Storage Reserves Research Articles

Digestive and metabolic profile of the resident population of the silverside Odontesthes argentinensis from Mar Chiquita Coastal Lagoon (Buenos Aires, Argentina).

The knowledge about the occurrence and biochemical characteristics of key digestive enzymes is crucial for an enhanced understanding of the dietary ecophysiology of the species. On the other hand, integrative studies on digestive physiology and on tissue content of glycogen, glucose, lipid and protein in groups of ecological and economic importance are currently limited. In this work, we determined the occurrence and biochemical characteristics in intestine of key digestive enzymes activities as indexes of the ability to digest different dietary substrates and of functional differentiation for digestion/absorption of nutrients along with the intestinal coefficient as index of dietary habit and digestion efficiency in adults of Odonthtestes argentinensis inhabiting Mar Chiquita Coastal Lagoon (Buenos Aires, Argentina). Furthermore, to identify storage sites, glycogen, triglycerides and protein content in different tissues were also analyzed. The presence and biochemical characteristics of amylase, maltase, sucrase, lipase, trypsin and aminopeptidase-N activity in intestine, as well as the tissue content of glycogen, triglycerides and protein suggests that adults of O.argentinensis exhibit an adequate digestive battery to potentially perform complete hydrolysis of various dietary substrates and capacity for storage and/or utilization of energy reserves. Our study provides novel insights into the digestive/metabolic traits in adults of the resident silverside O. argentinensis from Mar Chiquita Coastal Lagoon.

Assessing Regional Strategies to Cope with Drought, Climate, and Environmental Flow Policy Impacts for a Sustainable Water Supply: A Case Study of the Bay Area.

California's Bay-Delta watershed encompasses 40% of the state's runoff and serves water supply and irrigation needs throughout the state. A recently amended policy attempts to rebalance water supply and ecological outcomes by requiring 40% of the flow to remain in-stream in the Tuolumne River and other tributaries between February 1 and June 30 each year. This policy impacts water supply diversions serving millions of customers in the San Francisco Bay Area. This work analyzes possible regional coping responses in the context of climate and policy uncertainty, exploring the effectiveness of various strategies to mitigate climate and policy impacts and improve future water supply outcomes. We find that climate uncertainty has a dominant impact on three measures of water supply performance: the frequency of full storage reserves, minimum storage level, and uncaptured flow remaining. Coping interventions in the ranges considered (0-500,000 acre-feet/0-620 million m3 new storage; 0-60,000 acre-feet per year/0-70 million m3 per year new supplies) can serve to mitigate climate impacts and to fully or partially offset the impact of the in-stream flow policy. Regardless of the policy, coping interventions are needed to avoid critically low storage levels. Our analysis indicates that recharge may be an effective strategy to increase capture of Tuolumne River streamflow, with an expected yield of 0.15-0.51 units of flow captured per unit of recharge capacity added, compared to reservoir expansion, with an expected yield of 0.05-0.07 units of flow captured annually per unit of volume capacity added.

Experimental analysis of a solar air heater using waste mild steel chips as a sensible heat storage material.

Heat storage materials improve the utility of solar air heaters (SAHs) after sunset. This study investigates an improved solar air heater (SAH) performance with baffles and waste mild steel chips as sensible heat storage (SHS) materials. Comparative experimental natural convection heat transfer studies were performed with four different improved air heater setups under similar solar radiation conditions. These setups consist of a flat collector plate (I), a baffled plate collector (II), a flat plate collector with SHS (III) and a baffled plate collector with SHS (IV) respectively. Setups I, II, III and IV were obtained by modifying the same air heater enclosure and each experiment was replicated for three similar sunny days. During the periods, the solar radiation varied in the range of 556-934 W/m2. The maximum thermal efficiencies found for setups I, II, III and IV were 18.76%, 22.40%, 27.21% and 28.22% respectively under natural convection. The highest average useful energy rate was produced by setup IV, followed by setups III, II and I. After sunset, setups III and IV were able to deliver warm air for an extended period of 1h, 18min and 1h, 42min, respectively. It was found that setups III and IV had sensible thermal energy storage reserves of 0.38kJ and 0.53kJ, respectively. The storage efficiencies found for setups III and IV were 60.25% and 70.89%, respectively. Among the four setups, setup IV boasts the most economical energy cost at 1.39 ₹/kWh and having the least payback period of 1year 4months. As a result, the employment of baffles and waste mild steel chips as SHS in a flat plate SAH not only presents a method for harvesting waste for efficient heat retention, but it also effectively uses solar energy for beneficial uses.

Soil Physicochemical Properties and Carbon Storage Reserve Distribution Characteristics of Plantation Restoration in a Coal Mining Area

The Bulianta Coal Mine is among the problematic coal mining areas in China that is still creating environmental damage, especially associated with soil destruction. Therefore, a scientific investigation was conducted to establish a scientific basis for evaluating the impact of planted forest on soil physical and chemical properties, as well as the ecological benefits following 15 years of vegetation restoration in the area. The soil physicochemical characteristics and distribution of organic carbon storage in the 0–80 cm layer soils of Pinus sylvestris forests, Prunus sibirica forests, and Hippophae rhamnoides forests restored after 5, 10, and 15 years were investigated. The immersion method was used to determine soil porosity and density followed by the determination of soil indicators, and a statistical ANOVA test was applied to examine the differential effects of different vegetation types and restoration years on soil properties. The results clearly demonstrated the following: (1) The recovery of vegetation was achieved after a period of 15 years, with the average bulk density of the 0–80 cm soil layer as follows: P. sylvestris forest (1.513 g·cm−3) > P. sibirica forest (1.272 g·cm−3) > H. rhamnoides forest (1.224 g·cm−3), and the differences among different forest types were statistically significant (p < 0.05). (2) In planted forests, soil nutrients were predominantly concentrated in the 0–20 cm layer, while soil carbon storage exhibited a decline with an increasing soil depth. (3) The soil carbon storage across the three forest types was as follows: P. sylvestris forest (45.42 t·hm−2) > P. sibirica forest (44.56 t·hm−2) > H. rhamnoides forest (41.87 t·hm−2). In summary, during the ecological vegetation restoration process in the Bulianta Core Mine, both P. sylvestris forest and P. sibirica forest exhibit superior carbon storage capacities compared to H. rhamnoides forest, as well as more effective soil improvement outcomes.

TECHNOLOGY FOR THE PRODUCTION OF COMPOSITE MATERIAL-SULFUR CONCRETE PRODUCTS FROM MODIFIED SULFUR

Due to the increase in the processing of sulfur-containing hydrocarbon raw materials (oil and gas), sulfur is released as one of the large - tonnage waste. Long-term storage of large sulfur reserves has a negative impact on the environment. Composite material of sulfur modification-characterized by environmental efficiency, economic efficiency in construction. This review examines the sources of sulfur origin, properties, technology for making sulfur concrete from it and the use of sulfur-based concrete in the construction industry today. Experimental evaluation of modified sulfur concrete, other methods of preparation of mixtures were identified, and the importance of adaptation to foreign experience in the development of sulfur concrete production was shown. One of the most promising projects is the production of concrete containing sulfur binder in order to reduce the load on the environment. After all, sulfur concrete has such advantages as resistance to acid and radiation, frost resistance and the ability to recycle. The aim of the work was to study a new composition of sulfur concrete based on a bitumen composition. To conduct the study, samples of sulfur concrete with different percentage contents of the constituent components were prepared.

Morpho-Physiological and Biochemical Responses in Prosopis laevigata Seedlings to Varied Nitrogen Sources

Nitrogen (N) fertilization promotes morphofunctional attributes that enhance plant performance under stress conditions, but the amount and form supplied modify the magnitude of plant responses. We assessed several morpho-physiological and biochemical responses of Prosopis laevigata seedlings to a high supply of N, provided as either inorganic (NH4NO3) or organic (amino acids). Such N treatments were applied on four-month-old seedlings as a supplement of 90 mg N to a regular supply of 274 mg N plant−1. Nitrogen supply modified biomass allocation patterns between leaves and roots regardless of N form. Increased N input decreased photosynthetic capacity, even when plants had high internal N reserves. Organic N fertilization reduced the N use efficiency, but increased leaf and root amino acid concentrations. Proteins accumulated in stems in plants receiving inorganic N, while the organic N increased leaf proteins. High N supply promoted root starch accumulation irrespective of N form. Nitrogen supply did not directly influence plants’ regrowth capacity. Still, resprouting was correlated to initial root-to-shoot ratios and root starch, confirming the importance of roots as storage reserves of starch for recovering biomass after browsing. These findings have practical implications for designing nutritional management strategies in nurseries to improve seedling performance in afforestation efforts.

Overview of Salt Cavern Oil Storage Development and Site Suitability Analysis

Salt cavern storage, characterized by its safety, stability, large scale, economic viability, and efficiency, stands out as a cost-effective and relatively secure method for large-scale petroleum reserves. This paper provides an overview of the current development status of salt cavern storage technologies both domestically and internationally, analyzes the advantageous conditions and numerous challenges faced by salt cavern Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR) storage in China, and forecasts the development trends of this technology. The conclusions indicate that China possesses all of the necessary conditions for the development of salt cavern storage. Moreover, utilizing the Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP), a macro suitability hierarchical evaluation system is constructed for the site selection and construction of salt cavern storage facilities. This system quantifies various site selection indicators, integrating expert opinions and findings from relevant theoretical research to establish grading standards for the suitability indices of salt cavern storage construction. Applied to the site evaluation of salt cavern storage at the Jintan Salt Mine in Jiangsu, the results indicate its high suitability for storage construction, making it an ideal location for establishing such facilities. The evaluation results are consistent with expert opinions, demonstrating the rationality of this method.

Enhanced lignin and cellulose metabolism promote cell wall synthesis and growth of wild soybean HRA under alkali stress.

Soil salinization adversely threatens plant survival and food production globally. The mobilization of storage reserves in cotyledons and establishment of the hypocotyl/root axis (HRA) structure and function are crucial to the growth of dicotyledonous plants during the post-germination growth period. Here, we report the adaptive mechanisms of wild and cultivated soybeans in response to alkali stress in soil during the post-germination growth period. Diferences in physiological parameters, microstructure, and the types, amounts and metabolic pathways of small molecule metabolites and gene expression were compared and multi-omics integration analysis was performed between wild and cultivated soybean under sufcient and artifcially simulated alkali stress during the post-germination growth period in this study. Structural analysis showed that the cell wall thickness of wild soybean under alkali stress increased, whereas cultivated soybeans were severely damaged. A comprehensive analysis of small molecule metabolites and gene expression revealed that protein breakdown in wild soybean cotyledons under alkali stress was enhanced, and transport of amino acids and sucrose increased. Additionally, lignin and cellulose synthesis in wild soybean HRA under alkali stress were enhanced. verall, protein decomposition and transport of amino acids and sucrose increased in wild soybean cotyledons under alkali stress, which in turn, promotes HRA growth. Similarly, lignin and cellulose synthesis in wild soybean HRA enhanced, which subsequently, enhanced cell wall synthesis, thereby maintaining the stability and functionality of HRA under alkali stress. This study presents important practical implications for the utilization of wild plant resources and sustainable development of agriculture.

Landscape effects on dispersal‐related traits in a sedentary butterfly in agricultural landscapes

Abstract Agricultural intensification causes the loss and fragmentation of natural habitats, which negatively impacts farmland biodiversity. The concomitant isolation of essential resources may favour increased dispersal ability in flying insects, resulting in differences in flight morphology and dispersal propensity across landscapes. We collected the butterfly Coenonympha pamphilus in four replicated landscape pairs, each consisting of (a) a highly fragmented and intensified ‘modern’ and (b) a less fragmented ‘traditional’ agricultural landscape. We compared condition (i.e. storage reserves), flight morphology, dispersal capacity and propensity of the collected butterflies between both landscape types. We also tested for the impact of landscape composition and configuration at different spatial scales on butterfly traits. No differences between landscape types per se could be found, but a variety of landscape features affected butterfly traits, indicating complex interactions between landscape heterogeneity and dispersal. In particular, landscapes with a high proportion of crop fields appeared to be selected for phenotypes enhancing dispersal ability. Since dispersal is a key factor for the persistence of metapopulations in fragmented landscapes, we argue that limitations on dispersal in relation to compositional and configurational landscape heterogeneity should be considered in the debate on insect declines in agricultural landscapes.

The biosynthesis of storage reserves and auxin is coordinated by a hierarchical regulatory network in maize endosperm.

Grain filling in maize (Zea mays) is intricately linked to cell development, involving the regulation of genes responsible for the biosynthesis of storage reserves (starch, proteins, and lipids) and phytohormones. However, the regulatory network coordinating these biological functions remains unclear. In this study, we identified 1744 high-confidence target genes co-regulated by the transcription factors (TFs) ZmNAC128 and ZmNAC130 (ZmNAC128/130) through chromatin immunoprecipitation sequencing coupled with RNA-seq analysis in the zmnac128/130 loss-of-function mutants. We further constructed a hierarchical regulatory network using DNA affinity purification sequencing analysis of downstream TFs regulated by ZmNAC128/130. In addition to target genes involved in the biosynthesis of starch and zeins, we discovered novel target genes of ZmNAC128/130 involved in the biosynthesis of lipids and indole-3-acetic acid (IAA). Consistently, the number of oil bodies, as well as the contents of triacylglycerol, and IAA were significantly reduced in zmnac128/130. The hierarchical regulatory network centered by ZmNAC128/130 revealed a significant overlap between the direct target genes of ZmNAC128/130 and their downstream TFs, particularly in regulating the biosynthesis of storage reserves and IAA. Our results indicated that the biosynthesis of storage reserves and IAA is coordinated by a multi-TFs hierarchical regulatory network in maize endosperm.

Evaluation of Dunaliella salina Growth in Different Salinities for Potential Application in Saline Water Treatment and Biomass Production

This study investigated the adaptability of Dunaliella salina to different salinity levels, with an emphasis on growth, pigment concentration, and desalination potential. It was found that among the 21 salinity levels, Salinity 75 produced consistently favorable results in cell count (13.08 × 103 ± 1.41 × 103 cells/mL), dry biomass (2.46 ± 0.06 g/L), pigment content (chlorophyll a = 97,500,000 ± 100,000 pg/L, chlorophyll b = 123,600,000 ± 300,000 pg/L), and desalination (9.32 ± 0.47 reduction). Therefore, Salinity 75 was selected for the final trial (scale-up), which revealed unanticipatedly high cell counts (58.96 × 103 ± 535.22 cells/mL), with the dry biomass weight being statistically different (higher) than expected (4.21 ± 0.02 g/L) (p < 0.0001), most likely due to the high cell count and energy reserve storage for high-salinity adaption in the form of bio-compounds. Pigment growth continued (chlorophyll a = 95,400,000 ± 2,200,000 pg/L, chlorophyll b = 128,100,000 ± 5,100,000 pg/L), indicating pigment production under salt stress. Notably, desalination did not occur in this stage, possibly due to the necessity for a bigger initial inoculate, prolonged exposure or bioaccumulation becoming the prevailing mechanism over desalination. Nevertheless, the trial highlights D. salina’s strong adaptation to various salinity levels. This suggests a promising future in halophyte research, particularly in understanding the mechanisms that prevent salt accumulation in cells and how to overcome this barrier. Additionally, these results suggest that microalgae could be a viable resource in saline-rich environments unsuitable for conventional agriculture, promoting industrial adaptation to adverse conditions.

Correlated changes in stress resistance and biochemical parameters in response to long-term protein restriction in Drosophila melanogaster.

Studies in fruit flies, Drosophila melanogaster, have observed considerable variation in the effect of dietary protein restriction (PR) on various fitness traits. In addition, not only are there inconsistent results relating lifespan to stress resistance, but also the long-term effects of PR are unexplored. We study PR implementation across generations (long term) hypothesizing that it will be beneficial for fitness traits, stress resistance and storage reserves due to nutritional plasticity transferred by parents to offspring in earlier Drosophila studies. By imposing two concentrations of PR diets (50% and 70% of control protein) from the pre-adult and adult (age 1 day) stages of the flies, we assessed the stage-specific and long-term effect of the imposed PR. All long-term PR flies showed increased resistance against the tested stressors (starvation, desiccation, H2O2-induced oxidative stress). In addition, we also found long-term PR-induced increased stress resistance across generations. The PR flies also possessed higher protein and triglyceride (TG) content, reduced glucose and unaffected glycogen levels. We also assayed the effect of returning the PR flies to control (AL) food for a single generation and assessed their biochemical parameters to witness the transient PR effect. It was seen that TG content upon reversal was similar to AL flies except for PRI70 males; however, the glucose levels of PR males increased, while they were consistently lower in females. Taken altogether, our study suggests that long-term PR implementation contributes to increased stress resistance and was found to influence storage reserves in D. melanogaster.

Sleep Posture Influences Metabolic Rate and Vigilance in the Common Whitethroat (Curruca Communis).

Migration is an important life-history strategy that is adopted by a significant proportion of bird species from temperate areas. Birds initiate migration after accumulating considerable energy reserves, primarily in the form of fat and muscle. Sustained exercise, such as during the crossing of ecological barriers, leads to the depletion of energy reservesand increased physiological stress. Stopover sites, where birds rest and restore energy, play a fundamental role in mitigating these challenges. The duration of resting at stopover sites is influenced by environmental and physiological conditions upon arrival, and the amount of body fat reserves plays an important role. While sleep is recognized as essential for all organisms, its importance is accentuated during migration, where energy management becomes a survival constraint. Previous research indicated that individuals with larger fat reserves tend to sleep less and favor an untucked sleep posture, influencing energy recovery and anti-predatory vigilance. We explored the relationship between sleep behavior and posture, metabolic state, and energy conservation strategies during migration in the common whitethroat (Curruca communis). We were able to confirm that sleeping in a tucked position results in metabolic energy savings, at the cost of reduced vigilance. However, whitethroats did not show alterations of their sleep patterns as a response to the amount of stored reserves. This suggests that they may not be taking full advantage of the metabolic gains of sleeping in a tucked posture, at least at this stage of their migratory journey. We suggest that, to achieve optimal fuel accumulation and maximize stopover efficiency, whitethroats prioritize increased foraging over modulating their sleep patterns.

The elongation factor 1-alpha as storage reserve and environmental sensor in Nicotiana tabacum L. seeds

Given their critical role in plant reproduction and survival, seeds demand meticulous regulatory mechanisms to effectively store and mobilize reserves. Within seeds, the condition of storage reserves heavily depends on environmental stimuli and hormonal activation. Unlike non-protein reserves that commonly employ dedicated regulatory proteins for signaling, proteinaceous reserves may show a unique form of 'self-regulation', amplifying efficiency and precision in this process. Proteins rely on stability to carry out their functions. However, in specific physiological contexts, particularly in seed germination, protein instability becomes essential, fulfilling roles from signaling to regulation. In this study, the elongation factor 1-alpha has been identified as a main proteinaceous reserve in Nicotiana tabacum L. seeds and showed peculiar changes in stability based on tested chemical and physical conditions. A detailed biochemical analysis followed these steps to enhance our understanding of these protein attributes. The protein varied its behavior under different conditions of pH, temperature, and salt concentration, exhibiting shifts within physiological ranges. Notably, distinct solubility transitions were observed, with the elongation factor 1-alpha becoming insoluble upon reaching specific thresholds determined by the tested chemical and physical conditions. The findings are discussed within the context of seed signaling in response to environmental conditions during the key transitions of dormancy and germination.

Optimized Battery Capacity Allocation Method for Wind Farms with Dual Operating Conditions

In order to solve the problems of wind power output volatility and wind power participation in frequency regulation, a method for optimizing the capacity allocation of wind farm storage batteries based on the dual grouping strategy and considering the simultaneous execution of the dual conditions of energy storage in fluctuation smoothing and primary frequency regulation is proposed. Firstly, a two-layer model is established to optimize the capacity allocation under dual operating conditions, i.e., the planning layer takes into account the lifetime, cost, and benefit, and the operation layer considers the wind turbine reserve backup and storage control to participate in the primary frequency regulation in a cooperative manner. Then, the dual battery pack operation strategy is embedded with the variational modal decomposition method to determine the charging and discharging operation strategy of energy storage after considering the grid-optimized reference power. An improved particle swarm algorithm with inverse learning pre-optimization combined with variational crossover post-optimization is embedded in the GUROBI computation to obtain the optimal battery storage capacity allocation scheme. Finally, the superiority of the model proposed in this paper in terms of improving energy storage utilization, service life, and economic efficiency as well as reducing wind power load shedding is verified by comparing it with a single execution working condition scenario and traditional battery control strategy.

Advancing Sustainable Malting Practices: Aquaporins as Potential Breeding Targets for Improved Water Uptake during Controlled Germination of Barley (Hordeum vulgare L.).

The conversion of raw barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) to malt requires a process of controlled germination, where the grain is submerged in water to raise the moisture content to >40%. The transmembrane proteins, aquaporins, influence water uptake during the initial stage of controlled germination, yet little is known of their involvement in malting. With the current focus on sustainability, understanding the mechanisms of water uptake and usage during the initial stages of malting has become vital in improving efficient malting practices. In this study, we used quantitative proteomics analysis of two malting barley genotypes demonstrating differing water-uptake phenotypes in the initial stages of malting. Our study quantified 19 transmembrane proteins from nine families, including seven distinct aquaporin isoforms, including the plasma intrinsic proteins (PIPs) PIP1;1, PIP2;1, and PIP2;4 and the tonoplast intrinsic proteins (TIPs) TIP1;1, TIP2;3, TIP3;1, and TIP3;2. Our findings suggest that the presence of TIP1;1, TIP3;1, and TIP3;2 in the mature barley grain proteome is essential for facilitating water uptake, influencing cell turgor and the formation of large central lytic vacuoles aiding storage reserve hydrolysis and endosperm modification efficiency. This study proposes that TIP3s mediate water uptake in malting barley grain, offering potential breeding targets for improving sustainable malting practices.

Sucrose-associated SnRK1a1-mediated phosphorylation of Opaque2 modulates endosperm filling in maize

During maize endosperm filling, sucrose not only serves as a source of carbon skeletons for storage-reserve synthesis but also acts as a stimulus to promote this process. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying sucrose and endosperm filling are poorly understood. In this study, we found that sucrose promotes the expression of endosperm-filling hub gene Opaque2 (O2), coordinating with storage-reserve accumulation. We showed that the protein kinase SnRK1a1 can attenuate O2-mediated transactivation, but sucrose can release this suppression. Biochemical assays revealed that SnRK1a1 phosphorylates O2 at serine 41 (S41), negatively affecting its protein stability and transactivation ability. We observed that mutation of SnRK1a1 results in larger seeds with increased kernel weight and storage reserves, while overexpression of SnRK1a1 causes the opposite effect. Overexpression of the native O2 (O2-OE), phospho-dead (O2-SA), and phospho-mimetic (O2-SD) variants all increased 100-kernel weight. Although O2-SA seeds exhibit smaller kernel size, they have higher accumulation of starch and proteins, resulting in larger vitreous endosperm and increased test weight. O2-SD seeds display larger kernel size but unchanged levels of storage reserves and test weight. O2-OE seeds show elevated kernel dimensions and nutrient storage, like a mixture of O2-SA and O2-SD seeds. Collectively, our study discovers a novel regulatory mechanism of maize endosperm filling. Identification of S41 as a SnRK1-mediated phosphorylation site in O2 offers a potential engineering target for enhancing storage-reserve accumulation and yield in maize.

Understanding the role of storage reserve mobilization during seed germination and initial seedling growth in species of the genus Carapa

A physiological and metabolic database for various species of Amazonian plants is crucial to the species selection and sustainable utilization of their diversity. We hypothesized that understanding the mobilization of Carapa seed reserves and water uptake during germination could provide insights into the physiological behavior and propagation to differentiate species of the same genus. Given this, the mobilization mechanisms of primary reserves, water uptake, and enzymatic activities in seeds of two species of Carapa (C. guianensis and C. vasquezii) were investigated. The lipid content was high in both species, with a value of 63.7±4.7% for C. guianensis and 55±1.5% for C. vasquezii. C. guianensis showed higher values for the other evaluated reserves. The protein profile highlights a band between 15 and 25 kDa in C. guianensis. As for the enzymatic activities investigated (lipase, amylase, protease, acid phosphatase), C. guianensis showed greater activity for most of them, except for acid phosphatase. Overall, the species showed different metabolic strategies and dynamics regarding the water uptake and use of reserves. Our findings indicate that distinct metabolic pathways are employed during the germination and initial seedling growth stages of two Carapa species. This trait can potentially guide the use and preservation of these species.

Triacylglycerol stability limits futile cycles and inhibition of carbon capture in oil-accumulating leaves.

Engineering plant vegetative tissue to accumulate triacylglycerols (TAG, e.g., oil) can increase the amount of oil harvested per acre to levels that exceed current oilseed crops. Engineered tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum) lines that accumulate 15% to 30% oil of leaf dry weight resulted in starkly different metabolic phenotypes. In-depth analysis of the leaf lipid accumulation and 14CO2 tracking describe metabolic adaptations to the leaf oil engineering. An oil-for-membrane lipid tradeoff in the 15% oil line (referred to as HO) was surprisingly not further exacerbated when lipid production was enhanced to 30% (LEC2 line). The HO line exhibited a futile cycle that limited TAG yield through exchange with starch, altered carbon flux into various metabolite pools and end products, and suggested interference of the glyoxylate cycle with photorespiration that limited CO2 assimilation by 50%. In contrast, inclusion of the LEAFY COTYLEDON 2 (LEC2) transcription factor in tobacco improved TAG stability, alleviated the TAG-to-starch futile cycle, and recovered CO2 assimilation and plant growth comparable to wild type but with much higher lipid levels in leaves. Thus, the unstable production of storage reserves and futile cycling limit vegetative oil engineering approaches. The capacity to overcome futile cycles and maintain enhanced stable TAG levels in LEC2 demonstrated the importance of considering unanticipated metabolic adaptations while engineering vegetative oil crops.

Carbon stock estimation based on remote sensing in the northern coast of Java

Mangroves are one of the land covers on the earth’s surface that being the largest storage of carbon reserves compared to other land covers. On the other hand, quick and accurate monitoring of carbon stocks on the earth’s surface is needed. This research was conducted on the northern coast of Java and used a flexible and efficient cloud computing-based remote sensing approach by using satellite imagery data. We identify land cover classification, especially mangrove, uses the Support Vector Machine (SVM) algorithm through the GEE (Google Earth Engine) platform. The estimated value of mangrove carbon was obtained from the NDVI index (Normalized Difference Vegetation Index) analysis on sentinel-2 images. The results showed that the estimated carbon value was 1,232,311.496 tones. Strong relationship is found between NDVI and carbon stocks with R2 of 98%. The study, therefore, strongly suggests the further use of NDVI to assess and monitor carbon stocks from mangroves in the future.