Scientific Journals of INIA (Instituto Nacional de Investigación y Tecnología Agraria y Alimentaria)
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Yew (Taxus baccata L.) population dynamics in the Iberian Mediterranean Mountains: natural regeneration and expansion in East Central System (Spain)
Get PDFAim of study: To evaluate demographical dynamics of yew populations in the Iberian Mediterranean mountains in order to assess population trends and a hypothetical natural regeneration of the species.Area of study: Ayllón Mountain Range, Eastern end of Central Mountain Range, Spain.Material and methods: Afield survey was conducted on three yew groves, taking data of altitude, orientation, companion woody species, UTM coordinates, height, perimeter (at breast height, 120cm) and sex. Individuals were classified in four age groups, considering height and trunk perimeter: AgeGroup1, Seedling; AgeGroup2, Juvenile; AgeGroup3, Adult and AgeGroup4, Old. Finally Recruitment rate was calculated for each population.Main results: Surveyed yew populations include more than 1600 trees, showing elevated Recruitment rates, which indicates that there are more seedling and juvenile individuals (Group1 and Group2) than adult and old ones (Group3 and Group4).Research highlights: Surveyed yew populations show vigorous regeneration. These results lead us to reconsider the relictic character assigned to the species in the Iberian Mediterranean mountains.Key words: Ayllón; microclimatic; regeneration rate; relictic; survey
Deadwood volume and quality in recreational forests: the case study of the Belgrade forest (Turkey)
Get PDFAim of the study: The aim of this study is to understand quantitative and qualitative characteristics of deadwood in recreational forests.Area of study: Belgrade forest in the North of Istanbul city (Turkey).Material and methods: The data has been collected through a stratified sampling scheme that has randomly located 50 clusters formed by 3 sample plots each (150 sample plots).Main results: The results show an average deadwood volume of 16.49 m3 ha-1 (81.5% in logs, 16.4% in snags, 2.1% in stumps). The highest volume of deadwood is in oldest forests (age over 180 years) with an average value of 20.39 m3 ha-1, followed by forests with 61-120 years with 15.77 m3 ha-1. Concerning forest management objectives, the results show that average deadwood volume is 13.66 m3 ha-1 in the forest section managed for water resource conservation and 21.14 m3 ha-1 in the forest section managed for recreational purposes.Research highlights: Deadwood management in the recreational forests must consider both biodiversity conservation and recreational attractiveness of an area.Keywords: forest management; forest types; forest accessibility; stand age; wood decomposition rate
Development of SSR loci in Prosopis tamarugo Phillipi and assessment of their transferability to species of the Strombocarpa section
Get PDFAims of the study: Phreatophyte species of the Prosopis genus are very important to natural ecosystems in Africa, South America and Asia due to their uses as food and seed sources and in agroforestry. In this research, through next-generation sequencing, we sought to search for and develop SSR markers in Prosopis tamarugo, in addition to assessing their transferability to other species in the Strombocarpa section.Area of study: The study was carried out in species of the Strombocarpa section collected in the “Pampa del Tamarugal”, located in the Atacama Desert (Chile); which is considered the driest and oldest desert on Earth.Materials and methods: The next-generation sequencing for the development of simple sequence repeat (SSR) or microsatellite loci for genetic research in P. tamarugo and their transferability in Prosopis burkartii and Prosopis strombulifera was used.Main results: A total of ~90.000 microsatellite loci in P. tamarugo were found, and a set of 43 primer pairs was used for validating SSR locus amplification. We found a large difference in the percentage of amplified SSR markers between species of the Strombocarpa and Algarobia sections.Research highlights: The present study provides for the first time 24 polymorphic SSR markers for species in the Strombocarpa section, which could be a useful tool for estimating genetic structure, developing breeding programs, quantifying genetic diversity and performing population studies.Keywords: Strombocarpa section; Prosopis tamarugo; Atacama Desert; microsatellites; NGS
Determination of soluble solids content in Prunus avium by Vis/NIR equipment using linear and non-linear regression methods
Get PDFAim of study: Developing models to determine soluble solids content (SSC) in cherry trees by means of Vis/NIR spectroscopy.Area of study: The Spanish Autonomous Community of Aragón (Spain).Material and methods: Vis/NIR spectroscopy was applied to Prunus avium fruit ‘Chelan’ (n=360) to predict total SSC using a range 400-2420 nm. Linear (PLS) and nonlinear (LSSVM) regression methods were applied to establish prediction models.Main results: The two regression methods applied obtained similar results (Rcv2=0.97 and Rcv2=0.98 respectively). The range 700-1060 nm attained better results to predict SSC in different seasons. Forty variables selected according to the variable selection method achieved Rcv2 value, 0.97 similar than full range.Research highlights: The development of this methodology is of great interest to the fruit sector in the area, facilitating the harvest for future seasons. Further work is needed on the development of the NIRS methodology and on new calibration equations for other varieties of cherry and other species
Influence of aerobic treated manure application on the chemical and microbiological properties of soil
Get PDFAim of study: This study evaluated the effect of the application of liquid aerobic treated manure (continuous liquid composting, CLC) on physical, chemical and biological soil properties, with the objective of monitoring changes induced by soil management with CLC as a biofertilizer.Area of study: Colonia, Uruguay (lat. 34,338164 S, long. 57,222630 W).Material and methods: Soil’s chemical properties, including nitrogen mineralization potential (NMP) and 15 microbiological properties (microbial biomass carbon, MBC; mesophylic aerobic bacteria; actinobacteria; filamentus fungi; fluorescein diacetate hydrolysis; dehydrogenase; with NMP; acid and alkaline phosphatase; cellulolose degraders; P-solubilizing bacteria; nitrifying; denitrifying and free-living N-fixing microorganisms; glomalin; and soil-pathogenicity index, SPI) were evaluated in two sites with similar cropping history, with one and three years of respective CLC application.Main results: CLC application had significant effects on soil microbial biomass (p<0.05), soil enzyme (p<0.1) and functional groups activity (p<0.05). SPI decreased in both sites with CLC application. No significant variations were detected for the chemical variables, with the exception of NMP, which was significantly high (p<0.05) in soil treated with CLC at both sites.Research highlights: The improved biological soil properties analyzed (MBC, soil enzyme activities and SPI, together with NMP) emerged as reasonable indicators to assess and monitor the effects of CLC application
Transcriptome profiling of lentil in response to Ascochyta lentis infection
Get PDFAim of study: The purpose was to identify some general and genotypic-specific defense responses, in order to obtain a set of candidate genes presumably involved in the resistance.Area of study: The experiment was carried out in León, Spain.Material and methods: We have analyzed the response of three lentil genotypes to Ascochyta lentis (isolate AL 84) at transcriptomic level using the Massive Analysis of cDNA Ends (MACE) technique: the susceptible cultivar 'Lupa', the moderately resistant 'ILL5588' and the resistant wild accession 'BG 16880' (L. culinaris subsp. orientalis).Main results: MACE results yielded a total of 50,935 contigs. The average number of detected contigs in each of the six samples was approximately of 40,000. In response to Ascochyta infection, the jasmonic acid pathway and the lignin biosynthesis were up-regulated in resistant genotypes, while they were down-regulated in the susceptible one. The response to chitin, the salicylic pathway and the auxin response were activated only in the resistant L. c. culinaris genotype, while the giberellin synthesis was only induced in the susceptible L. c. culinaris cv. 'Lupa'. A set of 18 lentil gene sequences putatively involved in the response to the pathogen were validated by RT-qPCR.Research highlights: It can be concluded that in response to the infection by Ascochyta, the lignin biosynthesis and the JA pathway were critical for the resistance, while the giberellin synthesis seems to be related with susceptibility to the pathogen
Multi criteria analysis of the energy potential of agricultural residues: The case study of Međimurje County in Croatia
Get PDFAim of study: The utilization of agricultural residues may become one of the major sources for production of energy from biomass. The objective of this paper was to analyse the type and quantity of agricultural residues and to determine their energy potential.Area of study: The Međimurje County (north Croatia).Material and methods: The paper analyses three models of sustainable agricultural residues management applying the multi-criteria analysis. The assessment included potentially available quantities of residues in crops, fruit, viniculture and livestock production. For determining the most appropriate model of residues utilisation the multi-criteria analysis was applied.Main results: The results show that total quantities of agricultural biomass amount to 323,912 t with energy potential of 1,092 TJ annually. The largest sustainably available potential of agricultural biomass consists of biomass from arable crops production, with total quantity of 33,670 t followed by 281,233 t of manure from livestock production. The lowest share of potential biomass are pruning residues in fruit and grapevine production with total available residual quantity of 8,109 t. Also, it results from the multi-criteria analysis that a central large scale plant for biogas production is the most feasible facility for such production.Research highlights: The results of this paper provide ground for further development of the models for assessing the sustainability of using agricultural residues, and they can also serve as a basis for assessments of bioenergy projects in specific regions of the European Union
Comparing welfare indicators in dairy cattle under different loose housing systems (deep litter vs cubicle barns) using recycled manure solids for bedding
Get PDFAim of study: Dairy farmers in Southern Spain are continuously investing in the modernization of their facilities and frequently ask technicians about the type of housing they should choose for their farms. Although some studies have analysed the economic impact of different housing systems, there are no reports evaluating the impact of these systems on animal wellbeing. To remedy this deficit, a study was carried out to analyse animal welfare status in two types of loose housing conditions: deep litter (DL) and cubicle (CU) barns.Area of study: This study was conducted in Cordoba (Spain).Material and methods: A total of 1,597 cows from nineteen commercial dairy farms were involved in this study, of which twelve had CU barns and seven had DL barns. Welfare Quality assessment was used to evaluate animal wellbeing, inn order to compare both housing systems.Main results: The study found some weaknesses for feeding and health indicators of animal welfare in both types of housing systems. The overall welfare assessment based on feeding, housing and health indicators showed no differences between farms with DL or CU barns.Research highlights: A good welfare status could be reached under any type of housing system
Effect of harvesting frequency and maturity stage of Jerusalem artichoke forage on yield, chemical composition and in vitro fermentation of the tubers and forage
Get PDFAim of study: To evaluate the effect of maturity stage and harvesting frequency of Jerusalem artichoke (JA) forage on the nutritional quality of the tubers and forages.Area of study: The plant cultivation and laboratory experiments were carried out in Karaj (Alborz, Iran) and Tehran (Tehran, Iran), respectively.Material and methods: Forages were harvested every 60, 90 and 120 days during the growing season (four, three and two harvests per year, respectively). Tubers were harvested just once, at the end of the growing season, from plots with four, three and two forage cuts per year. Biomass production, chemical composition and in vitro ruminal fermentation of the forages and tubers were assessed.Main results: Compared to 90 and 120 days, the forages harvested every 60 days contained the highest (p<0.05) yearly dry matter (DM) biomass (27.16 t/ha), crude protein (98.6 to 145 g/kg DM), organic matter digestibility (0.607 to 0.691) and microbial biomass production (350 to 369 g/kg DM). Compared to 60 and 90 days, harvesting JA forage every 120 days caused the tubers with the higher (p<0.05) water-soluble carbohydrates (WSC), in vitro digestibility and DM yield (7.63 t/ha). Jerusalem artichoke forages and tubers contained the low phenolics (4.93 to 13.2 g/kg DM) and nitrate (1.12 to 3.19 g/kg DM). Overall, the best harvesting interval of JA forage to achieve tubers with the highest yearly yield, WSC and digestibility was every 120 days, while the highest nutritive value and yield of the forages were observed with harvesting JA every 60 days.Research highlights: The best harvesting interval of JA forage to obtain the highest yearly DM, protein and energy biomass from both tubers and forage was every 60 days
Food restriction in Nile tilapia juveniles (Oreochromis niloticus)
Get PDFAim of study: To evaluate if dietary restriction influence muscle and intestinal morphology as well as the production performance of juvenile Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus).Area of study: State University of Western Paraná (Universidade Estadual do Oeste do Paraná – Unioeste), Toledo Campus, Brazil.Material and methods: The experimental design was completely randomized with four treatments and five replicates. The treatments were: 7:0 (fed daily; control); 6:1 (fed 6 consecutive days followed by 1 day of fasting); 5:2 (fed 5 consecutive days followed by 2 days of fasting); and 1:1 (fed 1 day followed by 1 day of fasting). A commercial ration with 33.70% crude protein and 4.60% lipid was used, and fish were fed four times daily until apparent satiety for 60 days.Main results: The following parameters were found to have differences among treatments (p<0.05): final weight, weight gain, final length, hepatosomatic index, visceral fat, intestinal quotient, protein efficiency rate, protein retention, ash, and frequency of muscle fiber diameters within the classes of<20 μm and between 20 and 50 μm. The intestinal villi height and hepatic glycogen content did not differ (p>0.05) among treatments. The cost of food and partial net revenue were higher in the 7:0 treatment compared to the experimental treatments.Research highlights: Dietary restriction for Nile tilapia in the juvenile phase negatively influences productive performance, centesimal composition, and muscle growth, which demonstrates that this practice is economically unfeasible for commercial production