Reading Sami Moisio’s Geopolitics of the Knowledge-Based Economy

Peer reviewe

Industry Scale Evaluation of Maize Hybrids Selected for Increased Yield in Drought Stress

ABSTRACT 21 Maize is among the most important grains contributing to global food security. Eighty years of 22 genetic gain for yield of maize under both favorable and unfavorable stress-prone drought 41 Crop Science: Posted 26 Feb. 2015; doi: 10.2135 Maize (Zea mays L.), rice (Oryza sativa L.) and wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) directly or 42 indirectly provide approximately 60% of all human calories and will remain important due to 43 high yield and relative ease of transport and storage (Cassman et al., 2003). While genetic 44 improvement of yield under drought has been achieved (Barker et al., 2005; Cooper et al., 2014a; 45 Duvick, 1977) maize remains sensitive to water-limiting conditions, especially around flowering 46 time (Campos et al., 2006). Drought impacts nearly all crop production for at least a limited 47 period of time across the U.S. Corn Belt. Total annual crop damage from drought in the U.S. has 48 been estimated at $6 -8 billion (FEMA, 1995). The estimate for the worst loss ever due to 49 drought in the U.S. is$40 billion, which occurred in 1988 when widespread and severe drought 50 hit the Central U.S. (NOAA Satellite and Information Service, 2014). In 2012, a drought of 51 similar severity in the U.S. contributed to historically high grain prices (Boyer et al., 2013). 52 53 Improving yield potential, defined as the yield of a crop cultivar when grown in environments to 54 which it is adapted, with nutrients and water non-limiting, with pests and diseases controlled 55 (Evans, 1993), has always been a goal of maize breeders in the U.S. Corn Belt. Campos et al. 56 (2006) evaluated 18 Pioneer-brand hybrids released during the period 1953 -2000 and reported 57 a steady improvement of maize yields under environmental conditions that enabled expression of 58 yield potential as well as yield under drought stress. Genetic improvement was conditional upon 59 plant population indicating that in order to increase yield potential it is necessary to improve 60 tolerance to abiotic stress. Breeders have long been selecting for tolerance to biotic and abiotic 61 stress (Cooper et al., 2014a; Duvick et al., 2004; Hammer et al., 2009). Recently, transgenic 62 approaches have been investigated for opportunity to maintain or increase maize yield 63 (Castiglioni et al., 2008; Chang et al., 2014; Guo et al., 2013; Habben et al., 2014). 64 Crop Science: Posted 26 Feb. 2015; doi: 10.2135 65 Improvements in maize yield production must continue in both irrigated and rainfed maize to 66 meet the dual demands of global consumption and sustainable production. Drought events during 67 the growing season and throughout history have been common (Boyer et al., 2013; Stambaugh et 68 al., 2011) and may become more widespread due to climate change. Yield gains of grain crops in 69 major grain-growing regions have been stagnating or are in decline (Deepak et al., 2012; 70 Grassini et al., 2013; Hall and Richards, 2012). Reasons for a pessimistic view of progress for 71 yield increases of the major crops include lack of commercial breeding efforts in selected 72 geographic areas resulting in yield stagnation (Barerro Farfan et al., 2013); decades-long periods 73 between inception and farmer implementation of innovations; lack of infrastructure and markets 74 in select regions where large productivity gains are possible; considerations for intellectual 75 property rights; and inconsistent global regulations (Hall and Richards, 2012). The current and 76 future challenge of production agriculture is to not only meet demand for grains, but to do so in 77 an environmentally sound manner on land that is currently devoted to agriculture rather than by 78 expanding the cultivated area (Cassman and Liska, 2007; Tilman et al., 2011; West et al., 2014). 79 80 Optimum® AQUAmax® hybrid development is one example of on-going efforts to maintain or 81 improve yield potential under good growing conditions, minimize risk to growers when moisture 82 is limiting, and help meet global food and feed needs in a sustainable system. From such long-83 term research efforts it is important to evaluate industry scale impact of the research. Therefore, 84 the objectives of the work presented here were: first, to obtain an industry scale measure of 85 realized yield improvement under water-limited (drought) and non water-limited (favorable) 86 growing conditions for a set of hybrids developed through breeding and selection for superior 87 MATERIALS AND METHODS 94 Development of AQUAmax hybrids 95 The set of drought tolerant AQUAmax hybrids evaluated in the studies that are the focus of this 96 paper were developed by DuPont Pioneer commercial maize breeding programs operating in the 97 Western region of the U.S. Corn Belt. Selection for superior yield under drought involved a 98 combination of yield and agronomic testing in drought managed-environments and a wide range 99 of rainfed and limited-irrigation conditions sampled on research stations and growers fields in 100 the Western region of the U.S. Corn Belt. The resulting drought data sets for the target traits 101 were used to construct a sequence of training data sets that enabled genomic prediction for all 102 stages of the breeding programs (Cooper et al, 2014a(Cooper et al, , 2014b Desta and Ortiz 2014; Heffner et 103 al. 2009 Crop Science: Posted 26 Feb. 2015; doi: 10.2135 Woodland, California, USA and Viluco, Chile (Cooper et al., 2014a). At both of these managed-117 environment locations, combinations of water-limited and fully-irrigated treatments were created 118 by managing the timing and quantity of irrigation applied to the experiments. Utilization of 119 managed-environment locations in the Northern (Woodland) and Southern (Viluco) hemispheres 120 enabled the generation of two cycles of drought testing each year. 121 122 All experiments contributing to the data sets reported here were characterized for timing and 123 intensity of water-deficit; referred to as an environmental stress characterization. The degree of 124 water-deficit was quantified using the water supply/demand ratio methodology introduced by 125 Crop Science: Posted 26 Feb. 2015; doi: 10.2135 characterization of the environments as WLE or FE enabled a breakout of the environments into 140 the two contrasting groups on the basis of the presence or absence of drought stress. Grain yield 141 and other traits were then analyzed on the basis of the drought stress breakout, as explained 142 previously in this paragraph.. Hybrids could then be advanced on the basis of yield and other 143 agronomic traits performance under combinations of water-limited and favorable environmental 144 conditions. 145 146 The inbred parents of all of the candidate hybrids under evaluation in the breeding programs 147 were genotyped with Single Nucleotide Polymorphism (SNP) markers. The SNPs were 148 distributed across the genome to represent the characterized founder haplotype structure present 149 in the parents (Cooper et al., 2014b). Analysis of the trait phenotypic data and the molecular 150 marker fingerprints within the training data sets was conducted to construct trait genomic 151 prediction models for use in the breeding programs (Cooper et al., 2014b, Heffner et al. 2009). 152 The prediction models for the traits obtained from the training data sets were combined with the 153 SNP fingerprints of the hybrid parents to enable genome-wide prediction for the candidate 154 hybrids for all target traits at all stages of the breeding programs (Cooper et al., 2014b). All 155 hybrids predicted to have desirable combinations of the target traits and superior yield under 156 drought conditions and parity or superior yield under favorable environmental conditions in 157 comparison to the industry checks were advanced into the Targeted Drought Multi-Environment 158 Trial (TD_MET). All advanced hybrids were evaluated in the TD_MET for four years prior to 159 commercial launch to assess their yield performance in comparison to a set of industry leading 160 check hybrids widely adopted by growers. Experimental hybrids were advanced between 161 evaluation stages based on a combination of superior yield and agronomic trait performance and 162 Crop Science: Posted 26 Feb. 2015; doi: 10.2135 superior predicted performance for all traits in comparison to a set of industry check hybrids with 163 maturity similar to the experimental hybrids. Those hybrids that met all the defined performance 164 criteria were advanced to commercial release as AQUAmax hybrids. 165 166 Hybrid Yield in Multi Environment Trials 167 Undertaking an industry level comparison between the AQUAmax hybrids that were developed 168 by the procedures described above and an appropriate set of industry leading non-AQUAmax 169 hybrids as comparator checks is challenging. For this purpose we examined three multi-year, 170 multi-location data sets that are described below. Combined, these three data sets allowed 171 comparison of 78 AQUAmax hybrids with 4,291 non-AQUAmax hybrids selected by growers 172 226 Population Density Study 227 A population density study was conducted from 2010 to 2012 to investigate the density response 228 of a sample of AQUAmax and non-AQUAmax hybrids Four-row research plots (76 cm spacing) were planted and stands were thinned to target densities 230 to four replications at each location. A split-plot design was applied to the population density 233 experiment with plant density as the factor for the whole-plot treatment and hybrid as the factor 234 for the split-plot treatment. A randomized complete block design was applied to the whole-plot 235 level of the experiment at each location in each year. 236 237 On-farm Strip Trials 238 On-farm strip trials were conducted from 2011 to 2013 to compare a sample of 78 AQUAmax 239 hybrids to a large sample of 4,287 commercial hybrids used by farmers Typically, all hybrids at a location were similar in relative maturity to minimize maturity 244 interactions with timing of drought stress. 245 246 At all locations, strip trials were harvested by the growers and grain weights were recorded using 247 weigh wagons. All yields were adjusted to standard grain moisture of 15.5%. 248 249 Crop Science: Posted 26 Feb. 2015; doi: 10.2135/cropsci2014.09.0654 STATISTICAL ANALYSES 250 Small Plot Research 251 Data from the study based on small plot research experiments were analyzed in two stages. In the 252 first stage, data were analyzed for each location with hybrid and rep (if there is more than one 253 replication) as fixed effects and first order autoregressive (AR1) spatial correlation structure for 254 residual effects. In the second stage, the best linear unbiased estimates of hybrid effect from the 255 Mg ha -1 , and across the WLE locations was 7.79 Mg ha -1 , representing a 40% reduction in yield 327 due to the characterized water limitations. All hybrids were in a maturity range of 107-113 328 comparative relative maturity (CRM), thus maturity differences were discounted as a reason for 329 yield difference among the hybrids. In the WLE, the AQUAmax hybrids (six hybrids, Crop Science: Posted 26 Feb. 2015; doi: 10.2135 13.00 Mg ha -1 compared to 12.69 Mg ha -1 for the industry leading check group. Thus, there was 333 no yield penalty in the FE for the AQUAmax hybrids. Based on meeting the dual criteria of yield 334 advantage under drought conditions and no yield penalty with adequate moisture, the first set of 335 AQUAmax hybrids was advanced to commercial production. Eleven AQUAmax hybrids were 336 advanced in the fall of 2010, and these hybrids were first sold commercially in 2011 In 2012, a total of 24 AQUAmax hybrids were included in on-farm trials. Additional hybrids 338 were advanced and by the 2013 growing season, 61 AQUAmax hybrids were commercially 339 available. In order to properly evaluate the AQUAmax offerings available for the period under 340 study, a total of 78 AQUAmax hybrids (including those that had already been withdrawn from 341 the market by 2013) were included in the on-farm trials, Due to the complexities of drought, including timing, intensity, duration, and interactions with 343 soil type, no one hybrid should be expected to perform optimally 100% of the time, and 344 in the industry scale study reported here 354 Population Density Study 355 Crop Science: Posted 26 Feb. 2015; doi: 10.2135 Research on plant population by hybrid interactions was conducted in 2010, 2011, and 2012 for a 356 total of 14 location-year combinations Extension (Becker et al., 2012). In that study in north Texas, water use, as estimated by seasonal 371 ET, remained constant across hybrids. The implication of this observation is that water 372 productivity of AQUAmax hybrids is higher when compared to a non-AQUAmax commercial 373 check (Becker et al., 2012). Because soil water content was measured to a depth of only 1.2 m 374 and root water extraction in similar soils was documented to occur below 2 m (Tolk, 1998) it is 375 not possible to rule out potential differences in total water uptake between the groups of hybrids. 376 However, a study conducted in managed-environments where soil moisture measurements were 377 collected down to a depth of 3.2 m demonstrated no differences in total water uptake between an 378 Crop Science: Posted 26 Feb. 2015; doi: 10.2135 AQUAmax hybrid and a non-AQUAmax commercial check hybrid (Cooper et al., 2014a). 379 However, differences were observed between the hybrids in the temporal pattern of water use 380 rather than in the total water use. With the change in temporal pattern of water use the 381 AQUAmax hybrid reached flowering time under a more favorable soil water environment, and 382 utilized a larger fraction of the total water use to support kernel growth, than the non-AQUAmax 383 commercial check hybrid (Cooper et al., 2014a). Limiting transpiration at high vapor pressure 384 deficit, commonly referred to as a limited-transpiration trait, can determine the differences in 385 water use pattern observed between AQUAmax and the non-AQUAmax hybrids. Lobell et al. 386 (2013) showed that the often observed relationship between air temperature and yield (Schlenker 387 and Roberts, 2009) is related to variations in vapor pressure deficit rather than 388 temperature effects on growth and development in maize. Simulation studies for sorghum 389 Evaluation in On-farm Trials 397 Continual advancement and expansion of the AQUAmax hybrids allowed the number of on-farm 398 comparisons to grow from 2,231 in 2011

Treatment of axial spondyloarthritis with biologic and targeted synthetic DMARDs: British Society for Rheumatology guideline scope

Pharmacological management has advanced considerably since the 2015 British Society for Rheumatology axial spondyloarthritis (axSpA) guideline to incorporate new classes of biologic DMARDs (bDMARDs, including biosimilars), targeted synthetic DMARDs (tsDMARDs) and treatment strategies such as drug tapering. The aim of this guideline is to provide an evidence-based update on pharmacological management of adults with axSpA (including AS and non-radiographic axSpA) using b/tsDMARDs. This guideline is aimed at health-care professionals in the UK who care directly for people with axSpA, including rheumatologists, rheumatology specialist nurses, allied health professionals, rheumatology specialty trainees and pharmacists; people living with axSpA; and other stakeholders, such as patient organizations and charities

Olympic transport legacies: Rio de Janeiro’s bus rapid transit system

Since the International Olympic Committee (IOC) selected Rio de Janeiro to host the 2016 Olympic Games, large-scale transportation infrastructures have been transforming the city. We examine the transportation planning process and consequences of implementation in the run-up to the 2016 Olympic Games by triangulating qualitative and quantitative methods. We argue that because of the low cost, speed of implementation, best-practice knowledge, existing political coalitions, ease of land acquisition, and flexibility in planning, BRTs emerged as the dominant Olympic transport solution. We find that the transport planning process has undermined the public interest and placed the burdens of implementation disproportionally on the urban poor

Industry-scale evaluation of maize hybrids selected for increased yield in drought-stress conditions of the US corn belt

Maize (Zea mays L.) is among the most important grains contributing to global food security. Eighty years of genetic gain for yield of maize under both favorable and unfavorable stress-prone drought conditions have been documented for the US Corn Belt, yet maize remains vulnerable to drought conditions, especially at the critical developmental stage of flowering. Optimum AQUAmax (Dupont Pioneer) maize hybrids were developed for increased grain yield under drought and favorable conditions in the US Corn Belt. Following the initial commercial launch in 2011, a large on-farm data set has been accumulated (10,731 locations) comparing a large sample of the AQUAmax hybrids (78 hybrids) to a large sample of industry-leading hybrids (4287 hybrids) used by growers throughout the US Corn Belt. Following 3 yr (2011-2013) of on-farm industry-scale testing, the AQUAmax hybrids were on average 6.5% higher yielding under water-limited conditions (2006 locations) and 1.9% higher yielding under favorable growing conditions (8725 locations). In a complementary study, 3 yr (2010-2012) of hybrid-by-management-by-environment evaluation under water-limited conditions (14 locations) indicated that the AQUAmax hybrids had greater yield at higher plant populations when compared to non-AQUAmax hybrids. The combined results from research (2008-2010) and on-farm (2011-2013) testing throughout the US Corn Belt over the 6-yr period from 2008 to 2013 indicate that the AQUAmax hybrids offer farmers greater yield stability under water-limited conditions with no yield penalty when the water limitations are relieved and growing conditions are favorable

Decoding attraction: improving vine weevil monitoring by exploiting key sensory cues.

Monitoring is an integral component of integrated pest management (IPM) programmes used to inform crop management decisions. Vine weevil, Otiorhynchus sulcatus F. (Coleoptera: Curculionidae), continues to cause economically significant losses in horticultural crops due to an inability to reliably detect the presence of this species before crop damage occurs. To improve vine weevil monitoring we investigated the behavioural responses of adult vine weevils to visual (monitoring tool shade/colour, height and diameter as well as the effect of monitoring tool and plant density) and olfactory (host plant and conspecifics) cues under glasshouse conditions. Monitoring tool shade, height and diameter all influenced monitoring tool efficacy, with individuals exhibiting a preference for black, tall and wide monitoring tools. The total number of individuals recorded in monitoring tools increased with monitoring tool density. By contrast, plant density did not influence the number of individuals recorded in monitoring tools. Yew-baited monitoring tools retained a larger number of individuals compared to unbaited ones. Similarly, more vine weevils were recorded in monitoring tools baited with yew and conspecifics than in unbaited monitoring tools or those baited with only yew. Baiting monitoring tools with conspecifics alone did not enhance the number of vine weevils recorded in monitoring tools. Our study confirms that visual and olfactory cues influence vine weevil behaviour. This provides information on key factors that influence vine weevil monitoring tool efficacy and can be used to inform the development of a new monitoring tool for this pest. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved. [Abstract copyright: This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

Development and progress of Ireland's biobank network: Ethical, legal, and social implications (ELSI), Standardized documentation, sample and data release, and international perspective

Biobank Ireland Trust (BIT) was established in 2004 to promote and develop an Irish biobank network to benefit patients, researchers, industry, and the economy. The network commenced in 2008 with two hospital biobanks and currently consists of biobanks in the four main cancer hospitals in Ireland. The St. James's Hospital (SJH) Biobank coordinates the network. Procedures, based on ISBER and NCI guidelines, are standardized across the network. Policies and documents - Patient Consent Policy, Patient Information Sheet, Biobank Consent Form, Sample and Data Access Policy (SAP), and Sample Application Form have been agreed upon (after robust discussion) for use in each hospital. An optimum sequence for document preparation and submission for review is outlined. Once consensus is reached among the participating biobanks, the SJH biobank liaises with the Research and Ethics Committees, the Office of the Data Protection Commissioner, The National Cancer Registry (NCR), patient advocate groups, researchers, and other stakeholders. The NCR provides de-identified data from its database for researchers via unique biobank codes. ELSI issues discussed include the introduction of prospective consent across the network and the return of significant research results to patients. Only 4 of 363 patients opted to be re-contacted and re-consented on each occasion that their samples are included in a new project. It was decided, after multidisciplinary discussion, that results will not be returned to patients. The SAP is modeled on those of several international networks. Biobank Ireland is affiliated with international biobanking groups - Marble Arch International Working Group, ISBER, and ESBB. The Irish government continues to deliberate on how to fund and implement biobanking nationally. Meanwhile BIT uses every opportunity to promote awareness of the benefits of biobanking in events and in the media. Copyright © 2013, Mary Ann Liebert, Inc. 2013

Viviano (image)

Spring Issuehttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/61132/1/3801.pd