Regulated irrigation of woody ornamentals to improve plant quality and precondition against drought stress

Regulated irrigation has the potential to improve crop quality in woody ornamentals by reducing excessive vigour and promoting a more compact habit. This research aimed to compare the effectiveness and the mode of action of two techniques, regulated deficit irrigation (RDI) and partial root drying (PRD), when applied to container-grown ornamentals through drip irrigation. Results showed that RDI and PRD reduced growth in Cotinus coggygria 'Royal Purple', but in Forsythia x intermedia 'Lynwood', significant reductions were recorded only with RDI. Physiological measurements in Forsythia indicated that reductions in stomatal conductance (g(s)) occurred in both treatments, but those in the RDI tended to be more persistent. Reduced g(s) in PRD was consistent with the concept that chemical signals from the root can regulate stomatal aperture alone; however, the data also suggested that optimising the growth reduction required a moderate degree of shoot water deficit (i.e. a hydraulic signal to be imposed). As RDI was associated with tissue water deficit, it was used in a second experiment to determine the potential of this technique to precondition container-grown plants against subsequent drought stress (e.g. during retail stages or after planting out). Speed of acclimation would be important in a commercial context, and the results demonstrated that both slow and rapid imposition of RDI enabled Forsythia plants to acclimate against later drought events. This article discusses the potential to both improve ornamental plant quality and enhance tolerance to subsequent adverse conditions through controlled, regulated irrigation.

Plant chemistry and aphid parasitoids (Hymenoptera : Braconidae): Imprinting and memory

Emerging parasitoids of aphids encounter secondary plant chemistry from cues left by the mother parasitoid at oviposition and from the plant-feeding of the host aphid. In practice, however, it is secondary plant cheinistry oil the Surface of the aphid mummy which influences parasitoid olfactory behaviour. Offspring of Aphidius colemani reared oil Myzus persicae on artificial diet did no distinguish between the odours of bean and cabbage, but showed a clear preference for cabbage odour if sinigrin had been painted oil the back of the mummy. Similarly Aphidius rhopalosiphi reared on Metopolophium dirhodum on wheat preferred the odour of wheat plants grown near tomato plants to odour of wheat alone if the wheat plants oil which they had been reared had been exposed to the volatiles of nearby tomato plants. Aphidius rhopalosiphi reared on M dirhodum, and removed from the mummy before emergence, showed a preference for the odour of a different wheat cultivar if they had contacted a mummy from that cultivar, and similar results were obtained with A. colemani naturally emerged from M. persicae mummies. Aphidius colemani emerged from mummies oil one crucifer were allowed to contact in sequence (for 45 min each) mummies from two different crucifers. The mumber of attacks made in 10 min oil M. persicae was always significantly higher when aphids were feeding oil the same plant as the origin of the last MUMMY offered, or oil the second plant if aphids feeding on the third plant were not included. Chilling emerged A. colemani for 24 h at 5 degrees C appeared to erase the imprint of secondary plant chemistry, and they no longer showed host plant odour preferences in the olfactometer. When the parasitoids were chilled after three Successive mummy experiences, memory of the last experience appeared at least temporarily erased and preference was then shown for the chemistry of the second experience.

The effects of photoperiod and light spectrum on stock plant growth and rooting of cuttings of Cotinus coggygria 'Royal Purple'

Extending the season of production and improving the scheduling of ornamental crops are key commercial objectives for nurserymen. In some woody species, the period in which cuttings can be rooted successfully is transient, thus limiting the opportunities for scheduled production. Optimum rooting often occurs in early- to mid-summer coinciding with periods of active shoot growth. The relationship between this shoot activity and root initiation was investigated in Cotinus coggygria 'Royal Purple'. Shoot growth on stock plants was manipulated by altering the photoperiod or light quality. Results indicated there were seasonal effects on rooting, but the importance of shoot activity varied with harvest time. Cuttings harvested in August had high rooting percentages, irrespective of photoperiod, and despite shoot growth terminating in response to the short-day treatment. In contrast, by September, rooting percentage was highest in cuttings from plants under long-days, which had maintained greatest shoot growth activity. Cotinus shoots grown in vitro under 16 h days showed reduced shoot growth and increased rooting competence compared with shoots grown under 8 h days. Growing stock plants under polythene films, which altered the amount and quality of the incident light, influenced the rooting of cuttings harvested in August, but no consistent relationship with shoot activity was apparent. From a practical viewpoint, maintaining shoot activity late in the season may prolong the period for propagation by cuttings; but, from a scientific viewpoint, processes associated with an active shoot apex do not provide a complete explanation of seasonal variation in rooting.

Effect of plant density and initial crown size on growth, development and yield in strawberry cultivars Elsanta and Bolero

The effects of density (plant spacing) and initial plant size on vegetative growth, flowering and fruiting were studied in the strawberry cultivars Elsanta and Bolero in their first and second years of cropping. The influence of these factors on light use and dry-matter partitioning was investigated. The size of planting material in 'Elsanta' and 'Bolero' slightly affected plant growth and yield, but this effect was not consistent and radiation use efficiency (RUE) and harvest index were unaltered. Plant spacing did not significantly affect the early stages of crop growth, but was important in determining growth and yield later in the season, this effect being more significant in the second year of cropping. Plant growth and yield per plant increased as plant spacing increased from 20 to 30 cm in both 'Elsanta' and 'Bolero', but the highest harvest index and yield per square metre were obtained at the closest spacing. Increased plant spacing also resulted in a greater leaf area and leaf area index. However, light was used less efficiently resulting in a lower RUE and lower harvest index (HI).

Rooting cuttings of Syringa vulgaris cv. Charles Joly and Corylus avellana cv. Aurea: the influence of stock plant pruning and shoot growth

The relationship between shoot growth and rooting was examined in two, 'difficult-to root' amenity trees, Syringa vulgaris L. cv. Charles Joly and Corylus avellana L. cv. Aurea. A range of treatments reflecting severity of pruning was imposed on field-grown stock prior to bud break. To minimise variation due to the numbers of buds that developed under different treatments, bud number was restricted to 30 per plant. Leafy cuttings were harvested at different stages of the active growth phase of each species. With Syringa, rooting decreased with later harvests, but loss of rooting potential was delayed in cuttings collected from the most severe pruning treatment. Rooting potential was associated with the extent of post-excision shoot growth on the cutting but regression analyses indicated that this relationship could not entirely explain the loss of rooting with time, nor the effects due to pruning. Similarly, in Corylus rooting was promoted by severe pruning, but the relationship between apical growth on the cutting and rooting was weaker than in Syringa, and only at the last harvest did growth play a critical role in determining rooting. Another unusual factor of the last harvest of Corylus was a bimodal distribution of roots per cutting, with very few rooted cuttings having less than five roots. This implies that, for this harvest at least, the potential of an individual cutting to root is probably not limited by the number of potential rooting sites.

Belowground interactive effects of elevated CO2, plant diversity and earthworms in grassland microcosms

The potential interactive effects of future atmospheric CO2 concentrations and plant diversity loss on the functioning of belowground systems are still poorly understood. Using a microcosm greenhouse approach with assembled grassland plant communities of different diversity (1, 4 and 8 species), we explored the interactive effects between plant species richness and elevated CO2 (ambient and + 200 p.p.m.v. CO2) on earthworms and microbial biomass. We hypothesised that the beneficial effect of increasing plant species richness on earthworm performance and microbial biomass will be modified by elevated CO2 through impacts on belowground organic matter inputs, soil water availability and nitrogen availability. We found higher earthworm biomass in eight species mixtures under elevated CO2, and higher microbial biomass under elevated CO2 in four and eight species mixtures if earthworms were present. The results suggest that plant driven changes in belowground organic matter inputs, soil water availability and nitrogen availability explain the interactive effects of CO2 and plant diversity on the belowground compartment. The interacting mechanisms by which elevated CO2 modified the impact of plant diversity on earthworms and microorganisms are discussed.

European plant phenology and climate as seen in a 20-year AVHRR land-surface parameter dataset

Vegetation distribution and state have been measured since 1981 by the AVHRR (Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer) instrument through satellite remote sensing. In this study a correction method is applied to the Pathfinder NDVI (Normalized Difference Vegetation Index) data to create a continuous European vegetation phenology dataset of a 10-day temporal and 0.1° spatial resolution; additionally, land surface parameters for use in biosphere–atmosphere modelling are derived. The analysis of time-series from this dataset reveals, for the years 1982–2001, strong seasonal and interannual variability in European land surface vegetation state. Phenological metrics indicate a late and short growing season for the years 1985–1987, in addition to early and prolonged activity in the years 1989, 1990, 1994 and 1995. These variations are in close agreement with findings from phenological measurements at the surface; spring phenology is also shown to correlate particularly well with anomalies in winter temperature and winter North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO) index. Nevertheless, phenological metrics, which display considerable regional differences, could only be determined for vegetation with a seasonal behaviour. Trends in the phenological phases reveal a general shift to earlier (−0.54 days year−1) and prolonged (0.96 days year−1) growing periods which are statistically significant, especially for central Europe.

Effect of provenance, plant part and processing on extract profiles from cultivated European Rhodiola rosea L. for medicinal use.

The demand for plant material of Rhodiola rosea L. (Crassulaceae) for medicinal use has increased recently, amid concerns about its quality and sustainability. We have analysed the content of phenylpropanoids (total rosavins) and salidroside in liquid extracts from 3-year old cultivated plants of European origin, and mapped the influence of plant part (rhizome versus root), genotype, drying, cutting, and extraction solvent to chemical composition. Rhizomes contained 1.5-4 times more salidroside (0.3-0.4% dry wt) and total rosavins (1.2-3.0%) than roots. The qualitative decisive phenylpropanoid content in the extracts was most influenced by plant part, solvent, and genotype, while drying temperature and cutting conditions were of less importance. We have shown that R. rosea from different boreal European provenances can be grown under temperate conditions and identified factors to obtain consistent high quality extracts provided that authentic germplasm is used and distinguished between rhizome, roots and their mixtures.

Insights into the molecular architecture of a peptide nanotube using FTIR and solid-state NMR spectroscopic measurements on an aligned sample

The self-assembly of proteins and peptides into b-sheet-rich amyloid fibers is a process that has gained notoriety because of its association with human diseases and disorders. Spontaneous self-assembly of peptides into nonfibrillar supramolecular structures can also provide a versatile and convenient mechanism for the bottom-up design of biocompatible materials with functional properties favoring a wide range of practical applications.[1] One subset of these fascinating and potentially useful nanoscale constructions are the peptide nanotubes, elongated cylindrical structures with a hollow center bounded by a thin wall of peptide molecules.[2] A formidable challenge in optimizing and harnessing the properties of nanotube assemblies is to gain atomistic insight into their architecture, and to elucidate precisely how the tubular morphology is constructed from the peptide building blocks. Some of these fine details have been elucidated recently with the use of magic-angle-spinning (MAS) solidstate NMR (SSNMR) spectroscopy.[3] MAS SSNMR measurements of chemical shifts and through-space interatomic distances provide constraints on peptide conformation (e.g., b-strands and turns) and quaternary packing. We describe here a new application of a straightforward SSNMR technique which, when combined with FTIR spectroscopy, reports quantitatively on the orientation of the peptide molecules within the nanotube structure, thereby providing an additional structural constraint not accessible to MAS SSNMR.

A decade of plant proteomics and mass spectrometry: translation of technical advancements to food security and safety issues

Tremendous progress in plant proteomics driven by mass spectrometry (MS) techniques has been made since 2000 when few proteomics reports were published and plant proteomics was in its infancy. These achievements include the refinement of existing techniques and the search for new techniques to address food security, safety, and health issues. It is projected that in 2050, the world’s population will reach 9–12 billion people demanding a food production increase of 34–70% (FAO, 2009) from today’s food production. Provision of food in a sustainable and environmentally committed manner for such a demand without threatening natural resources, requires that agricultural production increases significantly and that postharvest handling and food manufacturing systems become more efficient requiring lower energy expenditure, a decrease in postharvest losses, less waste generation and food with longer shelf life. There is also a need to look for alternative protein sources to animal based (i.e., plant based) to be able to fulfill the increase in protein demands by 2050. Thus, plant biology has a critical role to play as a science capable of addressing such challenges. In this review, we discuss proteomics especially MS, as a platform, being utilized in plant biology research for the past 10 years having the potential to expedite the process of understanding plant biology for human benefits. The increasing application of proteomics technologies in food security, analysis, and safety is emphasized in this review. But, we are aware that no unique approach/technology is capable to address the global food issues. Proteomics-generated information/resources must be integrated and correlated with other omics-based approaches, information, and conventional programs to ensure sufficient food and resources for human development now and in the future.

Pollen, plant macrofossil and charcoal records for palaeovegetation reconstruction in the Mediterranean-Black Sea Corridor since the Last Glacial Maximum

New reconstructions of changing vegetation patterns in the Mediterranean-Black Sea Corridor since the Last Glacial Maximum are being produced by an improved biomisation scheme that uses both pollen and plant macrofossil data, in conjunction. Changes in fire regimes over the same interval will also be reconstructed using both microscopic and macroscopic charcoal remains. These reconstructions will allow a diagnosis of the interactions between climate, fire and vegetation on millennial timescales, and will also help to clarify the role of coastline and other geomorphic changes, salinity and impacts of human activities in this region. These new data sets are being produced as a result of collaboration between the Palynology Working Group (WG-2) within the IGCP-521 project and the international Palaeovegetation Mapping Project (BIOME 6000). The main objective of this paper is to present the goals of this cooperation, methodology, including limitations and planned improvements, and to show the initial results of some applications.

Relationships between plant traits and climate in the Mediterranean region: an analysis based on pollen data

Question: What are the correlations between the degree of drought stress and temperature, and the adoption of specific adaptive strategies by plants in the Mediterranean region? Location: 602 sites across the Mediterranean region. Method: We considered 12 plant morphological and phenological traits, and measured their abundance at the sites as trait scores obtained from pollen percentages. We conducted stepwise regression analyses of trait scores as a function of plant available moisture (α) and winter temperature (MTCO). Results: Patterns in the abundance for the plant traits we considered are clearly determined by α, MTCO or a combination of both. In addition, trends in leaf size, texture, thickness, pubescence and aromatic leaves and other plant level traits such as thorniness and aphylly, vary according to the life form (tree, shrub, forb), the leaf type (broad, needle) and phenology (evergreen, summer-green). Conclusions: Despite conducting this study based on pollen data we have identified ecologically plausible trends in the abundance of traits along climatic gradients. Plant traits other than the usual life form, leaf type and leaf phenology carry strong climatic signals. Generally, combinations of plant traits are more climatically diagnostic than individual traits. The qualitative and quantitative relationships between plant traits and climate parameters established here will help to provide an improved basis for modelling the impact of climate changes on vegetation and form a starting point for a global analysis of pollen-climate relationships