Japonolirion osense, a close relative of the mycoheterotrophic genus Petrosavia, exhibits complete autotrophic capabilities.

The plant kingdom exhibits a diversity of nutritional strategies, extending beyond complete autotrophy. In addition to full mycoheterotrophs and holoparasites, it is now recognized that a greater number of green plants than previously assumed use partly of fungal carbon. These are termed partial mycoheterotrophs or mixotrophs.

Potassium transporter KUP9 regulates plant response to K deficiency and affects carbohydrate allocation in A.thaliana.

Due to the essential roles of K in plants, its up to 10% share in plant dry matter, and its mostly low availability in soil, effective potassium management poses a significant challenge for the plant. To enable efficient uptake and allocation of K, numerous transporters and channels have evolved. During the last two decades, efforts have been made to characterise these transport proteins in Arabidopsis thaliana using knock-out mutants.

Genomic basis and phenotypic manifestation of (non-)parallel serpentine adaptation in Arabidopsis arenosa.

Parallel evolution is common in nature and provides one of the most compelling examples of rapid environmental adaptation. In contrast to the recent burst of studies addressing genomic basis of parallel evolution, integrative studies linking genomic and phenotypic parallelism are scarce. Edaphic islands of toxic serpentine soils provide ideal systems for studying rapid parallel adaptation in plants, imposing strong, spatially replicated selection on recently diverged populations.

Arabinogalactan Proteins in Plant Roots - An Update on Possible Functions.

Responsiveness to environmental conditions and developmental plasticity of root systems are crucial determinants of plant fitness. These processes are interconnected at a cellular level with cell wall properties and cell surface signaling, which involve arabinogalactan proteins (AGPs) as essential components. AGPs are cell-wall localized glycoproteins, often GPI-anchored, which participate in root functions at many levels.

Fungal symbionts may modulate nitrate inhibitory effect on orchid seed germination.

Many orchid species are threatened, while some disappear from their natural habitats without obvious reasons. Eutrophication has been suggested as a possible factor and nitrate, which is able to suppress non-symbiotic orchid seed germination even at very low concentrations, and could pose a serious threat for natural orchid populations. Early ontogenesis of all orchids entirely depends on orchid mycorrhizal symbiosis, and at this initial mycoheterotrophic stage, many terrestrial green orchids associate with polyphyletic fungal symbionts (i.

Cs Uptake and Growth at Various Cs and K Levels in Mutants.

Radiocaesium is a pollutant with a high risk for the environment, agricultural production, and human health. It is mobile in ecosystems and can be taken up by plants via potassium transporters. In this study, we focused on the role of potassium transporter AtKUP7 of the KT/HAK/KUP family in Cs and K uptake by plants and in plant tolerance to caesium toxicity.

Exodermis and Endodermis Respond to Nutrient Deficiency in Nutrient-Specific and Localized Manner.

The exodermis is a common apoplastic barrier of the outer root cortex, with high environmentally-driven plasticity and a protective function. This study focused on the trade-off between the protective advantages provided by the exodermis and its disadvantageous reduction of cortical membrane surface area accessible by apoplastic route, thus limiting nutrient acquisition from the rhizosphere. We analysed the effect of nutrient deficiency (N, P, K, Mg, Ca, K, Fe) on exodermal and endodermal differentiation in maize.

Potassium in Root Growth and Development.

Potassium is an essential macronutrient that has been partly overshadowed in root science by nitrogen and phosphorus. The current boom in potassium-related studies coincides with an emerging awareness of its importance in plant growth, metabolic functions, stress tolerance, and efficient agriculture. In this review, we summarized recent progress in understanding the role of K in root growth, development of root system architecture, cellular functions, and specific plant responses to K shortage.

Essential Methods of Plant Sample Preparation for Light Microscopy.

There are various preparatory techniques for light microscopy permitting access to the inner structure of plant body and its development. Minute objects might be processed as whole-mount preparations, while voluminous ones should be separated into smaller pieces. Here we summarize some of the "classical" techniques to cut more voluminous objects into slices and access their inner structure either for simple anatomical analysis or for further processing (e.

In vitro axenic germination and cultivation of mixotrophic Pyroloideae (Ericaceae) and their post-germination ontogenetic development.

Background And Aims: Pyroloids, forest sub-shrubs of the Ericaceae family, are an important model for their mixotrophic nutrition, which mixes carbon from photosynthesis and from their mycorrhizal fungi. They have medical uses but are difficult to cultivate ex situ; in particular, their dust seeds contain undifferentiated, few-celled embryos, whose germination is normally fully supported by fungal partners. Their germination and early ontogenesis thus remain elusive.

Effects of Cd and Zn on physiological and anatomical properties of hydroponically grown Brassica napus plants.

Clarifying the connection between metal exposure and anatomical changes represents an important challenge for a better understanding of plant phytoextraction potential. A hydroponic screening experiment was carried out to evaluate the effects of combined interactions of Cd and Zn on mineral uptake (Mg, K, Ca, Na) and on the physiological and anatomical characteristics of Brassica napus L cv. Cadeli, Viking, and Navajo.

Casparian bands and suberin lamellae in exodermis of lateral roots: an important trait of roots system response to abiotic stress factors.

Background And Aims: Root absorptive characteristics rely on the presence of apoplastic barriers. However, little is known about the establishment of these barriers within a complex root system, particularly in a major portion of them - the lateral roots. In Zea mays L.

Essential methods of plant sample preparation for light microscopy.

There are various preparatory techniques for light microscopy permitting access to the inner structure of plant body and its development. Minute objects might be processed as whole-mount preparations, while voluminous ones should be separated into smaller pieces. Hereby we summarize some of the "classical" techniques to cut more voluminous objects into slices and access their inner structure either for simple anatomical analysis or for further processing (e.