Hasil untuk "Botany"

Mansour K. Gatasheh, Toqeer Abbas, Shifa shaffique et al.

Abstract Anthropogenic activities such as industrial pollution of water bodies possess threat to floras leading to extinction and endangerment. This study investigates the impact of industrial pollution on vegetation along River Chenab and its associated drains. Rivers and channels transporting industrial effluents have been determined to be significantly contaminated. The contamination was evidenced by the acidic and alkaline nature of industrial effluents, salinity, total dissolved solids, and the sodium absorption ratio. The research revealed that the pollution in the region severely impacts the native vegetation, resulting in a marked decline in density, frequency, relative density, and relative frequency across 10 sites, including three drain sites and one non-polluted site. Four plant species, Calotropis procera, Eclipta alba, Phyla nodiflora, and Ranunculus sceleratus exhibited tolerance to pollution and were present at all sites during all seasons. Anatomical modifications, such as increased root aerenchyma and vascular bundles, enabled these plants to thrive in polluted environments. The study highlights the importance of these species in phytoremediation and their potential for use in restoring degraded ecosystems.

Pornchai Kladwong, Pranom Chantaranothai

Twenty-three species of Strobilanthes Blume with capitate inflorescences are enumerated in Thailand. Strobilanthes phengklaii Kladwong & Chantar., a new species from North-eastern Thailand, is described and illustrated. Strobilanthes paniculiformis J.R.I.Wood, S. phyllostachya Kurz and S. squalens S.Moore are new records in Thailand. Strobilanthes kerrii Craib is reinstated, and S. evrardii var. parviflora J.B.Imlay, S. bombycina J.B.Imlay, Hemigraphis hispidula Craib and Sericocalyx thailandicus Bremek. are treated as new synonyms. 19 taxa are lectotypified. A key to species, taxonomic notes and photographs are provided as well as a preliminary conservation assessment and distribution maps.

Shenglin Li, Muneer Ahmed Khoso, Jiabo Wu et al.

The environmental conditions encompassing plants exert a significant impact on their appropriate growth and development. It is of utmost importance to investigate the mechanisms and signaling cascades underlying the tolerance of plants to abiotic stress in order to enhance the quality of crops. Plant growth and development processes are significantly impacted by abiotic stresses, which are intricately linked to their surroundings. Plants exhibit prompt genetic and metabolic network responses, mostly through signaling networks involving transcription factors that respond to stress, including WRKY, MYB, bZIP, AP2/EREBP, and NAC. Among these WRKY TFs transcription factors, fulfill a pivotal function in a diverse range of stress responses and developmental mechanisms. WRKY TFs greatly assist plants in coping with abiotic stress. These transcription factors oversee the control of several target gene categories and active involvement in numerous signaling cascades in plants through their interaction with the W-box cis-acting elements located in the promoters of these target genes.This research provides a comprehensive analysis of the signaling networks linked to WRKY TFs and their response mechanism to abiotic stress. In addition, we have explored the state of knowledge on WRKY TFs' effects on plants' response to a range of abiotic stresses, such as drought, salt, high temperatures, and cold. It elucidates the intricate molecular mechanisms by which WRKY TFs govern signaling pathways and modulate gene expression, thereby conferring stress tolerance upon plants. Moreover, we have summarized the molecular function of WRKY TFs that are involved in tolerance to biotic stress. WRKY TFs, involved in signaling networks and hormonal routes like SA and JA, aid plants in inducing resistance mechanisms and coordinating defense responses against pathogens and environmental challenges. In order to enhance agricultural sustainability and augment crop resilience towards stress, strategies to manipulate the intricate regulatory networks involving WRKY TFs need to be established.

Jiao-Jiao Chen, Zhang Zhang, Yi Wang et al.

AbstractAntrodia cinnamomea, an edible and medicinal fungus with significant economic value and application prospects, is rich in terpenoids, benzenoids, lignans, polysaccharides, and benzoquinone, succinic and maleic derivatives. In this study, the transcriptome of A. cinnamomea cultured on the wood substrates of Cinnamomum glanduliferum (YZM), C. camphora (XZM), and C. kanehirae (NZM) was sequenced using the high-throughput sequencing technology Illumina HiSeq 2000, and the data were assembled by de novo strategy to obtain 78,729 Unigenes with an N50 of 4,463 bp. Compared with public databases, about 11,435, 6,947, and 5,994 Unigenes were annotated to the Non-Redundant (NR), Gene Ontology (GO), and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genome (KEGG), respectively. The comprehensive analysis of the mycelium terpene biosynthesis-related genes in A. cinnamomea revealed that the expression of acetyl-CoA acetyltransferase (AACT), acyl-CoA dehydrogenase (MCAD), 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-coenzyme A (HMG-CoA), mevalonate pyrophosphate decarboxylase (MVD), and isopentenyl diphosphate isomerase (IDI) was significantly higher on NZM compared to the other two wood substrates. Similarly, the expression of geranylgeranyltransferase (GGT) was significantly higher on YZM compared to NZM and XZM, and the expression of farnesyl transferase (FTase) was significantly higher on XZM. Furthermore, the expressions of 2,3-oxidized squalene cyclase (OCS), squalene synthase (SQS), and squalene epoxidase (SE) were significantly higher on NZM. Overall, this study provides a potential approach to explore the molecular regulation mechanism of terpenoid biosynthesis in A. cinnamomea.

Elena Varas, Silvia Valladares, Jesús Vielba et al.

The mechanisms underlying the de novo regeneration of adventitious roots are still poorly understood, particularly in trees. We developed a system for studying adventitious rooting (AR) at physiological and molecular levels using leaves excised from chestnut microshoots of the same genotype but with two distinct ontogenetic origins that differ in rooting competence. Leaves were treated with auxin and N-1-naphthyl-phthalamic acid (NPA), an inhibitor of auxin polar transport (PAT). The physiological effects were investigated by recording rooting rates and the number and quality of the roots. Molecular responses were examined by localizing and monitoring the changes in the expression of <i>CsSCL1</i>, an auxin-inducible gene in juvenile and mature shoots during AR. The rooting response of leaves was ontogenetic-stage dependent and similar to that of the donor microshoots. Initiation of root primordia and root development were inhibited by application of NPA, although its effect depended on the timing of application. <i>CsSCL1</i> was upregulated by auxin only in rooting-competent leaves during the novo root organogenesis, and the expression was reduced by NPA. The inhibitory effect on gene expression was detected during the reprograming of rooting competent cells towards root initials in response to auxin, indicating that PAT-mediated upregulation of <i>CsSCL1</i> is required in the initial steps of AR in chestnut leaves. The localized expression of <i>CsSCL1</i> in the quiescent center (QC) also suggests a role for this gene in the maintenance of meristematic competence and root radial patterning.

Santosh Kumar Rana, Hum Kala Rana, Dong Luo et al.

Global climate change threatens the range and resilience of species in the major biodiversity, particularly those in mountain regions. As the climatic conditions at high altitudes becomes suitable for colonization, many alpine plants experiences novel competitive pressures along as well as range-shift limitations along alpine peaks. To estimate climate-induced ‘Nowhere to go’ scenarios, we modelled habitat suitability for the Himalayan Incarvillea Juss. and its subgenera using a multi-model median (MMM) ensemble species distribution modelling (eSDM). This model incorporated 13 climatic and other 15 environmental variables with n = 542 spatially rarefied occurrence records of the Incarvillea species. Meanwhile, contributions of environmental factors to ecological divergence were statistically verified using principal component analysis (PCA) and discriminant function analysis (DFA). Finally, the geographic range was projected under n = 4 different climatic scenarios and analysed for plausible range shifts. The niche divergence test suggested larger ecological differentiation within the genus and subgenera by climatic rather than environmental variables. In response to climatic factors, the consensus projection resulted in a wide range of suitability for Incarvillea across the three foremost Biodiversity hotspots of Asia. The spatio-temporal projection of the Incarvillea species in the Hengduan Mountains expand their range north-westward in future without diminishing their range size under climate warming, but not promisingly occupied niche range as anticipated by the “Nowhere to go” hypothesis. Therefore, a better understanding of the potential range of the genus Incarvillea and its subgenera envisioned through solely climate-induced variables might provide better insights to biogeographers in understanding geographic range amalgamating climate change adaptation and biodiversity conservation in the biodiversity hotspots.

Hari Prasad Pandey, Narayan Prasad Pokhrel

The community forests of Nepal are a showcase of participatory forest management models to the global communities. However, the scenario of formation trend and their future formation potential is unknown. This paper presents 40 years of community forests (CF) formation trend in Nepal and discusses its potential formation scenario. The researchers have used updated data (mid-July, 2020) for trend analysis using Mann-Kendall and Sen's slope coefficient test. The policy provision of women participation and their actual involvement in the executive committee (EC) of community forests users' group (CFUG) has also been compared. The analysis showed 22,519 CF with an area of 2,312,545 hectares of national forests being managed by 3,088,259 households (HH). This constitutes 15.67% of the total land area, 34.98% of total forested area, 56.90% of total HH, and 62.68% of the total population of Nepal being involved in CF. Though the formation trend of CF and their respective area, HH involvement, EC members, and participation of women in EC was in increasing trend in the late 1990s to early 2000s, these variables are now decreasing. Although not statistically significant (p>0.05), the overall annual growth shows a negative trend, indicating the CF formation near the saturation point. Result reveals efforts and time to be invested in the management of CF rather than investing in a new formation. Moreover, results evident that CF ensures and obtains more than 50% women involvement both in policy and practice in the decision-making process for participatory common resource management in Nepal. Results would be a reference to policy guidance related to sustainable CF management and gender-inclusive participatory common resource management. This, again, would be a good example of a gender-inclusive natural resource management model to the other sectors in Nepal and to the global community.

Marco Meneses, Miguel García-Rojas, Claudia Muñoz-Espinoza et al.

Abstract Background Gibberellins (GA3) are the most sprayed growth regulator for table grape production worldwide, increasing berry size of seedless varieties through pericarp cell expansion. However, these treatments also exacerbate berry drop, which has a detrimental effect on the postharvest quality of commercialized clusters. Several studies have suggested that pedicel stiffening caused by GA3 would have a role in this disorder. Nevertheless, transcriptional and phenotypic information regarding pedicel responses to GA3 is minimal. Results Characterization of responses to GA3 treatments using the lines L23 and Thompson Seedless showed that the former was up to six times more susceptible to berry drop than the latter. GA3 also increased the diameter and dry matter percentage of the pedicel on both genotypes. Induction of lignin biosynthesis-related genes by GA3 has been reported, so the quantity of this polymer was measured. The acetyl bromide method detected a decreased concentration of lignin 7 days after GA3 treatment, due to a higher cell wall yield of the isolated fractions of GA3-treated pedicel samples which caused a dilution effect. Thus, an initial enrichment of primary cell wall components in response to GA3 was suggested, particularly in the L23 background. A transcriptomic profiling was performed to identify which genes were associated with these phenotypic changes. This analysis identified 1281 and 1787 genes differentially upregulated by GA3 in L23 and cv. Thompson Seedless, respectively. Concomitantly, 1202 and 1317 downregulated genes were detected in L23 and cv. Thompson Seedless (FDR < 0.05). Gene ontology analysis of upregulated genes showed enrichment in pathways including phenylpropanoids, cell wall metabolism, xylem development, photosynthesis and the cell cycle at 7 days post GA3 application. Twelve genes were characterized by qPCR and striking differences were observed between genotypes, mainly in genes related to cell wall synthesis. Conclusions High levels of berry drop are related to an early strong response of primary cell wall synthesis in the pedicel promoted by GA3 treatment. Genetic backgrounds can produce similar phenotypic responses to GA3, although there is considerable variation in the regulation of genes in terms of which are expressed, and the extent of transcript levels achieved within the same time frame.

Kevin Weitemier, Shannon C.K. Straub, Mark Fishbein et al.

Milkweeds (Asclepias) are used in wide-ranging studies including floral development, pollination biology, plant-insect interactions and co-evolution, secondary metabolite chemistry, and rapid diversification. We present a transcriptome and draft nuclear genome assembly of the common milkweed, Asclepias syriaca. This reconstruction of the nuclear genome is augmented by linkage group information, adding to existing chloroplast and mitochondrial genomic resources for this member of the Apocynaceae subfamily Asclepiadoideae. The genome was sequenced to 80.4× depth and the draft assembly contains 54,266 scaffolds ≥1 kbp, with N50 = 3,415 bp, representing 37% (156.6 Mbp) of the estimated 420 Mbp genome. A total of 14,474 protein-coding genes were identified based on transcript evidence, closely related proteins, and ab initio models, and 95% of genes were annotated. A large proportion of gene space is represented in the assembly, with 96.7% of Asclepias transcripts, 88.4% of transcripts from the related genus Calotropis, and 90.6% of proteins from Coffea mapping to the assembly. Scaffolds covering 75 Mbp of the Asclepias assembly formed 11 linkage groups. Comparisons of these groups with pseudochromosomes in Coffea found that six chromosomes show consistent stability in gene content, while one may have a long history of fragmentation and rearrangement. The progesterone 5β-reductase gene family, a key component of cardenolide production, is likely reduced in Asclepias relative to other Apocynaceae. The genome and transcriptome of common milkweed provide a rich resource for future studies of the ecology and evolution of a charismatic plant family.

Sergei Volis

The need for integration of ex situ and in situ approaches in conservation of plants has long been recognized. However, ex situ collections have numerous limitations that reduce their utility for conservation, necessitating the introduction of new, more appropriate, flexible and less costly approaches. Two new approaches that can be called “intermediate” between in situ and ex situ, and bridging them in some way have been proposed over the last two decades. In these approaches material collected in natural populations is planted and maintained outside the original location, but with a different purpose. While the purpose of the inter situs approach is reintroduction, the concern of the quasi in situ approach is long-term storage of species genetic diversity. I view these two approaches as complementary and necessary components of conservation-oriented restoration. In restoration of a degraded habitat using threatened species (i.e. inter situs), quasi in situ collections can serve an important role in providing long-term preservation of these species’ genetic diversity and production of seeds needed for restoration. Keywords: Biodiversity, Threatened plants, In situ, Ex situ, Quasi in situ, Conservation strategy, Conservation guidelines

Armel Joël Lawson, Hermine Akohou, Stéphanie Lorge et al.

Small farmers in urban and peri-urban areas of Northern Benin use pesticides without respect of hygiene rules and any personal protective equipment (PPE). Based on observation of the local practices in Djougou, Gogounou and Parakou,field trials have been carried out under similar conditions to evaluate contamination and exposure levels of farmers, using three usual sampling methods (Visual Method, Patch Method and Whole Body Method). Both Visual and Patch Methods used dye and ghost ink as tracers. In the Whole Body trials, deltamethrin (PLAN D 25 EC) was used as insecticide treatment. Deposits were observed on the protective equipment and on the collectors. Tartrazine was determined by colorimetry and deltamethrin by gas chromatography with ECD detector (GC-ECD). The examination of protective equipment (Visual Method) showed that the whole body could be potentially exposed to pesticides. Hands were contaminated during the preparation and the loading of mixture up to sprayer rinsing. The Patch Method was not perfectly able to predict the contamination pattern on the farmers’ body. The Whole Body Method results appeared to be more variable and influenced by the skill of each operator compared to the Patch Method. The contamination levels observed were rather higher than the value estimated with a theoretical model (from 368 to 2867 mg of deltamethrin at the total/body). With PPE, the average exposure reached 3.25 mg/kg bw/day. Without PPE, the potential exposure was equal to 32.52 mg/kg bw/day. Both values far exceed the AOEL of deltamethrin (0.0075 mg/kg bw/day) indicating a high risk level for the operator. The theoretical used model (UK-POEM) was unable to predict the potential exposure outcomes measured in these trials.

P. P. Ferrer-Gallego, R. Roselló, C. J. Mansanet-Salvador et al.

Se describe una nueva especie para el género Centaurea L. (sect. Acrocentron, Asteraceae): C. inexpugnabilis, sp. nov. Esta planta ha sido localizada al pie de los Mallos de Riglos (Riglos, Huesca) y su distribución se circunscribe por el momento al cuadrante nororiental de la península ibérica. Junto a su descripción y diagnosis, se aporta una lámina y varias tablas con los principales caracteres diagnósticos que la diferencian de las especies más próximas.