Distribution and diversity of Potato mop-top virus in Sweden

During the last decades, spraing disease caused by Potato mop-top virus (PMTV) has become a severe problem in the potato production throughout the Nordic countries. In this thesis, it was shown that PMTV is widely distributed throughout Sweden, Norway and Denmark, and has now become prevalent in the potato-production areas within these countries. In Sweden, PMTV was found to be present further north than observed in an earlier study. Compared to the Nordic countries, the occurrence of PMTV in Poland, the Baltic countries and northwestern Russia is still very limited. Molecular characterization and phylogenetic relationship analyses were carried out for 43 new PMTV sequences originating from potato tubers and field soil from Sweden, Denmark and the USA. The results showed a limited diversity of PMTV based on RNA-CP and RNA-TGB. No strict geographical grouping was obtained for isolates from Europe, Asia and North America indicating that PMTV has spread through infected seed tubers. Weeds, as alternative hosts of plants viruses and their vectors, are an important factor in the epidemiology of plant virus diseases. PMTV was detected in the roots of the weed Chenopodium album, which had been naturally infected with the virus in the field. C. album may together with weeds of the family Solanaceae be an important factor for maintaining PMTV in a field. Sequence analysis revealed a close relationship between the PMTV isolates from C. album and other characterised isolates suggesting that the same genotypes of PMTV are infecting potato and C. album. The presence in Sweden of three other potato-infecting viruses associated with necrotic symptoms in tubers was demonstrated: Tobacco rattle virus (TRV), Tobacco necrosis virus (TNV) and Potato virus Y (PVY). TRV has become prevalent in potato fields located from southern and up to the central part of Sweden. Analyses of tubers with typical necrotic symptoms of the ABC disease confirmed infection with TNV. In addition, two different necrotic strains of PVY, PVYNTN and PVYNW, were detected in symptomatic potatoes. The presence of TNV and PVYNTN/PVYNW in potato plants was to our knowledge confirmed for the first time in Sweden

Changes in isotopic signatures of soil carbon and CO2 respiration immediately and one year after Miscanthus removal

The removal of perennial bioenergy crops, such as Miscanthus, has rarely been studied although it is an important form of land use change. Miscanthus is a C4 plant, and the carbon (C) it deposits during its growth has a different isotopic signature (12/13C) compared to a C3 plant. Identifying the proportion of C stored and released to the atmosphere is important information for ecosystem models and life cycle analyses. During a removal experiment in June 2011 of a 20-year old Miscanthus field (Grignon, France), vegetation was removed mechanically and chemically. Two replicate plots were converted into a rotation of annual crops, two plots had Miscanthus removed with no soil disturbance, followed by bare soil (set-aside), one control plot was left with continued Miscanthus cultivation, and an adjacent field was used as annual arable crops control. There was a significant difference in the isotopic composition of the total soil C under Miscanthus compared with adjacent annual arable crops in all three measured soil layers (0–5, 5–10 and 10–20 cm). Before Miscanthus removal, total C in the soil under Miscanthus ranged from 4.9% in the top layer to 3.9% in the lower layers with δ13C values of −16.3 to −17.8 while soil C under the adjacent arable crop was significantly lower and ranged from 1.6 to 2% with δ13C values of −23.2. This did not change much in 2012, suggesting the accumulation of soil C under Miscanthus persists for at least the first year. In contrast, the isotopic signals of soil respiration 1 year after Miscanthus removal from recultivated and set-aside plots were similar to that of the annual arable control, while just after removal the signals were similar to that of the Miscanthus control. This suggests a rapid change in the form of soil C pools that are respired

Initial soil C and land-use history determine soil C sequestration under perennial bioenergy crops

Acknowledgements We are exceptionally grateful to all the land owners who have granted us access to sample their fields. Kate Farrall, Jessica Adams, Neil Mullinger, Adam Dargan and Lou Walker for field and laboratory assistance. Pete Henrys (Centre for Ecology & Hydrology) for statistical guidance. This work was part of the Ecosystem Land-Use Modelling (ELUM) project, which was commissioned and funded by the Energy Technologies Institute.Peer reviewedPublisher PD

Diversity and evolution of potato mop-top virus

Nearly complete sequences of RNA-CP and 3'-proximal RNA-TGB were determined for 43 samples of potato mop-top virus (PMTV) originating from potato tubers and field soil from Sweden, Denmark and the USA. The results showed limited diversity and no strict geographical grouping, suggesting only a few original introductions of PMTV from the Andes. Two distinguishable types of RNA-CP and RNA-TGB were found in the samples, but no specific combination of them correlated with spraing symptoms in tubers. Lack of positive selection in the coding sequences indicates that there is no specific molecular adaptation of PMTV to new vectors or hosts

Tests of multiple molecular markers for the identification of Great Spotted and Syrian Woodpeckers and their hybrids

Great Spotted and Syrian Woodpeckers (Dendrocopos major and D. syriacus) are known to hybridize in nature; however, the extent of this phenomenon is not known due to difficulties in hybrid detection based on plumage analyses. Here, we tested five markers (one mitochondrial and four nuclear) and a set of six microsatellite loci for the identification of these two Woodpeckers and their hybrids. Sequencing of DNA from 26 individuals of both Woodpeckers from different parts of their ranges: one allopatric (D. major; Norway) and two sympatric (Poland and Bulgaria) showed that both species can be clearly separated based on all sequence markers. The highest number of fixed nucleotide sites were found in the mtDNA control region and intron 5 of the transforming growth factor. Analyses of microsatellite data distinguished the two species, but all loci showed a large number of common alleles and their utility in identifying hybrids is therefore doubtful. According to the DNA sequence analyses, 2 out of 18 specimens within the sympatric range in Poland were identified as possible hybrids, most probably paternal backcrosses. Moreover, both hybrids are from synantropic populations (settled in cities), whereas none of the D. major sampled in forests and in its allopatric range (Norway) showed signs of an intermixed genotype. Further research on hybridization and introgression in woodpeckers is undoubtedly needed and could be useful for understanding ecological and ethological interactions among these species, particularly for D. syriacus, which is relatively rare in Europe

Modelling the carbon cycle of Miscanthus plantations: existing models and the potential for their improvement

The lignocellulosic perennial grass Miscanthus has received considerable attention as a potential bioenergy crop over the last 25 years, but few commercial plantations exist globally. This is partly due to the uncertainty associated with claims that land use change (LUC) to Miscanthus will result in both commercially viable yields and net increases in carbon (C) storage. To simulate what the effects may be after LUC to Miscanthus, six process-based models have been parameterised for Miscanthus and here we review how these models operate. This review provides an overview of the key Miscanthus soil organic matter models and then highlights what measurers can do to accelerate model development. Each model (WIMOVAC, BioCro, Agro-IBIS, DAYCENT, DNDC and ECOSSE) is capable of simulating biomass production and soil C dynamics based on specific site characteristics. Understanding the design of these models is important in model selection as well as being important for field researchers to collect the most relevant data to improve model performance. The rapid increase in models parameterised for Miscanthus is promising but refinements and improvements are still required to ensure model predictions are reliable and can be applied to spatial scales relevant for policy. Specific improvements, needed to ensure the models are applicable for a range of environmental conditions, come under two categories: 1) increased data generation and 2) development of frameworks and databases to allow simulations of ranging scales. Research into non-food bioenergy crops such as Miscanthus is relatively recent and this review highlights that there are still a number of knowledge gaps regarding Miscanthus specifically. For example, the low input requirements of Miscanthus make it particularly attractive as a bioenergy crop but it is essential that we increase our understanding of the crop’s nutrient re-mobilisation and ability to host N-fixing organisms in order to derive the most accurate simulations

Assessing on-farm productivity of Miscanthus crops by combining soil mapping, yield modelling and remote sensing

Crown Copyright © 2015 Published by Elsevier Ltd. This is an open access article under the CC BY license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).Biomass from agricultural land is a key component of any sustainable bioenergy strategy, and 2nd generation, ligno-cellulosic feedstocks are part of the UK government policy to meet the target of reduced CO2 emission. Pre-harvest estimates of the biomass supply potential are usually based on experimental evidence and little is known about the yield gap between biologically obtainable and actual achievable on-farm biomass yields. We propose a systematic integration of mapped information fit for estimating obtainable yields using an empirical model, observed on-farm yields and remote sensing. Thereby, one can identify the sources of yield variation and supply uncertainty. Spatially explicit Miscanthus potential yields are compared with delivered on-farm yields from established crops ≥5 years after planting, surveyed among participants in the Energy Crop Scheme. Actual on-farm yield averaged at 8.94 Mg ha−1 and it varied greatly (coefficient of variation 34%), largely irrespective of soil type. The average yield gap on clay soils was much larger than that on sandy or loamy soils (37% vs 10%). Miscanthus is noticeably slower to establish on clay soils as shown by fitting a logistic Gompertz equation to yield time series. However, gaps in crop cover as identified by density counts, visual inspection (Google Earth) and remote sensing (Landsat-5) correlated with observed on-farm yields suggesting patchiness as causal for reduced yields. The analysis shows ways to improve the agronomy for these new crops to increase economic returns within the supply chain and the environmental benefits (reduced GHG emission, greater carbon sequestration) and reduce the land demand of bio-energy production.Peer reviewedFinal Published versio

Family Engagement and English Language Students

Families are a child’s first teacher. Preschool students are learning and developing rapidly, while becoming accustomed to new school rules and routines. Dual language learners are a growing population in the United States. As children are learning English as a second language, parents, alongside early childhood educators, play an impactful role in each child’s development. When families and teachers work together, students will see more academic, social, emotional, and linguistic success during the early years. This paper explored a multitude of qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods studies regarding dual language learners, family engagement, and the importance of fostering positive home school connections. The research that was studied showcased ideas of how family engagement can help support healthy language development for all students, especially those who may speak more than one language

Bundesgartenschau Magdeburg 1999. Sonderschau 'Nachwachsende Rohstoffe' Abschlussbericht

Vom 23. April bis zum 17. Oktober 1999 wurde in Magdeburg die 25. Bundesgartenschau (BUGA) durchgefuehrt. Bereits 1993 auf der Internationalen Gartenbau-Ausstellung (IGA) in Stuttgart wurde das Thema der 'Nachwachsenden Rohstoffe' zum ersten Mal in groesserem Umfang im Rahmen einer Bundesgartenschau aufbereitet. Die BUGA Cottbus 1995 und die BUGA Gelsenkirchen 1997 praesentierten dann nachwachsende Rohstoffe als eigenstaendigen Bestandteil im Rahmen einer durch das Bundesministerium fuer Ernaehrung, Landwirtschaft und Forsten (BML) gefoerderten Sonderschau. Die BUGA Magdeburg lehnte sich daher in ihren Grundsaetzen an dieses bereits erfolgreich durchgefuehrte Konzept an. Bei der Erarbeitung der praktischen Umsetzung dieser Konzeption galt es, die im Laufe vorheriger Bundesgartenschauen gesammelten Erfahrungen zu beruecksichtigen. Das vorrangige Ziel bestand darin, alle Besuchergruppen der BUGA (Kinder, Jugendliche, Erwachsene, Senioren, maennliche und weibliche BUGA-Besucher) an zu sprechen und so mit nachwachsenden Rohstoffen und den daraus hergestellten Erzeugnissen vertrauter zu machen. Im einzelnen umfasste die Organisation und Durchfuehrung der Sonderschau 'Nachwachsende Rohstoffe' auf der Bundesgartenschau Magdeburg 1999 folgende Themenbereiche, ueber die nachfolgend detaillierter berichtet werden soll: - Demonstrationsanbau der Nichtnahrungspflanzen, - Produktausstellung im Gewaechshauspavillon, -Information und Dokumentation, - Veranstaltungen, Pressearbeit und Aktivitaeten im 'Gruenen Klassenzimmer'. (orig.)The 'Bundesgartenschau' of 1999 comprised a special exhibition on renewable fuels. Details are presented here.SIGLEAvailable from TIB Hannover: F00B1607 / FIZ - Fachinformationszzentrum Karlsruhe / TIB - Technische InformationsbibliothekDEGerman