Evaluation of Traits Associated with Breeding for Improved Biomass and Ethanol Yield in Switchgrass

Switchgrass (Panicum virgatum L.) is a perennial, warm season grass that can be used as a biofuel. A greater understanding of the relationship of biomass yield and ethanol yield with disease susceptibility and morphological traits, estimation of the underlying genetic parameters of these traits, and the efficacy of selection at different maturity and under different production conditions could help breeders more effectively develop improved biofuel switchgrass cultivars. To examine these issues, three studies were performed. The first examined switchgrass leaves exhibiting low, medium, and high severity of rust symptoms, caused by infection with Puccinia emaculata. Results indicate P. emaculata infection may negatively impact ethanol yield in biofuels switchgrass with predicted ethanol yield reductions of 10% to 34% in leaves exhibiting medium rust severity and 21% to 51% in leaves exhibiting high rust severity. The second study analyzed a diallel of eight parents selected from the cultivars ‘Alamo’, ‘Kanlow’, and ‘Miami’. Correlations of morphological traits to biomass yield indicate a high biomass yielding ideotype of a tall plant with a high number of thick tillers, wide leaves, and an open canopy density. Traits with moderate correlations to biomass yield showed significant, but weak, negative correlations to ethanol yield. Significant SCA effects, maternal effects, and high parent heterosis were found within all traits. Selection during the establishment year did not differ significantly from selection in subsequent years. The third study used the same diallel populations but compared evaluations under space planted conditions to simulated swards. Evaluation under sward conditions differed from evaluation under space planted conditions for estimates of mean production performance, characterization of morphological traits, estimates of genetic parameters, identification of high GCA and SCA in populations, and identification of potential maternal effects or high parent heterosis. If sward conditions are more representative of production conditions, evaluation under space planted conditions could lead to assessment and selection of plants that are less than optimal in production conditions. Results from these three studies should help breeders identify more efficient and effective methods for improving biofuel switchgrass cultivars

Res Rep 12-01 Wheat and Oat Variety Performance Tests in Tennessee 2011

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Effect of type of food and culture density on growth and lipid composition of Seriola dumerili juveniles

The aim of this study was to determine the effect of three different types of food and two stocking densities on growth, survival and lipid composition of muscle and liver of Seriola dumerili juveniles. Juvenile of S. dumerili were randomly distributed in groups of 15 fish/tank (low stocking density, LD) and groups of 25 fish/tank (high stocking density, HD) and fed with three different types of food: commercial pellets for Sparidae (SP), commercial pellets for S. dumerili (SE) and frozen Mackerel (MA). Samples of muscle and liver were taken for lipid analysis at the end of trial (86 days). Fish fed with SP showed growth significantly lower than the groups fed with SE and MA for both stocking densities. Higher survival rates was observed in fish fed diet SE and MA held at LD. Lipid composition analyses revealed important differences between fish fed with different diets but no difference between groups with different stocking density were detected. Total lipid content in muscle and liver from fish fed with SE was very much higher than in fish fed with SP and MA, which was reflected in higher tryglicerides and lower cholesterol contents. The fatty acid composition of tissues clearly reflected the composition of the diet supplied. The groups fed with MA presented the highest proportion of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), arachidonic acid (ARA) and the lower amounts of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA). In contrast, fish fed with SE presented the lower amounts of ARA and DHA and higher content in 18:2n-6 specifically in the liver. In consequence, fish fed with MA presented a higher DHA/EPA ratio and a lower EPA/AA ratio in both tissues while the opposite was observed in group SE. These preliminary results indicate that SE diet allows get better performance than SP diet obtaining growth and survival rates comparable to fish fed with MA, although with a higher lipid deposition in tissues

The VCU Health Careers Pipeline

The VCU Health Careers Pipeline is a proposal for linking and enhancing existing outreach, academic and mentoring programs on both campuses. The goal of the proposed pipeline is to increase the number of disadvantaged students from the Richmond area who successñllly graduate with a VCU health care degree and obtain employment in the VCU Health System. We propose the hiring of a filll-time director who will collaborate with VCU programs and community initiatives to ensure the success of the program. This director will coordinate the outreach programs currently conducted by VCU departments that introduce health careers to local elementary, middle and high school students

Understanding the Relationship between Health PACs and Health Lobbying in the American States

We examine whether and how health PAC activity in the states is connected to lobbying. Is the political money that health interest organizations bring to the policy process a powerful, independent means of influence or is it better understood more narrowly as a lobbing tactic used to support lobbying? We examine a range of conjectures on the relationship between campaign contributions and lobby activity and the limited work that has been conducted on them and raise a number of questions about the process by which they are connected. We test these hypotheses with 1998 data on state lobbying and PAC activity. We conclude that PAC activity is best viewed as an adjunct of lobbying rather than an independent form of political activity

Preliminary Results on Light Conditions Manipulation in Octopus vulgaris (Cuvier, 1797) Paralarval Rearing

High paralarvae mortality is a major bottleneck currently hindering the control over the lifecycle of common octopus (Octopus vulgaris Cuvier, 1797). It is believed that this problem might be related to either zoo-technical and/or nutritional aspects. The present paper is focused on the study of different zoo-technical aspects related to light conditions on the rearing of paralarvae, including the effects of polarization in prey ingestion, the use of a blue filter to simulate natural conditions, and the use of focused light to avoid reflections of the rearing tank’s walls. In the first experiment, O. vulgaris paralarvae ingestion of Artemia sp. and copepods (Tisbe sp.) was assessed under either normal or polarized light. In the second experiment, the effect of a blue filter with natural light or focused artificial light on growth and mortality was assessed over 15 days of rearing. Ingestion rate was not influenced by light polarization. Nonetheless, a significantly higher ingestion of Artemia sp. with respect to copepods was observed. The blue filter promoted the use of natural light conditions in Octopus paralarval culture, while focused light reduced the collision of the paralarvae against the walls. However, no significant differences were found in paralarval growth nor survivalEn prens

Un meta-análisis sobre el crecimiento de las paralarvas de pulpo común (Octopus vulgaris) alimentadas con diferentes presas vivas

El objetivo del presente estudio fue comparar el efecto de la alimentación con diferentes presas vivas (Artemia y zoeas de crustáceos) y/o Artemia enriquecida, sobre el crecimiento de paralarvas de pulpo común (Octopus vulgaris) a través de un meta-análisis. Se usaron un total de 26 ensayos independientes para analizar las diferencias en crecimiento entre: (i) zoeas de crustáceos vs Artemia, (ii) diferentes especies de crustáceos y (iii) Artemia enriquecida con fosfolípidos marinos vs otros enriquecedores de Artemia. Se observó un mejor crecimiento de las paralarvas alimentadas con zoeas de crustáceos vs Artemia. Sin embargo, no todas las zoeas mostraron los mismos resultados, dada la alta variabilidad observada con el género Grapsus que impidió que se pudieran apreciar diferencias respecto a la Artemia usada como control. Finalmente, el enriquecimiento de Artemia con fosfolípidos marinos mejoró el crecimiento de las paralarvas, lo cual podría estar relacionado con el incremento en los niveles del ácido docosahexaenoico ((DHA, 22:6n-3) y de los lípidos polares en Artemia

Meta‐analysis approach to the effects of live prey on the growth of Octopus vulgaris paralarvae under culture conditions

The common octopus (Octopus vulgaris, Cuvier 1797) is a promising species for aquaculture diversification, but the massive mortality during the first life stage is the main bottleneck for its commercial production. The aim of the present study was to compare the effects of different live preys (Artemia and crustacean zoeae) and/or Artemia enrichment protocols in the paralarval growth by using a meta‐analysis approach. A total of 26 independent assays were used, including data from the bibliography and from experiments carried out by our group. Three comparisons were established: (i) crustacean zoeae vs. Artemia, (ii) different crustacean zoeae species and (iii) Artemia enriched with marine lecithin (rich in polar lipids‐PL and docosahexaenoic acid‐DHA) vs. previously used Artemia enrichments. The meta‐analysis approach allowed a quantitative review of independent studies with reliable conclusions, avoiding the subjectivity inherent to classical reviews. The outputs provided statistical confirmation of the better suitability of crustacean zoeae with respect to Artemia. However, not all crustacean species showed the same results, given that the high variability on Grapsus zoeae hampered finding significant differences with respect to the control treatment (Artemia). Nutrient composition and biometry of the different types of prey are discussed as possible causes of the differences arising from the meta‐analysis. Finally, the present results suggest that marine lecithin has a beneficial effect on paralarval growth with respect to previously used enrichments, which could be related to the increase in DHA and PL in Artemia, given the essential role of these lipid components in octopus paralarval physiology.info:eu-repo/semantics/acceptedVersio

Un meta-análisis sobre el crecimiento de las paralarvas de pulpo común (Octopus vulgaris) alimentadas con diferentes presas vivas

El objetivo del presente estudio fue comparar el efecto de la alimentación con diferentes presas vivas (Artemia y zoeas de crustáceos) y/o Artemia enriquecida, sobre el crecimiento de paralarvas de pulpo común (Octopus vulgaris) a través de un meta-análisis. Se usaron un total de 26 ensayos independientes para analizar las diferencias en crecimiento entre: (i) zoeas de crustáceos vs Artemia, (ii) diferentes especies de crustáceos y (iii) Artemia enriquecida con fosfolípidos marinos vs otros enriquecedores de Artemia. Se observó un mejor crecimiento de las paralarvas alimentadas con zoeas de crustáceos vs Artemia. Sin embargo, no todas las zoeas mostraron los mismos resultados, dada la alta variabilidad observada con el género Grapsus que impidió que se pudieran apreciar diferencias respecto a la Artemia usada como control. Finalmente, el enriquecimiento de Artemia con fosfolípidos marinos mejoró el crecimiento de las paralarvas, lo cual podría estar relacionado con el incremento en los niveles del ácido docosahexaenoico ((DHA, 22:6n-3) y de los lípidos polares en Artemia

Carbon-sensitive pedotransfer functions for plant available water

Currently accepted pedotransfer functions show negligible effect of management-induced changes to soil organic carbon (SOC) on plant available water holding capacity (θAWHC), while some studies show the ability to substantially increase θAWHC through management. The Soil Health Institute\u27s North America Project to Evaluate Soil Health Measurements measured water content at field capacity using intact soil cores across 124 long-term research sites that contained increases in SOC as a result of management treatments such as reduced tillage and cover cropping. Pedotransfer functions were created for volumetric water content at field capacity (θFC) and permanent wilting point (θPWP). New pedotransfer functions had predictions of θAWHC that were similarly accurate compared with Saxton and Rawls when tested on samples from the National Soil Characterization database. Further, the new pedotransfer functions showed substantial effects of soil calcareousness and SOC on θAWHC. For an increase in SOC of 10 g kg–1 (1%) in noncalcareous soils, an average increase in θAWHC of 3.0 mm 100 mm–1 soil (0.03 m3 m–3) on average across all soil texture classes was found. This SOC related increase in θAWHC is about double previous estimates. Calcareous soils had an increase in θAWHC of 1.2 mm 100 mm–1 soil associated with a 10 g kg–1 increase in SOC, across all soil texture classes. New equations can aid in quantifying benefits of soil management practices that increase SOC and can be used to model the effect of changes in management on drought resilience