Evidence for solar cycles in a late Holocene speleothem record from Dongge Cave, China

The association between solar activity and Asian monsoon (AM) remains unclear. Here we evaluate the possible connection between them based on a precisely-dated, high-resolution speleothem oxygen isotope record from Dongge Cave, southwest China during the past 4.2 thousand years (ka). Without being adjusted chronologically to the solar signal, our record shows a distinct peak-to-peak correlation with cosmogenic nuclide 14C, total solar irradiance (TSI) and sunspot number (SN) at multi-decadal to centennial timescales. Further cross-wavelet analyses between our calcite δ18O and atmospheric 14C show statistically strong coherence at three typical periodicities of ~80, 200 and 340 years, suggesting important roles of solar activities in modulating AM changes at those timescales. Our result has further indicated a better correlation between our calcite δ18O record and atmospheric 14C than between our record and TSI. This better correlation may imply that the Sun–monsoon connection is dominated most likely by cosmic rays and oceanic circulation (both associated to atmospheric 14C), instead of the direct solar heating (TSI)

Testing of Vicia faba accessions on resistance to bruchids (Bruchus rufimanus)

Trabajo presentado en la International Conference Advances in grain legume breeding, cultivations and uses for a more competitive value-chain, celebrada en Novi Sad (Serbia) el 27 y 28 de septiembre de 2017.During 2014–2016 Vicia faba accessions provided by Czech genetic bank (Prague, Czech Republic) and CSIC/IAS (Córdoba, Spain) were tested on resistance to Bruchus rufimanus. In 2014 301 accessions were exposed to natural infestation under field conditions (Šumperk, Czech Republic). The accessions with levels of infestation below 5 % were chosen for other testing in glass house: Fioletovy Czysowskich, Chorostovskij, Maris Bead, Afganistan, Fereales, Uran, Ostojski, Stredan, Outlook, Karna, Erfano, M6-9019, BG –752, BG –1106 and BG –1643. In 2015-16 these 15 accessions together with BG –1265, BG –1613, BG –1030 and BG 1017 (infestation below 10 %), two commercial varieties (standards: Merkur and Merlin) and two accessions which showed high levels of infestation in 2014 (controls: BG –427 resp. BG –403; infestation above 75 %) were tested. Significantly lower attractiveness of BG-1106, Chorostovskij, Afganistan, Outlook and Erfano for bruchid females proved in more-choice tests. But in one-choice tests females laid eggs on these accessions, too. More than 40 % of individuals died at the stage of egg or during the pod cover penetration in Chorostovskij, Afganistan, Outlook and in Merkur. The seed coat was the most complicated obstacle for larvae in Fioletovy Czysowskich, Maris Bead, Erfano, M6-9019, BG –1106, BG –1643 and BG –1265 (mortality above 30 %). The levels of larval mortalities in cotyledons were not significantly different among the accessions. The overall highest mortalities of B. rufimanus were in Chorostovskij, Afganistan, Outlook, Erfano and BG –1106 (80 –100 % of larvae died there during their development).N

Effect of intercropping field pea with spring cereals on temporal changes in pea aphid (Acyrthosiphon pisum Harris, 1776) abundances and distribution in crops

Trabajo presentado en el Second International Legume Society Conference "Legumes for a sustainable world" (ILS2), celebrado en Tróia (Portugal) del 11 al 14 de octubre de 2016.In the course of 2013-2015 abundances of pea aphid (A. pisum) and their natural enemies found on field pea plants, grown either as a monoculture or intercropped with spring cereals and some other legumes, were compared. Two types of trials were used: small plot trials and large plot trials. Pea aphid colonies in field peas in tercropped with cereals developed differently than in pea monocrops. However, the small plot trials showed different results to the large plot trials. In the small plot trials on intercropped plots pea aphid numbers were higher during the first part of crop colonisation, but the decline in aphid populations also happened earlier. In the large plot trials pea aphid abundances were significantly lower in field pea –barley intercrops compared to monocrops during the whole duration of crop infestation. Pea aphid colonies encountered syrphid larvae attacks more frequently in intercrops than in monocrops.N

The effect of crop structure on the abundances and distributions of bruchids (Bruchus pisorum) in field peas (Pisum sativum)

Trabajo presentado en la International Conference Advances in grain legume breeding, cultivations and uses for a more competitive value-chain, celebrada en Novi Sad (Serbia) el 27 y 28 de septiembre de 2017.During 2014 –2017 distributions and abundances of B. pisorum eggs and infested seeds were analysed in field pea crops with different structure: pea monocrop (v. Protecta), pea monocrop founded as a combination of two varieties (Protecta with delayed start of flowering + Cisterski with early start of flowering –the second one sown in 6 m wide strips located along edges with Protecta), pea monocrop founded as a combination of the same two varieties –Cisterski sown in 3 m wide strips located along the plot edges and among the 16 m wide strips with Protecta and field pea/barley (Protecta/Sirael –60/40) intercrop. In general the levels of seed infestation were not significantly lower in pea/barley intercrops than in Protecta monocrops. In plots where the two field pea varieties were combined, strong tendency for aggregation of eggs into the zones with Cisterski was recorded. This tendency was more pronounced in the plots where Cisterski was sown in 6 m wide strips along the plot edges. The seeds of Protecta harvested from the plots containing strips of Cisterski were significantly less infested than the seeds from Protecta monoculture even the seeds harvested from pea/barley intercrop in 2014 –2016. When margins with the early variety show width of 6 m and the delay in the start of flowering of the main variety (the variety which occupies the inner part of field) is at least 10 days, the majority (90 % or more) of B. pisorum females lay their eggs on plants located at the margins.N

The effect of plant diversity on the spatio-temporal distributions of pea aphids (Acyrthosiphon pisum) and carabids (Coleoptera: Carabidae) in field pea crops

Trabajo presentado en la International Conference Advances in grain legume breeding, cultivations and uses for a more competitive value-chain, celebrada en Novi Sad (Serbia) el 27 y 28 de septiembre de 2017.During 2016–2017 distribution patterns of pea aphids (Acyrthosiphon pisum) and predatory ground beetles (Carabidae) and the spatio-temporal associations between the two groups of insects were analysed in field pea monocrops and in field pea / barley intercrops. The objectives of the large plot trials were to find out if there are some differences in patterns of spatio-temporal distributions of the aphids and the carabids in the compared crops and if the spatio-temporal associations between the pest and the predator distributions can be influenced by the plant diversity in crops. The spatial patterns of insect counts (aphids, carabids –assessed totally and separately for the individual species) were analysed using SADIE. The tendency towards significant spatio-temporal association (p<0.025) between distribution of aphids and the four important species of carabids were recorded in intercrops even monocrops in some dates. It indicates that these species should play important role in diminishing of aphid populations during their development in crops because they were actively looking for the zones with higher abundances of aphids (at these places the probability that aphids fall down is higher). At the same time in some cases decreases in aphid populations were recorded at the zones in crops where previously higher abundances of carabids were recorded (significant spatial dissociation in their distributions; p>0.975). That shows some species (especially Poecilus cupreus, Pterostichus melanarius, Pseudoophonus rufipes and P. griseus) should play important role in diminishing of aphid populations during their development in crops and can serve as effective biological agents.N

The effect of plant diversity on the spatio-temporal distributions of pea aphids (Acyrthosiphon pisum) and syrphids (Diptera: Syrphidae) in field pea crops

Trabajo presentado en la International Conference Advances in grain legume breeding, cultivations and uses for a more competitive value-chain, celebrada en Novi Sad (Serbia) el 27 y 28 de septiembre de 2017.During 2014 –2017 distribution patterns of pea aphids and larvae of syrphids (aphid predators) and the spatio-temporal associations between the two groups of insects were analysed in large plots of field pea monocrops vs. pea/barley intercrops. The objectives were tofind out if there are some differences in the patterns of the pest and its predator distributions in the crops and if the spatio-temporal associations between the pest and its predator are influenced by the presence of cereal accompany. The spatial patterns of insect counts were analysed using SADIE. To compare two distributions (aphids vs. syrphids) in the crops, SADIE -Quick Association was used. In intercrops pea aphids and, in part, syrphids showed a strong tendency towards aggregation on dates when the highest abundances of aphids were recorded. In monocrops these tendencies were not recorded. There was a tendency towards somewhat higher spatio-temporal association between aphids and syrphids in intercrops. In intercrops the distributions of aphids measured at the time of their highest abundance were also more spatially related to the subsequent (measured later) distributions of their predator. This indicates more effective localizing of the host by its predator in intercrops. Significant spatial dissociations between syrphids and subsequent (measured later) distribution of aphids were more frequent in intercrops, too. The spatial dissociation should indicate effective predation induced by syrphids in intercrops. Stronger and more spatially and temporally linked relations between the pest and its predator may explain earlier decline of aphid populations usually recorded in legumes intercropped with cereals.N

Genetic transformation of pea for improved tolerance / resistance to fungal pathogens and insect pests

International audienc

Genetic transformation of pea for improved tolerance / resistance to fungal pathogens and insect pests

International audienc

A composite biofoam, from research to in vivo validation

Bone tissue engineering aims at developing scaffolds, or porous structures, as supports for cell migration, proliferation and differentiation, in order to favor bone healing. L-poly lactic acid (PLA) foams, which were reinforced or not with β-tricalcium phosphate (β-TCP) particles, were obtained by melt-extrusion followed by supercritical gas foaming. After tailoring their morphology and mechanical properties to those of natural cancellous bone, their in vitro biocompatibility was tested. Promising results led to in vivo studies, using calvarial critical size defect in rats and bone filling of tibial and femoral defects in shee

Design and ex ante assement of cropping systems with legumes in four European countries

National audienc