Wind speed affects the rate and kinetics of stomatal conductance.

Understanding the relationship between wind speed and gas exchange in plants is a longstanding challenge. Our aim was to investigate the impact of wind speed on maximum rates of gas exchange and the kinetics of stomatal responses. We conducted experiments in different angiosperm and fern species using an infrared gas analyzer equipped with a controlled leaf fan, enabling precise control of the boundary layer conductance.

Water Loss From Bagged Leaves During Storage: Why and When?

In ecophysiology leaves are frequently stored for hours after sampling before measuring their leaf water potential (Ψ). Here, we address a previously unidentified source of error, that metabolic heat generation can cause continuous water loss from leaves stored in impermeable bags, leading to a Ψ drop over time. We tested Ψ drop rates under various conditions: two bag materials, two species, initial Ψ above or below the turgor loss point (Ψ), and storage at 25°C versus 4°C.

Transcriptional reprogramming in the entomopathogenic fungus Metarhizium brunneum and its aphid host Myzus persicae during the switch between saprophytic and parasitic lifestyles.

Background: The fungus Metarhizium brunneum has evolved a remarkable ability to switch between different lifestyles. It develops as a saprophyte, an endophyte establishing mutualistic relationships with plants, or a parasite, enabling its use for the control of insect pests such as the aphid Myzus persicae. We tested our hypothesis that switches between lifestyles must be accompanied by fundamental transcriptional reprogramming, reflecting adaptations to different environmental settings.

Direct and indirect technical guide for the early detection and management of fungal plant diseases.

Fungal plant diseases are a major threat to plants and vegetation worldwide. Recent technological advancements in biotechnological tools and techniques have made it possible to identify and manage fungal plant diseases at an early stage. These techniques include direct methods, such as ELISA, immunofluorescence, PCR, flow cytometry, and in-situ hybridization, as well as indirect methods, such as fluorescence imaging, hyperspectral techniques, thermography, biosensors, nanotechnology, and nano-enthused biosensors.

Latex-Bridged Inverse Pickering Emulsion for Durable Superhydrophobic Coatings with Dual Antibacterial Activity.

There is agreement that every colloidal structure produces its own set of unique characteristics, properties, and applications. A colloidal phenomenon of latex-bridged water in a dimethyl carbonate (DMC) Pickering emulsion stabilized by R202 hydrophobic silica was investigated for its ability to act as a superhydrophobic coating (SHC) for cellulose substrates. First, various emulsion compositions were screened for their stability and droplet size.

Epigenetic regulation is involved in reversal of obesity.

Epigenetic processes play a crucial role in mediating the impact of environmental energetic challenges, from overconsumption to starvation. Over-nutrition of energy-dense foods and sedentary lifestyles contribute to the development of obesity, characterized by excessive fat storage and impaired metabolic signaling, stemming from disrupted brain signaling. Conversely, dieting and physical activity facilitate body weight rebalancing and trigger adaptive neural responses.

Growing at the arid edge: Anatomical variations in leaves are more extensive than in stems of five Mediterranean species across contrasting moisture regimes.

Premise: Increasing aridity in the Mediterranean region affects ecosystems and plant life. Various anatomical changes in plants help them cope with dry conditions. This study focused on anatomical differences in leaves and xylem of five co-occurring Mediterranean plant species namely Quercus calliprinos, Pistacia palaestina, Pistacia lentiscus, Rhamnus lycioides, and Phillyrea latifolia in wet and dry sites.

Dynamic responses of chlorophyll fluorescence parameters to drought across diverse plant families.

Chlorophyll fluorescence measurement is a quick and efficient tool for plant stress-level detection. The use of Pulse amplitude modulation (PAM), allows the detection of the plant stress level under field conditions. Over the years, several parameters estimating different parts of the chlorophyll and photosystem response were developed to describe the plant stress level.

A developmental gradient reveals biosynthetic pathways to eukaryotic toxins in monocot geophytes.

Numerous eukaryotic toxins that accumulate in geophytic plants are valuable in the clinic, yet their biosynthetic pathways have remained elusive. A notable example is the >150 Amaryllidaceae alkaloids (AmAs), including galantamine, an FDA-approved treatment for Alzheimer's disease. We show that while AmAs accumulate to high levels in many daffodil tissues, biosynthesis is localized to nascent, growing tissue at the leaf base.

A dynamic WUSCHEL/Layer 1 interplay directs shoot apical meristem formation during regeneration in tobacco.

De novo shoot apical meristem (SAM) organogenesis during regeneration in tissue culture has been investigated for several decades, but the precise mechanisms governing early-stage cell fate specification remain elusive. In contrast to SAM establishment during embryogenesis, in vitro SAM formation occurs without positional cues and is characterized by autonomous initiation of cellular patterning. Here, we report on the initial stages of SAM organogenesis and on the molecular mechanisms that orchestrate gene patterning to establish SAM homeostasis.

Bimodal pattern of allometric scaling along grapevine shoots.

Background And Aims: Each branch internode, with the organs growing on it, can be seen as a single morphological phytomer subunit made of structurally and functionally interrelated components. However, allometric relationships between the anatomy and morphology of these subunits remain unclear, particularly in the axial context. The aim of this study was to address this knowledge gap by measuring morpho-anatomical parameters and their allometric relationships along grapevine shoots.

Regulation of Antibiotic Resistance Genes on Agricultural Land Is Dependent on Both Choice of Organic Amendment and Prevalence of Predatory Bacteria.

Antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) are widespread in the environment, and soils, specifically, are hotspots for microorganisms with inherent antibiotic resistance. Manure and sludge used as fertilizers in agricultural production have been shown to contain vast amounts of ARGs, and due to continued applications, ARGs accumulate in agricultural soils. Some soils, however, harbor a resilience capacity that could depend on specific soil properties, as well as the presence of predatory bacteria that are able to hydrolyse living bacteria, including bacteria of clinical importance.

Paternal high-fat diet affects weight and DNA methylation of their offspring.

Obesity poses a public health threat, reaching epidemic proportions. Our hypothesis suggests that some of this epidemic stems from its transmission across generations via paternal epigenetic mechanisms. To investigate this possibility, we focused on examining the paternal transmission of CpG methylation.

Regulation of sucrose metabolism, sugar transport and pentose phosphate pathway by PacC in apple fruit colonized by Penicillium expansum.

A critical transcription factor, PacC, modulates the expression of fungal pH signaling. Although PacC-mediated environmental pH has been reported to regulate the growth and pathogenicity of postharvest pathogens, the involvement of PacC in sucrose metabolism, sugar transport, and the pentose phosphate pathway (PPP) in different zones of decayed fruit remains unclear. Our work showed that the inoculation with a PePacC deletion strain of Penicillium expansum (ΔPePacC) accelerated sucrose catabolism and glucose and fructose accumulation in different zones of apple fruit.

Leaf membrane leakage and xylem hydraulic failure define the point of no return in drought-induced tree mortality in Cupressus sempervirens.

Measurements of resistance to embolism suggest that Cupressus sempervirens has a stem xylem that resists embolism at very negative water potentials, with 50% embolism (P) at water potentials of approximately -10 MPa. However, field observations in a semi-arid region suggest tree mortality occurs before 10% embolism. To explore the interplay between embolism and plant mortality, we conducted a controlled drought experiment involving two types of CS seedlings: a local seed source (S-type) and a drought-resistant clone propagated from a semi-arid forest (C-type).

Chiral Chemopolymorphism in the Monoterpenes of Pistacia palaestina Leaves and Galls.

Pistacia palaestina Boiss. is a common tree in the Mediterranean maquis. The leaves of this plant accumulate defensive monoterpenes, whose levels greatly increase in galls induced by the aphid Baizongia pistaciae.

Beyond adult models: Tribolium castaneum larval timekeeping reveals unexpected robustness and insights into circadian clock.

Circadian rhythms are self-sustained endogenous oscillations that are found in all living organisms. In insects, circadian rhythms control a wide variety of behavioral and physiological processes, including feeding, locomotion, mating, and metabolism. While the role of circadian rhythms in adult insects is well-understood, it is largely unexplored in larvae.