Resistance to melon vine decline derived from Cucumis melo spp. agrestis: genetic analysis of root structure and root response.

Melon vine decline is a major soilborne disease that causes severe economic losses around the world

Volumetric and acoustic behaviour of myo-inositol in aqueous Natural Deep Eutectic Solvent solutions

A study of the interactions in aqueous systems containing a sweetener, myo-inositol, and a NAtural Deep Eutectic Solvent, reline or glyceline, is presented. Both NADESs include the same acceptor group, choline chloride, and different donor groups, urea and glycerol. For this purpose, the density and speed of sound were measured for dilute mixtures, and several related properties were calculated: the standard partial molar volume, the standard partial molar isentropic compression, the standard transfer properties, Hepler's constant, and the compressibility hydration number. The results were evaluated as a function of the temperature and composition, and they show the dominance of the ionic-hydrophilic and hydrophilic-hydrophilic interactions. Moreover, the glyceline disturbs the aqueous mixtures more than the reline

Common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) landraces in Catalonia, a Mesoamerican germplasm hotspot to be preserved

[EN] Several landraces of common bean with high organoleptic value have resisted the rapid expansion of improved cultivars in Catalonia, in north-eastern Spain. To establish strategies for their preservation and use, we employed RAPD and AFLP markers to investigate the genetic variability within 15 landraces and to identify their original gene pools. A higher percentage of Mesoamerican landraces was found in Catalonia (40%) than in the rest of the Iberian Peninsula, or in Europe (approx. 20%). This is probably due to the exclusion of Catalonia from early trade with the American colonies and stronger commercial links with the Caribbean during the nineteenth century. Our results confirm that Catalan consumers prefer white-seeded common bean varieties of Mesoamerican origin. The landrace ‘Castellfollit del Boix’ showed 69.6% polymorphic RAPD primers, with 53.2% polymorphic bands, while at the other extreme ‘Tavella Brisa’ showed 47.8% polymorphic primers with 25.3% polymorphic bands. An AFLP approach yielded similar results. The high genetic variability found in ‘Castellfollit del Boix’, one of the landraces most threatened, suggests a considerable amount of introgression from improved inbreds.This work was supported by a research grant from CICYT (AGL0035-01).Sanchez, E.; Sifres Cuerda, AG.; Casañas, F.; Nuez Viñals, F. (2007). Common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) landraces in Catalonia, a Mesoamerican germplasm hotspot to be preserved. Journal of Horticultural Science. 82(4):529-534. https://doi.org/10.1080/14620316.2007.11512269S529534824Rodrigo, A. P. (2000).Caracterización Morfoagronómica y Bioquímica del Germoplasma de la Judía Común (Phaseolus vulgarisL.) de España.Ph.D. Thesis, Universidad de Santiago de Compostela, Santiago, Spain. 251 pp

Control of Disease Induced by Tospoviruses in Tomato: An Update of the Genetic Approach

Advances in the search for genetic resistance to tospoviruses affecting tomato crops are reviewed. The economic losses caused by Tomato spotted wilt tospovirus (TSWV), the great number of hosts it affects and its wide distribution around the world has made TSWV one of the ten most important plant viruses. Other viruses in or related to the same genus also cause severe damage, although their presence in the world is much more localized. Due to the limited effectiveness of physical, chemical and biological control methods, the use of genetic resistance for control is the best management strategy on a medium-long term basis. Given the relative ease with which new TSWV isolates that overcome existing genetic resistance are generated, it is of prime importance to continue the search for new sources of resistance, as well as to promote a better exploitation of available ones. A better understanding of the mechanisms causing resistance and of their genetic control, as well as the identification of molecular markers linked to resistance genes, would enable the pyramiding of different resistance genes. This would be a positive contribution to the development of a greater and more durable resistance. It is also necessary to further the study of genetic resistance to other viruses of the genus Tospovirus, as globalisation can speed up their distribution throughout the world

Energy shortage failure prediction in photovoltaic standalone installations by using machine learning techniques

The use of energy storage systems in standalone photovoltaic installations is essential to supply energy demands, independently of solar generation. Accurate prediction of the battery state is critical for the safe, durable, and reliable operation of systems in this type of installations. In this study, an installation located in the area of Aragon (Spain) has been considered. Two methods, based on different types of Recurrent Neural Networks (RNN), are proposed to predict the battery voltage of the installation two days ahead. Specifically, the Nonlinear Auto Regressive with Exogenous Input (NARX) network and the Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM) network are studied and compared. The implemented algorithms process battery voltage, temperature and current waveforms; and rely on the selection of different future scenarios based on weather forecasting to estimate the future voltage of the battery. The proposed methodology is capable of predicting the voltage with a Root Mean Squared Error (RMSE) error of 1.2 V for batteries of 48 V, in critical situations where the installation is running out of energy. The study contributes to the ongoing research of developing preventive control systems that help reduce costs and improve the performance of remote energy storage systems based on renewable energies with a positive outcome

The four serotypes of dengue recognize the same putative receptors in Aedes aegypti midgut and Ae. albopictus cells

BACKGROUND: Dengue viruses (DENV) attach to the host cell surface and subsequently enter the cell by receptor-mediated endocytosis. Several primary and low affinity co-receptors for this flavivirus have been identified. However, the presence of these binding molecules on the cell surface does not necessarily render the cell susceptible to infection. Determination of which of them serve as bona fide receptors for this virus in the vector may be relevant to treating DENV infection and in designing control strategies. RESULTS: (1) Overlay protein binding assay showed two proteins with molecular masses of 80 and 67 kDa (R80 and R67). (2) Specific antibodies against these two proteins inhibited cell binding and infection. (3) Both proteins were bound by all four serotypes of dengue virus. (4) R80 and R67 were purified by affinity chromatography from Ae. aegypti mosquito midguts and from Ae albopictus C6/36 cells. (5) In addition, a protein with molecular mass of 57 kDa was purified by affinity chromatography from the midgut extracts. (6) R80 and R67 from radiolabeled surface membrane proteins of C6/36 cells were immunoprecipitated by antibodies against Ae. aegypti midgut. CONCLUSION: Our results strongly suggest that R67 and R80 are receptors for the four serotypes of dengue virus in the midgut cells of Ae. aegypti and in C6/36 Ae. albopictus cells