Assessing the relationship between shire winter crop yield and seasonal variability of the MODIS NDVI and EVI images

Australian researchers have been developing robust yield estimation models, based mainly on the crop growth response to water availability during the crop season. However, knowledge of spatial distribution of yields within and across the production regions can be improved by the use of remote sensing techniques. Images of Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) vegetation indices, available since 1999, have the potential to contribute to crop yield estimation. The objective of this study was to analyse the relationship between winter crop yields and the spectral information available in MODIS vegetation index images at the shire level. The study was carried out in the Jondaryan and Pittsworth shires, Queensland , Australia . Five years (2000 to 2004) of 250m resolution, 16-day composite of MODIS Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) and Enhanced Vegetation Index (EVI) images were used during the winter crop season (April to November). Seasonal variability of the profiles of the vegetation index images for each crop season using different regions of interest (cropping mask) were displayed and analysed. Correlation analysis between wheat and barley yield data and MODIS image values were also conducted. The results showed high seasonal variability in the NDVI and EVI profiles, and the EVI values were consistently lower than those of the NDVI. The highest image values were observed in 2003 (in contrast to 2004), and were associated with rainfall amount and distribution. The seasonal variability of the profiles was similar in both shires, with minimum values in June and maximum values at the end of August. NDVI and EVI images showed sensitivity to seasonal variability of the vegetation and exhibited good association (e.g. r = 0.84, r = 0.77) with winter crop yields.

Temporal expression of G-protein-coupled receptor 54 (GPR54), gonadotropin-releasing hormones (GnRH), and dopamine receptor D2 (drd2) in pubertal female grey mullet, Mugil cephalus.

The G-protein-coupled receptor 54 (muGPR54) cDNA was cloned from the brain of the grey mullet, and its expression level, as well as those of the gonadotropin-releasing hormones (GnRH1, GnRH2, GnRH3) and dopamine receptor D2 (drd2), in the brain, pituitary and ovary of pubertal fish (early, intermediate, advanced) were determined by real-time quantitative RT-PCR (QPCR). The muGPR54 cDNA has an open reading frame of 1140 bp with a predicted 380 amino acid peptide, containing seven putative transmembrane domains and putative N-glycosylation and protein kinase C phosphorylation sites. QPCR results showed that the early stage of puberty in grey mullet is characterized by significantly high levels of expression of GPR54, GnRH and drd2 in the brain relative to the intermediate and advanced stages, except for GnRH1 that increased at the advanced stage of puberty. In the pituitary, drd2 expression declined significantly at the advanced stage relative to levels at the intermediate stage. Ovarian expression of GPR54 significantly increased from the intermediate stage of puberty relative to the early stage while that of GnRH1 acutely increased at the advanced stage of puberty. The ovarian expression of drd2 decreased as puberty progressed, but the changes were not significant. The results suggest the possible role of GPR54 and GnRH in positively regulating pubertal development in grey mullet and the dopaminergic inhibition of reproductive function mediated by drd2.

Great Barrier Reef Fish Biological Data

Biological measurements on fish sampled during the course of FRDC funded project Growth, Reproduction and Recruitment of Great Barrier Reef Food Fish Stocks (FRDC 90/18). The comma-delimited ascii file comprises the following fields: 1. Cruise number 2. Date (d-m-y) 3, Region (descriptor of part of Queensland coast or Great Barrier Reef system) 4. Reef (name or number) 5. Data source (Res=research, Rec=recreational fisher, Com=commercial fisher) 6. Capture method 7. Trap number (where appropriate) 8. Species name 9. LthStd (standard length, cm) 10. LthFrk (fork length, cm) 11. LthTot (total length, cm) 12. WtTot (approx total weight, g; weighed at sea) 13. FrameWt (weight of frame [after filleting, with viscera], g; weighed in lab) 14. Sex (macroscopic examination only) 15. GonadWt (g) Data obtained by the Department Employment, Economic Development and Innovation (formerly Primary Industries and Fisheries) between 1988 and 1993, primarily in the southern Great Barrier Reef (Capricorn-Bunker and Swain Groups), with fish traps and handlining.

The complete validated mitochondrial genome of the silver gemfish Rexea solandri (Cuvier, 1832) (Perciformes, Gempylidae)

The silver gemfish Rexea solandri is an important economic resource but vulnerable to overfishing in Australian waters. The complete mitochondrial genome sequence is described from 1.6 million reads obtained via next generation sequencing. The total length of the mitogenome is 16,350 bp comprising 2 rRNA, 13 protein-coding genes, 22 tRNA and 2 non-coding regions. The mitogenome sequence was validated against sequences of PCR fragments and BLAST queries of Genbank. Gene order was equivalent to that found in marine fishes.

The complete validated mitochondrial genome of the black marlin Istiompax indica (Cuvier, 1832)

Two complete mitochondrial genomes of the black marlin Istiompax indica were assembled from approximately 3.5 and 2.5 million reads produced by Ion Torrent next generation sequencing. The complete genomes were 16,531 bp and 16,532 bp in length consisting of 2 rRNA, 13 protein-coding genes, 22tRNA and 2 coding regions. They demonstrated a similar A + T base (52.6%) to other teleosts. Intraspecific sequence variation was 99.5% for three I. indica mitogenomes and 99.7% for X. gladius. A lower value (85%) was found for the I. platypterus mitogenomes from genbank and accredited to inadvertent inclusion of gene regions from a con-familial species in one record, highlighting the need for cautious downstream use of genbank data. © 2014 Informa UK Ltd.