Phosphorus Response and Amino Acid Composition of Different Green Gram (Vigna radiata L.) Genotypes from Myanmar

Mungbean or green gram (Vigna radiata L.) is an important component of rice-based cropping systems in Myanmar, where grain yields of around 800 kg ha^(-1) are much below its yield potential of 3000 kg ha^(-1). The reasons for this shortfall are as under-investigated as is the genotype-specific response of this crop to phosphorus (P) application, which is critically low in many Myanmar soils, and the genetic variation in grain quality. For green gram quality, the concentration of lysine, an essential amino acid is particularly important given its scarcity in many cereal-based diets of Southeast Asia. The purpose of this study therefore was to investigate the effects of P application on the root and shoot growth, yield and its components for a range of green gram varieties, and to analyse the protein concentration and amino acid composition in green gram seed of different origins. To this end from 2001 to 2003, field experiments were conducted under rain-fed conditions in Yezin and Nyaung Oo. Fifteen landraces and five introduced green gram cultivars were grown at two levels of P (0 and 15 kg ha^(-1)). There were large genotypic differences in P effects and a significant interaction between green gram genotypes and P for shoot and root growth. An unexpected benefit of P application was a reduction of pest and plant virus infestation in the field. Significant genotypic differences in the amino acid profile of seeds were also observed. The results indicate the potential for breeding efforts to increase seed yield and protein quality in green gram

Participatory cotton breeding for organic and low input farming in Central India

Up to 80% of world’s organic cotton is produced in India. However, involved producers are facing increased difficulties to find suitable cultivars. Few hybrids selected for high input farming and genetically-modified (GM) cotton, which is explicitly excluded in organic farming, are presently dominating the Indian seed market. In addition farmers have lost their traditional knowledge on seed production and hybrid seed needs to be purchased each season

Resistenzeigenschaften von Freilandtomaten gegen Phytophthora infestans

Results of first laboratory tests indicated large differences in partial and race-specific resistance among ten tomato varieties. Field tests confirm the general pattern observed in the laboratory. This should allow for the selection of good parents for the combination of complementary resistance traits

Towards identification of novel legume species of potential interest as cover crops and living mulches for the North Africa region.

Subsidiary crops (SC) grown either as cover crops (CC) preceding or following the main crops, or as living mulches (LM) together with the main crops can deliver multiple ecological services within farming systems. These include increasing the duration of soil cover in the rotation, increasing plant and microbial diversity, improving plant health, soil health and fertility, minimizing the use of tillage and agrochemicals, enhancing biological N fixation and soil C content, and reducing water demand in dry climates. However, species available for growing as SC for dry areas are limited. To identify species of potential interest to CC and LM, we screened 197 accessions from the ICARDA genebank, belonging to 142 species/sub-species at Rabat, Morocco in one square meter plots. The preliminary assessments based on visual observations enabled us to identify: (1) 21 accessions belonging to Medicago and Trifolium species with prostrate growth habit, early maturity and senescence, determinate growth cycle and good potential for seed production, as potentially suitable for LM; and (2) 28 accessions belonging to Vicia, Lathyrus, Medicago and Trifolium species with high biomass and competitive ability, and also good potential for seed production, as potentially suitable for CC or green manure crops. Further evaluations in replicated trials are in progress. The selected accessions have been planted in the field during autumn 2013 at Sidi El Aidi

Lower odds of remission among women with rheumatoid arthritis: A cohort study in the Swiss Clinical Quality Management cohort

OBJECTIVE To compare the likelihood of achieving remission between men and women with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) after starting their first biologic or targeted synthetic disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drug (b/tsDMARD). METHODS This cohort study in the Swiss Clinical Quality Management in Rheumatic Diseases (SCQM) registry included RA patients starting their first b/tsDMARD (1997-31/04/2018). The odds of achieving remission at ≤12-months, defined by disease activity score 28-joints (DAS28) <2.6, were compared between men and women. Secondary analyses were adjusted for age and seropositivity, and we investigated potential mediators or factors that could explain the main findings. RESULTS The study included 2839 (76.3%) women and 883 (23.7%) men with RA. Compared to women, men were older at diagnosis and b/tsDMARD start, but had shorter time from diagnosis to b/tsDMARD (3.4 versus 5.0 years, p<0.001), and they had lower DAS28 at b/tsDMARD start. Compared to women, men had 21% increased odds of achieving DAS28-remission, with odds ratio (OR) 1.21, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.02-1.42. Adjusting for age and seropositivity yielded similar findings (adjusted OR 1.24, 95%CI 1.05-1.46). Analyses of potential mediators suggested that the observed effect may be explained by the shorter disease duration and lower DAS28 at treatment initiation in men versus women. CONCLUSION Men started b/tsDMARD earlier than women, particularly regarding disease duration and disease activity (DAS28), and had higher odds of reaching remission. This highlights the importance of early initiation of second line treatments, and suggests to target an earlier stage of disease in women to match the benefits observed in men

Improved limits on nuebar emission from mu+ decay

We investigated mu+ decays at rest produced at the ISIS beam stop target. Lepton flavor (LF) conservation has been tested by searching for \nueb via the detection reaction p(\nueb,e+)n. No \nueb signal from LF violating mu+ decays was identified. We extract upper limits of the branching ratio for the LF violating decay mu+ -> e+ \nueb \nu compared to the Standard Model (SM) mu+ -> e+ nue numub decay: BR < 0.9(1.7)x10^{-3} (90%CL) depending on the spectral distribution of \nueb characterized by the Michel parameter rho=0.75 (0.0). These results improve earlier limits by one order of magnitude and restrict extensions of the SM in which \nueb emission from mu+ decay is allowed with considerable strength. The decay \mupdeb as source for the \nueb signal observed in the LSND experiment can be excluded.Comment: 10 pages, including 1 figure, 1 tabl

Symptom complexes in patients with seropositive arthralgia and in patients newly diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis: a qualitative exploration of symptom development

Objective: The aim of this study was to explore symptoms and symptom development during the earliest phases of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in patients with seropositive arthralgia and patients newly diagnosed with RA