Genetic Structure of Cochliobolus sativus Populations Sampled from Roots and Leaves of Barley and Wheat in North Dakota

Common root rot (CRR) and spot blotch, caused by Cochliobolus sativus (Ito and Kurib.) Drechsl. ex Dast., are important diseases of barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) and wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) worldwide. However, the population biology of C. sativus is still poorly understood. In this study, the genetic structure of three C. sativus populations, consisting of isolates sampled respectively from barley leaves (BL), barley roots (BR) and wheat roots (WR) in North Dakota, was analysed with amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP) markers. A total of 127 AFLP loci were generated among 208 C. sativus isolates analysed with three primer combinations. Gene diversity (H = 0.277-0.335) were high in all three populations. Genetic variation among C. sativus individuals within population accounted for 74%, whereas 26% of the genetic variation was explained among populations. Genetic differentiation was high (empty set PT = 0.261, corrected G ''(st)= 0.39), whereas gene flow (Nm) ranged from 1.27 to 1.56 among the three populations analysed. The multilocus linkage disequilibrium (LD) ((r) over bard = 0.0760.117) was moderate in C. sativus populations. Cluster analyses indicate that C. sativus populations differentiated according to the hosts (barley and wheat) and tissues (root and leaf) although generalists also exist in North Dakota. Crop breeding may benefit from combining genes for resistance against both specialists and generalists of C. sativus.

Genetic Structure of Cochliobolus sativus Populations Sampled from Roots and Leaves of Barley and Wheat in North Dakota

Common root rot (CRR) and spot blotch, caused by Cochliobolus sativus (Ito and Kurib.) Drechsl. ex Dast., are important diseases of barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) and wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) worldwide. However, the population biology of C. sativus is still poorly understood. In this study, the genetic structure of three C. sativus populations, consisting of isolates sampled respectively from barley leaves (BL), barley roots (BR) and wheat roots (WR) in North Dakota, was analysed with amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP) markers. A total of 127 AFLP loci were generated among 208 C. sativus isolates analysed with three primer combinations. Gene diversity (H = 0.277-0.335) were high in all three populations. Genetic variation among C. sativus individuals within population accounted for 74%, whereas 26% of the genetic variation was explained among populations. Genetic differentiation was high (empty set PT = 0.261, corrected G ''(st)= 0.39), whereas gene flow (Nm) ranged from 1.27 to 1.56 among the three populations analysed. The multilocus linkage disequilibrium (LD) ((r) over bard = 0.0760.117) was moderate in C. sativus populations. Cluster analyses indicate that C. sativus populations differentiated according to the hosts (barley and wheat) and tissues (root and leaf) although generalists also exist in North Dakota. Crop breeding may benefit from combining genes for resistance against both specialists and generalists of C. sativus.

Large depth-of-view portable three-dimensional laser scanner and its segmental calibration for robot vision

A portable 3D laser scanning system has been designed and built for robot vision. By tilting the charge coupled device (CCD) plane of portable 3D scanning system according to the Scheimpflug condition, the depth-of-view is successfully extended from less than 40 to 100 mm. Based on the tilted camera model, the traditional two-step camera calibration method is modified by introducing the angle factor. Meanwhile, a novel segmental calibration approach, i.e., dividing the whole work range into two parts and calibrating, respectively, with corresponding system parameters, is proposed to effectively improve the measurement accuracy of the large depth-of-view 3D laser scanner. In the process of 3D reconstruction, different calibration parameters are used to transform the 2D coordinates into 3D coordinates according to the different positions of the image in the CCD plane, and the measurement accuracy of 60 mu m is obtained experimentally. Finally, the experiment of scanning a lamina by the large depth-of-view portable 3D laser scanner used by an industrial robot IRB 4400 is also employed to demonstrate the effectiveness and high measurement accuracy of our scanning system. (C) 2007 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Experimental study on the electric-sweep scanner and ion beam emittance of electron cyclotron resonance ion source

With a latest developed electric-sweep scanner system, we have done a lot of experiments for studying this scanner system and ion beam emittance of electron cyclotron resonance (ECR) ion source. The electric-sweep scanner system was installed on the beam line of Lanzhou electron resonance ion source No. 3 experimental platform of Institute of Modem Physics. The repetition experiments have proven that the system is a relatively dependable and reliable emittance scanner, and its experiment error is about 10%. We have studied the influences of the major parameters of ECR ion source on the extracted ion beam emittance. The typical results of the experiments and the conclusions are presented in this article.

Antioxidant and phenolic compounds in sweet potato peels and leaves: food applications and health benefits

Tese de doutoramento, Ciências Biotecnológicas (Biotecnologia Alimentar), Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia, Universidade do Algarve, 2014

A molecular and structural characterization of senescing Arabidopsis siliques and comparison of transcriptional profiles with senescing petals and leaves

Senescence of plant organs is a genetically controlled process that regulates cell death to facilitate nutrient recovery and recycling, and frequently precedes, or is concomitant with, ripening of reproductive structures. In Arabidopsis thaliana, the seeds are contained within a silique, which is itself a photosynthetic organ in the early stages of development and undergoes a programme of senescence prior to dehiscence. A transcriptional analysis of the silique wall was undertaken to identify changes in gene expression during senescence and to correlate these events with ultrastructural changes. The study revealed that the most highly up-regulated genes in senescing silique wall tissues encoded seed storage proteins, and the significance of this finding is discussed. Global transcription profiles of senescing siliques were compared with those from senescing Arabidopsis leaf or petal tissues using microarray datasets and metabolic pathway analysis software (MapMan). In all three tissues, members of NAC and WRKY transcription factor families were up-regulated, but components of the shikimate and cell-wall biosynthetic pathways were down-regulated during senescence. Expression of genes encoding ethylene biosynthesis and action showed more similarity between senescing siliques and petals than between senescing siliques and leaves. Genes involved in autophagy were highly expressed in the late stages of death of all plant tissues studied, but not always during the preceding remobilization phase of senescence. Analyses showed that, during senescence, silique wall tissues exhibited more transcriptional features in common with petals than with leaves. The shared and distinct regulatory events associated with senescence in the three organs are evaluated and discussed.

Proanthocyanidins from Averrhoa bilimbi fruits and leaves

Proanthocyanidins from Averrhoa bilimbi fruits and leaves were analysed by thiolysis with benzyl mercaptan and high performance liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry and consisted of pure B-type procyanidins. These tannins consisted of almost pure homopolymers, with epicatechin accounting for most of the monomeric subunits in fruits (97%) and leaves (99%). Leaves contained more procyanidins (4.5 vs 2.2 g/100 g dry weight) with a higher mean degree of polymerisation (9 vs 6) than fruits. This study thus contributes information on the proanthocyanidins of a traditional food that can make an important contribution to the intake of compounds with antioxidant and health benefits. The fruits are prized for culinary purposes and the leaves are used in traditional medicine.

Kinetics of zinc uptake and anatomy of roots and leaves of coffee trees as affected by zinc nutrition

Zinc (Zn) uptake kinetics and root and leaf anatomy were studied in coffee trees grown in nutrient solutions with or without Zn. Leaves and roots were sampled and cuts were made in the medium part of the leaves and in root tips and observed under an optical microscope. Plants grown without Zn showed an increase in root and in root stele diameter. There was also an increase in epidermis thickness and in the cross-sectional area of the cortex and stele due to Zn deficiency, but the diameter of xylem vessels was decreased. An increase in root cortex and stele diameter provided for an increased surface for nutrient uptake. Accordingly, C(min) was decreased from 13.8 to 3.4 mu mol L(-1) and V(max) increased from 0.50 to 2.1 mu mol cm(-2) h(-1) .