Evolution of microbiome composition, antibiotic resistance gene loads, and nitrification during the on-farm composting of the solid fraction of pig slurry using two bulking agents.

Composting is a nature-based method used to stabilize organic matter and to transform nitrogen from animal farm manure or solid fraction of slurry (SFS). The use of composted material as source of nutrients for agriculture is limited by its potential to facilitate the propagation of biological hazards like pathogens and antibiotic-resistant bacteria and their associated antibiotic-resistance genes (ARG). We show here an experimental on-farm composting (one single batch) of pig SFS, performed under realistic conditions (under dry continental Mediterranean climate) for 280 days, and using two different bulking agents (maize straw and tree pruning residues) for the initial mixtures. The observed reduction in potentially pathogenic bacteria (80-90%) and of ARG loads (60-100%) appeared to be linked to variations in the microbiome composition occurring during the first 4 months of composting, and concurrent with the reduction of water-soluble ammonium and organic matter loads. Nitrification during the composting has also been observed for both composting piles. Similar patterns have been demonstrated at small scale and the present study stresses the fact that the removal can also occur at full scale. The results suggest that adequate composition of the starting material may accelerate the composting process and improve its global performance. While the results confirm the sanitization potential of composting, they also issue a warning to limit ARG loads in soils and in animal and human gut microbiomes, as the only way to limit their presence in foodstuffs and, therefore, to reduce consumers' exposure.

Canopy management in rainfed vineyards (cv. Tempranillo) for optimising water use and enhancing wine quality.

BACKGROUND: Rainfed viticulture, mainly in semi-arid environments, is limited by environmental variability, particularly precipitation and its seasonal distribution, and soil water availability, thus ultimately determining the final quality of grape and wine. Studies on the feasibility of practices such as canopy management to adapt plant growth and yield to soil water availability open up possibilities to preserve wine quality and reinforce the characteristics of the terroir. RESULTS: Principal components analysis was used to identify the relationships between a large set of variables, including soil, plant, canopy management, and wine characteristics. Canopy management was found to have a predominant influence on plant response to soil water by modifying plant water status, changing the amino acid profile in berries and, concomitantly, altering the sensorial attributes of the wine obtained. CONCLUSIONS: Grapevine canopy management strategies, such as reiterate shoot trimming to restrict growth during early phases, are effective in adapting plant response to soil water availability. Such strategies affect berry and wine quality, mainly the amino acid profile and sensorial attributes of the wine, without changing yield or grape harvest quality control parameters. Also, in such conditions, nitrogen does not make a significant contribution to grapevine growth or yield or to grape quality.

Unraveling Calcium Absorption and Distribution in Peach and Nectarine during Fruit Development through 44Ca Isotope Labeling.

Calcium foliar applications are known to effectively enhance peach quality; however, the optimal implementation strategy regarding fruit developmental stages and cultivars remains unclear. In this study, three different moments of fruit Ca applications in peach and nectarine are tested: Early season, Mid-season, and Late season. For this aim, the 44Ca isotope was used as a tracer, enabling the quantification and location of the Ca derived from the foliar fertilizer. Stone, flesh, and skin 44Ca enrichment was separately analyzed at harvest. The results indicate that Ca absorption in the fruits from external CaCl2 applications was influenced by the timing of the application during fruit development, with Late-season applications proving to be the most effective in increasing the Ca content in the fruit, corresponding with a higher fruit size at the application moment. Nevertheless, no differences in the absorption efficiency were found between the three timings of the application. Furthermore, the Ca from the foliar fertilizer in the fruit predominately remained in the flesh, followed by the skin. The Ca derived from the foliar fertilizer reached the stone in all of the experimental situations, but the Early- and Mid-season applications resulted in the highest amount of Ca derived from the fertilizer in this part of the fruit. Interestingly, the peach exhibited a higher Ca absorption efficiency compared to the nectarine, likely due to the presence of trichomes that retain the foliar fertilizer on the fruit surface. In conclusion, the Ca absorption and distribution in peaches depends on the cultivar and timing of the Ca application.

Relationship between polyphenol oxidase activity and nutrition, maturity and quality parameters in flat peach.

BACKGROUND: Polyphenol oxidase (PPO) is one of the main factors that determine postharvest stability and therefore commercial possibilities of peach orchards. Since the activity of this enzyme depends on several variables of different nature, stating the relationships among them is essential to manage crop inputs so as to achieve the desired quality. RESULTS: Multivariate projection techniques were used to identify these relationships throughout on-tree maturation in flat peach samples that had received different fertilisation doses, but harvested in equal conditions of soluble solids, fruit weight, diameter, firmness and skin and flesh colour. A relatively low fertilisation dose that was enough to avoid any lack of nutrients provided the lowest crop yield, but also with the lowest PPO activity. Fruit N/Ca ratio turned out to be a better indicator of PPO activity than isolated nitrogen or calcium content. Nutrient analyses on leaves did not have strong correlations with any significant parameter. The most useful variables to predict PPO activity before harvest were fruit firmness and skin colour, both of them read at the onset of on-tree maturation. CONCLUSION: High fertilisation doses resulted in greater yields, but also with higher PPO activity, which is detrimental for the commercial chances of the fruit.

Agronomical and Physiological Behavior of Spanish Hazelnut Selection "Negret-N9" Grafted on Non-suckering Rootstocks.

"Negret" is the most widely planted hazelnut cultivar in Northeastern Spain, where it is highly appreciated by the local kernel marked for its favorable nut traits. Its main disadvantages are the high suckers emission, causing large maintenance costs every year, and its medium-to-low vigor and susceptibility to iron chlorosis. In 2000, a trial to select new vigorous and non-suckering rootstocks for hazelnut was established at IRTA Mas Bové (Spain). The "Negret N-9" selection was grafted onto four clonal rootstocks ("Dundee" and "Newberg" two selections of open-pollinated Corylus colurna seedlings, the low suckering cultivar "Tonda Bianca" and the local selection "IRTA MB-69") and compared to the self-rooted "Negret N-9" as a control. The trial was designed as a randomized complete block with 10 replications and one tree per plot (10 trees per treatment). Plant vigor, suckers emission, yield, and nut and kernel traits have been evaluated over 10 years (2003-2012). During the 2006 to 2010 growing seasons, the qualitative traits of kernels, such as kernel skin color, oil content, and fatty acid profiles, were added to the characterization. Physiological data, such as steam water potential, stomatal conductance, and leaf chlorophyll content, were also evaluated during the 2015 growing season. The results showed that clonal rootstocks had a strong influence on vigor and yield of "Negret N-9." The "Dundee," "Newberg," and "IRTA MB-69" rootstocks showed the highest vegetative growth and the lower suckers emission. The yield was highest in trees grafted on "Dundee" rootstock. In terms of the qualitative traits of kernel which are important to the hazelnut industry, rootstocks increased the oil stability and induced a brown light color in the kernel pellicle versus the brown dark color observed in nuts collected from self-rooted "Negret N-9." The fatty acids profile was also influenced by the grafting combination. Finally, physiological traits indicated a higher overall performances for "Dundee" rootstock, which was generally found to be the best rootstock for "Negret N-9" in the experimental environment.