Clones Identification and Genetic Characterization of Garnacha Grapevine by Means of Different PCR-Derived Marker Systems

This study uses PCR-derived marker systems to investigate the extent and distribution of genetic variability of 53 Garnacha accessions coming from Italy, France and Spain. The samples studied include 28 Italian accessions (named Tocai rosso in Vicenza area; Alicante in Sicily and Elba island; Gamay perugino in Perugia province; Cannonau in Sardinia), 19 Spanish accessions of different types (named Garnacha tinta, Garnacha blanca, Garnacha peluda, Garnacha roja, Garnacha erguida, Garnacha roya) and 6 French accessions (named Grenache and Grenache noir). In order to verify the varietal identity of the samples, analyses based on 14 simple sequence repeat (SSR) loci were performed. The presence of an additional allele at ISV3 locus (151 bp) was found in four Tocai rosso accessions and in a Sardinian Cannonau clone, that are, incidentally, chimeras. In addition to microsatellite analysis, intravarietal variability study was performed using AFLP, SAMPL and M-AFLP molecular markers. AFLPs could discriminate among several Garnacha samples; SAMPLs allowed distinguishing few genotypes on the basis of their geographic origin, whereas M-AFLPs revealed plant-specific markers, differentiating all accessions. Italian samples showed the greatest variability among themselves, especially on the basis of their different provenance, while Spanish samples were the most similar, in spite of their morphological diversity.

Plant regeneration from an endangered valuable cork oak tree by somatic embryogenesis.

Among the several applications of in vitro tissue culture techniques, the conservation of plant germplasm is one of the most widely used. The cork oak is one of the principal tree species in the Western Mediterranean región. Within this área, the Balearic Islands are considered to be a glacial refuge, and therefore a reservoir of genetic resources. A singular tree has been found in the small Minorca Island population. The haplotype of this tree is of Tyrrhenian origin, showing a past link between Minorca and Sardinia. Moreover, this tree do not bear a deletion within an ITS from ribosimic nuclear DNA, which is fairly common in many populations of this species, and indicates that ir may be the descendant of a very ancient population. This tree is currently in a precarious condition, and it has not produced acorns in the last years. Hence there is a clear need of vegetative propagation to conserve this genotype. We have previously developed methods to clone adult cork oak tres by somatic embryogenesis, and therefore the aim of the present work was to clone this singular tree. There braches from the corwn were collected in November 2004, and methods previously described were carried out. By February 2005 somatic embryogenesis was obtained from leaves of the tree with percentages on induction ranging from 17 to 54% depending on the branch, which may show a novel source of variation that requires further study. Spontaneously matured somatic embryos germinated at 46% in average, and the first somatic seedlings from the Alfavaret's cork oak tree were obtained. Therefore, this study shows one of the most relevant applications of somatic embryogenesis: the plant regeneration of valuable genotypes for the in situ and ex situ conservation of forest genetic resources.

Simplified Finite Element Assessment of Beams With and Without Shear Deformation

This paper presents a simplified finite element (FE) methodology for solving accurately beam models with (Timoshenko) and without (Bernoulli-Euler) shear deformation. Special emphasis is made on showing how it is possible to obtain the exact solution on the nodes and a good accuracy inside the element. The proposed simplifying concept, denominated as the equivalent distributed load (EDL) of any order, is based on the use of Legendre orthogonal polynomials to approximate the original or acting load for computing the results between the nodes. The 1-span beam examples show that this is a promising procedure that allows the aim of using either one FE and an EDL of slightly higher order or by using an slightly larger number of FEs leaving the EDL in the lowest possible order assumed by definition to be equal to 4 independently of how irregular the beam is loaded.

Model inter-comparison on crop rotation effects ? an intermediate report

Data of diverse crop rotations from five locations across Europe were distributed to modelers to investigate the capability of models to handle complex crop rotations and management interactions.

Taxonomía y caracterización del arbusto forrajero Atriplex halimus L.

El objetivo de esta Tesis Doctoral ha sido la revisión de la taxonomía infraespecífica de la especie Atriplex halimus L., la delimitación del área geográfica que ocupan sus taxones y su caracterización morfológica. En base a las citas bibliográficas y material de herbario consultado se ha trazado un mapa de distribución de la especie, que delimita su distribución como planta espontánea a la Cuenca Mediterránea, desierto de Siria, Macizo de Hoggar y Sahara Occidental. El resto debe considerarse poblaciones naturalizadas o cultivadas. La taxonomía actual, basada en relaciones filogenéticas, nos indica que lo adecuado es separar las poblaciones de A. halimus en dos clados que se caracterizan por tener diferente nivel de ploidía. Para definir el área de distribución de los clados diploide y tetraploide se ha determinado la ploidía de 19 poblaciones en el espacio comprendido entre las dos áreas de distribución conocidas. Y como resultado el área de distribución de ambos clados puede definirse trazando una recta que une el estrecho de Gibraltar con Estambul, las poblaciones al sur de esta línea son tetraploides a las que habría que añadir las poblaciones del este y sur de la isla de Cerdeña que son también tetraploides. Se han determinado cuales son los parámetros morfológicos que permiten caracterizar ambos clados, para lo cual se han estudiado 52 poblaciones que comprenden toda el área de distribución de la especie. Se han evaluado caracteres cualitativos y cuantitativos de valvas fructíferas, plántulas cultivadas en cámara y arbustos de 2 a 4 años situados en la misma parcela. El único elemento fiable para determinar la pertenencia al clado diploide o tetraploide es la medición del nivel de ploidía. Ninguno de los caracteres morfológicos estudiados es plenamente fiable para determinar si los individuos de una población pertenecen al clado diploide o tetraploide a pesar de realizarse las mediciones sobre poblaciones cultivadas en igualdad de condiciones de suelo y clima, y en condiciones muy favorables para la expresión de caracteres cualitativos y cuantitativos. Los caracteres cualitativos observados que guardan una mayor correlación con el nivel de ploidía son: la base de las hojas de las plántulas, el porte del arbusto, la ramificación, el ángulo de inserción de las ramas y la longitud de la inflorescencia. Respecto a los datos cuantitativos los más relevantes han sido, la longitud de los cotiledones y la longitud del limbo de la 1ª, 3ª o 5ª hoja de la plántula o la razón entre este valor y la anchura del limbo. ABSTRACT The aim of this Thesis has been in the revision of the infraspecies taxa of Atriplex halimus L., the delimitation of their natural growing area and their morphological characterization. Using references to relevant literature and consultation of herbariums, it has been possible to map the distribution of the species as spontaneous plant in the Mediterranean Basin, Desert of Syria, Massif of Hoggar and Western Sahara. The remaining populations must be considered as naturalized or cultivated. The current taxonomy, based on phylogenetic relationships, indicates that A.halimus should be divided in two clades. These clades are characterized by their different ploidy level. Samples of nineteen populations collected from localizations between the defined distribution area of both clades have been characterized for their ploidy level. As a result, it can be seen that the line of clade separation can be trazed from Istambul tothe Strait of Gibraltar, where the populations north to this line are classified as diploid and those south of the line are clsassified as tetraploid. The only exception of this rule is in Sardinia, hwre populations to the West and South of the Island are also classified as tetraploid. The morphological parameters, which include the characterization of both clades, have been defined, and the study of fifty-two populations from the entire distribution area according to these parameters have been analysed. The qualitative and quantitative characteristics of the fruit valves have been evaluated, with seedlings grown in a culture chamber, and 2-4 years old shrubs grown in the same orchard. None of the morphological characters under study are fully reliable to determine whether individuals in a population belong to clade diploid or tetraploid. This is despite measurements being made on populations grown under the same conditions of soil and climate, and in very favorable conditions for the expression of qualitative and quantitative traits. The qualitative characteristics that show a higher correlation with the ploidy level are: the base of the leaves of the seedlings, the bearing bush, the branch arrangement, the angle of insertion of the branches and the inflorescence length. With regards to the quantitative data the most relevant were the length of the cotyledons and the length of the blade of the 1st, 3rd or 5th leaves of the seedling, and the ratio of any of this values and the leaf blade width. The only reliable way to determine the diploid or tetraploid clade membership is the measurement of ploidy level.

Geographical structuring in the mtDNA of Italians.

Geographical patterns of mtDNA variation were studied in 12 Italian samples (1072 individuals) by two different spatial autocorrelation methods. Separate analyses of the frequencies of 12 restriction morphs show North-South clines, differences between Sardinia and the mainland populations, and the effects of isolation by distance. A recently developed autocorrelation statistic summarizing molecular similarity at all sites (AIDA; autocorrelation index for DNA analysis) confirms the presence of a clinical pattern; differences between random pairs of haplotypes tend to increase with their geographical distance. The partition of gene diversity, however, reveals that most variability occurs within populations, whereas differences between populations are minor (GST = 0.057). When the data from the 12 samples are pooled, two descriptors of genetic variability (number of polymorphic sites and average sequence difference between pairs of individuals) do not behave as expected under neutrality. The presence of clinal patterns, Tajima's tests, and a simulation experiment agree in suggesting that population sizes increased rapidly in Italy and Sicily but not necessarily so in Sardinia. The distribution of pairwise sequence differences in the Italian peninsula (excluding Sardinia) permits a tentative location of the demographic increase between 8000 and 20,500 years ago. These dates are consistent with archaeological estimates of two distinct expansion processes, occurring, respectively, in the Neolithic and after the last glacial maximum in the Paleolithic. Conversely, there is no genetic evidence that such processes have had a major impact on the Sardinian population.

A new low magnetic field magnetar: the 2011 outburst of Swift J1822.3–1606

We report on the long-term X-ray monitoring with Swift, RXTE, Suzaku, Chandra, and XMM-Newton of the outburst of the newly discovered magnetar Swift J1822.3–1606 (SGR 1822–1606), from the first observations soon after the detection of the short X-ray bursts which led to its discovery, through the first stages of its outburst decay (covering the time span from 2011 July until the end of 2012 April). We also report on archival ROSAT observations which detected the source during its likely quiescent state, and on upper limits on Swift J1822.3–1606's radio-pulsed and optical emission during outburst, with the Green Bank Telescope and the Gran Telescopio Canarias, respectively. Our X-ray timing analysis finds the source rotating with a period of P = 8.43772016(2) s and a period derivative P = 8.3(2)×10−14 s s−1, which implies an inferred dipolar surface magnetic field of B sime 2.7 × 1013 G at the equator. This measurement makes Swift J1822.3–1606 the second lowest magnetic field magnetar (after SGR 0418+5729). Following the flux and spectral evolution from the beginning of the outburst, we find that the flux decreased by about an order of magnitude, with a subtle softening of the spectrum, both typical of the outburst decay of magnetars. By modeling the secular thermal evolution of Swift J1822.3–1606, we find that the observed timing properties of the source, as well as its quiescent X-ray luminosity, can be reproduced if it was born with a poloidal and crustal toroidal fields of Bp ~ 1.5 × 1014 G and B tor ~ 7 × 1014 G, respectively, and if its current age is ~550 kyr.

Is SGR 0418+5729 indeed a waning magnetar?

SGR 0418+5729 is a transient soft gamma-ray repeater which underwent a major outburst in 2009 June, during which the emission of short bursts was observed. Its properties appeared quite typical of other sources of the same class until long-term X-ray monitoring failed to detect any period derivative. The present upper limit on P implies that the surface dipole field is Bp lsim 7.5 × 1012 G, well below those measured in other soft gamma-ray repeaters (SGRs) and in the Anomalous X-ray Pulsars (AXPs), a group of similar sources. Both SGRs and AXPs are currently believed to be powered by ultra-magnetized neutron stars (magnetars, Bp ≈ 1014-1015 G). SGR 0418+5729 hardly seems to fit in such a picture. We show that the magneto-rotational properties of SGR 0418+5729 can be reproduced if this is an aged magnetar, ≈1 Myr old, which experienced substantial field decay. The large initial toroidal component of the internal field required to match the observed properties of SGR 0418+5729 ensures that crustal fractures, and hence bursting activity, can still occur at the present time. The thermal spectrum observed during the outburst decay is compatible with the predictions of a resonant Compton scattering model (as in other SGRs/AXPs) if the field is low and the magnetospheric twist is moderate.

Plantas atípicas de Cymbalaria aequitriloba (Viv.) A.Chev. cultivadas en la comarca del Matarraña (Teruel)

Cymbalaria aequitriloba (Viv.) A.Chev., es una planta endémica del área Tirrénica (Sicilia, Córcega, Cerdeña y algunos puntos de Italia peninsular), que también alcanza las Islas Baleares. Ha sido encontrada en Torre de Arcas (Teruel) como una planta cultivada o accidental, presente en jardineras de floración invernal, constituyendo un elemento muy particular de la jardinería popular del Matarraña aragonés. Que sepamos, es la primera vez que se cita esta especie en España peninsular. Presenta una gran variabilidad morfológica lo que dificulta su identificación, no obstante es fácilmente diferenciable de C. muralis, la especie más cultivada en la zona. En esta región, tienen por costumbre remover la tierra tras la floración pues la planta pierde belleza, luego vuelve a aparecer en la siguiente estación por renuevo vegetativo o algunas plantas de semilla, motivo que no nos ha permitido estudiar plantas en fructificación. Todo Aragón, pero especialmente el Matarraña, tuvieron estrechos lazos comerciales con Italia durante el s. XIV-XV (principalmente exportando la lana), hecho que pudo favorecer el intercambio de materiales vegetales, como ya se ha podido constatar previamente con otras plantas similares.

Africae I Tab

[Gerardus Mercator].

On the accession of Charles Emanuel the IVth to the throne = In occasione dell' avvenimento al trono dell' augustissimo sovrano Carlo Emmanuele IV.

Verses in English signed: Frances Negri Gobbet. Italian translation signed: Aretofilo Dianeo (?--print unclear)

Italy : handbook for travellers /

Includes indexes.

Atti parlamentari.

Consists of separately numbered series of publications of the Parlamento as a whole, the Senato and the Camera dei deputati.