Identification of polymorphisms in the osteopontin gene and their associations with certain semen production traits of water buffaloes in the Brazilian Amazon

Contents: The osteopontin gene may influence the fertility of water buffaloes because it is a protein present in sperm. The aim of this work was to identify polymorphisms in this gene and associate them with fertility parameters of animals kept under extensive grazing. A total of 306 male buffaloes older than 18 months, from two farms, one in the state of Amapá and the other in the state of Pará, Brazil were used in the study. Seven SNPs were identified in the regions studied. The polymorphisms were in gene positions 1478, 1513 and 1611 in the region 5′upstrem and positions 6690, 6737, 6925 and 6952 in the region amplified in intron 5. The SNPs were associated with the traits, namely scrotal circumference, scrotal volume, sperm motility, sperm concentration and sperm pathology. There were significant SNPs (p < 0.05) for all the traits. The SNP 6690 was significant for scrotal circumference, sperm concentration, sperm motility and sperm pathology and the SNP 6737 for scrotal volume. The genotype AA of SNP 6690 presented the highest averages for scrotal circumference, sperm concentration and motility and the lowest total number of sperm pathologies. For the scrotal volume trait, the animals with the largest volume were correlated with the presence of the genotype GG of SNP 6737. These results indicate a significance of the osteopontin gene as it seems to exert a substantial influence on the semen production traits of male buffaloes. © 2013 Blackwell Verlag GmbH.

Avaliação agronômica e modo de reprodução de híbridos intraespecíficos de Brachiaria decumbens

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Genetic relationship between reproductive traits in Nellore cattle

Pós-graduação em Genética e Melhoramento Animal - FCAV

Abordagem multivariada na seleção de progênies de soja superiores e portadoras do gene RR

Pós-graduação em Agronomia (Genética e Melhoramento de Plantas) - FCAV

Florescimento e frutificação de Pitaya vermelha com diferentes concentrações e épocas de aplicação de GA3

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Top crosses de linhagens S2 de milho shrunken-2 em função da endogamia do testador

Pós-graduação em Agronomia (Horticultura) - FCA

Influência de sistemas de semeadura na população de pragas e nas características morfofisiológicas em cultivares de soja

Pós-graduação em Agronomia (Proteção de Plantas) - FCA

EFEITOS DA IRRIGAÇÃO E DA COBERTURA DO SOLO POR POLIETILENO PRETO SOBRE AS CARACTERÍSTICAS MORFOLÓGICAS DO PIMENTÃO

Os experimentos foram desenvolvidos no ano agrícola 1999-2000, em casa de vegetação, no Departamento de Engenharia Rural da Faculdade de Ciências Agronômicas - UNESP, campus de Botucatu, SP. O objetivo foi estudar o efeito de diferentes manejos da água de irrigação e de cobertura de polietileno na superfície do solo sobre o comportamento de características morfológicas das plantas de pimentão. O pimentão híbrido Elisa foi cultivado por um período de 230 dias após o transplante das mudas (DAT). O trabalho foi composto por dois experimentos: I) manejos da irrigação nas tensões de água no solo de 50 kPa e 1500 kPa, com e sem a presença de cobertura de polietileno preto sobre a superfície do solo, para o período de 29 a 168 DAT. O delineamento experimental foi inteiramente casualizado com seis repetições, e II) aplicação de deficiência hídrica severa no solo, através da suspensão das irrigações e retirada da cobertura de polietileno do solo, no período de 169 a 230 DAT. Verificou-se que a ocorrência de deficiência hídrica severa ocasiona elevada senescência e abscisão de folhas nas plantas; o manejo da irrigação afeta as características morfológicas das plantas, entretanto, quando submetidas a ciclos consecutivos de secamento do solo, estas plantas desenvolvem características de ‘endurecimento’ aos efeitos da deficiência hídrica. A presença de cobertura polietileno na superfície do solo está associada com alterações nas relações hídricas e na morfologia das plantas.

Multivariate approach in the selection of superior soybean progeny which carry the RR gene

Efficiency in the use of genetic variability, whether existing or created, increases when properly explored and analysed. Incorporation of biotechnology into breeding programs has been the general practice. The challenge for the researcher is the constant development of new and improved cultivars. The aim of this experiment was to select progenies with superior characteristics, whether or not carriers of the RR gene, derived from bi-parental crosses in the soybean, with the help of multivariate techniques. The experiment was carried out in a family-type experimental design, including controls, during the agricultural year 2010/2011 and 2011/2012 in Jaboticabal in the Brazilian State of São Paulo. From the F3 generation, phenotypically superior plants were selected, which were evaluated for the following traits: number of days to flowering; number of days to maturity; height of first pod insertion; plant height at maturity; lodging; agronomic value; number of branches; number of pods per plant; 100-seed weight; number of seeds per plant; grain yield per plant. Given the results, it appears possible to select superior progeny by principal component analysis. Cluster analysis using the K-means method links progeny according to the most important characteristics in each group and identifies, by the Ward method and by means of a dendrogram, the structure of similarity and divergence between selected progeny. Both methods are effective in aiding progeny selection.

Carcass and meat traits of lambs fed by-products from the processing of oil seeds

We evaluated the effect of adding by-products from the processing of oil seeds in the diet of lambs on the carcass and meat traits. Twenty-four non-castrated weaned male Santa Inês lambs with approximately 70 days of age and initial average weight of 19.11 ± 2.12 kg were distributed into a completely randomized design. Treatments consisted of diets containing by-products with 70% of concentrate and 30% of tifton hay (Cynodon spp.) and were termed SM: control with soybean meal; SC: formulated with soybean cake; SUC: formulated with sunflower cake and PC: formulated with peanut cake. Diets had no effects on the carcass traits evaluated. There was no significant effect on the mean values of perirenal, omental and mesenteric fats (0.267, 0.552 and 0.470 kg, respectively) and there was no influence on the percentages of moisture, ether extract, crude protein or ash in the loin between experimental diets. Diets containing by-products from the processing of oil seeds did not change fatty acids found in lamb meat. The use of by-products from oil seeds provided similar carcass and meat traits, thus their use can be recommended as eventual protein and energy sources for feedlot lambs.

Performance, carcass traits, and body composition of broilers fed different linseed oil levels between 21 and 56 days of age

This study was carried out to evaluate the effect of the inclusion of different linseed oil levels (0.0, 3.3, 6.6, or 9.9%) in iso-energy diets fed during the period of 21 to 56 days of age on the performance, carcass traits, and body composition of broilers. A total of 1,600 broilers were distributed according to a completely randomized experimental design consisting of four treatments with eight replicates of 40 birds per experimental unit. In the period of 21-42 days of age, weight gain increased, feed and calorie conversion ratios quadratically improved, and feed and metabolizable energy intakes linearly increased as dietary linseed oil level increased. Considering the entire experimental period, dietary linseed oil linearly increased weight gain and feed and energy intakes, and feed and calorie conversion ratios in a quadratic manner. On days 42 and 56, abdominal fat percentage and carcass yield were quadratically influenced by dietary linseed oil. Total body fat content at 56 days of age was quadratically influenced by dietary linseed levels.

Caracterização agronômica e morfológica de populações de milho

Pós-graduação em Agronomia (Genética e Melhoramento de Plantas) - FCAV

Índice de seleção para caracteres agronômicos em populações segregantes de soja

Pós-graduação em Agronomia (Genética e Melhoramento de Plantas) - FCAV

Genome-Wide Association for Growth Traits in Canchim Beef Cattle

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Changes in plant species composition and functional traits along the successional trajectory of a restored patch of Atlantic Forest

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)