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The global beverage industry continues to grow with the particularity that the current market shows a trend for healthy, functional products that incorporate sustainable processes and raw materials that reduce negative impacts on the environment. The objective of this study was to develop a fruit drink with cape gooseberry (Physalis peruviana L) and agraz (Vaccinium meridionale Swartz) pulp, from sweet whey ultrafiltered and hydrolyzed permeate (80% degree of hydrolysis/lactase), evaluating the effect of the addition of stabilizers on the physicochemical, antioxidant and sensory properties. The results indicated that the addition of a mixture incorporating pectin at 0.1% and Carboxymethylcellulose (CMC) at 0.1% with a participation of fruit pulp of 15% w/w achieves the best colloidal stability. Physicochemical analyzes for beverages with stabilizers showed the following values: pH (3.65±0.01), total soluble solids (11.9±0.05°Bx), titratable acidity (0.415±0.004%), viscosity (27.6±1.9 mPa.s), density (1.0387±0.0012 g/ml), humidity (87.34±0.124 % w/w), ashes (0.49 g/100g ), protein <2.5 g/100g, total phenols (38.14±1.52 mg, gallic acid/100g), total carotenoids (292.99±6.72 μg -carotene/100 g), antioxidant capacity by ABTS 452.42±12 μg trolox/ml, and DPPH 219.4±13.34 μg trolox/ml. Most of these attributes remained stable for 32 days both for the drink with stabilizers and for the one that did not incorporate them (control), however there were losses of 17% in total phenols and 4% in total carotenoids at the end of the storage period at 4 oC. Sensory tests in the beverage with stabilizers indicated general acceptance of attributes above 80% by consumers, allowing to conclude that the developed beverage offers an important alternative to generate added value to whey permeate with commercial projection compared to other applications where only separated and concentrated whey proteins are used. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Synthetic maize varieties present advantages in adaptability, they can be used for several planting seasons, without affecting the yield and is easier the seed production. Thus, with the main objective of knowing the yield and agronomic traits of synthetic maize varieties for the tropic, during 2013 to 2018 there was conducted an experiment in Cotaxtla and Carlos A. Carrillo in Veracruz and Huimanguillo in Tabasco state locations. The experiment was distributed in complete blocks at random design with 21 entries and three replications in plots of two rows 5m long and 62,500 pl ha-1. The agronomic traits were: Grain yield, days to tassel and silking, plant and ear aspect and sanity, lodging, bad husk cover and ear rot. From the combined analysis for yield, there was found high significant differences for Varieties (V), For environments (E), and for the interaction VxE, and a coefficient of variation of 16.20%. The Carlos A. Carrillo, Ver., location in 2016B, recorded the highest yield with 6.94 t ha-1. The best five synthetics at 0.05 of probability were: VS-536, Synthetic 2B, Synthetic 5B, Synthetic 2C and Synthetic 11C. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Because habitats present different costs and benefits in contexts ranging from foraging to mating to predator avoidance, decisions about habitat use likely involve significant trade-offs across behavioural contexts. We examine this possibility in Schizocosa floridana , a cursorial wolf spider whose habitat consists of multiple substrates, including oak and pine litter, and sand. However, S. floridana restricts its use of habitat to oak litter. Substrate environments vary significantly in the degree to which they transmit visual and vibratory information. Previous work found that oak litter best transmits the substrate-borne vibrations that are critical to mating communication. However, oak litter may reduce the availability of visual information, which is known to be important for prey capture in other wolf spider species. Here, we test the relationship between substrate and prey capture efficiency in S. floridana. We examine substrate use in a foraging context via two laboratory-based experiments to (1) assess differences in prey capture efficiency among the three most common substrates in the field and to (2) determine which sensory modalities are involved in prey capture. We found that prey capture rates were highest on sand despite the fact that sand is the least used substrate by S. floridana in the wild. We also found no conclusive evidence that either the visual or the vibratory sensory modalities are critical for prey capture. Our results thus suggest that strict habitat specialization such as that exhibited by S. floridana is beneficial in some ecological contexts but costly in others. • Schizocosa floridana wolf spiders restrict their habitat use to oak litter. • Spiders catch prey more efficiently on sand than on oak litter. • Sand transmits substrate-borne vibrations poorly. • Loss of vibratory or visual sensory information does not impede prey capture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Microplastics are emerging as a steadily increasing environmental threat. Wastewater treatment plants efficiently remove microplastics from sewage, trapping the particles in the sludge and preventing their entrance into aquatic environments. Treatment plants are essentially taking the microplastics out of the waste water and concentrating them in the sludge, however. It has become common practice to use this sludge on agricultural soils as a fertilizer. The aim of the current research was to evaluate the microplastic contamination of soils by this practice, assessing the implications of successive sludge applications by looking at the total count of microplastic particles in soil samples. Thirty-one agricultural fields with different sludge application records and similar edaphoclimatic conditions were evaluated. Field records of sludge application covered a ten year period. For all fields, historical disposal events used the same amount of sludge (40 ton ha−1 dry weight). Extraction of microplastics was done by flotation and particles were then counted and classified with the help of a microscope. Seven sludge samples were collected in the fields that underwent sludge applications during the study period. Soils where 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 applications of sludge had been performed had a median of 1.1, 1.6, 1.7, 2.3, and 3.5 particles g−1 dry soil, respectively. There were statistical differences in the microplastic contents related to the number of applications that a field had undergone (1, 2, 3 < 4, 5). Microplastic content in sludge ranged from 18 to 41 particles g−1, with a median of 34 particles g−1. The majority of the observed microplastics were fibers (90% in sludge, and 97% in soil). Our results indicate that microplastic counts increase over time where successive sludge applications are performed. Microplastics observed in soil samples stress the relevance of sludge as a driver of soil microplastic contamination. Unlabelled Image • Sludge holds microplastics that could enter soils by sludge disposal. • 31 fields that underwent sludge applications at different rates were evaluated. • Microplastics were found in soil samples (0.6–10.4 p g−1). • Microplastic counts increased where increased rates of sludge were applied. • Sludge is proposed as a primal driver of soil microplastic pollution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The manzano or cera chilli pepper (Capsicum pubescens) is a perennial plant native from the highlands of South America. During storage, the main problem is its hardnes of head, which causes a decrease in germination under natural conditions. Because there is little information on germination, it is necessary to implement alternatives that guarantee the resource within a breeding program. The aim was to evaluate the effect of sulfuric acid (H2SO4), hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) and gibberellic acid-3 (C19H22O6) on the percentage of emergence and characteristics of C. pubescens seedlings. The experiment was carried out in the Unit of Management and Conservation of Genetic Resources of the Faculty of Biological and Agricultural Sciences of the Universidad Veracruzana. C. pubescens seeds from the Huatusco, Veracruz, Mexico, stored at room temperature for one year were used. The treatments studied were immersion in H2SO4 (100, 75, 60%, 30 min); immersion in H2O2 (20, 10, 15%, 15 min), immersion in C19H22O6 (25, 20, 15 mg, 24 h) and the control treatment. The results in the present study reveal significant statistical differences (P < 0.01) for all the variables evaluated. The best percentage of germination was caused by immersion in C19H22O6 (15 mg, 24 h) and H2O2 (20%, 15 min). The treatment with H2SO4 was harmful since there was no emergency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Root-knot nematodes (RKN; Meloidogyne spp.) are predominant polyphagous pests of crops in the Central Valley of Chile. Twenty RKN populations from this region were collected from diverse crops and subsequently identified with both sequence-characterized amplified region and isoenzyme markers. Populations included three RKN species: Meloidogyne ethiopica (75%), M. javanica (15%), and M. arenaria (10%). This is the first report of the high prevalence and wide host range of M. ethiopica in Chile. The host status of three Prunus rootstocks for isolates obtained from the Chilean RKN populations was then evaluated. Rootstocks assessed included the peach rootstock Nemaguard and the plum rootstock Marianna 2624, both previously considered resistant, and the peach rootstock Pomona as a susceptible accession. In the first experiment, rootstocks were inoculated individually in pots with 10,000 second-stage juveniles and eggs of each isolate, and reproduction and galling were evaluated 5 months after inoculation. In the second experiment, the six most aggressive RKN isolates were used in a mixture to evaluate the host response of the same three rootstocks. No RKN were detected on Marianna 2624 in both experiments, which confirmed its immune host status to M. arenaria and M. javanica; this is the first report of immunity to M. ethiopica. Even though Pomona was classified overall as susceptible, the response of this rootstock to the RKN isolates was highly variable and ranged from susceptible to resistant, depending on the RKN isolates. Nemaguard ranged from resistant (to each of the most aggressive isolates and to their mixture) to highly resistant (to M. arenaria isolates). Our results illustrate that Prunus rootstocks express different levels of resistance to RKN species. RKN resistance may be active either at the isolate level (as in Pomona), at the species level (as in Nemaguard toward M. javanica and M. arenaria), or at the genus level (as in Marianna 2624). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Various edaphoclimatic factors influence mango productivity (dendrometry, flowering and fruiting). The objective of the study was to analyze the edaphoclimatic factors that influence the productivity of 3 mango varieties (Keitt, Ataúlfo and Manila) in the Papaloapan Basin in Veracruz, Mexico. Dendrometric measurements were carried out on trees of 3 mango varieties in 15 orchards (n = 5 orchards per variety) and the values of 33 edaphoclimatic variables were acquired using geographic information systems; a comparison analysis was carried out with the dendrometric and edaphoclimatic variables. The Manila variety stood out in dendrometric terms as a response to ideal edaphoclimatic conditions for its physiological development. However, the 3 varieties are developed under unique edaphoclimatic values to which they are already adapted, with Keitt and Manila having the highest productivity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights: [•] A novel pixel-based model for the non-uniformity noise in push-broom near infrared hyperspectral cameras was developed. [•] The proposed model regards focal-plane-array’s temperature and is capable of compensating its effect on the camera output. [•] For the assessed NIR hyperspectral camera, the additive non-uniformity (NU) noise is dominant and exhibits spatial dependence. [•] For the assessed NIR camera, the multiplicative NU noise exhibits spectral dependence and a negligible spatial dependence. [•] The proposed model predicted the camera input with 95% accuracy when temperature variations affected the system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

During the Spring-Summer season of 2008, 32 inbred lines of normal high protein quality (HPQ) maize were planted in order to identify the best with respect to yield, lysine and tryptophan content, and agronomic traits. Outstanding with respect to yield and agronomic traits were the converted lines VS-536-960 and VS-536-959 and the normal line LT157-291. Lysine increased by 38 % and tryptophan by 58 %. This study continued with the conversion of lines to HPQ. The selected inbred lines may be used to form hybrids or synthetic varieties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

During the Spring-Summer season of 2008, 32 inbred lines of normal high protein quality (HPQ) maize were planted in order to identify the best with respect to yield, lysine and tryptophan content, and agronomic traits. Outstanding with respect to yield and agronomic traits were the converted lines VS-536-960 and VS-536-959 and the normal line LT157-291. Lysine increased by 38 % and tryptophan by 58 %. This study continued with the conversion of lines to HPQ. The selected inbred lines may be used to form hybrids or synthetic varieties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Xiphinema index is a major plant parasitic nematode for vineyards, both as a root pathogen and as a vector for Grape Fanleaf virus. In Chile it has a wide distribution, causing considerable damage to Vitis vinifera. The main morphological and morphometric features that have been used for its identification are related to the vulval position and the presence of a mucro on the tail. However, these features have a limited discrimination capacity, as identification is more complicated in a highly complex matrix such as the soil, where a mixture of species coexists. This situation has motivated the search for and the application of molecular techniques with increased resolution power. This investigation shows the results of morphological and molecular characterization of X. index isolates from Chile. The complete ITS regions (ITS1 and ITS2) were sequenced revealing very low intraspecific diversity, less than 1% or the most divergent available sequences. This coincided with the low level of differences detected at the morphometric level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Species of the Xiphinema americanum-group are among the most damaging nematodes for a diverse range of crops. This group includes 51 nominal species throughout the world. They are very difficult to identify by traditional taxonomic methods. Despite its importance in agriculture, the species composition of this group in many countries, including Chile, remains unknown. In order to identify the species in the central valley of Chile, we studied the morphological, morphometric and molecular diversity of 13 populations. Through classical taxonomic methods two species, X. inaequale and X. peruvianum, were identified with clear differences in the shape of the lip region. The DNA sequences of the ITS of ribosomal genes revealed divergences in the nucleotide sequences of the two species from 7.3% in ITS1 to 14.7% in ITS2. These results confirmed the presence of two distinct species, namely X. peruvianum and X. inaequale, in the northern and southern parts of the central valley of Chile, respectively. PCR-RFLP was developed for rapid species identification of these two species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Maize weevil, Sitophilus zeamais Motschulsky, is one of the most common and destructive postharvest pests in the world, damaging stored cereal crops. Several ecological alternatives have been studied to control S. zeamais, including use of plant extracts. The objective of the study was to use qualitative phytochemical tests to evaluate insecticidal effect are acetone extract of Dysphania ambrosioides leaves against adults of S. zeamais in native Raton maize. Seven treatments were used at concentrations of 10, 50, 100, 200, and 300 g liter-1, a negative check of 100% acetone, and a positive check of 5% malathion with five replications in a completely randomized design. Numbers of dead and emerged F1 adults of S. zeamais, weight loss, and germination of maize grain of Raton race were evaluated. Results showed that acetone extract of D. ambrosioides leaves was effective against S. zeamais in native maize Raton race; this effect could be attributed to coumarins, flavonoids, triterpenes, and steroids in D. ambrosioides that have potential to suppress development of S. zeamais and be an environmentally friendly alternative to frequent use of synthetic chemical insecticides. El gorgojo del maíz, Sitophilus zeamais Motschulsky, es una de las plagas postcosecha más comunes y destructivas del mundo, que daña de cereales almacenados. Se han estudiado varias alternativas ecológicas para controlar a S. zeamais , incluido el uso de extractos de plantas. El objetivo del estudio fue utilizar pruebas fitoquímicas cualitativas para evaluar el efecto insecticida del extracto acetónico de hojas de Dysphania ambrosioides contra adultos de S. zeamais en maíz nativo Ratón. Se utilizaron siete tratamientos en concentraciones de 10, 50, 100, 200 y 300 g litro-1, un control negativo de 100% acetona y un control positivo de 5% malatión con cinco repeticiones en un diseño completamente al azar. Se evaluó el número de adultos F1 muertos y emergidos de S. zeamais, la pérdida de peso y la germinación de grano. Los resultados mostraron que el extracto de acetona de hojas de D. ambrosioides fue efectivo contra S. zeamais en maíz nativo raza Ratón; Este efecto podría atribuirse a las cumarinas, flavonoides, triterpenos y esteroides en D. ambrosioides que tienen potencial para suprimir el desarrollo de S. zeamais y ser una alternativa respetuosa con el medio ambiente al uso frecuente de insecticidas químicos sintéticos. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Chiapas and Veracruz are the main producing states in the lowlands of southeastern Mexico, with a total harvested volume of 90,146 t of grain in 2020, in a joint planting area of 151,037 ha. However, the cultivation of this legume is subject to a series of biological, climatic and edaphic problems, which make the average yields notoriously low. The objective of this study was to identify high-yielding black bean lines, resistant to diseases and with better adaptation than three commercial cultivars currently used in both entities. Methods: During 2019 and 2020, in seven environments of Veracruz and Chiapas, 11 lines and the cultivars Negro Jamapa, Negro Medellín and Verdín were evaluated. An analysis of variance of the variables was performed by each environment and combined analysis of the incidence of BGYMV and grain yield. Result: Jamapa Plus/XRAV-187-3-4-4 was the most productive line, with an average yield of 1,542 kg ha-1, statistically similar to that of Jamapa Plus/XRAV-187-3-1-2 and higher than that of the rest of the genotypes. Both lines showed resistance to web blight and rust and low incidence of BGYMV, diseases that significantly reduced grain yield. Jamapa Plus/XRAV-187-3-1-2 showed stability throughout the evaluation environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Feature extraction and selection are very relevant processes in the design of automatic classifiers. In the context of volcanic seismic signal classification, most of the features presented in the literature have been extracted separately from a single domain, such as time or frequency. However, spectrograms, which combine time and frequency information, are widely used by experts during the classification of manual seismic events. This paper proposes to evaluate the performance of classifiers trained with features extracted from the spectro-temporal domain, individually or combined with other conventional features. The parameters were extracted from the spectrogram, based on a curve which combines the high energy components and the frequency bandwidth information through the duration of the event. The tests were performed at the Llaima volcano and seismic events were classified into four classes: long-period, tremor, volcano-tectonic and tectonic, using a database of signals recorded between the years 2009 and 2017. The main achievements of this study were the reduction of more than 70% of the error and false positive rates and also a reduction of approximately 30% of the number of features, compared with a baseline established in previous studies. Thus, the inclusion of spectro-temporal information was considered relevant to complement the conventional features and to support classification. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Three way hybrids present the advantage of the heterosis in the maize production, besides, they represent agronomic and economic advantages in certificated seed production; Thus, with the objective of knowing the yield and agronomic characteristics of maize hybrids, during the spring summer season in 2021, were evaluated 12 maize hybrids, on which, there are participating inbred lines of the maize breeding program of Cotaxtla, Ver., and Iguala, Gro., from INIFAP and inbred lines from CIMMYT. These hybrids were arranged under complete blocks at random, with 12 treatments and four replications in plots of two rows 5m long, and 62,500 plants ha-1 . The agronomic traits were: Grain yield, days to tassel and silking, plant and ear height, plant and ear aspect and sanity, lodging, bad husk cover and ear rot. From the combined analysis for grain yield there was found significant differences for genotypes (G) and for the Genotype environment interaction (GE). The best hybrids were above 7.0 t ha-1 in grain yield, 9 to 13% more than the check H-520; These hybrids were: (T35xT10)xLT154, (T35xT10)xLT156, (CML500xCML498)xLT155, (CML264xCML311)xLT-156, (LT-164xLT-165)xLT-156, (LT-169xLT-170)xLT-156. The inbred line LT156, participated in the best hybrids as a male parent; This line present good General Combining Ability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Leaf-cutter ants of the genus Atta are pests controlled by broad-spectrum insecticides that adversely affect the environment and human health. Toxicity of 20 concentrations of chemical imidacloprid + λ-cyhalothrin and biological insecticides azadirachtin and spinetoram were evaluated on workers of A. mexicana and A. cephalotes ants. Initial evaluation determined optimal concentrations to kill 10-90%. Mean lethal concentrations of imidacloprid and azadirachtin were determined, and mean lethal times were through 3 × 10-1 μl/liter concentration of each insecticide. Azadirachtin and imidacloprid + λ-cyhalothrin at 3 × 10-1 μl/liter concentration killed 100% of both species. LC50 values of imidacloprid + λ-cyhalothrin and azadirachtin were similar against both species. But, the TL50 of imidacloprid + λ-cyhalothrin was less (28-29 hours) in both species compared to the TL50 by azadirachtin that was 36 to 41 hours. Insecticide based on extracts of neem (azadirachtin) was as toxic as imidacloprid + λ-cyhalothrin against A. mexicana and A. cephalotes worker ants. Azadirachtin is an environmentally friendly alternative to manage the two ant species, and probably other species of Atta and other ant pests. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to the growing interest in developing bioplastic films from renewable sources, the performance of biocomposite films produced of native starch from cassava clones reinforced with cassava bagasse was explored. The biocomposites were prepared from the starch of cassava clones MMEXV5, MMEXV40, and MMEXCH23, reinforced with bagasse at 1%, 5%, and 15%. Their structural, mechanical, and thermal properties were subsequently assessed. When analyzing the starch, differences in the intensities of the Raman spectra exhibit a possible variation in the amylose-amylopectin ratio. In the biocomposites, the bagasse was efficiently incorporated into polymeric matrixes and their thermogravimetric analysis revealed the compatibility of the matrix-reinforcement. The starch films from the MMEXV40 clone showed better tension (2.53 MPa) and elastic modulus (60.49 MPa). The assessed mechanical properties were also affected by bagasse concentration. Because of the above, the MMEXV40 cassava clone showed potential to develop polymeric materials, given its tuberous roots high yield, starch extraction, and good performance in its mechanical properties. At the same time, the starch source (clone) and the bagasse concentration interfere with the final properties of the biocomposites. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of the work was to evaluate the agronomic performance and seed yield of tropical corn (Zea mays L.) of single and tri-linear crosses. In the spring-summer of 2015 and 2016, two essays were established in the states of Veracruz and Tabasco, Mexico. In the first essay, a group of 12 single crosses was evaluated, and in the second, a group of 18 tri-linear crosses was evaluated. In both essays, the treatments were distributed under a completely randomized block design with three replicates in 5 m long, two-row plots and 0.8 m between rows, with an initial population density of 62.500 plants ha-1. Within the simple cross trial, hybrids HE-3W, COMERCIAL 1, LT-164xLT-165, and HE-1W presented seed yields above the general mean (3384 kg ha-1). Within this outstanding group is the LT-164xLT-165 cross, which participates as a female parent in the formation of the recently released commercial hybrid H-567. In the tri-linear crosses essay, a group of varieties and hybrids including H-567, (LT-164xLT-165) xLT-156, (LT-164xLT-165) xLT-155, (LT-154xLT-155) xLT-165, VS-536, H-520, VS-563, (LT-154xLT-155) xLT-170, (LT-171xLT-172) xLT-156, (LT-164xLT-165) xLT-164, and (LT-171xLT-172) xLT-170 recorded seed yields of 6669.8, 6515.4, 6498.6, 6431.1, 6260, 6024.7, 5935.4, 5664.3, 5580.8, and 5527.1 kg ha-1, respectively. The LT-154, LT-155, and LT-156 lines are common as a male and female parent, suggesting a good genetic combination. The prevailing environmental conditions during the development of the experiments did not significantly influence the productivity of the crosses. There is genetic variability that can be used to continue developing lines, open pollination varieties, and corn hybrids. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) is one of the main horticultural crops in the world because of the important economic benefits that its commercialization generates. Even though the species is widely cultivated in the world, it is susceptible to pests, diseases, and environmental stresses due to the loss of its genetic diversity. There is a wild form called S. l. var ceraciforme that is distributed from South America (its center of origin) to Mexico (its area of domestication), specifically on the slope of the Gulf of Mexico in Veracruz. Due to the large genetic diversity of these wild tomatoes, it is important to improve its crop. The objective of this investigation was to identify patterns of environmental diversification of the tomato, infer the processes of adaptation of the populations in the area of domestication with respect to their center of origin and propose measures of conservation and variation of S. l. var. cerasiforme. We generated two ecological niche models (MNE) with Maxent version 3.4.1 (evaluated with AUC and partial-ROC) to determine the suitability of environmental conditions including their respective projections from the domestication center to the area of origin and vice versa. We used eight variables of temperature and precipitation. Additionally, we included tomato records from bibliographical sources and fieldwork. We also used the niche comparison test (equivalency and similarity) proposed by Broennimann et al. (2012) to evaluate the similarity of environmental conditions in both regions. Subsequently, we carried out an analysis of variance followed by a mean comparison test (Tukey, P = 0.05) with all environmental variables measured. The values of AUC (0.93 and 0.80) and partial-ROC (1.86 and 1.71, P = 0.0001) of the MNE showed that they were good predictive models. We observed that, in the center of Mexico, there are environmental conditions similar to those of the center of origin, unlike the slope of the Gulf of Mexico where they are different. The equivalency test showed that the environmental comparison between both regions is less similar than expected by chance (P = 0.003). The similarity test indicated that the existing similarity between both regions can also be obtained by chance (P = 0.683). We also found significant differences in three temperature and precipitation variables. In conclusion, we determined that the center of origin and domestication of S. l. var. cerasiforme has similar environmental characteristics despite the geographic distance; nevertheless, there are geographical zones (the Gulf of Mexico in Veracruz) in the area of domestication with different environmental conditions. Those places have the potential to contain valuable germplasms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Root-knot nematodes (RKN) (Meloidogyne spp.) are worldwide pests that affect a considerable number of plants, among which stone fruit (Prunus spp.) are severely attacked. Prevalent RKN species are Meloidogyne arenaria, M. incognita, and M. javanica in stone fruit but the emergent M. ethiopica and M. enterolobii are also reported to challenge perennial crops. In Prunus spp., the complete-spectrum resistance (R) gene Ma from plum and the more restricted-spectrum R genes RMia from peach and RMja from almond completely inhibit nematode multiplication and gall formation of the RKN species that they control. This study aimed to update the resistance spectra of these three major genes by evaluating their activity toward one isolate of the yet-untested RKN species mentioned above. To state whether a given gene controls a particular species, the principle of our experiment was to genotype with appropriate markers a number of individuals segregating for this gene and then to phenotype these individuals. A perfect matching of the genotype and the phenotype of individuals indicates that the gene of interest is active against and, thus, controls the corresponding isolate of this RKN species. Segregating materials used were an Ma FI plum progeny, an RMia F2 peach progeny, and an RMja F2 almond progeny. In addition to previous data, our results establish a clear spectrum for each of the three genes toward isolates from both the three prevalent species and the two emerging species. Ultimately, our results reveal that (i) Ma controls all of them, (ii) RMja controls all species except M. incognita and M. floridensis, and (iii) RMia controls M. arenaria, M. incognita, and M. ethiopica but not M. javanica or M. enterolobii. Our data should have wide implications for RKN resistance management and breeding and for deciphering the molecular mechanisms of the spectrum of RKN R genes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights • Antarctic bacterial strain So13.3 produces a pigment with DSSC sensitizer activity. • Pigment from Antarctic bacteria can produce energy and is a type of melanin. • Pigment-producing microorganisms from Antarctic can be a source for DSSC use. Abstract The study of bacterial pigment for their application in DSSC is an in-development area of solar energy. However, studies on bacterial pigments for application in solar cells are scarce. We evaluated the use of a pigment obtained from the Antarctic So13.3 bacterial strain as a sensitizer in DSSC. Based on the sequence of the 16S gene, the So13.3 strain was identified as Streptomyces fildesensis. The bacterial pigment was characterized by UV–Vis and Fourier-Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR). Results indicate that the pigment has very similar characteristics to melanin. DSSC showed the best performance at a concentration of 6500 (μg/mL), obtaining a voltage of 493 [mV], a current density of 0.091 [mA/cm2], 0.026% efficiency and a 0.579 Filling Factor (FF). Considering that there are few studies on bacterial pigments applied in DSSC, we demonstrate the importance of focusing research on pigment-producing microorganism isolation and evaluating their potential use in DSSC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The current global agricultural challenges imply the need to generate new technologies and farming systems. In this context, rootstocks are an essential component in modern agriculture. Most currently used are those clonally propagated and there are several ongoing efforts to develop this type of plant material. Despite this tendency, lesser number of rootstock breeding programs exists in comparison to the large number of breeding programs for scion cultivars. In the case of rootstocks, traits evaluated in new selection lines are quite different: From the agronomic standpoint vigor is a key issue in order to establish high-density orchards. Other important agronomic traits include compatibility with a wide spectrum of cultivars from different species, good tolerance to root hypoxia, water use efficiency, aptitude to extract or exclude certain soil nutrients, and tolerance to soil or water salinity. Biotic stresses are also important: Resistance/tolerance to pests and diseases, such as nematodes, soil-borne fungi, crown gall, bacterial canker, and several virus, viroids, and phytoplasms. In this sense, the creation of new rootstocks at Centro de Estudios Avanzados en Fruticultura (CEAF) offers an alternative to stone fruit crop, particularly in Chile, where just a few alternatives are commercially available, and there are site-specific problems. The implementation of molecular markers in order to give support to the phenotypic evaluation of plant breeding has great potential assisting the selection of new genotypes of rootstocks. Marker-Assisted Selection (MAS) can shorten the time required to obtain new cultivars and can make the process more cost-effective than selection based exclusively on phenotype, but more basic research is needed to well understood the molecular and physiological mechanisms behind the studied trait. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of this study was to evaluate the productivity of maize hybrids developed for The High Valleys of Mexico. Four hybrids in their versions of male-sterile and fertile were evaluated in four uniform experiments using a randomized complete block design, at the Experimental Station of Mexico (CEVAMEX) and the Faculty of Higher Studios Cuautitlan (FESC-UNAM). The statistical analysis was performed in a combined form with the factors: hybrids (4), locations (4), male sterility/fertility versions (2), and the interactions between these factors. Significant differences for genotypes (p≤0.01), for locations and for interaction hybrid x locations (p≤0.05) were detected. The coefficient of variation for seed yield was 21.5% and overall mean was of 6,998 kg/ha. The site CEVAMEX 2009, in its first planting date, produced 8829 kg/ha and surpassed the other three environments. The performance of the four hybrids was similar (p>0.05). The male sterile version had a yield of 7170 kg/ha, similar (p>0.05) to the fertile version (6826 kg/ha), which confirms that the versions of the fertile and male-sterile hybrids of this study are isogenic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: In an earlier work, a recursive filter to compensate for the offset nonuniformity (NU) noise corrupting the output of infrared (IR) imaging system was presented. Such a filter was derived assuming an estimation time-window short enough so that the offset NU can be regarded as a constant corrupted by additive noise. In this paper, the assumption on the stationarity of the offset NU noise has been relaxed by characterizing the dynamics of the offset NU using a Gauss–Markov random process. Based upon this model, a recursive filter that uses blocks of IR data to estimate the offset NU has been derived. A rigorous theoretical analysis of the filter has been conducted in order to provide expressions for appropriately selecting the parameters of the filter. The ability of the block-recursive filter to compensate for NU noise has been tested using raw IR videos from different IR cameras. In addition, the filter has been implemented and tested on-line in a prototype spectrally tunable IR camera. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Over the last years, the detection of pesticide residues in the official food surveillance programs of Chile has been increased, mainly in fresh vegetables such as tomatoes and lettuces. The Metropolitana Region of Chile presents the highest detections in the country. The lack of evaluations of toxicological risks in human health have increased uncertainty of the potential effects of pesticides exposures in the Chilean population. This research aims to determinate health risks assessment of pesticide residues associated to tomatoes and lettuces produced in Metropolitana Region. The findings of this study reveal that tomatoes and lettuces cultivated in the MR show more than 50% of samples with one or multiple pesticides residues. From the total samples, 16% were over the Chilean Maximum Residue Levels (MRLs). The main pesticides detected in tomatoes and lettuces were methamidophos, methomyl, difenoconazole, cyprodinil and boscalid. The results obtained using the official data of the Ministry of Health of Chile (MINSAL) compared to the World Health Organization (WHO), describe relevant risks through the Estimated Daily Intakes (EDI), Hazard Quotients (HQ) and Hazard Index (HI) for the Chilean population due to high concentrations of methamidophos, methomyl and cyprodinil. More restrictions for the use of methamidophos, methomyl, difenoconazole, cyprodinil and boscalid and effective control programs should be implemented in order to mitigate the impacts on the Chilean population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]