The New World screwworm, Cochliomyia hominivorax, is an obligate parasite, which is a major pest of livestock. While the sterile insect technique was used very successfully to eradicate C. hominivorax from North and Central America, more cost-effective genetic methods will likely be needed in South America. The recent development of CRISPR/Cas9-based genetic approaches, such as homing gene drive, could provide a very efficient means for the suppression of C. hominivorax populations. One component of a drive system is the guide RNA(s) driven by a U6 gene promoter.

El sobrepastoreo de los campos naturales ha determinado la disminución de especies nativas de alto valor forrajero, como es el caso de Bromus auleticus Trin. ex Nees en el bioma Campos. La reintroducción de especies nativas de alto valor forrajero sembradas sobre el campo natural aparece como una tecnología promisoria para la recuperación de dichos ambientes. No obstante, no ha sido suficientemente desarrollada principalmente por la falta de semilla comercial de la especie y por falta de información que oriente el manejo de la implantación.

ABSTRACT.- Ensifer (syn. Sinorhizobium) meliloti U143 is an effective nitrogen-fixing strain isolated from Uruguayan soils. For decades, this strain has been used as an inoculant for different alfalfa cultivars. Here we report for the first time a characterization of the U143 elite strain that includes the preliminary genomic sequence, its annotation, and physiological parameters related to its symbiotic efficiency and nitrate respiration capacity. Through Illumina sequencing, the genome of the U143 strain was sequenced.

ABSTRACT.- Ensifer (syn. Sinorhizobium) meliloti U143 is an effective nitrogen-fixing strain isolated from Uruguayan soils. For decades, this strain has been used as an inoculant for different alfalfa cultivars. Here we report for the first time a characterization of the U143 elite strain that includes the preliminary genomic sequence, its annotation, and physiological parameters related to its symbiotic efficiency and nitrate respiration capacity. Through Illumina sequencing, the genome of the U143 strain was sequenced.

Defoliation management is determinant of forage production and plant persistence. The objective of this study was to identify grazing suitability and stability of herbage production of INIA Sepé subjected to four intensities of defoliation (represented for sward canopies of 3, 10, 17 and 24 cm maintained constant through weekly cuts) and two rates of nitrogen fertilization (100 and 300 kg ha-1).

ABSTRACT.- Eucalyptus is one of the mainstays of the forest industry, contributing high-quality raw materials for pulp, paper, wood, and energy production. The typical approaches to reveal the genetic basis of important traits include classical Quantitative Trait Locus (QTL) mapping and Genome-Wide Association Studies (GWAS) approaches, but these are typically expensive and time-consuming. Here we evaluate the potential of Extreme-Phenotype GWAS (XP-GWAS) to identify candidate genes underlying a quantitative trait in Eucalyptus, using the timing of leaf heteroblasty as a case study.

ABSTRACT.- Eucalyptus is one of the mainstays of the forest industry, contributing high-quality raw materials for pulp, paper, wood, and energy production. The typical approaches to reveal the genetic basis of important traits include classical Quantitative Trait Locus (QTL) mapping and Genome-Wide Association Studies (GWAS) approaches, but these are typically expensive and time-consuming. Here we evaluate the potential of Extreme-Phenotype GWAS (XP-GWAS) to identify candidate genes underlying a quantitative trait in Eucalyptus, using the timing of leaf heteroblasty as a case study.

ABSTRACT.- Genotype by environment interaction (GEI) is one of the main challenges in plant breeding. A complete characterization of it is necessary to decide on proper breeding strategies. Random regression models (RRMs) allow a genotype-specific response to each regressor factor. RRMs that include selected environmental variables represent a promising approach to deal with GEI in genomic prediction. They enable to predict for both tested and untested environments, but their utility in a plant breeding scenario remains to be shown.

Lycopene is a potent antioxidant carotenoid pigment found intomatoes and other red fruits. @2023 The Authors. Plant Biotechnology Journalpublished by Society for Experimental Biology and The Association of Applied Biologists and John Wiley & Sons Ltd

ABSTRACT.- Eucalyptus species have a great capacity for regeneration after harvest, which allows a second rotation as a coppice crop. The decision whether to manage the next rotation as a coppice crop or to replant depends on the expected economic result of each alternative. The problem that foresters face is the difficulty of predicting the productivity in the next rotation, which will depend largely on the percentage of stumps that resprout.