Environmental heterogeneity increases the conservation value of small natural features in karst landscapes.

Local biodiversity hotspots are often located within regions where extreme and variable environmental - e.g., climatic and soil - conditions occur.

Differing metabolic responses to salt stress in wheat-barley addition lines containing different 7H chromosomal fragments.

Salinity-induced osmotic, ionic and oxidative stress responses were investigated on Asakaze/Manas wheat/barley addition lines 7H, 7HL and 7HS, together with their barley (salt-tolerant) and wheat (relatively salt-sensitive) parents. Growth, photosynthetic activity, chlorophyll degradation, proline, glycine betaine accumulation, sugar metabolism, Na+ and K+ uptake and transport processes and the role of polyamines and antioxidants were studied in young plants grown in hydroponic culture with or without salt treatment. Changes in plant growth and photosynthetic activity of plants demonstrated that the salt tolerance of the addition lines 7H and 7HL was similar to that of barley parent cv.

Increased micronutrient content (Zn, Mn) in the 3M(b)(4B) wheat - Aegilops biuncialis substitution and 3M(b).4BS translocation identified by GISH and FISH.

3M(b) Triticum aestivum L. (Mv9kr1) - Aegilops biuncialis Vis. (MvGB642) addition lines were crossed with the Chinese Spring ph1b mutant genotype (CSph1b) to produce 3M(b)-wheat chromosome rearrangements.

Wheat-Aegilops biuncialis amphiploids have efficient photosynthesis and biomass production during osmotic stress.

Osmotic stress responses of water content, photosynthetic parameters and biomass production were investigated in wheat-Aegilops biuncialis amphiploids and in wheat genotypes to clarify whether they can use to improve the drought tolerance of bread wheat. A decrease in the osmotic pressure of the medium resulted in considerable water loss, stomatal closure and a decreased CO2 assimilation rate for the wheat genotypes, while the changes in these parameters were moderate for the amphiploids. Maximal assimilation rate was maintained at high level even under severe osmotic stress in the amphiploids, while it decreased substantially in the wheat genotypes.

Heat acclimation of grapevine leaf photosynthesis: mezo- and macroclimatic aspects.

Heat sensitivity of grapevine (Vitis vinifera L. cv. Kékfrankos) photosynthesis was studied in two vineyards (Eger-Kőlyuktető, flat; and Eger-Nagyeged hill, steep slope) with different mesoclimates and water supply conditions in two climatically different years.

Effects of drought on water content and photosynthetic parameters in potato plants expressing the trehalose-6-phosphate synthase gene of Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

Two transgenic potato lines, T1 and T2, expressing the trehalose-6-phosphate synthase (TPS1) gene of yeast were isolated. In our experimental approach, we applied two novelties, namely the fusion of the drought-inducible promoter StDS2 to TPS1 and a marker-free transformation method. In contrast to the expected drought-induced expression, only a very low constitutive TPS1 expression was detected in the transgenic lines, probably due to chromosomal position effects.

A mutation in the Cap Binding Protein 20 gene confers drought tolerance to Arabidopsis.

In a genetic screen for Arabidopsis mutants displaying pleiotropic alterations in vegetative development and stress responses we have identified a T-DNA insertion mutation in the Cap Binding Protein 20 (CBP20) gene, that encodes the 20kDa subunit of the nuclear mRNA cap binding complex (nCBC). Plants homozygous for the recessive cbp20 mutation show mild developmental abnormalities, such as serrated rosette leaves, delayed development and slightly reduced stature. Loss of the cbp20 function also confers hypersensitivity to abscisic acid during germination, significant reduction of stomatal conductance and greatly enhanced tolerance to drought.

Physiological and morphological responses to water stress in Aegilops biuncialis and Triticum aestivum genotypes with differing tolerance to drought.

The physiological and morphological responses to water stress induced by polyethylene glycol (PEG) or by withholding water were investigated in Aegilops biuncialis Vis. genotypes differing in the annual rainfall of their habitat (1050, 550 and 225 mm year) and in Triticum aestivum L. wheat genotypes differing in drought tolerance.