University of Hohenheim

About: University of Hohenheim is a education organization based out in Stuttgart, Germany. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Population & Soil water. The organization has 8585 authors who have published 16406 publications receiving 567377 citations.

Maximizing the Reliability of Genomic Selection by Optimizing the Calibration Set of Reference Individuals: Comparison of Methods in Two Diverse Groups of Maize Inbreds ( Zea mays L.)

Abstract: Genomic selection refers to the use of genotypic information for predicting breeding values of selection candidates. A prediction formula is calibrated with the genotypes and phenotypes of reference individuals constituting the calibration set. The size and the composition of this set are essential parameters affecting the prediction reliabilities. The objective of this study was to maximize reliabilities by optimizing the calibration set. Different criteria based on the diversity or on the prediction error variance (PEV) derived from the realized additive relationship matrix–best linear unbiased predictions model (RA–BLUP) were used to select the reference individuals. For the latter, we considered the mean of the PEV of the contrasts between each selection candidate and the mean of the population (PEVmean) and the mean of the expected reliabilities of the same contrasts (CDmean). These criteria were tested with phenotypic data collected on two diversity panels of maize (Zea mays L.) genotyped with a 50k SNPs array. In the two panels, samples chosen based on CDmean gave higher reliabilities than random samples for various calibration set sizes. CDmean also appeared superior to PEVmean, which can be explained by the fact that it takes into account the reduction of variance due to the relatedness between individuals. Selected samples were close to optimality for a wide range of trait heritabilities, which suggests that the strategy presented here can efficiently sample subsets in panels of inbred lines. A script to optimize reference samples based on CDmean is available on request.

Review of methodologies for extracting plant-available and amorphous Si from soils and aquatic sediments

Abstract: There is a variety of methodologies used in the aquatic sciences and soil sciences for extracting different forms of Si from sediments and soils. However, a comparison of the published extraction techniques is lacking. Here we review the methodologies used to extract different Si fractions from soils and sediments. Methods were classified in those to assess plant-available Si and those to extract Si from amorphous silica and allophane. Plant-available Si is supposed to comprise silicic acid in soil solution and adsorbed to soil particles. Extraction techniques for plant-available Si include extractions with water, CaCl2, acetate, acetic acid, phosphate, H2SO3, H2SO4, and citrate. The extractants show different capabilites to desorb silicic acid, with H2SO3, H2SO4 and citrate having the greater extraction potential. The most common extractants to dissolve amorphous silica from soils and aquatic sediments are NaOH and Na2CO3, but both also dissolve crystalline silicates to varying degrees. In soils moreover Tiron is used to dissolve amorphous silica, while oxalate is used to dissolve allophanes and imogolite-type materials. Most techniques analyzing for biogenic silica in aquatic environments use a correction method to identify mineral derived Si. By contrast, in the soil sciences no correction methods are used although pedologists are well aware of the overestimation of amorphous silica by the NaOH extraction, which is most commonly used to extract silica from soils. It is recommended that soil scientists begin to use the techniques developed in the aquatic sciences, since it seems impossible to extract amorphous Si from soils completely without dissolving some of the crystalline silicates.

A new process for the combined recovery of pectin and phenolic compounds from apple pomace

Abstract: b ¨¨ Abstract A process for the combined recovery of pectin and phenolic compounds from apple pomace, the primary by-product of apple juice production, was developed. The process includes extraction of dried apple pomace with diluted mineral acid and adsorption of phenolic constituents by a hydrophobic styrene-divinylbenzene copolymerisate. After elution with methanol, the polyphenolics were concentrated in vacuo, stabilised by lyophilisation, and characterised by high-performance liquid chromatography. The predominant compounds were phloridzin, chlorogenic acid and quercetin glycosides. Adsorptive removal especially of oxidised phenolic compounds led to a considerable decolourisation of the pomace extracts, as revealed by determination of L*a*b* values, hue angle and chroma. Gelling properties of pectin were not adversely affected. While the polyphenolics recovered from apple pomace may be used as natural antioxidants or as functional food ingredients, extended fields of application may be obtained for decolorised, refined apple pectins. Furthermore, investigations on the phenolic composition of several New Zealand apple cultivars, of apple seeds, and on the effects of pomace drying on the stability of polyphenolics were carried out. 2002 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.

Distinct expression and function of three ammonium transporter genes (OsAMT1;1-1;3) in rice.

Abstract: To study the regulation of ammonium uptake into rice roots, three ammonium transporter genes (OsAMT1;1, 1;2 and 1;3; Oryza sativa ammonium transporter) were isolated and examined. OsAMT1s belong to AMT1 family, containing 11 putative transmembrane-spanning domains. Southern blot analysis and screening of the rice genome database confirmed that with OsAMT1;1-1;3 the complete AMT1 family of rice had been isolated. Heterologous expression of OsAMT1s in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae mutant 31019b showed that all three OsAMT1s exhibit ammonium transport activity. Northern blot analysis showed a distinct expression pattern for the three genes; more constitutive expression in shoots and roots for OsAMT1;1, root-specific and ammonium-inducible expression for OsAMT1;2, and root-specific and nitrogen-derepressible expression for OsAMT1;3. In situ mRNA detection revealed that OsAMT1;2 is expressed in the central cylinder and cell surface of root tips. This gene expression analysis revealed a distinct nitrogen-dependent regulation for AMTs in rice, differing from that in tomato or Arabidopsis: