Genetic analysis for resistance to Woolly Apple Aphid in an apple rootstock breeding population

Magister Bibliothecologiae - MBiblThe Woolly Apple Aphid (WAA) Eriosoma lanigerum (Hausm.) (Homoptera: Aphididae) is economically one of the most important pests in apple commercial production in the Western Cape province, South Africa. The apple cultivar Northern Spy possesses a single major gene (Er1) responsible for E. lanigerum resistance. This cultivar has been used as a commercial rootstock in apple breeding programmes. There are other genes also implicated in resistance to E. lanigerum from other cultivars. Manipulation and pyramiding of the E. lanigerum resistance genes (Er1, Er2 and Er3) might provide a necessary control for commercial apple production. The aim of this study was to construct a genetic linkage map for apple using microsatellite markers. The use of marker-assisted selection would greatly benefit local apple breeding programmes. Ninety six seedlings from a Northern Spy × Cox Orange Pippin mapping population were used for genetic linkage construction

Effects of vegetable oil pollution on aquatic macroinvertebrate assemblage in a freshwater wetland and its use as a remediation tool

The occurrence, as well as the environmental fate and impact, of vegetable oil spills in freshwater wetlands have until now been unreported. Thus, the largest global vegetable oil spillage in a freshwater wetland, which occurred at the Con Joubert Bird Sanctuary wetland in 2007, presented an ideal opportunity to evaluate these impacts. Five post-spill sampling sites were selected within the wetland from which a variety of abiotic and biotic samples were collected bimonthly over a period of 12 months. Abiotic variables included the sediment and water column oil concentrations, total nitrogen, total phosphorous, biochemical oxygen demand (BOD), silica, chlorophyll a, as well as in situ measurements of pH, electrical conductivity, and dissolved oxygen. Aquatic macroinvertebrates were chosen as biotic indicators in the study field due to their wide applicability as water quality indicators and were thus collected at each site. Spatial and temporal changes in total nitrogen, total phosphorous, and chlorophyll a concentrations as well as changes in pH were observed. The oil spillage also resulted in an increase in tolerant macroinvertebrate taxa, mainly Chironomidae and Psychodidae, at the sites closest to the source of the spillage. These two taxa, and to a lesser extent, Syrphidae, were identified as potentially useful indicators to determine the extent of vegetable oil contamination within a freshwater wetland. Furthermore, monitoring of these indicator taxa can be a useful management tool to determine the recovery of freshwater wetlands after vegetable oil spills. In the study, a static battery of bioassays of different biotic trophic levels was also employed to determine the adverse effects of the spilled vegetable oil on the biotic environment. It was evident from the result of the static battery of bioassay that adverse effects of the sunflower oil differ between trophic levels. The latter was in relationship with the data obtained from the field macroinvertebrate study, indicating that certain macroinvertebrate families were more tolerant to the adverse effects of sunflower oil than other families.http://link.springer.com/journal/11270hb2014mn201

Using phytoplankton diversity to determine wetland resilience, one year after a vegetable oil spill

A 250 t sunflower oil spill in the Con Joubert Bird Sanctuary Wetland, South Africa, was the largest global sunflower oil spill in a freshwater wetland to date. Since there was insufficient historical data for the Con Joubert Bird Sanctuary Wetland prior to the spill, variations in phytoplankton assemblages were used to indicate wetland resilience in relationship with water quality variables. From this study, it was evident that the phytoplankton biodiversity was a more reliable indicator of wetland resilience than vegetable oil concentrations measured in the water column. Vegetable oil concentrations measured in the water column varied both spatially and temporally and can possibly be linked to the passive movement of drifting oil in the water column caused by wind action and temperature changes. While we were unable to pinpoint the exact mechanisms behind the increase in phytoplankton biodiversity, the response was probably driven by the degradation of the oil by natural microbial consortiums in the wetland or a possible increase in phytoplankton grazers. Certain phytoplankton genera were found to be tolerant to the adverse effects of the oil spill. These genera include Oedogonium, Cyclotella, Spirogyra, a n d Planktothrix. In general, the univariate and multivariate statistical analysis showed a low diversity and richness at sites 1, 2 and 3 during the initial sampling surveys when compared to the remaining sites. However, the phytoplankton diversity and richness subsequently increased at all sampling sites from the second sampling survey, implying that there was a shift in phytoplankton biodiversity to a more stable state.National Research Foundation of South Africahttp://link.springer.com/journal/112702015-07-31hb201

Evaluation of biotic succession in the Con Joubert Bird Sanctuary wetland after a vegetable oil spill

Please read the abstract in the thesis.Thesis (PhD)--University of Pretoria, 2013.gm2014Paraclinical SciencesUnrestricte