Margarita Lema

• Researcher
• Researcher at Spanish National Research Council

Pine resin is a valuable non-wood forest product with an increasing interest in multiple industrial sectors. Resin-tapping activities also provide valuable ecosystem services in timber-oriented and highly productive pine forest of Atlantic regions, where little previous experience in resin-tapping is available. The objectives of this study were to...

Brassica species produce glucosinolates, a specific group of secondary metabolites present in the Brassicaceae family with antibacterial and antifungal properties. The employment of improved varieties for specific glucosinolates would reduce the production losses caused by pathogen attack. However, the consequences of the increment in these seconda...

Buscando dar respuesta a la inquietud existente sobre la com-patibilidad de la producción de madera y resina en los pinares atlánticos, dentro del proyecto ACREMA hemos analizado el efecto de la resinación durante varios años seguidos sobre la calidad de la madera y sobre el crecimiento, la reproducción y la sanidad de los árboles. Los resultados s...

Lupinus hispanicus Boiss. et Reut. is a Mediterranean wild species of lupin that grows naturally in the Iberian Peninsula. This species can be an interesting alternative leguminous crop adapted to marginal areas and is suitable for low-input cultivation systems. Thirty-one accessions were collected in northwestern Spain from a diverse range of alti...

La resina producida por los pinos es un recurso renovable con múltiples aplicaciones industriales, lo que ha generado un creciente interés en este producto forestal. La extracción de resina emerge como una actividad económica complementaria a la producción maderera que puede contribuir significativamente a la fijación de población rural y a evitar...

Lupinus hispanicus Boiss. et Reut. is a Mediterranean wild species of lupin or lupine that grows naturally in the Iberian Peninsula. This species can be an interesting alternative leguminous crop adapted to marginal areas and is suitable for low-input cultivation. Thirty-one populations were collected in northwestern Spain from a diverse range of a...

Despite the recent discoveries on how DNA methylation could help plants to adapt to changing environments, the relationship between epigenetics and climate change or invasion in new areas is still poorly known. Here, we investigated, through a field experiment, how the new expected climate scenarios for Southern Europe, i.e., increased temperature...

Premise: Biological invasions and climate change are major threats to biodiversity. It is therefore important to anticipate how the climate changes projected for Southern Europe would affect the ecophysiological performance of the invasive South African plant, Carpobrotus edulis (ice plant or sour fig), and its capacity to undergo rapid adaptive e...

The bacterium Xanthomonas campestris pv. campestris (Xcc) causes black rot disease in Brassica crops. Glucosinolates are known to be part of the defence system of Brassica crops against Xcc infection. They are activated upon pathogen attack by myrosinase enzymes. Their hydrolytic products (GHPs) inhibit the growth of Xcc in vitro. However, the mech...

Brassica species, including important vegetable crops, such as cabbage, cauliflower, or broccoli, or oil crops, such as rapeseed, produce specific chemical compounds useful to protect them against pests and pathogens. One of the most destructive Brassica diseases in temperate areas around the world is sclerotinia stem rot, caused by the fungus Scle...

The potential of pine resin as a renewable non-timber product is furthering the socioeconomic relevance of the resin industry in Europe, where maritime pine (Pinus pinaster Ait.) is the main tapped species. Characterizing maritime pine genetic resources in terms of resin yield potential and its covariation with tree growth is crucial to implement e...

White mold disease, caused by the necrotrophic fungus Sclerotinia sclerotiorum affects Brassica crops. Brassica crops produce a broad array of compounds such as glucosinolates that contribute to defense against pathogens. From their hydrolysis arise several products with antimicrobial activity called isothiocyanates (ITCs) which toxicity is structu...

Pine resin is a highly valuable and sought-after non-timber forest product with multiple uses in many industrial sectors. Maritime pine (Pinus pinaster Ait.) is the main tapped species in Europe, where resin tapping activities are concentrated in only a few specific Mediterranean regions. Although maritime pine also occupies vast extensions under A...

Pine trees produce large amounts of oleoresin to defend against biotic threats. Resin is highly costly to produce and investment in its production must be accurately optimized in relation to allocation to other life functions such growth. As a result of these costs, resin production is highly variable both genetically (among and within species) and...

The geographic distribution of the invasive plant Carpobrotus spp. and its potential biocontrol, the scale insect Pulvinariella mesembryanthemi (Vallot), was predicted in NW Spain using the maximum entropy algorithm (MaxEnt). Since both species are mainly present along the coast the potential distribution of the species overlapped. Plant distributi...

The South African scale insect Pulvinariella mesembryanthemi was introduced worldwide in several coastal areas with Mediterranean climate, probably through infested plants of Carpobrotus sp. Its high host specificity and its capacity to produce severe damages in the invasive Carpobrotus sp. plants makes this insect a potential biocontrol agent. To...

Invasive plant species often outcompete natives when colonizing new areas, but the mechanisms behind their success are unclear. The limiting similarity hypothesis predicts that functionally similar species are more prone to compete than dissimilar ones. This ecological assumption can assist in the selection of a seed mixture for ecological restorat...

Brassica oleracea cultivars include important vegetable and forage crops grown worldwide, whereas the wild counterpart occurs naturally on European sea cliffs. Domestication and selection processes have led to phenotypic and genetic divergence between domesticated plants and their wild ancestors that inhabit coastal areas and are exposed to saline...

Carpobrotus edulis is a highly invasive plant in coastal temperate areas worldwide. In a preliminary attempt at biological control, we evaluated the potential use of the fungus Sclerotinia sclerotiorum and the insect Pulvinariella mesembryanthemi as biocontrol agents. We carried out a greenhouse-experiment to evaluate the effects of both agents, se...

Glucosinolates (GSLs) are secondary metabolites present in Brassicaceae species implicated in their defense against plant pathogens. When a pathogen causes tissue damage, the enzyme myrosinase hydrolyzes GSLs into diverse products that exhibit antimicrobial activity against a wide range of bacteria and fungi in vitro. It was demonstrated that modul...

This report synthesizes all aspects of the taxonomy, distribution, history of introduction and spread, ecological constrains (including preferred climate, substratum and habitats), responses to biotic and abiotic factors, biology (including phenology, vegetative and reproductive biology), economic importance and human uses, ecological impacts, legi...

An exploration and collection mission for wild Brassica oleracea populations was carried out in spring and summer of 2013. The aim of this collection was to expand the number of accessions of wild Brassica oleracea available for basic and applied research in plant breeding. In this paper we report a new population of wild Brassica oleracea in an un...

Productivity and quality of crops of Brassica rapa L. in north-western of Spain are highly affected by black rot, caused by the bacterium Xanthomonas campestris pv. campestris (Pammel) Dowson (Xcc). Several races of Xcc have been described in this area, being the race 6 the most frequent in B. rapa crops and races 1 and 4 the most frequent in B. ol...

Glucosinolates (GSLs) are secondary metabolites found in Brassica vegetables that confer on them resistance against pests and diseases. Both GSLs and glucosinolate hydrolysis products (GHPs) have shown positive effects in reducing soil pathogens. Information about their in vitro biocide effects is scarce, but previous studies have shown sinigrin GS...

Halo blight disease of common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) is caused by Pseudomonas syringae pv. phaseolicola (Psp) and is found worldwide in bean growing regions with temperate climates, such as the Midwestern United States. In situations where high levels of primary inoculum are present (e.g., in seed) and the climate is favorable, yield losses a...

Halo blight, caused by Pseudomonas syringae pv. phaseolicola (Burkholder) (Psp), is a seed-borne bacterial disease of common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) that is found worldwide, particularly in temperate climates, such as in the midwestern United States. Under favorable conditions, halo blight has been reported to cause up to 45% losses on suscept...

Brassica rapa is a crucifer that is grown worldwide, mainly as a vegetable. The quality of B. rapa crops is highly affected by the disease caused by the bacteria Xanthomonas campestris pv. campestris (Xcc). Glucosinolates and phenolic compounds can confer resistance to Brassica crops against pests and diseases, but few works have been done to evalu...

The interspecific breeding line VRW 32 (Reg. No. GP-287, PI 665037) of common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.), which is resistant to white mold [caused by Sclerotinia sclerotiorum (Lib.) de Bary], was jointly developed at the University of Idaho Kimberly Research and Extension Center, Kimberly, ID; Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO; and CIAT...

With 4 tables Xanthomonas campestris pv. campestris (Xcc), causal agent of black rot, is widely distributed around the world in cabbage and kale crops causing severe yield losses. Nine races of the pathogen were described, being races 1 and 4 the most aggressive and widespread. The objective of this work was to identify new sources of resistance to...

Black rot, caused by Xanthomonas campestris pv. campestris (Xcc) is a severe seedborne disease of Brassica crops around the world. Nine races are recognized, being races 1 and 4 the most aggressive and widespread. The identification of Xcc races affecting Brassica crops in a target area is necessary to establish adequate control measures and breedi...

Brassica rapa subsp. rapa L. includes three different crops: turnips (roots), turnip greens (leaves) and turnip tops (inflorescences). A collection of B. rapa subsp. rapa from north-western Spain is currently kept at ‘Misión Biológica de Galicia’ (a research centre of the Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), Spain). This collecti...

In Galicia (northwestern Spain), Brassica rapa subsp. rapa L. includes turnip greens and turnip tops as main crops. Evaluation of B. rapa varieties with wide adaptability across diverse farming environments is important for selecting varieties for future breeding programs based on producers and consumers preferences. Twelve varieties of this specie...

Black rot, caused by Xanthomonas campestris pv. campestris, is one of the most important diseases affecting Brassica crops worldwide. Nine races have been differentiated in X. campestris pv. campestris, with races 1 and 4 being the most virulent and widespread. The objective of this work was to identify sources of resistance to races 1 and 4 of X....

High yielding cultivars adapted to conventional and organic production system would maximize efficiency of nutrient usage and reduce dependence on pesticides. The objective of this study was to determine if separate breeding efforts are needed to obtain high yielding dry bean breeding lines for on-farm organic (FO) and on-farm conventional (FC) pro...

Twenty-one cabbage (Brassica oleracea capitata group) varieties, including 16 local varieties and five commercial hybrids, were screened for resistance to the moth Mamestra brassicae L. under natural and artificial conditions in northwestern Spain. Resistance was assessed as the proportion of damaged plants and damaged leaves, leaf feeding injury,...

Wild yellow lupin (Lupinus luteus L.) is one of the three species of the genus Lupinus that grows naturally in Galicia (northwestern Spain) In this dairy region imported lupin is widely used as a cheap plant-derived protein for livestock feed. Our objectives were to investigate variation in yellow lupin accessions from northwestern Spain, determine...

High-yielding cultivars adapted to stressed and nonstressed production systems (PS) would maximize efficiency of soil water and nutrient usage, compete well with weeds, resist diseases and insect pests, and reduce dependence on water, fertilizer, and pesticide. The objectives of this study were to (i) determine the performance of dry bean (Phaseolu...

White mold (WM) caused by Sclerotinia sclerotiorum (Lib.) de Bary is a severe disease of common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) in North America. Common bean has only partial resistance. However, some accessions of P. coccineus L. and other species of the secondary gene pool (SGP) are highly resistant. The objectives of this study were to (i) introgre...

Diseases are major production constraints of pinto bean despite 75years of breeding. The objectives were to (1) assess progress made and (2) discuss future breeding strategies. Bean common mosaic virus (BCMV), anthracnose, rust, white mold, common blight, and halo blight and growth habit, seed weight, and seed coat darkening were evaluated for 52 c...

Interspecific breeding lines (IBL) VCW 54 (Reg. No. GP-276, PI 655531) and VCW 55 (Reg. No. GP-277, PI 655532) of common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) resistant to white mold [WM; caused by Sclerotinia sclerotiorum (Lib.) de Bary] were jointly developed at the University of Idaho-Kimberly Research and Extension Center and Colorado State University,...

Availability of germplasm with high level of resistance is essential for broadening the genetic base and breeding crop cultivars resistant to abiotic and biotic stresses. The objective of this study was to determine reaction of a common bean core collection from the Iberian Peninsula to anthracnose, rust, common and halo blights, bean common mosaic...

Pinto dry bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) 'Kimberly' (Reg. No. CV-283, PI 653256) and 'Shoshone' (Reg. No. CV-284, PI 653257) were developed at the University of Idaho-Kimberly Agricultural Research and Extension Center. Both were released by the Idaho Agricultural Experiment Station on 12 Apr. 2007. Kimberly is a full-season (100 d to maturity) and S...

Large-seeded (45 g 100 seed weight -1 ), high-yielding, and high-quality Hungerford (Reg. No. CV-285, PI 653258) and Sawtooth (Reg. No. CV-286, PI 653259) great northern dry bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) cultivars were developed at the University of Idaho-Kimberly Agricultural Research and Extension Center. The Idaho Agricultural Experiment Station...

A Brassica oleracea collection of landraces collected in the northwest of Spain is kept at the Gene Bank placed at ‘Misión Biológica de Galicia’. Landraces of the collection are regenerated from time to time to restore the viability of the seed and to carry on field trials. The objective of this work is to study the effect of regeneration on the ge...

Common bacterial blight (CBB) is an important seed-borne disease of common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.). Low levels of resistance occur in the common and scarlet runner bean (Phaseolus coccineus L.), with higher levels available in the tepary bean (Phaseolus acutifolius A. Gray). Germplasm lines with, CBB resistance separately from each of the thre...

The runner bean requires moderately high temperatures for optimum germination and growth. Low temperature at sowing delays both germination and plant emergence, and can reduce establishment of beans planted early in the growing season. The objective of this work was to identify potential runner bean germplasm with tolerance to low temperature and t...

A periodic comparison of cultivars is essential to assess selection gains, determine deficiencies, define objectives, and set breeding priorities. Our objective was to assess the progress, or lack thereof, achieved in improving yield, plant type, maturity, and resistance to major bacterial, fungal, and viral diseases of dry bean of the western USA...

The fungus Sclerotinia sclerotiortan, cause of white mold, is known to attack > 400 plant species. It is a widespread problem in dry bean (Phaseolus vulgaris) in the United States, causing > 30% average yield losses. Low to moderate levels of resistance are found in dry bean. However, some accessions of P. coccineus (commonly known as scarlet runne...

Ninety-five common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) landraces from Spain were evaluated in three different environments in northern Spain for their agronomic performance and seed quality. Significant differences among landraces were found for 14 quantitative traits related to phenology, yield and its components, and seed quality traits. Environmental e...

Availability of germplasm with high level of resistance is essential for broadening the genetic base and breeding crop cultivars resistant to abiotic and biotic stresses. The objective of this study was to determine reaction of a common bean core collection from the Iberian Peninsula to anthracnose, rust, common and halo blights, bean common mosaic...

Availability of germplasm with high level of resistance is essential for broadening the genetic base and breeding crop cultivars resistant to abiotic and biotic stresses. The objective of this study was to determine reaction of a common bean core collection from the Iberian Peninsula to anthracnose, rust, common and halo blights, bean common mosaic...

Progress in common bean breeding requires the exploitation of genetic variation that is present among races or through introgression across gene pools. Iberian Peninsula is considered as a secondary center of genetic diversity (Santalla et al., 2002). Introgression from the Middle American to the Andean gene pool appears to be relatively common in...

The runner bean requires moderate temperatures for optimum germination. The low temperatures at sowing delay both germination and plant emergence and reduce establishment of beans when planted early in the growing season. The objectives of this work were to identify potential runner bean germplasm from Spain with tolerance to low temperature. Seeds...

Narrow-leafed lupin or lupine (Lupinus angustifolius L.) is one of the three species of the genus Lupinus that grows naturally in Galicia (northwestern Spain). In this region, with more than one million of cattle heads, almost 20% of Spanish total, there is no cultivation of any protein legume for feed. Lupins are widely used as a source of protein...

Approaches are needed to broaden the genetic base and improve earliness and yield potential of large-seeded beans under sustainable cropping systems. The objective of this research was to develop adapted dwarf bean populations having a commercial seed quality and yield suitable for the production in the South of Europe. The original base population...

Dactylis glomerata subsp. izcoi, endemic to Galicia (NW Spain), includes diploid and tetraploid cytotypes. The present paper results from ongoing research on the distribution of Dactylis in Galicia. Tetraploids dominate all kind of habitats, but diploids do occur in restricted areas. After intensive exploration carried out by the Mision Biologica d...

Quantitative traits and allozymes were used in two experiments to clarify the ecotypic differentiation of natural cocksfoot (Dactylis glomerata) populations from north-west Spain. Thirty-nine populations belonging to the four main ecotypes in Galicia were cultivated in two field experiments. In the first experiment, there were significant differenc...