Artículos de revista DABA - ABES Aldizkari artikuluak

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Open Access
Baculoviruses as microbial pesticides: potential, challenges, and market overview
(MDPI, 2025-06-27) Martínez-Balerdi, Maider; Caballero Sánchez, Javier; Aguirre Sánchez, Eduardo; Caballero Murillo, Primitivo; Beperet Arive, Inés; Agronomía, Biotecnología y Alimentación; Agronomia, Bioteknologia eta Elikadura; Institute for Multidisciplinary Research in Applied Biology - IMAB; Gobierno de Navarra / Nafarroako Gobernua
Baculoviruses represent a promising group of microbial insecticides for the biological control of agricultural pests, particularly those within the order Lepidoptera. Their high host specificity and environmental safety make them ideal candidates for inclusion in integrated pest management (IPM) programs. This review presents a comprehensive overview of baculovirus biology, highlighting their infection mechanisms, selectivity, and ecological compatibility. Special attention is given to advances in mass production systems-both in vivo and in vitro-and formulation technologies that improve field efficacy and environmental persistence, including UV protectants and microencapsulation. Regulatory aspects are also discussed, comparing international approval pathways and highlighting the disparity between regions with supportive policies (e.g., Latin America, Asia) and those with more restrictive frameworks (e.g., the European Union). Additionally, the current global market landscape for baculovirus-based products is examined, with emphasis on recent growth, commercialized formulations, and challenges such as host resistance and the limited spectrum of action. By synthesizing findings from the scientific literature and industry reports, this review underscores the role of baculoviruses as effective, sustainable alternatives or complements to chemical insecticides in modern agriculture, contributing to the reduction in pesticide residues and environmental impact.
Open Access
Time-restricted eating and sleep, mood, and quality of life in adults with overweight or obesity: a secondary analysis of a randomized clinical trial
(American Medical Association, 2025-06-25) Clavero-Jimeno, Antonio; Dote-Montero, Manuel; Migueles, Jairo H.; Camacho-Cardenosa, Alba; Medrano Echeverría, María; Alfaro-Magallanes, Víctor Manuel; Osés Recalde, Maddi; Carneiro-Barrera, Almudena; Cabo, Rafael de; Muñoz Torres, Manuel; Labayen Goñi, Idoia; Ruiz, Jonatan R.; Ciencias de la Salud; Osasun Zientziak; Institute on Innovation and Sustainable Development in Food Chain - ISFOOD; Gobierno de Navarra / Nafarroako Gobernua
Importance It remains largely unknown whether the timing of the eating window during time-restricted eating (TRE) affects sleep, mood, and quality of life differently. Objective To investigate whether 3 TRE schedules—an 8-hour eating window in the early part of the day, the late part of the day, or selected by the participant—combined with usual care (UC; a Mediterranean diet education program) were associated with changes in sleep, mood, and quality of life compared with UC alone in adults with overweight or obesity over a 12-week intervention. Design, Setting, and Participants This was a prespecified secondary analysis of a parallel-group randomized clinical trial conducted from April 11, 2022, to March 6, 2023, in Granada (southern Spain) and Pamplona (northern Spain). Eligible participants were men and women aged 30 to 60 years with overweight or obesity. Data analyses for the current study were performed between March 14, 2024, and December 5, 2024. Intervention Participants in the UC group maintained their usual eating window (≥12 hours daily) and received an educational program based on the Mediterranean diet. Participants in the early TRE group had an 8-hour eating window starting before 10 am and the late TRE group, after 1 pm; self-selected TRE participants chose their own 8-hour window. All TRE participants also received the UC educational program. Group allocation was 1:1:1:1. Main Outcomes and Measures Changes in sleep were objectively assessed using accelerometry for 2 weeks before the intervention and during the final 2 weeks of the intervention. Changes in mood dimensions—depression, anxiety, and stress—and quality of life were assessed before and after the 12-week intervention using self-administered questionnaires. Results A total of 197 participants (98 women [49.7%]; mean [SD] age, 46.1 [8.4] years; mean [SD] body mass index, 32.8 [3.2], calculated as weight in kilograms divided by height in meters squared) were randomized to UC (n = 49), early TRE (n = 49), late TRE (n = 52), and self-selected TRE (n = 47). No significant differences were observed between the early TRE and UC groups for sleep (eg, mean difference in total sleep time, 0.2 [95% CI, –0.2 to 0.6] hours), mood (eg, mean difference in Beck Depression Inventory Fast Screen score, 0.2 [95% CI, –1.0 to 1.3] points; mean difference in state anxiety score on the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory, –1.2 [95% CI, –6.4 to 4.1] points; mean difference in Perceived Stress Scale score, 2.1 [95% CI, –1.8 to 5.9] points), and quality of life (eg, mean difference in general health score on the Rand 36-Item Short Form Health Survey, 3.3 [95% CI, –4.4 to 10.9] points). Results were also nonsignificant for the late TRE and self-selected TRE groups compared with the UC group as well as between the TRE groups. Conclusions and Relevance In this secondary analysis of a randomized clinical trial of 3 different TRE schedules, incorporating TRE into a UC intervention, regardless of the eating window timing, was not associated with significant changes in sleep, mood, or quality of life compared with UC alone in adults with overweight or obesity. The findings suggest TRE may be a viable nutritional weight management strategy without adverse effects on sleep, mood, or quality of life.
Open Access
Agronomic use of urban composts from decentralized composting scenarios: implications for a horticultural crop and soil properties
(MDPI, 2025-06-22) Álvarez-Alonso, Cristina; Pérez-Murcia, María Dolores; Manrique, Natalia; Andreu-Rodríguez, F. Javier; Mira-Urios, Miguel Ángel; Irigoyen Iriarte, Ignacio; López, Marga; Orden, Luciano; Moral, Raúl; Nogués, Isabel; Bustamante, María Ángeles; Agronomía, Biotecnología y Alimentación; Agronomia, Bioteknologia eta Elikadura; Institute for Multidisciplinary Research in Applied Biology - IMAB
Circular economy in the context of municipal organic waste management has boosted the emergence of novel composting scenarios, such as community composting and decentralized urban composting in small installations, which favors localized management and valorization of organic waste streams. However, there is little information about the agronomic use of the composts obtained from these new organic waste management systems as an alternative for inorganic fertilization in crop production. In this work, municipal solid waste-derived composts from two decentralized composting scenarios (CM1 and CM2 from community composting, and CM3 and CM4 from decentralized urban small-scale composting plants) were applied and mixed in the top layer of a calcareous clayey-loam soil to assess their effects as alternative substitutes for conventional soil inorganic fertilization (IN) during two successive cultivation cycles of lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.) grown in pots with the amended soils. These treatments were also compared with an organic waste (goat¿rabbit manure, E) and a control treatment without fertilization (B). The effects of the fertilizing treatments on the crop yield and quality, as well as on the properties of the soil considered were studied. In general, the application of the different composts did not produce negative effects on lettuce yield and quality. The compost-derived fertilization showed similar lettuce yields compared to the inorganic and manure-derived fertilizations (IN and E, respectively), and higher yields than the soil without amendment (B), with increases in the initial yield values of B, for the first cycle from 34.2% for CM1 to 53.8% for CM3, and from 20.3% for CM3 to 92.4% for CM1 in the second cycle. Furthermore, the organically amended soils showed a better crop development, obtaining higher values than the control treatment in the parameters studied. In addition, the incorporation of the organic treatments improved the soil characteristics, leading to 1.3 and 1.2 times higher organic matter contents in the soils with CM2 and in the soils with CM1, CM3, and E, respectively, compared to the control soil without fertilizing treatment (B), and 2.0 and 1.8 times greater organic matter contents, respectively, compared to soil with inorganic fertilization (IN). Therefore, the use of municipal solid waste-derived composts from these new organic waste management systems, such as the decentralized composting scenarios studied (community composting and urban decentralized small-scale composting plants), is presented, not only as a sustainable valorization method, but also as an alternative for the use of inorganic fertilizers in lettuce cultivation, while enhancing soil properties, contributing to increasing the circularity of agriculture.
Open Access
Protective effect of tomato by-product in refined sunflower oil with different lipid profiles
(MDPI, 2025-07-15) Fernández Pan, Idoya; Horvitz Szoichet, Sandra Susana; Ibáñez Moya, Francisco C.; Virseda Chamorro, Paloma; Beriain Apesteguía, María José; Agronomía, Biotecnología y Alimentación; Agronomia, Bioteknologia eta Elikadura; Institute on Innovation and Sustainable Development in Food Chain - ISFOOD; Gobierno de Navarra / Nafarroako Gobernua
The recovery of carotenoids, particularly lycopene, from industrial tomato by-products is contingent upon the composition of the raw material, the harvesting season, and the specifics of the extraction process. Industrial tomato by-product from three harvest seasons (S1, S2, and S3) was revalorized and used as a lycopene natural source. Pressurization-assisted extraction of lycopene was carried out using two types of refined sunflower oil (high oleic, HO, and low oleic, LO). The carotenoid and tocopherol content, as well as the fatty acid profile, were analyzed in the resulting HO and LO oil samples, and thermooxidation stability was evaluated. Lycopene recovery was found to be higher in the LO oil than in the HO oil using the by-product from the S3 harvest. Conversely, the tocopherol content declined in both oil types following the incorporation of the S3 by-products. The addition of by-products did not affect the thermooxidation stability of the HO oil. Conversely, the thermooxidation stability of the LO oil increased by about 3.2 ± 0.6 h, irrespective of the season. The findings of this study demonstrate that the addition of tomato by-product, regardless of its lycopene content, provides a protective effect against the thermooxidation of conventional sunflower oil.
Open Access
Visualising xylem vessels connections formed one year after grafting using different techniques
(International Viticulture and Enology Society (IVES), 2025-07-04) Camboué, Marilou; Janoueix, Anne; Spilmont, Anne‐Sophie; Mathieu, Guillaume; Ollat, Nathalie; Santesteban García, Gonzaga; Cookson, Sarah Jane; Agronomía, Biotecnología y Alimentación; Agronomia, Bioteknologia eta Elikadura; Institute for Multidisciplinary Research in Applied Biology - IMAB
Grapevine grafting is an important technique in viticulture and the formation of vascular connections between the scion and rootstock is essential for successful grafting. This study aims to compare the internal tissue organisation and functional xylem vessel connections in grapevine grafts that have passed the nursery quality selection process, produced using different commonly used grafting techniques: omega, full cleft, cleft, and whip & tongue. X-ray micro-computed tomography (micro-CT), a three-dimensional imaging technique, was used to observe the anatomy of the graft union based on tissue X-ray density, and functional xylem vessels were labelled with a contrast agent. This approach allowed us to study in 3D the total volume of the graft interface, the volume of air spaces/necrotic tissues, and the distribution of functional xylem vessels. The results show that functional xylem vessels connect the scion and rootstock in all grafting types, although in some grafts, this connection is not continuous around the entire circumference of the graft interface. Grafting type did not significantly affect the proportion of air spaces/necrotic tissues relative to the graft interface volume. Omega grafts were found to be more compact, with shorter graft interfaces and, as a result, a smaller absolute volume of air spaces/necrotic tissues at the graft interface. By combining 3D morphological and functional analysis, this study provides new insights into the internal quality of grapevine grafts depending on the grafting technique used.
Open Access
Hyperspectral reflectance at canopy and leaf levels for predicting yield and physiological traits in spring wheat under Mediterranean conditions
(Elsevier, 2025-09-01) Gámez Guzmán, Angie Lorena; Chocarro, Alvaro; Garriga, Miguel; Romero-Bravo, Sebastián; Aranjuelo Michelena, Iker; Lobos, Gustavo A.; Pozo, Alejandro del; Agronomía, Biotecnología y Alimentación; Agronomia, Bioteknologia eta Elikadura
High-throughput field phenotyping offers an efficient solution for identifying and selecting genotypes of interest in plant breeding. This study aimed to develop multivariate models using spectral reflectance data to estimate physiological and yield traits in spring wheat genotypes exposed to different water regimes. Fifteen spring wheat varieties and one triticale genotype were evaluated in sixteen environments, which were generated by combining data from over four seasons in two Mediterranean locations in Chile, along with two water regimes (irrigated and water deficit). Measured traits were leaf pigments, leaf area index (LAI), leaf water potential (Ψleaf), gas exchange, chlorophyll fluorescence, grain yield, and carbon isotope composition (δ13C). Hyperspectral reflectance was recorded at the leaf level and canopy level (45° and 90°) at anthesis and grain filling and used to generate predictive models using partial least squares (PLS), least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO), and elastic net (E.net) regression. Models explained over 60% of the trait variation (R2) for 70% of traits analysed. Fluorescence parameters (R2 = 0.78–0.88), δ13C (R2 = 0.80), leaf pigments (R2 = 0.50–0.74), Ψleaf (R2 = 0.72), and LAI (R2 = 0.68) had the most robust predictions. LASSO regression showed the highest R2 and accuracy, while canopy-level spectra at 90° excelled in predicting grain yield and LAI, and leaf-level spectra were best for fluorescence traits. These methods facilitated the identification of genotypes with superior water-deficit adaptation and yield potential, accelerating breeding, enhancing crop resilience to climate change, and improving food security.
Open Access
Carbon and water footprint assessment of a pea snack
(MDPI, 2025-06-26) González Peñalver, José Miguel; Beriain Apesteguía, María José; Virseda Chamorro, Paloma; Martínez Aldaya, Maite; Ciencias; Zientziak; Agronomía, Biotecnología y Alimentación; Agronomia, Bioteknologia eta Elikadura; Institute on Innovation and Sustainable Development in Food Chain - ISFOOD; Gobierno de Navarra / Nafarroako Gobernua
The agri-food sector in Navarra, Spain, is exploring alternative protein sources like pea protein due to concerns regarding the environmental impacts and allergenic properties of traditional options like soy. This study aimed to evaluate a pea-based snack using carbon footprint and water footprint methodologies to assess the environmental performance of pea extrusion. The carbon footprint of the pea snacks was found to be 0.12 kg of CO2e per 100 g of packaged product. The water footprint was 174 L per 100 g of packaged product, with the blue water footprint accounting for the largest share (52%), followed by green (47%) and grey (1%) water footprints. Strategies such as minimizing ingredient loss and switching to renewable electricity could potentially reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 17% and green water consumption by 3%. Regarding alternative protein matrices, pea extrusion utilized 225 L of water per 150 g of extrudate, primarily as green water, demonstrating a lower dependence on blue and grey water compared to soy-based alternatives, suggesting its suitability for blue water-scarce regions. The carbon and water footprint assessments highlight the potential of pea protein as a regionally suitable, low-impact alternative to soy in terms of both carbon and water use.
Open Access
The Urea cycle in connection to polyamine metabolism in higher plants: new perspectives on a central pathway
(Wiley, 2025-01-13) Buezo Bravo, Javier; Urra, Marina; González García, Esther; Alcázar, Rubén; Marino Bilbao, Daniel; Morán Juez, José Fernando; Ciencias; Zientziak; Agronomia, Bioteknologia eta Elikadura; Agronomía, Biotecnología y Alimentación; Institute for Multidisciplinary Research in Applied Biology - IMAB; Universidad Pública de Navarra / Nafarroako Unibertsitate Publikoa; Gobierno de Navarra / Nafarroako Gobernua
The ornithine-urea cycle is a biochemical pathway primarily found in animals, where it plays a crucial role in the re-assimilation of ammonium and the removal of excess nitrogen in the form of urea. In lower photosynthetic eukaryotes, it contributes to metabolic responses during episodes of high nitrogen availability. In higher plants, although historically overlooked, compelling evidence indicates the pivotal role of the urea cycle in different aspects of plant physiology and metabolism. In particular, it is associated with the metabolism of polyamines during stress. Unlike in animals and lower photosynthetic eukaryotes, in higher plants, the urea cycle is not complete due to the lack of the carbamoyl phosphate synthase-I enzyme that incorporates ammonium into the cycle. Higher plants only possess a type-II carbamoyl phosphate synthase-II that introduces glutamine into the cycle, which is also metabolically linked to arginine and polyamine metabolism. Putrescine accumulation is a metabolic hallmark of different types of abiotic stresses, such as drought, salinity, ammonium stress, iron and phosphorus deficiency, and low temperatures. Notably, the exogenous application of polyamines, such as putrescine or spermine, enhances tolerance to abiotic stress, a process in which the free radical nitric oxide appears to play a role. Overall, this review article attempts to bring together the current knowledge on the functionality of the constituent enzymes and metabolites of the urea cycle and discuss the importance of this pathway in relation to the metabolism of polyamine in higher plants.
Open Access
Dogs' general response to babesiosis infection of various severities
(National University of Life and Environmental Sciences of Ukraine, 2023) Gryshchenko, Viktoriia; Semenko, Olena; Bilokur, Diana; Agronomía, Biotecnología y Alimentación; Agronomia, Bioteknologia eta Elikadura
Global climate change in recent decades has led to an increase in the activity and expansion of the range of many diseases. One of them is canine babesiosis. Therefore, it is becoming increasingly important to monitor the functional state of the organism in sick dogs and timely detection of kidney, liver, spleen, cardiovascular system, anaemia, and other disorders that complicate the course of babesiosis. The research aims to determine the peculiarities of metabolic and functional changes in dogs with different intensities of babesiosis infection. During the laboratory diagnostics, general and special research methods were used: light microscopy, centrifugation, spectrophotometry, and mathematical statistics. Based on the results of comprehensive microscopic, morphological, and biochemical studies of blood in dogs with different intensities of babesiosis infection, the most characteristic functional and metabolic changes in their body were identified. Thus, at different intensities of babesiosis infection in diseased animals, the features of the haematological profile are leukocytopenia against the background of eosinopenia (at a mild degree of infection) and lymphocytopenia with a simultaneous compensatory increase in the number of monocytes and neutrophils, as well as erythrocytopenia, hypochromemia, thrombocytopenia with a decrease in thrombocrit and haematocrit. In addition, these patients developed hyperfermentemia of aspartate and alanine aminotransferases, alkaline phosphatase, and ¿-glutamyl transpeptidase, indicating structural and functional changes, primarily in the myocardium, liver, skeletal muscle, brain and kidneys due to their toxic damage by babesia waste products. At the same time, hypoproteinaemia, hypoalbuminemia and hyperazotemia were observed in the affected animals, indicating an increase in the intensity of catabolic processes in functional cells of organs and tissues, especially the liver. The most pronounced changes in the studied parameters were observed at high intensity of babesiosis infection. The established regularities allow the use of these haematological parameters as markers of functional and metabolic changes in the body of dogs at different intensities of babesiosis infection.
Open Access
Vacunación frente al ectima contagioso: un reto por resolver
(AgriNews, 2025-05-14) Calero, Ainhoa; Gómez, Álex; Rodríguez Largo, Ana; Pérez, Estela; Glaría Ezquer, Idoia; Echeverría Garín, Irache; Moncayola, Irati; Arriazu, Laura; Luján, Lluís; Reina Arias, Ramsés; Agronomía, Biotecnología y Alimentación; Agronomia, Bioteknologia eta Elikadura
El ectima contagioso (EC) es una enfermedad causada por el virus Orf (ORFV) que afecta, principalmente, a los pequeños rumiantes (Gómez et al., 2024). La gran prevalencia del EC a nivel mundial y las severas pérdidas económicas que genera en las granjas afectadas la convierte en una de las patologías de los pequeños rumiantes más importantes de la actualidad (Lovatt et al., 2012; Windsor et al., 2017). La vacunación es la mejor, sino la única medida efectiva para controlar el EC.
Open Access
Integrative elements repeatedly captured the phaseolotoxin biosynthesis gene cluster and invaded Pseudomonas syringae multiple times
(APS, 2025-09-01) Oliveira, Luiz Orlando de; Rody, V. S.; Aguilera, Selene; Murillo Martínez, Jesús; Agronomía, Biotecnología y Alimentación; Agronomia, Bioteknologia eta Elikadura
Phaseolotoxin is a virulence factor of Pseudomonas amygdali pv. phaseolicola (Pph) and P. syringae pv. actinidiae (Psa). Herein, we explore the evolutionary history of a genomic island (Tox island) composed of an integrative element (GInt) carrying the 23-gene cluster (Pht cluster) for biosynthesis of phaseolotoxin and toxin resistance. Our analyses indicate that the Pht cluster has been acquired, either naked or associated with a GInt, on seven independent occasions by four phylogroups of the P. syringae complex (Pph, Psa, P. caricapapayae, and P. syringae pv. syringae) and the phylogenetically distant rhizobacterium Pseudomonas sp. JAI115. The Pht cluster was independently captured by three distinct GInt elements, suggesting specific mechanisms for gene capture. Once acquired, the Tox island tends to be stably maintained, evolving with the genome. The likely evolutionary trajectory of the Tox island within Pph and Psa involved (i) acquisition by Pph; (ii) transfer of the Tox island from Pph to Psa biovar 1; (iii) independent acquisition from unknown sources of a different version of the Tox island by Psa biovar 1, generating a second toxigenic lineage; (iv) independent acquisition from unknown sources of a third version of the Tox island by Psa biovar 6; and (v) replacement of the Tox island in Pph by a distantly related GInt, generating nontoxigenic isolates. These findings underscore the potential role of phaseolotoxin in bacterial fitness and contribute to our understanding of the evolutionary dynamics of mobile genetic elements and virulence evolution in bacterial plant pathogens.
Open Access
Morphometry and textural surface properties of heat induced whey protein microparticles
(Elsevier, 2025-09-01) Angós Iturgaiz, Ignacio; Vele, Lenin; Espinosa Rábanos, Isabel; Iturmendi Vizcay, Nerea; Fernández García, Teresa; Maté Caballero, Juan Ignacio; Agronomía, Biotecnología y Alimentación; Agronomia, Bioteknologia eta Elikadura; Institute on Innovation and Sustainable Development in Food Chain - ISFOOD
The present work focuses on the study of four key factors controlling the process of whey protein microparticulation: protein suspension concentration (%WPI 2.5 % vs. 5.0 %); medium acidity (pH 4.5 vs. 5.5); denaturation temperature (80◦C vs. 90◦C); and particle size reduction method (180 bar x 1, 2 or 3 cycle(s); 1800 bar x 1 cycle). The effects of the microparticulation process were studied by analysing the degree of protein aggregation, morphometry, and surface textural characteristics of the microparticles. The results obtained indicate that the most favourable treatments to achieve a higher proportion of particles within the optimal range required by the food industry (1–10 μm) can be obtained by gentle protein denaturation (80◦C) using a medium with a pH lower than the isoelectric point of β-lactoglobulin and moderate concentrations of whey protein (2.5–5.0 %). Under these premises, it is necessary to use a high intensity particle size reduction method (1800 bar) to achieve the average diameter and the adequate homogeneity in a consistent fashion.
Open Access
Evaluation of the influence of rootstock cane characteristics on grafting success rate
(International Viticulture and Enology Society (IVES), 2025-03-10) Villa Llop, Ana; Crespo Martínez, Sara; Marín, Diana; Torres Molina, Nazareth; Cookson, Sarah Jane; Loupit, Grégoire; Bonhomme, Pierre-Olivier; Prodhomme, Duyên; Gramaje, David; Bujanda, Rebeca; Eraso Zabalegui, Javier; Santesteban García, Gonzaga; Agronomía, Biotecnología y Alimentación; Agronomia, Bioteknologia eta Elikadura; Institute for Multidisciplinary Research in Applied Biology - IMAB; Universidad Pública de Navarra / Nafarroako Unibertsitate Publikoa; Gobierno de Navarra / Nafarroako Gobernua
The success of grafting in grapevine nurseries can vary significantly depending on the wood used, even if the same scion and rootstock are used, yet the underlying causes of this variation remain poorly understood. To elucidate the factors influencing grafting success, rootstock wood (Vitis berlandieri x V. rupestris cv. 110 Richter) from ten production fields - each representing different rootstock origins - in Spain and France was characterised and grafted to cv. Tempranillo, and grafting success rates were subsequently determined. Histological analysis of the rootstock canes was carried out to evaluate tissue dimensions (pith, xylem, and phloem), number of xylem vessels, and hydraulic conductivity, revealing significant differences, particularly in the size and presence of large vessels. Metabolite analysis (starch, sucrose, glucose, fructose, and proteins) and isotopic composition (δ 13C and δ 15N) further differentiated the batches. Grafting success rates were recorded after uprooting and showed positive associations with parameters of water status (δ 13C), nitrogen assimilation (δ 15N), and anatomical characteristics of the rootstock canes. These findings underscore the complex interaction of physiological, anatomical, and environmental factors influencing grafting outcomes in grapevines.
Open Access
Non-destructive spectroscopy-based technologies for meat and meat product discrimination: a review
(Elsevier, 2025-10-01) León Ecay, Sara; Insausti Barrenetxea, Kizkitza; López Maestresalas, Ainara; Prieto, Nuria; Ingeniería; Ingeniaritza; Agronomía, Biotecnología y Alimentación; Agronomia, Bioteknologia eta Elikadura; Institute on Innovation and Sustainable Development in Food Chain - ISFOOD; Universidad Pública de Navarra / Nafarroako Unibertsitate Publikoa; Gobierno de Navarra / Nafarroako Gobernua
Consumers' confidence in products of animal origin is highly subjected to the quality guarantees offered by the manufacturing and retail industries. Traditionally, meat quality evaluation has been conducted through destructive, time-consuming and chemical-dependent protocols. Smart methodologies based on the non-destructiveness and/or non-contact with the samples, such as spectroscopy-based technologies, arise as an alternative promising tool. This comprehensive overview includes literature published in the last decade applying spectroscopy-based techniques in the Visible (Vis) and near-infrared (NIR) regions of the spectrum (Vis-NIR), either individually or combined with imaging (hyperspectral imaging, HSI), to classify meat and meat products based on ante- or postmortem factors. First, a brief introduction to the fundamentals of Vis-NIRS and HSI is included. Secondly, the main applications of Vis-NIRS and HSI technologies for meat qualitative purposes only are discussed. The Vis-NIRS and HSI have been successfully used in lab scale studies (> 90 % overall accuracy) to discriminate meat and meat products according to antemortem (feeding system, species, origin and breed) and postmortem (freshness, meat quality, label claims) factors. Recently, spectral data collected with handheld Vis-NIR equipment have become more frequent, although the use of portable HSI has not been widely explored. From the studies reviewed, the main concern regarding spectral data is to shorten modelling handling times, including strategies to both extract optimal wavelengths from NIR and compress spectral data from HSI. Despite the efforts made to overcome instrumentation and data processing challenges, a gap remains to be covered up to a real-time implementation in industrial line quality control.
Open Access
Comparative genomics of native plasmids from plant pathogenic Gammaproteobacteria
(Oxford University Press, 2025-04-01) Urriza Leoz, Miriam; Dimaria, Giulio; Oliveira, Luiz Orlando de; Catara, Vittoria; Murillo Martínez, Jesús; Agronomía, Biotecnología y Alimentación; Agronomia, Bioteknologia eta Elikadura; Institute for Multidisciplinary Research in Applied Biology - IMAB; Universidad Pública de Navarra / Nafarroako Unibertsitate Publikoa
Plasmids are key in the evolution and adaptation of plant pathogenic Gammaproteobacteria (PPG), yet their diversity and functional contributions remain underexplored. Here, comparative genomics revealed extensive variation in plasmid size, replicon types, mobility, and genetic content across PPG. Most plasmids are small (< 200 kb), except in Pantoea, exhibiting high coding densities (76% to 78%). Five ancestral replicon types were identifed across multiple orders, indicating vertical descent yet effcient horizontal transfer across taxa, although with limited genetic conservation. Virulence plasmids are widespread (56% to 68%) but differ in virulence gene content across orders: type III effector (T3E) genes are common in Pseudomonas and Xanthomonas, but rare in Enterobacterales and Xylella, aligning with their smaller effector repertoires. Plasmids frequently carry regulatory genes, highlighting their role in bacterial phenotype modulation. Distinct patterns were observed among orders: Enterobacterales plasmids often harbor thiamin biosynthesis operons and transcriptional regulators but lack post-transcriptional regulators, while most Pseudomonas and Xanthomonas plasmids are mobile, enriched in T3E genes, and exhibit high insertion sequence densities, fostering DNA mobility. Resistance to ultraviolet light is common, but not to antimicrobial compounds. These fndings highlight the dynamic role of plasmids in spreading adaptive traits, shaping virulence, and driving the evolution of plant pathogenic bacteria.
Open Access
Preservation of milk in liquid nitrogen during sample collection does not affect the RNA quality for RNA-seq analysis
(BMC, 2025-05-24) Jiménez Montenegro, Lucía; Alfonso Ruiz, Leopoldo; Soret Lafraya, Beatriz; Mendizábal Aizpuru, José Antonio; Urrutia Vera, Olaia; Agronomía, Biotecnología y Alimentación; Agronomia, Bioteknologia eta Elikadura; Institute on Innovation and Sustainable Development in Food Chain - ISFOOD; Universidad Pública de Navarra / Nafarroako Unibertsitate Publikoa; Gobierno de Navarra / Nafarroako Gobernua
Background. Standard procedures for milk sample collection for transcriptome analysis use ice as preservation method, which can afect the RNA stability and requires immediate sample processing. These problems would be eased if the milk samples could be snap-frozen in liquid nitrogen. This study describes the applicability of a new method for milk sample collection and subsequent RNA extraction from milk fat globules, determining whether the quality, integrity and quantity of the RNA extracts met the minimum requirements for downstream RNA-seq. Results. The quality of the extracts measured by A260/280 ratio and the Integrity and Quality (IQ) values obtained fulflled the reference values of 1.9 - 2.1 (P10.05) and failed to meet the RIN≥7 benchmark for RNA-seq (P>0.05). Milk fat globules contain low molecular-weight RNA fragments and minimal 18S and 28S rRNA, suggesting low RIN values were inherent to sample type. Likewise, the RNA concentration from milk fat globules were generally low (120.43±22.27 ng/µL, 102.87±15.64 ng/µL and 109.43±22.69 ng/µL, measured by Nanodrop, Qubit HS and QuanTI Ribogreen, respectively). Nevertheless, RNA-seq yielded 52.7 million paired-end reads per sample. The raw reads passed all quality control parameters having the same sequence-read lengths (151 bp), 100% base-coverage, 49% GC base content, and base quality scores of 36, enabling successful transcriptome profling. Moreover, milk proteins were identifed as the most abundant transcripts in MFG in the analysis of the most expressed genes, indicating that the sequenced reads would accurately refect the transcriptome of this milk fraction. Conclusions. Milk preservation in liquid nitrogen is a suitable sample collection method that overcomes the limitations of immediate sample processing required if ice is used. Thus, this procedure, together with the subsequent RNA isolation from milk fat globules and its sequencing by RNA-seq, would provide a practical and a non-invasive method for measuring the mammary epithelial cell transcriptome, improving the feasibility of conducting studies related to mammary gland and lactation physiology.
Open Access
Harnessing Chelonus inanitus for efficient Spodoptera spp. management: learning about production to explore roles in baculovirus transmission
(Elsevier, 2025-03-01) Dáder, Beatriz; Morel, Ariel; Muñoz Labiano, Delia; Caballero Murillo, Primitivo; Medina, Pilar; Agronomía, Biotecnología y Alimentación; Agronomia, Bioteknologia eta Elikadura
Control of Spodoptera spp. (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) crop pests has traditionally relied on heavy insecticide use. Baculoviruses (BV) from the genera Alphabaculovirus and Betabaculovirus offer effective, species-specific alternatives for managing their outbreaks. Joint use of BVs with natural enemies, such as parasitoids, could further enhance control of Spodoptera spp. by contributing to virus dispersion. In a series of experiments, we studied the optimal host age and parasitization duration of the endoparasitoid Chelonus inanitus L. (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) for parasitoid production, as well as the parasitoid preference and mechanical transmission of Spodoptera exigua and Spodoptera littoralis multiple nucleopolyhedroviruses (SeMNPV and SpliMNPV). We found that parasitoid progeny production was significantly lower when parasitized eggs were either too young (24 h) or too old (96 h), highlighting the importance of host egg age. Additionally, there was an increasing trend in parasitoid offspring production with longer parasitization exposure times, particularly at 6 and 24 h compared to shorter durations. Chelonus inanitus did not discriminate between SpliMNPV-contaminated and non-contaminated eggs, but had a remarkable preference for SeMNPV-contaminated eggs. The parasitoid effectively dispersed BVs, not only from BV-treated eggs to heathy ones by parasitization, but also, and even more efficiently, by the sole contact with a contaminated surface without eggs. Understanding complex BV-parasitoid interactions is crucial for developing integrated pest management strategies that maximize the efficacy of both parasites.
Open Access
Quantifying the effects of water status on grapevine vegetative growth, yield, and grape composition through a collaborative analysis
(Wiley, 2025-05-14) Contreras Uriarte, David; Santesteban García, Gonzaga; Mirás-Ávalos, José M.; Buesa, Ignacio; Cancela, Javier José; Chacón, Juan Luis; Escalona, José M.; Intrigliolo, Diego S.; Lampreave, Miriam; Montoro, Amelia; Rivacoba Gómez, Luis; Visconti, Fernando; Yuste, Jesús; Miranda Jiménez, Carlos; Agronomía, Biotecnología y Alimentación; Agronomia, Bioteknologia eta Elikadura
The consolidation of scientific knowledge is based on the accumulation and understanding of previous findings. Nowadays, reviews of the scientific literature have become more effective through the use of meta-analyses, which are systematic evaluations of the results from multiple studies. Similarly, mega-analyses, which combine raw data from many studies into a single sample for processing and statistical analysis, are a very powerful tool for analyzing results of heterogeneous origin but require a high level of collaboration between the researchers contributing data. In the framework of a collaborative methodology between different Spanish viticultural research groups, this work uses a mega-analytical approach to quantify the effects of changes in vine water status on vine vegetative growth, yield, and grape composition, integrating a wide range of growing conditions to obtain robust general trends of vine performance under water deficit. The mean seasonal stem water potential data from the different studies allowed a classification into five levels of water status (no deficit ⟶ mild ⟶ moderate ⟶ high ⟶ severe). A progressive decrease in vegetative growth with increasing deficit was observed, while yield decreased more markedly as water deficit progressed from moderate to high. On the other hand, titratable acidity was more sensitive to variation in water status than sugar concentration, with a greater decrease in titratable acidity when changing from no to moderate deficit. Conversely, increasing water deficit from moderate to high resulted in the greatest increases in grape anthocyanin in the red varieties explored. The results obtained in this work provide solid information on general trends in grapevine response to water deficit that can be used in simulation models or incorporated by grape growers in their decision-making processes in relation not only to irrigation management but also on other agronomic tools to impact grapevine water status.
Open Access
Integrated biowaste management by composting at a university campus: process monitoring and quality assessment
(MDPI, 2025-03-07) Álvarez-Alonso, Cristina; Pérez-Murcia, María Dolores; Martínez-Sabater, Encarnación; Irigoyen Iriarte, Ignacio; Sánchez Arizmendiarrieta, Joseba; Plana, Ramón; López, Marga; Nogués, Isabel; Bustamante, María Ángeles; Agronomía, Biotecnología y Alimentación; Agronomia, Bioteknologia eta Elikadura; Institute for Multidisciplinary Research in Applied Biology - IMAB
The sustainable management of biowaste, mainly food and pruning waste, is currently a challenge due to the increase in its production. The CaMPuSTAJE program, which has been implemented on the campus of the Public University of Navarre (UPNA) since 2019, is an excellent example of how the institution is addressing its strategic interests in sustainable waste management. The principal aim of this program is to manage the biowastes generated by the campus canteens through a simple community composting facility, involving UPNA students and graduates. This program aims to promote experiential learning and applied research in sustainability and circular economy, managing their own waste in a circular and local way. Thus, four composting sets of the CaMPuSTAJE program were evaluated by monitoring the process and the main chemical properties of the composting samples. Also, final composts were fully characterized to ensure the process reproducibility and efficiency and the absence of any hazard in the end-products. The final composts showed a significant agronomic quality, had low content of potentially toxic elements, and were free from phytotoxicity, thus being able to be reintroduced as an organic amendment at the university campus itself.
Open Access
Carbon and water footprints of the revalorisation of glucosinolates from broccoli by-products: case study from Spain
(Elsevier, 2025-05-01) González Peñalver, José Miguel; Martínez Aldaya, Maite; Muez, Ane Maite; Martín-Guindal, Andrea; Beriain Apesteguía, María José; Agronomía, Biotecnología y Alimentación; Agronomia, Bioteknologia eta Elikadura; Institute on Innovation and Sustainable Development in Food Chain - ISFOOD; Ciencias; Zientziak; Gobierno de Navarra / Nafarroako Gobernua
Assessing the costs, benefits, and externalities of circular economy measures from a life cycle perspective is increasingly important for developing sustainable agro-food strategies. This study evaluates the carbon and water implications of revalorising glucosinolates from broccoli by-products through two distinct life-cycle scenarios in a case study conducted in Navarra, Spain. In the first scenario, glucosinolates are obtained from conventional broccoli production, where they are naturally present in the edible inflorescences. The second scenario introduces an innovative step: extracting glucosinolates from otherwise discarded broccoli by-products, such as stalks and inflorescence detachments. Carbon and water footprints were analysed for both scenarios based on the production of 1000 grams of glucosinolates. The results reveal that while the second scenario enhances resource efficiency by utilizing agricultural waste, the environmental costs of the extraction process outweigh the benefits, leading to a 37.6 % increase in greenhouse gas emissions and a 4.6 % rise in water usage compared to the first scenario. To address this, an improvement scenario is proposed, featuring a more efficient use of solvents during extraction, which significantly reduces both emissions and water use. This study underscores that circular economy strategies in agro-food systems do not always translate into environmental benefits accross all resources. A detailed analysis of various carbon and water indicators has provided valuable insights to enhance the environmental performance of such strategies, reinforcing the importance of life-cycle assessments in shaping more effective agro-food policies.