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Pistachio is a dioecious and cross-pollination species and suitable male genotypes is essential for its adequate fruit production. The quality of the produced nuts is also directly affected by pollen sources. In the present study, the female pistachio trees of Akbari commercial cultivar, in their ON-year cycle, were selected and hand-pollinated with three different pollen sources (T5, T17, T18) and compared to open-pollinated trees (T0). This research was undertaken as a completely randomized block design with three replications. Artificial pollination had a positive effect on the fruit set percentage. Furthermore, fruit fresh and dry weights, fruit dimensions, nut as well as kernel characteristics were affected corresponding to each pollen source. Though all 3 pollen sources had a positive effect on measured fruit characteristics, the effect of T17 was more prominent. Owing to xenia and metaxenia effects, longer nuts were observed following pollination with T5 pollen grains. Also, utilization of T17 pollen grains led to production of weightier fruits with higher splitting rate (93.33 % as compared to control, open pollinated trees (63.78%)). The results of the present study approved the imperative role of pollen source for pistachio fruit production. The results also recommended T17 genotype as a suitable pollinizer for Akbari pistachio cultivar.

Xenia, the phenomenon in which the pollen genotype directly affects the phenotypic characteristics of maternal tissues (i.e., fruit ripening), has applications in crop production and breeding. However, the underlying molecular mechanism has yet to be elucidated. Here, we investigated whether mobile mRNAs from the pollen affect the ripening and quality-related characteristics of the fruit using cross-pollination between distinct Malus domestica (apple) cultivars. We demonstrated that hundreds of mobile mRNAs originating from the seeds are delivered to the fruit. We found that the movement of one of these mRNAs, ACC oxidase 3 (MdACO3), is coordinated with fruit ripening. Salicylic acid treatment, which can cause plasmodesmal closure, blocks MdACO3 movement, indicating that MdACO3 transcripts may move through the plasmodesmata. To assess the role of mobile MdACO3 transcripts in apple fruit, we created MdACO3 -GFP-expressing apple seeds using MdACO3- GFP-overexpressing pollen for pollination and showed that MdACO3 transcripts in the transgenic seeds move to the flesh, where they promote fruit ripening. Furthermore, we demonstrated that MdACO3 can be transported from the seeds to fruit in the fleshy-fruited species tomato and strawberry. These results underscore the potential of mobile mRNAs from seeds to influence fruit characteristics, providing an explanation for the xenia phenomenon. Notably, our findings highlight the feasibility of leveraging diverse pollen genomic resources, without resorting to genome editing, to improve fruit quality. This work demonstrates that mobile mRNAs from the pollen affect fruit morphological characteristics. Notably, mobile mRNAs moving from seeds to flesh can explain the xenia phenomenon. This work not only reveals a general tool for precise improvement of fruit quality but also indicates how fruit quality may be improved by testing diverse pollen genomic resources to determine which crosses yield superior fruit, independent of genome editing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Yield in many crops is affected by abscission during the early stages of fruitlet development. The reasons for fruitlet abscission are often unclear but they may include genetic factors because, in some crops, self-pollinated fruitlets are more likely to abscise than cross-pollinated fruitlets. Pollen parentage can also affect final fruit size and fruit quality. Here, we aimed to understand the effects of pollen parentage on fruitlet retention and nut quality in orchards of macadamia (Macadamia integrifolia Maiden & Betche). We identified the pollen parent of macadamia 'cultivar '816' embryos by analysing single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in their DNA using customised MassARRAY and Single Allele Base Extension Reaction (SABER) methods. This allowed us to determine the proportions of self-fertilised and cross-fertilised progeny during premature fruit drop at 6 weeks and 10 weeks after peak anthesis, as well as at nut maturity. We determined how pollen parentage affected nut-in-shell (NIS) mass, kernel mass, kernel recovery, and oil concentration. Macadamia trees retained cross-fertilised fruitlets rather than self-fertilised fruitlets. The percentage of progeny that were cross-fertilised increased from 6% at 6 weeks after peak anthesis to 97% at nut maturity, with each tree producing on average 22 self-fertilised nuts and 881 cross-fertilised nuts. Three of the four cross-pollen parents provided fruit with significantly higher NIS mass, kernel mass, or kernel recovery than the few remaining self-fertilised fruit. Fruit that were cross-fertilised by '842', 'A4', or 'A203' had 16–29% higher NIS mass and 24–44% higher kernel mass than self-fertilised fruit. Nuts that were cross-fertilised by 'A4' or 'A203' also had 5% or 6% higher kernel recovery, worth approximately $US460–540 more per ton for growers than self-fertilised nuts. The highly selective abscission of self-fertilised fruitlets and the lower nut quality of self-fertilised fruit highlight the critical importance of cross-pollination for macadamia productivity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The productivity of many tree crops is limited by low yield, partly due to high rates of fruitlet abscission during early fruit development. Early studies suggested that cross-pollinated fruitlets may be selectively retained during fruit development, although paternity testing of fruitlets to test this hypothesis was technically challenging. We used MassARRAY genotyping to determine the effects of pollen parentage on fruitlet retention and fruit quality of Hass avocado. We identified the paternity of abscised and retained fruitlets at 6 and 10 weeks, and mature fruit at 36 weeks, after peak anthesis. We measured the embryo mass, pericarp mass, total mass and nutrient concentrations of fruitlets, and the seed mass, flesh mass, total mass, diameter, length, nutrient concentrations and fatty-acid composition of mature fruit. The percentages of progeny on the tree that were cross-fertilised increased from 4.6% at 6 weeks after peak anthesis to 10.7% at fruit maturity. Only 1.0% of freshly abscised fruitlets on the ground at 10 weeks after peak anthesis were cross-pollinated even though 6.5% of retained fruitlets on the tree were cross-pollinated. At this stage, cross-pollinated fruitlets had similar nutrient concentrations to self-pollinated fruitlets, but they had higher total contents of P, K, Al, Ca, Fe, Mn and Zn due to having greater fruitlet mass. At maturity, cross-pollinated fruit were 6% heavier and had 2% greater diameter than self-pollinated fruit, without significant differences in flesh nutrient concentrations or fatty acid composition. The results demonstrate that Hass avocado trees selectively retain cross-pollinated fruitlets, which are larger than self-pollinated fruitlets and ultimately produce larger mature fruit. Avocado growers can increase fruit size and yield by improving the opportunities for cross-pollination, possibly by closely interplanting type A and type B cultivars and introducing more beehives into orchards. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fig types such as "Smyrna" and "San Pedro" require pollination (called caprification in fig cultivation) to produce a commercial crop, based on the crop and pollination characteristics of figs. Caprification is the process of hanging caprifig (male fig) fruits on female fig trees to ensure the transfer of pollen from the female fig to the caprifig by a wasp (Blastophaga psenes) that lives within the caprifig. It is necessary to extend the caprification period by using caprifig genotypes that ripen at different times, as female fig fruits ripen gradually. However, as caprifigs may not be continuously available for pollinating female figs, storing suitable caprifigs is necessary. The aim of this study was to assess changes in Blastophaga psenes, the duration of Blastophaga's exit, and the viability of pollen from caprifigs of different genotypes (16 08 05, 16 08 09, 16 08 10, 16 09 10, and 16 ZF 08) stored for caprification. These stored caprifig genotypes were subsequently used for pollination three times at 8-day intervals, after which their impact on the set and quality of the edible fig fruits was evaluated. According to the average data, at the end of storage, the least B. psenes loss was obtained from the 16 08 05 (61.03%) genotype, and the highest was obtained from the 16 09 10 (67.00%) genotype. Pollen germination tended to increase with the storage of caprifig fruits, but this increase was not linear. After storage, the 16 08 09 and 16 09 10 genotypes exhibited greater pollen germination. The highest fruit set and quality were obtained when the 16 08 09 and 16 09 10 genotypes were used as pollen sources. Furthermore, since the 16 08 10 genotype is the latest ripening caprifig genotype, it has been determined that it can pollinate late-ripening "Bursa Siyahı" fruits. Principal component and path analysis demonstrated that pollen viability and germination rate were crucial in selecting caprifig genotypes for fruit set and quality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Global fruit and nut yields are affected by shortfalls in pollinator populations, and pollen limitation is most prevalent among tropical, bee-pollinated and self-incompatible plants. Macadamia is a subtropical, bee-pollinated crop in which some cultivars have been found to be highly outcrossing. We aimed to determine the extent of outcrossing and its effects on nut quality across a wide range of international macadamia cultivars in three countries. We sampled fruit from 19 macadamia cultivars across 23 sites in Australia, Brazil and South Africa. We used genotype-by-sequencing and MassARRAY methods to assign paternity to individual fruit and we assessed pollen-parent effects on nut quality. Macadamia was highly outcrossing, producing 80–100% of fruit by cross-pollination, at 17 of the 23 sites. Mixed mating (41–72% outcrossing) was identified at five sites, and low outcrossing (10%) was identified in one cultivar at one site where it was isolated from other flowering macadamia trees. Outcrossed fruit often had significantly better quality than selfed fruit, with 1.61–3.39 g higher nut-in-shell mass, 0.53–1.55 g higher kernel mass, 3.3–6.4% higher kernel recovery, and 3.0–3.5% higher oil concentration. The differences in kernel recovery equated to differences in value of USD 433–841 per ton of nut-in-shell at prices of USD 3000 per ton. In summary, macadamia cultivars were mostly highly outcrossing, and outcrossed nuts often had higher quality than selfed nuts. Growers should consider interplanting different cultivars more closely and distributing bee hives more widely to maximise cross-pollination, produce high yields, and optimise nut quality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Optimal fruit production from many tree crops relies on the transfer of cross-pollen between trees of different cultivars rather than the transfer of self-pollen between trees of the same cultivar. However, many orchards are established with wide blocks of single cultivars, which can result in high percentages of self-fertilised fruit and sub-optimal yield and quality. We aimed to determine whether outcrossing rates and yield of Hass avocado fruit decline with increasing distance from polliniser trees of cultivar Shepard and whether selfed fruit are smaller than outcrossed fruit. Outcrossing rates declined from 49% at six trees (40 m) from a block of Shepard trees to 30% at thirty trees (160 m) from a block of Shepard trees. Tree yield across this distance declined by 44% as a result of a 69% decline in the number of outcrossed fruit per tree, without a significant decline in the number of selfed fruit per tree. Outcrossed Hass fruit were 12% heavier than selfed Hass fruit, with 3% greater diameter and 5% greater length. The study results demonstrate the importance of interplanting Type B avocado pollinisers closely with Type A Hass trees to increase fruit yield and size. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The domestic spaces of the built environment are traditionally associated with residential architecture. But the domestic spaces can also extend out, metaphorically, into familiar public spaces in which one may feel at home, and also extend inwards into self-perception, insofar as you may say that you dwell within yourself. This article begins by recalling Vitruvius’ fundamental notion of architectural utilitas concerns accommodating not a building’s owners but foreigners and strange outsiders. Vitruvius’ view on utility heavily favoured architecture’s socio-political function, and the guests he believed that architecture ought to accommodate were not merely a home’s owners or their visiting friends, but those people who are more distant from a home’s owners: those who are stranger and less well understood, known as xenos and who ought to be respected under the Ancient Greek religious and ethical principle of xenia. It is on these grounds that Vitruvius makes an ethical critique of residential architecture in favour of the virtue of public architecture. Next the reach of xenia is proposed to extend towards those who are different not merely because of ethnic differences but cognitive and sensory differences. Such accommodations are today accounted for as part of accessibility design and salutogenic design. Similar conceptions are noted in Nietzsche’s notion of an “architecture for the perceptive” and the surrealist’s interpretation of the minotaur as a hybrid not only of animal and human but a hybrid of civilised citizen and barbarian outsider. Together these sketch out an expanded sense of the domestic that includes public spaces designed to accommodate strange outsiders and the hybrid forms used to signify them.

After crosses, the identification of true hybrids is not only the most important step in the initiation of a breeding program but also plays a crucial role in the improvement of hybrid varieties. However, current morphological or molecular-based hybrid identification methods are time-consuming and costly approaches that require knowledge and skill, as well as specific lab equipment. In the current study, xenia, direct or immediate effect of pollen on seeds was used to identify true hybrids in the genus Pisum L. for the first time without growing F1 plants. The current study was therefore aimed to (i) elucidate the xenia effect on seeds in intra- and interspecific crosses between P. sativum L. subsp. sativum var. sativum or var. arvense L. Poir. and its wild relatives, including P. sativum subsp. elatius (M. Bieb.) Aschers & Graebn. and P. fulvum Sibth. & Sm., and (ii) illuminate the beneficialness of the xenia effect in a practical improvement of the genus Pisum L. The pea cultivars, including P. sativum subsp. sativum var. sativum and P. sativum subsp. sativum var. arvense, were therefore crossed with P. sativum subsp. elatius and P. fulvum, and the occurrence of the xenia effect was studied on the seeds of fertilized female plants immediately after the crosses. It was concluded that using the xenia effect for the early detection of true hybrid immediately after crossing was not only the fastest, most reliable, and least expensive option as early selection criteria, but that xenia also provided information about dominant seed and pod traits after double fertilization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pollination is essential for the reproductive output of crops. Anthropogenic disturbance and global pollinator decline limit pollination success, reducing the quantity or quality of pollen. Relationships between the abundance of flower visitors and fruit production are often poorly understood. We aimed to (1) identify and quantify flower visitors in a mango orchard; (2) assess how much of the crop resulted from self- versus cross-pollination at increasing distances from a cross-pollen source in large, single-cultivar blocks of the cultivar Kensington Pride or the cultivar Calypso; and (3) determine how pollen parentage affected the size, colour, flavour attributes, and nutritional quality of fruit. Mango flowers were mostly visited by rhiniid flies and coccinellid beetles. Approximately 30% of the fruit were the result of cross-pollination, with the percentage significantly decreasing with an increasing distance from a cross-pollen source in the cultivar Calypso. Self-pollinated Calypso fruit were slightly larger and heavier, with higher acid and total polyphenol concentrations than cross-pollinated fruit. Our results showed higher-than-expected levels of cross-fertilisation among fruit, although self-pollen was likely more abundant than cross-pollen in the large orchard blocks. Our results suggest the preferential cross-fertilisation of flowers or the preferential retention of cross-fertilised fruitlets, both representing strategies for circumventing inbreeding depression. Growers should establish vegetated habitats to support pollinator populations and interplant cultivars more closely to maximise cross-pollen transfer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Revista Chapingo Serie Horticultura is the property of Universidad Autonoma Chapingo and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The question of the foreigner, especially as elaborated by Jacques Derrida in the first of his two essays Of Hospitality, is at the heart of Aeschylus' Suppliants, a play in which the fifty daughters of the Egyptian king Danaus appeal to the Argive king Pelasgus for asylum. Indeed, Aeschylus structures much of the initial encounter between the Danaids and Pelasgus in the interrogatory mode: as an exchange of questions to the foreigner, of the foreigner. Beginning with queries about identity, the play moves quickly to pose questions about authority, ultimately running aground upon Pelasgus' inability to decide what to do about these Egyptian-Argive women whose demands for hospitality threaten his control over the city. Where previous scholarship on the play has focused on its representation of foreignness or its introduction of democratic rule, a close reading in light of Derrida's work on hospitality elaborates the important relationship between hospitality and democratic sovereignty that the play develops. For the real question of the foreigner asks how the people can wield power in a city; in response, the play imagines the origins of democracy as an act of civic hospitality or metoikia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Selection of pecan cultivars and their pollinizers is essential to reach maximum potential of production. Synchrony of blooming periods of cultivars may not be enough to ensure nut quality because of the xenia effect. This study aimed at evaluating effects of different pollinizers on dimensions and yields of fruit borne by cultivars Kiowa and Barton. Both cultivars were submitted to six treatments. Kiowa: no pollination, free pollination, self-pollination and pollination controlled by pollen from cultivars Cape Fear, Pawnee and Desirable. Barton: no pollination, free pollination, self-pollination and pollination controlled by pollen from cultivars Melhorada, Jackson and Success. Self-pollination decreased dimensions and yields of fruit and kernel. Pollen from different cultivars was found to exhibit positive and negative xenia effect on fruit characteristics. The largest fruit and the highest kernel yield were reached when 'Kiowa' was pollinized with 'Desirable' and 'Barton' was pollinized with 'Success'. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Strawberry flowers are hermaphroditic and most cultivars are self-compatible, but strawberry plants can produce a mixture of fruit that have arisen from self-pollination and cross-pollination. We aimed to determine whether size, shape, color, taste attributes and shelf life differ between self-pollinated and cross-pollinated fruit competing on the same Redlands Joy strawberry plant. Experiments were repeated at three fertilizer levels to determine the consistency of responses across different levels of crop nutrition. Cross-pollinated fruits were 4.2%–7.5% heavier and 2.7%–5.0% longer than self-pollinated fruits, with the differences being greater at lower levels of nutrient supply. They were also darker or redder than self-pollinated fruits. Cross-pollinated fruits sometimes had lower °Brix (sugar) or lower acidity than self-pollinated fruits, with the effect on sugar:acid ratio depending on the nutrient level. The shelf life of cross-pollinated fruits was approximately 4 days longer than self-pollinated fruits on plants that received medium or high levels of fertilizer. The results suggest that pollen-parent effects on fruit size become evident when self- and cross-pollinated strawberry fruits compete for resources on the same plant, and that the expression of pollen-parent effects can be affected by the level of crop nutrition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

After crosses, the identification of true hybrids is not only the most important step in the initiation of a breeding program but also plays a crucial role in the improvement of hybrid varieties. However, current morphological or molecular-based hybrid identification methods are time-consuming and costly approaches that require knowledge and skill, as well as specific lab equipment. In the current study, xenia, direct or immediate effect of pollen on seeds was used to identify true hybrids in the genus Pisum L. for the first time without growing F1 plants. The current study was therefore aimed to (i) elucidate the xenia effect on seeds in intra- and interspecific crosses between P. sativum L. subsp. sativum var. sativum or var. arvense L. Poir. and its wild relatives, including P. sativum subsp. elatius (M. Bieb.) Aschers & Graebn. and P. fulvum Sibth. & Sm., and (ii) illuminate the beneficialness of the xenia effect in a practical improvement of the genus Pisum L. The pea cultivars, including P. sativum subsp. sativum var. sativum and P. sativum subsp. sativum var. arvense, were therefore crossed with P. sativum subsp. elatius and P. fulvum, and the occurrence of the xenia effect was studied on the seeds of fertilized female plants immediately after the crosses. It was concluded that using the xenia effect for the early detection of true hybrid immediately after crossing was not only the fastest, most reliable, and least expensive option as early selection criteria, but that xenia also provided information about dominant seed and pod traits after double fertilization.

Climate change is leading to phase shifts in coral reefs worldwide. In many biogeographic regions, octocorals are now becoming the most abundant benthic components, due to their environmental resilience and ability to rapidly colonize reef surfaces. Regeneration abilities and asexual reproduction are highly important for this ability and probably contribute to the successful spread of certain octocorals, including invasive species. Regeneration, however, has been little investigated in octocorals. To achieve a deeper understanding of octocoral regeneration, we employed Xenia umbellata, a common octocoral in the Red Sea, as a novel experimental model for laboratory studies. Using single-polyp modules, we investigated its regeneration ability and polyp asexual reproduction (budding). Excised polyps successfully reattached to tissue-culture plates within 2-3 days and started budding within 10 days. Amputation of the oral disc led to full regeneration within 7-10 days, with budding continuing throughout this period. Moreover, amputated tentacles developed into polyps within 21 days, demonstrating an unusual capacity for whole-body regeneration. The regeneration abilities of this species imply high totipotency of all polyp parts and are likely important for its life cycle. Further research using this model is expected to enhance the ecological and molecular understanding of octocoral development and provide insights into phase shifts currently occurring in coral reefs. Our study also suggests that X. umbellata has potential as a model organism for integrative studies on regeneration, physiology, developmental biology, and more, encouraging its adoption as a novel colonial cnidarian model organism.

Copyright of Revista Mexicana de Ciencias Agrícolas is the property of Instituto Nacional de Investigaciones Forestales, Agricolas y Pecuarias and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The conceptualization of the notion of subjectivity within the Anthropocene finds in Rosi Braidotti’s posthumanism one of its most explicit and profuse modulations. This essay argues that Braidotti’s model powerfully accounts for the Anthropocene’s subjectivity by conceiving the “self” as a transversal multiplicity and its relationality to the “others” and the “world” as non-hierarchized by nature–culture distinctions; however, by being ontologically grounded on a neo-Spinozistic monism, Braidotti’s model blurs the notions of finitude, agency, and change, obscuring the possibility of critical dissent while decreasing the overall theory’s consistency. An alternative ontological model capitalizing on these elements can be found in Object-Oriented Ontology (OOO) and its notion of withdrawal. By associating OOO’s non-onto-taxonomical pluralism with Braidotti’s posthuman subjectivity, this essay aims at ontologically discretizing the latter in order to overcome these limitations. Grounded on this association and invoking a narrative imaginary propelled by the Greek terms xenos (guest-friend) and xenia (hospitality), the article paves the way for a form of subjectivity deviating from Braidotti’s ecological model and defined as xenological, arguing that, within the context of the Anthropocene, it constitutes an adequate alternative to Braidotti’s subjectivity.

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) related to phytohormone signal transduction and self-incompatibility may play an important role in the xenia effect. However, associated research in this area is still lacking in rabbiteye blueberry (Vaccinium ashei). In this study, we identified miRNAs, predicted their target genes, performed functional enrichment analysis of the target genes, and screened for miRNAs related to phytohormone signaling and self-incompatibility. A total of 491 miRNAs were identified, of which 27 and 67 known miRNAs as well as 274 and 416 new miRNAs were found in the rabbiteye blueberry cultivars Brightwell and Premier, respectively. Compared with ‘Premier’, 31 miRNAs were upregulated and 62 miRNAs were downregulated in ‘Brightwell’. Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) functional enrichment analysis indicated that the 4985 target genes predicted were involved in biosynthesis of amino acids, plant–pathogen interaction, and spliceosome pathways. A total of 10, one, one, five, two, five, and two candidate miRNAs related to auxin, cytokinin, gibberellin, abscisic acid, ethylene, brassinosteroid, and salicylic acid signaling, respectively, in rabbiteye blueberry pollen were identified. Further analysis indicated that novel_miR_49 was a candidate miRNA related to self-incompatibility, and their target gene was maker-VaccDscaff21-snap-gene-21.37. In addition, the KEGG enrichment analysis of the target genes of novel_miR_49 showed that they were involved in the ribosome, aminoacyl-tRNA biosynthesis, and glycosylphosphatidylinositol-anchor biosynthesis pathways. The results revealed that the microRNAs of rabbiteye blueberry pollen regulated to phytohormone signal transduction and self-incompatibility signal transduction based on related to auxin, cytokinin, gibberellin, abscisic acid, ethylene, brassinosteroid, and salicylic acid signaling. Results suggest that more research of the effects of miRNAs on regulation of hormone signal transduction and self-incompatibility is necessary for elucidating the molecular mechanism of the xenia effect.

Since antiquity, there has been little consensus on how to interpret the identity of the anonymous Athenian Stranger of Plato's Laws. This paper uses the Stranger's identification as xenos as a starting point in examining the role of xenia in Plato's Laws. In this dialogue, Plato uses xenia throughout the dialogue to portray philosophic relationships between characters from different poleis and to establish the importance of intercultural and Panhellenic exchange for philosophic friendship and the establishment of an ideal polis. The Laws shows that ideal polis must maintain peaceful and philosophical relations with other cities, and xenia makes this possible. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In January 2019, 30 leading European intellectuals, including Bernard-Henri Lévy and Orhan Pamuk, pronounced that 'the idea of Europe is in peril'. Their voices added to a general sense from all corners of the European continent that the liberal narratives that have sustained the European Union integration project are under attack. Is it true, as Pamuk suggested, that Europe no longer makes us dream? What would it take to reactivate Europe's ability to inspire? Aligned with Sudeep Dasgupta and Mireille Rosello's approach of queering European culture, I imagine the possibilities that might emerge if we reenergise Queer and Europe with their original radical potential. In my reading of Panos H. Koutras' film Xenia, I ask the following: what happens if we imbue Queer Europe with a grammar of hope instead of a grammar of hopelessness? I posit that Xenia queers the space between the European centre and periphery in its celebration of 'diva citizenship' and in so doing, the film reconfigures a Europe in the present continuous rather than the past and future tenses. Such a reconfiguration widens the scope to imagine new cartographies that map European culture in alternative frameworks. A Europe of Stories, I suggest, emerges in the space that this new cartography opens up. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new soft coral species, Xenia konohana sp. nov. (Alcyonacea, Xeniidae), is described from Miyazaki in the warm-temperate region of Japan. This new species has conspicuous and unique spindle sclerites in addition to the simple ellipsoid platelet-shaped sclerites typically found in the genus Xenia. These unique spindles are a specific key morphological characteristic for this new species and for differentiating this species among congeneric species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aram Gershuni is an Israeli artist specialising in realistic and hyper-realistic painting, whose work differs radically from the mainstream of Israeli art and can most distinctly be characterised as 'mimesis', a term that is generally associated with traditional western art. Though Gershuni's still life images may seem at first sight trivial and banal, it is their very banality and mimetic appearance that are significant, reflecting profound and disputed issues in Israeli culture. This article explores Gershuni's still life paintings and offers several perspectives for their interpretation. The analysis is based on textual sources, mostly Classical, that reflect Gershuni's approach and affinity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Aims Pollen limitation is most prevalent among bee-pollinated plants, self-incompatible plants and tropical plants. However, we have very little understanding of the extent to which pollen limitation affects fruit set in mass-flowering trees despite tree crops accounting for at least 600 million tons of the 9200 million tons of annual global food production. Methods We determined the extent of pollen limitation in a bee-pollinated, partially self-incompatible, subtropical tree by hand cross-pollinating the majority of flowers on mass-flowering macadamia (Macadamia integrifolia) trees that produce about 200 000–400 000 flowers. We measured tree yield and kernel quality and estimated final fruit set. We genotyped individual kernels by MassARRAY to determine levels of outcrossing in orchards and assess paternity effects on nut quality. Key Results Macadamia trees were pollen-limited. Supplementary cross-pollination increased nut-in-shell yield, kernel yield and fruit set by as much as 97, 109 and 92 %, respectively. The extent of pollen limitation depended upon the proximity of experimental trees to trees of another cultivar because macadamia trees were highly outcrossing. Between 84 and 100 % of fruit arose from cross-pollination, even at 200 m (25 rows) from orchard blocks of another cultivar. Large variations in nut-in-shell mass, kernel mass, kernel recovery and kernel oil concentration were related to differences in fruit paternity, including between self-pollinated and cross-pollinated fruit, thus demonstrating pollen-parent effects on fruit quality (i.e. xenia). Conclusions This study is the first to demonstrate pollen limitation in a mass-flowering tree. Improved pollination led to increased kernel yield of 0.31–0.59 tons ha–1, which equates currently to higher farm-gate income of approximately $US3720–$US7080 ha–1. The heavy reliance of macadamia flowers on cross-pollination and the strong xenia effects on kernel mass demonstrate the high value that pollination services can provide to food production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lo scopo di questo articolo è identificare il ruolo del personaggio di Mosca nella creazione della "nuova grammatica" di "Xenia" (1964-1968). In più, ci permette di approfondire degli aspetti d'intertestualità funzionale alla sua genesi. Grazie all'analisi di "Con astuzia..." (e delle parole chiave "astuzia" e "agnizione") si osserva che le novità della poesia montaliana vengono apportate e incarnate da questo personaggio postumo. Mosca incarna allo stesso modo la "farsa umana" e dona al poeta i motivi per sopravvivervi. questo offre a Montale un nuovo linguaggio poetico prosaico che è pertanto in contraddizione con le idee che ha manifestato nell'articolo "Poesia inclusiva". Per comprendere questa discordanza, si esaminano degli estratti selezionati del "Lessico familiare". Si evince che questi da una parte suggerirà a Montale il rigetto per una poesia troppo prosaica, dall'altra parte che essi danno al poeta un'alternativa accettabile.

The main objective of this study was to assess the pollen effects on macro and micro nutrition elements on hazelnut cultivars (Corylus avellana L.). Tombul, Palaz, Çakıldak, Foşa and Allahverdi were used as main cultivars while Tombul, Palaz, Çakıldak, Foşa, Allahverdi, Sivri, Kalınkara and Yassı Badem were used as pollinator cultivars. In the study, it was investigated that the pollinator cultivars caused changes in some nutrition elements. The effects of the applications on nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium content were found to be statistically significant. It was determined that the nutrition element with the highest rate in the examined hazelnut cultivars is potassium. It has been observed that the amount of potassium is high in Tombul-pollinator treatments. The potassium content of Foşa and Çakıldak weres found to be higher than other cultivars. In Palaz and Yassı Badempollination treatments, it has been observed that the Ca content is generally lower than other treatments. Fe content was found to be significantly higher in Palaz-pollination treatments. The highest Mn and Zn content was obtained from Çakıldak. As a result, it has been revealed that pollinators may have an effect on nutrient content. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This is the first portion of a study in two parts on the lyric and elegiac poet Timocreon of Ialysos. My aim is to offer an up-to-date presentation of and running commentary on the extant fragments of his poetry, which has received less attention than it deserves. The first four fragments of Timocreon's poetic production that are discussed in this article are those concerning his turbulent relationship with Themistocles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pollination is very important to obtain an economic yield, and the selection of pollinizer with suitable quality and quantity of pollen is an essential practice in different fruit plants. The effects of pollen parent on kernel and nut characters are known to occur in several nut crops and to determine the best pollinizer and effect of pollen source on the nut and kernel quality of almond (Prunus amygdalus L.). The present investigation was carried out at the experiment farm of Dryland Agriculture Research Station (DARS), SKUASTKashmir for two consecutive years, i.e. 2008 and 2009. Various cross combinations were made among nine almond (three exotic and six indigenous) varieties/selections which are compatible with each other. Their nut and kernel characteristics were determined and observed maximum nut weight (2.21 g), nut length (39.78 mm) and nut breadth (20.33 mm), kernel weight (1.28 g), kernel length (28.63 mm) and kernel breadth (12.61 mm) and shelling percentage (57.99%). In the present study it has been observed that the parent with big nut and kernel size and weight influenced the nut and kernel size; nut and kernel weight of the recipient parent significantly (p=0.05). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Highlights • Pollen-parent can increase macadamia nut and kernel mass. • When the sink is small yield macadamia yield is mainly determined by available carbohydrate resources. • Pollen-parent can increase kernel recovery in some cases. • The macadamia tree is able to redistribute resources to even out yield. Abstract Cross-pollen parents can affect fruit set and yield, and can influence fruit and seed characteristics of many tree crops. Available carbohydrates also limit fruit set and yield, and tree carbohydrates can be manipulated by girdling trees and by defoliation. We investigated how different macadamia cross pollen-parents and the availability of carbohydrates interact to modify macadamia fruit set, kernel yield and kernel size. We manipulated tree carbohydrates by selecting different branch sizes and girdling branches on macadamia cultivar 'HAES 246' ('246') maternal trees. We applied pollens from two different commercial cultivars, 'HV A16' ('A16') and 'HAES 814' ('814') in two experiments. In Experiment 1, two branch sizes, 150 leaves and 500 leaves were girdled. In Experiment 2, three branch sizes, 150 leaves, 300 leaves and 500 leaves were both girdled and ungirdled. Final fruit set and kernel yield per branch were significantly higher on the girdled 500 leaf branches compared with the girdled 150 leaf branches in both experiments (P < 0.05). There was no pollen-parent effect on final fruit set or kernel yield per branch on girdled branches. Kernel mass was increased by the 'A16' pollen-parent in 4 out of 4 cases in experiment 1 and in 4 out of 6 cases in Experiment 2. Available resources also impacted on nut and kernel size. The 'A16' pollen-parent also increased kernel recovery significantly (P < 0.05) on some girdled and ungirdled branches. Carbohydrate supply and pollen-parents interact to determine final nut and kernel size and nut characteristics. Selecting suitable pollen-parents could improve macadamia profitability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article examines the earliest literary evidence of ancient supplication practices in the archaic Greek Homeric epic tradition. It does so from a philological, linguistic, ritualist and theoretical perspective without however separating these elements as distinct and it aims to articulate a non-legalistic approach to the earliest evidence, as well as a hypothesis with regard to the sacredness of suppliants in archaic Greece before supplication became juridically regulated in Classical Greece by certain forms of law. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Xenia is the direct effect of pollen genotype on the development and characteristics of the seed and fruit in the period that spans from fertilization to seed germination. Xenia effects cause phenotypic variations in the seed and fruit, which have importance for seed and fruit production but are not heritable to the progeny. Two hypotheses have been proposed as a mechanism for xenia: the hormonal hypothesis and the mobile mRNAs hypothesis. Although xenia effects have been studied in seeds and fruits in many crops, its effects and mechanism have been poorly studied at the molecular level. The aim of this work was to perform an initial screening of the xenia effect in the hybrid endosperm at the molecular level by differential gene expression among different pollen genotype sources from Paspalum notatum Flüggé. In order to characterize xenia effects and mechanisms, crosses were made between an emasculated mother plant with donors from two different pollen genotypes. RNA was isolated from ovaries 3 h after pollination. Some of the 24 differentially expressed transcript-derived fragments (DETDFs) provided relevant information. Four of those DETDFs were related to germination, pollen tube growth and pollen–pistil interaction. Seven DETDFs were associated with seed development and production. Finally, four DETDFs were predicted to encode for mobile mRNAs. These DETDFs might be involved in xenia effects and mechanisms in P. notatum. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights • Macadamia cultivar cross-pollens exert consistent xenic effects. • Cross-pollens increase nut size. • Cross-pollens increase kernel mass. • Cross-pollens increase husk and shell mass. • Cross-pollens increase kernel recovery. Abstract The genotype of the pollen that fertilizes the ovule is known to affect the characteristics of fruits and nuts for many species, a phenomenom known as the xenia effect. Cross-pollination increases fruit set, nut mass, kernel mass and kernel recovery of macadamia nuts at maturity when compared with self-pollination. However there is limited information on the xenic effects of different macadamia cultivars used as cross pollen-parents on the fruit components and fruit development. The aim of this study was to clarify in what nut components and at what developmental stages xenic effects occurred. Two large-seeded macadamia cultivars, 'HAES 246' and 'HV A16', were used as maternal trees and pollen-parents were 'HAES 246', 'HV A16' and 'HAES 814', a small-seeded cultivar. Pollen-parents affected the mass of both the syngamous tissue of the kernel (embryo) and the tissues of maternal origin; i.e. the husk (pericarp) and shell (testa). Xenic effects were detected in the endosperm 6 weeks after pollination and in fruit, nut and kernel size and mass from 10 weeks after pollination until maturity. Nut mass, kernel mass and kernel recovery of macadamia were increased significantly by a different pollen-parent. The HV A16 pollen on HAES 246 flowers produced an increase of 11% nut mass compared with HV 814 pollen on HAES 246 flowers. This would increase the gross margin of a farm producing 4.5 t/ha of nuts by $2574/ha at typical 2018 prices. Macadamia growers and the macadamia industry would benefit from identification and use of the most beneficial cross-pollen sources available. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Graphical abstract Highlights • Pollen sources affect the accumulation of fatty acid during seed development. • FAD3 plays an important role in biosynthesis of α -linolenic acid (ALA). • The action of sequential desaturase genes could be enhanced by suitable pollen. • The impacts of pollen sources were at morphological, chemical and molecular levels. Abstract Tree peony has been widely planted as an excellent oil crop with high proportion of α -linolenic acid (ALA) in its seeds. It was reported that pollen sources have clear effects on fatty acid (FA) composition of its kernels. Nevertheless, the molecular basis of this novel phenomenon is poorly understood. In this study, four Paeonia suffruticosa cultivars whose pollen caused significant differences in ALA content of Paeonia rockii were selected as pollen donors and grouped under high and low ALA groups. After pollination, total FAs content, composition and expression profiles of 10 genes involved in the FA and triacylglycerol (TAG) biosynthetic pathways were investigated during seed development. During the rapid oil accumulation in seeds, three desaturase genes (SAD, FAD2, FAD3) showed much higher expression in high ALA group, and their differential expression profiles corresponded well with the variations in ALA content among different pollen sources. Overall, pollen sources could affect the expression level of genes associated with fatty acid modification and subsequently affect the composition of FA in the kernels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The public celebration of an ode is the right moment for an athletic victor and especially for a tyrant to display his superiority in front of his fellow-citizens. The ruling class does not preserve its status only by coercion, but also needs to assign to its domination an aura of moral authority. This can be achieved by presenting its moral values, thoughts, and aesthetics about politics, economy, and society as "common sense". I argue that in Pythian 2 Pindar uses the economy of the elite--gift economy--asadevicetopresentHieron's power as approved not only by his community, but also by the gods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

From the soft coral Xenia umbellata, seven isoprenoid derivatives were isolated, including a new xenicane diterpene, xeniolide O (5) and a new gorgostane derivative gorgst-3β,5α,6β,11α,20(S)-pentol-3-monoacetate (7), along with three known sesquiterpenes (1–3), a known diterpene (4), and a known steroid (6). The extensive analyses of the NMR, IR, and MS spectral data led to determination of their chemical structures. Compounds 1–7 displayed a cytotoxic effect against breast adenocarcinoma (MCF-7), hepatocellular carcinoma (HepG2), and cervix adenocarcinoma (HeLa), with IC50 values ranging between 1.5 ± 0.1–23.2 ± 1.5; 1.8 ± 0.1–30.6 ± 1.1 and 0.9 ± 0.05–12.8 ± 0.5 μg/mL, respectively. Compound 3 showed potent cytotoxic effects against MCF-7, HepG2, and HeLa with IC50 values = 2.4 ± 0.20, 3.1 ± 0.10 and 0.9 ± 0.05 μg/mL, respectively. Compounds 2, 5, and 7 displayed cytotoxic effect against Hela cells with IC50 values = 12.8 ± 0.50, 6.7 ± 1.00 and 11.5 ± 2.20 μg/mL, respectively. Two DNA binding dyes, acridine orange (AO) and ethidium bromide (EtBr) were used for the detection of viable, apoptotic, and necrotic cells. The early apoptotic cell death was observed in all types of treated cells. The late apoptotic cells were highly present in HepG2 cells. Compounds 5 and 7 induced a high percentage of necrosis towards HepG2 and HeLa cells. The late apoptosis was recorded as a high rate after treatment with 7 on all cancer cells.

The xenia effect results in pollen affecting the setting rate and the appearance and quality of fruits. To further understand this phenomenon, we investigated the xenia effect in Castanea henryi using the cultivars ‘Huali 1’, ‘Huali 2’, ‘Huali 3’, and ‘Huangzhen’ as materials. Twenty combinations of self-, cross-, and natural pollination were undertaken in a chestnut orchard in Chenzhou City, Hunan Province, China. Significant differences were observed among the pollination combinations in terms of the time of fruit ripening, rate of fruit setting, size of the barbed shell and nut, and content of soluble sugars, fats, proteins, amylose, and vitamin C. No significant differences were observed with regard to nut rate, content of total starch, and moisture content. The fruit quality of the 20 pollination combinations was evaluated using a subordinate function method, and showed that Huali 2 × Huali 3 was the best combination, and Huangzhen × Huangzhen was the most ineffective combination. Therefore, we recommend the combination of Huali 2 × Huali 3 for the future production of C. henryi.

La experiencia del migrante es contradictoria: por un lado, está expuesto a un trato discriminatorio, de vulnerabilidad, en resumen, se le rechaza; por otro lado, existe un gran número de tratados internacionales que abogan por un trato no discriminatorio y por un mínimo de derecho inalienables, tratando de cuidar su condición humana. El presente trabajo tiene el objetivo de encontrar el fundamento filosófico de esta condición del migrante, a la cual le hemos llamado la experiencia de rechazo-cuidado. Para responder a esta problemática procederemos de un modo hermenéutico, apoyándonos del análisis etimológico e histórico y por último en autores representativos de la fenomenología como Husserl, Heidegger, Lévinas y Waldenfels. Aunque la repuesta por la doble experiencia del migrante (rechazo-cuidado) es nuestro objetivo inmediato, pensamos que nuestros resultados pueden considerarse como aportes al desarrollo de una antropología filosófica del migrante.

Darwin clearly described certain anomalous phenomena, including what he referred to as "the direct action of the male element on the female form" and what we now call xenia and telegony, bud variation (mutation), reversion or atavism, and the inheritance and non-inheritance of mutilation. Some phenomena, particularly xenia, telegony and the inheritance of mutilation, were considered as doubtful phenomena by such authorities as Weismann and Morgan. Over the past 150 year, however, there has been increasing evidence for xenia, which is of great interest and importance in physiological research and plant production. The discoveries of cell-free fetal DNA, sperm RNAs, penetration of sperm into the somatic tissues of the female reproductive tract and the incorporation of exogenous DNA into somatic cells indicate that molecular mechanisms exist for telegony, one of the most controversial issues. Darwin's Pangenesis is the only theory that explains all the different types of phenomena. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Resumo – Com objetivo de avaliar a qualidade dos frutos de Hylocereus undatus, flores foram polinizadas com polens de H. undatus, Hylocereus polyrhizus e Hylocereus costaricensis. Avaliaram-se aspectos como pegamento (%), peso (g), comprimento e diâmetro do fruto (cm), espessura da casca (cm), peso da casca/peso total do fruto, oBrix, número de sementes e peso de 100 sementes (g). O delineamento foi inteiramente casualizado, com 10 repetições. As médias foram comparadas pelo teste de Scott-Knott (p

Blue maize (Zea mays L.) is grown for its high content of antioxidants. Conversion of yellow and white to blue maize is time consuming because several genes affect blue color. After each backcross selfing is needed for color to be expressed. In order to overcome the problem of time and effort needed for conversion to blue kernel color, we have set a pilot experiment simulating a Top-cross system for increasing antioxidants in maize grain. The idea is to alternately sow six rows of sterile standard quality hybrid and two rows of blue maize in commercial production. Five commercial ZP hybrids were crossed with a blue pop-corn population. Xenia effect caused by cross-pollination produced blue grain on all hybrids in the same year. Chemical analyses of the grains of five selfed original hybrids, five cross-pollinated hybrids and selfed blue popcorn pollinator were performed. Cross-fertilization with blue popcorn had different impact on antioxidant capacity and phytonutrients, increasing them significantly in some but not all cross-pollinated hybrids. Popcorn blue pollinator had higher values for all the analyzed traits than either selfed or cross-pollinated hybrids. Selfed vs. pollinated hybrids showed significant difference for total antioxidant capacity (p

In field experiments performed in two localities (Smolice, Wrocław) 18 xenic hybrids of winter rye, two testers and standard cultivar Dańkowskie Złote, were analysed. The objects of detailed evaluations were 11 traits. For six of them arithmetic means (x), standard deviations (S), coefficients of variation (cv), coefficients of genetic diversity (h2), correlation coefficients were calculated. Moreover, analyses of variance were carried out and the effects of general (GCA) and specific (SCA) combining ability were estimated. The existence of quantitative xenia in hybrids was confirmed. It was shown that xenic hybrids, in respect to most of the analysed traits, were insignificantly inferior to the testers and the standard cultivar. However, the decrease of plant height has shown to be significant and a tendency to higher yield was observed.

The object of research were: hybrid grains F1 of winter rye resulting from the topcross of nine yellowseed inbred lines with two testers Madar and Krótka I, and six hybrids F1 of spring rye resulting from topcross of six Turkish yellowseed populations with the tester SMH-02. The aim of the analysis was to confirm the degree of crossing ability and the effect of xenia of 1000 grains weight. The possibility to breed initial materials characterized by a high combining ability by means of xenia was stated. Xenia of 1000 grains weight allows to elaborate a new technology of hybrid seed production of rye.