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Li J, Lardon R, Mangelinckx S, Geelen D. A practical guide to the discovery of biomolecules with biostimulant activity. JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL BOTANY 2024; 75:3797-3817. [PMID: 38630561 DOI: 10.1093/jxb/erae156] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/13/2023] [Accepted: 04/16/2024] [Indexed: 04/19/2024]
Abstract
The growing demand for sustainable solutions in agriculture, which are critical for crop productivity and food quality in the face of climate change and the need to reduce agrochemical usage, has brought biostimulants into the spotlight as valuable tools for regenerative agriculture. With their diverse biological activities, biostimulants can contribute to crop growth, nutrient use efficiency, and abiotic stress resilience, as well as to the restoration of soil health. Biomolecules include humic substances, protein lysates, phenolics, and carbohydrates have undergone thorough investigation because of their demonstrated biostimulant activities. Here, we review the process of the discovery and development of extract-based biostimulants, and propose a practical step-by-step pipeline that starts with initial identification of biomolecules, followed by extraction and isolation, determination of bioactivity, identification of active compound(s), elucidation of mechanisms, formulation, and assessment of effectiveness. The different steps generate a roadmap that aims to expedite the transfer of interdisciplinary knowledge from laboratory-scale studies to pilot-scale production in practical scenarios that are aligned with the prevailing regulatory frameworks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jing Li
- HortiCell, Department Plants and Crops, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Ghent University, Coupure Links 653, 9000 Ghent, Belgium
| | - Robin Lardon
- HortiCell, Department Plants and Crops, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Ghent University, Coupure Links 653, 9000 Ghent, Belgium
| | - Sven Mangelinckx
- SynBioC, Department of Green Chemistry and Technology, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Ghent University, Coupure Links 653, 9000 Ghent, Belgium
| | - Danny Geelen
- HortiCell, Department Plants and Crops, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Ghent University, Coupure Links 653, 9000 Ghent, Belgium
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Xolocotzi-Acoltzi S, Pedroza-Sandoval A, García-De los Santos G, Álvarez-Vázquez P, Gramillo-Ávila I. Growth, Productivity, Yield Components and Seasonality of Different Genotypes of Forage Clover Lotus corniculatus L. under Varied Soil Moisture Contents. PLANTS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2024; 13:1407. [PMID: 38794477 PMCID: PMC11125659 DOI: 10.3390/plants13101407] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2024] [Revised: 05/08/2024] [Accepted: 05/15/2024] [Indexed: 05/26/2024]
Abstract
This study aimed to evaluate the response to water deficit of different ecotypes and a variety of Lotus corniculatus on growth, productivity, and yield components, through seasonal times. A randomized block experimental design in a 2 × 5 factorial arrangement with three replicates was used. The first variation factor was soil moisture contents: field capacity (FC) was 26.5% ± 1.5, and water deficit (WD) was 85% of FC (22.5% ± 1.5); the second variation factor was the ecotypes identified with the codes 255301, 255305, 202700 and 226792 and of the variety Estanzuela Ganador. The best responses in plant cover and weight of accumulated fresh biomass were obtained in the ecotype 202700 under WD, with values of 1649.0 cm2 and 583.7 g plant-1, and 1661.2 cm2 and 740.1 g plant-1 in ecotype 255305 under FC. The leaf clover was the main component of yield during the summer and autumn seasons. Ecotype 226792 was tolerant to low temperatures during the winter season with better leaf development. Ecotype 202700 is the best option for forage clover production when water is limited, and ecotype 255305 when water is not resource-limited, but these preliminary conclusions need to be confirmed in field studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sahara Xolocotzi-Acoltzi
- Unidad Regional Universitaria de Zonas Áridas de la Universidad Autónoma Chapingo, Km. 40 Carretera Gómez Palacio—Ciudad Juárez, Bermejillo C.P. 35230, Durango, Mexico; (S.X.-A.); (I.G.-Á.)
| | - Aurelio Pedroza-Sandoval
- Unidad Regional Universitaria de Zonas Áridas de la Universidad Autónoma Chapingo, Km. 40 Carretera Gómez Palacio—Ciudad Juárez, Bermejillo C.P. 35230, Durango, Mexico; (S.X.-A.); (I.G.-Á.)
| | - Gabino García-De los Santos
- Departamento de Recursos Naturales del Colegio de Posgraduados, Campus Montecillo, Km. 36.5 Carretera México-Texcoco, Montecillo, Texcoco C.P. 56230, Estado de México, Mexico;
| | - Perpetuo Álvarez-Vázquez
- Departamento de Recursos Naturales de la Universidad Autónoma Agraria Antonio Narro, Calzada Antonio Narro 1923, Buenavista, Saltillo C.P. 25315, Coahuila, Mexico;
| | - Isaac Gramillo-Ávila
- Unidad Regional Universitaria de Zonas Áridas de la Universidad Autónoma Chapingo, Km. 40 Carretera Gómez Palacio—Ciudad Juárez, Bermejillo C.P. 35230, Durango, Mexico; (S.X.-A.); (I.G.-Á.)
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Ayemele AG, Wang Y, Ma L, Bu D, Xu J. Turning weeds into feed: Ensiling Calotropis gigantea (Giant milkweed) reduces its toxicity and enhances its palatability for dairy cows. ECOTOXICOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL SAFETY 2024; 276:116292. [PMID: 38581911 DOI: 10.1016/j.ecoenv.2024.116292] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/18/2023] [Revised: 02/12/2024] [Accepted: 04/01/2024] [Indexed: 04/08/2024]
Abstract
Calotropis gigantea (Giant milkweed, GM) has the potential to be utilized as a new feed additive for ruminants, however, the presence of unpalatable or toxic compounds decreases animal feed intake. This study aimed to valorize GM as a potential new feed resource through the chemical and microbial biotransformation of toxic compounds that will henceforth, make the plant palatable for cows. After GM's ensiling using fermentative bacteria, the plant was sampled for UHPLC-MS/MS to analyse the metabolomic changes. Illumina Miseq of the 16 S rRNA fragment genes and ITS1 were used to describe the microbial composition and structure colonizing GM silage and contributing to the biodegradation of toxic compounds. Microbial functions were predicted from metataxonomic data and KEGG pathways analysis. Eight Holstein dairy cows assigned in a cross-over design were supplemented with GM and GM silage to evaluate palatability and effects on milk yield and milk protein. Cows were fed their typical diet prior to the experiment (positive control). After ensiling, 23 flavonoids, 47 amino acids and derivatives increased, while the other 14 flavonoids, 9 amino acids and derivatives decreased, indicating active metabolism during the GM ensiling process. Lactobacillus buchneri, Bacteroides ovatus, and Megasphaera elsdenii were specific to ensiled GM and correlated to functional plant metabolites, while Sphingomonas paucimobilis and Staphylococcus saprophyticus were specific to non-ensiled GM and correlated to the toxic metabolite 5-hydroxymethylfurfural."Xenobiotics biodegradation and metabolism", "cancer overview" and "neurodegenerative disease" were the highly expressed microbial KEGG pathways in non-ensiled GM. Non-ensiled GM is unpalatable for cows and drastically reduces the animal's feed intake, whereas ensiled GM does not reduce feed intake, milk yield and milk protein. This study provides essential information for sustainable animal production by valorizing GM as a new feed additive.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aurele Gnetegha Ayemele
- Honghe Center for Mountain Futures, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Honghe County, Yunnan 654400, PR China; Department of Animal Production Technology, College of Technology, University of Bamenda, Bambili, 39, Cameroon
| | - Yuehu Wang
- Honghe Center for Mountain Futures, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Honghe County, Yunnan 654400, PR China
| | - Lu Ma
- State Key Laboratory of Animal Nutrition, Institute of Animal Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100193, PR China
| | - Dengpan Bu
- State Key Laboratory of Animal Nutrition, Institute of Animal Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100193, PR China.
| | - Jianchu Xu
- Honghe Center for Mountain Futures, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Honghe County, Yunnan 654400, PR China; State Key Laboratory of Animal Nutrition, Institute of Animal Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100193, PR China; World Agroforestry Center, East and Central Asia, Kunming 650201, PR China.
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Choudhary M, Garg K, Reddy MB, Meena BL, Mondal B, Tuti MD, Kumar S, Awasthi MK, Giri BS, Kumar S, Rajawat MVS. Unlocking growth potential: Synergistic potassium fertilization for enhanced yield, nutrient uptake, and energy fractions in Chinese cabbage. Heliyon 2024; 10:e28765. [PMID: 38586349 PMCID: PMC10998139 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e28765] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2023] [Revised: 03/20/2024] [Accepted: 03/24/2024] [Indexed: 04/09/2024] Open
Abstract
The implementation of integrated potassium management presents a viable approach for augmenting plant growth, yield, and nutrient uptake while enhancing soil nutrient availability. A field experiment was executed during the rabi season of 2020, employing a randomized complete block design encompassing eight treatments involving standard (100%) and reduced (75% and 50%) rates of the recommended dose of potassium (RDK) administered through muriate of potash (MOP). Treatments included variations in the incorporation/exclusion of plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR), farmyard manure (FYM) at 25% of potassium recommendation, and foliar application of nano potash. The use of 100% RDK +25% K augmentation through FYM + PGPR and nano K fertilizer spray at 25 and 40 DAS (T8) exhibited significant enhancements in green fodder yield (64.0 ± 2.2 t ha-1) over control with no potassium application (47.3 ± 3.7 t ha-1) and found at par with and 75% RDK + 25% K augmentation through FYM + PGPR and nano K fertilizer spray at 25 and 40 DAS (T7). These treatments yielded maximum percent increase for plant height (34.9%), leaf count (38.5%), leaf dimensions (28.8-31.5%), stem girth (25.84%), root volume (27.0%), and root length (37.64%), observed at the harvest stage compared to control (T1-no potassium application). The treatment T8 was on par with T7 and recorded highest uptake of macro (N, P, and K) and micro (Zn, Fe, Cu, and Mn) nutrients. While soil parameters such as available nitrogen and potassium levels were notably increased through the application of treatment T7 across various treatment combinations and found significantly superiority over treatment T8. Multivariate analysis also highlighted treatment T7 is more efficient in maintaining sustainability. Hence, based on the present findings it can be concluded that application of 75% RDK +25% K augmentation through FYM + PGPR and nano K fertilizer spray at 25 and 40 DAS (T7) can be recommended for achieving enhanced productivity and soil fertility improvement within agricultural systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mahendra Choudhary
- Department of Agronomy, College of Agriculture, G. B. Pant University of Agriculture and Technology, Pantnagar, Udham Singh Nagar, Uttarakhand, 263145, India
| | - Kamal Garg
- Agronomy Section, ICAR-National Dairy Research Institute, Karnal, Haryana, 132001, India
| | - Marthala Bhuvaneswar Reddy
- Animal Nutrition Division, ICAR-Indian Veterinary Research Institute, Izatnagar, Bareilly UP, 243122, India
| | - Babu Lal Meena
- Project Coordinating Unit, ICAR- Central Soil Salinity Research Institute, Karnal, Harayana, 132001, India
| | - Biswajit Mondal
- Division of Crop Production, ICAR-Indian Institute of Pulses Research, Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh, 208024, India
| | - Mangal Deep Tuti
- ICAR-Indian Institute of Rice Research, Hyderabad, 500030, India
| | - Sudhir Kumar
- Division of Plant Physiology, ICAR-Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi, 110012, India
| | - Mukesh Kumar Awasthi
- College of Natural Resources and Environment, Northwest A&F University, Taicheng Road 3 Yangling, Shaanxi, 712100, China
| | - Balendu Shekher Giri
- Sustainability Cluster, University of Petroleum and Energy Studies UPES, Dehradun, Uttarakhand, 248007, India
| | - Sanjeev Kumar
- Agronomy Section, ICAR-National Dairy Research Institute, Karnal, Haryana, 132001, India
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Wolabu TW, Mahmood K, Chen F, Torres-Jerez I, Udvardi M, Tadege M, Cong L, Wang Z, Wen J. Mutating alfalfa COUMARATE 3-HYDROXYLASE using multiplex CRISPR/Cas9 leads to reduced lignin deposition and improved forage quality. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2024; 15:1363182. [PMID: 38504900 PMCID: PMC10948404 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2024.1363182] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/29/2023] [Accepted: 02/21/2024] [Indexed: 03/21/2024]
Abstract
Alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) forage quality is adversely affected by lignin deposition in cell walls at advanced maturity stages. Reducing lignin content through RNA interference or antisense approaches has been shown to improve alfalfa forage quality and digestibility. We employed a multiplex CRISPR/Cas9-mediated gene-editing system to reduce lignin content and alter lignin composition in alfalfa by targeting the COUMARATE 3-HYDROXYLASE (MsC3H) gene, which encodes a key enzyme in lignin biosynthesis. Four guide RNAs (gRNAs) targeting the first exon of MsC3H were designed and clustered into a tRNA-gRNA polycistronic system and introduced into tetraploid alfalfa via Agrobacterium-mediated transformation. Out of 130 transgenic lines, at least 73 lines were confirmed to contain gene-editing events in one or more alleles of MsC3H. Fifty-five lines were selected for lignin content/composition analysis. Amongst these lines, three independent tetra-allelic homozygous lines (Msc3h-013, Msc3h-121, and Msc3h-158) with different mutation events in MsC3H were characterized in detail. Homozygous mutation of MsC3H in these three lines significantly reduced the lignin content and altered lignin composition in stems. Moreover, these lines had significantly lower levels of acid detergent fiber and neutral detergent fiber as well as higher levels of total digestible nutrients, relative feed values, and in vitro true dry matter digestibility. Taken together, these results showed that CRISPR/Cas9-mediated editing of MsC3H successfully reduced shoot lignin content, improved digestibility, and nutritional values without sacrificing plant growth and biomass yield. These lines could be used in alfalfa breeding programs to generate elite transgene-free alfalfa cultivars with reduced lignin and improved forage quality.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tezera W. Wolabu
- Institute for Agricultural Bioscience, Oklahoma State University, Ardmore, OK, United States
| | - Kashif Mahmood
- Institute for Agricultural Bioscience, Oklahoma State University, Ardmore, OK, United States
| | - Fang Chen
- Center for Biotechnology and Genomics, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX, United States
| | - Ivone Torres-Jerez
- Institute for Agricultural Bioscience, Oklahoma State University, Ardmore, OK, United States
| | - Michael Udvardi
- Queensland Alliance for Agriculture and Food Innovation, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, QLD, Australia
| | - Million Tadege
- Institute for Agricultural Bioscience, Oklahoma State University, Ardmore, OK, United States
| | - Lili Cong
- College of Grassland Science, Qingdao Agricultural University, Qingdao, Shandong, China
| | - Zengyu Wang
- College of Grassland Science, Qingdao Agricultural University, Qingdao, Shandong, China
| | - Jiangqi Wen
- Institute for Agricultural Bioscience, Oklahoma State University, Ardmore, OK, United States
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Santana JCS, Difante GDS, Rodrigues JG, Pereira MDG, Fernandes HJ, Ítavo CCBF, Longhini VZ, Dias AM, Ítavo LCV. Mathematical models for predicting protodioscin in tropical forage grasses. Toxicon 2024; 240:107628. [PMID: 38278421 DOI: 10.1016/j.toxicon.2024.107628] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/02/2023] [Revised: 01/20/2024] [Accepted: 01/21/2024] [Indexed: 01/28/2024]
Abstract
Protodioscin is a saponin present in grasses that can lead to losses in animal production. Our hypothesis was that mathematical models can accurately and precisely predict the protodioscin concentration in tropical grasses. We evaluated the ability of four mathematical models to describe the protodioscin concentration in Brachiaria and Panicum cultivars with different regrowth periods. Six cultivars of Panicum: Aruana, Massai, Mombaça, Tanzânia, Tamani, and Zuri; and five of Brachiaria-grass: Marandu, Paiaguás, Piatã, Xaraés and Basilisk. Protodioscin concentration evaluations were carried out at 51, 84, 110, and 111 days of age. Linear, Quadratic, Exponential, and Logarithmic models were evaluated, and the adequacy of the models was verified. The models were compared for accuracy and precision by pairwise mean squared error analysis and the delta Akaike information criterion. The models did not differ from each other in terms of accuracy and precision. The exponential model showed a high ability to explain the observed variability between protodioscin concentration and plant age for Brachiaria grasses. Panicum grasses have constant protodioscin concentration. Mathematical models are capable of predicting the protodioscin concentration in grasses of the genus Brachiaria based on plant age. We recommend Exponential model to predict the concentration of protodioscin in Brachiaria grasses.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Gelson Dos Santos Difante
- College of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science, Federal University of Mato Grosso do Sul - Campo Grande, Brazil
| | - Jéssica Gomes Rodrigues
- College of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science, Federal University of Mato Grosso do Sul - Campo Grande, Brazil
| | - Marislayne de Gusmão Pereira
- College of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science, Federal University of Mato Grosso do Sul - Campo Grande, Brazil
| | - Henrique Jorge Fernandes
- Unidade Universitaria de Aquidauana, State University of Mato Grosso do Sul - Aquidauana, Brazil
| | | | - Vanessa Zirondi Longhini
- College of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science, Federal University of Mato Grosso do Sul - Campo Grande, Brazil
| | - Alexandre Menezes Dias
- College of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science, Federal University of Mato Grosso do Sul - Campo Grande, Brazil
| | - Luís Carlos Vinhas Ítavo
- College of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science, Federal University of Mato Grosso do Sul - Campo Grande, Brazil
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Duarte RDC, Iannetta PPM, Gomes AM, Vasconcelos MW. More than a meat- or synthetic nitrogen fertiliser-substitute: a review of legume phytochemicals as drivers of 'One Health' via their influence on the functional diversity of soil- and gut-microbes. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2024; 15:1337653. [PMID: 38450400 PMCID: PMC10915056 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2024.1337653] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/13/2023] [Accepted: 01/30/2024] [Indexed: 03/08/2024]
Abstract
Legumes are essential to healthy agroecosystems, with a rich phytochemical content that impacts overall human and animal well-being and environmental sustainability. While these phytochemicals can have both positive and negative effects, legumes have traditionally been bred to produce genotypes with lower levels of certain plant phytochemicals, specifically those commonly termed as 'antifeedants' including phenolic compounds, saponins, alkaloids, tannins, and raffinose family oligosaccharides (RFOs). However, when incorporated into a balanced diet, such legume phytochemicals can offer health benefits for both humans and animals. They can positively influence the human gut microbiome by promoting the growth of beneficial bacteria, contributing to gut health, and demonstrating anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. Beyond their nutritional value, legume phytochemicals also play a vital role in soil health. The phytochemical containing residues from their shoots and roots usually remain in-field to positively affect soil nutrient status and microbiome diversity, so enhancing soil functions and benefiting performance and yield of following crops. This review explores the role of legume phytochemicals from a 'one health' perspective, examining their on soil- and gut-microbial ecology, bridging the gap between human nutrition and agroecological science.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rafael D. C. Duarte
- Universidade Católica Portuguesa, CBQF - Centro de Biotecnologia e Química Fina – Laboratório Associado, Escola Superior de Biotecnologia, Porto, Portugal
| | - Pietro P. M. Iannetta
- Universidade Católica Portuguesa, CBQF - Centro de Biotecnologia e Química Fina – Laboratório Associado, Escola Superior de Biotecnologia, Porto, Portugal
- Ecological Sciences, James Hutton Institute, Dundee, United Kingdom
| | - Ana M. Gomes
- Universidade Católica Portuguesa, CBQF - Centro de Biotecnologia e Química Fina – Laboratório Associado, Escola Superior de Biotecnologia, Porto, Portugal
| | - Marta W. Vasconcelos
- Universidade Católica Portuguesa, CBQF - Centro de Biotecnologia e Química Fina – Laboratório Associado, Escola Superior de Biotecnologia, Porto, Portugal
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Tresia GE, Anggraeny YN, Winarsih WH, Setiasih S, Rohaeni ES, Mariyono M, Pamungkas D. Nonessential amino acids in tropical ruminant feed: Investigating grass and legume forages of Indonesia. J Adv Vet Anim Res 2023; 10:820-829. [PMID: 38370889 PMCID: PMC10868679 DOI: 10.5455/javar.2023.j739] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2023] [Revised: 08/10/2023] [Accepted: 08/20/2023] [Indexed: 02/20/2024] Open
Abstract
Objective This study aimed to examine the concentration of nonessential amino acids (NEAAs) in ruminant feed in tropical areas, with a focus on forage grasses and legumes in Indonesia. Materials and Methods A total of 11 grasses (Chrysopogon zizanioides, Brachiaria brizantha, Brachiaria humidicola, Paspalum dilatatum, Paspalum atatum, Chloris gayana, Pennisetum polystachion, Panicum maximum, Cenchrus biflorus, Andropogon canaliculatus, and Digotaria decumbens) and six legumes (Arachis hypogaea, Pueararia Javanica, Centrosema pubescens, Clitoria ternatea, and Arachis pintoi) were analyzed for NEAA content using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Results Based on the results of this research, it was found that almost all NEAA content in forage was less than 3% (Serine (Ser), Alanine (Ala), Glycine (Gly), Tyrosine (Tyr), Proline (Pro), Cysteine (Cys), and Asparagine (Asn), except for glutamic (Glu) acid and arginine (Arg) in some legumes. The Glu content in grass ranges from 0.76% to 2.61%, and the Arg content ranges from 0.92% to 2.09%. These two NEAAs were most abundant in grasses and legumes, with concentrations of 5.10% to 6.27% and 3.10% to 5.53%, respectively. Conclusion Our study concluded that Glu and Arg were the most abundant NEAAs in tropical forages in Indonesia, with legumes having a higher concentration of NEAAs compared to grasses. Among the legumes, A. hypogaea had the highest NEAA content (23.40%), while among the forages, C. zizanioides had the highest NEAA content (12.37%). However, it was observed that neither legumes nor grasses could fulfill the metabolizable TNEAAs requirements for gaining cattle (250 kg of empty body weight gain), unlike commercial concentrates, which were found to meet the requirements, especially for Arg, Glu, and thyronine. The provision of concentrate is necessary to supplement forage to meet the NEAA needs for cattle.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gresy Eva Tresia
- Research Center for Animal Husbandry, Research Organization for Agriculture and Food, National Research and Innovation Agency Cibinong Science Center, Cibinong Science Center, Cibinong, Indonesia
| | - Yenny Nur Anggraeny
- Research Center for Animal Husbandry, Research Organization for Agriculture and Food, National Research and Innovation Agency Cibinong Science Center, Cibinong Science Center, Cibinong, Indonesia
| | - Wiwik Heny Winarsih
- East Java Regional Research and Innovation Agency, Surabaya, East Java, Indonesia
| | - Setiasih Setiasih
- Research Center for Animal Husbandry, Research Organization for Agriculture and Food, National Research and Innovation Agency Cibinong Science Center, Cibinong Science Center, Cibinong, Indonesia
| | - Eni Siti Rohaeni
- Research Center for Animal Husbandry, Research Organization for Agriculture and Food, National Research and Innovation Agency Cibinong Science Center, Cibinong Science Center, Cibinong, Indonesia
| | - Mariyono Mariyono
- Research Center for Animal Husbandry, Research Organization for Agriculture and Food, National Research and Innovation Agency Cibinong Science Center, Cibinong Science Center, Cibinong, Indonesia
| | - Dicky Pamungkas
- Research Center for Animal Husbandry, Research Organization for Agriculture and Food, National Research and Innovation Agency Cibinong Science Center, Cibinong Science Center, Cibinong, Indonesia
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Kägi C, Petitpierre B, Meyer P, Lötscher Y, Eggenberg S, Aubry S. Fostering in situ conservation of wild relatives of forage crops. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2023; 14:1287430. [PMID: 38023832 PMCID: PMC10643147 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2023.1287430] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2023] [Accepted: 10/16/2023] [Indexed: 12/01/2023]
Abstract
Most plant conservation strategies generally overlook the intra-specific genetic diversity of crop gene pools. Focusing on forage crops and their wild relatives, we present a novel approach to address the conservation of these species on meadows. Two-thirds of Swiss agricultural land is green land, mostly used for forage purposes, and their genetic diversity is being threatened. We focused here on eight plant associations gathering at least 18 taxa considered priority crop wild relatives of forage crops. Since 2020, about 1,217 high-quality surfaces (representing 1,566 hectares) nationwide have been integrated into an innovative auction-based policy instrument dedicated to conserving these populations. Here, we report the benefits and hurdles of implementing this bottom-up approach and try to estimate the quality of conservation of the forage plants' CWR gene pool. Although we focus on the Swiss case, our approach to in situ conservation offers opportunities to effectively guide conservation in other contexts. We also discuss possible ways to improve CWR conservation policy, particularly the need to better consider the populations and habitat levels.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christina Kägi
- Federal Office for Agriculture (FOAG), Federal Department of Economic Affairs, Education and Research EAER, Bern, Switzerland
| | | | - Philipp Meyer
- Federal Office for Agriculture (FOAG), Federal Department of Economic Affairs, Education and Research EAER, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Yvonne Lötscher
- Federal Office for Agriculture (FOAG), Federal Department of Economic Affairs, Education and Research EAER, Bern, Switzerland
| | | | - Sylvain Aubry
- Federal Office for Agriculture (FOAG), Federal Department of Economic Affairs, Education and Research EAER, Bern, Switzerland
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Rahimi Y, Bedada G, Moreno S, Gustavsson AM, Ingvarsson PK, Westerbergh A. Phenotypic Diversity in Domesticated and Wild Timothy Grass, and Closely Related Species for Forage Breeding. PLANTS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2023; 12:3494. [PMID: 37836234 PMCID: PMC10575225 DOI: 10.3390/plants12193494] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2023] [Revised: 09/25/2023] [Accepted: 09/30/2023] [Indexed: 10/15/2023]
Abstract
Timothy grass (Phleum pratense L.) is one of the most important forage crops in temperate regions. Forage production, however, faces many challenges, and new cultivars adapted to a changing climate are needed. Wild populations and relatives of timothy may serve as valuable genetic resources in the breeding of improved cultivars. The aim of our study is to provide knowledge about the phenotypic diversity in domesticated (cultivars, breeding lines and landraces) and wild timothy and two closely related species, P. nodosum (lowland species) and P. alpinum, (high altitude species) to identify potential genetic resources. A total of 244 accessions of timothy and the two related species were studied for growth (plant height, fresh and dry weight) and plant development (days to stem elongation, days to booting and days to heading) in the field and in a greenhouse. We found a large diversity in development and growth between the three Phleum species, as well as between the accessions within each species. Timothy showed the highest growth, but no significant difference was found between wild accessions and cultivars of timothy in fresh and dry weight. However, these two groups of accessions showed significant differences in plant development, where timothy cultivars as a group reached flowering earlier than the wild accessions. This suggests that there has not been a strong directional selection towards increased yield during the domestication and breeding of timothy; rather, timothy has been changed for other traits such as earlier heading. Principal component analysis and cluster analysis based on all traits revealed distinct clusters. Accessions falling within the same cluster showed similarities in the development and growth rather than the type of accession. The large diversity found in this study shows the potential of using timothy accessions as genetic resources in crosses with existing cultivars. Also, accessions of P. nodosum with favorable traits can be candidates for the domestication of a novel forage crop, and the high-altitude relative P. alpinum may be a source of genes for the development of more cold and stresstolerant cultivars.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yousef Rahimi
- Linnean Centre for Plant Biology, Department of Plant Biology, BioCenter, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, 750 07 Uppsala, Sweden; (G.B.); (S.M.); (P.K.I.); (A.W.)
| | - Girma Bedada
- Linnean Centre for Plant Biology, Department of Plant Biology, BioCenter, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, 750 07 Uppsala, Sweden; (G.B.); (S.M.); (P.K.I.); (A.W.)
| | - Silvana Moreno
- Linnean Centre for Plant Biology, Department of Plant Biology, BioCenter, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, 750 07 Uppsala, Sweden; (G.B.); (S.M.); (P.K.I.); (A.W.)
| | - Anne-Maj Gustavsson
- Department of Crop Production Ecology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, 901 83 Umeå, Sweden;
| | - Pär K. Ingvarsson
- Linnean Centre for Plant Biology, Department of Plant Biology, BioCenter, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, 750 07 Uppsala, Sweden; (G.B.); (S.M.); (P.K.I.); (A.W.)
| | - Anna Westerbergh
- Linnean Centre for Plant Biology, Department of Plant Biology, BioCenter, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, 750 07 Uppsala, Sweden; (G.B.); (S.M.); (P.K.I.); (A.W.)
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11
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Wolabu TW, Mahmood K, Jerez IT, Cong L, Yun J, Udvardi M, Tadege M, Wang Z, Wen J. Multiplex CRISPR/Cas9-mediated mutagenesis of alfalfa FLOWERING LOCUS Ta1 (MsFTa1) leads to delayed flowering time with improved forage biomass yield and quality. PLANT BIOTECHNOLOGY JOURNAL 2023; 21:1383-1392. [PMID: 36964962 PMCID: PMC10281603 DOI: 10.1111/pbi.14042] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/17/2022] [Revised: 03/07/2023] [Accepted: 03/09/2023] [Indexed: 05/20/2023]
Abstract
Alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) is a perennial flowering plant in the legume family that is widely cultivated as a forage crop for its high yield, forage quality and related agricultural and economic benefits. Alfalfa is a photoperiod sensitive long-day (LD) plant that can accomplish its vegetative and reproductive phases in a short period of time. However, rapid flowering can compromise forage biomass yield and quality. Here, we attempted to delay flowering in alfalfa using multiplex CRISPR/Cas9-mediated mutagenesis of FLOWERING LOCUS Ta1 (MsFTa1), a key floral integrator and activator gene. Four guide RNAs (gRNAs) were designed and clustered in a polycistronic tRNA-gRNA system and introduced into alfalfa by Agrobacterium-mediated transformation. Ninety-six putative mutant lines were identified by gene sequencing and characterized for delayed flowering time and related desirable agronomic traits. Phenotype assessment of flowering time under LD conditions identified 22 independent mutant lines with delayed flowering compared to the control. Six independent Msfta1 lines containing mutations in all four copies of MsFTa1 accumulated significantly higher forage biomass yield, with increases of up to 78% in fresh weight and 76% in dry weight compared to controls. Depending on the harvesting schemes, many of these lines also had reduced lignin, acid detergent fibre (ADF) and neutral detergent fibre (NDF) content and significantly higher crude protein (CP) and mineral contents compared to control plants, especially in the stems. These CRISPR/Cas9-edited Msfta1 mutants could be introduced in alfalfa breeding programmes to generate elite transgene-free alfalfa cultivars with improved forage biomass yield and quality.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tezera W. Wolabu
- Institute for Agricultural BiosciencesOklahoma State UniversityOklahomaArdmoreUSA
| | - Kashif Mahmood
- Institute for Agricultural BiosciencesOklahoma State UniversityOklahomaArdmoreUSA
| | - Ivone Torres Jerez
- Institute for Agricultural BiosciencesOklahoma State UniversityOklahomaArdmoreUSA
| | - Lili Cong
- College of Grassland ScienceQingdao Agricultural UniversityQingdaoShandongChina
| | - Jianfei Yun
- Institute for Agricultural BiosciencesOklahoma State UniversityOklahomaArdmoreUSA
| | - Michael Udvardi
- Queensland Alliance for Agriculture and Food InnovationThe University of QueenslandSt. LuciaQueenslandAustralia
| | - Million Tadege
- Institute for Agricultural BiosciencesOklahoma State UniversityOklahomaArdmoreUSA
| | - Zengyu Wang
- College of Grassland ScienceQingdao Agricultural UniversityQingdaoShandongChina
| | - Jiangqi Wen
- Institute for Agricultural BiosciencesOklahoma State UniversityOklahomaArdmoreUSA
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12
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Zhou F, Matthew C, Yang P, Huang Y, Nie B, Nan Z. Leaf morphology, functional trait and altitude response in perennial vetch (Vicia unijuga A. Braun), alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) and sainfoin (Onobrychis viciifolia Scop.). PLANTA 2023; 257:75. [PMID: 36879140 DOI: 10.1007/s00425-023-04098-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2022] [Accepted: 02/14/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Species have plasticity across altitude gradients in leaf morphology and function, and their response to high altitude conditions was mainly reflected in leaf cell metabolism and gas exchange. Leaf morphological and functional adaptation to altitude has received research attention in recent years, but there are no studies for forage legumes. Here we report differences in 39 leaf morphology and functional traits of three leguminous forages (alfalfa, sainfoin and perennial vetch) at three sites in Gansu Province, China, ranging from 1768 to 3074 m altitude to provide information for potential use in breeding programmes. With increasing altitude, plant water status increased, reflecting increase in soil water content and decreased average temperature, which lead to leaf intercellular CO2 concentration. Stomatal conductance and evapotranspiration increased significantly but water-use efficiency decreased. At high altitude, ΦPSII decreased but non-photochemical quenching and chlorophyll a:b ratio increased while spongy mesophyll tissue and leaf thickness increased. These changes may be due to UV or low-temperature damage of leaf protein and metabolic cost of plant protection or defence responses. Contrary to many other studies, leaf mass per area decreased significantly at higher altitude. This was consistent with predictions under the worldwide leaf economic spectrum on the basis that soil nutrients increased with increasing altitude. The key species differences were more irregularly shaped epidermal cells and larger stomatal size in perennial vetch compared to alfalfa or sainfoin that enhanced gas exchange and photosynthesis by generating mechanical force, increasing guard cell turgor, and promoting stomatal operation. The lower adaxial stomatal density also enhanced water-use efficiency. These adaptations might confer perennial vetch an advantage in environments with extreme diurnal temperature fluctuation or in frigid conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fangfang Zhou
- State Key Laboratory of Grassland Agroecosystems, Key Laboratory of Grassland Livestock Industry Innovation, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, College of Pastoral Agricultural Science and Technology, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, 730020, Gansu, China
| | - Cory Matthew
- School of Agriculture and Environment, College of Sciences, Massey University, Private Bag 11-222, Palmerston North, New Zealand
| | - Pengfei Yang
- School of Life Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, 730020, Gansu, China
| | - Yafeng Huang
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei, 230031, Anhui, China
| | - Bin Nie
- State Key Laboratory of Grassland Agroecosystems, Key Laboratory of Grassland Livestock Industry Innovation, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, College of Pastoral Agricultural Science and Technology, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, 730020, Gansu, China
| | - Zhibiao Nan
- State Key Laboratory of Grassland Agroecosystems, Key Laboratory of Grassland Livestock Industry Innovation, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, College of Pastoral Agricultural Science and Technology, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, 730020, Gansu, China.
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13
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Borawska-Jarmułowicz B, Mastalerczuk G. Germination of Lolium perenne and Medicago Species under the Conditions of Drought and Silicon Application as Well as Variable pH and Medicago sativa Root Extracts. PLANTS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2023; 12:910. [PMID: 36840258 PMCID: PMC9966198 DOI: 10.3390/plants12040910] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2023] [Revised: 02/11/2023] [Accepted: 02/15/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Drought and allelopathic conditions impact the germination of seeds of grass and legume species used in mixtures on grassland. This study evaluated the effects of drought and Medicago sativa root extracts at different pH levels on the germination and characteristics of seedlings of Lolium perenne and selected Medicago species. Two experiments were carried out: the first explored the effects of drought induced by PEG solutions (0.0, -0.3, and -0.6 MPa) under silicon (Si) application; the second studied the influence of Medicago sativa root extracts (12 and 24 g/100 mL H2O) and variable pH solutions (control, 5.0, and 6.5) on seed germination. Germination was carried out on Petri dishes for individual species and in two-species mixtures. The drought conditions did not affect the germination capacity of seeds, but it increased the dry weight of the seedlings of the tested species. The application of silicon decreased the root length of the seedlings of all species, independent of the germination conditions. The higher concentration of M. sativa root extract combined with the studied pH solutions had an inhibitive impact on the germination capacity of L. perenne. Our findings revealed that the lower concentration of M. sativa root extract had a beneficial effect on the morphological features (length of roots and leaves, fresh and dry weight) of the seedlings when germination was carried out separately for both species. In the mixture, the effect was especially marked for L. perenne (only in terms of the root length and fresh weight of seedlings). The applied root extracts in combination with the acidic pH conditions limited the germination capacity and growth of the seedlings of L. perenne the most when germination was performed separately. It was concluded from this study that silicon application did not improve the germination capacity of seeds under drought conditions, whereas the germination of L. perenne seeds in a mixture with M. sativa mitigated the negative allelopathic effects of M. sativa root extracts on the seed germination capacity and morphological features of seedlings of L. perenne.
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14
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Sustek-Sánchez F, Rognli OA, Rostoks N, Sõmera M, Jaškūnė K, Kovi MR, Statkevičiūtė G, Sarmiento C. Improving abiotic stress tolerance of forage grasses - prospects of using genome editing. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2023; 14:1127532. [PMID: 36824201 PMCID: PMC9941169 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2023.1127532] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2022] [Accepted: 01/24/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Due to an increase in the consumption of food, feed, and fuel and to meet global food security needs for the rapidly growing human population, there is a necessity to obtain high-yielding crops that can adapt to future climate changes. Currently, the main feed source used for ruminant livestock production is forage grasses. In temperate climate zones, perennial grasses grown for feed are widely distributed and tend to suffer under unfavorable environmental conditions. Genome editing has been shown to be an effective tool for the development of abiotic stress-resistant plants. The highly versatile CRISPR-Cas system enables increasingly complex modifications in genomes while maintaining precision and low off-target frequency mutations. In this review, we provide an overview of forage grass species that have been subjected to genome editing. We offer a perspective view on the generation of plants resilient to abiotic stresses. Due to the broad factors contributing to these stresses the review focuses on drought, salt, heat, and cold stresses. The application of new genomic techniques (e.g., CRISPR-Cas) allows addressing several challenges caused by climate change and abiotic stresses for developing forage grass cultivars with improved adaptation to the future climatic conditions. Genome editing will contribute towards developing safe and sustainable food systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ferenz Sustek-Sánchez
- Department of Chemistry and Biotechnology, Tallinn University of Technology, Tallinn, Estonia
| | - Odd Arne Rognli
- Department of Plant Sciences, Faculty of Biosciences, Norwegian University of Life Sciences (NMBU), Ås, Norway
| | - Nils Rostoks
- Department of Microbiology and Biotechnology, Faculty of Biology, University of Latvia, Riga, Latvia
| | - Merike Sõmera
- Department of Chemistry and Biotechnology, Tallinn University of Technology, Tallinn, Estonia
| | - Kristina Jaškūnė
- Laboratory of Genetics and Physiology, Institute of Agriculture, Lithuanian Research Centre for Agriculture and Forestry, Akademija, Lithuania
| | - Mallikarjuna Rao Kovi
- Department of Plant Sciences, Faculty of Biosciences, Norwegian University of Life Sciences (NMBU), Ås, Norway
| | - Gražina Statkevičiūtė
- Laboratory of Genetics and Physiology, Institute of Agriculture, Lithuanian Research Centre for Agriculture and Forestry, Akademija, Lithuania
| | - Cecilia Sarmiento
- Department of Chemistry and Biotechnology, Tallinn University of Technology, Tallinn, Estonia
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Verma V, Kumar A, Partap M, Thakur M, Bhargava B. CRISPR-Cas: A robust technology for enhancing consumer-preferred commercial traits in crops. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2023; 14:1122940. [PMID: 36824195 PMCID: PMC9941649 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2023.1122940] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2022] [Accepted: 01/16/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
The acceptance of new crop varieties by consumers is contingent on the presence of consumer-preferred traits, which include sensory attributes, nutritional value, industrial products and bioactive compounds production. Recent developments in genome editing technologies provide novel insight to identify gene functions and improve the various qualitative and quantitative traits of commercial importance in plants. Various conventional as well as advanced gene-mutagenesis techniques such as physical and chemical mutagenesis, CRISPR-Cas9, Cas12 and base editors are used for the trait improvement in crops. To meet consumer demand, breakthrough biotechnologies, especially CRISPR-Cas have received a fair share of scientific and industrial interest, particularly in plant genome editing. CRISPR-Cas is a versatile tool that can be used to knock out, replace and knock-in the desired gene fragments at targeted locations in the genome, resulting in heritable mutations of interest. This review highlights the existing literature and recent developments in CRISPR-Cas technologies (base editing, prime editing, multiplex gene editing, epigenome editing, gene delivery methods) for reliable and precise gene editing in plants. This review also discusses the potential of gene editing exhibited in crops for the improvement of consumer-demanded traits such as higher nutritional value, colour, texture, aroma/flavour, and production of industrial products such as biofuel, fibre, rubber and pharmaceuticals. In addition, the bottlenecks and challenges associated with gene editing system, such as off targeting, ploidy level and the ability to edit organelle genome have also been discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vipasha Verma
- Floriculture Laboratory, Agrotechnology Division, Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) –Institute of Himalayan Bioresource Technology (IHBT), Palampur, India
| | - Akhil Kumar
- Floriculture Laboratory, Agrotechnology Division, Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) –Institute of Himalayan Bioresource Technology (IHBT), Palampur, India
| | - Mahinder Partap
- Floriculture Laboratory, Agrotechnology Division, Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) –Institute of Himalayan Bioresource Technology (IHBT), Palampur, India
- Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh, India
| | - Meenakshi Thakur
- Floriculture Laboratory, Agrotechnology Division, Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) –Institute of Himalayan Bioresource Technology (IHBT), Palampur, India
| | - Bhavya Bhargava
- Floriculture Laboratory, Agrotechnology Division, Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) –Institute of Himalayan Bioresource Technology (IHBT), Palampur, India
- Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh, India
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16
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Sharavdorj K, Byambadorj SO, Jang Y, Cho JW. Application of Magnesium and Calcium Sulfate on Growth and Physiology of Forage Crops under Long-Term Salinity Stress. PLANTS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2022; 11:3576. [PMID: 36559688 PMCID: PMC9785884 DOI: 10.3390/plants11243576] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2022] [Revised: 12/13/2022] [Accepted: 12/15/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Soil salinity is major threat to crop growth and reducing cultivated land areas and salt-resistant crops have been required to sustain agriculture in salinized areas. This original research was performed to determine the effectiveness of MgSO4 (MS) and CaSO4 (CS) for each species and assess changes in the physiology and growth of fodder crops after short and long-term salt stress. Six treatments (CON (control); NaCl (NaCl 100 mM); 1 MS (1 mM MgSO4 + 100 mM NaCl); 2 MS (2 mM MgSO4 + 100 mM NaCl); 7.5 CS (7.5 mM CaSO4 + 100 mM NaCl); and 10 CS (10 mM CaSO4 + 100 mM NaCl)) were applied to Red clover (Trifolium pratense) and Tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea) under greenhouse conditions. Cultivars were evaluated based on their dry weights, physiological parameters, forage quality, and ion concentrations. The biomass of both species decreased significantly under NaCl treatments and increased under the MS and CS treatments compared to solely salinity treatments. Salinity caused a decrease in the photosynthetic rate, but compared to CON, the MS and CS treatments yielded superior results. Moreover, the Na+/K+ ratio increased as Na+ concentration increased but crop quality (CP, NDF, ADF) did not show significant differences under salinity. Overall, we concluded that these T. pratense and F. arundinacea species demonstrated various responses to salinity, MS, and CS by different physiological and morphological parameters and it turned out to be efficient under salinity stress.
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Affiliation(s)
- Khulan Sharavdorj
- Department of Crop Science, College of Agricultural and Life Sciences, Chungnam National University, Daejeon 34134, Republic of Korea
| | - Ser-Oddamba Byambadorj
- Laboratory of Forest Genetics and Ecophysiology, School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, National University of Mongolia, Ulaanbaatar 14201, Mongolia
| | - Yeongmi Jang
- Department of Crop Science, College of Agricultural and Life Sciences, Chungnam National University, Daejeon 34134, Republic of Korea
| | - Jin-Woong Cho
- Department of Crop Science, College of Agricultural and Life Sciences, Chungnam National University, Daejeon 34134, Republic of Korea
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Target Discovery of Flavonoids from Elymus nutans Griseb Using Medium- and High-Pressure Liquid Chromatography Combined with Online High-Performance Liquid Chromatography–1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl Detection. SEPARATIONS 2022. [DOI: 10.3390/separations9120437] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Forage-based nutrients constitute the main forage value of forage grass. Elymus nutans Griseb possesses a wide ecological adaptability, enhanced crude protein content, good palatability, and excellent genes. Herein, employing medium- (MPLC) and high-pressure liquid chromatography (HPLC), along with online HPLC-DPPH (OHD)-based identification, two primary radical scavenging compounds were extracted and identified from the methanolic extract of Elymus nutans Griseb. With a starting material of 300 g of Elymus nutans Griseb, 5.95 g of the target DPPH suppressors fraction (Fr6) was separated following one cycle of MCI GEL® CHP20P medium pressure liquid chromatography. A Kromasil 100-5-Phenyl column was subsequently employed for further purification of the fraction, which yielded 432.16 mg of Fr62 (7.26% recovery) and 489.01 mg of Fr63 (8.22% recovery). The target compounds were then assessed based on their structure and purity, and two compounds (salcolin A and tricin) were extracted with > 95% purity. This newly designed procedure was highly effective for the targeted flavonoids, and high-purity radical scavenger extraction from forage extracts. This methodology can potentially provide a scientific basis for their quality evaluation.
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Sayed MRI, Alshallash KS, Safhi FA, Alatawi A, ALshamrani SM, Dessoky ES, Althobaiti AT, Althaqafi MM, Gharib HS, Shafie WWM, Awad-Allah MMA, Sultan FM. Genetic Diversity, Analysis of Some Agro-Morphological and Quality Traits and Utilization of Plant Resources of Alfalfa. Genes (Basel) 2022; 13:1521. [PMID: 36140688 PMCID: PMC9498742 DOI: 10.3390/genes13091521] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2022] [Revised: 08/18/2022] [Accepted: 08/19/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) is one of the most important perennial forage crops to build effective diets for livestock producers. Forage crop improvement depends largely on the availability of diverse germplasms and their efficient utilization. The present investigation was conducted at Ismailia Agricultural Research Station to assess twenty-one alfalfa genotypes for yield components, forage yield and quality traits during 2019/2020 and 2020/2021. The genotypes were evaluated in field experiments with three replicates and a randomized complete block design, using analysis of variance, estimate of genetic variability, estimate of broad sense heritability (hb2) and cluster analysis to identify the inter relationships among the studied genotypes as well as principal component analysis (PCA) to explain the majority of the total variation. Significant differences were found among genotypes for all studied traits. The general mean of the studied traits was higher in the second year than the first year. Moreover, the combined analysis showed highly significant differences between the two years, genotypes and the year × gen. interaction for the traits studied. The genotype F18 recorded the highest values for plant height, number of tiller/m2, total fresh yield and total dry yield, while, the genotype F49 ranked first for leaf/stem ratio. The results showed highly significant variation among the studied genotypes for crude protein %, crude fiber % and ash %. Data revealed that the genotypes P13 and P5 showed the highest values for crude protein %, whereas, the genotype F18 recorded the highest values for crude fiber % and ash content. The results revealed high estimates of genotypic coefficient and phenotypic coefficient of variation (GCV% and PCV%) with high hb2, indicating the presence of genetic variability and effective potential selection for these traits. The cluster analysis exhibited considerable genetic diversity among the genotypes, which classified the twenty one genotypes of alfalfa into five sub-clusters. The genotypes F18, F49, K75, S35, P20, P5 and P13 recorded the highest values for all studied traits compared with other clusters. Furthermore, the PC analysis grouped the studied genotypes into groups and remained scattered in all four quadrants based on all studied traits. Ultimately, superior genotypes were identified can be utilized for crop improvement in future breeding schemes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mervat R. I. Sayed
- Forage Crop Research, Section, Field Crops Research Institute, Agricultural Research Center, Giza 12619, Egypt
| | - Khalid S. Alshallash
- College of Science and Humanities-Huraymila, Imam Mohammed Bin Saud Islamic University (IMSIU), Riyadh 11432, Saudi Arabia
| | - Fatmah Ahmed Safhi
- Department of Biology, College of Science, Princess Nourah bint Abdulrahman University, Riyadh 11671, Saudi Arabia
| | - Aishah Alatawi
- Biology Department, Faculty of Science, University of Tabuk, Tabuk 71421, Saudi Arabia
| | | | - Eldessoky S. Dessoky
- Department of Biology, College of Science, Taif University, Taif 21944, Saudi Arabia
| | - Ashwaq T. Althobaiti
- Department of Biology, College of Science, Taif University, Taif 21944, Saudi Arabia
| | - Mohammed M. Althaqafi
- Department of Biotechnology, Faculty of Science, Taif University, Taif 21974, Saudi Arabia
| | - Hany S. Gharib
- Department of Agronomy, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Kafrelsheikh, Kafrelsheikh 33516, Egypt
| | - Wafaa W. M. Shafie
- Central Lab. For Design and Stat. Analysis Agricultural Research Center, Giza 12619, Egypt
| | - Mamdouh M. A. Awad-Allah
- Rice Research Department, Field Crops Research Institute, Agricultural Research Center, Giza 12619, Egypt
| | - Fadia M. Sultan
- Forage Crop Research, Section, Field Crops Research Institute, Agricultural Research Center, Giza 12619, Egypt
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Connecting nutritional facts with the traditional ranking of ethnobotanically used fodder grasses by local farmers in Central Punjab of Pakistan. Sci Rep 2022; 12:12299. [PMID: 35853918 PMCID: PMC9296496 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-15937-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2022] [Accepted: 07/01/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
The local farmers of Central Punjab, Pakistan have been using indigenous grasses as vital components of ruminant diets, but little is reported about their nutritional potential. Hence this study investigated nutritive potential of a selection of ethnobotanically important fodder grasses. Multiple nutritional parameters (proximate components, fibre fractions), secondary metabolites (phenolics, tannins) and in vitro digestibility values were determined. Furthermore, the legitimacy of ethnobotanical knowledge of local inhabitants about these grasses was also verified. The results suggested that majority (77%) of these grasses can be regarded as good quality fodders because of their high protein (169 g/kg) and good digestibility (457 g/kg) with moderate fibre (≤ 602 g/kg), lignin (≤ 50 g/kg) and secondary metabolites (total phenols ≤ 87 g/kg, total tannins ≤ 78 g/kg, condensed tannins ≤ 61 g/kg). Pearson correlation between nutritional parameters indicated that in vitro digestibility values were positively correlated with crude proteins (IVDMD, r = + 0.83 and IVOMD, r = + 0.83 respectively) and negatively correlated with fibre (NDF, r = - 0.91), ADF, r = - 0.84 and ADL, r = - 0.82) contents. Moreover, a positive relationship was identified between ethnobotanical knowledge and laboratory findings for studied grasses. Spearman correlation test showed that ranking of grasses based on ethnobotanical preferences were highly correlated (r values) with the laboratory results for CP (0.85), NDF (- 0.76), ADF (- 0.72) and ADL (- 0.62). The resilient complementarities between ethnobotanical preferences and nutritive analysis authenticate farmer's traditional knowledge, which needed to be aligned with the corresponding scientific data. Farmers can use these findings for appropriate fodder selection and development of precise supplements for feeding ruminants within a sustainable and economically viable livestock industry for food security.
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20
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Comparison of Nutritive Values of Tropical Pasture Species Grown in Different Environments, and Implications for Livestock Methane Production: A Meta-Analysis. Animals (Basel) 2022; 12:ani12141806. [PMID: 35883354 PMCID: PMC9311783 DOI: 10.3390/ani12141806] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/11/2022] [Revised: 07/07/2022] [Accepted: 07/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary Globally, tropical pasture species predominate in tropical and subtropical climates, and are the primary feed source for grazing livestock including dairy cattle. Therefore, this study aimed at systematically analysing the nutritive values of tropical pastures and the implications of potential methane gas production from tropical pasture species and livestock, in relation to the growing conditions and agronomic management approaches used (defoliation frequency and intensity) across different climates. This analysis allowed us to understand the better performing tropical pasture species grown across wider geographical regions, in order to improve pasture-based livestock production systems. Results revealed that pasture quality and methane gas production varied among and within species, and were significantly affected by the climate and by the agronomic management regime as well. Abstract The demand for dairy products is ever increasing across the world. The livestock sector is a significant source of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions globally. The availability of high-quality pasture is a key requirement to increase the productivity of dairy cows as well as manage enteric methane emissions. Warm-season perennial grasses are the dominant forages in tropical and subtropical regions, and thus exploring their nutritive characteristics is imperative in the effort to improve dairy productivity. Therefore, we have collated a database containing a total of 4750 records, with 1277 measurements of nutritive values representing 56 tropical pasture species and hybrid cultivars grown in 26 different locations in 16 countries; this was done in order to compare the nutritive values and GHG production across different forage species, climatic zones, and defoliation management regimes. Average edaphoclimatic (with minimum and maximum values) conditions for tropical pasture species growing environments were characterized as 22.5 °C temperature (range 17.5–29.30 °C), 1253.9 mm rainfall (range 104.5–3390.0 mm), 582.6 m elevation (range 15–2393 m), and a soil pH of 5.6 (range 4.6–7.0). The data revealed spatial variability in nutritive metrics across bioclimatic zones and between and within species. The ranges of these nutrients were as follows: neutral detergent fibre (NDF) 50.9–79.8%, acid detergent fibre (ADF) 24.7–57.4%, crude protein (CP) 2.1–21.1%, dry matter (DM) digestibility 30.2–70.1%, metabolisable energy (ME)3.4–9.7 MJ kg−1 DM, with methane (CH4) production at 132.9–133.3 g animal−1 day−1. The arid/dry zone recorded the highest DM yield, with decreased CP and high fibre components and minerals. Furthermore, the data revealed that climate, defoliation frequency and intensity, in addition to their interactions, have a significant effect on tropical pasture nutritive values and CH4 production. Overall, hybrid and newer tropical cultivars performed well across different climates, with small variations in herbage quality. The current study revealed important factors that affect pasture nutritive values and CH4 emissions, with the potential for improving tropical forage through the selection and management of pasture species.
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Jakubus M, Graczyk M. Quantitative Changes in Various Nutrient Ratios in Fodder Plants as an Effect of Compost and Fly Ash Application. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2022; 19:ijerph19138136. [PMID: 35805794 PMCID: PMC9265535 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph19138136] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2022] [Revised: 06/24/2022] [Accepted: 06/30/2022] [Indexed: 12/04/2022]
Abstract
Despite the popularity of concentrated feed, fodder crops are still important, especially in organic livestock farming. However, this type of feed must meet certain criteria, which are often described using correct nutrient ratios. The research investigates the influence of compost and fly ash on quantitative changes in nutrient ratios determined for lupine and oat cultivated on soil slightly contaminated with Cu. A pot experiment was conducted on medium soil. Immobilizing agents (compost and fly ash) were applied at the dose of 40 t per ha. Plant materials were subjected to chemical analyses to assess their macronutrient content and, based on these data, mutual proportions of individual nutrients were calculated as mass ratios of K:Mg, K:Na, Ca:P, Ca:Mg, K:(Ca+Mg) and (K+Na):(Ca+Mg). Changes in ratio values were visualized using statistical tools, i.e., Anova, correlation coefficients and dendrograms. It was found that immobilizing agents constituted a source of the chosen nutrients because their amounts in plants grown on the soil fertilized with either compost or fly ash compost were significantly higher than in the control plants. This phenomenon was especially visible with regard to Ca and Mg for both lupine and oat. It should be emphasized here that the effect of compost or fly ash on the content of Ca and K in plants was comparable. In general, the application of compost contributed to higher values of the analyzed nutrients in both plants. The control and fertilized fly ash plants were characterized by lower values of nutrient ratios. The expected optimal value range of 2–3:1 was determined only for Ca:Mg, which was found in both lupine and oats. The proper values of K:Mg (2–6:1) were found only in the case of fodder plants cultivated on soil amended with compost.
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Affiliation(s)
- Monika Jakubus
- Department of Soil Science and Microbiology, Poznan University of Life Sciences, 60-656 Poznań, Poland
- Correspondence:
| | - Małgorzata Graczyk
- Department of Mathematical and Statistical Methods, Poznan University of Life Sciences, 60-656 Poznań, Poland;
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Donkor KO, Gottumukkala LD, Lin R, Murphy JD. A perspective on the combination of alkali pre-treatment with bioaugmentation to improve biogas production from lignocellulose biomass. BIORESOURCE TECHNOLOGY 2022; 351:126950. [PMID: 35257881 DOI: 10.1016/j.biortech.2022.126950] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2021] [Revised: 03/01/2022] [Accepted: 03/02/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Anaerobic digestion (AD) is a bioprocess technology that integrates into circular economy systems, which produce renewable energy and biofertilizer whilst reducing greenhouse gas emissions. However, improvements in biogas production efficiency are needed in dealing with lignocellulosic biomass. The state-of-the-art of AD technology is discussed, with emphasis on feedstock digestibility and operational difficulty. Solutions to these challenges including for pre-treatment and bioaugmentation are reviewed. This article proposes an innovative integrated system combining alkali pre-treatment, temperature-phased AD and bioaugmentation techniques. The integrated system as modelled has a targeted potential to achieve a biodegradability index of 90% while increasing methane production by 47% compared to conventional AD. The methane productivity may also be improved by a target reduction in retention time from 30 to 20 days. This, if realized has the potential to lower energy production cost and the levelized cost of abatement to facilitate an increased resource of sustainable commercially viable biomethane.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kwame O Donkor
- MaREI Centre, Environmental Research Institute, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland; Civil, Structural and Environmental Engineering, School of Engineering and Architecture, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland; Celignis Limited, Mill Court, Upper William Street, Limerick V94 N6D2, Ireland
| | | | - Richen Lin
- MaREI Centre, Environmental Research Institute, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland; Civil, Structural and Environmental Engineering, School of Engineering and Architecture, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland; Key Laboratory of Energy Thermal Conversion and Control of Ministry of Education, School of Energy and Environment, Southeast University, Nanjing 211189, PR China.
| | - Jerry D Murphy
- MaREI Centre, Environmental Research Institute, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland; Civil, Structural and Environmental Engineering, School of Engineering and Architecture, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland
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Debouza NE, Babu Thruppoyil S, Gopi K, Zain S, Ksiksi T. Plant and seed germination responses to global change, with a focus on CO2: A review. ONE ECOSYSTEM 2021. [DOI: 10.3897/oneeco.6.e74260] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
Abstract
Earth atmospheric CO2 concentration has risen by over 35% since 1750 and is presently increasing by about 2 parts per million (ppm) every year. Due to contributions from human activity, CO2 is projected to keep rising in the predictable future and to double sometime during this century if fossil fuels burning remains. As a result, air temperature is projected to rise from 2 to 5 °C by 2100. Following this rise in CO2, some ecosystems will face challenges in the next few decades as plants will live in warmer temperatures, higher evaporating demand and widespread changes in drought lengths and severity. To yield healthy crops and forests in changing climate surroundings, it is vital to define whether elevated CO2 disturbs seed germination and plant formation, but even more, the physiological traits conferring drought tolerance. Here, we review the current understanding on the role that CO2 plays on plant growth and seed germination, as well as its impact during the exposure of abiotic stresses like drought and salinity.
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Espitia Buitrago PA, Hernández LM, Burkart S, Palmer N, Cardoso Arango JA. Forage-Fed Insects as Food and Feed Source: Opportunities and Constraints of Edible Insects in the Tropics. FRONTIERS IN SUSTAINABLE FOOD SYSTEMS 2021. [DOI: 10.3389/fsufs.2021.724628] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Farmed insects can provide an alternative protein source for humans, livestock, and fish, while supporting adaptation to climate change, generating income for smallholder farmers, and reducing the negative impacts of conventional food production, especially in the tropics. However, the quantity, nutritional quality and safety of insects greatly relies on their feed intake. Tropical forages (grasses and legumes) can provide a valuable and yet untapped source of feed for several farmed insect species. In this perspective paper, we provide a viewpoint of how tropical forages can support edible insect production. We also highlight the potential of tropical forage-based diets over those using organic agricultural or urban by-product substrates, due to their versatility, low cost, and lower risk of microbial and chemical hazards. The main bottlenecks relate to dependence on the small number of farmed insect species, and in public policy and market frameworks regarding the use of edible insects as food, feed and in industrial processes. This perspective will serve interested stakeholders in identifying urgent issues at the research, ethical, marketing and policy levels that can prevent the emergence of new, insect-based value chains and business models, and the nutritional, economic and environmental benefits they promise.
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Cropano C, Manzanares C, Yates S, Copetti D, Do Canto J, Lübberstedt T, Koch M, Studer B. Identification of Candidate Genes for Self-Compatibility in Perennial Ryegrass ( Lolium perenne L.). FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2021; 12:707901. [PMID: 34721449 PMCID: PMC8554087 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2021.707901] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2021] [Accepted: 08/30/2021] [Indexed: 05/10/2023]
Abstract
Self-incompatibility (SI) is a genetic mechanism preventing self-pollination in ~40% of plant species. Two multiallelic loci, called S and Z, control the gametophytic SI system of the grass family (Poaceae), which contains all major forage grasses. Loci independent from S and Z have been reported to disrupt SI and lead to self-compatibility (SC). A locus causing SC in perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne L.) was previously mapped on linkage group (LG) 5 in an F2 population segregating for SC. Using a subset of the same population (n = 68), we first performed low-resolution quantitative trait locus (QTL) mapping to exclude the presence of additional, previously undetected contributors to SC. The previously reported QTL on LG 5 explained 38.4% of the phenotypic variation, and no significant contribution from other genomic regions was found. This was verified by the presence of significantly distorted markers in the region overlapping with the QTL. Second, we fine mapped the QTL to 0.26 centimorgan (cM) using additional 2,056 plants and 23 novel sequence-based markers. Using Italian ryegrass (Lolium multiflorum Lam.) genome assembly as a reference, the markers flanking SC were estimated to span a ~3 Mb region encoding for 57 predicted genes. Among these, seven genes were proposed as relevant candidate genes based on their annotation and function described in previous studies. Our study is a step forward to identify SC genes in forage grasses and provides diagnostic markers for marker-assisted introgression of SC into elite germplasm.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claudio Cropano
- Molecular Plant Breeding, Institute of Agricultural Sciences, ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
- Deutsche Saatveredelung AG, Lippstadt, Germany
| | - Chloé Manzanares
- Molecular Plant Breeding, Institute of Agricultural Sciences, ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Steven Yates
- Molecular Plant Breeding, Institute of Agricultural Sciences, ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Dario Copetti
- Molecular Plant Breeding, Institute of Agricultural Sciences, ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
- Department of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental Studies, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Javier Do Canto
- Instituto Nacional de Investigación Agropecuaria, Tacuarembó, Uruguay
| | | | | | - Bruno Studer
- Molecular Plant Breeding, Institute of Agricultural Sciences, ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
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Kim IS, Hwang CW, Yang WS, Kim CH. Multiple Antioxidative and Bioactive Molecules of Oats ( Avena sativa L.) in Human Health. Antioxidants (Basel) 2021; 10:antiox10091454. [PMID: 34573086 PMCID: PMC8471765 DOI: 10.3390/antiox10091454] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2021] [Revised: 09/09/2021] [Accepted: 09/10/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Oats (Avena sativa L.) are rich in protein, fiber, calcium, vitamins (B, C, E, and K), amino acids, and antioxidants (beta-carotene, polyphenols, chlorophyll, and flavonoids). β-glucan and avenanthramides improve the immune system, eliminate harmful substances from the body, reduce blood cholesterol, and help with dietary weight loss by enhancing the lipid profile and breaking down fat in the body. β-glucan regulates insulin secretion, preventing diabetes. Progladins also lower cholesterol levels, suppress the accumulation of triglycerides, reduce blood sugar levels, suppress inflammation, and improve skin health. Saponin-based avanacosidase and functional substances of flavone glycoside improve the immune function, control inflammation, and prevent infiltration in the skin. Moreover, lignin and phytoestrogen prevent hormone-related cancer and improve the quality of life of postmenopausal women. Sprouted oats are rich in saponarin in detoxifying the liver. The literatures have been reviewed and the recent concepts and prospects have been summarized with figures and tables. This review discusses recent trends in research on the functionality of oats rather than their nutritional value with individual immunity for self-medication. The oat and its acting components have been revisited for the future prospect and development of human healthy and functional sources.
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Affiliation(s)
- Il-Sup Kim
- Advanced Bio-Resource Research Center, Kyungpook National University, Daegu 41566, Korea;
| | - Cher-Won Hwang
- Global Leadership School, Handong Global University, Pohang 37554, Gyeongsangbuk-Do, Korea
- Correspondence: (C.-W.H.); (W.-S.Y.); (C.-H.K.)
| | - Woong-Suk Yang
- Nodaji Co., Ltd., Pohang 37927, Gyeongsangbuk-Do, Korea
- Correspondence: (C.-W.H.); (W.-S.Y.); (C.-H.K.)
| | - Cheorl-Ho Kim
- Department of Biological Sciences, SungKyunKwan University, Suwon 16419, Gyunggi-Do, Korea
- Samsung Advanced Institute of Health Science and Technology (SAIHST), Sungkyunkwan University, Seoul 06351, Korea
- Correspondence: (C.-W.H.); (W.-S.Y.); (C.-H.K.)
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Buzdin AV, Patrushev MV, Sverdlov ED. Will Plant Genome Editing Play a Decisive Role in "Quantum-Leap" Improvements in Crop Yield to Feed an Increasing Global Human Population? PLANTS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2021; 10:1667. [PMID: 34451712 PMCID: PMC8398637 DOI: 10.3390/plants10081667] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2021] [Revised: 08/04/2021] [Accepted: 08/07/2021] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
Growing scientific evidence demonstrates unprecedented planetary-scale human impacts on the Earth's system with a predicted threat to the existence of the terrestrial biosphere due to population increase, resource depletion, and pollution. Food systems account for 21-34% of global carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions. Over the past half-century, water and land-use changes have significantly impacted ecosystems, biogeochemical cycles, biodiversity, and climate. At the same time, food production is falling behind consumption, and global grain reserves are shrinking. Some predictions suggest that crop yields must approximately double by 2050 to adequately feed an increasing global population without a large expansion of crop area. To achieve this, "quantum-leap" improvements in crop cultivar productivity are needed within very narrow planetary boundaries of permissible environmental perturbations. Strategies for such a "quantum-leap" include mutation breeding and genetic engineering of known crop genome sequences. Synthetic biology makes it possible to synthesize DNA fragments of any desired sequence, and modern bioinformatics tools may hopefully provide an efficient way to identify targets for directed modification of selected genes responsible for known important agronomic traits. CRISPR/Cas9 is a new technology for incorporating seamless directed modifications into genomes; it is being widely investigated for its potential to enhance the efficiency of crop production. We consider the optimism associated with the new genetic technologies in terms of the complexity of most agronomic traits, especially crop yield potential (Yp) limits. We also discuss the possible directions of overcoming these limits and alternative ways of providing humanity with food without transgressing planetary boundaries. In conclusion, we support the long-debated idea that new technologies are unlikely to provide a rapidly growing population with significantly increased crop yield. Instead, we suggest that delicately balanced humane measures to limit its growth and the amount of food consumed per capita are highly desirable for the foreseeable future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anton V Buzdin
- The Laboratory of Clinical and Genomic Bioinformatics, I.M. Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University, 119991 Moscow, Russia
- Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology, Dolgoprudny, Moscow Region, 141701 Moscow, Russia
- Shemyakin-Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, 117997 Moscow, Russia
| | - Maxim V Patrushev
- Kurchatov Center for Genome Research, National Research Center Kurchatov Institute, 123182 Moscow, Russia
| | - Eugene D Sverdlov
- Kurchatov Center for Genome Research, National Research Center Kurchatov Institute, 123182 Moscow, Russia
- Institute of Molecular Genetics, National Research Center Kurchatov Institute, 123182 Moscow, Russia
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Phyllosphere Community Assembly and Response to Drought Stress on Common Tropical and Temperate Forage Grasses. Appl Environ Microbiol 2021; 87:e0089521. [PMID: 34161142 DOI: 10.1128/aem.00895-21] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Grasslands represent a critical ecosystem important for global food production, soil carbon storage, and water regulation. Current intensification and expansion practices add to the degradation of grasslands and dramatically increase greenhouse gas emissions and pollution. Thus, new ways to sustain and improve their productivity are needed. Research efforts focus on the plant-leaf microbiome, or phyllosphere, because its microbial members impact ecosystem function by influencing pathogen resistance, plant hormone production, and nutrient availability through processes including nitrogen fixation. However, little is known about grassland phyllospheres and their response to environmental stress. In this study, globally dominant temperate and tropical forage grass species were grown in a greenhouse under current climate conditions and drought conditions that mimic future climate predictions to understand if (i) plant host taxa influence microbial community assembly, (ii) microbial communities respond to drought stress, and (iii) phyllosphere community changes correlate to changes in plant host traits and stress-response strategies. Community analysis using high-resolution sequencing revealed Gammaproteobacteria as the dominant bacterial class, which increased under severe drought stress on both temperate and tropical grasses while overall bacterial community diversity declined. Bacterial community diversity, structure, and response to drought were significantly different between grass species. This community dependence on plant host species correlated with differences in grass species traits, which became more defined under drought stress conditions, suggesting symbiotic evolutionary relationships between plant hosts and their associated microbial community. Further understanding these strategies and the functions microbes provide to plants will help us utilize microbes to promote agricultural and ecosystem productivity in the future. IMPORTANCE Globally important grassland ecosystems are at risk of degradation due to poor management practices compounded by predicted increases in severity and duration of drought over the next century. Finding new ways to support grassland productivity is critical to maintaining their ecological and agricultural benefits. Discerning how grassland microbial communities change in response to climate stress will help us understand how plant-microbe relationships may be useful to sustainably support grasslands in the future. In this study, phyllosphere community diversity and composition were significantly altered under drought conditions. The significance of our research is demonstrating how severe climate stress reduces bacterial community diversity, which previously was directly associated with decreased plant productivity. These findings guide future questions about functional plant-microbe interactions under stress conditions, greatly enhancing our understanding of how bacteria can increase food security by promoting grassland growth and resilience.
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Tomaszewska P, Pellny TK, Hernández LM, Mitchell RAC, Castiblanco V, de Vega JJ, Schwarzacher T, Heslop-Harrison P(J. Flow Cytometry-Based Determination of Ploidy from Dried Leaf Specimens in Genomically Complex Collections of the Tropical Forage Grass Urochloa s. l. Genes (Basel) 2021; 12:957. [PMID: 34201593 PMCID: PMC8306847 DOI: 10.3390/genes12070957] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/26/2021] [Revised: 06/09/2021] [Accepted: 06/16/2021] [Indexed: 01/31/2023] Open
Abstract
Urochloa (including Brachiaria, Megathyrus and some Panicum) tropical grasses are native to Africa and are now, after selection and breeding, planted worldwide, particularly in South America, as important forages with huge potential for further sustainable improvement and conservation of grasslands. We aimed to develop an optimized approach to determine ploidy of germplasm collection of this tropical forage grass group using dried leaf material, including approaches to collect, dry and preserve plant samples for flow cytometry analysis. Our methods enable robust identification of ploidy levels (coefficient of variation of G0/G1 peaks, CV, typically <5%). Ploidy of some 348 forage grass accessions (ploidy range from 2x to 9x), from international genetic resource collections, showing variation in basic chromosome numbers and reproduction modes (apomixis and sexual), were determined using our defined standard protocol. Two major Urochloa agamic complexes are used in the current breeding programs at CIAT and EMBRAPA: the 'brizantha' and 'humidicola' agamic complexes are variable, with multiple ploidy levels. Some U. brizantha accessions have odd level of ploidy (5x), and the relative differences in fluorescence values of the peak positions between adjacent cytotypes is reduced, thus more precise examination of this species is required. Ploidy measurement of U. humidicola revealed aneuploidy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paulina Tomaszewska
- Department of Genetics and Genome Biology, University of Leicester, University Road, Leicester LE1 7RH, UK; (T.S.); (P.H.-H.)
| | - Till K. Pellny
- Rothamsted Research, Harpenden, Hertfordshire AL5 2JQ, UK; (T.K.P.); (R.A.C.M.)
| | - Luis M. Hernández
- International Center for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT), Cali 6713, Colombia; (L.M.H.); (V.C.)
| | | | - Valheria Castiblanco
- International Center for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT), Cali 6713, Colombia; (L.M.H.); (V.C.)
| | - José J. de Vega
- Earlham Institute, Norwich Research Park, Norwich NR4 7UZ, UK;
| | - Trude Schwarzacher
- Department of Genetics and Genome Biology, University of Leicester, University Road, Leicester LE1 7RH, UK; (T.S.); (P.H.-H.)
| | - Pat (J.S.) Heslop-Harrison
- Department of Genetics and Genome Biology, University of Leicester, University Road, Leicester LE1 7RH, UK; (T.S.); (P.H.-H.)
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Miladinovic D, Antunes D, Yildirim K, Bakhsh A, Cvejić S, Kondić-Špika A, Marjanovic Jeromela A, Opsahl-Sorteberg HG, Zambounis A, Hilioti Z. Targeted plant improvement through genome editing: from laboratory to field. PLANT CELL REPORTS 2021; 40:935-951. [PMID: 33475781 PMCID: PMC8184711 DOI: 10.1007/s00299-020-02655-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2020] [Accepted: 12/20/2020] [Indexed: 05/19/2023]
Abstract
This review illustrates how far we have come since the emergence of GE technologies and how they could be applied to obtain superior and sustainable crop production. The main challenges of today's agriculture are maintaining and raising productivity, reducing its negative impact on the environment, and adapting to climate change. Efficient plant breeding can generate elite varieties that will rapidly replace obsolete ones and address ongoing challenges in an efficient and sustainable manner. Site-specific genome editing in plants is a rapidly evolving field with tangible results. The technology is equipped with a powerful toolbox of molecular scissors to cut DNA at a pre-determined site with different efficiencies for designing an approach that best suits the objectives of each plant breeding strategy. Genome editing (GE) not only revolutionizes plant biology, but provides the means to solve challenges related to plant architecture, food security, nutrient content, adaptation to the environment, resistance to diseases and production of plant-based materials. This review illustrates how far we have come since the emergence of these technologies and how these technologies could be applied to obtain superior, safe and sustainable crop production. Synergies of genome editing with other technological platforms that are gaining significance in plants lead to an exciting new, post-genomic era for plant research and production. In previous months, we have seen what global changes might arise from one new virus, reminding us of what drastic effects such events could have on food production. This demonstrates how important science, technology, and tools are to meet the current time and the future. Plant GE can make a real difference to future sustainable food production to the benefit of both mankind and our environment.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Kubilay Yildirim
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Faculty of Sciences, Ondokuzmayıs University, Samsun, Turkey
| | - Allah Bakhsh
- Department of Agricultural Genetic Engineering, Faculty of Agricultural Sciences and Technologies, Nigde Omer Halisdemir University, Nigde, Turkey
| | - Sandra Cvejić
- Institute of Field and Vegetable Crops, Novi Sad, Serbia
| | | | | | | | - Antonios Zambounis
- Department of Deciduous Fruit Trees, Institute of Plant Breeding and Genetic Resources, ELGO-DEMETER, Naoussa, Greece
| | - Zoe Hilioti
- Institute of Applied Biosciences, CERTH, Thessaloniki, Greece.
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Richards N, Nielsen BD, Finno CJ. Nutritional and Non-nutritional Aspects of Forage. Vet Clin North Am Equine Pract 2021; 37:43-61. [PMID: 33820609 DOI: 10.1016/j.cveq.2020.12.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Many forage types are available, typically divided into cool or warm season grasses and legumes, which can be fed as fresh pasture or after preservation. Testing for nutrient content confirms what should be supplemented to make up shortfalls. Although testing is recommended, it is not always practical. Typical values for the forage type are available; however, they cannot be relied on for actual content. Non-nutritional aspects must also be taken into account. The provision of complementary feeds to ensure adequate vitamin and mineral intake is recommended. Additional supplementary high-quality protein may be required to meet essential amino acid requirements.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nerida Richards
- Equilize Horse Nutrition Pty Ltd, PO Box 11034, Tamworth, New South Wales 2340, Australia.
| | - Brian D Nielsen
- Department of Animal Science, Michigan State University, 1287D Anthony Hall, 474 S. Shaw Lane, East Lansing, MI 48824-1225, USA
| | - Carrie J Finno
- Population Health and Reproduction, University of California Davis School of Veterinary Medicine, One Shields Avenue, Davis, CA 95616, USA
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Kumar B, Ram H. Biofortification of maize fodder with zinc improves forage
productivity and nutritive value for livestock. JOURNAL OF ANIMAL AND FEED SCIENCES 2021. [DOI: 10.22358/jafs/135932/2021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
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Usman S, Dele PA, Jimoh SO, Aderinboye RY, Olanite JA. Physical, fermentative, and nutritional quality of silages made from three Sorghum bicolor varieties as affected by ensiling duration in South-west Nigeria. Trop Anim Health Prod 2021; 53:239. [PMID: 33796920 DOI: 10.1007/s11250-021-02657-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2019] [Accepted: 03/09/2021] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Despite large-scale sorghum production in Nigeria, its utilization as livestock feed is limited to the stover following grain harvest. Therefore, we evaluated the physical, fermentative, and nutritive quality of whole-crop silages from three Sorghum bicolor varieties at different ensiling durations. The experiment was 3×5 factorial comprising three varieties (Samsorg14, Samsorg17, and Samsorg41) and five ensiling durations (0, 4, 8, 12, and 16 weeks). Forages were ensiled at the dough stage, and the silos were opened at the pre-determined durations for quality analyses. Samsorg14 silage recorded higher pH (5.88) and significant titratable acidity (8.32 g kg-1), while the least pH was observed for Samsorg17 silage (4.63). The forages ensiled for 8 weeks had a higher pH (5.04) compared with 4.51, 5.03, and 4.57 recorded at 4, 12, and 16 weeks, respectively. In contrast, forages ensiled for 4 weeks recorded the highest titratable acidity (8.39) and Flieg point (104.07). CP content was higher in fresh Samsorg17 (110.64 g kg-1) and lower (71.01 g kg-1) in Samsorg41 ensiled for 8 weeks as influenced by variety × ensiling duration. Cumulative gas volume and methane were higher for Samsorg41 silage (21.21 and 6.76 ml 200 mg-1 DM respectively). Ensiling for 16 weeks resulted in higher silages' IVDMD (44.00%) compared with other ensiling durations. Samsorg14 and Samsorg17 had a relatively stable silage pH, higher CP, and digestibility. Therefore, their silages could be conserved up to 16 weeks to provide high-quality feed for ruminants during the dry season to maintain animal productivity and ultimately enhance food security.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samaila Usman
- State Key Laboratory of Grassland Agro-Ecosystems, College of Pastoral Agriculture Science and Technology, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, 730020, China.
- Department of Pasture and Range Management, Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, Ogun State, Nigeria.
| | - Peter Aniwe Dele
- Department of Pasture and Range Management, Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, Ogun State, Nigeria
| | - Saheed Olaide Jimoh
- Department of Pasture and Range Management, Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, Ogun State, Nigeria
- Grassland Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences/Key Laboratory of Grassland Ecology and Restoration, Ministry of Agriculture, 120 East Wulanchabu Street, Hohhot, 010010, Inner Mongolia, China
- Sustainable Environment Food and Agriculture Initiative, Lagos, 104101, Nigeria
| | - Ronke Yemisi Aderinboye
- Department of Animal Nutrition, Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, Ogun State, Nigeria
| | - Jimoh Alao Olanite
- Department of Pasture and Range Management, Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, Ogun State, Nigeria
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Cardini A, Pellegrino E, White PJ, Mazzolai B, Mascherpa MC, Ercoli L. Transcriptional Regulation of Genes Involved in Zinc Uptake, Sequestration and Redistribution Following Foliar Zinc Application to Medicago sativa. PLANTS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2021; 10:476. [PMID: 33802484 PMCID: PMC7998959 DOI: 10.3390/plants10030476] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/22/2021] [Revised: 02/20/2021] [Accepted: 02/25/2021] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
Zinc (Zn) is an essential micronutrient for plants and animals, and Zn deficiency is a widespread problem for agricultural production. Although many studies have been performed on biofortification of staple crops with Zn, few studies have focused on forages. Here, the molecular mechanisms of Zn transport in alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) were investigated following foliar Zn applications. Zinc uptake and redistribution between shoot and root were determined following application of six Zn doses to leaves. Twelve putative genes encoding proteins involved in Zn transport (MsZIP1-7, MsZIF1, MsMTP1, MsYSL1, MsHMA4, and MsNAS1) were identified and changes in their expression following Zn application were quantified using newly designed RT-qPCR assays. These assays are the first designed specifically for alfalfa and resulted in being more efficient than the ones already available for Medicago truncatula (i.e., MtZIP1-7 and MtMTP1). Shoot and root Zn concentration was increased following foliar Zn applications ≥ 0.1 mg plant-1. Increased expression of MsZIP2, MsHMA4, and MsNAS1 in shoots, and of MsZIP2 and MsHMA4 in roots was observed with the largest Zn dose (10 mg Zn plant-1). By contrast, MsZIP3 was downregulated in shoots at Zn doses ≥ 0.1 mg plant-1. Three functional gene modules, involved in Zn uptake by cells, vacuolar Zn sequestration, and Zn redistribution within the plant, were identified. These results will inform genetic engineering strategies aimed at increasing the efficiency of crop Zn biofortification.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alessio Cardini
- Institute of Life Sciences, Scuola Superiore Sant’Anna, 56127 Pisa, Italy; (A.C.); (L.E.)
| | - Elisa Pellegrino
- Institute of Life Sciences, Scuola Superiore Sant’Anna, 56127 Pisa, Italy; (A.C.); (L.E.)
| | - Philip J. White
- Department of Ecological Science, The James Hutton Institute, Invergowrie, Dundee DD2 5DA, UK;
| | - Barbara Mazzolai
- Center for Micro-BioRobotics, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Pontedera, 56025 Pisa, Italy;
| | - Marco C. Mascherpa
- Istituto di Chimica dei Composti Organo Metallici, National Research Council (CNR), 56124 Pisa, Italy;
| | - Laura Ercoli
- Institute of Life Sciences, Scuola Superiore Sant’Anna, 56127 Pisa, Italy; (A.C.); (L.E.)
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Capstaff NM, Domoney C, Miller AJ. Real-time monitoring of rhizosphere nitrate fluctuations under crops following defoliation. PLANT METHODS 2021; 17:11. [PMID: 33516255 PMCID: PMC7847023 DOI: 10.1186/s13007-021-00713-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/13/2020] [Accepted: 01/21/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Management regime can hugely influence the efficiency of crop production but measuring real-time below-ground responses is difficult. The combination of fertiliser application and mowing or grazing may have a major impact on roots and on the soil nutrient profile and leaching. RESULTS A novel approach was developed using low-cost ion-selective sensors to track nitrate (NO3-) movement through soil column profiles sown with the forage crops, Lolium perenne and Medicago sativa. Applications of fertiliser, defoliation of crops and intercropping of the grass and the legume were tested. Sensor measurements were compared with conventional testing of lysimeter and leachate samples. There was little leaching of NO3- through soil profiles with current management practices, as monitored by both methods. After defoliation, the measurements detected a striking increase in soil NO3- in the middle of the column where the greatest density of roots was found. This phenomenon was not detected when no NO3- was applied, and when there was no defoliation, or during intercropping with Medicago. CONCLUSION Mowing or grazing may increase rhizodeposition of carbon that stimulates soil mineralization to release NO3- that is acquired by roots without leaching from the profile. The soil columns and sensors provided a dynamic insight into rhizosphere responses to changes in above-ground management practices.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicola M Capstaff
- Department of Metabolic Biology, John Innes Centre, Norwich Research Park, Norwich, NR4 7UH, UK
| | - Claire Domoney
- Department of Metabolic Biology, John Innes Centre, Norwich Research Park, Norwich, NR4 7UH, UK
| | - Anthony J Miller
- Department of Metabolic Biology, John Innes Centre, Norwich Research Park, Norwich, NR4 7UH, UK.
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Can Anaerobic Soil Disinfestation (ASD) be a Game Changer in Tropical Agriculture? Pathogens 2021; 10:pathogens10020133. [PMID: 33525615 PMCID: PMC7911048 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens10020133] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2020] [Revised: 01/23/2021] [Accepted: 01/25/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Anaerobic soil disinfection (ASD) has been identified as an alternative soil-borne pathogen control strategy to chemical fumigation. ASD involves the application of an easily liable carbon source followed by irrigation to field capacity and maintenance of an anaerobic condition for a certain period. A literature search undertaken on ASD found that more than 50 comprehensive research projects have been conducted since its first discovery in 2000. Most of these studies were conducted in the USA and in the Netherlands. Though the exact mechanism of ASD in pathogen control is unknown, promising results have been reported against a wide range of pathogens such as fungi, nematodes, protists, and oomycetes. However, it is interesting to note that, except for a few studies, ASD research in the developing world and in the tropical countries has lagged behind. Nevertheless, with soil quality depletion, reduction in arable lands, and exponential population growth, a drastic change to the current agricultural practices should be adapted since yield gain has reached a plateau for major staple crops. Under such circumstances, we identified the gaps and the potentials of ASD in tropical agricultural systems and proposed promising biodegradable materials.
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Rivero MJ, Lopez-Villalobos N, Evans A, Berndt A, Cartmill A, Neal AL, McLaren A, Farruggia A, Mignolet C, Chadwick D, Styles D, McCracken D, Busch D, Martin GB, Fleming H, Sheridan H, Gibbons J, Merbold L, Eisler M, Lambe N, Rovira P, Harris P, Murphy P, Vercoe PE, Williams P, Machado R, Takahashi T, Puech T, Boland T, Ayala W, Lee MRF. Key traits for ruminant livestock across diverse production systems in the context of climate change: perspectives from a global platform of research farms. Reprod Fertil Dev 2021; 33:1-19. [PMID: 38769670 DOI: 10.1071/rd20205] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/22/2024] Open
Abstract
Ruminant livestock are raised under diverse cultural and environmental production systems around the globe. Ruminant livestock can play a critical role in food security by supplying high-quality, nutrient-dense food with little or no competition for arable land while simultaneously improving soil health through vital returns of organic matter. However, in the context of climate change and limited land resources, the role of ruminant-based systems is uncertain because of their reputed low efficiency of feed conversion (kilogram of feed required per kilogram of product) and the production of methane as a by-product of enteric fermentation. A growing human population will demand more animal protein, which will put greater pressure on the Earth's planetary boundaries and contribute further to climate change. Therefore, livestock production globally faces the dual challenges of mitigating emissions and adapting to a changing climate. This requires research-led animal and plant breeding and feeding strategies to optimise ruminant systems. This study collated information from a global network of research farms reflecting a variety of ruminant production systems in diverse regions of the globe. Using this information, key changes in the genetic and nutritional approaches relevant to each system were drawn that, if implemented, would help shape more sustainable future ruminant livestock systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Jordana Rivero
- Sustainable Agriculture Sciences, Rothamsted Research, North Wyke, Okehampton, Devon EX20 2SB, UK
| | | | - Alex Evans
- School of Agriculture and Food Science, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin 4, D04V1W8, Ireland
| | - Alexandre Berndt
- Embrapa Southeast Livestock, Rodovia Washington Luiz, km 234, São Carlos, São Paulo 13560-970, Brazil
| | - Andrew Cartmill
- School of Agriculture, University of Wisconsin-Platteville, 1 University Plaza, Platteville, WI 53818, USA
| | - Andrew L Neal
- Sustainable Agriculture Sciences, Rothamsted Research, North Wyke, Okehampton, Devon EX20 2SB, UK
| | - Ann McLaren
- Hill and Mountain Research Centre, SRUC: Scotland's Rural College, Kirkton Farm, Crianlarich FK20 8RU, UK
| | - Anne Farruggia
- Institut national de recherche pour l'agriculture, l'alimentation et l'environnement (INRAE) - Département sciences pour l'action, les transitions, les territoires (ACT), Unité Expérimentale 0057 Saint Laurent de la Prée, 545 route du Bois Maché, 17450 Saint Laurent de la Prée, France
| | - Catherine Mignolet
- Institut national de recherche pour l'agriculture, l'alimentation et l'environnement (INRAE) - Département sciences pour l'action, les transitions, les territoires (ACT), Unité de Recherche 0055 Aster-Mirecourt, 662 Avenue Louis Buffet, 88500 Mirecourt, France
| | - Dave Chadwick
- School of Natural Sciences, Bangor University, Gwynedd LL57 2UW, UK
| | - David Styles
- School of Natural Sciences, Bangor University, Gwynedd LL57 2UW, UK
| | - Davy McCracken
- Hill and Mountain Research Centre, SRUC: Scotland's Rural College, Kirkton Farm, Crianlarich FK20 8RU, UK
| | - Dennis Busch
- School of Agriculture, University of Wisconsin-Platteville, 1 University Plaza, Platteville, WI 53818, USA
| | - Graeme B Martin
- The UWA Institute of Agriculture, The University of Western Australia, 35 Stirling Highway, Crawley 6009, Australia
| | - Hannah Fleming
- Sustainable Agriculture Sciences, Rothamsted Research, North Wyke, Okehampton, Devon EX20 2SB, UK
| | - Helen Sheridan
- School of Agriculture and Food Science, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin 4, D04V1W8, Ireland
| | - James Gibbons
- School of Natural Sciences, Bangor University, Gwynedd LL57 2UW, UK
| | - Lutz Merbold
- Mazingira Centre, International Livestock Research Institute, PO Box 30709, 00100 Nairobi, Kenya
| | - Mark Eisler
- Bristol Veterinary School, University of Bristol, Langford, Somerset BS40 5DU, UK
| | - Nicola Lambe
- Hill and Mountain Research Centre, SRUC: Scotland's Rural College, Kirkton Farm, Crianlarich FK20 8RU, UK
| | - Pablo Rovira
- Instituto Nacional de Investigación Agropecuaria, INIA, Ruta 8 km 281, Treinta y Tres 33000, Uruguay
| | - Paul Harris
- Sustainable Agriculture Sciences, Rothamsted Research, North Wyke, Okehampton, Devon EX20 2SB, UK
| | - Paul Murphy
- School of Agriculture and Food Science, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin 4, D04V1W8, Ireland
| | - Philip E Vercoe
- The UWA Institute of Agriculture, The University of Western Australia, 35 Stirling Highway, Crawley 6009, Australia
| | - Prysor Williams
- School of Natural Sciences, Bangor University, Gwynedd LL57 2UW, UK
| | - Rui Machado
- Embrapa Southeast Livestock, Rodovia Washington Luiz, km 234, São Carlos, São Paulo 13560-970, Brazil
| | - Taro Takahashi
- Sustainable Agriculture Sciences, Rothamsted Research, North Wyke, Okehampton, Devon EX20 2SB, UK; and Bristol Veterinary School, University of Bristol, Langford, Somerset BS40 5DU, UK
| | - Thomas Puech
- Institut national de recherche pour l'agriculture, l'alimentation et l'environnement (INRAE) - Département sciences pour l'action, les transitions, les territoires (ACT), Unité de Recherche 0055 Aster-Mirecourt, 662 Avenue Louis Buffet, 88500 Mirecourt, France
| | - Tommy Boland
- School of Agriculture and Food Science, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin 4, D04V1W8, Ireland
| | - Walter Ayala
- Instituto Nacional de Investigación Agropecuaria, INIA, Ruta 8 km 281, Treinta y Tres 33000, Uruguay
| | - Michael R F Lee
- Sustainable Agriculture Sciences, Rothamsted Research, North Wyke, Okehampton, Devon EX20 2SB, UK; and Bristol Veterinary School, University of Bristol, Langford, Somerset BS40 5DU, UK; and Corresponding author
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Rocha V, Duarte MC, Catarino S, Duarte I, Romeiras MM. Cabo Verde's Poaceae Flora: A Reservoir of Crop Wild Relatives Diversity for Crop Improvement. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2021; 12:630217. [PMID: 33633769 PMCID: PMC7901987 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2021.630217] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2020] [Accepted: 01/08/2021] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
Africa is home to important centers of origin and diversity of crop wild relatives (CWR), including many species adapted to adverse agroecological conditions, namely drought and poor soils. Plant genetic resources from Cabo Verde Islands have been poorly explored for their potential to supplement the genetic pool of cultivated species. In this paper we identify Cabo Verde's CWR from the Poaceae family and provide a checklist of priority CWR taxa, highlighting those of particular conservation concern and the areas which should be the focus of the most intensive conservation efforts in these islands. Our results revealed that Cabo Verde archipelago is an important center of CWR diversity of West African crop millets, namely fonio (e.g., white fonio, Digitaria exilis, and black fonio, Digitaria iburua) and other African millets [e.g., pearl millet (Cenchrus americanus = Pennisetum glaucum), teff millet (Eragrostis tef), finger millet (Eleusine coracana), barnyard millet (Echinochloa colona), proso millet (Panicum miliaceum), and foxtail millet (Setaria italica)], which represent a diverse group of cereal crops, and important components in agriculture and food security of this country. Also, hotspot areas of diversity for in situ conservation were identified in Cabo Verde, as well as several populations occurring under extreme habitats conditions that are well adapted to drylands and poor soils. The evaluation of their potential for new ecologically important adaptive characteristics associated with tolerance to abiotic stresses is discussed. The survey of international Germplasm Banks revealed that very few accessions from Cabo Verde are conserved, contributing to the loss of genetic diversity of plant genetic resources in this archipelago. Particularly, the diversity of millets and the associated indigenous knowledge are critical for the food security and cultural identity of many poor farmers in Cabo Verde.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vanézia Rocha
- Linking Landscape, Environment, Agriculture and Food (LEAF), Instituto Superior de Agronomia (ISA), Universidade de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal
- Centre for Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Changes (cE3c), Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Maria C. Duarte
- Centre for Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Changes (cE3c), Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Silvia Catarino
- Linking Landscape, Environment, Agriculture and Food (LEAF), Instituto Superior de Agronomia (ISA), Universidade de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal
- Forest Research Centre (CEF), Instituto Superior de Agronomia (ISA), Universidade de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Ivani Duarte
- Parque Natural do Monte Gordo, Ministério da Agricultura e Ambiente, Praia, Cabo Verde
| | - Maria M. Romeiras
- Linking Landscape, Environment, Agriculture and Food (LEAF), Instituto Superior de Agronomia (ISA), Universidade de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal
- Centre for Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Changes (cE3c), Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal
- *Correspondence: Maria M. Romeiras,
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Geng Y, Ranjitkar S, Yan Q, He Z, Su B, Gao S, Niu J, Bu D, Xu J. Nutrient value of wild fodder species and the implications for improving the diet of mithun ( Bos frontalis) in Dulongjiang area, Yunnan Province, China. PLANT DIVERSITY 2020; 42:455-463. [PMID: 33733013 PMCID: PMC7936111 DOI: 10.1016/j.pld.2020.09.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2020] [Revised: 09/08/2020] [Accepted: 09/24/2020] [Indexed: 05/30/2023]
Abstract
Wild fodder plants are valuable because they provide an important livestock feed resource globally, especially for smallholder farmers, and have important roles in natural resource management. In-depth knowledge of wild forage plants can motivate local people for feed resource and habitat conservation of threatened herbivores such as Mithun (Bos frontalis). Mithun occur in small patches in the mountains of Dulongjiang, nearby villagers domesticated this animal but left animal to freely graze in the mountains. Many fodder plants occur in these mountains, however, little is known about their nutritional value. We conducted an ethnobotanical survey to document important wild fodder plants consumed by mithun in the Dulongjiang Township. The nutritional content of 21 highly mentioned wild fodder plants in an ethnobotanical survey was examined. Laboratory analysis showed that Fagopyrum dibotrys were the fodder species with the highest crude protein (CP) content (26.89%), followed by Polygonum molle (21.88%) and Hydrangea longipes (21.12%). Synthesis of relative feed value index and grey relational grade, P. molle, H. longipes and Tetrastigma obtectum were ranked the top three nutritional fodders. There was a significant difference between 21 species on their in vitro digestibility and the most highly digestible fodder species was Elatostema hookerianum. Linear model analysis on relationship between frequency of citation of 21 wild forage plants by local farmers and their nutrient composition showed that the frequency was significantly positively correlated with the nutritional value of the feed (R2 = 0.28, P < 0.05). We concluded that these species have high nutritional values to improve mithun production in integrated crop-livestock systems. Fodder species or mixtures of species with useful nutritional characters could be cultivated to improve livestock productivity, habitat conservation including that of mithun and wild forage resource management.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yanfei Geng
- College of Tea Science, Guizhou University, Guiyang 550025, China
- Key Laboratory of Economic Plants and Biotechnology, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming 650201, China
- CAAS-ICRAF Joint Lab on Agroforestry and Sustainable Animal Husbandry, World Agroforestry, East and Central Asia, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Sailesh Ranjitkar
- CAAS-ICRAF Joint Lab on Agroforestry and Sustainable Animal Husbandry, World Agroforestry, East and Central Asia, Beijing 100193, China
- NGene, Solutions of Natural Innovation, Kathmandu, GPO 44614, Nepal
- Mid-Western University, Faculty of Humanities and Social Science, Naya Bato, Lalitpur 44600, Nepal
| | - Qiaoshun Yan
- Key Laboratory of Economic Plants and Biotechnology, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming 650201, China
| | - Zhijun He
- Agriculture Bureau of Gongshan Derung and Nu Autonomous County, Nujiang 673500, China
| | - Baqi Su
- Agriculture Bureau of Gongshan Derung and Nu Autonomous County, Nujiang 673500, China
| | - Shengtao Gao
- State Key Laboratory of Animal Nutrition, Institute of Animal Science, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Junli Niu
- State Key Laboratory of Animal Nutrition, Institute of Animal Science, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100193, China
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Shihezi University, Shihezi 832003, China
| | - Dengpan Bu
- CAAS-ICRAF Joint Lab on Agroforestry and Sustainable Animal Husbandry, World Agroforestry, East and Central Asia, Beijing 100193, China
- State Key Laboratory of Animal Nutrition, Institute of Animal Science, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100193, China
- Hunan Co-Innovation Center of Animal Production Safety, CICAPS, Changsha 410128, China
| | - Jianchu Xu
- Key Laboratory of Economic Plants and Biotechnology, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming 650201, China
- CAAS-ICRAF Joint Lab on Agroforestry and Sustainable Animal Husbandry, World Agroforestry, East and Central Asia, Beijing 100193, China
- State Key Laboratory of Animal Nutrition, Institute of Animal Science, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100193, China
- World Agroforestry, East and Central Asia, Kunming 650201, China
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Quantitative and Qualitative Evaluation of Sorghum bicolor L. under Intercropping with Legumes and Different Weed Control Methods. HORTICULTURAE 2020. [DOI: 10.3390/horticulturae6040078] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
In order to evaluate the quantity and quality of forage when intercropping forage sorghum (Sorghum bicolor L.) with lathyrus (Lathyrus sativus) and hairy vetch (Vicia villosa), and using different weed management methods such as double cropping, a factorial experiment in a randomized complete block design with three replications was carried out at the research station of the University of Zanjan over two growing seasons (2015 and 2016). In this experiment, the intercropping of forage sorghum with lathyrus and hairy vetch at six levels with single cropping of forage sorghum, lathyrus, and hairy vetch, and three weed management strategies (no weed control, full weed control, and single weed control) was evaluated. The results showed that most forage sorghum traits were significantly (p ≤ 0.05) affected by different sowing ratios. The highest fresh forage yield of sorghum (77.9 ton/ha) and lowest (49.0 ton/ha) were obtained with sorghum + 33% hairy vetch and sorghum + 100% lathyrus, respectively. Forage qualitative traits were also affected by intercropping and weed management. The highest average acid detergent fiber (ADF), neutral detergent fiber (NDF), and total ash percentage (ASH) were obtained with 100% sorghum + 66% lathyrus and 33% hairy vetch. The results showed that sorghum intercropping with 33% lathyrus led to a significant reduction in dry matter intake and relative feed value with no weed control and single weed control. This study demonstrated that, by selecting the appropriate intercropping ratios and forage legumes, we could largely control sorghum weeds in addition to improving the quantitative and qualitative yield of sorghum forage.
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Ntakirutimana F, Xie W. Unveiling the Actual Functions of Awns in Grasses: From Yield Potential to Quality Traits. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:ijms21207593. [PMID: 33066600 PMCID: PMC7589186 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21207593] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/09/2020] [Revised: 10/08/2020] [Accepted: 10/12/2020] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Awns, which are either bristles or hair-like outgrowths of lemmas in the florets, are one of the typical morphological characteristics of grass species. These stiff structures contribute to grain dispersal and burial and fend off animal predators. However, their phenotypic and genetic associations with traits deciding potential yield and quality are not fully understood. Awns appear to improve photosynthesis, provide assimilates for grain filling, thus contributing to the final grain yield, especially under temperature- and water-stress conditions. Long awns, however, represent a competing sink with developing kernels for photosynthates, which can reduce grain yield under favorable conditions. In addition, long awns can hamper postharvest handling, storage, and processing activities. Overall, little is known about the elusive role of awns, thus, this review summarizes what is known about the effect of awns on grain yield and biomass yield, grain nutritional value, and forage-quality attributes. The influence of awns on the agronomic performance of grasses seems to be associated with environmental and genetic factors and varies in different stages of plant development. The contribution of awns to yield traits and quality features previously documented in major cereal crops, such as rice, barley, and wheat, emphasizes that awns can be targeted for yield and quality improvement and may advance research aimed at identifying the phenotypic effects of morphological traits in grasses.
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Kamau S, Belanche A, Davies T, Rees Stevens P, Humphreys M, Kingston‐Smith AH. A route to decreasing N pollution from livestock: Use of Festulolium hybrids improves efficiency of N flows in rumen simulation fermenters. Food Energy Secur 2020; 9:e209. [PMID: 32999716 PMCID: PMC7507801 DOI: 10.1002/fes3.209] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2019] [Revised: 04/12/2020] [Accepted: 04/29/2020] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Ruminant agriculture suffers from inefficient capture of forage protein and consequential release of N pollutants to land. This is due to proteolysis in the rumen catalyzed by both microbial but initially endogenous plant proteases. Plant breeding-based solutions are sought to minimize these negative environmental impacts. The aim of this study was to perform an integrated study of rumen N metabolism using semi-continuous rumen simulation fermenters (Rusitec) to explore the extent to which swards containing Festulolium populations (interspecific hybrids between Lolium and Festuca grass species) with decreased rates of endogenous protein degradation conferred advantageous protein utilization in comparison with a National Listed perennial ryegrass. An in vitro experiment was conducted using three Festulolium hybrids (Lolium perenne × Festuca arundinacea var. glaucescens, LpFg; Lolium perenne × Festuca mairei, LpFm; and Lolium multiflorum × Festuca arundinacea var. glaucescens, LmFg) and a Lolium perenne, Lp control. LpFm and LmFg demonstrated significantly lower plant-mediated proteolysis than the control. Fresh forage was incubated in Rusitec with rumen fluid from four donor cows. Feed disappearance and production of gas, methane, and volatile fatty acids were similar across cultivars. Whereas no differences in microbial protein synthesis were noted across treatments during early fermentation (0-6 hr after feeding), an increased microbial N flow in LpFm (+30%) and LmFg hybrids (+41%) was observed during late fermentation (6-24 hr after feeding), with higher overall microbial N flows (+13.5% and + 20.2%, respectively) compared with the control (Lp). We propose an underpinning mechanism involving the partitioning of amino acid catabolism toward branched-chain amino acids and microbial protein synthesis in grasses with slow plant-mediated proteolysis instead of accumulation of rumen ammonia in grasses with fast plant-mediated proteolysis. These observations indicate the potential of Festulolium hybrids with a slow plant-mediated proteolysis trait to improve the efficiency of capture of forage protein and decrease the release of N pollutants onto the land.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephen Kamau
- Institute of Biological, Environmental and Rural Sciences (IBERS)Aberystwyth UniversityAberystwythUK
| | - Alejandro Belanche
- Institute of Biological, Environmental and Rural Sciences (IBERS)Aberystwyth UniversityAberystwythUK
- Estacion Experimental del Zaidín (CSIC)GranadaSpain
| | - Teri Davies
- Institute of Biological, Environmental and Rural Sciences (IBERS)Aberystwyth UniversityAberystwythUK
| | - Pauline Rees Stevens
- Institute of Biological, Environmental and Rural Sciences (IBERS)Aberystwyth UniversityAberystwythUK
| | - Mike Humphreys
- Institute of Biological, Environmental and Rural Sciences (IBERS)Aberystwyth UniversityAberystwythUK
| | - Alison H. Kingston‐Smith
- Institute of Biological, Environmental and Rural Sciences (IBERS)Aberystwyth UniversityAberystwythUK
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Bateman CJ, Fourie J, Hsiao J, Irie K, Heslop A, Hilditch A, Hagedorn M, Jessep B, Gebbie S, Ghamkhar K. Assessment of Mixed Sward Using Context Sensitive Convolutional Neural Networks. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2020; 11:159. [PMID: 32174941 PMCID: PMC7056886 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2020.00159] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/02/2019] [Accepted: 02/03/2020] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Breeding higher yielding forage species is limited by current manual harvesting and visual scoring techniques used for measuring or estimation of biomass. Automation and remote sensing for high throughput phenotyping has been used in recent years as a viable solution to this bottleneck. Here, we focus on using RGB imaging and deep learning for white clover (Trifolium repens L.) and perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne L.) yield estimation in a mixed sward. We present a new convolutional neural network (CNN) architecture designed for semantic segmentation of dense pasture and canopies with high occlusion to which we have named the local context network (LC-Net). On our testing data set we obtain a mean accuracy of 95.4% and a mean intersection over union of 81.3%, outperforming other methods we have found in the literature for segmenting clover from ryegrass. Comparing the clover/vegetation fraction for visual coverage and harvested dry-matter however showed little improvement from the segmentation accuracy gains. Further gains in biomass estimation accuracy may be achievable through combining RGB with complimentary information such as volumetric data from other sensors, which will form the basis of our future work.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Jaco Fourie
- Lincoln Agritech Limited, Lincoln University, Lincoln, New Zealand
| | - Jeffrey Hsiao
- Lincoln Agritech Limited, Lincoln University, Lincoln, New Zealand
| | - Kenji Irie
- Red Fern, Solutions Limited, Christchurch, New Zealand
| | - Angus Heslop
- Development Engineering, Lincoln Research Centre, AgResearch, Lincoln, New Zealand
| | - Anthony Hilditch
- Development Engineering, Lincoln Research Centre, AgResearch, Lincoln, New Zealand
| | | | - Bruce Jessep
- Development Engineering, Lincoln Research Centre, AgResearch, Lincoln, New Zealand
| | - Steve Gebbie
- Development Engineering, Lincoln Research Centre, AgResearch, Lincoln, New Zealand
| | - Kioumars Ghamkhar
- Forage, Science, Grasslands Research Centre, AgResearch, Palmerston North, New Zealand
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Fernandez-Turren G, Repetto JL, Arroyo JM, Pérez-Ruchel A, Cajarville C. Lamb Fattening Under Intensive Pasture-Based Systems: A Review. Animals (Basel) 2020; 10:E382. [PMID: 32120943 PMCID: PMC7143110 DOI: 10.3390/ani10030382] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2020] [Revised: 02/13/2020] [Accepted: 02/14/2020] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
The benefits of pasture-based systems on the fatty acid composition of sheep meat appear to be achievable despite variability in the quality of the pastures. Lambs fed high levels of temperate pastures have an excess of N-ammonia derived from protein degradation. Furthermore, animal performance is highly variable depending on the quality of the pasture at the time of grazing, and high animal performance in these systems appears to be linked to the use of high-quality pastures with high availability, and is possibly added to by the inclusion of concentrates that allow increasing energy intake and a better use of the N in the pasture. The combination of high-quality pastures and total mixed ration offers a good alternative to the inclusion of concentrates in the diet, improving the use of N, and avoiding acidosis problems. However, information to determine the effect of a number of nutritional strategies on meat quality, and the minimum level of pasture intake necessary to achieve the benefits of pastoral systems is still lacking.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gonzalo Fernandez-Turren
- Departamento de Producción Animal, IPAV, Facultad de Veterinaria, Universidad de la República, Ruta 1 km 42,5 km, San José 80100, Uruguay; (J.L.R.); (J.M.A.); (A.P.-R.); (C.C.)
| | - José L. Repetto
- Departamento de Producción Animal, IPAV, Facultad de Veterinaria, Universidad de la República, Ruta 1 km 42,5 km, San José 80100, Uruguay; (J.L.R.); (J.M.A.); (A.P.-R.); (C.C.)
| | - José M. Arroyo
- Departamento de Producción Animal, IPAV, Facultad de Veterinaria, Universidad de la República, Ruta 1 km 42,5 km, San José 80100, Uruguay; (J.L.R.); (J.M.A.); (A.P.-R.); (C.C.)
- Programa Nacional de Investigación en Pasturas y Forrajes, Instituto Nacional de Investigación Agropecuaria, La Estanzuela 70002, Colonia, Uruguay
| | - Analía Pérez-Ruchel
- Departamento de Producción Animal, IPAV, Facultad de Veterinaria, Universidad de la República, Ruta 1 km 42,5 km, San José 80100, Uruguay; (J.L.R.); (J.M.A.); (A.P.-R.); (C.C.)
| | - Cecilia Cajarville
- Departamento de Producción Animal, IPAV, Facultad de Veterinaria, Universidad de la República, Ruta 1 km 42,5 km, San José 80100, Uruguay; (J.L.R.); (J.M.A.); (A.P.-R.); (C.C.)
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Kumssa DB, Lovatt JA, Graham NS, Palmer S, Hayden R, Wilson L, Young SD, Lark RM, Penrose B, Ander EL, Thompson R, Jiang LX, Broadley MR. Magnesium biofortification of Italian ryegrass ( Lolium multiflorum L.) via agronomy and breeding as a potential way to reduce grass tetany in grazing ruminants. PLANT AND SOIL 2020; 457:25-41. [PMID: 33268909 PMCID: PMC7686178 DOI: 10.1007/s11104-019-04337-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2019] [Accepted: 10/14/2019] [Indexed: 05/20/2023]
Abstract
AIM Magnesium (Mg) deficiency (known as grass tetany) is a serious metabolic disorder that affects grazing ruminants. We tested whether Mg-fertiliser can increase Mg concentration of Italian ryegrasses (Lolium multiflorum L.) including a cultivar (cv. Bb2067; 'Magnet'), bred to accumulate larger concentrations of Mg. METHODS Under controlled environment (CE) conditions, three cultivars (cv. Bb2067, cv. Bb2068, cv. RvP) were grown in low-nutrient compost at six fertiliser rates (0-1500 μM MgCl2.6H2O). Under field conditions, the three cultivars in the CE condition and cv. Alamo were grown at two sites, and four rates of MgSO4 fertiliser application rates (0-200 kg ha-1 MgO). Multiple grass cuts were taken over two-years. RESULTS Grass Mg concentration increased with increasing Mg-fertiliser application rates in all cultivars and conditions. Under field conditions, cv. Bb2067 had 11-73% greater grass Mg concentration and smaller forage tetany index (FTI) than other cultivars across the Mg-fertiliser application rates, sites and cuts. Grass dry matter (DM) yield of cv. Bb2067 was significantly (p < 0.05) smaller than cv. Alamo. The effect of Mg-fertiliser rate on DM yield was not significant (p ≥ 0.05). CONCLUSIONS Biofortification of grass with Mg through breeding and agronomy can improve the forage Mg concentration for grazing ruminants, even in high-growth spring grass conditions when hypomagnesaemia is most prevalent. Response to agronomic biofortification varied with cultivar, Mg-fertiliser rate, site and weather. The cost:benefit of these approaches and farmer acceptability, and the impact on cattle and sheep grazing on grasses biofortified with Mg requires further investigation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Diriba B. Kumssa
- School of Biosciences, University of Nottingham, Sutton Bonington Campus, Leicestershire, UK
| | - J. Alan Lovatt
- Institute of Biological, Environmental and Rural Sciences (IBERS), Aberystwyth University, Aberystwyth, UK
| | - Neil S. Graham
- School of Biosciences, University of Nottingham, Sutton Bonington Campus, Leicestershire, UK
| | - Sarah Palmer
- Institute of Biological, Environmental and Rural Sciences (IBERS), Aberystwyth University, Aberystwyth, UK
| | - Rory Hayden
- School of Biosciences, University of Nottingham, Sutton Bonington Campus, Leicestershire, UK
| | - Lolita Wilson
- School of Biosciences, University of Nottingham, Sutton Bonington Campus, Leicestershire, UK
| | - Scott D. Young
- School of Biosciences, University of Nottingham, Sutton Bonington Campus, Leicestershire, UK
| | - R. Murray Lark
- School of Biosciences, University of Nottingham, Sutton Bonington Campus, Leicestershire, UK
| | - Beth Penrose
- Tasmanian Institute of Agriculture, University of Tasmania, Hobart, Tasmania Australia
| | - E. Louise Ander
- Inorganic Geochemistry, Centre for Environmental Geochemistry, British Geological Survey, Keyworth, Nottinghamshire, UK
| | | | - Lin-Xi Jiang
- School of Biosciences, University of Nottingham, Sutton Bonington Campus, Leicestershire, UK
| | - Martin R. Broadley
- School of Biosciences, University of Nottingham, Sutton Bonington Campus, Leicestershire, UK
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Al-Rowaily SL, Abd-ElGawad AM, Alghanem SM, Al-Taisan WA, El-Amier YA. Nutritional Value, Mineral Composition, Secondary Metabolites, and Antioxidant Activity of Some Wild Geophyte Sedges and Grasses. PLANTS 2019; 8:plants8120569. [PMID: 31817156 PMCID: PMC6963330 DOI: 10.3390/plants8120569] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2019] [Revised: 11/29/2019] [Accepted: 12/02/2019] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Geophytes are plants with underground storage organs including bulbs, corms, tubers, and rhizomes, often physiologically active and able to survive during harsh environmental conditions. This study is conducted to assess the nutritive value, mineral composition, bioactive metabolites, and antioxidant activity of five wild geophytes (Cyperus capitatus, C. conglomeratus, Elymus farctus, Lasiurus scindicus, and Panicum turgidum) collected from the Nile Delta coast and inland desert. The proximate composition including dry matter, moisture content, ash content, fiber, fat, protein, sucrose, and glucose were determined. Also, total carbohydrates, total digestible nutrients (TDN), and nutritive values were calculated. Macro- and micro-minerals were also determined in the studied geophytes. Total phenolics, total flavonoids, alkaloids, saponins, and tannins were determined. Antioxidant activity was evaluated based on 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radicle scavenging. Based on the nutritive value, the studied geophytes are ranked as follows: E. farctus > C. conglomeratus > L. scindicus > P. turgidum > C. capitatus. The mineral analysis reveals a sufficient amount of macro- and micro-elements in the studied geophytes while the microelements levels in the studied wild plants exist as Fe > Mn > Zn > Cu. Cyperus conglomeratus attained the highest concentrations of all determined secondary metabolites. On the other hand, C. conglomeratus, C. capitatus, and P. turgidum extracts showed strong scavenging activity (EC50 < 1 mg mL-1), while extracts of E. farctus and L. scindicus exhibited moderate scavenging activity (1 ≤ EC50 ≤ 2 mg mL-1). The present data reveal that geophytes under investigation could be used as good forage plants, especially in arid habitats. In addition, C. conglomeratus could be a potentially important candidate for natural antioxidants as it attained high contents of the bioactive constituents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Saud L. Al-Rowaily
- Plant Production Department, College of Food & Agriculture Sciences, King Saud University, P.O. Box 2460, Riyadh 11451, Saudi Arabia;
| | - Ahmed M. Abd-ElGawad
- Plant Production Department, College of Food & Agriculture Sciences, King Saud University, P.O. Box 2460, Riyadh 11451, Saudi Arabia;
- Department of Botany, Faculty of Science, Mansoura University, Mansoura 35516, Egypt;
- Correspondence: or ; Tel.: +20-1003438980 or +966-562680864
| | - Suliman M. Alghanem
- Biology Department, Faculty of Science, Tabuk University, Tabuk 71491, Saudi Arabia;
| | - Wafa’a A. Al-Taisan
- Department of Biology, College of Science, Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University, P.O. Box 1982, Dammam 31441, Saudi Arabia;
| | - Yasser A. El-Amier
- Department of Botany, Faculty of Science, Mansoura University, Mansoura 35516, Egypt;
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Ntakirutimana F, Xiao B, Xie W, Zhang J, Zhang Z, Wang N, Yan J. Potential Effects of Awn Length Variation on Seed Yield and Components, Seed Dispersal and Germination Performance in Siberian Wildrye ( Elymus sibiricus L.). PLANTS 2019; 8:plants8120561. [PMID: 31805733 PMCID: PMC6963408 DOI: 10.3390/plants8120561] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/22/2019] [Revised: 11/23/2019] [Accepted: 11/27/2019] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
: Awns, needle-like structures formed on the distal of the lemmas in the florets, are of interest because of their essential roles in seed dispersal, germination and photosynthesis. Previous research has reported the potential benefits of awns in major cereal grasses, yet reports on the agronomic and economic implications of awn length variation in forage grasses remain scarce. This study investigated the variation of awn length among 20 Siberian wildrye populations and the effect of awn length on seed yield and yield components. This work then studied the impact of awn length on seed dispersal and germination. The analyses indicated a high level of awn length variation among populations. Awn length showed a significant influence on harvested seed yield per plant (p < 0.05) mostly driven by interactions between awn length and the majority of seed yield components. Principal component analysis clearly revealed that the final impact of awn length on seed yield depends on the balance of its positive and negative effects on traits determining seed yield. Furthermore, awn length tended to increase seed dispersal distance, although little diversity in the nature of this progression was observed in some populations. Awn length exhibited a significant relationship (p < 0.05) with germination percentage. It also tended to shorten germination duration, although this interaction was not statistically significant. Collectively, these results provide vital information for breeding and agronomic programs aiming to maintain yield in grasses. This is the first report to demonstrate in Siberian wildrye the agronomic impacts of awn length variation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fabrice Ntakirutimana
- State Key Laboratory of Grassland Agro-Ecosystems, Key Laboratory of Grassland Livestock Industry Innovation, Ministry of Agriculture, College of Pastoral Agriculture Science and Technology, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730020, China; (F.N.); (B.X.); (J.Z.); (Z.Z.); (N.W.)
| | - Bowen Xiao
- State Key Laboratory of Grassland Agro-Ecosystems, Key Laboratory of Grassland Livestock Industry Innovation, Ministry of Agriculture, College of Pastoral Agriculture Science and Technology, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730020, China; (F.N.); (B.X.); (J.Z.); (Z.Z.); (N.W.)
| | - Wengang Xie
- State Key Laboratory of Grassland Agro-Ecosystems, Key Laboratory of Grassland Livestock Industry Innovation, Ministry of Agriculture, College of Pastoral Agriculture Science and Technology, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730020, China; (F.N.); (B.X.); (J.Z.); (Z.Z.); (N.W.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +86-931-891-3014
| | - Junchao Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Grassland Agro-Ecosystems, Key Laboratory of Grassland Livestock Industry Innovation, Ministry of Agriculture, College of Pastoral Agriculture Science and Technology, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730020, China; (F.N.); (B.X.); (J.Z.); (Z.Z.); (N.W.)
| | - Zongyu Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Grassland Agro-Ecosystems, Key Laboratory of Grassland Livestock Industry Innovation, Ministry of Agriculture, College of Pastoral Agriculture Science and Technology, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730020, China; (F.N.); (B.X.); (J.Z.); (Z.Z.); (N.W.)
| | - Na Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Grassland Agro-Ecosystems, Key Laboratory of Grassland Livestock Industry Innovation, Ministry of Agriculture, College of Pastoral Agriculture Science and Technology, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730020, China; (F.N.); (B.X.); (J.Z.); (Z.Z.); (N.W.)
| | - Jiajun Yan
- Sichuan Academy of Grassland Science, Chengdu 611731, China;
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Cheng A, Raai MN, Zain NAM, Massawe F, Singh A, Wan-Mohtar WAAQI. In search of alternative proteins: unlocking the potential of underutilized tropical legumes. Food Secur 2019. [DOI: 10.1007/s12571-019-00977-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
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49
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Movedi E, Bellocchi G, Argenti G, Paleari L, Vesely F, Staglianò N, Dibari C, Confalonieri R. Development of generic crop models for simulation of multi-species plant communities in mown grasslands. Ecol Modell 2019. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ecolmodel.2019.03.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
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50
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Thomson A, Humphries D, Archer J, Grant N, Reynolds C. Short communication: A survey of grass-clover ley management and creation of a near infra-red reflectance spectroscopy equation to predict clover concentration. Anim Feed Sci Technol 2018. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anifeedsci.2018.09.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/28/2022]
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