherichia coli; LPS binding and neutralisation were assessed using a fluorescent probe displacement assay and by measuring tumour necrosis factor alpha (TNFα) levels in whole blood after an LPS challenge, respectively. Interleukin-8 (IL-8) levels were quantified to evaluate the epithelial immune response. All β-defensins exhibited different properties, suggesting they may have distinct mechanisms and functions in resolving infections. The recombinant BNBD4 showed potent antimicrobial activity against E. coli, whereas TAP was more notable for its ability to bind and neutralise LPS. These findings suggest that β-defensins, particularly BNBD4 and TAP, may be utilised to treat sepsis by targeting bacterial pathogens and modulating inflammatory responses.This work was funded by Ministerio de Ciencia, Innovación y Universidades Grants PID2019-107298RB-C21/AEI/10.13039/ 501100011033) to AA and EG-F and by MICIU/AEI/10.13039/ 501100011033 and FEDER with project PID2023-152706OB-I00. CS and RB-F received a pre-doctoral fellowship from Generalitat de Catalunya (FI-AGAUR and INIA (FPI-INIA, MINECO), respectively. DS received a pre-doctoral fellowship PRE2018-083243 from Ministerio de Ciencia, Innovación y Universidades. JVC was supported with a Margarita Salas grant for the training of young doctoral graduates (Grant No. 722713).info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio
Biodiversity and spatial distribution of potentially ciguatera-causing dinoflagellates using DNA metabarcoding
Get PDFCiguatera poisoning (CP) is a foodborne disease caused by eating seafood containing ciguatoxins from benthic dinoflagellates of the genus Gambierdiscus. Moreover, the related Fukuyoa, which often coexists with Gambierdiscus, also produces potent marine toxins. Though CP is endemic to tropical regions, it is increasingly being reported elsewhere, including the Canary Islands (NE Atlantic). In the Balearic Islands (W Mediterranean), potentially ciguatoxin-producing species have been found frequently in recent years, but so far without documented CP. Since toxin production varies greatly among Gambierdiscus and Fukuyoa species, it is very important to be able to discriminate them and detect problematic species even when present in low densities. In this study we explored the potential of DNA metabarcoding targeting the D1-D2 LSU rDNA region to detect Gambierdiscus and Fukuyoa species alongside other dinoflagellates and microeukaryotes in the first such surveys of the studied archipelagos. The predominant species by far in the Balearics was G. australes, but in Gran Canaria, though abundant, it was often outnumbered by two more toxic species, G. excentricus and G. silvae. DNA metabarcoding recorded F. ruetzleri for the first time in the Canaries and G. carolinianus in the Balearics, both in very low relative abundance. A potential new species of Gambierdiscus (“occultus”) was detected in three Balearic Islands and Gran Canaria. Extensive intragenomic variation in the D1-D2 marker was found. We could also characterize the broader dinoflagellate community, including other harmful species and also parasitoids that may affect the dynamics of the dinoflagellates present. This research shows the power of LSU rDNA-based metabarcoding for studying benthic microeukaryotic communities.This study was funded by Ministerio de Ciencia, Innovación y Universidades (MICIU) and the Agencia Estatal de Investigación (AEI) 10.13039/501100011033 through the CIGUARISK (PID2019-108781RR-C21), ECOS-COM (PID2022-138753OB-C22) and CIGUAADAPT (PID2022-137170OR-C21) projects. We also acknowledge support from the CERCA Programme/Generalitat de Catalunya. The Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh is supported by the Scottish Government's Rural and Environment Science and Analytical Services Division. Special thanks to José Luís Costa, David Mateu, Núria Sagristà, (IRTA) and Juan Fernández-Zábala (FCPCT-ULPGC) for sampling support, to María Rey (IRTA) for providing strains for the mock communities, and to Patricia Prado for the initial identification of the macrophytes. We are hugely grateful to three anonymous reviewers for their very detailed reviews with many critical and constructive comments on many aspects of the manuscript, which helped a lot to improve an earlier version.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio
Assessing alternative strategies to control almond red leaf blotch through the reduction of Polystigma amygdalinum inoculum in leaf litter
Get PDFBackground
Red leaf blotch (RLB), caused by Polystigma amygdalinum, is a major foliar disease of almond trees in Mediterranean and Middle Eastern regions. While preventive fungicide applications are the main control strategy, cultural practices aimed at reducing pathogen inoculum in leaf litter are gaining relevance. This study evaluated the efficacy of four chemical treatments on fungal biomass and ascospore production in leaf litter and assessed the impact of two cultural practices—urea application and leaf litter removal—on airborne inoculum levels and disease incidence under field conditions.
Results
Urea and lime sulfur significantly reduced ascospore production by 99% and 94%, respectively, compared to the untreated control. Urea was the only treatment that also significantly reduced fungal biomass. In field trials, leaf litter removal reduced airborne ascospores by 60% but did not significantly affect RLB incidence or severity. Urea application reduced airborne ascospores by 45% and led to a modest yet statistically significant 4% reduction in disease incidence.
Conclusion
This study highlights the potential of cultural practices to reduce the primary inoculum of P. amygdalinum in almond orchards. Urea application offers dual benefits by reducing both fungal biomass and ascospore release, contributing to modest disease suppression. For more effective and sustainable RLB control, these practices should be integrated into a broader management strategy that includes the selection of tolerant almond cultivars, preventive fungicide applications guided by forecasting models.Research funded by the Instituto Nacional de Investigación y Tecnología Agraria y Alimentaria (INIA, Spain), with grant RTA2017-00009-C04-01, and Agencia Estatal de Investigación (AEI, Spain) with grant PID2020-114648RR-C31 (MCIN/AEI/10.13039/501100011033). All authors, except G.P.-S., were supported by the CERCA Program, Generalitat de Catalunya. G.P.-S. was supported by the Agencia Estatal de Investigación (AEI), Spain, through a predoctoral grant (PRE2018-085207).info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio