Deep Super-SAGE transcriptomic analysis of cold acclimation in lentil (Lens culinaris Medik.)

[EN] Background: Frost is one of the main abiotic stresses limiting plant distribution and crop production. To cope with the stress, plants evolved adaptations known as cold acclimation or chilling tolerance to maximize frost tolerance. Cold acclimation is a progressive acquisition of freezing tolerance by plants subjected to low non-freezing temperatures which subsequently allows them to survive exposure to frost. Lentil is a cool season grain legume that is challenged by winter frost in some areas of its cultivation. Results: To better understand the genetic base of frost tolerance differential gene expression in response to cold acclimation was investigated. Recombinant inbred lines (RILs) from the cross Precoz x WA8649041 were first classified as cold tolerant or cold susceptible according to their response to temperatures between -3 to -15 °C. Then, RILs from both extremes of the response curve were cold acclimated and the leaf transcriptomes of two bulks each of eight frost tolerant and seven cold susceptible RILs were investigated by Deep Super-SAGE transcriptome profiling. Thus, four RNA bulks were analysed: the acclimated susceptible, the acclimated tolerant and the respective controls (non-acclimated susceptible and non-acclimated tolerant). Approximately 16.5 million 26 nucleotide long Super-SAGE tags were sequenced in the four sets (between ~3 and 5.4 millions). In total, 133,077 different unitags, each representing a particular transcript isoform, were identified in these four sets. Tags which showed a significantly different abundance in any of the bulks (fold change ≥4.0 and a significant p-value <0.001) were selected and used to identify the corresponding lentil gene sequence. Three hundred of such lentil sequences were identified. Most of their known homologs coded for glycine-rich, cold and drought-regulated proteins, dormancy-associated proteins, proline-rich proteins (PRPs) and other membrane proteins. These were generally but not exclusively over-expressed in the acclimated tolerant lines. Conclusions: This set of candidate genes implicated in the response to frost in lentil represents an useful base for deeper and more detailed investigations into this important agronomic trait in futureSIThis work was supported by the E.U. ERA-PG 075B LEGRESIST project, the AGL2013-44714-R project from the Spanish Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad (co-financed with FEDER funds), and a predoctoral fellowship (A. Barrios) from the ITACyL

Tularemia Outbreaks in Spain from 2007 to 2020 in Humans and Domestic and Wild Animals

[EN] In this study, tularemia outbreaks associated with humans and several domestic and wild animals (Iberian hares, wild rabbits, voles, mice, grey shrews, sheep, dogs, foxes, wolves, ticks, and river crayfish) are reported in Spain from 2007 to 2020. Special attention was paid to the outbreaks in humans in 2007-2009 and 2014-2015, when the most important waves occurred. Moreover, positive rates of tularemia in lagomorphs were detected in 2007-2010, followed by negative results in 2011-2013, before again returning to positive rates in 2014 and in 2017 and in 2019-2020. Lagomorphs role in spreading Francisella tularensis in the epidemiological chain could not be discarded. F. tularensis is described for the first time infecting the shrew Crocidura russula worldwide, and it is also reported for the first time infecting wild rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus) in Spain. Serological positives higher than 0.4% were seen for sheep only from 2007-2009 and again in 2019, while serological rates greater than 1% were revealed in dogs in 2007-2008 and in wild canids in 2016. F. tularensis were detected in ticks in 2009, 2014-2015, 2017, and 2019. Lastly, negative results were achieved for river crayfish and also in environmental water samples from 2007 to 2020SIThis research received no external funding but was supported by the contract-project called Caracterización molecular de las cepas de Francisella tularensis aisladas en lagomorfos y roedores de Castilla y León, financed by the Dirección General de Producción Agropecuaria e Infraestructuras, Servicio de Sanidad Animal, Consejería de Agricultura y Ganadería de la Junta de Castilla y León. All the isolates are owned by the Junta de Castilla y Leó

A contribution for the calibration of an abundance index useful for large-scale monitoring of common vole

Resumen del póster presentado a la 10th European Vertebrate Pest Management Conference, celebrada en Sevilla (España) del 21 al 25 de septiembre de 2015.-- et al.Common vole (Microtus arvalis Pallas) recurrent population outbreaks have led to significant crop damages in the agricultural areas of Castilla y León (Spain), where over 5 million hectares are devoted to crops, meadows and pastures. Monitoring abundance changes, essential to efficiently implement preventive actions, in such a large area requires reliable but simple, cheap and quick monitoring tools. Methods based on activity signs can cover this need, but do not provide estimates of population density unless they are calibrated for specific environments. Capture-recapture trapping methods are considered the best way for estimating vole population density, so are useful for calibrating other methods, but results could be influenced by many factors: differences in individual capture probability according to sex, age or previous capture history; weather conditions; capture effort; home range size and shape in relation to trap distribution, etc. Careful flooding of burrows in a controlled surface provokes a disturbance for the individuals inside burrows, which they thus tend to flee; this behavior is independent of the factors affecting trapping methods mentioned above. If well done, mortality due to flooding is negligible and individuals trying to go outside are easily captured. In this contribution, an abundance index based in activity signs, usable for large scale-common vole monitoring, is calibrated with the minimum number of individuals alive provided by parallel controlled burrow flooding. A significant polynomial relationship between both methods has been detected (R2=0.79). We use this relationship to establish confidence limits to estimates of population density in relation to abundance levels.Peer Reviewe

Preliminary results of the effect of raptor nest boxes in dryland agricultural landscapes during a common vole outbreak

Resumen del póster presentado a la 10th European Vertebrate Pest Management Conference, celebrada en Sevilla (España) del 21 al 25 de septiembre de 2015.During last decades, the common vole (Microtus arvalis Pallas) colonized the agricultural lands of the Spanish northwestern plateau, where population outbreaks have occasionally caused significant crop damages. In these agroecosystems, there is an apparent imbalance in the relationship between avian predators and prey, probably influenced by a lack of adequate areas for the establishment, breeding and hunting of raptors. This is one of the causes that may be influencing common vole population dynamics, and causing crop damages. Thus, landscape modification to increase natural vole avian predators, could be an environmentally-friendly preventive tool to be considered into an integrated pest management strategy. An important question to be answered is the efficacy of this measure during a vole outbreak, when vole numbers would increase faster than those of their predators. Two different locations (Osorno la Mayor and Villarramiel) were provided with 100 nest-boxes (50 for barn owl and 50 for common kestrel) distributed in a 2000 ha surface. The effect of boxes in voles was studied considering the different habitats linked to these agricultural zones, including crops and vole reservoirs. During the campaign 2013/14, a common vole outbreak was detected in these areas. Considering the period between sowing and harvesting winter crops, data of distances, densities, raptor occupancy and breeding in nest-boxes, were used to generate informative covariates to be related with indexes of vole activity. In this contribution, preliminary results about the effect of the implementation of nest-boxes for raptors on the evolution of common vole abundance are reported.Peer reviewe

Can we relate common vole abundance variations to crop damage?

Resumen del póster presentado a la 10th European Vertebrate Pest Management Conference, celebrada en Sevilla (España) del 21 al 25 de septiembre de 2015.Ever since the common vole (Microtus arvalis Pallas) started to colonize the lowland farmland areas of Castilla y León (NW Spain) in the 70´s, recurrent population outbreaks have occurred leading at times to important crop damage. For ecologically based management to be effective, it is necessary to act preventively and design strategies adapted to different contexts. With this aim, the Regional Government in Castilla y León started in 2007 a protocol of continuous monitoring of the vole populations throughout the region. Nevertheless, not enough information currently exists to relate vole abundance changes to the damages that finally occur. Determining the relationship between vole abundance and crop damage would help predicting damage from population changes, and hence defining threshold levels upon where to act to reduce economic impacts, optimizing management processes. We analyse the geographical distribution of damage caused by common voles in the agricultural campaign 2013/2014 (during which a vole population outbreak occurred in different areas of the Region), and relate it to vole abundance estimates based on activity signs. Vole abundance estimates were gathered regularly throughout the region from November 2013 (winter crop seeding) until August 2014 (harvest of those crops), both within crop fields, in reservoir areas (alfalfas and meadows), and in dispersion lines (tracks and grassy field edges). Crop damage was assessed in 2895 fields throughout Castilla y León, of 19 different crop types. With this approach, we aim to identify factors predicting damage in different crop types, and vole abundance threshold levels for early management action.Peer Reviewe

Cleaning field boundaries as a preventive measure to reduce colonization of common voles in crop plots

Resumen del póster presentado a la 10th European Vertebrate Pest Management Conference, celebrada en Sevilla (España) del 21 al 25 de septiembre de 2015.Farmland landscape in the Spanish northwestern plateau is characterized by a network of thin grassy boundaries and edges surrounding and connecting crop plots. These boundaries, in a homogeneous landscape where natural vegetation areas are limited, constitute typical common vole (Microtus arvalis Pallas) reservoirs, and also dispersal lines when crop plots do not have enough vegetation cover. Presence of voles in such boundaries usually do not cause significant damages in surrounding crops, but when an outbreak occurs voles colonize also crop plots from these boundaries. In outbreak years, cleaning vegetation in boundaries when most farmers are ploughing surrounding soil for preparing to sow, or when crops have not yet developed (very low plantlets not covering ground), could prevent or decrease subsequent crop colonization (thus minimizing damages and economic impact), through different mechanisms (e.g. minimization of the territory surface with optimal habitat for vole survival and breeding; reduction of dispersal ratio through alteration of adequate tracks; increase to exposure to avian predators due to decrease of protective cover). We assess in this contribution the influence of cleaning boundaries on common vole colonization and activity in neighboring plots. Our results indicate that, when compared with control plots, cleaning vegetation cover in boundaries has a short term effect reducing vole activity directly in boundaries, and a mediumlong term effect reducing colonization and activity in surrounding plots during crop development. We also discuss the effect of two cleaning strategies (physical soil removal and burning) in two different crop types (pluri-annual forage and annual grain crop).Peer Reviewe

Winter sowing of adapted lines as a potential yield increase strategy in lentil (Lens culinaris Medik.)

Lentil (Lens culinaris Medik. subsp. culinaris) is a traditional crop in Spain although current grain yield in Spain is relatively low and unstable. The effect of an early sowing date (winter sowing) on yield in the Spanish Central Plateau (meseta) was analyzed comparing it to the traditional spring sowing. Yield from eleven cultivars currently available for sowing in Spain and two F6:7  populations of recombinant inbred lines (RIL), ´Precoz´ × ´WA8649041´ (89 lines) and ´BGE016365´ × ´ILL1918´ (118 lines), was evaluated in winter and spring sowing dates for three seasons (2005/06, 2006/07 and 2007/08) and two localities. Yield and stability were assessed by the method of consistency of performance with some modifications. When comparing with the best currently available cultivars sown in the traditional spring sowing date, (with an estimated average yield of 43.9 g/m in our experimental conditions), winter sowing using adapted breeding lines proved to be a suitable strategy for increasing lentil yield and yield stability in the Spanish meseta, with an average yield increase of 111% (reaching an estimated yield of 92.8 g/m). Results point to that lentil production can greatly increase in the Spanish meseta if adequate plant materials, such as some of the lines analyzed, are sown at late fall

Identification and potential uses of spatial patterns for predicting pest species outbreaks

Trabajo presentado al 6th International Conference of Rodent Biology and Management and 16th Rodens et Spatium, celebrados en Postdam (Alemania) del 3 al 7 de septiembre de 2018.Rodent crop pests pose significant risks to food security not least because of complications regarding control actions, largely due to difficulties in predicting when an outbreak will occur. While it is possible, in some instances, to anticipate outbreaks given specific environmental conditions, warning signs may not appear sufficiently early to allow farmers to implement timely pre-emptive control actions given the constraints of agricultural practices. Spatial lags in the spread of outbreaks may allow the detection of the beginnings of an outbreak in a location, and provide an early warning before the rodent abundance pattern reaches a subsequent location. Research carried out on spatial patterns, such as travelling waves, is limited due to the need for extensive and exhaustive monitoring over a large area, and as a consequence the use of spatial patterns in applied ecology is limited. An extensive monitoring programme from 2011 to 2017 of Microtus arvalis (common vole) in northern Spain (100,000 km2) provides an ideal dataset, comprising 85,855 indices of abundance, for exploring both how a spatial pattern may inform control, but also advise on where monitoring efforts may be most effective. With this in mind, the aim of the research was (i) to determine the speed of the spatial pattern in common voles and how this varies with direction; (ii) to determine which environmental features are associated with the location of epicentres. Here we characterise the spatial pattern of common voles in a recently colonised part of their range, determine what landscape features lead to areas becoming sources of patterns, and suggest how this may provide valuable implications for the control of the pest species. In doing so we hope to be able to provide farmers with a predictive ability to prepare for an upcoming outbreak with the potential of reducing pest impacts.Peer Reviewe

Europe-wide outbreaks of common voles in 2019

International audienceCommon voles (Microtus arvalis) are widespread in the European agricultural landscape from central Spain to central Russia. During population outbreaks, significant damage to a variety of crops is caused and the risk of pathogen transmission from voles to people increases. In 2019, increasing or unusually high common vole densities have been reported from several European countries. This is highly important in terms of food production and public health. Therefore, authorities, extension services and farmers need to be aware of the rapid and widespread increase in common voles and take appropriate measures as soon as possible. Management options include chemical and non-chemical methods. However, the latter are suitable only for small and valuable crops and it is recommended to increase efforts to predict common voles outbreaks and to develop and field test new and optimized management tools

Tularemia Outbreaks in Spain from 2007 to 2020 in Humans and Domestic and Wild Animals

In this study, tularemia outbreaks associated with humans and several domestic and wild animals (Iberian hares, wild rabbits, voles, mice, grey shrews, sheep, dogs, foxes, wolves, ticks, and river crayfish) are reported in Spain from 2007 to 2020. Special attention was paid to the outbreaks in humans in 2007–2009 and 2014–2015, when the most important waves occurred. Moreover, positive rates of tularemia in lagomorphs were detected in 2007–2010, followed by negative results in 2011–2013, before again returning to positive rates in 2014 and in 2017 and in 2019–2020. Lagomorphs role in spreading Francisella tularensis in the epidemiological chain could not be discarded. F. tularensis is described for the first time infecting the shrew Crocidura russula worldwide, and it is also reported for the first time infecting wild rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus) in Spain. Serological positives higher than 0.4% were seen for sheep only from 2007–2009 and again in 2019, while serological rates greater than 1% were revealed in dogs in 2007–2008 and in wild canids in 2016. F. tularensis were detected in ticks in 2009, 2014–2015, 2017, and 2019. Lastly, negative results were achieved for river crayfish and also in environmental water samples from 2007 to 2020