COLUMNAR APPLE TREES AND THEIR VARIETIES
DOKOUPIL, L., ŘEZNICEK, V.: Columnar apple trees and their varieties. Acta univ. agric. et silvic. Mendel. Brun., 2012, LX, No. 8, pp. 37-48 The objective of the study was to evaluate selected varieties of columnar apple trees. The trees were monitored over a 3-year period and the focus was on growth, yield and health data. At the same time the quality of the harvested fruit was evaluated aer short storage. The varieties Polka, Bolero, Charlotte, Mc. Intosh Wijcik, Waltz and the control variety Golden Delicious were grown on rootstock M 9. The decisive data characterising the variety were: the height of the elongation, formation of the lateral fruiting spurs, number of fl owers and the amount of harvested fruit. No less important for growth was the health condition of the leaf area and particularly the incidence of fungus diseases; here the monitoring was carried out on six dates and was focused on apple scab and powdery mildew of apple. Infestation of the variety Charlotte with powdery mildew of apple was signifi cantly heavier than infestation of the other varieties. The variety Charlotte was also signifi cantly more aff ected with apple scab and diff ered from the other less infested varieties. The highest number of ripe fruit was produced by the variety Polka; signifi cantly less fruit was produced by the varieties Bolero, Mc. Intosh Wijcik and Waltz. The least number of fruit but the heaviest was produced by the variety Charlotte; the weight of the fruit of this variety was signifi cantly the highest. The variety Polka gave the highest yields. Evaluations of the organoleptic qualities included the appearance of the fruit; highly appraised in this respect was the control variety Golden Delicious, followed by Bolero and Mc. Intosh Wijcik. In terms of the appearance the variety Waltz received the lowest scores. The varieties Mc. Intosh Wijcik and Charlotte had the thickest skin, while the skin of varieties Polka, Golden Delicious and Waltz were of no concern. In terms of the consistence of the fl esh the highest- ranking variety was Golden Delicious, followed by Bolero and Charlotte. The juiciest variety was Golden Delicious, followed by Mc. Intosh Wijcik and Waltz; the least juicy was the variety Charlotte. The tastiest variety was the control variety Golden Delicious, followed by Mc. Intosh Wijcik and Waltz; the least tasty was the variety Bolero. In the overall sum of points appraising the fruit, fl esh and taste the variety Golden Delicious was at the top of the list, followed by Mc. Intosh Wijcik and Waltz. columnar apple trees, growth types, fruit-bearing, apple scab, powdery mildew
Breeding plantation tree crops. Temperate species
In conjunction with the companion publication dealing with 16 tropical species of fruits, nuts and industrial crops, this volume is devoted to temperate fruits including two stone fruits, apricot and plums, three pome fruits, apple, pear and Citrus, a small fruit, raspberry, and two tree nuts, almond and walnut. It provides a good sample of temperate fruits and contributes effectively to presenting and understanding all aspects of breeding and crop production. The contributing authors selected, mainly originating from the USA and northern European Universities, are regarded as international experts in their specific crops. 
 
Each chapter is divided into four parts: (1) an introduction, including history, characteristics of production, and uses; (2) a consideration of botany, comprising taxonomy, reproductive biology and main characteristics of the species; (3) breeding, with the different objectives and approaches, and, when necessary, a sub-chapter devoted to rootstocks; and (4) biotechnology, mainly devoted to molecular genetics. 
 
The bibliographies for each chapter are generally comprehensive and often extensive (about 50–250 references per chapter, covering the last 50 years and integrating recent work). But, in some cases, the most innovative citations are missing, notably for apples, and this constitutes a certain weakness of the volume. 
 
Origins and history are generally well illustrated, but recent studies concerning phylogeography or phylogeny are not mentioned. However, the chapters provide an efficient way to understand relationships between species and the diffusion of the plant material from the centres of origin, through different areas of the Mediterranean basin, for example. 
 
The production and socio-economic importance of the crops covered are more or less developed according to the authors and the species. Interesting information is given concerning uses and nutritional composition; a positive aspect of the structure of the chapters that is very useful in the context of health benefits of fruit and food security. 
 
The sub-chapters on botany give interesting information concerning taxonomy and reproductive biology. Self-incompatibility enhances the possibility to obtain interspecific hybrids, which are produced either by spontaneous hybridization or by crossing under controlled conditions. These possibilities offer very interesting strategies for the creation and selection of rootstocks either for Prunus (for example, peach × almond hybrids) or Citrus (e.g. citrange, citrumelo), and also for creation of innovative fruit material such as plumcot, Japanese plums, or tangerines. 
 
In the sub-chapters on breeding, the consideration of genetic resources is more developed towards the idea of using genetic diversity, rather than evaluating and organizing germplasm collections at the national or international level (genebanks, core collections, methodologies of characterization and evaluation) or defining strategies for their use at the level of breeding programs. 
 
The main objectives of selection are generally well described, both for cultivars and rootstocks. The different tools used in integrating breeding programs are well described, with an emphasis on biotechnological aspects in the strict sense, for example in the Citrus genus where the exploitation of this technology is highly developed. In most of the other chapters biotechnological approaches deal with molecular genetics: molecular markers, genetic mapping or marker-assisted selection. It is a little disappointing that new aspects concerning genomics or breeding strategies are not discussed. 
 
In conclusion, despite the slight heterogeneity of presentation due to the variety of authors for different chapters, the book covers a good range of information dealing with eight major temperature fruit crops. It is well documented and appropriate for readers interested in breeding of temperate fruits species.
Reference values for some haematological, haematochemical, and electrophoretic parameters in the Girgentana goat
The purpose of this study was to determine haematolog ical, haematochemical, and electrophoretic reference values for the Girgentana goat in order to form a basis for clinical interpretation. The study included 348 female Girgentana goats aged from 1 to 6 years. The animals were divided into 3 groups: goats aged 1-2 years (group A), goats aged 3-4 years (group B), and goats aged 5-6 years (group C). Blood samples were collected from each animal every morning at the same time (0800) by means of jugular venipuncture, and red blood cell (RBC), white blood cell (WBC), neutrophil (NEU), lymphocyte (LYM), monocyte (MONO), eosinophil (EOS), and basophil (BASO) counts, and haemoglobin (Hb), packed cell volume percent (PCV), mean corpuscular volume (MCV), mean corpuscular haemoglobin (MCH), mean corpuscular haemoglobin concentration (MCHC), and red cell distribution width (RDW) were recorded. Additionally, the concentration of some haematochemical parameters, including alanine-aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate-aminotransferase (AST), γ-glutamine-transferase (γ-GT), creatinine, β-hydroxybutyrate, urea, non- esterified fatty acids (NEFA), potassium, sodium, and chloride, and the electrophoretic profile (albumin, α1-globulins, α2-globulins, β-globulins, γ-globulins, total proteins and albumin:globulins ratio) were determined. Statistical analysis (one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA)), followed by Bonferroni's test, showed that there were significant differences only in RBC, MCV, EOS, ALT, AST, creatinine, γ-GT, sodium, urea, NEFA, γ-globulins, and the albumin:globulins ratio (P < 0.05 was considered statistically significant). The values determined in the present study contribute to the knowledge of the reference ranges for the Girgentana goat and can be used for monitoring health and disease diagnosis.