Background The protein sources in pig diets strongly rely on soybean meal,but its production has been associated with soil degradation,deforestation and loss of biodiversity.Microalga Spirulina can be a potentially mo...Background The protein sources in pig diets strongly rely on soybean meal,but its production has been associated with soil degradation,deforestation and loss of biodiversity.Microalga Spirulina can be a potentially more sustainable alternative to soybean meal,but comprehensive information about its use in growing pigs is still lacking.This study aimed to evaluate the effects of partial to full replacement of dietary soybean meal with Spirulina on the growth and carcass traits of growing pigs and on the chemical and physical attributes of the meat.Methods Eighty-eight pigs,gilts and barrows mixed together,with initial body weight of 52.4±4.2 kg,were allotted into 4 isoenergetic,isoproteic,and isoaminoacidic dietary treatments,which included a conventional control diet based on cereals and soybean meal and one of 3 diets formulated by replacing nearly 33%,66%or 100%soybean with Spirulina.Each treatment had 2 pens(11 pigs/pen),which were equipped with electronic feeders that were able to record individual feed intake.After 138 d on feed,at 174.9±6.4 kg body weight,the pigs were slaughtered,and the carcass traits and meat quality parameters from loin samples were assessed.Results The palatability of feeds was not depressed in pigs fed Spirulina,even when the soybean was completely replaced by the microalga.The incorporation of Spirulina in the diets in place of soybean did not impair the growth rate or feed efficiency,irrespective of the extent of replacement.The carcass traits and yield of commercial cuts were comparable for all Spirulina-included compared with those of the soybean-based groups,and the same was found for the chemical and physical attributes of loin meat.Conclusion The results obtained at the herd and slaughter levels revealed that the replacement of soybean meal with Spirulina did not negatively affect the growth or carcass traits of growing pigs or the main attributes of meat.Therefore,this study provides,for the first time,insights into the technical possibility of switching growing pig feeding systems toward more environmentally sustainable diets by including a microalga originating from landless feed production systems,which does not result in soil degradation or loss of biodiversity.展开更多
Background Goat breeds in the Alpine area and Mediterranean basin exhibit a unique genetic heritage shaped by centuries of selection and adaptability to harsh environments.Understanding their adaptive traits can aid b...Background Goat breeds in the Alpine area and Mediterranean basin exhibit a unique genetic heritage shaped by centuries of selection and adaptability to harsh environments.Understanding their adaptive traits can aid breeding programs target enhanced resilience and productivity,especially as we are facing important climate and agriculture challenges.To this aim the genomic architecture of 480 goats belonging to five breeds(i.e.,Saanen[SAA],Camosciata delle Alpi[CAM],Murciano-Granadina[MUR],Maltese[MAL],Sarda[SAR])reared in the Sardinia Island were genotyped and their genomic architecture evaluated to find molecular basis of adaptive traits.Inbreeding,runs of homozygosity(ROH)and runs of heterozygosity(ROHet)were identified.Finally,candidate genes in the ROH and ROHet regions were explored through a pathway analysis to assess their molecular role.Results In total,we detected 10,341 ROH in the SAA genome,11,063 ROH in the CAM genome,12,250 ROH in the MUR genome,8,939 ROH in the MAL genome,and 18,441 ROH in the SAR genome.Moreover,we identified 4,087 ROHet for SAA,3,360 for CAM,2,927 for MUR,3,701 for MAL,and 3,576 for SAR,with SAR having the highest heterozygosity coefficient.Interestingly,when computing the inbreeding coefficient using homozygous segment(FROH),SAA showed the lowest value while MAL the highest one,suggesting the need to improve selecting strategies to preserve genetic diversity within the population.Among the most significant candidate genes,we identified several ones linked to different physiological functions,such as milk production(e.g.,DGAT1,B4GALT1),immunity(GABARAP,GPS2)and adaptation to environment(e.g.,GJA3,GJB2 and GJB6).Conclusions This study highlighted the genetic diversity within and among five goat breeds.The high levels of ROH identified in some breeds might indicate high levels of inbreeding and a lack in genetic variation,which might negatively impact the animal population.Conversely,high levels of ROHet might indicate regions of the genetic diversity,beneficial for breed health and resilience.Therefore,these findings could aid breeding programs in managing inbreeding and preserving genetic diversity.展开更多
Background Copy number variants(CNV)hold significant functional and evolutionary importance.Numerous ongoing CNV studies aim to elucidate the etiology of human diseases and gain insights into the population structure ...Background Copy number variants(CNV)hold significant functional and evolutionary importance.Numerous ongoing CNV studies aim to elucidate the etiology of human diseases and gain insights into the population structure of livestock.High-density chips have enabled the detection of CNV with increased resolution,leading to the identification of even small CNV.This study aimed to identify CNV in local Italian chicken breeds and investigate their distribution across the genome.Results Copy number variants were mainly distributed across the first six chromosomes and primarily associated with loss type CNV.The majority of CNV in the investigated breeds were of types 0 and 1,and the minimum length of CNV was significantly larger than that reported in previous studies.Interestingly,a high proportion of the length of chromosome 16 was covered by copy number variation regions(CNVR),with the major histocompatibility complex being the likely cause.Among the genes identified within CNVR,only those present in at least five animals across breeds(n=95)were discussed to reduce the focus on redundant CNV.Some of these genes have been associated to functional traits in chickens.Notably,several CNVR on different chromosomes harbor genes related to muscle development,tissue-specific biological processes,heat stress resistance,and immune response.Quantitative trait loci(QTL)were also analyzed to investigate potential overlapping with the identified CNVR:54 out of the 95 gene-containing regions overlapped with 428 QTL associated to body weight and size,carcass characteristics,egg production,egg components,fat deposition,and feed intake.Conclusions The genomic phenomena reported in this study that can cause changes in the distribution of CNV within the genome over time and the comparison of these differences in CNVR of the local chicken breeds could help in preserving these genetic resources.展开更多
Background Various blood metabolites are known to be useful indicators of health status in dairy cattle,but their routine assessment is time-consuming,expensive,and stressful for the cows at the herd level.Thus,we eva...Background Various blood metabolites are known to be useful indicators of health status in dairy cattle,but their routine assessment is time-consuming,expensive,and stressful for the cows at the herd level.Thus,we evaluated the effectiveness of combining in-line near infrared(NIR)milk spectra with on-farm(days in milk[DIM]and parity)and genetic markers for predicting blood metabolites in Holstein cattle.Data were obtained from 388 Holstein cows from a farm with an AfiLab system.NIR spectra,on-farm information,and single nucleotide polymorphisms(SNP)markers were blended to develop calibration equations for blood metabolites using the elastic net(ENet)approach,considering 3 mod els:(1)Model 1(M1)including only NIR information,(2)Model 2(M2)with both NIR and on-farm information,and(3)Model 3(M3)combining NIR,on-farm and genomic information.Dimension reduction was considered for M3 by preselecting SNP markers from genome-wide association study(GWAS)results.Results Results indicate that M2 improved the predictive ability by an average of 19%for energy-related metabolites(glucose,cholesterol,NEFA,B H B,urea,and c reatinin e),20%for liver functio n/hepatic damage,7%for inflammation/innate immunity.24%for oxidative stress metabolites,and 23%for minerals compared to M1,Meanwhile,M3 further enhanced the predictive ability by 34%for energy-related metabolites,32%for liver function/hepatic damage,22%for inflammation/innate immunity,42.1%for oxidative stress metabolites,and 41%for mineralse compared to M1.We found improved predictive ability of M3 using selected SNP markers from GWAS results using a threshold of>2.0by 5%for energy-related metabolites,9%for liver function/hepatic damage,8%for inflammation/innate immunity,22%for oxidative stress metabolites,and 9%for minerals.Slight redu ctions were observed fo r phosphorus(2%),ferricreducing antioxidant power(1%),and glucose(3%).Furthermore,it was found that prediction accuracies are influenced by using more restrictive thresholds(-log_(10)^(P-value)>2.5 and 3.0),with a lower increase in the predictive ability.Conclusion Our results highlighted the potential of combining several sources of information,such as genetic markers,on-farm information,and in-line NIR infrared data improves the predictive ability of blood metabolites in dairy cattle,representing an effective strategy for large-scale in-line health monitoring in commercial herds.展开更多
Background:The dietary supplementation of yeast cell wall extracts(YCW)has been found to reduce pathogenic bacteria load,promote immunoglobulin production,prevent diseases by pro-inflammatory responses,and alter gut m...Background:The dietary supplementation of yeast cell wall extracts(YCW)has been found to reduce pathogenic bacteria load,promote immunoglobulin production,prevent diseases by pro-inflammatory responses,and alter gut microbiota composition.This study evaluated growth and slaughter results,health,gut morphology,immune status and gut transcriptome of 576 male chickens fed two diets,i.e.C(control)or Y(with 250–500 g/t of YCW fractions according to the growth period).At 21 and 42 d the jejunum of 12 chickens per diet were sampled and stained with hematoxylin/eosin for morphometric evaluation,with Alcian-PAS for goblet cells,and antibodies against CD3+intraepithelial T-cells and CD45+intraepithelial leukocytes.The jejunum sampled at 42 d were also used for wholetranscriptome profiling.Results:Dietary YCW supplementation did not affect final live weight,whereas it decreased feed intake(114 to 111 g/d;P≤0.10)and improved feed conversion(1.74 to 1.70;P≤0.01).Regarding the gut,YCW supplementation tended to increase villi height(P=0.07);it also increased the number of goblet cells and reduced the density of CD45+cells compared to diet C(P<0.001).In the gut transcriptome,four genes were expressed more in broilers fed diet Y compared to diet C,i.e.cytochrome P450,family 2,subfamily C,polypeptide 23b(CYP2C23B),tetratricopeptide repeat domain 9(TTC9),basic helix-loop-helix family member e41(BHLHE41),and the metalloreductase STEAP4.Only one gene set(HES_PATHWAY)was significantly enriched among the transcripts more expressed in broilers fed diet Y.However,a total of 41 gene sets were significantly over-represented among genes up-regulated in control broilers.Notably,several enriched gene sets are implicated in immune functions and related to NF-κB signaling,apoptosis,and interferon signals.Conclusions:The dietary YCW supplementation improved broiler growth performance,increased gut glycoconjugate secretion and reduced the inflammatory status together with differences in the gut transcriptome,which can be considered useful to improve animal welfare and health under the challenging conditions of intensive rearing systems in broiler chickens.展开更多
The application of genomic selection in fruit tree crops is expected to enhance breeding eficiency by increasing prediction accuracy,increasing selection intensity and decreasing generation interval.The objectives of ...The application of genomic selection in fruit tree crops is expected to enhance breeding eficiency by increasing prediction accuracy,increasing selection intensity and decreasing generation interval.The objectives of this study were to assess the accuracy of prediction and selection response in commercial apple breeding programmes for key traits.The training population comprised 977 individuals derived from 20 pedigreed fllsib families.Historic phenotypic data were available on 10 traits related to productivity and fruit external appearance and genotypic data for 7829 SNPs obtained with an llumina 20K SNP array.From these data,a genome-wide prediction model was built and subsequently used to calculate genomic breeding values of five application fllsib families.The application families had genotypes at 364 SNPs from a dedicated 512 SNP array,and these genotypic data were extended to the high-density level by imputation.These five families were phenotyped for 1 year and their phenotypes were compared to the predicted breeding values.Accuracy of genomic prediction across the 10 traits reached a maximum value of 0.5 and had a median value of 0.19.The accuracies were strongly affected by the phenotypic distribution and heritability of traits.In the largest family,significant selection response was observed for traits with high heritability and symmetric phenotypic distribution.Traits that showed non-significant response often had reduced and skewed phenotypic variation or low heritability.Among the five application families the accuracies were uncorrelated to the degree of relatedness to the training population.The results underline the potential of genomic prediction to accelerate breeding progress in outbred fruit tree crops that still need to overcome long generation intervals and extensive phenotyping costs.展开更多
Background:The possibility of assessing meat quality traits over the meat chain is strongly limited,especially in the context of selective breeding which requires a large number of phenotypes.The main objective of thi...Background:The possibility of assessing meat quality traits over the meat chain is strongly limited,especially in the context of selective breeding which requires a large number of phenotypes.The main objective of this study was to investigate the suitability of portable infrared spectrometers for phenotyping beef cattle aiming to genetically improving the quality of their meat.Meat quality traits(pH,color,water holding capacity,tenderness)were appraised on rib eye muscle samples of 1,327 Piemontese young bulls using traditional(i.e.,reference/gold standard)laboratory analyses;the same traits were also predicted from spectra acquired at the abattoir on the intact muscle surface of the same animals 1 d after slaughtering.Genetic parameters were estimated for both laboratory measures of meat quality traits and their spectra-based predictions.Results:The prediction performances of the calibration equations,assessed through external validation,were satisfactory for color traits(R^(2) from 0.52 to 0.80),low for pH and purge losses(R^(2) around 0.30),and very poor for cooking losses and tenderness(R^(2) below 0.20).Except for lightness and purge losses,the heritability estimates of most of the predicted traits were lower than those of the measured traits while the genetic correlations between measured and predicted traits were high(average value 0.81).Conclusions:Results showed that NIRS predictions of color traits,pH,and purge losses could be used as indicator traits for the indirect genetic selection of the reference quality phenotypes.Results for cooking losses were less effective,while the NIR predictions of tenderness were affected by a relatively high uncertainty of estimate.Overall,genetic selection of some meat quality traits,whose direct phenotyping is difficult,can benefit of the application of infrared spectrometers technology.展开更多
Background： In the last years, difficulties occurring in corn cultivation（i.e., groundwater shortages, mycotoxin contamination） have been forcing dairy farmers to consider alternative silages. Some experiments cond...Background： In the last years, difficulties occurring in corn cultivation（i.e., groundwater shortages, mycotoxin contamination） have been forcing dairy farmers to consider alternative silages. Some experiments conducted on lactating cows have proven that the total replacement of corn silage with sorghum silage did not reduce milk yield.However, this kind of substitution involves supplementing sorghum-based diets with grains, to compensate for the lower starch content of sorghum silage compared to corn silage. Change of silage type and inclusion of starch sources in the diet would influence rumen fermentations, with possible effects on milk composition（i.e., fatty acid profile） and coagulation properties. A worsening of milk coagulation properties would have a negative economic impact in Italy, where most of the milk produced is processed into cheese.This study was designed to compare milk composition and quality, with emphasis on fatty acid profile and coagulation properties, in dairy cows fed two diets based on corn or sorghum silage.Results： The sorghum diet reduced milk yield（P = 0.043） but not 4% fat corrected milk（P = 0.85）. Feeding sorghum silage did not influence milk contents of protein（P = 0.07） and lactose（P = 0.65）, and increased fat content（P = 0.024）.No differences emerged for milk concentrations of saturated（P = 0.61） and monounsaturated fatty acids（P = 0.50）,whereas polyunsaturated fatty acids were lower（P 〈 0.001） for the sorghum diet. Concentrations of n-6（P 〈 0.001） and n-3 fatty acids（P = 0.017） were lower in milk of cows fed the sorghum diet. Milk coagulation properties did not differ between the two diets, except the ＂a30＂（the curd firmness, expressed in mm, 30 min after rennet addition）, that was lower（P = 0.042） for the sorghum diet.Conclusions： Feeding a forage sorghum silage, properly supplemented with corn meal, as total replacement of corn silage maintained milk composition and did not influence negatively milk coagulation properties, which have a great economic relevance for the Italian dairy industry. Thus, silages obtained from forage sorghums could have a potential as substitute of corn silages in dairy cow diets.展开更多
Background:Recently,interest in the use of herbs and phytogenic compounds has grown because of their potential role in the production and health of livestock animals.Among these compounds,several tannins have been tes...Background:Recently,interest in the use of herbs and phytogenic compounds has grown because of their potential role in the production and health of livestock animals.Among these compounds,several tannins have been tested in poultry,but those from chestnut wood and grape-industry byproducts have attracted remarkable interest.Thus,the present study aimed to gain further insights into the mechanisms involved in the response to the dietary supplementation with extracts of chestnut wood or grape pomace.To this purpose,864 broiler chickens were fed a control diet(C)or the same diet supplemented 0.2%chestnut wood(CN)extract or 0.2%grape pomace(GP)extract from hatching until commercial slaughtering(at 45 days of age)to assess their effects on performance,meat quality,jejunum immune response and whole-transcriptome profiling in both sexes at different ages(15 and 35 d).Results:Final live weight and daily weight gain significantly increased(P<0.01)in chickens fed GP diets compared to CN and C diets.The villi height was lower in chickens fed the CN diet than in those fed the C diet(P<0.001);moreover,a lower density of CD45~+cells was observed in chickens fed the CN diet(P<0.05)compared to those fed the C and GP diets.Genes involved in either pro-or anti-inflammatory response pathways,and antimicrobial and antioxidant responses were affected by GP and CN diets.There was no effect of the dietary treatment on meat quality.Regarding sex,in addition to a lower growth performance,females showed a lower occurrence of wooden breast(16.7%vs.55.6%;P<0.001)and a higher occurrence of spaghetti meat(48.6%vs.4.17%;P<0.001)in pectoralis major muscles after slaughtering than those in males.Based on the results of whole-transcriptome profiling,a significant activation of some molecular pathways related to immunity was observed in males compared with those of females.Conclusions:The GP supplementation improved chicken performance and promoted immune responses in the intestinal mucosa;moreover,age and sex were associated with the most relevant transcriptional changes.展开更多
Grapevine embodies a fascinating species as regards phenotypic plasticity and genotype-per-environment interactions.The terroir,namely the set of agri-environmental factors to which a variety is subjected,can influenc...Grapevine embodies a fascinating species as regards phenotypic plasticity and genotype-per-environment interactions.The terroir,namely the set of agri-environmental factors to which a variety is subjected,can influence the phenotype at the physiological,molecular,and biochemical level,representing an important phenomenon connected to the typicality of productions.We investigated the determinants of plasticity by conducting a field-experiment where all terroir variables,except soil,were kept as constant as possible.We isolated the effect of soils collected from different areas,on phenology,physiology,and transcriptional responses of skin and flesh of a red and a white variety of great economic value:Corvina and Glera.Molecular results,together with physio-phenological parameters,suggest a specific effect of soil on grapevine plastic response,highlighting a higher transcriptional plasticity of Glera in respect to Corvina and a marked response of skin compared to flesh.Using a novel statistical approach,we identified clusters of plastic genes subjected to the specific influence of soil.These findings could represent an issue of applicative value,posing the basis for targeted agricultural practices to enhance the desired characteristics for any soil/cultivar combination,to improve vineyards management for a better resource usage and to valorize vineyards uniqueness maximizing the terroir-effect.展开更多
Efficient and economic reuse of waste is one of the pillars of modern environmental engineering. In the field of domestic sewage management,source separation of yellow（urine）,brown（faecal matter）and grey waters ai...Efficient and economic reuse of waste is one of the pillars of modern environmental engineering. In the field of domestic sewage management,source separation of yellow（urine）,brown（faecal matter）and grey waters aims to recover the organic substances concentrated in brown water,the nutrients（nitrogen and phosphorous）in the urine and to ensure an easier treatment and recycling of grey waters. With the objective of emphasizing the potential of recovery of resources from sewage management,a lab-scale research study was carried out at the University of Padova in order to evaluate the performances of oleaginous plants（suitable for biodiesel production）in the phytotreatment of source separated yellow and grey waters. The plant species used were Brassica napus（rapeseed）,Glycine max（soybean）and Helianthus annuus（sunflower）. Phytotreatment tests were carried out using 20 L pots. Different testing runs were performed at an increasing nitrogen concentration in the feedstock. The results proved that oleaginous species can conveniently be used for the phytotreatment of grey and yellow waters from source separation of domestic sewage,displaying high removal efficiencies of nutrients and organic substances（nitrogen 〉 80%; phosphorous 〉 90%; COD nearly 90%）. No inhibition was registered in the growth of plants irrigated with different mixtures of yellow and grey waters,where the characteristics of the two streams were reciprocally and beneficially integrated.展开更多
The comprehension of molecular processes underlying the development and progression of flowering in plants is a hot topic,not only because that often the products of interest for human and animal nutrition are linked ...The comprehension of molecular processes underlying the development and progression of flowering in plants is a hot topic,not only because that often the products of interest for human and animal nutrition are linked to the development of fruits or seeds,but also because the processes of gametes formation occurring in sexual organs are at the basis of recombination and genetic variability which constitutes the matter on which evolution acts,whether understood as natural or human driven.In the present study,we used an NGS approach to produce a grapevine flower transcriptome snapshot in different whorls and tissues including calyx,calyptra,filament,anther,stigma,ovary,and embryo in both pre-and post-anthesis phases.Our investigation aimed at identifying hub genes that unequivocally distinguish the different tissues providing insights into the molecular mechanisms that are at the basis of floral whorls and tissue development.To this end we have used different analytical approaches,some now consolidated in transcriptomic studies on plants,such as pairwise comparison and weighted-gene coexpression network analysis,others used mainly in studies on animals or human's genomics,such as the tau(t)analysis aimed at isolating highly and absolutely tissue-specific genes.The intersection of data obtained by these analyses allowed us to gradually narrow the field,providing evidence about the molecular mechanisms occurring in those whorls directly involved in reproductive processes,such as anther and stigma,and giving insights into the role of other whorls not directly related to reproduction,such as calyptra and calyx.We believe this work could represent an important genomic resource for functional analyses of grapevine floral organ growth and fruit development shading light on molecular networks underlying grapevine reproductive organ determination.展开更多
Background Subclinical intramammary infection(IMI)represents a significant problem in maintaining dairy cows’health.Disease severity and extent depend on the interaction between the causative agent,environment,and ho...Background Subclinical intramammary infection(IMI)represents a significant problem in maintaining dairy cows’health.Disease severity and extent depend on the interaction between the causative agent,environment,and host.To investigate the molecular mechanisms behind the host immune response,we used RNA-Seq for the milk somatic cells(SC)transcriptome profiling in healthy cows(n=9),and cows naturally affected by subclinical IMI from Proto-theca spp.(n=11)and Streptococcus agalactiae(S.agalactiae;n=11).Data Integration Analysis for Biomarker discov-ery using Latent Components(DIABLO)was used to integrate transcriptomic data and host phenotypic traits related to milk composition,SC composition,and udder health to identify hub variables for subclinical IMI detection.Results A total of 1,682 and 2,427 differentially expressed genes(DEGs)were identified when comparing Prototheca spp.and S.agalactiae to healthy animals,respectively.Pathogen-specific pathway analyses evidenced that Proto-theca’s infection upregulated antigen processing and lymphocyte proliferation pathways while S.agalactiae induced a reduction of energy-related pathways like the tricarboxylic acid cycle,and carbohydrate and lipid metabolism.The integrative analysis of commonly shared DEGs between the two pathogens(n=681)referred to the core-mastitis response genes,and phenotypic data evidenced a strong covariation between those genes and the flow cytometry immune cells(r2=0.72),followed by the udder health(r2=0.64)and milk quality parameters(r2=0.64).Variables with r≥0.90 were used to build a network in which the top 20 hub variables were identified with the Cytoscape cyto-hubba plug-in.The genes in common between DIABLO and cytohubba(n=10)were submitted to a ROC analysis which showed they had excellent predictive performances in terms of discriminating healthy and mastitis-affected animals(sensitivity>0.89,specificity>0.81,accuracy>0.87,and precision>0.69).Among these genes,CIITA could play a key role in regulating the animals’response to subclinical IMI.Conclusions Despite some differences in the enriched pathways,the two mastitis-causing pathogens seemed to induce a shared host immune-transcriptomic response.The hub variables identified with the integrative approach might be included in screening and diagnostic tools for subclinical IMI detection.展开更多
TTie Ultisols in the Rana de Canamero area in Southwest Spain showed aluminum(Al)phytotoxicity,and the clearance of natural vegetation and decades of intensive conventional agriculture caused the deplation of soil org...TTie Ultisols in the Rana de Canamero area in Southwest Spain showed aluminum(Al)phytotoxicity,and the clearance of natural vegetation and decades of intensive conventional agriculture caused the deplation of soil organic matter(SOM).Therefore,we studied the long-term effects of no tillage and liming using sugar beet foam(SF)and red gypsum(RG),alone or in combination,on the restoration of Ultisols affected by acidification,Al phytotoxicity,and SOM depletion.We measured the main soil chemical properties,soil microbial biomass,soil enzyme activities involved in carbon,nitrogen,phosphorus,and sulfur mineralization,and the emission of volatile organic compounds(VOCs).The results indicated that liming effectively neutralized the soil acidity in the long term and,in combination with no tillage,significantly increased soil microbial biomass and enzyme activities.Twenty-three VOCs were detected using the proton transfer reaction-time of flight(PTR-ToF)technique,and both liming and tillage changed the VOC emission patterns.The greatest difference in VOC emission pattern was observed between no-tilled un-amended soils and tilled lime-amended soils,suggesting the activation of different metabolic pathways within the microbial communities of soils under different management.Differences in VOC emission patterns could be attributed to the decomposition of carbohydrates,which were also sustained by the higher enzyme activities in the lime-amended soils.展开更多
Effects of some methodological factors on in vitro measures of gas production（GP, mL/g DM）, CH4production（mL/g DM） and proportion（% CH4 on total GP） were investigated by meta-analysis. These factors were conside...Effects of some methodological factors on in vitro measures of gas production（GP, mL/g DM）, CH4production（mL/g DM） and proportion（% CH4 on total GP） were investigated by meta-analysis. These factors were considered：pressure in the GP equipment（0 = constant; 1 = increasing）, incubation time（0 = 24; 1 = ≥ 48 h）, time of rumen fluid collection（0 = before feeding; 1 = after feeding of donor animals）, donor species of rumen fluid（0 = sheep; 1 =bovine）, presence of N in the buffer solution（0 = presence; 1 = absence）, and ratio between amount of buffered rumen fluid and feed sample（BRF/FS; 0 = ≤ 130 mL/g DM; 1 = 130–140 mL/g DM; 2 = ≥ 140 mL/g DM）. The NDF content of feed sample incubated（NDF） was considered as a continuous variable. From an initial database of 105 papers, 58 were discarded because one of the above-mentioned factors was not stated. After discarding 17 papers,the final dataset comprised 30 papers（339 observations）. A preliminary mixed model analysis was carried out on experimental data considering the study as random factor. Variables adjusted for study effect were analyzed using a backward stepwise analysis including the above-mentioned variables. The analysis showed that the extension of incubation time and reduction of NDF increased GP and CH4 values. Values of GP and CH4 also increased when rumen fluid was collected after feeding compared to before feeding（＋26.4 and ＋9.0 mL/g DM, for GP and CH4）,from bovine compared to sheep（＋32.8 and ＋5.2 mL/g DM, for GP and CH4）, and when the buffer solution did not contain N（＋24.7 and ＋6.7 mL/g DM for GP and CH4）. The increase of BRF/FS ratio enhanced GP and CH4production（＋7.7 and ＋3.3 mL/g DM per each class of increase, respectively）. In vitro techniques for measuring GP and CH4 production are mostly used as screening methods, thus a full standardization of such techniques is not feasible. However, a greater harmonization of analytical procedures（i.e., a reduction in the number of available protocols） would be useful to facilitate comparison between results of different experiments.展开更多
Background： Modification of chemical composition of diets fed to dairy cows might be a good strategy to reduce methane（CH4） production in the rumen. Notable reductions of CH4 production compared to conventional hig...Background： Modification of chemical composition of diets fed to dairy cows might be a good strategy to reduce methane（CH4） production in the rumen. Notable reductions of CH4 production compared to conventional highroughages rations were more frequently observed for very concentrated diets or when fat supplements were used. In these cases, the reduction in the gas emission was mainly a consequence of an overall impairment of rumen function with a reduction of fiber digestibility. These strategies do not always comply with feeding standards used in intensive dairy farms and they are usually not applied owing to the risks of negative health and economic consequences.Thus, the present study evaluated the effects of seven commercial diets with contents of neutral detergent fiber（NDF）,protein and lipids ranging 325 to 435 g/kg DM, 115 to 194 g/kg DM, and 26 to 61 g/kg DM, respectively, on in vitro degradability, gas（GP）, and CH4 production.Results： In this experiment, changes in the dietary content of NDF, crude protein（CP） and lipids were always obtained at the expense or in favor of starch. A decreased of the dietary NDF content increased NDF（NDFd） and true DM（TDMd） degradability, and increased CH4 production per g of incubated DM（P 〈 0.001）, but not that per g of TDMd. An increase of the dietary CP level did not change in vitro NDFd and TDMd, decreased GP per g of incubated DM（P 〈 0.001）, but CH4 production per g of TDMd was not affected. An increased dietary lipid content reduced NDFd, TDMd,and GP per g of incubated DM, but it had no consequence on CH4 production per g of TDMd.Conclusions： It was concluded that, under commercial conditions, changes in dietary composition would produce small or negligible alterations of CH4 production per unit of TDMd, but greater differences in GP and CH4 production would be expected when these amounts are expressed per unit of DM intake. The use of TDMd as a standardizing parameter is proposed to account for possible difference in DM intake and productivity.展开更多
At the end of October 2018,a storm of unprecedented strength severely damaged the forests of the eastern sector of the Italian Alps.The affected forest area covers 42,500 ha.The president of one of the damaged regions...At the end of October 2018,a storm of unprecedented strength severely damaged the forests of the eastern sector of the Italian Alps.The affected forest area covers 42,500 ha.The president of one of the damaged regions asked for help from the University of Padua.After eight months of discussion,the authors of this article wrote a consensus text.The sometimes asper debate brought to light some crucial aspects:1)even experienced specialists may have various opinions based on scientific knowledge that lead to conflicting proposals for action.For some of them there is evidence that to restore a destroyed natural environment it is more judicious to do nothing;2)the soil corresponds to a living structure and every ecosystem’s management should be based on it;3)faced with a catastrophe,people and politicians find themselves unarmed,also because they rarely have the scientific background to understand natural processes.Yet politicians are the only persons who make the key decisions that drive the economy in play and therefore determine the near future of our planet.This article is an attempt to respond directly to the governor of a region who formally and prudently asked a university department called"Land,Environment,Agriculture and Forestry"for help before taking decisions;4)the authors also propose an artistic interpretation of facts(uncontrolled storm)and conclusions(listen to the soil).Briefly,the authors identify the soil as an indispensable source for the renewal of the destroyed forest,give indications on how to prepare a map of the soils of the damaged region,and suggest to anchor on this soil map a series of silvicultural and soil management actions that will promote the soil conservation and the faster recovery of the natural dynamic stability and resilience.展开更多
Tree colonization and feeding activity of the invasive wood-borer Asian longhorn beetle （Anoplophora glabripennis）, an Asian pest introduced into North America and Europe, was studied in a newly invaded area in Ital...Tree colonization and feeding activity of the invasive wood-borer Asian longhorn beetle （Anoplophora glabripennis）, an Asian pest introduced into North America and Europe, was studied in a newly invaded area in Italy. The hypothesis be- ing tested was that the reproductive success of the insect depend on habitat type and tree suitability. Adult beetles were caged on branches of host and nonhost species, in both urban and forest habitats. Two months later, number and size of feeding patches on plant tissues, eggs laid, and surviving larvae were assessed. Bark concentration of C and N was also measured from the same trees. Results indicated that the mean area of plant tissues consumed by adult feeding was significantly larger on trees growing in forest than in urban habitat, although within the same habitat there were no differences between susceptible and nonsusceptible trees. ALB tree colonization, in terms of number of eggs laid and young larvae survival, was not affected by habitat while it was higher on susceptible trees. Although trees growing in forests had a lower nitrogen concentration, they allowed colo- nization rates similar to those of trees growing in the urban habitat. Hence, the amount of carbon and nitrogen did not fully explain tree suitability or habitat selection. We suggest compensatory feeding as a potential mechanism that might explain this peculiar situation, as supported by a more intensive feeding activity recorded on trees in the forest. Suitability of different trees may be due to other factors, such as secondary chemical compounds.展开更多
The spotted wing drosophila, Drosophila suzula＇i （Matsumura） （Diptera： Drosophilidae） is a highly polyphagous pest of a wide variety of wild or cultivated berry and stone fruit. Originating from Southeast Asia, ...The spotted wing drosophila, Drosophila suzula＇i （Matsumura） （Diptera： Drosophilidae） is a highly polyphagous pest of a wide variety of wild or cultivated berry and stone fruit. Originating from Southeast Asia, it has recently invaded a wide range of regions in Europe and North America. It is well known that insect microbiotas may significantly influence several aspects of the host biology and play an important role in invasive species introduction into new areas. However, in spite of the great economic im- portance of D. suzukii, a limited attention has been given so far to its microbiota. In this study, we present the first in-depth characterization of gut bacterial diversity from field （native and invasive range） and lab-reared populations of this insect. The gut bacterial communities of field insects were dominated, regardless of their origin, by 2 families of the phylum Proteobacteria： Acetobacteraceae and Enterobacteriaceae, while Firmicutes, mainly represented by the family Staphylococcaceae, prevailed in lab-reared population. Locality was the most significant factor in shaping the microbiota of wild flies. More- over, a negative correlation between diversity and abundance of Enterobacteriaceae and the time elapsed since the establishment of D. suzukii in a new region was observed. Altogether our results indicate that habitat, food resources as well as the colonization phase of a new region contribute to shape the bacterial communities of the invasive species which, in turn, by evolving more quickly, could influence host adaptation in a new environment.展开更多
Although outbreaks of rare species are unusual,several insect species have become emerging pests probably due to the ongoing environmental changes.Barbitistes vicetinus was first described in 1993 as an endemic bush-c...Although outbreaks of rare species are unusual,several insect species have become emerging pests probably due to the ongoing environmental changes.Barbitistes vicetinus was first described in 1993 as an endemic bush-cricket of north-east Italy and was considered rare until 2008,when it became an established pest,causing severe damages to forests and crops.The possible role of temperature in changing its life cycle has still to be fully understood.Here,we explored the effect of summer temperature on egg diapause and the effect of winter temperature on egg survival.Field observations showed that the proportion of embryos that can complete development at the end of summer ranged from zero to nearly 90% depending on summer temperatures.A substantial shift in the rate of development from 20% to nearly 80% occurred in a thermal range of about 1℃.On the contrary,overwinter egg survival was high and constant(90%)across a wide range of winter temperatures that go well beyond both the cold and warm thermal limits of the current species range.Overall,the results suggest a potential key role of summer temperature warming on the outbreak propensity of this species that is able to switch from a multiyear to an annual life cycle with just a 1-2℃ warming.展开更多
基金funding from the European Union Next Generation EU(PIANO NAZION-ALE DI RIPRESA E RESILIENZA—PNRR–MISSIONE 4 COMPONENTE 2,CUP C93C22002790001)from University of Padova(2024DAFNAE1SIDPRO-GETTI-00004)。
文摘Background The protein sources in pig diets strongly rely on soybean meal,but its production has been associated with soil degradation,deforestation and loss of biodiversity.Microalga Spirulina can be a potentially more sustainable alternative to soybean meal,but comprehensive information about its use in growing pigs is still lacking.This study aimed to evaluate the effects of partial to full replacement of dietary soybean meal with Spirulina on the growth and carcass traits of growing pigs and on the chemical and physical attributes of the meat.Methods Eighty-eight pigs,gilts and barrows mixed together,with initial body weight of 52.4±4.2 kg,were allotted into 4 isoenergetic,isoproteic,and isoaminoacidic dietary treatments,which included a conventional control diet based on cereals and soybean meal and one of 3 diets formulated by replacing nearly 33%,66%or 100%soybean with Spirulina.Each treatment had 2 pens(11 pigs/pen),which were equipped with electronic feeders that were able to record individual feed intake.After 138 d on feed,at 174.9±6.4 kg body weight,the pigs were slaughtered,and the carcass traits and meat quality parameters from loin samples were assessed.Results The palatability of feeds was not depressed in pigs fed Spirulina,even when the soybean was completely replaced by the microalga.The incorporation of Spirulina in the diets in place of soybean did not impair the growth rate or feed efficiency,irrespective of the extent of replacement.The carcass traits and yield of commercial cuts were comparable for all Spirulina-included compared with those of the soybean-based groups,and the same was found for the chemical and physical attributes of loin meat.Conclusion The results obtained at the herd and slaughter levels revealed that the replacement of soybean meal with Spirulina did not negatively affect the growth or carcass traits of growing pigs or the main attributes of meat.Therefore,this study provides,for the first time,insights into the technical possibility of switching growing pig feeding systems toward more environmentally sustainable diets by including a microalga originating from landless feed production systems,which does not result in soil degradation or loss of biodiversity.
基金supported by the Italian Ministry of Agriculture,Food Sovereignty and Forests(project GOOD-MILK,D.M.9367185—09/12/2020,CUP C29C20000450001,Roma,Italy)the Regional Government of Sardinia(Progetto Strategico Sulcis,CUP J73C17000070007,Cagliari,Italy).
文摘Background Goat breeds in the Alpine area and Mediterranean basin exhibit a unique genetic heritage shaped by centuries of selection and adaptability to harsh environments.Understanding their adaptive traits can aid breeding programs target enhanced resilience and productivity,especially as we are facing important climate and agriculture challenges.To this aim the genomic architecture of 480 goats belonging to five breeds(i.e.,Saanen[SAA],Camosciata delle Alpi[CAM],Murciano-Granadina[MUR],Maltese[MAL],Sarda[SAR])reared in the Sardinia Island were genotyped and their genomic architecture evaluated to find molecular basis of adaptive traits.Inbreeding,runs of homozygosity(ROH)and runs of heterozygosity(ROHet)were identified.Finally,candidate genes in the ROH and ROHet regions were explored through a pathway analysis to assess their molecular role.Results In total,we detected 10,341 ROH in the SAA genome,11,063 ROH in the CAM genome,12,250 ROH in the MUR genome,8,939 ROH in the MAL genome,and 18,441 ROH in the SAR genome.Moreover,we identified 4,087 ROHet for SAA,3,360 for CAM,2,927 for MUR,3,701 for MAL,and 3,576 for SAR,with SAR having the highest heterozygosity coefficient.Interestingly,when computing the inbreeding coefficient using homozygous segment(FROH),SAA showed the lowest value while MAL the highest one,suggesting the need to improve selecting strategies to preserve genetic diversity within the population.Among the most significant candidate genes,we identified several ones linked to different physiological functions,such as milk production(e.g.,DGAT1,B4GALT1),immunity(GABARAP,GPS2)and adaptation to environment(e.g.,GJA3,GJB2 and GJB6).Conclusions This study highlighted the genetic diversity within and among five goat breeds.The high levels of ROH identified in some breeds might indicate high levels of inbreeding and a lack in genetic variation,which might negatively impact the animal population.Conversely,high levels of ROHet might indicate regions of the genetic diversity,beneficial for breed health and resilience.Therefore,these findings could aid breeding programs in managing inbreeding and preserving genetic diversity.
基金supported by the project“Protection of biodiversity of Italian poultry breeds—TuBAvI”,funded in the framework of the PSRN 2014–2020,submeasure 10.2“Support for sustainable conservation,use and development of genetic resources in agriculture”.
文摘Background Copy number variants(CNV)hold significant functional and evolutionary importance.Numerous ongoing CNV studies aim to elucidate the etiology of human diseases and gain insights into the population structure of livestock.High-density chips have enabled the detection of CNV with increased resolution,leading to the identification of even small CNV.This study aimed to identify CNV in local Italian chicken breeds and investigate their distribution across the genome.Results Copy number variants were mainly distributed across the first six chromosomes and primarily associated with loss type CNV.The majority of CNV in the investigated breeds were of types 0 and 1,and the minimum length of CNV was significantly larger than that reported in previous studies.Interestingly,a high proportion of the length of chromosome 16 was covered by copy number variation regions(CNVR),with the major histocompatibility complex being the likely cause.Among the genes identified within CNVR,only those present in at least five animals across breeds(n=95)were discussed to reduce the focus on redundant CNV.Some of these genes have been associated to functional traits in chickens.Notably,several CNVR on different chromosomes harbor genes related to muscle development,tissue-specific biological processes,heat stress resistance,and immune response.Quantitative trait loci(QTL)were also analyzed to investigate potential overlapping with the identified CNVR:54 out of the 95 gene-containing regions overlapped with 428 QTL associated to body weight and size,carcass characteristics,egg production,egg components,fat deposition,and feed intake.Conclusions The genomic phenomena reported in this study that can cause changes in the distribution of CNV within the genome over time and the comparison of these differences in CNVR of the local chicken breeds could help in preserving these genetic resources.
基金funding provided by Universitàdegli Studi di Padovapart of the project PROH-DAIRY project(Development of precision livestock breeding tools toward One Health in Italian and Israeli dairy chains)funded by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation(MAECI)within the Italy-Israel R&D Cooperation Program(Roma,Italy)the Agritech National Research Center and received funding from the European Union Next-GenerationEU(PIANO NAZIONALE DI RIPRESA E RESILIENZA(PNRR)-MISSIONE 4 COM-PONENTE 2,INVESTIMENTO 1.4-D.D.103217/06/2022,CN00000022)。
文摘Background Various blood metabolites are known to be useful indicators of health status in dairy cattle,but their routine assessment is time-consuming,expensive,and stressful for the cows at the herd level.Thus,we evaluated the effectiveness of combining in-line near infrared(NIR)milk spectra with on-farm(days in milk[DIM]and parity)and genetic markers for predicting blood metabolites in Holstein cattle.Data were obtained from 388 Holstein cows from a farm with an AfiLab system.NIR spectra,on-farm information,and single nucleotide polymorphisms(SNP)markers were blended to develop calibration equations for blood metabolites using the elastic net(ENet)approach,considering 3 mod els:(1)Model 1(M1)including only NIR information,(2)Model 2(M2)with both NIR and on-farm information,and(3)Model 3(M3)combining NIR,on-farm and genomic information.Dimension reduction was considered for M3 by preselecting SNP markers from genome-wide association study(GWAS)results.Results Results indicate that M2 improved the predictive ability by an average of 19%for energy-related metabolites(glucose,cholesterol,NEFA,B H B,urea,and c reatinin e),20%for liver functio n/hepatic damage,7%for inflammation/innate immunity.24%for oxidative stress metabolites,and 23%for minerals compared to M1,Meanwhile,M3 further enhanced the predictive ability by 34%for energy-related metabolites,32%for liver function/hepatic damage,22%for inflammation/innate immunity,42.1%for oxidative stress metabolites,and 41%for mineralse compared to M1.We found improved predictive ability of M3 using selected SNP markers from GWAS results using a threshold of>2.0by 5%for energy-related metabolites,9%for liver function/hepatic damage,8%for inflammation/innate immunity,22%for oxidative stress metabolites,and 9%for minerals.Slight redu ctions were observed fo r phosphorus(2%),ferricreducing antioxidant power(1%),and glucose(3%).Furthermore,it was found that prediction accuracies are influenced by using more restrictive thresholds(-log_(10)^(P-value)>2.5 and 3.0),with a lower increase in the predictive ability.Conclusion Our results highlighted the potential of combining several sources of information,such as genetic markers,on-farm information,and in-line NIR infrared data improves the predictive ability of blood metabolites in dairy cattle,representing an effective strategy for large-scale in-line health monitoring in commercial herds.
基金The project was funded by Lesaffre(C26C18000320007).
文摘Background:The dietary supplementation of yeast cell wall extracts(YCW)has been found to reduce pathogenic bacteria load,promote immunoglobulin production,prevent diseases by pro-inflammatory responses,and alter gut microbiota composition.This study evaluated growth and slaughter results,health,gut morphology,immune status and gut transcriptome of 576 male chickens fed two diets,i.e.C(control)or Y(with 250–500 g/t of YCW fractions according to the growth period).At 21 and 42 d the jejunum of 12 chickens per diet were sampled and stained with hematoxylin/eosin for morphometric evaluation,with Alcian-PAS for goblet cells,and antibodies against CD3+intraepithelial T-cells and CD45+intraepithelial leukocytes.The jejunum sampled at 42 d were also used for wholetranscriptome profiling.Results:Dietary YCW supplementation did not affect final live weight,whereas it decreased feed intake(114 to 111 g/d;P≤0.10)and improved feed conversion(1.74 to 1.70;P≤0.01).Regarding the gut,YCW supplementation tended to increase villi height(P=0.07);it also increased the number of goblet cells and reduced the density of CD45+cells compared to diet C(P<0.001).In the gut transcriptome,four genes were expressed more in broilers fed diet Y compared to diet C,i.e.cytochrome P450,family 2,subfamily C,polypeptide 23b(CYP2C23B),tetratricopeptide repeat domain 9(TTC9),basic helix-loop-helix family member e41(BHLHE41),and the metalloreductase STEAP4.Only one gene set(HES_PATHWAY)was significantly enriched among the transcripts more expressed in broilers fed diet Y.However,a total of 41 gene sets were significantly over-represented among genes up-regulated in control broilers.Notably,several enriched gene sets are implicated in immune functions and related to NF-κB signaling,apoptosis,and interferon signals.Conclusions:The dietary YCW supplementation improved broiler growth performance,increased gut glycoconjugate secretion and reduced the inflammatory status together with differences in the gut transcriptome,which can be considered useful to improve animal welfare and health under the challenging conditions of intensive rearing systems in broiler chickens.
基金This work has been funded under the EU seventh Framework Programme by the FruitBreedomics project No.265582:Integrated Approach for increasing breeding efficiency in fruit tree crops(http://www.fruitbreedomics.com/).
文摘The application of genomic selection in fruit tree crops is expected to enhance breeding eficiency by increasing prediction accuracy,increasing selection intensity and decreasing generation interval.The objectives of this study were to assess the accuracy of prediction and selection response in commercial apple breeding programmes for key traits.The training population comprised 977 individuals derived from 20 pedigreed fllsib families.Historic phenotypic data were available on 10 traits related to productivity and fruit external appearance and genotypic data for 7829 SNPs obtained with an llumina 20K SNP array.From these data,a genome-wide prediction model was built and subsequently used to calculate genomic breeding values of five application fllsib families.The application families had genotypes at 364 SNPs from a dedicated 512 SNP array,and these genotypic data were extended to the high-density level by imputation.These five families were phenotyped for 1 year and their phenotypes were compared to the predicted breeding values.Accuracy of genomic prediction across the 10 traits reached a maximum value of 0.5 and had a median value of 0.19.The accuracies were strongly affected by the phenotypic distribution and heritability of traits.In the largest family,significant selection response was observed for traits with high heritability and symmetric phenotypic distribution.Traits that showed non-significant response often had reduced and skewed phenotypic variation or low heritability.Among the five application families the accuracies were uncorrelated to the degree of relatedness to the training population.The results underline the potential of genomic prediction to accelerate breeding progress in outbred fruit tree crops that still need to overcome long generation intervals and extensive phenotyping costs.
基金This research was funded by FONDAZIONE CASSA DI RISPARMIO DI CUNEO and is part of the project“QUALIPIEM-Innovative tools for the selection of meat quality in the Piemontese breed”,project number 2014/0249 coordinator Andrea Albera.
文摘Background:The possibility of assessing meat quality traits over the meat chain is strongly limited,especially in the context of selective breeding which requires a large number of phenotypes.The main objective of this study was to investigate the suitability of portable infrared spectrometers for phenotyping beef cattle aiming to genetically improving the quality of their meat.Meat quality traits(pH,color,water holding capacity,tenderness)were appraised on rib eye muscle samples of 1,327 Piemontese young bulls using traditional(i.e.,reference/gold standard)laboratory analyses;the same traits were also predicted from spectra acquired at the abattoir on the intact muscle surface of the same animals 1 d after slaughtering.Genetic parameters were estimated for both laboratory measures of meat quality traits and their spectra-based predictions.Results:The prediction performances of the calibration equations,assessed through external validation,were satisfactory for color traits(R^(2) from 0.52 to 0.80),low for pH and purge losses(R^(2) around 0.30),and very poor for cooking losses and tenderness(R^(2) below 0.20).Except for lightness and purge losses,the heritability estimates of most of the predicted traits were lower than those of the measured traits while the genetic correlations between measured and predicted traits were high(average value 0.81).Conclusions:Results showed that NIRS predictions of color traits,pH,and purge losses could be used as indicator traits for the indirect genetic selection of the reference quality phenotypes.Results for cooking losses were less effective,while the NIR predictions of tenderness were affected by a relatively high uncertainty of estimate.Overall,genetic selection of some meat quality traits,whose direct phenotyping is difficult,can benefit of the application of infrared spectrometers technology.
基金financed by a private company(KWS Italia Spa)located in Monselice,Italy
文摘Background： In the last years, difficulties occurring in corn cultivation（i.e., groundwater shortages, mycotoxin contamination） have been forcing dairy farmers to consider alternative silages. Some experiments conducted on lactating cows have proven that the total replacement of corn silage with sorghum silage did not reduce milk yield.However, this kind of substitution involves supplementing sorghum-based diets with grains, to compensate for the lower starch content of sorghum silage compared to corn silage. Change of silage type and inclusion of starch sources in the diet would influence rumen fermentations, with possible effects on milk composition（i.e., fatty acid profile） and coagulation properties. A worsening of milk coagulation properties would have a negative economic impact in Italy, where most of the milk produced is processed into cheese.This study was designed to compare milk composition and quality, with emphasis on fatty acid profile and coagulation properties, in dairy cows fed two diets based on corn or sorghum silage.Results： The sorghum diet reduced milk yield（P = 0.043） but not 4% fat corrected milk（P = 0.85）. Feeding sorghum silage did not influence milk contents of protein（P = 0.07） and lactose（P = 0.65）, and increased fat content（P = 0.024）.No differences emerged for milk concentrations of saturated（P = 0.61） and monounsaturated fatty acids（P = 0.50）,whereas polyunsaturated fatty acids were lower（P 〈 0.001） for the sorghum diet. Concentrations of n-6（P 〈 0.001） and n-3 fatty acids（P = 0.017） were lower in milk of cows fed the sorghum diet. Milk coagulation properties did not differ between the two diets, except the ＂a30＂（the curd firmness, expressed in mm, 30 min after rennet addition）, that was lower（P = 0.042） for the sorghum diet.Conclusions： Feeding a forage sorghum silage, properly supplemented with corn meal, as total replacement of corn silage maintained milk composition and did not influence negatively milk coagulation properties, which have a great economic relevance for the Italian dairy industry. Thus, silages obtained from forage sorghums could have a potential as substitute of corn silages in dairy cow diets.
基金the University of Padova(BIRD Ateneo di PadovaCUP:C24I20000260005)。
文摘Background:Recently,interest in the use of herbs and phytogenic compounds has grown because of their potential role in the production and health of livestock animals.Among these compounds,several tannins have been tested in poultry,but those from chestnut wood and grape-industry byproducts have attracted remarkable interest.Thus,the present study aimed to gain further insights into the mechanisms involved in the response to the dietary supplementation with extracts of chestnut wood or grape pomace.To this purpose,864 broiler chickens were fed a control diet(C)or the same diet supplemented 0.2%chestnut wood(CN)extract or 0.2%grape pomace(GP)extract from hatching until commercial slaughtering(at 45 days of age)to assess their effects on performance,meat quality,jejunum immune response and whole-transcriptome profiling in both sexes at different ages(15 and 35 d).Results:Final live weight and daily weight gain significantly increased(P<0.01)in chickens fed GP diets compared to CN and C diets.The villi height was lower in chickens fed the CN diet than in those fed the C diet(P<0.001);moreover,a lower density of CD45~+cells was observed in chickens fed the CN diet(P<0.05)compared to those fed the C and GP diets.Genes involved in either pro-or anti-inflammatory response pathways,and antimicrobial and antioxidant responses were affected by GP and CN diets.There was no effect of the dietary treatment on meat quality.Regarding sex,in addition to a lower growth performance,females showed a lower occurrence of wooden breast(16.7%vs.55.6%;P<0.001)and a higher occurrence of spaghetti meat(48.6%vs.4.17%;P<0.001)in pectoralis major muscles after slaughtering than those in males.Based on the results of whole-transcriptome profiling,a significant activation of some molecular pathways related to immunity was observed in males compared with those of females.Conclusions:The GP supplementation improved chicken performance and promoted immune responses in the intestinal mucosa;moreover,age and sex were associated with the most relevant transcriptional changes.
基金The study was carried out within the Agritech National Research Center and received funding from the European Union Next-Generation EU(PIANO NAZIONALE DI RIPRESA E RESILIENZA(PNRR)-MISSIONE 4 COMPONENTE 2,INVESTIMENTO 1.4-D.D.103217/06/2022,CN00000022).
文摘Grapevine embodies a fascinating species as regards phenotypic plasticity and genotype-per-environment interactions.The terroir,namely the set of agri-environmental factors to which a variety is subjected,can influence the phenotype at the physiological,molecular,and biochemical level,representing an important phenomenon connected to the typicality of productions.We investigated the determinants of plasticity by conducting a field-experiment where all terroir variables,except soil,were kept as constant as possible.We isolated the effect of soils collected from different areas,on phenology,physiology,and transcriptional responses of skin and flesh of a red and a white variety of great economic value:Corvina and Glera.Molecular results,together with physio-phenological parameters,suggest a specific effect of soil on grapevine plastic response,highlighting a higher transcriptional plasticity of Glera in respect to Corvina and a marked response of skin compared to flesh.Using a novel statistical approach,we identified clusters of plastic genes subjected to the specific influence of soil.These findings could represent an issue of applicative value,posing the basis for targeted agricultural practices to enhance the desired characteristics for any soil/cultivar combination,to improve vineyards management for a better resource usage and to valorize vineyards uniqueness maximizing the terroir-effect.
文摘Efficient and economic reuse of waste is one of the pillars of modern environmental engineering. In the field of domestic sewage management,source separation of yellow（urine）,brown（faecal matter）and grey waters aims to recover the organic substances concentrated in brown water,the nutrients（nitrogen and phosphorous）in the urine and to ensure an easier treatment and recycling of grey waters. With the objective of emphasizing the potential of recovery of resources from sewage management,a lab-scale research study was carried out at the University of Padova in order to evaluate the performances of oleaginous plants（suitable for biodiesel production）in the phytotreatment of source separated yellow and grey waters. The plant species used were Brassica napus（rapeseed）,Glycine max（soybean）and Helianthus annuus（sunflower）. Phytotreatment tests were carried out using 20 L pots. Different testing runs were performed at an increasing nitrogen concentration in the feedstock. The results proved that oleaginous species can conveniently be used for the phytotreatment of grey and yellow waters from source separation of domestic sewage,displaying high removal efficiencies of nutrients and organic substances（nitrogen 〉 80%; phosphorous 〉 90%; COD nearly 90%）. No inhibition was registered in the growth of plants irrigated with different mixtures of yellow and grey waters,where the characteristics of the two streams were reciprocally and beneficially integrated.
基金This study was partially supported by the research project VANN_BIRD2020_01 financed by the University of Padova.
文摘The comprehension of molecular processes underlying the development and progression of flowering in plants is a hot topic,not only because that often the products of interest for human and animal nutrition are linked to the development of fruits or seeds,but also because the processes of gametes formation occurring in sexual organs are at the basis of recombination and genetic variability which constitutes the matter on which evolution acts,whether understood as natural or human driven.In the present study,we used an NGS approach to produce a grapevine flower transcriptome snapshot in different whorls and tissues including calyx,calyptra,filament,anther,stigma,ovary,and embryo in both pre-and post-anthesis phases.Our investigation aimed at identifying hub genes that unequivocally distinguish the different tissues providing insights into the molecular mechanisms that are at the basis of floral whorls and tissue development.To this end we have used different analytical approaches,some now consolidated in transcriptomic studies on plants,such as pairwise comparison and weighted-gene coexpression network analysis,others used mainly in studies on animals or human's genomics,such as the tau(t)analysis aimed at isolating highly and absolutely tissue-specific genes.The intersection of data obtained by these analyses allowed us to gradually narrow the field,providing evidence about the molecular mechanisms occurring in those whorls directly involved in reproductive processes,such as anther and stigma,and giving insights into the role of other whorls not directly related to reproduction,such as calyptra and calyx.We believe this work could represent an important genomic resource for functional analyses of grapevine floral organ growth and fruit development shading light on molecular networks underlying grapevine reproductive organ determination.
基金the Ministero delle politiche agricole alimentari,forestali e del turismo(MIPAAF),Rome,Italy.Moreover,the study was conducted within the Agritech National Research Center and received funding from the European Union Next-GenerationEU(PIANO NAZIONALE DI RIPRESA E RESILIENZA(PNRR)-MISSIONE 4 COMPONENTE 2,INVESTIMENTO 1.4-D.D.103217/06/2022,CN00000022).
文摘Background Subclinical intramammary infection(IMI)represents a significant problem in maintaining dairy cows’health.Disease severity and extent depend on the interaction between the causative agent,environment,and host.To investigate the molecular mechanisms behind the host immune response,we used RNA-Seq for the milk somatic cells(SC)transcriptome profiling in healthy cows(n=9),and cows naturally affected by subclinical IMI from Proto-theca spp.(n=11)and Streptococcus agalactiae(S.agalactiae;n=11).Data Integration Analysis for Biomarker discov-ery using Latent Components(DIABLO)was used to integrate transcriptomic data and host phenotypic traits related to milk composition,SC composition,and udder health to identify hub variables for subclinical IMI detection.Results A total of 1,682 and 2,427 differentially expressed genes(DEGs)were identified when comparing Prototheca spp.and S.agalactiae to healthy animals,respectively.Pathogen-specific pathway analyses evidenced that Proto-theca’s infection upregulated antigen processing and lymphocyte proliferation pathways while S.agalactiae induced a reduction of energy-related pathways like the tricarboxylic acid cycle,and carbohydrate and lipid metabolism.The integrative analysis of commonly shared DEGs between the two pathogens(n=681)referred to the core-mastitis response genes,and phenotypic data evidenced a strong covariation between those genes and the flow cytometry immune cells(r2=0.72),followed by the udder health(r2=0.64)and milk quality parameters(r2=0.64).Variables with r≥0.90 were used to build a network in which the top 20 hub variables were identified with the Cytoscape cyto-hubba plug-in.The genes in common between DIABLO and cytohubba(n=10)were submitted to a ROC analysis which showed they had excellent predictive performances in terms of discriminating healthy and mastitis-affected animals(sensitivity>0.89,specificity>0.81,accuracy>0.87,and precision>0.69).Among these genes,CIITA could play a key role in regulating the animals’response to subclinical IMI.Conclusions Despite some differences in the enriched pathways,the two mastitis-causing pathogens seemed to induce a shared host immune-transcriptomic response.The hub variables identified with the integrative approach might be included in screening and diagnostic tools for subclinical IMI detection.
基金We are grateful to the Comunidad de Madrid(Spain)and European Structural and Investment Funds for the financial support(No.AGRISOST-CM S2013/ABI-2717)to maintain the field experiment.
文摘TTie Ultisols in the Rana de Canamero area in Southwest Spain showed aluminum(Al)phytotoxicity,and the clearance of natural vegetation and decades of intensive conventional agriculture caused the deplation of soil organic matter(SOM).Therefore,we studied the long-term effects of no tillage and liming using sugar beet foam(SF)and red gypsum(RG),alone or in combination,on the restoration of Ultisols affected by acidification,Al phytotoxicity,and SOM depletion.We measured the main soil chemical properties,soil microbial biomass,soil enzyme activities involved in carbon,nitrogen,phosphorus,and sulfur mineralization,and the emission of volatile organic compounds(VOCs).The results indicated that liming effectively neutralized the soil acidity in the long term and,in combination with no tillage,significantly increased soil microbial biomass and enzyme activities.Twenty-three VOCs were detected using the proton transfer reaction-time of flight(PTR-ToF)technique,and both liming and tillage changed the VOC emission patterns.The greatest difference in VOC emission pattern was observed between no-tilled un-amended soils and tilled lime-amended soils,suggesting the activation of different metabolic pathways within the microbial communities of soils under different management.Differences in VOC emission patterns could be attributed to the decomposition of carbohydrates,which were also sustained by the higher enzyme activities in the lime-amended soils.
基金financed by the project “ARCHAEA- Feeding strategies to reduce methane emissions from dairy cows,”Veneto Region Rural Development Programme (RDP) 2007–2013 “Progetto di Ateneo cod. CPDA 155250”, University of Padova, Italy
文摘Effects of some methodological factors on in vitro measures of gas production（GP, mL/g DM）, CH4production（mL/g DM） and proportion（% CH4 on total GP） were investigated by meta-analysis. These factors were considered：pressure in the GP equipment（0 = constant; 1 = increasing）, incubation time（0 = 24; 1 = ≥ 48 h）, time of rumen fluid collection（0 = before feeding; 1 = after feeding of donor animals）, donor species of rumen fluid（0 = sheep; 1 =bovine）, presence of N in the buffer solution（0 = presence; 1 = absence）, and ratio between amount of buffered rumen fluid and feed sample（BRF/FS; 0 = ≤ 130 mL/g DM; 1 = 130–140 mL/g DM; 2 = ≥ 140 mL/g DM）. The NDF content of feed sample incubated（NDF） was considered as a continuous variable. From an initial database of 105 papers, 58 were discarded because one of the above-mentioned factors was not stated. After discarding 17 papers,the final dataset comprised 30 papers（339 observations）. A preliminary mixed model analysis was carried out on experimental data considering the study as random factor. Variables adjusted for study effect were analyzed using a backward stepwise analysis including the above-mentioned variables. The analysis showed that the extension of incubation time and reduction of NDF increased GP and CH4 values. Values of GP and CH4 also increased when rumen fluid was collected after feeding compared to before feeding（＋26.4 and ＋9.0 mL/g DM, for GP and CH4）,from bovine compared to sheep（＋32.8 and ＋5.2 mL/g DM, for GP and CH4）, and when the buffer solution did not contain N（＋24.7 and ＋6.7 mL/g DM for GP and CH4）. The increase of BRF/FS ratio enhanced GP and CH4production（＋7.7 and ＋3.3 mL/g DM per each class of increase, respectively）. In vitro techniques for measuring GP and CH4 production are mostly used as screening methods, thus a full standardization of such techniques is not feasible. However, a greater harmonization of analytical procedures（i.e., a reduction in the number of available protocols） would be useful to facilitate comparison between results of different experiments.
基金the project “ARCHAEA - Feeding strategies to reduce methane emissions from dairy cows” – Veneto Region Rural Development Programme (RDP) 2007–2013
文摘Background： Modification of chemical composition of diets fed to dairy cows might be a good strategy to reduce methane（CH4） production in the rumen. Notable reductions of CH4 production compared to conventional highroughages rations were more frequently observed for very concentrated diets or when fat supplements were used. In these cases, the reduction in the gas emission was mainly a consequence of an overall impairment of rumen function with a reduction of fiber digestibility. These strategies do not always comply with feeding standards used in intensive dairy farms and they are usually not applied owing to the risks of negative health and economic consequences.Thus, the present study evaluated the effects of seven commercial diets with contents of neutral detergent fiber（NDF）,protein and lipids ranging 325 to 435 g/kg DM, 115 to 194 g/kg DM, and 26 to 61 g/kg DM, respectively, on in vitro degradability, gas（GP）, and CH4 production.Results： In this experiment, changes in the dietary content of NDF, crude protein（CP） and lipids were always obtained at the expense or in favor of starch. A decreased of the dietary NDF content increased NDF（NDFd） and true DM（TDMd） degradability, and increased CH4 production per g of incubated DM（P 〈 0.001）, but not that per g of TDMd. An increase of the dietary CP level did not change in vitro NDFd and TDMd, decreased GP per g of incubated DM（P 〈 0.001）, but CH4 production per g of TDMd was not affected. An increased dietary lipid content reduced NDFd, TDMd,and GP per g of incubated DM, but it had no consequence on CH4 production per g of TDMd.Conclusions： It was concluded that, under commercial conditions, changes in dietary composition would produce small or negligible alterations of CH4 production per unit of TDMd, but greater differences in GP and CH4 production would be expected when these amounts are expressed per unit of DM intake. The use of TDMd as a standardizing parameter is proposed to account for possible difference in DM intake and productivity.
文摘At the end of October 2018,a storm of unprecedented strength severely damaged the forests of the eastern sector of the Italian Alps.The affected forest area covers 42,500 ha.The president of one of the damaged regions asked for help from the University of Padua.After eight months of discussion,the authors of this article wrote a consensus text.The sometimes asper debate brought to light some crucial aspects:1)even experienced specialists may have various opinions based on scientific knowledge that lead to conflicting proposals for action.For some of them there is evidence that to restore a destroyed natural environment it is more judicious to do nothing;2)the soil corresponds to a living structure and every ecosystem’s management should be based on it;3)faced with a catastrophe,people and politicians find themselves unarmed,also because they rarely have the scientific background to understand natural processes.Yet politicians are the only persons who make the key decisions that drive the economy in play and therefore determine the near future of our planet.This article is an attempt to respond directly to the governor of a region who formally and prudently asked a university department called"Land,Environment,Agriculture and Forestry"for help before taking decisions;4)the authors also propose an artistic interpretation of facts(uncontrolled storm)and conclusions(listen to the soil).Briefly,the authors identify the soil as an indispensable source for the renewal of the destroyed forest,give indications on how to prepare a map of the soils of the damaged region,and suggest to anchor on this soil map a series of silvicultural and soil management actions that will promote the soil conservation and the faster recovery of the natural dynamic stability and resilience.
文摘Tree colonization and feeding activity of the invasive wood-borer Asian longhorn beetle （Anoplophora glabripennis）, an Asian pest introduced into North America and Europe, was studied in a newly invaded area in Italy. The hypothesis be- ing tested was that the reproductive success of the insect depend on habitat type and tree suitability. Adult beetles were caged on branches of host and nonhost species, in both urban and forest habitats. Two months later, number and size of feeding patches on plant tissues, eggs laid, and surviving larvae were assessed. Bark concentration of C and N was also measured from the same trees. Results indicated that the mean area of plant tissues consumed by adult feeding was significantly larger on trees growing in forest than in urban habitat, although within the same habitat there were no differences between susceptible and nonsusceptible trees. ALB tree colonization, in terms of number of eggs laid and young larvae survival, was not affected by habitat while it was higher on susceptible trees. Although trees growing in forests had a lower nitrogen concentration, they allowed colo- nization rates similar to those of trees growing in the urban habitat. Hence, the amount of carbon and nitrogen did not fully explain tree suitability or habitat selection. We suggest compensatory feeding as a potential mechanism that might explain this peculiar situation, as supported by a more intensive feeding activity recorded on trees in the forest. Suitability of different trees may be due to other factors, such as secondary chemical compounds.
文摘The spotted wing drosophila, Drosophila suzula＇i （Matsumura） （Diptera： Drosophilidae） is a highly polyphagous pest of a wide variety of wild or cultivated berry and stone fruit. Originating from Southeast Asia, it has recently invaded a wide range of regions in Europe and North America. It is well known that insect microbiotas may significantly influence several aspects of the host biology and play an important role in invasive species introduction into new areas. However, in spite of the great economic im- portance of D. suzukii, a limited attention has been given so far to its microbiota. In this study, we present the first in-depth characterization of gut bacterial diversity from field （native and invasive range） and lab-reared populations of this insect. The gut bacterial communities of field insects were dominated, regardless of their origin, by 2 families of the phylum Proteobacteria： Acetobacteraceae and Enterobacteriaceae, while Firmicutes, mainly represented by the family Staphylococcaceae, prevailed in lab-reared population. Locality was the most significant factor in shaping the microbiota of wild flies. More- over, a negative correlation between diversity and abundance of Enterobacteriaceae and the time elapsed since the establishment of D. suzukii in a new region was observed. Altogether our results indicate that habitat, food resources as well as the colonization phase of a new region contribute to shape the bacterial communities of the invasive species which, in turn, by evolving more quickly, could influence host adaptation in a new environment.
基金Funding provided by Universita degli Studi di Padova within the CRUI-CARE Agreement.
文摘Although outbreaks of rare species are unusual,several insect species have become emerging pests probably due to the ongoing environmental changes.Barbitistes vicetinus was first described in 1993 as an endemic bush-cricket of north-east Italy and was considered rare until 2008,when it became an established pest,causing severe damages to forests and crops.The possible role of temperature in changing its life cycle has still to be fully understood.Here,we explored the effect of summer temperature on egg diapause and the effect of winter temperature on egg survival.Field observations showed that the proportion of embryos that can complete development at the end of summer ranged from zero to nearly 90% depending on summer temperatures.A substantial shift in the rate of development from 20% to nearly 80% occurred in a thermal range of about 1℃.On the contrary,overwinter egg survival was high and constant(90%)across a wide range of winter temperatures that go well beyond both the cold and warm thermal limits of the current species range.Overall,the results suggest a potential key role of summer temperature warming on the outbreak propensity of this species that is able to switch from a multiyear to an annual life cycle with just a 1-2℃ warming.
