Food legumes are the main source of dietary protein for a large part of the world's population, and also play an important role in maintaining soil fertility through nitrogen fixation. However, legume yields and production are often limited by large genotype×environment (G×E) interactions that influence the expression of agronomically important, complex quantitative traits. Consequently, genetic improvement has been slower than expected. Molecular marker technology enables genetic dissection of such complex traits, allowing breeders to identify genomic regions on the chromosome that have main effects or interactive effects. A number of genomic resources have been developed in several legume species during the last two decades, and provide a platform for exploiting marker technology. The present paper reviews the available genomic resources in food legumes: linkage maps, high-throughput sequencing technologies, expression sequence tag (EST) databases, genome sequences, DNA chips, targeting induced local lesions in genomes (TILLING), bacterial artificial chromosome (BAC) libraries and others. It also describes how these resources are being used to tag and map genes/quantitative trait loci (QTLs) for domesticated and other agronomically important traits. This information is important to genetic improvement efforts aiming at improving food and nutrition security worldwide.

The present paper compares standard and novel methods for analysing aggregated patterns of plant death in designed field experiments; these methods include binomial (BN), beta-binomial (BBN), logistic-normal-binomial (LNB), BN models with random blocks, BN models with smooth-scale spatial components and principal coordinates of neighbour matrices (PCNM). PCNM is a relatively new technique used in ecology to determine how much observed variability can be explained by spatial and environmental variables, and has not yet been applied to agricultural studies. The survival data of two pasture species, collected from a designed field experiment that was replicated at multiple locations, were used. First, the occurrence of overdispersion was tested using the BN and BBN distributions. Goodness-of-fit tests proved that the BBN model provided a better description (better fit) of the observed data in some cases than did the BN distribution, indicating overdispersion was present. When overdispersion was not present, the BN distribution was adequate to describe the data, and the use of the BBN distribution was superfluous. It is then shown that the PCNM approach, the BN model with smooth-scale spatial components and the LNB model were able to account for some of the variation as spatial variability, thus reducing the species effect compared with that explained under the standard BN model. The amount of variation among species according to the BN model and the BN model with random blocks was similar. Therefore, it is argued that the novel PCNM approach warrants further testing when exploring the spatial variability in designed experiments in agriculture and using LNB, PCNM and BN with smooth-scale spatial components may provide better predictions of species effects than do other, more conventional, approaches.

At high northern latitudes, growing seasons are short with long days. In these conditions, tillering is an unwanted trait in barley (Hordeum vulgare L.), because the grains on tillers develop later than those on the main stem and are often harvested before they are fully mature, leading to reductions in overall quality. Hence, the uniculm growth habit has been considered an interesting option for boreal barley production. The aim of the present study was to determine the differences in the yield formation of conventional tillering and uniculm barley, using two pairs of near-isogenic lines and two controls. Uniculm and conventional tillering barley were grown in three experiments conducted at Suitia Experimental Farm, University Helsinki, Finland during 1999–2001. Samples were collected frequently to monitor the biomass and leaf area accumulation. Water-soluble carbohydrate content was analysed at anthesis and at maturity in different plant parts. At maturity, the numbers of spikes/plant and grains/spike were calculated and grain yield weighed. The grain yield of the uniculm barleys was stable over these growing seasons, but it was only half that of the conventional barley cultivars due to the absence of spike-bearing tillers, lower spike grain number and spike weight. In addition, the ability to transport photosynthesized carbohydrates to grains may have been reduced. Thus, it seems that uniculm barleys do not provide further improvement in barley yield.

Organically grown lucerne (Medicago sativa L.) should ensure sufficiently high forage and seed yields to sustain the profitability of organic production chains. Twenty lucerne populations were evaluated for forage dry matter (DM) yield over 3 years (2005–7), and for seed yield and its components in the third year, under organic management and a mowing regime in Lodi (sub-continental climate with sandy-loam soil) and Perugia (sub-Mediterranean climate with silty-clay soil). The objectives were to assess the impact on lucerne forage and seed yield of: (i) type of germplasm (landrace or commercial cultivar); (ii) plant growth habit (erect or non-conventional); (iii) area of germplasm origin or selection (northern Italy north of the Po river, NI-N; northern Italy south of the Po river, NI-S; central Italy, CI). The populations included seven cultivars selected under conventional management and one selected under organic management, seven landraces and five breeding selections, of which one was semi-erect and one was semi-prostrate. On average, cultivar and landrace germplasm types did not differ for forage or seed yield in any geographic set of populations (NI-N, NI-S or CI), except for the higher seed yield of landraces in one set. Compared with erect germplasm, semi-prostrate germplasm exhibited distinctly lower forage and seed yield, especially where weed competition was severe (Lodi) because of poor competitive ability. Semi-erect germplasm tended to have lower forage yield across locations. Specific adaptation was the main determinant of forage and seed yield responses of landraces and cultivars. Erect populations originated in NI-N were high yielding in the test site similar to NI-N environments (Lodi) and low yielding in the location representing CI environments (Perugia). Populations that originated in CI, including the cultivar selected under organic management, displayed the opposite adaptive response. Populations that originated in NI-S, whose major environmental characteristics were somewhat intermediate between NI-N and CI, tended to be mid-ranking for forage and seed yield in each site. The large cross-over population×location interaction was confirmed by the lack of genetic correlation for forage yield (rg=−0·25, P>0·20) and the negative genetic correlation for seed yield (rg=−0·68, P<0·05) of populations across locations. No genetic correlation across locations was found for density of fertile tillers and pod fertility. The association of population seed yield with its component traits was site-specific. Cropping and seed multiplication of locally adapted erect cultivars have paramount importance for mown organically grown lucerne in Italy.

Pigeonpea is an important rainfed pulse crop grown in the rainy season that is subject to waterlogging. There are not many sources of waterlogging tolerance available; therefore the mini core pigeonpea germplasm (n=146) were screened, along with a few genotypes already reported to exhibit tolerance. Five trials were conducted starting at 40 and 50 days after sowing (DAS) in 2008, and at 40, 62 and 76 DAS in 2009. The mortality rate in any trial depended on the vapour pressure deficits (VPD) that prevailed during waterlogging and the recovery periods. There were large and highly significant variations due to genotype and to genotype×trial interactions. The heritability of individual trials ranged from 0·27 to 0·75, while it was 0·40 when all the trials were considered together. The survival counts were grouped into representative groups using a hierarchical cluster analysis, which yielded five distinctive groups. The highly tolerant group, with above-average survival means in all five trials, comprised 24 accessions. None of the previously tested or control entries appeared in this group. The sensitive entries comprised 37 accessions including ICP 7035, ICP 8338 and ICP 13562, which were known to be sensitive from previous reports. The tolerant group comprised 39 accessions, moderately tolerant 42 and moderately sensitive 18. Survival during waterlogging and a rapid recovery are considered equally important for categorizing the genotypes and their further use.

The nodal distribution of free polyamines (important regulators of flower induction) in cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) ovaries was determined by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). The objective of the study was to investigate the nodal distribution of putrescine (Put), spermidine (Spd) and spermine (Sp) of cotton lines (G. hirsutum L.), and to determine whether there are differences in ovarian polyamine content among three commercial cotton cultivars. A field study was conducted in 2005 and 2006 using the cultivars FM960BR, ST5599BR and DP444BR. Free polyamines Put, Spd and Sp were determined in ovarian tissue of first-position white flowers starting at the beginning of anthesis and collected from the 7th, 9th, 11th and 13th main-stem nodes for four consecutive weeks. There was no significant nodal position by cultivar interaction; thus, the main effects were tested. Put content decreased acropetally along the main stem of the cotton plant with the highest content observed at the 7th node and the lowest at the 13th node. Spd content decreased below and above the 9th node, with the 9th node showing the highest amount of Spd and the 13th node the lowest in both years of the study. Similarly, Sp content decreased below and above the 9th node. In general, the 7th and the 9th node had the highest titre of free polyamines. Among the cultivars tested, FM960BR showed higher polyamine content in one season; however, the observation was not consistent from year to year. The highest amounts of polyamines were observed at the 7th and the 9th node of cotton and this may be associated with the known yield distribution: almost 0·80 of the total yield of cotton is derived from these nodal positions.

Determining the rate of hoof horn growth in sheep is important for understanding the physiology and pathology of the foot and the impact of the environment and the treatment of diseased feet on foot health. It could lead to improved understanding of the interaction between hoof horn and pasture/barn floor characteristics and in methods for prevention and treatment of ovine foot diseases. In the current study, the hoof horn was measured using a previously tested protocol on all eight digits of 21 healthy yearling mule ewes on a farm in North Wales on four occasions over a period of 53 days. The mean hoof horn growth rate was 0·11 mm (s.e.m. 0·02) per day; the residual error variance was 0·024 and the R2 was 0·245. There were no significant differences between hoof horn growth rates in front and hind feet or between medial and lateral claws or over time.

The foraging behaviour and dietary selection of free-ranging Awassi sheep and Negev goats when shepherded in the Negev Desert was determined. Measurements were made for 9 weeks (W1–W9) from the beginning of February, following winter rains and emergence of annual plants, to the end of March, after the herbaceous vegetation dried up. Since sheep are grazers and goats are intermediate feeders, it was predicted that goats would browse more and consume proportionately more browse than sheep. These predictions were only partially supported. In fact, the foraging pattern was similar between sheep and goats (Mantel test, P<0·05) until W8 and only towards the end, at W9, did patterns differ significantly (Mantel test, P=0·214) between these two ruminants. There was no difference (P=0·575) between sheep and goats in foraging; however, a period effect was found (P<0·001). In February (W2), sheep and goats grazed 0·69 and 0·71 of the time allotted for foraging and neither species browsed. Browsing commenced only at the beginning of March (W4), when goats browsed 0·08 of the time and sheep 0·07 of the allotted time for foraging. The proportion of time spent browsing increased at the end of March (W9) when annuals disappeared, but the total time spent foraging decreased: goats browsed 0·29 and grazed 0·25, while sheep browsed 0·19 and grazed 0·26 of the time allotted for foraging. Goats increased the proportion of browse consumed gradually throughout the season, whereas sheep maintained a relatively higher proportion of herbaceous plants and only in late March (W8), at which time very little herbaceous plants were available, shifted abruptly to consume mainly browse. In W8, browse composed 0·85 of the dry matter (DM) intake in goats and 0·62 of the DM intake in sheep. A simultaneous analysis of foraging time allocation and relative diet composition revealed that both small ruminants were more efficient in consuming browse than herbaceous plants, more so in goats than sheep. It was concluded that vegetation availability and foraging habits affected dietary selection. Both sheep and goats only grazed when herbaceous plants were abundantly available; differences between ruminant species were apparent when herbaceous plants became scarcer, at which time goats browsed more and consumed proportionately more browse than sheep. The results contribute to better understanding of feeding behaviour and dietary selection of sheep and goats under natural desert pastures and could be useful in the management of mixed flocks.

A seasonal processing sector model was developed to simulate dairy product manufacture in Ireland. Outputs include the quantity of product manufactured, net returns and component values of milk (protein and fat) per month of year. Two milk supply profiles representative of mean calving dates of mid-February and mid-March were evaluated across three milk processing plants with differing capacities for cheese and casein. The analysis was carried out based on average Dutch National quotations over the period 2008–10. The mid-February mean calving date resulted in a lower peak supply with proportionately more milk produced in the months of January–March and October–December, which resulted in higher net returns across the three capacities analysed. Increasing the cheese and casein processing capacity resulted in higher net returns being generated.