Different Organs Of Plant Research Articles

DNA Protective Assay and Some Biochemical Properties of Galium Species

Herbal-derived drugs prepared using various extracts obtained from different organs of plants that have been scientifically proven to be “medicinal” or directly from these plants are often used today as a method to prevent or treat diseases in humans and animals. This method, called phytotherapy, is a rational, evidence-based, and allopathic treatment method and deals with which active substance group is responsible for the biological effects. In this context, the phytotherapeutic effectiveness of Galium species, which are also used for medicinal purposes among the public, has been examined and proven in many studies. In this study, the biochemical efficacies of five different Galium species were measured and their antioxidant, antimicrobial, and DNA protective effects were tested. It was found that the tested Galium species showed remarkable biochemical efficacies. The results were also compared with the results of some other studies in the literature.

Phytochemical Composition, Antioxidant and Antimicrobial Activity of Three Monarda Species: M. bradburiana L. C. Beck, M. × media Willd., and M. punctata L.

Plants of the genus Monarda receive growing interest as the sources of herbal raw materials with wide range of potential applications in food, cosmetics, and phytopharmaceutical industry. This study aimed to evaluate the differences in chemical characteristics and biological activity among different organs of plants representing three underinvestigated species of this genus: Monarda bradburiana L. C. Beck, Monarda × media Willd., and Monarda punctata L. The content of phenolic compounds and the antioxidant activity of leaves, stems, and inflorescences were determined. Essential oil (EO) content, composition, and antimicrobial activity were also examined. M. punctata leaves and inflorescences had the highest EO content (4.43 % and 5.59 %, respectively), with carvacrol as a dominant constituent. Leaf EO was also rich in thymoquinone (17.48 %). In EOs of M. bradburiana and M. × media, thymol dominated. EOs inhibited the growth of all tested strains of microorganisms at a concentration of 0.625 μL×mL-1. The studied plant organs were rich in phenolic compounds, especially rosmarinic acid. M. bradburiana inflorescences were distinguished by high linarin content. Differences in flavonoid distribution seem to have special chemotaxonomic importance. Further research is needed to facilitate standardisation of the investigated plant organs as potential new herbal raw materials.

Studies on the Correlation between δ13C and Nutrient Elements in Two Desert Plants

Stable carbon isotopes (δ13C) and elemental stoichiometry characteristics are important ways to research the water and nutrient use strategies of plants. Investigating the variation patterns inof δ13C and the major nutrient elements in different organs of plants and the correlation among them can reveal the ecological strategies of desert plants in extreme arid environments. In this study, two typical desert plants, Alhagi sparsifolia and Karelinia caspia, were studied in the Tarim Basin. By analyzing the changes in δ13C, carbon (C), nitrogen (N), and phosphorus (P) and the ecological stoichiometry of their roots, stems, and leaves, the distribution patterns among different organs and their correlation with soil environmental factors were revealed. The results showed the following: (1) The δ13C of the two plants differed significantly among different organs (p < 0.01). The root and stem of Alhagi sparsifolia had significantly greater δ13C than the leave, while the δ13C of Karelinia caspia showed a root > stem > leaf gradient; (2) the C content in the leaves of the two plants was significantly lower than that of the root (p < 0.01), whereas the N content showed the opposite trend (p < 0.01); (3) the average N:P of Alhagi sparsifolia was >16.00, indicating it was mainly limited by P elements, while the average N:P of Karelinia caspia was <14.00, suggesting it was mainly limited by N elements; (4) in the root, stem and leave of Alhagi sparsifolia and Karelinia caspia, the N content and C:N and the P content and C:P showed a significantly negative correlation (p < 0.01), and δ13C was negatively correlated with C:P; (5) soil total phosphorus (TP) is an important soil environmental factor affecting δ13C and the nutrient elements in Alhagi sparsifolia and Karelinia caspia. This study demonstrates that Alhagi sparsifolia and Karelinia caspia are able to effectively coordinate and regulate their water, N, and P use strategies in response to environmental stress. These results can provide scientific reference for the evaluation of plant physiological and ecological adaptations for ecological conservation in arid areas.

Involvement of Transcription Factors and Regulatory Proteins in the Regulation of Carotenoid Accumulation in Plants and Algae.

Carotenoids are essential for photosynthesis and photoprotection in photosynthetic organisms, which are widely used in food coloring, feed additives, nutraceuticals, cosmetics, and pharmaceuticals. Carotenoid biofortification in crop plants or algae has been considered as a sustainable strategy to improve human nutrition and health. However, the regulatory mechanisms of carotenoid accumulation are still not systematic and particularly scarce in algae. This article focuses on the regulatory mechanisms of carotenoid accumulation in plants and algae through regulatory factors (transcription factors and regulatory proteins), demonstrating the complexity of homeostasis regulation of carotenoids, mainly including transcriptional regulation as the primary mechanism, subsequent post-translational regulation, and cross-linking with other metabolic processes. Different organs of plants and different plant/algal species usually have specific regulatory mechanisms for the biosynthesis, storage, and degradation of carotenoids in response to the environmental and developmental signals. In plants and algae, regulators such as MYB, bHLH, MADS, bZIP, AP2/ERF, WRKY, and orange proteins can be involved in the regulation of carotenoid metabolism. And many more regulators, regulatory networks, and mechanisms need to be explored. Our paper will provide a basis for multitarget or multipathway engineering for carotenoid biofortification in plants and algae.

Systemic application of the immunological scheme for diagnosing <em>Alternaria</em> sp. and <em>Fusarium</em> sp.

About 6400 genera, including more than 64000 species, belong to ascomycotes. A significant part of ascomycetes are saprotrophs, the leading place belongs to the fungi pp. Alternaria sp. and Fusarium sр. Alternaria species are a very aggressive pathogenic genus that causes diseases in a large number of economically important crops. 300 species of the genus Alternaria have been identified worldwide, including A. dauci, A. radicinia, A. alternata, A. tenuissima, A. brassicicola and A. solani. Crop losses from the genus Alternaria can reach from 40 to 90%. Leaves, petioles and stems are affected. The genus Fusarium includes a number of species that are the causes of various diseases on most agriculturally significant crops. The most common are: F. oxysporum, causing wilting diseases and affecting the vascular system of plants. F. avenaceum is a widespread species, and F. poae belongs to the section Sporotrichiella Wollenw. Fusarium is a common and dangerous fungal disease. Plants are affected at any age. The fungus is located in the soil and penetrates into the plant through the soil and wounds. In young plants, the disease manifests itself in the form of rotting of the roots and root neck. Based on the above pathogenesis, the purpose of our research was to monitor, identify pathogenic fungi pp. Fusarium sр. and Alternaria sрp and develop a scheme with the gradual inclusion of phytopathological methods in the breeding process. Thus, using phytopathological methods of isolating pathogens of alternariasis and fusariasis from different organs of plants and soil, a collection of the most aggressive pathogens pp. Fusarium and Alternaria has been created. Comparative analyses of the informativeness of various methods of immunological assessment of resistance depending on the type of pathogen allowed us to develop and test a scheme for the sequential inclusion in the selection process of various methods that are applicable at different stages of plant development in order to increase the effectiveness of selection for group resistance to pathogens pp. Fusarium and Alternaria. The applied selection and immunological system of methods made it possible to create new tolerant hybrids, as well as valuable starting material with complex resistance to A. radicina, A.dauci and F.oxysporum was obtained from various lines and variety populations.

BIOGENIC AND ANTHROPOGENIC MAGNETIC NANOPARTICLES IN THE PHLOEM SIEVE TUBES OF PLANTS

The samples of leaves and roots of Nicotiana tabacum, the stems and tubers of Solanum tuberosum and the stems of pea Pisum sativum were examined by scanning probe microscopy in atomic force and magnetic force modes after cultivation without and with addition of magnetite nanoparticles in soil. Chains of both biogenic and anthropogenic magnetic nanoparticles are detected in the wall of the phloem sieve tubes i.e., the vascular tissue of plants. Such a localization of biogenic magnetic nanoparticles supports the idea that the chains of magnetic nanoparticles in different organs of plants have common metabolic functions. Stray gradient magnetic fields about several thousand Oe, which are created by chains of both biogenic and anthropogenic magnetic nanoparticles, can significantly affect the metabolic processes through the influence on mass transfer of vesicles, granules, organelles and other components. In view of the results of this investigation, both BMNs and anthropogenic magnetite nanoparticles chains can significantly affect the processes of mass transfer of vesicles, organelles, structural elements of the membrane and others components because they create stray magnetic fields and gradient magnetic forces.

Allometry and Distribution of Nitrogen in Natural Plant Communities of the Tibetan Plateau.

Nitrogen (N) is an important element for most terrestrial ecosystems; its variation among different plant organs, and allocation mechanisms are the basis for the structural stability and functional optimization of natural plant communities. The nature of spatial variations of N and its allocation mechanisms in plants in the Tibetan Plateau—known as the world’s third pole—have not been reported on a large scale. In this study, we consistently investigated the N content in different organs of plants in 1564 natural community plots in Tibet Plateau, using a standard spatial-grid sampling setup. On average, the N content was estimated to be 19.21, 4.12, 1.14, and 10.86 mg g–1 in the leaf, branch, trunk, and root, respectively, with small spatial variations. Among organs in communities, leaves were the most active, and had the highest N content, independent of the spatial location; as for vegetation type, communities dominated by herbaceous plants had higher N content than those dominated by woody plants. Furthermore, the allocation of N among different plant organs was allometric, and not significantly influenced by vegetation types and environmental factors; the homeostasis of N was also not affected much by the environment, and varied among the plant organs. In addition, the N allocation strategy within Tibet Plateau for different plant organs was observed to be consistent with that in China. Our findings systematically explore for the first time, the spatial variations in N and allometric mechanisms in natural plant communities in Tibet Plateau and establish a spatial-parameters database to optimize N cycle models.

Change of Several Plant Nutrient Elements by Plant Species and Organ

Nutrient elements, one of the major factors shaping plant development, are the major components of plants, and, after being taken from the soil, they are present in different organs of plant at different concentrations. The speciation of nutrient elements within plant body is vital importance for determining the contribution to plant development, knowing the transfer between organs within the body of organs, clearly understanding the factors influencing plant development, and shaping the plant development. In the present study, the change of the concentrations of K and Mg (macronutrient elements) and Cu (micronutrient elements) by species and organ in woody species Prunus cerasifera, Platanus orientalis, Acer negundo, Fraxinus excelsior, Catalpa bignonioides, Aesculus hippocastanum, and Tilia platypyllos. As a result, it was found that the changes of elements by species were statistically significant in all the organs, and, in general, the highest concentrations were observed in leaves. The study results revealed that the concentrations of these elements might significantly vary between the organs in the same species, which varies significantly by the species.

NaLaMgWO6:Mn4+/Pr3+/Bi3+ bifunctional phosphors for optical thermometer and plant growth illumination matching phytochrome PR and PFR

Phytochromes PR and PFR distributed in different organs of plant can effectively absorb red and far-red light, respectively. Therefore, plant growth can be controlled by changing the ratio of red light to far-red light. The emission of Pr3+ (transition from 3P0→3F2,3) and Mn4+(transition from 2Eg→4A2g) is located at the red and far-red range which matches with the absorption band of PR and PFR, respectively. Herein, NaLaMgWO6:Mn4+/Pr3+/Bi3+ phosphors with improving luminescence properties via Bi3+ doping have been successfully prepared by the sol-gel method. With the variation of temperature, the photoluminescence (PL) of Pr3+/Mn4+ (corresponding to PFR/PR) of titled phosphors can be tuned, which is very useful for controlling the plant growth. Moreover, based on the fluorescence intensity ratios (FIR) of the two activator Mn4+ and Pr3+, the maximum relative sensitivity was approximately 3.39%/K at 298 K. All the results indicated that the titled phosphor is a bifunctional material for plant growth illumination with high matching phytochrome (PR and PFR) and temperature sensing with high sensitivity.

New lateral flow immunoassay for on-site detection of Erwinia amylovora and its application on various organs of infected plants

Erwinia amylovora causes a quarantine disease called fire blight that affects most plants from the Rosaceae family. An efficient and rapid disease diagnosis tool is needed to prevent the spread of the pathogen. The main objective of this study was to develop a lateral flow immunoassay (LFIA) to detect E. amylovora and compare different organs of plants for optimization of LFIA testing. A total of 11 strains of E. amylovora and related species were tested for specificity of the developed LFIA. The detection limit of E. amylovora was equal to 4 × 105 CFU mL−1 in plant extracts. LFIA showed high specificity and did not demonstrate positive results with non-related species. Meanwhile, LFIA's effectiveness was confirmed through testing artificially infected leaf samples of apple, pear, and black raspberry. Reliable results were obtained 10 min after the start of LFIA for all testing strains. Different plant organs (121 samples) comprising apple, pear, hawthorn, quince, blackthorn, and cherry from naturally infected areas with symptoms of varying severity were tested. The LFIA was performed using samples from leaves, twigs, flowers, fruitlets, and bacterial ooze; for confirmation commercial kits based on fluorescent amplification–based specific hybridization PCR were used. Using several samples from one plant (cluster) significantly increased the accuracy of infected plant detection, the overlap of LFIA and PCR were equal to 70.2% for individual samples and 93.5% for clusters. Observed recovery of E. amylovora for different organs differed by up to 20%. We found out that using vascular tissues was better than using leaf extracts. This result demonstrates that LFIA's effectiveness improved when more appropriate samples were used.

Potencialidades de oligogalacturónidos y quitosacáridos en el enraizamiento de las plantas

Los oligogalacturónidos y los quitosacáridos son miembros de una nueva clase de sustancias bioactivas en plantas que se conocen como oligosacarinas. Estas sustancias que incluyen poli y oligosacáridos de diferente origen, son consideradas una nueva jerarquía de hormonas que funcionan en la planta antes de la acción de las hormonas tradicionales, como las auxinas, citoquininas y giberelinas. Sus características f isicoquímicas y estructurales también influyen signif icativamente en su actividad biológica y en especial en los procesos de enraizamiento tanto en condiciones in vitro como in vivo. En este trabajo se discuten los efectos benéf icos, que causa la aplicación de estas sustancias en el proceso de enraizamiento vegetal y la acción indirecta relacionada con la interacción con microorganismos simbióticos del suelo, tales como rhizobacterias y hongos micorrízicos arbusculares que mejoran el crecimiento y el funcionamiento de las raíces en las plantas.

Glyphosate effects on tree species natives from Cerrado and Caatinga Brazilian biome: Assessing sensitivity to two ways of contamination

Glyphosate is applied for dissection in no-till and post-emergence management in transgenic crops in agricultural fields near the Cerrado and Caatinga biomes. These biomes together represent 33.8% of the Brazilian territory, contributing to the maintenance of great world diversity in flora and fauna. Despite actions to protect them, the proximity with agricultural areas and intense use of glyphosate puts at risk the preservation of native vegetation due to the contamination via herbicide transport processes. Our objectives were: i) to determine the sensitivity of native species from the Cerrado and Caatinga to glyphosate contamination via drift and groundwater; ii) evaluate the level of sensitivity to glyphosate among the different organs of plants. The highest intoxications (upper 80%) were observed for Bauhinia cheilantha, Mimosa caesalpiniaefolia, Mimosa tenuiflora and Amburana cearensis due to drift simullation. The species with 90% of total dry matter reduction were Bauhinia cheilantha, Enterolobium contortisiliquum, Mimosa caesalpiniaefolia, Mimosa tenuiflora, Tabebuia aurea. B. cheilantha and M. tenuiflora are most affected by exposure to glyphosate drift, with 50% of total dry matter reduction when exposed to doses below 444,0 g ha−1. Leaf growth is more sensitive to glyphosate for drift exposure for most species. Hymenaea courbaril is an exception, with greater sensitivity to root growth (50% dry matter reduction at doses below 666,0 g ha−1). B. cheilantha is the species most sensitive to drift exposure; however, it showed complete tolerance to contamination in subsurface waters. Other species such as Anadenanthera macrocarpa and M. caesalpiniifolia are also sensitive to drift, but without reach 90% of total dry matter reduction. A. macrocarpa, M. caesalpiniifolia and T. aurea were tolerant to contamination by subsurface water. The differential tolerance of trees confirms glyphosate's potential as a species selection agent in the Cerrado and Caatinga biomes.

积雪变化对高寒草甸钝苞雪莲(Saussurea nigrescens)繁殖分配及功能属性的影响

季节性雪被对植物的生长繁殖具有深刻影响。为阐明不同积雪梯度下钝苞雪莲各器官生物量、养分含量、繁殖分配及功能属性的变化规律，在青藏高原东缘红原县，通过人工堆积的方法开展积雪梯度（CK、S0、S1、S2、S3）控制实验，测量了不同积雪梯度下钝苞雪莲茎、叶、花苞的养分含量及繁殖分配等特征。结果表明：1）积雪变化没有显著改变钝苞雪莲的繁殖分配，但去除积雪（S0）显著降低了营养器官生物量。2）不同积雪处理下，个体大小与繁殖器官生物量均呈正线性关系（P<0.01）。3）茎部磷（P）含量随积雪量的增加显著升高（P<0.05）；叶部P含量随积雪量的增加先上升后下降，即：S2 > S1 > CK > S3 > S0，且存在显著差异（P<0.05）；各处理下植物的不同器官在养分上主要受氮（N）元素的限制。4）去除积雪（S0）降低了茎干重、株高、茎高、茎分配和单株花苞量，过度积雪（S3）则降低了株高、茎高和花苞长度，中度积雪（S1、S2）则分别降低了花苞长度与单株叶片数。由此可见，不同积雪量并未显著改变钝苞雪莲的繁殖分配，但却改变了其不同器官的功能属性与养分含量，使磷元素成为植物响应积雪变化较为敏感的指标。;The seasonal snow cover has a profound effect on plant growth and reproduction. In order to clarify the change rule of each organ biomass, nutrient content, reproductive allocation and functional traits of Saussurea nigrescens under different snowpack. Our experimental site is located in Hongyuan County, the eastern margin of the Qinghai-Tibetan plateau. Control experiments of snow gradient (CK, S0, S1, S2, and S3) were carried out by manual accumulation. The characteristics of stem, leaf and fruit nutrient content and reproductive allocation were measured by indoor analysis method under different snowpack. The results showed that:1) the change of snowpack did not significantly change the reproductive allocation of Saussurea nigrescens, but the removal of snow cover (S0) significantly reduced the biomass of vegetative organs. 2) Under different snow cover treatments, there was a positive linear relationship between individual size and reproductive organ biomass (P<0.01). 3) The content of phosphorus (P) in stem increased significantly with the increase of snow cover (P<0.05). With the increase of snow cover, the content of P in leaves first significantly increases and then decreases, which is presenting as S2 > S1 > CK > S3 > S0. Different organs of plants under different treatments were mainly limited by nitrogen (N) element. 4) Removal of snow cover (S0) reduced stem biomass, plant height, stem height, stem allocation and individual fruit number; the excessive snow cover (S3) reduced plant height, stem height and fruit length; the moderate snow cover (S1 and S2) respectively reduced fruit length and individual leaf numbers. Therefore, different amounts of snow cover did not significantly change the reproductive allocation, but changed the functional traits and nutrient content of different organs.

Utilizing PacBio Iso-Seq for Novel Transcript and Gene Discovery of Abiotic Stress Responses in Oryza sativa L.

The wide natural variation present in rice is an important source of genes to facilitate stress tolerance breeding. However, identification of candidate genes from RNA-Seq studies is hampered by the lack of high-quality genome assemblies for the most stress tolerant cultivars. A more targeted solution is the reconstruction of transcriptomes to provide templates to map RNA-seq reads. Here, we sequenced transcriptomes of ten rice cultivars of three subspecies on the PacBio Sequel platform. RNA was isolated from different organs of plants grown under control and abiotic stress conditions in different environments. Reconstructed de novo reference transcriptomes resulted in 37,500 to 54,600 plant-specific high-quality isoforms per cultivar. Isoforms were collapsed to reduce sequence redundancy and evaluated, e.g., for protein completeness (BUSCO). About 40% of all identified transcripts were novel isoforms compared to the Nipponbare reference transcriptome. For the drought/heat tolerant aus cultivar N22, 56 differentially expressed genes in developing seeds were identified at combined heat and drought in the field. The newly generated rice transcriptomes are useful to identify candidate genes for stress tolerance breeding not present in the reference transcriptomes/genomes. In addition, our approach provides a cost-effective alternative to genome sequencing for identification of candidate genes in highly stress tolerant genotypes.

Survival strategies based on the hydraulic vulnerability segmentation hypothesis, for the tea plant [Camellia sinensis(L.) O. Kuntze] in long-term drought stress condition

Tea plants are important economic perennial crops that can be negatively impacted by drought stress (DS). However, their survival strategies in long-term DS conditions and the accumulation and influence of metabolites and mineral elements (MEs) in their organs, when facing hydraulic vulnerability segmentation, require further investigation. The MEs and metabolites in the leaf, stem, and root after long-term DS (20 d) were examined here, using inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES) and liquid chromatograph-mass spectrometry (LC-MS). The accumulation patterns of 116 differentially accumulated metabolites (DAMs) and nine MEs were considerably affected in all organs. The concentration of all MEs varied significantly in at least one organ, while the K and Ca levels were markedly altered in all three. Most DAM levels increased in the stem but decreased in the root and leaf, implying that vulnerability segmentation may occur with long-term DS. The typical nitrogen- and carbon-compound levels similarly increased in the stem and decreased in the leaf and root, as the plant might respond to long-term DS by stabilizing respiration, promoting nitrogen recycling, and free radical scavenging. Correlation analysis showed several possible DAM-ME interactions and an association between Mn and flavonoids. Thus, survival strategies under long-term DS included sacrificing distal/vulnerable organs and accumulating function-specialized metabolites and MEs to mitigate drought-induced oxidative damage. This is the first study that reports substance fluctuations after long-term DS in different organs of plants, and highlights the need to use whole plants to fully comprehend stress response strategies.

The effect of manganese(II) excess on growth and antioxidant status of barley seedlings

Manganese belongs to the group of heavy metals, which at high concentrations can have a negative effect on plant development. Typical soils of the Kirov region are acid podzolic and sod-podzolic soils, which are characterized by high content of manganese compounds available for plants. Studied was the effect of manganese(II) ions at the concentrations of 30.0, 60.0 and 90.0 mg/l on the growth and antioxidant activity (AOA) of the superoxide dismutase enzyme (SOD) in the organs of 7 and 14-day-old barley plants grown in aquatic culture. Varieties and forms of barley 346-09, 29-11, Farmer 198-12, Forward and Bionik, resistant to acidic soils (Al3 +, H+) served as objects for the research; Belgorodskij 100 variety was used as standard. When manganese was added to the solution for growing, a decrease in root length and an increase in AOA of SOD in plant roots were noted. It was concluded that increased concentrations of manganese had an effect on the morphometric parameters and on AOA SOD of barley seedlings. It has been established that increasing the dose of manganese in the solution for growing leads to a decrease in the length of the roots. AOA SOD varied in different organs of plants of some varieties, and its more significant change in the experiment compared with the control was revealed in the roots. Judging by morphometric indicators, the Belgorodskij 100 variety was the least resistant to Mn2+ ionic toxicity, the root length of which in the control was 15.7±0.4 cm, and in the experiment 13.2±0.3; 12.2±0.1; 11.5±0.3 cm in accordance with the dose of manganese 30, 60 and 90 mg / l. According to the level of AOA SOD, the most sensitive variety was Farmer 198-12, its change of AOA SOD in the roots (% of control) was 158.8; 167.2 and 169.4% in accordance with the dose of manganese 30.0; 60.0 and 90.0 mg / l (AOA SOD in the control was 52.4±0.4%; in the experiment 83.2±2.2; 87.6±2.0 and 88.7±0.6, respectively), and in the shoots ˗ 121.0; 128.3 and 125.6 %, respectively (66.7±7.9 % in the control and 80.7±0.5; 85.6±1.4; 83.8±0.6 % in the experiment in accordance with the dose of Mn 2+).

Effects of soil texture and nitrogen on ability of carbon sequestration in different organs of two Tamarix species as a good choice for carbon stock in dry lands

The present study was conducted to examine how different organs of plants (leaf, stem and root) of Tamarix aphylla and Tamarix kotschyi could affect carbon sequestration in soil depths ranging from 0 to 15 cm and 15 to 30 cm. This study was carried out in the Ahoochar region, 25 km north of Shiraz, during 2015–2017. This study was carried out in two separate factorial experiment arranged in a randomized complete design. The first factor was the type of plant species in both experiments. The second factor was the plant organs in experiment I and different soil depths in experiment II. The results showed that there was a higher degree of carbon sequestration in depths that ranged from 0–15 cm, compared to soil at 15–30 cm depth. The results of correlation coefficients showed that the percentage of clay was the strongest parameter that contributed to carbon sequestration. Furthermore, Tamarix aphylla and T. kotschyi showed similar amounts of organic carbon stored in their tissues. Stems had higher amounts of stored organic carbon compared to the leaves. In general, it was observed that carbon sequestration reached its highest level (54.15 t/ha) in soil with T. kotschyi at 0–15 cm depth. The stem of both plants had a higher ability for carbon sequestration.

Stable carbon isotopic characteristics of plant-litter-soil continuum along a successional gradient of broadleaved Korean pine forests in Changbai Mountain, China.

Stable carbon isotope composition can accurately indicate ecosystem carbon cycling and provide key information for the study of the influence of forest succession on the carbon cycling and carbon sequestration potential. We measured the δ13C values and carbon and nitrogen contents of leaf, trunk, root, litter, and soil along a forest successional gradient in Changbai Mountain, which included a middle-aged poplar-birch secondary forest, a mature poplar-birch secondary forest, and an old-growth broad-leaved Korean pine forest. The results showed that leaf δ13C reduced with their position from the upper canopy to lower canopy, bark δ13C was less than xylem, fine root δ13C was less than course root. In contrast to the secondary forests, δ13C of the undecomposed litter layer was less than that of the semi-decomposed layer and decomposed litter layer in the broad-leaved Korean pine forest. Soil δ13C increased with depth. The ascending order of mean δ13C was leaf, litter, root, trunk, and soil, indicating that there is obvious fractionation among different organs of plants and among different parts of a specific organ. In addition, plant δ13C first decreased and then increased with the succession process, but soil δ13C increased with the succession processes. The different patterns of the changes of plant and soil δ13C along forest succession could be explained by the relationship between nitrogen content and carbon isotope fractionation effect, indicating that carbon isotope fractionation was affected by the change of dominant tree species and the variation of carbon turnover rate.

The Transcription Factors TCP4 and PIF3 Antagonistically Regulate Organ-Specific Light Induction of SAUR Genes to Modulate Cotyledon Opening during De-Etiolation in Arabidopsis.

Light elicits different growth responses in different organs of plants. These organ-specific responses are prominently displayed during de-etiolation. While major light-responsive components and early signaling pathways in this process have been identified, this information has yet to explain how organ-specific light responses are achieved. Here, we report that members of the TEOSINTE BRANCHED1, CYCLOIDEA, and PCF (TCP) transcription factor family participate in photomorphogenesis and facilitate light-induced cotyledon opening in Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana). Chromatin immunoprecipitation sequencing and RNA sequencing analyses indicated that TCP4 targets a number of SMALL AUXIN UPREGULATED RNA (SAUR) genes that have previously been shown to exhibit organ-specific, light-responsive expression. We demonstrate that TCP4-like transcription factors, which are predominantly expressed in the cotyledons of both light- and dark-grown seedlings, activate SAUR16 and SAUR50 expression in response to light. Light regulates the binding of TCP4 to the promoters of SAUR14, SAUR16, and SAUR50 through PHYTOCHROME-INTERACTING FACTORs (PIFs). PIF3, which accumulates in etiolated seedlings and its levels rapidly decline upon light exposure, also binds to the SAUR16 and SAUR50 promoters, while suppressing the binding of TCP4 to these promoters in the dark. Our study reveals that the interplay between light-responsive factors PIFs and the developmental regulator TCP4 determines the cotyledon-specific light regulation of SAUR16 and SAUR50, which contributes to cotyledon closure and opening before and after de-etiolation.

Distribution of nutrients in different organs of plants of Miscanthus Anderss. genotypes

Distribution of nutrients in different organs of plants of Miscanthus Anderss. genotypes