Interactive transcriptome analyses of Northern Wild Rice ( L.) and show convoluted communications during the early stages of fungal brown spot development.

Fungal diseases, caused mainly by spp., are past and current threats to Northern Wild Rice (NWR) grain production and germplasm preservation in both natural and cultivated settings. Genetic resistance against the pathogen is scarce.

Genetic Mapping of Tolerance to Bacterial Stem Blight Caused by pv. in Alfalfa ( L.).

The bacterial stem blight of alfalfa ( L.), first reported in the United States in 1904, has emerged recently as a serious disease problem in the western states. The causal agent, pv.

Diversity of Strains in the Complex Causing Bacterial Stem Blight of Alfalfa () in the United States.

Alfalfa growers in the Intermountain West of the United States have recently seen an increased incidence in bacterial stem blight (BSB), which can result in significant herbage yield losses from the first harvest. BSB has been attributed to pv and ; however, little is known about the genetic diversity and pathogenicity of these bacteria or their interaction with alfalfa plants. Here, we present a comprehensive phylogenetic and phenotypic analysis of and strains causing BSB on alfalfa.

Surfactin and Spo0A-Dependent Antagonism by Strain UD1022 against Phytopathogens.

Plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) such as the root colonizers spp. may be ideal alternatives to chemical crop treatments. This work sought to extend the application of the broadly active PGPR UD1022 to (alfalfa).

Modifying the Quality of Pig Carcasses, Meat, and Dry Fermented Sausage from Black Slavonian Pigs by Selecting the Final Body Weight and Nutrition.

A total of 96 Black Slavonian pigs were subjected to the research, in which they were split into 6 groups. Three groups (100, 120, and 130 kg) were fed a higher level (HL) of crude protein in fodder mixtures (CPFM), and three groups (100, 120, and 130 kg) were fed a lower level (LL) of CPFM. After the pigs were slaughtered, pig carcasses were dissected and the meat and halves quality indicators were determined.

Objective Phenotyping of Root System Architecture Using Image Augmentation and Machine Learning in Alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.).

Active breeding programs specifically for root system architecture (RSA) phenotypes remain rare; however, breeding for branch and taproot types in the perennial crop alfalfa is ongoing. Phenotyping in this and other crops for active RSA breeding has mostly used visual scoring of specific traits or subjective classification into different root types. While image-based methods have been developed, translation to applied breeding is limited.

Alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) pho2 mutant plants hyperaccumulate phosphate.

In this article, we describe a set of novel alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) plants that hyper-accumulate Phosphate ion (Pi) at levels 3- to 6-fold higher than wild-type. This alfalfa germplasm will have practical applications reclaiming Pi from contaminated or enriched soil or be used in conservation buffer strips to protect waterways from Pi run-off.

Phenotyping seedlings for selection of root system architecture in alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.).

Background: The root system architecture (RSA) of alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) affects biomass production by influencing water and nutrient uptake, including nitrogen fixation. Further, roots are important for storing carbohydrates that are needed for regrowth in spring and after each harvest.

Pseudomonas viridiflava: An internal outsider of the Pseudomonas syringae species complex.

Unlabelled: Pseudomonas viridiflava is a gram-negative pseudomonad that is phylogenetically placed within the Pseudomonas syringae species complex. P. viridiflava has a wide host range and causes a variety of symptoms in different plant parts, including stems, leaves, and blossoms.

Pan-transcriptome identifying master genes and regulation network in response to drought and salt stresses in Alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.).

Alfalfa is an important legume forage grown worldwide and its productivity is affected by environmental stresses such as drought and high salinity. In this work, three alfalfa germplasms with contrasting tolerances to drought and high salinity were used for unraveling the transcriptomic responses to drought and salt stresses. Twenty-one different RNA samples from different germplasm, stress conditions or tissue sources (leaf, stem and root) were extracted and sequenced using the PacBio (Iso-Seq) and the Illumina platforms to obtain full-length transcriptomic profiles.

Slaughter Indicators, Carcass Measures, and Meat Quality of Lamb Fattened with Spelt ( spp. L.).

The aim of this research was to investigate the slaughter indicators, carcass measures, and meat quality of lambs fattened with spelt. Lambs consumed various feed mixtures (1000 g day lamb): I-control group; II-group with 10% dehulled spelt; III-group with 20% dehulled spelt. In the blood, the concentrations of minerals (calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, and iron), biochemical parameters (urea, glucose, total proteins, albumin, globulin, cholesterol, triglycerides, high-density lipoprotein, low-density lipoprotein, ß-hydroxybutyrate, non-esterified fatty acids, glutathione peroxidase, and superoxide dismutase), and hepatic enzymes (alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, alkaline phosphatase, gamma-glutamyltransferase, and creatine kinase) were determined.

First Report of Mycoleptodiscus terrestris Causing Crown and Root Rot of Alfalfa (Medicago sativa) in Minnesota.

Mycoleptodiscus terrestris (Gerd.) Ostaz. has been studied extensively as a potential mycoherbicide against aquatic weeds since the early 1970s (Mathur and Gehlot 2018; Shearer 1998).

Plant defensin antibacterial mode of action against Pseudomonas species.

Background: Though many plant defensins exhibit antibacterial activity, little is known about their antibacterial mode of action (MOA). Antimicrobial peptides with a characterized MOA induce the expression of multiple bacterial outer membrane modifications, which are required for resistance to these membrane-targeting peptides. Mini-Tn5-lux mutant strains of Pseudomonas aeruginosa with Tn insertions disrupting outer membrane protective modifications were assessed for sensitivity against plant defensin peptides.

Functional analysis and development of a CRISPR/Cas9 allelic series for a CPR5 ortholog necessary for proper growth of soybean trichomes.

Developments in genomic and genome editing technologies have facilitated the mapping, cloning, and validation of genetic variants underlying trait variation. This study combined bulked-segregant analysis, array comparative genomic hybridization, and CRISPR/Cas9 methodologies to identify a CPR5 ortholog essential for proper trichome growth in soybean (Glycine max). A fast neutron mutant line exhibited short trichomes with smaller trichome nuclei compared to its parent line.

Sensitivity of Isolates Pathogenic on Cultivated Wild Rice to the Quinone Outside Inhibitor Azoxystrobin.

The occurrence of fungal brown spot, caused by , has increased in cultivated wild rice () paddies in spite of the use of azoxystrobin-based fungicides. The active ingredient blocks electron transfer at the quinone outside inhibitor (QoI) site in the mitochondrial cytochrome within the 1 complex, thus obstructing respiration. The in vitro averaged EC of baseline isolates collected in 2007 before widespread fungicide use was estimated to be 0.

A local score approach improves GWAS resolution and detects minor QTL: application to Medicago truncatula quantitative disease resistance to multiple Aphanomyces euteiches isolates.

Quantitative trait loci (QTL) with small effects, which are pervasive in quantitative phenotypic variation, are difficult to detect in genome-wide association studies (GWAS). To improve their detection, we propose to use a local score approach that accounts for the surrounding signal due to linkage disequilibrium, by accumulating association signals from contiguous single markers. Simulations revealed that, in a GWAS context with high marker density, the local score approach outperforms single SNP p-value-based tests for detecting minor QTL (heritability of 5-10%) and is competitive with regard to alternative methods, which also aggregate p-values.

Impacts of Sampling Design on Estimates of Microbial Community Diversity and Composition in Agricultural Soils.

Soil microbiota play important and diverse roles in agricultural crop nutrition and productivity. Yet, despite increasing efforts to characterize soil bacterial and fungal assemblages, it is challenging to disentangle the influences of sampling design on assessments of communities. Here, we sought to determine whether composite samples-often analyzed as a low cost and effort alternative to replicated individual samples-provide representative summary estimates of microbial communities.

Antibacterial Activity of Plant Defensins.

Plant defensins are antimicrobial host defense peptides expressed in all higher plants. Performing a significant role in plant innate immunity, plant defensins display potent activity against a wide range of pathogens. Vertebrate and invertebrate defensins have well-characterized antibacterial activity, but plant defensins are commonly considered to display antimicrobial activity against only fungi.

Plant Defensin Peptides have Antifungal and Antibacterial Activity Against Human and Plant Pathogens.

Plant defensins are small, cysteine-rich antimicrobial peptides. These peptides have previously been shown to primarily inhibit the growth of fungal plant pathogens. Plant defensins have a γ-core motif, defined as GXCXC, which is required for their antifungal activity.

Resistant and susceptible responses in alfalfa (Medicago sativa) to bacterial stem blight caused by Pseudomonas syringae pv. syringae.

Bacterial stem blight caused by Pseudomonas syringae pv. syringae is a common disease of alfalfa (Medicago sativa L). Little is known about host-pathogen interactions and host defense mechanisms.

Seed Rot and Damping-off of Alfalfa in Minnesota Caused by Pythium and Fusarium Species.

Globally, 15 Pythium species have been found to cause damping-off and seed rot of alfalfa, although surveys of species causing disease on alfalfa in the midwestern United States are lacking. Pathogens were isolated by a seedling baiting technique from soil samples of five alfalfa fields in Minnesota with high levels of damping-off. Of the 149 organisms isolated, 93 (62%) were identified as Pythium spp.

Comparative Genomic Analyses of Clavibacter michiganensis subsp. insidiosus and Pathogenicity on Medicago truncatula.

Clavibacter michiganensis is the most economically important gram-positive bacterial plant pathogen, with subspecies that cause serious diseases of maize, wheat, tomato, potato, and alfalfa. Much less is known about pathogenesis involving gram-positive plant pathogens than is known for gram-negative bacteria. Comparative genome analyses of C.