Arthropod Fauna Associated with Wild and Cultivated Cranberries in Wisconsin

The cranberry (Vaccinium macrocarpon Aiton) is an evergreen, trailing shrub native to North American peatlands. It is cultivated commercially in the US and Canada, with major production centers in Wisconsin, Massachusetts, New Jersey, Washington, Québec, and British Columbia. Despite the agricultural importance of cranberry in Wisconsin, relatively little is known of its arthropod associates, particularly the arachnid fauna. Here we report preliminary data on the insect and spider communities associated with wild and cultivated cranberries in Wisconsin. We then compare the insect and spider communities of wild cranberry systems to those of cultivated cranberries, indexed by region. Approximately 7,400 arthropods were curated and identified, spanning more than 100 families, across 11 orders. The vast majority of specimens and diversity derived from wild ecosystems. In both the wild and cultivated systems, the greatest numbers of families were found among the Diptera (midges, flies) and Hymenoptera (bees, ants, wasps), but numerically, the Hymenoptera and Araneae (spiders) were dominant. Within the spider fauna, 18 new county records, as well as a new Wisconsin state record (Linyphiidae: Ceratinopsis laticeps (Em.)), were documented. While more extensive sampling will be needed to better resolve arthropod biodiversity in North American cranberry systems, our findings represent baseline data on the breadth of arthropod diversity in the Upper Midwest, USA

Toward integrated conservation of North America's crop wild relatives

North America harbors a rich native flora of crop wild relatives—the progenitors and closely related species of domesticated plants—as well as a range of culturally significant wild utilized plants. Despite their current and potential future value, they are rarely prioritized for conservation efforts; thus many species are threatened in their natural habitats, and most are underrepresented in plant genebanks and botanical gardens. Further coordination of efforts among land management, botanical, and agricultural science organizations will improve conservation and general public awareness with regard to these species. We present examples of productive collaborations focused on wild cranberries (Vaccinium macrocarpon and Vaccinium oxycoccos) and chile peppers (Capsicum annuum var. glabriusculum). We then discuss five shared priorities for further action: (1) understand and document North America's crop wild relatives and wild utilized plants, (2) protect threatened species in their natural habitats, (3) collect and conserve ex situ the diversity of prioritized species, (4) make this diversity accessible and attractive for plant breeding, research, and education, and (5) raise public awareness of their value and the threats to their persistence

Variación espacio-temporal en la dieta del coyote en la costa norte de Jalisco, México

El presente trabajo analiza los cambios a nivel local, en espacio y tiempo, que manifiesta el coyote en su dieta. Se desarrolló en una zona de Bosque Tropical Subcaducifolio de la costa norte de Jalisco, en donde se efectuaron recolectas de excrementos, de marzo del 1999 a abril del 2001, en cuatro sitios con condiciones diferentes. Las muestras fueron analizadas anualmente, estacionalmente (seca y húmeda), para toda el área y por sitios. Resultando que en general el material vegetal (44.20%) y mamíferos (36.05%) alcanzaron el 80% de la frecuencia relativa de ocurrencia (FRO) de los elementos contenidos en su dieta, observandose cambios significativos entre las estaciones seca y húmeda en ambos grupos. Los elementos con mayor FRO fueron Vitex hemsleyi, Sigmodon mascotensis y Liomys pictus. El material vegetal consumido fue diferente entre sitios, registrándose la más altafrecuencia de consumo en el sitio 1 (47.35%) y la menor en el sitio 3 (22.22%), en cambio el consumo de mamíferos fue mayor en el sitio 4 (44.83%) y la menor en el sitio 2 (30.77%). Estacionalmente el material vegetal mostró diferencias en los sitios 2 y 4, mamíferos en los sitios 2 y 4, aves en el sitio 4 e insectos en el sitio 1. Se analizó la diversidad de categorías alimenticias consumidas, mediante el índice de Shannon (H'), resultando H'= 2.33 para toda el área de estudio; entre sitios y estaciones se presentaron diferencias en los valores de H'. Se concluye que el carácter oportunista del coyote prevalece aún a nivel local, lo que pone de manifiesto su capacidad de adaptación a la disponibilidad y abundancia de recursos para su dieta.The present work analized the changes at local level in the food habits of coyote. This work was developed in a Tropical Subdeciduos Forest in the North Coast of Jalisco State. We collected scats from March 1999 to April2001, in four sites with different conditions. The scats were analized annually, seasonally (dry-wet), for the whole area and between sites. In general, the vegetal items (44.20%), and mammals (36.05%) reached 80% of relativefrecuency of ocurrence in the diet, observed significant changes between seasons in both groups. The elements with highest relative frequency of occurrence were Vitex hemsleyi, Sigmodon mascotensis and Liomys pictus. The relative frequency of ocurrence of vegetal items were different between sites, with highest values in site 1 (47.35%), and the lowest in site 3 (22.22%); the highest frequencies of mammals were in the site 4(44.83%) and the lowestin the site 2 (30.77%). Seasonally, vegetal items consumption were different in the site 2 and site 4, mammals were different in the site 2 and site 4, birds in the site 4, and insects in the site 1. Diversity of items, mesured with indexof Shannon (H'), value obtained in the diet of coyote H'= 2.33; diversity of items between sites and seasons were different too. We concludes that the opportunistic behavior of the coyote prevails at local level, showing widecapacity of adaptation in order to use the availability and abundance of feeding resources

Arthropod Fauna Associated with Wild and Cultivated Cranberries in Wisconsin

The cranberry (Vaccinium macrocarpon Aiton) is an evergreen, trailing shrub native to North American peatlands. It is cultivated commercially in the US and Canada, with major production centers in Wisconsin, Massachusetts, New Jersey, Washington, Québec, and British Columbia. Despite the agricultural importance of cranberry in Wisconsin, relatively little is known of its arthropod associates, particularly the arachnid fauna. Here we report preliminary data on the insect and spider communities associated with wild and cultivated cranberries in Wisconsin. We then compare the insect and spider communities of wild cranberry systems to those of cultivated cranberries, indexed by region. Approximately 7,400 arthropods were curated and identified, spanning more than 100 families, across 11 orders. The vast majority of specimens and diversity derived from wild ecosystems. In both the wild and cultivated systems, the greatest numbers of families were found among the Diptera (midges, flies) and Hymenoptera (bees, ants, wasps), but numerically, the Hymenoptera and Araneae (spiders) were dominant. Within the spider fauna, 18 new county records, as well as a new Wisconsin state record (Linyphiidae: Ceratinopsis laticeps (Em.)), were documented. While more extensive sampling will be needed to better resolve arthropod biodiversity in North American cranberry systems, our findings represent baseline data on the breadth of arthropod diversity in the Upper Midwest, USA

Post-glacial evolution of \u3ci\u3ePanicum virgatum\u3c/i\u3e: centers of diversity and gene pools revealed by SSR markers and cpDNA sequences

Switchgrass (Panicum virgatum), a central and Eastern USA native, is highly valued as a component in tallgrass prairie and savanna restoration and conservation projects and a potential bioenergy feedstock. The purpose of this study was to identify regional diversity, gene pools, and centers-of-diversity of switchgrass to gain an understanding of its post-glacial evolution and to identify both the geographic range and potential overlap between functional gene pools. We sampled a total of 384 genotypes from 49 accessions that included the three main taxonomic groups of switchgrass (lowland 4x, upland 4x, and upland 8x) along with one accession possessing an intermediate phenotype. We identified primary centers of diversity for switchgrass in the eastern and western Gulf Coast regions. Migration, drift, and selection have led to adaptive radiation in switchgrass, creating regional gene pools within each of the main taxa. We estimate that both upland-lowland divergence and 4x-to-8x polyploidization within switchgrass began approximately 1.5–1 M ybp and that subsequent ice age cycles have resulted in gene flow between ecotype lineages and between ploidy levels. Gene flow has resulted in ‘‘hot spots’’ of genetic diversity in the southeastern USA and along the Atlantic Seaboard

A consensus linkage map for molecular markers and Quantitative Trait Loci associated with economically important traits in melon (Cucumis melo L.)

Background A number of molecular marker linkage maps have been developed for melon (Cucumis melo L.) over the last two decades. However, these maps were constructed using different marker sets, thus, making comparative analysis among maps difficult. In order to solve this problem, a consensus genetic map in melon was constructed using primarily highly transferable anchor markers that have broad potential use for mapping, synteny, and comparative quantitative trait loci (QTL) analysis, increasing breeding effectiveness and efficiency via marker-assisted selection (MAS). Results Under the framework of the International Cucurbit Genomics Initiative (ICuGI, http://www.icugi.org webcite), an integrated genetic map has been constructed by merging data from eight independent mapping experiments using a genetically diverse array of parental lines. The consensus map spans 1150 cM across the 12 melon linkage groups and is composed of 1592 markers (640 SSRs, 330 SNPs, 252 AFLPs, 239 RFLPs, 89 RAPDs, 15 IMAs, 16 indels and 11 morphological traits) with a mean marker density of 0.72 cM/marker. One hundred and ninety-six of these markers (157 SSRs, 32 SNPs, 6 indels and 1 RAPD) were newly developed, mapped or provided by industry representatives as released markers, including 27 SNPs and 5 indels from genes involved in the organic acid metabolism and transport, and 58 EST-SSRs. Additionally, 85 of 822 SSR markers contributed by Syngenta Seeds were included in the integrated map. In addition, 370 QTL controlling 62 traits from 18 previously reported mapping experiments using genetically diverse parental genotypes were also integrated into the consensus map. Some QTL associated with economically important traits detected in separate studies mapped to similar genomic positions. For example, independently identified QTL controlling fruit shape were mapped on similar genomic positions, suggesting that such QTL are possibly responsible for the phenotypic variability observed for this trait in a broad array of melon germplasm. Conclusions Even though relatively unsaturated genetic maps in a diverse set of melon market types have been published, the integrated saturated map presented herein should be considered the initial reference map for melon. Most of the mapped markers contained in the reference map are polymorphic in diverse collection of germplasm, and thus are potentially transferrable to a broad array of genetic experimentation (e.g., integration of physical and genetic maps, colinearity analysis, map-based gene cloning, epistasis dissection, and marker-assisted selection).This work was supported in part by SNC Laboratoire ASL, Ruiter Seeds B.V., Enza Zaden B.V., Gautier Semences S.A., Nunhems B.V., Rijk Zwaan B.V., Sakata Seed Inc, Semillas Fito S. A., Seminis Vegetable Seeds Inc, Syngenta Seeds B. V., Takii and Company Ltd, Vilmorin & Cie S. A., and Zeraim Gedera Ltd (all of them as part of the support to the ICuGI); the grants AGL2009-12698-C02-02 from the Spanish "Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovacion" to AJM. NK lab was supported in part by Research Grant Award No. IS-4223-09C from BARD, the United States - Israel Binational Agricultural Research and Development Fund, and in part by Israel Science Foundation Grant No. 38606, De Ruiter Seeds, Enza Zaden, Keygene, Rijk Zwaan, Sakata Seed Corporation, Semillas Fito, Syngenta Seeds and Vilmorin Clause & Cie. AD was supported by a JAE-Doc contract from "Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Cientificas" (CSIC-Spain). MF was supported by a postdoctoral contract from CRAG. The research carried out at YX's laboratory was supported by Chinese funds (Grant No. 2008-Z42(3), 5100001, 2010AA101907).Díaz Bermúdez, A.; Fergany, M.; Formisano, G.; Ziarsolo, P.; Blanca Postigo, JM.; Fei, Z.; Staub, JE.... (2011). A consensus linkage map for molecular markers and Quantitative Trait Loci associated with economically important traits in melon. BMC Plant Biology. 11. https://doi.org/10.1186/1471-2229-11-111S1

There and back again: historical perspective and future directions for Vaccinium breeding and research studies

The genus Vaccinium L. (Ericaceae) contains a wide diversity of culturally and economically important berry crop species. Consumer demand and scientific research in blueberry (Vaccinium spp.) and cranberry (Vaccinium macrocarpon) have increased worldwide over the crops' relatively short domestication history (~100 years). Other species, including bilberry (Vaccinium myrtillus), lingonberry (Vaccinium vitis-idaea), and ohelo berry (Vaccinium reticulatum) are largely still harvested from the wild but with crop improvement efforts underway. Here, we present a review article on these Vaccinium berry crops on topics that span taxonomy to genetics and genomics to breeding. We highlight the accomplishments made thus far for each of these crops, along their journey from the wild, and propose research areas and questions that will require investments by the community over the coming decades to guide future crop improvement efforts. New tools and resources are needed to underpin the development of superior cultivars that are not only more resilient to various environmental stresses and higher yielding, but also produce fruit that continue to meet a variety of consumer preferences, including fruit quality and health related trait

Syntenic relationships between cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.) and melon (C. melo L.) chromosomes as revealed by comparative genetic mapping

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Cucumber, <it>Cucumis sativus </it>L. (2n = 2 × = 14) and melon, <it>C. melo </it>L. (2n = 2 × = 24) are two important vegetable species in the genus <it>Cucumis </it>(family Cucurbitaceae). Both species have an Asian origin that diverged approximately nine million years ago. Cucumber is believed to have evolved from melon through chromosome fusion, but the details of this process are largely unknown. In this study, comparative genetic mapping between cucumber and melon was conducted to examine syntenic relationships of their chromosomes.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Using two melon mapping populations, 154 and 127 cucumber SSR markers were added onto previously reported F₂- and RIL-based genetic maps, respectively. A consensus melon linkage map was developed through map integration, which contained 401 co-dominant markers in 12 linkage groups including 199 markers derived from the cucumber genome. Syntenic relationships between melon and cucumber chromosomes were inferred based on associations between markers on the consensus melon map and cucumber draft genome scaffolds. It was determined that cucumber Chromosome 7 was syntenic to melon Chromosome I. Cucumber Chromosomes 2 and 6 each contained genomic regions that were syntenic with melon chromosomes III+V+XI and III+VIII+XI, respectively. Likewise, cucumber Chromosomes 1, 3, 4, and 5 each was syntenic with genomic regions of two melon chromosomes previously designated as II+XII, IV+VI, VII+VIII, and IX+X, respectively. However, the marker orders in several syntenic blocks on these consensus linkage maps were not co-linear suggesting that more complicated structural changes beyond simple chromosome fusion events have occurred during the evolution of cucumber.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Comparative mapping conducted herein supported the hypothesis that cucumber chromosomes may be the result of chromosome fusion from a 24-chromosome progenitor species. Except for a possible inversion, cucumber Chromosome 7 has largely remained intact in the past nine million years since its divergence from melon. Meanwhile, many structural changes may have occurred during the evolution of the remaining six cucumber chromosomes. Further characterization of the genomic nature of <it>Cucumis </it>species closely related to cucumber and melon might provide a better understanding of the evolutionary history leading to modern cucumber.</p