Scientific Journals of INIA (Instituto Nacional de Investigación y Tecnología Agraria y Alimentaria)
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Short communication. Efficiency of AFLP markers and seed storage protein electrophoresis to study the phylogeny of some Hordeum species
Get PDFThis study is focused on reconstructing the phylogeny of 60 accessions representing ten species of the genus Hordeum based on amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP) markers and SDS-PAGE of seed storage proteins. We obtained 339 polymorphic AFLP bands and 46 polymorphic protein bands from the SDS-PAGE of water soluble and non-soluble seed storage proteins. The phylogenetic tree deduced from AFLP analysis is concordant with that deduced from seed storage proteins electrophoresis. The studied taxa were clustered according to their genome type into two main groups representing the Old and New World’s species. Inside each group the species were clustered according to their genome type. Highly significant cophenetic correlation coefficients obtained in both AFLPs (0.96) and seed storage proteins (0.89) indicate the reliability of the results. It can be concluded that both AFLP and SDS-PAGE are adequate techniques to study the Hordeum phylogeny
Identification of bean varieties according to color features using artificial neural network
Get PDFA machine vision and a multilayer perceptron artificial neural network (MLP-ANN) were applied to identify bean varieties, based on color features. Ten varieties of beans, which were grown in Iran (Khomein1, KS21108, Khomein2, Sarab1, Khomein3, KS21409, Akhtar2, Sarab2, KS21205, and G11870) were collected. Six color features of the bean and six color features of the spots were extracted and used as input for MLP-ANN classifier. In this study, 1000 data sets were used, 70% for training, 15% for validating and 15% for testing. The results showed that the applied machine vision and neural network were able to classify bean varieties with 100% sensibility and specificity, except with Sarab1 with sensibilities of 100%, 73.3%, 60% for the training, validation and testing processes, respectively and KS21108 with specificities of 100%, 79% and 71%, respectively for the aforementioned processes. Considering total sensibilities of 100%, 97.33%, 96% and also specificities of 100%, 97.9% and 97.1% for training, validation and testing of beans, respectively, the ANN could be used as a effective tool for classification of bean varieties
Effects of altitude and beehive bottom board type on wintering losses of honeybee colonies under subtropical climatic conditions
Get PDFThe effects of altitude and beehive bottom board types (BBBT) on the wintering performance of honeybee colonies were investigated in the South Aegean Region of Turkey: Experiment I (E-I), with 32 colonies, in 2010–2011, and Experiment II (E-II), with 20 colonies, in 2011–2012. Each lowland (25 m) and highland (797 m) colony was divided randomly into two BBBT subgroups, open screen floor (OSF) and normal bottom floor (NBF), and wintered for about three months. In E-I, the local genotype Aegean ecotype of Anatolian bee (AE) and Italian race (ItR) were used, while in E-II, only the AE genotype was present. In E-I, the effect of wintering altitudes on the number of combs covered with bees (NCCB), and the effects of BBBT on brood area (BA) and the NCCB were found to be statistically significant (p0.05). In the E-II, the effect of wintering altitude on beehive weight was found to be statistically significant (p0.05). The wintering losses in the highland and lowland groups in E-I were determined to be 25% and 62.5% respectively. In contrast to this result, no loss was observed in E-II for both altitudes. In E-I, the wintering losses for both OSF and NBF groups were the same (43.75%). In conclusion, under subtropical climatic conditions, due to variations from year to year, honeybee colonies can be wintered more successfully in highland areas with OSF bottom board type
Seasonal characteristics of CO2 fluxes in a rain-fed wheat field ecosystem at the Loess Plateau
Get PDFThis study investigated the dynamics of CO2 flux in a rain-fed wheat field ecosystem using an eddy covariance technique during the 2011 to 2012 wheat-growing season at the Loess Plateau, China. Results showed that the daily CO2 flux was closely related to photosynthetically active radiation (PAR), growth stage, soil temperature and rainfall. The average CO2 flux at different growth stages followed the order jointing and booting > erecting > reviving > heading > wintering > seeding and tillering > grain filling > ripening. The first four stages were carbon sinks, whereas the last four stages were carbon sources. The relationship between nighttime CO2 flux and air temperature was significant and fitted the index model (y=aebt). The relationship between daytime CO2 flux and PAR was also significant and fitted the quadratic model (y=ax2+bx+c). Moreover, daytime CO2 flux was significantly correlated with air temperature and PAR at the erecting, jointing and booting, and heading stages. Nighttime CO2 flux was also significantly correlated with soil temperature at 5 cm depth at the heading as well as jointing and booting stages. The carbon budget in the rain-fed wheat ecosystem was -401 g C m-2 yr-1, which was higher than those in other wheat ecosystems. This study implies that the ability of carbon-sequestration in different wheat field ecosystems may respond differently to climate and environment change
Short communication. Cloning and sequencing of partial genomic DNA fragments corresponding to the S11 and S12 alleles of the Spanish almond cultivar ‘Marcona’
Get PDFThis paper reports the cloning and partial genomic DNA sequencing of two S-RNases (S11 and S12) of almond. DNA from the Spanish almond cultivar Marcona, the most highly appreciated in Spain, was amplified by PCR using the primer pair AS1II and AmyC5R designed for the conserved regions of almond S-alleles. The cloned and sequenced S11 allele of cv. Marcona appears to be identical to that of cvs. Rumbeta and Bertina (which have been previously cloned and sequenced). This is the first time, however, that S12 has been sequenced in almond. The amplified and cloned S12 allele fragment possessed 1080 bp corresponding to the second intron and 506 bp corresponding to the second and third exons. The product of PCR-specific amplification showed that cv. Marcona and the Portuguese cultivar Pestaneta carry the same S12 allele. Knowledge of the sequences of these alleles will be helpful in the design of specific primers for S11 and S12, and could be of use when employing antisense techniques in genetic engineering projects
Use of a palladium catalyst to improve the capacity of activated carbon to absorb ethylene, and its effect on tomato ripening
Get PDFThe aims of this work were to study the ethylene adsorption capacity of different types and masses of activated carbon, to predict the performance of the ethylene adsorption process, to improve the removal of ethylene by impregnating granular activated carbon (GAC) with palladium, and to analyse the effect of this product on the removal of ethylene released from tomatoes. In an in vitro system, both GAC and powdered activated carbon (PAC) effectively absorbed exogenous ethylene; GAC was the most effective. Maximum adsorption was achieved with carbon masses of 1.25 g L-1 or greater. The best model describing the adsorption of ethylene by GAC was the Langmuir isotherm. To increase ethylene removal, a system involving an adsorbent (GAC) and a catalyst (1% palladium) was developed. This was tested in an in vivo experiment involving the removal of ethylene produced by three tomato cultivars inside sealed jars. Ethylene removal led to a delay in tomato ripening; smaller changes in fruit firmness and colour were observed compared to controls. This system could provide a useful way of eliminating ethylene from storage areas and thus maintaining tomato fruit quality, which can be negatively affected by ethylen
Sustainable monitoring of roe deer in public hunting areas in the Spanish Pyrenees
Get PDFAim of study: Monitoring trends in animal populations is essential for the development of appropriate wildlife management strategies.Area of study: The area is situated in the southern Pyrenees (Aragon), Spain.Material and methods: To measure the abundance, population trends, sex ratio, and mortality of roe deer populations, we analyzed data from i) driven hunts for wild boar (hunting seasons 1995/96 – 2009/10, n = 1,417, ii) itineraries, which were used to calculate the KAI and density using DS (2003 – 2010, n = 310 itineraries), iii) roe deer carcass recoveries (2006 – 2010, n = 100), and iv) data from the deer hunting quota fulfillment (2006 – 2010, n = 325 hunted animals.Main results: Based on DS, in 2010, the average density of roe deer populations was 2.3 km-2 (CV 17%). Based on the KAI and the battues, the estimated average annual rate of increase was 5.8% and 4.3%, respectively. Based on the KAI and the carcass recoveries, the estimates of the population sex ratio were 0.75 (n = 641) and 0.9 (n = 100) males per female, respectively. Carcass recoveries indicated that mortality was highest in late winter and early spring. The average body masses and sizes of males and females were within the ranges reported for other Iberian and European populations.Research highlights: Monitoring should be continued in the Aragon population of roe deer, although larger sample sizes are required to increase the accuracy of estimates and assessments of the impact of management actions.Key words: Capreolus capreolus; hunting bag; distance sampling; KAI; Spain; rangers; long-term monitoring
Review. Elimination of viruses in plants: twenty years of progress
Get PDFTo shed light on trends about elimination of viruses from plants, a bibliographic research was conducted to identify thermotherapy, chemotherapy and tissue culture trials published from 1991 through 2010. Among woody plants, grapevine, apple and peach are the most frequent targets of sanitation protocols because their health status is strictly regulated. Even if thermotherapy represents the preferred method for the host, grapevine viruses can also be eliminated with chemotherapy and tissue culture; apple viruses respond to chemotherapy as well. Although a similar trend was reported among herbaceous plants, chemotherapy was the most frequently used technique in potato. With regard to virus, thermotherapy was successfully applied against viruses belonging to 13 families and an unassigned genus. Instead, chemotherapy and tissue culture techniques eradicated viruses belonging to fewer families (nine). An interpretation of thermotherapy effects considers the new metabolic “pathways” triggered by the natural antiviral response emitted by the infected plant, with particular reference to virus-induced gene silencing. With regard to chemotherapy, several groups of antiviral drugs belong to inosine monophosphate dehydrogenase inhibitors, S-adenosylhomocysteine hydrolase inhibitors, neuraminidase inhibitors. Tissue culture, usually adopted to regenerate plantlets in biotechnological breeding programs, represents the less used tool for eliminate viruses from plants.To shed light on trends about elimination of viruses from plants, a bibliographic research was conducted to identify thermotherapy, chemotherapy and tissue culture trials published from 1991 through 2010. Among woody plants, grapevine, apple and peach are the most frequent targets of sanitation protocols because their health status is strictly regulated. Even if thermotherapy represents the preferred method for the host, grapevine viruses can also be eliminated with chemotherapy and tissue culture; apple viruses respond to chemotherapy as well. Although a similar trend was reported among herbaceous plants, chemotherapy was the most frequently used technique in potato. With regard to virus, thermotherapy was successfully applied against viruses belonging to 13 families and an unassigned genus. Instead, chemotherapy and tissue culture techniques eradicated viruses belonging to fewer families (nine). An interpretation of thermotherapy effects considers the new metabolic “pathways” triggered by the natural antiviral response emitted by the infected plant, with particular reference to virus-induced gene silencing. With regard to chemotherapy, several groups of antiviral drugs belong to inosine monophosphate dehydrogenase inhibitors, S-adenosylhomocysteine hydrolase inhibitors, neuraminidase inhibitors. Tissue culture, usually adopted to regenerate plantlets in biotechnological breeding programs, represents the less used tool for eliminate viruses from plants
An overview of farming system typology methodologies and its use in the study of pasture-based farming system: a review
Get PDFThe main objective of the paper is to do a critic study of the use of typology methodologies within pasture-based farming systems (PBFS), especially those situated in less favoured areas, showing in each case the more relevant variables or indicators determining the farming system classification. Another objective is to do an overview of the most used farming system typology methodologies in general. First some considerations about the concept of farming system and approaches to its study have been done. Next, the farming system typology methodologies have been showed in general to different farming systems, but addressed preferably to PBFS. The different tools integrated in these methodologies have been considered: sampling methods, sources of data, variables or indicators obtained from available data and techniques of analysis (statistical or not). Methods for farming system classification have been presented (expert methods, analytical methods or a combination of both types). Among the statistical methods, the multivariate analysis has been overall treated, including the principal component analysis and the cluster analysis. Finally, the use of farming system typology methodologies on different pasture-based farming systems has been presented. The most important aspects considered are following: the main objective of the typology, the main animal species, the employed methods of classification and the main variables involved in this classification
Comunicación corta: SNPs en el gen CSN1S2 de la alfaS2–caseina ovina
No full textThis work describes eighteen SNPs (9 transitions and 9 transversions) found in the sequence spanning from exon 7 to 11 of the CSN1S2 ovine gene, thirteen located at the introns 7 (5 SNPs), 8 (2 SNPs), 9 (1 SNP), and 10 (5 SNPs), and five at the exons 10 (4 SNPs) and 11 (1 SNP). The allele frequencies of the SNPs have been obtained from seventeen animals of Merino breed. Among intronic polymorphisms, the two adjacent SNPs g.[435C>A; 436T>G] are located at the pyrimidine rich box near the 3' splice acceptor site of intron 10, which could potentially affect mRNA processing. Analysis of the deduced amino acid sequences from exons 10 and 11 showed that polymorphisms ex10-g.153G>T and ex10-g. 155C>T, which affect the same codon, and ex11-g. 504A>G, are non-synonymous substitutions producing the amino acid changes Asp75 to Tyr75 and Ile105 to Val105, respectively, giving rise to the A and B alleles previously found by direct sequencing of the mature protein. For these SNPs only six of the eight possible combinations were detected, GCA being the most frequent haplotype (0.323), corresponding to Asp75 – Ile105 in the mature protein. The new polymorphisms of the ovine CSN1S2 found in this paper are potential molecular markers that could be used to investigate its association with production traits.En este trabajo se describen dieciocho SNPs (9 transiciones y 9 transversiones) encontrados en la secuencia que abarca los exones 7 a 11 del gen CSN1S2 ovino, trece situados en los intrones 7 (5 SNPs), 8 (2 SNPs), 9 (1 SNP) y 10 (5 SNPs), y cinco en los exones 10 (4 SNPs) y 11 (1 SNP). Las frecuencias alélicas de los SNPs se han obtenido a partir de diecisiete animales de la raza Merino. Entre los polimorfismos intrónicos, los dos SNPs adyacentes g. [435C> A; 436T> G] se encuentran situados en la región rica en pirimidinas, cerca del sitio 3' aceptor de procesamiento del intrón 10, lo que podría afectar la maduración de su ARNm. El análisis de las secuencias de aminoácidos deducidas de los exones 10 y 11 muestra que los polimorfismos ex10-153G>T y ex10-155C>T, que afectan al mismo codón, y ex11-504A>G, son sustituciones no sinónimas, responsables de los cambios aminoacídicos Asp75 a Tyr75 e Ile105 a Val105, respectivamente, dando lugar a los alelos A y B previamente identificados por secuenciación directa de la proteína madura. Para estos SNPs sólo se detectaron seis de las ocho posibles combinaciones, siendo GCA el haplotipo más frecuente (0.323), correspondiente a Asp75 - Ile105 en la proteína madura. Los nuevos polimorfismos del gen ovino para la S2-caseína, que se describen en este trabajo, enriquecen el mapa de marcadores moleculares que podrían ser utilizados para investigar su asociación con caracteres de producción