A transnational and holistic breeding approach is needed for sustainable wheat production in the Baltic Sea region.

The Baltic Sea is one of the largest brackish water bodies in the world. Eutrophication is a major concern in the Baltic Sea due to the leakage of nutrients to the sea with agriculture being the primary source. Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) is the most widely grown crop in the countries surrounding the Baltic Sea and thus promoting sustainable agriculture practices for wheat cultivation will have a major impact on reducing pollution in the Baltic Sea. This approach requires identifying and addressing key challenges for sustainable wheat production in the region. Implementing new technologies for climate-friendly breeding and digital farming across all surrounding countries should promote sustainable intensification of agriculture in the region. In this review, we highlight major challenges for wheat cultivation in the Baltic Sea region and discuss various solutions integrating transnational collaboration for pre-breeding and technology sharing to accelerate development of low input wheat cultivars with improved host plant resistance to pathogen and enhanced adaptability to the changing climate.

Root-applied glycinebetaine decreases nitrate accumulation and improves quality in hydroponically grown lettuce.

Leafy vegetables like lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.) naturally have high nitrate content and the European Commission has set maximum level for nitrate in lettuce. Glycinebetaine is an organic osmolyte alleviating plant stress, but its role in leaf nitrate accumulation remains unknown. The uptake of glycinebetaine by lettuce roots, and its potential to regulate lettuce nitrate content and improve plant quality were investigated. Two hydroponic lettuce experiments were conducted with different glycinebetaine application rates (Exp1: 0, 1, 7.5, and 15 mM; Exp2: 0, 1 + 1 + 1, 1 + 10, and 4 mM). Plants were analyzed at varying time points. Root application resulted in glycinebetaine uptake and translocation to the leaves. Glycinebetaine concentrations > 7.5 mM reduced leaf nitrate up to 40% and increased leaf dry matter content. Glycinebetaine showed a positive effect on leaf mineral and amino acid composition. Thus, glycinebetaine could be a novel strategy to reduce the nitrate content in hydroponic lettuce.

Apoplastic Hydrogen Peroxide in the Growth Zone of the Maize Primary Root. Increased Levels Differentially Modulate Root Elongation Under Well-Watered and Water-Stressed Conditions.

Reactive oxygen species (ROS) can act as signaling molecules involved in the acclimation of plants to various abiotic and biotic stresses. However, it is not clear how the generalized increases in ROS and downstream signaling events that occur in response to stressful conditions are coordinated to modify plant growth and development. Previous studies of maize (Zea mays L.) primary root growth under water deficit stress showed that cell elongation is maintained in the apical region of the growth zone but progressively inhibited further from the apex, and that the rate of cell production is also decreased. It was observed that apoplastic ROS, particularly hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), increased specifically in the apical region of the growth zone under water stress, resulting at least partly from increased oxalate oxidase activity in this region. To assess the function of the increase in apoplastic H2O2 in root growth regulation, transgenic maize lines constitutively expressing a wheat oxalate oxidase were utilized in combination with kinematic growth analysis to examine effects of increased apoplastic H2O2 on the spatial pattern of cell elongation and on cell production in well-watered and water-stressed roots. Effects of H2O2 removal (via scavenger pretreatment) specifically from the apical region of the growth zone were also assessed. The results show that apoplastic H2O2 positively modulates cell production and root elongation under well-watered conditions, whereas the normal increase in apoplastic H2O2 in water-stressed roots is causally related to down-regulation of cell production and root growth inhibition. The effects on cell production were accompanied by changes in spatial profiles of cell elongation and in the length of the growth zone. However, effects on overall cell elongation, as reflected in final cell lengths, were minor. These results reveal a fundamental role of apoplastic H2O2 in regulating cell production and root elongation in both well-watered and water-stressed conditions.

Effects of Break Crops on Yield and Grain Protein Concentration of Barley in a Boreal Climate.

Rotation with dicotyledonous crops to break cereal monoculture has proven to be beneficial to successive cereals. In two fields where the soil had been subjected to prolonged, continuous cereal production, two 3-year rotation trials were established. In the first year, faba bean, turnip rape and barley were grown, as first crops, in large blocks and their residues tilled into the soil after harvest. In the following year, barley, buckwheat, caraway, faba bean, hemp and white lupin were sown, as second crops, in each block and incorporated either at flowering stage (except barley) or after harvest. In the third year, barley was grown in all plots and its yield and grain protein concentration were determined. Mineral N in the plough layer was determined two months after incorporation of crops and again before sowing barley in the following year. The effect of faba bean and turnip rape on improving barley yields and grain protein concentration was still detectable two years after they were grown. The yield response of barley was not sensitive to the growth stage of second crops when they were incorporated, but was to different second crops, showing clear benefits averaging 6-7% after white lupin, faba bean and hemp but no benefit from caraway or buckwheat. The effect of increased N in the plough layer derived from rotation crops on barley yields was minor. Incorporation of plants at flowering stage slightly increased third-year barley grain protein concentration but posed a great potential for N loss compared with incorporation of crop residues after harvest, showing the value of either delayed incorporation or using catch crops.

Antibody response to pneumococcal capsular polysaccharides in children with acute otitis media.

BACKGROUND: To describe the antibody response to pneumococcal capsular polysaccharides in children <2 years of age with pneumococcal acute otitis media (AOM) caused by serotypes 6A, 6B, 11A, 14, 19F or 23F. These serotypes were commonly found in both nasopharyngeal carriage and AOM in children of the study population in Finland. METHODS: Serum antibody concentrations to pneumococcal capsular polysaccharides of types 6B, 11A, 14, 19F and 23F were measured by enzyme immunoassay in acute and convalescent sera from children with AOM. RESULTS: Responses (at least 2-fold increase of antibody concentration) were relatively infrequent and varied with both the age of the child and the serotype of the Streptococcus pneumoniae isolated from the middle ear fluid. Children older than 12 months were more likely to have antibody responses than were younger children. Responses were seen only infrequently to types 6A, 6B or 19F (1 of 14, 1 of 9 and 2 of 25, respectively), more often to types 11A and 14 (2 of 8 and 3 of 8) and relatively frequently to type 23F (8 of 18). However, the convalescent antibody concentrations to type 23F were low and usually declined after the infection, whereas responders to 14 AOM had antibodies that persisted at a high concentration through the follow-up. CONCLUSIONS: The results emphasize the differences between Streptococcus pneumoniae serotypes in their immunogenicity and quantitative and qualitative differences of antibodies produced after infection.

Improved sustainability of feedstock production with sludge and interacting mycorrhiza.

Recycling nutrients saves energy and improves agricultural sustainability. Sewage sludge contains 2.6% P and 3.1% N, so the availability of these nutrients was investigated using four crops grown in either soil or sand. Further attention was paid to the role of mycorrhiza in improvement of nutrient availability. The content of heavy metals and metalloids in the feedstock was analyzed. Sewage sludge application resulted in greater biomass accumulation in ryegrass than comparable single applications of either synthetic fertilizer or digested sludge. Sewage sludge application resulted in more numerous mycorrhizal spores in soil and increased root colonization in comparison to synthetic fertilizer. All plants studied had mycorrhizal colonized roots, with the highest colonization rate in maize, followed by hemp. Sewage sludge application resulted in the highest P uptake in all soil-grown plants. In conclusion, sewage sludge application increased feedstock yield, provided beneficial use for organic wastes, and contributed to the sustainability of bioenergy feedstock production systems. It also improves the soil conditions and plant nutrition through colonization by mycorrhizal fungi as well as reducing leaching and need of synthetic fertilizers.

Feedstock quality and growth of bioenergy crops fertilized with sewage sludge.

Sewage sludge is rich in essential plant nutrients, but its use is restricted for crop production due to the pollutants it contains, such as metalloids and heavy metals. Sludge is also very sticky and compact. Therefore, the objectives of this work were to evaluate (1) the impact of various amounts of sludge on bioenergy crop productivity and quality and (2) the use of peat as an adjuvant to reduce the stickiness, density and nutrient richness of the sludge. Three different applications of sludge were examined, high, low (50% of high) and low mixed with an equal volume of peat. The sludge-peat mix increased significantly leaf area and biomass accumulation of maize and hemp. High sludge and sludge-peat mix applications increased significantly the leaf area and biomass accumulation as well as the net photosynthesis of oilseed rape. High sludge application resulted in the highest heavy metal and metalloid accumulation in maize and hemp. Sludge-peat mix resulted in the highest heavy metal and metalloid accumulation in oilseed rape. However, the sludge-peat mix application provided the best feedstock quality in all three crops, since chloride, silicon and sulfur concentrations and ash content in plant material were the lowest of the three sludge treatments.

Immunogenicity and reactogenicity of 23-valent pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine among pregnant Filipino women and placental transfer of antibodies.

This randomized, controlled study among pregnant women evaluated the prevaccination distribution of anti-pneumococcal (Pnc) antibodies (Ab), the immunogenicity and reactogenicity of Pnc polysaccharide vaccine, and transplacental transfer of Ab. The Pnc vaccine group (N=106) received Pnc PS vaccine, Hemophilus influenzae type b conjugate vaccine and tetanus toxoid; the control group (N=54) received tetanus toxoid only. Sera and cord blood were assayed for anti-pnc Ab using enzyme immunoassay. In the Pnc vaccine group, anti-Pnc Ab rose by 3- to 9-fold and was significantly higher in cord blood. In evaluating Pnc conjugate vaccines, the concentration of 0.35 microg/ml is suggested as the protective threshold against invasive disease. Around 90% of mothers had this level pre-vaccination. Considering the decay of passively acquired Ab and the growth of the infant, an Ab level in cord blood of at least 4.4 microg/ml is needed if infants are to be protected up to 4 months of age. Cord blood anti-Pnc Ab was above this level in 60% and 10% of the Pnc vaccine and control groups, respectively. Maternal immunization with Pnc polysaccharide vaccine can provide prolonged protection through passively acquired Ab.

Comparison of two vaccination programmes in preventing influenza-related hospitalization among the elderly during two consecutive seasons.

The protective effect of influenza vaccine against influenza related hospitalization is well established at an individual level, but the effect of vaccination programme at the population level is unknown. In this study we compared a risk disease-based free-of-charge influenza vaccination programme in preventing hospitalizations due to influenza or pneumonia and cardiovascular diseases during 2 consecutive influenza seasons 1992/93 and 1993/94 in 43 municipalities in northern Finland. Vaccinations were carried out and reported by local staff in health centres. Data of hospital treatment periods were obtained from the National Hospital Discharge Register. During the influenza seasons the number of hospitalizations due to cardiovascular diseases and influenza/pneumonia increased by 13%. In the 1993/1994 season the increase in the study area with the risk disease-based vaccination programme was 22 per 1000 persons (95% CI 19-24), and with an age-based programme 3.3 per 1000 persons (95% CI 2.5-4.0), while the increase in the 1992/1993 season in both areas was 3-4 per 1000. The excess of hospitalization related to influenza epidemics is mostly due to cardiovascular diseases and varies from y to y, as do the benefits gained by vaccination.

Imaging and quantifying carbohydrate transport to the developing ovaries of maize.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Shade or inadequate water can inhibit photosynthesis and limit the development of maize (Zea mays) ovaries around the time of pollination, potentially reducing the number of kernels at harvest. This study investigated whether the decreased photosynthesis diminished only the sugar supply or also altered the transport path to the ovaries. METHODS: Photosynthesis and water potentials (Psiw) were measured in the leaves while dry matter delivery was monitored in the ovaries. Ovary glucose, starch and acid invertase activities were measured in situ. Stems were fed xylem-mobile safranin or phloem-mobile carboxyfluorescein (CF), and the dye transport to the ovaries was determined. KEY RESULTS: Under normal conditions, the ovaries gained in dry mass, and starch accumulated in the pedicel and ovary wall. Glucose accumulated in the pedicel, apparently in the apoplast where insoluble (cell-wall-bound) acid invertase acted on the arriving sucrose. A glucose gradient developed from pedicel to nucellus. Safranin moved in the xylem and did not reach the ovary, but CF moved in the phloem and arrived at the ovary. CF also spread into the pedicel but unlike glucose it did not enter the nucellus. Low Psiw or shade decreased leaf photosynthesis, ovary dry mass accumulation, invertase activities, pedicel glucose, starch accumulation and CF delivery. Removal of these treatments reversed the effects. CONCLUSIONS: The success of CF in tracing the general path and rate of carbohydrate transport gave visual evidence that phloem transport to the ovary decreased at low Psiw or in the shade but otherwise remained functional. The decreases indicated that losses in carbohydrate delivery are central features of failed ovary development under these conditions. The selectivity of transport into the nucellus resembled the situation later when embryo and endosperm are present and selective uptake occurs from the apoplast.

Overexpression of multiple dehydrin genes enhances tolerance to freezing stress in Arabidopsis.

To elucidate the contribution of dehydrins (DHNs) to freezing stress tolerance in Arabidopsis, transgenic plants overexpressing multiple DHN genes were generated. Chimeric double constructs for expression of RAB18 and COR47 (pTP9) or LTI29 and LTI30 (pTP10) were made by fusing the coding sequences of the respective DHN genes to the cauliflower mosaic virus 35S promoter. Overexpression of the chimeric genes in Arabidopsis resulted in accumulation of the corresponding dehydrins to levels similar or higher than in cold-acclimated wild-type plants. Transgenic plants exhibited lower LT50 values and improved survival when exposed to freezing stress compared to the control plants. Post-embedding immuno electron microscopy of high-pressure frozen, freeze-substituted samples revealed partial intracellular translocation from cytosol to the vicinity of the membranes of the acidic dehydrin LTI29 during cold acclimation in transgenic plants. This study provides evidence that dehydrins contribute to freezing stress tolerance in plants and suggests that this could be partly due to their protective effect on membranes.