The increased population of the Wild Boar (Sus scrofa L.) in Europe

In this paper the recent population changes of the Wild Boar in different European countries is analysed through the study of hunting statistics. A simultaneous increase in numbers is observed throughout the whole area during the period 1965–1975. From 1975 onwards the population stabilizes itself apart from in peripheral areas like Finland. Potentially favourable factors which play a part in this process are discussed and certain reproductive and dispersive characteristics which favour its invasive behaviour are discussed.     

Effect of Cultivation Time on Production of Antifungal Metabolite(s) by Streptomyces hygroscopicus in Laboratory‐Scale Bioreactor

Biological control agents offer one of the best alternatives to reduce the use of pesticides . Fungi from the genera Alternaria, Colletotrichum and Fusarium are listed among the most important storage pathogens of apple fruits. During storage, transport and marketing, pathogenic fungi can cause significant losses of apple fruits. This investigation studied the potential of Streptomyces hygroscopicus as a biocontrol agent against pathogenic fungi obtained from apple fruit samples expressing rot symptoms. Production of antifungal metabolites by S. hygroscopicus was carried out in 3‐l bench‐scale bioreactor (Biostat^® Aplus, Sartorius AG, Germany) during 7 days. Fermentation was carried out at 27°C with aeration rate of 0.5 vvm and agitation rate of 200 rpm. The aim was to analyse bioprocess parameters of batch biofungicide production in medium containing glucose as a carbon source and to examine at which stage of bioprocess production of antifungal metabolite(s) against six phytopathogenic fungi occurs. In vitro antifungal activity of the produced metabolites against six fungi of the genera Colletotrichum, Fusarium and Alternaria grown on potato dextrose agar were determined every 24 h using wells technique. Antifungal activity of cell‐free culture filtrate and filtrate treated with high temperature were tested. The filtrate treated with high temperature did not show any antifungal activity suggesting that active components are thermo unstable. Stationary phase of growth occurred between the third and fourth day of cultivation when production of secondary metabolites begins. Obtained results showed that maximal antifungal activity is achieved on fifth and sixth day of S. hygroscopicus cultivation under defined conditions (inhibition zone diameter higher than 30 mm for all test fungi).     

Chromosome numbers in Brazilian species of Crotalaria (Leguminosae, Papilionoideae) and their taxonomic significance

Chromosome numbers were counted for 23 species of Crotalaria native to Brazil. Among these data there were new counts for 15 taxa, and some confirmed previous reports or represented numbers that were different from those cited previously. The chromosome numbers most frequently found were 2 n  = 16 and 2 n  = 32. Only C. incana L. had 2 n  = 14 and C. tweediana Benth. had 2 n  = 54. The counts 2 n  = 32 and 54 were found in species of section Calycinae and 2 n  = 16 and 14 in species of section Chrysocalycinae . The data revealed the importance of chromosomal parameters in the characterization of sections Calycinae and Chrysocalycinae in Brazil. We discuss the systematic significance and evolutionary aspects for the genus, comparing the results with the two sections that are native in Brazil.  © 2006 The Linnean Society of London, Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society , 2006, 151 , 271–277.     

Chromosome numbers and meiotic analysis in the pre-breeding of <Emphasis Type="BoldItalic">Brachiaria decumbens</Emphasis> (Poaceae)

A total of 44 accessions of Brachiaria decumbens were analysed for chromosome count and meiotic behaviour in order to identify potential progenitors for crosses. Among them, 15 accessions presented 2n = 18; 27 accessions, 2n = 36; and 2 accessions, 2n = 45 chromosomes. Among the diploid accessions, the rate of meiotic abnormalities was low, ranging from 0.82% to 7.93%. In the 27 tetraploid accessions, the rate of meiotic abnormalities ranged from 18.41% to 65.83%. The most common meiotic abnormalities were related to irregular chromosome segregation, but chromosome stickiness and abnormal cytokinesis were observed in low frequency. All abnormalities can compromise pollen viability by generating unbalanced gametes. Based on the chromosome number and meiotic stability, the present study indicates the apomictic tetraploid accessions that can act as male genitor to produce interspecific hybrids with B. ruziziensis or intraspecific hybrids with recently artificially tetraploidized accessions.     

Bacterial phospholipid molecular species analysis by ion-pair reversed-phase HPLC/ESI/MS

This work set out to optimize the detection and separation of several phospholipid molecular species on a reversed-phase column with the use of an electrospray ionization/mass spectrometry-compatible counter-ion. An application of this technique concerned a qualitative and quantitative analysis of bacterial membrane phospholipids extracted from Corynebacterium species strain 8. The phospholipid classes of strain 8 were identified as phosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylinositol, diphosphatidylglycerol, and a peculiar lipid compound, acyl phosphatidylglycerol. Most of the molecular species structures were elucidated, and regarding phosphatidylglycerol, the fatty acid positions were clearly determined with the calculation of the sn-2/sn-1 intensity ratio of the fatty acyl chain fragments.     

Patterns of genetic variability at individual minisatellite loci in minke whale Balaenoptera acutorostrata populations from three different oceans

The genetic variability at six cloned minisatellite loci was analyzed in minke whale populations from the North Atlantic, North Pacific, and Antarctic Oceans. Three loci displayed only a few different alleles in each of the three populations, with heterozygosity ranging from 0.00 to 0.47, and three loci revealed many different alleles in at least two fo the three populations, with heterozygosity ranging up to 0.98. Using small sample sizes, samples from two adjacent Antarctic Management Areas were not found to differ significantly in allele frequencies at any of the six loci. The use of principal coordinate analysis to detect multilocus disequilibria was explored. No significant evidence was found of intrapopulation heterogeneity within the pooled Antarctic sample. Pronounced interoceanic differences were observed at every locus, confirming the existence of genetic isolation found earlier using more conventional marker systems. The populations from the three oceans appear to have diverged to such a degree that the hypervariable loci have had time to evolve independently and arrive at different evolutionary stages in different populations. The frequency of undetected "null" alleles is remarkably high in minke whale populations compared to human populations and is probably a result of the cloning protocol used. Minisatellite loci are shown to provide a powerful population genetic tool, supplying levels of resolution appropriate to different degrees of evolutionary divergence.