Browsing by department "Soveltavan biologian laitos"

Green areas in cities provide social, ecological, cultural and economical values. Furthermore, the effects and importance of green areas on human well-being in the context of day to day life have been investigated in previous studies. The creation of green structures, and the quality and quantity of green areas are defined at different levels of urban planning in municipalities. The aim of this research was to determine which factors influence the green area planning process. The study compared the planning processes of Tampere in Finland and Stuttgart in Germany. It also analysed the prevailing trends of the cities and the participation of inhabitants. The study utilized qualitative study methods. The material included documents, reports and laws relating to the planning processes. The themed interviews were carried out in the city offices of Tampere and Stuttgart. The results indicated that landscape and green structure planning were compulsory parts of land-use planning processes in Stuttgart, required by laws, and are applicable nation-wide in Germany. The aims of a Landscape Plan and Green Structure Plan were legalized in a Preparatory Land Use Plan and in a Local Development Plan. In Finland, Tampere had good regulations concerning green area planning, but these were not applicable throughout the whole country. The aims of the green area plans could be legalized in Local Development Plans or in Federal Building Code, but there were not as many specified symbols expressing the content of green areas than in Stuttgart (Germany). A special difference was also the compensation method and habitat network planning that influenced the planning process at many levels in Stuttgart, identifying every green space as a part of a green structure. In addition to ecological values, also city parks and gardens were developed in exhibitions and competitions throughout Germany. The aim of Landscape planning is to combine natural elements and values as part of a landscape and a green structure of every city in Finland. It would also provide ecological development. With increasing knowledge about biodiversity and importance for human well-being, different kinds of green areas in the vicinity could also become more familiar and acceptable to citizens. Resulting from this study, future recommendations would be to develop landscape planning, to include more strategic green area planning based on Land Use Act and utilize interaction with citizens. Furthermore, an understanding and consideration of the ecological and physiological aspects of the environment and the using indicators to measure the fruition of the aims should be mandatory during the co-operational planning processes in order to reach the aims.

This study was carried out to evaluate environmental impacts of greenhouse tomato production in Finland. Due to the Nordic location of the country, weather conditions do not favor it and production is very energy intensive. Emissions per 1000 kg per produced tomato was selected as functional unit. Two different production methods were selected for the study. 1. Conventional production, what is based on utilization of natural light and for production break during a coldest and darkest part of a year (November-February). 2. Year-round production, which is based on an use of artificial lightning. For information of inputs and outputs, the entrepreneurs of six different greenhouse companies, which produced only tomatoes, were interviewed. Three of them were year-round producers and three of them conventional producers. Average yields were 59,0 and 28,2 kg/m2/y respectively. All the selected three conventional producers used bio-energy for heat production. Data from interviewed companies included emissions of all the inputs, e.g. use of fuels, electricity, fertilizers, transportation and packaging material. Data from Statistical Centre of Finland (TIKE) were also used. Processed data included 16 yearround producers and 165 conventional producers, which produced only tomatoes. Average yields were 52,5 and 33,1 kg/m2/y respectively. Data included only fuel and electricity use. However, a proportion of emissions of fuel and electricity use of total emissions was more than 99 % (Interviewed conventional producers). Impacts of Finnish greenhouse tomato production on Climate change, Tropospheric ozone, Eutrophication and Acidification were calculated. Due to the very intensive energy use, based mainly on burning fossil fuels like heavy fuel oil (66%) significant CO2-emissions are caused. CO2- equivalent emissions from interviewed year-round and conventional companies and from Yearround and conventional TIKE companies were 5115, 512, 6514, and 4614 kg CO2-eq per 1000 kg of tomato respectively. There were low emissions (512 kg CO2-eq per 1000 kg of tomato) from interviewed conventional companies. The low figure is due to the use of bio-energy to provide needed heat for production. Therefore use of bio-energy is a possibility to reduce significantly emissions of Finnish greenhouse tomato production.

Virusinduced gene silencing (VIGS) vectors based on tobacco rattle virus (TRV) are now widely used for characterizing the function of plant genes. However, previous TRV vectors using RNA2 to carry the targeted gene sequence had difficulties to induce gene silencing on some plant species (Gerbera hybrida etc.) due to the obstacle of RNA2 movement. To achieve efficient gene silencing in those species, it is necessary to develop new TRV vectors, in which the targeted gene will be included in TRV RNA1 and the 16K gene will be replaced. Based on TRV RNA1, two new VIGS vectors M1 and M2 were developed through deletion part of 16K gene. Another mutant 16Kstop was also constructed to carry an early terminator in the 4th codon of 16K gene. The infectivity and gene silencing efficiency of the new constructs were assessed through a series of infection experiments. It was found that the infectivity of M1 and M2 was lower than wild TRV RNA1. M1 and M2 could induce PDS gene silencing on Nicotiana benthamiana, but their gene silencing efficiency was limited as compared with previous TRV VIGS vectors in which the PDS gene fragment was contained in RNA2. We also found that the 16K gene sequence, rather than the 16K protein, was required for efficient virus movement and accumulation.

Strawberry (Fragaria × ananassa) is the most important berry crop cultivated in Finland. Due to the species' economic importance, there is a national breeding programme aimed at extending the cropping season from the current one month to up to three months. This could be achieved by growing cultivars which would initiate flowers throughout the summer months, without the requirement of a period of short days as is the case with currently grown cultivars. The cultivated strawberry is an octoploid and therefore has complex patterns of inheritance. It is desirable to study the genetic mechanisms of flowering in the closely related but diploid species F. vesca (L). In the diploid Fragaria, a mutation in a single locus, namely the SEASONAL FLOWERING LOCUS (Sfl), changes the flowering phenotype from seasonal to perpetual flowering. There is also an array of genetic tools available for F. vesca, which facilitate genetic studies at molecular level. Experiments described here aimed at elucidating the identity of the gene which confers perpetual flowering in F. vesca by exploring the flowering characteristics and genotypes of five F2 populations (crosses between seasonal × perpetual flowering cultivars). The study took advantage of a genetic map for diploid Fragaria, publicly available EST and genomic Fragaria sequences and a recently developed BAC library. Sequence information was used for designing gene–specific primers for a host of flowering–related candidate genes, which were subsequently mapped on the diploid Fragaria genetic map. BAC library was screened with molecular markers supposedly located close to the Sfl, with the aim of positionally cloning the Sfl. Segregation of flowering phenotypes in the five F2 populations showed, that the Sfl indeed controls flowering in all the tested cultivars. A genetic map was constructed of the chromosome with the Sfl, and a positional cloning attempt was initiated with the closest flanking markers. 45 gene–specific primers pairs were designed for 21 flowering–related genes, and eight genes were successfully mapped on the diploid Fragaria map. One of the mapped genes, namely PRR7, located very close to the Sfl, and is a potential candidate for the gene that has evaded identification so far.

It is known that there are many unique and old plant varieties in the green areas of Helsinki. Especially city gardener Bengt Schalin has been known for his love towards flowering shrubs and trees. During his time (1946-57) many plantations of new and interesting varieties took place. The city of Helsinki has nowadays realised the value of those old plants and has taken part to KESKAS-research at 1980’s. Later during Helsinki KESKAS-project seven crab apples (Malus) were selected for propagation. The purpose of this research was to find hardy and beautiful old crab apple trees among the population found in the parks of Helsinki, and also to find out what species, clones or varieties they represent on the grounds of their morphological marks. The seven tree varieties previously chosen for propagation also needed precise descriptions to avoid name confusions in the market. They were also compared to the rest of the crab apple population to see if they really are unique. Observations were made in summer 2006 and during flowering time 30 trees all over Helsinki were selected for a closer study. 13 characteristics were observed from the flowers, 12 from the leaves and 10 from the fruits. In addition to measured traits a broad collection of photographs was taken to help later comparisons. Descriptions of all research trees were made on the grounds of observations. 24 trees had red flowers, one had red buds which opened to almost white flowers and five had white flowers. Semidouble or double flowers could be found from five trees, and one of them had white flowers. The trees were also grouped on the grounds of their flowers size, fruit size and the remaining of calyx. Hierarchical cluster analysis was also used to help grouping. A couple of the research trees could be categorised as the same species, clones or varieties. Grouping was backed up with the help of ?2-test and comparing the standard deviations of the groups. Species or variety name suggestions for 14 trees were found and two trees were assumed to have the same species in their genotype. However reliable naming could not be done because the descriptions found in the literature were so inaccurate.

Pectobacterium atrosepticum is a bacterium that is a causative agent of blackleg and soft rot of potatoes at temperate climate zone. The genome of P. atrosepticum was sequenced at 2004. Sequence revealed six vgrG genes, and five of them are predicted to encode for proteins having uncharacterized function. VgrG proteins are found to be secreted by a novel secretion system called type VI secretion. They are also suggested to be a part of the type VI secretion translocon. VgrG proteins are presumed to be cytotoxic to the hosts of pathogenic bacteria. A mutation in a vgrG gene attenuates virulence of a few human and animal pathogenic bacteria. The aim of this study was to find out the affect of vgrG genes to the virulence of P. atrosepticum. In this study, transcription of vgrG genes of P. atrosepticum was measured by a real-time reverse transcriptase PCR. P. atrosepticum was grown in a virulence gene inducing conditions. Most active vgrG genes were deleted by Red recombinase using method. Each mutant strain carried deletion in one of the active vgrG genes. Virulence of the mutant strains was assessed on potato tubers, according to their ability to rot tissue. Three vgrG genes were induced in bacteria when they grew in the host tissue. vgrG genes were most active in samples, which were taken from stems 96 hours after inoculation. One mutant strain was slightly more virulent (P = 0,0077). Two strains were slightly less virulent, but results were not statistically significant (P > 0,05). According to the profile of transcription, vgrG genes might be novel virulence genes. However, virulence essays did not support that possibility. In fact, one of the mutations increased the virulence of P. atrosepticum. It is possible that other vgrG genes cover the function of the deleted gene. There is no clear evidence that vgrG genes or the type VI secretion are novel virulence determinants of P. atrosepticum. Perhaps they have some other function in the active stage of the infection. Example, they might protect P. atrosepticum from competitive microbes in the rotten potato tissue.

A considerable part of nutrients in the food chain ends up being slaughter by-products. By-products amount to one third of materials processed in slaughterhouses and they are the raw material for meat and bone meal (MBM). For many decades meat and bone meal was fed to domestic animals. Meat and bone meal has also been used as raw material for various processes in technical, chemical and food industry. It is still used in making soap and oleo chemicals. The BSE-crises has been the most severe risk for the safety in the European food system since the Second World War. Subsequent to BSE-crises the usage of MBM as animal feed, as well as the processing in many industrial branches, was legally prohibited in EU area in the end of 2001. MBM contains appreciable amounts of nutrients and it had been used as fertilizer hundreds of years. Therefore, and due to the fact that EU had in 2002 permitted use of MBM as fertilizer, the interest of farmers and researchers did already exist. In year 2002 the working group of the Finnish Ministry of agriculture and forestry issued a report, where the use of MBM as fertilizer was emphasized. The Finnish MBM contains 8-9% nitrogen, 5-6% phosphorus and 12-13% calcium as well as about 50% organic substances. MBM contains also microelements and its C/N ratio is rather low, about 3, 5. The low C/N ratio indicates that nutrients of MBM are quite quickly useable for plants. MBM as a fertilizer can also mineralize nutrients from storages in the soil. MBM contains relatively much of phosphorus. The P is bounded with calcium. Therefore only a part of it is immediately usable. Approximately 26% of phosphorus is extractable by the acetic acid. Because the entire phosphorus quantity is bounded with calcium, it has been shown that the fertilizing effect of MBM phosphorus lasts for 3-5 years. For that reason MBM could be a high-quality fertilizer for organic farming. Circulation of nutrients and organic materials are the basic of agroecology systems. The field experiments have given evidence of the fertility effect of MBM. In favourable conditions MBM has given a nitrogen effect, which is about 70-80% of the comparable chemical fertilizers. In Swedish tests MBM showed good N efficiency and has been used as fertilizer for many years in organic farming. In Germany MBM is used as phosphorus fertilizer for conventional sugar beet farming. The Agrifood Research Center's Kannus station in Finland conducted a field experiment in 2000 to 2003. MBM and conventional industrial fertilizer (Kemira's Y3® 20N-3P-9K) were compared. Both fertilizers were used at levels of 60, 90 and 120 kg total nitrogen per hectare. Oats was sown in the third week of April every year. Herbicides were applied as conventionally. The soil was silty loam and had a quite low fertility, pH being 5,4. After 3 years of fertilizing, there was a year without fertilization: in this fourth year it was shown, how large after-effect the three years of fertilization would bring. Fertilization effect of MBM was 96 % of the chemical fertilizers under three years in this field experiment. Fertilization effect in year when there was no fertilization, was 24 % higher after MBM than after chemical fertilizers. This experiment showed that MBM is good fertilizer at least for organic farming, where that high amount of phosphorus is not a big problem. It is concluded that fertilizer use of MBM should be developed further and encouraged in Finnish farming.

Suomen tärkein viljelty marja on mansikka, jonka tuotannon eräänä ongelmana on satokauden lyhyys. Eräänä ratkaisuna tähän saattaisivat olla jatkuvasatoiset mansikkalajikkeet, joita ei Suomessa ole laajassa viljelyssä lähinnä sopivien lajikkeiden puutteen vuoksi. Mansikalla vegetatiivinen ja generatiivinen kasvu kilpailevat osittain keskenään. Jatkuvasatoisilla mansikkalajikkeilla generatiivista kehitystä ja sadon muodostumista edistää pitkä päivänpituus. Satopotentiaalia voidaan lisätä myös kemiallisilla kasvun- sääteillä. Proheksadioni-kalsium (ProCa) toimii gibberelliini-inhibiittorina edistäen juurakon haaroittumista ja siten kukkimista sekä ehkäisten rönsyjen muodostumista. Satopotentiaalia lisää myös lyhyt päivänpituus edistämällä kasvin koon kasvua. Tehdyssä tutkimuksessa testattiin kolmen jatkuvasatoisen mansikkalajikkeen (Elan, Malling Pearl ja Tango) reagointia sekä lyhyeen (12 h) että pitkään päivään (18 h) ja ProCa:an (0 ja 200 ppm). Käsittelyt suoritettiin taimikasvatuksen aikana, minkä jälkeen kasvit siirrettiin hyötöön muovitunneliin. Kasvien vegetatiivista ja generatiivista kehitystä havainnoitiin sekä taimikasvatuksen että hyödön aikana useiden vasteiden, kuten lehtien, rönsyjen, juurakon haarojen, kukintojen ja marjojen määrien, avulla. Käsittelyillä oli vaikutusta sekä vegetatiiviseen että generatiiviseen kehitykseen, mutta erot koejäsenten välillä tasoittuivat melko nopeasti. Pitkä päivä nosti Elanin ja Malling Pearl:n kukkien määrää, mutta vain ProCa:lla käsitellyillä koejäsenillä. Tangolla kukkia sen sijaan kehittyi vain lyhyenpäivän koejäseniin, se käyttäytyi meidän oloissamme siis täysin lyhyenpäivänlajikkeen tavoin. Myös ProCa lisäsi kukintojen määrää, mutta lajikkeiden välillä esiintyi vaihtelua vaikutuksen voimakkuudessa. Sekä pitkä päivä että ProCa nostivat Elanin ja Malling Pearl:n satotasoa varsinkin alkukesästä, eli sadontuotto aikaistui. ProCa nosti myös Tangolla sekä aikaisen että kokonaissadon määrää. Tutkimus osoitti mahdollisuuden mansikan sadon aikaistamiseen ja sen määrän nostoon jatkuvasatoisten lajikkeiden avulla, jos niiden potentiaalia pystyttäisiin täysin hyödyntämään. Lisätutkimusta tarvitaan kuitenkin edelleen sopivien lajikkeiden ja viljelytekniikoiden kehittämiseksi.Strawberry is the most important cultivated berry in Finland but one of the problems of cultivation is shortness of the harvesting period. Everbearing strawberry cultivars could provide an alternative to extend the period. However, these are not yet broadly cultivated in Finland mainly due to the lack of suitable cultivars. The vegetative and generative growth of strawberry partly compete with each other. Generative growth and yield formation in everbearing strawberries is enhanced by long day length. Yield potential can also be increased by using chemical growth regulators, like prohexadione-calcium (ProCa). This inhibitor of gibberellin biosynthesis enhances crown branching and flowering, and prevents runner formation. Yield potential can also be thought to increase by short day length through increasing plant size. In this study, the effect of short (12 h) and long (18 h) day length as well as ProCa (0 and 200 ppm) on the growth of three everbearing strawberry cultivars (Elan, Malling Pearl and Tango) were tested. The treatments were carried out during plant propagation after which the plants were moved to a plastic tunnel for forcing. Vegetative and generative development of the plants were observed during both plant propagation and forcing by measuring several variables, such as number of leaves, runners, crown branches, flowers and berries. The treatments affected both vegetative and generative development. Long day increased the number of flowers on Elan and Malling Pearl, but only on ProCa treated plants. Flowering of Tango on the other hand was only induced in the short day length. Thus, in our conditions, it behaved as a short day cultivar. ProCa also increased the number of flowers, but there were some differences between the cultivars in the strength of the effect. Both long day length and ProCa increased the yield of Elan and Malling Pearl especially in the early summer, thus advancing the start of fruiting. ProCa also increased both early and total yield of Tango. This study showed the possibility of advancing and increasing strawberry yield through everbearing cultivars if their potential could be fully utilised. Further research is however necessary in order to develop suitable cultivars and cultivation methods for our growing conditions.

The causal agents of Potato scab, S. scapies, S. turbidiscapies and S. aureofaciens spoil the quality of tubers, slow down the formation of potato seedlings, increase the number of small sized tubers and therefore can have a significant impact on the potato harvest. Sometimes the technical methods applied in the potato farming are not effective enough and there are no chemical means available to prevent potato scab. In this work the properties of selected Finnish Actinomyces-isolates were studied from the point of view of biological control. Both potato scab forming and stains that do not cause visible signs of potato scab in tubers were selected for the study. The purpose was to study the ability of the stains to inhibit the growth of potato scab bacteria in different pH-conditions. In addition the ability of Streptomyces-strains to inhibit the growth of silver scurf, stem cancer and black scurf was studied. The competitive balance between different Actinomyces and fungal strains was tested on plates. Greenhouse tests were used to study the root infesting of Actinomyces strains. Streptomyces strains inhibited each others growth. This inhibition was not linked to scab. All strains tested prevented the growth of silver scurf and ps pathogens but strains S.griseoviridis ja 16IV turned out being especially effective in preventing. All strains grew in pH-conditions 5.5-8.0. An unknown Streptomyces strain 16IV did not grow well in pH 5.5 and S. turbidiscapies which is known to persist in acidic conditions grew well also in pH 8.0. All tested strains colonized potato root. The study showed that some of the isolates had potential for future studies in biological control. More research is needed to study the root colonization and the antagonism properties of selected strains in root conditions. The causal agents of Potato scab, S. scapies, S. turbidiscapies and S. aureofaciens spoil the quality of tubers, slow down the formation of potato seedlings, increase the number of small sized tubers and therefore can have a significant impact on the potato harvest. Sometimes the technical methods applied in the potato farming are not effective enough and there are no chemical means available to prevent potato scab. In this work the properties of selected Finnish Actinomyces-isolates were studied from the point of view of biological control. Both potato scab forming and stains that do not cause visible signs of potato scab in tubers were selected for the study. The purpose was to study the ability of the stains to inhibit the growth of potato scab bacteria in different pH-conditions. In addition the ability of Streptomyces-strains to inhibit the growth of silver scurf, stem cancer and black scurf was studied. The competitive balance between different Actinomyces and fungal strains was tested on plates. Greenhouse tests were used to study the root infesting of Actinomyces strains. Streptomyces strains inhibited each others growth. This inhibition was not linked to scab. All strains tested prevented the growth of silver scurf and ps pathogens but strains S.griseoviridis ja 16IV turned out being especially effective in preventing. All strains grew in pH-conditions 5.5-8.0. An unknown Streptomyces strain 16IV did not grow well in pH 5.5 and S. turbidiscapies which is known to persist in acidic conditions grew well also in pH 8.0. All tested strains colonized potato root. The study showed that some of the isolates had potential for future studies in biological control. More research is needed to study the root colonization and the antagonism properties of selected strains in root conditions.