Vilentum University of applied sciences

Rumen methanogens predominantly fall into two physiological groups: hydrogenotrophs which use hydrogen (H2) to reduce carbon dioxide (CO2) to methane (CH4), and methylotrophs which use H2 to reduce methanol and methylamines as substrates for methanogenesis. We used a dilution to extinction approach to isolate two hydrogenotrophic Methanocatella spp. and four cultures of methylotrophic methanogens from sheep rumen contents. Three of the methylotrophs were stable mixed cultures containing methanogens belonging to different lineages of the order Methanomassiliicoccales and one was a pure Methanosphaera culture. Methanosphaera sp. ISO3-F5 has a comparatively large genome (2.68 Mb) comprised of two replicons, a chromosome and a megaplasmid. The genome has an average G + C content of 30.5 % and encodes 2360 putative protein-coding genes. Cells of ISO3-F5 have a spherical shape, 0.6–1.2 µm in diameter, usually occurring in pairs or loose clumps, and have no flagellum. Cells stain Gram positive, have a single thick cell wall and divide by the formation of a cross wall. The optimum temperature for growth was 39°C to 42°C and the optimum pH was 6.7–6.8. Acetate was required for growth, but CH4 was not produced from acetate, formate, ethanol, methylamine, or isopropanol with or without H2/CO2. Volatile fatty acids and rumen fluid were also found to enhance the growth of ISO3-F5, while coenzyme M did not. ISO3-F5 produced CH4 from methanol in the presence of H2 and the genes encoding the necessary methanogenesis pathway have been identified. Based on morphological, physiological, and genomic characteristics, ISO3-F5 is a new species of the genus Methanosphaera. Our study shows that simple isolation methods allowed us to culture diverse and significant members of the rumen methanogen community.

The Netherlands has a world-leading position in potato breeding, but little is known about the factors that led to this success. This paper analyses the factors that have influenced the development of potato breeding in the Netherlands. This study is based on research of the grey and scientific literature and interviews with various representatives from the Dutch potato breeding sector. We distinguish four periods: (i) Before 1888, no potato breeding in the Netherlands existed whereas in other countries first crosses occurred. (ii) 1888–1940, more individuals started breeding out of interest and hobby to overcome the commonly observed degeneration of potato. (iii) 1940–1967 the emergence of a corporate set up of breeding by private companies collaborating with small breeders. (iv) 1967–present, towards full-fledged breeding industry supported by the new Seeds and Planting Materials Act (ZPW) in 1967 including the breeders’ rights. Many factors including cultural practices, diseases, and market that determine the strategy of breeding have been analysed. The development is most of all ‘crop driven’ to maintain the level of production. But it was also ‘export driven’ leading to the development of an export-oriented seed potato sector. The conclusion is that three elements were dominant in the development of a strong potato breeding sector: (1) the broad cooperation among all players in the potato chain, (2) the design of the institutional infrastructure, and (3) the remuneration of the breeding work through legislation regarding plant breeders’ rights. The study ends with an outlook on future trends, one of them leading from an open to a more closed business culture.

Soybean cultivation holds great potential for a sustainable agriculture in Europe, but adaptation remains a central issue. In this large mega-environment (MEV) study, 75 European cultivars from five early maturity groups (MGs 000-II) were evaluated for maturity-related traits at 22 locations in 10 countries across Europe. Clustering of the locations based on phenotypic similarity revealed six MEVs in latitudinal direction and suggested several more. Analysis of maturity identified several groups of cultivars with phenotypic similarity that are optimally adapted to the different growing regions in Europe. We identified several haplotypes for the allelic variants at the E1, E2, E3 and E4 genes, with each E haplotype comprising cultivars from different MGs. Cultivars with the same E haplotype can exhibit different flowering and maturity characteristics, suggesting that the genetic control of these traits is more complex and that adaptation involves additional genetic pathways, for example temperature requirement. Taken together, our study allowed the first unified assessment of soybean-growing regions in Europe and illustrates the strong effect of photoperiod on soybean adaptation and MEV classification, as well as the effects of the E maturity loci for soybean adaptation in Europe.

Within the area of crop care the use of less pesticide becomes more and more important, due to world wide growing importance of sustainable farming and due to the fact of healthcare. In this field, agricultural engineers are focused on intelligent machine systems that, partly, take over the decisions farmers have to make nowadays. What technologies are already available and which latest technologies could be used in the research areas to develop new methods of handling information and reduce the use of pesticides?