Spanish Journal of Agricultural Research
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Tree performances of eight rootstocks grafted with ‘Šumadinka’ sour cherry
No full textAim of study: This study was conducted to determine the suitability of seven clonal and one seedling rootstocks for grafting of sour cherry cv. ‘Šumadinka’ trough early tree growth, precocity, productivity and fruit quality.
Aim of study: To evaluate the suitability of seven clonal rootstocks and one seedling rootstocks for grafting the sour cherry cv. ‘Šumadinka’ based on early tree development, precocity, productivity and fruit quality.
Area of study: A sour cherry orchard in village Prislonica, Serbia, near Čačak city.
Material and methods: The sour cherry cultivar ‘Šumadinka’ was grafted onto Colt, MaxMa 14, Krymsk 6, Adara, Cigančica, Gisela 5, Gisela 6 and Myrobalan rootstocks. Standard and validated procedures were used to measure tree growth, productivity (from 2017 to 2020), leaf area, fruit physical properties and fruit chemical composition (from 2019 to 2020).
Main results: Significant differences were observed among rootstocks in leaf and petiole dimensions, leaf area, tree vigour, yield, fruit size, soluble solids content, titratable acidity, sugars and vitamin C contents, ripening and sweetness indexes. Trees grafted on Adara exhibited the highest tree vigour, while those on Gisela 6 produced the largest fruit size. On the other hand, Colt trees generally displayed the highest sugar content and sweetness index. Adara also showed improvements in fruit quality characteristics, whereas the properties associated with Myrobalan received the lowest evaluation scores.
Research highlights: Adara rootstock demonstrated good adaptability to heavy and acidic soil conditions in Serbia, even though it was originally selected for cherry cultivation in heavy, waterlogged, and calcareous soils in Spain. This adaptability likely contributed to its higher vigour, yield, yield efficiency and good fruit quality
Fenología, control biológico y cultural de la nueva plaga del almendro, Eurytoma amygdali (Hymenoptera, Eurytomidae) en España
No full textAim of study: Eurytoma amygdali Enderlein (Hymenoptera, Eurytomidae), the almond wasp, is a new pest detected in Spain. Although the insect is present in Europe, in Spain no damage was detected until 2016, increasing substantially in the following years. The phenology of almond wasp and the natural enemies complex were investigated and the results of the parasitism rate and cultural control measures were analyzed.
Area of study: Five Spanish provinces, important regions for almond production where E. amygdali causes serious harvest losses.
Material and methods: Samples of different almond varieties were taken from ecological almond plots in the Spanish provinces of Valencia, Alicante, Albacete, Murcia and Cuenca.
Main results: The first almond wasp eggs were observed at the beginning of May and completely developed larvae, early in July. Wasp flight occurred from mid-March to late May. Two natural enemies were associated with the pest, Pyemotes amygdali Çobanoğlu & Doğanlar (Acari, Pyemotidae), and Opilo domesticus (Sturm) (Coleoptera, Cleridae). Pyemotes amygdali parasitized wasp larvae, adult females and males, and Opilio domesticus fed on wasp larvae. O. domesticus was very scarce, unlike P. amygdali. In the plots with parasitized wasps, the parasitism rate ranged from 0.6% to 44% for P. amygdali. Our results suggest that sanitation measure was an important cultural pest control practice, because in the plantations where mummified almonds were removed, 96% of edible almonds were harvested, compared to 18% if mummified almonds were not removed from trees.
Research highlights: Cultural control could be an important measure to control the almond wasp, because it allows biological conservation control, by preserving natural enemies present in the environment and avoid the negative effect of insecticides.Objetivo del estudio: Eurytoma amygdali Enderlein (Hymenoptera, Eurytomidae), la avispilla del almendro, es una nueva plaga detectada en España. Aunque el insecto está presente en Europa, en España no se detectaron daños hasta 2016, aumentando de forma sustancial en los años siguientes. En este estudio se ha investigado la fenología de la avispilla del almendro y el complejo de enemigos naturales, así como la tasa de parasitismo y el efecto de medidas culturales de control.
Área de estudio: Cinco provincias españolas que son importantes zonas productoras de almendras y donde E. amygdali ha provocado graves pérdidas de cosecha.
Materiales y métodos: Se tomaron muestras en parcelas de cultivo de almendro ecológico en las provincias españolas de Valencia, Alicante, Albacete, Murcia y Cuenca.
Principales resultados: Se observaron los primeros huevos de la avispilla a principios de mayo y larvas completamente desarolladas a principios de julio. El vuelo de la avispilla tuvo lugar desde mediados de marzo a finales de mayo. Se han encontrado dos enemigos naturales asociados a la plaga, Pyemotes amygdali Çobanoğlu & Doğanlar (Acari, Pyemotidae), y Opilio domesticus (Sturm) (Coleoptera, Cleridae). Pyemotes amygdali parasitó larvas, hembras y machos adultos de avispilla, y O. domesticus se alimentó de larvas de avispilla. Opilio domesticus fue muy escaso a diferencia de P. amygdali. En las parcelas con avispilla parasitada, la tasa de parasitismo por P. amygdali osciló entre 0.6% y 44%.Nuestros resultados sugieren que el saneamiento fue un importante método de control cultural de la avispilla, ya que en las parcelas donde las almendras momificadas se eliminaron, el 96% de las almendras cosechadas fueron almendras comestibles, frente al 18% de almendras comestibles que se recogieron en las parcelas donde las almendras momificadas no se eliminaron.
Aspectos destacados de la investigación: El control cultural puede ser una importante medida de control de la avispilla del almendro ya que permite el control biológico por conservación, respetando a los enemigos naturales presentes en el medio ambiente y evitando el efecto negativo de los insecticidas
Thrips species occurring in red raspberry, Rubus idaeus L., in South Norway
No full textAim of study: Thrips in raspberry crops are receiving attention in Scandinavian raspberry production because of the increasing sighting of their presence in the flowers. Specific information on thrips species occurring in raspberry and their damage potential is scarce, making thrips management challenging. Therefore, this study aimed to identify thrips in the flowers of cultivated raspberry, Rubus idaeus L., in South Norway.
Area of study: Sogndal, Luster and Frogn, Southern Norway
Material and methods: Adult thrips were sampled from eight commercial raspberry orchards in the counties Vestland and Viken in June-July 2022. Thrips were mounted using Hoyer’s medium and a total of 213 specimens were morphologically identified.
Main results: Five species of thrips were found, Thrips fuscipennis Haliday, Thrips major Uzel, Thrips flavus Schrank, Thrips vulgatissimus Haliday and Thrips brevicornis Priesner. Most specimens were T. flavus, followed by T. fuscipennis and T. vulgatissimus.
Research highlights: Among the five species found, only T. fuscipennis has previously been reported in cultivated raspberry, but all five species are associated with flowers of many plants. The findings imply a larger and more geographically varied thrips fauna on raspberry than currently documented. This should be taken into account in future studies on thrips management in raspberry
Selección de incentivos para un modelo de negocio de diversificación de cultivos
No full textAim of study: This study proposes a crop diversification innovative business model based on stakeholder preferences towards different incentive alternatives.
Area of study: South-East Spain.
Material and methods: Citrus intercropping practices in South-East Spain has been used as case study. Stakeholders’ preferences for crop diversification incentives were investigated by using a multicriteria approach, and those results were integrated into the development of a business model canvas.
Main results: Including crop diversification practices as environmental practices within the operational programmes of producer organizations is seen the most preferred incentive over which the business model canvas is developed.
Research highlights: The establishment of business opportunities for crop diversification practices would facilitate the overcoming of adoption barriers along the agrifood value chain and would promote health and sustainable food systems
Land leveling and cover cropping impacts on chemical and biological properties of paddy soil
No full textAim of study: To examine the impact of solitary land leveling and its combination with cover cropping on the chemical and biological characteristics of paddy soil.
Area of study: This research focused on paddy fields located in Guilan Province, situated in northern Iran. Specifically, two sites were chosen for investigation, where land leveling had been conducted 5 years and 2 years prior to this study, respectively. Furthermore, cover cropping was implemented during the second year after the latter area's land leveling.
Material and methods: A total of 80 composite soil samples were collected, with 20 samples gathered from both leveled and unleveled plots at the designated study sites. Various soil chemical and biological properties such as organic carbon, total nitrogen, available phosphorus, exchangeable potassium, microbial respiration, and biomass carbon were quantified. Subsequently, a paired t-test was employed to analyze the impact of land leveling and the combined effects of land leveling with cover cropping on soil attributes.
Main results: The study revealed that five years after land leveling, there was a significant decrease in organic carbon, total nitrogen, microbial respiration, and biomass carbon. In contrast, the area leveled and cover cropped for two years exhibited higher levels of these attributes compared to adjacent unleveled parcels.
Research highlights: This study highlights the distinct effects that solitary land leveling and land leveling combined with sustainable practices like cover cropping have on soil attributes
Ranking and measuring the dynamics in the reasons-for-buying selected produce
No full textAim of study: Individual purchasing behaviour depends on economics, psychology, marketing and sensory science. Given that the list of reasons-for-buying is almost unlimited, we have defined 14 pre-set descriptors thought to entail the more important attributes when make buying decisions within a food group of selected fruits and vegetables.
Area of study: We have used a United States buyer data base of over 175,000 observations.
Material and methods: Each household was asked to rank their first, second, and third most important reasons for buying, within the set of descriptors. The overriding goal was to gain insight into the attributes and change over time. Using empirical models, the relative importance of the attributes is shown and forecasted for a decade beyond 2021.
Main results: Price and quality were expected to be the main drivers; however, the organic attribute is one requiring significant changes in the production, inspection, distribution and marketing policies, hence considering future expectations for organics is particularly important.
Research highlights: Preferences for organics have grown, but what are the expectations a decade from now? Will that interest remain so for many years to come
Effect of hydro-methanolic extract of Mangifera indica L. stem bark on body weight, pathological lesions, and hematology in experimental Eimeria tenella-infected broiler chickens
No full textAim of study: To evaluate the weight gain, pathological lesions, and hematology in broilers treated with hydro-methanol extract of Mangifera indica stem bark (MISB) after experimental exposure to Eimeria tenella infection.
Material and methods: This investigation involved 56 three-week-old Ross 308 broilers, divided into 7 groups (A–G) of 8 birds each. Groups A–E were experimentally exposed to 25,000 oocysts of E. tenella orally. Groups A, B, and C were treated orally with graded doses of M. indica (250, 125 and 62.5 mg/kg, respectively), for seven consecutive days. Groups D (0.6 g/L sulfaquinoxaline, reference drug), E (infected non-treated), F (uninfected non-treated), and G (uninfected 125 mg/kg MISB-treated to validate effect of MISB on weight increase). After infection, blood and organs were extracted from each experimental group for hematology and pathology, and measurements of body weight gain and oocyst counts were made.
Main results: M. indica improved (p<0.05) weight gain in MISB-treated broilers (A, B, C, and G). On day 6 post-infection (dpi), lesions of coccidiosis caused by E. tenella were observed in groups A, B, C, D, and E. The reduction in oocyst per gram of feces in the MISB and sulfaquinoxaline-treated groups was similar (p>0.05) after medication. Reduced packed cell volume at 7 dpi in the broilers of groups A (22.5% ± 0.7), B (27.0 % ± 2.83), and C (25.7 % ± 0.71), improved at 14 dpi after medication.
Research highlights: M. indica improved weight gain, reduced oocyst shedding, and ameliorated cecal lesions in MISB-treated chickens
Influence of genotypes of spineless cacti on feedlot lamb carcass characteristics and meat quality
No full textAim of study: The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of spineless cactus genotypes (Nopalea cochenillifera or Opuntia stricta) on the carcass characteristics and meat quality of feedlot lambs.
Area of study: Federal Rural University of Pernambuco, Recife, Brazil.
Material and methods: Thirty-six uncastrated male Santa Inês lambs (22.0±2.91 kg of body weight) were used in a completely randomized design, with three dietary treatments: (1) Tifton hay as exclusive roughage; (2) Nopalea spineless cactus; or (3) Opuntia spineless cactus as a partial replacement for Tifton hay; the animals were slaughtered after 86 days of feedlot.
Main results: The Nopalea and Opuntia diets increased (p<0.05) the empty body weight and the weight of the cold carcass. The cold carcass yield for lambs fed diets with spineless cactus was higher (p<0.05). The spineless cactus diets led to a greater amount (p<0.05) of internal fat and carcass fat. Spineless cactus increased the weight, yield, and fattening score of the carcasses of lambs. The meat from animals fed with spineless cactus showed higher ether extract content (p<0.05). The score attributed to meat color in the Opuntia treatment was higher (p<0.05), as well as the characteristic flavor for the Nopalea treatment.
Research highlights: Spineless cactus, regardless of the genotype, increases the weight, yield, and fattening of the carcass of feedlot lambs
Assessing boar taint in Portuguese pork: A small-scale study of prevalence and classification via established detection thresholds
No full textAim of study: To assess the boar taint prevalence in the Portuguese pork industry through an observational study model by measuring skatole and androstenone levels in fat and to compare it with the estimated thresholds for these compounds among Portuguese consumers.
Area of study: Portugal.
Material and methods: Adipose tissue samples from 140 animals (102 entire males and 38 females) were collected in three Portuguese abattoirs for boar taint quantification. Cut-off limits were determined using best-estimate thresholds (BET) for skatole and androstenone.
Main results: Boar taint quantification for the 140 animals revealed levels of 36.0±4.7 ng/g of skatole and 64.5±21.3 ng/g of androstenone, and values were significantly higher in males. Group BET values were 35.4 ng/g and 566.3 ng/g for skatole and androstenone, respectively. BET values were exceeded in 28.8% of the samples for skatole and 0.7% for androstenone.
Research highlights: The investigation revealed a generally low level of boar taint in the samples of this small-scale study on skatole and androstenone prevalence in Portugal's pork supply chain. However, occasionally a significantly elevated boar taint levels suggest that relying solely on slaughtering sexually immature males might not fully resolve this issue
La influencia de la diarrea y la neumonía en las becerras sobre el crecimiento previo al destete y el rendimiento reproductivo de novillas Holstein
No full textAim of the study: To determine the effect of diarrhea and pneumonia on preweaning weight gain and subsequent reproductive performance of Holstein heifers in a hot environment.
Study site: Hot-arid zone of northern Mexico (25 °N).
Material and methods: This study enrolled 7,809 calves from a single large commercial dairy herd. Calves´ birth and weaning weights were recorded, and subsequent reproductive performance was registered.
Main results: The preweaning daily gain in calves suffering diarrhea (573 ± 12 g/d), pneumonia (557 ± 12 g/d), and comorbidity of these diseases (520 ± 13 g/d) were lower (p<0.05) than healthy calves (594 ± 11 g/d). Heifers without diarrhea and pneumonia during the preweaning period conceived 25 days earlier (p<0.05) than herdmates suffering diarrhea comorbid with pneumonia and required 0.4 less (p<0.05) inseminations per pregnancy. The pregnancy rate for healthy heifers during the preweaning period was higher (93.6%; p<0.05) than those of their herdmates who experienced diarrhea (89.2%), pneumonia (89.8%), or both diseases (87.2%). Calves weighing ≤ 36 kg at birth were more susceptible (p<0.05) to diarrhea (incidence 13.3%) than calves ≥ 40 kg (incidence 11.6%).
Research highlights: These results highlight the substantial negative influence of diarrhea and pneumonia on preweaning weight gain and subsequent reproductive performance. Also, it was demonstrated that diarrhea is linked to low body weight at calving.Objetivo del estudio: Determinar el efecto de la diarrea y neumonía sobre el aumento de peso antes del destete y el posterior desempeño reproductivo de novillas Holstein en un ambiente caluroso.
Sitio de estudio: Zona árida con intenso calor del norte de México (25 °N).
Material y métodos: En este estudio se incluyeron 7,809 becerros de un único hato lechero comercial grande. Se registraron los pesos de los becerros al nacer y al destete, y se registró el desempeño reproductivo subsiguiente de estos animales.
Principales resultados: La ganancia diaria de peso previo al destete en los becerros que padecieron diarrea (573 ± 12 g/d), neumonía (557 ± 12 g/d) y comorbilidad de estas enfermedades (520 ± 13 g/d) fueron menores (p<0.05) que los becerros sanos (594 ± 11 g/d). Las novillas sin diarrea ni neumonía durante el período previo al destete concibieron 25 días antes (p<0.05) que las compañeras de rebaño que padecieron diarrea comórbida con neumonía y requirieron 0.4 menos (p<0.05) inseminaciones por gestación. La tasa de preñez de novillas sanas durante el período previo al destete fue mayor (93.6%; p<0.05) que las de sus compañeras de hato que experimentaron diarrea (89.2%), neumonía (89.8%) o ambas enfermedades (87.2%). Los becerros con ≤ 36 kg al nacer fueron más susceptibles (p<0.05) a la diarrea (incidencia 13.3%) que los becerros ≥ 40 kg (incidencia 11.6%).
Aspectos destacados de la investigación: Estos resultados resaltan la importante influencia negativa de la diarrea y la neumonía en el aumento de peso antes del destete y el posterior desempeño reproductivo. Además, se demostró que la diarrea está relacionada con el bajo peso corporal de las becerras al parto