Application of the MSAP Technique to Evaluate Epigenetic Changes in Plant Conservation.

Epigenetic variation, and particularly DNA methylation, is involved in plasticity and responses to changes in the environment. Conservation biology studies have focused on the measurement of this variation to establish demographic parameters, diversity levels and population structure to design the appropriate conservation strategies. However, in ex situ conservation approaches, the main objective is to guarantee the characteristics of the conserved material (phenotype and epi-genetic).

Genetic and Epigenetic Stability in Rye Seeds under Different Storage Conditions: Ageing and Oxygen Effect.

Seed ageing is a complex process and can be described as the loss of viability or quality with time. It is important to elucidate whether genetic and epigenetic stability is altered in stored seeds and in seedlings produced from them. Non-stored and stored rye seeds at different stages of ageing were compared, as well as the seedlings obtained from them.

Lipid Thermal Fingerprints of Long-term Stored Seeds of Brassicaceae.

Thermal fingerprints for seeds of 20 crop wild relatives of Brassicaceae stored for 8 to 44 years at the Plant Germplasm Bank-Universidad Politécnica de Madrid and the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew's Millennium Seed Bank-were generated using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and analyzed in relation to storage stability. Relatively poor storing oily seeds at -20 °C tended to have lipids with crystallization and melting transitions spread over a wide temperature range (c. 40 °C) that spanned the storage temperature, plus a melting end temperature of around 15 °C.

Genetic and epigenetic stability of recovered mint apices after several steps of a cryopreservation protocol by encapsulation-dehydration. A new approach for epigenetic analysis.

The genetic and epigenetic stability (analysis of DNA methylation using MSAP markers) of mint (Mentha x piperita L.) apices was studied after each step of a cryopreservation protocol, by encapsulation-dehydration. The effect of the addition of an antioxidant (ascorbic acid) during one of the protocol steps was also evaluated.

Volatile emission in dry seeds as a way to probe chemical reactions during initial asymptomatic deterioration.

The nature and kinetics of reactions in dry seeds determines how long the seeds survive. We used gas chromatography to assay volatile organic compounds (VOCs) emitted from seeds of three unrelated species as a means to non-invasively probe chemical changes during very dry, dry, and humid storage (seeds were dried to 5.5, 33, and 75% relative humidity at room temperature).

Approaches for the cryopreservation of Plantago algarbiensis, a rare endemic species of the Algarve.

Background: Plantago algarbiensis is an endangered endemic species from the Algarve, Portugal.

Objective: The main goal of this study was to investigate the viability of cryopreservation procedures in the conservation of seeds and nodal explants from this species.

Materials And Methods: Seeds were directly immersed in liquid nitrogen (LN) for 30 days.

Measurement of cooling and warming rates in vitrification-based plant cryopreservation protocols.

Cryopreservation protocols include the use of additives and pretreatments aimed to reduce the probability of ice nucleation at all temperatures, mainly through micro-viscosity increase. Still, there is a risk of ice formation in the temperature region comprised between the equilibrium freezing (Tf ) and the glass transition (TG ) temperatures. Consequently, fast cooling and warming, especially in this region, is a must to avoid ice-derived damage.

Cryopreservation of Thymus lotocephalus shoot tips and assessment of genetic stability.

Background: Thymus lotocephalus is a rare endemic species from the Algarve, Portugal, and is legally protected by Portuguese and European legislation.

Objective: The aim is to develop a cryopreservation protocol for T. lotocephalus shoot tips, as an alternative approach for the long-term conservation of this species.

Effect of water content and temperature on seed longevity of seven Brassicaceae species after 5 years of storage.

Maximising seed longevity is crucial for genetic resource preservation and longevity of orthodox seeds is determined by environmental conditions (water content and temperature). The effect of water content (down to 0.01 g·H₂O·g(-1) ) on seed viability was studied at different temperatures for a 5-year storage period in taxonomically related species.

Glassy state and cryopreservation of mint shoot tips.

Vitrification refers to the physical process by which a liquid supercools to very low temperatures and finally solidifies into a metastable glass, without undergoing crystallization at a practical cooling rate. Thus, vitrification is an effective freeze-avoidance mechanism and living tissue cryopreservation is, in most cases, relying on it. As a glass is exceedingly viscous and stops all chemical reactions that require molecular diffusion, its formation leads to metabolic inactivity and stability over time.

Characterization of volatile production during storage of lettuce (Lactuca sativa) seed.

The duration that seeds stay vigorous during storage is difficult to predict but critical to seed industry and conservation communities. Production of volatile compounds from lettuce seeds during storage was investigated as a non-invasive and early detection method of seed ageing rates. Over 30 volatile compounds were detected from lettuce seeds during storage at 35 degrees C at water contents ranging from 0.

Comparison of vitrification and encapsulation-dehydration for cryopreservation of Thymus moroderi shoot tips.

Vitrification and encapsulation-dehydration were tested for cryopreservation of Thymus moroderi Pau ex Martínez (Labiatae), an endemic plant from south-eastern Spain. For vitrification, shoot tips were loaded in a solution containing 0.4 M sucrose + 2 M glycerol for 20 min at room temperature, dehydrated in PVS2 solution for 0-105 min at 0 degree C, then immersed in liquid nitrogen (LN) for at least 1 day and rapidly rewarmed.

Genetic stability analysis of chrysanthemum (Chrysanthemum x morifolium Ramat) after different stages of an encapsulation-dehydration cryopreservation protocol.

Genetic stability in chrysanthemum (cultivar 'Pasodoble') apices was studied at each step of an encapsulation-dehydration cryopreservation protocol: control shoots (A), nodal segments after cold treatment (N), apices after osmotic stress (0.3M sucrose) and cold treatment (P), encapsulation and culture in 0.8M sucrose (S), dehydration (D), and cryopreservation (Cr).

Germination and embryo rescue from Passiflora species seeds post-cryopreservation.

Seeds of Passiflora species have been reported to have intermediate or orthodox storage behavior. The development of cryopreservation protocols for recalcitrant or intermediate seeds can provide a feasible way for long term germplasm conservation. Seed germination of three Passiflora species (P.

Seed cryopreservation of Halimium and Helianthemum species.

Seed germination of four Halimium species [H. atriplicifolium, H.hHalimifolium, H.

Cryopreservation of in vitro shoot apices of Oxalis tuberosa Mol.

Oca (Oxalis tuberosa Mol.) is an under-utilized tuber crop from the Andean region. Cryopreservation would allow the safe and long-term preservation of the genetic resources of this crop.

Survival and genetic stability of Dendranthema grandiflora Tzvelev shoot apices after cryopreservation by vitrification and encapsulation-dehydration.

The aim of this study was to compare the genetic stability of chrysanthemum (cv. Pasodoble) apices cryopreserved using two different methods: encapsulation-dehydration and vitrification. The assessment of the genetic stability was developed using RAPDs markers.

Apex cryopreservation of several strawberry genotypes by two encapsulation-dehydration methods.

This paper presents results from a study to develop cryopreservation procedures for apices of several strawberry genotypes. Five Fragaria x ananassa Duch. cultivars and two wild species (F.

Cryopreservation of Quercus suber and Quercus ilex embryonic axes: in vitro culture, desiccation and cooling factors.

This study examines different factors included in the cryopreservation protocols for Quercus ilex and Q. suber embryonic axes. In vitro incubation temperature played an important role in the appropriate development of Q.

Effects of Seed Cryopreservation and Priming on Germination in Several Cultivars of Apium graveolens.

Seed germination of seven celery cultivars was studied after storage in liquid nitrogen for 1 or 30 d. Cryopreservation was also carried out on pelleted and primed seeds. None of the treatments applied reduced germination percentages.