Non-leguminous Species Research Articles

Nutrient Uptake Potential of Nonleguminous Species and Its Interaction with Soil Characteristics and Enzyme Activities in the Agro-ecosystem.

The potential nutrient uptake abilities of a plant are essential for improving the yield and quality. Green manures can take up a huge amount of macronutrients from the soil. The mechanisms underlying the differences in nutrient uptake capacity among different nonlegume species remain unclear. The plot experiments were conducted to investigate the performance of nonlegume species including forage radish (Raphanus raphanistrum subsp. sativus), oil radish (Raphanus sativus var. Longipinnatus), February orchid (Orychophragmus violaceus L), and rapeseed (Baricca napus), while a ryegrass (Lolium perenne L.) species was used as a control. The study results showed that forage radish had the highest nutrient uptake (N and P), i.e., 322 and 101% in Hunan and 277 and 469% in the Sichuan site, respectively, compared with the control. While the greatest K uptake was found in forage radish, i.e., 123%, and February orchid, 243%, in the Hunan and Sichuan sites. Forage radish also presented higher phosphorus use efficiency in both experimental areas: Hunan by 301% and Sichuan by 633% compared to the control. Significant modifications were found in nutrient availability and enzyme activities after the cultivation of various species. The oil radish enhanced the β-glucosidase (BG) and leucine-aminopeptidase enzyme activities by 324 and 367%, respectively, while forage radish developed the highest phosphatase (Phase) and N-acetyl-glucosaminidase (NAG) activities compared to the ryegrass in Hunan. In the Sichuan site, the oil radish promotes enzyme activities such as Phase (126%), BG (19%), and NAG (17%), compared to the control. It is concluded that forage radish, oil radish, and February orchid can easily improve soil nutrient quality in green manuring practices and provide valuable nutrient management systems.

The planting effect of cover crop in Sanjiang Plain, Northeast China

The planting effect and the planting potential of 12 cover crops (Leguminous: alfalfa, smooth vetch, hairy vetch, red clover, white clover, common vetch; non-leguminous: sudangrass, green radish, Nitro radish, rape, kale, endive) in the Sanjiang Plain of Northeast China were comprehensively evaluated by soil penetration resistance, pre-winter biomass, root characteristics, and plant nitrogen accumulation. The results showed that all the 12 cover crops grew normally during the experimental sowing period. Compared with the control, all the cover crops successfully reduced soil compactness. The planting of green radish, nitro radish, and sudangrass decreased soil penetration resistance by 47.1%, 43.4% and 33.4%, respectively. The pre-winter total fresh biomass of cover crop populations was between 3.38 and 13.98 kg·m-2, and the total dry matter mass was between 0.78 and 2.43 kg·m-2. The biomass of non-leguminous cover crops was significantly higher than that of the leguminous cover crops. The group roots of radish, rape and endive had large volumes. In particular, the nitro radish roots had a vo-lume of 4018.5 cm3·m-2, and the root system of sudangrass extended over the widest horizontal range. The ash content of leguminous cover crops was significantly lower than that of non-leguminous species, which could provide more organic matter with high decomposability. The total nitrogen accumulation of cover crops varied from 18.72 to 53.09 g·m-2. Kale and endive accumulated the highest amount of nitrogen and large biomass, which could facilitate nitrogen fixation and accumulation. According to the type of main crops in Sanjiang Plain and canopy structure, planting leguminous (clover, vetch, and alfalfa) and non-leguminous (radish, kale and sudangrass) cover crops to plant inter-row or in a line mixed cropping pattern could regulate soil structure and promote nutrient cycing, with positive effects on the fertility of black soil in the Sanjiang Plain.

Phylogenetic and Expression Studies of Small GTP-Binding Proteins in Solanum lycopersicum Super Strain B.

This investigation involved a comparative analysis of the small GTPase superfamily in S. lycopersicum super strain B compared to their analogues in leguminous and other non-leguminous species. The small GTPases superfamily members were recognized by tBLASTn searches. The sequences of amino acid were aligned using Clustal Omega and the analysis of phylogeny was performed with the MEGA7 package. Protein alignments were applied for all studied species. Three-dimensional models of RABA2, ROP9, and ROP10 from Solanum lycopersicum “Super strain B” were performed. The levels of mRNA of the Rab, Arf, Rop, and Ran subfamilies were detected in aerial tissues vs. roots. Significant divergences were found in the number of members and groups comprising each subfamily of the small GTPases and Glycine max had the highest count. High expression of Rab and Arf proteins was shown in the roots of legumes whilst in non-legume plants, the highest values were recorded in aerial tissues. S. lycopersicum super strain B had the highest expression of Rab and Arf proteins in its aerial tissues, which may indicate that diazotroph strains have supreme activities in the aerial tissues of strain B and act as associated N-fixing bacteria. The phylogenies of the small GTPase superfamily of the studied plants did not reveal asymmetric evolution of the Ra, Arf, Rop, and Ran subfamilies. Multiple sequence alignments derived from each of the Rab, Arf, and Rop proteins of S. lycopersicum super strain B showed a low frequency of substitutions in their domains. GTPases superfamily members have definite functions during infection, delivery, and maintenance of N2-fixing diazotroph but show some alterations in their function among S. lycopersicum super strain B, and other species.

How Cover Crop Sowing Date Impacts upon Their Growth, Nutrient Assimilation and the Yield of the Subsequent Commercial Crop

Cover crops are typically sown post-harvest of commercial crops, prior to winter, which means that as sowing date is delayed, so will biomass production potential. The wide range of benefits associated with cover crops relies on them to produce sufficient biomass. Therefore, it must be identified how late certain species of cover crops can be sown. In the climatic conditions of Northern Ireland, not only has no research been conducted on how cover crops perform at various sowing dates but also their effect on the subsequent commercial crop yield has not been investigated. Addressing these issue will in turn help provide recommendations to maximise and encourage later sowing of cover crops. Consequently, five species of cover crops were chosen, from a range of families, then sown on 14 August, 7 September and 27 September. This is to mimic when land becomes fallow post-harvest of typical crops/rotations to this region. It was found that tillage radish (Raphanus sativus L.), when sown on the earliest date, could accumulate a maximum of 261 kg/ha of nitrogen (N), whereas, when sown on the last date, phacelia (Phacelia tanacetifolia L.) significantly outperformed all other species and assimilated 70 kg/ha of N. The cover crops were then incorporated into the soil and over-sown with spring barley (Hordeum vulgare L.). However, the spring barley yield was unaffected by any treatments. This trial shows that the non-leguminous species chosen are highly effective in assimilating nutrients when sown mid-August until early-September.

Host-specific influence on early growth and physiological attributes of sandal (Santalum album) grown in farmlands

Aim: The present study aimed to investigate the host- specific compatibility of sandal (Santalum album) for better root proliferation and boosting the growth of tree. Methodology: Sandal (Santalum album) was grown with 8 different leguminous and non-leguminous species at early stage to evaluate its biometric growth (height and basal diameter) and physiological (chlorophyll, photosynthesis rate and transpiration rate) performance under field conditions. Results: Sandal grown with Sesbania grandiflora recorded highest biometric observations, chlorophyll, photosynthesis and transpiration rate followed by Sandal + Albizia lebbeck and sandal + Casuarina junghuhniana. The sandal grown with leguminous host showed superior growth performance than sandal grown with non-leguminous host. Interpretation: The present study recommended that Sesbania grandiflora can be grown as transit host for boosting the growth of sandal.

In silico Analysis of Acyl-CoA-Binding Protein Expression in Soybean.

Plant acyl-CoA-binding proteins (ACBPs) form a highly conserved protein family that binds to acyl-CoA esters as well as other lipid and protein interactors to function in developmental and stress responses. This protein family had been extensively studied in non-leguminous species such as Arabidopsis thaliana (thale cress), Oryza sativa (rice), and Brassica napus (oilseed rape). However, the characterization of soybean (Glycine max) ACBPs, designated GmACBPs, has remained unreported although this legume is a globally important crop cultivated for its high oil and protein content, and plays a significant role in the food and chemical industries. In this study, 11 members of the GmACBP family from four classes, comprising Class I (small), Class II (ankyrin repeats), Class III (large), and Class IV (kelch motif), were identified. For each class, more than one copy occurred and their domain architecture including the acyl-CoA-binding domain was compared with Arabidopsis and rice. The expression profile, tertiary structure and subcellular localization of each GmACBP were predicted, and the similarities and differences between GmACBPs and other plant ACBPs were deduced. A potential role for some Class III GmACBPs in nodulation, not previously encountered in non-leguminous ACBPs, has emerged. Interestingly, the sole member of Class III ACBP in each of non-leguminous Arabidopsis and rice had been previously identified in plant-pathogen interactions. As plant ACBPs are known to play important roles in development and responses to abiotic and biotic stresses, the in silico expression profiles on GmACBPs, gathered from data mining of RNA-sequencing and microarray analyses, will lay the foundation for future studies in their applications in biotechnology.

Transcriptome-wide development and utilisation of novel intron-length polymorphic markers in common vetch (

Common vetch (Vicia sativa subsp. sativa) is one of the most economically important forage legumes, with high nutritional value and multiple uses. Although microsatellite markers have been developed and applied on a large scale for evaluation of common vetch germplasm, intron-length polymorphic (ILP) markers have not been systematically investigated and exploited. In this study, introns within the common vetch genome were located by aligning the RNA-Seq sequences of common vetch with barrel medic (Medicago truncatula), soybean (Glycine max) and Arabidopsis thaliana genome sequences, and then used for VsILP marker development. In total, 10 400 markers were generated from 44 582 common vetch unigenes. Of 300 randomly selected VsILP markers, 283 were successfully amplified in common vetch. Among these markers, 40 produced length variation in 30 accessions of common vetch, collectively yielding 166 alleles with an average of 4.0 alleles per locus. The polymorphic information content values extended from 0.06 to 0.81 with a mean of 0.49. Of the 283 VsILP markers, 84.8% exhibited transferability to other species, both leguminous (common vetch, lucerne (Medicago sativa), barrel medic, soybean, yellow sweet clover (Melilotus officinalis), Lotus corniculatus and Sophora alopecuroides) and non-leguminous (rice (Oryza sativa), Arabidopsis and tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum)). Here, we present the first large-scale development of ILP markers in common vetch and their utility in germplasm evaluation and transferability, which will be valuable for further comparative genomic studies, genetic relationship assessments, and marker-assisted breeding of leguminous and non-leguminous species.

Rapid loss of leguminous species in the semi-arid grasslands of northern China under climate change and mowing from 1982 to 2011

Effects of mowing on the composition and diversity of grasslands varied with climate change (e.g., precipitation and temperature). However, the interactive effects of long-term mowing and climate change on the diversity and stability of leguminous and non-leguminous species in the semi-arid grasslands are largely unknown. Here, we used in situ monitoring data from 1982 to 2011 to examine the effects of continuous mowing and climate change on the plant biomass and diversity of leguminous and non-leguminous species, and soil total nitrogen in the typical semi-arid grasslands of northern China. Results showed that the biomass and diversity of leguminous species significantly decreased with the increasing in the biomass and diversity of non-leguminous species during the 30-a period. Variations in biomass were mainly affected by the long-term mowing, while variations in diversity were mainly explained by the climate change. Moreover, the normalized change rates of diversity in leguminous species were significantly higher than those in non-leguminous species. Mowing and temperature together contributed to the diversity changes of leguminous species, with mowing accounting for 50.0% and temperature 28.0%. Temporal stability of leguminous species was substantially lower than that of non-leguminous species. Consequently, soil total nitrogen decreased in the 2000s compared with the 1980s. These findings demonstrated that leguminous species were more sensitive to the long-term mowing and climate change than non-leguminous species in the semi-arid grasslands. Thus, reseeding appropriate leguminous plants when mowing in the semi-arid grasslands may be a better strategy to improve nitrogen levels of grassland ecosystems and maintain ecosystem biodiversity.

Polyploidization events shaped the transcription factor repertoires in legumes (Fabaceae).

Transcription factors (TFs) are essential for plant growth and development. Several legumes (e.g. soybean) are rich sources of protein and oil and have great economic importance. Here we report a phylogenomic analysis of TF families in legumes and their potential association with important traits (e.g. nitrogen fixation). We used TF DNA-binding domains to systematically screen the genomes of 15 leguminous and five non-leguminous species. Transcription factor orthologous groups (OGs) were used to estimate OG sizes in ancestral nodes using a gene birth-death model, which allowed the identification of lineage-specific expansions. The OG analysis and rate of synonymous substitutions show that major TF expansions are strongly associated with whole-genome duplication (WGD) events in the legume (approximately 58 million years ago) and Glycine (approximately 13 million years ago) lineages, which account for a large fraction of the Phaseolus vulgaris and Glycine max TF repertoires. Of the 3407 G.max TFs, 1808 and 676 have homeologs within single syntenic regions in Phaseolus vulgaris and Vitis vinifera, respectively. We found a trend for TFs expanded in legumes to be preferentially transcribed in roots and nodules, supporting their recruitment early in the evolution of nodulation in the legume clade. Some families also showed count differences between G.max and the wild soybean Glycine soja, including genes located within important quantitative trait loci. Our findings strongly support the roles of two WGDs in shaping the TF repertoires in the legume and Glycine lineages, and these are probably related to important aspects of legume and soybean biology.

Assessment of Polygala paniculata (Polygalaceae) characteristics for evolutionary studies of legume\u2013rhizobia symbiosis

Root nodule (RN) symbiosis is a mutualistic interaction observed between nitrogen-fixing soil bacteria and nodulating plants, which are scattered in only four orders of angiosperms called nitrogen-fixing clade. Most of legumes engage in RN symbiosis with rhizobia. Molecular genetic analyses with legumes and non-leguminous nodulating plants revealed that RN symbiosis utilizes early signalling components that are required for symbiosis with arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi. However detailed evolutionary processes are still largely unknown. Comparative analyses with non-nodulating species phylogenetically related to legumes could be better strategies to study the evolution of RN symbiosis in legumes. Polygala paniculata is a non-leguminous species that belongs to a family different from legumes but that is classified into the same order, Fabales. It has appropriate characteristics for cultivation in laboratories: small body size, high fertility and short lifecycles. Therefore, we further assessed whether this species is suitable as a model species for comparative studies with legumes. We first validated that the plant we obtained in Palau was truly P. paniculata by molecular phylogenetic analysis using rbcL sequences. The estimated genome size of this species was less than those of two model legumes, Lotus japonicus and Medicago truncatula. We determined conditions for cultivation in vitro and for hairy root formation from P. paniculata seedlings. It would facilitate to investigate gene functions in this species. The ability of P. paniculata to interact with AM fungi was confirmed by inoculation with Rhizophagus irregularis, suggesting the presence of early signalling factors that might be involved in RN symbiosis. Unexpectedly, branching of root hairs was observed when inoculated with Mesorhizobium loti broad host range strain NZP2037, indicating that P. paniculata has the biological potential to respond to rhizobia. We propose that P. paniculata is used as a model plant for the evolutionary study of RN symbiosis.

Decomposition and Nutrient Release of Cover Crops in Mango Cultivation in Brazilian Semi-Arid Region

ABSTRACT Knowledge of the decomposition dynamics of aboveground phytomass and its release of nutrients in mixtures of cover crops as well as the impact on the soil tillage system is fundamental for the sustainable management of agroecosystems. This work aimed to evaluate whether soil tillage and the choice of cover crops cultivated in the interrows can be technological strategies to increase dry biomass production, increase the capacity to add carbon, and improve macronutrient cycling in a mango ( Mangifera indica L.) orchard in a semi-arid environment. The field experiment (sixth year) consisted of two soil tillage systems (NT-no tillage and CT-conventional tillage) combined with three plant mixtures (PM1-75 % leguminous + 25 % grasses and oilseed species, PM2-25 % leguminous + 75 % grasses and oilseed species, and SV - spontaneous vegetation). Phytomass production and nutrient accumulation were not affected by the soil tillage system, but PM1 had the highest phytomass production and accumulations of C, N, and K, and it was significantly superior to SV. Regardless of the type of plant mixture, cultivated or spontaneous, soil tillage increased the rates of phytomass decomposition and nutrient release evaluated for 315 days after the cover plant management. The PM1 had the highest rates of decomposition and release of P and K, followed by PM2 and SV. There was no difference between the mixtures for the release of N, Ca, and Mg. The use of a mixture of cover crops, regardless of the predominance of leguminous or non-leguminous species, and a no-tillage system were technological strategies that could be adopted to favor the addition of soil carbon and nutrient cycling in fruit agroecosystems in the Brazilian semi-arid region. Spontaneous vegetation, due to its capacity to accumulate nutrients and the recalcitrant characteristics of its phytomass, has the potential to cycle nutrients and keep the soil covered. In addition, spontaneous vegetation should be better investigated because it is a low-cost strategy in agroecosystem designs.

SPECIES DIVERSITY AND COMMUNITY PATTERNS ALONG THE DISTURBANCE GRADIENT IN DRY TROPICAL FORESTS OF CHITRAKOOT, BANDA (U.P.) INDIA

The magnitude and recurrence of disturbance is the main factor to affect the structure of the forest communities in a variety of ways. A forty KM long disturbance gradient was identified across the forest of Chitrakoot in Banda Forest Division and the impact of different degrees of disturbance on the community attributes and diversity pattern of the forests along this gradient, was observed. The sum of frequency for species components of different stands increased along the gradient with marked fluctuations. The sum of density, however, increased only upto a few peripheral stands and stabilized further. The trend of the two indices and fluctuations in these values indicated highly patchy and heterogeneous communities along the disturbance gradient. Several potential under trees like Mallotus and Clerodendron dominated the shrub layer with greater abundance under high disturbance while other non-leguminous species of shrubby habit dominated the stands facing intermediate disturbance. The relative density of leguminous shrubs decreased along the gradient. The efficiently sprouting trees like Holarrhena and Terminalia have maximum importance value index (IVI) at moderate disturbance while Scleichera oleosa did so toward the core. A maximum Shannon’s Index of Diversity H of 3.53 was observed for the last but one stand towards the core. The trends of dominance and β-diversity were reverse to that of α-diversity along the gradient. From these observations, it may be inferred that the disturbance should be contained at the level suited for maximum diversity beside sparing a few ‘disturbancefriendly’ species in highly disturbed stands from complete destruction in order to provide bare minimum herbage cover, required for ecosystem attributes for the forests of the region.

Nutritive values of seven high priority indigenous fodder tree species in pastoral and agro-pastoral areas in Eastern Ethiopia

BackgroundIndigenous tree and shrub species are critical feed resources for the pastoralist and agro-pastoralist areas in Ethiopia. Nutritional and mineral composition of seven high priority leguminous indigenous tree species, (Acacia nilotica, Acacia tortilis and Tamarindus indica) and non-leguminous species (Berchemia discolour, Cordia sinensis, Dobera glabra and Ziziphus spina-christi) were characterized to inform decisions on the species utilization and domestication.MethodData on a total of 17 nutritional factors were generated on leaf samples from 10 to 12 trees per species following standard lab procedures. Descriptive statistics, one-way analysis of variance among species and types, and Spearman correlations between the nutritional factors were conducted.ResultsResult showed that there were significant differences among the species for all chemical compositions and mineral contents except for iron. The leguminous species had significantly higher mean dry matter, organic matter, lignin and in vitro digestible organic matter in dry matter, whereas the non-leguminous species had significantly higher mean total ash, neutral detergent fibre, acid detergent fibre and hemi-cellulose. Similarly, the leguminous species had significantly higher mean iron, whereas the non-leguminous species had significantly higher mean macro-minerals, Mn and Zn. Across all the species and samples analysed, the majority (69%) of the paired comparisons revealed significant associations among the chemical compositions and digestibility, whereas nearly 54% of the comparisons were significant among the mineral contents.ConclusionsWe conclude that the tree species investigated are important sources of protein, energy and minerals, and utilization and domestication should target both the leguminous and non-leguminous types.

Effect of Leaf Litter Treatment on Soil Microbial Biomass

Soil microbial biomass is an active fraction of soil organic matter. It shows quicker response than soil organic matter to any change in the soil environment. Being an index of soil fertility, it plays a key role in the decomposition of litters and fast release of available nutrients. Leaf litters of leguminous and non-leguminous species in alone and mixed form were applied as treatments in the soil to observe the changes in the magnitude of soil microbial biomass. Soil microbial biomass C and N were determined by chloroform fumigation extraction method. Increment in the concentration of microbial biomass C and N was higher in the treatments with leguminous leaf litter (497 - 571 μgCg−1, 48 - 55 μgNg−1) than the non-leguminous one (256 - 414 μgCg−1; 22 - 36 μgNg−1). However, when non-leguminous litters were mixed with leguminous litters then the values increased distinctly (350 - 465 μgCg−1, 28 - 48 μgNg−1). On the basis of increment in soil microbial biomass, leaf litters of the species considered potential to improve soil nutrients are—Cassia siamea and Dalbergia sissoo from leguminous trees, Anthocephalus + Cassia and Shorea + Dalbergia from mixed form of non-leguminous and leguminous one and Eichhornia crassipes, an alien aquatic macrophyte. The leaf litters of these species can be used as source of organic matter to improve the crop yield.

Inoculation of plant growth promoting rhizobia in Sudan grass (Sorghum × sudanense (Piper) Stapf cv. Sudanense) and millet (Pennisetum glaucum (L.) R.Br. cv. BRS1501)

Rizobios son capaces de influir en el rendimiento de las especies no leguminosas través de la producción de sustancias fitoestimulantes. El objetivo de este estudio fue el de estudiar el efecto de la inoculación de rizobios UFRGS Lc348 y VP16 sobre la germinación y el rendimiento de millo y pasto Sudán, así como verificar si el enriquecimiento del medio de cultivo con triptófano interfiere en la interacción rizobio/planta. Para este fin se llevaron a cabo experimentos in vitro y bajo condiciones de invernadero. En el experimento con millo en condiciones in vitro, la inoculación con VP16 cultivado en medio enriquecido o no enriquecido con triptófano induce una mayor extensión de hipocótilo y epicótilo. El tratamiento UFRGS Lc348 induce una mayor extensión de hipocótilo en plantas de millo. En plantas adultas de millo no hubo efecto de la inoculación. En pasto Sudán, la inoculación de VP16 enriquecida con triptófano aumentó la masa seca de las plantas adultas. Los aumentos de elongación de plántulas de millo en condiciones in vitro pueden representar una ventaja adaptativa en la búsqueda de agua y nutrientes en el ambiente rizosférico durante el crecimiento inicial del millo. De manera similar, si se verifica en condiciones de campo, el incremento de pasto Sudán observado en condiciones de invernadero con la inoculación de VP16 enriquecido con triptófano, esto puede significar una ganancia significativa en el rendimiento del cultivo. Por lo tanto, estas relaciones entre VP16 enriquecido con triptófano y pasto Sudán deben ser verificadas en estudios posteriores en condiciones de campo.

Influence of different revegetation choices on plant community and soil development nine years after initial planting on a reclaimed coal gob pile in the Shanxi mining area, China

In order to identify suitable pioneer plant species for future revegetation of coal gob piles, a field survey was conducted to assess the success of different revegetation species and their influence on soil development nine years after initial planting on a reclaimed coal gob pile in the Yangquan mining area of Shanxi province, China. Data were analyzed using a quantitative classification method (TWINSPAN), ordination techniques (DCA and DCCA), Principal Component Analysis (PCA) and a geo-accumulation index (Igeo). The results revealed that the low levels of soil moisture and available N were the major limiting factors affecting plant community development on the coal gob pile, not metal toxicity. The plant communities that developed had significantly improved the topsoil (0–10cm) quality on the reclaimed coal gob pile nine years after initial planting (p<0.05), but the degree of improvement varied greatly with different planted species. Revegetation types comprised of the planted leguminous species, Medicago sativa and Amorpha fruticosa, and the non-leguminous species, Populus tomentosa and Salix babylonica had the best ecological restoration effects on the reclaimed coal gob pile. Revegetation using these species is therefore recommended for future reclamation of abandoned coal gob piles in this region.

Efecto de la especie y la edad de rebrote en el perfil de ácidos grasos de leguminosas y arbustivas tropicales

Se evaluó el efecto de tres edades de rebrote (4, 8 y 12 semanas) sobre la producción de forraje, calidad nutricional y perfil de ácidos grasos en leguminosas herbáceas: Clitoria ternatea, Pueraria phaseoloides, Canavalia brasiliensis, Centrosema molle, Centrosema macrocarpum, Alysicarpus vaginalis y Lablab purpureus; en leguminosas arbustivas: Cratylia argentea, Gliricidia sepium, Desmodium velutinum, Cajanus cajan y Leucaena leucocephala; y en una arbustiva no leguminosa: Moringa oleifera (Moringaceae). Se utilizó un diseño de parcelas divididas con bloques al azar, en el cual la parcela principal fue la especie forrajera y la subparcela la edad de rebrote. Los principales ácidos grasos presentes en las especies fueron el ácido palmítico (C16:0), ácido linolénico (C18:3) y linoleico (C18:2). Sin embargo, en las leguminosas herbáceas y arbustivas, el contenido de ácidos grasos fue diferente y disminuyó con la edad de rebrote en los dos grupos. La relación C18:2/C18:3 fue mayor en las leguminosas herbáceas que en las arbustivas, lo cual podría resultar en una mayor concentración de ácido linoleico conjugado (ALC) en la grasa de la leche. La leguminosa Cajanus cajan presentó el mayor (p&lt;0,05) contenido de ácido linolénico (C18:3) y de precursores de ALC en las tres edades de rebrote evaluadas, lo cual sugiere que su uso en la alimentación de bovinos en sistemas de doble propósito resultaría en concentraciones altas de ALC c9 t11 en la grasa de la leche, en comparación con otras especies.

Restoration of Mine Spoil in a Dry Tropical Region: A Review

Surface mining extensively alters the physical, chemical and biological characteristics of the soil, and therefore, the revegetation of mine spoil through natural process takes a very long time and poses a major problem because nutritionally it is a recalcitrant medium for plant growth. We review important studies on the restoration of mine spoils in the tropical dry region of India. Through this communication, we suggest that the microbial biomass of soil is a critical factor in the recovery of mine spoils because it plays a major role in the re-establishment of nutrient cycling. The levels of microbial biomass C, N and P can be treated as functional indexes for soil re-development. Tree plantations have been reported to significantly accelerate the re-development process. Ground seeding of the mine spoils with suitable tree and grass species together with NPK fertilization has been reported to promote growth, and consequently leads to increase in biomass production. Species-specific variations are reported to occur in the response to fertilization. Relatively, greater variation has been reported for non-leguminous, rather than for leguminous species. Furthermore, leguminous species exhibit higher growth rates as compared to non-leguminous species. Our review also suggests that the microsite conditions on the mine spoils exhibit differences and should be given more consideration for accelerating the process of re-vegetation and fulfilling the post-mining land use objectives.

Genome-wide development and utilization of novel intron-length polymorphic (ILP) markers in Medicago sativa

Alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) is the most widely cultivated forage legume around the world. Though development and application of microsatellite markers in large-scale was reported in this species, a systematic investigation and large-scale exploitation of intron-length polymorphic (ILP) markers has not been conducted. In the present study, the RNA-Seq sequences of alfalfa were aligned with the genomic sequences of Arabidopsis to predict the position of introns and develop ILP markers in alfalfa. A total of 693 putative ILPs were identified, and 502 ILP markers were successfully developed. Furthermore, 100 ILP markers exhibited relatively high levels of transferability to leguminous (40.0%–83.0%) and non-leguminous (21.0%–22.0%) species. Polymorphisms in 40 randomly selected MsILP markers were evaluated in 21 alfalfa accessions and collectively yielded 169 alleles with an average of 4.7 alleles per locus. The polymorphism information content (PIC) ranged from 0.15 to 0.87 with an average of 0.60, which indicated a high level of polymorphism in the MsILP markers. For the first time, we developed large-scale ILP markers in alfalfa and demonstrated their utility in transferability, which will be valuable for genetic relationship assessments, comparative genomic studies and marker-assisted breeding of leguminous and non-leguminous species.

Susceptibility of cover crop plants to Fusarium virguliforme , causal agent of soybean sudden death syndrome, and Heterodera glycines , the soybean cyst nematode

Greenhouse studies were conducted to evaluate the susceptibility of cover crop species to infection by Fusarium virguliforme (Fv), a soilborne fungus that causes sudden death syndrome (SDS) of soybean (Glycine max [L.] Merr.), and the soybean cyst nematode (SCN; Heterodera glycines), both important soybean pathogens. In the SDS experiments, cover crops were planted in Fv-infested soil, and plants were assessed for fresh biomass, root rot severity, foliar symptoms, and amount of Fv DNA in roots. Inoculated alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.), crimson clover (Trifolium incarnatum L.), red clover (Trifolium pratense L.), and pea (Pisum sativum L.) had more root necrosis than the noninoculated controls, and Fv DNA quantities in roots did not differ from those found in soybean roots. Inoculated alfalfa, corn (Zea mays L.), crimson clover, oat (Avena sativa L.), red clover, sorghum (Sorghum bicolor L.), and turnip (Brassica rapa L.) plants had lower biomass compared to noninoculated controls, although corn, oat, and turnip had no root necrosis. Biomass reduction and root necrosis were not observed in inoculated hairy vetch (Vicia villosa Roth), false flax (Camelina sativa [L.] Crantz), millet (Pennisetum glaucum [L.] R.Br.), mustard (Brassica juncea L.), rye (Secale cereale L.), ryegrass (Lolium multiflorum Lam.), triticale (Triticale hexaploide Lart.), and wheat (Triticum aestivum L.), and Fv DNA quantity in the roots of these species was lower than in soybean. These results suggest that the legume species tested are hosts of Fv whereas grasses and Brassicas spp. are nonhosts or poor hosts. In the SCN experiment, select leguminous and nonleguminous cover crop plants were grown in soil naturally infested with SCN, and the number of females formed per root after 30 days was determined. There were very few (zero to five) SCN females on the roots of multiple varieties of leguminous cover crop species studied. No females were recovered from the roots of any of the nonleguminous species studied, except for a single female on four plants from three different species. None of the cover crop plants studied were susceptible hosts for SCN. With the increasing interest in using cover crops as a soil conservation practice in corn–soybean production systems, it is important to understand how this practice would impact major soybean diseases. Knowing the impact that cover crops may have on SDS and SCN is important to help farmers make better decisions when planting cover crops in areas with history of these diseases.