New record of Trissolcus solocis (Hymenoptera: Scelionidae) parasitising Halyomorpha halys (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae) in the United States of America

A parasitoid wasp, Trissolcus solocis Johnson, was recorded parasitising eggs of the invasive stink bug Halyomorpha halys (Stål), in the United States. This is the first record of this species parasitising eggs of H. halys. First record of Trissolcus solocis parasitising Halyomorpha halys eggs in the United States and first record of T. solocis in Alabama

Testis-specific glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase: origin and evolution

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPD) catalyses one of the glycolytic reactions and is also involved in a number of non-glycolytic processes, such as endocytosis, DNA excision repair, and induction of apoptosis. Mammals are known to possess two homologous GAPD isoenzymes: GAPD-1, a well-studied protein found in all somatic cells, and GAPD-2, which is expressed solely in testis. GAPD-2 supplies energy required for the movement of spermatozoa and is tightly bound to the sperm tail cytoskeleton by the additional N-terminal proline-rich domain absent in GAPD-1. In this study we investigate the evolutionary history of GAPD and gain some insights into specialization of GAPD-2 as a testis-specific protein.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>A dataset of GAPD sequences was assembled from public databases and used for phylogeny reconstruction by means of the Bayesian method. Since resolution in some clades of the obtained tree was too low, syntenic analysis was carried out to define the evolutionary history of GAPD more precisely. The performed selection tests showed that selective pressure varies across lineages and isoenzymes, as well as across different regions of the same sequences.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>The obtained results suggest that GAPD-1 and GAPD-2 emerged after duplication during the early evolution of chordates. GAPD-2 was subsequently lost by most lineages except lizards, mammals, as well as cartilaginous and bony fishes. In reptilians and mammals, GAPD-2 specialized to a testis-specific protein and acquired the novel N-terminal proline-rich domain anchoring the protein in the sperm tail cytoskeleton. This domain is likely to have originated by exonization of a microsatellite genomic region. Recognition of the proline-rich domain by cytoskeletal proteins seems to be unspecific. Besides testis, GAPD-2 of lizards was also found in some regenerating tissues, but it lacks the proline-rich domain due to tissue-specific alternative splicing.</p

Modeling the Budbreak in Peaches: A Basic Approach Using Chill and Heat Accumulation

Phenological shifts in peaches have been observed over the last few years due to the fluctuation of the seasonal climate conditions experienced during dormancy, affecting orchard management practices and influencing production and harvest dates. This study aimed to model the vegetative and floral budbreak of selected peach cultivars. Three peach cultivars, including “Rubyprince”, “Harvester”, and “Red Globe”, were considered in this study based on the representation of the early, early-mid, and mid-seasons. The prediction of the budbreak in peaches was assessed using different models that integrate the combination of chill and heat requirements. Models used include the Weinberger model, the modified Weinberger model, Utah, the dynamic model, and the growing degree model. The accumulation of chill varies according to the season evaluated. A model that considers both chill and heat accumulation is presented for each cultivar. Budbreak as an indicator of dormancy completion was established for each cultivar. The outcome of this study is to determine the amount of chilling accumulation and thermal time required to mark the beginning of the budbreak in selected cultivars with a model that predicts the duration of the dormancy. These results are valuable information that can be used for crop management practices and support the mitigation of cold damage during this critical period of crop development

Predicting Floral Bud Progression for Three Peach Cultivars

The prediction of floral bud progression in commercial peach cultivars promotes knowledge about the adaptability of cultivars to the climatic conditions in a specific location under a climatic variability context. Phenology is relevant to improving the scheduling of cultural practices in peach orchards. This research aimed to predict the floral bud progression of three peach cultivars: ‘Harvester’, ‘Red Globe’, and ‘Rubyprince’. Floral bud progression was assessed using one-year-old shoots collected from an orchard located at the Chilton Research and Extension Center, Alabama. Samples were evaluated under laboratory and growth chamber conditions. We recorded the flower developmental stages daily to identify the transition among stages. Daily temperature records were used to estimate the heat requirement in terms of Growing Degree Days (GDD). After dormancy release, samples needed between 23 to 39 and 37 to 42 days to reach the petal fall stage for season 1 and season 2, respectively. In terms of heat requirements, cultivars needed between 425.5 to 721.5 and 684.5 to 777 GDD to end flowering. A logistic curve was adjusted to describe the growth of the different floral stages over time. The results are key to supporting peach growers in crop management practices such as orchard establishment, irrigation, fertilization, freeze and frost protection, and pollination under climate variability scenarios