One-Pot Enzymatic Production of Lignin-Composites.

A novel and efficient one-pot system for green production of artificial lignin bio-composites has been developed. Monolignols such as sinapyl (SA) and coniferyl (CA) alcohols were linked together with caffeic acid (CafAc) affording a polymeric network similar with natural lignin. The interaction of the dissolved SA/CA with CafAc already bound on a solid support (S/S-CafAc) allowed the attachment of the polymeric product direct on the support surface (S/S-CafAc-L and S/S-CafAc-L, from CA and SA, respectively).

Disproportionate photosynthetic decline and inverse relationship between constitutive and induced volatile emissions upon feeding of leaves by large larvae of gypsy moth ().

Gypsy moth ( L., Lymantriinae) is a major pest of pedunculate oak () forests in Europe, but how its infections scale with foliage physiological characteristics, in particular with photosynthesis rates and emissions of volatile organic compounds has not been studied. Differently from the majority of insect herbivores, large larvae of rapidly consume leaf area, and can also bite through tough tissues, including secondary and primary leaf veins.