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Fungal pretreatment of plant biomass is often assessed by using single plant genotypes and single fungal strains, but can the process be improved by harmonizing both, thus selecting specific substrate-fungus combinations? To tackle this question, we treated four Miscanthus sinensis genotypes with four Ceriporiopsis subvermispora strains and thoroughly analyzed substrates and treated residues. The M. sinensis genotypes differed in cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin contents and lignin-wise diverged in subunit and linkage composition and the incorporation of hydroxycinnamic acids and tricin. Independently of the M. sinensis genotype used, C. subvermispora strain MES13904 outperformed the other three strains in extent and selectivity of delignification and consistently generated the highest enzymatic residual carbohydrate conversion and structural changes in the residual lignin. The “best” substrate-fungus combination gave 63% w/w delignification and a total enzymatic glucose yield of 66% w/w, while the “worst” combination led to 3% w/w lignin removal only and negligible glucose yield improvement. Our study highlights that white-rot fungal treatment of plant biomass is driven by both compositional and structural features of the substrate as well as the genetic makeup of the fungal strain used. These insights contribute to expediting the biological valorization of lignocellulose and ultimately to enabling more controlled fungal pretreatments.

The phenolic components of virgin olive oil (VOO) are key to the organoleptic and functional quality of this emblematic food of the Mediterranean diet. Olive breeding for improving VOO phenolic fraction, including both phenolic compounds with secoiridoid structures and tocopherols, depends largely on the identification and characterization of the key genes determining the biosynthesis of these compounds in the olive fruit as well as those that transform these phenolic components during the oil extraction process. However, there is very little knowledge about the key genes/enzymes controlling these metabolic processes. In this work, the role of olive polyphenol oxidase (PPO) in the metabolism of olive phenolic compounds has been studied. Three PPO genes have been identified from a transcriptome obtained from six olive cultivars with highly contrasting phenolic contents. These genes were expressed in Escherichia coli and the functional identity of the recombinant proteins verified using olive phenolic substrates. The OePPO1 and OePPO2 proteins exhibit diphenolase activity, while OePPO3 is a tyrosinase that not only possesses diphenolase but also monophenolase activity, able to catalyse the hydroxylation of tyrosol to form hydroxytyrosol. The role of these PPO genes in the metabolism of phenolic compounds in the olive is analysed and the potential use of this information for olive breeding is discussed.

Virgin olive oil (VOO) represents the main source of lipids in the Mediterranean diet, its phenolic fraction being one of the main contributors to the health-promoting properties of this diet. Phenolic composition of VOO is directly related to the content of phenolic glycosides present in the olive fruit, which undergo a series of modifications during the oil extraction process. The vast majority of these phenolic glycosides comprise phenylethanoid derivatives of tyrosol and hydroxytyrosol whose metabolic origin are the hydroxylated aromatic amino acids 4-hydroxyphenylalanine (tyrosine) and 3,4-dihydroxyphenylalanine (L-DOPA). However, the synthesis of phenolic compounds in plants has traditionally been linked to the action of the phenylalanine ammonia-lyase (PAL) enzymes on the non-hydroxylated aromatic amino acid phenylalanine, thus constituting the first step in the biosynthetic pathway of different families of phenolic compounds known as phenylpropanoids. In this research, the implication of PAL in the conformation of the phenolic profile of olive fruit and VOO has been studied through the combined analysis of phenolic composition, PAL activity and gene expression in the mesocarp of the fruit from olive cultivars whose oils have very contrasting phenolic contents. According to the data, the role of PAL would be restricted to the most advanced stages of the fruit ripening process, controlling the channeling of phenylalanine towards the synthesis of phenylpropanoids, mainly anthocyanins, and thus reducing the metabolisation of tyrosine and L-DOPA towards the synthesis of phenylethanoids. Consequently, it is advisable not to use the selection of olive cultivars based on molecular markers related to PAL genes in olive breeding programs aimed at obtaining cultivars that give rise to oils with improved functional properties.

Purpose and Objectives. To select highly adaptable watermelon starting material by the main indicators of the performance (yield and average marketable fruit weight). Materials and Methods. The watermelon collection was investigated: 101 cultivars and lines from 9 countries (55 accessions from Ukraine, 23 - from Russia, 8 - from China, 5 - from the USA, 3 - from Moldova, 2 - from Kazakhstan, Thailand and the Czech Republic each, and 1 - from Italy). A Ukrainian cultivar, Maks Plus, was taken as the check accession. The following parameters were calculated: Vi - general adaptive capacity (GAC), σ2SACi - specific adaptive capacity (SAC), Sgi - genotype stability, bi - regression coefficient of the genotype's response to changing conditions (plasticity), and GBVi – genotype breeding value. AV Kilchevskyi and LV Khotylyova’s method was applied to estimate the parameters of adaptive capacity and stability of the genotypes. The environmental plasticity coefficients (bi) were calculated according to SA Eberhart and WA Russel algorithm. Data were statistically processed, as BA Dospekhov recommended. Results and Discussion. The adaptive potential of the watermelon collection was evaluated for the following traits: total yield, marketable yield, and average marketable fruit weight. The variation amplitude (Am) of the "total yield" trait based on the averaged three-year data on the collection was 51.26; the variation range was 15.07 - 66.33 t/ha. In the check accession, Maks Plus, the mean total yield across the 3 years was 64.72 t/ha. For further work, we selected 31 collection accessions, basing on the total yield” trait. The adaptability parameters of the collection watermelon accessions for the "marketable yield" trait differed somewhat from those for the “total yield” trait. From the averaged three-year data, the variation amplitude (Am) of the "marketable yield" trait was 51.15 t/ha; the variation range of this trait was 13.19 - 64.34 t/ha. The variation amplitude of the "average marketable fruit weight" trait based on the averaged three-year data was 3.00 kg. The variation range of this trait was 0.99–3.99 kg. The average fruit weight in the sample across the 3 years was 2.14 kg. In the check cultivar, Maks Plus, the average fruit weight was 2.50 kg. For the breeding for the characteristics under investigation, accessions of practical value, with high values of the general adaptive capacity, stability, and genotype breeding value were selected. By the environmental plasticity coefficient bi, the collection watermelon accessions were categorized as low-, mid- and highly plastic in terms of the characteristics under investigation: intensive accessions with enhanced responses to growing conditions, accessions with moderate levels of the environmental plasticity, and highly plastic accessions, which slightly respond to changes in growing conditions.

Purpose and Objectives. Our purpose was to find available information on the sunflower breeding for resistance to the broomrape. To achieve this purpose, we solved following tasks: to review publications covering the history and current state of research into the subject; find out the specifics of such studies; and to highlight the main unresolved issues for the organization of further work. Materials and Methods. Publications of Ukrainian and foreign scientists became the material for the study: articles in journals and conference abstracts. Results and Discussion. In the article, publications covering domestic and foreign studies of the peculiarities of sunflower breeding for resistance to the parasitic plant Orobanche cumana Wallr. are collected and reviewed. The changes in the race composition of the parasite since the beginning of the 19th century, which have accelerated in recent years, are described. Experiments and breeding for resistance to the broomrape began in 1909-1913, when there was only one (the first) broomrape race A. Currently, the existence of the seventh race (G) and the broomrape biotypes affecting race G-resistant sunflower accessions has been recognized in the world. During the last 20 years, the appearance of new broomrape races was observed in the countries where sunflowers are grown with violations of crop rotation requirements. Marking resistance genes of domestic plants and determining the molecular polymorphism of both host and parasitic plants are important problems of genetics, solving of which is aimed at the improvement of sunflowers in terms of resistance to the broomrape. The identification of genes of resistance to the broomrape and the development of methods for their marking are discussed. Studies in the genetics of resistance to O. cumana are limited by few relevant molecular markers. Scientists announced that they had onstructed a molecular genetic map of linkage groups with the Or7 gene of resistance to race G. Genetic studies of the broomrape as a plant are mainly focused on the structure and genetic diversity of parasite populations. The broomrape aggressiveness depends on weather and climate, so an increase in temperatures and lack of precipitation can lead to the broomrape spread over large areas. Scientists adapt the phytotron test for resistance to the broomrape to modern equipment, developing certain methodological subtleties. In addition, new methods of evaluation are developed: histological and molecular genetic assessments Conclusions. The sunflower broomrape is one of the main biotic factors that harm the crop fields. The peculiarity of the breeding for resistance is associated with continuous formation of new races of the parasite. Studies by scientists from different countries on the formation of new physiological races of the broomrape indicate the annually growing threat from the parasite, the need for constant monitoring of broomrape populations and the continuous development of research in this direction. Several genes of resistance to the broomrape have been identified; methods of their marking have been developed; this ensures success in improving the existing and developing new progressive approaches in the sunflower breeding for resistance to the parasite. The specificity of control of resistance to the broomrape, which is determined by genetic factors, was established. Thus, genetic methods are the best ones to fight against the broomrape. However, inheritance patterns of resistance to new, virulent, widespread in Ukraine broomrape races are not described in the literature, though it is important for the creation of commercial hybrids. The relationships between resistance to new virulent broomrape races, which are common in Ukraine, and valuable economic characteristics in F1 hybrids should be also studied. Taking into account the recent climatic changes, in particular a rise in air temperatures and consequences of this global process, one can predict an increase in the intensity of damage to sunflowers by the parasite, which prompts breeders of the crop to combine resistance to adverse abiotic factors and resistance to the broomrape

Purpose and Objectives. To evaluate the expression of the "protein content in grain" trait in winter bread wheat lines derived from late-ripening accessions of the Western European ecotype; to construct correlation-regression models for the relationships of the protein content in grain with the "anthesis - grain ripeness" interphase period length and grain yield in elite accessions grown in breeding nurseries. Material and Methods. The field studies were carried out at the Institute of Irrigated Agriculture of NAAS in 2019–2021. Modern winter wheat varieties bred at the Institute, collection specimens of the Western European ecotype, which had been introduced from France (registration numbers Kf1...16), and their hybrids were studied. Individual selections of elite plants from F2 were brought to the control nursery and evaluated for protein content in grain, yield, "anthesis - ripeness" period and other economic characteristics. Biometric measurements, biochemical analyses, and yield records were conducted by traditional methods. The study methods were field, laboratory, biochemical, breeding-genetic, and statistical. The studies were carried out under irrigation conditions at the pre-irrigation field moisture capacity (FMC) in the 0–50 cm soil layer of 75%. Results and Discussion. The expression of the "protein content in grain" trait in the breeding accessions selected from hybrid populations, which had been originated from Western European ecotypes of winter bread wheat, was analyzed; the correlation-regression models of the relationships between the protein content in grain, the grain yield and the "anthesis - ripeness" period were constructed. The “anthesis – ripeness” period in the best accessions lasted 45 - 52 days, and each original hybrid combination had its own optimum, which was associated with a high yield and protein content in grain. Extension of the "anthesis - ripeness" period slightly increased the grain yields of the breeding accessions from some hybrid populations; however, analogous effect on the protein content in grain was insignificant. Conclusions. A concurrent increase in the grain yield and protein content in grain through traditional selections is possible; however, such parallel enhancement of these traits is more suitable for heterogeneous hybrid populations with low protein contents grain and yields, or with low values of one of these traits (low protein content). For each hybrid population from parents contrasting in vegetation length, it is necessary to develop a specific plan of selections with due account for intra-population correlation-regression models of yield capacity, protein content in grain and “anthesis – ripeness” period length.

A cross-sectional and retrospective survey was conducted from September 2021 to January 2022 in the provinces of Chari-Baguirmi and Mandoul (Chad) aiming at analyzing the husbandry and breeding features of Fulani sheep. A total of 144 sheep keepers owning the Fulani sheep breed were surveyed on the basis of their willingness to freely participate. Results show that the respondents belong in majority to Arab and Fulani ethnic groups. Youths and adults were the major groups of keepers (74.98%) followed by the group of above 50 years old (25%). The majority of respondents were married (98.1%). Monogamous families were more represented (63.19%) followed by polygamous families (34.72%). Large majority did not attend formal instruction level (61.80%), followed by 38.20% (either in Arabic or in French). Small family to medium family sizes were more represented (73.91%) compared to larger family size (27.07%). The main activity was livestock husbandry (91.66%), followed by crop production (69.44%) as a secondary activity. Inheritance and purchase constituted the mode of acquisition of Fulani sheep. Mobility was largely based on transhumance (95.48%) for pastoral lands (61.80%) and water sources (40.97%). About 93.75% of sampled herders were homeless and about 6.24% of them stock their flocks in paddocks made up of thorns. Natural carbonate soda source known as “Lime” was used as a mineral supplement in the rainy season by 45.76% of respondents (August-September). Groundnut cake (23.3%), cereal bran (18.21%) and cottonseed cake (11.86%) were used during the lean season (March-May) as supplementary feeds. Combined prophylaxis (vaccination and deworming) and deworming was practiced respectively by 55.54% and 15.6% as opposed to 26.48% who were reported to be without prophylaxis. Keeping the Fulani sheep was provided by family labor 54.5% followed by permanent employees who were mostly Fulani shepherds (29.72%). In terms of exploitation, reproduction (85.02%) was the main source to maintain flocks, where sales (40%), mortalities (29.4%) and slaughtering (19.5%) were the main factors affecting decrease in flock size. This study provides a better perception on the farming and breeding practices of the Fulani sheep of Chad. Thus, the sustainable use and enhancement of this sheep genetic resource require a better understanding of both phenotypic and molecular characteristics.

Urbanization and fisheries affected a rapid increase in seagull populations in western Mediterranean populations of the yellow-legged gull. The main reason is the increased food resources such as fisheries, big ports, and dumps. In this study, we aimed to understand and to compare the breeding biology of the yellow-legged gull in eastern Mediterranean. We studied on the small island in southwestern Türkiye between 2013 and 2015. All nesting sites were determined, marked, and monitored once a week. The breeding season has started in late February, nesting and laying eggs have started at the beginning of March, and they left the island in the second half of June after fledging. The incubation period is 29.17±2.85 days, only one clutch in a season and 2 or 3 eggs were laid in the nests. There was a slight increase in the number of pairs and nests between years but there is no significant difference in all parameters such as laying date, clutch size, hatching and fledging success in Pırasalı Island population and the rate of both hatching and fledging success are lower than western Mediterranean populations. While predation is the weakest factor for lower breeding success, intraspecific predation may be the factor but the main effect is the lower food abundance for the hatchlings., Kentleşme ve balıkçılık Gümüş martı populasyonlarının Batı Akdeniz’de hızla artmasında etkili olmuştur. Balıkçılık, büyük limanlar ve çöplükler gibi artan gıda kaynakları bu artışın ana sebepleridir. Bu çalışmada, Doğu Akdeniz’de kuluçkaya yatan Gümüş martı üreme biyolojisini belirlemek ve karşılaştırma yapmak amaçlanmıştır. Türkiye’nin güneybatısında yer alan küçük bir ada popülasyonu 2013-2015 yıllarında çalışılmıştır. Tüm yuva alanları tespit edilmiş, işaretlenmiş ve haftada bir gün izlenmiştir. Üreme dönemi Şubat ayı sonlarında başlamış, yuva yapımı ve yumurta bırakma mart ayı başlarında gerçekleşmiş ve yavruların uçmasıyla birlikte tüm popülasyon Haziran ayının ikinci yarısında adadan ayrılmıştır. Kuluçka süresi 29.17±2.85 gün, üreme döneminde sadece bir kuluçka gerçekleştirilmiş ve yuvalara 2 veya 3 yumurta bırakılmıştır. Pırasalı Adası popülasyonunda yıllar arasında çift sayıları ve yuva sayıları açısından küçük bir artış olmasına rağmen, yumurta bırakma tarihi, kuluçka sayısı, yumurtadan çıkan yavru başarısı ve yuvadan uçan yavru başarısı parametrelerinde istatistiksel anlamda bir farklılık bulunmamıştır. Yumurtadan çıkan yavru başarısı ve yuvadan uçan yavru başarısı oranları Batı Akdeniz popülasyonlarından daha düşüktür. Predasyon düşük üreme başarısı için düşük bir faktörken, tür içi predasyon belki etkili olabilir, ancak yumurtadan çıkan yavrular için düşük besin bolluğu temel etkidir.

Ege Bölgesinin ekolojik koşullarına ve tarla sistemine uygun, ot ve tohum verimi yüksek, kaliteli hastalıklara mukavim, tek yıllık bazı baklagil türlerini ıslah ederek çeşit geliştirmek amacı ile 1967 yılında başlatılan ‘Ege Bölgesi Yem Bitkileri Araştırmaları’ projesi kapsamında günümüze kadar 12 adet adi fiğ (Vicia sativa L.) çeşidi geliştirilmiştir. Türkiye’nin çeşitli yörelerinden toplanan yerel populasyonların değerlendirildiği çalışmada, saf hat seleksiyonu ve melezleme yöntemi kullanılmıştır. Çalışmanın ilk çıktısı, 1979 yılında tescil edilen Ürem 79 çeşidi olmuştur. Islah çalışmalarında önemli kavşaklardan ilki 1982 yılında erkenci ve daha kararlı bir çeşit olan, pamuk tarımında kışlık ara ürün olarak kullanılmaya çok elverişli Kubilay 82 çeşidinin geliştirilmesidir. İkincisi de yüksek hızlı dane doldurma özelliği ile öne çıkan erkenci, tohum verimi yüksek olan Selçuk 99 ve Cumhuriyet 99 çeşitlerinin tescil ettirilmesidir. Üçüncüsü ise yapılan melezleme çalışmaları neticesinde erkenci, kuru madde ve tohum verimleri yüksek, 2010 yılında tescil edilen Alper ile 2013 yılında tescil edilen Doruk ve Ürkmez çeşitlerinin sektöre kazandırılması ile olmuştur. Geliştirilen çeşitler, bölgemiz ve benzer iklim koşullarına uygunluğu ve yüksek verimleri ile önemli bir ekiliş alanına sahip olup sertifikalı tohumluk üretimine dolayısıyla ülke tohumculuğuna büyük katkı sağlamıştır., A project emtitled ‘Aegean Region Forage Crops Researches’ with the aim of breeding annual legume varieties with high yield and high disease tolerance and suitable to Aegean climatic conditions and field crop patterns was initiated in 1967. Twelve common vetch (Vicia sativa L.) varieties developed have been registered so far. Materials utilized in the project were common vetch local cultivars and populations collected from different parts of Türkiye. Methods used were single plant selection (pure line selection) and crossing. The first outcome of the project was cultivar Urem 79 which was registered in 1979. The first milestone of breeding studies was the development of the early and more determinate cultivar Kubilay 82 registered in 1982 which was more suitable to winter intercropping in cotton producing areas. The second milestone was the registration of cultivars Selcuk 99 and Cumhuriyet 99 both having earliness, fast pod filling and high seed yielding properties. The third milestone was to develop the early, high dry matter and seed yielding cultivars named Alper, Doruk and Urkmez in 2010 and 2013 by using crossing method.

Introduction.National varietal plant resources are of particular importance for the economic development of Ukraine, because they ensure the stability of the crop industry as a component of the country’s food security. The analysis of the historiography of the development of the state variety testing since 1923 showed the lack of a systematic study of the formation of the State Register of Plant Varieties suitable for distribution in Ukraine (hereinafter – the Register of Plant Varieties of Ukraine).Purpose.To reveal the historical stages of the formation of national plant varietal resources, and substantiate the concept of their development.Methods.A collection of commonly known plant varieties that are or were in commercial circulation. Research methods – general scientific: hypothesis, observation, analysis, synthesis method for drawing conclusions; source study database with elements of extrapolation, which is formed based on the results of field, laboratory and analytical research.Results.The study of the history of state variety testing regulation made it possible to find out that the variety testing netork in Ukraine was established in 1923. The refore, the formation of national varietal plant resources has its own almost a hundred-year history. At all historical stages of the formation of national varietal resources, a variety with a complex of its morphobiological and economically valuable characteristics remains the subject of the research. State registration of a variety or rights to it ensures the commercial circulation of the variety. Identification of plant varieties, as the basis for varietal certification, increases the turnover of varieties on the market, ensures the growth of production volumes and improves the quality of crop products. Plant varieties distributed on the territory of Ukraine correspond to the criteria of distinctness, uniformity and stability generally accepted in international practice; meet the needs of consumers in terms of economically valuable characteristics; do not threaten the environment and human health. The formation of national plant varietal resources takes place in stages with the tendency to increase the economically valuable criteria, which ensures the competitiveness of the modern market of varieties and seeds in accordance with international requirements.Conclusions.The formation of plant varietal resources to meet the needs of consumers and/or breeding practice in Ukraine took place due to rather long historical stages of development and introduction of plant diversity, forms, criteria and methodology of varietal testing in time and space. The substantiation of the historical aspects of the concept of the varietal resources formation will allow optimizing the structure of the variety testing network, organizational foundations of the state registration of varieties and the protection of breeder’s rights.

In 11 promising peach hybrids obtained from crossing ‘Flaminia’ × ‘Autumnglo’, the flower traits, flowering and fruit set were studied during the two-year period. Significant differences between the studied hybrids were determined for most investigated flower traits, except for petal shape index. Regarding the characteristics of flowering and fruit set, significant differences were observed only for the flower density and initial fruit set. The highest flower diameter (5.0 cm), petal length (2.4 cm) and width (2.1 cm) were observed in hybrid FA11. Petal shape index was the highest in hybrid FA6 (1.16) and length of pistil in hybrid FA4 (1.5 cm). Start of bloom ranged from March 29 to March 31, full bloom from March 31 to April 3, and end of bloom from April 7 to April 14. The highest flower density was observed in FA2 hybrid (5.0), and the lowest in FA5 hybrid (2.0). The initial fruit set ranged from 55.5% (hybrid FA4) to 85.2% (hybrid FA8), and the final fruit set from 22.8% (hybrid FA11) to 42.0% (hybrid FA5). The lowest coefficient of variation was observed for start of bloom (2.3%), full bloom (2.4%) and petal shape index (2.6%), while the highest variation was observed for end of bloom (14.3%), final fruit set (17.6%) and flower density (21.1%). The highest heritability was observed for flower diameter (93.1%), and petal width (90.0%) and length (88.3%). The heritability in other traits, ranged from 9.1% (pistil length) to 67.4% (flower density). © 2022 International Society for Horticultural Science. All rights reserved.

Interspecies hybridization has been shown to be a powerful tool for developing and improving brewing yeast in a number of industry-relevant respects. Thanks to the popularity of heavily hopped ‘India Pale Ale’-style beers, there is an increased demand from brewers for strains that can boost hop aroma. Here, we explored whether hybridization could be used to construct strains with an enhanced ability to release hop-derived flavours through β-lyase activity, which releases desirable volatile thiols. Wild Saccharomyces strains were shown to possess high β-lyase activity compared to brewing strains, however, they also produced phenolic off-flavours (POF) and showed poor attenuation. To overcome these limitations, interspecies hybrids were constructed by crossing pairs of one of three brewing and one of three wild Saccharomyces strains (S. uvarum and S. eubayanus). Hybrids were screened for fermentation ability and β-lyase activity, and selected hybrids showed improved fermentation and formation of both volatile thiols (4MMP, 3MH and 3MH acetate) and aroma-active esters compared to the parent strains. Undesirable traits (e.g. POF) could be removed from the hybrid by sporulation. To conclude, it was possible to boost the release of desirable hop-derived thiols in brewing yeast by hybridization with wild yeast. This allows production of beer with boosted hop aroma with less hops (thus improving sustainability issues).

Shearwaters (order Procellariiformes) are an excellent study system to investigate the genetic consequences of the co-called "seabird paradox", as they are able to disperse long distances but many species exhibit natal and breeding philopatry. However, few microsatellite markers are currently available for these taxa, hampering genetic inferences.In this study, 25 novel microsatellite loci were isolated and characterized for each of two distantly related shearwater species: the wedge-tailed shearwater (Ardenna pacifica) and the tropical shearwater (Puffinus bailloni). Polymorphism tests were performed for a total of 91 A. pacifica individuals sampled at Reunion and Round Island, and 48 P. bailloni individuals from Reunion and Europa Island, in the western Indian Ocean. The analyses revealed 23 polymorphic loci for A. pacifica, with the number of alleles per locus (Na) ranging from 2 to 8 (mean = 3.957 ± 0.364). Nineteen polymorphic loci were found for P. bailloni, with Na varying from two to five (mean = 3.053 ± 0.247). The observed heterozygosity (HThe new microsatellite loci provide a valuable tool for further population genetic studies, and will allow for design of effective conservation and management plans for A. pacifica, P. bailloni and other closely-related species.

Practical relevance: Many veterinarians – even those engaged in small animal reproduction – are uncomfortable with taking care of cat breeders or being in charge of catteries. Likely reasons for this are that feline reproduction is largely under-represented in undergraduate and graduate reproduction teaching, as well as in postgraduate education and science, whereas cat breeders themselves are often well informed and actively share knowledge with other cat breeders via the internet and social media. Clinical challenges: A variety of problems can exist within a cattery, and collaboration between veterinarian and breeder to solve these is ultimately beneficial for the breeder, for the veterinarian, and for the health and wellbeing of the individual cats and of the cattery as a whole. Aim: This review presents a comprehensive overview of aspects of cattery management that might negatively impact reproduction, including sanitation, hygiene and infectious disease control. It also discusses monitoring of reproductive performance, breeding recommendations, and the diagnostic and therapeutic approach to some common and specific problems. Equipment and technical skills: Reproductive management in the cattery requires no specialised equipment, as such. What it does need is an open mind, in terms of seeing how things are done, an open ear, for listening to the breeder, and the veterinarian’s clinical skills in palpation, auscultation and, where required, further examination of the animals. Keeping abreast of the latest information on infectious diseases, disinfection and genetics ensures proper advice is provided. Evidence base: Current knowledge of reproductive management in catteries is summarised in order to apply an evidence-based approach, whenever possible. Notwithstanding, much of the information remains empirical.

The visual perception of birds is an incredibly exciting subject of research. Birds have significantly higher visual acuity than most other animals, which helps them stay safe in flight and detect their prey. Understanding how the eyes send information to the brain for additional processing is crucial. The brain has sections (nuclei) that accept input from the retina. The key areas where information is processed are the hyperpallium apicale (HA), hippocampus (HP), optic tectum (TeO), nucleus rotundus (RoT), and the geniculatus lateralis ventralis (Glv); among these, the RoT is one of the most investigated nuclei for vision. This study looked at how the visual centers of non-photoperiodic songbirds (Spotted Munia) adapt in different life history stages by looking at NPY expression. We immunohistochemically quantified NPY expression in four different seasons, including pre-breeding (June), breeding (September), post-breeding (December), and regressed (March) in the brain of Spotted Munia. We evaluated changes in the expression levels of the peptide throughout the year, by determining the expression at four different periods throughout the year. Peptide expression levels were projected to fluctuate within photoperiod-induced seasons. It was discovered that the parts of the brain related to vision (RoT, HA, and HP) have a higher number of immunoreactive cells during their mating season, i.e., during the summer. The appearance of NPY, a non-photic marker, in brain areas linked with light perception, was fascinating. Indirectly, NPY aids avian reproduction in a variety of ways. These findings demonstrate the importance of these nuclei in the process of reproduction, as well as the involvement of NPY in the visual brain areas of Spotted Munia.

Bats are known natural reservoirs of several highly pathogenic zoonotic viruses, including Hendra virus, Nipah virus, rabies virus, SARS-like coronaviruses, and suspected ancestral reservoirs of SARS-CoV-2 responsible for the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. The capacity to survive infections of highly pathogenic agents without severe disease, together with many other unique features, makes bats an ideal animal model for studying the regulation of infection, cancer, and longevity, which is likely to translate into human health outcomes. A key factor that limits bat research is lack of breeding bat colonies. To address this need, a captive bat colony was established in Singapore from 19 wild-caught local cave nectar bats. The bats were screened for specific pathogens before the start of captive breeding. Custom-made cages and an optimized diet inclusive of Wombaroo dietary formula, liquid diet, and supplement of fruits enabled the bats to breed prolifically in our facility. Cages are washed daily and disinfected once every fortnight. Bats are observed daily to detect any sick bat or abnormal behavior. In addition, bats undergo a thorough health check once every 3 to 4 mo to check on their overall wellbeing, perform sampling, and document any potential pregnancy. The current colony houses over 80 bats that are successfully breeding, providing a valuable resource for research in Singapore and overseas.

The reason for poor semen quality among the breeding bulls is not well understood. In the present study, we performed high-throughput RNAseq analysis of spermatozoa to identify the SNPs present in good and poor-quality semen-producing Holstein Friesian breeding bulls. A total of 21,360 and 44,650 SNPs were identified in good and poor-quality semen with a minimum read depth of 20, among which 4780 and 8710 novel variants were observed in good and poor-quality semen, respectively. Greater SNPs and indels variations were observed in poor compared to good-quality semen. In poor-quality semen, SNP variations were observed in ZNF280B, SLC26A2, DMXL1, OR52A1, MACROD2 and REV1 genes, which are associated with regulation of spermatogenesis, post-testicular maturation, Cl

‘BRS Paranoá’ was obtained by the carrot breeding program of Embrapa Hortaliças, aiming to obtain a cultivar adapted to most carrot-producing regions in an organic system. It was developed through selection of half-sib progenies and validated in Brazil. ‘BRS Paranoá’ is indicated for sowing in the spring/summer seasons especially because it displays high resistance to leaf blight caused by the fungal and bacterial association (Alternaria dauci, Cercospora carotae, and Xanthomonas hortorum pv. carotae) with defoliation between 20 to 25% at 100 days after planting (DAP), eliminating the need to control this disease with chemical pesticides. In addition, it shows high production stability and an outstanding production exceeding 32 t ha-1. ‘BRS Paranoá’ is an early maturity cultivar, and the harvest can be carried out from 85 DAP when the commercial roots range from 16 to 22 cm, 3 cm diameter, intense orange color, cylindrical shape, and no external or internal physiological defects. The postharvest quality was evaluated and the titratable acidity found was 0.20%, 6.9oBrix soluble solids, 78.40 µg g-1 total carotenoids, and 22.69 µg g-1 ß-carotene (provitamin A). ‘BRS Paranoá’ was registered and protected by the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Food Supply and its seeds have been marketed by the main vegetable seeds companies in Brazil. RESUMO A ‘BRS Paranoá’ foi obtida pelo programa de melhoramento genético de cenoura da Embrapa Hortaliças, visando obter uma cultivar adaptada à maioria das regiões produtoras de cenoura em sistema orgânico. Essa cultivar foi desenvolvida através de seleção de progênies meias-irmãs e validada no Brasil. A ‘BRS Paranoá’ é indicada para semeadura nas estações primavera/verão. Essa cultivar apresenta elevada resistência à queima das folhas causada pela associação fungo e bactéria (Alternaria dauci, Cercospora carotae e Xanthomonas hortorum pv. carotae) com desfolhamento entre 20 a 25% aos 100 dias após o plantio (DAP). Além disso, apresenta elevada estabilidade de produção e elevado teto produtivo, superando 32 t ha-1. A ‘BRS Paranoá’ possui ciclo precoce, com a colheita podendo ser realizada a partir dos 85 DAP. As raízes apresentam comprimento variando de 16 a 22 cm, diâmetro de 3 cm, coloração alaranjada intensa, formato cilíndrico e ausência de defeitos fisiológicos externos ou internos. A qualidade pós-colheita foi avaliada e a acidez titulável encontrada foi de 0,20%, sólidos solúveis de 6,9oBrix, carotenoides totais de 78,40 µg g-1 e ß-caroteno (pró-vitamina A) de 22,69 µg g-1. A ‘BRS Paranoá’ foi registrada e protegida pelo Ministério da Agricultura, Pecuária e Abastecimento e suas sementes têm sido comercializadas pelas principais empresas de sementes de hortaliças no Brasil.

A wide diversity was found in the materials for most traits. Most of the cultivated tomato materials of the CC and BS were also genotyped using the high-throughput ddRAD sequencing technique revealing a high genetic diversity in the collection and allowing the detection of candidate genes and associations for relevant traits under organic conditions. The screening of BS for several diseases (Phytophthora, Fusarium, TSWV, ToMV) has allowed the identification of new sources of tolerance and resistance. A Selected Set of materials has been screened both in Italy and in Spain under control, drought and low N fertilization conditions, and resilient materials under these conditions have been identified. Hybrids obtained between selected materials has allowed the identification of promising hybrids heterotic for yield and with high fruit quality. In addition, several backcross programmes have been undertaken in order to introduce resistance to several diseases, and advanced backcrosses with introgressed resistances have been obtained. New intraspecific and interspecific hybrids have been developed and tested as rootstocks. Some of them outperformed control rootstocks commonly used for grafting tomato. The new improved tomato materials specifically selected for organic conditions can have a dramatic impact in the production of organically grown tomato.

The domestic canary (Serinus canaria) is one of the most common pet birds and has been extensively selected and bred over the last few centuries to constitute many different varieties. Plumage pigmentation is one of the main phenotypic traits that distinguish canary breeds and lines. Feather colours in these birds, similarly to other avian species, are mainly depended on the presence of two major types of pigments: carotenoids and melanins. In this study, we exploited whole genome sequencing (WGS) datasets produced from five canary lines or populations (Black Frosted Yellow, Opal, Onyx, Opal × Onyx and Mogno, some of which carrying different putative dilute alleles), complemented with other WGS datasets retrieved from previous studies, to identify candidate genes that might explain pigmentation variability across canary breeds and varieties. Sequencing data were obtained using a DNA pool-seq approach and genomic data were compared using window-based FST analyses. We identified signatures of selection in genomic regions harbouring genes involved in carotenoid-derived pigmentation variants (CYP2J19, EDC, BCO2 and SCARB1), confirming the results reported by previous works, and identified several other signatures of selection in the correspondence of melanogenesis-related genes (AGRP, ASIP, DCT, EDNRB, KITLG, MITF, MLPH, SLC45A2, TYRP1 and ZEB2). Two putative causative mutations were identified in the MLPH gene that may explain the Opal and Onyx dilute mutant alleles. Other signatures of selection were also identified that might explain additional phenotypic differences between the investigated canary populations.

Dispersal propensity has been correlated with personality traits, conspecific density and predation risk in a variety of species. Thus, changes in the relative frequency of behavioural phenotypes or in the ecological pressures faced by individuals in contrasting habitats can have unexpected effects on their dispersal strategies. Here, using the burrowing owl Athene cunicularia as a study model, we test whether changes in the behavioural profile of individuals and changes in conspecific density and predation pressure associated with urban life influence their breeding dispersal decisions compared to rural conspecifics. Our results show that breeding dispersal behaviour differs between rural and urban individuals. Site fidelity was lower among rural than among urban birds, and primarily related to an individual's behaviours (fear of humans), which has been reported to reflect individual personality. In contrast, the main determinant of site fidelity among urban owls was conspecific density. After taking the decision of dispersing, urban owls moved shorter distances than rural ones, with females dispersing farther than males. Our results support a personality-dependent dispersal pattern that might vary with predation risk. However, as multiple individuals of two populations (one urban, one rural) were used for this research, differences can thus also be caused by other factors differing between the two populations. Further research is needed to properly understand the ecological and evolutionary consequences of changes in dispersal behaviours, especially in terms of population structuring and gene flow between urban and rural populations.

Toll-like receptors (TLRs) play an important role in mediating the immune response against various microbes, such as bacteria, viruses, parasites, and fungi, in innate and adaptive immunity. Ten functional TLRs (TLR1 to TLR10) have been identified and mapped in cattle, with each TLR recognising specific pathogen-associated molecular patterns. The variation in genes controlling the immune response contributes to susceptibility or resistance to various infectious diseases such as mastitis, bovine tuberculosis, and paratuberculosis. Identifying TLR SNPs shows promising results for future marker-assisted breeding strategies, screening for disease risks, and improving the genetic resistance of dairy cattle. This article aims not only to review the research into susceptibility or resistance to infectious diseases and milk production traits in dairy cattle but also to discuss the limitations in current studies and the prospects in dairy cattle breeding.

Malgré son discours critique bien connu sur les « généalogistes de la morale anglais », Nietzsche semble avoir pris très au sérieux l’essai de Walter Bagehot intitulé Physics and Politics, qu’il a découvert en traduction allemande au cours de la première moitié de la décennie 1870. Le présent article propose d’abord une brève présentation de l’ouvrage de Bagehot. J’étudie ensuite la réception nietzschéenne de ce livre dans Schopenhauer éducateur (1874) et surtout dans la Généalogie de la morale (1887). Ce faisant, je soutiens que le lamarckisme culturel de Bagehot a non seulement influencé durablement la philosophie nietzschéenne de l’élevage (Züchtung), mais qu’il constitue vraisemblablement une source méconnue des réflexions du deuxième traité de la Généalogie sur la « conscience » et la « mauvaise conscience ». Despite his well-known critical discourse on the “English moral genealogists”, Nietzsche seems to have taken Walter Bagehot’s essay on Physics and Politics, which he discovered in German translation in the first half of the 1870s, very seriously. This paper begins with a brief overview of Bagehot’s book. I then study Nietzsche’s reception of this work in Schopenhauer as Educator (1874) and, more importantly, in On the Genealogy of Morality (1887). In doing so, I argue that Bagehot’s cultural Lamarckism not only had a lasting influence on Nietzsche’s philosophy of breeding (Züchtung), but is likely to be an overlooked source of the whole reflection on “conscience” and “bad conscience” in the second treatise of the Genealogy.

Equine reproductive behavior is affected by many factors, some remaining poorly understood. This study tested the hypothesis that a period of captivity during the juvenile period and human-controlled reproduction may potentially be involved in the disruption of the development of incestuous mating avoidance behavior in sanctuary-reintroduced male Konik polski horses. Between 1986 and 2000, cases of incestuous behavior in harem stallions born and reared until weaning in the sanctuary were studied. Eight males lived in the sanctuary's feral herd for the rest of their lives (the non-captive group; nC). They gained their own harem of mares without human intervention (no human-controlled reproductive activity, nHC). Another five stallions were removed as weanlings, reared in captivity and then reintroduced as adults (captive, C). Three of these C stallions were used as in-hand breeding stallions, one as a "teaser" (human-controlled reproductive activity, HC) and one was not used for reproduction in captivity (nHC). Reproductive records for 46 mares, daughters of all 13 harem stallions, were scrutinized and cases of incestuous breeding were recorded by interrogation of foal parentage records. C stallions failed to expel more daughters than nC stallions (33% vs. 18%, P = 0.045), and mated with significantly more of them (28% vs. 11%, P = 0.025). Interestingly, HC stallions expelled fewer (60%) and successfully mated with more (33%) daughters that nHC stallions (84% expelled, P = 0.013, and 10% successful mating with daughters, P = 0.010). All HC stallions bred incestuously at least once. We propose that human intervention during a critical period of development of social and reproductive behavior in young stallions, by enforced separation from their natal herd and in-hand breeding, may contribute to their later aberrant behavior and disruption of inbreeding avoidance mechanisms in these stallions. The previous occurrence of human-controlled breeding may be one of the factors promoting incestuous behavior of stallions in natural conditions. The uninterrupted presence of stallions in their harems and herd member recognition may also play important roles in inbreeding avoidance in horses.

Sweet chestnut forests in Bosnia and Herzegovina are underrepresented in the total forest fund, and their area is declining today. The research aims to determine the correlation relations of morphological traits of chestnut leaves, fruit and cupule in the population of Bosnian Krajina (northwestern Bosnia and Herzegovina) to undertake selection and breeding activities. Eleven traits of fruits, leaves and cupules were measured, seven assessed and six calculated. A mutual correlation for the researched traits was calculated using the Pearson correlation coefficient r. When the fruit traits and cupule traits were compared, the needle length showed a statistically significant correlation with most of the fruit traits. The traits of the number of fruits in the cupule and needle length had a statistically significant correlation coefficient with leaf blade width and leaf petiole length. The correlated traits can be distinguished as important for further selection and breeding of sweet chestnuts. The research results indicate that the genetic material of sweet chestnut is a rich source of genetic diversity and can be used in selection to obtain new varieties and cultivars in Bosnia and Herzegovina and for the protection of the indigenous gene pool.

Highlight ResearchLong-term maintenance of Filopaludina martensi martensi in artificial conditions (local tap-water and food).Observation of breeding behaviour of F. m. martensi.Observation of birth and development of the juveniles. AbstractFilopaludina martensi martensi Frauenfeld 1865 is an aquatic Viviparidae gastropod found in Thailand, and throughout Southeast Asia. It is popular in the local cousin, a vector of food-borne trematode infections, and used as a bio-indicator of heavy metal contamination, bio-control agent against Bithynia siamensis Lea 1856, and a way to reduce the total organic matter content from faeces and feed residue during Clarias sp. catfish and Nile tilapia aquaculture. The study aims to establish a protocol for breeding F. m. martensi snails in artificial conditions. The snails were maintained in laboratory conditions. The animals gave birth (3 - 4 juveniles) every month. Inflatable, for several hours after the birth, transparent lightly bluish (5 - 6 mm in diameter) spheres are released in which the fully mature juvenile moves, and leaves several hours later after the sphere breaks. All juveniles studied here die after 2 - 3 months failing to grow into a reproductive adults. F. m. martensi is an attractive animal that regardless of the current difficulties to maintain and grow its juveniles may be popularised in the ornamental fish trade, and a possible laboratory model animal.

La teca es una de las especies comerciales plantadas en el trópico con mayor valor en el mundo. La cooperativa internacional de mejoramiento genético GENFORES, establecida en Costa Rica, ha liderado el mejoramiento genético de la especie en América Latina. El estudio se realizó con el objetivo de seleccionar los clones con mayor adaptabilidad específica al Pacífico seco de Costa Rica y de otras regiones tropicales secas. La investigación se desarrolló en Nicoya, Guanacaste (Pacífico norte de Costa Rica), donde se evaluaron 31 genotipos durante 13 años continuos (2006-2019), con base en el crecimiento en diámetro, volumen comercial y la calidad del fuste. Mediante el software Selegen-REML/BLUP se obtuvieron los parámetros genéticos, elrankingde selección y la ganancia genética estimada. A los 8,9 años fue la edad más temprana donde se registraron los valores más altos de heredabilidad individual y de heredabilidad media clonal para el diámetro (h2g = 0,12 y h2mc = 0,82) y para el volumen comercial (h2g = 0,075 y h2mc = 0,74). Plantaciones comerciales establecidas con los mejores 10 clones, a los 12,9 años de edad podrían alcanzar un volumen comercial de 0,88 m3árbol-1, que corresponde a una ganancia genética de un 11% con respecto a la mejor semilla comercial disponible del huerto semillero. El diámetro alcanzaría 28 cm a esta misma edad. Tales resultados permitirán reducir cerca de 2 años la edad de cosecha de plantaciones de teca en el Pacífico seco del país.

Winter wheat is the most important winter cereal crop in Serbia and in the Pannonian region. As the result of the changing climate, winter wheat showed high year to year variability among the growing seasons. Therefore, there is a constant need to release new cultivars with high yield potential and stability and good baking quality to maximaze grain value in local and regional markets. To adress this, Institute of Field and Vegetable Crops, Novi Sad, National Institute of the Republic of Serbia developed a winter wheat line NS 4-18 that was released 2021 as a new cultivar NS Avantura. The cultivar NS Avantura was selected from a cross between two genotypes: NS 151-10 and Premio. The Commission for the registration of varieties of the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Water Management of the Republic of Serbia conducted a trial at multiple locations in two years, and it was found that NS Avantura is a distinct, uniform and stable cultivar with higher grain yield than average of four check cultivars, and good technological quality. NS Avantura is a mid-early bread wheat cultivars with awns, adapted to different environments in the southern Pannonian Plain.

The emergence and spread of antimicrobial-resistant bacteria (ARB) and antimicrobial resistance genes (ARGs) are a global public health concern. ARB are transmitted directly or indirectly from animals to humans. The importance of environmental transmission of ARB and ARGs has recently been demonstrated, given the relationships between compost, livestock wastewater, insects, and wildlife. In addition, companion animals and their surrounding environments (veterinary hospitals and homes with companion animals) should be considered owing to their close relationship with humans. This review discusses the current status and future perspectives of ARB and ARGs in animal-breeding environments.

Tomato is one of the most important species belonging to the Solanaceae family. Focusing on the importance of tomato in human nutrition and the problem of narrowed genetic variability, the aim of the study was to assess morphological and chemical diversity in IFVCNS germplasm collection. Twenty genotypes were analysed for the morphological and chemical fruit traits: average mass (g), length (cm), diameter (cm), pericarp thickness (mm), locules number, moisture content (%), total soluble solids (°Brix), ash content (%), total acidity (%) and pH value. Selected plant material for analysis included: landraces, traditional varieties, breeding lines and commercial varieties. Differences among tomato genotypes in all fruit traits were determined. Fruit mass and locules number had the highest coefficient of variation. The least differences between genotypes were observed in the fruit moisture content. Four principal components accounted for 90.6% of total variance or 36.5%, 24.2%, 19.8% and 10.1%, respectively. Along the axis of the first main component, genotypes were classified into three groups. The first component was defined by fruit length, diameter and mass. The second component was correlated with pericarp thickness and locules number, and the third with moisture content, ash content and total soluble solids. Based on the cluster analysis, genotypes were classified into three groups which were in agreement with the PCA groups. Hybridization between genotypes from different groups was proposed in order to create new hybrids and varieties and to increase tomato germplasm diversity. By crossing those genotypes, improved recombinations in morphological and chemical traits can be expected., This research was supported by the Ministry of Education, Science and Technological Development of the Republic of Serbia, grant number: 451-03-68/2022-14/200032 and 451-03-68/2022-14/200222.

Addressing the challenges of climate change and durum wheat production is becoming an important driver for food and nutrition security in the Mediterranean area, where are located the major producing countries (Italy, Spain, France, Greece, Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Turkey, and Syria). One of the emergent strategies, to cope with durum wheat adaptation, is the exploration and exploitation of the existing genetic variability in landrace populations. In this context, this review aims to highlight the important role of durum wheat landraces as a useful genetic resource to improve the sustainability of Mediterranean agroecosystems, with a focus on adaptation to environmental stresses. We described the most recent molecular techniques and statistical approaches suitable for the identification of beneficial genes/alleles related to the most important traits in landraces and the development of molecular markers for marker-assisted selection. Finally, we outline the state of the art about landraces genetic diversity and signature of selection, already identified from these accessions, for adaptability to the environment.

‘SCS453 Noninha’ and ‘SCS454 Carvoeira’ are new banana cultivars derived from the subgroup Prata (AAB). In comparison with the latter, ‘SCS453 Noninha’ has a low pseudostem height, 'SCS454 Carvoeira' a high yield and both unchanged fruit characteristics. Both also have increased resistance to Panama wilt and ‘SCS454 Carvoeira’ to Sigatoka.

Khon Kaen Agriculture Journal, 51, 4, 662-674

Khon Kaen Agriculture Journal, 51, 3, 573-589

Молочная продуктивность коров формируется под действием ряда факторов: генетических, разведенческих, кормленческих, организационно-хозяйственных, технологических и других., Dairy productivity of cows is formed under the influence of a number of factors: genetic, breeding, feeding, organizational, technological and others.

Khon Kaen Agriculture Journal, 51, 2, 375-386

Sesame is an ancient oilseed crop grown throughout the arid and subarid climates. Sesame oil has a good taste and is appreciated for its beneficial properties. The genus Sesamum L. (Pedaliaceae Lindl.) includes up to 38 species. The only cultivated species is S. indicum L. (2n = 26). It is grown in areas located between 45° N and 45° S. South Africa is considered the homeland of S. indicum. Sesame seeds contain 50–63% of oil, 25–27% of protein, 20% of carbohydrates, and are sources of such micronutrients as copper, calcium, iron, magnesium, zinc, vitamins A, B1, C and E. Sesame seeds and oil are used not only in the food industry but also in medicine. Sesame meal is a good animal feed. Recently, thanks to the deciphering of the sesame nuclear genome and the development of various genomic resources, including molecular markers for qualitative and quantitative characters, molecular breeding has become possible for such agronomic traits as high oil content and its composition, drought resistance, resistance to waterlogging, disease resistance, and high yield. The world production of sesame seeds according to FAO estimates for 2019 was about 7 million tons. The largest cropping areas are located in Africa, India, and China. In Russia, sesame can be grown in southern regions: Krasnodar and Stavropol Territories, Rostov and Astrakhan Provinces. Breeding work on sesame was carried out at the All-Union Research Institute of Oil Crops, where cultivars resistant to bacterial blight and Fusarium wilt were developed. Currently, sesame breeding programs are absent in Russia. There are over 25,000 sesame accessions in the world’s genebanks, including about 1,500 accessions in the VIR collection.

Background Dystocia is an important limiting factor in animal breeding due to its cost, stress for the mother and risk of death for the neonates. Assessment of incidence and characteristics of dystocia and the inherent risk of Cesarean section are of major importance. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the reproductive performance of Bernese Mountain Dogs in Switzerland, with a particular focus on the prevalence of Cesarean sections due to dystocia, and identification of possible risk factors. Results The investigated population included 401 bitches, 207 sires, and 1127 litters. Litter size was significantly influenced by age and parity of the dam. Incidence of Cesarean section was 30.4%, with 2.0% of procedures being elective. History of previous Cesarean section, age of the dam, and a small litter size significantly influenced the risk for Cesarean section. The stillbirth rate was 12.0%, and the number of stillborn pups was significantly higher for litters delivered by Cesarean sections after birth of the first pup. The inbreeding coefficient had a low to non-significant impact on all reproductive parameters (e.g., litter size, number of stillborn pups). Conclusion The sample of Bernese Mountain Dogs of our study had an increased prevalence of Cesarean sections compared to the literature, and advanced age of the dam, litter size and prior Cesarean sections in the dam’s reproductive history was identified as significantly influencing factors. In order to improve pups’ survival rate, elective Cesarean section may be indicated in bitches that have had a previous Cesarean-section/s, are of advanced age, and/or have a small litter.

The Eastern Imperial Eagle (EIE) is a large-sized, globally threatened species with a wide distribution. The species is extremely vulnerable and sensitive to human disturbance and activities in the vicinities of its nests. We analyzed the effect of human disturbance in two territories of Eastern Imperial Eagles from Bulgaria in 2008–2009. We recorded 375 cases of different types of human activity in the vicinities of the two surveyed nests – 60 cases in nest A and 315 in nest B. The most common activity around the studied nests was the passing of light motor vehicles (n=100 cases). Our results highlight that the probability of EIE’s reaction is dependent on the type of activity, distance from the nest and the duration of the activity. However, eagles’ reaction is independent from the number of intruders. We found that with the decrease of the distance to the nest, the reaction progresses and is more acute. We found statistical differences between the distance belts and the majority of alert and flight reactions that were recorded at distances up to 300 m from the nests. We reported that humans walking around nests (mainly hunters, fishermen, tourists, people illegally extracting sand in the close vicinities of the nests) result in a large number of reactions of flight off by the eagles thus, leaving the nest unattended. More research on a large scale on this topic is needed including more accurate measures to address human disturbance in EIE territories. The findings will be applied to ensure higher breeding rates and species conservation.

Objective: Microminipig (MMP) is a miniature pig with an extra small body size for experimental use. In the present study, the occurrence of stillbirths and their genetic association with swine leukocyte antigen (SLA) class II haplotypes were evaluated in a population of MMPs.Methods: The occurrences of stillbirth and genetic association with SLA class II haplotypes using 483 stillborn and 2,246 live piglets, and their parents were compared among the three groups of newborn piglet litters; an all stillborn (AS) group consisting of only stillborn piglet litters, a partial stillborn (PS) group consisting of stillborn and live piglet litters, and an all alive (AA) group consisting of only live piglet litters.Results: The incidence of stillborn piglets was 483/2,729 (17.7%). Distributions of litter sizes, numbers of stillborn piglets in a litter, parities, and gestation periods were distinct among the three groups. The frequencies of low resolution haplotype (Lr)-0.7 or Lr-0.23 were higher in the AS group than in the PS or AA groups. In sires, the frequency of Lr-0.7 associated with the AS group was significantly higher in the AS group than with the AA group. In dams, the frequency of Lr-0.23 was significantly higher in the AS group than in the PS or AA groups, whereas the frequency of Lr-0.7 was not significantly different.Conclusion: The incidence of stillborn piglets in MMPs appears to be higher than those in other pig breeds. Several traits related with stillbirths such as the number of stillborn piglets and parities of the AS group were different from those of the PS and AA groups. Specific SLA class II haplotypes were associated significantly with a high incidence of stillbirths and could be used as genetic markers to adopt breeding strategies to lower the rate of stillbirth in MMPs.

Scale and standardization are essential to the prosperity of the breeding industry. During large-scale, standardized breeding, the selective breeding of good livestock breeds hinges on the accurate measurement of body parameters for live animals. However, the complex shooting environment brings several urgent problems, such as the missing of many local data in the point cloud and the difficulty in the automatic acquisition of body data. To solve these problems, this paper proposes a method for parameter measurement of live animals based on the mirror of multiview point cloud. Firstly, the acquisition and stitching principles were given for the multiview point cloud data on body parameters of live animals. Next, the authors presented a way to make up for the data missing areas in the point cloud. Finally, this paper acquires the body mirror data of live animals and scientifically calculates the body parameters. The proposed measurement method was proved effective through experiments.

It is known that the breeding process is in a great need for fast methods, working on minimal weights of experimental material and revealing the qualitative potential of the varieties. For this purpose, in order to get rid of unpromising numbers, the laboratory assessments widely use a sedimentation analysis, this type of analysis being the main one at the primary stages of breeding and when estimating winter wheat in the pre-harvesting period. The purpose of the current study was to identify the most valuable genotypes in seed plots by sedimentation analysis to optimize the breeding process of winter bread wheat for grain quality. The sedimentation index was estimated by the method using a 2% surfactant (SAS) solution of the sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) and 9.4% lactic acid. Gluten content and its quality, volumetric bread yield and falling number were assessed according to generally accepted methods. For the most accurate interpretation of the study results there has been used a one-way analysis of variance. The range of variation of the sedimentation index in the seed plot of CVT was 35–57 ml (2017); 50–83 ml (2018); 56–84 ml (2019); in KP-1 it was 44–95 ml (there were analyzed 945 samples); in KP-2 it was 50–94 ml (there were analyzed 100 samples). Inthe studied seed plot of CVT, which was laid fallow, 25 of 36 variety samples were very strong in quality; 7 ones were strong; 4 ones were medium; there were not identified any satisfactory and weak samples. As for the seed plot KP-2, 88 of 100 were very strong, 11 ones were strong and only one sample was average in quality. In the seed plot KP-1 480 of 945 were very strong (51%); 440 samples were strong (46%), and only 3% (25 pieces) were average in quality; there were not identified any satisfactory and weak samples.

Kin selection plays a major role in the evolution of cooperative systems. However, many social species exhibit complex within-group relatedness structures, where kin selection alone cannot explain the occurrence of cooperative behaviour. Understanding such social structures is crucial to elucidate the evolution and maintenance of multi-layered cooperative societies. In lamprologine cichlids, intragroup relatedness seems to correlate positively with reproductive skew, suggesting that in this clade dominants tend to provide reproductive concessions to unrelated subordinates to secure their participation in brood care. We investigate how patterns of within-group relatedness covary with direct and indirect fitness benefits of cooperation in a highly social vertebrate, the cooperatively breeding, polygynous lamprologine cichlid Neolamprologus savoryi. Behavioural and genetic data from 43 groups containing 578 individuals show that groups are socially and genetically structured into subgroups. About 17% of group members were unrelated immigrants, and average relatedness between breeders and brood care helpers declined with helper age due to group membership dynamics. Hence the relative importance of direct and indirect fitness benefits of cooperation depends on helper age. Our findings highlight how both direct and indirect fitness benefits of cooperation and group membership can select for cooperative behaviour in societies comprising complex social and relatedness structures. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

Breed structures of Australian dairy herds over time were described for a large subset of milk-recording herds. The focus for this study was to describe the use of crossbreeding by dairy farmers, specifically proportions of herds using crossbreeding, whether they were using two-breed or three-breed crossbreeding systems, and how herd-breed structures changed over time. The most common breed structure in Australian milk-recording herds between 2000 and 2013 was two-breed crossbreeding (39% of herd-years). The next most common breed structure was purebred (35%). Over the period studied, the proportion of herds that were purebred decreased, while the proportion of herds that were crossbreeding increased (particularly three-breed crossbreeding herds). Herd-breed structures and changes over time varied with region and with the herd's calving system. There were also considerable changes in breed structure within herds, including herds changing breed structure before reverting back to their original breed structure. These results indicate that breed structures in milk-recording dairy herds in Australia are dynamic, and that farmers have commonly employed crossbreeding strategies.

The proportion of Thoroughbred (TB) horses that commence training and eventually race, is an important industry-level indicator of how successful it is at producing horses suitable for racing. It is also of interest to the wider community and is central to the issue of whether there is overbreeding in the Australian TB industry. This study investigated the training and racing records for the 2005 and 2010 Victorian TB foal crops to determine the proportion of TBs that train and race, and the age of entering training and first race start. Subsets of the foal crop were also examined to determine if premier yearling sale cohorts would produce selection bias. The Australian Stud Book (ASB) registered 7662 TB horses born in Victoria in 2005 (n = 4116) and 2010 (n = 3546). Of these, 5614 (73%) entered training and 4868 (64%) started in at least one race. Fourteen percent (n = 1045) of the study cohort had their first race start as 2-year-olds and 35% (n = 2644) had their first start as 3-year-olds. A higher proportion of TB horses that attended premier yearling sales entered training (93%) and raced (84%). This study established a baseline for training and racing milestones, such as the proportion and age that horses commenced training, and age of first start using population-level data. It also established that the use of subsets of the population can introduce selection bias.

Purpose. To evaluate the reproductive indicators and exterior characteristics of the breeding brood stock of the Galician carp group at the original farms, namely farms "Korop" and "Dzherelo", State Enterprise "Lviv Experimental Station". Methodology. The study was conducted according to generally accepted methods in fish farming and breeding using statistical processing and data analysis. The productive features of the Galician carp were improved by the method of mass selection and directional selection. The tasks of the selection were to obtain a breeding stock of the Galician group, which will ensure the production of offspring with high individual weight in the first year of life. Findings. The age of maturity in brood Galician carp was 3-4 years in males and 4-5 years in females. After pituitary stimulation in the conditions of industrial reproduction, a positive reaction of the brood fish was established, which exceeded 92%. When forming breeding stocks of Galician carp in the first year of life, the intensity of selection was 15%. Directional selection on the basis of average individual weight started on the second year of life. The intensity of selection of age-1+ Galician carp group was 50%, then this parameter exceeded 85%. Reproduction of the Galician carp group occurred in spawning ponds and in industrial conditions. Working fertility of females was 1256.0 ± 132.80 thousand eggs, relative fertility - 127.5 ± 5.52 thousand eggs/kg, which was quite high in comparison with the Ukrainian framed carp. During the reproduction of Galician carp in ponds, the yield of three-day-old larvae from one nest amounted to 241 thousand individuals. According to the obtained data, based on the exterior indicators, the Galician carp group is characterized by a high-backed physique and fleshy structure, which is preserved throughout life. In view of the conducted study, the Galician carp group fully complies with the requirements of the Regulation on approbation of selection achievements in animal husbandry and can be submitted to the relevant authorities for consideration and approval as an intrabreed type of Ukrainian framed and scaly carp breeds. Originality. The analysis of reproductive indicators of the breeding brood stock of Galician carp will serve as a basis for the presentation of this group in the status of intrabreed type and its approval as a selection achievement. Practical value. The obtained results will contribute to the expansion of the Galician carp group both in the aquaculture of Ukraine and abroad. Breeding brood material as an object of selection will be involved in work with framed carp mixes. Key words: breeding, carp, inventory, grading, crossbreeding, organization of spawning, reproduction.

Vietnamese smallholder dairy cows (VDC) are the result of crossbreeding between different zebu (ZEB) and taurine dairy breeds through many undefined generations. Thus, the predominant breed composition of VDC is currently unknown. This study aimed to evaluate the level of genetic diversity and breed composition of VDC. The SNP data of 344 animals from 32 farms located across four dairy regions of Vietnam were collected and merged with genomic reference data, which included three ZEB breeds: Red Sindhi, Sahiwal and Brahman, three taurine breeds: Holstein (HOL), Jersey (JER) and Brown Swiss (BSW), and a composite breed: Chinese Yellow cattle. Diversity and admixture analyses were applied to the merged data set. The VDC were not excessively inbred, as indicated by very low inbreeding coefficients (Wright's F ranged from -0.017 to 0.003). The genetic fractions in the test herds suggested that the VDC are primarily composed of HOL (85.0%); however, JER (6.0%), BSW 5.3%) and ZEB (4.5%) had also contributed. Furthermore, major genotype groupings in the test herds were pure HOL (48%), B3:15/16HOL_1/16ZEB (22%) and B2:7/8HOL_1/8ZEB (12%). The genetic makeup of the VDC is mainly components of various dairy breeds but also has a small percentage of ZEB; thus, the VDC could be a good genetic base for selecting high milk-producing cows with some degree of adaptation to tropical conditions.

Present study was carried to determine the sand fly species composition, breeding sites ecology, seasonal abundance, and spatial distribution in district Malakand, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. In addition, risk factors associated with cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) were also evaluated. Survey of indoor and outdoor habitats was carried out using sticky traps in 31 villages of Dargai and Batkhela tehsils of Malakand. Soil from habitats of adult and immature sand flies was analysed. Questionnaire-based household survey was also performed in these villages to assess risk factors associated with CL. Soil samples from selected CL positive households were analysed for its contents. Additionally, clinicoepidemiological data from local health centres was examined for the year 2019. Total of 3,140 sand flies belonging to 18 species were collected. Phlebotomus sergenti was the most abundant species (38.16%). Its abundance had a strong positive correlation with mean monthly relative humidity and negative correlation with average temperature. Phlebotomus sergenti and Phlebotomus papatasi were abundant at an elevation ranging from 320 to 1,120 m above sea level and in agricultural lands near human settlements. Flight height preference apparatus collected maximum sand flies at 30 cm (1ft) above the ground and all species associated negatively with height. Soil analysis from habitats of adult and immature flies showed that highest mean number of adults and immatures were recorded from silt loam which carried highest concentrations of K2 O, Mg, Ca, and Zn. Number of immature sand flies correlated moderately (r = .7, p 35 years), knowledge of leishmaniasis, living in a middle and upper class, preachers visit to villages, and assumption that Afghan refugees are more prone to CL were significant. CL patient's archived data from health centres showed that majority of patients had lesions on face and hands. Patient's influx was highest in February and March.