Meat quality traits are economically important because they affect consumers' acceptance, which, in turn, influences the demand for beef. However, selection to improve meat quality is limited by the small numbers of animals on which meat tenderness can be evaluated due to the cost of performing shear force analysis and the resultant damage to the carcass. Genome wide-association studies for Warner-Bratzler shear force measured at different times of meat aging, backfat thickness, ribeye muscle area, scanning parameters [lightness, redness (a*), and yellowness] to ascertain color characteristics of meat and fat, water-holding capacity, cooking loss (CL), and muscle pH were conducted using genotype data from the Illumina BovineHD BeadChip array to identify quantitative trait loci (QTL) in all phenotyped Nelore cattle. Phenotype count for these animals ranged from 430 to 536 across traits. Meat quality traits in Nelore are controlled by numerous QTL of small effect, except for a small number of large-effect QTL identified for a*fat, CL, and pH. Genomic regions harboring these QTL and the pathways in which the genes from these regions act appear to differ from those identified in taurine cattle for meat quality traits. These results will guide future QTL mapping studies and the development of models for the prediction of genetic merit to implement genomic selection for meat quality in Nelore cattle.

Multivariate analysis of milk yield, lactation length, and calving interval in female buffaloes ¤ Análisis multivariado de la producción de leche, duración de la lactancia y el intervalo entre partos en búfalas Análise multivariada da produção de leite, duração da lactação e intervalo de parto em búfalas

Conventional cotton production in western Bahia, Brazil, involves intensive use of agricultural inputs and mechanization, which may affect arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF). This work aimed at studying the impact of conventional and organic cotton production in the AMF of western Bahia. Soil samples were obtained from conventional white cotton and colored cotton organic production systems as well as from native Cerrado areas, close to the white cotton fields, and from the subcaducifolia vegetation, close to the organic colored cotton farms. The most frequent species in the conventional farming areas belonged to the genera Acaulospora (10 spp.); Glomus (8 spp.); Dentiscutata (3 spp.); Ambispora, Pacispora and Scutellospora (2 spp. each), as well as Claroideoglomus etunicatum, Diversispora sp., Entrophospora infrequens, Gigaspora sp., Orbispora pernambucana, Paradentiscutata maritima, and Paraglomus occultum. eighteen species were found in the organic farming areas, with the predominance of Glomus (5 spp.) and Acaulospora (5 spp.), and with Claroideoglomus, Dentiscutata, Gigaspora, Corymbiglomus, Orbispora, Paraglomus, Scutellospora, and Simiglomus (1 spp. each). Paraglomus bolivianum was first reported in Cerrado. In the native vegetation, nine species were found, with the predominance of Glomus and Acaulospora. The highest number of AMF species was found in the organic farming areas, which deserves further investigation.