Agrotecnio Center

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https://repositori.udl.cat/handle/10459.1/56965
Agrotecnio aims to become a reference in Europe addressing all the key elements of the food production chain in an integrated way focusing on target crops and animals of commercial importance, rather than model systems. This later aspect sets our centre apart from other centers which focus on fundamental science and/or model plant and animal systems. As a result we should be able to address fundamental and important questions in the crop/animal of interest and results from our research will be directly and immediately applicable to our target organism. [Més informació]

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Browsing Agrotecnio Center by Author "Abecia, Leticia"

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    Effect of slurry dilution, structural carbohydrates, and exogenous archaea supply on in vitro anaerobe fermentation and methanogens population of swine slurry
    (American Institute of Chemical Engineers (AIChE), 2015-01) Morazán Nuñez, Henris Jobany; Seradj, Ahmad Reza; Álvarez Rodríguez, Javier; Abecia, Leticia; Babot Gaspa, Daniel; Yañez-Ruiz, David R.; Balcells Terés, Joaquim
    Artificial slurry (4% dry matter) was prepared using fresh feces and urine obtained from four pregnant sows fed with commercial diet. Freeze-dried dairy cattle feces were used (external archaea) as co-inoculum (Co-i) and structural carbohydrates (CHO: apple pulp; sugar beet pulp; and wheat straw) as substrates. Bottles were incubated (39 +/- 1 degrees C for 56 days), and the gas production was measured (mbar) and converted to the volume. A sample of produced gas was taken and analyzed for methane concentration using a gas chromatography. Bottles were opened at days 0, 25, and 56 to determine total bacteria, total, and hydrogenotrophic methanogens archaea (HMA) concentrations using quantitative polymerase chain reaction and population biodiversity using denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE). Incubation time reduced the titers of total bacteria and archaea (P<0.01) but did not modify HMA population. Doses of Co-i showed a positive correlation with HMA titers, although interacted with an incubation period (P<0.001); at 5% Co-inoculation, total bacteria decreased significantly (0-25 days) but remained steady until day 56 (P>0.05), whereas at 10% Co inoculation, titers decreased constantly. Most of the archaeal DGGE bands were observed in all samples, suggesting a common microbial population origin but Co-i supply altered the DGGE structure of archaea populations
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    The effect of Bioflavex® and its pure flavonoid components on in vitro fermentation parameters and methane production in rumen fluid from steers given high concentrate diets
    (Elsevier, 2014-11) Seradj, Ahmad Reza; Abecia, Leticia; Crespo, J.; Villalba Mata, Daniel; Fondevila, Manuel; Balcells Terés, Joaquim
    An in vitro assay was designed to analyze the effect of either Bioflavex (R) (BF) or each of its pure flavonoid components [Neoeriocitrine (NE), Naringine (NG), Isonaringine (IN), Hesperidine (HS), Neohesperidine (NH), Poncirine (PC)] added at 200 mu g/g dry matter.(DM) incubated substrate on rumen fermentation, methane production (CH4) and microbial population. A treatment without flavonoids was also included as a control (CTR). Rumen liquor harvested from four steers fed with high concentrate diets was used as inoculum in four 72 h incubation series. Two samples were taken at the onset of each incubation series (Time 0), and two bottles per treatment were also opened after 12 h and sampled for pH, NH3-N, volatile fatty acids (VFA) and microbiology analyses [total bacteria, Streptococcus bovis, Selenomonas ruminantium, Megasphaera elsdenii, total archaea (TA), hydrogenotrophic methanogenic archaea (HMA) and Methanosarcina spp. (as acetoclastic methanogen)] using quantitative PCR. The addition of BF or its flavonoid components mitigated the cumulative gas production (P<0.01), except for NE and PC, but no differences (P>0.10) were recorded in the gas production rate (mL/h). At 12 h post incubation methane production (mL/g DM) was reduced (P<0.01) by flavonoid addition, except for NE and NG, that did not differ from CTR. No changes were detected in total VFA concentration, but flavonoids increased propionate to the detriment of acetate proportion (P<0.01). The abundance of HMA population was reduced (P<0.01) by BF and its main components (NG and NH). Relative quantification of the lactate producing bacteria S. bovis was not affected by the addition of flavonoids except for a significant increase recorded with NE (P<0.01), whereas the concentration of the lactate consuming M. elsdenii was increased by BF, NG, NH and PC (P<0.01). Relative quantification of HMA was clearly inhibited (P<0.01) by the addition of flavonoids, this effect being more pronounced with BF, NH and NG. Concentration of Methanosarcina spp. was also inhibited by PC, NH, NG and BF (P<0.01). Addition of flavonoid substances enhances fermentation efficiency by improving propionate in detriment of acetate production and clearly depressed HMA communities.