Indagine sulle problematiche sanitarie di Haliotis tuberculata in allevamento con focus particolare sulle infestazioni da policheti perforanti

Recentemente l\u2019allevamento del mollusco gasteropode Haliotis tuberculata, abalone europeo, \ue8 stato intrapreso in Irlanda ed in Francia. In generale, le acque fredde proteggono questo mollusco dall\u2019insorgenza di malattie batteriche e parassitarie, ma la colonizzazione della conchiglia da parte di policheti perforanti rappresenta un importante problema in grado di causare una riduzione del valore commerciale e degli indici di crescita. Nel corso di questo studio, condotto in Bretagna su animali allevati con differenti tecniche, si \ue8 dimostrato che l\u2019et\ue0 ed il sistema d\u2019allevamento sono importanti fattori che influenzano l\u2019intensit\ue0 della infestazione. I policheti raccolti dagli abaloni appartenevano a due diverse famiglie: Spionidae, come gi\ue0 descritto in precedenti studi (Clavier, 1992) e Sabellidae, qui riportata per la prima volta nell\u2019abalone europeo. Gli studi morfologici hanno indicato che i policheti Spionidae appartenevano a diverse specie dei generi Polydora/Boccardia. Sebbene non sia stato possibile condurre mediante osservazione morfologica l\u2019identificazione tassonomica dei Sabellidae a livello di genere e specie, almeno due distinte specie erano presenti. La prevalenza e l\u2019intensit\ue0 dei Sabellidi era molto bassa, ma un solo esemplare era in grado di causare lesioni della conchiglia molto gravi. I risultati di questo studio hanno mostrato come la prevalenza sia positivamente correlata all\u2019et\ue0 dell\u2019ospite e come il sistema d\u2019allevamento possa influenzare fortemente l\u2019intensit\ue0 d\u2019infestazione dei policheti perforanti: molto bassa negli allevamenti a terra, dove l\u2019acqua viene filtrata e le procedure igieniche vengono applicate routinariamente alle vasche e pi\uf9 elevata in maricoltura, in particolare se condotta in policoltura ed in aree a basso ricambio idrico, con crescita rallentata e performance produttive ridotte

Garlic Cultivation for High Health-Value

International audienceGarlic (Allium sativum L.) is well-known for presenting numerous health benefits linked to the high amount of organo-sulfur compounds, especially aliin, produced in the bulbs. The accumulation of alliin and its precursors in garlic is dependent on both genetic factors and environmental conditions in which the plants are cultivated. Indeed, different organo-sulfur compounds profiles were obtained for several accessions originating from Central Asia when grown in natural conditions in two different climatic contexts. Field trials carried out on three commercial varieties grown under two different climatic conditions of Western Europe confirmed this observation and suggested an important role of the cropping temperature, soil status and water stress conditions. Experiments performed under fully controlled conditions, in vitro and in the greenhouse, showed that sulfur fertilisation as well as light conditions could also have an impact on the organosulfur composition of garlic bulbs. However, the interaction with the genotype has to be considered as spring-varieties and winter-varieties did not react the same way to variations in fertilising and environmental conditions. In the mean time, the effect of increasing mineral sulfur should be considered in relation to other mineral fertilising components, like nitrogen and selenium, as well as to other sulfur sources, from the soil and from the atmosphere, as garlic seems to be able to use atmospheric sulfur. Multiple factors affect alliin accumulation in garlic, so its quality for human health. These factors should be considered when growing garlic for flavour or therapeutic value

Permanent Genetic Resources added to the Molecular Ecology Resources Database 1 February 2010-31 March 2010

This article documents the addition of 228 microsatellite marker loci to the Molecular Ecology Resources Database. Loci were developed for the following species: Anser cygnoides, Apodemus flavicollis, Athene noctua, Cercis canadensis, Glis glis, Gubernatrix cristata, Haliotis tuberculata, Helianthus maximiliani, Laricobius nigrinus, Laricobius rubidus, Neoheligmonella granjoni, Nephrops norvegicus, Oenanthe javanica, Paramuricea clavata, Pyrrhura orcesi and Samanea saman. These loci were cross-tested on the following species: Apodemus sylvaticus, Laricobius laticollis and Laricobius osakensis (a proposed new species currently being described)

Allium genetic resources

An overview of the developments in Allium genetic resources during the past 25 years is presented in this chapter. A first important development has been the introduction and further development of web-based genebanking information systems (e.g. GENESYS, PLANTSEARCH), which facilitated the exchange of data to a large extent between Allium collection holders worldwide. These information systems made it possible to obtain an overview of the Allium genetic resources managed worldwide and identify the gaps in collections which still need to be filled, especially in the face of the ongoing genetic erosion. A second important area of progress has been the development of new methods for the maintenance of Allium germplasm, especially cryopreservation. This method has made it possible to maintain Allium accessions in a cheap and effective way. The method is especially important for the conservation of vegetatively maintained germplasm. Other developments in Allium genebanking are the improvement of the health status of the germplasm kept in the collections and the continuing characterization and evaluation of germplasm, which stimulates the utilization of the Allium genetic resources held in genebanks. Significant changes could also be observed with respect to acquisition and exchange of plant genetic resources due to many and complex new regulations on the legal and organizational levels due to the adoption of the CBD and IT-PGRFA by many countries. It makes the handling of the plant accessions safer and more consistent but also more circumstantial. Finally, we need to underline that in an increasingly changing world with all the threats of genetic erosion and extinction due to disappearance of traditional cultivation methods, devastation of our environment and climatic change, the conservation of genetic resources is of prime importance for agriculture. Especially for breeders, a highly diverse genepool of a crop plant is an invaluable treasure. The importance to keep this treasure will no doubt become even more important in the future