Evaluation of resistance to downy mildew in grape varieties grown in a Spanish collection

The genotypic diversity maintained in grapevine repositories can provide an invaluable source of resistance to diseases. Resistance to downy mildew (Plasmopara viticola) of most main and minor grapevine varieties grown in Spain was evaluated in the germplasm collection at "El Encín" (IMIDRA, Madrid). Resistance assessment using the leaf disc technique was compared with the results of field evaluations of natural infected plants according to OIV452-1 and OIV452 descriptors, respectively. A good correlation was found among both methods. Results ranged from very low to high levels of resistance to fungal infection, with most varieties showing high levels of susceptibility, as expectable in Vitis vinifera varieties, but some of them (usually those originally collected from humid temperate regions in Spain) were found to be less susceptible

Evaluation of susceptibility to powdery mildew (Erysiphe necator) in Vitis vinifera varieties

Susceptibility to grape powdery mildew (Erysiphe necator Schwein.) was studied in 159 Vitis vinifera foreign and native grape varieties grown in Spain. The relationship between morphological features of vines and their susceptibility to the disease was also studied. The infection was evaluated under natural conditions on leaves and bunches. A total of 35 cultivars were very susceptible to the disease (very low to low resistance on bunches), while another 83 showed low susceptibility (high to very high resistance on bunches). Results provide useful information for grape growers and breeders for the selection of varieties less susceptible to powdery mildew

Prediction of motorcyclist stress using a heartrate strap, the vehicle telemetry and road information

The number of motorcycles on the road has increased in almost all European countries according to Eurostat. Although the total number of motorcycles is lower than the number of cars, the accident rate is much higher. A large number of these accidents are due to human errors. Stress is one of the main reasons behind human errors while driving. In this paper, we present a novel mechanism to predict upcoming values for stress levels based on current and past values for both the driving behavior and environmental factors. First, we analyze the relationship between stress levels and different variables that model the driving behavior (accelerations, decelerations, positive kinetic energy, standard deviation of speed, and road shape). Stress levels are obtained utilizing a Polar H7 heart rate strap. Vehicle telemetry is captured using a smartphone. Second, we study the accuracy of several machine learning algorithms (Support Vector Machine, Multilayer Perceptron, Naive Bayes, J48, and Deep Belief Network) when used to estimate the stress based on our input data. Finally, an experiment was conducted in a real environment. We considered three different scenarios: home-workplace route, workplace-home route, and driving under heavy traffic. The results show that the proposal can estimate the upcoming stress with high accuracy. This algorithm could be used to develop driving assistants that recommend actions to prevent the stress.The research leading to these results has received funding from the “HERMES-SMART DRIVER” project TIN2013-46801-C4-2-R funded by the Spanish MINECO, from the grant PRX15/00036 from the Ministerio de Educación Cultura y Deporte and from a sabbatical leave by the Carlos III of Madrid University

Moscatel de grano menudo rosa

6 Pags.- 6 Tabls.- Fots.Resultado de los trabajos de recuperación de variedades antiguas de vid. En torno al proyecto INIA RF2012-00027-C5-02 para la prospección y recuperación de variedades antiguas de vid, se han localizado en 17 comunidades autónomas, más de 300 variedades desconocidas o minoritarias entre las que se encuentra el Moscatel de Grano Menudo Rosa. EVENA ha desarrollado un trabajo de recuperación de cepajes de esta variedad cuyos detalles y resultados se recogen en este artículo. Gracias a este estudio ha sido posible recuperar en el viñedo antiguo de Navarra individuos de Moscatel de Grano Menudo Rosa.Los resultados moleculares junto con el color de la baya nos identifican este material como Moscatel de Grano Menudo Rosa, mutación somática del Moscatel de Grano menudo Blanco. Ha sido posible recuperar en el viñedo antiguo de Navarra individuos de Moscatel de Grano Menudo Rosa, una rareza vitícola, de la cual se están desarrollando los tres biotipos seleccionados. Estos tres biotipos pasan a formar parte del conservatorio de cepas de Olite, donde su comportamiento tanto agronómico como enológico está siendo validado según el protocolo establecido. Finalmente, se busca incluir esta variedad en la relación de variedades autorizadas para su cultivo en la Comunidad Foral de Navarra. A partir de los resultados del estudio, el material genuino de Moscatel de Grano Menudo Rosa recuperado puede ser utilizado para la implantación de futuros viñedos y la elaboración de vinos rosados originales, de calidad, manteniendo siempre la tipicidad de los vinos de Moscatel de Grano Menudo navarros.La ca racter izac i ón molecular en es te t rabajo ha sido f inanciada por el IN IA a través de l p royecto RF2012-00027-C5-02, titulado Documentación, caract erización y racionalización del germoplasma de vid prospectado y conservado en España. Creación de una colección nuclearPeer reviewe

Do optional activities matter in virtual learning environments?

Virtual Learning Environments (VLEs) provide students with activi-ties to improve their learning (e.g., reading texts, watching videos or solving exercises). But VLEs usually also provide optional activities (e.g., changing an avatar profile or setting goals). Some of these have a connection with the learn-ing process, but are not directly devoted to learning concepts (e.g., setting goals). Few works have dealt with the use of optional activities and the relation-ships between these activities and other metrics in VLEs. This paper analyzes the use of optional activities at different levels in a specific case study with 291 students from three courses (physics, chemistry and mathematics) using the Khan Academy platform. The level of use of the different types of optional ac-tivities is analyzed and compared to that of learning activities. In addition, the relationship between the usage of optional activities and different student be-haviors and learning metrics is presented

Guiding principles for identification, evaluation and conservation of Vitis vinifera L. subsp. sylvestris

Conservation of grapevine genetic resources is an important and long lasting task. Here, partners of the InWiGrape Activity of the European Cooperative Programme for Plant Genetic Resources have proposed a set of descriptors that will assist in identification, conservation and study of genetic resources of Vitis vinifera L. subsp. sylvestris. A distribution map of Vitis vinifera L. subsp. sylvestris populations in Europe was produced, with on-line access through the European Vitis Database. The several different aspects of conservation of Vitis vinifera L. subsp. sylvestris including bibliographical references, identification in the wild, in situ and ex situ conservation have been discussed. The descriptors and the map will assist different stakeholders, working on biodiversity and ecosystems in more effective conservation of wild grapevine genetic resources

Description of the Vitis vinifera L. phenotypic variability in eno-carpological traits by a Euro-Asiatic collaborative network among ampelographic collections

The grapevine intra-specific variability captured an increasing interest during the last decades, as demonstrated by the number of recently funded European projects focused on the grapevine biodiversity preservation. However, nowadays, crop plants are mainly characterized by genotyping methods. The present work summarizes the phenotype data collected among 20 ampelographic collections spread in 15 countries, covering mostly of the viticultural areas in the Euro-Asiatic range: from Portugal to Armenia and from Cyprus to Luxembourg. Together with agro-climatic characterization of the experimental site, in two years, about 2400 accessions were described, following a common experimental protocol mainly focused on the carpological and oenological traits, obtaining a general overview of the distribution of the considered phenotypic traits in the cultivated Vitis vinifera species. The most replicated cultivars were selected and, for the subset of these reference cultivars, their behavior in the different environmental conditions over sites and years was described by ANOVA methods

The European Vitis Database (www.eu-vitis.de) – a technical innovation through an online uploading and interactive modification system

The objective of the European Vitis Database is to safeguard and enhance germplasm by monitoring its preservation. Two issues are strongly related to that purpose: (1) participation of collections covering almost all grape biodiversity and (2) assessment of accessions trueness to type. In the scope of the European project GrapeGen06 efforts have been made towards both objectives. The 35 participating grape germplasm repositories are found between the Iberian Peninsula and Transcaucasia, thus covering a broad range of grape diversity. Altogether they maintain 32,410 accessions. However with respect to biodiversity, gaps are still evident and further collections need to be included and trueness to type assessment absolutely needs to be pursued to organize duplication of endangered genotypes. Within the GrapeGen06 project focus was laid on the establishment of a database conferring the collection holders a high degree of responsibility and independence. Hence for the first time in a European Central Crop Database an on-line uploading application and an interactive modification system for data administration was implemented. These innovations disburden the database manager and offer the curators of collections more flexibility. Prerequisites for data import, descriptors applied, access levels, database contents, uploading, export and search functions are described

La malvasía en España

6 páginas.Peer reviewe

Structural dynamics at the berry colour locus in Vitis vinifera L. somatic variants

This study aims at the molecular characterization of somatic variants for the berry skin colour, taking advantage of a layer-specific approach and of the knowledge of the genomic sequence along the chromosome 2. The plant material consisted of 38 individuals belonging to 14 V. vinifera cultivars (cépage), encompassing the group A (‘Calitor’, ‘Canaiolo’, ‘Cariñena’, ‘Merlot’, ‘Rondinella’, ‘Grenache’ and ‘Tempranillo’), colourless variants from coloured wild-type, and the group B (‘Baresana’, ‘Chasselas’, ‘Italia’, ‘Malvasia di Candia aromatica’, ‘Moscato bianco’, ‘Sauvignon’ and ‘Sultanina’), coloured variants from non-coloured wild-type. A set of 11 reference SSR markers was used to confirm the varietal identification. In order to perform the genetic characterization at the berry colour locus, 10 SSR markers, 6 SNP regions, and 1 SCAR marker (Gret1) distributed along the chromosome 2 were analysed. The major findings of this study revealed a structural dynamics along the chromosome 2 both at inter- and intra-varietal level within the group A. In fact, a deletion of different extent and position was detected in the colourless variants at the inner layer level. Within group B, instead, the coloured variants could be distinguished mostly for the partial Gret1 retrotransposon excision from the VvMybA1 promoter. In conclusion, this study allows the discrimination of somatic variants and suggests the occurrence of different evolutionary models both among and within grapevine cultivar