Plant Life Cycle Research Articles

Seed Germination within Genus Rosa: The Complexity of the Process and Influencing Factors

Seed germination is a crucial stage in the life cycle of plants, and understanding the factors influencing germination is essential for successful cultivation, plant breeding, and conservation efforts. The genus Rosa, commonly known as roses, encompasses a diverse group of flowering plants renowned for their beauty and fragrance. Rosa germination is influenced by a variety of factors, including seed dormancy, environmental conditions, and seed treatments. Many Rosa species exhibit different types of seed dormancy, such as physical dormancy caused by hard seed coats and physiological dormancy due to internal mechanisms. Overcoming seed dormancy often requires specific treatments, including cold stratification, scarification, or chemical treatments, to promote germination. Environmental factors, including temperature, moisture, light, and substrate, play vital roles in Rosa germination. Temperatures ranging from 15 to 25 °C, moisture, and exposure to light or darkness, depending on the species, constitute suitable conditions for seed germination. Many studies have been conducted to investigate the germination requirements of different Rosa species, thereby expanding our understanding of their propagation and conservation. Additionally, advancements in techniques such as in vitro germination and molecular approaches have further enhanced our understanding of Rosa germination biology.

A workflow towards a strongly typed AutomationML API

Abstract Over the lifecycle of a production plant digitalization leads to a large data footprint along different software (SW) components. A digital data exchange is the fundament to support data integrity, prevent data loss and avoid duplicate work. AutomationML (AML) is a commonly accepted tool-independent format to exchange data of different domains along the lifecycle of a production plant. This contribution provides an easy-to-use workflow that empowers SW components to transform AML into a strongly typed class hierarchy which is the basis for an efficient and maintainable SW solution.

The Ka/Ks and πa/πs ratios under different models of gametophytic and sporophytic selection.

Alternation of generations in plant life cycle provides a biological basis for natural selection occurring in either the gametophyte or the sporophyte phase, or in both. Divergent biphasic selection could yield distinct evolutionary rates for phase-specific or pleiotropic genes. Here we analyze models that deal with antagonistic and synergistic selection between alternative generations in terms of the ratio of nonsynonymous to synonymous divergence (Ka/Ks). Effects of biphasic selection are opposite under antagonistic selection, but cumulative under synergistic selection for pleiotropic genes. Under the additive and comparable strengths of biphasic allelic selection, the absolute Ka/Ks for the gametophyte-gene is equal to in outcrossing but smaller than in a mixed mating system that for the sporophyte-gene under antagonistic selection. The same pattern is predicted for Ka/Ks under synergistic selection. Selfing reduces efficacy of gametophytic selection. Other processes, including pollen and seed flow and genetic drift, reduce selection efficacy. The polymorphism (πa) at a nonsynonymous site is affected by the joint effects of selfing with gametophytic or sporophytic selection. Likewise, the ratio of nonsynonymous to synonymous polymorphism (πa/πs) is also affected by the same joint effects. Gene flow and genetic drift have opposite effects on πa or πa/πs in interacting with gametophytic and sporophytic selection. We discuss implications of this theory for detecting natural selection in terms of Ka/Ks and for interpreting the evolutionary divergence among gametophyte-specific, sporophyte-specific, and pleiotropic genes.

Plant Senescence: How Plants Choose, How and When to Die

The word "senescence in plants" refers to the natural ageing process that takes place in plant tissues, organs, and cells and ultimately causes plant death. It is an intricate, tightly controlled process that is affected by both external and internal variables. The internal biological clock of the plant, which is controlled by many external conditions like temperature, light, and nutrition availability, is one of the primary causes of senescence. The internal clock alerts the plant to begin senescing when it reaches a specific age or developmental stage. Several biochemical and physiological changes that the plant experiences during senescence cause the disintegration of cellular elements such as nucleic acids, proteins, chlorophyll and other macromolecules. The plant may continue to grow and develop because these breakdown products are recycled and utilised to create new tissues and organs.
 In addition, the plant generates and stores a variety of signalling chemicals, including reactive oxygen species (ROS) and hormones, that control the senescence process. The different physiological and biochemical changes that take place during senescence are coordinated by these signalling molecules, which serve as messengers. Senescence is an ordinary and necessary component of the life cycle of plants, but it can also be brought on early by many environmental challenges, including disease, nutrient inadequacy, and drought. The relevance of comprehending the processes that regulate the senescence procedure is emphasized by the fact that premature senescence can have a major influence on plant growth and productivity.
 The genetically controlled degenerative process of leaf/plant senescence includes nutrient remobilization before the death of leaf/plant tissues. Together with other senescence-causing elements, age plays a significant developmental role in the process. Senescence is regulated at the cellular level by a variety of signalling molecules, hormones, and transcription factors. The complexity of the senescence process, as well as the perception and transmission of senescence signals, as well as subsequent regulatory events, are briefly reviewed in this overview, which also covers current advancements in this area. It will be explored where this field is headed in the future and how related techniques might be used to improve crops.

Techno-economic-environmental analysis of direct-contact membrane distillation systems integrated with low-grade heat sources: A multi-objective optimization approach

Membrane distillation (MD) is an emerging desalination technology powered by low-grade thermal energy. This paper presents the multi-objective optimal design of the membrane distillation desalination plant. The heat sources are supercritical CO2 (sCO2) Brayton cycle waste heat and geothermal energy. Multi-objective mixed-integer nonlinear programming models are developed to optimize the integrated systems' design and operating conditions based on economic and environmental metrics. The models consider the simultaneous optimization of water production costs (wpc) and environmental impacts (wpei). The environmental performance is quantified through a life cycle assessment using the widely used ReCiPe 2016 method, enabling the identification of the main environmental hotspots throughout the plant's life cycle. Our methodology demonstrates the sustainability of MD desalination plants through various case studies. The results indicate that an appropriate MD system design can significantly reduce the environmental burden with a slight increase in cost. For the sCO2-MD scenario, a cost-effective design can achieve a minimum wpc of 0.758 $/m3 and a minimum wpei of 0.172 Pt/m3 in an environmentally friendly design. A balanced design can reduce the environmental impact by 31.30% with a slight cost increase of 4.48% compared to a cost-effective design. The minimum wpc and minimum wpei for the geothermal MD (GTMD) scenario are 412.27% and 215.94% higher, respectively, compared to the sCO2-MD scenario. Moreover, reducing the wpei of the GTMD system is also more expensive, requiring a 10.67% increase in cost to reduce the environmental impact by 21.65%.

Mobile Signaling Peptides: Secret Molecular Messengers with a Mighty Role in Plant Life

AbstractAdaptive mechanisms for unfavorable environments have evolved in plants for thousands of generations, primarily in the form of endogenous chemical signals and the coordination of physiological processes. Signaling peptides (SPs) are diverse molecular messengers in various stress responses which have been identified in different plant families. SPs are recognized by the membrane-localized receptors and co-receptors, leading to downstream signaling for various plant responses. Progress in in silico analysis, along with other factors, has increased our understanding of the signaling peptide-mediated regulatory mechanisms underlying the entire plant life cycle. SPs mediate both long-distance (root-to-shoot-to-root) and local cell–cell communication via vascular system to communicate and coordinate with plant organs at distant locations. During abiotic stress, SPs inside plant cells perceive stress signals and transfer information at short and long physiological ranges through the signal transduction pathway, causing stress-responsive gene expression. SPs interact with pathogens and mediate cell-to-cell communication via signaling pathways. There are intriguing relationships between phytohormones and the secondary signaling cascades which are mediated by SPs. During biotic or abiotic stress, different peptides trigger jasmonic acid, ethylene, and ABA signaling, involving several secondary messengers. These messengers mediate the stress response via shared signaling components of ROS, Ca2+, and MAPKs, and they modify the gene expression for different phytohormones. In this review, we highlight current knowledge on the role of signaling peptides in plant adaptation, growth, and development. We aim to analyze the SP-receptor interactions and the significance of crosstalk between a few sample SPs and phytohormones. Potential directions on how scientists can use this information for crop improvement are also suggested.

Numerical simulation technologies for safety evaluation in plant lifecycle optimization method, ARKADIA for advanced reactors

This paper describes the development of Advanced Reactor Knowledge- and AI-aided Design Integration Approach through the whole plant lifecycle (ARKADIA) which provides best possible solutions for the design, safety measures, maintenance, and decommissioning of advanced nuclear reactors. ARKADIA consists of state-of-the-art numerical simulation methods, the artificial intelligence technologies, and a knowledge base that includes experiences from the development and operation of the fast reactors and the related research and development. Two subsystems of ARKADIA: ARKADIA-Design and ARKADIA-Safety, are currently being developed individually as the first target of sodium-cooled fast reactors. In a subsequent development phase, the two subsystems will be integrated into a single system, ARKADIA, that is applicable to advanced reactors with a variety of concepts, coolants, configurations, and output levels. ARKADIA-Design offers the functions to support design optimization both in normal operating conditions and design basis events mainly during a conceptual design stage in the fields of core design, plant structure design including thermal-hydraulics analysis, and maintenance plan optimization. The main technology of ARKADIA-Design is based on the multi-level simulation approach by the coupled analysis with numerical analysis codes according to the user’s requirements. For instance, the coupled simulation of neutronics, core deformation, and core thermal hydraulics could evaluate the negative feedback effect of the core deformation reactivity during the plant transient. ARKADIA-Safety is developed for the automatic optimization of severe accident management and their feedback to a plant design. ARKADIA-Safety includes the thermal-hydraulics and multi-physics code, SPECTRA, for in- and ex-vessel integrated severe accident simulation. The basic capability to evaluate severe accident progress was demonstrated through the analysis of a hypothetical loss of reactor level event in a sodium-cooled fast reactor.

How metabolism and development are intertwined in space and time.

Developmental transitions, occurring throughout the life cycle of plants, require precise regulation of metabolic processes to generate the energy and resources necessary for the committed growth processes. In parallel, the establishment of new cells, tissues, and even organs, alongside their differentiation provoke profound changes in metabolism. It is increasingly being recognized that there is a certain degree of feedback regulation between the components and products of metabolic pathways and developmental regulators. The generation of large-scale metabolomics datasets during developmental transitions, in combination with molecular genetic approaches has helped to further our knowledge on the functional importance of metabolic regulation of development. In this perspective article, we provide insights into studies that elucidate interactions between metabolism and development at the temporal and spatial scales. We additionally discuss how this influences cell growth-related processes. We also highlight how metabolic intermediates function as signaling molecules to direct plant development in response to changing internal and external conditions.

Data management of process plants as complex systems: systematic literature review and identification of challenges and opportunities

Abstract Led by the manufacturing industry, virtual replicas of production systems also known as digital twins (DTs) are gradually moving into all areas of industry. Their advantages are characterized by the possibility of product optimization, simulations, improved monitoring and prediction of downtimes and optimized maintenance, to name just a few. The engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) of process plants as mechatronic systems is characterized by a high degree of project-specific modifications and interdisciplinary engineering effort with low reusability, in contrast to unit-production-driven areas such as automotive. This results in a high cost-benefit ratio for the creation of DTs over the life cycle of process plants, especially when suppliers are integrated into the value chain. The objective of this paper is to analyze the state of plant lifecycle management, data exchange and the possibilities of optimized supplier integration during the planning and EPC of process plants regarding DT creation and usage. Three research questions (RQs) were used to narrow down a total of 356 identified publications to 54, which were then examined. The papers covered a variety of topics, including combining discipline-specific models, plant management approaches and the combination of both.

Planting Date of Cotton in the Brazilian Cerrado Drives Boll Weevil (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) Infestation.

Although the boll weevil (BW), Anthonomus grandis grandis (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) has been attributed to the significant losses caused to cotton yield in the Americas, the categorization as a quarentenary pest in places where it is still not occurring has increased its relevance worldwide. In areas where it is widespread, pest suppression relies on many broad-spectrum insecticide applications. However, other control tactics are sought. Considering that early-flowering cultivars escape from boll weevil infestation, we investigated if three different planting dates (November, December, and January) could alter the plant life cycle, allowing the plants to escape from boll weevil infestation. Field trials were run in two seasons (2014/2015 and 2017/2018), and variables (days required to reach each flowering stage, fruiting plant structures-undamaged and damaged by the BW, and totals-number of boll weevils on plants and that had emerged from fallen structures on the ground) were assessed over 29 and 33 weeks, respectively. Based on the number of days required to initiate and terminate the flowering stage, the time to reach the economic threshold (ET), the number of undamaged, damaged, and the total reproductive structures, we concluded that planting dates in December for the Central Cerrado of Brazil should be preferred over the other two tested dates. Cultivations run at this planting date, anticipating the flowering period initiation and termination, reduced infested flowering structures, and delayed the decision making to control the pest, when compared to the other two planting dates.

Shifts in the diversity of root endophytic microorganisms across the life cycle of the ratooning rice Jiafuzhan.

The diversity of root endophytic microorganisms, which is closely related to plant life activities, is known to vary with the plant growth stage. This study on the ratooning rice Jiafuzhan explored the diversity of the root endophytic bacteria and fungi and their dynamics during the plant life cycle. By sequencing the 16S ribosomal ribonucleic acid (16S rRNA) and internal transcribed spacer (ITS) genes, 12,154 operational taxonomic units (OTUs) and 497 amplicon sequence variants (ASVs) were obtained, respectively. The root endophytic microorganisms of rice in the seedling, tillering, jointing, heading, and mature stages of the first crop and at 13, 25, and 60 days after regeneration (at the heading, full heading, and mature stages of the second crop, respectively) were analyzed using diversity and correlation analyses. There were significant differences in the α-diversity and β-diversity of root endophytic bacteria and fungi in the growth stage. Additionally, linear discriminant analysis (LDA) effect size (LEfSe) analysis revealed biomarker bacteria for each growth stage, but biomarker fungi did not exist in every stage. Moreover, the correlation analysis showed that the bacterial and fungal biomarkers interacted with each other. Furthermore, the nitrogen-fixing genus Bradyrhizobium existed in all growth stages. These findings indicate the pattern of root endophytic microorganisms of ratooning rice at different growth stages, and they provide new insights into the high yield of the second crop of ratooning rice (in light of the abundance of various bacteria and fungi).

Soil Fertility Analysis Using IoT

Abstract: Soil is crucial for economic and social development as it provides the foundation for plant growth and life cycle. Agriculture heavily relies on resources like land and fertilizer to produce food. However, the National Academy of Agricultural Sciences (NAAS) reports that the annual soil loss rate in India is about 15.35 tonnes per hectare, which leads to the loss of 5.37 to 8.4 million tonnes of nutrients. This is due to intensive agricultural practices that cause nutrient imbalance and soil depletion, exacerbated by a lack of awareness about soil health. The declining soil health is one of the reasons for stagnant or decreasing crop yields, which will likely worsen in the future. To address this issue, this project aims to use IoT technology to test different types of soil and determine their macronutrient (NPK) and micronutrient values. The measured nutrient values are compared to a dataset of healthy soil samples' ideal nutrient values using an easy-to-use interface that displays pictorial representations. The farmer receives a detailed soil report that compares the soil's micro and macro nutrient values to the ideal values, much like a soil health report card.

Removal of Malachite Green Dye from Aqueous Solution Using Lemon Leaf Powder as an Adsorbent

The majority of developing nations experience significant water contamination from textile sector wastewater. The use of low-cost, environmentally friendly adsorbents has been researched as a means of addressing problems of water contamination and high costs for waste - water treatment processes. Malachite green is an incredibly dangerous colour that not only damages mammalian cells but also has a key influence in the growth of liver cancers. The life cycle of aquatic creatures, plants, and people is hampered by dye released into bodies of water without sufficient treatment. In this study, the powdered lemon leaves are utilized for removal of the aniline green dye. By using batch-style setting and design of the experiment (the Box– Behnken technique) adsorbent has been investigated & have been developed to evaluate the process's critical factors, including agitation time, size of adsorbent, dosage of adsorbent, pH, initial concentration and temperature. The acquired values were fitted with adsorption isotherms. Malachite green dye sequestration onto Lemon Leaf Powder was chosen using kinetic models. The results of the trials showed that employing powdered lemon leaves, malachite green could be removed to a maximum of 82.21%. Malachite green dye concentration of 50 mg/L, temp of solution 303 K, and dosage of adsorbent 20 g/L are the ideal parameters. Lemon leaf powders have a maximum sorption capacity (qmax) of 8.08 mg/g. The equilibrium was more accurately modelled using the Freundlich isotherm. When compared to other models, the data which fits the pseudo 2nd order kinetics model is better. Previously researchers had proved several low– cost materials such as wheat bran, marina alga, wood apple shell etc In the current work, to remove malachite green dyes the efficacy of citrus lemon leaves is thoroughly done. The operating parameters that are optimized include dye solution concentration, initial solution pH, sorbent dose, and temperature. Studies on thermodynamics have demonstrated that the adsorption process was endothermic & spontaneous.

Balanced phosphorus fertilization enhances soil bacterial network complexity to maintain multifunctionality and plant production in dryland agricultural systems

Long-term fertilization significantly affected the function, diversity, and structure of soil microbial communities, which performed an indispensable role in maintaining ecosystem multifunctionality. However, the mechanism of how balanced fertilization affects soil microbial composition, function, and ecosystem multifunctionality is still poorly understood, especially during the whole plant life cycle, which will hinder our understanding the consequences of reducing phosphorus (P) fertilizer inputs as required in sustainable agriculture. Herein, the soil samples from a P fertilization field (with 0, 70, and 120 kg P2O5 ha−1 yr−1) at different stages of wheat (greenup stage (GP: Zadoks stage 26), elongation stage (EP: Zadoks stage 31), and flowering stages (FP: Zadoks stage 64)) were collected to investigate the effects of P fertilizer input on soil bacterial community, assembly, bacterial functionality, and multifunctionality in the Loess plateau. The results showed that soil bacterial diversity and functional groups (microbial P limitation) increased as wheat developed, but the bacterial network complexity and multifunctionality decreased. The highest soil bacterial network complexity, ecosystem multifunctionality, and homogeneous selection (deterministic processes) were observed in the balanced P fertilization treatment (P70), but wheat P uptake, biomass, and grain yield were similar at P rates of 70 and 120 kg P2O5 ha−1. The microbial nutrient limitation was also altered by both P fertilization and wheat growth stages. Moreover, the changes in soil available P and bacterial network complexity were the major determining factors of different microbial C and P limitations and ecosystem multifunctionality. Our results also showed that the core microorganisms with special functions drive the ecosystem multifunctionality by altering the community structure and network complexity of the microbes. Therefore, our result highlights the importance of soil available P and bacterial network complexity in maintaining ecosystem multifunctionality under P fertilizer inputs and provides support for the use of balanced P fertilization in sustainable dryland wheat production from the aspect of ecosystem multifunctionality.

Influence of the nurse-protégé interaction on the frugivory pattern of the columnar cactus Pilosocereus leucocephalus.

Nurse plants provide benefits during the early life cycle of the protected plant by reducing the intensity of stressful abiotic conditions. However, nurse plants may influence frugivore visitation and consumption, affecting the initial benefits of this interaction and generating different frugivory patterns during the reproductive phase of the protégé. Despite the importance of nurse plants and frugivory in the structure and composition of ecosystems, they have rarely been evaluated together, and frugivory patterns caused by nurse plants at different spatial and temporal scales are mostly unknown. Pilosocereus leucocephalus produces seeds that are endozoochorically dispersed by birds and mammals, can establish in open spaces devoid of arboreal vegetation (OS), and is associated with the nurse tree Lysiloma acapulcensis. However, the influence of L. acapulcensis on the frugivory patterns of P. leucocephalus is unknown. Therefore, during the fruiting season of P. leucocephalus of 2018, we recorded the visitation rates, effective removal, and removal timescales in 26 individuals located in OS and 15 under L. acapulcensis. Our results indicate that L. acapulcensis increased visits by Euphonia hirundinacea and bats but decreased those of Psilorhinus morio and Campylorhynchus rufinucha. Although L. acapulcensis did not generate differences in fruit removal effectiveness, bats showed the highest effectiveness in OS, followed by birds. L. acapulcensis also had an effect on the fruit removal periods of different frugivorous species at different temporal scales. This shows that the nurse tree generated a complex pattern of frugivory in P. leucocephalus, mainly increasing the initial benefits of the nurse-protégé interaction.

Involvement of cell cycle and ion transferring in the salt stress responses of alfalfa varieties at different development stages

BackgroundAlfalfa (Medicago sativa) is the worldwide major feed crop for livestock. However, forage quality and productivity are reduced by salt stress, which is a common issue in alfalfa-growing regions. The relative salt tolerance is changed during plant life cycle. This research aimed to investigate the relative salt tolerance and the underlying mechanisms of two alfalfa varieties at different developmental stages.ResultsTwo alfalfa varieties, "Zhongmu No.1 (ZM1)" and "D4V", with varying salt tolerance, were subjected to salt stress (0, 100, 150 mM NaCl). When the germinated seeds were exposed to salt stress, D4V exhibited enhanced primary root growth compared to ZM1 due to the maintenance of meristem size, sustained or increased expression of cell cycle-related genes, greater activity of antioxidant enzymes and higher level of IAA. These findings indicated that D4V was more tolerant than ZM1 at early developmental stage. However, when young seedlings were exposed to salt stress, ZM1 displayed a lighter wilted phenotype and leaf cell death, higher biomass and nutritional quality, lower relative electrolytic leakage (EL) and malondialdehyde (MDA) concentration. In addition, ZM1 obtained a greater antioxidant capacity in leaves, indicated by less accumulation of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) and higher activity of antioxidant enzymes. Further ionic tissue-distribution analysis identified that ZM1 accumulated less Na+ and more K+ in leaves and stems, resulting in lower Na+/K+ ratio, because of possessing higher expression of ion transporters and sensitivity of stomata closure. Therefore, the relative salt tolerance of ZM1 and D4V was reversed at young seedling stages, with the young seedlings of the former being more salt-tolerant.ConclusionOur data revealed the changes of relative order of salt tolerance between alfalfa varieties as they develop. Meristem activity in primary root tips and ion transferring at young seedling stages were underlying mechanisms that resulted in differences in salt tolerance at different developmental stages.

Leaf litter presence in the non‐growing season prolongs plant legacy effects on soil fungal communities and succeeding plant growth

Abstract Soil microbes can profoundly affect species coexistence and alien plant invasion via plant–soil feedbacks (PSFs). Theoretically, plants can modify soil biotic communities (e.g. fungal and bacterial communities) sequentially via rhizo‐inputs in the growing season and via litter decomposition in the non‐growing season, and in this way affect the performance of plant individuals that establish in the same soil in the following growing season. However, how plants affect soil microbes via sequential rhizosphere and litter inputs and how these soil microbial legacies feedback to subsequent plants remains unclear. Here, we first explored the sequential effects of living individuals and their leaf litter on soil fungal communities, using 42 common alien and native species in China, and then estimated their PSF effects on three common test species. Our results show that living plants growing in field soil developed distinct rhizosphere fungal communities within one season. After the removal of conditioning plants, the fungal communities in these conditioned soils changed more dramatically in the absence than in the presence of leaf litter, suggesting that leaf litter inputs prolonged the species‐specific legacies that conspecific living individuals exerted in the soil. Moreover, leaf litter induced general negative effects on all test species in the second growing season. Conditioning plant origin (native vs. alien) and life cycle (annual vs. perennial), respectively, had a slight or no impact on fungal community composition, and conditioning plant origin did not affect PSF responses of the test species. Synthesis: These findings show that leaf litter prolongs soil fungal legacies of conspecific living individuals, which can lead to carryover effects on heterospecific plant growth in the next season. Our findings highlight the importance of leaf litter for plant–soil interactions and thereby stress the potential importance of plant litter as a driver of plant community dynamics.

Effect of elevated temperature on the rate of flowering anthesis and seed set in Olea ferruginea

Plant reproduction and climate are strongly correlated with each other in various aspects, as climate change is the main cause of biotic and abiotic stresses, which adversely affect plant reproductive biology. We conducted a field experiment over two consecutive years to record how warming temperature affects flowering anthesis within inflorescence and the relationship between the flowers with anther dehiscence before anthesis (ADBA) and fruit set with maximum and minimum temperature in Olea ferruginea. The results of linear regression analysis show that there is increase in the rate of ADBA by 0.846 times per unit increase in maximum temperature and 0.789% per unit increase in minimum temperature. Also, there is decrease in fruit set by 0.933% and 0.743% when compared with maximum and minimum temperature respectively. The fruit set was found to be decreased by 0.81% when flowers undergo ADBA. Since the species is self-incompatible, cross pollination and pollen germination becomes impossible after anthesis due to the presence of self-pollen on the stigmatic surface. Our study results suggest that temperature fluctuations could affect rate of anthesis in flowering and reduce seed production under higher temperature. Thus, the impacts of climate extremes on plant life cycles may be as influential as gradual warming. In particular, it appears that throughout the anthropocene, temperature regime fluctuation had a bigger impact on flowering dynamics.

Management concepts for the sustainable development of mineral resources

Background. The development and implementation of the life cycle concepts of extracted raw materials seems promising for the sustainable development of mineral resources by a mining company. The practical implementation of such concepts requires a system of theoretical, methodological, analytical, and organizational procedures developed in close collaboration by state officials, researchers, and subsoil users with a particular focus on the responsibility of producers.Aim. To carry out an analysis of the existing theoretical concepts for managing the mineral resource base of mining companies and to assess their implementation prospects. The following objectives were formulated: 1) to analyze the current situation in the field of reproduction of mineral resources; 2) to review the management approaches currently used to reproduce mineral resources; 3) to evaluate the prospects of modern concepts for the management of mineral resources in the mining industry.Materials and methods of research. The authors analyzed the publications of foreign and domestic authors in the field of sustainable development. The complex of studies included an analysis of the theoretical concepts of management of reproduction of the mineral resource base developed to date, grouping of key indicators for assessing the sustainability of a mining enterprise, comparing approaches to management of reproduction of the mineral resource base and others.Results. Specific features of the mechanistic approach to the management of mineral resources, as well as its limitations and drawbacks, were analyzed. Particular attention was paid to a concept of the life cycle of a mining plant. The possibilities and prospects of using a methodology of mineral resource capacity management are described.Conclusions. The transition to modern concepts in the management of mining enterprises can be achieved under the condition of changing the existing orientation to super-profitable gross mining to that balancing social, environmental, and economic considerations.

BBX24 Increases Saline and Osmotic Tolerance through ABA Signaling in Arabidopsis Seeds.

Seed germination is a critical stage for survival during the life cycle of an individual plant. Genetic and environmental cues are integrated by individual seeds to determine germination, mainly achieved through regulation of the metabolism and signaling of gibberellins (GA) and abscisic acid (ABA), two phytohormones with antagonistic roles. Saline and drought conditions can arrest the germination of seeds and limit the seedling emergence and homogeneity of crops. This work aimed to study the function of BBX24, a B-Box transcription factor, in the control of germination of Arabidopsis thaliana seeds imbibed in saline and osmotic conditions. Seeds of mutant and reporter GUS lines of BBX24 were incubated at different doses of NaCl and polyethylene-glycol (PEG) solutions and with ABA, GA and their inhibitors to evaluate the rate of germination. We found that BBX24 promotes seed germination under moderated stresses. The expression of BBX24 is inhibited by NaCl and PEG. In addition, ABA suppresses BBX24-induced seed germination. Additional experiments suggest that BBX24 reduces ABA sensitivity, improving NaCl tolerance, and increases GA sensitivity in seeds imbibed in ABA. In addition, BBX24 inhibits the expression of ABI3 and ABI5 and genetically interacts upstream of HY5 and ABI5. This study demonstrates the relevance of BBX24 to induce drought and salinity tolerance in seed germination to ensure seedling emergence in sub-optimal environments.