Breeding vegetables of regional interest

La horticultura es una actividad central en la agricultura cuyana. Es un sector que emplea mucha mano de obra permanente y temporaria. En Mendoza se destinan alrededor de 40.000 hectáreas a la producción de hortalizas, las que representan cerca del 9 % de la superficie nacional. Los principales cultivos son ajo (12.000 ha), papa (6.300 ha), tomate para industria (4.000 ha), cebolla (3.500 ha), zanahoria (3.500 ha), zapallo (3.000 ha), lechuga (1.200 ha) maíz dulce (1.200 ha), melón (600 ha), poroto para chaucha (500 ha). Las superficies cultivadas con cada especie varían de año en año. La provincia lidera la producción de las llamadas hortalizas pesadas (ajo, zapallo, papa, cebolla, zanahoria), de tomate para industria, de hortalizas deshidratadas y es una importante zona productora de semillas hortícolas. Existe demanda de cultivares hortícolas de buen comportamiento agronómico y de excelentes características culinarias y medicinales. Desde el año 2002 el Instituto de Horticultura, que por más de 30 años ha llevado adelante planes de investigación relacionados al mejoramiento genético de hortalizas, en especial de tomate, zapallo y poroto, trabaja en forma conjunta con la EEA La Consulta del INTA reconocida por sus trabajos en el ámbito hortícola, en especial el área de mejoramiento genético y producción de semillas hortícolas. Esta integración institucional ha permitido homologar conocimientos, sinergizar los grupos de trabajo, formar recursos humanos y potenciar las actividades de docencia la capacitación y la transferencia. En el marco de la presente convocatoria de los proyectos de la Secretaría de Investigación, Internacionales y Posgrado de la Universidad se plantea la continuidad de las actividades efectuadas en proyectos anteriores. En esta etapa del proyecto se pondrá mayor énfasis en las siguientes especies: zapallo, poroto para chaucha, cebolla y zanahoria. Los objetivos generales vigentes son: Caracterizar germoplasma para su utilización en programas de mejoramiento genético; Producir nuevos cultivares que satisfagan la demanda regional y nacional; Producir semilla básica y certificada para su posterior difusión a los productores; Mejorar la eficiencia de producción de semilla de cebolla y Formar recursos humanos capacitados para el manejo y la utilización de germoplasma hortícola.The production of vegetable crops is an important economic activity in the Cuyo region. It is a labor intensity activity. There is a demand for new vegetable cultivars with good agronomic, culinary and health-benefits characteristics. In recent years with previous projects a lot of local landraces were collected. The purpose of the present project is to use the collected germplasm in breeding programs. On the other hand this project involves the collaboration of two well-known institutions dedicated to Vegetable Research. Those are the Institute of Horticulture that belongs to the University of Cuyo and the Experiment Research Station La Consulta, which belongs to INTA. The interaction between these institutions allows to: develop more competitive research projects and a better use of human and material resources. The main goals of the projects are: To use local vegetable germplasm, in particular of the genus Cucurbita, Phaseolus, Allium, and Daucus for breeding purposes. Obtain new cultivars that satisfy regional and national demand. Produce basic and certified vegetable seed for the growers. Increase the efficiency of onion seed production. Contribute with the formation of human resources able to carry on breeding programs and manage genetic resources

Garlic and Onion Attenuates Vascular Inflammation and Oxidative Stress in Fructose-Fed Rats

This study evaluates the antioxidant and the anti-inflammatory properties of garlic (G) and onion (O) in fructose-fed rats (FFR). Thirty-day-old male Wistar rats were assigned to control (C), F (10% fructose in drinking water), F+T (tempol 1 mM as control antioxidant), F+G, and F+O. Aqueous G and O extracts were administered orally in doses of 150 and 400 mg/kg/d respectively, and along with tempol, were given during the last 8 weeks of a 14-week period. At the end of the study, FFR had developed insulin resistance, aortic NADPH oxidase activity, increased SBP, plasma TBARS and vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (VCAM-1) expression in mesenteric arteries, and a decrease in heart endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS). Garlic and onion administration to F rats reduced oxidative stress, increased eNOS activity, and also attenuated VCAM-1 expression. These results provide new evidence showing the anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effect of these vegetables

Efecto de la colchicina y del amiprofos-metil en la producción in vitro de plantas dihaploides de cebolla y determinación de la correlación entre el nivel de ploidía y tamaño de losestomas

Doubled haploid onion (Allium cepa L.) plants allow the production of completely homozygous lines for a later production of hybrids. The haploid plants are normally produced using in vitro gynogenesis. The obtained haploid plantlets must be treated with different agents for doubling chromosomes. It is necessary to adjust the concentration and the length of treatment of the doubling agent. In this case, the effect of 250 and 500 mg.L-1 colchicine and 15.2; 30 and 60 mg.L- 1 amiprophos-methyl during 24 and 48 h was assessed over the rate of onion haploid plantlets chromosome doubling. The best duplication treatment was 250 mg.L-1 colchicine for 48 h, which yielded 100% of doubled haploid plants. On the other hand, a positive correlation resulted from the ploidy level and stomatal size, and a negative correlation between the level of ploidy and stomatal density. Significant differences between the stomatal length, width and density in haploid and doubled haploid plantlets were observed. An economical and quick method to test ploidy level in onion plantlets is proposed through the measurement of stomatal size and density.La producción de plantas dihaploides de cebolla (Allium cepa L.), permite obtener líneas completamente homocigotas para luego producir híbridos. A través de la ginogénesis in vitro se ha logrado producir plantas haploides, las cuales deben ser sometidas a tratamientos de duplicación de sus cromosomas, siendo necesario ajustar la concentración del agente duplicador y la duración del tratamiento. En este trabajo se evaluó el efecto de la aplicación de 250 y 500 mg.L-1 de colchicina y 15,2; 30 y 60 mg.L-1 de amiprofos-metil durante 24 y 48 h, sobre la tasa de duplicación de cromosomas en plántulas haploides de cebolla. El mejor tratamiento de duplicación fue 250 mg.L- 1 de colchicina, durante 48 h, logrando un 100% de plantas dihaploides. Por otra parte, se obtuvo una correlación positiva entre el nivel de ploidía y el tamaño de estomas y una correlación negativa entre el nivel de ploidía y la densidad estomática, registrándose diferencias significativas entre los valores promedio de largo, ancho y densidad de estomas para plantas haploides y dihaploides. Se propone un método económico y rápido para verificar el nivel de ploidía de las plántulas de cebolla mediante la medición del tamaño y densidad estomática

Garlic inhibitory effect on platelet activity induced by different agonists

Platelets are essential elements of human blood. In addition to their normal role, platelets are involved in causing myocardial infarction, stroke and other thrombotic disorders. Platelet activation in vivo, probably involves a combination of agonists. Garlic has beneficial effects due to its ability to inhibit platelet aggregation and thromboxane formation. The aim of this work was to evaluate the ability of garlic extracts to inhibit platelet aggregation induced by different agonists and their mixtures in different donors. Significant differences were found in platelet aggregation in response to each agonist (P ≤ 0.05). The highest antiaggregatory effect was observed with arachidonic acid and the lowest effect with collagen-arachidonic acid mixture. Interaction effects between donor and agonist (or mixtures) were detected. The study showed the potential of aqueous garlic extracts to prevent platelet aggregation induced by different agonist

Vernalization Requirement, but Not Post-Vernalization Day Length, Conditions Flowering in Carrot (Daucus carota L.)

Carrots require a certain number of cold hours to become vernalized and proceed to the reproductive stage, and this phenomenon is genotype-dependent. Annual carrots require less cold than biennials to flower; however, quantitative variation within annuals and biennials also exists, defining a gradient for vernalization requirement (VR). The flowering response of carrots to day length, after vernalization has occurred, is controversial. This vegetable has been described both as a long-day and a neutral-day species. The objective of this study was to evaluate flowering time and frequency in response to different cold treatments and photoperiod regimes in various carrot genotypes. To this end, three annual genotypes from India, Brazil, and Pakistan, and a biennial carrot from Japan, were exposed to 7.5 °C during 30, 60, 90, or 120 days, and then transferred to either long day (LD) or short day (SD) conditions. Significant variation (p < 0.05) among the carrot genotypes and among cold treatments were found, with increased flowering rates and earlier onset of flowering being associated with longer cold exposures. No significant differences in response to photoperiod were found, suggesting that post-vernalization day length does not influence carrot flowering. These findings will likely impact carrot breeding and production of both root and seed, helping in the selection of adequate genotypes and sowing dates to manage cold exposure and day-length for different production purposes

Vernalization Requirement, but Not Post-Vernalization Day Length, Conditions Flowering in Carrot (<i>Daucus carota</i> L.)

Carrots require a certain number of cold hours to become vernalized and proceed to the reproductive stage, and this phenomenon is genotype-dependent. Annual carrots require less cold than biennials to flower; however, quantitative variation within annuals and biennials also exists, defining a gradient for vernalization requirement (VR). The flowering response of carrots to day length, after vernalization has occurred, is controversial. This vegetable has been described both as a long-day and a neutral-day species. The objective of this study was to evaluate flowering time and frequency in response to different cold treatments and photoperiod regimes in various carrot genotypes. To this end, three annual genotypes from India, Brazil, and Pakistan, and a biennial carrot from Japan, were exposed to 7.5 °C during 30, 60, 90, or 120 days, and then transferred to either long day (LD) or short day (SD) conditions. Significant variation (p < 0.05) among the carrot genotypes and among cold treatments were found, with increased flowering rates and earlier onset of flowering being associated with longer cold exposures. No significant differences in response to photoperiod were found, suggesting that post-vernalization day length does not influence carrot flowering. These findings will likely impact carrot breeding and production of both root and seed, helping in the selection of adequate genotypes and sowing dates to manage cold exposure and day-length for different production purposes