Mechanisms of salt stress tolerance in two rose rootstocks: Rosa chinensis ‘Major’ and R. rubiginosa

The responses of two rose rootstocks Rosa chinensis ‘Major’ and R. rubiginosa were investigated under salt stress. The distribution of chloride and sodium ions in all plant parts was determined. The salt treatments were applied through irrigation water containing 0, 5, 10, 20 and 30 mM NaCl. Necrosis on the leaves as a result of the NaCl treatments was observed with in rootstocks after two months. Leaf injury was more pronounced in R. chinensis ‘Major’ than R. rubiginosa. The rootstock R. rubiginosa showed a higher tolerance to the NaCl stress than R. chinensis ‘Major’. The survival of the plants under increased NaCl stress as well as the extent of leaf injury could be used in the determination of tolerance of the rose genotypes. The lower older leaves contained higher concentrations of Cl⁻ than the young upper leaves. Leaf samples had higher concentrations of Cl⁻ than stem samples taken from the same positions. The roots contained higher amounts of Cl⁻ than the stem samples. The plants accumulated higher amounts of Cl⁻ in comparison with Na⁺. The lower leaves of R. chinensis ‘Major’ had higher amounts of Na⁺ than in all other parts whereas R. rubiginosa had higher concentrations of Na⁺ in the roots than in all other parts.     

The interaction of Cytolin and NAA on cropping red ‘Delicious’ apple

A trial, at Spreyton in north-western Tasmania, studied the effects of Cytolin and NAA sprays on the thinning and shape of ‘Delicious’ apples. Untreated control and hand thinned trees were compared with trees treated with Cytolin or NAA alone, or in combination. Cytolin was applied at 25 mg 1~‘ at the king petal (KP) stage. NAA was applied at 8 mg I“1 at full bloom (FB) and 7,10, or 15 days after full bloom (AFB). Cytolin alone had no effect on thinning, fruit weight or on pip numbers but it did improve fruit shape. The combination of cytolin and NAA at FB overthinned. Cytolin and NAA combinations applied at all times after FB significantly decreased both mean fruit weight and pip numbers and reduced the percentage of fruit > 70 mm. All Cytolin-NAA combinations and the NAA treatments applied at 10 and 15 days AFB resulted in unacceptably high percentages of apples < 45 mm in diameter (pygmy fruit). It is recommended that Cytolin and NAA should not be used in the same spray programme. NAA alone is a most effective thinner at FB or seven days AFB.     

The role of endoplasmic reticulum stress in pathogenesis，development,prevention and treatment of atherosclerosis

Endoplasmic reticulum (ER) is a multifunctional organelle responsible for the synthesis and folding of proteins and regulation of calcium homeostasis. Multiple stimuli, such as oxidative stress, glycosylation change and so on, lead to ER dysfunction characterized by the accumulation of unfolded and/or misfolded proteins and calcium homeostasis imbalance (ER stress). Mode-rate ER stress is an important cytoprotective mechanism against stressors. However, severe and/or prolonged ER stress can trigger apoptotic signaling including CHOP, caspase-12 and JNK pathways. Recent studies have shown that ER stress plays a critical role in the development of atherosclerosis and it can bring about inhibitory effects on the progression of atherosclerosis through the intervention of the relevant pathways, which may be a new therapeutic target for atherosclerosis.     

Physiology of flowering and dormancy regulation in annual- and biennial-fruiting red raspberry (Rubus idaeus L.) – a review

Summary

Recent research on how the structure and physiological development of red raspberry (Rubus idaeus L.) plants are controlled by genotype and the climatic environment is reviewed. Some older work, especially on plant structure relations, is also included. Physiological differences between annual- and biennial-fruiting plant types are highlighted. One major difference is the different requirements for flower formation. While biennial-fruiting cultivars have an absolute low temperature (≤ approx. 15°C) requirement for floral initiation, annual-fruiting cultivars readily initiate floral primordia at temperatures as high as a constant 30°C. Also, while biennial-fruiting cultivars are facultative short-day plants with a critical photoperiod of 15 h at intermediate temperatures, flowering is promoted by long photoperiods in at least some annual-fruiting cultivars. However, the essential difference that determines whether the shoot life-cycle becomes annual or biennial is that, in biennial-fruiting genotypes, floral initiation is linked to the induction of bud dormancy; whereas, in annual-fruiting cultivars, floral initiation is followed by direct flower development. Although this is genetically determined, it is a plastic trait that is subject to modification by the environment. Thus, at low temperatures and under short photoperiods, the majority of initiated buds also enter dormancy in annual-fruiting cultivars, with tip-flowering as a result. Practical applications are discussed, and it is concluded that our present physiological knowledge-base provides excellent opportunities for the manipulation of raspberry crops for out-of-season production and high yields. It also provides a firm platform for further exploration of the underlying molecular genetics of plant structures and response mechanisms.     

Proteomics analysis of sera from Crohns disease patients and healthy individuals

AIM: To explore differentially expressed proteins of sera from Crohn's disease patients with comparative proteomics technology.METHODS: Two-dimensional differential in-gel electrophoresis was used to define patterns of protein expression in serum cross-labeled with variant CyDye from 4 patients and matched health adults.Proteins that showed differential expressions were analyzed by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time of flight mass spectrometry.RESULTS: Two-dimensional cross-labeled with variant CyDye protein maps of Crohn's disease patients and the health adults were gained successfully.Gel-analysis software identified differently expressed 29 spots Crohn's disease compared with that of health adults,22 of which were identified by using mass spectrometry,including serine/threonine-protein kinase ATR,leukocyte common antigen precursor CD45,60 kD SS-A/Ro ribonucleo-protein,etc.CONCLUSION: Proteomic analysis can identify the serum proteins with variance of Crohn's disease versus health,the different expressed proteins may providing probable new biomarkers correlated with biological behavior of Crohn's disease.     

Functional characterization of watermelon (Citrullus lanatus L.) EST–SSR by gel electrophoresis and high resolution melting analysis

The present work was conducted to characterize the functionality of 257 watermelon EST–SSR primer pairs for their PCR amplification and polymorphisms. EST–SSR markers were tested on DNA sample panels of six watermelon cultigens and two related species of Citrullus lanatus var. citroides and Citrullus colocynthis based on agarose gel electrophoresis and high resolution melting (HRM) analysis. Successful PCRs were shown for 240 primer pairs (79%), and 173 primer pairs (67%) were polymorphic in a watermelon DNA sample panel on agarose gel electrophoresis. In addition, HRM analysis of 24 EST–SSR markers that were monomorphic on agarose gel separation identified an additional 19 polymorphic markers, indicating that HRM is an efficient tool for the rapid screening of sequence variations and allele discrimination. In the assessment of genetic relationships, six watermelon cultivars were closely related together (0.91–0.97) and demonstrated a narrow genetic base in the watermelon genetic pool. A high level of genetic dissimilarity (0.36–0.97) was shown between watermelon species and other related species. Marker transferability to melon species (Cucumis melo L.) was examined by cross-species PCR amplification and genetic diversity assessment in eight melon cultigens. Of the 257 EST–SSR primer pairs, 79 (32.9%) showed successful PCR amplification from melon DNA samples. A dendrogram of the genetic relationship based on 22 EST–SSR markers showed a clear classification of melon genotypes in accordance to fruit characteristics. The EST–SSR markers characterized in this study will contribute to diverse genomic investigations and breeding efforts, including comparative genome mapping, marker-assisted selection, and DNA fingerprinting for genetic diversity and cultivar identification in many cucurbit crops.     

Explaining host–parasitoid interactions at the landscape scale: a new approach for calibration and sensitivity analysis of complex spatio-temporal models

Landscape Ecology - Linking spatial pattern and process is a difficult task in landscape ecology because spatial patterns of populations result from complex factors such as individual traits, the...     

Alternative stable states and the role of fire–vegetation–soil feedbacks in the temperate wilderness of southwest Tasmania

Two ecological models have been put forward to explain the dynamics of fire-promoting and fire-sensitive vegetation in southwest Tasmania: the alternative stable states model of Jackson (in Proc Ecol Soc Aust 3:9–16, 1968) and the sharpening switch model of Mount (in Search 10:180–186, 1979). Assessing the efficacy of these models requires high resolution spatio-temporal data on whether vegetation patterns are stable or dynamic across landscapes. We analysed ortho-rectified sequences of aerial photography and satellite imagery from 1948, 1988 and 2010 to detect decadal scale changes in forest and non-forest vegetation cover in southwest Tasmania. There was negligible change from forest to non-forest (<0.05%) and only a modest change from non-forest to forest over the study period. Forest cover increased by 4.1% between 1948 and 1988, apparently due to the recovery of forest vegetation following stand-replacing fire prior to 1948. Forest cover increased by 0.8% between 1988 and 2010, reflecting the limited ability of forest to invade treeless areas. The two models include interactions between vegetation, fire and soil, which we investigated by analysing the chemical (phosphorus, nitrogen) and physical properties (clay, silt) of 128 soil samples collected across 34 forest–non-forest boundaries. Phosphorus in the upper horizon was typically lower in non-forest vegetation compared to forest vegetation, which is consistent with proposed fire–vegetation–soil feedbacks. Mineral horizons were dominated by sand, with low levels of clay under all vegetation types. Available field evidence lends support to the Jackson (1968) alternative stable states model as the most suitable model of vegetation dynamics on nutrient poor substrates in southwest Tasmania although modifications of the timeframes for transitions toward rainforest are required.     

Control of superficial scald in ‘Granny Smith’ apples by ultra-low and stress levels of oxygen as an alternative to diphenylamine

Summary

‘Granny Smith’ apples were harvested at weekly intervals, commencing approximately 155 d after full bloom (DFFB), over two successive seasons. Subsamples of the fruit were stored for periods of five and six months, without the application of diphenylamine, under regular atmosphere (RA) (1990/91 season only), and ultra-low oxygen (ULO) controlled atmosphere (CA) conditions. Further samples were subjected to initial low oxygen stress (ILOS) conditions before ULO CA storage. During the 1989/90 season, scald development after five months’ storage was low for fruit which had been picked in the pre- and post-maturity phases, but high on fruit picked at optimum maturity (170 DFFB). Although storage regime had little effect on scald development after five months’ storage, the ILOS + ULO CA treatment resulted in lower levels of scald on the post-mature fruit after six months of storage than was the case under ULO CA storage alone. There was more scald in the 1990/91 season than in the previous season. Under RA storage conditions, scald levels were high after both five and six months of storage, and decreased only slightly the later the apples were picked. Relative to RA, storage under ULC CA conditions led to markedly lower scald levels on the post-mature fruit, but did not greatly reduce scald on the pre-mature and mature fruit. Storage under the ILOS + ULO CA regime, however, conferred low levels of superficial scald on pre-mature, mature and post-mature fruit after both five and six months of storage. These results suggest that although superficial scald on ‘Granny Smith’ apples can be inhibited by a combination of ILOS and ULO CA storage, the development of scald is also affected by factors other than maturity and storage period.     

Shade coffee in Hawai‘i – Exploring some aspects of quality,growth, yield,and nutrition

In a harsh (Kunia) and an ideal (Kona) growing region of Hawai‘i, sun grown Coffea arabica L. was compared to coffee shaded with varying degrees of black and aluminized shade cloth, macadamia trees, and a novel, spray-on shade composed mostly of kaolin. Shading did not appreciably affect organoleptic quality. Shading resulted in statistically different yields in the macadamia (16% of sun) and kaolin (199% of sun) treatments in the second year compared to full sun treatments in their respective locations, although a negative, linear trend was observed with increased shading. The lack of significant differences in yields between the shade cloth and sun treatments was likely a result of large yield variation among replicates. Bean sizes differed little between shade treatments and the percentage of defects and broken beans were generally not significantly different among the treatments in Kunia. Kona bean sizes and characteristics were not different. Shading reduced surface leaf temperatures and increased specific leaf area but generally did not affect lateral nodal growth. Leaf nutrient concentration differed between treatments.     

Is greening the building envelope economically sustainable? An analysis to evaluate the advantages of economy of scope of vertical greening systems and green roofs

A wide replication of green envelopes can be a good opportunity to improve urban environment conditions, as demonstrated by several studies. Greening systems increase also building envelope performances; however their economic sustainability has not been fully investigated. This study evaluates the economic sustainability of two combined greening systems installed on an office building: a vertical greening system and a green roof, and it evaluates the advantages of economy of scope. The Cost-Benefit Analysis on two different combinations of vertical greening and green roofs considers personal benefits and costs over their life cycle. The results demonstrate the advantages of economy of scope, due to the additional benefits coming from the combination of two different systems. The results show that the tax incentives and the combination of green systems can make the installation and the maintenance costs economically sustainable during the life span of a greening system; this could lead to a wider diffusion of greening systems with higher environmental and aesthetic performances.     

Sequence analysis,prokaryotic expression and antiserum preparation of coat protein gene of Actinidia virus A in Sichuan province北大核心CSCD

【Objective】The purpose of the research was to study the occurrence and molecular diversity of Actinidia virus A (AcVA), so as to provide scientific basis for the rapid detection, scientific prevention and control of AcVA and the variety breeding of kiwifruit in China.【Methods】Total RNA was extracted from kiwifruit leaves by CTAB (Cetyl Trimethyl Ammonium Bromide). Nested- PCR was used to amplify AcVA CP gene sequence. The first round PCR amplification was performed by using primers AcVA- 1F (5’- ATGAATCGTTCGAGCA TAGGT- 3’) and AcVA- 1R (5’- TGCGAACATGGTCCCACACTTA-3’), and the pair of primers was designed according to the full length of AcVA sequence, and the amplified fragment was 888 bp that included the complete CP gene sequence. The reaction was conducted under conditions of initial 5 min denaturation at 94 ℃, 34 cycles of 94 ℃ for 60 s, 54 ℃ for 60 s, 72 ℃ for 60 s and extension for 10 min at 72 ℃. Then, 1 μL PCR product was used as template for the second round of PCR amplification with the primers AcVA- 2F (5’- ATGGCAAAGAATATCTCAAG-3’) and AcVA-2R (5’-CTATATTTCAACAGCCTGC-3’). PCR was performed using the following parameters: one cycle at 94 ℃ for 5 min, 34 cycles at 94 ℃ for 30 s, 54 ℃ for 30 s, and 72 ℃ for 40 s, and extension for 10 min at 72 ℃. The BLAST algorithm was used to search the NCBI GenBank (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/) databases for homologous sequences and ascertain the identity of target gene. DNAMAN was used to analyze the AcVA CP gene sequence, and MegAlign was used to analyze the sequence identity. The phylogenetic tree was constructed using the Neighbor-Joining (NJ) method in MEGA 6.0. The restriction enzymes Bam HⅠ and Sal Ⅰ were added to the corresponding end of the AcVA CP gene sequence, respectively. The PCR purified products and pET28a vector were digested by Bam HⅠ and Sal Ⅰ, after that they were ligated with T4 DNA ligase (TaKaRa) and transferred into E. coli (Escherichia coli) strains DH5á (TaKaRa), and finally plated onto LB (Luria-Bertani) agar containing Kana (Kanamycin). The expression strain BL21 containing the recombinant plasmid was cultured at 37 ℃ overnight, and transferred to a new medium at a 10% inoculum on the second day, until OD600 reached 0.4-0.6, IPTG (Isopropyl β-D-Thiogalactoside) was added to a final concentration of 0.2, 0.4, 0.6, 0.8, 1.0 mM, and incubated at 16 ℃ overnight. The expressed protein was purified and then anti-AcVA-CP antibody was obtained from a rabbit. The optimal titer of the antiserum was tested by Western blot.【Results】The complete CP gene sequences of AcVA Sichuan isolates were cloned by nested-PCR and named as AcVA-DJY4, AcVA-HYZ1 and AcVA-WBS12, respectively. In the study the frequency of AcVA in Sichuan province was also counted. The full length of the CP gene sequence was 597 bp, encoding 198 amino acids. Based on the comparison of the nucleotide sequence and the deduced amino acid sequence of CP gene of the AcVA isolates, the nucleotide identity between the AcVA isolates from Sichuan province ranged from 86.9% to 88.3%, and the identity of the encoded amino acids ranged from 96.0 to 96.5%. The CP genes of three AcVA Sichuan isolates shared 87.9%-90.8% nucleotide identity and 94.9%-97.5% amino acid identity with the Actinidia virus A isolate TP7-93A (AcVA-TP7-93A) from New Zealand and the Actinidia virus A isolate Haenam (AcVA-Haenam) from South Korea. Phylogenetic analysis based on nucleotide sequence of AcVA CP gene showed that AcVA-HYZ1 was clustered with AcVA-Haenam (Group I), and AcVA-WBS12 was clustered with AcVA-TP7-93A (Group II), but AcVA-DJY4 was an independent branch. Phylogenetic analysis based on amino acid sequence of AcVA CP gene showed that AcVA-WBS12 was a single branch, AcVA-DJY4 and AcVA-HYZ1 were clustered into one group (Group I), and the AcVA-Haenam reported in South Korea and the AcVA-TP7-93A reported in New Zealand were clustered into another group (Group II). The results of the phylogenetic analyses indicated that there were significant differences among the AcVA isolates. The prokaryotic expression plasmid pET28a-AcVA-DJY4-CP was successfully constructed. The target fusion protein (27 kDa) was highly expressed in E. coli induced by 0.6 mmol · L- 1 IPTG at 16 ℃. The expressed protein was purified and retrieved and then used to immune rabbits and the corresponding specific antiserum was prepared. Western blot analysis confirmed that the antiserum reacted strongly and specifically with the CP of AcVA-DJY4, with the optimal titer of the antiserum being up to 1:5 000.【Conclusion】Three AcVA Sichuan isolates were obtained for the first time, enriching the sequence diversity of the AcVA CP gene sequences. In the study, the optimal conditions were explored for prokaryotic expression and specific antisera was prepared for detection of AcVA-DJY4-CP. Western blot analysis showed that the antiserum could be used for the detection of AcVA in the kiwifruit producing districts. These results can also provide a technical support for the rapid detection, scientific prevention and control of virus disease in kiwifruit plant and the breeding of kiwifruit varieties. © 2019 Journal of Fruit Science     

Towards an energy–landscape integrated analysis? Exploring the links between socio-metabolic disturbance and landscape ecology performance (Mallorca,Spain, 1956–2011)

Context

The role of agricultural landscapes in biodiversity conservation is an emerging topic in a world experiencing a worrying decrease of species richness. Farm systems may either decrease or increase biological diversity, depending on land-use intensities and management.

Objectives

We present an intermediate disturbance-complexity model (IDC) of cultural landscapes aimed at assessing how different levels of anthropogenic disturbance on ecosystems affect the capacity to host biodiversity depending on the land matrix heterogeneity. It is applied to the Mallorca Island, amidst the Mediterranean biodiversity hotspot.

Methods

The model uses the disturbance exerted when farmers alter the Net Primary Production through land-use change as well as when they remove a share of it (HANPP), together with Shannon–Wiener index (H′) of land-cover diversity. The model is tested with a twofold-scalar experimental design (1:50,000 and 1:5000) of a set of landscape units along three time points (1956, 1989, 2011). Species richness of breeding and wintering birds, taken as a biodiversity proxy, is used in an exploratory factor analysis.

Results

The results clearly show that when intermediate levels of HANPP are performed within intermediate levels of complexity (H′) in landscape patterns, like agro-forest mosaics, great bird species richness and high socio-ecological resilience can be maintained. Yet, these complex-heterogeneous landscapes are currently vanishing due to industrial farm intensification, rural abandonment and urban sprawl.

Conclusions

The results make apparent the usefulness of transferring the concept of intermediate disturbance-complexity interplay to cultural landscapes. Our spatial-explicit IDC model can be used as a tool for strategic environmental assessment of land-use planning.