IRTA Institute of Agrifood Research and Technology

Breeding animals to produce more robust and disease-resistant pig populations becomes a complementary strategy to the more conventional methods of biosecurity and vaccination. The objective of this study was to explore the ability of a panel of genetic markers and immunity parameters to predict the survival rates during a natural PRRSV outbreak. Ten-week-old female Duroc pigs ( n = 129), obtained from 61 sows and 20 boars, were naturally infected with a highly pathogenic PRRSV genotype 1 strain. Prior to infection, piglets were screened for immunity parameters (IgG levels in plasma and SOX13 mRNA expression in blood) and genetic markers previously associated to PRRSV immune response and immunity traits. Additionally, the 20 boars were genotyped with a panel of 132 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs). Survival analysis showed that mortality was significantly higher for animals with low basal IgG levels in plasma and/or high SOX13 mRNA expression in blood. The genotypes of sires for SNPs associated with IgG plasma levels, CRP in serum, percentage of γδ T cells, lymphocyte phagocytic capacity, total number of lymphocytes and leukocytes, and MCV and MCH were significantly associated with the number of surviving offspring. Furthermore, CD163 and GBP5 markers were also associated to piglet survival. The effects of these SNPs were polygenic and cumulative, survival decreased from 94 to 21% as more susceptible alleles were accumulated for the different markers. Our results confirmed the existence of genetic variability in survival after PRRSV infection and provided a set of genetic markers and immunity traits associated with PRRS resistance.

The International Agency for Research on Cancer classified processed meats (PMs) as “carcinogenic” and red meat as “probably carcinogenic” for humans ⁽¹⁾ . The possible relationship between colorectal cancer (CRC) risk and processed meats (PMs), along with the specific compound contributing to this association have not been established yet. Nitrosyl-heme and heme iron have been proposed as potential-related compounds. The aim of this study was to assess the association of nitrosyl-heme and heme iron intake with CRC risk among participants from the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC) Spain study. This prospective study included 38,262 subjects (61.5% females) from the EPIC-Spain study. Food consumption was assessed by a validated diet history questionnaire ⁽²⁾ . Dietary intake of nitrosylheme and heme iron was estimated by matching PMs intake and composition data based on laboratory analyses conducted using a High Performance Liquid Chromatography method ⁽³⁾ . In brief, the daily intake of nitrosyl-heme and heme iron was determined by multiplying the intake of each PM (in grams/day) by its corresponding content of nitrosyl-heme and heme iron, and then summing up the estimated intakes from all PMs. The proportional hazards models were used to examine the association between sex-specific tertiles of nitrosyl-heme and heme iron intake and CRC risk and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were computed using Cox regression. Age served as the time scale, stratified by age and centre with adjustments for sex, energy intake, body mass index (BMI), waist circumference, education, smoking, physical activity in MET-h/week, lifetime alcohol consumption, dietary fibre, calcium intake, and family CRC history. Homogeneity of location subtype risk was also assessed. Interactions with smoking, BMI, physical activity, and alcohol were examined and sensitivity analyses were also conducted excluding the first three years of follow-up. During a mean follow-up of 16.7 years, 577 CRC were identified. We found no overall association between nitrosyl-heme (T3 vs T1; HR: 0.98 (95% CI: 0.79-1.21)) or heme iron intakes (T3 vs T1; HR: 0.88 (95% CI: 0.70-1.10)) with CRC risk, nor according to tumour subtypes. However, we found a non-statistically significant positive association between nitrosyl-heme intake and proximal colon, HR = 1.03; 95% CI, (0.65-1.61) and rectum cancer, HR = 1.04; 95% CI, (0.70-1.56). Our study found no evidence supporting a link between nitrosyl-heme or heme iron intake and CRC risk in Spanish subjects from the EPIC cohort. As these results are novel and preliminary, more heterogeneous studies are necessary to provide more convincing evidence on their role in colorectal carcinogenesis.

Production of olive oils (OOs) is a key industrial activity mainly in the countries of the Mediterranean Basin. As it is well known, the production of olives has two destinations: obtaining olive oils and generating table olives. Nowadays, production of olives is mainly directed to the extraction of olive oils, although world production of table olives was 2.5 106 tons in 2022, with an increase of 44% in the last 15 years. In recent years, and from the perspective of the production of early harvest virgin olive oils, it is worth highlighting the introduction of cold technology in preliminary external and internal operations and in the preparatory stages of olive pastes, fundamentally in the malaxation operation. In order to differentiate the oils produced between olive-growing regions, other milling equipment different to hammer mill has been introduced. The change in this type of mill, fundamentally, has two objectives: reduce the formation of emulsions and increase the effect of dilaceration. Recently, new technologies have been introduced to replace or reduce the malaxation stage: thermomechanical extruder (“Protoreattore”), ultra vacuum malaxation (“Booster”), paste treatment by electric pulses, and use of high-power ultrasounds. This equipment, tested at an industrial level in Spanish and Italian oil mills, seems to decrease the malaxation time and increase the organoleptic quality of virgin olive oils produced. Among the different historical milestones that have caused significant changes in the production of OOs, the incorporation of centrifugation technology allowed to replace extraction process by pressure, achieving a continuous separation and, with it, a leap towards the modernization of the sector. The replacement of the decanter with three outlets for those with two outlets resulted in the elimination of ‘alpechines’ (olive waste water), although a new olive pomace with high degrees of humidity is produced. From an environmental point of view, the change made can be considered positive, provided that there is an olive-pomace oil extraction industry that can manage these moist pomaces properly. Regarding the quality of the oils, the extraction systems using two-outlet decanter have led to products with a somewhat different composition, in general, a higher content of phenolic compounds, increasing the oxidative stability of the product. The future of the olive oil industry must move towards a greater interrelation between olive oil production, conservation of the environment and energy generation.

The olive cultivation and oil extraction processes generate wastewaters and solid wastes that have a large impact on ecosystems due to their high organic matter content and phytotoxicity. Olive mill wastewater (OMW) has a generation ratio between 0.4–0.6 and 0.8–1.2 liters of OMW per kg of olive fruits for batch pressing and continuous centrifugation system using two-outlet decanters, respectively. In addition, the semisolid waste obtained is usually dried and deoiled, resulting in a by-product known as “extracted pomace” (by-product from extraction process), which constitutes a very interesting solid biofuel with a higher heating value in the range of 13.8–15.8 MJ/kg. It is estimated that olive pomace (OP) is one of the major by-products, with a generation ratio of 0.3–0.4 kg-OP/kg of olive fruits. Olive leaves are generated at the first stage of the olive oil processing and can weigh up to 10% of the raw material that arrives at the mill. Finally, olive stones and seeds (16–25% of the total olive fruit weight) are recovered after oil separation in olive mills or from the olive table industry. Taking into account the huge amount of wastes produced during the olive oil extraction, it is not surprising the search for strategies to transform these olive oil wastes into resources for olive production. In addition to this, another approach is the promotion of diversified agroecosystems with a broader biodiversity and ecosystem services, through the design and implementation of mixed farming systems (i.e., integration of livestock and olive cultivation). This chapter briefly reviews well-established and emerging valorization technologies applied mainly to by-products and OMW. Among others, there are biological-based processes such as composting or biogas production, but also thermochemical technologies such combustion, gasification, and pyrolysis (olive stones and seeds have been mainly used as an energy source), or concentration techniques such as spray-drying and the production of biosorbents. In some cases, these practices are integrated with extractive processes, using supercritical fluids or pressurized liquids and ultrasound-assisted or microwave-assisted extractions, to separate specific high-value compounds as fatty acids, antioxidants, enzymes, dietary animal supplements, and functional ingredients for food, cosmetic, and pharmaceutical industries.

Numerous arthropod pest species can cause significant losses in the quantity and quality of stored products. Currently, the most common pest control strategy is the use of a limited number of authorized synthetic insecticides. However, the overuse of these insecticides has led to an increase in pesticide resistance, reducing their effectiveness. Biological control using natural enemies offers an effective alternative to prevent insect populations from reaching pest status. Generalist predatory mites are noted for their potential as biocontrol agents as they can prey on a large variety of pest species and are easy to manage and apply. We evaluated the suitability of three predatory mites, Blattisocius tarsalis, Cheyletus malaccensis, and Amblyseius swirskii, for controlling several insect pests that are usually present in stored cereals. Prey acceptance and predation rates were assessed in experiments in which a known number of preys were offered to mite females in different arenas. Blattisocius tarsalis and C. malaccensis exhibited broad polyphagous behavior on insect pests commonly found in stored rice and other cereals. In contrast, A. swirskii was ineffective against these pest species. The efficacy of B. tarsalis and C. malaccensis, individually or in combination, in controlling populations of Oryzaephilus surinamensis and Sitotroga cerealella in medium-size arenas was also evaluated. Whether individually or in combination, both predatory mites reduced populations of O. surinamensis or of S. cerealella by half. These results suggest that periodic releases of these predatory mites could maintain these pest populations under control.

BACKGROUND With growing concerns over the adverse effects of animal‐derived products on health, animal welfare and the environment, the rising popularity of plant‐based foods underscores the importance of understanding consumer preferences and determining acceptance. The present study takes the form of a case study that utilized innovative legume‐based flours to develop multiple gnocchi products. The Becker–DeGroot–Marschak (BDM) mechanism as an auction method was employed to elicit consumers’ willingness to pay (WTP) following a hedonic evaluation test involving 127 Spanish consumers. RESULTS The findings indicate that a majority of consumers exhibit a high level of environmental concern, coupled with increased trust in, as well as perceptions of, the benefits of consuming plant‐based products. However, they demonstrated moderate attitudes with regard to plant‐based products. Notably, product sample tasting had a negative impact on consumers’ WTP for legume‐based gnocchi. The respondents' education level, income, financial situation, government support, environmental concerns, perceived risks, flavor and color significantly influenced consumers’ WTP. CONCLUSION The present study offers initial insights into consumer attitudes and WTP for legume‐based products in Spain. The findings are of relevance for producers and marketers aiming to promote environmentally‐sustainable food production and consumption. They may also play a pivotal role in facilitating the successful introduction and sale of such plant‐based products in the Spanish market. Going forward, addressing any limitations of this study and exploring further research avenues will be crucial for refining our understanding of consumer behavior in this context. © 2024 The Author(s). Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry.

This study examines the global evolution of sow productivity, with a particular focus on Spain. The analysis is based on key performance metrics such as piglets weaned per sow per year (PWSY), prolificacy, and pre-weaning mortality, utilizing data from literature reviews, the InterPIG, and BDporc® databases. Globally, significant advancements in genetic selection and management practices have led to productivity increases across major pig-producing countries, with notable improvements in prolificacy. However, higher prolificacy has been accompanied by rising piglet mortality rates during lactation, posing sustainability challenges. In Spain, the average productivity of commercial sows increased from 23.78 PWSY in 2009 to 29.45 PWSY in 2023, while Iberian sows reached an average of 17.44 PWSY. Despite these gains, Spain’s figures remain slightly below the European Union average. The study highlights the need for new benchmarks, such as non-productive days, piglet survival, and sow longevity, to more accurately assess farm efficiency. These indicators, combined with considerations for animal welfare and environmental sustainability, are crucial for addressing current challenges such as piglet mortality, sow culling, and the carbon footprint. The findings emphasize the importance of adopting comprehensive management strategies that balance productivity with growing social and environmental demands on the swine industry.

Global change is eroding freshwater biodiversity at higher rates than in any other ecosystem, potentially entailing a parallel degradation of ecosystem functions such as the predation function. However, the relationships between biodiversity and predation effectiveness remain poorly explored in freshwater ecosystems, largely due to the unavailability of easy-to-apply methods that allow to characterize the predation function under real-field conditions. Here we proposed the chironomid sentinel cards as a fast, reliable, and standardized method to estimate predation rates in aquatic ecosystems. Briefly, by easily gluing a set of commercially available chironomid larvae to a plastic card and offering them to aquatic predators during a timelapse we can quantify removal rates, and hence the predation function. As an indicator of the usefulness of the method, we additionally assessed whether the use of chironomid sentinel cards allows to link the estimated predation rates to three descriptors of predator assemblages: i) taxa richness, ii) Hill evenness, and iii) abundance of aquatic predators. To do that, we combined a thorough sampling of aquatic macroinvertebrate predators with a large deployment of chironomid sentinel cards across 12 flooded rice fields during three different stages of the rice phenological cycle. Our results show that the three biodiversity indexes were positively related to the predation rate estimates, highlighting the sensibility of the method to changes in predator assemblages. We therefore conclude that the methodology is suitable to assess potential biodiversity-predation links under field aquatic conditions. We advocate to use the chironomid sentinel cards as an easy-to-apply, fast, and standardized method that allows comparisons of predation effectiveness across different shallow freshwater ecosystems.

Streptococcus suis is a Gram-positive opportunistic pathogen causing systemic disease in piglets around weaning age. The factors predisposing to disease are not known. We hypothesized that the tonsillar microbiota might influence disease risk via colonization resistance and/or co-infections. We conducted a cross-sectional case–control study within outbreak farms complemented by selective longitudinal sampling and comparison with control farms without disease occurrence. We found a small but significant difference in tonsil microbiota composition between case and control piglets ( n =45+45). Variants of putative commensal taxa, including Rothia nasimurium , were reduced in abundance in case piglets compared to asymptomatic controls. Case piglets had higher relative abundances of Fusobacterium gastrosuis , Bacteroides heparinolyticus and uncultured Prevotella and Alloprevotella species. Piglets developing disease post-weaning had reduced alpha diversity pre-weaning. Despite case–control pairs receiving equal antimicrobial treatment, case piglets had a higher abundance of antimicrobial resistance genes conferring resistance to antimicrobial classes used to treat S. suis . This might be an adaption of disease-associated strains to frequent antimicrobial treatment.

Almond breeding is increasingly focusing on kernel quality. However, unlike other agronomic traits, the genetic basis of physical and chemical kernel quality traits has been poorly investigated. To address this gap, we conducted a QTL mapping of these traits to enhance our understanding of their genetic control. We phenotyped fruit samples from an F1 population derived from the cross between ‘Marcona’ and ‘Marinada’ for up to four years, using conventional and image analysis methods. Additionally, the 91 individuals of the population were genotyped with the almond Axiom™ 60K SNP array, and high-density linkage maps were constructed. These analyses identified several genomic regions of breeding interest. For example, two regions on chromosome one were found to contain QTLs for kernel shape and dimension, while another region at the end of the same chromosome contained QTLs for kernel fatty acid composition. Notably, QTLs for kernel symmetry and kernel shoulder, reported for the first time in this study, were also mapped on chromosome one. These QTLs will serve as a foundation for developing molecular markers linked to kernel physical and chemical quality traits in almonds, facilitating the integration of marker-assisted selection into breeding programs.

The intramuscular oleic‐to‐stearic fatty acid ratio (C18:1n‐9/C18:0) is an important indicator of the biosynthesis and desaturation of fatty acids in muscle. By using an RNA‐Seq approach in muscle samples from 32 BC1_DU (25% Iberian and 75% Duroc) pigs with divergent values (high: H and low: L) of C18:1n‐9/C18:0 fatty acids ratio, a total of 81 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified. Functional analyses of DEGs indicate that mainly peroxisome proliferator‐activated receptor signaling pathway (associated genes: PPARG, SCD, PLIN1, and FABP3) was overrepresented. Notably, SCD is directly involved in the conversion of C18:0 to C18:1n‐9, and PPARG is a transcription factor regulating lipid metabolism genes, including SCD. However, other DEGs (e.g., ACADVL, FADS3, EPHB2, HGFAC, NGFR, NR0B2, MDH1, MMAA, PPP1R1B, SFRP5, RAB30, and TRARG1) are plausible candidate genes to explain the phenotypic differences of the C18:1n‐9/C18:0 ratio. Interestingly, seven genetic variants within the SCD (including the well‐known AY487830:g.2228T>C SNP and other novel genotyped polymorphisms) are associated with two haplotypes. Although the haplotypes are segregating at different frequencies in the H and L groups, they do not fully explain the desaturation ratios or the SCD expression levels. A more complex model, including polyunsaturated fatty acids such as C18:2n‐6, C20:4n‐6, and C18:3n‐3, is suggested to explain the regulation of the C18:1n‐9/C18:0 desaturation ratio in porcine muscle.

Feed restriction is a common nutritional practice in rabbit farming; however, decreased feed intake can also signal potential digestive disorders at an early stage. This study endeavors to investigate the impact of feed restriction on selected productive traits and the urinary metabolome of juvenile rabbits across diverse genetic backgrounds. Our objective is to identify potential biomarkers capable of detecting periods of fasting. A total of 48 growing rabbits were used from two genetic types: Prat line (selected for litter size at weaning, n = 24) and Caldes line (selected for post-weaning growth rate, n = 24). At 60 days of age, a digestibility trial was carried out. Changes in productive traits (through bioelectrical impedance analysis, live weight control, average daily gain, energy, and protein retention) were evaluated when the animals were fed ad libitum from 60 to 64 days of age and when the same animals were subjected to feed restriction (50% of maintenance energy requirements) from 70 to 74 days of age, in a split-plot trial. In addition, untargeted urine metabolomics analysis was performed at both periods (ad libitum vs. restricted). Although some differences between genetic lines were observed in the animals’ performance traits (average daily gain and retention of energy and protein), no differences in the urine metabolome were found between genetic types. However, feed restriction caused notable changes in the metabolome. When the animals were subjected to feed restriction, they had higher levels of ascorbic acid (P = 0.001) and p-cresol sulphate (P = 0.058) and lower levels of pyrocatechol sulphate/hydroquinone sulphate (P < 0.001), resorcinol sulphate (P = 0.002), enterolactone sulphate (P < 0.001), enterolactone (P < 0.001), kynurenic acid (P = 0.0002), proline betaine (P < 0.001), pipecolic acid betaine (P < 0.001), xanthurenic acid (P < 0.001) and quinaldic acid (P < 0.001) than the same animals when they were fed ad libitum. This study proposes urine ascorbic acid as potential biomarker for fasting events in rabbits. As urine ascorbic acid is the sole metabolite that significantly increases in the restricted group, it offers promising indicator for early detection and targeted management of digestive disorders in rabbits.

Simultaneous recovery of phosphorus (P), potassium (K), and magnesium (Mg) as precipitated phosphate salt (PPS) was assessed (K-struvite and hazenite included) in a pig farm downstream a nitrification-denitrification unit. The precipitation process was addressed using denitrified effluent (DE) and waste sludge (WS) purged from the bioreactor. For DE, the inherent unbalanced Mg:K:P molar ratio (1.4:9.5:1.0; 1.6 g K/L) led to poor K recovery (≤ 15%) if considering P as the limiting element. By considering K as limiting, the supply of external sources of Mg and P (final Mg:K:P as 1.0:0.5:1.0) allowed the recovery of most of the K available. For WS, a selective pretreatment with oxalic acid resulted in an available Mg:K:P ratio of 0.8:1.2:1.0. Risk of interference by free calcium will exist if the operational parameters are not optimized, thus constraining the recovery of K (≤ 51%). A fertilization field trial demonstrated the fertilizing value of the recovered PPS with respect to a mineral fertilizer, and the increased risk of soil salinization under a reiterative application of processed DE. Scenarios without extra addition of nutrients will introduce an enhanced handling in the current nutrient management planning of the pig farm. On the contrary, the trade of the PPS formed becomes essential when external sources of Mg and P were added. Graphical Abstract

Background The herd age structure, i.e., distribution of sows within a farm based on their parity number, and its management are essential to optimizing farm reproductive efficiency. The objective of this study is to define different types of herd age structure using data from 623 Spanish commercial sow farms. Additionally, this study aims to determine which type of herd age structure can enhance reproductive efficiency at the farm level. Results Farms are classified into three groups according to the quadratic function fitted to the percentage of sows by parities. This classification unveils three types of herd structures: type 1 (HS1) exhibits a concave-downward trend, with a higher percentage of sows in intermediate parities (mean of 45.5% sows between the 3rd to 5th parity); type 2 (HS2) presents a trend curve that is close to a straight line, with a gradual decrease in the percentage of sows per parity (approximately 2% loss of sows census per parity); and type 3 (HS3) shows an upward concave trend curve, with an increase in the percentage of sows in later parities (19.0% of sows between 7th and ≥ 8th parity). Parametric tests assess productivity differences between the three types of herd structures ( p < 0.01). HS1 farms have the best productive outcomes over a year, with 31.2 piglets weaned per sow and year (PWSY) and a farrowing rate of 87%, surpassing HS2 and HS3 farms (30.1 and 28.7 PWSY; 85.3% and 83.4% farrowing rates, respectively). HS1 also have the lowest percentage of sows returning to oestrus (11.8%) and the highest number of weaned piglets per litter (12.8), compared to HS2 (13.2% and 12.4 piglets weaned) and HS3 (15.1%, 11.9 piglets weaned). These differences show a medium effect size (η ² between 0.06 to < 0.14). Conclusions This study shows the importance of herd age structure on sow-breeding farms as a factor of reproductive efficiency. The results endorse the proposed classification based on the curvature of the trend parabola obtained with the quadratic function to categorize herd structures into three groups. Additionally, these findings highlight the importance of considering the herd age structure in farm decision-making.

Rhizogenic Agrobacterium, the causative agent of hairy root disease (HRD), is known for its high phenotypic and genetic diversity. The taxonomy of rhizogenic agrobacteria has undergone several changes in the past and is still somewhat controversial. While the classification of Agrobacterium strains was initially mainly based on phenotypic properties and the symptoms they induced on plants, more and more genetic information has been used along the years to infer Agrobacterium taxonomy. This has led to the definition of the so-called Agrobacterium tumefaciens species complex (Atsc), which comprises several genomospecies. Interestingly, the rhizogenic Agrobacterium strains are found in several of these genomospecies. Nevertheless, even up until today Agrobacterium strains, and in particular rhizogenic agrobacteria, are prone to misclassification and considerable confusion in literature. In this study, we evaluated different phylogenetic analysis approaches for their use to improve Agrobacterium taxonomy and tried to gain more insight in the classification of strains into this complex genus, with a particular focus on rhizogenic agrobacteria. The genome sequence analysis of 580 assemblies, comprising Agrobacterium, Allorhizobium and Rhizobium strains demonstrated that phylogenies based on single marker genes, such as the commonly used 16S rRNA and recA gene, do not provide sufficient resolution for proper delineation of the different genomospecies within the Atsc. Our results revealed that (in silico) multi-locus sequences analysis (MLSA) in combination with average nucleotide identity (ANIb) at a 94.0% threshold delineates genomospecies accurately and efficiently. Additionally, this latter approach permitted the identification of two new candidate genomospecies.