Influence of previous crops and nematicide treatments on root lesion nematode populations and crop yields

Nous avons étudié au champ l'influence du précédent cultural, de la séquence culturelle et de traitements à l'aldicarbe sur les populations de nematodes des nodosités et sur les rendements de diverses cultures à l'île-du Prince-Édouard. La culture précédente a eu le plus grand impact sur le nombre de nematodes. Les séquences des cultures ont parfois eu une influence sur les populations de nematodes des nodosités (principalement Pratylenchus penetrans) et sur les rendements. Dans les champs commerciaux d'orge (Hordeum vulgare), les nematodes des nodosités étaient plus nombreux lorsque l'orge suivait une culture combinée de trèfle rouge (Trifolium pratense) et de fléole (Phleum pratense) et les nematodes du rabougrissement (Tylenchorynchus spp., principalement T. dubiuset Merlinius spp.) étaient plus nombreux quand l'orge était semée pendant deux années consécutives. La masse de la matière sèche combinée du feuillage et du grain était plus importante lorsque l'orge était semée auprès des pommes de terre (Solanum tuberosum) et cette masse était plus faible avec deux cultures successives d’orge ou avec un mélange de trèfle rouge et de fléole. En conditions expérimentales au champ, les populations de nématodes des nodosités étaient plus élevées dans les racines d’orge lorsque celle-ci était cultivée après des pommes de terre et les rendements en grain étaient plus faibles lorsque l’orge était cultivée pendant deux années consécutives. Les changements dans les populations de nématodes chez la pomme de terre n’étaient pas associés aux séquences débutant avec le blé (Triticum aestivum) ou l’orge que dans les séquences débutant avec les pommes de terre ou le soya (Glycine max). L’aldicarbe a réduit le nombre de nématodes des nodosités en plus d’accroître les rendements en pommes de terre et en soya.A field study assessing the influence of the previous crop, the crop sequence, and aldicarb treatments on root lesion nematode populations and crop yields was carried out in Prince-Edward-Island, Canada. The most recent crop had the greatest impact on nematode numbers. The crop sequences had an influence in some cases on root lesion nematode populations (primarily Pratylenchus penetrans) and on crop yields. In commercial barley (Hordeum vulgare) fields, root lesion nematodes in roots were greatest when barley followed a red clover (Trifolium pratense) timothy (Phleum pratense) ley, and stunt nematodes (Tylenchorhynchus spp., primarily T. dubius, and Merlinius spp.) were more common when barley followed barley. The combined dry weight of foliage and grain was larger when barley was planted after potato (Solanumtuberosum) and smaller when barley followed barley or a red clover-timothy mixture. Under experimental field conditions, root lesion nematode populations were largest in barley roots when barley followed potato and grain yields were smallest when barley followed barley. Changes in nematode populations in potato were not associated with crop sequences. Potato tuber yields were higher in the sequences that began with wheat (Triticum aestivum) or barley than in the sequences that began with potato or soybean (Glycine max). Aldicarb reduced the numbers of root lesion nematodes in roots with concomitant yield increases in potato and soybean

Discovery and characterization of a specific inhibitor of serine-threonine kinase cyclin-dependent kinase-like 5 (CDKL5) demonstrates role in hippocampal CA1 physiology

Pathological loss-of-function mutations in cyclin-dependent kinase-like 5 (CDKL5) cause CDKL5 deficiency disorder (CDD), a rare and severe neurodevelopmental disorder associated with severe and medically refractory early-life epilepsy, motor, cognitive, visual, and autonomic disturbances in the absence of any structural brain pathology. Analysis of genetic variants in CDD has indicated that CDKL5 kinase function is central to disease pathology. CDKL5 encodes a serine-threonine kinase with significant homology to GSK3β, which has also been linked to synaptic function. Further, Cdkl5 knock-out rodents have increased GSK3β activity and often increased long-term potentiation (LTP). Thus, development of a specific CDKL5 inhibitor must be careful to exclude cross-talk with GSK3β activity. We synthesized and characterized specific, high-affinity inhibitors of CDKL5 that do not have detectable activity for GSK3β. These compounds are very soluble in water but blood-brain barrier penetration is low. In rat hippocampal brain slices, acute inhibition of CDKL5 selectively reduces postsynaptic function of AMPA-type glutamate receptors in a dose-dependent manner. Acute inhibition of CDKL5 reduces hippocampal LTP. These studies provide new tools and insights into the role of CDKL5 as a newly appreciated key kinase necessary for synaptic plasticity. Comparisons to rodent knock-out studies suggest that compensatory changes have limited the understanding of the roles of CDKL5 in synaptic physiology, plasticity, and human neuropathology

IBD risk loci are enriched in multigenic regulatory modules encompassing putative causative genes.

GWAS have identified >200 risk loci for Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD). The majority of disease associations are known to be driven by regulatory variants. To identify the putative causative genes that are perturbed by these variants, we generate a large transcriptome data set (nine disease-relevant cell types) and identify 23,650 cis-eQTL. We show that these are determined by ∼9720 regulatory modules, of which ∼3000 operate in multiple tissues and ∼970 on multiple genes. We identify regulatory modules that drive the disease association for 63 of the 200 risk loci, and show that these are enriched in multigenic modules. Based on these analyses, we resequence 45 of the corresponding 100 candidate genes in 6600 Crohn disease (CD) cases and 5500 controls, and show with burden tests that they include likely causative genes. Our analyses indicate that ≥10-fold larger sample sizes will be required to demonstrate the causality of individual genes using this approach

Field evaluation of switchgrass seedlings divergently selected for crown node placement

Excessive crown node elevation of warm-season grass seedlings is a major limitation to successful establishment. Crown node placement at or above the soil surface limits the opportunity for adventitious root development at the crown node. Switchgrass (Panicum virgatum L.) germplasm selected for low- (LC) and elevated- (EC) crown node placement (at 1.5 (μmol m−1 s−1 photosynthetic photon flux density), has been developed from ‘Alamo’ Switchgrass. The objective of this study was to determine if differences in crown node placement and other seedling morphological traits exist among Alamo (nonselected, parental), LC, and EC germplasm and if these differences affect seedling establishment in the field. Seeds were planted during April and May at Beeville, Stephenville, and College Station, TX. Each location was established with six blocks each consisting of a 2-m row of Alamo, LC, or EC seed. Seeds were planted at a 1-cm depth. Three to 10 seedlings were marked at soil level, then dug for detailed seedling measurements. There were no genotype by location interactions for any trait measured. Emergence was more rapid at Beeville for all entries because of prewatering and better soil conditions. Averaged for the three locations, final emergence was 47, 37, and 30% for LC, EC, and Alamo. Mesocotyl length of LC germplasm averaged 5.9 mm compared with 8.4 and 9.1 mm for Alamo and EC germplasm, respectively. Even though LC seedlings had shorter mesocotyles and consequently lower crown node placement than EC or Alamo seedlings, these traits may not be directly responsible for greater establishment success