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Research using ASReml

Plant Science

Genomic Predictions With Nonadditive Effects Improved Estimates of Additive Effects and Predictions of Total Genetic Values in Pinus sylvestris

Genomic selection study (GS) focusing on nonadditive genetic effects of dominance and the first order of epistatic effects, in a full-sib family population of 695 Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) trees, was undertaken for growth and wood quality traits, using 6,344 single nucleotide polymorphism markers (SNPs) generated by genotyping-by-sequencing ...

Genome Biology

Leveraging breeding programs and genomic data in Norway spruce (Picea abies L. Karst) for GWAS analysis

Background Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) identify loci underlying the variation of complex traits. One of the main limitations of GWAS is the availability of reliable phenotypic data, particularly for long-lived tree species. Although an extensive amount of phenotypic data already exists in breeding programs, accounting for its high hetero...

Genetics

Why genetic selection to reduce the prevalence of infectious diseases is way more promising than currently believed

Genetic selection for improved disease resistance is an important part of strategies to combat infectious diseases in agriculture. Quantitative genetic analyses of binary disease status, however, indicate low heritability for most diseases, which restricts the rate of genetic reduction in disease prevalence. Moreover, the common liability threshold...

Livestock Science

Considerable potential exists to improve lambing performance traits in sheep through breeding

The high demand for resources at lambing necessitates strategies to reduce such requirements; one such strategy is breeding programs that enable selection for fewer lambing events requiring assistance as well as less perinatal mortality. The objective of the present study was to estimate the genetic (co)variances for a range of lambing traits in sh...

Dairy Science

Single-step genome-wide association studies (GWAS) and post-GWAS analyses to identify genomic regions and candidate genes for milk yield in Brazilian Girolando cattle

Milk production is economically important to the Brazilian agribusiness, and the majority of the country's milk production derives from Girolando (Gir × Holstein) cows. This study aimed to identify quantitative trait loci (QTL) and candidate genes associated with 305-d milk yield (305MY) in Girolando cattle. In addition, we investigated the SNP-spe...

Aquaculture

Genotype by environment interaction and genetic parameters for growth traits in the Neotropical fish pacu (Piaractus mesopotamicus)

Pacu (Piaractus mesopotamicus) belongs to the main native fish group of the continental aquaculture in South America. However, breeding programs are not available for this species. The estimation of parameters for different traits and in different environments are needed to set up optimized breeding programs Therefore, the objectives of this study ...

Fisheries

Influence of top-panel orientation (lead-ahead) on targeted and incidental catches in a penaeid trawl

Various, low-cost modifications to the anterior sections of penaeid trawls have been shown to realise significant improvements in species selectivity. This study expands the existing options by quantifying the importance of top-panel orientation relative to the bottom panel (dictated by relative headline and footrope lengths; termed ‘lead-ahead' or...

Dairy Science

Genome-wide association study for genotype by lactation stage interaction of milk production traits in dairy cattle

Substantial evidence demonstrates that the genetic background of milk production traits changes during lactation. However, most GWAS for milk production traits assume that genetic effects are constant during lactation and therefore might miss those quantitative trait loci (QTL) whose effects change during lactation. The GWAS for genotype by lactati...

Dairy Science

Body weight of dairy heifers is positively associated with reproduction and stayability

This study investigated the relationships between body weight (BW) and stayability, and BW and calving pattern, of 189,936 New Zealand dairy heifers. Heifers were classified into 5 breed groups: Holstein-Friesian (F), Holstein-Friesian crossbred (FX), Jersey (J), Jersey crossbred (JX), and Holstein-Friesian × Jersey crossbred (FJ). Body weight was ...

Dairy Science

Milk somatic cell count and its relationship with milk yield and quality traits in Italian water buffaloes

In Southern Italy, buffalo (Bubalus bubalis) milk is mostly intended for the manufacture of Mozzarella di Bufala Campana Protected Denomination of Origin (PDO) cheese. Despite the economic boost of the last 2 decades, the buffalo farming system should be improved to maximize the efficiency of the dairy industry, improve yield and quality of milk an...

Dairy Science

Short communication: Animal-level factors associated with whether a dairy female is mated to a dairy or beef bull

When serving a female, the producer must decide whether to mate her to a dairy or beef bull. Tools assisting in this decision could be a useful component of the decision process. A database of 2,283,100 artificial inseminations from 806,725 dairy females was used to investigate what factors were associated with servicing a given female to a beef bu...

Dairy Science

Relationship of body weight at first calving with milk yield and herd life

The objectives of this study were to investigate the association of body weight (BW) at first calving (BWFC) and maturity rate (MR; BWFC as a percentage of mature BW) with first-lactation 305-d milk yield (FLMY), milk yield (MY) in the 24 mo following first calving (24MMY), herd life, and BW change (BWC) through the first month of lactation in Hols...

Aquaculture

Genetic (co)variation between resistance to Aeromonas hydrophila and growth in tambaqui (Colossoma macropomum)

Tambaqui (Colossoma macropomum) is the main native fish farmed in South American continental aquaculture. One of the major pathogens affecting world fresh water aquaculture is the bacterium Aeromonas hydrophila, which generates several disease outbreaks and production losses in farmed tambaqui stocks. Up to date, there are no studies focusing on un...

Aquaculture

Heritability and genetic correlation of body shape and deformity in snakeskin gourami, Trichopodus pectoralis Regan, 1910

Body shape and deformity are important traits for fish production, but are generally considered secondary to other growth characteristics. In selection programs, there is a growing trend to incorporate these traits as selection criteria. Therefore, genetic parameters of these traits deserve investigation. The present study used 3743 records for sna...

Aquaculture

Genetic parameters for traits affecting consumer preferences for the Portuguese oyster, Crassostrea angulata

Production of the Portuguese oyster, Crassostrea angulata, is increasing rapidly in Vietnam, and consumer preferences for oyster appearance and meat quality have become more economically important. However, no studies have been conducted to estimate genetic parameters for meat colour, edible traits and the occurrence of disfiguring parasite infesta...

Animal Behaviour Science

Genetic component of cannibalism in Asian seabass Lates Calcarifer

Cannibalism in the early phase of growth development has been a major concern for marine finfish, including Asian seabass Lates calcarifer, as it is one of the key factors determining economic return of commercial hatcheries. This study thus explored genetic variation in cannibalism through estimation of heritability for cannibalism rates recorded ...

Genomics and Proteomics

Sex-specific lipid profiles in the muscle of Atlantic salmon juveniles

Energy allocation in juvenile fish can have important implications for future life-history progression. Inherited and environmental factors determine when and where individuals allocate energy, and timely and sufficient energy reserves are crucial for reaching key life stages involved in the timing of maturation and sea migration. In Atlantic salmo...

Small Ruminant

Towards future genetic evaluations for live weight and carcass composition traits in UK sheep

The main aim of the current study was to perform a genetic analysis of two live body weight and two carcass composition traits in purebred UK-born Texel, Suffolk and Charollais lambs separately in order to produce future across country evaluations. The two live body weight traits considered were early-life weight (40–85 days of age) and scan weight...

Forest Ecology

Selecting for water use efficiency, wood chemical traits and biomass with genomic selection in a Eucalyptus breeding program

The selection of ideotypes combining high biomass production, high water use efficiency (WUE) and adequate wood properties is a major challenge in improving forest trees for industrial plantations. This issue was addressed in a field experiment evaluating 1130 clones of Eucalyptus urophylla * Eucalyptus grandis. Genomic selection using 3303 SNPs an...

Aquaculture

Evaluation of the utility of genomic information to improve genetic evaluation of feed efficiency traits of the Pacific white shrimp Litopenaeus vannamei

This study evaluated the utility of genomic information to improve genetic evaluation of feed efficiency traits of the Pacific white shrimp Litopenaeus vannamei. Three methods including the pedigree-based best linear unbiased prediction (BLUP), genomic best linear unbiased prediction (GBLUP) and single-step GBLUP (ssGBLUP) were compared for the pre...

Aquaculture

Genotype by environment interactions of harvest growth traits for barramundi (Lates calcarifer) commercially farmed in marine vs. freshwater conditions

Barramundi (Lates calcarifer), also known as Asian seabass, is a commercially important tropical aquaculture species farmed in diverse culture production systems and salinities (marine to freshwater). Despite adaptability to different culture conditions, selective breeding programs to improve growth rates in barramundi should consider the impact of...

Aquaculture

Estimating genetic parameters for resistance to Vibrio parahaemolyticus with molecular markers in Pacific white shrimp

Acute hepatopancreatic necrosis disease (AHPND), whose causative agent was Vibrio parahaemolyticus (VPAHPND), has caused large economic loss in shrimp industry. To reduce the loss caused by AHPND, selective breeding aiming to improving the resistance of shrimp to VPAHPND is a significant approach. However, to avoid common environmental effects and ...

Small Ruminant Research

Genetic analysis of survival potential of Boer x Central Highland goats under semi-intensive management

Kid survival is very critical to be profitable in goat production. Thus, this study was conducted to identify genetic and non-genetic factors affecting the survival rate of Boer x Central Highland goat and to estimate genetic parameters for survival using linear animal and Weibull proportional hazard model. Data collected from the Sirinka goat bree...

Small Ruminant Research

Genetic analysis of reproduction, body weight and mohair production in South African Angora goats

Genetic parameters for South African Angora goats were estimated from body weight, mohair production and reproduction data collected from birth on ram and ewe kids, as well as on the adult ewes in three herds from 2000 to 2015. Medium heritabilities were estimated for body weight from birth until 12-month of age and adult body weight, while a high ...

Livestock Science

Genome-wide association study for beef fatty acid profile using haplotypes in Nellore cattle

The objective of this study was to identify genomic regions associated with beef fatty acid (FA) profile in Nellore cattle finished in feedlot, using haplotype based analyzes. Also, the metabolic pathway enrichment analysis was performed to seek for genes with known functions, close to the haplotype blocks, associated with the evaluated traits, pro...

Livestock Science

Genetic parameter estimation for sensory traits in longissimus muscle and their association with pH and intramuscular fat in pork chops

Consumers’ willingness to pay a premium when purchasing pork chops is driven by eating satisfaction. Genetic parameters for sensory traits and their associations with pH and intramuscular fat were estimated in pork chops. A univariate animal model was used to estimate the heritability of the sensory traits in ASReml using pedigree information, whil...

Aquaculture

Genetic parameters for resistance to Tilapia Lake Virus (TiLV) in Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus)

Tilapia Lake Virus (TiLV) is one of the primary disease concerns for tilapia farming, with mass mortality events and biosecurity restrictions threating aquaculture in several continents. Selective breeding for improved host resistance to TiLV may help to mitigate this problematic disease, but the extent of genetic variation in resistance is not yet...

Rangeland Ecology

Restoration Practices Affect Alpine Meadow Ecosystem Coupling and Functions

Degradation of alpine meadows on the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau is an important issue for ecological science, policy making, and the welfare of local herders. Destruction of alpine meadows results from degeneration of vegetation and soil systems and from the mechanical decoupling of the environment, grassland, livestock, and herders and, subsequently,...

Dairy Science

Genetic parameters for methane emission traits in Australian dairy cows

Methane is a greenhouse gas of high interest to the dairy industry, with 57% of Australia's dairy emissions attributed to enteric methane. Enteric methane emissions also constitute a loss of approximately 6.5% of ingested energy. Genetic selection offers a unique mitigation strategy to decrease the methane emissions of dairy cattle, while simultane...

Dairy Science

Heritability estimates of predicted blood β-hydroxybutyrate and nonesterified fatty acids and relationships with milk traits in early-lactation Holstein cows

At the beginning of lactation, high-producing cows commonly experience an unbalanced energy status that is often responsible for the onset of metabolic disorders and impaired health and performance. Blood β-hydroxybutyrate (BHB) and nonesterified fatty acids (NEFA) are indicators of excessive fat mobilization and circulating ketone bodies. Recently...

Industrial Crops

Genetic improvement of sawn-board shape stability in Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.)

Adequate shape stability is a prerequisite for utilization of sawn boards in the building industry. This study investigated the possibility of indirect genetic improvement of Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) sawn-board shape stability (specifically the bow, crook and twist) via selective breeding based on traits that can be non-destructively measur...

Animal

Genetic parameters for carcase measurements and age at slaughter in commercial cattle

Genetic parameters were estimated for cold carcase weight (CCW), carcase conformation (CON), carcase fat class (FAT), age at slaughter (AGE) and average daily carcase gain (ADCG) in 14 common UK breeds of cattle. These included crossbred animals but purebred datasets were also analysed for the most populous sire-breeds. Heritability estimates for b...

Aquaculture

Quantitative genetic variation for resistance to the parasite Ichthyophthirius multifiliis in the Neotropical fish tambaqui (Colossoma macropomum)

Tambaqui (Colossoma macropomum) is the main native fish produced in continental aquaculture from South America. However, its production has been negatively affected by significant economic losses due to frequent outbreaks caused by the parasite Ichthyophthirius multifiliis. Genetic selection for I. multifiliis resistance may represent a sustainable...

Aquaculture

Refining tickler chains for penaeid trawls

Tickler chains are simple additions to the ground gears of benthic trawls that can improve the catches of some target species, albeit with considerable variability. The purpose of this study was to decipher some of the technical variability associated with tickler chains used with generic, paired trawls targeting school prawns, Metapenaeus macleayi...

Field Crops

Genetic variation and heritability of grain protein deviation in European wheat genotypes

There is a well-established negative relationship between the yield and the concentration of protein in the mature wheat grain. However, some wheat genotypes consistently deviate from this relationship, a phenomenon known as Grain Protein Deviation (GPD). Positive GPD is therefore of considerable interest in relation to reducing the requirement for...

Engineering

Development of a 50K SNP Array for Japanese Flounder and Its Application in Genomic Selection for Disease Resistance

Single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) arrays are a powerful genotyping tool used in genetic research and genomic breeding programs. Japanese flounder (Paralichthys olivaceus) is an economically-important aquaculture flatfish in many countries. However, the lack of high-efficient genotyping tools has impeded the genomic breeding programs for Japanese...

Dairy Science

Genetic and nongenetic factors associated with lactation length in seasonal-calving, pasture-based dairy cows

Lactation yield estimates standardized to common lactation lengths of 270-d or 305-d equivalents are commonly used in management decision support tools and dairy cow genetic evaluations. The use of such measurements to quantify the (genetic) merit of individual cows fails to penalize cows that do not reach the standardized lactation length, or inde...

Animal

Impact of a high-fibre diet on genetic parameters of production traits in growing pigs

The use of diets with increased fibre content from alternative feedstuffs less digestible for pigs is a solution considered to limit the impact of increased feed costs on pig production. This study aimed at determining the impact of an alternative diet on genetic parameters for growth, feed efficiency, carcass composition and meat quality traits. A...

Animal

Genetic parameters for haemoglobin levels in sows and piglets as well as sow reproductive performance and piglet survival

Genetic parameters were estimated for haemoglobin (Hb) levels in sows and piglets as well as sow reproductive performance and piglet survival. Reproductive traits were available between 2005 and 2014 for 7857 litters from 1029 Large White and 858 Landrace sows. In 2012 and 2013, Hb levels, sow BW and sow back fat depth were measured on 348 sows wit...

Aquaculture

Effect of inbreeding on performance and genetic parameters of growth and survival traits in the Pacific oyster Crassostrea gigas at larval stage

The occurrence of inbreeding over generations cannot be avoided in breeding practice because of limited effective population sizes, and inbreeding is expected to decrease the heritability within populations. The Pacific oyster (Crassostrea gigas) is the most widely cultured shellfish species worldwide, however, the effects of inbreeding on the heri...

Aquaculture

Genetic parameters for black spot disease (diplopstomiasis) caused by Uvulifer sp. infection in Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus L.)

Black spot disease (diplopstomiasis), an external melanized host inflammatory response caused by a number of digenetic trematode parasites, results in slow growth, deformities and increased mortality among many freshwater fish species globally. We investigated the severity of infection, and genetic parameters for black spot disease among 150 famili...

Dairy Science

Genetic parameters of passive transfer of immunity for US organic Holstein calves

Passive transfer of immunity is important for calf health and survival. The objectives of this study were to estimate genetic parameters for calf passive transfer of immunity through producer-recorded serum total protein (STP) and to determine associations with other routinely evaluated traits in organic Holstein calves (n = 16,725) that were born ...

Kidney Diseases

Familial Aggregation of CKD and Heritability of Kidney Biomarkers in the General Population: The Lifelines Cohort Study

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) has a heritable component. We aimed to quantify familial aggregation of CKD in the general population and assess the extent to which kidney traits can be explained by genetic and environmental factors....

Poultry Science

Genetics and breeding of a black-bone and blue eggshell chicken line. 1. Body weight, skin color, and their combined selection

An experimental population of chickens was developed from the cross between 2 indigenous Chinese breeds, Dongxiang blue eggshell and Jiangshan black-bone. This breeding was aimed at eventually combining dark heavy black-bone body and blue eggshell, into a single dual-purpose breed. BW was recorded and skin L∗, a∗, and b∗ color parameters were measu...

Animal

Unraveling the actual background of second litter syndrome in pigs: based on Large White data

Second litter syndrome (SLS) in sows is when fertility performance is lower in the second parity than in the first parity. The causes of SLS have been associated with lactation weight loss, premature first insemination, short lactation length, short weaning to insemination interval, season, and farm of farrowing. There is little known about the gen...

Aquaculture

Genotype by environment interaction between aerated and non-aerated ponds and the impact of aeration on genetic parameters in Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus)

A major problem in smallholder Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) farms is that the achieved production is much lower than under optimal management. One of the main environmental factors contributing to lower production is dissolved oxygen (DO), because the majority of Nile tilapia production takes place under smallholder farms with no aeration o...

Aquaculture

Genotype by production environment interaction in the GIFT strain of site- (Oreochromis niloticus)

Three discrete generations of GIFT fish (Nile tilapia strain, Oreochromis niloticus; a total of 10,065 fish with pedigree and phenotypic information) were tested in pond and cage culture environments to determine genotype by production environment interaction between both environments in Malaysia. Live weight (selected trait), standard length, body...

Aquaculture

Genetic variation in parasite resistance of Atlantic salmon to amoebic gill disease over multiple infections

Genetic selection is being developed as a management tool for the control of amoebic gill disease (AGD) in Atlantic salmon. AGD is caused by an external gill parasite and is an animal health issue that results in significant economic loss to the Tasmanian salmon industry. This paper presents genetic parameters for AGD resistance, describes patterns...

Aquaculture

Donor-oyster derived heritability estimates and the effect of genotype × environment interaction on the production of pearl quality traits in the silver-li

The silver-lip pearl oyster, Pinctada maxima, produces the largest and most valuable pearls in the world. Despite the importance of this species very little is known about genetic parameters of commercially important pearl traits. ...

Crop Protection

Weed age affects chemical control of Conyza bonariensis in fallows

In the last decade, Conyza bonariensis has become a widespread and difficult-to-control weed in Australian broad-acre cropping, particularly in glyphosate-based zero-tilled fallows of the subtropical grain region. The first Australian populations of C. bonariensis, where it is known as flaxleaf fleabane, were confirmed resistant to glyphosate in 20...

Crop Science

Changes in Yield and Yield Components of Single‐Cross Maize Hybrids Released in China between 1964 and 2001

The objectives of this study were to (i) measure genetic gain using a set of maize (Zea mays L.) single‐cross hybrids that were widely used in Chinese maize production from 1964 to 2001, (ii) determine if there were changes in morphological characteristics, and (iii) examine the germplasm backgrounds of these hybrids. Yield trials were conducted fo...

Animal Science

Genetic parameters for androstenone, skatole, indole, and human nose scores as measures of boar taint and their relationship with finishing traits

The purpose of this study was to evaluate measures of boar (Sus scrofa) taint as potential selection criteria to reduce boar taint so that castration of piglets will become unnecessary. Therefore, genetic parameters of boar taint measures and their genetic correlations with finishing traits were estimated. In particular, the usefulness of a human p...

Animal Science

Genetic parameters for racing records in trotters using linear and generalized linear models

Heritability and repeatability and genetic and phenotypic correlations were estimated for trotting race records with linear and generalized linear models using 510,519 records on 17,792 Finnhorses and 513,161 records on 25,536 Standardbred trotters. Heritability and repeatability were estimated for single racing time and earnings traits with linear...

Animal Science

Direct and associative effects for androstenone and genetic correlations with backfat and growth in entire male pigs

In the pig industry, male piglets are surgically castrated early in life to prevent boar taint. Boar taint is mainly caused by androstenone and skatole. Androstenone is a pheromone that can be released from the salivary glands when the boar is sexually aroused. Boars are housed in groups and as a consequence boars can influence and be influenced by...

Animal Science

Genomic-polygenic evaluation of Angus-Brahman multibreed cattle for feed efficiency and postweaning growth using the Illumina 3K chip

The objectives of this study were to determine the fraction of additive genetic variance explained by the SNP from the Illumina Bovine3K chip; to compare the ranking of animals evaluated with genomic-polygenic, genomic, and polygenic models; and to assess trends in predicted values from these 3 models for residual feed intake (RFI), daily feed inta...

Animal Science

Production and processing studies on calpain-system gene markers for beef tenderness: Consumer assessments of eating quality

We investigated the effects of calpain-system genetic markers on consumer beef quality ratings, including interactions of marker effects with hormonal growth promotant (HGP) use and tenderstretch hanging. Brahman cattle in New South Wales (NSW; n = 164) and Western Australia (WA; n = 141) were selected at weaning from commercial and research herds ...

Cereal Science

Molecular genetic mapping of NIR spectra variation

A novel analytical approach was used to identify associations between Near-Infrared (NIR) spectral fingerprints and segments of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) chromosomes indicating the location of genetic factors contributing to variation in NIR spectra. To identify the genetic factors, environmental and experimental variability were removed from th...

Dairy Science

Improved accuracy of genomic prediction for dry matter intake of dairy cattle from combined European and Australian data sets

With the aim of increasing the accuracy of genomic estimated breeding values for dry matter intake (DMI) in dairy cattle, data from Australia (AU), the United Kingdom (UK), and the Netherlands (NL) were combined using both single-trait and multi-trait models. In total, DMI records were available on 1,801 animals, including 843 AU growing heifers wi...

Dairy Science

Association of total-mixed-ration chemical composition with milk, fat, and protein yield lactation curves at the individual level

The objective of this study was to examine the effect of the chemical composition of a total mixed ration (TMR) tested quarterly from March 2006 through December 2008 for milk, fat, and protein yield curves for 27 herds in Ragusa, Sicily. Before this study, standard yield curves were generated on data from 241,153 test-day records of 9,809 animals ...

Dairy Science

Comparative evaluation of a new lactation curve model for pasture-based Holstein-Friesian dairy cows

Fourteen lactation models were fitted to average and individual cow lactation data from pasture-based dairy systems in the Australian states of Victoria and Tasmania. The models included a new “log-quadratic” model, and a major objective was to evaluate and compare the performance of this model with the other models. Nine empirical and 5 mechanisti...

Livestock Science

Genetic parameters for gestation length in French horse breeds

French administrative data of the breeding season 1994–2008 concerning gestation lengths of 5 warm-blood breeds: 47789 Thoroughbred gestations, 14336 Arab, 7363 Anglo-Arab, 53832 French Saddle, 130769 French Trotter, and 5 cold-blood breeds: 13528 Percheron's gestations, 7480 for Ardennes, 5181 for Cob Normand, 33335 for Comtois and 36537 for Breto...

Livestock Science

Genetic and phenotypic relationships among reproductive and post-weaning traits from a commercial swine breeding company

The purpose of this study was to determine the genetic and phenotypic relationships between litters per sow per year (LSY) and other economically important reproductive and post-weaning traits from data collected in a commercial swine breeding company. Determining the genetic and phenotypic correlations among traits can help breeders evaluate the e...

Livestock Science

Bayesian and REML analysis of twinning and fertility in Thoroughbred horses

Horses have low fertility, which affects profitability of breeding. Additional economic loss is generated by various complications accompanying twin pregnancies which are particularly prevalent in Thoroughbred horses. Therefore it is important to identify environmental and genetic factors influencing this trait. The analysis was based on studbooks ...

Livestock Science

Genetic parameters of ultrasound and computer tomography scan traits in Austrian meat sheep

Lamb meat is the main product in the Austrian sheep sector. Performance testing for growth and carcass traits with ultrasound (US) or computer tomography (CT) scanning has been obligatory for herd book sheep of meat focused breeds for some years. So far the selection of breeding stock is only based on the phenotypic performance of the individual, b...

Meat Science

SmartStretch™ Technology: V. The impact of SmartStretch™ technology on beef topsides (m. semimembranosus) meat quality traits under commercial processing conditions

This study evaluated the effect of SmartStretch™ technology and ageing on meat quality traits of hot-boned beef m. semimembranosus from cull cows. The technology uses a flexible rubber sleeve surrounded by inflatable bladders that are housed within an airtight chamber. The sleeve is expanded allowing the meat to be inserted. Air is then pumped into...

Animal

Genetic parameters for feed efficiency in Romane rams and responses to single-generation selection

Feeding costs represent one of the highest expenditures in animal production systems. Breeding efficient animals that express their growth potential while eating less is therefore a major objective for breeders. We estimated the genetic parameters for feed intake, feed efficiency traits (residual feed intake (RFI) and feed conversion ratio (FCR)), ...

Animal

Genetic analyses of live weight and carcass composition traits in purebred Texel, Suffolk and Charollais lambs

Lamb live weight is one of the key drivers of profitability on sheep farms. Previous studies in Ireland have estimated genetic parameters for live weight and carcass composition traits using a multi-breed population rather than on an individual breed basis. The objective of the present study was to undertake genetic analyses of three lamb live weig...

Research using Genstat

Plant Science

High-throughput field phenotyping reveals genetic variation in photosynthetic traits in durum wheat under drought

Chlorophyll fluorescence (ChlF) is a powerful non-invasive technique for probing photosynthesis. Although proposed as a method for drought tolerance screening, ChlF has not yet been fully adopted in physiological breeding, mainly due to limitations in high-throughput field phenotyping capabilities. The light-induced fluorescence transient (LIFT) se...

Animal

Meat eating and nutritional quality of lambs sired by high and low muscle density rams

Intramuscular fat (IMF) content affects eating and nutritional quality of lamb meat. Muscle density measured by computer tomography is an in vivo proxy measure of IMF content that affects eating and nutritional quality of lamb meat. Lambs sired by high muscle density (HMD) or low muscle density (LMD) rams, selected for slaughter on commercial crite...

Animal

Ovulation and ovulation rate in ewes under grazing conditions: factors affecting the response to short-term supplementation

The relationships between ovulation rate and nutrition remain confused, probably because of uncontrolled variation in experimental conditions. To help resolve the problem, we analyzed data from 20 experiments conducted between 2002 and 2016, in Uruguay with grazing ewes. All experiments were carried out by a single laboratory under comparable condi...

Animal

Pathological consequences of low atmospheric pressure stunning in broiler chickens

Low atmospheric pressure stunning (LAPS) is a novel approach to pre-slaughter stunning of chickens using progressive hypobaric hypoxia by the application of gradual decompression (280s cycle) according to a set of prescribed pressure curves. Low atmospheric pressure stunning produces a non-recovery state. Concerns have been raised relating to the p...

Animal

Effect of overlaying rubber on fully slatted concrete floors on hoof health and lying postures in finishing dairy-origin bulls offered two contrasting diets

Fully slatted concrete floors are labour-efficient, cost-effective and thus common in beef cattle housing. However, the welfare of cattle accommodated on them has been questioned. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of floor and diet on hoof health and lying behaviours of housed dairy-origin bulls, from a mean age of 8 months to ...

Crops

META-R: A software to analyze data from multi-environment plant breeding trials

META-R (multi-environment trial analysis in R) is a suite of R scripts linked by a graphical user interface (GUI) designed in Java language. The objective of META-R is to accurately analyze multi-environment plant breeding trials (METs) by fitting mixed and fixed linear models from experimental designs such as the randomized complete block design (...

Veterinary Science

Growth Rates of Thoroughbred Foals and In Vitro Gut Health Parameters When Fed a Cereal or an All-Fiber Creep Feed

Traditions and the economic advantage when producing big athletic Thoroughbred (TB) yearlings for sale encourage owners to feed high levels of cereals. Such diets can predispose gastric ulceration and developmental orthopedic diseases, impacting negatively on future careers. This study aimed to (1) determine if an all-fiber creep feed (total mixed ...

Scientific African

Municipal waste dumpsite: Impact on soil properties and heavy metal concentrations, Sunyani, Ghana

The use of soils around dumpsites in rural and urban areas in Ghana is common for food production especially vegetables. However, most people use such soils without knowledge of the risk of heavy metal uptake by plants. Therefore, the evaluation of heavy metal contamination is an important component of risk assessment at waste dumpsites. Hence, thi...

Animal

Updating maintenance energy requirement for the current sheep flocks and the associated effect of nutritional and animal factors

There is evidence indicating that using the current UK energy feeding system to ration the present sheep flocks may underestimate their nutrient requirements. The objective of the present study was to address this issue by developing updated maintenance energy requirements for the current sheep flocks and evaluating if these requirements were influ...

Ecology and Conservation

Conversion of peat swamp forest to oil palm cultivation reduces the diversity and abundance of macrofungi

Deforestation of tropical peat swamp forests is rapidly taking place across Southeast Asia to make way for agricultural expansion. Within forest ecosystems, macrofungi play a vital role, including wood decomposition and nutrient cycles. To reveal the effects of deforestation and land cover conversion on macrofungi in Southeast Asian tropical forest...

Animal Feed Science

Evaluating the effects of storage conditions on dry matter loss and nutritional quality of grain legume fodders in West Africa Author links open overlay panel

Feed scarcity is a major challenge for livestock production in West Africa, especially during the dry season when grass quality and quantity on grazing lands are inadequate. In the dry season, crop residues are a key source of livestock feed. The residues of grain legumes, also known as grain legume fodders (GLFs), are stored and traded for feeding...

Biological Sciences

Conferring drought-tolerant wheat genotypes through morpho-physiological and chlorophyll indices at seedling stage

The decrease in water resources due to the excessive use of water for irrigation purpose and climatic changes represents a serious world-wide threat to food security. In this regards, 50 wheat accessions were analyzed, using completely random factorial design at the seedlings stage under normal and drought stress conditions. Significant variation w...

Heliyon

An investigation of the effect of biochar application rates on CO2 emissions in soils under upland rice production in southern Guinea Savannah of Nigeria

Biochar is a chemically recalcitrant carbon-rich solid material used in soil for its potential to improve soil quality and sequester carbon. While the rate of application has implications for soil carbon dioxide (CO2) emission and the overall benefits of biochar, its effects are yet to be fully understood. To evaluate the effect of application rate...

Applied Animal Behaviour Science

Comparative assessment of general behaviour and fear-related responses in hatchery-hatched and on-farm hatched broiler chickens

Traditionally, broiler chickens hatch in the hatchery and they are usually not provided with feed and water until placement at the farm. This can have negative effects on their health and welfare. Therefore, alternative systems providing early nutrition, for instance by hatching eggs in a poultry house (on-farm hatching) are increasingly being used...

Scientific African

Compliance status and stability of vitamins and minerals in Fortified Maize Flour in Kenya

Fortification of staple foods is a cost-effective strategy that has been used to reduce the prevalence of micronutrient deficiency in the population. National mandatory maize flour fortification legislation was introduced in Kenya in 2012 to help address micronutrient deficiencies among the vulnerable groups of the population. This study aimed to q...

Animal Nutrition

Acid-insoluble ash is a better indigestible marker than chromic oxide to measure apparent total tract digestibility in pigs

The aim of this study was to determine the apparent total tract digestibility (ATTD) of nutrients in cottonseed meal (CSM) and soybean meal (SBM) in simple carbohydrate and more complex wheat-based diets using 2 indigestible markers and total faecal collection. Twenty-five Large White × Landrace boars (57.8 kg) were randomly allocated to either a p...

Poultry Science

Comparison of performance and carcass composition of a novel slow-growing crossbred broiler with fast-growing broiler for chicken meat in Australia

Slow-growing broilers offer differentiation in the chicken meat market for consumers who have distinct preferences based on perceived higher welfare indices and willingness to pay a higher price for the product. Although breeding for slow-growing broilers is relatively advanced in Europe and the United States, it is limited in Australia. Crossbreed...

Poultry Science

Hybrids generated by crossing elite laying chickens exhibited heterosis for clutch and egg quality traits

Crossbreeding advantage in hybrids compared with their parents, termed heterosis, has been exhaustively exploited in chicken breeding over the last century. Reports for crossbreeding of elite laying chickens covering rearing and laying period remain infrequent. In this study, resource populations of Rhode Island Red (RIR) and White Leghorn (WL) pur...

Ecology and Conservation

Assessing habitat requirements of Asian tapir in forestry landscapes: Implications for conservation

The iconic large-bodied Asian tapir (Tapirus indicus) is endemic to Southeast Asia and is currently listed as endangered. To date, little is known about how tapir respond to habitat fragmentation in forestry landscapes. This study aimed to assess tapir occurrence in eight forestry reserves, outside the main protected areas in Peninsular Malaysia, u...

Heliyon

Structural characterization of stripe rust progress in wheat crops sown at different planting dates

An advanced insight into characterizing stripe rust progress curves is required to improve accuracy and efficiency of future research for disease measurement and estimation purposes. The rate of stripe rust increase in wheat crops is highly variable, resulting in variations and uncertainties in evaluating disease progress over time. This variabilit...

Heliyon

Performance evaluation of an indirect air cooling system combined with evaporative cooling

This study developed an indirect air-cooling combined with evaporative cooling (IAC + EC) system for temporary storage of fruit and vegetables (FV) to improve the shelf life of fresh produce under hot and humid climatic conditions. The aim of the study was to investigate the effect of IAC + EC in providing optimum storage environment of temperature...

Heliyon

Effect of different dietary levels of corn naturally contaminated with DON and its derivatives 3+15 Ac-DON and DON-3-glucoside on the performance of broilers

In the field of mycotoxin research, there is an increasing requirement to understand the effect of these toxins at realistic contamination levels, and as mixtures, on animal health and performance. Although there are recommendations of maximum levels of some mycotoxins in feed, it is known from practice that concentrations below the maximum recomme...

Heliyon

Application of biochar and inorganic phosphorus fertilizer influenced rhizosphere soil characteristics, nodule formation and phytoconstituents of cowpea grown on tropical soil

The effect of biochar alone or co-applied with triple superphosphate on rhizosphere soil characteristics, nodule formation, phytoconstituents and antioxidant property of cowpea (Vigna uguiculata) is yet to be adequately examined in sub Saharan Africa. A field experiment was conducted where cowpea (Vigna unguiculata) was grown in a tropical sandy lo...

Heliyon

Partially treated domestic wastewater as a nutrient source for tomatoes (Lycopersicum solanum) grown in a hydroponic system: effect on nutrient absorption and yield

Using effluent from the anaerobic baffled reactor (ABR) of the decentralised wastewater treatment system (DEWATS) as a sole nutrient source is not sufficient for tomato plants grown in hydroponic system. The study investigated the effects of commercial hydroponic fertilizer mix (CHFM) combined with ABR effluent on tomato growth and yield. A media-b...

Infectious Diseases

Dengue viremia kinetics in asymptomatic and symptomatic infection

Dengue infection is a global health threat. While symptomatic cases contribute to morbidity and mortality, the majority of infected people are asymptomatic but serve as an important reservoir. However, the kinetics of viremia in asymptomatic infections remains unknown. ...

Postharvest Biology

Susceptibility to blackheart disorder in potato tubers is influenced by sugar and phenolic profile

Blackheart (BH) is a physiological disorder of potato tubers in which internal tissue becomes discoloured during storage. The development of BH has been previously linked with general phenolic accumulation. In this study, five potato stocks cv. Maris Piper with different susceptibility to BH were selected across two consecutive seasons, whereupon t...

Ecotoxicology

Investigation of the distribution of anticoagulant rodenticide residues in red fox (Vulpes vulpes) livers to ensure optimum sampling protocol

The lobular distribution of 9 different anticoagulant rodenticide (AR) residues in the liver of a sentinel predator/scavenger i.e. the red fox (Vulpes vulpes) was determined following multi-residue analysis using Ultra (High) Performance Liquid Chromatography tandem Mass Spectrometry (UHPLC-MS/MS). The aim of the study was to address concerns that ...

Applied Animal Behaviour Science

Dog-directed parenting styles predict verbal and leash guidance in dog owners and owner-directed attention in dogs

Dog-directed parenting is an aspect of the owner-dog relationship that describes the overarching emotional sphere in which the dog’s guidance and training take place. How dog-directed parenting styles express in specific owner-dog interactions is presently unknown. However, such knowledge can help to advise dog owners on appropriate parenting of th...

Geoderma Regional

Comparing Uganda's indigenous soil classification system with World Reference Base and USDA Soil Taxonomy to predict soil productivity

This study examines three soil classification systems - Buganda, World Reference Base, and US Soil Taxonomy - in order to evaluate their relative strengths and feasibility for making linkages between them. Nine field sites and 16 pedons were considered across the soil landscapes of the Buganda catena. Each identified field pedon diagnostic horizons...

Plant Biology

Genotype by environment interaction for alkenyl glucosinolates content in winter oilseed rape (Brassica napus L.) using additive main effects and multiplicative interaction model

Genotype by environment interaction is important for quantitative traits in all organisms. All organisms are exposed on the influence of different environmental conditions. Changes in the performance of genotypes across different environments are referred to as genotype by environment interactions. The objective of this study was to assess genotype...

Advanced Research

GWAS: Fast-forwarding gene identification and characterization in temperate Cereals: lessons from Barley – A review

Understanding the genetic complexity of traits is an important objective of small grain temperate cereals yield and adaptation improvements. Bi-parental quantitative trait loci (QTL) linkage mapping is a powerful method to identify genetic regions that co-segregate in the trait of interest within the research population. However, recently, associat...

Scientific African

Intake, digestibility and nitrogen balance of sheep fed bambara groundnut haulm as supplement to a maize stover basal diet

In order to maximise the use of underutilised feed resources as ruminant feed supplement in the Sub-Saharan African region, the haulm of bambara groundnut was evaluated for its chemical nutrients, intake potential, digestion and nitrogen balance of sheep fed maize stover as a basal diet. Four cultivars of Bambara groundnut were selected based on t...

Ultrasonics Sonochemistry

Ultrasonic potential in maintaining the quality and reducing the microbial load of minimally processed pomegranate

Difficulty of Pomegranate fruit peeling and arils separation are the main motivations of progressive ready-to-eat pomegranate fresh arils industry. Also, extracted pomegranate arils are highly perishable due to water loss and microbial contamination expose. The aim of the current work was then to evaluate the effect of ultrasound for 15 and 30 min ...

Data in Brief

Data on the vegetative response of cowpea to fertilizer application on three selected benchmark soils of the Upper West region of Ghana

Declining soil fertility among smallholder farmers in the Savannah zones of Ghana, among other issues, is triggered by continuous cultivation, low fertilizer use and low soil organic matter content. The area is faced with insufficient domestic production, food insecurity and poverty, all of which constitute major constraints to national development...

Data in Brief

Multilocation dataset on seed Fe and Zn contents of bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) genotypes grown in Tanzania

There are over a hundred genotypes of Phaseolus vulgaris L. grown and consumed in Tanzania. Currently, identification of bean genotypes containing high seed iron and zinc contents has been the focus globally for common bean iron and zinc biofortification. Diversity in seed iron and zinc contents were investigated in 99 bean genotypes grown in Tanza...

Animal

Supplementing the diet of dairy cows with fat or tannin reduces methane yield, and additively when fed in combination

Addition of fats to the diets of ruminants has long been known to result in a reduction in enteric methane emissions. Tannins have also been used to reduce methane emissions but with mixed success. However, the effect of feeding fat in combination with tannin is unknown. Eight ruminally cannulated Holstein-Friesian cows were fed four diets in a dou...

Physiology & Behavior

Acute cortisol and behavior of dairy goat kids administered local anesthesia, topical anesthesia or systemic analgesia prior to cautery disbudding

Cautery disbudding of goat kids causes thermal burns and tissue destruction, which results in acute and post-operative pain and negatively affects animal welfare. The objectives of this study were to evaluate acute cortisol concentrations and behavioral responses associated with (1) injecting a lidocaine ring block prior to cautery disbudding and c...

Field Crops

Nitrogen partitioning and remobilization in relation to leaf senescence, grain yield and protein concentration in Indian wheat cultivars

Nitrogen (N) fertilizer represents a significant cost for the grower and may also have environmental impacts through nitrate leaching and N2O (a greenhouse gas) emissions associated with denitrification. The objectives of this study were to quantify the genetic variability in N partitioning and N remobilization in Indian spring wheat cultivars and ...

Agriculture

Temporal variation of volatile compounds from Sri Lankan mango (Mangifera indica L.) fruit during ripening

Volatile compounds are considered as an important quality factor, as their aroma influences consumer acceptability. The type and concentration of volatile compound varies with genotype, pre- and postharvest factors. However, there is a paucity of information on volatiles from mango cultivars endemic to Sri Lanka (Willard, Karutha Colomban and Malgo...

Poultry Science

Comparative study of indigenous chickens on the basis of their health and performance

Three hundred crossbred chickens (at age of 11 wk) were randomly housed in 15 open-sided deep litter pens with 20 chickens in each pen under completely randomized design for a period of 9 wk. Before evaluating their hematobiochemical and carcass characteristics, the birds were provided with grower mash ad libitum throughout the experimental period....

Field Crops

Disentangling genetic and non-genetic components of yield trends of Dutch forage crops in the Netherlands

Grass and forage maize are important forage crops in ruminant production systems in the temperate regions in northwest Europe. High yields of these crops contribute to farm profitability and local provision of feed, and hence local circularity of biomass and nutrients. Variety choice is an important option to raise potential and actual yields. We a...

Animal

Dietary nano chromium picolinate can ameliorate some of the impacts of heat stress in cross-bred sheep

Two studies were conducted to evaluate the effect of nano chromium picolinate (nCrPic) during heat stress (HS) in sheep. In the initial study, 36 Merino × Poll cross-bred sheep were individually penned and allocated to 3 dietary treatments (0, 400 and 800 μg/kg nCrPic) for 8 wk. Body composition was determined at the beginning and end of the experi...

Animal

Timing of eating during transition impacts feedlot cattle diet and liveweight gain

The timing of eating, relative to when feed is offered, is affected by the social rank of feedlot cattle due to limited feed bunk space. As cattle can select feed based on dietary preference, the timing of eating for cattle in feedlot may be associated with the ingested diet composition. Our objectives were to determine the nutritive value and timi...

Data in Brief

Yield stability dataset of new orange fleshed sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas L. (lam)) genotypes in West Java, Indonesia

There are many local varieties of sweet potatoes which are cultivated and consumed in Indonesia. The food industry which uses sweet potato as the main raw material has been developed in West Java. Demand for orange-fleshed sweet potato is high, but the supply of demand has not been fulfilled. This is because the varieties that are widely cultivated...

Botany

Studies on baobab diversity, seed germination and early growth

The diversity in baobab was studied on 75 trees located at Adaklu District and Ho and Hohoe Municipalities of Ghana. Fourteen morphological traits were used in the characterisation based on Bioversity descriptors for baobab. Genstat edition 12 was used to analyse the diversity as well as germination and growth data. Group average hierarchical clust...

Crops

Candidate genes underlying QTL for flowering time and their interactions in a wide spring barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) cross

Response to vernalization and photoperiod are the main determinants controlling the time to flowering in temperate cereals. While the individual genes that determine a plant’s response to these environmental signals are well characterized, the combinatorial effect on flowering time of allelic variants for multiple genes remains unresolved. This stu...

Current Plant Biology

Suitability of winter triticale varieties for composing crop mixtures

The Directive of the European Parliament and of the Council 2009/128/CE establishing a framework for Community action to achieve the sustainable use of pesticides in Annex III “General principles of integrated pest management” emphasizes the use of all possible methods which reduce populations of pests to the level of harmlessness. One of the relat...

Oil Crop Science

Evaluation of yield, stability and adaptability of national winter rapeseed regional trials in the upper Yangtze River region in 2017-2018

Rapeseed variety needs to be tested by regional trial in multiple sites for many years before being applied in market in China. Performants of rapeseed were affected by the interaction of sites and varieties. Evaluation of regional trials is very important for guiding rapeseed breeding. GGE (genotype main effects and genotype × environment intera...

Preventive Veterinary Medicine

Uptake of the lameness Five-Point Plan and its association with farmer-reported lameness prevalence: A cross-sectional study of 532 UK sheep farmers

The aims of this research were to determine the uptake of a national strategy to reduce lameness in the UK flock, known as the Five-Point Plan (5 P P); explore the association between footrot vaccination (Footvax®) use and 5 P P adoption; investigate the management practices associated with farmer-reported percentage lameness through risk factor an...

Data in Brief

Data on root system architecture of water efficient maize as affected by different nitrogen fertilizer rates and plant density

Root system architecture is a resource with untapped potential for agricultural improvements. The presented data describes the root system architecture of water efficient maize lines to different nitrogen fertilizer rates and plant density at two locations in North West Province of South Africa. The experiment was carried out during the 2015/16 and...

Heredity

Towards the genetic architecture of seed lipid biosynthesis and accumulation in Arabidopsis thaliana

We report the quantitative genetic analysis of seed oil quality and quantity in six Arabidopsis thaliana recombinant inbred populations, in which the parent accessions were from diverse geographical origins, and were selected on the basis of variation for seed oil content and lipid composition. Although most of the biochemical steps involved in lip...

Heredity

Kin assortment in juvenile shoals in wild guppy populations

Grouping provides many potential benefits to individuals in terms of foraging and anti-predator protection. However, it has been suggested that individuals could gain additional benefits in terms of indirect fitness by grouping with kin. Surprisingly, the genetic composition of wild fish shoals and the importance of kin-associated shoaling remain p...

Heredity

Fusion–fission experiments in Aphidius: evolutionary split without isolation in response to environmental bimodality

Studying host-based divergence naturally maintained by a balance between selection and gene flow can provide valuable insights into genetic underpinnings of host adaptation and ecological speciation in parasites. Selection-gene flow balance is often postulated in sympatric host races, but direct experimental evidence is scarce. In this study, we pr...

Nature

SynGAP isoforms exert opposing effects on synaptic strength

Alternative promoter usage and alternative splicing enable diversification of the transcriptome. Here we demonstrate that the function of Synaptic GTPase-Activating Protein (SynGAP), a key synaptic protein, is determined by the combination of its amino-terminal sequence with its carboxy-terminal sequence. 5′ rapid amplification of cDNA ends and pri...

Paediatric Research

Sex Differences in the Ovine Fetal Cortisol Response to Stress

This study tested the hypothesis that the sexually dimorphic adrenocortical response to stress is already established before birth. Chronically instrumented late gestation pregnant sheep carrying 16 male and 15 female age-matched singleton fetuses were subjected to an acute episode of hypoxic stress. Maternal and fetal blood gases, adrenocorticotro...

EMBO

Developmental regulation of CYCA2s contributes to tissue-specific proliferation in Arabidopsis

In multicellular organisms, morphogenesis relies on a strict coordination in time and space of cell proliferation and differentiation. In contrast to animals, plant development displays continuous organ formation and adaptive growth responses during their lifespan relying on a tight coordination of cell proliferation. How developmental signals inte...

TAG - Theoretical & Applied

Studying the genetic basis of drought tolerance in sorghum by managed stress trials and adjustments for phenological and plant height differences

Managed environments in the form of well watered and water stressed trials were performed to study the genetic basis of grain yield and stay green in sorghum with the objective of validating previously detected QTL. As variations in phenology and plant height may influence QTL detection for the target traits, QTL for flowering time and plant height...

Data in Brief

Data on influence of different nitrogen fertilizer rates and plant density on grain yield and yield components of Water Efficient Maize (WEMA) variety

Plant density and applications of nitrogen fertilizer have been recognized as the main crop management techniques to improve maize yield. The data showed effect of different nitrogen fertilizer rates and plant density on grain yield and yield components of water efficient maize. A Field experiment was conducted during the 2015/16 and 2016/17 planti...

Research using ASReml-R

Plant Science

Copy number variation of Ppd-B1 is the major determinant of heading time in durum wheat

Heading time is an important adaptive trait in durum wheat. In hexaploid wheat, Photoperiod-1 (Ppd) loci are essential regulators of heading time, with Ppd-B1 conferring photoperiod insensitivity through copy number variations (CNV). In tetraploid wheat, the D-genome Ppd-D1 locus is absent and generally, our knowledge on the genetic architecture un...

Field Crops

Genotypic variation for lodging tolerance in spring wheat: wider and deeper root plates, a feature of low lodging, high yielding germplasm

Plant lodging reduces yield and quality of irrigated and rainfed spring wheats alike. Local and imported germplasm was screened to identify consistently higher-yielding genotypes with low plant lodging for the north-eastern Australian wheat belt. Using field level treatments, such as fertilisation and tactical overhead irrigation to consistently si...

Soil and Tillage

Can legume species, crop residue management or no-till mitigate nitrous oxide emissions from a legume-wheat crop rotation in a semi-arid environment?

Soil emissions of nitrous oxide (N2O) are generally low in Australian semi-arid cropping systems, but can be reduced further by incorporating legumes into cereal-based rotations. We used automated and manual chambers to compare N2O emissions throughout a two-year legume-wheat field experiment. Two pulse crops [lupin (Lupinus angustifolius L.) and f...

Forest Ecology

Genetic variation among and within Quercus suber L. populations in survival, growth, vigor and plant architecture traits

Cork oak is an important forest tree species in the Western Mediterranean region due to the high economic value of its renewable cork and its ecological and social services. However, studies regarding the genetic variation within cork oak populations are scarce, and this gap of knowledge is contributing to the delay of the set-up of a breeding and ...

Agriculture

Approaches to scheduling water allocations to kikuyugrass grown on a water repellent soil in a drying-climate

Water allocation is a principal planning method for managing water supplies to agricultural and horticultural land in drying climates. Regulatory bodies often establish the water allocation amount, but its distribution during the irrigation season is left to the land manager’s discretion. We evaluated approaches to best manage water allocations to ...

Aquaculture

Selective breeding for juvenile survival in Chinese tongue sole (Cynoglossus semilaevis): Heritability and selection response Author links open overlay panel

Chinese tongue sole (Cynoglossus semilaevis) is an economically important marine flatfish which is now severely threatened by various bacterial pathogens (especially at juvenile stage) in China. As we all known, it is of great importance to increase the natural disease resistance of farmed fish. So, the aim of this study was to verify the exitance ...

Agricultural Systems

Productivity or stability? Exploring maize-legume intercropping strategies for smallholder Conservation Agriculture farmers in Zimbabwe

Increasing threats of climate change and soil fertility decline enhance the risk of crop failure for smallholder farmers in southern Africa. The quest is to find cropping systems that provide yield stability while being sustainable. One of the strategies to use is intercropping legumes in maize-based Conservation Agriculture systems. Here, we prese...

Industrial Crops

Insight into genetic potential of male sterile sweet sorghum A-lines for agroindustrial traits using tester R-lines

There is a growing demand for the development of alternative fuels from renewable sources, thus sweet sorghum an autogamous species has potential for bioethanol production. Traditionally recommended cultivars were varieties, however, with the development of cytoplasmic male sterile sweet sorghum lines, sweet sorghum hybrids have become economically...

Field Crops

Canola yield and its association with phenological, architectural and physiological traits across the rainfall zones in south-western Australia

Understanding genotype and environment interaction (G × E) and the association between yield and phenological, architectural and physiological traits plays a crucial role in successful canola breeding and agronomic management. We investigated yield performance of 20 open-pollinated and hybrid canola across multiple environments over five years and ...

Field Crops

Genotype-by-environment interaction and yield stability analysis of biomass sorghum hybrids using factor analytic models and environmental covariates

Biomass sorghum has emerged as an alternative crop for biofuel and bioelectricity production. Fresh biomass yield (FBY) is a quantitative trait highly correlated with the calorific power of energy sorghum cultivars, but also highly affected by the environment. The main goal of this study was to investigate the genotype-by-environment interaction (G...

Biological Control

Friends or foes? Population dynamics of beneficial and detrimental aerial arthropods under Conservation Agriculture Author links open overlay panel

Arthropod pest control is one of the most critical agronomic practices in cereal-based cropping systems. Cropping systems that preserve or promote biological pest control agents are more desirable. Data collected from a long-term trial at the Monze Farmer Training Centre (MFTC) from 2009 to 2012 was used to compare effects of different Conservation...

Animal Behaviour

Are older parents less flexible? Testing age-dependent plasticity in Nicrophorus vespilloides burying beetles

Phenotypic plasticity is an important mechanism facilitating adaptation to environmental change that often varies among individuals. One reason for this individual variation is that plasticity may depend on state variables, such as size, condition or age, which affect the costs and benefits of plasticity. Recent theoretical work predicts that plast...

Aquaculture

Crossbreeding of three different shell color lines in the Pacific oyster reveals high heterosis for survival but low heterosis for growth

Heterosis is important for improving productive traits in aquaculture, but the heterosis between selected lines remains unclear in bivalve molluscs. Here, a diallel crosses among black shell (B, 7th generation), white shell (W, 7th generation) and orange shell (O, 6th generation) lines of the Pacific oyster were performed to examine the potential f...

Fisheries

Sex-specific vulnerability of Portunus armatus to capture in round traps with traditional and novel fish baits

In response to few data describing the effects of bait on trap efficiencies for blue swimmer crabs, Portunus armatus in an Australian fishery and an impetus to reduce costs, traditional baits (sea mullet, Mugil cephalus and luderick, Girella tricuspidata) were compared against a novel, less-expensive bait (European carp, Cyprinus carpio). Eight rep...

Aquaculture

Genetic parameters of Gill-associated virus infection and body weight under commercial conditions in black tiger shrimp, Penaeus monodon

Selective breeding to improve performance of growth and increase disease resistance is becoming commonplace within shrimp aquaculture. Whilst estimated breeding values (EBV) for growth can be evaluated easily in on-farm trials, EBVs for disease resistance are usually obtained from controlled laboratory challenges and may not be indicative of natura...

Industrial Crops

Genome-wide association study identifies acyl-lipid metabolism candidate genes involved in the genetic control of natural variation for seed fatty acid traits in Brassica napus L.

Brassica napus L. represents a potential plant feedstock for the sustainable production of hydrotreated renewable fuels needed to support carbon-based energy production. However, to increase the use of plant-derived oils for energy needs, breeding efforts are required to optimize the amount and profile of fatty acids (FAs) contained in the oil extr...

Industrial Crops

An approach to quantify natural durability of Eucalyptus bosistoana by near infrared spectroscopy for genetic selection

Natural durability within a timber species can be variable. Hence efficient assessments of natural durability are required to ensure quality either through tree breeding or segregation during production. In this study, first the relationship between extractive content and mass loss of Eucalyptus bosistoana heartwood caused by a white and a brown-ro...

Integrative Agriculture

Identification of main effect and epistatic QTLs controlling initial flowering date in cultivated peanut (Arachis hypogaea L.)

Initial flowering date (IFD) is closely related to mature period of peanut pods. In present study, a population of recombinant inbred lines (RIL) derived from the cross between Silihong (female parent) and Jinonghei 3 (male parent) was used to map QTLs associated with IFD. The RIL population and its two parental cultivars were planted in two locati...

Aquaculture

Heritability of acute low salinity survival in the Eastern oyster (Crassostrea virginica) Author links open overlay panel

On the US east coast, Eastern oyster (Crassostrea virginica) aquaculture has grown substantially over the last century. As aquaculture expands into previously unexploited areas, there is a need for oyster lines bred for specific environmental conditions. In the Maryland portion of the Chesapeake Bay, and in other coastal areas, salinity tends to be...

Aquaculture

Using single-step genomic best linear unbiased prediction to improve the efficiency of genetic evaluation on body weight in Macrobrachium rosenbergii

In a shrimp selective breeding program, the genetic ties among founders or pedigree members are often unclear and could lead to biased estimates of the genetic parameters and predicted genetic gains using the conventional best linear unbiased prediction method based on pedigree (pBLUP). The accuracy of genetic evaluation can be improved by genomic ...

Aquaculture

Genome-wide association study and genomic prediction for resistance against Streptococcus agalactiae in hybrid red tilapia (Oreochromis spp.)

Streptococcosis is a major disease that causes severe mortality in tilapia aquaculture worldwide. Although the conventional BLUP family selection to enhance disease resistance in a commercial red tilapia stock was successful, the response was low due to the low heritability of the traits. An alternative strategy is the utilization of genomic inform...

Aquaculture

Optimising mesh size with escape gaps in a dual-species portunid-trap fishery

In south-eastern Australia, the same baited, round traps (comprising 50–57-mm mesh netting) are used to target giant mud, Scylla serrata and blue swimmer crabs, Portunus armatus in spatially separated fisheries. Both fisheries are characterised by the common, problematic discarding of undersized portunids (<85 and 65 mm carapace length; CL for S. s...

Plant Physiology

Machine learning approaches for crop improvement: Leveraging phenotypic and genotypic big data

Highly efficient and accurate selection of elite genotypes can lead to dramatic shortening of the breeding cycle in major crops relevant for sustaining present demands for food, feed, and fuel. In contrast to classical approaches that emphasize the need for resource-intensive phenotyping at all stages of artificial selection, genomic selection dram...

Animal

Advanced optimum contribution selection as a tool to improve regional cattle breeds: a feasibility study for Vorderwald cattle Author links open overlay panel

In the middle of the 20th century, increasing inbreeding rates were identified as a threat to livestock breeding. Consequences include reduced fertility, fitness and phenotypic expression of lethal alleles. An important step in mitigating this inbreeding was the introduction of optimum contribution selection (OCS). OCS facilitates the simultaneous ...

Forest Ecology

Tree breeding and silviculture: Douglas-fir volume gains with minimal wood quality loss under variable planting densities

Validating performance of genetically-selected trees under realistic planting scenarios is essential for confidence in tree breeding programs. Quantifying the relative impact of genetic selection and initial planting density on tree size and quality can further guide operational forest practices. We evaluate volume gains, survival, stem quality and...

Plant

Highly efficient and genotype-independent barley gene editing based on anther culture

Recalcitrance to tissue culture and genetic transformation is the major bottleneck for gene manipulation in crops. In barley, immature embryos of Golden Promise have typically been used as explants for transformation. However, the genotype dependence of this approach limits the genetic modification of commercial varieties. Here, we developed an ant...

Crops

Genome-wide prediction in a hybrid maize population adapted to Northwest China

Genome-wide prediction is a promising approach to boost selection gain in hybrid breeding. Our main objective was to evaluate the potential and limits of genome-wide prediction to identify superior hybrid combinations adapted to Northwest China. A total of 490 hybrids derived from crosses among 119 inbred lines from the Shaan A and Shaan B heteroti...

Crops

Using genomic data to improve the estimation of general combining ability based on sparse partial diallel cross designs in maize

Evaluation of general combining ability (GCA) is crucial to hybrid breeding in maize. Although the complete diallel cross design can provide an efficient estimation, sparse partial diallel cross (SPDC) is more flexible in breeding practice. Using real and simulated data sets of partial diallel crosses between 266 maize inbred lines, this study inve...

Crops

Identification of seed protein and oil related QTL in 944 RILs from a diallel of early-maturing European soybean

Soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] is a global protein source and is currently expanding in Central and Northern Europe. Protein and oil content are two important quality traits that have been studied in different germplasm, however, their genetic architecture in early-maturing European soybean has not been investigated yet. In this study, we therefo...

Crops

Genome-wide prediction for hybrids between parents with distinguished difference on exotic introgressions in Brassica napus

Extensive exotic introgression could significantly enlarge the genetic distance of hybrid parental populations to promote strong heterosis. The goal of this study was to investigate whether genome-wide prediction can support pre-breeding in populations with exotic introgressions. We evaluated seed yield, seed yield related traits and seed quality t...

Aquaculture

Improving penaeid-trawl efficiencies via ground gear with tickler chains

Penaeid trawls often have poor ecological efficiencies measured as unwanted bycatches (with high discard mortality) and <100% effectiveness for all penaeids interacting with the ground gear (with some escape mortality). This study investigated the utility of varying ground-chain size (8- vs 10-mm diameter (Ø) stainless-steel chain) and the present ...

Aquaculture

Estimation of heritabilities of disease resistance to Edwardsiella tarda and genetic correlations between resistance and growth traits in Chinese tongue sole (Cynoglossus semilaevis)

Chinese tongue sole (Cynoglossus semilaevis) is an important marine flatfish which is widely cultured in coastal areas in China. Infectious bacterial diseases such as Edwardsiella tarda imposed serious threats to this species. A potential strategy to prevent this disease is to select resistance strains. The aim of the present work was to estimate t...

Animal

Genotype-by-environment interactions at the trait level and total merit index level for milk production and functional traits in Brown Swiss cattle Author links open overlay panel

The production environments of the German–Austrian Brown Swiss population show a wide range due to differences in topography, landscapes, local climates, and different farm management systems. Extensive production systems such as organic farming have become increasingly popular in recent decades because of interest in sustainability and consumer pr...

Field Crops

Grain yield genetic gains and changes in physiological related traits for CIMMYT’s High Rainfall Wheat Screening Nursery tested across international environments

The effects of climate change together with the projected future demand represents a huge challenge for wheat production systems worldwide. Wheat breeding can contribute to global food security through the creation of genotypes exhibiting stress tolerance and higher yield potential. The objectives of our study were to (i) estimate the annual grain ...

Research using CycDesigN

Computational Statistics

Augmented quasi-sudoku designs in field trials

Augmented designs play an important role in early-generation plant breeding when many varieties are tested and sufficient seeds are unavailable to permit each variety to be replicated more than once. The key idea is to include some replicated varieties to adjust for environmental heterogeneity and provide a good estimate of error. The simplest form...

Field Crops

Factors responsible for yield improvement in new Gossypium hirsutum L. cotton cultivars

The factors responsible for yield progress can be analysed through yield determinant frameworks. These conceptual models consider factors such as crop growth dynamics, partitioning of vegetative and reproductive biomass and yield components to provide insights into the factors responsible for observed genetic gains and opportunities for future gain...

General Research

Nature

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Genomic Predictions With Nonadditive Effects Improved Estimates of Additive Effects and Predictions of Total Genetic Values in Pinus sylvestris

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Leveraging breeding programs and genomic data in Norway spruce (Picea abies L. Karst) for GWAS analysis

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Why genetic selection to reduce the prevalence of infectious diseases is way more promising than currently believed

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Considerable potential exists to improve lambing performance traits in sheep through breeding

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Single-step genome-wide association studies (GWAS) and post-GWAS analyses to identify genomic regions and candidate genes for milk yield in Brazilian Girolando cattle

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Genotype by environment interaction and genetic parameters for growth traits in the Neotropical fish pacu (Piaractus mesopotamicus)

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Influence of top-panel orientation (lead-ahead) on targeted and incidental catches in a penaeid trawl

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Genome-wide association study for genotype by lactation stage interaction of milk production traits in dairy cattle

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Body weight of dairy heifers is positively associated with reproduction and stayability

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Milk somatic cell count and its relationship with milk yield and quality traits in Italian water buffaloes

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Short communication: Animal-level factors associated with whether a dairy female is mated to a dairy or beef bull

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Relationship of body weight at first calving with milk yield and herd life

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Genetic (co)variation between resistance to Aeromonas hydrophila and growth in tambaqui (Colossoma macropomum)

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Heritability and genetic correlation of body shape and deformity in snakeskin gourami, Trichopodus pectoralis Regan, 1910

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Genetic parameters for traits affecting consumer preferences for the Portuguese oyster, Crassostrea angulata

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Genetic component of cannibalism in Asian seabass Lates Calcarifer

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Sex-specific lipid profiles in the muscle of Atlantic salmon juveniles

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Towards future genetic evaluations for live weight and carcass composition traits in UK sheep

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Selecting for water use efficiency, wood chemical traits and biomass with genomic selection in a Eucalyptus breeding program

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Evaluation of the utility of genomic information to improve genetic evaluation of feed efficiency traits of the Pacific white shrimp Litopenaeus vannamei

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Genotype by environment interactions of harvest growth traits for barramundi (Lates calcarifer) commercially farmed in marine vs. freshwater conditions

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Estimating genetic parameters for resistance to Vibrio parahaemolyticus with molecular markers in Pacific white shrimp

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Genetic analysis of survival potential of Boer x Central Highland goats under semi-intensive management

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Genetic analysis of reproduction, body weight and mohair production in South African Angora goats

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Genome-wide association study for beef fatty acid profile using haplotypes in Nellore cattle

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Genetic parameter estimation for sensory traits in longissimus muscle and their association with pH and intramuscular fat in pork chops

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Genetic parameters for resistance to Tilapia Lake Virus (TiLV) in Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus)

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Restoration Practices Affect Alpine Meadow Ecosystem Coupling and Functions

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Genetic parameters for methane emission traits in Australian dairy cows

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Heritability estimates of predicted blood β-hydroxybutyrate and nonesterified fatty acids and relationships with milk traits in early-lactation Holstein cows

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Genetic improvement of sawn-board shape stability in Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.)

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Genetic parameters for carcase measurements and age at slaughter in commercial cattle

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Quantitative genetic variation for resistance to the parasite Ichthyophthirius multifiliis in the Neotropical fish tambaqui (Colossoma macropomum)

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Refining tickler chains for penaeid trawls

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Genetic variation and heritability of grain protein deviation in European wheat genotypes

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Development of a 50K SNP Array for Japanese Flounder and Its Application in Genomic Selection for Disease Resistance

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Genetic and nongenetic factors associated with lactation length in seasonal-calving, pasture-based dairy cows

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Impact of a high-fibre diet on genetic parameters of production traits in growing pigs

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Genetic parameters for haemoglobin levels in sows and piglets as well as sow reproductive performance and piglet survival

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