Instituto Nacional De Tecnologia Agropecuaria Research Articles

Morpho‐physiological traits associated with drought responses in soybean

AbstractDrought is currently a major constraint to soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] production worldwide and is becoming more widespread due to increased aridity and warmer temperatures in the context of global climate change. In this context, breeding for soybean varieties more tolerant to drought stress is critical and requires efficient screening techniques. To find traits associated with drought tolerance at the vegetative stage that are still present at the reproductive stage, we evaluated morphological, physiological, and biochemical traits in two soybean genotypes contrasting in their response to drought stress. Under drought stress at the vegetative stage, the tolerant A 5009 RG genotype showed higher proline and chlorophyll contents, and early activation of the enzymatic antioxidant system compared with well‐watered plants. On the other hand, the sensitive ADM 50048 genotype increased malondialdehyde (oxidative damage marker) and nonenzymatic antioxidant response under stress. Manipulative field assays under contrasting levels of water availability at the reproductive stage mimicked the biochemical patterns observed in the greenhouse tests for the sensitive and tolerant genotypes. A principal component analysis of parameters from vegetative and reproductive stages revealed proline and chlorophyll contents as drought tolerance traits in soybean. We found those traits useful to classify 14 genotypes from the Instituto Nacional de Tecnologia Agropecuaria (INTA) germplasm bank, identifying two new drought‐tolerant genotypes (PI 548510 and PI 200492). We propose proline and chlorophylls as useful tools to classify soybean genotypes according to their drought responses in early developmental stages, potentially reducing breeding times.

Estimation of genetic parameters using spatial analysis of Pinus elliottii Engelm. var. elliottii second-generation progeny trials in Argentina

Non-spatial and spatial analyses were carried out to estimate genetic parameters for growth and stem straightness traits between ages 4 and 7 in two series of eight progeny trials of Pinus elliottii Engelm. var. elliottii (PEE) established in 2004 and 2008, comprising 429 open-pollinated families from Instituto Nacional de Tecnologia Agropecuaria (INTA) tree breeding population in Argentina. A first-order autoregressive spatial mixed model was found to significantly improve the fit of the model, compared with the standard non-spatial mixed model approach, due to substantial spatial heterogeneity within sites. The average individual-tree narrow-sense heritability estimates based on this spatial analysis were 0.49 for diameter at breast height, 0.36 for total height, and 0.48 for volume, with stem straightness being low to moderate (average = 0.11). The additive genetic correlation estimates between growth traits were positive (0.51 ≤ $$\hat{r}_{a}$$ ≤ 0.99) and statistically significant from zero. In contrast, the genetic correlations between growth traits and stem straightness although in general also positive were not significantly different from zero (− 0.22 ≤ $$\hat{r}_{a}$$ ≤ 0.59). Age-to-age genetic correlations were consistently higher for growth traits ( $$\hat{r}_{a}$$ ≥ 0.81) than for stem straightness ( $$\hat{r}_{a}$$ ≥ 0.33). The average additive genetic correlation estimated between sites within test series was high for all traits evaluated (average > 0.72). In contrast, average additive genetic correlation estimated between sites across series was slightly lower (average < 0.63). Implications of all these parameter estimates for genetic improvement of PEE in Argentina are discussed.

Seasonal variation of soil aggregate stability, porosity and infiltration during a crop sequence under no tillage

Las propiedades edáf icas varían en el tiempo, presentando los suelos durante el año diferente susceptibilidad al escurrimiento y la erosión. En siembra directa, las propiedades físicas edáf icas pueden variar fundamentalmente debido a efectos climáticos, del cultivo o por el tránsito de la maquinaria. El objetivo del presente trabajo fue analizar la variación estacional de algunas propiedades físicas edáf icas en un Argiudol ácuico bajo siembra directa, determinando su relación con la inf iltración y el escurrimiento durante una secuencia de cultivos característica de la Región Pampeana (Argentina). El estudio se desarrolló en un lote perteneciente a la Estación Experimental Agropecuaria Paraná del Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA), ubicado en la provincia de Entre Ríos (Argentina). Se obtuvieron muestras de suelo en seis fechas diferentes durante la secuencia de cultivos. Se determinó en cada una de ellas las siguientes propiedades: contenido de agua, densidad aparente, distribución de poros, estabilidad estructural y la inf iltración de agua medida con un simulador de lluvias. Para relacionar el comportamiento de estas propiedades con las condiciones climáticas previas, se consideraron distintos parámetros climáticos. No hubo influencia de la especie cultivada y de los ciclos de humedecimiento y secado del suelo sobre las propiedades físicas evaluadas. Sin embargo, este Argiudol con un alto contenido de limo y con una capacidad de contracción-expansión entre moderada y alta, mostró una mayor macroporosidad con suelo seco, disminuyendo el coef iciente de escurrimiento. La capacidad de inf iltración estuvo también afectada por la estabilidad estructural, siendo esta más favorable en períodos de mayor temperatura. Se concluye que el momento crítico de este Argiudol para la producción de escurrimiento sería desde la mitad de otoño hasta el comienzo de la primavera, cuando el suelo tiene mayor humedad y hay bajas temperaturas, con consecuencias negativas sobre la macroporosidad, estabilidad estructural e inf iltración. En tal sentido, la implementación de cultivos de cobertura durante el invierno, es una práctica de manejo que favorecerá el desecamiento y la cobertura del suelo, disminuyendo en dicho período el riesgo de escurrimiento.

Identity and parentage of some South American grapevine cultivars present in Argentina

Background and Aims Based on 19 nuclear simple sequence repeat markers and parental analysis, we aimed to identify and propose the pedigree of different accessions held at the Estacion Experimental Agropecuaria Mendoza of the Instituto Nacional de Tecnologia Agropecuaria germplasm collection. The results were compared with data recorded in large, international databases. Methods and Results We identified 37 different cultivars, of which 18 were original and not previously identified. The parentage analysis showed that European cultivars, such as Muscat of Alexandria, Muscat a Petits Grains, Listan Prieto, Mollar Cano and Malbec, were involved in natural crossings resulting in different South American cultivars. Conclusions Many of the cultivars identified here represent unique individuals based on their genotype. The number of cultivars that participated as progenitors in the origin of South American germplasm is higher than previously thought. Significance of the Study Germplasm collections planted many years ago play a key role in the conservation and characterisation of genotypes that otherwise may have been lost. It is highly probable that there might be other genotypes not identified and mixed in old vineyards. The identification, rescue and conservation of these genotypes are a challenge to preserve the existing genetic variability.

Novel dendrimeric peptide: Immune response and protection against Foot-and-mouth disease virus (FMDV) induced by synthetic peptides in cattle

Novel dendrimeric peptide: Immune response and protection against Foot-and-mouth disease virus (FMDV) induced by synthetic peptides in cattle

Isolation and Selection of Potentially Beneficial Autochthonous Bacteria for Piaractus mesopotamicus Aquaculture Activities

Piaractus mesopotamicus is the most produced specie in Argentinian fish culture with an annual production of 2,017 tons. The high demands of specimens generated a deficit of larvae, juveniles and sexually mature adults. The high stress conditions and the incidence of diseases had intensified this deficit. Probiotics are proven to increase survival and growth rates in aquaculture. The first step in the design of a putative probiotic is the selection of adequate microorganisms to boost fish health. Lactic Acid Bacteria and Bacillus are generally accepted as probiotics in aquaculture. In this work we obtained 522 isolates from different anatomical parts of P. mesopotamicus, with a total of 30 lactic acid bacteria (LAB) and 8 Bacillus strains submitted for the evaluation of their beneficial properties. Only eight of these strains were selected for further “in vivo” assays based on following criteria: production of inhibitory metabolites and biosurfactants, screening of antagonistic activity against foodborne and pathogenic microorganisms, ability to emulsify polar solvents and compatibility between strains. All selected microorganisms were identified by sequencing 16S RNA gene. Pure cultures of all strains herein studied are preserved in Centro de Referencia de Lactobacilos (CERELA-CONICET) and Laboratorio de Sanidad Animal of the Estacion Experimental Agropecuaria Rafaela, Instituto Nacional de Tecnologia Agropecuaria (INTA) culture collections.

Improvement of a DNA vaccine against BoHV-1 using chemical and molecular adjuvants

Improvement of a DNA vaccine against BoHV-1 using chemical and molecular adjuvants

Estado, agro y hogar. Políticas públicas hacia las mujeres rurales, Buenos Aires (Argentina), 1958-1991

La finalidad de este trabajo es analizar, con perspectiva histórica, las políticas dirigidas a lasmujeres rurales en la región pampeana deArgentina –en el territorio de la provincia deBuenos Aires– entre fines de los años cincuentae inicios de la década de 1990, desde el proyecto desarrollista al auge del neoliberalismo.Las iniciativas dirigidas a elevar el nivel de vidade la familia, pero fundamentalmente a fomentar su arraigo en el campo, se centraron en lasmujeres y jóvenes a través del extensionismorural, desde nuevas reparticiones como el Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria o enel ámbito del Ministerio de Asuntos Agrarios.Las características y objetivos de los programas“Hogar Rural” o los “Centros Hogar Agrícola”,los cambios y continuidades con iniciativas previas, son aspectos a analizar, en un contexto deurbanización creciente y cambios productivosy sociales en la provincia de Buenos Aires.

WATER REQUIREMENT OF VITIS VINIFERA L. 'SYRAH' GROWN IN A WARM REGION: CROP COEFFICIENT (KC) ESTIMATIONS

Wine grapes are grown in arid and semi-arid regions of Argentina which have warm climate conditions with high summer temperatures and low rainfall, forcing to use irrigation water which competes with some increasing demand usages. Additionally, the agro-ecological conditions of these regions (soil and climate) define a major vegetative expression of the vineyards. Such features, together with the trellis systems commonly used and a higher leaf area exposed to light, generate water requirement conditions greater than those cited by other authors. This work was undertaken to determine the water requirement in a vertical shoot position (VSP) trellis system vineyard grown in warm climate conditions, in order to obtain the crop coefficients (Kc). The experiment was conducted between 2003 and 2008 in a vineyard (‘Syrah’) located at the Instituto Nacional de Tecnologia Agropecuaria (INTA) Experimental Station, San Juan, Argentina. Crop evapotranspiration (ETc) was estimated using the water balance equation. Deep percolation was quantified with three drainage volumetric lysimeters. Reference evapotranspiration (ETo) was estimated with a Type A evaporation pan method. The mean crop cycle water requirement during the 5 year evaluation was of 1297.2 mm.year-1. The water consumption was 9.5 mm.day-1 during the month of maximum demand. This value was higher than those mentioned in other world wine grape growing areas. The water consumption was 9.6% of the total amount from budding to flowering; 34.7%, from flowering to ripening, 40.5% from ripening to harvest and 15.2% from harvest to leaf fall. The initial Kc value was 0.40 and then increased until January when it reached its maximum amount (Kc=1.11). It may be inferred then that the crop reached its highest foliar area. Kc diminished in the subsequent months although they remained nearly 1.00. Taken together, our results suggest that published Kc values underestimate the vineyard water required under local agro-ecological conditions.

Los Heteroptera (Insecta: Hemiptera) edáficos del INTA Delta del Paraná (partido de Campana, Buenos Aires). Variación espacial y temporal del elenco de las especies en distintos usos de la tierra

The Heteroptera (Insecta: Hemiptera) soil INTA Delta of Parana (Campana, Buenos Aires). Spatial and temporal variation of the cast of species in different land uses. A list of 32 species of Heteroptera captured with pitfall traps at INTA (Instituto Nacional de Tecnologia Agropecuaria) Delta del Parana (Partido de Campana, Buenos Aires) is presented in this paper. Two species are mentioned as a first record for the province: Fulvius bisbistillatus (Stal) (Miridae) and Pselliopus ornaticeps (Stal) (Reduviidae). Also an analysis of Spearman rank correlation (r) and correspondence analysis is made, to assess the spatial and temporal variation of Heteroptera communities of different selected land uses.

Paclobutrazol and Cytokinin to Produce Iris (Iris X hollandica Tub.) in Pots

Because of the increasing and diversified demand for potted plants, there is interest in Argentina in commercial iris production (Iris x hollandica Tub.). Two experiments were performed at the Instituto Nacional de Tecnologia Agropecuaria (INTA), San Pedro Agricultural Experimental Station (33o41’ S, 59o41’ W), Buenos Aires Province. The effects of increasing concentrations of paclobutrazol (PBZ) and combinations of PBZ and 6-benzylaminopurine (BA) were compared. Height, length of the cycle and rate of flowering were registered. Experiment 1: the bulbs were subjected to immersion in nine concentrations of PBZ: 0, 10, 20, 30, 40, 50, 60, 70 or 80 mg L -1 for 24 h. Experiment

Molecular Detection ofEhrlichia chaffeensisinAmblyomma parvumTicks, Argentina

Molecular Detection of<i>Ehrlichia chaffeensis</i>in<i>Amblyomma parvum</i>Ticks, Argentina

Distribution of wetlands in Argentina estimated from soil charts

We generated a map of wetlands in Argentina from the digital edition of the National Soil Inventory made by the National Institute of Agricultural Technology (Instituto Nacional de Tecnologia Agropecuaria, INTA). Potential wetland areas were extracted from the map after an exhaustive analysis of the database and reassignment of the soil classes, by taking into account 1) soil taxonomic classes; 2) constraining factors (waterlogging, flooding, drainage impairment); and 3) cartographic categories, including lakes, lagoons, marshes and salt lakes. Estimated wetland area is about 600,000 km 2 , representing 21.5% of the national territory; it increases to 23% when considering salt lakes and deepwater bodies, but their surface is underestimated in the INTA database. Finally, we analyzed the distribution and abundance of wetland areas from different eco-regions of Argentina, and compared our results with current global wetland databases.

Aflatoxin Production in Six Peanut (Arachis hypogaea L.) Genotypes Infected with Aspergillus flavus and Aspergillus parasiticus, Isolated from Peanut Production Areas of Cordoba, Argentina

Aflatoxin contamination is one of the main factors affecting peanut seed quality. One of the strategies to decrease the risk of peanut aflatoxin contamination is the use of genotypes with resistance to Aspergillus infection. This laboratory study reports the resistance to Aspergillus infection and aflatoxin contamination of six peanut genotypes inoculated with 21 Aspergillus isolates obtained from the peanut production region of Cordoba, Argentina. The resistance was investigated in the seed coat and cotyledons of three resistant genotypes (J11, PI 337394, and PI 337409) and three breeding lines (Manfredi 68, Colorado Irradiado, and Florman INTA) developed at the Instituto Nacional de Tecnologia Agropecuaria (INTA), Manfredi Experimental Station, Cordoba, Argentina. Resistance to fungal colonization and aflatoxin contamination was found to be associated with seed coat integrity in the PI 337394, PI 337409, and J11 genotypes, whereas the INTA breeding lines such as Colorado Irradiado showed a moderate resistance and the Manfredi 68 and Florman INTA genotypes the least resistance. Furthermore, another type of resistance associated with cotyledons was found only in the PI 337394 genotype.

Estudio del polen aéreo y su relación con la vegetación en un agroecosistema

Madanes, N. & Millones, A. 2004. Airborne pollen and its relationship with a crop environment. Darwiniana 42(1-4): 51-62. The purpose of this work was to analyze pollen deposition in an agroecosystem during the spring- summer period and its relationship with vegetation structure in a great detail scale. The study was carried out in the Station of the Instituto Nacional de Tecnologia Agropecuaria (INTA), Balcarce, Buenos Aires Province. Vegetation censuses were carried out in three habitat types of this Pampean agriculture landscape: natural vegetation, park area and corn field. Aeropalynological samples were taken at the corners of the corn field. Plant taxa present in the site were characterized according to different attributes (richness, composition, life form and dispersal type). Taxa present in the corn field were compared with those obtained from the pollen spectrum. The three habitat types differred basically in their life form and composition. 54.16% of the identified taxa in vegetation of the corn field was present in the pollen record. In both vegetation and pollen record, zoophylous types and terophyte forms of life were dominant. The habitat types showed a low qualitative and quantitative similarity at a taxonomic analogies level based on the identified pollen types. As a result of this, the landscape showed a high homogeneity. However, constance analysis of taxa was powerful enough to discriminate the origin of deposited pollen (site, local and regional).

Territorio y ganadería en la Patagonia Argentina: desertificación y rentabilidad en la Meseta Central de Santa Cruz

El artículo revisa brevemente las características que asume el proceso de desertificación en la Patagonia Austral, con énfasis en la provincia de Santa Cruz, Argentina. Se hacen referencias a la ocupación del territorio santacruceño por el ganado ovino, a fines del siglo xix y con más intensidad a principios del siglo xx, y el impacto que ello conllevó, especialmente el desencadenamiento de un proceso erosivo (desertificación), producido básicamente por el pastoreo constante (sobrepastoreo) del pastizal natural. También se encuentran referencias al sector ganadero y su participación en el producto bruto geográfico (pbg) de Santa Cruz y, hacia el final, un análisis comparativo de la cantidad de animales que el productor estima que puede sostener en su campo y la cantidad que el Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (inta), con base en relevamientos de pastizal, calcula que podría mantener.

Protocol for regeneration in vitro of Arachis hypogaea L.

The regeneration of peanut Runner varieties grown in the South of the province of Cordoba, Argentina, was studied to count on a regeneration protocol, which is essential to perform genetic transformation of the plant. The induction of somatic embryos was evaluated in different peanut explants cultivated in Cordoba: cotyledons with and without embryos, epycotils and leaflets, of the Tegua, Nahuel and Florman INTA varieties. The induction medium consisted of MS salts with 30 g.l -1 sucrose, supplemented with the following hormones and herbicides: BAP, Picloram, DMA and 2,4-D. The highest percentage of embryogenic callus was produced cultivating epicotyls with 50 mg.l -1 2,4-D. The embryos obtained produced plantlets which, once acclimatized, reached the reproductive stage. Abbreviations: MS: Murashige and Skoog medium (1962) ; 2,4-D: 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid; BAP: Benzylaminopurine; NAA: Naphthaleneacetic acid; Picloram [Picloram acid (4-amino-3, 5, 6 trichloropicolinic acid)], DMA (Dimetilamine salts of 3,6-dichloro-2-methoxybenzoic acid); INTA: Instituto Nacional de Tecnologia Agropecuaria.

Selectividad de diferentes trampas para capturar insectos. I. Scarabaeinae

We made a systematic sampling from 1971 until 1975. The traps employed were: net, glass trap, Barber and white light. They were placed on fields at the Manfredi Experimental Station of he Instituto Nacional de Tecnologia Agropecuaria (INTA), in Cordoba. The first contribution includes the Scarabaeidae's adult population curves species and/or genera. When the values were represented by 100 or more individuals, the graphics were done, otherwise they were mentionated in tables. With this sampling we are allowed to know what trap we will use for catching in gratest number a determinate insect species, according to the weather conditions at the sampling area and to the employed method. Aphodiinae. was the subfamily best represented relating to the number of individuals; Scarabaeinae. for the diversity of genera and species. Scanty genera were colecting only in Barber. The greatest number of specimens were gathered from October to February, coincident with periods of highes temperature, humidity and photoperiod. Thirteen species and genera trapped in Barber during winter demonstrate that the adults go from place to place over the field during this time of the year.