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Dissection of the Genetic Basis of Genotype by Environment Interactions for Morphological Traits and Protein Content in Winter Wheat Panel Grown in Morocco and Spain
Get PDFTo fulfill the growing demand for wheat consumption, it is important to focus on enhancement breeding strategies targeting key parameters such as yield, thousand kernel weight (TKW), quality characteristics including morphological traits, and protein content. These elements are key to the ongoing and future objectives of wheat breeding programs. Prioritizing these factors will effectively help meet the rising demand for wheat, especially given the challenges posed by unpredictable weather patterns. This study evaluated the morphological traits and protein content of 249 winter wheat varieties and advanced lines grown in eleven different environments in Morocco and Spain incorporating three varied sowing dates. The results showed considerable variability in morphological traits and protein content. Significant correlations were observed among various grain traits, with most grain morphological parameters exhibiting negative correlations with protein content. Differences across environments (p ≤ 0.01) in all traits, genotypes, and genotype by environment interaction were significant. A factorial regression analysis revealed significant impacts of environmental conditions on all grain morphological parameters, protein content, and TKW during the three growth stages. The study identified several high-performing and stable genotypes across diverse environments, providing valuable insights for wheat breeding programs such as genotypes 129, 234, 241, and 243. Genome-Wide Association Studies pinpointed 603 significant markers across 11 environments, spread across chromosomes. Among these, 400 markers were linked with at least two traits or observed in at least two different environments. Moreover, twelve marker-trait associations were detected that surpassed the Bonferroni correction threshold. These findings highlight the importance of targeted breeding efforts to enhance wheat quality and adaptability to different environmental conditions.This research was funded by a European Union project entitled “Addressing the challenges of climate change for sustainable food security in Turkey, Iran and Morocco, through the creation and dissemination of an international database to promote the use of wheat genetic resources and increase genetic gains”. CFP 2014/2015-W3B-PR-18-Turkey and CWANA-F2R “Regional Integrated Initiative of the CGIAR”.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio
Consumer attitudes, willingness to pay and hedonic evaluations of innovative legume gnocchi products
Get PDFBACKGROUND: With growing concerns over the adverse effects of animal-derived products on health, animal welfare and the
environment, the rising popularity of plant-based foods underscores the importance of understanding consumer preferences
and determining acceptance. The present study takes the form of a case study that utilized innovative legume-based flours to
develop multiple gnocchi products. The Becker–DeGroot–Marschak (BDM) mechanism as an auction method was employed to
elicit consumers’ willingness to pay (WTP) following a hedonic evaluation test involving 127 Spanish consumers.
RESULTS: The findings indicate that a majority of consumers exhibit a high level of environmental concern, coupled with
increased trust in, as well as perceptions of, the benefits of consuming plant-based products. However, they demonstrated
moderate attitudes with regard to plant-based products. Notably, product sample tasting had a negative impact on consumers’
WTP for legume-based gnocchi. The respondents' education level, income, financial situation, government support, environmental concerns, perceived risks, flavor and color significantly influenced consumers’ WTP.
CONCLUSION: The present study offers initial insights into consumer attitudes and WTP for legume-based products in Spain.
The findings are of relevance for producers and marketers aiming to promote environmentally-sustainable food production
and consumption. They may also play a pivotal role in facilitating the successful introduction and sale of such plant-based products in the Spanish market. Going forward, addressing any limitations of this study and exploring further research avenues will
be crucial for refining our understanding of consumer behavior in this context.This research was supported by the LOCALNUTLEG project under the research grant agreement number [2033] [LOCALNUTLEG] [Call 2020 Section 1 Agrofood IA]. The LOCALNUTLEG project has received funding from the Partnership for Research and Innovation in the Mediterranean Area (PRIMA), supported by Horizon 2020, the Eropean Union's Research and Innovation program.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio
Consumer acceptance and willingness to pay for olive oil with reduced pesticide use in the Euro-Mediterranean region: A reference-dependent contingent valuation approach
Get PDFWhile discussions on plant protection product regulations continue within the EU, insights into consumer behaviour regarding the reduction of pesticide use in olive oil production remain limited. This study explores consumers' willingness to pay (WTP) a premium for conventional extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) with 40 % reduced pesticide use across five Mediterranean EU countries. Employing the contingent valuation method—a stated preference experimental approach—with 'payment cards' based on past purchase records, we surveyed 5091 olive oil consumers in France, Greece, Italy, Portugal, and Spain using Qualtrics' consumer panels. To analyse the factors influencing both the decision to pay a premium and the premium amount, we applied the Heckman sample selection model, a statistical technique that addresses sample selection bias. The results reveal that 73 % of consumers are willing to pay a premium, with mean premiums ranging from 22 % in Italy to 26 % in France above the reference price for a 1-L bottle of conventional EVOO. Socio-demographic factors—such as age, income, education, and household size—shape the likelihood of paying a premium. Meanwhile, behavioural factors—including knowledge and perceptions of pesticide use—primarily determine the size of the premium. Consumers' age, household income, and previous purchase price also influence the premium amount, although the behavioural factors exert the strongest impact, notably in France, Greece, Portugal, and Spain. These findings offer actionable insights to support the sector's transition to sustainable pesticide use, aligning consumer preferences with the EU's Green Deal objective of halving pesticide use by 2030.This study was supported by funding from the European Union Horizon 2020 project NOVATERRA under grant agreement number 101000554, which provided essential resources for data collection.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio
Development of a new loop-mediated isothermal amplification test for the sensitive, rapid, and economic detection of different genotypes of Classical swine fever virus
Get PDFBackground: Classical swine fever virus (CSFV) remains one of the most
important pathogens in animal health. Pathogen detection relies on viral RNA
extraction followed by RT-qPCR. Novel technologies are required to improve
diagnosis at the point of care.
Methods: A loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) PCR technique was
developed, with primers designed considering all reported CSFV genotypes. The
reaction was tested using both fluorometric and colorimetric detection, in
comparison to the gold standard technique. Viral strains from three circulating
CSFV genotypes were tested, as well as samples from infected animals. Other
pathogens were also tested, to determine the LAMP specificity. Besides
laboratory RNA extraction methods, a heating method for RNA release, readily
available for adaptation to field conditions was evaluated.
Results: Three primer sets were generated, with one of them showing better
performance. This primer set proved capable of maintaining optimal
performance at a wide range of amplification temperatures (60°C - 68°C). It
was also able to detect CSFV RNA from the three genotypes tested. The assay
was highly efficient in detection of samples from animals infected with field
strains from two different genotypes, with multiple matrices being detected using
both colorimetric and fluorometric methods. The LAMP assay was negative for all
the unrelated pathogens tested, including Pestiviruses. The only doubtful result in
both fluorometric and colorimetric LAMP was against the novel Pestivirus
italiaense, ovine Italy Pestivirus (OVPV), which has proven to have crossreaction with multiple CSFV diagnostic techniques. However, it is only possible to
detect the OVPV in a doubtful result if the viral load is higher than 10000
viral particles.
Conclusion: The results from the present study show that LAMP could be an
important addition to the currently used molecular diagnostic techniques for
CSFV. This technique could be used in remote locations, given that it can be
adapted for successful use with minimal equipment and minimally invasive
samples. The joined use of novel and traditional diagnostic techniques could
prove to be a useful alternative to support the CSF control.The author(s) declare financial support was received for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article. 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. LC was supported by Juan de la Cierva program (2022), Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio
Reviving Europe's rivers: Seven challenges in the implementation of the Nature Restoration Law to restore free-flowing rivers
Get PDFThe EU Nature Restoration Law represents an important opportunity for freshwater habitat restoration and, consequently, freshwater biodiversity protection. However, a number of challenges must be anticipated in its implementation, which may compromise its success. Some aspects, particularly those relating to freshwater ecosystems, require more clarification. We use riverine ecosystems to illustrate existing ambiguities in the proposed legislation and the potential consequences of leaving these aspects open to interpretation during the implementation process. We also discuss potential solutions to these problems which could help ensure that the law's objectives are met. We argue that river network structure and connectivity dimensions, which result into river meta-ecosystems, must be explicitly considered. For that purpose, we ask for clear definitions of the critical terms “free-flowing rivers,” “barriers,” and “reference areas.” In addition, we recommend developing methods for integrated assessment of connectivity across river networks. As a key property of river ecosystems, this must be used to prioritize actions to increase the length and number of free-flowing rivers. Adequate restoration planning at larger spatial scales will benefit from a meta-ecosystem perspective and accurate representation of aquatic-terrestrial linkages, which will significantly improve the efficacy of restoration efforts. Furthermore, stakeholder and citizen engagement offer important opportunities at local, national, and European scales, and should be fostered to ensure inclusive decision-making. The conservation challenges outlined here are particularly important for rivers, but they also have implications for other ecosystems. These considerations are useful for policymakers, conservationists, and other stakeholders involved in the Nature Restoration Law and related policy initiatives.This study was supported by the following funding sources: the MERLIN project funded under the European Commission's Horizon 2020 programme, Grant agreement No. 101036337; the DANUBE4ALL project funded by the European Union's Horizon Europe Research and Innovation Programme under grant agreement no. 101093985; the BioAgora project funded by the European Union's Horizon Europe Research and Innovation Programme under grant agreement No. 101059438; the Austrian Federal Ministry for Digital and Economic Affairs and the Christian Doppler Research Association (CD Laboratory MERI); the Austrian Science Fund (FWF) project RIMECO (I 5006); a Hungarian ANN-OTKA 141884 grant; project FLUFLUX (ERC-STG 716196); and the Leibniz Competition project “Freshwater Megafauna Futures” (P74/2018).info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio
Modelling the spatial risk of malaria through probability distribution of Anopheles maculipennis s.l. and imported cases
Get PDFMalaria remains one of the most important infectious diseases globally due to its high incidence and mortality rates. The
influx of infected cases from endemic to non-endemic malaria regions like Europe has resulted in a public health concern
over sporadic local outbreaks. This is facilitated by the continued presence of competent Anopheles vectors in nonendemic countries.
We modelled the potential distribution of the main malaria vector across Spain using the ensemble of eight
modelling techniques based on environmental parameters and the Anopheles maculipennis s.l. presence/absence data
collected from 2000 to 2020. We then combined this map with the number of imported malaria cases in each
municipality to detect the geographic hot spots with a higher risk of local malaria transmission.
The malaria vector occurred preferentially in irrigated lands characterized by warm climate conditions and moderate
annual precipitation. Some areas surrounding irrigated lands in northern Spain (e.g. Zaragoza, Logroño), mainland areas
(e.g. Madrid, Toledo) and in the South (e.g. Huelva), presented a significant likelihood of A. maculipennis s.l. occurrence,
with a large overlap with the presence of imported cases of malaria.
While the risk of malaria re-emergence in Spain is low, it is not evenly distributed throughout the country. The four
recorded local cases of mosquito-borne transmission occurred in areas with a high overlap of imported cases and
mosquito presence. Integrating mosquito distribution with human incidence cases provides an effective tool for the
quantification of large-scale geographic variation in transmission risk and pinpointing priority areas for targeted
surveillance and prevention.MCIN/AEI through the European Regional Development Fund (SUMHAL, LifeWatch-2019-09-CSIC-4, POPE 2014-2020) and PLEC2021-007968 project NEXTHREAT MCIN/AEI/10.13039/2011000110333 and European Union Next Generation EU/PRTR funds, CIBER Epidemiología y Salud Pública and La Caixa Foundation through the project ARBOPREVENT (HR22-00123). Part of the samples used for the analyses were provided from studies financed from projects IB16121 and IB16135 from the Extremadura Regional Government, from Ayudas Fundación BBVA a Equipos de Investigación Científica 2019 (PR (19_ECO_0070)). MF is currently funded by a Ramón y Cajal postdoctoral contract (RYC2021- 031613-I) from the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation (MICINN). M.J.R.L received support from the Agencia Estatal de Investigación (project PID2020-118921RJ-100 funded by MCIN/AEI/10.13039/501100011033). We thank the contribution of all professionals participating in the Spanish Surveillance System (RENAVE) and those collaboration with the entomological surveys.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio
Phytogenics enhance welfare and vaccine efficacy against Vibrio anguillarum in European seabass (Dicentrarchus labrax) juveniles
Get PDFDisease prevention is pivotal in aquaculture, and while vaccines offer protective immunity, challenges such as
cost and low efficacy persist. The present study investigated the potential of plant-derived compounds, known as
phytogenics, to bolster the effectiveness of vaccines against vibriosis in European seabass. Two phytogenic
blends, namely PHYTO1 (terpenes) and PHYTO2 (terpenes and flavonoids) were supplemented to a commercial
diet to obtain three experimental diets: a non-supplemented control diet, PHYTO1 (a 200-ppm blend of garlic and
Lamiaceae oils with 87.5 mg kg− 1 terpenes), and PHYTO2 (a 1000 ppm blend containing citrus fruits, Asteraceae
and Lamiaceae oils with 57 mg kg− 1 terpenes and 55 mg kg− 1 flavonoids). Following vaccination by bath immersion, juvenile European seabass were divided into groups and fed one of the three diets for 30 days. After this
feeding period, fish were anesthetized and boosted with a single dose of vaccine through intraperitoneal injection. They continued to be fed their respective diets for another 30 days. At day 60, after the priming
vaccination, fish were challenged with Vibrio anguillarum via intraperitoneal injection. Various parameters were
measured at different time points post each vaccination, including total weight, circulating plasma cortisol and
glucose levels, serum immunoglobulin M (IgM) titers, antioxidant power of leucocytes, and the expression of
several antioxidant and immune-related genes. The results showed that fish fed with phytogenic supplements did
not differ in weight compared to the control group. However, they exhibited lower plasma cortisol and glucose
levels, increased IgM titers, and enhanced antioxidant protection and antioxidant power of head kidney leucocytes. In addition, phytogenics upregulated several immune-related genes in the gills and head kidney immediately after each vaccination. Notably, PHYTO2, enriched with flavonoids and terpenes, exhibited an even more
pronounced positive effect on boosted fish by reducing vaccine-associated stress while improving antioxidant
protection and modulating the vaccine-induced immune response. This synergistic effect of vaccination combined with phytogenics introduces new pathways for enhancing fish health in aquaculture.This work was supported by the former Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness [project AGL2016–79725-P]. We would also like to acknowledge the support of Nord University for covering the open access fee.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio
No hi ha diàleg de sords, és pitjor: no hi ha comunicació
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Effects of Agronomical Practices on Crop Quality and Sensory Profile
Get PDFThe author Leontina Lipan was founded by the “Ministerio de Universidades” and Europe Union-Next Generation EU in the framework “Ayudas para la Recualificación del Sistema Universitario Español”, in the modality “MARGARITA SALAS”.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio