Noncompetitive Effects of Morning Glory on Growth of Soybeans

Competitive effects of weed infestations in soybean fields can severely reduce yields. Noncompetitive factors (allelopathy) may also be involved. Soybeans (Glycine max (L.) Merrill, Asgrow A 3127 mid group 3) show a marked reduction in growth due to root exudation, leaf leachate and total plant extracts from white-flowered morning glory (Ipomoea lacunosa L.)

Noncompetitive Effects of Morning Glory on Growth of Soybeans

Competitive effects of weed infestations in soybean fields can severely reduce yields. Noncompetitive factors (allelopathy) may also be involved. Soybeans (Glycine max (L.) Merrill, Asgrow A 3127 mid group 3) show a marked reduction in growth due to root exudation, leaf leachate and total plant extracts from white-flowered morning glory (Ipomoea lacunosa L.)

Relative Importance of Biotic and Abiotic Soil Components to Plant Growth and Insect Herbivore Population Dynamics

Background: Plants are affected by several aspects of the soil, which have the potential to exert cascading effects on the performance of herbivorous insects. The effects of biotic and abiotic soil characteristics have however mostly been investigated in isolation, leaving their relative importance largely unexplored. Such is the case for the dune grass Ammophila, whose decline under decreasing sand accretion is argued to be caused by either biotic or abiotic soil properties. Methodology/Principal Findings: By manipulating dune soils from three different regions, we decoupled the contributions of region, the abiotic and biotic soil component to the variation in characteristics of Ammophila arenaria seedlings and Schizaphis rufula aphid populations. Root mass fraction and total dry biomass of plants were affected by soil biota, although the latter effect was not consistent across regions. None of the measured plant properties were significantly affected by the abiotic soil component. Aphid population characteristics all differed between regions, irrespective of whether soil biota were present or absent. Hence these effects were due to differences in abiotic soil properties between regions. Although several chemical properties of the soil mixtures were measured, none of these were consistent with results for plant or aphid traits. Conclusions/Significance: Plants were affected more strongly by soil biota than by abiotic soil properties, whereas the opposite was true for aphids. Our results thus demonstrate that the relative importance of the abiotic and biotic component of soils can differ for plants and their herbivores. The fact that not all effects of soil properties could be detected across regions moreover emphasizes the need for spatial replication in order to make sound conclusions about the generality of aboveground-belowground interactions

Dry and starchy orange-fleshed sweetpotato farmer varieties: Implications for fighting vitamin A defiency in East and Central Africa.

Sweetpotato is a major staple and co-staple root crop for millions of the rural people in Africa. Recently, it has been demonstrated to be of human health importance by combating vitamin A deficiency. This paper is a summary review of recent findings on the orange-fleshed sweetpotato (OFSP) farmer varieties (FV) from East Africa (EA) and their potential contribution to combat vitamin A deficiency (VAD) in Africa. Between 2000 and 2006, scientists from East and Central Africa collected several OFSP varieties from farmers' fields together with the white- and creamfleshed sweetpotato (WFSP) farmer varieties. Subsequent characterization studies using selected EA and exotic germplasm revealed critical findings for the future use of OFSP FV in Africa. Overall, molecular characterization showed that EA germplasm is distinct from non-African germplasm. It also showed that OFSP FV and WFSP FV from EA are very closely related. The two findings address suspicions that OFSP FV are of exotic origin. The OFSP FV differed from exotic OFSP on root dry matter (DM), starch and sucrose properties. Whereas the exotic OFSP are characteristically 'sweet and moist' (DM ≈ 25.0%, starch ≈50.0% and sucrose ≈ 10.3%), OFSP FV had characteristically high DM (≈33.0%), high starch (≈ 65.0%) and similar to the WFSP FV. It is these qualities that make sweetpotato a staple crop in Africa. However, root â-carotene content (BC) of some OFSP FV ['Ejumula', 240pmm; 'Carrot C', 259 ppm; 'Mayai', 264 ppm; and 'Zambezi', 233 ppm] nearly equaled that of 'Resisto' (271ppm), one of the popular OFSP cultivars in USA. These were shown to meet ≥400% of recommended daily allowance (RDA) with 250 g serving to a 5-8 year old child Other light orange-fleshed FV like 'ARA244 Shinyanga', 'K-118', 'K-134', 'K-46', 'PAL161', 'Sowola6', 'SRT52', and 'Sudan' had lower root BC than 'Resisto' and were shown to meet between 50-90% RDA of the child. In conclusion, OFSP FV from EA might show similar adaptation to sub- Sahara African environments as their sister WFSP and have a big potential to alleviate VAD. Also, breeding for acceptable high DM and high starch OFSP varieties for African consumers seems possibl

Murine Hyperglycemic Vasculopathy and Cardiomyopathy: Whole-Genome Gene Expression Analysis Predicts Cellular Targets and Regulatory Networks Influenced by Mannose Binding Lectin

Hyperglycemia, in the absence of type 1 or 2 diabetes, is an independent risk factor for cardiovascular disease. We have previously demonstrated a central role for mannose binding lectin (MBL)-mediated cardiac dysfunction in acute hyperglycemic mice. In this study, we applied whole-genome microarray data analysis to investigate MBL’s role in systematic gene expression changes. The data predict possible intracellular events taking place in multiple cellular compartments such as enhanced insulin signaling pathway sensitivity, promoted mitochondrial respiratory function, improved cellular energy expenditure and protein quality control, improved cytoskeleton structure, and facilitated intracellular trafficking, all of which may contribute to the organismal health of MBL null mice against acute hyperglycemia. Our data show a tight association between gene expression profile and tissue function which might be a very useful tool in predicting cellular targets and regulatory networks connected with in vivo observations, providing clues for further mechanistic studies

Relative importance of biotic and abiotic soil components to plant growth and insect herbivore population dynamics’, PLoS ONE 5(9): e12937

Abstract Background: Plants are affected by several aspects of the soil, which have the potential to exert cascading effects on the performance of herbivorous insects. The effects of biotic and abiotic soil characteristics have however mostly been investigated in isolation, leaving their relative importance largely unexplored. Such is the case for the dune grass Ammophila, whose decline under decreasing sand accretion is argued to be caused by either biotic or abiotic soil properties

Evolutionary Ecology of Plant-Arthropod Interactions in Light of the “Omics” Sciences : A Broad Guide

Funding Information: The project is funded by the European Commission as well as the following national/regional bodies: Formas—the Swedish Research Council for Sustainable Development (grant no: 2020–02376), Academy of Finland (grant no. 344726), Research Foundation—Flanders (grant no. FWO ERANET G0H6520N), and Agencia Estatal de Investigación (grant no. PCI2020-120719-2). Publisher Copyright: Copyright © 2022 De-la-Cruz, Batsleer, Bonte, Diller, Hytönen, Muola, Osorio, Posé, Vandegehuchte and Stenberg.Aboveground plant-arthropod interactions are typically complex, involving herbivores, predators, pollinators, and various other guilds that can strongly affect plant fitness, directly or indirectly, and individually, synergistically, or antagonistically. However, little is known about how ongoing natural selection by these interacting guilds shapes the evolution of plants, i.e., how they affect the differential survival and reproduction of genotypes due to differences in phenotypes in an environment. Recent technological advances, including next-generation sequencing, metabolomics, and gene-editing technologies along with traditional experimental approaches (e.g., quantitative genetics experiments), have enabled far more comprehensive exploration of the genes and traits involved in complex ecological interactions. Connecting different levels of biological organization (genes to communities) will enhance the understanding of evolutionary interactions in complex communities, but this requires a multidisciplinary approach. Here, we review traditional and modern methods and concepts, then highlight future avenues for studying the evolution of plant-arthropod interactions (e.g., plant-herbivore-pollinator interactions). Besides promoting a fundamental understanding of plant-associated arthropod communities’ genetic background and evolution, such knowledge can also help address many current global environmental challenges.Peer reviewe

Evolutionary Ecology of Plant-Arthropod Interactions in Light of the “Omics” Sciences: A Broad Guide

Aboveground plant-arthropod interactions are typically complex, involving herbivores, predators, pollinators, and various other guilds that can strongly affect plant fitness, directly or indirectly, and individually, synergistically, or antagonistically. However, little is known about how ongoing natural selection by these interacting guilds shapes the evolution of plants, i.e., how they affect the differential survival and reproduction of genotypes due to differences in phenotypes in an environment. Recent technological advances, including next-generation sequencing, metabolomics, and gene-editing technologies along with traditional experimental approaches (e.g., quantitative genetics experiments), have enabled far more comprehensive exploration of the genes and traits involved in complex ecological interactions. Connecting different levels of biological organization (genes to communities) will enhance the understanding of evolutionary interactions in complex communities, but this requires a multidisciplinary approach. Here, we review traditional and modern methods and concepts, then highlight future avenues for studying the evolution of plant-arthropod interactions (e.g., plant-herbivore-pollinator interactions). Besides promoting a fundamental understanding of plant-associated arthropod communities’ genetic background and evolution, such knowledge can also help address many current global environmental challenges.</p