QTL mapping for protein content in soybean cultivated in two tropical environments

The objectives of this study were to detect quantitative trait loci (QTL) for protein content in soybean grown in two distinct tropical environments and to build a genetic map for protein content. One hundred eighteen soybean recombinant inbred lines (RIL), obtained from a cross between cultivars BARC 8 and Garimpo, were used. The RIL were cultivated in two distinct Brazilian tropical environments: Cascavel county, in Paraná, and Viçosa county, in Minas Gerais (24º57'S, 53º27'W and 20º45'S, 42º52'W, respectively). Sixty-six SSR primer pairs and 65 RAPD primers were polymorphic and segregated at a 1:1 proportion. Thirty poorly saturated linkage groups were obtained, with 90 markers and 41 nonlinked markers. For the lines cultivated in Cascavel, three QTL were mapped in C2, E and N linkage groups, which explained 14.37, 10.31 and 7.34% of the phenotypic variation of protein content, respectively. For the lines cultivated in Viçosa, two QTL were mapped in linkage groups G and #1, which explained 9.51 and 7.34% of the phenotypic variation of protein content. Based on the mean of the two environments, two QTL were identified: one in the linkage group E (9.90%) and other in the group L (7.11%). In order for future studies to consistently detect QTL effects of different environments, genotypes with greater stability should be used.

Soil compaction by machine traffic and least limiting water range related to soybean yield

The research aimed to evaluate machine traffic effect on soil compaction and the least limiting water range related to soybean cultivar yields, during two years, in a Haplustox soil. The six treatments were related to tractor (11 Mg weight) passes by the same place: T0, no compaction; and T1*, 1; T1, 1; T2, 2; T4, 4 and T6, 6. In the treatment T1*, the compaction occurred when soil was dried, in 2003/2004, and with a 4 Mg tractor in 2004/2005. Soybean yield was evaluated in relation to soil compaction during two agricultural years in completely randomized design (compaction levels); however, in the second year, there was a factorial scheme (compaction levels, with and without irrigation), with four replicates represented by 9 m² plots. In the first year, soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] cultivar IAC Foscarim 31 was cultivated without irrigation; and in the second year, IAC Foscarim 31 and MG/BR 46 (Conquista) cultivars were cultivated with and without irrigation. Machine traffic causes compaction and reduces soybean yield for soil penetration resistance between 1.64 to 2.35 MPa, and bulk density between 1.50 to 1.53 Mg m-3. Soil bulk density from which soybean cultivar yields decrease is lower than the critical one reached at least limiting water range (LLWR =/ 0).

Matéria seca, carbono e nitrogênio de raízes de soja e milho em plantio direto e convencional

O objetivo deste trabalho foi verificar se o sistema de preparo do solo afeta a distribuição e o acúmulo de matéria seca (MS), carbono (C) e nitrogênio (N) das raízes de soja (Glycine max) e milho (Zea mays), em um Latossolo Vermelho distroférrico muito argiloso. A amostragem das raízes até 1 m de profundidade foi feita com anéis volumétricos. A distribuição em profundidade e o acúmulo de MS, C e N das raízes não foram influenciados pelo preparo do solo. A densidade de comprimento de raízes na camada de 0-0, 10 m foi de 0,7 a 1,4 cm cm-3 em soja, e de 1,2 a 1,6 cm cm-3 em milho, e decresceu nas demais camadas. O acúmulo de MS das raízes foi de 1,94 a 2,01 Mg ha-1 em soja, e de 2,50 a 3,79 Mg ha-1 em milho. Houve acúmulo de 0,61 a 0,63 Mg ha-1 de C e de 36,9 a 38,2 kg ha-1 de N em soja, e de 0,72 a 1,10 Mg ha-1 de C e de 18,78 a 28,48 kg ha-1 de N em milho. Independentemente do sistema de preparo do solo, 80% das raízes situam-se entre 0,43 e 0,54 m de profundidade em soja, e entre 0,40 e 0,46 m em milho.

Ácaros predadores e o fungo Neozygites floridana associados a tetraniquídeos em soja no Rio Grande do Sul

O objetivo deste trabalho foi verificar a ocorrência de ácaros predadores e do fungo Neozygites floridana, associados a ácaros tetraniquídeos, em soja (Glycine max L.), no Estado do Rio Grande do Sul. Entre 2003 e 2005, foram avaliadas amostras de folhas de soja das principais regiões produtoras do Estado. Essas amostras foram coletadas de diferentes posições da planta e aleatoriamente na lavoura. As espécies de ácaros predadores encontradas foram: Neoseiulus anonymus, N. californicus, Phytoseiulus fragariae, P. macropilis, Proprioseiopsis cannaensis e Galendromus annectens. O fungo N. floridana apresentou ampla distribuição e ocorreu em todas as espécies de tetraniquídeos encontradas: Mononychellus planki, Tetranychus desertorum, T. gigas, T. ludeni e T. urticae.

Key locations for soybean genotype assessment in Central Brazil

The objective of this work was to identify key locations for the establishment of soybean (Glycine max) genetic breeding programs, in the Central Region of Brazil. Grain yield data of three maturity groups of soybean genotypes, from regional trials conducted over three years, at 18 locations in Brazilian Cerrado were used. A key location for the early phases of the breeding program was defined as the site that best classifies the winning genotypes in the region. Key locations for the final phases were defined as those sites that best represent each environmental stratum, in relation to the adaptability of the respective winning genotype. This adaptability was estimated by additive main effects and multiplicative interaction (AMMI) model analysis, using the distance between the score of each location in a stratum and the score of the winning genotype, which characterizes such stratum in an AMMI biplot. The locations that best classified the winning genotypes over space and time were Mineiros, Placas and Rio Verde. For the final phases of genotype selection, with data from the three maturity group, the recommended locations were: Buritis, Chapadão do Céu, Iraí, Pamplona, Placas, Planaltina, Rio Verde, Sacramento, Senador Canedo, Uberaba, and Uberlândia.

Diversidade e potencial biotecnológico da comunidade bacteriana endofítica de sementes de soja

O objetivo deste trabalho foi isolar, caracterizar e identificar a comunidade bacteriana endofítica de sementes de soja e avaliar o seu potencial biotecnológico. Foram utilizadas sementes de 12 cultivares de soja. Os isolados bacterianos endofíticos obtidos foram avaliados in vitro quanto ao antagonismo a fungos fitopatogênicos, síntese de ácido indolacético (AIA) e solubilização de fosfato. A caracterização foi realizada com técnicas de isolamento, análise de restrição do DNA ribossomal amplificado (ARDRA) e sequenciamento parcial do gene 16S rDNA. Os isolados com maior potencial biotecnológico foram inoculados em sementes de soja, para se avaliar a capacidade de promoção de crescimento de plantas. Foi possível identificar 12 ribótipos por meio da ARDRA, que foram classificados como: Acinetobacter, Bacillus, Brevibacterium, Chryseobacterium, Citrobacter, Curtobacterium, Enterobacter, Methylobacterium, Microbacterium, Micromonospora, Pantoea, Paenibacillus, Pseudomonas, Ochrobactrum, Streptomyces e Tsukamurella. Quanto ao potencial biotecnológico da comunidade, 18% dos isolados controlaram o crescimento de fungos fitopatogênicos, 100% produziram AIA, e 39% solubilizaram fosfato. O isolado 67A(57) de Enterobacter sp. aumentou significativamente a massa de matéria seca da raiz. A inoculação de isolados com elevado potencial biotecnológico em avaliações in vitro não promoveu o crescimento de plantas de soja na maioria dos casos.

Improving node number simulation in soybean

The objective of this study was to improve the simulation of node number in soybean cultivars with determinate stem habits. A nonlinear model considering two approaches to input daily air temperature data (daily mean temperature and daily minimum/maximum air temperatures) was used. The node number on the main stem data of ten soybean cultivars was collected in a three-year field experiment (from 2004/2005 to 2006/2007) at Santa Maria, RS, Brazil. Node number was simulated using the Soydev model, which has a nonlinear temperature response function [f(T)]. The f(T) was calculated using two methods: using daily mean air temperature calculated as the arithmetic average among daily minimum and maximum air temperatures (Soydev tmean); and calculating an f(T) using minimum air temperature and other using maximum air temperature and then averaging the two f(T)s (Soydev tmm). Root mean square error (RMSE) and deviations (simulated minus observed) were used as statistics to evaluate the performance of the two versions of Soydev. Simulations of node number in soybean were better with the Soydev tmm version, with a 0.5 to 1.4 node RMSE. Node number can be simulated for several soybean cultivars using only one set of model coefficients, with a 0.8 to 2.4 node RMSE.

Chemical and physical composition of grain-type and food-type soybean for food processing

The objective of this work was to evaluate the chemical and physical characteristics of grains of soybean (Glycine max) cultivars for food processing. The soybean cultivars evaluated were: grain-type - BRS 133 and BRS 258; food-type - BRS 213 (null lipoxygenases), BRS 267 (vegetable-type) and BRS 216 (small grain size). BRS 267 and BRS 216 cultivars showed higher protein content, indicating that they could promote superior nutritional value. BRS 213 cultivar showed the lowest lipoxygenase activity, and BRS 267, the lowest hexanal content. These characteristics can improve soyfood flavor. After cooking, BRS 267 cultivar grains presented a higher content of aglycones (more biologically active form of isoflavones) and oleic acid, which makes it proper for functional foods and with better stability for processing, and also showed high content of fructose, glutamic acid and alanine, compounds related to the soybean mild flavor. Because of its large grain size, BRS 267 is suitable for tofu and edamame, while small-grain-sized BRS 216 is good for natto and for soybean sprouts production. BRS 216 and BRS 213 cultivars presented shorter cooking time, which may be effective for reducing processing costs.

Faunistic analysis of Carabidae and Staphylinidae (Coleoptera) in five agroecosystems in northeastern São Paulo state, Brazil

The objective of this study was to determined species composition and community structure of Carabidae and Staphylinidae in five areas of forest fragment and soybean/corn crops or orange orchard, from December 2004 to May 2007. Beetles were captured in pitfall traps distributed along two parallel transects of 200 m in length, placed across crop land/forest boundary fragment, with 100 m each. The Shannon-Wiener diversity and evenness indexes and Morisita similarity index were calculated. The carabids Abaris basistriatus Chaudoir, Calosoma granulatum Perty, Megacephala brasiliensis Kirby, Odontochila nodicornis (Dejean) and Selenophorus seriatoporus Putzeys. are dominant and are widely distributed in northeastern São Paulo state, Brazil. Point-scale species diversity was greatest at the transition between forest fragment and cultivated area. The carabid and staphylinid communities of the forest fragment were more similar to the community of orange orchard than that of soybean/corn crops.

Eficiência de fosfato natural reativo aplicado em misturas com superfosfato triplo em milho e soja

O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar o efeito do modo de aplicação do superfosfato triplo (SFT), do fosfato natural reativo de Gafsa e da mistura entre essas fontes no aproveitamento do fósforo (P) por plantas de milho e de soja. Os experimentos foram realizados em casa de vegetação, e as plantas foram cultivadas em vasos com Latossolo Vermelho-Amarelo distrófico. As fontes fosfatadas foram aplicadas isoladamente ou em misturas (proporção 1:1), à dose de 90 mg kg-1 de P, de modo não localizado ou localizado no solo. Para a quantificação do P absorvido pelas plantas das diferentes fontes, empregaram-se tratamentos com o solo e com o SFT marcados com 32P. O aproveitamento do fósforo do superfosfato triplo aplicado de forma localizada (9,8%) foi superior ao da não localizada (7%). A aplicação não localizada do fosfato natural reativo proporcionou maior aproveitamento do fósforo (3,8%), em comparação à localizada (0,5%). Em comparação à aplicação isolada do fosfato de Gafsa, o aproveitamento do fósforo pelas plantas de milho e soja aumentou quando essa fonte foi aplicada como mistura compactada; em presença do superfosfato triplo, a aplicação do fosfato natural reativo de Gafsa de modo não localizado proporcionou maior aproveitamento do P pelas plantas de soja. O aproveitamento do fósforo do fosfato natural de Gafsa aumenta quando aplicado ao solo com o superfosfato triplo, e esse efeito depende do método de aplicação das fontes fosfatadas.

Seed priming and sulfur effects on soybean cell membrane stability and yield in saline soil

The objective of this work was to determine the effects of seed priming and sulfur application on cell membrane characteristics, seedling emergence, chlorophyll content and grain yield of soybean (Glycine max) in saline soil. A complete-block design in 4x3 factorial arrangement with three replicates was used to test four types of seed priming (water, auxin, gibberellin and non-priming) and three levels of sulfate availability (0, 70 and 140 kg ha-1 K2SO4). The soil had a silty loam texture with an electrical conductivity of 3.61 ds m-1, a pH of 8.2 and a saturation percentage of about 46%. Seed priming had significant effects on mean emergence rate (MER), emergence percentage, relative water content (RWC) of leaves, relative chlorophyll content, time of maturity, shoot length and grain yield. The highest values for these variables were observed in the priming treatments, except for the time of maturity. Sulfur application had significant effects on MER, shoot length, RWC, membrane injury index and grain yield. Priming treatments provide greater emergence rates and grain yields and interact sinergicaly with sulfur rates.

Interference of genotypes x environments interaction in the genetic control of resistance to Asian rust soybean

The objectives of this work were to identify parents resistant to Asian soybean rust using diallel crosses, obtain information on the genetic control of soybean resistance to the pathogen and verify whether the combining ability estimates interact with the environment (year or time of assessment). The F1 generation was obtained in a greenhouse from crosses between five contrasting parents for the trait resistance to soybean rust, in a complete diallel without reciprocals. Two rust-severity assessments were carried out on individual soybean plants of 25 treatments (parents and F2 and F3 populations) in 2006/2007 and 2007/2008, in an experimental field at Embrapa Soja, Londrina, PR, Brazil. Additive effects predominated in the genetic control of soybean resistance to Asian rust, and the interaction of the segregant populations with the environment, although significant, did not alter the genetic parameter's general combining ability (GCA) and specific combining ability estimates, indicating that estimates obtained in one year and one assessment can be extrapolated to others. BR01-18437 inbred line is resistant to Asian rust and showed high GCA effects. This line should be used as parent if the objective is the resistance to Phakopsora pachyrhizi.

Metabolic alterations in the cortex of a mouse model with glutathione deficit - relevance to schizophrenia

Background: Glutathione (GSH) is a major redox regulator and antioxidant and is decreased in cerebrospinal fluid and prefrontal cortex of schizophrenia patients [Do et al. (2000) Eur J Neurosci 12:3721]. The genes of the key GSH-synthesizing enzyme, glutamate- cysteine ligase catalytic (GCLC) and modifier (GCLM) subunits, are associated with schizophrenia, suggesting that the deficit in GSH synthesis is of genetic origin [Gysin et al. (2007) PNAS 104:16621]. GCLM knock-out (KO) mice, which display an 80% decrease in brain GSH levels, have abnormal brain morphology and function [Do et al. (2009) Curr Opin Neurobiol 19:220]. Developmental redox deregulation by impaired GSH synthesis and environmental risk factors generating oxidative stress may have a central role in schizophrenia. Here, we used GCLM KO mice to investigate the impact of a genetically dysregulated redox system on the neurochemical profile of the developing brain. Methods: The neurochemical profile of the anterior and posterior cortical areas of male and female GCLM KO and wild-type mice was determined by in vivo 1H NMR spectroscopy on postnatal days 10, 20, 30, 60 and 90, under 1 to 1.5% isoflurane anaesthesia. Localised 1H NMR spectroscopy was performed on a 14.1 T, 26 cm VNMRS spectrometer (Varian, Magnex) using a home-built 8 mm diameter quadrature surface coil (used both for RF excitation and signal reception). Spectra were acquired using SPECIAL with TE of 2.8 ms and TR of 4 s from VOIs placed in anterior or posterior regions of the cortex [Mlynárik et al. (2006) MRM 56:965]. LCModel analysis allowed in vivo quantification of a neurochemical profile composed of 18 metabolites. Results: GCLM KO mice displayed nearly undetectable GSH levels as compared to WT mice, demonstrating their drastic redox deregulation. Depletion of GSH triggered alteration of metabolites related to its synthesis, namely increase of glycine and glutamate levels during development (P20 and P30). Concentrations of glutamine and aspartate that are produced from glutamate were also increased in GCLM KO animals relative to WT. In addition, GCLM KO mice also showed higher levels of N-acetylaspartate that originates from the acetylation of aspartate. These metabolites are particularly implicated in neurotransmission processes and in mitochondrial oxidative metabolism. Their increase may indicate impaired mitochondrial metabolism with concomitant accumulation of lactate in the adult mice (P60 and P90). In addition, the GSH depletion triggers reduction of GABA concentration in anterior cortex of the P60 mice, which is in accordance with known impairment of GABAergic interneurons in that area. Changes were generally more pronounced in males than in females at P60, which is consistent with earlier disease onset in male patients. Discussion: In conclusion, the observed metabolic alterations in the cortex of a mouse model of redox deregulation suggest impaired mitochondrial metabolism and altered neurotransmission. The results also highlight the age between P20 and P30 as a sensitive period during the development for these alterations.

Solar radiation use efficiency by soybean under field conditions in the Amazon region

The objective of this work was to evaluate the efficiency of soybean (Glycine max) in intercepting and using solar radiation under natural field conditions, in the Amazon region, Brazil. The meteorological data and the values of soybean growth and leaf area were obtained from an agrometeorological experiment carried out in Paragominas, Pará state, during 2007 and 2008. The radiation use efficiency (RUE) was obtained from the ratio between the above-ground biomass production and the intercepted photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) accumulated to 99 and 95 days after sowing, in 2007 and 2008, respectively. Climatic conditions during the experiment were very distinct, with reduction in rainfall in 2007, which began during the soybean mid-cycle, due to the El Niño phenomenon. An important reduction in the leaf area index and biomass production was observed during 2007. Under natural field conditions in the Amazon region, the values of RUE were 1.46 and 1.99 g MJ-1 PAR in the 2007 and 2008 experiments, respectively. The probable reason for the differences found between these years might be associated to the water restriction in 2007 coupled with the higher air temperature and vapor pressure deficit, and also to the increase in the fraction of diffuse radiation that reached the land surface in 2008.

Medidas da precisão experimental em ensaios com genótipos de feijão e de soja

O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar a adequação das estatísticas herdabilidade, coeficiente de determinação, valor do teste F para genótipo, índice de diferenciação de Fasoulas e acurácia seletiva, como medidas do grau de precisão experimental em conjuntos de ensaios de competição de genótipos de feijão (Phaseolus vulgaris) e de soja (Glycine max). Foram usados os dados de produtividade de grãos de 72 e 216 ensaios de competição de genótipos de feijão e de soja, respectivamente, realizados no Estado do Rio Grande do Sul. Com base em 12 estatísticas, estimadas para cada ensaio, foram realizadas análises de correlação, de trilha e de agrupamento, e foi calculada a frequência de ensaios em cada classe de precisão experimental. As estatísticas acurácia seletiva, herdabilidade, coeficiente de determinação e valor do teste F para genótipo são mais adequadas do que o coeficiente de variação e a diferença mínima significativa pelo teste de Tukey, em percentagem da média, para se avaliar a precisão experimental, em ensaios de competição de genótipos de feijão e de soja. Por essas estatísticas, 88,89% dos ensaios de competição de genótipos de feijão e 75% dos ensaios de competição de genótipos de soja apresentaram precisão alta ou muito alta. Contudo, 2,78 e 10,19% dos ensaios de competição de genótipos de feijão e de soja, respectivamente, poderiam ser descartados, em razão da insuficiência na precisão experimental.