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Soil and climatic characteristics and farming system shape fungal communities in European wheat fields
Get PDFFungi play a pivotal role as highly effective decomposers of plant residues and essential mycorrhizal symbionts, augmenting water and nutrient uptake in plants and contributing to diverse functions within agroecosystems. This study examined soil fungi in 188 wheat fields across nine European pedoclimatic zones under both conventional and organic farming systems, utilizing ITS1 amplicon sequencing. The investigation aimed to quantify changes induced by the farming system in soil fungi and their correlation with soil features and climatic factors across these pedoclimatic zones, spanning from northern to southern Europe. The pedoclimatic zone emerged as a key determinant in shaping the overall composition of the fungal community. Zones characterized by moist and cool climates, along with low levels of available phosphorus and carbonate, exhibited higher fungal richness. However, variations in fungal diversity and relative abundances were observed within zones due to farming system-induced changes. Soil pH and bulk density were identified as major factors, for example, they correlate with an increase in potential pathogenic taxa (Mycosphaerella, Nectriaceae, Alternaria) in two Mediterranean zones and with an increase of potential plant growth promoting taxa (Saitozyma, Solicoccozyma) in the Boreal zone. Organic farming, in general, promoted elevated fungal richness. The Lusitanian and Nemoral zones under organic farming exhibited the highest fungal richness and diversity. In terms of organic farming, both symbiotrophs and potential pathogens increased in the Lusitanian zone, while pathotrophs were more prevalent in the Central Atlantic and South Mediterranean zones under organic farming. These findings propose potential indicators for organic farming, including fungal endophytes in zones characterized by a moist and cool climate, low available phosphorus content, and low soil pH. Organic farming may favor mycorrhizae and potential pathogens in zones with drier and warmer climates, along with higher soil pH, calcium carbonate content, and bulk density. This study provides novel insights and underscores the significance of regional climatic and edaphic conditions in shaping the soil fungal community in different farming systems within European wheat fields.202
Inclusive future building: facilitator's handbook for foresight workshops with backcasting methodology
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3-NOP reduces methane emissions more when used in total mixed ration than in separate feeding
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Milk somatic cell count affects feed efficiency through increased heat production of lactating dairy cows
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Gypsum and structure lime amendments in boreal agricultural clay soils: Do climate emissions compromise water quality benefits?
Get PDFWe examine cost-effectiveness and social net benefits of using soil amendments, gypsum and structure lime, in reducing phosphorus loading while accounting for the climate emissions from both amendments. Recent field experiments and large-scale pilots in Finland and Sweden suggest that both gypsum and structure lime improve soil structure and can reduce total P loading from clayey fields but differ as soil amendments. While gypsum does not change soil pH, structure lime helps to adjust it to a desired level. Drawing on literature, gypsum is postulated to reduce both dissolved (25%) and particulate losses (50%) of phosphorus, while structure lime is postulated to reduce only particulate phosphorus (40%). Life-cycle analysis is applied to determine greenhouse gas emissions from both soil amendments. We examine 5 and 10 years impacts on phosphorus loss by choosing doses and their timing accordingly. Both amendments provide the highest water quality benefits on erodible soils or soils with high soil phosphorus. Accounting for climate issues drastically changes the picture. Greenhouse gas emissions from gypsum production are 14.43 kgCO2e ha-1, and those from structure lime from pristine materials are 1837 kgCO2e ha-1. Cost-effectiveness of P load reduction including carbon price of GHG emissions is 59 € kg-1P for gypsum and 122 € kg-1P for structure lime. At the national level (application to 0.54 Mha), differences in greenhouse gas emissions without soil emissions are huge and in favour of gypsum (0.048 Mt and 1.04 Mt). Structure lime from recycled zero-emission materials performs well but its supply is very limited.202
Multi‐model GWAS reveals key loci for horticultural traits in reconstructed garden strawberry
Get PDFThe cultivated garden strawberry (Fragaria × ananassa) has a rich history, originating from the hybridization of two wild octoploid strawberry species in the 18th century. Two-step reconstruction of Fragaria × ananassa through controlled crossings between pre-improved selections of its parental species is a promising approach for enriching the breeding germplasm of strawberry for wider adaptability. We created a population of reconstructed strawberry by hybridizing elite selections of F. virginiana and F. chiloensis. A replicated field experiment was conducted to evaluate the population's performance for eleven horticulturally important traits, over multiple years. Population structure analyses based on Fana-50 k SNP array data confirmed pedigree-based grouping of the progenies into four distinct groups. As complex traits are often influenced by environmental variables, and population structure can lead to spurious associations, we tested multiple genome-wide association study (GWAS) models. GWAS uncovered 39 quantitative trait loci (QTL) regions for eight traits distributed across twenty chromosomes, including 11 consistent and 28 putative QTLs. Candidate genes for traits including winter survival, flowering time, runnering vigor, and hermaphrodism were identified within the QTL regions. To our knowledge, this study marks the first comprehensive investigation of adaptive and horticultural traits in a large, multi-familial reconstructed strawberry population using SNP markers.202
Uusi mob-laidunstrategia parantamaan maan hiilensidontaa
Get PDFLehtiartikkeli (rinnakkaistallennusluvan asianumero: 515/12 05 01 02/2022)Viime vuosina maatalouden hiilensidonta ja hiilineutraalius on puhututtanut entistä enemmän niin kuluttajia kuin maanviljelijöitäkin. Maatalousmaa luokitellaan keskimäärin hiilidioksidin päästölähteeksi, mutta oikeilla toimenpiteillä päästöä saadaan pienennettyä tai maa voi toimia jopa hiilinieluna. Yksi maan hiilensidontaa mahdollisesti parantava keino olisi meillä vielä tuntematon mob-laidunnus.202
The use of anthropogenic areas helps explain male brown bear movement rates and distance travelled during the mating season
Get PDFDuring the reproductive period, mating strategies are a significant driver of adapta tions in animal behaviour. For instance, for polygamous species, greater movement
rates during the mating season may be advantageous due to the increased probabil ity of encountering several potential mates. The brown bear Ursus arctos is a soli tary carnivore that lives at low densities, with a polygamous mating system and an
extended mating season of nearly 3 months. Here, we hypothesized that male
brown bears may show changes in movement patterns and space-use behaviour
during their mating season. Using long-term (2002–2013) telemetry data from the
Finnish Karelia male population (n = 24 individuals; n = 10 688 GPS locations),
we first analysed daily movement metrics, that is, speed, net and total distance with
respect to the period (mating vs. post-mating) and several environmental predictors.
Then, we conducted a step-selection analysis for each of these periods. Throughout
the year, male bears selected forested/shrub habitats and increased movement rates
near main roads. During the mating season, reproductive needs seem to trigger
roaming behaviour in adult males to maximize encounter rates with potential recep tive females. However, all movement metrics increased within areas of high human
activity, suggesting a bear response to a higher risk perception while using those
areas. During the post-mating period, overlapping with the bear hyperphagia and
the hunting season, males selected anthropogenic areas farther from main roads and
trails, suggesting a trade-off between foraging opportunities and risk avoidance.202
