Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Generation and Characterization of Transgenic Plum Lines Expressing the Gastrodia Antifungal Protein

The Gastrodia antifungal protein (GAFP) is a monocot mannose-binding lectin isolated from the Asiatic orchid Gastrodia elata. This lectin has previously been shown to provide increased resistance in transgenic Nicotiana tabacum against taxonomically unrelated root pathogens Phytophthora nicotianae, Rhizoctonia solani, and Meloidogyne incognita, but its potential to confer disease resistance in tree species is not known. Agrobacterium tumefaciens-mediated transformation yielded three gafp-1 expressing plum lines (Prunus domestica) designated 4J, 4I, and 5D. These lines possessed one, two, and four copies of the gafp-1 gene, respectively, as demonstrated by DNA blotting. Lines 4J and 4I were not phenotypically different from the nontransformed control line, but line 5D showed significant divergence in leaf morphology and growth habit. Compared with the inoculated control line, lines 4J and 4I exhibited increased tolerance to Phytophthora root rot (PRR) caused by P. cinnamomi. When inoculated with the root- knot nematode, Meloidogyne incognita, the 4J and 4I lines showed a significantly lower degree of root galling than the inoculated control line. Nematode reproduction, as measured by the presence of egg masses and the number of eggs produced per gram fresh root, was significantly reduced in line 4J compared with the inoculated control line. The resultsofthisstudysuggestthattheexpressionofgafp-1intherootsofawoodyplant may confer some level of resistance to PRR and root-knot nematode. Long-term field trials will be necessary to confirm this hypothesis.
Bee visitation of Phlox bryoides (Polemoniaceae)

— Collections of diurnal insects from a population of Phlox hnjoides on shortgrass prairie in southeastern Wyoming showed the flowers to be visited predominantly by Synhalonia fulvitarsis, a long-tongued bee. Analysis of pollen loads carried by captured bees revealed that almost all individuals were collecting Phlox pollen. P. bryoides may be an exception to the generalization that the genus Phlox is exclusively pollinated by Lepidoptera. Entomophilous pollination in the genus Phlox is thought to be effected almost exclusively by Lepidoptera (Grant and Grant 1965). Species with corollas 1-2 cm long are exclusively pollinated by perching butterflies; those with corollas 3-4 cm long are pollinated by hawkmoths (Grant and Grant 1965). Based upon observations of three species (P. caespitosa Nutt., P. diffusa Benth., P. multiflora A. Nels.) plus a citation for P. andicola (Britt.) (Wherry 1955), it was concluded that all species of the Section Occidentales ( = Section Microphlox of Wherry 1955), which "contains over 20 species of woodybased, needle-leaved, cespitose or cushionlike shrubs," were pollinated by Lepidoptera (Grant and Grant 1965). In particular, westem cushion plants with erect 1-cm-long corolla tubes are pollinated by perching noctuid moths (Grant and Grant 1965). However, at least two species in the Section Occidentales possess corollas that are substantially shorter than 1 cm (P. bryoides Nutt., P. hoodii Rich., measurements from Wherry 1955) and could be pollinated by long-tongued bees or flies. Indeed, data reported here from a population of P. bryoides, a dense cushion plant common on shallow soils and rocky outcrops in southeastern Wyoming, suggest that the Grants' general conclusion (1965) may require modification. Individuals of the long-tongued eucerine bee species Synhalonia fulvitarsis fulvitarsis (Cresson) were common pollen collectors on the flowers and may be important pollina-
Nitrogen uptake by the floating macrophyte Lemna minor

Summary • Both roots and leaves of free-floating plants can potentially take up nutrients. In this study, the ability and relative contribution of roots and fronds for N uptake by the floating macrophyte Lemna minor was investigated. • The NH 4 + and NO 3 ‐ uptake kinetics of roots and fronds were measured on plants acclimated to three different NH 4 NO 3 concentrations. • Lemna had the capacity to take up NH 4 + and NO 3 ‐ through both roots and fronds; uptake kinetics for the two tissue types were comparable on an area basis. The overall contribution of root and frond to whole-plant uptake, estimated from measured kinetic characteristics, varied depending on plant N status (the root contribution increased from 32 to 73% for N-satiated and N-depleted plants, respectively). • The shift in the balance between root and frond contribution to whole-plant uptake resulted from a 1.5‐38 times greater increase in the area-specific uptake capacity and affinity of roots relative to fronds, combined with a larger decrease in the minimum concentration for uptake (C min ) for roots than fronds. At the morphological level, root‐frond surface area increased with declining N supply, which might be beneficial to the plants since the area return per unit biomass invested was nine times greater for roots than for fronds.
Nutritional Evaluation of Sheabutter Fat in Fattening of Yankasa Sheep

2 Abstract: Fifteen Yankasa rams, balanced for their weight, were used to evaluate the effects of feeding basal diet of Pterocarpus erinaceus forage supplemented with Sheabutter Fat (SBF) based concentrate diets on performance, nutrient digestibility and economic benefit. The rams were submitted to four supplemental diets containing: 0 g/kg SBF (control), 50 g/kg SBF and 100 g/kg SBF in a completely randomized design for 56 days. Average Daily Gain (ADG), intakes of Ether Extract (EE) and Crude Protein (CP), Feed Conversion Ratio (FCR), digestibility coefficients of EE and Organic Matter (OM), digestible OM, digestible and metabolizable energy concentrations and net benefit improved (p<0.05) with increasing levels of SB F supplementation. While forage intake was reduced (p<0.05) in SBF diets, the reverse was the case for the concentrate (p<0.05). Dry Matter (DM) intake and intake as the percentage of live weight, CP, OM and Crude Fibre (CF) intakes and CF digestibility were similar among the treatments. SBF diets improved (p<0.05) digestibilities of DM and CP compared to the control. OM intake was higher (p<0.05) in 50 g/kg SBF than in the control which compared with 100 g/kg SBF. Cost of feed consumed/sheep was lower (p<0.05) for 100 g/kg SBF compared to the control and 50 g/kg SBF. Feed cost/kg of mutton decreased (p<0.05) progressively from the control to 100 g/kg SBF. Differential and relative benefits were more (p<0.05) for 100 g/kg SBF than for 50 g/kg. 100 g/kg SBF supplementation improved the performance, nutrient digestibility and economic benefit.
Evaluation of high hydrostatic pressure, meat species, and ingredients to control Listeria monocytogenes in ready-to-eat meats

Growth of L. monocytogenes was evaluated for up to 182 days after inoculation in ready-to-eat (RTE) sliced ham and turkey breast formulated with sodium nitrite (0 or 200 ppm), sodium chloride (1.8% or 2.4%), and treated (no treatment or 600 MPa) with high hydrostatic pressure (HHP). HHP at 600 MPa for three minutes resulted in a 3.85-4.35 log CFU/g reduction in L. monocytogenes. With formulations at similar proximate analyses, one evaluation day without HHP (day 21) showed significantly greater growth of L. monocytogenes in ham than in turkey breast, but there were no significant differences on other evaluation days or with HHP. There were no differences in growth of L. monocytogenes due to sodium chloride level. Sodium nitrite provided a small, but significant inhibition of L. monocytogenes without HHP, but addition of sodium nitrite did not significantly affect growth of L. monocytogenes with use of HHP.
Breeding and Evaluating for Landscape Performance and Fruitlessness in Mexican Petunia (Ruellia, Acanthaceae)

Mexican petunia (Ruellia simplex Wright) is a non-native plant that was introduced to Florida sometime in the 1940s and since then has naturalized in most of the state and in other southern states. Since 2007, we have developed at the University of Florida/Institute for Food and Agricultural Science in Gainesville the first Ruellia L. breeding program aiming to develop fruitless plants with different flower colors and growth habits that will not be invasive by seed dispersal. A combination of polyploidiza- tion and hybridization methods was used. In 2011, a total of 15 plants were selected and grown in southeastern, north-central, and northwestern Florida (Fort Pierce, Citra, and Quincy) using a randomized block design with three blocks and three plants per plot at each site. Plants were evaluated monthly for landscape performance, flowering, and fruiting. Two hybrids (R10-102 and R10-108) had outstanding potential as new fruitless cultivars for the plant industry having improved landscape performance and flowering.
Leptospriosis in sheep and its diagnosis

The present study was carried out to screen or detect the leptospires in the migratory flocks of sheep in Karnataka. A total of 60 blood, tissue and urine samples were collected from the migratory sheep flock in the area of Shimogga and Belgaum districts of Karnataka with clinical manifestation. The samples were subjected to screening for leptospirosis by Dark Field Microscopy (DFM), Polymerase chain reaction (PCR), isolation and identification studies. It was found that out of total 60 samples 2 samples were positive by PCR. However none of the samples were found positive by other tests.
Microsatellite markers indicate genetic differences between cultivated and natural populations of endangered Taxus yunnanensis

Taxus yunnanensis (Taxaceae) is an endangered plant known for its effective natural anti-cancer metabolite, taxol. To assess the effectiveness of T. yunnanensis ex situ conservation in China, the genetic diversity and genetic structure of nine cultivated and 14 natural populations were compared using 11 polymorphic microsatellite markers. The purpose of this comparison was to determine whether the cultivated populations were genetic representatives of natural types. Among the 14 natural populations studied, three were from Tibet and 11 were from the Hengduan Mountains. There were fewer genetic variations among cultivated populations than among natural populations, but this difference was not significant. However, 23 unique alleles were detected in cultivated populations and 14 were detected in natural populations. Striking differences in genetic structure (GST = 0.365) was observed between them. STRUCTURE, AMOVA and cluster analyses also consistently showed a clear genetic separation between the 14 natural and seven cultivated populations. Only five natural populations from the south-central Hengduan Mountains were genetically represented in two cultivated collections. The reason for the occurrence of distinct genetic differences between cultivated and natural populations and the loss of natural population-specific alleles in the cultivated populations can be attributed to uneven selection during establishment. These results suggest that the genetic structure of T. yunnanensis may not have been conserved effectively. Based on our study, practical conservation strategies for ex situ preservation of T. yunnanensis have been developed. © 2015 The Linnean Society of London, Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society, 2015, 177, 450–461.
IMMUNOGLOBULIN ISOANTIGENS (ALLOTYPES) IN THE MOUSE I. GENETICS AND CROSS-REACTIONS OF THE 7S γ2A-ISOANTIGENS CONTROLLED BY ALLELES AT THE IG-1 LOCUS

Eight antigens of 7S γ2-immunoglobulins controlled by alleles at a single locus Ig-1, have been identified in mice. This locus has previously been shown to determine antigenic specificities on the F fragments of 7S γ2a-globulins. The reactions of these antigens with various isoantisera have shown that the antigens all cross react with one another. New methods for the analysis of antigenic specificities of soluble proteins are presented in detail. A sensitive method for detecting in the order of 0.01 µg of these isoantigens has been developed, based on the quantitative inhibition of precipitation of I125-labeled antigen. Cross-reactions of the antigens were analysed in inhibition assays and the data is compatible with the existence of a minimum of eight antigenic specificities. Each of the antigens is composed of different combinations of these specificities, with only one antigen having a specificity not present in any other. Sixty-eight mouse strains have been tested with specific isoantisera, and on the basis of the results, have been placed into the eight allele groups. Evidence for close genetic linkage of the Ig-1 locus and 11 chromosome markers has been sought and not found.
In vitro development of penetration structures in the rice blast fungus Magnaporthe grisea.

The development of appressoria, penetration pegs, and infection hyphalike structures of Magnaporthe grisea on a cellophane substratum were studied using light and electron microscopy of freeze-substituted specimens. Developing, hyaline appressoria contained numerous membrane cisternae and cytoplasmic vesicles. These vesicles were concentrated near the substratum where the cell wall was very thin and then absent. Vesicles and cisternae were not present in appressoria during melanization. The discrete melanin layer contained a heretofore undescribed microfibrillar component that did not label with wheat germ agglutinin. A bilayered pore wall overlay was deposited over the appressorium pore just prior to formation of a penetration peg. The innermost of these layers and the wall of the peg both labeled with wheat germ agglutinin and concanavalin A, and appeared continuous. The mature penetration peg was uniform in width, about 7 μm in length, and contained predominantly putative cytoskeletal elements. Within .
Prediction of chemical, nutritive and agronomic characteristics of wheat by near infrared spectroscopy

Near infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) is widely used in the flour milling industry for rapid determination of moisture and protein in wheat. However, these measurements give little indication of the nutritive value of wheat when fed to poultry or pigs. Accurate estimates of nutritive value require specialist facilities and are time-consuming and costly. Accordingly, prediction from chemical or NIRS measurements would be of some considerable benefit. In the current study 160 samples of wheat, representing 24 different varieties, were used to generate NIRS calibration equations for chemical, nutritive and agronomic characteristics. Predictions of chemical constituents in wheat were very accurate. Coefficients of determination (r2) were 0·94 for dry matter, 0·90 for crude protein, 0·97 for ash, 0·78 for starch and 0·98 for oil. True metabolizable energy in broiler chickens was predicted more accurately (r2 = 0·52 for adult birds, 0·74 for young birds) than apparent metabolizable energy (r2 = 0·45). Digestible energy (r2 = 0·17) and nitrogen digestibility (r = 0·22) in pigs were not predicted very accurately on a smaller subset (n = 33). Agronomic characteristics were predicted very accurately (r2 = 0·98 hardness, 0·80 bushel weight, 0·99 thousand-grain weight). Predictions of nutritive value of wheat from chemical or agronomic characteristics are very inaccurate, since coefficients of determination vary from zero to 0·25. It is concluded that NIRS can accurately estimate the chemical composition of wheat, but accurate prediction of nutritive value is reduced by animal variation. Nevertheless, NIRS is potentially more reliable for assessing nutritive value than chemical composition or agronomic characteristics.
Foraging Activity of Ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) in a Pasture Inhabited by the Red Imported Fire Ant

The foraging activity of ants in a pasture inhabited by Solenopsis invicta Buren was investigated using pitfall traps and attractive baits. S. invicta and Lasius neoniger (Emery) were the most abundant and frequently collected species of ants. Correlation and multiple covariance analyses indicate that S. invicta is negatively associated with L. neoniger. Ant species were found to have localized population distributions that overlap slightly. S. invicta appeared to have a slight impact (0.1 > P > 0.05) on the number of ant species that occurred in the pasture.
Indigenous harvest, exotic pig predation and local persistence of a long-lived vertebrate: managing a tropical freshwater turtle for sustainability and conservation

Summary 1. Until recently, the northern snake-necked turtle ( Chelodina rugosa Ogilby, 1890) provided a seasonal source of protein for indigenous communities in tropical northern Australia. Today, feral pigs ( Sus scrofa Linnaeus, 1758) exert a heavy predation pressure on C. rugosa , compromising subsistence harvest rates and threatening local persistence. 2. We investigated the influence of pig predation and harvest (subsistence and commercial) on C. rugosa persistence at discrete water holes using a stage-based matrix population model. Vital rates varied with wet season rainfall, pig predation and harvest. In addition, hatchling survival was density-dependent. 3. We show that field-based estimates of pig-related turtle mortality exceed levels that can be offset by increased hatchling survival, leading to predictions of rapid population decline and certain elimination of affected populations within 50 years. 4. Conversely, in the absence of pigs, compensatory increases in hatchling survival were sufficient to allow an annual harvest of up to 20% of subadult and adult C. rugosa without causing extirpation or substantial population suppression. 5. Synthesis and applications . This demographic modelling shows that periodic local culling of pigs, fencing of wetlands to exclude predators, and hatchling supplementation to offset losses from predation are all viable management strategies for ensuring ongoing turtle harvests. Such demonstrations of the potential resilience of long-lived vertebrates under a properly managed harvest regime is important to convince natural resource agencies that conservation management for long-term viability need not exclude some degree of consumptive use. These findings are broadly relevant to applied ecology, providing important implications for the management of wildlife species subject to competing ecological pressures, such as subsistence and commercial harvesting and predation by invasive species.
Integrated Weed Management: Knowledge-Based Weed Management Systems

Abstract The fundamental role of integrated weed management (IWM) is to provide a source of scientifically based knowledge from which growers can make informed weed-management decisions. The objectives of this article include (1) highlighting the essential knowledge base required for the success of an IWM cropping system, (2) identifying the barriers to acceptance of IWM, and (3) discussing the future research opportunities for IWM. The minimum knowledge base consists of four key components: the effect of tillage on weed population dynamics, the time of weed emergence relative to the crop, the critical period for weed control, and the concept of a harvest window. There are substantial barriers, however, that reduce the willingness of growers to adopt the components of an IWM cropping system. IWM systems can be perceived as unreliable resulting in increased risk to management. No direct economic benefit can be defined clearly nor has there been sustained support for the adoption of IWM. In the future, IWM must change from a descriptive to a predictive science. As new markets evolve for agricultural products, new quality issues will arise that may influence weed management. Environmental auditing of IWM systems in terms of ISO 14000 accreditation, total carbon credits, or energy use will provide an important template from which comparisons of alternative weed-control strategies can be assessed. IWM strategies must be developed to reduce the risk to management and to gain broader support from the crop-protection industry, growers, and government.
Assessment of invasive rodent impacts on island avifauna: methods, limitations and the way forward

Abstract Bird conservation is nowadays a strong driving force for prioritising rodent eradications, but robust quantitative estimates of impacts are needed to ensure cost-effectiveness of management operations. Here, we review the published literature to investigate on what methodological basis rodent effects on island bird communities have been evaluated for the past six decades. We then discuss the advantages and limitations of each category of methods for the detection and quantification of impacts, and end with some recommendations on how to strengthen current approaches and extend our knowledge on the mechanisms of impacts. Impact studies (152 studies considered) emphasised seabirds (67%), black rats (63%) and the Pacific Ocean (57%). Among the most commonly used methods to study rodent impacts on birds were the observation of dead eggs or empty nests while monitoring bird breeding success, and the analyses of rodent diets, which can both lead to misleading conclusions if the data are not supported by direct field evidence of rodent predation. Direct observations of rodent–bird interactions (19% of studies) are still poorly considered despite their potential to reveal cryptic behaviours and shed light on the mechanisms of impacts. Rodent effects on birds were most often measured as a change or difference in bird breeding parameters (74% of studies), while estimates of bird population growth rates (4%) are lacking. Based on the outcomes of this literature review, we highlight the need for collecting unbiased population-level estimates of rodent impacts, which are essential prerequisites for predicting bird population growth scenarios and prioritising their conservation needs. This could be achieved by a more systematic integration of long-term monitoring of bird populations into rodent management operations and modelling bird population dynamics. We also strongly recommend including various complementary methods in impact assessment strategies to unravel complex interactions between rodents and birds and avoid faulty evidence. Finally, more research should be devoted to a better understanding of the cases of non-impacts (i.e. long-term coexistence) and those impacts mediated by mechanisms other than predation and ecosystem-level processes.
Electrolyte Balance in Broiler Growing Diets

Two experiments were carried out using 1,120 chicks to evaluate the electrolyte balance (EB = Na+K-Cl) in growing (21-42 days) broiler diets. The feed, based on corn and soybean meal with 20.0% CP and 3,200 kcal ME/kg, was offered ad libitum. In experiment I, K level was fixed, but Na and Cl levels varied among the four treatments, which included five replications of 40 birds each. In experiment II, increasing levels of Na and K were used, with a total of four treatments and four replications of 20 birds. In bot h experiments, the EB treatments were 40; 140; 240 and 340 mEq/kg of feed. EB showed a quadratic effect on weight gain and feed to gain ratio when the electrolyte ratio was increased only by the supplementation of Na. Feed intake was maximum for 264 mEq/kg, when Na level was increased in the diet, and 213 mEq/kg, when K and Na levels were concurrently increased in the diet, indicating that there is a limit over which feed intake is depressed as a function of excessive Na and/or K. The ideal EB, obtained by the manipulation of Na and Cl levels, was between 202 and 235 mEq/kg.