Evaluation of Drought Tolerance in Maize Inbred Lines Selected from the Shaan A Group and Shaan B Group

Drought is one of the most prevailing abiotic stresses affecting the growth, development, and productivity of maize. Knowledge of drought tolerance could help in maize improvement. However, less research has been done to comprehensively evaluate the drought tolerance of maize inbred lines. We used 27 elite maize inbred lines selected from Shaan A group and Shaan B group breeding populations to estimate their drought tolerance in 3 years 2 locations under normal field conditions and low irrigation. Using principal component analysis (PCA) and GGE biplots, all inbred lines, including the controls, could be divided into four types. Ten lines could be categorized as the high-yield drought-resistant type (‘KB081’, ‘KA105’, ‘KB417’, ‘KB215’, ‘KB-7’, ‘2013KB-37’, ‘KA203’, ‘2012KA-34’, ‘KA225’, and ‘91227’) because of their stability and wide adaptability. Compared with the controls, a large proportion of the inbred lines selected from Shaan A and Shaan B breeding populations demonstrated higher drought resistance. Our results suggest that multi-year drought screening can be used as a tool to improve the drought resistance of maize inbred lines and provide a scientific basis for making better use of the Shaan A and Shaan B maize inbred lines to breed new varieties and to identify existing drought-resistant maize varieties.

Stress Evaluation of Various Breeding Environments in Mouse

Laboratory animals are raised in a fixed space during the study period and are environmentally bound. Laboratory animal may be under stress on the constrained environment, which changes physiological indicators, affecting the reproducibility and accuracy of animal study. Therefore, reducing animal stress by providing proper breeding environment and environmental enrichment can be the basis for animal study. In this study, the stress level was assessed according to the mouse breeding environment. According to the results of the experiment, it was determined that the individual ventilation cage had less cortisol concentration in serum and body weight increased in the individual ventilation cage than individual isolated cage, when providing environmental enrichment rather than group breeding or not providing environmental enrichment. The results will provide appropriate guidelines for laboratory animal welfare.

PSI-6 Genetic Parameters for Food Allergy Responses in Divergently-selected Pig Lines

Genetic selection for health and welfare-related traits is paramount in livestock breeding. Piglet allergic responses to soybean protein negatively impact animal growth and welfare. The objectives of this study were to estimate the heritability of soybean allergic responses and genetic correlations between soybean and peanut allergies (r1,2) in divergently-selected pig lines. The base population consisted of nine sire lines (primarily Yorkshire and Landrace) and two dam sources (Yorkshire × Chester White-F1 and Landrace × Yorkshire-F1). Soybean and peanut-allergic responses were measured through a skin test (0–6 scale; 0-no allergic responses; 6-severe allergic responses; characterized by wheal and flair) on pigs fed a diet containing soybean meal for 21 d post-weaning. A total of 5,505 animals from nine generations of two contrasting lines (i.e., high and low skin test reaction) were included in the analyses. The statistical model included contemporary group, breeding lines, replication, sex, and weaning weight (linear covariate) as fixed effects (P-value < 0.05), and additive genetic, maternal genetic, and maternal permanent environment as random effects. Threshold and linear Bayesian models were used to estimate genetic parameters, using a pedigree-based relationship matrix containing 9,201 animals. The heritability estimates for the general soybean allergic response were 0.199 ± 0.045 and 0.119 ± 0.025 for the threshold (liability scale) and linear models, respectively, suggesting that soybean allergic responses are heritable and can be improved through selective breeding. A weak negative genetic correlation between allergic responses and birth weight was observed (r1,2 = -0.253 ± 0.192), which shows that the genetic variance of soybean allergy is less dependent on birth weight. However, a high positive genetic correlation was estimated between soybean and peanut-allergic responses (r1,2 = 0.89 ± 0.048), which indicates a potential cross-reactivity of soybean and peanut allergies. Our findings suggest that it is possible to reduce food allergy responses in pigs through selective breeding.

Constitutional factors of autarcesis of the Orenburg goats

The paper shows the results of a comparative assessment of the seasonal and age patterns of autarcesis in Orenburg goats. Intact healthy goats were studied as control groups: 1st experimental group - breeding male goats (n=10), 2nd group – breeding female goats (n=10), 3rd experimental group - gimmer hogs (n=10), and 4th experimental group - young wethers (n = 10). The autarcesis is marked by humoral factors, for example, indicators of the bactericidal activity of the blood serum, lysozyme activity, and beta-lytic activity (thrombodefensin activity). The investigations have shown that the maximum values of the bactericidal activity of the blood serum were found in the autumn and winter times in the experimental groups. Their values were 73,75±1,07 %, 78,28±0,85 %, 65,89±1,16 %, and 71,16±0,71 %, respectively. The minimum values are determined in spring and summer. A similar pattern was found in the study of beta-lytic activity in the autumn-winter time, but the highest values were observed in the animals of the experimental group of 9.43±0.12% and 9.86±0.15 %, respectively. The decrease in the bactericidal activity of the blood and the beta-lytic activity in the summer time was recompensed by the values of lysozyme activity. Thus, the highest immunological indices were found in summer time. The highest values of white blood cells were found in the blood of the gimmer hogs and young wethers. Meanwhile, the studied indicators did not overstep the limits of the physiological standard. The data obtained are suggested to be used in breeding work for the reproduction of animals with a high level of autarcesis.

1 Alternative heifer development systems utilizing corn residue and cover crops

Spring-born heifers (n = 1,012) weaned at 148 ± 17 d were used in a 3-yr study to evaluate performance in winter development systems which utilized cover crop and corn residue grazing. Heifers were assigned to 1 of 3 treatments: grazing corn residue with dried distillers grains (CD) or wheat midds (CW) supplementation, or grazing late summer planted oat-brassica cover crop followed by corn residue supplemented dried distillers grains (CC). Grazing of corn residue (CD and CW) and cover crop (CC) began in early November. Supplementation during the corn residue phase was adjusted to target ~55% of mature BW (338 kg) at breeding. After 63 d, CC were moved to corn residue; on d 77 CD and CW began receiving grower ration. In mid-February (d 98), heifers were comingled and managed in a single group. Breeding season began in June and lasted for 29 d. Prior to corn residue grazing, ADG of CC was greater (0.76 kg/d; P< 0.01) than CD or CW (0.58 kg/d and 0.49 kg/d, respectively). Gain during the last 35 d of the winter period for CC was 0.13 kg/d less than CW (P< 0.01) but not different from CD. Overall winter ADG was greater (P< 0.05) for CC (0.62 kg/d) than CD (0.53 kg/d) or CW (0.50 kg/d). Percent of mature BW prior to breeding was 52% for CC and 50% for CD and CW. May reproductive tract scores did not differ (P=0.26) between CC and CW but were greater (P< 0.05) in CC than CD. Pregnancy rates were affected by treatment (P< 0.01), with CC (76%) being greater than CD (68%) and CW (64%). Utilizing oat-brassica cover crops early in the winter followed by a lower rate of gain while grazing corn residue appear to be effective for developing beef heifers. USDA is an equal opportunity employer and provider.

Genassemblage 2.0 software facilitates conservation of genetic variation of captively propagated species

In conservation of captively propagated species, conserving genetic diversity is important. Here, we present an example of the use of Genassemblage 2.0 software in conserving the genetic variation of the lake minnow (Eupallasella percnurus). This fish has low genetic variation and is at risk of extinction in the western edge of its range, which includes Poland. Fish from one Polish population were captured (23 males, 25 females). Fin clips were taken, and DNA was extracted. Polymorphic microsatellites (13) were used to prepare genetic profiles, assess genetic variation in the fish and estimate genetic diversity in their progeny. Alleles were scored using an automatic capillary sequencer. The four and eight best variants of spawning pairs, and the optimal sets for group volitional breeding (four males, four females; eight males, eight females) were identified using Genassemblage 2.0. In the sets of 8 and 16 fish for group breeding, the mean heterozygosity, the number of alleles, and the share of “weak” heterozygotes (0.493, 24, 0.239 and 0.479, 23, 0.257, respectively) were better than the mean values for the progeny of all potential breeding pairs. For group volitional breeding, one set of four males and four females, and numerous sets of eight males and eight females would enable transmission of all 33 alleles identified in the potential broodstock and an expected progeny heterozygosity of 0.441 and 0.414, respectively. These expected heterozygosity values are higher than those in the broodstock. For practical purposes, the larger sets would be preferable for avoiding a future inbreeding and genetic drift.

The Ideal Romantic Partner Morality

Assortative mating must be important for maintaining morality in a population, as moral principles are shared by most people in a group. Breeding by a pair with similar morals results in genetic and cultural transmission of these morals to the next generation, which maintains the moral norms of the group. In this study, we investigated absolute and relative mate preferences in relation to particular moral foundations, as represented by five general moral values. In both sexes, correlations between ratings for self and an ideal romantic partner on these factors were rather high (.67 ≤ r ≤ .84). Differences between self-ratings and ratings for the ideal romantic partner did not deviate significantly from zero for any of these factors.