665 research outputs found
The Genetic Basis of Tomato Aroma
Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) aroma is determined by the interaction of volatile compounds (VOCs) released by the tomato fruits with receptors in the nose, leading to a sensorial impression, such as âsweetâ, âsmokyâ, or âfruityâ aroma. Of the more than 400 VOCs released by tomato fruits, 21 have been reported as main contributors to the perceived tomato aroma. These VOCs can be grouped in five clusters, according to their biosynthetic origins. In the last decades, a vast array of scientific studies has investigated the genetic component of tomato aroma in modern tomato cultivars and their relatives. In this paper we aim to collect, compare, integrate and summarize the available literature on flavour-related QTLs in tomato. Three hundred and 5ifty nine (359) QTLs associated with tomato fruit VOCs were physically mapped on the genome and investigated for the presence of potential candidate genes. This review makes it possible to (i) pinpoint potential donors described in literature for specific traits, (ii) highlight important QTL regions by combining information from different populations, and (iii) pinpoint potential candidate genes. This overview aims to be a valuable resource for researchers aiming to elucidate the genetics underlying tomato flavour and for breeders who aim to improve tomato aroma.</p
Magnetic order in double-layer manganites (La(1-z)Pr(z))1.2Sr1.8Mn2O7: intrinsic properties and role of the intergrowths
We report on an investigation of the double-layer manganite series
(La(1-z)Pr(z))1.2Sr1.8Mn2O7 (0 <= z <= 1), carried out on single crystals by
means of both macroscopic magnetometry and local probes of magnetism (muSR,
55Mn NMR). Muons and NMR demonstrate an antiferromagnetically ordered ground
state at non-ferromagnetic compositions (z >= 0.6), while more moderate Pr
substitutions (0.2 <= z <= 0.4) induce a spin reorientation transition within
the ferromagnetic phase.
A large magnetic susceptibility is detected at {Tc,TN} < T < 250K at all
compositions. From 55Mn NMR spectroscopy, such a response is unambiguously
assigned to the intergrowth of a ferromagnetic pseudocubic phase
(La(1-z)Pr(z))(1-x)Sr(x)MnO3, with an overall volume fraction estimated as
0.5-0.7% from magnetometry. Evidence is provided for the coupling of the
magnetic moments of these inclusions with the magnetic moments of the
surrounding (La(1-z)Pr(z))1.2Sr1.8Mn2O7 phase, as in the case of finely
dispersed impurities. We argue that the ubiquitous intergrowth phase may play a
role in the marked first-order character of the magnetic transition and the
metamagnetic properties above Tc reported for double-layer manganites.Comment: 11 pages, 9 figures. Submitted to Phys. Rev.
On an exact solution of the Thomas-Fermi equation for a trapped Bose-Einstein condensate with dipole-dipole interactions
We derive an exact solution to the Thomas-Fermi equation for a Bose-Einstein
condensate which has dipole-dipole interactions as well as the usual s-wave
contact interaction, in a harmonic trap. Remarkably, despite the non-local
anisotropic nature of the dipolar interaction the solution is an inverted
parabola, as in the pure s-wave case, but with a different aspect ratio.
Various properties such as electrostriction and stability are discussed.Comment: 11 pages, 5 figure
Observation of Individual Josephson Vortices in YBCO Bicrystal Grain-boundary Junctions
The response of YBCO bicrystal grain-boundary junctions to small dc magnetic
fields (0 - 10 Oe) has been probed with a low-power microwave (rf) signal of
4.4 GHz in a microwave-resonator setup. Peaks in the microwave loss at certain
dc magnetic fields are observed that result from individual Josephson vortices
penetrating into the grain-boundary junctions under study. The system is
modeled as a long Josephson junction described by the sine-Gordon equation with
the appropriate boundary conditions. Excellent quantitative agreement between
the experimental data and the model has been obtained. Hysteresis effect of dc
magnetic field is also studied and the results of measurement and calculation
are compared.Comment: 11 pages, 4 figure
Boosting grapevine breeding for climate-smart viticulture: from genetic resources to predictive genomics
The multifaceted nature of climate change is increasing the urgency to select resilient grapevine varieties, or generate new, fitter cultivars, to withstand a multitude of new challenging conditions. The attainment of this goal is hindered by the limiting pace of traditional breeding approaches, which require decades to result in new selections. On the other hand, marker-assisted breeding has proved useful when it comes to traits governed by one or few genes with great effects on the phenotype, but its efficacy is still restricted for complex traits controlled by many loci. On these premises, innovative strategies are emerging which could help guide selection, taking advantage of the genetic diversity within the Vitis genus in its entirety. Multiple germplasm collections are also available as a source of genetic material for the introgression of alleles of interest via adapted and pioneering transformation protocols, which present themselves as promising tools for future applications on a notably recalcitrant species such as grapevine. Genome editing intersects both these strategies, not only by being an alternative to obtain focused changes in a relatively rapid way, but also by supporting a fine-tuning of new genotypes developed with other methods. A review on the state of the art concerning the available genetic resources and the possibilities of use of innovative techniques in aid of selection is presented here to support the production of climate-smart grapevine genotypes
Revitalizing agriculture: next-generation genotyping and -omics technologies enabling molecular prediction of resilient traits in the Solanaceae family
This review highlights -omics research in Solanaceae family, with a particular focus on resilient traits. Extensive research has enriched our understanding of Solanaceae genomics and genetics, with historical varietal development mainly focusing on disease resistance and cultivar improvement but shifting the emphasis towards unveiling resilience mechanisms in genebank-preserved germplasm is nowadays crucial. Collecting such information, might help researchers and breeders developing new experimental design, providing an overview of the state of the art of the most advanced approaches for the identification of the genetic elements laying behind resilience. Building this starting point, we aim at providing a useful tool for tackling the global agricultural resilience goals in these crops
Non-linear microwave impedance of short and long Josephson Junctions
The non-linear dependence on applied field () or current () of the microwave (ac) impedance of both
short and long Josephson junctions is calculated under a variety of excitation
conditions. The dependence on the junction width is studied, for both field
symmetric (current anti-symmetric) and field anti-symmetric (current symmetric)
excitation configurations.The resistance shows step-like features every time a
fluxon (soliton) enters the junction, with a corresponding phase slip seen in
the reactance. For finite widths the interference of fluxons leads to some
interesting effects which are described. Many of these calculated results are
observed in microwave impedance measurements on intrinsic and fabricated
Josephson junctions in the high temperature superconductors, and new effects
are suggested. When a field () or current () is applied,
interesting phase locking effects are observed in the ac impedance
. In particular an almost periodic dependence on the dc bias is
seen similar to that observed in microwave experiments at very low dc field
bias. These results are generic to all systems with a potential
in the overdamped limit and subjected to an ac drive.Comment: 7 pages, 11 figure
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