Stem Biomass Research Articles

Mycorrhiza-triggered changes in leaf food quality and secondary metabolite profile in tea at low temperatures

Tea is a popular cash crop around the world that often endures low temperatures in the spring, thereby negatively affecting tea yield and quality. The objective of this study was to examine the effects of an arbuscular mycorrhizal fungus, Clariodeoglomus etunicatum, on plant growth, root morphology, leaf food quality, associated gene expression, and secondary metabolite profiles in tea (Camellia sinensis cv. Fuding Dabaicha) seedlings grown at low temperatures. A seven-day low temperature (4 °C) treatment significantly reduced root colonization rate by C. etunicatum by 21.08%. Uninoculated plants' growth was considerably impeded by low temperatures, whereas C. etunicatum inoculation significantly increased leaf number and leaf, stem and root biomass at low temperatures. Low temperatures had little effect on root morphology, whereas C. etunicatum inoculation significantly increased root surface area at low temperatures. In addition, low temperatures reduced leaf quality variables, whereas C. etunicatum significantly increased the levels of glucose, fructose, sucrose, tea polyphenols, catechin, free amino acids, and caffeine at low temperatures, along with up-regulated expression of CsGDH, CsGOGAT, and CsHMGR, as well as down-regulated expression of CsGs. Non-targeted metabolomics identified 767 differential metabolites, of which 65 differential metabolites were observed at low temperatures by C. etunicatum inoculation, including 42 (e.g., catechin, (−)-epicatechingallate, protoanemonin, epicatechin, and 4-dodecylbenzenesulfonic acid) up-regulated and 23 (e.g., 4-hydroxybenzoic acid, raffinose, L-theanine, melezitose, and D-serine) down-regulated. Mycorrhiza-triggered differential metabolites enriched 268 metabolic pathways at low temperatures, including isoquinoline alkaloid biosynthesis, lysine biosynthesis, tyrosine metabolism, and others. These findings reveal that C. etunicatum can function as a fungal stimulant to improve the plant growth and leaf quality in tea while also changing the secondary metabolite profile at low temperatures.

Growth and Production of Lycopersicon esculentum M. with Rhizophagus intraradices and Azospirillum brasilense in a Substrate with Chicken Manure Added

The “tomato” Lycopersicon esculentum M (Solanaceae) is a vegetable with a high demand for consumption. For its production, plant nutrition is traditionally based on agrochemicals. Currently, nutrition alternatives are being sought based on various soil microorganisms that in combination with organic amendments, such as poultry manure, can improve the physical, chemical and biological properties of the rhizosphere. In this study, the effect of the application of two beneficial microorganisms, Rhizophagus intraradices and/or Azospirillum brasilense and poultry manure to the substrate in L. esculentum M was evaluated. The experiment was carried out in a greenhouse and the plants were established in bags with the following treatments: 1. control, 2. R. intraradices, 3. A. brasilense, 4. R. intraradices + A. brasilense. Morphological and physiological yield components were recorded 84 days after transplanting. Plant height, stem thickness, number of leaves, flower bud, flowers and dry biomass of leaf, stem and root, weight of fruits were analyzed statistically and differences between treatments were compared according to Tukey (p ≤ 0.05). In conclusion, the results indicate that L. esculentum M. in the nursery with some of the microorganisms individually and in co-inoculation, favored the growth and dry matter allocation of the morphological and physiological components of the yield compared to the control. The number and weight of fruits increased with co-inoculation of R. intraradices and A. brasilense.

Tree Crown Affects Biomass Allocation and Its Response to Site Conditions and the Density of Platycladus orientalis Linnaeus Plantation

Tree crown plays a crucial role in the process of photosynthesis and the formation of biomass. The site conditions and stand density have a significant impact on tree and crown growth, as well as biomass formation. Understanding crown growth and its influence on the allometric growth of the biomass of various organs under diverse site conditions and densities is critical to comprehending forest adaptation to climate change and management. This study examined the growth of trees, crown, and biomass in 36 plots of young Platycladus orientalis plantations across three site conditions (S1: thin soil on the sunny slope; S2: thick soil on the sunny slope; S3: thin soil on the shady slope) and four densities (D1: ≤1500 plants/hm2; D2: 1501–2000 plants/hm2; D3: 2001–3000 plants/hm2; and D4: ≥3001 plants/hm2). The findings of this study showed that S3 demonstrated the best tree growth, with considerably higher DBH and V than S1 and S2. In addition, as the number of trees grew, the average diameter at breast height (DBH), height (H), and volume (V) all decreased greatly. Poor site (S1) suppressed the canopy, decreasing crown width (CW), crown length (CL), crown ratio (CR), crown surface area (CCSA), and crown volume (CCV), while increasing crown efficiency (CEFF). This same trend was seen in D4, where CR, CCSA, and CCV were all much smaller than the other densities, but CEFF was the highest. Subjective and objective indicators were less responsive to changes in crown growth than crown composite indicators like CCSA, CCV, CEFF, and CR. Site condition and density had a major impact on biomass accumulation, with S1 and D4 having a much lower biomass than S2, S3, D1, D2, and D3. More biomass was allocated to the stem in S3 and D1, and more biomass was allocated to branches and leaves in S2, S3, D1, D2, and D3, resulting in a nearly isotropic growth of branches and leaves. The effect of crown indicators on the biomass of each organ varied according to site condition and density. In varied site conditions, crown and DBH ratio (RCD) contributed the most to stem biomass, whereas CL contributed the most to branch and root biomass. CL had the largest effect on biomass accumulation at various densities. This study demonstrates how site condition and density affect tree and crown development and biomass accumulation, providing theoretical guidance for plantation management under climate change.

Nutritional response of sugar maple seedlings to water stress under highly nitrogen‐enriched soil conditions

AbstractBackgroundTemperate forests of eastern North America will be increasingly affected by chronic atmospheric nitrogen deposition, elevated temperatures, and drought events that will expose trees to moisture‐stressed conditions in non‐nitrogen‐limited soils. Yet, little is known regarding the response of sugar maple‐dominated forests to moisture stress under non‐nitrogen‐limiting conditions.AimsThe objective of this greenhouse study was to analyze the effects of moisture stress on the nutrition and growth of sugar maple seedlings growing on base‐poor forest soils that were strongly fertilized with nitrogen.MethodsOne‐year‐old sugar maple seedlings were grown with and without water stress on soils from a sugar maple stand that had been fertilized for 15 years at a rate of 85 kg N ha−1 y−1.ResultsDecreased moisture availability decreased total, leaf, root and stem biomass, and root/stem ratio. Leaf concentrations of N, P, Ca, and Mg and root concentrations of K, Ca, and Mg were 6% to 23% significantly lower under stressed versus unstressed conditions despite no changes in N, P, K, and Mg concentrations in the soil. Only soil Ca concentration was negatively affected by the moisture stress treatment. Soil and leaf δ15N and the k‐factor (i.e., isotopic discrimination effect of 15N‐labeled sources of N between roots and soil) that was used to assess N‐use efficiency of sugar maple seedlings did not differ between water stress treatments.ConclusionsOur results indicate that decreasing root biomass of sugar maple seedlings under moisture stress in non‐nitrogen‐limiting situations would decrease their ability to take up nutrients that are necessary for growth and induce lower concentrations in leaves and roots. Expected severe drought events could substantially limit nutrient uptake capacity of sugar maple seedlings on sites that are subject to chronic atmospheric N‐deposition, which would contribute to dieback in sugar maple stands.

Biomass by an organ in understory vegetation: Study comparison among upper story tree species

The biomass of trees older than 40 years was calculated for three species: Swietenia macrophylla, Pinus merkusii, and Acacia auriculiformis. To estimate the tree biomass, we considered the diameter at breast height (dbh) and tree height (h) as significant variables. Cutting down trees in the study area was strictly prohibited to prevent irreversible damage to the ecosystem. Our strategy is to implement a non-destructive approach to estimate the biomass of each tree in the plantation forest. On the other hand, we perform separation and destruction of the understory parts to obtain a more specific green weight by an organ. Hence, measuring upper-story tree biomass using a non-destructive approach through existing equations is suitable for the conditions at the site. The main plot was 0.25 ha for each plantation and divided into subplots of 25 m2 to measure the understory. We found the S. macrophylla plant had a larger stem biomass than the other plants but had a small understory. In contrast, A. auriculiformis had the biggest understory but the smallest stem biomass. It is necessary to create more effective and non-destructive approaches to predict and quantify tree biomass broadly to facilitate better quantification of carbon sequestration.

Evaluating the relationship between stem and leaf biomass as well as stem length and leaf surface area of amaranth cultivars in improving food plant

Amaranth is now cultivated almost all over the World for multiple purposes, such as a vegetable, seed food, feed for animals, medicine, and for industry uses. They are highly nutritious, with vitamins and minerals. Leaf area and leaf dry biomass are key parameters linked to plant growth and production. The relationship between leaf biomass and leaf surface area, as well as stem biomass and stem length, is important to our understanding of plant scaling relationships because of their relationship to plant survival. This paper aimed to evaluate the relationship between and within the leaf and stem parameters of nine different amaranth cultivars. The fresh leaves and stems were weighed in their fresh masses; the surface area for leaves was calculated by drawing a full leaf in square quadrats and then counting the square quadrats occupied by a leaf and the stem length was measured using a ruler. Our results indicated that there was a clear relationship between leaf fresh mass and leaf dry mass but a negative correlation between stem fresh mass and stem dry mass due to different internal contents such as water and substances. A low significance was obtained between leaf biomass and leaf surface area, stem biomass and stem length, and leaf biomass and stems biomass as well as leaf surface area and stem length. Our results revealed that this variability of values causes the disproportional ratio of fresh mass to dry mass due to the differentiation quantity of water and solutes within the leaves and stems.

Spatio-temporal linkage variations between NDVI and tree rings on the leeward side of the northern Patagonian Andes

The Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) and tree rings provide different approaches that allow evaluating the productivity of ecosystems. Following this premise, we evaluated the relationship between NDVI and tree-ring widths of Austrocedrus chilensis forests at sectors of the Argentinian northwestern foothills of the Patagonian Andes. To proceed with this study, wood core samples were taken from 153 trees at 6 sites located at different latitudes and along a strong west-east precipitation gradient. The NDVI presented a significant and positive spatial correlation with precipitation, the Standardized Precipitation-Evapotranspiration Index (SPEI-3), soil moisture, and a negative correlation with air temperature at large geographical coverages. Stand location in the latitudinal and meridian coordinates showed a species-specific effect, with greater sensitivity to NDVI in sites located at higher latitudes and under drier conditions. We found stronger associations between stem biomass (tree rings) and canopy biomass (NDVI) in drier sites, assuming a closer link to stressful water conditions. This behavior was accentuated since 1988, which coincides with the increase in air temperature as a result of regional warming processes. These results suggest that site environmental conditions influence how NDVI and ring width are linked, showing the complex dynamics between climate and growth. The results indicate that ring widths of A. chilensis trees have the potential to assess current NDVI variations in the study area, allowing reconstructions of past productivity and potential predictive models of future changes.

Bamboo stem biomass waste-derived excitation-dependent carbon dots for nanomolar detection of fungicide dodine in real samples and their pH-sensitive bacterial interaction studies

The present work investigates the mitigation of dodine (DD) fungicide residue, which is recognized for its adverse environmental consequences, by the use of carbon dots (CDs) prepared from bamboo stem biomass (BS-CDs). This work focuses on the synthesis of BS-CDs using the one-step hydrothermal method, which has been shown the remarkable sensing efficiency even at low concentrations. The synthesized BS-CDs were analyzed through X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray photoelectron (XPS), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR), Raman spectroscopy, and high-resolution transmission electron microscopic techniques (HRTEM). The BS-CDs were spherical and mono-dispersed, with an average size of 3.71 nm. By utilizing the fluorescence quenching property of BS-CDs, a detection limit of 4.3 nM for DD was successfully achieved. The non-toxic profile of BS-CDs has been confirmed by cytotoxicity studies using MTT assay. Application research mostly focuses on exploring the interaction between CDs and bacteria, hence elucidating their pH-sensitive characteristics. Real sample (fruits and vegetables) analysis was carried out to assess the viability of the detection approach, and the results showed respectable recovery rates (105 to 115 %) with a relative standard deviation (∼2 %). The findings provide a positive outlook for addressing the presence of DD residue in ecologically vulnerable regions, emphasizing the viability of using BS-CDs as an environmentally friendly remedy.

Effects of light regimes and benthic fish disturbance on the foraging behavior of Vallisneria natans in heterogeneous sediments.

In shallow eutrophic lakes, submersed macrophytes are significantly influenced by two main factors: light availability and benthic fish disturbance. Plant foraging is one of the most crucial aspects of plant behavior. The present study was carried out to effects of light regimes and fish disturbance on the foraging behavior of Vallisneria natans in heterogeneous sediments. V. natans was cultivated in heterogeneous sediments with four treatments: high-light regime (H), high-light regime with benthic fish (HF), low-light regime (L), and low-light regime with benthic fish (LF). We use plant trait network analysis to evaluate the relationships between traits in heterogeneous sediments. We found the plant foraging intensity was positively correlated with trait network modularity. The biomass of stem, maternal plant biomass ratio, and ramet number were the hub traits of plant growing in heterogeneous habitats. Although the plant relative growth rate (RGR) was positively correlated with foraging intensity, the hub traits had closer links with plant RGR than foraging intensity. Light regime and benthic fish indirectly affected the plant foraging intensity by changing the chlorophyll a content and pH of overlying water. Overall, our analysis provides valuable insights into plant foraging behavior in response to environmental changes.

Supporting Operational Tree Marking Activities through Airborne LiDAR Data in the Frame of Sustainable Forest Management

Implementing adaptation and mitigation strategies in forest management constitutes a primary tool for climate change mitigation. To the best of our knowledge, very little research so far has examined light detection and ranging (LiDAR) technology as a decision tool for operational cut-tree marking. This study focused on investigating the potential of airborne LiDAR data in enhancing operational tree marking in a dense, multi-layered forest over complex terrain for actively supporting long-term sustainable forest management. A detailed tree registry and density maps were produced and evaluated for their accuracy using field data. The derived information was subsequently employed to estimate additional tree parameters (e.g., biomass and tree-sequestrated carbon). An integrated methodology was finally proposed using the developed products for supporting the time- and effort-efficient operational cut-tree marking. The results showcased the low detection ability (R2 = 0.15–0.20) of the trees with low DBH (i.e., regeneration and understory trees), while the dominant trees were accurately detected (R2 = 0.61). The stem biomass was accurately estimated, presenting an R2 of 0.67. Overall, despite some products’ low accuracy, their full and efficient exploitability within the aforementioned proposed methodology has been endeavored with the aim of actively contributing to long-term sustainable forest management.

Estimation of aboveground biomass and carbon stocks of Quercus ilex L. saplings using UAV-derived RGB imagery

Key messageCrown area, sapling height, and biovolume extracted from UAV-acquired RGB images provided accurate estimates of aboveground biomass and carbon stocks in a 5-year-old holm oak (Quercus ilex L.) plantation. Our models regressing UAV-derived sapling variables against ground-based measurements exhibited high R2 values (0.78–0.89), thereby reflecting that RGB data can be used as an effective tool for measuring young individuals.ContextThe monitoring of tree sapling performance from the early stages of reforestation is of particular importance in the context of the global efforts to restore forests. Yet, most models to estimate carbon sequestration are developed for adult trees. Thus, the few models specifically developed for young trees rely on ground-based field sampling of tree growth parameters, which is time-consuming and difficult to implement at large spatial scales.AimsOur objectives were as follows: (1) to study the potential of UAV-based RGB imagery to detect and extract sapling variables (e.g., crown area, height, and biovolume) by comparing ground-based sapling measurements with UAV-derived data and (2) to compare the accuracy of the data estimated from RGB imagery with existing traditional field-based allometric equations.MethodsWe used a 5-year-old holm oak (Quercus ilex L. subsp. ballota (Desf.) Samp.) plantation (N = 617 plants), and their crown area, height, and biovolume were estimated from RGB imagery. Subsequently, the plants were harvested and the UAV-derived data were compared with field-measured sapling height and aboveground biomass values. Carbon content in leaves and stems was measured in a subsample of the saplings to estimate carbon stocks.ResultsThe models fitted with UAV-derived variables displayed high performance, with R2 values from 0.78 to 0.89 for height, leaf and stem biomass, total aboveground biomass, and carbon stocks. Moreover, aboveground biomass outputs calculated with field height and UAV-derived height using allometric equations exhibited R2 values from 0.65 to 0.68.ConclusionsGiven the affordable cost of RGB cameras and the versatility of drones, we suggest that UAV-based models may be a cost-effective method to estimate the biomass and carbon stocks of young plantations. However, further studies conducting drone flights in different conditions are needed to make this approach more scalable.

Sorghum biomass yield and allocation as affected by the combination of photoperiod sensitivity, sweet-stalk and brown midrib traits

Context or problemTraits like photoperiod sensitivity, sweet-stalk and brown midrib (bmr) have been introgressed to increase the biomass yield and quality of sorghum (Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench) towards bioenergy yield improvement. The effects of combined traits on sorghum performance are far from clear. ObjectivesThe objectives were to investigate the effects of different combinations of photoperiod sensitivity, sweet-stalk and bmr traits on sorghum biomass yield and allocation, and to discuss the implications of such effects on bioenergy production. MethodsData from our own as well as publicly available field trials were analyzed. A corpus of 51 hybrids grown in 49 environments were classified based on photoperiod sensitivity trait (PS or PI for photoperiod sensitive or insensitive), sweet-stalk trait (sweet- and sweet+), and bmr trait (bmr- and bmr+), and differences in the yields of shoot biomass and biomass fractions were determined. Biomass allocation was further evaluated in terms of allometric analysis. ResultsSignificant triple interaction of the effects of the traits on shoot biomass and plant fractions yields were found. In PS-sorghum, bmr decreased shoot biomass only in sweet- genotypes. In PI-sorghum, sweet-stalk trait increased shoot biomass only in bmr- genotypes. In both PS and PI-sorghum, sweet–stalk and bmr traits drove changes in plants’ stem to leaves biomass ratio. In PI-sorghum they also promoted an increase of stem biomass at the expense of panicle biomass. Allometric analysis allowed us to capture different effects of traits on biomass allocation when the yield of biomass shoot changed. ConclusionsInteraction among the effect of traits on shoot biomass yield help to explain discrepancies of biomass yield responses to traits found in the literature. Sweet-stalk and bmr traits produced changes in biomass distribution that depended on plant size, and that ultimately would impact on bioenergy production. Implications or significanceUnraveling the mechanisms underlying biomass and quality changes in response to increasing biomass yield is essential to simultaneously improve bioconversion efficiency and biomass yield. This work provides a starting point for studying the mechanisms behind the effects of combined traits of agronomic interest on biomass yield and allocation of sorghum as an energy crop.

Mechanical vulnerability of beech (Fagus sylvatica L.) poles after thinning: Securing stem or roots is risk dependent

In this study, we analysed how the tree growth in stem and roots reacts to thinning, focusing on the consequences for mechanical stability of the root-soil plate quantified by field mechanical bending tests. In order to disentangle the role of the biomechanical control of growth (thigmomorphogenesis) from other factors, half of the studied trees were guyed to remove mechanical stimulation due to the wind of living cells. Surprisingly, our results show a decrease in the root-soil plate mechanical performances for a given stem biomass after thinning. This decrease was however explained by boosted biomass allocation to the stem at the expense of the root system. Further, relationship between the initial stiffness and the strength (overturning moment) of the root-soil plate was modified by thinning. It is suggested that at this development stage (poles), as stem break is the weakest point of tree resistance to wind loads, the biomechanical control of growth strengthens preferentially the stem and not the anchorage. Further developments should study the diversity of behaviours between development stages and between species for a unified theory on the role of the thigmomorphogenetic syndrome in tree resistance to wind risk, with synergies and trade-offs with other processes and functions.

Shifting climatic responses of tree rings and NDVI along environmental gradients

Variations in the growth of aboveground biomass compartments such as tree stem and foliage significantly influence the carbon cycle of forest ecosystems. Yet the patterns of climate-driven responses of stem and foliage and their modulating factors remain poorly understood. In this study, we investigate the climatic response of Norway spruce (Picea abies) at 138 sites covering wide spatial and site fertility gradients in temperate forests in Central Europe. To characterize the annual growth rate of stem biomass and seasonal canopy vigor, we used tree-ring chronologies and time-series of NDVI derived from Landsat imagery. We calculated correlations of tree-ring width and NDVI with mean growing season temperature and standardized precipitation evapotranspiration index (SPEI). We evaluated how these climate responses varied with aridity index, soil category, stand age, and topographical factors. The results show that the climate-growth responses of tree rings shift from positive to negative for SPEI and from negative to positive for temperature from dry (warm) to wet (cold) areas. By contrast, NDVI revealed a negative response to temperature across the entire climatic gradient. The negative response of NDVI to temperature likely results from drought effects in warm areas and supporting effects of cloudy conditions on foliage greenness in wet areas. Contrary to NDVI, climate responses of tree rings differed according to stand age and were unaffected by local topographical features and soil conditions. Our findings demonstrate that the decoupling of stem and foliage climatic responses may result from their different climatic limitation along environmental gradients. These results imply that in temperate forest ecosystems, the canopy vigor may show different trends compared to stem growth under ongoing climate change.

UBC6, a ubiquitin-conjugating enzyme, participates in secondary cell wall thickening in the inflorescence stem of Arabidopsis

Secondary cell wall (SCW) thickening in plant inflorescence stems is a complicated cellular process that is essential for stem strength and biomass. Although Arabidopsis NAC transcription factor (TF) 1 (NST1) regulates the SCW thickening in anther walls, the single T-DNA-insertion mutant (nst1) does not show disrupted SCW thickening in anther endothecium, interfascicular fibers or xylem. To better understand the regulatory mechanism of this process, we generated an ethyl methanesulfonate (EMS)-mutagenized Arabidopsis population with the nst1 background. scd5 (SCW-defective mutant 5) was isolated in a forward genetic screen from the EMS mutant library, which displayed not only less lignin deposition in the interfascicular fiber and xylem than the wild type but also a pendent inflorescence stem. The EMS-induced mutation associated with the scd5 phenotype was found in the 5th exon of At2G46030 that encodes a ubiquitin-conjugating enzyme (UBC6), we thereby renamed the allele nst1 ubc6. Overexpressing UBC6 in nst1 ubc6 rescued the defective SCW, whereas disrupting UBC6 in nst1 by the CRISPR/Cas9 system caused a phenotype similar to that observed in nst1 ubc6. UBC6 was localized to the nucleus and plasma membrane, and possessed E2 ubiquitin-conjugating activity in vitro. MYB7 and MYB32 are considered as transcription repressors in the phenylpropanoid pathway and are involved in NAC TF-related transcriptional regulation in SCW thickening. UBC6 can interact with MYB7 and MYB32 and positively mediate the degradation of MYB7 and MYB32 by the 26S proteasome. Overall, these results indicated the contribution of UBC6 to SCW thickening in Arabidopsis inflorescence stems.

Augmentation of plant biomass productivity using epigeic earthworm Perionyx excavatus and Eisenia fetida as soil nutrient facilitators

With the increasing demand for organic food production, the earthworm is used as a soil nutrient facilitator. The present study was conducted to assess the effect of epigeic earthworms Perionyx excavatus and Eisenia. fetida on soil nutrients and the consequent improvement of biomass productivity and yield of Capsicum chinense Jacq and Zea mays L. The experiment was conducted in 5 L and 15 L capacity plastic pots for C. chinense and Z. mays with 150 g and 300 g of half-decomposed cow dung, respectively. It was observed that the weekly harvest rate of ripened chili was 17.59 g, 13.91 g, and 9.24 g in P. excavatus, control, and E. fetida pot showing 26.49% higher in P. excavatus. Also, the total kernel count per corn was significantly different (F(2, 9) = 37.78, p < 0.05), with the highest kernel present in P. excavatus(333.5 ± 13.5), followed by E. fetida(261.5 ± 16.5) and control (235 ± 22). The impact of P. excavatus was more perceptible in C. chinense, indicated by higher leaf biomass (69.16%), root length (30.14%), and fruit harvest (71.03%). However, the effect of E. fetida was noticed more in Z. mays (stem length, 19.24%, stem biomass, 14.39%, root biomass, 20.9%, kernel count, 41.91%, and kernel weight, 95.07%). Enhanced plant productivity was also supported by an increasing soil nutrient turnover in organic carbon (OC) (25.76% and 23.4%), Phosphorus (P) (31.03% and 25.67%), and Potassium (K) (41.67% and 12.26) in P. excavatus and E. fetida worked soil respectively. The findings indicate that earthworms have a notable impact on plant biomass productivity by promoting the mineralization of soil nutrients and imply on possibility of organic cultivation of seasonal vegetables without using synthetic fertilizers.

Global warming changes biomass and C:N:P stoichiometry of different components in terrestrial ecosystems.

Global warming has significantly affected terrestrial ecosystems. Biomass and C:N:P stoichiometry of plants and soil is crucial for enhancing plant productivity, improving human nutrition, and regulating biogeochemical cycles. However, the effect of warming on the biomass and C:N:P stoichiometry of different components (plant, leaf, stem, root, litter, soil, and microbial biomass) in various terrestrial ecosystems remains uncertain. We conducted a comprehensive meta-analysis to investigate the global patterns of biomass and C:N:P stoichiometry responses to warming, as well as interaction relationships based on 1399 paired observations from 105 warming studies. Results indicated that warming had a significant impact on various aspects of plant growth, including an increase in plant biomass (+16.55%), plant C:N ratio (+4.15%), leaf biomass (+16.78%), stem biomass (+23.65%), root biomass (+22.00%), litter C:N ratio (+9.54%) and soil C:N ratio (+5.64%). However, it also decreased stem C:P ratio (-23.34%), root C:P ratio (-12.88%), soil N:P ratio (-14.43%) and soil C:P ratio (-16.33%). The magnitude of warming was the primary drivers of changes of biomass and C:N:P stoichiometry. By establishing the general response curves of changes in biomass and C:N:P ratios with increasing temperature, we demonstrated that warming effect on plant, root, and litter biomass shifted from negative to positive, whereas that on leaf and stem biomass changed from positive to negative as temperature increased. Additionally, the effect of warming on root C:N ratio, root biomass, and microbial biomass N:P ratios shifted from positive to negative, whereas the effects on plant N:P, leaf N:P, leaf C:P, root N:P ratios, and microbial biomass C:N ratio changed from negative to positive with increasing temperature. Our research can help assess plant productivity and optimize ecosystem stoichiometry precisely in the context of global warming.

REVIEW KARAKTERISTIK SORGUM MANIS (Sorghum bicolor L. Moench) SEBAGAI BAHAN BAKU PRODUKSI BIOETANOL

Sweet sorghum (Sorghum bicolor L. Moench) is a cereal plant that is able to grow in a relatively harsh environment and can be cultivated in Indonesia even though it is not a tropical plant. This plant has the potential to be used as raw material in making bioethanol because in addition to being environmentally friendly, the raw materials are also very abundant, so it can be an alternative substitute for gasoline. The weight of the stem biomass, the percent of brix nira, and the volume of sap contained in the superior genotype of sweet sorghum for bioethanol production. The results obtained from stem biomass, percent brix in stem sap, and high volume of sap can be used as criteria for selecting varieties for bioethanol raw materials from sweet sorghum.

Meta-analysis of the responses of tree and herb to elevated CO2 in Brazil

The CO2 concentration has increased in the atmosphere due to fossil fuel consumption, deforestation, and land-use changes. Brazil represents one of the primary sources of food on the planet and is also the world's largest tropical rainforest, one of the hot spots of biodiversity in the world. In this work, a meta-analysis was conducted to compare several CO2 Brazilian experiments displaying the diversity of plant responses according to life habits, such as trees (79% natives and 21% cultivated) and herbs (33% natives and 67% cultivated). We found that trees and herbs display different responses. The young trees tend to allocate carbon from increased photosynthetic rates and lower respiration in the dark—to organ development, increasing leaves, roots, and stem biomasses. In addition, more starch is accumulated in the young trees, denoting a fine control of carbon metabolism through carbohydrate storage. Herbs increased drastically in water use efficiency, controlled by stomatal conductance, with more soluble sugars, probably with a transient accumulation of carbon primarily stored in seeds as a response to elevated CO2.

Effect of Soil Drought Stress on Selected Biochemical Parameters and Yield of Oat × Maize Addition (OMA) Lines.

Plant growth and the process of yield formation in crops are moderated by surrounding conditions, as well as the interaction of the genetic background of plants and the environment. In the last two decades, significant climatic changes have been observed, generating unfavorable and harmful impacts on plant development. Drought stress can be considered one of the most dangerous environmental factors affecting the life cycle of plants, reducing biomass production and, finally, the yield. Plants can respond to water deficit in a wide range, which depends on the species, genetic variability within the species, the plant's ontogenesis stage, the intensity of the stress, and other potential stress factors. In plants, it is possible to observe hybrids between different taxa that certain traits adopted to tolerate stress conditions better than the parent plants. Oat × maize addition (OMA) plants are good examples of hybrids generated via wide crossing. They can exhibit morphological, physiological, and biochemical variations implemented by the occurrence of extra chromosomes of maize, as well as the interaction of maize and oat chromatin. The initial goal of the study was to identify OMA lines among plants produced by wide crossing with maize. The main goal was to investigate differences in OMA lines according to the Excised Leaf Water Loss (ELWL) test and to identify specific biochemical changes and agronomic traits under optimal water conditions and soil drought. Additionally, detection of any potential alterations that are stable in F2 and F3 generations. The aforementioned outcomes were the basis for the selection of OMA lines that tolerate growth in an environment with limited water availability. The molecular analysis indicated 12.5% OMA lines among all tested descendants of wide oat-maize crossing. The OMA lines significantly differ according to ELWL test results, which implies some anatomical and physiological adaptation to water loss from tissues. On the first day of drought, plants possessed 34% more soluble sugars compared to control plants. On the fourteen day of drought, the amount of soluble sugars was reduced by 41.2%. A significant increase of phenolic compounds was observed in the fourteen day of drought, an average of 6%, even up to 57% in line 9. Soil drought substantially reduced stem biomass, grains number, and mass per plant. Lower water loss revealed by results of the ELWL test correlated with the high yield of OMA lines. Phenolic compound content might be used as a biochemical indicator of plant drought tolerance since there was a significant correlation with the high yield of plants subjected to soil drought.