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Growth Traits (growth + trait)
Selected AbstractsSusceptibility to Heterobasidion parviporum in Picea abies clones grown in different environmentsFOREST PATHOLOGY, Issue 2 2008B. Karlsson Summary Thirty-five Norway spruce, Picea abies, clones from Sweden were tested for resistance to Heterobasidion parviporum. Rooted cuttings of the clones were planted in Italy and Greece and cultivated for two growing seasons before inoculation with H. parviporum. Extent of infection was determined 6 weeks later. The results were compared to those of earlier inoculations in Sweden. Plant growth traits were under strong genetic control in all locations with broad sense heritability estimates between 0.14 and 0.54. Lesion and fungal extension heritabilities were moderate, H2 ranged from 0.09 to 0.20, and exhibited rather large genetic variation. There was significant genotypic correlation between Italy and Greece with respect to both lesions and fungal extension. No such correlations were found between Sweden and the two other countries. The lack of repeatability in testing susceptibility is unsatisfactory. It could be explained by C-effects associated with propagation of the host plants. Height growth correlated significantly and positively among all countries. [source] Waterlogging and canopy interact to control species recruitment in floodplainsFUNCTIONAL ECOLOGY, Issue 4 2010Wiktor Kotowski Summary 1.,The extent to which seedling recruitment contributes to local functional diversity depends on the environmental filters operating in a plant community. Classical community assembly models assume that habitat constraints and competition act like hierarchical filters with habitat filtering as the dominant one. Alternative models assume a synergic interaction since responses to environmental stress and competition may impose physiological trade-offs in plants. 2.,River floodplains are an ideal system to test the relationship between habitat and competition filtering in community (re)assembly, as flooding causes changes in both habitat stress (waterlogging, resulting in anoxia and toxicity) and competition (dieback of vegetation) on one hand and acts as an effective seed dispersal vector on the other hand. 3.,We conducted a mesocosm experiment on early community assembly from a pool of 34 floodplain species covering a wetness gradient. Seed mixtures were sown in a full factorial design with water level, canopy and mowing as controlling factors. We measured the biomass of all species after one growing season and determined germination and seedling growth traits, both outside (response to waterlogging/no waterlogging) and in a growth-chamber (response to light/darkness). 4.,Species recruitment was analysed in relation to the controlling factors and measured functional traits using co-inertia analysis. Furthermore we analysed the effects of the controlling factors on several aspects of functional diversity. 5.,There was no establishment in grass sward, unless mowing was applied. Species-rich communities only developed when germination and early establishment phases occurred on waterlogged bare soil. High water level did not suppress establishment but reduced the total biomass and lowered inter-specific competition. The effect of mowing on species richness depended upon the interplay between waterlogging and canopy. 6.,Establishment success under canopy required seedling strategies to tolerate shade. The elimination of typical wetland specialists from oxic mesocosms was clearly an effect of their poorer and/or slower germination and lower competitive abilities in comparison to non-wetland plants, leading to their disappearance in this low-stress environment. 7.,Our results indicate that single stress factors can enhance species richness and functional diversity through limiting competition but a synergic interaction of different stresses can lead to reduced richness. [source] Genetic parameters for dry matter, energy and protein intake, and their relationships with performance and carcass traits in Japanese Black cattleJOURNAL OF ANIMAL BREEDING AND GENETICS, Issue 1 2009M.A. Hoque Summary Genetic parameters for feed intake and performance traits of 514 bulls and carcass traits of 22 099 of their progeny, and the relationships of measures of feed intake with performance and carcass traits were estimated. Feed intake traits were dry matter intake (DMI), concentrate intake (CONI), roughage intake, ratio of roughage intake to DMI, metabolizable energy intake (MEI) and digestible crude protein intake (DCPI). Performance traits included daily gain, metabolic weight, live weight at the end of test, dry matter conversion ratio and residual feed intake. Progeny carcass traits were carcass weight, percentage of meat yield, rib eye area (REA), subcutaneous fat, marbling score, meat colour (MCS), fat colour (FCS) and meat quality grade. All the feed intake and performance traits were moderately heritable. The heritabilities for REA and MCS were moderate, and that for FCS was low, while those for the other carcass traits were high. Selection against DMI, CONI and DCPI would reduce excessive intake of feed, but would have undesirable effects on growth and most of the carcass traits. Selection against MEI would lead to improvements in feed efficiency and growth traits. Selection against DCPI would also improve feed efficiency; however, responses in growth traits would decrease. Results indicate that selection against MEI might be better than any other measures of feed intake to improve feed efficiency with simultaneous improvement in growth and most of the carcass traits. [source] Genetic correlations among and between wool, growth and reproduction traits in Merino sheepJOURNAL OF ANIMAL BREEDING AND GENETICS, Issue 2 2007E. Safari Summary Data from seven research resource flocks across Australia were combined to provide accurate estimates of genetic correlations among production traits in Merino sheep. The flocks represented contemporary Australian Merino fine, medium and broad wool strains over the past 30 years. Over 110 000 records were available for analysis for each of the major wool traits, and 50 000 records for reproduction and growth traits with over 2700 sires and 25 000 dams. Individual models developed from the single trait analyses were extended to the various combinations of two-trait models to obtain genetic correlations among six wool traits [clean fleece weight (CFW), greasy fleece weight, fibre diameter (FD), yield, coefficient of variation of fibre diameter and standard deviation of fibre diameter], four growth traits [birth weight, weaning weight, yearling weight (YWT), and hogget weight] and four reproduction traits [fertility, litter size, lambs born per ewe joined, lambs weaned per ewe joined (LW/EJ)]. This study has provided for the first time a comprehensive matrix of genetic correlations among these 14 wool, growth and reproduction traits. The large size of the data set has also provided estimates with very low standard errors. A moderate positive genetic correlation was observed between CFW and FD (0.29 ± 0.02). YWT was positively correlated with CFW (0.23 ± 0.04), FD (0.17 ± 0.04) and LWEJ (0.58 ± 0.06), while LW/EJ was negatively correlated with CFW (,0.26 ± 0.05) and positively correlated with FD (0.06 ± 0.04) and LS (0.68 ± 0.04). These genetic correlations, together with the estimates of heritability and other parameters provide the basis for more accurate prediction of outcomes in complex sheep-breeding programmes designed to improve several traits. [source] What youngsters say about adults: seedling roots reflect clonal traits of adult plantsJOURNAL OF ECOLOGY, Issue 3 2007MARIE, MILAUEROVÁ Summary 1Grime's theory on plant strategies predicts that the set of traits present in established plants is not correlated with that found in the regenerative stage of the life cycle. We tested this prediction and further investigated whether clonal growth traits, which are found in adult plants but also affect regeneration, are correlated with seedling traits. 2We characterized seedling root systems by their total length, number of root tips and several architectural parameters (length of exterior and interior root links and two topological indices). These below-ground traits were supplemented by the ratio of leaf area to root length, representing relative investment into photosynthesizing surface. We compared seedling traits with clonal growth traits, adult plant heights, and species positions on gradients of nitrogen and water availability. 3Plant species with limited horizontal spread by clonal growth exhibited a larger relative investment in photosynthetic area and also developed larger root systems as seedlings. 4Seedlings of species with taller shoots and those which occur naturally at nutrient-rich sites developed both larger roots and more dichotomously branched root systems (with higher total length and more branches). 5Taking phylogenetic inertia into account showed that this explained large parts of the variation in seedling traits. Relationships between clonal spread and seedling traits were strengthened by phylogenetic correction. 6Our study shows that some of the traits of clonal growth affect both the established and the regenerative stages of the life cycle, suggesting that an evolutionary trade-off exists between the ability to spread clonally and performance at the seedling stage. Species not able to escape from less favourable conditions by extensive clonal spread seem to be more able to exploit the location in which they germinate. [source] The growth,mortality relationship in larval cohorts of Sardinops melanostictus, revealed by using two new approaches to analyse longitudinal data from otolithsJOURNAL OF FISH BIOLOGY, Issue 7 2008G. Plaza The growth,mortality relationship was assessed for larval cohorts of the Japanese sardine Sardinops melanostictus using two new approaches: (1) repeat measures in general linear model (RM-GLMs) and (2) the autoregressive-individual method (AIM). Both methods were compared to the traditional approach in which repeat-measure ANOVA was used to compare the changes in increment width (WI) at age and otolith radii (RO) at age between individuals from an original population and survivors. In RM-GLMs, both the WI at age and RO at age (i.e. at 5, 10, 15 and 20 days) were used as the dependent variables, and the standardized residuals of both regressions RO and age and RO and total length (LT), age class, and day of the year as independent variables. A significant increase in WI at age and RO at age from younger to older age classes was seen as indicative of growth-dependent selection. In AIM, the RO -at-age relationship for each fish was fitted for the first 20 days, using autoregression, and then the growth traits (i.e. slopes) between the original cohorts and survivors were compared using ANOVA. In the traditional approach, the WI at age and RO at age for the first 20 days of an original population were compared with those of survivors sampled in later stages. GLMs and traditional approaches supported the growth rate (i.e. the faster an individual grows, the higher its probability of survival) and bigger is better (i.e. larger individuals at any given age will have lower probability of mortality than smaller individuals of the same age) mechanisms. Furthermore, AIM showed that individuals from original cohorts had lower otolith growth rates than those from survivors, giving further support for the growth,mortality hypothesis for the larval stage of this clupeid. [source] Autotransgenic and allotransgenic manipulation of growth traits in fish for aquaculture: a reviewJOURNAL OF FISH BIOLOGY, Issue 1 2008Y. K. Nam It is noteworthy that the use of transgene elements homologous to both the structural gene and promoter region sequences are more effective than heterologous ones for growth hormone (GH) transgenesis in farmed fish species. The generation of autotransgenic fish carrying the GH-transgene construct (of which elements originate from the same species only) has been given considerable attention as a potential means to produce a desirable fish strain acquiring significantly improved growth phenotype. Currently, several growth-enhanced autotransgenic lines including mud loach, carp and tilapia, have been developed or are ongoing for aquacultural purpose. This review considers the generation, development and prospects of autotransgenic manipulation of fish growth, comparing the growth performance of currently available autotransgenic fish strains with those of relevant fast-growing allotransgenic fishes. [source] Architectural and growth traits differ in effects on performance of clonal plants: an analysis using a field-parameterized simulation modelOIKOS, Issue 5 2007Radka Wildová Individual traits are often assumed to be linked in a straightforward manner to plant performance and processes such as population growth, competition and community dynamics. However, because no trait functions in isolation in an organism, the effect of any one trait is likely to be at least somewhat contingent on other trait values. Thus, to the extent that the suite of trait values differs among species, the magnitude and even direction of correlation between values of any particular trait and performance is likely to differ among species. Working with a group of clonal plant species, we assessed the degree of this contingency and therefore the extent to which the assumption of simple and general linkages between traits and performance is valid. To do this, we parameterized a highly calibrated, spatially explicit, individual-based model of clonal plant population dynamics and then manipulated one trait at a time in the context of realistic values of other traits for each species. The model includes traits describing growth, resource allocation, response to competition, as well as architectural traits that determine spatial spread. The model was parameterized from a short-term (3 month) experiment and then validated with a separate, longer term (two year) experiment for six clonal wetland sedges, Carex lasiocarpa, Carex sterilis, Carex stricta, Cladium mariscoides, Scirpus acutus and Scirpus americanus. These plants all co-occur in fens in southeastern Michigan and represent a spectrum of clonal growth forms from strong clumpers to runners with long rhizomes. Varying growth, allocation and competition traits produced the largest and most uniform responses in population growth among species, while variation in architectural traits produced responses that were smaller and more variable among species. This is likely due to the fact that growth and competition traits directly affect mean ramet size and number of ramets, which are direct components of population biomass. In contrast, architectural and allocation traits determine spatial distribution of biomass; in the long run, this also affects population size, but its net effect is more likely to be mediated by other traits. Such differences in how traits affect plant performance are likely to have implications for interspecific interactions and community structure, as well as on the interpretation and usefulness of single trait optimality models. [source] Genes located on a SSC17 meat quality QTL region are associated with growth in outbred pig populationsANIMAL GENETICS, Issue 5 2009A. M. Ramos Summary The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of markers developed in eight genes, located in a previously detected meat quality QTL region on SSC17, on growth, fat and meat quality traits collected in commercial pig populations of different genetic backgrounds. The genes had been previously mapped to SSC17 as part of a fine-mapping effort. Association analyses were conducted between each marker and the available phenotypic traits. Results showed that three genes (CTSZ, CSTF1 and C20orf43) were significantly associated with the growth traits. In addition, CTSZ also impacted on meat colour, with the less favourable genotype for growth being associated with darker meat. The differences observed between genotypes were substantial and may be of economic importance to pig producers. These markers may be useful for selecting for faster growth or improved meat quality. [source] Age-dependent quantitative trait loci affecting growth traits in Scottish Blackface sheepANIMAL GENETICS, Issue 2 2009G. Hadjipavlou Summary To dissect age-dependent quantitative trait loci (QTL) associated with growth and to examine changes in QTL effects over time, the Gompertz growth model was fitted to longitudinal live weight data on 788 Scottish Blackface lambs from nine half-sib families. QTL were mapped for model parameters and weekly live weights and growth rates using microsatellite markers on chromosomes 1, 2, 3, 5, 14, 18, 20 and 21. QTL significance (using , = 0.05 chromosome-wide significance thresholds, unless otherwise stated) varied with age, and those for growth rate occurred earlier than equivalent QTL for live weight. A chromosome 20 QTL for growth rate was significant from 4 to 9 weeks (maximum significance at 6 weeks) and for maximum growth rate. For live weight, this QTL was significant from 8 to 16 weeks (maximum significance at 12 weeks). A nominally significant chromosome 14 QTL was detected for growth rates from birth to week 2 in the same families and location as an 8-week weight QTL. In addition, at the same position on chromosome 14, a QTL was significant for growth rate for 17,28 weeks (maximum significance at 24 weeks). A chromosome 3 QTL was significant for weights at early ages (birth to week 4) and a growth rate QTL on chromosome 18 was significant from 8 to 12 weeks. Fitting growth curves allowed the combination of information from multiple measurements into a few biologically meaningful variables, and the detection of growth QTL that were not observed from analyses of raw weight data. These QTL describe distinct parts of an animal's growth curve trajectory, possibly enabling manipulation of this trajectory. [source] Molecular characteristics of the porcine DLK1 and MEG3 genesANIMAL GENETICS, Issue 2 2008X. P. Li Summary Imprinted genes play important roles in embryo survival and postnatal growth regulation. The DLK1 and MEG3 (previously GTL2) genes are linked and reciprocally imprinted in several mammals, but their imprinting status is still unknown in pigs. In this study, we report polymorphisms, imprinting status and QTL analyses of the porcine DLK1 and MEG3 genes. Muscle and adipose DNA and RNA samples from 30-day-old animals generated with reciprocal crosses between the Korean native pig (KNP) and Yorkshire breeds were used to analyse DLK1 and MEG3 variation and expression. The samples exhibited paternal expression of DLK1 and maternal expression of MEG3 in pigs. These results indicated that the imprinting status of the DLK1 and MEG3 genes is conserved across mammalian species. By linkage analyses, we assigned the DLK1 and MEG3 genes to the telomeric region of SSC7. By QTL analyses, we confirmed a significant polar overdominance (POD) effect in DLK1, which was previously detected for several growth traits in pigs. However, no significant POD effect was found with the MEG3 locus. [source] Polymorphisms in vitamin D receptor, osteopontin, insulin-like growth factor 1 and insulin, and their associations with bone, egg and growth traits in a layer , broiler cross in chickensANIMAL GENETICS, Issue 3 2006A. K. Bennett Summary Bone strength traits in chickens are gaining importance due to economic losses and welfare concerns associated with bone fractures and other abnormalities. A chicken F2 resource population was generated from layer and broiler genetic lines, and traits relating to bone strength, egg production, egg quality and growth rate were measured in approximately 500 F2 hens. Four biological candidate genes (vitamin D receptor, VDR; insulin, INS; insulin-like growth factor 1, IGF1; and osteopontin, SPP1) were selected for investigation. Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were identified for each candidate gene by comparing sequences between grandparent lines. Polymerase chain reaction restriction-fragment length polymorphism or SNaPshot assays were developed to genotype the F2 population and to evaluate associations between each SNP genotype and multiple phenotypes. Significant associations (P < 0.0125) were found between VDR and bone mineral content of the humerus at 35 weeks of age; between IGF1 and SPP1 and 5-week body weight; and between INS and 55-week body weight. [source] Genetic analysis of residual feed intakes and other performance test traits of Japanese Black cattle from revised protocolANIMAL SCIENCE JOURNAL, Issue 3 2008Takeshi OKANISHI ABSTRACT The performance test protocol for Japanese Black cattle was revised in April 2002. This resulted in restriction of access to concentrate (based on body weight) and modification of the concentrate's ingredients. Genetic parameters of growth and feed utilization traits of the performance test were estimated using 1304 records using the revised protocol. Residual feed intakes (RFIs) as alternative indicators for feed utilization efficiency were included. (Co)variance components were estimated by EM-REML. Heritabilities for growth traits were between 0.26 and 0.47. Heritabilities for feed intakes and conversions ranged from 0.25 to 0.37 and from 0.03 to 0.29, respectively. Genetic variances and heritabilities were lower for the revised protocol. Highly positive genetic correlations of daily gain (DG) with feed intakes indicated selection on DG is expected to increase feed intake. Selection on feed conversion may lead to higher DG. The heritability estimates for RFIs ranged from 0.10 to 0.33 and were generally higher than corresponding estimates for feed conversion ratios. RFI of TDN showed positive genetic correlations with all feed intakes. The reduction of feed intakes could be expected through selection on the RFI without changing body size. RFIs were considered to be alternative indicators to improve feed utilization efficiency under the new performance test. [source] Estimation of dominance genetic variances for reproductive traits and growth traits of calves in Japanese Black cattleANIMAL SCIENCE JOURNAL, Issue 4 2004Takafumi ISHIDA ABSTRACT The dominance genetic effects for reproductive and calf growth abilities in the practical Japanese Black populations were examined using average information (AI) algorithm restricted maximum likelihood (REML) under animal models. The reproductive traits were observed in Japanese Black cattle maintained at Tottori and Okinawa prefectures, and growth traits of calves were observed in cattle at Okinawa. The average of dominance relationships in Tottori ranged from 0.2 to 0.4%, while the level in Okinawa was lower and sparse compared with Tottori. The proportions of the dominance variances to sum of additive and dominance variances () were all 0.02 for reproductive traits in Tottori. In contrast, the proportion was 0.02,0.64 in Okinawa regardless of the level of dominance relationships. These proportions suggested that the dominance might affect the expression of calving interval, days open and gestation length in Okinawa, where breeding units were spread over many islands. Although the dominance variances could not estimate birthweight, w as 0.34 for calf market weight and 0.27 for average daily gain from birth to calf market in Okinawa. These values also suggested that the dominance might affect the early growth of calves. In the near future, genetic relationships will become more complicated with continuation of the current selection and mating systems. Therefore, genetic evaluation accounting for dominance effects would be necessary for particular traits and populations. [source] Genetic covariation in production traits of sub-adult black bream Acanthopagrus butcheri after grow-outAQUACULTURE RESEARCH, Issue 11 2005Robert G Doupé Abstract Predicting the suitability and reliability of traits associated with juvenile growth as indirect selection criteria for choosing future broodstock requires accurate and repeatable estimates of genetic (co)variation for growth traits at different ages. We compared juvenile wet weight of black bream Acanthopagrus butcheri (Munro) at 6 months of age with wet weight, dressed weight, fillet yield and gonad weight in tagged individuals at 18 months of age, following 12 months of farm grow-out. Fish survival and tag retention was high, and there was significant among-family variation for all traits. The phenotypic correlations among wet weight, dressed weight and fillet yield at 18 months of age were very high (0.93,0.97) and similar to their genetic correlations (0.96). Importantly, the phenotypic correlations between wet weight at 6 months and wet weight, dressed weight and fillet yield at 18 months were high (0.63,0.65), and so too were their genetic correlations (0.66,0.73), indicating the potential for using wet weight in the hatchery as a selection criterion for improved weight and meat yield of fish at harvest. Gonad weight shared little or no phenotypic or genetic correlation with these other traits, suggesting that selection for faster growing fish will not affect fecundity or sexual maturation rate. It appears, however, that cultured black bream do become sexually mature more rapidly than wild fish, as 78% of all fish harvested in this study had developing or mature gonads, whereas less than 50% of fish in wild populations are reproductively mature by the same age. Precocious sexual development may lead to uncontrolled spawning in grow-out ponds and a potential loss of selection gains. [source] Additive genetic and other sources of variation in growth traits of juvenile black bream Acanthopagrus butcheriAQUACULTURE RESEARCH, Issue 7 2005Robert G Doupé Abstract We used a factorial mating design to estimate the contribution of additive genetic, non-additive genetic and maternal effects to variation in growth traits of black bream Acanthopagrus butcheri (Munro) at 75, 130 and 180 days of age in the hatchery. Maternal genetic and environmental effects were greatest at 75 days of age, accounting for 9.1% of total phenotypic variance in wet weight, 11.4% of variance in standard length and 8.8% of variance in total length. At later ages maternal effects were much reduced, explaining 0.8,3.7% of phenotypic variance in growth traits. Additive genetic effects were greatest at 130 days of age, when they accounted for 17.4% of total phenotypic variance in wet weight, 21.4% of variance in standard length and 18.7% of variance in total length. Additive genetic effects were negligible (<1%) at 75 days of age and 4.8,5.5% of total phenotypic variance in growth traits at 180 days of age. Non-additive genetic effects (which also included common environmental effects because of families being raised in the same tank) explained 5.8,7.3% of total phenotypic variance in growth traits at 75 days of age, but were much smaller at later ages. Variable stocking densities among tanks up to 75 days significantly affected all growth trait measurements below 180 days of age. [source] Functional Mapping of Quantitative Trait Loci Underlying Growth Trajectories Using a Transform-Both-Sides Logistic ModelBIOMETRICS, Issue 3 2004Rongling Wu Summary The incorporation of developmental control mechanisms of growth has proven to be a powerful tool in mapping quantitative trait loci (QTL) underlying growth trajectories. A theoretical framework for implementing a QTL mapping strategy with growth laws has been established. This framework can be generalized to an arbitrary number of time points, where growth is measured, and becomes computationally more tractable, when the assumption of variance stationarity is made. In practice, however, this assumption is likely to be violated for age-specific growth traits due to a scale effect. In this article, we present a new statistical model for mapping growth QTL, which also addresses the problem of variance stationarity, by using a transform-both-sides (TBS) model advocated by Carroll and Ruppert (1984, Journal of the American Statistical Association79, 321,328). The TBS-based model for mapping growth QTL cannot only maintain the original biological properties of a growth model, but also can increase the accuracy and precision of parameter estimation and the power to detect a QTL responsible for growth differentiation. Using the TBS-based model, we successfully map a QTL governing growth trajectories to a linkage group in an example of forest trees. The statistical and biological properties of the estimates of this growth QTL position and effect are investigated using Monte Carlo simulation studies. The implications of our model for understanding the genetic architecture of growth are discussed. [source] More plant biomass results in more offspring production in annuals, or does it?OIKOS, Issue 9 2008Marina S. Neytcheva Competitive ability in plants has been previously measured almost exclusively in terms of traits related to growth (biomass) or plant size. In this study, however, we used a multi-species competition experiment with six annuals to measure relative competitive ability in terms of reproductive output, i.e. the number of offspring produced for the next generation. Under greenhouse conditions, plants of each species were started in pots from germinating seeds and were grown singly (free of competition) and at high density in both monocultures and in mixtures with all study species. Several traits traditionally regarded as determinants of competitive ability in plants were recorded for each species grown singly, including: seed mass, germination time, early growth rate and potential plant size (biomass and height). Under competition, several traits were recorded as indicators of relative performance in both monocultures and mixtures, including: biomass of survivors, total number of survivors, number of reproductive survivors, and reproductive output (total seed production) of the survivors. As expected, species that grew to a larger biomass in isolation had higher seed production in isolation. However, none of the traditional plant growth/size-related traits, measured either in isolation or under competition, could predict between species variation in reproductive output under competition in either monocultures or mixtures. In mixtures, 97% of this variation in reproductive output could be explained by between-species variation in the number of reproductive survivors. The results indicate that traits measured on plants grown singly may be poor predictors of reproductive output under competition, and that species' rank order of competitive ability in terms of the biomass of survivors may bear no relationship to their rank order in terms of the number of offspring produced by these survivors. This has important implications for the interpretation of mechanisms of species coexistence and community assembly within vegetation. [source] | |||||||||||||