Search

The protection and sustainability of forest assets is possible with planned production of forest products to lead to minimum loss. One of the products obtained from forests is the industrial wood, which is the most important raw material for many sectors. Thus, changes in industrial wood production amounts directly affect these sectors. For this reason, it is important to detect and examine the factors affecting industrial wood production amounts for optimum production and use of this raw material. This study aims to investigate and assess the effects of two biotic and two abiotic harmful factors on the amount of industrial wood production by building a deep learning estimation model. These factors are forest fires, insect outbreaks, diseases, and severe weather events. The study shows that the most harmful factor decreasing the industrial wood production level is diseases. The second effective factor, however, appears to be severe weather events. The third and the fourth factors were determined to be insect outbreaks and burned forest areas, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Аmong the most acute problems of the Republic of Kazakhstan, it should be noted that the creation and development of a pharmaceutical base that meets all international standards, the development of the production of original domestic drugs, and the creation of safe and environmentally friendly technologies for their production. In this direction, plants of the genus Populus (poplar) of the Salicaceae (willow) family have an advantage due to large reserves of renewable raw materials (poplar plantations in the North Kazakhstan region have industrial reserves of medicinal raw materials) and the content of various classes of compounds with a wide range of biological activity. The aim of this work was to study the qualitative composition of substances from the buds of balsam poplar Populus balsamifera obtained by extraction and barothermal methods. Objectives: to obtain the substance from the balsam poplar buds Populus balsamifera by extraction and barothermal methods; establish the qualitative composition of the obtained substances; compare the composition of substances obtained by extraction and barothermal methods. Materials and methods. Balsam poplar buds were collected in May 2021 near the village of Zarechny, North Kazakhstan region, Republic of Kazakhstan. A method for obtaining a substance from balsam poplar buds includes using freshly harvested balsam poplar buds and extraction with solvents with an increasing polarity gradient. There were used solvents: hexane, dichloromethane, and ethyl acetate. The resulting extract was evaporated. The results and conclusions: the results of the study showed the almost complete identity of the qualitative composition of the hexane extract of substances obtained by extraction and barothermal methods. In the case of ethyl acetate fractions, the difference is the presence of chalcones in the substance obtained by the barothermal method. Extraction with methylene chloride allows the separation of flavonoids, and subsequent extraction with ethyl acetate allows the separation of gibberellins. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Here we describe a facile approach to preparing cationic bottlebrush brush polymers via sequential surface‐initiated (SI) ring‐opening metathesis polymerization and SI activators regenerated by electron transfer atom transfer radical polymerization. These techniques afforded both bottlebrush polymer brushes and their linear polymer brush analogues with cationic triphenylphosphonium pendant groups. Utilization of two controlled polymerization techniques with orthogonal requirements for monomers and additives allowed the polymerization of the backbone and the pendant side chains to be controlled independently. Grafting polymer side chains to a polymer brush backbone resulted in a thickness increase of ca 70%, indicating that the polymers are forced into a stretched conformation with greater surface coverage than was afforded by the linear brush polymers. As a result of the stretched conformation, greater ionic conductivity in the bottlebrush brush architectures was observed. © 2022 Society of Industrial Chemistry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Climatic drivers alone do not adequately explain the regional variation in budburst timing in deciduous forests across Europe. Stand-level factors, such as tree species richness, might affect budburst timing by creating different microclimates under the same site macroclimate. We assessed different phases of the spring phenology (start, midpoint, end, and overall duration of the budburst period) of four important European tree species (Betula pendula, Fagus sylvatica, Quercus robur and Tilia cordata) in monocultures and four-species mixture stands of a common garden tree biodiversity experiment in Belgium (FORBIO) in 2021 and 2022. Microclimatic differences between the stands in terms of bud chilling, temperature forcing, and soil temperature were considerable, with four-species mixtures being generally colder than monocultures in spring, but not in winter. In the colder spring of 2021, at the stand level, the end of the budburst period was advanced, and its overall duration shortened, in the four-species mixtures. At species level, this response was significant for F. sylvatica. In the warmer spring of 2022, advances in spring phenology in four-species stands were observed again in F. sylvatica and, less markedly, in B. pendula but without a general response at the stand level. Q. robur showed specific patterns with delayed budburst start in 2021 in the four-species mixtures and very short budburst duration for all stands in 2022. Phenological differences between monocultures and four-species mixtures were linked to microclimatic differences in light availability rather than in temperature as even comparatively colder microclimates showed an advanced phenology. Compared to weather conditions, tree species richness had a lower impact on budburst timing, but this impact can be of importance for key species like F. sylvatica and colder springs. These results indicate that forest biodiversity can affect budburst phenology, with wider implications, especially for forest- and land surface models., (© 2024 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Enterobacter roggenkampii is an opportunistic pathogen that causes infections in a wide range of hosts. A bacterial strain named EOBSR_19 was isolated from diseased silver arowana, Osteoglossum bicirrhosum. This bacterium was identified as E. roggenkampii based on the phenotypic characteristics and sequence analysis of the16S rDNA and gyrB genes. Average nucleotide identity and phylogenetic analysis based on the whole genome sequence further confirmed the bacterial taxonomy of EOBSR_19. Artificial experimental infection indicated that EOBSR_19 was pathogenic to fish. Antimicrobial susceptibility test showed it was multi-drug resistant. The EOBSR_19 was found to be resistant to 18 antibiotics belonging to quinolones, macrolides, sulfonamides, aminoglycosides, and β-lactams classes. The whole genome sequencing analysis showed that EOBSR_19 carried 730 virulence genes that were annotated for different functional modules, such as adhesion and invasion, secretion system, siderophore transport system and bacterial toxin. Among them, the virulence genes related to adhesion and invasion were the most abundant. In addition, drug resistance genes involved in multiple mechanisms of antimicrobial resistance were identified in its genomics, including multidrug resistance efflux pumps, antibiotic inactivating enzymes, and antibiotic binding site mutations. Its genomic analysis via whole-genome sequencing provided insights into the pathogenicity and antimicrobial resistance., (© 2023 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

A better understanding of responses to water limitation in woody species can help us to cope with the consequences of the progressing climate change. We focused on the putative transgenerational effects of water limitation in the maternal environment during reproduction. Water was restricted for cuttings of Frangula alnus Mill. in a common garden setting, with a Belgian (local), Italian and Swedish provenance, during the growing season of 2020 and mature berries were collected during the whole reproductive phase. Stones that were extracted from the berries were given a cold stratification. In the next spring, the germination percentage of the stones from the water restricted maternal environment was significantly higher than that of the stones from the normal maternal environment, for the three provenances, notwithstanding the fact that stone weight was not different. The timing of seedling emergence was advanced for the water-limited maternal environment, but only for the stones harvested when mature berry production was the highest (9th and 16th of July 2020). Population differentiation was observed for the timing of seedling emergence, which reflected population differentiation for bud burst of the mother plants in the common garden, including a counter-gradient effect for the Swedish provenance, and corroborating the suggestion that the timing of seedling emergence and leaf phenology may have a common genetic basis. In addition, the Swedish provenance displayed a somewhat more stable germination percentage over the whole berry collection period when the stones were harvested. A partitioning of variance analysis suggested that germination percentage is more genetically determined than timing of seedling emergence, probably reflecting the more important need to sense the environment for an adequate timing of emergence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Poplar (Populus spp.) is a high-value crop for wood and biomass production and a model organism for tree physiology and genomics. The early release, in 2006, of the complete genome sequence of P. trichocarpa was followed by a wealth of studies that significantly enriched our knowledge of complex pathways inherent to woody plants, such as lignin biosynthesis and secondary cell wall deposition. Recently, in the attempt to cope with the challenges posed by ongoing climate change, fundamental studies and breeding programs with poplar have gradually shifted their focus to address the responses to abiotic stresses, particularly drought. Taking advantage from a set of modern genomic and phenotyping tools, these studies are now shedding light on important processes, including embolism formation (the entry and expansion of air bubbles in the xylem) and repair, the impact of drought stress on biomass yield and quality, and the long-term effects of drought events. In this review, we summarize the status of the research on the molecular bases of the responses to drought in poplar. We highlight how this knowledge can be exploited to select more tolerant genotypes and how it can be translated to other tree species to improve our understanding of forest dynamics under rapidly changing environmental conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The stomata on leaf surfaces control gas exchange and water loss, closing during dry periods to conserve water. The distribution and size of stomatal complexes is determined by epidermal cell differentiation and expansion during leaf growth. Regulation of these processes in response to water deficit may result in stomatal anatomical plasticity as part of the plant acclimation to drought. We quantified the leaf anatomical plasticity under water-deficit conditions in maize and soybean over two experiments. Both species produced smaller leaves in response to the water deficit, partly due to the reductions in the stomata and pavement cell size, although this response was greater in soybean, which also produced thicker leaves under severe stress, whereas the maize leaf thickness did not change. The stomata and pavement cells were smaller with the reduced water availability in both species, resulting in higher stomatal densities. Stomatal development (measured as stomatal index, SI) was suppressed in both species at the lowest water availability, but to a greater extent in maize than in soybean. The result of these responses is that in maize leaves, the stomatal area fraction (fgc) was consistently reduced in the plants grown under severe but not moderate water deficit, whereas the fgc did not decrease in the water-stressed soybean leaves. The water deficit resulted in the reduced expression of one of two (maize) or three (soybean) SPEECHLESS orthologs, and the expression patterns were correlated with SI. The vein density (VD) increased in both species in response to the water deficit, although the effect was greater in soybean. This study establishes a mechanism of stomatal development plasticity that can be applied to other species and genotypes to develop or investigate stomatal development plasticity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aboveground parts of terrestrial plants are colonized by a variety of microbes that collectively constitute the phyllosphere microbiota. Decades of pioneering work using individual phyllosphere microbes, including commensals and pathogens, have provided foundational knowledge about how individual microbes adapt to the phyllosphere environment and their role in providing biological control against pathogens. Recent studies have revealed a more complete repertoire of phyllosphere microbiota across plant taxa and how plants respond to and regulate the level and composition of phyllosphere microbiota. Importantly, the development of several gnotobiotic systems is allowing causative and mechanistic studies to determine the contributions of microbiota to phyllosphere health and productivity. New insights into how the phyllosphere carries out key biological processes, including photosynthesis, biomass accumulation, reproduction, and defense against biotic and abiotic insults, in either the presence or absence of a normal microbiota could unleash novel plant- and microbiota-based technologies to improve agriculturally relevant traits of crop plants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of Forestry Society of Croatia / Sumarski List Hrvatskoga Sumarskoga Drustva is the property of Forestry Society of Croatia and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Alnus glutinosa (L.) Gaertn. and Alnus incana (L.) Moenx. grow naturally in Lithuania, and their ranges overlap. They are considered ecologically and economically important species of forest trees. The objective of our study was to determine plant bioactive compounds, such as total phenolic (TPC) and flavonoid compounds (TFC), in the wood of alders and their hybrids in order to specify the opportunity to use secondary metabolites (SM) for the identification of alder hybrids. The samples from juvenile and mature alder woods (n = 270) were collected at three different sites in the natural forests of Lithuania. The TPC and TFC content was determined using spectrophotometric methods and was expressed in mg/g of fresh mass. Obtained results showed that the TPC of A. incana was statistically higher compared to A. glutinosa; however, in hybrid alder wood it was intermediate. The TFC was statistically higher in hybrid alder wood and lowest in A. glutinosa. The TFC was higher in mature trees; however, the TPC showed the opposite tendency. In our case, the TPC was higher in continental sites, while TFC was higher in mature alders at costal sites. Obtained data allow us to assume that TPC and TFC in alder wood can be used as taxonomic markers. This study expanded the knowledge of alder physiology and contributed to the identification of alder hybrids. The correct identification of tree species is very important for the conservation of natural resources and for the sustainable use of higher value-added products. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Studying the biological characteristics of the causative agents of bacteriosis of the common oak (Quercus robur L.) (to highlight the links between the key factors of pathogenesis and bacterial groups) is a new and relevant area of research. This work aims to identify the species composition of phytopathogenic bacteria associated with common oak bacteriosis and to study the morphological, cultural, and biochemical properties of pathogens. To establish the general phytosanitary state of the surveyed stands, classical forest inventory and phytopathological (visual on based on typical symptoms of the disease and macroscopic) methods were used. The properties of isolated bacteria were studied using microbiological methods. The weakening and dieback of common oak in the forests of Ukraine is directly related to four types of bacterioses and their pathogens: the soft bacterial rot of acorns (Pectobacterium carotovorum subsp. carotovorum, bacterial wetwood (Lelliottia nimipressuralis), dry rot of branches and trunks (Erwinia rhapontici), and canker disease (Pseudomonas fluorescens and Pseudomonas sp.). Research on the correspondence between the biological properties of common oak bacteriosis pathogens has established that the synthesis of pectin-degrading enzymes and the ability to ferment with the release of acid and gas in many carbohydrate media by phytopathogenic bacteria is the main characteristic. This ensures the intensity and typical symptoms of the pathogenesis of a particular bacteriosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Given the strong sensitivity of sweet cherry trees to air temperature and the foreseeable warming under future climates, it becomes urgent to analyse spatiotemporal variability of growing conditions in main production areas of China. Here, we estimated changes of three climate metrics, that is, winter chill, heat accumulation and the risk of spring frost events, by using 22 global climate models over the historical and future (represented by central years 2050s and 2085s) time stages. Statistically downscaled daily maximum and minimum temperatures at 14 sites under representative concentration pathway (RCP) 4.5 and 8.5 scenarios were used. The results show a general increase of available winter chill for most sites in Bohai and Lanzhou–Lianyungang Railway line agro‐climatic zones, and the increase in chill accumulation could reach up to 15.2% in these regions for RCP4.5 by 2085 s. However, the most dramatic winter chill decrease is projected to occur in the southwest region under the RCP8.5 scenario by 2085 s. Additionally, the increase rate of heat accumulation during the forcing period shows spatially consistency, and the most pronounced increase is found in the RCP8.5 by 2085 s. In the north region, median heat accumulation increases by 17.5%–21.0% in the 2050 s under RCP4.5. Similar increasing range could be found in the southwest station. High frost risk areas are found in the southwestern region for both baseline and future climate scenarios. Across the 14 study sites, Mengzi and Kunming have the highest meteorologically defined risk of spring damaging frost with accumulated 335 growing degree days (GDDs) and 264 GDDs before the last spring frost event, respectively. Overall, this study provides projected characteristics of site‐specific growing conditions for sweet cherry trees in main production regions. The results could be useful for decision‐making such as selection of appropriate species and varieties in adapting to future warming. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Erwinia amylovora, the causative agent of fire blight, leads to important economic losses of apple and pear crops worldwide. This study aimed to investigate the potential of the resident microbiota of the apple blossom in combatting plant disease-causing organisms, with a focus on controlling fire blight. We obtained 538 isolates from sites around Canton Zurich, which we tested for activity against Pectobacterium carotovorum and E. amylovora. We also evaluated the isolates' activity against oomycete and fungal pathogens. Nine isolates showed activity against P. carotovorum, and eight of these against E. amylovora. Furthermore, 117 showed antifungal, and 161 anti-oomycete, activity. We assigned genera and in some cases species to 238 of the isolates by sequencing their 16S RNA-encoding gene. Five strains showed activity against all pathogens and were tested in a detached apple model for anti-E. amylovora activity. Of these five strains, two were able to antagonize E. amylovora, namely Bacillus velezensis #124 and Pantoea agglomerans #378. We sequenced the P. agglomerans #378 genome and analyzed it for secondary metabolite clusters using antiSMASH, revealing the presence of a putative bacteriocin cluster. We also showed that B. velezensis #124 exhibits strong activity against three different fungi and two oomycetes in vitro, suggesting a broader capacity for biocontrol. Our results showcase the protective potential of the natural apple blossom microbiota. We isolated two candidate biocontrol strains from apple blossoms, suggesting that they might persist at the most common entry point for the causative agent of fire blight. Furthermore, they are probably already part of the human diet, suggesting they might be safe for consumption, and thus are promising candidates for biocontrol applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Serious outbreaks of walnut deep bark canker were observed on young walnut trees (Juglans regia L.) in two localities in the northern part of Serbia during 2020. From the symptomatic walnut tissues, two types of bacterial colonies were isolated, predominantly, light cream, circular and smooth colonies, as well as small, yellowish, mucoid and convex ones. PCR analysis and phenotypic assays suggested that the former group belongs to Brenneria spp., while the latter isolates were identified as Xanthomonas arboricola pv. juglandis. Within the Brenneria group, two strains were identified as Brenneria nigrifluens, while other 15 strains did not belong to any Brenneria species described so far. Therefore, we selected four representative strains of the unknown Brenneria sp. and subjected them to polyphasic analysis. As expected, in a phylogenetic tree based on partial 16S rDNA sequences, four novel strains grouped with other Brenneria representatives, and showed close phylogenetic relationship to Brenneria salicis. Furthermore, multilocus sequence analysis (MLSA) based on the partial sequences of atpD, gyrB, infB and rpoB housekeeping genes and core-genome phylogeny indicated that the studied strains form a novel and a clearly separate Brenneria lineage. Overall genome relatedness indices showed that they represent a new Brenneria species. The new species can be differentiated from the other Brenneria spp. infecting walnut and closely related B. salicis strains based on phenotypic characteristics, as well. Moreover, the pathogenicity tests on two-year-old walnut plants proved the ability of strains to cause necrosis and longitudinal black lesions and cracks on the trunk and branches of walnut trees. Overall, polyphasic characterization showed that the studied strains isolated from walnut with symptoms of deep bark canker represent a novel species of the genus Brenneria for which the name Brenneria izbisi sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain of B. izbisi is KBI 423T (= CFBP 9035T = LMG 32479T). To facilitate rapid identification of newly described species, a conventional PCR protocol and primers targeting the putative gene hrpP, were developed. Further study should reveal the potential role of each pathogen isolated from symptomatic walnut in disease development as well as possible interaction between them. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The leaves and twigs of Lindera spp. have long been used as a herbal medicine and toothpicks in Japan. However, little is known about individual variations in the extractives of these species, because many previous studies have not distinguished extractives between individuals. In this study, we investigated the extractives of L. umbellata at the individual level. The detailed identification of the inter- and intra-individual variations in the major terpenoids and flavonoids in native L. umbellata may greatly contribute to the development of cultivation techniques and the effective use of forest resources. The contents of major components of L. umbellata, including four terpenoids (1,8-cineole, linalool, geraniol, and geranyl acetate) and five low-molecular-weight phenolics (pinocembrin chalcone, pinocembrin, pinostrobin chalcone, pinostrobin, and 5,6-dehydrokawain), were analyzed in leaves and twigs seasonally (June, August, and October). The compositions of the major terpenoids were strongly dependent on the properties of each individual and were generally independent of leaves and twigs. Moreover, geranyl acetate was characteristically present in the twigs of some individuals. As new findings regarding linalool, some individuals showed characteristic enantiomeric excesses, presumably because of biotic factors, and the proportion of these enantiomers was kept constant in each individual, regardless of the season. The total phenolic contents in leaves were more than twice those detected in twigs, and the leaves tended to contain more chalcones and twigs more flavanones. Furthermore, the contents of chalcones (pinocembrin chalcone vs. pinostrobin chalcone) and flavanones (pinocembrin vs. pinostrobin) were positively correlated in both leaves and twigs. The coefficient of variation (CV) clearly showed that the content of the major terpenoids was determined by inter-individual rather than intra-individual differences. Although the results obtained in this study should at present only be applicable to a limited population native to specific regions, our findings provide key knowledge in considering the sustainable use of L. umbellata. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Plants, People, Planet is the property of Wiley-Blackwell and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

We studied sessile oak (Quercus petraea) growing on six dry sites to understand adaptability responses to drought stress. Pedunculate oak (Quercus robur) on a moderately dry site was tested in parallel. We analyzed accessions from mostly dry sites that were less sensitive to soil drought and found that the growth performance ranking was not the same before and after treatment. We used phenological plasticity approaches to study seed development and plant development before and after drought: the treatments included stem length, root length, and collar diameter, as well as dry above- and below-ground biomass performance. Additionally, after drought treatment, osmolytes and root surface were tested in Q. petraea. According to the analyses and results, the ranked sites did not maintain their ranking status, with Q. petraea exhibiting different rates of growth during each developmental stage from seed development until the end of the treatment of plant material. The smallest seeds came from the driest site, which may indicate more adaptability to drought stress. After drought treatment, large differences were found between the dry biomass performance, stem length, root length, and collar diameter of oaks grown on different sites. The osmolality of Q. petraea on most of the dry sites was higher under the reduced treatment than under the optimal treatment, but not significantly. After drought treatment, all accessions -- and especially those from the driest site -- showed large differences in growth performance between the treatments. The relationship between seed weight and seedling development before and after drought treatment differed according to the developmental stage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Drought periods during the growing season will increase and intensify in Western Europe due to climate change. To better understand the consequences for woody perennials, we restricted watering of potted cuttings of Frangula alnus Mill. in a common garden setting in Belgium during the growing season of 2020. We focused on the responses of three provenances (Belgian, Italian and Swedish) for several reproductive traits in the year of the water limitation. F. alnus, as a shrub species, bears fruits fast. It can blossom on current season's growth and can therefore produce ripened berries continuously during several months. The total berry count across the whole growing season was much lower in the water-limited plants, independent of the provenance. The local Belgian provenance produced more ripened berries in total than the Italian and Swedish provenances, both in the water-limited plants as in the control plants. Maximal berry production occurred in July. The control plants from the Belgian and Italian provenances displayed a second lower maximum in August. Mainly the Swedish provenance displayed a clear advancement of the maximum berry production among the water-limited plants in comparison to the control plants. Slight differences were detected in the average stone count per berry and in the average stone weight, with both traits displaying a single maximum through time. The Swedish provenance displayed the highest average stone count per berry and the Belgian provenance had the lightest average stone weight, both likely attributable to local adaptation. Remarkably, both stone traits were not affected by the water limitation. Results are discussed in the context of several drought response mechanisms including drought escape, drought avoidance, compensation growth, growth/reproduction trade-off and seed size/number trade-off. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Soft rot disease causes devastating losses to crop plants all over the world, with up to 90% loss in tropical climates. To better understand this economically important disease, we isolated four soft rot-causing Erwinia persicina strains from rotted vegetables. Notably, E. persicina has only recently been identified as a soft rot pathogen and a comprehensive genomic analysis and comparison has yet to be conducted. Here, we provide the first genomic analysis of E. persicina, compared to Pectobacterium carotovorum, P. carotovorum, and associated Erwinia plant pathogens. We found that E. persicina shares common genomic features with other Erwinia species and P. carotovorum, while having its own unique characteristics as well. The E. persicina strains examined here lack Type II and Type III secretion systems, commonly used to secrete pectolytic enzymes and evade the host immune response, respectively. E. persicina contains fewer putative pectolytic enzymes than P. carotovorum and lacks the Out cluster of the Type II secretion system while harboring a siderophore that causes a unique pink pigmentation during soft rot infections. Interestingly, a putative phenolic acid decarboxylase is present in the E. persicina strains and some soft rot pathogens, but absent in other Erwinia species, thus potentially providing an important factor for soft rot. All four E. persicina isolates obtained here and many other E. persicina genomes contain plasmids larger than 100 kbp that encode proteins likely important for adaptation to plant hosts. This research provides new insights into the possible mechanisms of soft rot disease by E. persicina and potential targets for diagnostic tools and control measures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The roots of Codonopsis pilosula, a crucial ingredient in Chinese medicine, are prone to soft rot disease soon after transplanting seedlings in the second year. This almost always causes severe losses in yield at harvest, with severe economic consequences for farmers of this perennial vine. However, the pathogens involved remain understudied, although some gram‐negative bacteria of the Enterobacteriaceae family are well‐known pathogens of soft rot in many other plants. Here, the isolate B5‐2‐1‐30 was suspected of being a key pathogen of C. pilosula in China according to counts of bacteria from diseased, healthy and adjacent tissues of roots. Results of morphological and phylogenetic analyses, including microscopic observations, in addition to a multilocus sequence analysis (MLSA) of the concatenated partial 16S rDNA, rpoB, atpD and gyrB genes, revealed that this isolate belongs to Lelliottia nimipressuralis. In vitro and in vivo pathogenicity tests showed that L. nimipressuralis B5‐2‐1‐30 could cause root soft rot in seedlings of C. pilosula, with symptoms similar to those observed in the field. Further experiments suggested the typical symptoms of softened rotting roots and wilting shoots arose from phloem necrosis and vessel plugging, as inferred by observed anatomical characteristics of roots, providing clues for elucidating the infection mechanism of phytopathogens in L. nimipressuralis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The tradeoffs between carbon assimilation and hydraulic efficiencies and drought-tolerance traits on different scales are considered a central tenet in plant ecophysiology; however, no clear tradeoff between these traits has emerged in previous studies using woody angiosperms or grasses by investigating several hydraulic tolerance and gas exchange efficiency and/or water transport efficiency traits. In this study, we measured numerous efficiency, resistance, and leaf anatomical traits, including light-saturated gas exchange, leaf hydraulic vulnerability curves, pressure–volume curves, and leaf anatomical traits, in seven species with diverse drought tolerance. A substantial variation in photosynthetic rate, stomatal conductance, mesophyll conductance, maximum leaf hydraulic conductance (Kmax), mesophyll anatomical traits, and leaf vein density across species was observed. Both mesophyll conductance and Kmax were related to leaf anatomical traits, but other gas exchange traits were decoupled from Kmax. Although the efficiency and tolerance traits varied widely across estimated species, no clear trade-off between safety traits and efficiency traits was observed. These findings suggested that postulated leaf-level drought tolerance-carbon assimilation and hydraulic efficiency tradeoff does not exist among distant species and that the fact that different leaf anatomical traits determine efficiency and tolerance capacity might contribute to the lack of such tradeoffs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Drought stress negatively impacts the health of long-lived trees. Understanding the genetic mechanisms that underpin response to drought stress is requisite for selecting or enhancing climate change resilience. We aimed to determine how hybrid poplars respond to prolonged and uniform exposure to drought; how responses to moderate and more severe growth-limiting drought stresses differed; and how drought responses change throughout the day. We established hybrid poplar trees (Populus × 'Okanese') from unrooted stem cutting with abundant soil moisture for 6 weeks. We then withheld water to establish well-watered, moderate and severe growth-limiting drought conditions. These conditions were maintained for 3 weeks during which growth was monitored. We then measured photosynthetic rates and transcriptomes of leaves that had developed during the drought treatments at two times of day. The moderate and severe drought treatments elicited distinct changes in growth and development, photosynthetic rates and global transcriptome profiles. Notably, the time of day of sampling produced the strongest effect in the transcriptome data. The moderate drought treatment elicited global transcriptome changes that were intermediate to the severe and well-watered treatments in the early evening but did not elicit a strong drought response in the morning. Stable drought conditions that are sufficient to limit plant growth elicit distinct transcriptional profiles depending on the degree of water limitation and on the time of day at which they are measured. There appears to be a limited number of genes and functional gene categories that are responsive to all of the tested drought conditions in this study emphasizing the complex nature of drought regulation in long-lived trees. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ash dieback caused by the invasive fungus Hymenoscyphus fraxineus leads to massive mortality among common ash (Fraxinus excelsior) in Europe. To select tolerant genotypes, inoculation experiments are frequently conducted with isolates of the fungus. The aim of this study was to improve the inoculation methodology for evaluating susceptibility of ash genotypes to ash dieback through (i) testing the virulence of different isolates of Hymenoscyphus fraxineus and (ii) investigating temporal lesion development using three widely applied cultivars: Altena, Atlas and Westhof's Glorie. First, an experiment was conducted with a repeated measure design in which virulence of five different isolates was tested. Second, a subset of two isolates that induced the longest downward lesion length in experiment one was used in combination with a slightly adjusted inoculum protocol. Significant differences were found between isolates for downward lesion length, but a significant interaction effect of isolates and cultivars was absent. Also, the inoculation position within the stem affected lesion length; the largest lesions were found on the highest inoculation position within the stem. Furthermore, we found that cryopreserved isolates can remain virulent over years. The timing of inoculation at the end of the growing season was effective as large lesions already occurred during winter dormancy. For future inoculation studies, we propose to use: (i) isolates that induce large lesions, as less virulent isolates induced not only shorter but also fewer lesions; (ii) a similar inoculation position to better compare inoculations within and between experiments; (iii) cryopreserved isolates for testing over years; (iv) mycelial suspensions for inoculum preparation to cover wood chips more evenly; (v) reference clone—like the studied cultivars—to standardize research outcomes between years and research groups. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The potential of whole genome duplication to increase plant biomass yield is well-known. In Arabidopsis tetraploids, an increase in biomass yield was accompanied by a reduction in lignin content and, as a result, a higher saccharification efficiency was achieved compared with diploid controls. Here, we evaluated whether the results obtained in Arabidopsis could be translated into poplar and whether the enhanced saccharification yield upon alkaline pretreatment of hairpin-downregulated CINNAMYL ALCOHOL DEHYDROGENASE1 (hpCAD) transgenic poplar could be further improved upon a whole genome duplication. Using a colchicine treatment, wild-type (WT) Populus tremula x P. alba cv. INRA 717-1B4, a commonly used model clone in tree biotechnology research, and hpCAD tetraploids were generated and grown in the greenhouse. In parallel, WT tetraploid poplars were grown in the field. In contrast to Arabidopsis, a whole genome duplication of poplar had a negative impact on the biomass yield of both greenhouse- and field-grown trees. Strikingly, field-grown WT tetraploids developed a brittle apex phenotype, i.e., their tip broke off just below the apex. In addition, the chromosome doubling altered the biomass composition of field-grown, but not of greenhouse-grown tetraploid poplars. More specifically, the lignin content of field-grown tetraploid poplars was increased at the expense of matrix polysaccharides. This increase in lignin deposition in biomass is likely the cause of the observed brittle apex phenotype, though no major differences in stem anatomy or in mechanical properties could be found between di- and tetraploid WT poplars grown in the field. Finally, without biomass pretreatment, the saccharification efficiency of greenhouse- and field-grown WT diploids was not different from that of tetraploids, whereas that of greenhouse-grown hpCAD tetraploids was higher than that of greenhouse-grown diploids. Upon alkaline pretreatment, the saccharification yield of diploids was similar to that of tetraploids for all genotypes and growth conditions tested. This study showed that a whole genome duplication in hybrid WT and hpCAD poplar did neither result in further improvements in biomass yield, nor in improved biomass composition and, hence, saccharification performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Revista Facultad Nacional de Agronomía Medellín is the property of Universidad Nacional de Colombia and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Climate change increases global average temperatures worldwide. We tested whether temperature during seed maturation in a broadleaved woody perennial may influence the phenological performance of the seedlings. We performed two controlled crosses of Prunus padus L. in two subsequent years (2015 and 2016). Clonal mother shrubs were subjected to a cold and a warm condition during seed maturation. In the first year after germination, the seedlings from the warm seed maturation condition burst their buds earlier compared with the cold condition seedlings. In contrast, in the second and third years, these seedlings burst their buds later. A temporary maternal effect may have advanced bud burst for the warm condition seedlings in the first year, whereas a delay of bud burst in the following years may be caused by a transgenerational epigenetic memory, putatively expressing a stress reaction upon the suboptimal elevated temperature during seed maturation. A warm spring treatment in 2020 enlarged the difference in timing of bud burst between the cold and warm seed maturation conditions in offspring of both crosses, suggesting that the epigenetic memory is more strongly expressed in a warmer spring environment. The timing of the autumnal leaf senescence in the seedlings was not influenced by the temperature during seed maturation in all observation years, suggesting that autumnal senescence is less (epi)genetically determined compared with bud burst and more sensitive to ambient temperatures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pectobacterium is a diverse genus which comprises of multiple destructive bacterial species which cause soft rot/blackleg/wilt disease complex in a wide variety of crops by employing high levels of virulence factors. During the 2018, 2019 and 2020 potato growing seasons, numerous outbreaks of bacterial wilt, stem blackleg and tuber soft rot were recorded, and symptomatic plant samples from ten localities in the Province of Vojvodina (Serbia) were collected and analysed. Bacterial soft-rot pathogens were detected in 63 samples using genus and species-specific primers. Through 16S rRNA Sanger sequencing of 19 representative isolates, the identity of P. brasiliense (73.7%), P. punjabense (15.8%), and P. carotovorum (10.5%) species were revealed. To further validate the identification, genotypic profiling of Pectobacterium strains using rep-PCR (ERIC, BOX, REP) was conducted for 25 selected isolates and the phylogenetic assessment based on four selected housekeeping genes (gyrA, recA, rpoA, and rpoS). Physiological and biochemical properties were analysed using basic microbiological tests and VITEK® 2 GN card, and pathogenicity was confirmed on cv. VR808 and cv. Desiree potato tubers and plants. This study confirmed the distinctiveness of the newly described P. punjabense in Serbia as well as the high diversity of Pectobacterium brasiliense and Pectobacterium carotovorum species in Serbia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pineapple plants (hybrid MD2) with bacterial heart rot were detected in a commercial plantation at Glasshouse Mountains, Queensland, in November 2015. The bacterial strain BRIP64263 isolated from infected tissue was shown to be a Gram negative soft-rotting bacterium capable of growth at 41 ºC, and based on its culture properties was provisionally identified as Dickeya. This strain was compared with other putative Dickeya strains affecting banana (BRIP64262) and potato (BRIP29490). Sequence analysis of the recombinase A genes of the pineapple strain placed it in phylotype I of D. zeae, whereas the banana strain was placed in phylotype II. This was confirmed by sequence comparisons for the phosphofructose kinase, RNA polymerase and aconitase genes which showed that the pineapple strain BRIP64263 is distinct from other strains that infect pineapples and other hosts in Australia and overseas. Furthermore, phylogenetic analysis of the replication initiation factor gene showed that strains affecting pineapples were distributed among both phylotypes of D. zeae, indicating multiple acquisitions or opportunistic infections of pineapple from this group of pathogens. The potato isolate, BRIP29490, was shown to be Rahnella aquatica, and is not likely to be pathogenic. It is not known whether the new isolate represents an incursion or whether it has long been associated with pineapples in Australia. Further study is required to determine the epidemiological characteristics of this strain, and what threat it poses to Australian pineapple production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Poplar is one of the most important forest trees because of its high economic value. Thanks to the fast-growing rate, easy vegetative propagation and transformation, and availability of genomic resources, poplar has been considered the model species for forest genetics, genomics, and breeding. Being a field-growing tree, poplar is exposed to environmental threats, including biotic stresses that are becoming more intense and diffused because of global warming. Current poplar farming is mainly based on monocultures of a few elite clones and the expensive and long-term conventional breeding programmes of perennial tree species cannot face current climate-change challenges. Consequently, new tools and methods are necessary to reduce the limits of traditional breeding related to the long generation time and to discover new sources of resistance. Recent advances in genomics, marker-assisted selection, genomic prediction, and genome editing offer powerful tools to efficiently exploit the Populus genetic diversity and allow enabling molecular breeding to support accurate early selection, increasing the efficiency, and reducing the time and costs of poplar breeding, that, in turn, will improve our capacity to face or prevent the emergence of new diseases or pests. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Plants alter their phenotypes in response to both their own environment and that of their parents. Parental environments are hypothesized to more strongly regulate early life stages of offspring, while offspring environments regulate later life stages, since offspring perception becomes more accurate throughout development. DNA methylation in plants is known to respond to environmental conditions and can be transmitted across generations, so DNA methylation of both parents and offspring may be involved in regulating responses to environments within and across generations. However, the relative contribution of each generation's epigenetic regulation is not known. We quantified phenotypic responses to parent and offspring canopy environment and tested whether parental or offspring DNA methylation mediated those responses. To quantify the response to parental versus offspring canopy, we used green filter during the growth of either parents or offspring. To test the contribution of parental versus offspring DNA methylation to regulate offspring phenotypic responses to canopy shade at seed, seedling, and adult life stages, we manipulated parental or offspring DNA methylation using 5‐azacytidine. Both parent and offspring shade affected offspring traits. Parental DNA demethylation affected trait responses to both parental and offspring canopy, but it did so only at early life stages, while offspring DNA demethylation influenced responses throughout life. Trait correlations were significantly altered by chemical demethylation of parents and offspring, indicating that DNA methylation in both generations influences integrated phenotypic responses to canopy. These results demonstrate that the influence of parental methylation on offspring phenotypes measured in this study were manifest only early in the life of offspring, while offspring phenotypes were more strongly influenced by their own epigenetic regulation at mature stages. DNA methylation of both parents and offspring appears to coordinate multitrait responses like the "shade avoidance syndrome." [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A clonal trial, including 124 hybrid poplars, was planted in the center of Chile in 2014 and Septoria canker was detected in 2016. We propose a new approach to analyzing the relationship between fungi attack and growth. As an example, we report the analysis of the diameter of trees growing in the presence of Septoria canker for three consecutive years. We modeled two linear models. The original (reduced) model of the trial and an alternative (full) model added the level of attack effect. We compared variances of additive random effects and their interaction with the level of fungi attack, genetic parameters (heritability and environmental variances), and BLUPs of the clonal values. The focus was on modeling the intra-clonal covariation that depends on the interaction between the genetic and micro-environmental effects. Our results show that the most severe fungi attack occurred in trees with the largest growth in diameter. Including the level of attack effect into the full model produced significant changes in the estimation of genetic parameters at age 5. We observed a genotype-by-micro-environment interaction at ages 3 and 4. We conclude that including the level of Septoria attack in the modeling of genetic parameters for diameter growth of poplar hybrids is a way to correct the prediction of the clonal value of each hybrid planted in a trial. Using a full model that included the pathogen effect allowed a better prediction (BLUP) of the clonal worth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Keymessage: Populus nigra and Picea abies achieved the largest standing volume at 50 years of age in basalt mountainous sites in Central Europe, but they also present the highest risk in the case of rising temperature and drought extremes. The most climatically resistant tree species were Larix decidua and Alnus glutinosa, which had a lower productivity in the current conditions. Based on carbon sequestration, growth, and damage rate, a revision of selected tree species capable of fulfilling production and non-production functions of the forest in the setting of global climate change was performed. Stands of Norway spruce, European larch, sycamore maple, black alder, and black poplar on abandoned farmland in the Doupovské hory Mts., Czech Republic, were analyzed. At about 52 years of age, spruce had the significantly highest average stand volume (417 m3 ha−1), while the highest carbon sequestration in tree biomass was found in poplar (169 t ha−1). On the contrary, maple showed the lowest average stand volume (183 m3 ha−1) and the amount of carbon (90 t ha−1). While maple radial increment was mostly negatively influenced by precipitation, the growth of spruce and poplar generally correlated positively (r = 0.26–0.33) with precipitation. For other tree species, the correlation was non-significant. Alder and larch were the most robust to climate factors, while the most climate-sensitive tree species was maple in relation to radial growth. The lowest tree damage was observed in alder (8% trees of the same species were damaged) and maple (9%). Larch (36%) and poplar (51%) differed from the previous two, due to many breaks, while the most damage was confirmed in spruce (74%) because of bark stripping and rot. The establishment of mixed stands of spruce with larch and maple may be regarded as a climate-smart silvicultural approach with clear environmental and economic benefits. On sites with high groundwater levels, poplar and alder represent a feasible alternative. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Carrot production in Sri Lanka faces severe post-harvest losses due to bacterial soft rot. The quality deterioration of vegetables owing to typical bacterial soft rot can greatly affect the market value and consumer preference. Although the carrot soft rot causing bacteria occur all over the world, and are well-studied and characterized, the scarcity of data on the precise identification of the causal agents of the disease in Sri Lanka acts as a great barrier in managing such post-harvest losses. In an attempt to bridge this knowledge gap, we have isolated potential causative agents of bacterial soft rot from diseased carrot samples collected from Gampaha district, Sri Lanka. All the seven bacterial isolates were confirmed for their ability to exhibit pectolysis, and vegetable disk assays were used to evaluate the pathogenicity of bacterial isolates. The pathogenicity assays showed that these isolates have the ability to infect not only carrot, but also potato, radish, beetroot and Napa cabbage, suggesting their possible broad host range. The ITS–PCR RELP profiles of the pectobacterial isolates and hierarchical clustering of the resulting profiles have placed the strains isolated in this study into four groups. The 16S rRNA gene sequencing and subsequent analyses aided in identifying isolates as Pectobacterium carotovorum (C1B5, C2B6, C2B7 and C2B8), P. aroidearum (C1B3 and C1B4), and P. polaris (C3B9). The study indicated the possibility of different Pectobacterium spp. being involved in causing carrot soft rot in the area, emphasizing the need to carry out an island-wide, comprehensive analysis to understand the distribution of the pathogen, which could be used in implementing successful disease management strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Drought frequency and severity are exacerbated by global climate change, which could compromise forest ecosystems. However, there have been minimal efforts to systematically investigate the genetic basis of the response to drought stress in perennial trees. Here, we implemented a systems genetics approach that combines co-expression analysis, association genetics, and expression quantitative trait nucleotide (eQTN) mapping to construct an allelic genetic regulatory network comprising four key regulators (PtoeIF-2B, PtoABF3, PtoPSB33, and PtoLHCA4) under drought stress conditions. Furthermore, Hap_01PtoeIF-2B, a superior haplotype associated with the net photosynthesis, was revealed through allelic frequency and haplotype analysis. In total, 75 candidate genes related to drought stress were identified through transcriptome analyses of five Populus cultivars (P. tremula × P. alba, P. nigra, P. simonii, P. trichocarpa, and P. tomentosa). Through association mapping, we detected 92 unique SNPs from 38 genes and 104 epistatic gene pairs that were associated with six drought-related traits by association mapping. eQTN mapping unravels drought stress-related gene loci that were significantly associated with the expression levels of candidate genes for drought stress. In summary, we have developed an integrated strategy for dissecting a complex genetic network, which facilitates an integrated population genomics approach that can assess the effects of environmental threats. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to the visible and predictable influence of climate change on species' spatial distributions, the conservation of marginal peripheral populations has become topical in forestry research. This study aimed to assess the spring (budburst, leaf development, and flowering) and autumn (leaf senescence) phenology of sessile oak (Quercus petraea), a species widespread across European forests close to its ranges' eastern limit. This study was performed in Romania between spring 2017 and 2020, and it included a transect with three low-altitude populations, a reference population from its inner range, and a sessile oak comparative trial. The temperature was recorded to relate changes to phenophase dynamics. We identified small variations between the reference and peripheral populations associated with climatic conditions. In the peripheral populations, budburst timing had day-of-year (DOY) values <100, suggesting that sessile oak may be more susceptible to late spring frost. Furthermore, we found spring phenophase timing to be more constant than autumn senescence. Moreover, budburst in the sessile oak comparative trial had obvious longitudinal tendencies, with an east to west delay of 0.5–1.4 days per degree. In addition, budburst timing influenced leaf development and flowering, but not the onset of leaf senescence. These findings improve our understanding of the relationship between spring and autumn phenophase dynamics and enhance conservation strategies regarding sessile oak genetic resources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Multi-omics represent a promising link between phenotypes and genome variation. Few studies yet address their integration to understand genetic architecture and improve predictability. Results: Our study used 241 poplar genotypes, phenotyped in two common gardens, with xylem and cambium RNA sequenced at one site, yielding large phenotypic, genomic (SNP), and transcriptomic datasets. Prediction models for each trait were built separately for SNPs and transcripts, and compared to a third model integrated by concatenation of both omics. The advantage of integration varied across traits and, to understand such differences, an eQTL analysis was performed to characterize the interplay between the genome and transcriptome and classify the predicting features into cis or trans relationships. A strong, significant negative correlation was found between the change in predictability and the change in predictor ranking for trans eQTLs for traits evaluated in the site of transcriptomic sampling. Conclusions: Consequently, beneficial integration happens when the redundancy of predictors is decreased, likely leaving the stage to other less prominent but complementary predictors. An additional gene ontology (GO) enrichment analysis appeared to corroborate such statistical output. To our knowledge, this is a novel finding delineating a promising method to explore data integration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Predicting how species will respond to future climate change is of central importance in the midst of the global biodiversity crisis, and recent work has demonstrated the utility of population genomics for improving these predictions.Here, we suggest a broadening of the approach to include other types of genomic variants that play an important role in adaptation, like structural (e.g. copy number variants) and epigenetic variants (e.g. DNA methylation). These data could provide additional power for forecasting response, especially in weakly structured or panmictic species.Incorporating structural and epigenetic variation into estimates of climate change vulnerability, or maladaptation, may not only improve prediction power but also provide insight into the molecular mechanisms underpinning species' response to climate change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: This work aimed at determining the pathogenicity, molecular characterization, host range and rapid detection of Pectobacterium carotovorum subsp. brasiliense (Pcb) causing soft rot disease in radish. Methods and Results: The four isolated isolates were inoculated to radish, typical soft rot symptoms were observed and Koch's postulates were proved. The most virulent strain RDKLR was morphologically and biochemically distinct. Pcb showed a positive potato soft rot test and elicited hypersensitivity response on Nicotiana tobaccum. The genes Pel2 and pmrA were used for subspecies characterization of Pcb. It has a wide host range and infection was observed on slices of carrot, tomato, radish, potato, cauliflower, cabbage, chilli, knol‐khol, bell pepper and cucumber. Infectivity was also seen in seedlings under glasshouse conditions. Pcb produced cell wall degrading enzymes in semi‐quantification assay and is a strong biofilm producer. The LAMP technique was standardized to help rapid detection and take prophylactic measures to manage the disease. Conclusion: This work reports Pcb as a new soft rot causing organism of radish in India. Pcb is highly virulent with a broad host range. The LAMP technique helps in rapid detection. Significance and impact of the study: Pcb‐induced soft rot causes significant yield loss, decreased market value, damage in transit, storage and the market. Disease characterization and early identification aid in disease management and prevention in the field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Compared with drought stress, our knowledge about the potential precipitation increase in desert steppes and its ecological effects is still limited. In order to improve our understanding of the responses of desert steppe plants to climate change and human activities, we performed a 3‐year‐long controlled water addition experiment in grasslands with different grazing systems. The results showed that increased water changed the plant height/above‐ground biomass/leaf‐tissue thickness of Stipa breviflora Griseb., Cleistogenes squarrosa (Trin.) Keng and Convolvulus ammannii Desr. by +23.86%/+77.35%/−19.09%, +14.67%/+162.34%/−16.62% and + 29.14%/+69.37%/−22.85%, respectively, compared to those in the control group. The net photosynthetic rate, stomatal conductance, transpiration rate and water‐use efficiencies of these three types of plants increased by 0.32%–43.71% with water addition, compared to the corresponding parameters in the control group. We also found that plant responses to increased rainfall were not always positive. Under the unique environmental conditions of desert steppes, increase in rainfall has a limited restorative effect on vegetation and an excessive increase in rainfall may actually inhibit plant growth and exacerbate grazing grassland degradation. Compared to rotational grazing and continuous grazing grasslands, plants in enclosed grasslands had higher restoration thresholds and better restorative effect following increased rainfall. Enclosure increased the adaptability and resilience of grazing grassland plants towards increased rainfall. Under the background of increased rainfall, while we look forward to the ecological restoration in desert steppe, we also need to be alert to the potential adverse effects of excessive rainfall on grazing grasslands. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Medicinal plants are important for improving human health and represent an essential pool for the identification of novel pharmacological leads. Plant-derived biomolecules have historically proven their value as a source of therapeutic drugs and hold an important potential for the identification and characterization of novel drug leads. Many different alkaloids possessing a broad range of pharmacological activities have been isolated from plants belonging to the Amaryllidaceae family. Galanthamine (GAL) is a selective, reversible and an Amaryllidaceae-derived acetylcholinesterase inhibitor used for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease (AD) and other neurological diseases. Naturally, the bioavailability of Amaryllidaceae alkaloids including GAL is low. Due to the significantly increased demand of GAL by the pharmaceutical industries and the inadequate availability of natural resources, in vitro culture offers an alternative approach for its sustainable production. Thus, different biotechnological tools can optimize the in vitro GAL biosynthesis for treating AD, such as manipulation of plant growth regulators, photoperiod, elicitors, and bioreactors systems, besides being an environmentally sustainable approach, which protects the native biodiversity in a circular bioeconomy context. In the present review, we highlight the biosynthesis of GAL by plant in vitro systems including its mode of action. This article should also provide a starting point in the scaling-up of the biotechnological production of this valuable alkaloid. Key message: Galanthamine biosynthesis by plant in vitro systems and its mode of action are reviewed to provide a starting point for scaling-up of the biotechnological production of this valuable medicinal alkaloid. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this contribution, a pure and robust tungsten oxide (WO3) film was accomplished on stainless steel (SS) substrate at 400°C through a minimal capital intensive, simplistic spray pyrolysis method by utilizing a precursor comprising tungsten hexachloride and 2‐methoxyethanol. Thermal analysis revealed the precursor's thermal decomposition and crystallization at ~230°C and 255°C, respectively. The fabricated polycrystalline (monoclinic crystal structured) film was uniform and dense in nature, exhibiting surface porosity and average surface roughness of 4.7 % and 15.9 nm, respectively. The average grain size and thickness of film were 360 ± 70 nm and ~3.6 μm, respectively. W, O elemental presence with a close atomic ratio of 1:3 on the film's surface was acquired along with 91 % lattice oxygen. Regardless of applied normal load in the range of 5 to 15 N, an increment of ~22 % in scratch hardness was gained in WO3‐coated SS compared to uncoated one. Hydrophilic natured WO3 film (water contact angle, WCA, of ~31°) was efficaciously transformed into hydrophobic (WCA, 136°) by chemical modification with octadecyltrichlorosilane to create a self‐assembled monolayer on the surface of the film. The hydrophobicity of octadecyltrichlorosilane (OTS)‐treated film was found to be preserved even after 100 days. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of Agriculture & Nature / Kahramanmaraş Sütçü İmam Üniversitesi Tarım & Doğa Dergisi is the property of Kahramanmaras Sutcu Imam Universitesi and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Broiler chickens are a major meat product worldwide. Maintaining the health of flocks is essential for poultry farming and it is critical to minimize exposure to waterborne pathogens. This study determined the extent of Salmonella spp. infections and identified sources of waterborne disease transmission at representative Jordanian broiler farms. We investigated 10 broiler farms located in five Jordanian Governorates; Amman, Irbid, Karak, Zarqa, and Madaba. Cloacal swabs were collected from chickens and water samples were collected from farm tanks, broiler house tanks, and drinking apparatus (drinkers) over three rearing cycles. Water was tested for pH and residual free chlorine. Salmonella spp. was isolated from the cloacal and water samples using biochemical methods and confirmed as Salmonella enterica serovar Enteritidis by PCR. Salmonella enterica serovar Enteritidis was detected at sampled farms at different percentages and the pathogen was found in 16.6% (15/90) of drinkers and 20% (30/150) of cloacal samples. The total and free residual chlorine concentrations in the water were lower than the recommended levels. The average pH was within the recommended values. This study concluded that S. Enteritidis is prevalent in broiler farms in Jordan. Thus, improved hygienic practices at broiler farms and the establishment of national water quality guidelines are necessary to decrease S. Enteritidis transmission in boiler farmers and thus enhance food safety in Jordan. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study aims to characterize and predict models for antibacterial activity of a novel oligosaccharide from Streptomyces californics against Erwinia carotovora subsp. carotovora using an adaptive neuro-fuzzy inference system and an artificial neural network. The mathematical predication models were used to determine the optimal conditions to produce oligosaccharide and determine the relationship between the factors (pH, temperature, and time). The characteristics of the purified antibacterial agent were determined using ultraviolet spectroscopy (UV/Vis), infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (1H- and 13C-NMR), and mass spectrometry (MS). The best performances for the model were 39.45 and 35.16 recorded at epoch 1 for E. carotovora Erw5 and E. carotovora EMCC 1687, respectively. The coefficient (R2) of the training was more than 0.90. The highest antimicrobial production was recorded after 9 days at 25 °C and a pH of 6.2, at which more than 17 mm of the inhibition zone was obtained. The mass spectrum of antimicrobial agent (peak at R.T. = 3.433 of fraction 6) recorded two molecular ion peaks at m/z = 703.70 and m/z = 338.30, corresponding to molecular weights of 703.70 and 338.30 g/mol, respectively. The two molecular ion peaks matched well with the molecular formulas C29H53NO18 and C14H26O9, respectively, which were obtained from the elemental analysis result. A novel oligosaccharide from Streptomyces californics with potential activity against E. carotovora EMCC 1687 and E. carotovora Erw5 was successfully isolated, purified, and characterized. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: The newly defined species Pectobacterium parmentieri has emerged as an aggressive pathogen that causes soft rot and blackleg diseases on potato and has been widely disseminated across the globe, jeopardizing the productivity and potato food safety. The implementation of a fast and accurate detection tool is imperative to control, monitor and prevent further spread of these pathogens. The objective of this work was to develop a specific and sensitive multiplex TaqMan qPCR to detect P. parmentieri and distinguish it from all known Pectobacterium species. A universal internal control was included to enhance the reliability of the assay. Methods and Results: A comparative genomics approach was used to identify O‐acetyltransferase and the XRE family transcriptional regulator as specific targets for primers/probe design for the detection of the Pectobacterium genus and P. parmentieri, respectively. Specificity was assessed with 35 and 25 strains included in the inclusivity and exclusivity panels, respectively, isolated from different geographical locations and sources. The assay specifically detected all 35 strains of Pectobacterium sp. and all 15 P. parmentieri strains. No cross‐reactivity was detected during assay validation. Our assay detected up to 10 fg genomic DNA and 1 CFU ml−1 bacterial culture. No change in the detection threshold (1 CFU ml−1) was observed in spiked assays after adding host tissue to the reactions. The assay was validated with naturally and artificially infected host tissues and soil rhizosphere samples. All infected plant samples containing the target pathogens were accurately amplified. Conclusion: The presented multiplex TaqMan qPCR diagnostic assay is highly specific, sensitive, reliable for the detection of Pectobacterium species and P. parmentieri with no false positives or false negatives. Significance and Impact of the Study: The developed assay can be adopted for multiple purposes such as seed certification programmes, surveillance, biosecurity, microbial forensics, quarantine, border protection, inspections and epidemiology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Biological collections preserve our past, while helping protect our future and increase future knowledge. Plant bacterial culture collections are our security for domestic and global biosecurity. This feature article will provide an introduction to the global position of plant bacterial collections. The role of collections in monitoring plant pathogenic bacteria will be explored through the presentation of five cases studies. These case studies demonstrate why culture collections were imperative for the outcome in each situation. We discuss what we believe should be the best practices to improve microbial preservation and accessioning rates, and why plant bacterial culture collections must increase deposits to be prepared for future emerging pathogens. This is not only the case for global culture collections, but on a much bigger scale, our future scientific successes, our biosecurity decisions and responses, and our knowledge are contingent upon preserving our valuable bacterial strains. It is hoped that once you read this article, you will see the need to deposit your strains in registered public collections and make a concerted effort to build better bacterial culture collections with us. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abscisic acid (ABA) plays an important role in plant adaptation to water deficits, but its role in regulating root growth (primary root elongation and lateral root number) during different drought‐phases remains unclear. Here, we exposed wild‐type (WT) and ABA‐deficient (not) tomato plants to three continuous drought‐phases (moderate drying: day 0–21; severe drying: day 22–47 and re‐watering: day 48–51). It was found that WT increased primary root growth during moderate drying; maintained more lateral roots, and greater primary root and total root length under severe drying; and produced more roots after re‐watering. After RNA‐Seq analysis, we found that the auxin‐related genes in root showed different expression patterns between WT and not under drying or re‐watering. Further, exogenous supply of IAA partially recovered the root growth of ABA‐deficient not plants under three continuous drought‐phases. Our results suggested that ABA regulation of tomato root growth during soil drying and recovery can involve auxin response. Field crops regularly face period of soil‐drying and after rainfall under climate change. Our study on tomato showed that ABA/IAA interaction is involved in plant drought responses by affecting large‐scale root gene expressions and dynamically reshaping root architecture throughout the drying and re‐watering. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Water availability and other site conditions influence poplar biomass productivity and affect clonal performance due to genotype × environment interactions. It is important to select genotypes with high water use efficiency (WUE) that maximizes yield with available amounts of water at sites, while avoiding drought stress and growth impacts to the trees. During drought, stomatal closure induces increased accumulation of δ13C carbon isotope in tree tissues, which is strongly correlated with WUE of trees and usually expressed through carbon isotope discrimination (Δ). Our primary objectives were to evaluate differences in WUE among poplar genotypes grown in the Midwestern United States, and to identify genotypes with high WUE for future deployment on water‐limited sites in the region. Sites included 10‐year‐old biomass plantations in Escanaba, Michigan; Waseca, Minnesota; and Ames, Iowa established from 2000 to 2001 with seven poplar genotypes' three genomic groups. Following harvest, height, diameter, and biomass were determined. Wood samples were collected from individual growth rings to assess annual ring width and WUE through δ13C and Δ. Aboveground dry biomass varied among sites (p =.0007), clones (p <.0001), and their interactions (p =.0134), ranging from 3.1 to 14.0 Mg ha−1 year−1. Δ varied among sites (Δ = 18.9–19.7‰; p <.0001) and clones (Δ = 18.6–19.9‰; p <.0001), indicating effects of site conditions on WUE of tested genotypes. Clones varied in their water‐conserving strategies. Some clones were characterized as water consumers with high growth and high WUE ("C916000"; "C916400"), while other genotypes were water conservers using lower amounts of water with moderate biomass production ("NC13624"; "NC13649"; "NM2" to a certain extent). Although δ13C carbon isotope accumulation correlates with WUE, Δ should only be used for selection when it is integrated with other parameters such as productivity, soils information, and climate data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In many arid and semi-arid regions, increasing water scarcity pushes woody species to their physiological limits, making strong drought resistance essential for adaptive forest management. Here, we examined morpho-physiological and biochemical drought responses of the forestry-relevant Persian oak (Quercus brantii Lindl.) and black poplar (Populus nigra L.). In a 120-day greenhouse pot experiment, seedlings were subjected to three watering regimes (FC100, FC60, and FC30, indicating percentages of field capacity). Under FC100 conditions, all biomass measures and the total and specific leaf area of oak were significantly greater compared to those of poplar. FC60-exposed poplar seedlings exhibited strong declines in relative water content (RWC; −33%) and carotenoids (−46%) and a surge in electrolyte leakage (EL; +51%), while these parameters did not change significantly in oak. Although both species showed 80% EL under FC30 conditions, poplar suffered more severe drought damage than oak as evidenced by a 65% lower survival, stronger reductions in RWC and total chlorophyll, as well as stronger increases in oxidative stress markers. Accordingly, poplar seedlings displayed a drought-related 56% decline in quality index while only statistically insignificant reductions occurred in oak seedlings. The superior drought resistance of oak seedlings implies economically more viable nursery production and better seedling establishment, suggesting a shift towards Persian oak-dominated forestry in its natural range under future climate projections. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]