University of Córdoba (Spain)

About: University of Córdoba (Spain) is a education organization based out in Cordova, Spain. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Population & Catalysis. The organization has 12006 authors who have published 22998 publications receiving 537842 citations. The organization is also known as: University of Córdoba (Spain) & Universidad de Córdoba.

Recommended terminology for aerobiological studies

Abstract: Aerobiology is an interdisciplinary science where researchers with different backgrounds are involved in different topics related to microorganism, airborne biological particles, e.g. pollen and spores, and phenology. Some concepts, words or expressions used in aerobiology have a clear definition, but are however frequently misused. Therefore, the working group “Quality Control” of the European Aerobiology Society (EAS) and the International Association of Aerobiology (IAA) would like to clarify some of them, their use and presentation.

The pH signalling transcription factor PacC controls virulence in the plant pathogen Fusarium oxysporum

Abstract: Gene expression in fungi by ambient pH is regulated via a conserved signalling cascade whose terminal component is the zinc finger transcription factor Pacc/Rim1p We have identified a pacC orthologue in the vascular wilt pathogen Fusarium oxysporum that binds the consensus 5'-GCCAAG-3' sequence and is proteolytically processed in a similar way to PacC from Aspergillus nidulans pacC transcript levels were elevated in F oxysporum grown in alkaline conditions and almost undetectable at extreme acidic growth conditions PacC + / - loss-of-function mutants displayed an acidity-mimicking phenotype resulting in poor growth at alkaline pH, increased acid protease activity and higher transcript levels of acid-expressed polygalacturonase genes Reintroduction of a functional pacC copy into a pacC + / - mutant restored the wild-type phenotype Conversely, F oxysporum merodiploids carrying a dominant activating pacC c allele had Increased pacC transcript and protein levels and displayed an alkalinity-mimicking phenotype with reduced acid phosphatase and increased alkaline protease activities PacC + / - mutants were more virulent than the wild-type strain in root infection assays with tomato plants, whereas pacC c strains were significantly reduced in virulence We propose that F oxysporum PacC acts as a negative regulator of virulence to plants, possibly by preventing transcription of acid-expressed genes important for infection

Novel insight into vascular, stress, and auxin-dependent and -independent gene expression programs in strawberry, a non-climacteric fruit.

Abstract: Using cDNA microarrays, a comprehensive investigation of gene expression was carried out in strawberry (Fragaria × ananassa) fruit to understand the flow of events associated with its maturation and non-climacteric ripening. We detected key processes and novel genes not previously associated with fruit development and ripening, related to vascular development, oxidative stress, and auxin response. Microarray analysis during fruit development and in receptacle and seed (achene) tissues established an interesting parallelism in gene expression between the transdifferentiation of tracheary elements in Zinnia elegans and strawberry. One of the genes, CAD, common to both systems and encoding the lignin-related protein cinnamyl alcohol dehydrogenase, was immunolocalized to immature xylem cells of the vascular bundles in the strawberry receptacle. To examine the importance of oxidative stress in ripening, gene expression was compared between fruit treated on-vine with a free radical generator and non-treated fruit. Of 46 genes induced, 20 were also ripening regulated. This might suggest that active gene expression is induced to cope with oxidative stress conditions during ripening or that the strawberry ripening transcriptional program is an oxidative stress-induced process. To gain insight into the hormonal control of non-climacteric fruit ripening, an additional microarray experiment was conducted comparing gene expression in fruit treated exogenously with auxin and control fruit. Novel auxin-dependent genes and processes were identified in addition to transcriptional programs acting independent of auxin mainly related to cell wall metabolism and stress response.

Effects of tillage method on soil physical properties, infiltration and yield in an olive orchard

Abstract: The long-term effects of two different tillage systems, conventional (CT) and no tillage (NT), were studied in an olive orchard in Santaella (Southern Spain) for 15 years. In both tillage systems, two distinct zones developed in the orchard in relation to soil physical properties; one underneath the tree canopy, and the other in the rows between trees. Surface soil organic matter content, bulk density, cone index, macroscopic capillary length and hydraulic conductivity showed significant differences between tillage systems and positions. After 15 years, the NT treatment achieved greater bulk density and cone index values than CT. This compaction reduced the infiltration rate of NT soil with respect to CT, particularly in the rows between trees. Despite that reduction, the NT soil retained a moderate infiltration potential. That may be explained by the high infiltration rates and macroporosity of the zone beneath the tree, the temporary effects of tillage on infiltration and probably by the self-repair of soil structure in the Vertisol studied. Yield was not affected by tillage except in one year with very low precipitation, where NT significantly yielded more than CT. The reduction in infiltration in NT must have been compensated by unknown factors that improve the tree water supply in drought years.