Reasons for large annual yield fluctuations in wild arctic bramble (Rubus arcticus subsp arcticus) in Finland

Fluctuations in the yield of wild berries are markedly influenced by weather conditions. However, the cause-effect relationship is often poorly understood. Based on data spanning a 20-year period in Finland, we made an effort to elucidate the influence of different weather conditions on the yield of arctic bramble (Rubus arcticus L). We analyzed the regression coefficients of various weather conditions in several regression models using the elaboration approach. Temperature accumulated in July had a positive effect on yield. Yield was negatively influenced by temperature accumulated during the previous summer, rainfall in the October of the previous year, and temperature accumulated in May of the same year. It is notable that the same weather conditions had a positive influence on yield of the same year whereas these conditions had a negative effect on the yield potential of the following year. Compared with traditional analysis methods, the elaboration approach provided a better understanding of the relationship between weather parameters and yield. The rarity of a good yield could be explained by the particular vulnerability of arctic bramble to the negative effects of weather conditions. Some of these factors could be controlled in field conditions when cultivating arctic bramble.Peer reviewe

A1-tyypin graniittien ja niihin liittyvien intermediääristen kivien geokemiallinen ja termodynaaminen mallinnus: esimerkki Fennoskandian kilven keskiosista

The origin of ferroan A-type granites in anorogenic tectonic settings remains a long-standing petrological puzzle. The proposed models range from extreme fractional crystallization of mantle-derived magmas to partial melting of crustal rocks, or involve combination of both. In this study, we apply whole-rock chemical and Sm-Nd isotopic compositions and thermodynamically constrained modeling (Magma Chamber Simulator, MCS) to decipher the genesis of a suite of A1-type peralkaline to peraluminous granites and associated intermediate rocks (monzodiorite-monzonite, syenite) from the southwestern margin of the Archean Karelia craton, central Finland, Fennoscandian Shield. These plutonic rocks were emplaced at ca. 2.05 Ga during an early stage of the break-up of the Karelia craton along its western margin and show trace element affinities to ocean island basalt-type magmas. The intermediate rocks show positive epsilon Nd(2050 Ma) values (+1.3 to +2.6), which are only slightly lower than the estimated contemporaneous depleted mantle value (+3.4), but much higher than average epsilon Nd(2050 Ma) of Archean TTGs (-10) in the surrounding bedrock, indicating that these rocks were essentially derived from a mantle source. The epsilon Nd(2050 Ma) values of the peralkaline and peraluminous granite samples overlap (-0.9 to +0.6 and -3.2 to +0.9, respectively) and are somewhat lower than those in the intermediate rocks, suggesting that the mafic magmas parental to granite must have assimilated some amount of older Archean continental crust during their fractionation, which is consistent with the continental crust-like trace element signatures of the granite members. The MCS modeling indicates that fractional crystallization of mantle-derived magmas can explain the major element characteristics of the intermediate rocks. The generation of the granites requires further fractional crystallization of these magmas coupled with assimilation of Archean crust. These processes took place in the middle to upper crust (-2-4 kbar, -7-15 km) and involved crystallization of large amounts of clinopyroxene, plagioclase and olivine. Our results highlight the importance of coupled FC-AFC processes in the petrogenesis of A-type magmas and support the general perception that magmas of A-type ferroan granites become more peraluminous by assimilation of crust. They further suggest that variable fractionation paths of the magmas upon the onset of assimilation may explain the broad variety of A-type felsic and intermediate igneous rocks that is often observed emplaced closely in time and space within the same igneous complex.Peer reviewe

Genome sequencing and population genomic analyses provide insights into the adaptive landscape of silver birch

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Genome sequencing and population genomic analyses provide insights into the adaptive landscape of silver birch

Silver birch (Betula pendula) is a pioneer boreal tree that can be induced to flower within 1 year. Its rapid life cycle, small (440-Mb) genome, and advanced germplasm resources make birch an attractive model for forest biotechnology. We assembled and chromosomally anchored the nuclear genome of an inbred B. pendula individual. Gene duplicates from the paleohexaploid event were enriched for transcriptional regulation, whereas tandem duplicates were overrepresented by environmental responses. Population resequencing of 80 individuals showed effective population size crashes at major points of climatic upheaval. Selective sweeps were enriched among polyploid duplicates encoding key developmental and physiological triggering functions, suggesting that local adaptation has tuned the timing of and cross-talk between fundamental plant processes. Variation around the tightly-linked light response genes PHYC and FRS10 correlated with latitude and longitude and temperature, and with precipitation for PHYC. Similar associations characterized the growth-promoting cytokinin response regulator ARR1, and the wood development genes KAK and MED5A.Peer reviewe

Genome sequencing and population genomic analyses provide insights into the adaptive landscape of silver birch.

Silver birch (Betula pendula) is a pioneer boreal tree that can be induced to flower within 1 year. Its rapid life cycle, small (440-Mb) genome, and advanced germplasm resources make birch an attractive model for forest biotechnology. We assembled and chromosomally anchored the nuclear genome of an inbred B. pendula individual. Gene duplicates from the paleohexaploid event were enriched for transcriptional regulation, whereas tandem duplicates were overrepresented by environmental responses. Population resequencing of 80 individuals showed effective population size crashes at major points of climatic upheaval. Selective sweeps were enriched among polyploid duplicates encoding key developmental and physiological triggering functions, suggesting that local adaptation has tuned the timing of and cross-talk between fundamental plant processes. Variation around the tightly-linked light response genes PHYC and FRS10 correlated with latitude and longitude and temperature, and with precipitation for PHYC. Similar associations characterized the growth-promoting cytokinin response regulator ARR1, and the wood development genes KAK and MED5A

C. PRESL) at the transcriptional level.

This paper investigates differences in gene expression among the two Thlaspi caerulescens ecotypes La Calamine (LC) and Lellingen (LE) that have been shown to differ in metal tolerance and metal uptake. LC originates from a metalliferous soil and tolerates higher metal concentrations than LE which originates from a non-metalliferous soil. The two ecotypes were treated with different levels of zinc in solution culture, and differences in gene expression were assessed through application of a cDNA microarray consisting of 1,700 root and 2,700 shoot cDNAs. Hybridisation of root and shoot cDNA from the two ecotypes revealed a total of 257 differentially expressed genes. The regulation of selected genes was verified by quantitative reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction. Comparison of the expression profiles of the two ecotypes suggests that LC has a higher capacity to cope with reactive oxygen species and to avoid the formation of peroxynitrite. Furthermore, increased transcripts for the genes encoding for water channel proteins could explain the higher Zn tolerance of LC compared to LE. The higher Zn tolerance of LC was reflected by a lower expression of the genes involved in disease and defence mechanisms. The results of this study provide a valuable set of data that may help to improve our understanding of the mechanisms employed by plants to tolerate toxic concentrations of metal in the soil

Description of three new arctic bramble cultivars and proposal for cultivar identification

Morphological and yield differences between five arctic bramble (Rubus arcticus L.) strains and the cultivars Pima and Mespi were studied at two locations during the growing season 1994. Morphological observations and measurements were made on canes, leaves, flowers and berries, adapting the UPOV (Union pour la Protection des Obtentions Vegetales) descriptions for strawberry and raspberry. The plants were also compared with the aid of random amplified polymorphic DNA analysis. Apart from DNA, the most important distinctive characteristic was yield. Characteristics of the flowers, leaves and berries, such as number, size, shape and colour were used to differentiate between the arctic bramble genotypes. The yield of three new cultivars, named Marika, Muuruska and Elpee, was greater than that of Pima or Mespi. The yield of 'Marika' and 'Elpee' was 2,4-times and that of 'Muuruska' 1,9-times that of 'Pima' or 'Mespi'. Based on distinctive morphological characteristics, guidelines for the description of arctic bramble are proposed. This description may also be used for hybrids of arctic bramble with Rubus stellatus Sm., i.e. Rubus arcticus L. nothosubsp. stellarcticus G. Larsson. ;Uusia mesimarjalajikkeita (Rubus arcticus L.) tarvitaan lisää, sillä populaatiossa on oltava ainakin kolmea erilaista kantaa hyvän pölytyksen ja satotason saavuttamiseksi. Tässä tutkimuksessa on löydetty kolme uutta hyväsatoista lajiketta viljelyyn 'Piman' ja 'Mespin' rinnalle. Lajikkeet on nyt nimetty 'Marikaksi', 'Muuruskaksi' ja ' Elpeeksi'.Uuden lajikkeen on erottava muista saman lajin lajikkeista yhden tai useamman ominaisuuden suhteen. Ominaisuus voi olla morfologinen, fysikaalinen, sytologinen, kemiallinen tai biokemiallinen. Morfologisten tuntomerkkien erottamiseksi UPOV-järjestö (Union pour la Protection des Obtentions Vegetales) on kehittänyt lajikekuvausohjeet mm. mansikalle (Fragaria x ananassa Duch.) ja vadelmalle (Rubus idaeus L.). Mesimarjalle tällaisia ohjeita ei ole. Tämän tutkimuksen tavoitteena oli kuvata uusia mesimarjalajikkeita ja tehdä mesimarjalle lajikekuvausohjeet muuntamalla UPOV-järjestön mansikalle ja vadelmalle tekemiä ohjeita mesimarjalle soveltuviksi. Tutkimuksessa oli mukana viisi luonnonkantaa ja kaksi lajiketta (Pima, Mespi). Kantojen ja lajikkeiden morfologiaa ja satoa tutkittiin Maatalouden tutkimuskeskuksen Kainuun tutkimusasemalla ja Muuruveden maatalous- ja puutarhaoppilaitoksella kesällä 1994. Lisäksi vertailtiin eri mesimarjojen DNA:ta RAPD-analyysillä. Tutkimuksessa sadon määrän ja laadun suhteen 'Pimaa' ja 'Mespiä' parempia kantoja olivat 'Marika', 'Muuruska' ja 'Elpee'. 'Marika' ja 'Muuruska' tuottivat 2,4-kertaisen ja 'Elpee' 1,9-kertaisen sadon verrattuna nykyisiin lajikkeisiin. Morfologisista ominaisuuksista kukan ja lehden ominaisuudet, eli terälehtien määrä, kukan koko sekä lehden koko, muoto ja väritys erottivat kantoja parhaiten. Erottavien tuntomerkkien perusteella mesimarjalle on laadittu lajikekuvausohjeet, joita voidaan soveltaa myös jalomaaraimen (Rubus arcticus L. nothosubsp. stellarcticus G. Larsson) lajikkeiden kuvaukseen