Ante Kasap

Lead, cadmium and mercury contents and bioaccumulation potential of wild edible saprophytic and ectomycorrhizal mushrooms, Croatia

ABSTRACT Lead (Pb), cadmium (Cd), and mercury (Hg) contents in ten species of edible mushrooms in Trakošćan, Croatia were determined. In addition, the similarity between the studied species was determined by cluster analysis. The caps and stipes of the fruiting bodies were analysed separately. The analyses were carried out by inductively coupled plasma - optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES). The greatest mean lead concentrations of 1.91 and 1.60 mg kg −1 were determined in caps and stipes of Macrolepiota procera. The greatest mean concentrations of cadmium (3.23 and 2.24 mg kg−1) were determined in caps and stipes of Agaricus campestris and of mercury (2.56 and 2.35 mg kg−1) in Boletus edulis. In terms of the anatomical parts of the fruiting body (cap-stipe), a considerably greater concentration of the analysed elements was found in the cap for all mushroom species. According to calculated bio-concentration factors, all the examined species were found to be bio-accumulators of Cd and Hg. On the basis of the accumulation of the studied metals, great similarity of mushroom species belonging to the same genus and partial similarity of species of the same ecological affiliation was obtained by cluster analysis.

Estimation of genetic parameters and genetic trends for reproductive traits in Saanen goats.

The study was conducted on Saanen goats raised in Croatia. The object of the study was to determine the average litter size (LS), birth weight (BW) and total litter weight (TLW). The study included a total of 2 500 goats among which 1 786 were phenotyped. A total of 6 349 records for BW and 4 256 records for LS and TLW were used in descriptive and inferential statistical analysis. Determined averages for LS, BW and TLW were 1.74 lambs, 3.27 kg and 5.65 kg, respectively. Twinning and tripling rates were 36.9% and 6.2%. Single-trait analysis under repeatability animal model was used in estimation of variance components and prediction of breeding values. Season (as year-month interaction), age at lambing (as quadratic regression) nested within parity and type of birth were treated as fixed, while herd-year, additive genetic, permanent environmental and residual were treated as random effects, respectively. Investigated environmental effects significantly affected all reproductive traits (p<0.001). The largest phenotype variability among investigated traits was determined for TLW. Additive genetic effect accounted for 7%, 5% and 4% in total variability for LS, BW and TLW, respectively. Genetic trends of reproductive traits were estimated for the period from year 2000 to 2010. A positive genetic trend was determined for LS, a negative genetic trend for BW and genetic stagnation for TLW.

137 Cs in mushrooms from Croatia sampled 15–30 years after Chernobyl

The aim of this study was to select species with higher potential to accumulate 137Cs among the available mushroom species, by determining the activity concentrations of 137Cs in mushrooms collected along north and north-western part of Croatia. A total of 55 samples of 14 different species were analyzed and the potential of mycorrhizal and saprotrophic species to accumulate 137Cs was compared. A wide range of the dry weight activity concentrations of 137Cs was detected, ranging from 0.95 to 1210 Bq/kg (154 Bq/kg mean value; 52.3 Bq/kg geometric mean) in mycorrhizal and 1.05-36.8 Bq/kg (8.90 Bq/kg mean value; 5.49 Bq/kg geometric mean) in saprotrophic species. Statistical analyses showed that mycorrhizal species accumulate significantly higher concentrations of 137Cs and thus could perform better as long-term bioindicators of environmental pollution by radiocaesium then saprotrophic species. The comparison of Boletus sp. and Hydnum repandum (both mycorrhizal species commonly found in Croatia) showed, in general order of magnitude, higher accumulation in Hydnum repandum. Clearly, mushrooms, especially mycorrhizal species, can be used as significant indicators even decades after the occurrence of any serious 137Cs contamination event. However, as a wide range of values indicates that various parameters may influence the total uptake of the 137Cs into the mushroom fruit bodies, it is necessary to emphasize that 137Cs activity detected in a single mushroom sample is very site-specific.

Proximate and mineral composition of M. longissimus thoracis et lumborum of suckling lambs from three Croatian indigenous breeds reared in outdoor conditions

Abstract Lamb meat represents an important source of nutrients for humans worldwide. However, nutritional value of lamb meat, and particularly that obtained from suckling lambs, has been scarcely investigated in comparison to other categories of meat. The study aimed to provide some basic insights into proximate and mineral composition of lamb meat and to disclose some important sources of its variability. Three Croatian indigenous insular sheep breeds were included in the study: Rab sheep, Cres sheep, and Krk. The lambs were reared in outdoor insular environment where lambs were fed exclusively by suckling their mothers and by grazing wild grown vegetation. It has been determined that gender significantly affected fat (p < .001) and moisture ratio (p < .05), and had no effect on concentration of the examined minerals, except Zn (p < .01). The factor composed of breed and environment significantly affected moisture ratio (p < .001), fat ratio (p < .01), and concentrations of Ca, Na, Cu, and Mn (p < .001), Zn (p < .01), and K (p < .05). The concentrations of Mn and Ca were by far the most influenced by breed-environment effect. The results of the study evidenced that factor composed of breed and environment represents important source of variability of nutritional value of lamb meat produced in extensive rearing systems.

Heavy metals bioaccumulation by edible saprophytic mushrooms

The aim of this study was to determine the concentration of heavy metals Fe, Zn, Cu, Ni, Pb i Cd in certain edible species of saprophytic fungi and the substrate on three area of sampling, and to assess the role of individual species as biological indicators of environmental pollution. In this study were used three species of wild edible mushrooms (Agaricus macroarpus Bohus, Clitocybe inversa (Scop. ex Fr.) Pat. and Macrolepiota procera (Scop. ex Fr.) Sing.,). Completely developed and mature fruiting bodies were collected at random selection in localities of Trakoscan, Jaska and Petrova gora. At the same time, the substrate soil samples were collected from the upper horizon (0-10). Determination of heavy metals in mushrooms and the substrate soil were carried out by X-ray Fluorescence Spectrometry. The data obtained were analysed by means of the statistical program SAS V9.2. Significant differences were found in the concentrations of Fe, Zn, Cu, Ni, Pb and Cd between analysed species of mushrooms and localities of sampling (P 1). The consumption of investigated mushrooms poses no toxicological risk to human health due to low concentrations analysed metals.

Partition of genetic trends by origin in Landrace and Large-White pigs

The objective of this study was to analyse the effectiveness of genetic improvement via domestic selection and import for backfat thickness and time on test in a conventional pig breeding programme for Landrace (L) and Large-White (LW) breeds. Phenotype data was available for 25 553 L and 10 432 LW pigs born between 2002 and 2012 from four large-scale farms and 72 family farms. Pedigree information indicated whether each animal was born and registered within the domestic breeding programme or has been imported. This information was used for defining the genetic groups of unknown parents in a pedigree and the partitioning analysis. Breeding values were estimated using a Bayesian analysis of an animal model with and without genetic groups. Such analysis enabled full Bayesian inference of the genetic trends and their partitioning by the origin of germplasm. Estimates of genetic group indicated that imported germplasm was overall better than domestic and substantial changes in estimates of breeding values was observed when genetic group were fitted. The estimated genetic trends in L were favourable and significantly different from zero by the end of the analysed period. Overall, the genetic trends in LW were not different from zero. The relative contribution of imported germplasm to genetic trends was large, especially towards the end of analysed period with 78% and 67% in L and from 50% to 67% in LW. The analyses suggest that domestic breeding activities and sources of imported animals need to be re-evaluated, in particular in LW breed.