Genetic Quality Research Articles

TINGKAT KEBERHASILAN TRANSFER EMBRIO (TE) BERDASARKAN KEGIATAN SELEKSI RESIPIEN DAN PELAKSANAAN TE DARI TAHUN 2018 SAMPAI DENGAN 2021 DI KABUPATEN ROKAN HULU

Implementation of the application of embryo transfer technology (ET), requires a program that can meet the wishes of the livestock community in terms of improving the genetic quality of liverstock quickly. The program is related to the proposal of beef cattle by field officers, selection of recipient cattele by the embryo transfer team which includes: exterior assessment, such as the Body Condition Score (BSC), interior assessment such as rectal palpation of the internal genitals (cervix, uterus an ovaries). The next activity is the implementation of embryo transfer such as how handle recipient cattel; wheather the recipient has been in Artificial Insemination (AI) (twinning program) or single ET, epidural anastesi, thowing frozen embryos in water at 38℃, insertion of embryo straw into the ET gun/plastic ET, rectal palpation, cervical examination, insertion of the ET gun, embryo deposition to the uterine horn, recording the results of ET, examination of pregnancy results of ET at the age of 2 months, monitoring of recipients who are already pregnant until elivery, reporting the results of single ET briths and ET twinning(AI/ET).
 This technical report is the result of the embryo transfer (ET) program activities that took place from 2012,2018,2019,2020,and 2021, which in this technical report discusses the success rate of embryo transfer (ET) based on recipient selection and impelemtation activities embryo transfer (ET).

EFFECT OF LENGTH EXPOSURE AND TYPES OF VOICE ON CORN SEEDS (Zea Mays) VIABILITY AND EARLY GROWTH

Seed quality includes three aspects, namely genetic quality, physical quality and physiological quality. Physiological quality is an aspect of seed quality as indicated by seed viability and vigor. This study aims to analyze the effect of different types of sound exposure on viability and early growth of corn seeds, and to analyze the effect of long exposure to sound on viability and early growth of maize seeds. The research was carried out in the laboratory of the Faculty of Agriculture, Teuku Umar University. on September 20 - October 19, 2019. This study used a Split Plot with the main plot type of sound exposure consisting of four levels, and the main sub-plot, namely the length of sound exposure consisting of three levels. Observed parameters; germination rate, growth speed, synchronous growth (KST), stomata openings. Based on the research results, the best germination rate, growth rate, growth impregnability, leaf width, and stomatal openings were found in the Murrotal Al-Quran exposure. In the long exposure to sound treatment, it showed that the length of exposure to sound had no significant effect on germination, growth speed, growth impregnability, leaf width of maize plants, and stomata opening of maize plants.

The adaptive function of construction of multiple non‐breeding nests in birds

Several bird species construct multiple nests within a single breeding season that are not used for egg‐laying. This behaviour has puzzled researchers for over 100 years, as nests are costly in time and energy to build, and there is no apparent adaptive function. We review the empirical evidence for several suggested non‐exclusive functions and examine the plausibility of each. These functions are: (1) decoys to reduce predation or brood parasitism, (2) involvement in sexual selection and signalling of traits such as genetic quality or propensity for parental investment, (3) shelters for adults and/or fledglings, and (4) defence against nest usurpation. We argue that evidence for all these explanations is inconclusive, with correlational studies dominating the literature. We conclude that the idea that these nests evolved as decoys or as shelters for fledglings is unlikely and consider the most likely adaptive function to be signalling. Multiple nests are often involved in aspects of courtship, so are likely have some role in sexual selection in certain species. After pairing, individuals may be able to signal their parental abilities, inducing their partner to invest more in reproduction through differential allocation. We give suggestions for future work which we believe will advance our understanding of ancillary nest‐building.

Geological Controlling Factors of Low Resistivity Shale and Their Implications on Reservoir Quality: A Case Study in the Southern Sichuan Basin, China

At the Changning block and at the Luzhou block, the genetic mechanism of low-resistivity shale and its impact on reservoir quality are currently a hot topic on a world-wide scale. Shale with resistivity lower than 20 Ω·m is widely developed at the Wufeng-Longmaxi Formation in the Southern Sichuan Basin, bringing a considerable challenge for reservoir prediction using the electromagnetic method. This paper discusses the genetic mechanisms and reservoir qualities of three low-resistivity shale reservoir types in the Southern Sichuan Basin (the Changning block and Luzhou block). Three primary elements controlling low-resistivity shale distribution in the Southern Sichuan Basin have been deduced: widely distributed gravity flow deposits, poor structural preservation conditions and shale graphitization caused by Emeishan basalt. Specifically, (1) the shale reservoir with a resistivity <12 Ω·m was uniformly distributed with gravity flow deposits in the Southern Sichuan Basin. High clay mineral contents (especially illite) in gravity flow deposits increased cation exchange capacity and irreducible water saturation at shale reservoir, decreasing electrical resistivity. (2) The resistivity of the shale reservoir close to a complex fault-fracture zone was generally lower than 20 Ω·m, indicating that poor structural preservation conditions played an important role in the wide distribution of low-resistivity shale. The resistivity of the shale reservoir near NE-trending faults at the Changning block was significantly lower than that in other areas. (3) Emeishan basalt caused extensive shale graphitization at the west of the Changning block, which was limited at the Luzhou block. The shale resistivity at the Luzhou block was not affected by graphitization. Among three types of low-resistivity shale, type III was characterized by high quartz content, high TOC, high porosity, high gas content and low graphitization. Although the resistivity of type III is generally lower that 20 Ω·m, it is still a favorable exploration target in the Southern Sichuan Basin.

Transforming growth factor-β receptor 1: An intervention target for genetic poor cartilage quality induced by prenatal dexamethasone exposure

IntroductionFetal-originated osteoarthritis is relative to poor cartilage quality and may exhibit transgenerational genetic effects. Previous findings revealed prenatal dexamethasone exposure (PDE) induced poor cartilage quality in offspring. ObjectivesThis study focused on further exploring molecular mechanism, heritability, and early intervention of fetal-originated osteoarthritis. MethodsPregnant rats (F0) were segregated into control and PDE groups depending upon whether dexamethasone was administered on gestational days (GDs) 9–20. Some female offspring were bred with healthy males during postnatal week (PW) 8 to attain the F2 and F3 generations. The F3-generation rats were administrated with glucosamine intragastrically at PW12 for 6 weeks. The knee cartilages of male and female rats at different time points were harvested to assay their morphologies and functions. Furthermore, primary chondrocytes from the F3-generation rats were isolated to confirm the mechanism and intervention target of glucosamine. ResultsCompared with the control, female and male rats in each generation of PDE group showed thinner cartilage thicknesses; shallower and uneven staining; fewer chondrocytes; higher Osteoarthritis Research Society International scores; and lower mRNA and protein expression of SP1, TGFβR1, Smad2, SOX9, ACAN and COL2A1. After F3-generation rats were treated with glucosamine, all of the above changes could be reversed. In primary chondrocytes isolated from the F3-generation rats of PDE group, glucosamine promoted SP1 expression and binding to TGFβR1 promoter to increase the expression of TGFβR1, p-Smad2, SOX9, ACAN and COL2A1, but these were prevented by SB431542 (a potent and selective inhibitor of TGFβR1). ConclusionsPDE induced chondrodysplasia in offspring and stably inherited in F3-generation rats, which was related to decreased expression of SP1/TGFβR1/Smad2/SOX9 pathway to reduce the cartilage matrix synthesis, without major sex-based variations. Glucosamine could alleviate the poor genetic cartilage quality in offspring induced by PDE by up-regulating SP1/TGFβR1 signaling, which was prevented by a TGFβR1 inhibitor. This study elucidated the molecular mechanism and therapeutic target (TGFβR1) of genetic chondrodysplasia caused by PDE, which provides a research basis for precisely treating fetal-originated osteoarthritis.

The evolution of mating preferences for genetic attractiveness and quality in the presence of sensory bias

The aesthetic preferences of potential mates have driven the evolution of a baffling diversity of elaborate ornaments. Which fitness benefit-if any-choosers gain from expressing such preferences is controversial, however. Here, we simulate the evolution of preferences for multiple ornament types (e.g., "Fisherian," "handicap," and "indicator" ornaments) that differ in their associations with genes for attractiveness and other components of fitness. We model the costs of preference expression in a biologically plausible way, which decouples costly mate search from cost-free preferences. Ornaments of all types evolved in our model, but their occurrence was far from random. Females typically preferred ornaments that carried information about a male's quality, defined here as his ability to acquire and metabolize resources. Highly salient ornaments, which key into preexisting perceptual biases, were also more likely to evolve. When males expressed quality-dependent ornaments, females invested readily in costly mate search to locate preferred males. In contrast, the genetic benefits associated with purely arbitrary ornaments were insufficient to sustain highly costly mate search. Arbitrary ornaments could nonetheless "piggyback" on mate-search effort favored by other, quality-dependent ornaments. We further show that the potential to produce attractive male offspring ("sexy sons") can be as important as producing offspring of high general quality ("good genes") in shaping female preferences, even when preferred ornaments are quality dependent. Our model highlights the importance of mate-search effort as a driver of aesthetic coevolution.

Valorization of Traditional Italian Walnut (Juglans regia L.) Production: Genetic, Nutritional and Sensory Characterization of Locally Grown Varieties in the Trentino Region.

Juglans regia (L.) is cultivated worldwide for its nutrient-rich nuts. In Italy, despite the growing demand, walnut cultivation has gone through a strong decline in recent decades, which led to Italy being among the top five net importing countries. To promote the development of local high-quality Italian walnut production, we devised a multidisciplinary project to highlight the distinctive traits of three varieties grown in the mountainous region Trentino (northeast of Italy): the heirloom ‘Bleggiana’, a second local accession called local Franquette and the French cultivar ‘Lara’, recently introduced in the local production to increase yield. The genetic characterization confirmed the uniqueness of ‘Bleggiana’ and revealed local Franquette as a newly described autochthonous variety, thus named ‘Blegette’. The metabolic profiles highlighted a valuable nutritional composition of the local varieties, richer in polyphenols and with a lower ω-6/ω-3 ratio than the commercial ‘Lara’. ‘Blegette’ obtained the highest preference scores from consumers for both the visual aspect and tasting; however, the volatile organic compound profiles did not discriminate among the characterized cultivars. The described local varieties represent an interesting reservoir of walnut genetic diversity and quality properties, which deserve future investigation on agronomically useful traits (e.g., local adaptation and water usage) for a high-quality and sustainable production.

Dominant TP63 missense variants lead to constitutive activation and premature ovarian insufficiency.

Premature ovarian insufficiency (POI) is a leading form of female infertility, characterised by menstrual disturbance and elevated follicle‐stimulating hormone before age 40. It is highly heterogeneous with variants in over 80 genes potentially causative, but the majority of cases having no known cause. One gene implicated in POI pathology is TP63. TP63 encodes multiple p63 isoforms, one of which has been shown to have a role in the surveillance of genetic quality in oocytes. TP63 C‐terminal truncation variants and N‐terminal duplication have been described in association with POI, however, functional validation has been lacking. Here we identify three novel TP63 missense variants in women with nonsyndromic POI, including one in the N‐terminal activation domain, one in the C‐terminal inhibition domain, and one affecting a unique and poorly understood p63 isoform, TA*p63. Via blue‐native page and luciferase reporter assays we demonstrate that two of these variants disrupt p63 dimerization, leading to constitutively active p63 tetramer that significantly increases the transcription of downstream targets. This is the first evidence that TP63 missense variants can cause isolated POI and provides mechanistic insight that TP63 variants cause POI due to constitutive p63 activation and accelerated oocyte loss in the absence of DNA damage.

Sexual selection for males with beneficial mutations

Sexual selection is the process by which traits providing a mating advantage are favoured. Theoretical treatments of the evolution of sex by sexual selection propose that it operates by reducing the load of deleterious mutations. Here, we postulate instead that sexual selection primarily acts through females preferentially mating with males carrying beneficial mutations. We used simulation and analytical modelling to investigate the evolutionary dynamics of beneficial mutations in the presence of sexual selection. We found that female choice for males with beneficial mutations had a much greater impact on genetic quality than choice for males with low mutational load. We also relaxed the typical assumption of a fixed mutation rate. For deleterious mutations, mutation rate should always be minimized, but when rare beneficial mutations can occur, female choice for males with those rare beneficial mutations could overcome a decline in average fitness and allow an increase in mutation rate. We propose that sexual selection for beneficial mutations could overcome the ‘two-fold cost of sex’ much more readily than choice for males with low mutational load and may therefore be a more powerful explanation for the prevalence of sexual reproduction than the existing theory. If sexual selection results in higher fitness at higher mutation rates, and if the variability produced by mutation itself promotes sexual selection, then a feedback loop between these two factors could have had a decisive role in driving adaptation.

Management of St. Croix Sheep and Garut Sheep Genetic Resources in Sheep Formation

This study aimed to determine the management of the genetic resources of St. Croix sheep and Garut sheep in the formation of sheep clumps and their physiological conditions. The study was conducted at the Livestock Research Institute on Jalan Raya Pajajaran Bogor, West Java, in 2019. Ex-situ collection materials and characterization of St. Croix sheep and Garut sheep were as many as 250 heads; sheep breeding was carried out in groups; one male married 5-10 heads. The rams were left in the mating group for two oestrus cycles (34 days). Primary data and secondary data were analyzed descriptively and quantitatively. The results were obtained in the germplasm research of St. Croix with an average mating body weight of 23.45 ± 4.08 kg and Garut sheep of 26.20 ± 4.92 kg. The average birth weight of St. Croix sheep was 2.26+0.35 kg, and Garut sheep was 2.05± 0.47kg. The establishment of the St. Croix and Garut sheep have high genetic quality, production, and reproductive characteristics, but each has a different productivity level. The study of germplasm preservation of sheep was carried out to increase the population of St. Croix sheep and pure Garut sheep so that the maximum target population of >200 sheep was achieved to meet the demand for seeds as animal food.

Rapid identification and preliminary evaluation of quality characters of oilseed sunflower by near infrared spectroscopy

To clarify the quality characters, understand the genetic diversity and screen elite lines among different oilseed sunflowers, the contents of crude fat, oleic acid, linoleic acid, palmitic acid and stearic acid of 525 oil sunflowers (including 375 germplasm accessions and 150 inbred lines) were detected by near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS); the genetic variation and correlation analysis of quality traits were also performed. The results showed that oleic acid and linoleic acid had rich diversities with large variation ranges for each material type. Similar to the relation between crude fat content and palmitic acid content, significantly negative relation with high estimated value existed between oleic acid and linoleic acid content, while stearic acid content positively associated with oleic acid and palmitic acid content. Principal component analysis indicated that 5 quality traits were integrated into 2 principal component factors (linoleic acid negative factor and palmitic acid factor) with the contribution rate of 88.191%, which could be used for evaluating sunflower quality. 525 oilseed sunflowers were clustered into 3 groups with obvious differences of quality characters, materials in Group I had high contents of oleic acid and low crude fat, but the opposite was found in Group III. 59 superior quality accessions were obtained using large-scale and rapid near-infrared spectroscopy, and these excellent materials were verified by the traditional national chemical standard method. This research provided materials and significant reference for sunflower genetic research and quality breeding.

PENERAPAN BIOTEKNOLOGI DALAM PRODUKSI TERNAK UNTUK MENINGKATKAN PRODUK ASAL HEWAN

Biotechnology is a field that utilizes biological processes of organisms to generate products that are useful to humans. Furthermore, the relatively high cost of biotechnology and the general lack of knowledge among farmers are reasons why this method must be developed to be more economical and easier to use. The review article aims to review the successful applications of biotechnology in the field of farming that have been implemented, showing the increase in population production, genetic quality, and improvement of livestock animals.

P-214 Obtaining a fresh sperm sample for Delayed-ICSI: Does it matter?

Abstract Study question Is a fresh sperm sample for Delayed-ICSI necessary to improve cycle outcomes? Summary answer Our results have demonstrated that the use of fresh sperm for Delayed-ICSI does not have any influence on outcomes compared to using 1-day-old sperm. What is known already Delayed-ICSI is a procedure whereby immature oocytes on Day0 are cultured overnight and injected the next day (Day1, if mature). When Lundin et. al. (1996) compared the use of fresh sperm versus 1-day-old sperm for Rescue-ICSI on unfertilised oocytes, a higher fertilisation rate was found when fresh sperm was used. At Alpha IVF & Women’s Specialists (AIWS), Delayed-ICSI is carried out using 1-day-old (overnight) sperm obtained on Day0. Therefore, in order to affirm Lundin et. al.’ s findings, a comparison between the fresh and overnight sperm samples for Delayed-ICSI was done, and the outcomes were analysed. Study design, size, duration From January to July 2021, 187 IVF cycles with Delayed-ICSI on Day1-matured oocytes were done in AIWS. Of which, 89 cycles used overnight sperm – semen collected on Day0, which were processed for ICSI (Group A – mean maternal age: 37.3; age range 29.0-47.0) while the remaining 98 cycles used fresh sperm – semen collected on Day1, which were also processed for ICSI (Group B – mean maternal age: 37.9; age range 19.0-46.0). Participants/materials, setting, methods Semen samples were processed using density gradient centrifugation and/or swim-up. Day0-ICSI was done on all matured oocytes at 2.5-4.5hours post-retrieval (PIEZO, Japan). Immature oocytes were further cultured for 18-24hours and Delayed-ICSI was done immediately after maturity assessment with either overnight (Group A) or fresh sperm (Group B). All injected oocytes were cultured up to 7 days and trophectoderm biopsy for PGT-A screening (IonTorrent, USA) was performed on selected blastocysts prior to vitrification (Cryotec, Japan). Main results and the role of chance In Group A, the normal fertilisation (2PN), abnormal fertilisation (>2PN), blastulation, blastocyst utilisation and euploidy rates of Delayed-ICSI were 64%, 14%, 34%, 17% and 33% respectively. In Group B, the normal fertilisation (2PN), abnormal fertilisation (>2PN), blastulation, blastocyst utilisation and euploidy rates of Delayed-ICSI were 52%, 21%, 36%, 13% and 30% respectively. No statistical significance was observed in the fertilisation (2PN) (p = 0.2588), abnormal fertilisation (>2PN) (p = 0.0978), blastulation (p = 0.9067), blastocyst utilisation (p = 0.5101) and euploidy rates (p = 1.000) between Group A and Group B. Our findings showed that a 18-24hour incubation of sperm (1-day-old spermatozoa) had no influence on their fertilisation potential and the subsequent embryo development when compared to freshly prepared sperm for Delayed-ICSI. Furthermore, PGT-A analysis also revealed that overnight sperm do not contribute to an increase in chromosomal abnormalities in a blastocyst derived from Delayed-ICSI. Limitations, reasons for caution A larger patient cohort would have provided more data for the study, therefore further studies are required to validate our findings. Additionally, the effect of overnight incubation on the genetic and metabolic quality of a spermatozoa can also be studied to support our results. Wider implications of the findings The findings of this study have shown that fresh sperm samples on Day1 is not required as no significant differences in outcomes were observed between the use of fresh versus overnight sperm samples for Delayed-ICSI. Trial registration number Not applicable

A New Frequency Analysis Operator for Population Improvement in Genetic Algorithms to Solve the Job Shop Scheduling Problem.

Job Shop Scheduling is currently one of the most addressed planning and scheduling optimization problems in the field. Due to its complexity, as it belongs to the NP-Hard class of problems, meta-heuristics are one of the most commonly used approaches in its resolution, with Genetic Algorithms being one of the most effective methods in this category. However, it is well known that this meta-heuristic is affected by phenomena that worsen the quality of its population, such as premature convergence and population concentration in regions of local optima. To circumvent these difficulties, we propose, in this work, the use of a guidance operator responsible for modifying ill-adapted individuals using genetic material from well-adapted individuals. We also propose, in this paper, a new method of determining the genetic quality of individuals using genetic frequency analysis. Our method is evaluated over a wide range of modern GAs and considers two case studies defined by well-established JSSP benchmarks in the literature. The results show that the use of the proposed operator assists in managing individuals with poor fitness values, which improves the population quality of the algorithms and, consequently, leads to obtaining better results in the solution of JSSP instances. Finally, the use of the proposed operator in the most elaborate GA-like method in the literature was able to reduce its mean relative error from 1.395% to 0.755%, representing an improvement of 45.88%.

Sibship and parentage reconstruction as genetic tool for designing and monitoring plant translocations

Estimating contemporary effective population size (Ne), sibship and parentage can be useful for designing and monitoring plant translocations. Contemporary Ne is an important indicator of population viability, as it considers several demographic factors, e.g. sex ratio, mate compatibility, inbreeding, nonrandom mating, and family size. Sibship and parentage analyses allow not only estimating genetic relatedness of transplants and post‐translocation generations, but also selfing rates, parent contributions to offspring and contemporary seed and pollen dispersal. Sibship assignment method was used to reconstruct offspring pedigree and parentage and to estimate contemporary Ne, selfing rate, and contemporary seed and pollen dispersal in wild (used as seed sources for translocation) and translocated populations of the self‐compatible, insect‐pollinated Dianthus deltoides (Caryophyllaceae). Source populations show very small Ne estimates (5–21) and high selfing rates (28.6–68.9%), despite high census sizes. The first post‐translocation generation (recruits and transplant seed progeny) showed small contemporary Ne estimates (19–53) and substantial selfing rates (8.4–22.3%), despite high flowering sizes, overall genetic diversity and multiple paternity. Parentage assignments revealed high levels of admixture between sources, restricted seed dispersal and successful—often restricted—pollen dispersal in the post‐translocation generation. Pollinator service, crosses between selfed or related transplants and floral display, may have contributed to selfing and pollen dispersal patterns in translocated populations. The present findings support the interest of sibship and parentage reconstruction as genetic tool for designing and monitoring plant translocations, emphasizing the importance of assessing the genetic quality of the transplants, and contributing to a more precise evaluation of population extinction risk.

The Reintroduction Analysis of European Bison (Bison bonasus L., 1758) in the North of Romania and the Identification of the Most Favourable Locations

We analysed the possibility of reintroducing the European bison (Bison bonasus L.) in the north of Romania—in Suceava, Neamț, and Maramureș counties—as well as increasing the wild European bison population in Neamț county to improve the genetic quality of the existing population. Currently, there is a population of over 50 individuals in the wild in Vânători Neamț Natural Park, Romania. At the same time, an attempt was made to identify the connecting corridors between the free European bison in Neamț county and other populations through new nuclei of European bison released in Suceava and Maramureș counties. In this regard, the hunting grounds with the highest ecological potential for the analysed species were identified using GIS spatial analysis techniques. The aim was also to trace possible ecological corridors linking different reintroduction locations, taking into account the ecological claims of the species. The analysis also followed the size of the European bison groups to be released, the sex ratio of each group, and the periodicity of their releasing. In order to reach viable populations, scenarios and simulations were carried out depending on the age, number, and sex of the relocated specimens. In this regard, the dynamics and the minimum viable population that could survive without risk of extinction were highlighted. The analysis showed that the analysed area has a high potential for the reintroduction of European bison in the wild. The release and creation of new European bison nuclei in the wild creates the premises for natural contacts with the existing free populations in the wild, genetic improvement, and increasing fauna diversity with ecological, social, and economic implications.

Parasite‐mediated sexual selection in a damselfly

AbstractSexual selection can improve population fitness and purge deleterious mutation from the gene pool by promoting condition‐dependent mate selection. One ecological factor that reduces individual condition is parasitism. Parasitism tends to increase hosts' mutation load and likely indicates inferior host genetic quality. Parasite‐mediated selection, therefore, should favour the mating success of parasite‐resistant individuals over parasitised individuals. We tested this hypothesis in male Agriocnemis pygmaea damselflies, which are parasitised by Arrenurus water mites. We calculated frequency (i.e. the proportion of parasitism) and intensity (i.e. the number of parasites per parasitised individual) of parasitism in free‐flying males and males in copula in seven natural populations. We predicted that males observed mating will be less likely to be parasitised than expected based on the frequency of parasitism in the population. We further predicted that parasite intensity would be lower in males caught in copula than single males. We found that parasitised males were significantly less likely to be found in copula than non‐parasitised males, independent of their occurrence frequency. However, there was no difference in the average parasite load between males captured in copula or free‐flying males. Our study shows that in addition to natural selection, sexual selection is a strong agent against parasitism and implies that it could promote local adaptation to counteract parasite driven extinction risks.

Grafting compatibility between variants of sandalwood (Santalum album Linn.) in Gunungkidul, Indonesia

The declining number of adult individuals led to changes in the mating system of certain sandalwood (Santalum album Linn.) populations previously dominated by outcrossing. The genetic quality of the produced seeds and reproduction success decreased due to inbreeding. Therefore, vegetative propagation by grafting is an alternative method to support sandalwood conservation and development. This study aimed to determine the compatibility of rootstocks and scion for vegetative propagation by top cleft grafting on sandalwood variants found in Petir and Wanagama landraces, Gunungkidul Regency, Indonesia. Based on the availability of materials, we used Red Big Flower (RBF), Red Small Flower (RSF), and Yellow Small Flower (YSF) variants, with RBF and RSF as rootstocks and RBF, RSF, and YSF as scions. All six combinations of rootstock-scion indicated compatibility with various results. The average grafting survival was 35.8%, and the RBF-YSF combination showed the highest survival (90%). However, the RSF-YSF combination produced leaves on the scion at most (21 blades). The propagation method of grafting can be applied for the conservation and deployment of sandalwood variants. In tree improvement, grafting is essential to set up the stool plant in a hedge orchard, copy the genetic materials for the clonal test and clonal seed orchard.

Association of genetic variants of Glutamate Metabotropic Receptor 5 gene and state-anhedonia

IntroductionAndedonia is one of the core symptoms of depression. It is known that in case of depressed individuals experiencing anhedonia, the classical antidepressants are often ineffective, thus investigation of this symptom would be essential. Recent studies highlight the possible role of the glutamatergic system in anhedonia however, the genetic background of these assumptions is still unclear.ObjectivesOur goal was to investigate the possible associations between state-anhedonia and genetic variants from GRM5 (Glutamate Metabotropic Receptor 5) gene.MethodsFor our analysis we used data from the NewMood (New Molecules in Mood Disorders, LSHM-CT-2004-503474) project. Participants (n = 1820) aged between 18-60, were recruited in Budapest and in Manchester. All volunteers filled out mental-health questionnaires and provided DNA sample. Genotyping was performed by Illumina’s CoreExom PsychChip. Altogether 1282 variants from GRM5 gene survived the genetic quality control steps. State-anhedonia was measured with an item from the Brief Symptom Inventory questionnaire. We performed logistic regression using Plink 2.0. During our analyses, age, gender, population and the top10 principal components of the genome were added into the model as covariates. Correction for linkage-disequilibrium were performed with LDlink.ResultsAfter the correction of linkage-disequilibrium, three independent variables (r2<0.2), (rs1827603, rs6483520, rs35669869) yielded significant (p<0.05) results, both in additive and in dominant model. In case of recessive model, only rs11020880 showed significant (p<0.05) effect.ConclusionsThe detected nominally significant associations between state-anhedonia and genetic variants from GRM5 gene strengthen previous assumptions about the possible relationship between glutamatergic system and anhedonia.DisclosureThis study was supported by: MTA-SE Neuropsychopharmacology and Neurochemistry Research Group; 2017-1.2.1-NKP-2017-00002; KTIA_13_NAPA-II/14; KTIA_NAP_13-1-2013- 0001; KTIA_NAP_13-2- 2015-0001; 2020-4.1.1.-TKP2020 and 2019-2.1.7-ERA-NET-2020-00005 (TRAJEC

Improving genetic quality of local livestock for achieving food security

Indonesia has local livestock breeds, both ruminant and non-ruminant. The existence and preservation of those animals is very important. The government, the concerned parties and farmers of community member are required to be responsible for maintaining the productivity of livestock. The quality genetic could be improved by applying breeding and selection. There are three efforts can be used to improve the livestock population and productivity, those are artificial insemination, embryo transfer, and separation technology of spermatozoa X and Y. The objective to be achieved is to help meet the need of food, especially animal protein, of the domestic community, in addition to the welfare of the community.