A SNP-based consensus genetic map for synteny-based trait targeting in faba bean (Vicia faba L.)

Faba bean (Vicia faba L.) is a globally important nitrogen-fixing legume, which is widely grown in a diverse range of environments. In this work, we mine and validate a set of 845 SNPs from the aligned transcriptomes of two contrasting inbred lines. Each V. faba SNP is assigned by BLAST analysis to a single Medicago orthologue. This set of syntenically anchored polymorphisms were then validated as individual KASP assays, classified according to their informativeness and performance on a panel of 37 inbred lines, and the best performing 757 markers used to genotype six mapping populations. The six resulting linkage maps were merged into a single consensus map on which 687 SNPs were placed on six linkage groups, each presumed to correspond to one of the six V. faba chromosomes. This sequence-based consensus map was used to explore synteny with the most closely-related crop species, lentil, and the most closely related fully sequenced genome, Medicago. Large tracts of uninterrupted colinearity were found between faba bean and Medicago, making it relatively straightforward to predict gene content and order in mapped genetic interval. As a demonstration of this, we mapped a flower colour gene to a 2 cM interval of Vf chromosome 2 which was highly collinear with Mt3. The obvious candidate gene from 77 gene models in the collinear Medicago chromosome segment was the previously characterized MtWD40-1 gene (Mt3g092830, Mt3g092840) controlling anthocyanin production in Medicago and re-sequencing of the Vf orthologue showed a putative causative deletion of the entire 5’ end of the gene.

Flanking SNP markers for vicine–convicine concentration in faba bean (Vicia faba L).

The pyrimidine glycosides, vicine and convicine, limit the use of faba bean (Vicia faba L.) as food and feed. A single recessive gene, vc-, is responsible for a lowered vicine–convicine concentration. The biosynthetic pathway of these closely related compounds is not known, and the nearest available markers are several cM away from vc-. Improved markers would assist breeding and help to identify candidate genes. A segregating population of 210 F5 recombinant inbred lines was developed from the cross of Mélodie/2 (low vicine–convicine) × ILB 938/2 (normal vicine–convicine), and vicine–convicine concentrations were determined twice on each line. The population was genotyped with a set of 188 SNPs. A strong, single QTL for vicine–convicine concentration was identified on chromosome I, flanked by markers 1.0 cM away on one side and 2.6 cM on the other. The interval defined by these markers in the model species Medicago truncatula includes about 340 genes, but no candidate genes were identified. Further fine mapping should lead to the identification of tightly linked markers as well as narrowing down the search for candidate regulatory or biosynthetic genes which could underlie the vc- locus.

The polychaete worm Nereis diversicolor increases mercury lability and methylation in intertidal mudflats

The polychaete worm Nereis diversicolor engineers its environment by creating oxygenated burrows in anoxic intertidal sediments. The authors carried out a laboratory microcosm experiment to test the impact of polychaete burrowing and feeding activity on the lability and methylation of mercury in sediments from the Bay of Fundy, Canada. The concentration of labile inorganic mercury and methylmercury in burrow walls was elevated compared to worm-free sediments. Mucus secretions and organic detritus in worm burrows increased labile mercury concentrations. Worms decreased sulfide concentrations, which increased Hg bioavailability to sulfate-reducing bacteria and increased methylmercury concentrations in burrow linings. Because the walls of polychaete burrows have a greater interaction with organisms, and the overlying water, the concentrations of mercury and methylmercury they contain is more toxicologically relevant to the base of a coastal food web than bulk samples. The authors recommend that researchers examining Hg in marine environments account for sediment dwelling invertebrate activity to more fully assess mercury bioavailability.

Insect pollination reduces yield loss following heat stress in faba bean (Vicia faba L.)

Global food security, particularly crop fertilization and yield production, is threatened by heat waves that are projected to increase in frequency and magnitude with climate change. Effects of heat stress on the fertilization of insect-pollinated plants are not well understood, but experiments conducted primarily in self-pollinated crops, such as wheat, show that transfer of fertile pollen may recover yield following stress. We hypothesized that in the partially pollinator-dependent crop, faba bean (Vicia faba L.), insect pollination would elicit similar yield recovery following heat stress. We exposed potted faba bean plants to heat stress for 5 days during floral development and anthesis. Temperature treatments were representative of heat waves projected in the UK for the period 2021-2050 and onwards. Following temperature treatments, plants were distributed in flight cages and either pollinated by domesticated Bombus terrestris colonies or received no insect pollination. Yield loss due to heat stress at 30°C was greater in plants excluded from pollinators (15%) compared to those with bumblebee pollination (2.5%). Thus, the pollinator dependency of faba bean yield was 16% at control temperatures (18 to 26°C) and extreme stress (34°C), but was 53% following intermediate heat stress at 30°C. These findings provide the first evidence that the pollinator dependency of crops can be modified by heat stress, and suggest that insect pollination may become more important in crop production as the probability of heat waves increases.

Susceptibility of faba bean (Vicia faba L.) to heat stress during floral development and anthesis

Experiments were conducted over two years to quantify the response of faba bean (Vicia faba L.) to heat stress. Potted winter faba bean plants (cv. Wizard) were exposed to temperature treatments (18/10; 22/14; 26/18; 30/22; 34/26°C day/night) for five days during floral development and anthesis. Developmental stages of all flowers were scored prior to stress, plants were grown in exclusion from insect pollinators to prevent pollen movement between flowers, and yield was harvested at an individual pod scale, enabling effects of heat stress to be investigated at a high resolution. Susceptibility to stress differed between floral stages, flowers were most affected during initial green-bud stages. Yield and pollen germination of flowers present before stress showed threshold relationships to stress, with lethal temperatures (t50) ~28°C and ~32°C, while whole plant yield showed a linear negative relationship to stress with high plasticity in yield allocation, such that yield lost at lower nodes was partially compensated at higher nodal positions. Faba bean has many beneficial attributes for sustainable modern cropping systems but these results suggest that yield will be limited by projected climate change, necessitating the development of heat tolerant cultivars, or improved resilience by other mechanisms such as earlier flowering times.

Is there any risk in a symbiotic species associating with an endangered one? A case of a phoronid worm growing on a Ceriantheomorphe tube

The conservation of emblematic threatened species is in highlight nowadays. Interestingly, few invertebrate groups attract scientific attention on this issue while they constitute the vast majority of animal biodiversity. Nevertheless, many invertebrate species are nowadays at risk of extinction. This means that plenty of species are currently disappearing out of sight. During a survey in the southwestern Atlantic Ocean tubes of an endangered species of cerianthid were sampled. This study reports for the very first time the occurrence of the species Phoronis australis in southwestern Atlantic waters and the association of phoronids with the genus Ceriantheomorphe. This raises questions on mutual extinction risks for symbiotic species and also on the criteria for their inclusion on Red Lists.

Free Cyclitol, Soluble Carbohydrate and Protein Contents in Vigna unguiculata and Phaseolus vulgaris Bean Sprouts

Seeds sprouts have been used as a good source of basic nutrients and nutraceutical compounds. The high nutritional value of seeds derives from the deposition of compounds during development. However some of these molecules are used in metabolic processes like germination, which leads to a considerable variation in their concentrations once these events are completed. In this work, we investigate the levels of inositols (myo-inositol, D-pinitol and ononitol), soluble carbohydrates and proteins in cotyledons of Phaseolus vulgaris and Vigna unguiculata sprouts. Sprouting increased myo-inositol and glucose content and reduction of raffinose and ononitol was observed. The protein levels increased in P. vulgaris and decreased in V. unguiculata sprouting. The level of sucrose was maintained in both sprouts. D-Pinitol was detected only in quiescent seeds. Our results suggested that bean sprout is an important source of proteins, sucrose, glucose and myo-inositol. Additionally, bean sprouts have low levels of raffinose, an antinutritional compound.

HOST-MEDIATED INDUCTION OF alpha-AMYLASES BY LARVAE OF THE MEXICAN BEAN WEEVIL Zabrotes subfasciatus (COLEOPTERA: CHRYSOMELIDAE: BRUCHINAE) IS IRREVERSIBLE AND OBSERVED FROM THE INITIATION OF THE FEEDING PERIOD

Larvae of Zabrotes subfasciatus secrete alpha-amylases that are insensitive to the alpha-amylase inhibitor found in seeds of Phaseolus vulgaris. By analyzing amylase activities during larval development on P. vulgaris, we detected activity of the constitutive amylase and the two inducible amylase isoforms at all stages. When larvae were transferred from the non alpha-amylase inhibitor containing seeds of Vigna unguiculata to P. vulgaris, the inducible alpha-amylases were expressed at the same level as in control larvae fed on P. vulgaris. Interestingly, when larvae were transferred from seeds of P. vulgaris to those of V. unguiculata, inducible alpha-amylases continued to be expressed at a level similar to that found in control larvae fed P. vulgaris continuously. When 10-day-old larvae were removed from seeds of V. unguiculata and transferred into capsules containing flour of P. vulgaris cotyledons, and thus maintained until completing 17 days ( age when the larvae stopped feeding), we could detect higher activity of the inducible alpha-amylases. However, when larvae of the same age were transferred from P. vulgaris into capsules containing flour of V. unguiculata, the inducible alpha-amylases remained up-regulated. These results suggest that the larvae of Z. subfasciatus have the ability to induce insensitive amylases early in their development. A short period of feeding on P. vulgaris cotyledon flour was sufficient to irreversibly induce the inducible alpha-amylase isoforms. Incubations of brush border membrane vesicles with the alpha-amylase inhibitor 1 from P. vulgaris suggest that the inhibitor is recognized by putative receptors found in the midgut microvillar membranes. (C) 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Spatial choice is biased by chemical cues from conspecifics in the speckeled worm eel Myrophis punctatus

A enguia mirongo-mirim Myrophis punctatus vive em agrupamentos de alta densidade populacional e comumente se enterra ou permanece sob o substrato. Esses comportamentos podem levar a marcas químicas no subtrato e podem, portanto, modular o uso do espaço nessa espécie. Neste estudo, testamos a hipótese de que a preferência espacial da enguia mirongo-mirim é influenciada pela presença de odor do animal coespecífico no subtrato. Mostramos que as enguias evitam a área que contém tal odor, indicando que as decisões de ocupação espacial podem ser influenciadas por pistas químicas de coespecíficos. As enguias claramente detectaram o odor de um animal coespecífico e essa percepção poderia ser um indicativo da presença de um coespecífico enterrado no substrato. Visto que elas evitam uma área contendo tal odor, sugerimos que isso poderia ser uma resposta para evitar invadir o território de um animal residente.

Modeling of weeds interference periods in bean

Objetivou-se com este trabalho determinar o período de convivência anterior à interferência das plantas daninhas (PAI) e o período anterior ao dano no rendimento econômico (PADRE) na cultura do feijão, em diferentes espaçamentos (0,45 e 0,60 m) e densidade de plantas (10 e 15 plantas m-1). Os tratamentos foram constituídos de períodos de convivência entre a cultura e as plantas daninhas (0 a 10, 0 a 20, 0 a 30, 0 a 40, 0 a 50, 0 a 60, 0 a 70 e 0 a 80 dias), mais uma testemunha sem convívio com as plantas daninhas. Adotou-se o delineamento experimental de blocos casualizados, com quatro repetições. Os períodos anteriores à interferência (PAI) da cultura foram de 23, 27, 13 e 19 dias após emergência, e os períodos anteriores ao dano no rendimento econômico (PADRE), de 10, 9, 8 e 8 dias, para os tratamentos com espaçamento de 0,45 m e densidades de semeadura de 10 e 15 plantas m-1 e para aqueles com espaçamento de 0,60 m e densidades de semeadura de 10 e 15 plantas m-1, respectivamente, o que reduziu a produtividade de grãos em 63, 50, 42 e 57%, respectivamente, com a presença das plantas daninhas durante todo o ciclo do feijoeiro.

Analysis of the Priestley-Taylor alpha parameter for a bean crop

This work deals with the Priestley-Taylor model for evapotranspiration in different grown stages of a bean crop. Priestley and Taylor derived a practical Formulation for energy partitioning between the sensible and latent heat fluxes through the a parameter. Bowen ratio energy balance (BREB) was carried out for daily sensible and latent heat flux estimations in three different crop stages. Mean daily values of Priestley-Taylor a parameter were determined for eleven days during the crop cycle. Diurnal variation patterns of a are presented for the growing, flowering and graining periods. The mean values of 1.13 +/- 0.33, 1.26 +/- 0.74, 1.22 +/- 0.55 were obtained for a day in the growing, in the flowering and for graining periods, respectively. Eleven days values of a are shown and gave a mean value of 1.23 +/- 0.10 which agree on the reported literature.

Effect of bean genotypes, insecticides, and natural products on the control of Bemisia tabaci (Gennadius) biotype B (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae) and Caliothrips phaseoli (Hood) (Thysanoptera: Thripidae)

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Chaunus ictericus (Spix, 1824) as paratenic host of the giant kidney worm Dioctophyme renale (Goeze, 1782) (Nematoda: Enoplida) in Sao Cristovao district, Tres Barras county, Santa Catarina state, Brazil

Dioctophyme renale larvae have been found in cysts in the gastric wall of 5.17% (3/58) Chaunus ictericus specimens from Sao Cristovao district, Tres Barras municipality, Santa Catarina state, Brazil. However, larvae of this nematode were not found in sympatric Chaunus schneideri. The larvae caused a mild granulomatous reaction. This is the first report of paratenic hosts for D. renale in Brazil, and probably is also the first in the Neotropical region. (C) 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Electrical conductivity and mineral composition of the imbibition solution of bean seeds during storage

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

Genetic characterization and nitrogen fixation capacity of Rhizobium strains on common bean

O objetivo deste trabalho foi a caracterização genética de quatro novas estirpes de Rhizobium e a avaliação de sua capacidade de fixação de N2 e nodulação, comparadas a estirpes comerciais e à população nativa de rizóbios de um Latossolo Vermelho. Dois experimentos foram conduzidos em blocos ao acaso, em casa de vegetação. No primeiro experimento, conduzido em tubetes com vermiculita, avaliaram-se a nodulação e a capacidade de fixação das novas estirpes, em comparação com as estirpes comerciais CIAT-899 e PRF-81 e com a população nativa do solo. Das colônias puras isoladas, extraiu-se o DNA genômico e realizou-se o seqüenciamento do espaço intergênico, para a caracterização genética das estirpes e da população nativa de rizóbios. O segundo experimento foi realizado em vasos com solo, para determinação da produtividade e da nodulação do feijoeiro, cultivar Pérola, com o uso das estirpes isoladamente ou em mistura com a PRF-81. A população nativa do solo foi identificada como Rhizobium sp. e se mostrou ineficiente na fixação de nitrogênio. Foram encontradas três espécies de Rhizobium entre as quatro novas estirpes. As estirpes LBMP-4BR e LBMP-12BR estão entre as que têm maior capacidade de nodulação e fixação de N2, e apresentam respostas diferenciadas quando misturadas à PRF-81.