Oligosaccharins and Pectimorf? stimulate root elongation and shorten the cell cycle in higher plants

The aim was to test promotive effects of oligosaccharins on root growth and development at the root apical meristem and the cell cycle using the model systems, Arabidopsis thaliana and the tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum) BY-2 cell line. Arabidopsis was grown on medium supplemented with 0.1?mg L^?1 oligoxyloglucan (OX), 10?mg L^?1 Pectimorf^? (P) or 0.5?mg L^?1 indole butyric acid (IBA). Primary root length, number of lateral root primordia, root apical meristem (RAM) length and epidermal cell length were recorded. Three genotypes were used: wild type (WT) and transgenic lines expressing either Schizosaccharomyces pombe (Sp) cdc25 or over-expressing^(oe) Arath;WEE1. All treatments promoted primary root elongation but repressed lateral root production. Only P had a clear positive effect on meristem length whereas all other genotype?×?treatment interactions showed shorter RAMs. Whilst IBA, OX and P induced an increase in cell length in Spcdc25, the same treatments caused a significant decrease in WEE1 ^oe . Mitotic indices were also significantly higher in roots treated with oligosaccharins suggesting a shortening of the cell cycle. This hypothesis was tested in the BY-2 cell line. Both OX and P shortened the cell cycle exclusively through a shortening of G1 whilst mitotic cell size remained constant between treatments. In conclusion, both OX and P do indeed stimulate growth and shorten the cell cycle in higher plants and at the cellular level are able to reverse large and small cell size phenotypes normally exhibited by WEE1 ^oe and Spcdc25 genotypes, respectively.     

In vitro mycorrhization of the rubber tree Hevea brasiliensis Müll Arg

In vitro cultivation systems of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi are useful tools to study the interaction between plants and their fungal symbiont, and also to develop new biotechnologies. Plantlets of the latex-producing species Hevea brasiliensis clone PB 260 were grown in a dense extraradical mycelium network of the arbuscular mycorrhizal fungus Rhizophagus irregularis MUCL 41833 developed from a mycelium donor plant (Medicago truncatula A17). The factors indole-3-butyric acid (IBA), 2-morpholineoethanesulfonic acid monohydrate (MES) buffer, and carbon dioxide (CO₂) were tested on root development and colonization by the fungus. No colonization was observed in the presence of plantlets pre-treated with IBA. The highest levels of root colonization were obtained when plantlets were mycorrhized under a high CO₂ concentration (1,000 μmol?mol^?1) with MES (10 mM) added to the growth medium. Widespread root colonization (with presence of arbuscules, intraradical mycelium, and spores/vesicles) was predominantly observed in newly produced roots. Therefore, it appears essential to improve root initiation and growth for improving in vitro mycorrhization of H. brasiliensis. We demonstrated the potential of the “mycelium donor plant” in vitro culture system to produce colonized H. brasiliensis plantlets before their transfer to ex vitro conditions.     

Factors affecting the establishment and maintenance of ‘Titan’ red raspberry root organ cultures

Root organ cultures of red raspberry (Rubus ideaus cv. Titan) were established from two cm long terminal segments of adventitious roots induced in vitro on micropropagated shoot cultures. Growth of root organ cultures was almost entirely by initiation and elongation of lateral roots rather than by terminal elongation from the apical meristem of the original root explants. Indolebutyric acid (IBA) was required for lateral root initiation and elongation. The optimal IBA concentration for lateral root initiation decreased from 0.5 to 0.1 mg/L from the first to the fifth passage in culture. Two cm root explants initiated more lateral roots per unit length than four cm explants. Liquid Anderson's medium was superior to other basal nutrient and vitamin formulations tested. Root growth in liquid culture was stimulated by aeration. Root organ cultures also grew on media solidified with gelrite or agar. A rapid transfer technique was developed for subculturing these which involved cutting and transferring 1 cm discs of roots and underlying medium. Adventitious bud formation occurred spontaneously, but sporadically in liquid cultures, and was not influenced by cytokinin, auxin (spat) light, or chilling.     

Die for living better: Plants modify root system architecture through inducing PCD in root meristem under severe water stress

Plant root development is highly plastic in order to cope with various environmental stresses; many questions on the mechanisms underlying developmental plasticity of root system remain unanswered. Recently, we showed that autophagic PCD occurs in the region of root apical meristem in response to severe water deficit. We provided evidence that reactive oxygen species (ROS) accumulation may trigger the cell death process of the meristematic cells in the stressed root tips. Analysis of BAX inhibitor-1 (AtBI1) expression and the phenotypic response of atbi1-1 mutant under the severe water stress revealed that AtBI1 and the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress response pathway modulate water stress-induced PCD. As a result, the thick and short lateral roots with increased tolerance to the stress are induced. We propose that under severe drought condition, plants activate PCD program in the root apical root meristem, so that apical root dominance is removed. In this way, they can remodel their root system architecture to adapt the stress environment.Key words: Arabidopsis, adaptation, PCD, root system architecture, water stressPlant shoot apical dominance is well known. The axillary buds are inhibited by the growing shoot apical meristem, and they would not grow until the shoot apical meristems are decapitated.¹ The same phenomenon has been found in the roots of dicot plants. Primary roots exhibit apical dominance over lateral roots and are able to penetrate deeply into the soil. Lateral root primordia were rapidly activated when primary root tips of lettuce (Lactuca sativa) were removed.² It is apparent that apical meristem activity in shoots and roots determines lateral organs and the shapes of above ground and root system architecture under normal conditions. Many plants have active meristematic activity in their shoot and root tips through their whole life resulting in indeterminate development of their shoots and primary roots, whereas others generate branches at certain developmental stages when the meristematic activity and apical dominance become low.It has long been known that plants modify their root morphology, orientation and increase root biomass to maximize water and nutrient absorption.^3,4 However, how the root morphology and architecture are changed in response to water shortage and what the underlying mechanisms are largely unknown. Previously, it has been reported that plants, due to their sessile nature, have developed a very important adaptive mechanism, namely hydrotropism to avoid the damage caused by water shortage. Plant roots can sense the moisture gradient and grow toward to water or moisture when they are grown at conditions with non-uniform water distribution.⁵ Recently, we found another key mechanism through which plants can remove root apical dominance and remodel their root system architecture, thus to minimize the damage caused by a uniform severe water shortage condition.⁶Firstly, we found that growth rates of the Arabidopsis plants germinated on normal conditions were reduced when the concentrations of PEG in the growth media was increased, and primary roots of the stressed plants completely ceased growth when the PEG concentrations reached 40% (w/v) in the agar medium, a severe water stress. The results showed that growth cessation of the stressed plants was caused by PCD of the cells in the region of root apical meristems, and the cells underwent autophagic cell death upon the most severe water deficit. Secondly, we demonstrated that AtBI-1, a marker gene which plays a critical role in protecting the cells from ER stress-induced PCD in plants, mediates water stress-induced PCD of the root meristem. Further observation of ROS accumulation in the root tips upon to the severe water stress suggests that the high level of the ROS may disrupt the ER homeostasis and ROS may act as a signal to trigger the PCD. Importantly, we found that the occurrence of PCD of the meristematic cells of the stressed plants promoted the development of lateral roots. These short and tublized lateral roots grew slowly under severe water stress, but they could immediately become normal lateral roots and resume their elongation and after rehydration. Plant growth is subsequently restored to complete their entire life cycle. However, the lateral roots induced by decapitating primary root tips under normal conditions did not continue elongation like the stress induced lateral roots, and they cannot restore their growth after rehydration.Based on these results, we propose that plants can sense the severity of water stress, initiate autophagic PCD of meristematic cells in Arabidopsis root tips through ER stress signaling pathway and stimulate lateral root development (Fig. 1). Death of meristematic cells results in the loss of mitotic cell division activity in meristem and eventual root meristem function. The outcome of PCD caused-loss of root meristem activity is same as the surgical removal of apical root tips. In both cases, lateral root primordia are activated and lateral root emergence is promoted. However, the main difference between water stress induced-loss of root meristem function and surgical decapitation of root tips is that the former induces lateral roots with enhanced stress tolerance plays key roles in post-stress recovery, whereas the latter promotes development of lateral roots do not alter stress response. This implicates that stress-induced loss of meristem function and subsequent occurrence of specified lateral roots are adaptive mechanisms for plants to cope with the severe water stress. In other words, plants induce cell death of root meristem for living better.Open in a separate windowFigure 1A simplified model depicting the role of PCD in root meristem in plastic development of root system architecture in response to water stress.It is known that auxin distribution and maxima play key roles in lateral root initiation and emergence.^7–10 Alteration in auxin polar transport has been proposed as the main reason of decapitation induced lateral root development.¹¹ It is conceivable that auxin is also involved in stress induced-lateral root formation and development, but it is clear that interplay between stress signaling cascades and developmental signalings occurs after perception of the stress signals by plant cells resulting in root system development remodeling. These findings provide novel insights into mechanisms of plants to adapt to the uniform severe water stress at organ, cellular and molecular levels. However, the research of plastic development of root system in response to water stress is still in its infancy. Combinatorial strategies for the investigation of stress induced-PCD of root meristematic cells and subsequent lateral root development will help to uncover the molecular mechanisms underlying this positive response of plants in response to severe water stress. In particular, further study of auxin redistribution under water stress and interaction between auxin and stress hormone signalings in remodeling root system architecture will further our understanding of how developmental plasticity of plant root system is regulated. The results will facilitate the improvement of drought tolerance in crops.     

Adventitious rooting of Jatropha curcas L. is stimulated by phloroglucinol and by red LED light

An efficient root induction system has been established for in vitro-regenerated Jatropha curcas L. shoots. Callus formation on shoots transferred to auxin containing medium was found to be a prominent and recurrent problem for rooting of in vitro-cultivated J. curcas. In particular, the type of auxins and cytokinins applied in the culture media were shown to strongly influence the severity of callus formation. Shoots cultivated on meta-methoxytopolin riboside (MemTR) were free of callus and produced elongated stems and well-developed leaves in comparison to the cytokinins benzyl adenine, zeatin, and thidiazuron. Subsequent root induction experiments were performed with shoots precultured on MemTR-containing medium. Shoots were excised and transferred to Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium supplemented with different concentrations of indole-3-butyric acid (IBA), indole-3-acetic acid (IAA), and α-naphtaleneacetic acid (NAA). The induction of excessive callus formation was avoided only on IBA-containing medium. The optimum rooting medium with good root induction (35%) and 1.2 roots per shoot contained half-strength MS salts supplemented with 2.5 μM IBA. The same medium supplemented with 0.25% (w/v) activated charcoal produced 46% rooted shoots. Further improvement of rooting was obtained by transferring in vitro grown shoots to woody plant medium containing phloroglucinol (PG). In the presence of 2.5 μM IBA and 238 μM PG, 83% of the shoots rooted with on average 3.1 roots per shoot. We also analyzed the impact of light quality on the rooting capacity of Jatropha in vitro grown shoots. In general, light-emitting diodes (LEDs) light sources were less efficient for root induction. Red LED light provided the most favorable growth conditions, inducing a rooting response in 65% of the shoots, which produced on average 5.5 roots per shoot. These results indicate that adventitious rooting in J. curcas is under control of photoreceptors and that optimal rooting requires fine-tuning of the salt concentration, auxin, and cytokinin balance and application of synergistic compounds.     

Plant regeneration,origin, and development of shoot buds from root segments of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Melia azedarach</Emphasis> L. (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Meliaceae</Emphasis>) seedlings

Summary In vitro regeneration of plants from root culture of Melia azedarach seedlings was obtained. The origin and mode of development of the regenerated shoot buds were studied by means of histological analysis and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Maximum shoot bud regeneration was achieved when root segments were cultured on Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium at quarter strength with 3% sucrose and 0.44 μM benzyladenine (BA) and kept under light (116 μmol m⁻² s⁻¹). Shoot bud elongation was achieved on MS with 0.44 μM BA, 0.46 μM kinetin (KIN), and 3.26 μM adenine sulphate (AD). Regenerated shoots were rooted on MS with 12.26 μM indole-3-butyric acid (IBA) for 4 d and subsequently in MS lacking plant growth regulators for 26 d. Plants were established in a potting substrate. Histological analysis of roots from intact seedlings (without treatment) demonstrated that during the early life of the roots, M. azedarach lacks preformed buds. In contrast, when the roots were excised and cultured in vitro, the histology and SEM observations revealed that buds originated from meristematic groups of cells, which had been formed from the pericycle and several layers beneath. These meristematic groups of cells grew towards the periphery of the cortex by crushing the outer layer of cortical cells. Further develoment led to the differentiation of leaf primordia and a shoot apical meristem.     

Adventitious rooting performance in micropropagated Cornus mas

Axillary buds sampled from a mature 27-year-old Cornus mas cv. Macrocarpa were grown in vitro on modified woody plant medium (WPM). Adventitious rooting performance of microshoots was assayed on half-strength WPM supplemented with 1-naphthaleneacetic acid (NAA) or indole-3-butyric acid (IBA) under various pH. NAA induced significantly higher rooting frequencies than IBA. The pH of 6.8 inhibited rooting, and differentiated roots were extremely thick and fragile. The highest rooting frequency was recorded on half-strength WPM supplemented with 5.37 µM NAA at the pH value adjusted to 6.2 (73 % of rooted shoots). In the presence of IBA, the formation of adventitious roots was observed only in the basal part of the microshoot dipped into rooting medium. In the case of NAA, however, adventitious roots arose also from the parts of microshoots that were not in contact with medium. The growth of aerial roots was always positively gravitropic. The nuclear microsatellite Cf-G17 gave a monomorphic fingerprinting pattern across the mother shrub and micropropagated plantlets. Acclimatized plants did not show any visually detectable morphological variation and the aerial adventitious root formation was no longer observed.     

Micropropagation of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Vitex agnus-castus</Emphasis>, (Verbenaceae)—a valuable medicinal plant

This study describes in vitro shoot induction and plant regeneration from a mature apical meristem and nodal explants of the endangered medicinal shrub Vitex agnus-castus. Multiple shoots were induced directly from the axis of nodal and apical meristem explants on Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium containing 3% sucrose and different concentrations (1.0, 1.5, 2.0, and 2.5 mg/l) of 6-benzyl aminopurine (BAP) in combination with Kinetin (Kin) and α-naphthalene acetic acid (NAA), both at 0.1 mg/l. BAP and Kinetin were used as supplements to MS basal medium, either individually or in combination with auxins. The optimal concentration of BAP for inducing bud break was found to be 2.0 mg/l when Kinetin was at 0.1 mg/l. Regeneration frequency was highest for both apical meristem and nodal explants (94.5% and 90.3%, respectively) when explants were cultured on MS medium supplemented with BAP (2.0 mg/l) and Kin (0.1 mg/l). A maximum of 7.7 ± 0.4 and 6.7 ± 0.2 shoots were obtained per explant for apical meristem and nodal explants, respectively. Regenerated shoots, transferred to MS medium supplemented with either 1.0 or 1.5 mg/l BAP combined with 0.1 mg/l GA₃, showed maximum elongation of 6.7 ± 0.4 and 6.0 ± 1.3 cm in apical meristem and nodal explants, respectively. In vitro regenerated shoots transferred to half-strength MS medium supplemented with 0.1 mg/l IBA induced 90.4% of the shoots to form roots after 30–35 d of culture. Up to 80% of the regenerated shoots were successfully established in soil in the greenhouse.     

1,8-Cineole inhibits root growth and DNA synthesis in the root apical meristem ofBrassica campestris L.

1,8-cineole is a volatile growth inhibitor produced bySalvia species. We examined the effect of this allelopathic compound on the growth of other plants usingBrassica campestris as the test plant. Cineole inhibited germination and growth ofB. campestris in a dosedependent manner. WhenB. campestris was grown for 5 days with various concentrations of cineole, the length of the roots was found to be shorter as the concentration of cineole increased, whereas the length of the hypocotyl remained constant up to 400 μM cineole, indicating that cineole specifically inhibited growth of the root. The mitotic index in the root apical meristem of 3-day-old seedlings decreased from 5.6% to 1.6% when exposed to 400 μM cineole, showing that cineole inhibits the proliferation of root cells. We then examined the effect of cineole on DNA synthesis by indirect immunofluorescence microscopy using antibody raised against 5-bromo-2′-deoxyuridine (BrdU, an analogue of thymidine) in thin sections of samples embedded in Technovit 7100 resin. The results clearly demonstrated that cineole inhibits DNA synthesis in both cell nuclei and organelles in root apical meristem, suggesting that cineole may interfere with the growth of other plant species by inhibiting DNA synthesis in the root apical meristem.     

Effect of auxin on acropetal auxin transport in roots of corn

Acropetal [¹⁴C]indoleacetic acid (IAA) transport was investigated in roots of corn. At least 40 to 50% of this movement is dependent on activities in the root apex. Selective excision of various populations of cells comprising the root apex, e.g. the root cap, quiescent center, or proximal meristem show that the proximal meristem is the critical region in the apex with regard to influencing IAA movement. The quiescent center has no influence and the root cap has only a minor effect. Excision and replacement of the proximal meristem with an exogenous supply of 10⁻⁸ to 10⁻⁹ molar IAA prevents the reduction in acropetal IAA transport which would normally occur in the absence of this meristem. Substituting 10⁻⁹ molar IAA for the excised root cap brings about a significant increase in the amount of IAA moved acropetally, as compared to intact roots with the root cap still in place. From this and previous work, it is concluded that IAA synthesis occurring in the proximal meristem stimulates the movement of IAA from the basal to apical end of the root.     

Plantlet Regeneration via Multiple Shoot Induction in Indian Cultivars of Lucerne (Medicago sativa L)

An efficient protocol has been developed for in vitro plant regeneration via multiple shoot induction in lucerne (Medicago sativa L). Shoot tips from in vitro grown 5–6 days old seedlings of 3 cultivars, LLC-3, Chetak and RL-88 were used as explants for multiple shoot induction on MS medium supplemented with cytokinins. Maximum of 14 shoots per apical meristem were observed in case of cv Chetak on MS medium supplemented with BAP (12.6 μM) and KN (9.3 μM). Shoot elongation on MS medium supplemented with GA (5.8 μM), while root induction was achieved on MS medium supplemented with IAA (11.4 μM) and activated charcoal (2.0 g l^?1). Tissue raised plants showed 75% survival after transfer to soil under field conditions.     

The extent and differences in mitotic activity of the root tip ofVicia faba L.

Mitotic activity does not stop for different meristematic cells of the root apex at the same distance from the initials. The differences are connected with the functional heterogeneity of the apical meristem of the root. The arrangement of vascular bundles,i.e. the alternation of independent xylem and phloem groups, is of major importance. In broad bean roots, the protophloem sieve elements stop dividing first. The centre of the stelei. e. late metaxylem elements stop dividing next. Division in the stele gradually ceases centrifugally, while it ceases centripetally in the peripheral part of the root. The cylindrical region with prolonged cell division includes internal layers of the cortex including endodermis, pericycle and adjoining cells of the stele. Proximally apical meristem is reduced to isolated strands of cells adjacent to the protoxylem poles. Pericycle cells stop dividing last at a distance of approx. 9–10 mm from the initials. The number of the division cycles is limited and is specific for individual cell types. Epidermal and cortical cells divide in broad bean roots transversely approximately seven times, cells of late metaxylem approximately five times. Root apical meristem is an asynchronous cell population with a different duration of the mitotic cycle. We determined local variations in the duration of the mitotic cycle in the apical meristem of broad bean root by means of colchicine-induced polyploidy. The cells of the quiescent centre had the longest mitotic cycle after colchicine treatment. The region of the proper root adjacent to the quiescent centre was mixoploid (2n and 4n). Isolated cells with a long cycle occurred also in the cortex and in the central cylinder. Cells with a division cycle of 18h were found in the root cap, in the epidermis, in the cortex and in the central cylinder. Relatively numerous cells with the shortest division cycle, approx. 12 h, occurred farther of the quiescent centre in the epidermis, in the cortex, in the pericycle, and in adjacent layers of the stele through-out the entire meristematic region. The results derived from the analysis of the apical meristem are discussed in connection with the ontogenesis of different types of cells taking part in the primary structure of the root.     

In vitro morphogenesis in Selaginella microphylla (Kunth.) Spring

Selaginella, an extant genus of primitive vascular plants, has survived over 400 million years of evolution. In vitro morphogenesis in Selaginella microphylla is considered for the first time to establish a well-documented aseptic culture on half- strength Murashige and Skoog’s basal medium with 2ip (4.92–49.21 μM), or Kn (4.65–46.47 μM) or GA₃ (2.89–28.90 μM) for shoot multiplication, and with different concentrations of IBA (4.9–49 μm) to initiate root cultures. GA₃ was instrumental for shoot multiplication as well as induction of reproductive structures in each and every leaf axil. On the other hand, it is observed that IBA alone in S. microphylla can act as signal molecules for induction of enormous numbers of root masses from a few existing roots. An interesting pattern of re-differentiation has also been observed where apical portions of large numbers of roots were converted to green shoot apical meristems. Further differentiation produced tiny green shoots. Distinct bipolarity was noted in shoots when they were isolated from root masses and appeared as embryo-like structures. Chromosome analysis from in vitro sporophytic plants revealed 2n = 16 chromosomes, indicating chromosomal stability. The interesting in vitro pattern of morphogenesis obtained in S. microphylla may provide new insights into totipotency of plants.     

DNA repair in higher plants; photoreactivation is the major DNA repair pathway in non-proliferating cells while excision repair (nucleotide excision repair and base excision repair) is active in proliferating cells

We investigated expression patterns of DNA repair genes such as the CPD photolyase, UV-DDB1, CSB, PCNA, RPA32 and FEN-1 genes by northern hybridization analysis and in situ hybridization using a higher plant, rice (Oryza sativa L. cv. Nipponbare). We found that all the genes tested were expressed in tissues rich in proliferating cells, but only CPD photolyase was expressed in non-proliferating tissue such as the mature leaves and elongation zone of root. The removal of DNA damage, cyclobutane pyrimidine dimers and (6–4) photoproducts, in both mature leaves and the root apical meristem (RAM) was observed after UV irradiation under light. In the dark, DNA damage in mature leaves was not repaired efficiently, but that in the RAM was removed rapidly. Using a rice 22K custom oligo DNA microarray, we compared global gene expression patterns in the shoot apical meristem (SAM) and mature leaves. Most of the excision repair genes were more strongly expressed in SAM. These results suggested that photoreactivation is the major DNA repair pathway for the major UV-induced damage in non-proliferating cells, while both photoreactivation and excision repair are active in proliferating cells.     

Plant stem cells and their regulations in shoot apical meristems

Stem cells in plants, established during embryogenesis, are located in the centers of the shoot apical meristem (SAM) and the root apical meristem (RAM). Stem cells in SAM have a capacity to renew themselves and to produce new organs and tissues indefinitely. Although fully differentiated organs such as leaves do not contain stem cells, cells in such organs do have the capacity to re-establish new stem cells, especially under the induction of phytohormones in vitro. Cytokinin and auxin are critical in creating position signals in the SAM to maintain the stem cell organizing center and to position the new organ primordia, respectively. This review addresses the distinct features of plant stem cells and focuses on how stem cell renewal and differentiation are regulated in SAMs.     

Reactive oxygen species localization in roots of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Arabidopsis thaliana</Emphasis> seedlings grown under phosphate deficiency

Arabidopsis plants responding to phosphorus (P) deficiency increase lateral root formation and reduce primary root elongation. In addition the number and length of root hairs increases in response to P deficiency. Here we studied the patterns of radical oxygen species (ROS) in the roots of Arabidopsis seedlings cultured on media supplemented with high or low P concentration. We found that P availability affected ROS distribution in the apical part of roots. If plants were grown on high P medium, ROS were located in the root elongation zone and quiescent centre. At low P ROS were absent in the elongation zone, however, their synthesis was detected in the primary root meristem. The proximal part of roots was characterized by ROS production in the lateral root primordia and in elongation zones of young lateral roots irrespective of P concentration in the medium. On the other hand, plants grown at high or low P differed in the pattern of ROS distribution in older lateral roots. At high P, the elongation zone was the primary site of ROS production. At low P, ROS were not detected in the elongation zone. However, they were present in the proximal part of the lateral root meristem. These results suggest that P deficiency affects ROS distribution in distal parts of Arabidopsis roots. Under P-sufficiency ROS maximum was observed in the elongation zone, under low P, ROS were not synthesized in this segment of the root, however, they were detected in the apical root meristem.     

A PLETHORA/PIN-FORMED/auxin network mediates prehaustorium formation in the parasitic plant Striga hermonthica

The parasitic plant Striga (Striga hermonthica) invades the host root through the formation of a haustorium and has detrimental impacts on cereal crops. The haustorium results from the prehaustorium, which is derived directly from the differentiation of the Striga radicle. The molecular mechanisms leading to radicle differentiation shortly after germination remain unclear. In this study, we determined the developmental programs that regulate terminal prehaustorium formation in S. hermonthica at cellular resolution. We showed that shortly after germination, cells in the root meristem undergo multiplanar divisions. During growth, the meristematic activity declines and associates with reduced expression of the stem cell regulator PLETHORA1 and the cell cycle genes CYCLINB1 and HISTONE H4. We also observed a basal localization of the PIN-FORMED (PIN) proteins and a decrease in auxin levels in the meristem. Using the structural layout of the root meristem and the polarity of outer-membrane PIN proteins, we constructed a mathematical model of auxin transport that explains the auxin distribution patterns observed during S. hermonthica root growth. Our results reveal a fundamental molecular and cellular framework governing the switch of S. hermonthica roots to form the invasive prehaustoria.

The parasitic plant Striga hermonthica forms its invasive organ, the prehaustorium, by inducing differentiation of the radicle by arresting cell division.     

<Emphasis Type="Italic">In vitro</Emphasis> propagation of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Rhododendron wattii</Emphasis> Cowan—a critically endangered and endemic plant from India

Rhododendron wattii Cowan is a rare and endangered plant found in northeast India. In an effort to boost specimen numbers, experiments of in vitro seed germination, shoot induction on different media supplemented with the cytokinin isopentenyladenine (2iP), and root induction with auxins α-naphthaleneacetic acid (NAA), indole-3-butyric acid (IBA) and indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) in woody plant medium (WPM) were carried out. A maximum mean shoot number of 7.72 per explant were obtained from nodal explants cultured on WPM and 39.36 μM 2iP with a maximum mean shoot length of 2.30 cm per explant. Among the auxins investigated for root induction, IBA at 2.45 μM was found to produce the most and the longest roots, when compared to other treatments. However, WPM supplemented with 0.2% (w/v) activated charcoal also showed 100% root formation with shoots having broader leaves compared to auxin treatments. About 60% of in vitro rooted plantlets transferred from lab to greenhouse conditions survived. Sixty acclimatized plants were reintroduced in the vicinity of their natural habitat at Naga Heritage Village, Kisama, Nagaland, in May 2016 for ex situ conservation. Survival of the reintroduced plants was confirmed during the field visit conducted in November 2016.