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Anthocyanins gain more and more importance as natural colourants. Besides many other plant species, coloured potatoes could serve as a potential source. Therefore, 27 potato cultivars and four breeding clones of different origin were analysed for their anthocyanin contents in fresh weight (fw). On average the highest amounts of anthocyanins were found in the skin (0.65 g kg À1 fw) of potatoes. The corresponding values of samples taken from whole tubers (0.31 kg À1 fw) and flesh (0.22 kg À1 fw) were significantly lower (p<0.03). The analysis revealed considerable differences in the amounts of anthocyanins between the 31 cultivars/ breeding clones. Among them 'Peru Purple' revealed the highest anthocyanin content in the skin with 2.96 g kg À1 fw. A similar high value was reached by 'Violettfleischige' and clone 1.81.202-92 N. Also for the other two types of samples, flesh and whole tubers, these three genotypes exhibited the highest level of anthocyanins. Interestingly, different rates of nitrogen fertilization at 100 and 200 kg ha À1 had no significant effect on the pigment content of potatoes. The same was observed with respect to the year or the location of plant growth. There were also no significant changes in the anthocyanin contents of tubers during storage for 135 days. In dry matter, starch and protein contents the coloured potato cultivars/ breeding clones were comparable with traditional cultivars. Further tests have shown that the glycoalkaloids were mainly localized in the skin of coloured potatoes.

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Since the beginning of breeding narrow-leafed lupins [Lupinus angustifolius L. (Fabaceae)] with a low alkaloid content, susceptibility to several aphid species has increased. Therefore, the probing and feeding behavior of Aphis fabae Scopoli, Aphis craccivora Koch, Acyrthosiphon pisum (Harris), Myzus persicae (Sulzer), and the well-adapted Macrosiphum albifrons Essig (all Hemiptera: Aphididae) was studied over 12 h on narrow-leafed lupin genotypes containing varying amounts and compositions of alkaloids. We used the electrical penetration graph (EPG) technique to obtain information on the influence of alkaloid content and composition on the susceptibility to various aphid species. Results indicated that the total time of probing of A. fabae, A. craccivora, A. pisum, and M. persicae increased with a reduced alkaloid content, whereas the alkaloid content had no influence on M. albifrons. Almost all of the individuals (>93%) conducted sieve element phases on the highly susceptible genotype Bo083521AR (low alkaloid content). A reduced occurrence of phloem phases was observed during the 12-h recording on the alkaloid-rich cultivar Azuro, especially for A. pisum (37.5%) and A. fabae (55.0%). Furthermore, aphids feeding on genotypes with low alkaloid content had in most cases significantly longer sieve element phases than when feeding on resistant genotypes (Kalya: low alkaloid content, yet resistant; Azuro: high alkaloid content, resistant), whereas M. albifrons showed the longest phloem phase on the alkaloid-rich cultivar Azuro. As most significant differences were found in phloem-related parameters, it is likely that the most important plant factors influencing aphid probing and feeding behavior are localized in the sieve elements. The aphids' feeding behavior on the cultivar Kalya, with a low alkaloid content but reduced susceptibility, indicates that not only the total alkaloid content influences the feeding behavior but additional plant factors have an impact.

IntroductionEnvironmental effects on yield and seed composition of Lupinus angustifolius cvs. are often larger than differences between varieties (Jansen et al. 2005, Jürgens et al. 2007). The ambient temperature during the growing season is one of the most important environmental factors. As a result of global warming, higher temperatures will also be relevant in Central Europe in the future. High temperatures may limit the productivity of lupins in both Mediterranean and in cool temperate climate (Dracup et al. 1998) by reducing seed weight especially in narrow-leafed lupins (Reader et al. 1997). Besides this, temperature stress at flowering reduces the number of seed-containing pods of Lupinus angustifolius cvs. (Downes and Gladstones 1984a, ) and also vegetative growth and individual seed weight is the lowest at high temperatures. Conditions before flowering determine the growth of the inflorescence, but conditions after flowering affect seed yield (Downes and Gladstones 1984b). On the other hand, branching is most pronounced at lower temperatures (Downes and Gladstones 1984c). In contrast to L. angustifolius, seed yield for Lupinus albus cvs. is the highest at high temperature and long day conditions (Pakendorf and Joubert 1982). The effect of temperature and daylight on the growth and development of different lupin species and cultivars is well-documented. However, no results are reported up to now on the effect of temperature on the quality of lupin seeds.Not only the content of the main components (protein, non starch polysaccharides) but also the content of antinutritive substances in seeds of lupins and their content in relation to abiotic stress factors are important in human and animal nutrition. Although varieties of narrow-leafed lupins with a drastically reduced alkaloid level have been bred and released, it has to be taken into consideration, that agrochemical factors, such as fertilizers influence the alkaloid content in lupin seeds, e.g. the AbstractThree experiments were conducted to investigate the effects of high temperatures during seed filling on the alkaloid content of narrow-leaf lupin cultivars. Six cultivars of Lupinus angustifolius were grown in field experiments under different weather conditions in four subsequent years. A high content of alkaloids was found in the seeds harvested in 2006, in which the growing season was characterized by high ambient temperatures during seed filling. A second experiment was performed in the green house at different temperatures (10, 20 and 30°C) using one cultivar in 2006. This experiment confirmed the results of the field experiments as higher temperatures resulted in a higher alkaloid content of the seeds. In a third temperature stress experiment, three cultivars were grown under long day conditions at day/night temperatures of 30°C/ 16°C and 20°C/16°C in growth chambers in comparison with an outdoor control at mean temperatures of 15.5°C. Like in the other experiments, the seed alkaloid content increased with rising temperature. From these results...

Rye is the only cross-pollinating Triticeae crop species. Knowledge of rye genes controlling complex-inherited traits is scarce, which, currently, largely disables the genomics assisted introgression of untapped genetic variation from self-incompatible germplasm collections in elite inbred lines for hybrid breeding. We report on the first genome-wide association study (GWAS) in rye based on the phenotypic evaluation of 526 experimental hybrids for plant height, heading date, grain quality, and yield in 2 years and up to 19 environments. We established a cross-validated NIRS calibration model as a fast, effective, and robust analytical method to determine grain quality parameters. We observed phenotypic plasticity in plant height and tiller number as a resource use strategy of rye under drought and identified increased grain arabinoxylan content as a striking phenotype in osmotically stressed rye. We used DArTseq™ as a genotyping-by-sequencing technology to reduce the complexity of the rye genome. We established a novel high-density genetic linkage map that describes the position of almost 19k markers and that allowed us to estimate a low genome-wide LD based on the assessed genetic diversity in elite germplasm. We analyzed the relationship between plant height, heading date, agronomic, as well as grain quality traits, and genotype based on 20k novel single-nucleotide polymorphism markers. In addition, we integrated the DArTseq™ markers in the recently established ‘Lo7' reference genome assembly. We identified cross-validated SNPs in ‘Lo7' protein-coding genes associated with all traits studied. These include associations of the WUSCHEL-related homeobox transcription factor DWT1 and grain yield, the DELLA protein gene SLR1 and heading date, the Ethylene overproducer 1-like protein gene ETOL1 and thousand-grain weight, protein and starch content, as well as the Lectin receptor kinase SIT2 and plant height. A Leucine-rich repeat receptor protein kinase and a Xyloglucan alpha-1,6-xylosyltransferase count among the cross-validated genes associated with water-extractable arabinoxylan content. This study demonstrates the power of GWAS, hybrid breeding, and the reference genome sequence in rye genetics research to dissect and identify the function of genes shaping genetic diversity in agronomic and grain quality traits of rye. The described links between genetic causes and phenotypic variation will accelerate genomics-enabled rye improvement.

In recent years, the treatment of wounds with honey has received an increasing amount of attention from healthcare professionals in Germany and Austria. We conducted a prospective observational multicentre study using Medihoney™ dressings in 10 hospitals – nine in Germany and one in Austria. Wound‐associated parameters were monitored systematically at least three times in all patients. Data derived from the treatment of 121 wounds of various aetiologies over a period of 2 years were analysed. Almost half of the patients were younger than 18 years old, and 32% of the study population was oncology patients. Overall, wound size decreased significantly during the study period and many wounds healed after relatively short time periods. Similarly, perceived pain levels decreased significantly, and the wounds showed noticeably less slough/necrosis. In general, our findings show honey to be an effective and feasible treatment option for professional wound care. In addition, our study showed a relationship between pain and slough/necrosis at the time of recruitment and during wound healing. Future comparative trials are still needed to evaluate the extent to which the positive observations made in this and other studies can definitely be attributed to the effects of honey in wound care.

Arabinoxylans are considered as the major limiting factor for use of rye in animal feeding. In this study, four selected winter rye cultivars were grown at nine locations and tested for arabinoxylans including total (TAX), soluble (SAX) and insoluble fractions (IAX), extract viscosity, falling numbers and crude protein contents. Amounts of TAX ranged on average between 89 and 103 g/kg wholemeal flour, and the extract viscosity between 2.6 and 5.1 cSt. The extract viscosity was significantly correlated with falling numbers and all three arabinoxylan fractions. Arabinoxylan contents and extract viscosity were influenced by the rye genotype. The anthocyanin free hybrid cultivar Helltop combined reduced TAX, SAX and IAX levels with low extract viscosity and high crude protein contents and seems to be more suitable for use in animal feeding than the other three cultivars tested in this respect.