Daniel Klasen, Andreas Fischbach, Viktor Sydoruk
et al.
Plants adapt seed traits in response to different environmental triggers, supporting the survival of the next generation. To elucidate the mechanistic understanding of such adaptations it is important to characterize the distributions of seed traits by phenotyping seeds on an individual scale and to correlate these traits with corresponding plant properties. Here we introduce a seed-to-plant-tracking pipeline which enables automated handling and high precision phenotyping of Arabidopsis seeds as well as germination detection and early growth quantification of emerging plants. It includes previously published measurement platforms (phenoSeeder, Growscreen), which were improved for very small seeds. We demonstrate the performance of the pipeline by comparing seeds from two consecutive generations of elevated temperature during flowering with control seeds. Relative standard deviation of repeated seed mass measurements was reduced to 0.2%. We identified an increase in seed mass, volume, length, width, height, and germination time as well as a darkening of the seeds under the treatment. A correlation analysis revealed relationships between seed and plant traits, e.g., a highly significant negative correlation between seed brightness and germination time, and a positive correlation between seed mass and early growth rate, but no correlation between time of emergence and morphometric seed traits (e.g., mass, volume). Thus, the seed-to-plant tracking provides the basis for investigating the mechanism of seed and plant trait variation and transgenerational inheritance.
Nitrogen, an indispensable macronutrient, significantly affects the appearance, quality, and yield of grapes (<i>Vitis vinifera</i>). Adequate nitrate uptake and intracellular transport, facilitated primarily by nitrate transport (NRT) proteins, are crucial for maintaining nutritional balance. However, there are no reports on the <i>NRT</i> gene family in grapes. In this study, we identified 53 <i>Nitrate Transporter 1/Peptide Transporter Family</i> (<i>NPF</i>), 3 <i>nitrate transporter 2 family</i> (<i>NRT2</i>), and 1 <i>Nitrate Assimilation-Related 2</i> (<i>NAR2</i>) genes in the grapevine Pinot Noir PN40024 genome. A comprehensive analysis of these gene families, including their physicochemical properties, structural organization, chromosomal distribution, collinearity, cis-acting element distribution, and phylogenetic relationships, revealed the rich diversity and evolutionary conservation of the grapevine <i>Nitrate Transporter</i> (<i>NRT</i>) <i>genes</i>. Furthermore, the expression profiles of <i>VvNRTs</i> in different tissues demonstrated that the <i>NRT</i> genes possess spatio-temporal expression specificity. The expression patterns of the <i>NRT</i> genes were examined by transcriptome sequencing in grapevines across various tissues under nitrogen-deficiency conditions. The expression patterns in grapevine leaves under nitrogen-deficiency conditions showed upregulation of the <i>VvNPF2.3</i> gene in conditions of nitrogen deficiency. This upregulation was strongly associated with a 62.2% reduction in indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) levels and a 21.3% increase in hydrogen peroxide (H<sub>2</sub>O<sub>2</sub>) levels, suggesting a complex regulatory response to nitrogen-induced stress. These findings emphasize the potential involvement of <i>NRT</i> genes in the adaptive reaction to nitrogen deficiency and set the stage for future investigations into the molecular mechanisms of nitrogen transportation in grapevines.
Western Ghats are known for wild mangoes known for their distinctive flavours, tastes, and scents. The exploration of wild mangoes of coastal districts of Karnataka was undertaken. A total of 45 mango accessions were assessed for morphological characters (leaf and fruit) using numerical approach. The 14 traits including leaf blade length, leaf blade width, petiole length, fruit length, diameter, weight, and breadth, pulp, TSS, peel, and fruit thickness were analyzed. Fruit weight (g), stone weight (g), pulp (%), peel (%) and leaf blade length (cm) showed most diversity. The Moodbidri accession had most fruit weight (109.55 g), whereas, the Dakshina Kannada district’s Moodbidri accession had the lightest stone weight (12.72 g). It is the first documentation of the local mango germplasm variability in coastal Karnataka.
Regulation of fruit ripening is one of the most important topics in postharvest storage. Effects of 1-methylcyclopropene (1-MCP) greatly depend on the responsiveness of fruit cultivar to this molecule. Although 1-MCP has been used in postharvest preservation of many fruit species, its effects on ripening process, including ethylene production, and softening of banana, mango, and papaya are still not very clear. In the present study, we comparatively investigated the effects of 1-MCP fumigation treatment (1 μL L<sup>−1</sup> for 20 h) on ripening behavior and texture qualities of the three fruits during storage at 15 °C. Results showed that 1-MCP treatment not only suppressed the production but also delayed the peak points of ethylene in banana and mango. However, it only significantly delayed the emergence of peak, but didn’t suppress the production of ethylene in papaya. Meanwhile, 1-MCP treated papayas showed the lowest malondialdehyde (MDA) content, cell membrane permeability (CMP) and activities of polygalacturonase (PG) and cellulose (CX), accompanied by the highest firmness and protopectin content. Furthermore, 1-MCP treatment slowed down the changes of pulp cell structure in three kinds of fruit. Thus, the findings suggest that postharvest application of 1-MCP has potential in banana and mango fruits due to both prolonging storage-life and ensuring the texture quality, whereas it is not suitable for papaya fruit because of the abnormal softening and the poor texture.
Ewelina Stolarska, Umesh Kumar Tanwar, Yufeng Guan
et al.
Nitrogen (N) is one of the most expensive nutrients to supply, therefore, improving the efficiency of N use is essential to reduce the cost of commercial fertilization in plant production. Since cells cannot store reduced N as NH3 or NH4+, polyamines (PAs), the low molecular weight aliphatic nitrogenous bases, are important N storage compounds in plants. Manipulating polyamines may provide a method to increase nitrogen remobilization efficiency. Homeostasis of PAs is maintained by intricate multiple feedback mechanisms at the level of biosynthesis, catabolism, efflux, and uptake. The molecular characterization of the PA uptake transporter (PUT) in most crop plants remains largely unknown, and knowledge of polyamine exporters in plants is lacking. Bi-directional amino acid transporters (BATs) have been recently suggested as possible PAs exporters for Arabidopsis and rice, however, detailed characterization of these genes in crops is missing. This report describes the first systematic study to comprehensively analyze PA transporters in barley (Hordeum vulgare, Hv), specifically the PUT and BAT gene families. Here, seven PUTs (HvPUT1-7) and six BATs (HvBAT1-6) genes were identified as PA transporters in the barley genome and the detailed characterization of these HvPUT and HvBAT genes and proteins is provided. Homology modeling of all studied PA transporters provided 3D structures prediction of the proteins of interest with high accuracy. Moreover, molecular docking studies provided insights into the PA-binding pockets of HvPUTs and HvBATs facilitating improved understanding of the mechanisms and interactions involved in HvPUT/HvBAT-mediated transport of PAs. We also examined the physiochemical characteristics of PA transporters and discuss the function of PA transporters in barley development, and how they help barley respond to stress, with a particular emphasis on leaf senescence. Insights gained here could lead to improved barley production via modulation of polyamine homeostasis.
This study reported the influence of selenium (Se) on carbohydrate composition and some related enzymes and nutrient compositions of arsenic (As) stressed rice plants. Rice plants of cultivar PR126 were grown on soil amended with As in a range of 25–100 μmol/kg with and without 0.5 or 1.0 mg/kg Se. Total soluble sugars (TSS) and reducing sugars (RS) increased in leaves of As stressed plants at the tillering and grain filling stages whereas sucrose and starch contents showed the reverse trend. Se supplementation to As stressed plants further increased TSS and RS, and enhanced sucrose phosphate synthase activity in rice leaves, thus improving sucrose content and the tolerance to As stress of the plants. Se alone or in combination with As resulted in lower As accumulation in rice husk and grains, and the highest reduction was observed in Se applied at 1.0 mg/kg compared to the corresponding As treatments alone. As may limit the accumulations of Na, Mg, K, Ca, Fe, Zn and Mn in rice grains, which are essential for humans. Binary application of different combinations of As and Se protected the plants against As and increased the mineral content in rice grains. Addition of Se in As treated soil significantly alleviated As stress by enhancing grain yields compared to the corresponding As treatment. It is concluded that Se induced amelioration of the toxic impact of As in rice either by modulating carbohydrate composition and/or nutrient uptake is one of the mechanisms to alleviate As stress in plants.
Abstract Flowering is an important process in higher plants and is regulated by a variety of factors, including light, temperature, and phytohormones. Flowering restriction has a considerable impact on the commodity value and production cost of many horticultural crops. In Arabidopsis, the FT/TFL1 gene family has been shown to integrate signals from various flowering pathways and to play a key role in the transition from flower production to seed development. Studies in several plant species of the FT/TFL1 gene family have revealed it harbors functional diversity in the regulation of flowering. Here, we review the functional evolution of the FT/TFL1 gene family in horticulture plants and its unique regulatory mechanisms; in addition, the FT/TFL1 family of genes as an important potential breeding target is explored.
Rice grain chalkiness is an important characteristic, but the difference between chalky and translucent parts in grains is still unclear. Here, we investigated the differences of flour made from the chalky or translucent part of rice grains in three indica and three japonica rice varieties. The chalky flour had significantly lower amylose and protein contents and looser starch granule morphology, and starches in the chalky flour had higher relative crystallinity, higher short chain content but lower long chain content than those in the translucent flour. The water states, determined with nuclear magnetic resonance, differed between the chalky and translucent flour after soaking, cooking and retrograding, and the chalky flour had more bound and free water but less constructural water than the translucent flour. Mostly, the chalky flour had lower viscosity and shorter gel consistency, but higher onset temperature and gelatinization enthalpy than the translucent flour. The results indicated that starch granule morphology would be more indicative than other attributions on pasting and gelatinization properties of chalky and translucent parts of rice grains.
Natalia Borowska-Zuchowska, Ewa Robaszkiewicz, Serhii Mykhailyk
et al.
Nucleolar dominance (ND) is an epigenetic, developmentally regulated phenomenon that describes the selective inactivation of 35S rDNA loci derived from one progenitor of a hybrid or allopolyploid. The presence of ND was documented in an allotetraploid grass, Brachypodium hybridum (genome composition DDSS), which is a polyphyletic species that arose from crosses between two putative ancestors that resembled the modern B. distachyon (DD) and B. stacei (SS). In this work, we investigated the developmental stability of ND in B. hybridum genotype 3-7-2 and compared it with the reference genotype ABR113. We addressed the question of whether the ND is established in generative tissues such as pollen mother cells (PMC). We examined condensation of rDNA chromatin by fluorescence in situ hybridization employing state-of-art confocal microscopy. The transcription of rDNA homeologs was determined by reverse-transcription cleaved amplified polymorphic sequence analysis. In ABR113, the ND was stable in all tissues analyzed (primary and adventitious root, leaf, and spikes). In contrast, the 3-7-2 individuals showed a strong upregulation of the S-genome units in adventitious roots but not in other tissues. Microscopic analysis of the 3-7-2 PMCs revealed extensive decondensation of the D-genome loci and their association with the nucleolus in meiosis. As opposed, the S-genome loci were always highly condensed and localized outside the nucleolus. These results indicate that genotype-specific loss of ND in B. hybridum occurs probably after fertilization during developmental processes. This finding supports our view that B. hybridum is an attractive model to study ND in grasses.
Detailed studies of Ni distribution in peat that is influenced by Ni-rich soil derived from ultrabasic rocks are still limited. The objective of this study was to reveal the characteristics of Ni in peat from Morowali (Central Sulawesi Province, Indonesia) at several depths and distances from the boundary of the ultrabasic mineral soil. Peat was sampled from depths of 0–30, 30–60, and 60–90 cm at distances of 100, 200, 300, 400, 500, and 600 m from the border of the ultrabasic mineral soil in March 2018. Ni characteristics were examined through their total, exchangeable, water-soluble, and adsorbed distributions. The relationships between Ni and some peat chemical properties such as pH; cation exchange capacity; macronutrient contents of K, Ca, and Mg; and micronutrient contents of Fe, Cu and Zn were also observed. The high Ni content in peat at the study transect is caused by an accumulation of Ni transported from elevated areas of mineral soil. Most Ni in peat is bonded to the soil organic exchange complexes. Accumulation of the mineral soil fraction in the peat surface is indicated at distances of 100–400 meters from the ultrabasic mineral soil. Ni distribution in peat at the study transect is mainly governed by a combination of Fe, pH, organic material, water content, peat depth, and distance from ultrabasic mineral soil.
Harsh Raman, Brett McVittie, Ramethaa Pirathiban
et al.
Blackleg disease, caused by the fungal pathogen Leptosphaeria maculans, continues to be a major concern for sustainable production of canola (Brassica napus L.) in many parts of the world. The deployment of effective quantitative resistance (QR) is recognized as a durable strategy in providing natural defense to pathogens. Herein, we uncover loci for resistance to blackleg in a genetically diverse panel of canola accessions by exploiting historic recombination events which occurred during domestication and selective breeding by genome-wide association analysis (GWAS). We found extensive variation in resistance to blackleg at the adult plant stage, including for upper canopy infection. Using the linkage disequilibrium and genetic relationship estimates from 12,414 high quality SNPs, GWAS identified 59 statistically significant and “suggestive” SNPs on 17 chromosomes of B. napus genome that underlie variation in resistance to blackleg, evaluated under field and shade-house conditions. Each of the SNP association accounted for up to 25.1% of additive genetic variance in resistance among diverse panel of accessions. To understand the homology of QR genomic regions with Arabidopsis thaliana genome, we searched the synteny between QR regions with 22 ancestral blocks of Brassicaceae. Comparative analyses revealed that 25 SNP associations for QR were localized in nine ancestral blocks, as a result of genomic rearrangements. We further showed that phenological traits such as flowering time, plant height, and maturity confound the genetic variation in resistance. Altogether, these findings provided new insights on the complex genetic control of the blackleg resistance and further expanded our understanding of its genetic architecture.
Bacterial infections are most dangerous for fish and may cause their 100 % death. The most dangerous bacteria are aeromonas, or pathogens of hemorrhagic septicemia or rubella. The Cyprinids are most susceptible to this disease. As a rule, antibiotics, sometimes probiotics are used to fight aeromonosis. Due to the frequent use of antibiotics, fish develop resistance to some of them, thus making the measures to fight bacterial infection completely ineffective. Nowadays phytobiotics are spreading widely in European countries. Phytobiotics are phytogenous or plant-based complexes that do not contain any drugs, so they are simply referred to as feed additives containing biologically active substances that are able to resist bacterial infections, increase appetite, immunity, improve metabolic processes, etc. The following article provides a research on a phytobiotic “Mix-Oil” and its effectiveness against carp aeromonosis. The phytobiotic "Mix-Oil" is a product of a joint Belarusian-Italian production and is based on the essential oils of oregano, cloves and garlic. It was revealed that the phytobiotic "Mix-Oil" does not have acute and chronic toxicity on carps at a dosage of 80 - 600 g / ton of compound feed. Both preventive and therapeutic effects of Mix-Oil as a part of carp compound feed were also established. Based on the results obtained, it was concluded that a dosage of 600 g / ton of compound feed is the optimal dosage of phytobiotic in mixed feed. Since the phytobiotic "Mix-Oil" is a heat-sensitive product, the modes of moisture and heat treatment as well as a type of granulation were selected, in which the phytobiotic retains its activity. The optimum parameter values of the moisture and heat treatment of mixed feed with phytobiotic “Mix-Oil” at a dosage of 600 g/t were determined, without loss of activity of the phytobiotic, such as: the temperature of the loose mixed feed before the press granulator matrix is not exceeding 67° С and the duration of the moisture and heat treatment process is not exceeding 5,8-6 seconds. On the basis of the conducted research, a new treatment-and-prophylactic compound feed “Mix-Feed” was developed, together with technical specifications for it: TS BY 100035627.020-2018 “Granulated Compound Feed for two and three year old carps“ Mix-Feed ”K-111-LP”. It is recommended for feeding carps during spring and autumn within 5 to 10 days to increase the resistance of fish to bacterial infections. Mix-Feed has passed industrial tests and is used by fish farms of the Republic of Belarus.
Caroline G. Staub, Daniel Perondi, Diego Noleto Luz Pequeno
et al.
This 5-page publication details a new tool available to growers and Extension professionals to manage risks related to climate during seasonal planning stages. The Crop Season Planning tool is a climate-based tool that enables growers to plan planting strategies that will minimize risk to climate extremes based on historical climate data at their location. Written by Caroline G. Staub, Daniel Perondi, Diego Noleto Luz Pequeno, Patrick Troy, Michael J. Mulvaney, Calvin Perry, Brian Hayes, Willingthon Pavan, and Clyde W. Fraisse, and published by the UF/IFAS Department of Agricultural and Biological Engineering, March 2018.
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ae525
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Anne eMaillard, Anne eMaillard, Sylvain eDiquélou
et al.
Higher plants have to cope with fluctuating mineral resource availability. However strategies such as stimulation of root growth, increased transporter activities, and nutrient storage and remobilization have been mostly studied for only a few macronutrients. Leaves of cultivated crops (Zea mays, Brassica napus, Pisum sativum, Triticum aestivum, Hordeum vulgare) and tree species (Quercus robur, Populus nigra, Alnus glutinosa) grown under field conditions were harvested regularly during their life span and analysed to evaluate the net mobilization of 13 nutrients during leaf senescence. While N was remobilized in all plant species with different efficiencies ranging from 40% (maize) to 90% (wheat), other macronutrients (K-P-S-Mg) were mobilized in most species. Ca and Mn, usually considered as having low phloem mobility were remobilized from leaves in wheat and barley. Leaf content of Cu-Mo-Ni-B-Fe-Zn decreased in some species, as a result of remobilization. Overall, wheat, barley and oak appeared to be the most efficient at remobilization while poplar and maize were the least efficient. Further experiments were performed with rapeseed plants subjected to individual nutrient deficiencies. Compared to field conditions, remobilization from leaves was similar (N-S-Cu) or increased by nutrient deficiency (K-P-Mg) while nutrient deficiency had no effect on Mo-Zn-B-Ca-Mn, which seemed to be non-mobile during leaf senescence under field conditions. However, Ca and Mn were largely mobilized from roots (-97 and -86% of their initial root contents, respectively) to shoots. Differences in remobilization between species and between nutrients are then discussed in relation to a range of putative mechanisms.
Mariassunta Galli, Enrico Bonari, Elisa Marraccini
et al.
Preserving our landscape in sustainable development processes is now widely considered as fundamental. It is a complex and evolving issue that can be tackled from several perspectives. Agronomy can contribute to analyzing the relationships between agricultural production systems (cropping, farming and agricultural systems) at different levels (field, farm, and region) and the agricultural landscape (in terms of patches, matrixes, dynamics, etc). This is of particular interest where the relationships between “what and how” are produced by agricultural activities and the landscape are changing. In this case their own reciprocity may represent an opportunity to analyze complex systems, such as the characterization of agri-landscapes at a regional level. We propose a case study developed as an up-scaling analytical process from a farm to a regional level. The result was the identification of six main agri-landscape systems highlighting the landscape drivers that are changing the traditional landscape of a rural region in Northern Tuscany (Lunigiana).
FCS8886, a 2-page fact sheet by Claudia Peñuela and Amy Simonne, highlights special food safety issues for pregnant women: listeriosis, methylmercury, and toxoplasmosis. Includes references. Published by the UF Department of Family Youth and Community Sciences, December 2009.
FCS8886/FY1136: Special Food Safety Issues during Pregnancy (ufl.edu)
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In accordance with Title II regulations this content meets all points of exemption as Archived web content and/or Preexisting conventional electronic documents.
Cheryl L. Mackowiak, Ann R. Blount, Edward A. Hanlon
et al.
SL-249, a 6-page fact sheet by C. L. Mackowiak, A. R. Blount, E. A. Hanlon, M. L. Silveira, M. B. Adjei, and R. O. Myer, summarizes analysis practices and recommendations for bahiagrass fertilization for hay, sod or pasture systems. Includes recommended readings. Published by the UF Department of Soil and Water Sciences, April 2008.
SL249/SS469: Getting the Most out of Bahiagrass Fertilization (ufl.edu)
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In accordance with Title II regulations this content meets all points of exemption as Archived web content and/or Preexisting conventional electronic documents.