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The pollination of tomatoes in greenhouses using bees (especially Bombus species) has increased worldwide, providing increased productivity. However, no concrete initiative has been carried out with bees for tomato pollination on a commercial scale, in greenhouses in Brazil. Thus, the aim of this study was to evaluate Melipona quadrifasciata efficiency in pollination and consequent production of tomatoes of different growth habits in greenhouse environment. Two experiments were conducted. The pollen load of the creeping tomato (determined growth) flowers and the fruit quality was quantified in the first experiment, in the greenhouse cultivation treatments with bees, without bees, and in the open environment. In the second experiment, the treatments were carried out with tomato of indeterminate growth in greenhouse with bees and without bees. The bees presented foraging behavior and visitation to tomato flowers. The pollen load for the determined tomato was 433% larger in a closed environment with bees whe...

This paper aims to evaluate the effects that calcium application on leaves and flowers of soybean plants exerts on yield and yield components. Two experiments were carried out in the 2013/2014 crop season under field conditions. In the first experiment, two soybean cultivars – one of determinate growth habit (BMX Ativa) and another of indeterminate growth habit (BMX Alvo) – were submitted to calcium spraying with four nozzles (twin flat, twin flat fan, cone and hollow cone). In the second experiment, soybean plants (BMX Ativa cultivar) were sprayed with calcium on the leaves and flowers at R1 or R3 growth stages. Subsequently, the plants were maintained or not under a 50-percent shade protection during flowering stage. Calcium spraying on soybean leaves or flowers during the flowering stage did not increase pod set, number of seeds, or grain yield. The calcium content in soybean flowers is not affected by foliar application thereof.

Natural selection predicts that organisms should maximize reproductive fitness by exhibiting a tradeoff between the quantity and quality of offspring. While many species clearly show this tradeoff, it is not a ubiquitous phenomenon. Indeed, observing this tradeoff in different organisms is contingent on life history traits, reproductive strategy, parental investment, and physiological constraints. We tested for a tradeoff between the number and quality of offspring in the amblypygid Phrynus longipes (Pocock, 1894)—a long-lived, iteroparous arachnid with indeterminate growth, post-ultimate molts, and parental care. We measured the size of gravid females and the mass and number of eggs in their clutches. Egg count, but not mass, was predicted by female size, indicating that we did not detect an offspring quantity-quality tradeoff. We posit that larger female P. longipes are laying more eggs rather than increasing investment in each egg. This study is the first of its kind in any amblypygid species.

In the present study, we aimed to characterize the life history of the land snail Subulina octona integrating information on life-history traits and morphology. We also compared the histology of th...

Many Cactaceae species exhibit determinate growth of the primary root as a consequence of root apical meristem (RAM) exhaustion. The genetic regulation of this growth pattern is unknown. Here, we de novo assembled and annotated the root apex transcriptome of the Pachycereus pringlei primary root at three developmental stages, with active or exhausted RAM. The assembled transcriptome is robust and comprehensive, and was used to infer a transcriptional regulatory network of the primary root apex. Putative orthologues of Arabidopsis regulators of RAM maintenance, as well as putative lineage-specific transcripts were identified. The transcriptome revealed putative orthologues of most proteins involved in housekeeping processes, hormone signalling, and metabolic pathways. Our results suggest that specific transcriptional programs operate in the root apex at specific developmental time points. Moreover, the transcriptional state of the P. pringlei root apex as the RAM becomes exhausted is comparable to the transcriptional state of cells from the meristematic, elongation, and differentiation zones of Arabidopsis roots along the root axis. We suggest that the transcriptional program underlying the drought stress response is induced during Cactaceae root development, and that lineage-specific transcripts could contribute to RAM exhaustion in Cactaceae.

Greengram [Vigna radiata (L.) Wilczek] a short duration legume crop grown throughout the year, faces biological constraints like indeterminate growth habit, YMV incidence, pod shattering and low harvest index ultimately leading to low yield. Genetic variability parameters were studied in fifty one greengram genotypes raised during kharif 2017 in randomised block design with two replications. Observations were made for twelve biometrical traits. The estimates of PCV was higher than GCV for all the characters. Plant height, number of primary branches per plant, number of clusters per plant, number of pods per plant and single plant yield recorded high GCV estimates. High heritability was observed for plant height and 100 seed weight where as high genetic advance as percent of mean was recorded for petiole length, peduncle length, plant height, number of primary branches per plant, number of clusters per plant, number of pods per plant, 100 seed weight and single plant yield. High heritability coupled with high genetic advance as percent of mean was observed for plant height and 100 seed weight. The high degree of variability observed among genotypes for different yield contributing traits could be utilized in the breeding program for the improvement of greengram.

Fieldwork was supported by the British Associate of Tortoise Keepers, British Chelonia Group, British High Commission in Cyprus, British Residents Society, Carnegie Trust for the Universities of Scotland, Darwin Initiative, Erwin Warth Foundation, Friends of SPOT, Glasgow Uni versity Court, Kuzey Kibris Turkcell, MEDASSET UK, and Natural Environment Research Council.

Tomato growers adopting an ecologically based system have opted for determinate growth varieties due to their ease of staking and sprouting, and due to the fact that they have a shorter cycle, which reduces phytosanitary problems that usually occur towards the end of the growing season. This study aimed to evaluate yield components and fruit quality of ?Floradade? determinate growth tomato in an ecologically based production system with regard to plant density and number of stems per plant in two growing seasons, spring-summer (SS) and summer-fall (SF). Two experiments were conducted in Pelotas in the years 2010/2011 under open field conditions. Plants were trained with two or four stems and four plant densities were evaluated: 2.0; 2.5; 3.0 and 3.6 plants m-2in SS, and 1.5; 2.0; 2.5 and 3.0 plants m-2 in SF. The fruit number, fruit average weight, fruit yield, ascorbic acid content, total soluble solids and fruit pH were evaluated. The average fruit yield obtained in SF was on average 80% lower than that in SS. The increase of plant density and number of stems per plant led to an increase in fruit number and fruit yield in the two crop seasons. There was an increase in total soluble solids and reduction in the ascorbic acid content of the fruit. Two stemsper plant and plant density of 3.0 plants m-2 are recommended for the ?Floradade? tomato crop under an ecological production system and SS crop conditions.

The objective of this study was to evaluate soybean growth, conversion of solar energy and seed vigour of plants cultivated with different nitrogen doses. We carried out experiments using the cultivar BMX Potencia RR belongs to the maturation group 6.7, presenting an indeterminate growth habit. The experimental design was completely randomised with four replications in a 4 x 8 factorial scheme (four nitrogen doses and eight collection periods). In the Vn stage of soybean development, we applied four different nitrogen fertilisation doses, i.e. 0, 25, 50 and 75 Kg N ha-1 in the form of urea (45% of N). We evaluated leaf area (Af), leaf dry mass (Wf), stem (Wc), roots (Wr) and pods (Wv), dry matter production rate (Ct), relative growth rate (Rw), net assimilation (Ea), rate, leaf area ratio (Sa), solar energy conversion factor (ξ), leaf area ratio (Fa) and leaf mass (Fw), dry matter partition between plant structures, seedling emergence (E) and the emergence speed index (IVE) of the seedlings originated from the seeds produced. The experiment was conducted throughout the crop cycle. Nitrogen application positively impacted soybean growth; a nitrogen dose of 50 Kg ha-1 resulted in highest values of Wt. However, plants subjected to 75 Kg N ha-1 reached higher Rw and L values. Nitrogen fertilisation applied in the stage Vn facilitated plant growth, enhanced the conversion of solar energy and resulted in higher seed vigour.

The SELF PRUNING (SP) gene is a key regulator of growth habit in tomato (Solanum lycopersicum). It is an ortholog of TERMINAL FLOWER1, a phosphatidylethanolamine-binding protein with antiflorigenic activity in Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana). A spontaneous loss-of-function mutation (sp) has been bred into several industrial tomato cultivars, as it produces a suite of pleiotropic effects that are favorable for mechanical harvesting, including determinate growth habit, short plant stature, and simultaneous fruit ripening. However, the physiological basis for these phenotypic differences has not been thoroughly explained. Here, we show that the sp mutation alters polar auxin transport as well as auxin responses, such as gravitropic curvature and elongation of excised hypocotyl segments. We also demonstrate that free auxin levels and auxin-regulated gene expression patterns are altered in sp mutants. Furthermore, diageotropica, a mutation in a gene encoding a cyclophilin A protein, appears to confer epistatic effects with sp. Our results indicate that SP affects the tomato growth habit at least in part by influencing auxin transport and responsiveness. These findings suggest potential novel targets that could be manipulated for controlling plant growth habit and improving productivity.

Males may use tactics before, during and after mating to increase their reproductive success. With finite energy resources available, theory predicts that there should be a trade-off between investment in pre-copulatory traits (e.g. body size, armaments) and post-copulatory traits (e.g. testes size, spermatogenic efficiency). Western grey kangaroos (Macropus fuliginosus) are found in large, labile mixed-sex groups, in which the males show a dominance hierarchy. Males show indeterminate growth, and will reach up to six times the body mass of females. While the largest males use their size as a reproductive advantage, forelimb musculature further aids male–male contest, female attraction and/or female coercion. Under a trade-off scenario, we therefore predicted that larger, more muscular males would show less investment in sperm competitive traits. Consistent with this prediction, more muscular males showed decreased spermatozoa velocity. However, muscularity was also positively correlated with mass of two pairs of bulbourethral accessory glands, as well as mass of the penis and its muscles of erection. Seasonal changes in muscularity and accessory gland masses were also evident. Male kangaroos therefore invest in multiple reproductive traits on which selection can work.

Cultivated tomato has been in existence for about 400 years and breeding activities have been conducted for only eight decades. However, more than 10,000 tomato cultivars have already been developed. Ninety-one tomato genotypes were characterized for twenty-one morphological traits using developmental, vegetative, and fruit traits. Correlation, principal component, and cluster analysis between the traits were carried out. Higher correlations between fruit traits including fruit shape, fruit size, and fruit types were observed. These correlations indicate that specific fruit types require specific traits like branched inflorescence and a greater number of fruits per inflorescence are beneficial only for smaller fruit sizes like cherry and grape tomatoes. Contrastingly, traits like determinate growth habit and fruit maturity are preferred in all fruit types of tomato for better cultivation practices and longer production duration and hence showed lower correlations. Principal component analysis clustered tomato genotypes into three main clusters with multiple subgroups. Similar tomato genotypes were placed into one or more clusters confirming the results from correlation analysis. Involvement of private breeding programs in cultivar development has increased the competition on introgression of novel and desired traits across new cultivars. Understanding the diversity present in modern cultivars and potential traits identification in related wild species can enhance tomato diversity and improve quality and production.

The timing of flower formation and length of the seed-filling period of indeterminate growth soybean varieties vary more than those of determinate varieties (Glycine max (L.) Merrill). These variations have been hypothesized to affect single seed weight and its uniformity which determine the processing quality of soybean used in foods. We derived near isogenic lines (NILs) with different growth characteristics from an indeterminate line (donor parent) and three determinate lines with heavy seeds (recurrent parents), and evaluated the effects of growth habit on seed weight and its uniformity. Each NIL population consisting of five indeterminate and five determinate BC4F4 lines tested at two locations in two different years with two replications. Split-plot analysis of variance, with main-plot and sub-plot being cross combination and growth habit, respectively, showed that indeterminate varieties had slightly heavier seeds than determinate varieties and that there was no significant difference in uniformity of single seed weights. The effects of growth habit on seed uniformity was related to genetic background, but differences between the two growth characteristics were less than the differences among genetic background. This indicates that indeterminate growth habit did not much influence seed weight or its uniformity.

Apical dominance inhibition is important in cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) production due to its indeterminate growth habit. Apical dominance can be inhibited physically by the manual removal of apical buds or chemically by the application of plant growth regulators. However, knowledge of the yield and boll distribution of cotton under different methods of apical dominance inhibition remains limited. Thus, an experiment was conducted to evaluate the effects of different methods of apical dominance inhibition (physical inhibition, chemical inhibition and no inhibition) on the plant growth, within-plant boll distribution, crop maturity, yield and fiber quality of cotton from 2016 to 2018. Compared with no inhibition, chemical inhibition and especially physical inhibition reduced plant height, whereas only physical inhibition promoted the ratio of fruiting sites to fruiting branches, which indicated that chemical inhibition resulted in a more compact plant type than physical inhibition. Earlier crop maturity was observed with both physical and chemical inhibition methods than without inhibition, and this finding was attributed to a higher number of inner bolls at lower and middle nodes. The lint yield response to the different inhibition methods varied among years and between varieties. The lint yield of XIN4 was significantly enhanced by physical inhibition and chemical inhibition in 2 of the 3 years, by an average of 11.5 % and 8.7 %, respectively. An effect of inhibition method on the lint yield of CRI60 was observed only in 2016, in which physical inhibition significantly improved the lint yield by 14.0 % compared with that obtained without inhibition. Chemical inhibition achieved a similar lint yield to physical inhibition in all three years. Fiber quality was slightly reduced under chemical inhibition compared to physical inhibition, but the values were within the acceptable range regarding grade standards. Overall, although apical dominance inhibition did not consistently improve lint yield, it remains a desirable management tool for achieving a favorable cotton architecture for mechanical harvest. Additionally, chemical inhibition appears to be a promising alternative to physical inhibition in cotton production due to its simplicity as a management tool.

The present study investigated the influence of environmental conditions (growing regions and/or fruit-harvesting periods) and cultivar on fruit phytochemical content and quality parameters of “salad-type” fresh market tomatoes grown in protected soilless culture under non-temperature-controlled high tunnels. Sixteen high yielding hybrid tomato cultivars of indeterminate growth were grown in three different regions (Tshwane, Eastern and Western regions) of a subtropical highland climate, and the fruits were harvested in three different periods of the growing season for fruit quality analysis. The Eastern region was in general the most ideal environment for increased fruit quality (particularly fruit electrical conductivity) and phytochemical content of soilless grown tomato cultivars in a non-temperature-controlled high tunnel. The fruit electrical conductivity was considerably high in this region, irrespective of its harvesting period. The potential to maximize a certain type of phytochemical or fruit quality parameter was cultivar-dependant. Cultivars responded differently to the changing environment. However, the fruit total soluble solids level of those cultivars showing superior performance was positively influenced by increased levels of thermal time accumulation and minimum relative humidity, while their fruit electrical conductivity level was reduced with increased vapour pressure deficit. On the contrary, the fruit pH level did not seem to be affected by the environment or cultivar type. Therefore, identifying appropriate growing environments for the tomato cultivars is crucial for improved phytochemical content and fruit quality parameters, contributing to nutrition security, improved income generation for farmers and overall societal well-being.

Kochia is a summer-annual tumbleweed that is drought, saline, and heat tolerant, and often resistant to several herbicides. Glyphosate-resistant kochia exhibits indeterminate growth and remains green during senescence, making it difficult to harvest crops that are contaminated with this weed. Removing dense patches of kochia from contaminated crops can aid in downstream harvest operations while also generating a potential source of livestock feed. This study evaluated the effects of two kochia populations [glyphosate-resistant (GR) and glyphosate-susceptible (GS) kochia] with or without pre-harvest treatment using glyphosate + saflufenacil [untreated (UN) vs treated 10 d pre-harvest (PRE)] on nutrient composition and in vitro degradability when it was harvested at advancing maturities. Kochia (GR-UN, GR-PRE, GS-UN, and GS-PRE) was harvested on 6 dates (HD) corresponding to pre-bloom (HD 1), mid-bloom (HD 2), full-bloom with 50% open flowers (HD 3), developing seeds (HD 4), mid-mature seeds (HD 5) and fully mature seeds (HD 6). In most cases, harvest date affected the chemical composition and in vitro degradability to a greater extent than the kochia population or herbicide treatment. The dry matter (DM) yield increased (P

Cowpea [Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp.] is a major legume crop and an important source of protein in Africa. The Kafr El-Sheikh University has a long history of cowpea breeding and improvement in Egypt. Two superior lines with high seed yield and quality were selected through mutation breeding and released to farmers as new varieties under the names Kafr El Sheikh-1 and Kaha-1. Crosses were made between these two varieties to further improve cowpea to meet farmers’ demand. Using the pedigree selection method, 13 new superior F10 lines were selected and evaluated over 2 years for seed yield and related traits, earliness, and protein content under low (16 plants/m2) and high (24 plants/m2) plant densities. The results showed that plants grown in narrower space produced significantly higher seed yield per unit area than the plants grown in wider space. All developed lines produced significantly higher seed yield than the two parental lines in the 2018 trial and Kaha-1 in the 2019 trial. Line number 6 proved to be the best genotype for earliness (73.5–73.9 days after sowing), seed yield (573–647 g/m2), and crude protein content (22.7–24.3%) in both trials. In addition, line 4 with bushy determinate growth habit and high seed quality was recently released as a new variety (Sakha-1). Several other cowpea lines have clear potential for release as new high-yielding varieties with early maturity and high seed quality for farmers in Egypt. Seeds of selected lines are available from Kafrelsheikh University. This shows that mutation breeding and pedigree selection methods are among the most promising breeding methods for cowpea improvement.

To elucidate changes in the defensive traits of tree seedlings under global environmental changes, we evaluated foliar defensive traits of the seedlings of successional trees, such as beech, oak, and magnolia grown in a natural-light phytotron. Potted seedlings were grown under the combination of two CO2 concentrations (360 vs. 720 ppm) and two nitrogen (N) treatments (4 vs. 15 kg N ha−1 yr−1) for two growing seasons using quantitative chemical analyses and anatomical method. We hypothesized that the effects of CO2 and N depend on the successional type, with late successional species providing greater defense of their leaves against herbivores, as this species exhibits determinate growth. Beech, a late successional species, responded the most to both elevated CO2 concentration (eCO2) and high N treatment. eCO2 and low N supply enhanced the defensive traits, such as the high leaf mass per area (LMA), high carbon to N ratio (C/N ratio), and increase in the concentrations of total phenolic and condensed tannin in agreement with the carbon–nutrient balance (CNB) hypothesis. High N supply decreased the C/N ratio due to the high N uptake in beech leaves. Oak, a mid–late successional species, exhibited different responses from beech: eCO2 enhanced the LMA, C/N ratio, and concentration of total phenolics of oak leaves, but only condensed tannin increased under high N supply. Magnolia did not respond to all treatments. No interactive effects were observed between CO2 and N supply in all species, except for the concentration of total phenolics in oak. Although the amounts of phenolic compounds in beech and oak varied under eCO2 and high N treatments, the distribution of these compounds did not change. Our results indicate that the changes in the defensive traits of forest tree species under eCO2 with N loading are related to the successional type.

Made available in DSpace on 2021-06-25T10:21:51Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2021-07-01 Co-inoculation of soybean with Azospirillum brasilense and Bradyrhizobium spp. is an increasing practice in Brazil, but little is known about the conditions that maximize crop efficiency. In this study, data from field experiments run between 2009 and 2020 in Brazil were gathered to evaluate which environmental and agronomic conditions affect the response of soybean to bacterial co-inoculation. Results showed that co-inoculation of soybean increased root mass in 11%, nodule number in 5.4%, nodule mass in 10.6%, N concentration in shoots in 2.8%, grain yield and N concentration in grains in 3.2% and 3.6% respectively compared to the conventional single inoculation with Bradyrhizobium spp. Grain yield was used to discriminate co-inoculation efficiency, and soybean was more responsive to the simultaneous inoculation with B. japonicum and B. diazoefficiens in sandy soils, non-tillage system, tropical climate, soybean cultivars with determinate growth habit, and grain yield class lower than 3500 kg ha−1. Co-inoculation can also be important to mitigate the effects of water stress on plants. Co-inoculation of soybean with A. brasilense and Bradyrhizobium spp. demonstrated to be an efficient technology that contributes to the sustainability of soybean production. Federal Institute of Southeast of Minas Gerais Embrapa Soja, P.O. Box 231 Ingá University Center (Uningá) Federal Technological University of Paraná Medianeira (UTFPR) São Paulo State University (UNESP) University of Brasília (UnB) São Paulo State University (UNESP)

Summary 1.The consequences of individual variation in life-history traits have been well studied due to their importance in evolutionary ecology. However, a trait that has received little empirical attention is the rate of indeterminate growth. In long-lived ectotherms, subtle variation in growth after maturity could have major effects over the animals’ lifetimes. 2.These effects are difficult to measure due to the challenges involved in reliably estimating individual variation in the face of environmental stochasticity, and the need to account for trade-offs among growth, reproduction and survival. However, modelling advances have made such analysis possible if long-term high-quality data sets are available. 3.We used an integrated state-space modelling framework to reveal relationships between indeterminate growth, reproduction and survival in a population of North American snapping turtles (Chelydra serpentina) using a 41-year data set for 298 adult females. 4.A hierarchical version of the von Bertalanffy model fitted to data on carapace lengths showed substantial individual variation in growth trajectories, and hierarchical models fitted to clutch-mass data and recapture histories showed that reproductive output and survival probability increased with size. Integration of these models revealed no detectable trade-offs – i.e., individual growth parameters were not correlated with size-specific survival or reproduction rates, and individual variation in reproductive output did not affect the size-specific survival rate. Consequently, individual variation in growth parameters was estimated to result in > 2-fold variation in post-maturity life expectancy and > 4-fold variation in expected lifetime reproductive output. 5.These results illustrate that indeterminate growth can have major fitness consequences in long-lived species. We suggest that the individual variation in growth rates reflects variation in environments experienced during development or later life. An understanding of this variation may be essential for predicting the population dynamics of long-lived species under threat and identifying the most important environments to protect. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

Neoraimondia have short-shoots comprised of a large areole with indeterminate growth (‘Kurztriebcephalien’). Flowers of some other cacti are subtended by modestly large photosynthetic leaves. Many specimens of the organ pipe cactus, Stenocereus thurberi, seem to have all these traits: large short-shoots with indeterminate growth and fleshy photosynthetic leaves. Short-shoots in organ pipe cactus grow new photosynthetic leaves at their apical meristem and sometimes flower, branch, and form discrete areoles with new spines. However, unlike short-shoots in Neoraimondia, spherical short-shoots of Stenocereus thurberi seem to retain chlorenchyma and lack extensive cork development.

Indeterminate growth, i.e. growth that persists throughout life, is common in long-lived reptiles. Because fecundity and body size tend to be correlated in such species, individuals face a life-history trade-off at sexual maturity. Saturation tagging and intensive monitoring at nesting grounds can potentially provide opportunities to accumulate data on individual measurements and reproductive output. Until recently, however, shortcomings from these methods have prevented the testing of theories on resource allocation between growth and reproduction at sexual maturity in wild populations of sea turtles. Here, we review the state of knowledge of growth rates in adult sea turtles and potential life-history trade-offs. We found that post-maturity growth rates varied among ocean basins. They appeared highest in the Atlantic Ocean for both green turtles Chelonia mydas and hawksbill turtles Eretmochelys imbricata, and highest in the Mediterranean Sea for loggerhead turtles Caretta caretta. For other species, there are too few studies at present to allow for intraspecific comparison. Additionally, we found no significant difference in mean female compound annual growth rates among species and ocean basins. Although captive studies have provided great insight into changes in energy allocation at sexual maturity and life-history trade-offs, this review highlights the lack of data on wild animals regarding changes in post-maturity growth rates and reproductive output over time. Such data are desirable to further our understanding of energy allocation, growth and ageing in wild sea turtles. They are further required to assess the status of species and to understand population dynamics for both conservation and management.

The newly discovered determinate plant growth habit of Brassica napus is a potential trait that might contribute to the genetic improvement of rapeseed. Brassica napus is an important species of rapeseed and has an indeterminate growth habit. However, a determinate inflorescence strain (4769) has been discovered among doubled haploid (DH) lines obtained from a spring B. napus × winter B. napus cross. We assessed the effect of the determinate growth habit on agronomic traits. The results showed that determinacy is beneficial for reducing plant height and flowering time, advancing maturity and maintaining productivity. We also investigated the inheritance of determinacy. A genetic analysis revealed that the phenotype of the determinate trait is controlled by one recessive gene, Bnsdt1. Mapping of the Bnsdt1 gene was subsequently conducted in BC1 and BC3 populations derived from combination 2014 × 4769. The results showed that the Bnsdt1 gene could be delimited to a region of approximately 220 kb, between 16,627 and 16,847 kb on A10. Within the target region, whole-genome re-sequencing identified two candidate regions (16,628–16,641 and 16,739–16,794 kb) of approximately 68 kb. A Blast analysis of the two candidate intervals found that BnaA10g26300D/GSBRNA2T00136426001 (BnTFL1) is homologous to the TFL1 gene of A. thaliana. Subsequently, quantitative reverse transcription (qRT)-PCR revealed that BnTFL1 was specifically expressed in the shoot apex. Collectively, the results of expression analysis provide preliminary evidence that BnTFL1 is a candidate gene for the inflorescence trait in 4769.

El manejo de la arquitectura de la planta es de suma importancia en sistemas de producción intensiva. El objetivo del presente estudio fue evaluar el crecimiento y rendimiento de plantas de tomate (Solanum lycopersicum L.) bajo un sistema de producción alternativo basado en el despunte temprano de las yemas terminales para dejar tres racimos por planta y alta densidad de población, en condiciones hidropónicas y bajo invernadero. Se compararon tres disposiciones de plantas con doseles en forma de escalera (escaleriformes) y una cuarta con dosel uniforme (testigo). Se usaron plantas de tomate Pik Ripe 461 de hábito de crecimiento determinado. Dentro de cada sistema de producción se probaron dos densidades de población (10 y 12.5 plantas m-2). Se utilizó un diseño de parcelas divididas en bloques al azar con cuatro repeticiones. En las parcelas grandes se evaluaron los sistemas de producción y en las subparcelas las densidades de población. Se analizaron características morfológicas y variables de rendimiento. Se encontró que las plantas con arreglos de dosel escaleriforme rindieron entre 18 y 21 % más por unidad de superficie que las de dosel uniforme, debido a que produjeron mayor cantidad de frutos sin una disminución significativa de su peso medio. La densidad de población con que se logró el mayor rendimiento (31 kg m-2) fue de 12.5 plantas m-2. El sistema de manejo propuesto fue efectivo para incrementar el rendimiento de tomate por unidad de superficie bajo condiciones de invernadero.

Eco-evolutionary dynamics occur when ecological change influences evolutionary change (eco-to-evo) and when evolutionary change influences ecological change (evo-to-eco), both on contemporary time scales. Fishes, amphibians, and reptiles have played important roles as study animals in the empirical study and exploration of these dynamics. We suggest that this primacy stems in part from the sweet-spot that many species of fishes, amphibians, and reptiles occupy on the continuum from experimental convenience to ecological importance, as well as on the particular organismal properties that they share, including indeterminate growth and ectothermy. Yet our overall understanding of eco-evolutionary dynamics remains very limited. In the hope of reducing this information gap, the present symposium proceedings include 12 contributions that speak directly to three critical topics in eco-evolutionary dynamics: the role of human influences, constraints and alternatives, and the context dependence of eco-evolutionary...

Determinate growth habit is an agronomically important trait associated with domestication in soya bean. Previous studies have demonstrated that the emergence of determinacy is correlated with artificial selection on four nonsynonymous mutations in the Dt1 gene. To better understand the signatures of the soft sweeps across the Dt1 locus and track the origins of the determinate alleles, we examined patterns of nucleotide variation in Dt1 and the surrounding genomic region of approximately 800 kb. Four local, asymmetrical hard sweeps on four determinate alleles, sized approximately 660, 120, 220 and 150 kb, were identified, which constitute the soft sweeps for the adaptation. These variable-sized sweeps substantially reflected the strength and timing of selection and indicated that the selection on the alleles had been completed rapidly within half a century. Statistics of EHH, iHS, H12 and H2/H1 based on haplotype data had the power to detect the soft sweeps, revealing distinct signatures of extensive long-range LD and haplotype homozygosity, and multiple frequent adaptive haplotypes. A haplotype network constructed for Dt1 and a phylogenetic tree based on its extended haplotype block implied independent sources of the adaptive alleles through de novo mutations or rare standing variation in quick succession during the selective phase, strongly supporting multiple origins of the determinacy. We propose that the adaptation of soya bean determinacy is guided by a model of soft sweeps and that this model might be indispensable during crop domestication or evolution.

Plants usually respond to the changes of growth irradiance by a combination of the physiological modifications in their preexisting leaves and the production of new leaves. However, those with a determinate growth habit produce certain number of leaves in a growing season and cannot produce new leaves when light condition changes. We used an epiphytic orchid with only one leaf produced every growing season to examine whether and how determinate growth species adapt to changing environments after their preexisting leaves mature. Leaf photosynthesis and anatomy of Pleione aurita were investigated at full expansion and at 40 days after the fully expanded leaves were transferred from high to low light or from low to high light. Leaves show large physiological and morphological plasticity to light gradients at full expansion and the transferred leaves exhibited multiple physiological modifications, including reallocation of nitrogen between light harvesting and carbon fixation, and enhancement of thermal dissipation in their new environments, to optimize carbon assimilation and avoid photoinhibition. Irrespective of the various changes either to shade or sun, the sole preexisting leaf could not fully acclimate to new light environments due to the mesophyll thickness constraint. This leads to the consequence that only plants exposed to high light throughout the experiment had a positive annual biomass gain. Our results highlighted the importance of new leaf production in the carbon accumulation during photosynthetic light acclimation, and contribute new insights of epiphytes physiological responses to their highly dynamic arboreal habitat.

Atmospheric CO 2 concentrations ([CO 2 ]) are predicted to increase from current levels of about 400 ppm to reach 550 ppm by 2050. The direct benefits of elevated [CO 2 ] (e[CO 2 ]) to plant growth appear to be greater under low rainfall conditions, but there are few field (Free Air CO 2 Enrichment or FACE) experimental set-ups that directly address semi-arid conditions. The objectives of this study were to investigate the following research questions: 1) What are the effects of e[CO 2 ] on the growth and grain yield of lentil ( Lens culinaris ) grown under semi-arid conditions under FACE? 2) Does e[CO 2 ] decrease grain nitrogen in lentil? and 3) Is there genotypic variability in the response to e[CO 2 ] in lentil cultivars? Elevated [CO 2 ] increased yields by approximately 0.5 t ha −1 (relative increase ranging from 18 to 138%) by increasing both biomass accumulation (by 32%) and the harvest index (by up to 60%). However, the relative response of grain yield to e[CO 2 ] was not consistently greater under dry conditions and might depend on water availability post-flowering. Grain nitrogen concentration was significantly reduced by e[CO 2 ] under the conditions of this experiment. No differences were found between the cultivars selected in the response to elevated [CO 2 ] for grain yield or any other parameters observed despite well expressed genotypic variability in many traits of interest. Biomass accumulation from flowering to maturity was considerably increased by elevated [CO 2 ] (a 50% increase) which suggests that the indeterminate growth habit of lentils provides vegetative sinks in addition to reproductive sinks during the grain-filling period.

Tomato ( Solanum lycopersicum Linn.) is widely cultivated and is economically beneficial. Tomato cultivars were obtained from traditional agriculture systems, and their morphological characters were evaluated. The cultivars included Pepper tomato [ ED/CH/01] , Edo local [ ED/CH/02] , Golden tomato [ ED/CH/03] and Derica tomato [ ED/CH/04] . Results of the principal component analyses of 27 morphological characters indicated that two characters accounted for 94.65 % of the observed variations. Scatter plots suggested good tendency of grouping for the four accessions. In the dendrogram, two clusters were formed with ED/CH/01, ED/CH/02 and ED/CH/03 grouped together whereas ED/CH/04 clustered separately. The clustering pattern implicated a common origin and/or gene pool for the cultivars. Cultivars ED/CH/01, ED/CH/03 and ED/CH/04 showed determinate growth type, while ED/CH/02 showed a semi-determinate growth pattern. Further, in terms of plant size, ED/CH/01 and ED/CH/02 were intermediate, while ED/CH/0 3 and ED/CH/0 4 were large. The characteristics of the flower and fruits exhibited diversity in terms of the corolla color, style, shape, fruit size at maturity, exterior color of the mature fruit, fruit shoulder, fruit cross-sectional shape, and fruit blossom end shape. These cultivars collectively possess characteristics that can be used by plant breeders. We recommend that further characterization using molecular techniques as well as conservation attention for these local germplasms should be conducted

Soybean (Glycine max Merrill) crop production in Brazil relies mainly on biological nitrogen fixation (BNF) for nitrogen (N) supply. Recent adoption of indeterminate growth-type genotypes has raised doubts on the need for supplemental mineral N that might negatively affect the BNF. We assessed the effects of mineral N on BNF attributes of soybean genotypes grown in central and southern Brazil. Genotypes were inoculated with Bradyrhizobium sp. and/or received mineral N in three sets of experiments. In the first set, two genotypes received increasing rates of mineral N in nutrient solution, which consistently reduced the BNF. In the second set, mineral N applied at sowing and/or topdressing reduced nodulation and ureides-N in determinate and indeterminate growth-type genotypes. In the third set, mineral N applied at R5.3 stage, foliar or as topdressing, did not increase grain yield in four field experiments. Mineral N impaired BNF irrespective of the growth type and had no effect on grain yield.

In temperate deciduous forests, vertical gradients in leaf mass per area (LMA) and area-based leaf nitrogen (Narea) are strongly controlled by gradients in light availability. While there is evidence that hydrostatic constraints on leaf development may diminish LMA and Narea responses to light, inherent differences among tree species may also influence leaf developmental and morphological response to light. We investigated vertical gradients in LMA, Narea and leaf carbon isotope composition (δ13C) for three temperate deciduous species (Carpinus caroliniana Walter, Fagus grandifolia Ehrh., Liriodendron tulipifera L.) that differed in growth strategy (e.g., indeterminate and determinate growth), shade tolerance and leaf area to sapwood ratio (Al:As). Leaves were sampled across a broad range of light conditions within three vertical layers of tree crowns to maximize variation in light availability at each height and to minimize collinearity between light and height. All species displayed similar responses to light with respect to Narea and δ13C, but not for LMA. Light was more important for gradients in LMA for the shade-tolerant (C. caroliniana) and -intolerant (L. tulipifera) species with indeterminate growth, and height (e.g., hydrostatic gradients) and light were equally important for the shade-tolerant (F. grandifolia) species with determinate growth. Fagus grandifolia had a higher morphological plasticity in response to light, which may offer a competitive advantage in occupying a broader range of light conditions throughout the canopy. Differences in responses to light and height for the taller tree species, L. tulipifera and F. grandifolia, may be attributed to differences in growth strategy or Al:As, which may alter morphological and functional responses to light availability. While height was important in F. grandifolia, height was no more robust in predicting LMA than light in any of the species, confirming the strong role of light availability in determining LMA for temperate deciduous species.

Ocean quahogs [Arctica islandica (Linnaeus, 1769)] are the longest-lived, noncolonial animal known today, with a maximum life span exceeding 500 y. Ocean quahogs are a commercially important bivalve, inhabiting the continental shelf of the North Atlantic Basin. Although considerable information exists on the growth and physiology of A. islandica, limited information is available regarding recruitment; accordingly, sustainably managing the fishery is a challenge. To investigate long-term recruitment trends, the age of ocean quahogs from Georges Bank which were fully recruited to the commercial fishery (>80 mm shell length) was determined by analysis of annual growth lines in the hinge plate. Ages of animals representing the fully recruited size range were used to develop an age—length key, enabling reconstruction of the population age frequency. The population age frequency showed that the Georges Bank population experienced an increase in recruitment beginning in the late 1890s. Initial settlement, documented by a few ocean quahogs that were much older, occurred much earlier, in the early 1800s. Following the late 1890s increase in recruitment, the population expanded rapidly reaching carrying capacity in 20–30 y. Recruitment was more or less continuous after this expansion, consistent with maintenance of a population at carrying capacity. Unusually large year classes were not observed, nor were significant periods of high recruitment interspersed with periods of low recruitment. The relationship of growth rate with age for the oldest clams was assessed using the time series of yearly growth increments and the resulting relationship fitted to three models (von Bertalanffy, Gompertz, and Tanaka's ALOG curve). The ALOG model was clearly superior because it allows for persistent indeterminate growth at old age, rather than the asymptotic behavior of the other two and because it allows for a rapid change in growth rate at what is presumed to be maturity.

In species with indeterminate growth, differential growth rates can lead to animals adopting alternative reproductive tactics such as sneak–guard phenotypes, which is partially predicted by variation in growth during the juvenile life-history stage. To investigate sources of growth variation, we examined the independent and joint effects of paternal reproductive tactic (G) and rearing environment (E) on juvenile growth in Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha), hypothesizing G and E effects are partially mediated through differences in behaviour such as aggressive interactions and resulting foraging behaviours. We created maternal half-sibling families with one-half of the female's eggs fertilized by the milt of a sneaker “jack” and the other half by a guarder “hooknose”. At the exogenous feeding stage, each split-clutch family was then divided again and reared in a rationed diet or growth-promotion diet environment for approximately 6 months, during which growth parameters were measured. Before saltwater transfer at 9 months of age, social interactions were observed in groups of six fish of various competitor origins. We found ration restricts growth rate and juvenile mass, and evidence of genetic effects on growth depensation, where jack-sired individuals grew less uniformly over time. These growth-related differences influenced an individual's level of aggression, with individuals raised on a restricted diet and those whose families experienced greatest growth being most aggressive. These individuals were more likely to feed than not and feed most often. Jack-sired individuals were additionally aggressive in the absence of food, and when raised on a rationed diet outcompeted others to feed most. These results show how individuals may achieve higher growth rates via intrinsic (G) or induced (E) aggressive behavioural phenotypes, and eventually attain the threshold body size necessary during the saltwater phase to precociously sexually mature and adopt alternative reproductive phenotypes.

This study aims to identify the phenotypic effects of traits associated with soybean pods and their growth habit. The experiments were carried out during the 2012 - 2013 agricultural year. It was done in randomized blocks arranged in a 2×20 factorial design (environments × soybean cultivars) with three replications. Data were subjected to individual analysis of variance for each environment and growth habit to verify the homogeneity of variances. Phenotypic path analysis among agronomic traits was performed for each environment within the soybean growth habits. The results showed considerable influences of growth habit via traits associated with soybean pods. The traits number of pods with two, three, and four grains directly influenced the grain yield of genotypes with indeterminate growth habit regardless of the environment. The soybean genotypes with determinate growth habit contributed greatly to grain yield through the traits number of pods with one, two, and three grains and thousand grain weight via pods with two or four grains. Indirect selection of superior genotypes for pods per plant and grain weight could provide satisfactory results for soybean yield in relation to the growth habit. The interrelationships obtained between growth habits and environments, can be applied to superior genotypes selection strategies in breeding soybean programs. Key words: Agriculture science, biometric models, Glycine max L., indirect selection, grain yield, soybean breeding.

Premise of the study The aboveground part of one-leaf plants (Gesneriaceae) consists of a unique shoot-like unit called a phyllomorph, which is composed of a growing lamina and one petiolode (a stem- and petiole-like organ). The phyllomorph has three meristems: a basal meristem (BM; involved in lamina growth), a petiolode meristem (PM; required for midrib and petiolode growth), and a groove meristem (GM; contributes to inflorescence and new phyllomorph development). Although the GM has a tunica-corpus structure like a conventional shoot apical meristem (SAM), the vegetative GM of a one-leaf plant does not form any organ primordia and has been considered a defective or suppressed SAM. In this study, we evaluated the nature of the three meristems to reconsider their roles in phyllomorph development in the one-leaf species Monophyllaea glabra. Methods Mitotic activities of meristem cells were monitored by incorporation of a thymidine analog (EdU) into DNA. Orthologs of SHOOTMERISTEMLESS (STM) and PHANTASTICA, ROUGH SHEATH2, ASYMMETRIC LEAVES1 (PHAN/RS2/AS1) were isolated from M. glabra, and their expression patterns were investigated by quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction in combination with a laser microdissection technique. Key results Mitotic activities were detected in all three phyllomorph meristems. Strong expression of the STM and PHAN/RS2/AS1 orthologs was detected in the vegetative GM and BM, respectively. Conclusions The vegetative GM is an active meristem that expresses the STM ortholog. We postulate that the GM is required for growth of a phyllomorph by providing undifferentiated cells and/or growth regulators to the BM and/or PM.

The majority of gall-inducing nematodes lives in the soil, and induces galls on roots. Nevertheless, some nematodes are able to climb up the stems and induce galls on aerial plant organs. This is the case of Ditylenchus gallaeformans (Oliveira et al., 2013), which induces galls on the inflorescences of Miconia albicans (Sw.) Steud. (1841) and Miconia ibaguensis (Bonpl.) Triana (1871) (Melastomataceae). Under the influence of D. gallaeformans, the flowers of M. albicans and M. ibaguensis do not differentiate in situ. Instead of flowers, the axes of the galled inflorescences are surrounded by emergences with nutritive tissues lining the larval chambers. The nutritive tissues are meristem-like, but distinct from other galls, they have a promeristematic capability. In other words, the nutritive tissues of these galls have totipotent cells, originating new covering emergences with dermal, ground and vascular tissues. Therefore, these galls have an indeterminate growth, which is a novelty for galls in general. Additionally, D. gallaeformans induces a long-distance impact on fruits, which have increased number of carpels. Such long-distance effects indicate that D. gallaeformans is a peculiar colonial parasite, which may compensate the damages of gall inducing mechanisms by favoring, at least partially, its host plant fitness. The number of carpels is a conservative character in most plant species, and the promeristems are maintained only in apical and lateral buds of normal plants. However, D. gallaeformans is capable of manipulating these conservative features in its host plants, and the signaling factors involved in these interactions deserves special attention.