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This study was conducted during 2018–19 to evaluate the floristic composition and ecological characteristics of vegetation of Pashat valley, Bajaur. Floristic list of the valley contains 385 species distributed in 291 genera and 102 families. The dicotyledons having 83 families with 311 species and monocotyledons with 12 families contains 61 species. Pteridophytes having 05 families with 11 species and gymnosperm with a single family of two species. The leading family was Asteraceae with 42 species (10.90%) followed by Poaceae with 39 species (10.10%), Papilionaceae (Fabaceae) with 24 species (6.23%), Lamiaceae with 20 species (5. 19%) and Rosaceae with 15 species (3.90%). Therophytes 180 species (46.80%), hemicryptophytes 53 species (13.80%), nanophanerophytes 51 species (13.20%) and geophytes 35 species (9.09%) were the dominant life form groups. Leaf size class was dominated by microphylls (138 species, 35.84%) followed by nanophylls (124 species, 32.21%) and mesophylls (89 species, 23.12%). Habit wise the vegetation was mostly herbs (289 species) followed by shrubs (54 species), trees (38 species) and lianas (4 species). According to flowering phenology, most plants (62.30%) bloomed in spring followed by in summer (34%), in autumn (1.82%), in the whole year (1.30%) and in winter (0.52%). Based on chorological affinities, most of the species were bioregional in distribution (170 species, 44.15%) followed by mono-regional (157 species, 40.78%), pluri-regional (43 species, 11.17%) and cosmopolitan (15 species, 3.89%). The ecological characteristics like life form and leaf size spectra of the vegetation have a strong correlation with the prevailing environmental conditions such as altitude, slope, precipitation and temperature.

Leaf morphological and physiological traits control the carbon and water relations of mature trees and are determinants of drought tolerance, but it is not well understood how they are modified in response to water deficits. We analysed five sun-canopy leaf traits (mean leaf size (LS), specific leaf area (SLA), Huber value (HV), water potential at turgor loss point (Ψtlp ) and foliar carbon isotope signature (δ13 C)) in European beech (Fagus sylvatica L.) across three precipitation gradients sampled in moist (2010), dry (2019) and very dry (2018) summers, and tested their response to short-term water deficits (climatic water balance (CWB) preceding sample collection) and long-term water availability (mean annual precipitation (MAP), plant-available soil water capacity (AWC) and neighbourhood competition). Across the 34 sites, LS varied seven-fold (3.9-27.0 cm2 ), SLA four-fold (77.1-306.9 cm²·g-1 ) and HV six-fold (1.0-6.65 cm2 ·m-2 ). In the 2018 dataset, LS showed a negative and HV a positive relationship to MAP, which contradicts relations found in multi-species samples. Average Ψtlp ranged from -1.90 to -2.62 MPa and decreased across the sites with decreasing CWB in the month prior to measurement, as well as with decreasing MAP and AWC in 2019. Studied leaf traits varied considerably between years, suggesting that mast fruiting and the severe 2018 drought caused the formation of smaller leaves. We conclude that sun-canopy leaf traits of European beech exhibit considerable plasticity in response to climatic and edaphic aridity, and that osmotic adjustment may be an important element in the drought response strategy of this anisohydric tree species.

Trifolium subterraneum L. subsp. yanninicum is a pasture legume that is widely grown in medium and high rainfall areas of southern Australia and shows waterlogging tolerance. This study investigated diversity within subsp. yanninicum corresponding to eco-geographic variables, which may help to identify adapted parents with new traits for genetic improvement. Diversity for 10 morphological traits, flowering time and leaf isoflavone content was investigated using 108 ecotypes derived from wild Mediterranean populations and 10 cultivars, grown as spaced plants. Among the ecotypes, the range of flowering time was 94–149 days after sowing, and contents of formononetin, genistein and biochanin A were 0.05–1.38%, 0.73–2.33% and 0.15–2.10% of dry matter, respectively. Leaf markings also varied considerably. Leaf size and petiole length were correlated at each growth stage. Later flowering genotypes had larger leaves, longer petioles, longer internodes and thicker stems at flowering, but smaller leaves and shorter petioles at both 63 and 88 days after sowing. Contents of genistein and biochanin A were unrelated, but both were negatively associated with formononetin. Flowering time had a weak positive influence on genistein and biochanin A, but a weak negative influence on formononetin. All traits among the ecotypes (except stem diameter and leaf mark crescent size) were significantly correlated with at least one of 22 eco-geographic variables from their collection sites. Precipitation and altitude were more influential than temperature. The study found sufficient diversity to broaden the narrow genetic base of current subsp. yanninicum cultivars; however, other agronomically important traits also need to be considered. Further diversity may result from targeted collection, particularly in areas not represented in annual legume genebanks.

Assessment of the relative performance of white clover (Trifolium repens L.) cultivars, using multi-year and multi-location seasonal growth trials, is key to identification of material with specific and broad adaptation. This paper is based on a multi-year and multi-location study of 56 white clover entries comprising 14 commercial cultivars and 42 experimental synthetic lines evaluated for seasonal growth under rotational grazing across four locations in New Zealand over 4 years. The four locations (and animals grazing) were: Kerikeri (beef cattle), Aorangi (beef cattle), Ruakura (dairy cattle), Lincoln (sheep). Significant (P

A 328-nucleotide variant of citrus bent leaf viroid (CBLVd) was characterized by citrus varieties in Malaysia. After the first report in Malaysia, the emerging CBLVd was detected in five citrus species, namely Citrofortunella microcarpa, Citrus aurantifolia, Citrus hystrix, Citrus maxima, and Citrus sinensis. CBLVd was detected in 23 out of 133 symptomatic samples through RT-PCR. Sequence analysis of the RT-PCR amplicons from this study showed 99–100% sequence identity to the reference CBLVd Jp isolate and CBLVd isolates reported in Malaysia. Inoculation of sap, obtained from a CBLVd positive sample, into 6-month old healthy C. microcarpa seedlings showed symptoms of slight leaf bending, reduced leaf size of matured leaves, and mild mosaic between 4 to 6 months after inoculation. Moreover, the observed symptoms of chlorosis, midvein necrosis, leaf rolling, and smalling of leaves in calamondin, C. microcarpa (Bunge) Wijnands, were not reported in earlier studies and opened a new avenue for the study of symptomology. The mechanical transmissibility of CBLVd in the inoculated seedlings was reconfirmed by RT-PCR assay and sequencing. Based on the results, the sequence similarity of CBLVd isolates from different areas of Malaysia showed no significant difference among each other and the reference isolate. The CBLVd is mechanically transmissible and could produce variable symptoms in different hosts.

Ophiopogon elatior from south-eastern Yunnan Province of China is described here as new to science. This species is morphologically similar to O. grandis, but differs from the latter species by leaf size (60–80 cm × 5–6 mm vs 25–55 cm × 7–11 mm), scape size (80–100 cm vs 15–20 cm), and flower color (purple-dotted vs white). Moreover, the new species can be easily distinguished from all known species of Ophiopogon with its erect and very tall scape highly overtopping the basal grass-like foliage.

PREMISE To support large leaves, many woody plant species evolved a cost-effective way to thicken twigs. As an extension of E. J. H. Corner's rule that twig diameter increases with leaf size, we hypothesized that pith width also increases with leaf size. The benefit to the plant from the proposed relationship is that pith is a low-cost tissue that reduces the metabolic cost of large diameter twig production. METHODS Leaf sizes and cross-sectional areas of bark, xylem, and pith of 81 species of trees and shrubs growing in Gainesville, Florida were measured and compared with standardized major axis regressions of pairwise species trait values and phylogenetically independent contrasts. RESULTS Pith area increases with leaf size with or without accounting for phylogenetic relationships. In agreement with Corner's rule, overall twig diameter as well as bark and wood thickness also increase with leaf size. Thicker twigs showed more variation in relative pith, wood, and bark cross-sectional areas compared to thinner twigs. CONCLUSIONS Investments in pith, a tissue of low density found in the centers of twigs, provides a low-cost way to increase twig circumference and thereby space for attachment of large leaves while increasing the overall second moment of area of twigs, which increases their ability to biomechanically support large leaves.

As one of the most important part of the ideal plant type of japonica rice, leaf shape affects the photosynthesis and carbohydrate accumulation directly. Mining and using new leaf shape related genes/QTLs can further enrich the theory of molecular breeding and accelerate the breeding process of japonica rice. In the present study, 2 RILs and a natural population with 295 japonica rice varieties were used to map QTLs for flag leaf length (FL), flag leaf width (FW) and flag leaf area (FLA) by linkage analysis and genome-wide association study (GWAS) through 2 years. A total of 64 QTLs were detected by 2 ways, and pleiotropic QTLs qFL2 (Chr2_33,332,579) and qFL10 (Chr10_10,107,835; Chr10_10,230,100) consisted of overlapping QTLs mapped by linkage analysis and GWAS through 2 years were identified. The candidate genes LOC_Os02g54254, LOC_Os02g54550, LOC_Os10g20160, LOC_Os10g20240, LOC_Os10g20260 were obtained, filtered by linkage disequilibrium (LD), and haplotype analysis. LOC_Os10g20160 (SD-RLK-45) showed outstanding characteristics in quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) analysis in leaf development period, belongs to S-domain receptor-like protein kinases gene and probably to be a main gene regulating flag leaf width of japonica rice. The results of this study provide valuable resources for mining the main genes/QTLs of japonica rice leaf development and molecular breeding of japonica rice ideal leaf shape.

Leaf shape in European beech provenances varies geographically, with narrower and longer lamina observed in southern provenances, indicating a direct selection favoring leaf shape that likely safeguards trees performances under less favorable growing conditions. Spatial and environmental patterns of European beech (Fagus sylvatica L.) leaf size and shape variations were studied using landmark-based geometric morphometrics. The study involved eight provenances originating from three biogeographic regions (i.e., Alpine, Continental, and Pannonian), spanning across six European countries (Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Germany, Hungary, Romania and Serbia). All specimens were cultivated in a common garden experiment. The symmetric component of leaf shape variation was analyzed by Procrustes ANOVA and multi‐variate analyses [principal component analysis and canonical variate analysis (CVA)], whereas MANOVA was used to examine asymmetry. Partial least square (PLS) analysis was used to assess the covariation between leaf shape and size, and geographical position and environmental variables at the sites of provenance origin, respectively. A highly observed phenotypic variation for the shape and size of leaf both within and among provenances, indicates a strong local adaptation of provenances within the species natural range. CVA revealed the existence of two clusters of provenances based on the leaf shape, i.e., the first group included provenances originating from Balkan Peninsula and Central Europe, while the second group consisted of two Romanian provenances and the northernmost provenance from Germany. Likewise, PLS evidenced that leaf shape was spatially structured along latitudinal (− 0.64) and longitudinal (0.60) gradients, with southern provenances having longer and narrower (ovate) lamina compared to the northern ones. In contrast, no correlation was found between centroid size and spatial and environmental variables. Results suggest the presence of direct selection favoring a leaf shape that likely safeguards trees from heat and water loses under less favorable growing conditions.

Phytohormones play important roles in controlling leaf size and in the modulation of various stress responses, including drought. In this study, hormone profiling analyses by ultra high-performance liquid chromatography coupled to electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry (UHPLC-MS/MS) was performed in leaves collected at three stages of active leaf growth to unravel which phytohormones modulate leaf size in sesame (Sesamum indicum L.) plants, an important oil-rich crop. Furthermore, endogenous contents of phytohormones were measured in parallel to various stress markers in sesame plants exposed to mild water deficit conditions by withholding water in potted plants for one week. Results revealed a major role of cytokinins and auxin in the modulation of leaf growth in sesame plants (which increased by 21.5 and 2.1-fold, respectively, with leaf growth), as well as a putative antagonistic response between jasmonic acid and salicylic acid during leaf development. Furthermore, growth arrest during water deficit stress appeared to be modulated by cytokinins, the endogenous contents of which decreased (by 48%) in parallel with ABA increases (by 59%). Reductions in the contents of the active cytokinin trans-zeatin occurred in parallel with increases in isopentenyladenine contents under drought, which suggests a partial metabolic limitation in cytokinin biosynthesis in leaves upon water deficit stress. These results provide useful information for the hormonal modulation of leaf size and the improvement of leaf growth and production in sesame plants through manipulation of the levels of key regulatory phytohormones.

The composition of vegetation on a slope frequently changes substantially owing to the different micro‐environments of various slope aspects. To understand how the slope aspect affects the vegetation changes, we examined the variations in leaf mass per area (LMA) and leaf size (LS) within and among populations for 66 species from 14 plots with a variety of slope aspects in a subalpine meadow. LMA is a leaf economic trait that is tightly correlated with plant physiological traits, while the LS shows a tight correlation with leaf temperature, indicating the strategy of plants to self‐adjust in different thermal and hydraulic conditions. In this study, we compared the two leaf traits between slope aspects and between functional types and explored their correlation with soil variables and heat load. Our results showed that high‐LMA, small‐leaved species were favored in south‐facing slopes, while the reverse was true in north‐facing areas. In detail, small dense‐leaved graminoids dominated the south slopes, while large thin‐leaved forbs dominated the north slopes. Soil moisture and the availability of soil P were the two most important soil factors that related to both LMA and LS, and heat load also contributed substantially. Moreover, we disentangled the relative importance of intraspecific trait variation and species turnover in the trait variation among plots and found that the intraspecific variation contributed 98% and 56% to LMA and LS variation among communities, respectively, implying a large contribution of intraspecific trait plasticity. These results indicate that LMA and LS are two essential leaf traits that affect the adaptation or acclimation of plants underlying the vegetation composition changes in different slope aspects in the subalpine meadow., LMA and leaf size significantly changed along a south‐to north facing slope aspect gradient indicating a leaf strategy change in different habitat. Soil moisture and the availability of soil P are the two most important factors that relate to both LMA and leaf size. Moreover, we disentangled the relative importance of intraspecific trait variation and species turnover in the trait variation among plots and found that intraspecific variation contributed 98% and 56% to the trait variation, respectively, implying a large contribution of intraspecific trait plasticity.

Anthocyanin pigmentation is a significant horticultural feature in plants and can be a crucial mediator of plant–insect interactions. In carnivorous plants, the modified leaves that capture prey can be visually striking and are traditionally considered prey attractants. Nevertheless, the question of whether bold color and venation patterns function as lures for insect prey remains ambiguous, and appears to vary across taxa. Furthermore, vegetative pigments can have alternate functions as protectants against thermal and oxidative damage. Our dual-year study compares the wild-type pitcher phenotype with a true-breeding anthocyanin-free mutant of the white-topped pitcher plant (Sarracenia leucophylla Raf.). We bred full-sibling crosses of S. leucophylla carrying either the wild-type anthocyanin gene or the anthocyanin-free variant. In both experimental years, growth points were established in outdoor plots and pitchers were allowed to capture prey before harvest at the end of each growing season. Dry weight of prey biomass was measured from pitchers of both pigment morphs, along with nectary counts, pitcher size, and internal temperature. The presence of anthocyanins in trapping leaves did not affect the biomass of insects captured. Nor did wild-type or anthocyanin-free pitcher morphs differ in size, temperature, or nectary counts. Instead, pitcher height, and, nominally, mouth diameter were better predictors of prey biomass. Despite striking visual differences in pitcher color, wild-type and anthocyanin-free plants did not catch significantly different quantities of prey. Our study provides empirical data that anthocyanin pigmentation in S. leucophylla does not affect the capture of prey biomass, and supports a growing body of literature showing that pigmentation traits serve in multiple contexts.

To increase the chickpea production, chitosan nanoparticles (CNPs) were prepared from the cell membrane of Fusarium oxysporum f.sp. ciceri (FOC), a causal agent of Fusarium wilt in chickpea, and evaluated for its potential to induce defense responses and plant growth–promoting activity. Chickpea seeds treated with CNP enhanced shoot–root length, leaf number, and leaf size showing intensified photosynthetic activity and higher proline content. Foliar spray of CNP promoted plant growth and elicited the antioxidant enzymes in chickpea under pot condition. A significant increase in protein content was validated by localizing new polypeptides in SDS-PAGE analysis. In addition, CNP treatment showed a remarkable expression of defense enzymes offering protection to plants and also induced four new protease inhibitor isoforms. Furthermore, yield attributes were significantly higher in CNP-treated chickpea plants. As a cost-effective strategy, CNP prepared from cell membrane polymer of a phytopathogen holds great promise in establishing a replacement method for disease management and sustainable chickpea production.

Dwanaście linii wsobnych kapusty głowiastej białej otrzymanych w Pracowni Genetyki i Hodowli Roślin Warzywnych, Zakład Hodowli Roślin Ogrodniczych Instytutu Ogrodnictwa-PIB zostało poddanych ocenie pod względem cech morfologicznych i agro-ekonomicznych, dynamice wzrostu systemu korzeniowego, intensywności fotosyntezy oraz transpiracji mających wpływ na ich odporność na stres suszy. Badania prowadzono w warunkach kontrolowanych w fazie wiązania główek jak również w fazie dojrzałości zbiorczej na polu doświadczalnym. Wszystkie linie wsobne odznaczały się wysoką wartością hodowlaną oraz wyrównaniem, były również silnie zróżnicowane pod względem badanych cech. Linie wsobne kapusty różniły się pod względem reakcji na stres suszy. Genotypy o silnej dynamice rozwoju systemu korzeniowego, mniejszych liściach oraz kompaktowym pokroju roślin, które odznaczały się silniejszym ograniczeniem fotosyntezy oraz transpiracji w warunkach stresu suszy, mogą być wykorzystywane do hodowli odpornościowej. Wysoki poziom zróżnicowania linii wsobnych umożliwia uzyskanie efektu heterozji przy tworzeniu nowych eksperymentalnych mieszańców F1 lepiej przystosowanych do niekorzystnych warunków środowiska w tym na stres niedoboru wody.

Plants reduce transpiration to avoid dehydration during drought episodes by stomatal closure and inhibition of canopy growth. While abscisic acid (ABA) has a primary role in ‘drought avoidance’, previous studies suggest that gibberellin (GA), might also be involved. Here we show in tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) that shortage of water inhibited the expression of the GA biosynthesis genes GA20 oxidase1 (GA20ox1) and GA20ox2 and induced the GA-deactivating gene GA2ox7 in leaves and guard cells, resulting in reduced bioactive GA levels. Drought regulation of GA metabolism was mediated by ABA-dependent and independent pathways, and by the transcription factor DEHYDRATION RESPONSIVE ELEMENT BINDING (DREB), TINY1. Mutations in GA20ox1 and GA20ox2 reduced water loss due to the smaller canopy area. On the other hand, loss of GA2ox7 did not affect leaf size, but attenuated stomatal response to water deficiency; during soil dehydration, ga2ox7 plants closed their stomata and reduced transpiration later than WT, suggesting that ga2ox7 stomata are hyposensitive to soil dehydration. Together, the results suggest that drought-induced GA deactivation in guard cells contributes to stomatal closure at the early stages of soil dehydration, whereas inhibition of GA synthesis in leaves promotes mainly the long-term reduction in canopy growth to reduce transpiration area.

Virus-induced gene silencing (VIGS) is a reverse genetic tool used to identify the function of individual genes by reducing their expression. Here VIGS was applied to identify the role of four genes in G. hirsutum; Polyphenol Oxidase (GhPPO), Phosphatidylserine Synthase (GhPSS), Anthocyanidin synthase (GhANS), and Anthocyanidin Reductase (GhANR) in verticillium wilt disease occurring in cotton. Silencing of GhPPO and GhPSS showed abnormal leaf growth such as leaf thinning, reduced leaf size, and leaf curling phenotype which indicates their importance in normal leaf development. RT-PCR and qPCR results showed reduced transcript levels of GhPPO, GhPSS, GhANS, and GhANR in TRV inoculated plants. Moreover silencing of four genes in cotton cultivar FM9160, partially resistant to Verticillium wilt disease compromised resistance by infecting with “King isolate” which is a more aggressive defoliating strain of Verticillium dahliae. The reduced mRNA level of GhPPO and GhPSS makes the cotton plants more susceptible approximately 80% and 76% of leaf wilting were observed while in GhANS and GhANR 66% and 62% leaf wilting were shown. In conclusion, this is the first report showing that the cotton gene GhPPO, GhPSS involved in resistance to Verticillium dahliae and have an important role in normal leaf development in G. hirsutum.

Understanding intra-specific variation in leaf functional traits is one of the key requirements for the evaluation of species adaptive capacity to ongoing climate change, as well as for designing long-term breeding and conservation strategies. Hence, data of 19 functional traits describing plant physiology, antioxidant properties, anatomy and morphology were determined on 1-year-old seedlings of wild cherry (Prunus avium L.) half-sib lines. The variability within and among half-sib lines, as well as the estimation of multi-trait association, were examined using analysis of variance (ANOVA) followed by Tukey's honestly significant difference test and multivariate analyses: principal component analysis (PCA), canonical discriminant analysis (CDA) and stepwise discriminant analysis (SDA). Pearson’s correlation coefficient was used to evaluate linear correlation between the study parameters. The results of the ANOVA showed the presence of statistically significant differences (P 2 concentration and parameters related to antioxidant capacity of plants. Likewise, the results of SDA indicate that transpiration and stomatal conductance contributed to the largest extent, to the discrimination of the wild cherry half-sib lines. In addition, PCA and CDA showed separation of the wild cherry half-sib lines along the first principal component and first canonical variable with regards to humidity of their original sites. Multiple adaptive differences between the wild cherry half-sib lines indicate high potential of the species to adapt rapidly to climate change. The existence of substantial genetic variability among the wild cherry half-sib lines highlights their potential as genetic resources for reforestation purposes and breeding programmes.

Mutation induction is a feasible and established breeding method for crop improvement and genetic diversity creation to introduce new plant cultivars. The present study was aimed at mutagenesis of four chrysanthemum cultivars (‘Homa’, ‘Fariba2’, ‘Arina’, and ‘Delkash’) using ethyl methanesulfonate (EMS) (0, 0.125, 0.25, and 0.5%) as mutagen and leaf disks as explants to obtain novel variants. In addition, genetic polymorphism among mutants and their parents was detected using inter simple sequence repeat (ISSR) and inter-retrotransposon amplified polymorphism (IRAP) molecular markers. A total of 2082 plantlets were produced through EMS induced mutagenesis under in vitro conditions and at the end 58 mutants including 28 leaf and 32 flower mutants were analyzed for phenotypic and molecular variation. The explant survival rate decreased by increasing EMS concentration. A wide range of phenotypic leaf and inflorescence variability was obtained in four studied chrysanthemum cultivars confirming the efficiency of EMS to create genetic variation and desired mutants. All generated variants with different inflorescence and leaf shape and color were maintained through cuttings and they expressed same traits in the next generation. The mutants were different in leaf size and shape, plant height, day to flowering, inflorescence head size, ray floret color and ray floret size. The used ISSR and IRAP primers could classify chrysanthemum mutants based on cultivar and somewhat based on used EMS concentration confirming their effectiveness for the discrimination of real variants that allow their earlier selection and reduction of the mutant population size. The in vitro EMS-induced mutation can be a promising tool to assist breeding programs for the generation of new chrysanthemum cultivars. New chrysanthemum mutants with distinct colors and inflorescence shape were obtained in four chrysanthemum cultivars using ethyl methanesulfonate (EMS). IRAP and ISSR could successfully classify the EMS-induced mutants and their relationship with mother plants.

The effect of different leaf traits on their particulate matter (PM) retention capacity and the dynamics of the PM resuspension after disturbance by rain and wind were examined for eight common plant species in North China. The PM retention quantity and grain-size distributions were evaluated before and after rain and wind disturbance. PM retention quantities and stability differed significantly among the different species. Euonymus japonicus displayed the highest PM retention, while Yulania biondii displayed the lowest PM retention. Leaf size had a greater effect on PM retention than the presence of rough microstructures such as hair and grooves. Small leaves are more conducive to PM retention than large leaves. Leaf hair is a more effective structure for PM retention than grooves. While rain and wind can remove PM of all sizes, PM>100 μm is most easily removed. No correlation was found between leaf size, microscopic leaf structure, and the reduction percentage of different PM sizes. This study provides valuable information regarding the relationships between different leaf traits and PM retention capacity and retention stability, which will be useful for when selecting plants for air pollution mitigation.

Colchicine-induced polyploidization has been extensively utilized in plant-breeding programs to increase biomass and overall yield of various crop species. Chromosome doubling usually increases the plant size and cell size. However, the underlying mechanisms remain elusive. In this study, we showed that 0.1% colchicine is an optimized concentration for inducing tetraploidization of Actinidia chinensis var. chinensis ‘Hongyang’, a commercially important diploid kiwifruit cultivar. The tetraploid plants showed increased plant height, leaf size, and biomass, as compared with the corresponding diploid plants. Scanning electron microscopy and histological analysis indicated that the leaf cell size was significantly increased in the tetraploid plants. Our further transcriptome analysis revealed the 5922 differentially expressed genes between the diploid and tetraploid plants. Gene Ontology analysis enriched the cell wall-related genes, including the pectin methylesterases (PMEs) and expansins (EXPs), both of which play a critical role in cell wall loosening and extension. The increased expression of PME and EXP genes might contribute to the increased cell size in the tetraploid plants. Together, our work indicated that tetraploidization increases the organ and cell size in kiwifruit, possibly by enhancing the cell wall extensibility.

Summary •A rchitecture can vary widely across species. Both steeper leaf angles and increased self-shading are thought to reduce potential carbon gain by decreasing total light interception. An alternative hypothesis is that steeper leaf angles have evolved to improve day-long carbon gain by emphasising light interception from low angles. • Here we relate variation in architectural properties (leaf angle and leaf size) to cross-species patterns of leaf display, light capture and simulated carbon gain in branching-units of 38 perennial species occurring at two sites in Australian forest. Architectural comparison was made possible by combining 3D-digitising with the architecture model YPLANT. • Species with shallow angled leaves had greater daily light interception and potentially greater carbon gain. Self-shading, rather than leaf angle, explained most variance between species in light capture and potential carbon gain. Species average leaf size was the most important determinant of self-shading. • Our results provide the first cross-species evidence that steeper leaf angles function to reduce exposure to excess light levels during the middle of the day, more than to maximise carbon gain.

PREMISELeaf shape and size figure strongly in trees’ adaptation to their environments. Oaks are notoriously variable in leaf morphology. Our study examines the degree to which within-tree, among-tree, and among-site variation contribute to latitudinal variation in leaf shape and size of bur oak (Quercus macrocarpa: Fagaceae), one of North America’s most geographically widespread oak species.METHODSSamples were collected from four sites each at northern, central, and southern latitudes of the bur oak range. Ten leaf size traits were measured, and variance in these traits and eight ratios based on these traits was partitioned into tree, population, and latitude components. We then parameterized a series of leaf collection simulations using empirical covariance among leaves on trees and trees at sites. We used the simulations to assess the efficiency of different collecting strategies for estimating among-population differences in leaf shape and size.KEY RESULTSLeaf size measurements were highly responsive to latitude. Site contributed more than tree to total variation in leaf morphology. Simulations suggest that power to detect among-site variance in leaf shape and size can be estimated most efficiently with increases in either leaves per tree (10-11 leaves from each of 5 trees) or trees per site (5 leaves from each of 10+ trees).CONCLUSIONSOur study demonstrates the utility of simulating sampling and controlling for variance in sampling for leaf morphology, whether the questions being addressed are ecological, evolutionary, or taxonomic. Simulation code is provided as an R package (traitsPopSim) to help researchers plan morphological sampling strategies.

Climate has a significant influence on species distribution and the expression of functional traits in different plant species. However, it is unknown if subspecies with different climate envelopes also show differences in their expression of plant functional traits or if they respond differently to drought stress. We measured functional traits and drought responses of five subspecies of a widely distributed, cosmopolitan polymorphic shrub, Dodonaea viscosa (L.) Jacq., in an experiment with 1-year-old plants. Functional traits, such as leaf size, specific leaf area, turgor loss point (ΨTLP), maximum stomatal conductance and maximum plant hydraulic conductance, differed among the five subspecies. However, while the were some differences among traits, these were not related to their climate of origin, as measured by mean annual temperature, mean annual precipitation and mean annual aridity index. Drought response was also not related to climate of origin, and all subspecies showed a combination of drought avoiding and drought tolerance responses. All subspecies closed their stomata at very high water potentials (between −1.0 and −1.3 MPa) and had large hydraulic safety margins (drought avoidance). All subspecies adjusted their ΨTLP via osmotic adjustment, and subspecies with inherently lower ΨTLP showed greater osmotic adjustment (drought tolerance). All subspecies adjusted their midday water potentials in response to drought but subspecies from more arid environments did not show greater adjustments. The results indicated that climate niche was not related to plant trait expression or response to drought. The combination of drought avoidance and drought tolerance behavior seems to be a successful strategy for this widely distributed species that occupies many different climate zones and ecosystems. Hence, the wide distribution of D. viscosa seems to be related to plasticity of trait expression and drought response rather than long-term genetic adaptations to different environmental conditions.

Made available in DSpace on 2021-07-14T10:22:48Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2021-07-05. Added 1 bitstream(s) on 2021-07-14T11:28:49Z : No. of bitstreams: 1 S0102-05362021000200229.pdf: 620945 bytes, checksum: 1532c5a213a8f979825de20c4bef632d (MD5) Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP) Centro de Raízes Tropicais e Amidos (CERAT) Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES) International Potato Center (CIP) A batata-doce é uma hortaliça de grande importância na alimentação humana, devido ao seu alto valor nutritivo. Apresenta alta variação fenotípica, com diversas formas de raízes, folhas e ramas. Diante do exposto, objetivou-se estudar a divergência genética de genótipos de batata-doce por meio de caracteres morfoagronômicos. O experimento foi conduzido em área experimental da Unesp, Câmpus de Ilha Solteira, situada no município de Selvíria-MS. O delineamento experimental utilizado foi de blocos casualizados com duas repetições, incluindo 200 genótipos e ‘Beauregard’ como testemunha biofortificada. Foram avaliados caracteres morfoagronômicos de parte aérea dos genótipos aos 110 dias e de raiz aos 127 dias, após o plantio. Com os dados obtidos realizou-se análise descritiva em percentual das classes fenotípicas. Para estudo da divergência genética realizou-se análise multivariada, agrupando-se pelos métodos de Tocher & Ward. Também realizou-se análise da contribuição relativa de cada carácter para a divergência genética. As análises estatísticas foram feitas utilizando-se o programa computacional Genes e SAS. Há ampla diversidade genética na população estudada, o que pode possibilitar ganhos genéticos na recombinação dos genótipos. O método de agrupamento de Tocher foi mais efetivo para discriminação da dissimilaridade entre os genótipos. A baixa importância relativa dos caracteres tamanho da folha, diâmetro do internódio e cor secundária da casca, permite dispensar a sua análise em futuros trabalhos, reduzindo gastos de mão-de-obra, custo e tempo de execução. Sweet potato is a vegetable of great importance in human consumption, due to its high nutritional value. It presents high phenotypic variation, with different forms of roots, leaves and vines. Given the above, we aimed to study the genetic divergence of sweet potato genotypes based on morpho-agronomic traits. The experiment was conducted in an experimental area of Unesp, Ilha Solteira Campus, located in Selvíria-MS. The experimental design used was randomized blocks with two replicates, including 200 genotypes and ‘Beauregard’ as a biofortified control. Shoot morphological traits of the genotypes were evaluated at 110 days and root morphological traits were evaluated at 127 days after planting. We used the obtained data to perform descriptive analysis, in percentage of phenotypic classes. In order to study genetic divergence, multivariate analysis was performed, grouping was done using Tocher’s and Ward’s methods. We also analyzed relative contribution of each trait for genetic divergence. Statistical analyzes were performed using Genes software and SAS. Wide genetic variability could be verified in the population studied in this experiment, being possible to obtain genetic gains in recombination between genotypes. Grouping using Tocher’s method was more effective for discriminating dissimilarity between genotypes. The low relative importance of leaf size, internode diameter and secondary peel color makes further evaluation of these traits unnecessary, reducing labor costs, cost and execution time. Universidade Estadual Paulista International Potato Center Universidade Estadual Paulista FAPESP: 2017/08032-0; 001 Centro de Raízes Tropicais e Amidos (CERAT): 2017/08032-0; 001 CAPES: 2017/08032-0; 001 International Potato Center (CIP): 2017/08032-0; 001

Spatial and temporal environmental variation can favor the evolution of adaptive phenotypic plasticity, such that genotypes alter their phenotypes in response to local conditions to maintain fitness across heterogeneous landscapes. When individuals show greater fitness in one habitat than another, asymmetric migration can restrict adaptation to the lower quality environment. In these cases, selection is predicted to favor traits that enhance fitness in the higher-quality (source) habitat at the expense of fitness in the marginal (sink) habitat. Here, we test whether plasticity is adaptive in a system regulated by demographic source-sink dynamics. Vaccinium elliottii (Ericaceae) occurs in dry upland and flood-prone bottomland forests throughout the southeastern United States, but has larger populations and higher average individual fitness in upland sites. We conducted a multi-year field experiment to evaluate whether plasticity in foliar morphology increases survival and lifespan. Both across and within habitats, selection favored plasticity in specific leaf area, stomatal density, and leaf size. Stabilizing selection acted on plasticity in stomatal density within habitats, suggesting that extreme levels of plasticity are disadvantageous. Thus, even in systems driven by source-sink dynamics, temporal and spatial variation in conditions across the landscape and within habitat types can favor the evolution of plasticity.

Watermelon is important fruit vegetable crop affected by both biotic and abiotic stresses. Among the biotic factors, leaf curl and yellowing disease of watermelon is becoming a major threat for the watermelon production in India. Incidence of watermelon leaf curl and yellowing disease in ten districts covering different regions of Karnataka State, India varied from 6.8 to 60.7%. Diseased watermelon plants exhibited symptoms typical to begomovirus infection such as leaf crumpling, leaf curling, yellowing, reduction in leaf size and stunted growth in the surveyed fields. Thirty-four diseased watermelon samples collected from farmers’ fields during the survey gave positive amplification to begomovirus specific primers in PCR and yielded expected 1.2 kb amplicon, which represent its partial genome. No amplification resulted in PCR with primers specific to alpha and betasatellites in all the samples. Complete genome amplification by RCA and sequencing of six isolates was done. Among these, four six isolates resulted in amplification of both DNA-A and DNA-B components and two isolates gave amplification only to DNA-A component. Genome sequence analysis using Sequence Demarcation Tool (SDT) showed the maximum nucleotide identity of 91.5–93.3% and 80.2–84.5% of six watermelon isolates with Tomato leaf curl Palampur virus (ToLCPalV) for DNA-A and DNA-B components, respectively. Phylogenetic analysis provided further evidence in this regard. The recombination breakpoint analysis indicates, watermelon isolates under study are recombinants emerged from the recombination of ToLCPalV and Tomato leaf curl New Delhi virus (ToLCNDV). This is the first report of leaf curl and yellowing disease of watermelon associated with ToLCPalV from India.

Eleutherine bulbosa is a known ornamental plant of the Iris family, which originated from Central Borneo, Indonesia. The bulbs of E. bulbosa have long been used as a medicinal source by the local people of Borneo. Despite its known medicinal and other values, studies on the morphology and efficiency in bulb production of this species are limited. The aims of our study are to examine the vegetative and reproductive morphology of E. bulbosa, and to determine the effect of various dosages of NPK fertilizer on flowering and bulb production. The plants were grown in pots using potting mix consists of equal volume of burnt rice hulls, cocopeat, and organic manures (1:1:1). Our study showed that E. bulbosa has a cymose rhipidium inflorescence with 25-50 mm long peduncles, have 3-4 umbel on the secondary axis, each consists of 10-12 florets that opens in turn every day. Florets are 20-30 mm long, 20 mm in diameter, 10-15 mm pedicels, and short-lived. The perianth is white, about 25 mm wide with yellow anthers and stigma. Fruits were not formed during the duration of the study. NPK fertilizer application at the lowest dose of 1 g per pot had promoted earlier shoot emergence and vegetative growth, including plant height, leaf number, leaf size, number of tillers, and bulb production compared to control (no fertilizer). Application of fertilizer at 1 and 2 g per plant significantly promoted earlier flowering, whereas application at 3 g per plant delayed and reduced the proportion of flowering plants. The results of this study can aid in taxonomic identification and efficient cultivation of this plant for uses as potted flowering ornamentals or bulb production for different purposes. Higher cultivation and reduced wild harvesting can result in the conservation of this species. Resumo Eleutherine bulbosa é uma espécie ornamental da família Iridaceae originária de Bornéu Central, Indonésia. Os bulbos de E. bulbosa são usados há muito tempo com finalidade medicinal pela população local de Bornéu. Apesar de ser conhecida pelos valores medicinais, estudos de morfologia e eficiência da produção de bulbos dessa espécie são limitados. O objetivo desse estudo é caracterizar a morfologia vegetativa e reprodutiva de E. bulbosa, e avaliar o efeito de doses do fertilizante NPK no florescimento e produção de bulbos. As plantas cresceram em vasos com substratos com proporções iguais de casca de arroz, rejeitos de coco, esterco orgânico (1:1:1). O estudo demonstrou que E. bulbosa apresenta inflorescência rhipidium cimosa ripídio com pedúnculos de 25-50 mm de comprimento, tem 3-4 umbelas no eixo secundário, cada uma com 10-12 flores pequenas que se abrem em turnos todos os dias. As flores têm 20-30 mm de comprimento, 20 mm de diâmetro, pedicelos de 10-15 mm e são efêmeras. O perianto é branco, com cerca de 25 mm de largura com anteras amarelas e estigma. Os frutos não se formaram durante o estudo. A aplicação do fertilizante NPK na dose mais baixa de 1 g por vaso promoveu a emergência de brotos e crescimento vegetativo mais precoces, incluindo a altura das plantas, número e tamanho de folhas, número de perfilhos foliares e produção de bulbos em comparação com o controle. A aplicação de 1 e 2 g de NPK por planta promoveu significativamente o florescimento mais precoce, enquanto a aplicação de 3 g por planta atrasou e reduziu a proporção de plantas com flores. Os resultados deste estudo são úteis para a identificação taxômica e cultivo eficiente dessa espécie para uso como flor envasada ou produção de bulbos para diferentes propósitos. O cultivo eficiente e a redução do extrativismo pode resultado na conservação desta espécie.

The functional diversity is an essential concept in the field of ecology. It refers to the relative abundance, range, and value of the functional traits present in a given community or ecosystem. Plant functional traits (leaf traits, stem traits, root traits, etc.) create a link between an ecosystem processes and plant physiology and thus offer a powerful means to study the global change on vegetation dynamics and ecosystem processes. When plant species grown in different environments, their physiological and functional traits get modifed due to changes in site-specific conditions. In the present study, leaf functional traits (leaf size-LS, specific leaf areaSLA, leaf dry matter content-LDMC, leaf nitrogen content-LNC, leaf phosphorus content-LPC and leaf nitrogen to phosphorus ratio-N:P) of twelve dominant understorey species (6 shrubs and 6 herbs) were examined in the Pine forest of Morni Hills range of lower Shivaliks, Haryana, India. During the study, the maximum value of leaf size was obtained for Murraya koenigii and Cynoglossum zeylanicum, while the maximum value of LDMC was obtained for Toxicodendron parviflorum and Dicliptera chinensis among shrubs and herbs respectively. Other than this, highest value of SLA, LPC and LNC were calculated for Parthenium hysterophorus among shrubs and Oxalis corniculata among herbs. The calculated values were also found to be significantly correlated among the selected plant species. The SLA was found to be negatively correlated with, LDMC and LPC whereas positively correlated with LNC and N:P. The present study represents a step forward in the direction of functional ecology performed in the forest ecosystems of Haryana. This study is essential for predicting the patterns of community assembly as well as for describing species contributions to ecosystem processes.

In grasses, biomass and grain production are affected by plant architecture traits such as tiller number, leaf size and orientation. Thus, knowledge regarding their genetic basis is a prerequisite for developing new improved varieties. Mutant screens represent a powerful approach to identify genetic factors underpinning these traits: the HorTILLUS population, obtained by mutagenesis of spring two-row cultivar Sebastian, is a valuable resource for this purpose in barley. In this study, 20 mutant families from the HorTILLUS population were selected and evaluated for tiller number, leaf angle and a range of other plant architecture and agronomic traits using an unreplicated field design with Sebastian as a check cultivar. Principal Component Analysis revealed strong relationships among number of tillers, upper canopy leaf angle, biomass and yield-related traits. Comparison to the Sebastian background revealed that most mutants significantly differed from the wild-type for multiple traits, including two mutants with more erect leaves and four mutants with increased tiller number in at least one phenological stage. Heatmap clustering identified two main groups: the first containing the two erect mutants and the second containing Sebastian and the high-tillering mutants. Among the high-tillering mutants, two showed significantly higher biomass and grain yield per plant compared to Sebastian. The selected mutants represent promising materials for the identification of genetic factors controlling tillering and leaf angle in barley.

Ficus L., commonly known as Fig, is a member of the family Moraceae (mulberry family) comprises 37 genera and approximately 1,100 species distributed in diverse ecosystems, especially in tropical and temperate regions of the world. The Ficus genus stands out as a keystone resource provider in many tropical forests, which is probably because of continuous non-seasonal fruiting in many species. It is one of the largest genera in the angiosperms about 750 species. The present study was carried out in the Forest Research Institute (FRI) campus, Dehradun (Uttarakhand), India. The phytodiversity of Ficus L. and their socio-economic values worked out during the investigation, religious-spiritual attachment, food of wild animals, ethnomedicinal and timber significance. There were 16 species of Ficus L. recorded from New Forest, FRI, Dehradun based on the morphological observations of taxonomically significant characteristics. The species found in FRI New Forest Dehradun were, Ficus benjamina, F. religiosa, F. racemosa, F. rumphii, F. retusa, F. krishnae, F. elastica, F. virens, F. semicordata, F. auriculata, F. hispida, F. pumila, F. palmata, F. drupacea, F. benghalensis, F. pomifera. Out of the notified 16 species of Ficus, 11 species were trees, 3 shrubs and 2 climbers in nature. The maximum leaf size (30×27cm2) was reported in F. auriculata, followed by F. semicordata (28×10cm2), F. benghalensis (25×11cm2). However, minimum leaf size was noticed in F. benjamina (4×2cm2) and F. retusa (4×3cm2). Among, 15 species, axillary fig (fruit) arrangement was observed, while one species (F. racemosa) has stem position of fruits. The current finding is itself a pioneer study to present a glimpse of such immense species diversity of single genera from sub-valley areas and will be a milestone for future studies in conservation and management of these wild varieties.

Plant architecture is genetically controlled, but is influenced by environmental factors. Plants have evolved adaptive mechanisms that allow changes in their architecture under stress, in which phytohormones play a central role. However, the gene regulators that connect growth and stress signals are rarely reported. Here, we report that a class I KNOX gene, PagKNAT2/6b, can directly inhibit the synthesis of gibberellin (GA), altering plant architecture and improving drought resistance in Populus. Expression of PagKNAT2/6b was significantly induced under drought conditions, and transgenic poplars overexpressing PagKNAT2/6b exhibited shorter internode length and smaller leaf size with short or even absent petioles. Interestingly, these transgenic plants showed improved drought resistance under both short- and long-term drought stress. Histological observations indicated that decreased internode length and leaf size were mainly caused by the inhibition of cell elongation and expansion. GA content was reduced, and the GA20-oxidase gene PagGA20ox1 was down-regulated in overexpressing plants. Expression of PagGA20ox1 was negatively related to that of PagKNAT2/6b under drought stress. ChIP and transient transcription activity assays revealed that PagGA20ox1 was directly targeted by PagKNAT2/6b. Therefore, this study provides evidence that PagKNAT2/6b mediates stress signals and changes in plant architecture via GA signaling by down-regulating PagGA20ox1.

The goal of this study was to evaluate the morphogenetic, physiology, and forage mass characteristics of Mavuno brachiariagrass (Urochloa brizantha × Urochloa ruziziensis) under shading. The experiment was analyzed as split-plot. Whole plots were two growing seasons (spring/summer and fall/winter) and the subplots were shade levels (0, 30, 45, and 73%). There is a linear positive effect of shade on leaf elongation rate, leaf blade lengths, canopy height, chlorophyll indices, leaf percentage, and leaf to stem ratio. Shade linearly decreased stem and inflorescence percentages and tillers number. There was a quadratic effect of shade on growing cycle length, forage mass, and photosynthesis. Regarding to seasons, spring/summer presented higher rates of leaf appearance, leaf elongation, and stem elongation compared to fall/winter. In conclusion, Mavuno brachiariagrass harvested at 95% LI presents great adaptation to shading of 30%, without impairing the forage mass although increasing leaf size, chlorophyll indices, and canopy height.

This study was carried out determination of characteristics of leaf and fruit of 13 astringent persimmon (Diospyros kaki) cultivars cultivated in Gyeongsangnam-do, Korea. In leaf size, Deabonggam was smaller than that of other astringent persimmon cultivars, however, Dansungsi and Bansi were largest compared to other persimmon cultivars. Fruit width size of Sancheong Deabonggam and Bansi were the biggest. And fruit width size was the biggest in Sancheong Deabonggam. When same cultivars as Dansungsi and Godongsi were cultivated at other regions, it was not somewhat different in fruit weight. The size of fruits of the cultivar varied depending on the maturation of the fruits. In immature fruit, Curigam and Susi cultivars were the biggest and these cultivars were also were the biggest in mature-green fruit. In full ripe fruit, Hamyang Daebonggam and Hadong Daebonggam and Daeheakmu were bigger than that of other cultivars. When the astringent persimmon varieties collected in July were divided into three clusters, group A had a higher leaf area and the lightest fruit weight than the other clusters. In cluster C, the leaf area was small, but the fruit weight was classified as heavier than the other clusters. This study is expected to be widely used for breeding, conservation and processing of sweet persimmons.

Seven genotypes of broad leaf mustard were evaluated for their performance at research field of Khumaltar, Lalitpur, Nepal in winter season of consecutive three years; 2016, 2017 and 2018. The main objective of these studies was to find out the most promising genotypes of broad leaf mustard. The experiments were conducted in randomized complete block design with three replications. Three weeks old seedlings were transplanted on first week of October at the spacing of 45 cm x 30 cm. Fertilizer was applied at the rate of 200:150:100 NPK kg/ha and 15ton compost per hectare and other cultural practices was carried out as per recommendation of National Horticulture Research Centre, Khumaltar, Lalitpur, Nepal. Fresh consumable fully developed green leaves were harvested frequently; seven to ten days interval. In the present study, wide genetic variability was observed on plant vigor, insect, disease, leaf length (cm), leaf width (cm), leaf harvest yield in number and weight, and consumer’s response recorded. On the basis of overall characteristics, among the evaluated genotypes; HRDBLM010 showed superior performance with good uniformity, vigorous growth, moderately resistant with insects pest and disease (2.1), bigger leaf size (44.2 x 27.5 cm), least petiole length (0.93 cm), significantly higher leaf yield in number (25) and weight (748 g/plant and 51.24 t/ha), medium late bolting, good taste has been selected for cultivation at central mid-hills (Kathmandu valley) condition of Nepal. The next promising genotype is HRDBLM004 which had also good uniformity, vigorous, less damage by insect (2.4) and disease (2.5), higher yield in number (41) and weight (848 g/plant and 60.10 t/ha) and softness. These two genotypes have been found promising genotypes for cultivation in central mid-hills of Nepal.

Pleurothyrium amissum P. Juárez & J. F. Morales (Lauraceae), a new species endemic to the highland oak forests of the Costa Rican Talamanca range, is described and illustrated. Pleurothyrium amissum and P. pauciflorum van der Werff & Hammel have similar floral morphology but differ by their height, leaf size, inflorescence size, number of flowers per inflorescence, flower color, and habitat. Photographs, a distribution map, and a key to the species of Pleurothyrium Nees in Costa Rica are presented.

Tolerance to waterlogging and recovery ability was compared among the three subspecies of subterranean clover (Trifolium subterraneum L.) to identify tolerance mechanisms, in order to guide future subclover breeding activities. Three cultivars each of ssp. yanninicum, subterraneum and brachycalycinum were grown in a controlled environment glasshouse with T. michelianum as a waterlogging-tolerant control. After 28 days of growth two treatments were imposed for 35 days: free-draining (control) and waterlogged. A 21-day recovery period followed. After 35 days, waterlogging reduced shoot dry weight (DW) to 58–27% and root DW to 35–21% of respective controls in each subspecies. Shoot relative growth rate (RGR) of yanninicum was least affected (78–104% of control), compared to subterraneum (51–100%) and brachycalycinum (45–69%). The subterraneum cv. Denmark had a similar response to subspecies yanninicum. Shoot RGR of T. michelianum was 138% of its control. After recovery, all traits (except tap root length) recovered to control values. Up to 21 days, the main traits associated with waterlogging tolerance (shoot and root growth) were high petiole length, less petiole anthocyanin pigmentation and high leaf chlorophyll content, but by 35 days these were a high proportion of leaf biomass, high stomatal conductance and enhanced root porosity. Average root diameter and nodulation rates were unrelated to waterlogging tolerance. Subspecies yanninicum had superior waterlogging tolerance. Priority traits for easily-assessed indicators of waterlogging tolerance are less reduction of leaf size and high stomatal conductance.

Premise As a leaf expands, its shape dynamically changes. Previously, we documented an allometric relationship between vein and blade area in grapevine leaves. Larger leaves have a smaller ratio of primary and secondary vein area relative to blade area compared to smaller leaves. We sought to use allometry as an indicator of leaf size and plasticity. Methods We measured the ratio of vein-to-blade area from the same 208 vines across four growing seasons (2013, 2015, 2016, and 2017). Matching leaves by vine and node, we analyzed the correlation between the size and shape of grapevine leaves as repeated measures with climate variables across years. Results The proportion of leaf area occupied by vein and blade exponentially decreased and increased, respectively, during leaf expansion making their ratio a stronger indicator of leaf size than area itself. Total precipitation and leaf wetness hours of the previous year but not the current showed strong negative correlations with vein-to-blade ratio, whereas maximum air temperature from the previous year was positively correlated. Conclusions Our results demonstrate that vein-to-blade ratio is a strong allometric indicator of leaf size and plasticity in grapevines measured across years. Grapevine leaf primordia are initiated in buds the year before they emerge, and we found that total precipitation and maximum air temperature of the previous growing season exerted the largest statistically significant effects on leaf morphology. Vein-to-blade ratio is a promising allometric indicator of relationships between leaf morphology and climate, the robustness of which should be explored further.

Even with increasing interest in the ecological importance of intraspecific trait variation (ITV) for better understanding ecological processes, few studies have quantified ITV in seedlings and assessed constraints imposed by trade‐offs and correlations among individual‐level leaf traits. Estimating the amount and role of ITV in seedlings is important to understand tree recruitment and long‐term forest dynamics. We measured ten different size, economics, and whole leaf traits (lamina and petiole) for more than 2,800 seedlings (height ≥ 10 cm and diameter at breast height, Using individual‐level leaf traits of seedlings, we found intraspecific trait variation was large and correlations were strong between lamina and petiole traits across and within species. Trait correlation strength varied across biological and spatial scales and with sample size.

Over their lifetime, trees are repeatedly exposed to droughts. It is therefore important to understand whether repeated drought exposure makes trees more or less drought tolerant. Here, we investigated the effect of repeated droughts on functional trait expression and tree function in Eucalyptus obliqua. Further, we tested whether previous drought exposure enabled trees to avoid leaf death for longer under a subsequent severe drought. Trees were subjected for 1 year to 2 drought–rewatering cycles (drought treatment) or well-watered conditions, before imposing a severe drought. Trees in the drought treatment reduced their overall leaf area and biomass, whereas leaf-level anatomical, morphological and physiological traits remained mostly unaffected. There were no differences in water potential at the turgor loss point, leaf xylem vulnerability to embolism, leaf size, maximum xylem vessel diameter or cell wall thickness between treatments after the conditioning period. When exposed to a subsequent severe drought, trees previously exposed to drought were more drought tolerant due to a lower water potential at leaf death and tree-level morphological rather than physiological adjustments. Trees previously exposed to drought were smaller and used less water, which delayed leaf death for 39 days compared with 22 days for the well-watered trees. Our study indicates that previous drought exposure can facilitate tree-level morphological adjustment, which potentially enhances survival of E. obliqua trees during subsequent drought events.

MicroRNA319 (miR319) plays an important role in leaf development. Although leaf discs are frequently used for plant transformation, little is known about the function of miR319 in shoot regeneration from leaf explants. To investigate the role of miR319 in de novo shoot organogenesis from leaf explants, the MIR319 gene was overexpressed in petunia (Petunia × hybrida), under the control of the 35S promoter. Petunia leaves overexpressing miR319 (miR319-OX) showed several morphological abnormalities, such as rounded, uneven, and curled leaf blade, larger leaf size, and smaller and rounded abaxial surface cells, which were differences compared to wild-type (WT) leaves. Additionally, miR319-OX leaf explants demonstrated enhanced shoot organogenesis on a growth medium containing 6-benzylaminopurine (BA) at shoot-inducing concentrations, and cytokinin-independent shoot regeneration on hormone-free medium compared with WT explants. Quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) analysis indicated that the expression of petunia NO APICAL MERISTEM (PhNAM) and SHOOT MERISTEMLESS (PhSTM) genes was markedly increased in miR319-OX explants compared with WT explants under shoot induction conditions, whereas the expression of petunia cytokinin-responsive type-A response regulator genes, PhRR2 and PhRR3, showed no differences in expression between WT and miR319-OX leaf explants. These results suggest that miR319 regulates the formation of shoot meristems from leaf explants in petunia during in vitro culture.

Background and Aims Herbaria were recently advertised as reliable sources of information regarding historical changes in plant traits and biotic interactions. To justify the use of herbaria in global change research, we asked whether the characteristics of herbarium specimens have changed during the past centuries and whether these changes were due to shifts in plant collection practices. Methods We measured nine characteristics from 515 herbarium specimens of common European trees and large shrubs collected from 1558 to 2016. We asked botanists to rank these specimens by their scientific quality, and asked artists to rank these specimens by their beauty. Key Results Eight of 11 assessed characteristics of herbarium specimens changed significantly during the study period. The average number of leaves in plant specimens increased 3-fold, whereas the quality of specimen preparation decreased. Leaf size negatively correlated with leaf number in specimens in both among-species and within-species analyses. The proportion of herbarium sheets containing plant reproductive structures peaked in the 1850s. The scientific value of herbarium specimens increased until the 1700s, but then did not change, whereas their aesthetic value showed no systematic trends. Conclusions Our findings strongly support the hypothesis that many characteristics of herbarium specimens have changed systematically and substantially from the 16th to 21st centuries due to changes in plant collection and preservation practices. These changes may both create patterns which could be erroneously attributed to environmental changes and obscure historical trends in plant traits. The utmost care ought to be taken to guard against the possibility of misinterpretation of data obtained from herbarium specimens. We recommend that directional changes in characters of herbarium specimens which occurred during the past 150‒200 years, primarily in specimen size and in the presence of reproductive structures, are accounted for when searching for the effects of past environmental changes on plant traits.

Elevation gradients provide an ideal setting to infer species' functional trait responses to predicted future climate change. In plants, leaf functional traits help assess their capacity to cope with varying resources. Variation in abiotic conditions over short vertical distances can influence plant phenology, particularly leafing and flowering durations, and leaf functional traits at both inter- and intra-specific levels. However, studies examining relationships between leaf functional traits and phenology duration along elevation gradients are limited. We tested the relationship between leaf size, leaf thickness, specific leaf area, and leafing durations in 10 Rhododendron species in the Sikkim Himalaya. All the investigated traits varied significantly across species, but intra-specific variation in functional traits was observed only among a few. Leaf size and thickness showed significant negative relationships with elevation and a comparative phylogenetic method exhibited a strong relationship between leaf traits and leafing duration. We observed higher leaf thickness and size in species with longer leafing durations and less overlap in leafing and flowering durations. In contrast, species with shorter leafing durations and relatively more overlap in their flowering and leafing durations showed lower leaf thickness and leaf size. Leaf traits such as leaf thickness and leaf size also exhibited a strong phylogenetic signal across 10 Rhododendron species. Overall, from our findings, we infer that along an elevation gradient, the magnitude of leaf trait responses to future increases in temperature may vary depending on species phenology durations and phylogeny.

Auxin is well recognized for its involvement in several developmental processes like floral and leaf development and shoot elongation. The transcriptional regulation of auxin-responsive genes is mediated via auxin response factors (ARF). In this study, we identified 46 ARF genes in Nicotiana tabacum, performed phylogenetic analysis and investigated their structure, conserved domains, and motifs. Our results demonstrate that some of NtARF genes are regulated by mi-RNAs and expression in multiple tobacco tissues. Additionally, the leaf NtARFs display a diverse expression pattern in vein and shoot apical meristem in response to exogenous auxin stimulus. Transgenic NtARF10-overexpressing Arabidopsis plants exhibit larger leave areas, cell area, and more numerous cell numbers compared to wild-type plants and include several upregulated genes involved in cell division and expansion, including AtCYCD3, AtTCP1, AtTCP20, AtXTH33, and AtARGOS. This suggests NtARF10 might play a role in the regulation of leaf size. Our study contributes to a better understanding of the characteristics of the ARF family in tobacco and provides a basis for further functional research into NtARFs.

[Motivation] Trait variation within species can reveal plastic and/or genetic responses to environmental gradients, and may indicate where local adaptation has occurred. Here, we present a dataset of rangewide variation in leaf traits from seven of the most ecologically and economically important tree species in Europe. Sample collection and trait assessment are embedded in the GenTree project (EU-Horizon 2020), which aims at characterizing the genetic and phenotypic variability of forest tree species to optimize the management and sustainable use of forest genetic resources. Our dataset captures substantial intra- and interspecific leaf phenotypic variability, and provides valuable information for studying the relationship between ecosystem functioning and trait variability of individuals, and the response and resilience of species to environmental changes., [Main types of variable contained] We chose morphological and chemical characters linked to trade-offs between acquisition and conservation of resources and water use, namely specific leaf area, leaf size, carbon and nitrogen content and their ratio, and the isotopic signature of stable isotope 13C and 15N in leaves., [Spatial location and grain] We surveyed between 18 and 22 populations per species, 141 in total, across Europe., [Time period] Leaf sampling took place between 2016 and 2017., [Major taxa and level of measurement] We sampled at least 25 individuals in each population, 3,569 trees in total, and measured traits in 35,755 leaves from seven European tree species, i.e. the conifers Picea abies, Pinus pinaster and Pinus sylvestris, and the broadleaves Betula pendula, Fagus sylvatica, Populus nigra and Quercus petraea., [Software format] The data files are in ASCII text, tab delimited, not compressed., All authors acknowledge support from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 Research and Innovation Programme under grant agreement no. 676876 (Project GenTree). Laboratory work was also supported by other projects: COMEDIAS (CGL2017- 83170-R, Spanish Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities), REMEDINAL IV (TE-CM S2018/EMT-4338, Project of the Autonomous Community of Madrid, Spain), SPONFOREST (BIODIVERSA-3, PCIN-2016-055), and International Laboratory of Global Change (LINCGlobal 4540-143AP). The Swiss contribution was supported by the Swiss Secretariat for Education, Research and Innovation (SERI) under contract no. 6.0032. BC was funded by a Scholarship from Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior - CAPES (Brazil).

We studied seed germination and seedling growth performance in an economically and socially important fruit tree species Vitellaria paradoxa C.F. Gaertn. subsp. nilotica (shea tree) in Uganda. The study aimed at determining variations in germination among five shea tree seed provenances and seedling growth performance based on five growth traits (total height, root collar diameter, leaf length, leaf width and leaf petiole length). Five populations were considered from four agroecological zones comprising of 180 candidate “plus” trees. The seed trees consisted of 16 ethnovarieties selected based on their traits for fast growth and high oil yield. A total of 1,204 biological seeds were collected and sown in a tree nursery at Ngetta Zonal Agricultural Research and Development Institute during the month of June 2018 in a randomized incomplete block design with three replications. Significant variation (χ = 708; p < 0.01) was observed in seedling phenotypic traits within and between populations. Regression equation for height growth and leaf size index were given as y = 0.3787 + 12.671x and y = 0.6483 + 15.413x respectively. Root collar diameter was more correlated to leaf size index (0.425) than to height growth (0.30). Clustering of shea tree seedlings based on phenotypic growth traits revealed one aggregated cluster indicating that most of the seedlings from the five populations were similar (Jaccard index 0.92, p < 0.01). However, clustering based on SNP markers revealed three different populations. We recorded higher growth (χ = 708; p < 0.001) in Arua shea population. Red seeded; thin pulped and hairy fruited shea tree ethnovarieties recorded faster growth than the rest. The results reveal useful traits in selection for tree growth and further identified shea tree ethnovarieties that could be selected for fast growth.

Seedling selection and characterization of superior genotypes of walnut in two districts of Himachal Pradesh, Solan and Sirmour were surveyed to identify, select and characterize the prevalent diversity based on growth, fower and nut traits to build a sound database of selected types for future use in crop improvement works. The seedling populations were systematically studied after following UPOV guidelines based on 48 characters. Out of the total, 16 characters were selected to establish a sound and stable database. The quantum of variation observed was categorized in three specific ranges from the total observed variation obtained from evaluation and genotypes classed under each character ranges. Plant height ranged from 4.5–16.5 m, trunk girth 0.5–3.5 m, yield 15–16 kg/tree leaf size (length 20–46 cm, width 20–42 cm), leafet (length 4–16 cm, width 2–8 cm, leafet number 4–10, leaf area 250–650 cm2, catkin number 3.5–5.5, nut weight 7–16 g, nut thickness 20–36 mm). Shell thickness 1.25–2. 75 mm, kernel weight 2.5 to 9.25 g, kernel thickness 18–30 mm and kernel percentage 20–65. A database was developed and six promising types were identifed and described.

Two peach genotypes ‘Sharbati’ and ‘Flordaguard’ were crossed to develop F1 hybrid rootstocks and subsequently tested for resistance against root-knot nematode. Minimum reduction in plant height after 120 days of nematode inoculation was recorded in Flordaguard (11.07%), it was followed by Sharbati × Flordaguard (16.73%). Sharbati × Flordaguard seedlings inoculated with nematode juveniles had high plant height, root length, leaf chroma, ‘b’ values, hue angle, leaf size and leaf area. Flordaguard seedlings had higher shoot dry weight, ‘a’ value, spad values, petiole length and leaf number but, lower plant height, leaf area, leaf size, chroma values, hue angle. Hybrid seedlings from both the cross combinations had dark red coloured young leaves, a trait from Flordaguard. Number of juveniles penetrated the root system was negatively correlated with shoot dry weight, internodal length, leaf number, petiole length, spad values, ‘a’ value shoot dry weight and positively correlated with ‘L’value, ‘b’ value, chroma and hue angle. The highest number of juvenile penetration per root system was recorded in Sharbati with (38 juvenile per roots system) followed by seedlings of Sharbati × Flordaguard (15 juvenile per root system) and Flordaguard × Sharbati (11 juveniles per root system). Shoot dry weight, internodal length, petiole length, spad values, ‘a’ value, and hue angle vary among the hybrid seedlings with lower nematode population and root penetration whereas higher nematode population and root penetration were abserved among the seedling population. These characters can be used to assess nematode tolerance/resistance in peach hybrid seedlings.

Plant functional traits integrate the ecological and evolutionary history of a species, and can potentially be used to predict its response as well as its influence on ecosystem functioning. Understanding its mechanistic role for community assembly can provide evidence to understand weed-crop interactions, and in particular, how weeds impact on crop production. In this article, we tried to explain the various traits specifically leaf functional traits (LFTs) used to know the level of competition between crop and weeds under the agro-ecosystem. To accomplish this, we synthesized the available information by carrying out a literature survey and standardized protocols from available databases showing the variation in the respective traits of crop and weeds. And, it is found that there are certain specific LFTs such as leaf area, leaf size and specific leaf area are helpful to calculate the level of competition under weed crop interactions. So, these traits proved to be a good tool to screen out species for productivity and ecological performance in the species interactions. This confirms with previous findings that knowledge to measure the LFTs can improve the yield in response to weed competition and can be implemented by the farmers in the field. Also, this array of traits can help to minimize the use of different chemicals (weedicides, herbicides and pesticides) in weeds management under agro-ecosystems which affect the biotic factors such as soil biota. However, more studies are required to explore the utility of these traits under weed-crop interactions in the agro-ecosystems.

PREMISE Fossil leaf traits can enable reconstruction of ancient environments and climates. Among these, leaf size has been particularly studied because it reflects several climatic forcings (e.g., precipitation and surface temperature) and, potentially, environment characteristics (e.g., nutrient availability, local topography, and openness of vegetation). However, imperfect preservation and fragmentation can corrupt its utilization. We provide improved methodology to estimate leaf size from fossil fragments. METHODS We apply three methods: (1) visually reconstructing leaf area based on taxon-specific gross morphology; (2) estimating intact leaf area from vein density based on a vein scaling relationship; and (3) a novel complementary method, determining intact leaf length based on the tapering of the midvein in the fragment. We test the three methods for fossils of extinct Eotrigonobalanus furcinervis (Fagaceae) from two lignite horizons of the middle and late Eocene of central Germany respectively (~45/46 and 35/36 Ma). RESULTS The three methods, including the new one, yield consistent leaf size reconstructions. The vein scaling method showed a shift to larger leaf size, from the middle to the late Eocene. CONCLUSIONS These methods constitute a toolbox with different solutions to reconstruct leaf size from fossil fragments depending on fossil preservation. Fossil leaf size reconstruction has great potential to improve physiognomy-based paleoenvironmental reconstructions and the interpretation of the fossil record.

Aims Leaf size and shape as objects of natural selection can play adaptive roles, and can change with the age of leaves. They can differ between sexes in dioecious species, and in most cases, females have larger leaves. Previous studies showed that sexes of Adriana tomentosa differed in their leaf lobing. In this study, we investigated whether there were other differences between sexes in leaf size, shape and ecophysiology, and if those differences were connected with adaptations and reproductive roles in the sexes of A. tomentosa. Methods Physical and chemical features of young and old leaves originating from female and male A. tomentosa plants growing in two disjunct populations in eastern Australia were measured. We determined leaf area, perimeter length, serration, circularity, aspect ratio (AR), roundness and the ecophysiological factors: specific leaf area, dry matter content, leaf moisture, relative water content, δ 13C, δ 15N isotope compositions, carbon and nitrogen contents and C:N ratio. Leaf lobing, the degree of lamina damage and the content of photosynthetic pigments were also determined. Important Findings In both populations studied, the sex of plants significantly influenced almost all parameters connected with leaf morphology such as area, perimeter length, circularity, AR and roundness. Contrary to expectations, males from both populations had a greater leaf area that was independent of leaf age. Male leaves were more lobed with a longer perimeter, but they were less elongated and less serrated. Only small differences between female and male leaves were observed for the ecophysiological factors. The degree of leaf damage differed between sexes but also with population. Differences between sexes in leaf area and shape were not compensated by measured ecophysiological factors. However, leaf area may be compensated by other ecophysiological mechanisms related to leaf morphology, because females had greater leaf serration in comparison to males despite the smaller leaf area.