PHYSIOLOGICAL RESISTANCE OF COMMON BEAN LINES TO \u3ci\u3eSclerotinia sclerotiorum\u3c/i\u3e

INTRODUCTION. White mold (WM), caused by the fungus Sclerotinia sclerotiorum, is a serious constraint of common bean during the fall-winter season in Brazil. The most commonly used control measure is fungicide application. However, the high cost and the potentially deleterious effects on human health and environment have motivated the search for new options of WM management. Genetic resistance is a key component of the WM management, because it is easier for farmers to adopt and is environmentally safe. Since 2008, we have screened common bean lines/cultivars for WM resistance from the field trials named Value for Cultivation and Use (VCU) conducted under WM pressure. The lines screened in these trials have been developed by Federal University of Viçosa, Federal University of Lavras, EPAMIG and Embrapa Rice and Beans. Beginning in 2015, we have evaluated the genotypes screened in the VCU trials in comparison to three WM-resistant checks (A195, G122, and Cornell 605) in advanced field trials, straw and/or detached leaflet tests. Here, we present results from the straw and the detached leaflet tests to assess physiological resistance of lines/cultivars originally screened for resistance to foliar diseases and high yield

The Effects of Catholic Schooling on Civic Participation

The promotion of adult civic engagement is one of the primary goals of public schools. And the putatively negative effects of private schooling on civic engagement provide one of the most fundamental motivations for publicly provided schooling. In this study, I examine the comparative effects of Catholic and public high schools on adult voter participation and volunteering in the United States. I find that students who attended Catholic high schools are actually more likely to vote, though not volunteer, as adults. These estimated effects are robust to conditioning on a rich set of individual, family and community traits. I also present two-stage least squares estimates, which provide suggestive evidence that these results are not due to selection biases. Copyright Springer Science + Business Media, Inc. 2005public, private, education, civic, externality,

Drivers and mechanisms of tree mortality in moist tropical forests

Tree mortality rates appear to be increasing in moist tropical forests (MTFs) with significant carbon cycle consequences. Here, we review the state of knowledge regarding MTF tree mortality, create a conceptual framework with testable hypotheses regarding the drivers, mechanisms and interactions that may underlie increasing MTF mortality rates, and identify the next steps for improved understanding and reduced prediction. Increasing mortality rates are associated with rising temperature and vapor pressure deficit, liana abundance, drought, wind events, fire and, possibly, CO2 fertilization‐induced increases in stand thinning or acceleration of trees reaching larger, more vulnerable heights. The majority of these mortality drivers may kill trees in part through carbon starvation and hydraulic failure. The relative importance of each driver is unknown. High species diversity may buffer MTFs against large‐scale mortality events, but recent and expected trends in mortality drivers give reason for concern regarding increasing mortality within MTFs. Models of tropical tree mortality are advancing the representation of hydraulics, carbon and demography, but require more empirical knowledge regarding the most common drivers and their subsequent mechanisms. We outline critical datasets and model developments required to test hypotheses regarding the underlying causes of increasing MTF mortality rates, and improve prediction of future mortality under climate change