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- What can metazoan parasites reveal about the taxonomy of Scomber japonicus Houttuyn in the coast of South America and Madeira Islands?Publication . Oliva, M. E.; Valdivia, I. M.; Costa, G.; Freitas, N.; Carvalho, M. A. Pinheiro de; Sánchez, L.; Luque, J. L.The metazoan parasites of four populations of the chub mackerel Scomber japonicus were analysed from two localities in the Atlantic Ocean (Madeira Islands, Portugal, and Rio de Janeiro, Brazil) and two localities in the Pacific Ocean (Callao, Peru, and Antofagasta, Chile), collected during 2002 and 2003. A total of 373 fish specimens were studied and 34 metazoan parasite species were obtained. Parasites identified from the populations of chub mackerel studied could be separated into three categories: parasites with a wide distribution, present in the Pacific and Atlantic, parasites proper of the Pacific Ocean and parasites proper of the Atlantic Ocean. The analyses of some highly specific parasites of the genus Scomber (i.e. monogeneans of the genus Kuhnia and didymozoid digeneans) strongly suggest the need for a revision of the taxonomic status of chub mackerels from the Atlantic and Pacific coast of America. The results demonstrated the usefulness of parasites as adequate tools to clarify the taxonomic status of their hosts.
- Genetic variability of high molecular weight glutenin subunits in bread wheat from continental Portugal, Madeira and Canary IslandsPublication . Santos, Teresa M. M. dos; Nóbrega, Humberto; Ganança, José Filipe Teixeira; Silva, Emanuel; Afonso, Desire; Gutiérres, Abílio F. M.; Slaski, Jan J.; Khadem, Manhaz; Carvalho, Miguel Â. A. Pinheiro deThe genetic variability of high molecular weight glutenin subunits (HMWGS) composition at the Glu-1 loci in bread wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) was studied electrophoretically using the SDS–PAGE in 3,470 individuals representing 159 populations originated from the Canary Islands (Spain), the Archipelago of Madeira (Portugal) and the continental Portugal. A total of 25 alleles were detected, resulting in 69 different allele combinations. The geographical distribution of the high molecular weight glutenin alleles confirms historical data regarding circulation of wheat germplasm between the Iberian Peninsula and Madeira and between Madeira and the Canary Islands and vice versa.
- Propagation of nine endemic plant species from Madeira Island (Portugal)Publication . Henriques, Dina; Fontinha, Susana; Neves, Margarida Costa; Nóbrega, Humberto; Ferro, António; Carvalho, M. A. A. Pinheiro deEfficient propagation of endangered plant species is a critical factor in successful ecological restoration and conscientious habitat management. Hence, propagation trials of nine endemic plant species of Madeira (Anthyllis lemanniana Lowe, Armeria maderensis Lowe, Cedronella canariensis (L.) Webb & Berthel., Erica maderensis (Benth.) Bornm., Genista tenera (Jacq. ex Murray) Kuntze, Helichrysum melaleucum Rchb. ex Holl, Pericallis aurita (L'Her.) B. Nord., Sideritis candicans Aiton and Teline maderensis Webb & Berthel.) were carried out. Plant propagation requirements and their sexual and vegetative propagation methods were studied. Seed germination success varied between species. Germination rate exceeded 70% in six out of nine species, being lower than 30% in Pericallis aurita, while H. melaleucum seeds did not germinate. Vegetative propagation yielded lower success rates, with three species (Erica maderensis, Genista tenera and Teline maderensis) unable to establish roots, and three species (Helichrysum melaleucum, Pericallis aurita and Sideritis candicans) exceeding 60% of the rooting success. Establishment of the propagation requirements of these species could be regarded an important tool for supporting Madeira’s flora conservation programs.
- Cereal landraces genetic resources in worldwide GeneBanks. A reviewPublication . Carvalho, Miguel A. A. Pinheiro de; Bebeli, Penelope J.; Bettencourt, Eliseu; Costa, Graça; Dias, Sonia; Santos, Teresa M. M. dos; Slaski, Jan J.Since the dawn of agriculture, cereal landraces have been the staples for food production worldwide, but their use dramatically declined in the 2nd half of the last century, replaced by modern cultivars. In most parts of the world, landraces are one of the most threatened components of agrobiodiversity, facing the risk of genetic erosion and extinction. Since landraces have a tremendous potential in the development of new cultivars adapted to changing environmental conditions, GeneBanks holding their genetic resources potentially play an important role in supporting sustainable agriculture. This work reviews the current knowledge on cereal landraces maintained in GeneBanks and highlights the strengths and weaknesses of existing information about their taxonomy, origin, structure, threats, sampling methodologies and conservation and GeneBanks’ documentation and management. An overview of major collections of cereal landraces is presented, using the information available in global metadatabase systems. This review on winter cereal landrace conservation focuses on: (1) traditional role of GeneBanks is evolving beyond their original purpose to conserve plant materials for breeding programmes. Today’s GeneBank users are interested in landraces’ history, agro-ecology and traditional knowledge associated with their use, in addition to germplasm traits. (2) GeneBanks therefore need to actively share their germplasm collections’ information using different channels, to promote unlimited and effective use of these materials for the further development of sustainable agriculture. (3) Access to information on the 7.4 million accessions conserved in GeneBanks worldwide, of which cereal accessions account for nearly 45 %, particularly information on cereal landraces (24 % of wheat, 23 % of barley, 14 % of oats and 29 % of rye accessions), is often not easily available to potential users, mainly due to the lack of consistent or compatible documentation systems, their structure and registration. (4) Enhancing the sustainable use of landraces maintained in germplasm collections through the effective application of recent advances in landrace knowledge (origin, structure and traits) and documentation using the internet tools and data providing networks, including the use of molecular and biotechnological tools for the material screening and detection of agronomic traits. (5) Cereal landraces cannot be exclusively conserved as seed samples maintained under ex situ conditions in GeneBanks. The enormous contribution of farmers in maintaining the crop and landraces diversity is recognised. Sharing of benefits and raising awareness of the value of cereal landraces are the most effective ways to promote their conservation and to ensure their continued availability and sustainable use. (6) Evaluation of costs and economic benefits attributed to sustainable use of cereal landraces conserved in the GeneBanks requires comprehensive studies conducted on a case-by-case basis, that take into consideration species/crop resources, conservation conditions and quality and GeneBank location and functions.
- Helminth parasites of the oceanic horse mackerel Trachurus picturatus Bowdich 1825 (Pisces: Carangidae) from Madeira Island, Atlantic Ocean, PortugalPublication . Costa, G.; Moreira, E. Melo; Carvalho, M. A. A. Pinheiro deThe helminth parasite fauna of the oceanic horse mackerel Trachurus picturatus Bowdich 1825, caught off the Madeira Islands was composed of six different taxa. Prevalence and abundance of larval Anisakis sp. (Nematoda: Anisakidae) and Nybelinia lingualis (Trypanorhyncha: Tentaculariidae), the most common parasite taxa, were 24.3%, 0.9 and 37.9%, 0.7, respectively. Bolbosoma vasculosum (Acanthocephala: Polymorphidae) and the monogeneans Heteraxinoides atlanticus (Monogenea: Heteraxinidae) and Pseudaxine trachuri (Monogenea: Gastrocotylidae) were comparatively rare. The depauperate helminth fauna of the oceanic horse mackerel at Madeira compared to other geographical regions of the north-eastern Atlantic, namely the Azores banks and the West African coast, may be attributed to the paucity of nutrients off oceanic islands and to a low density of the fish population.
- Oncophora melanocephala (Nematoda, Camallanidae) from the chub mackerel, Scomber japonicus (Teleostei, Scombridae), caught off Madeira Island (Portugal)Publication . Costa, Graça; Freitas, Nélio; Carvalho, Miguel Pinheiro de; Moreira, Egberto Melo; Rigby, MarkWhile investigating the nematode parasites of commercial fish caught off the coast of Madeira Island (Atlantic Ocean, Portugal), we collected five specimens of Oncophora melanocephala (Rudolphi, 1819) (Nematoda, Camallanidae) infecting the chub mackerel Scomber japonicus Houttuyn. This is the first record of O. melanocephala from chub mackerel and a new geographic record. Four additional larval specimens with developing buccal capsules were found in the chub mackerel examined.