Nutrition, aspects of land use and environment in medieval times in southern Germany: plant macro-remain analysis from latrines (late 11th–13th century a.d.) at the town of Überlingen, Lake Constance

From high medieval courtyards at überlingen, Lake Constance (Bodensee), 17 archaeobotanical samples from seven latrines (11th–13th century) were analysed for plant macrofossils. They contained small amounts of cultivated plants and many well preserved seeds and fruits of wild plants. The most numerous cereal finds were of Triticum spelta followed by Secale cereale. Recorded oil plants were Papaver somniferum and Linum usitatissimum. Cultivated and gathered fruits such as various Prunus species, Pyrus communis and Malus domestica, Rubus sp. and Fragaria vesca were eaten by the people of überlingen. Only one seed of Ficus carica was found which may have been imported; no other imported plants could be recognised. Agrostemma githago and Vaccaria hispanica were prevalent weeds. The presence of the latter probably indicates the cultivation of cereals on the steeper slopes above überlingen. It is shown that in central Europe, V. hispanica became a troublesome weed only around the 12th/13th century A.D. Grassland species—mainly from more or less wet locations—and ruderal plants of nitrogen-rich soils were well represented in the samples and characterize the surrounding area. Electronic Supplementary Material Supplementary material is available in the online version of this article at     

Effect of neighbour presence and soil volume on the growth of Andropogon gerardii Vitman

Background: Theory predicts that plants can reduce their fitness in the presence of neighbours by allocating resources to root growth, in order to pre-empt resource capture. A number of studies that have tested this idea have done so by using experiments where neighbour presence is confounded with soil volume.

Aims : To avoid confounding effects of neighbour presence and soil volume we adjusted these variables independently from one another.

Methods: We grew Andropogon gerardii with and without neighbours, holding soil volume available to each plant constant, and compared plant performance with a treatment where both neighbour presence and soil volume were varied. We also grew plants with a quarter of the soil volume but four times the nutrient concentration to determine if changes in plant growth in response to soil volume are caused by access different levels of soil resources.

Results: We found no evidence that plants adjust root growth to the presence of neighbour roots alone. We did, however, find a significant reduction in plant growth when soil volume was reduced. The reduction was overcome by increasing nutrient concentrations in the growth media.

Conclusions: Our results suggest the effects of soil volume on plant growth are mainly due to changes in nutrient availability.     

In vitro culture of embryos of Cucumis spp.: heart-stage embryos have a higher ability of direct plant formation than advanced-stage embryos

Summary The ability of embryos at different developmental stages to form plants in vitro has been studied in cultivated Cucumis sativus L. and in the wild species C. zeyheri 2 x Sond. and C. metuliferus Naud. On MS medium containing 3.5% sucrose, 0.1 mg 1^–1 kinetin (Kn) and 0.01 mg 1^–1 indoleacetic acid (IAA), proembryos (0.03–0.05 mm) and early globular embryos (0.05–0.08 mm) from the wild species developed into plants in low frequencies of 8% and 21%, respectively. These embryos should be surrounded by the embryo sac tissue. On the same medium late globular (0.08–0.1 mm) and early heart-stage embryos (0.1–0.3 mm) developed into plants in moderately high and high frequencies of 48% and 83%, respectively. The presence of the embryo sac at these stages was still beneficial, but no longer a prerequisite. Late heart-stage embryos (0.3–0.8 mm) also showed high frequencies of plant formation, 63%, if Kn was applied at a concentration of 1 mg 1^–1. From the early cotyledon stage onwards, the frequency of plant formation gradually decreased, reaching a minimum at the late cotyledon stage. Subsequently it began to increase again up to the late maturation stage. The poor plant formation shown by the intermediate-aged embryos could be improved slightly by lowering the sucrose concentration to 0.5% and by increasing the Kn concentration to 10 mg 1^–1. Relative to the wild species, embryos of C. sativus showed lower percentages of plant formation. The optimum sucrose concentration was 2% for the heart-stage C. sativus embryos. In all three species the ability to form plants strongly decreased with increasing embryo age, from early to late cotyledon. This is thought to be caused by the increasing tendency of the embryos at these stages to continue in vitro the normal embryo development.     

Endophytic and rhizospheric enterobacteria isolated from sugar cane have different potentials for producing plant growth-promoting substances

Background and aims

Endophytic and rhizospheric environments differ in many respects, leading to the presence of different bacterial communities at each site. However, microorganisms such as enterobacteria can be found both within plants and in the surrounding soil. Bacteria must present differences in the traits that affect such environments in order to successfully colonise them. The present study compared the plant growth-promoting potential of diazotrophic enterobacteria isolated from the rhizosphere and from within surface-disinfected plants.

Methods

A total of 46 diazotrophic enterobacterial strains (21 rhizospheric and 25 putatively endophytic) belonging to the Klebsiella and Enterobacter genera, which are prevalent in sugar cane plantations, were isolated from the rhizosphere and from surface-disinfected plants. Their ability to synthesise amino acids using combined nitrogen obtained from nitrogen fixation, and their ability to synthesise indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) were determined by high performance liquid chromatography. Endogenous ethylene production by the bacteria was measured using gas chromatography, and biocontrol of phytopathogenic fungi was determined qualitatively using a dual culture technique.

Results

The putative endophytes released significantly higher amounts of amino acids than the rhizospheric bacteria, whilst the latter produced higher quantities of ethylene and were more actively antagonistic to fungi. Both types of bacteria released similar amounts of IAA.

Conclusion

Endophytic and rhizospheric bacteria differ in their capacity to release plant growth-promoting substances, which may be a reflection of their adaptations and an indication of their potential impact on their natural environment.

     

Collophora hispanica,a New Pathogen and Potential Threat to the Almond Industry in Iran

Trunk diseases are potential threats for almond productivity and longevity worldwide, including Iran. In a recent survey on fungal species associated with trunk diseases of almonds in north‐western Iran, Collophora isolates (tentatively identified as Collophora hispanica) were recovered with high frequency from wood samples with internal necrosis and brown to black vascular streaking of almond trees showing symptoms of decline. However, the pathogenic potential of Collophora isolates on almond trees in Iran remains unproven. In this study, the identity of the isolates was further confirmed as C. hispanica based on a combination of morphological data and sequence data of ITS‐rDNA region, and pathogenicity of C. hispanica isolates on almond was evaluated using excised shoot method and in greenhouse experiments. Collophora hispanica isolates induced lesions statistically different from the control, in both excised shoot method and greenhouse assays. Significant differences were observed among the isolates in the length of the lesion induced on wood. Collophora hispanica should be considered as the main trunk pathogens of almond trees in north‐western region of Iran. The distribution and host range of this new pathogen on almond remains to be studied.     

Differential selection of host plants by twoPieris species: the role of oviposition stimulants and deterrents

Oviposition responses ofPieris rapae L. andP. napi oleracea Harris to nine crucifers, one Capparidaceae and one Tropaeolaceae were directly compared under controlled conditions. Chemical fractions from these plants were also tested on both insects for the presence of oviposition stimulants or deterrents. The results showed that plant chemistry is a key factor in differential selection of potential hosts by thesePieris species. Some plant species were equally acceptable to bothPieris species. However,P. rapae preferred cabbage over most test plants whereasP. napi oleracea strongly preferred plant species that were avoided byP. rapae. The observed preferences were explained in most cases by the presence of stimulants and deterrents in extracts of the plants. The twoPieris species have apparently evolved differential sensitivities to the chemical stimuli that trigger or deter oviposition. The balance of positively and negatively interpreted sensory signals evoked by plant chemicals obviously plays an important role in acceptance or rejection of a plant by both species. The role of specific glucosinolates and differing structure-activity relationships is suggested.     

Cloning adult trees of Arbutus unedo L. through somatic embryogenesis

Arbutus unedo L. is a perennial tree, native in the Mediterranean area, and tolerant to stress conditions. Due to its economic potential, there is an increasing demanding for plants by producers and farmers. In order to offer cloned material with assured quality, several micropropagation protocols have been developed, including somatic embryogenesis induction. However, little is known about this process on strawberry tree and a great deal of work is still necessary to successfully clone in A. unedo through somatic embryogenesis. Thus, the main goals of this work were: (i) to test the effect of the genotype on somatic embryogenesis induction, (ii) to analyse the role of adult and young materials on induction, and (iii) to perform a comparative histological analysis between somatic embryos and their zygotic counterparts. Somatic embryogenesis was induced on apical expanded leaves from in vitro shoots of several genotypes in Andersson medium with 3% sucrose and different concentrations of BAP (2.0 mg L^?1) and NAA (0.5, 1.0, 2.0, 5.0, 10.0, 15.0 and 20.0 mg L^?1). Embryogenesis induction rates ranged from 0 to 94.5%. Higher induction rates were achieved on the medium with 2 mg L^?1 BAP and 2 mg L^?1 NAA, and are genotype dependent. After a 3-month induction period, the highest somatic embryogenesis induction rate was 94.5% on genotype AU4. Embryos at different developmental stages were found, as well as abnormal somatic embryos. SEM images showed different anomalies being the most common embryos displaying more than two cotyledons or fused embryos. Embryo germination was not genotype dependent and the maximum embryo conversion rate achieved was 73.5%. However, only 39.21% of the embryos were able to grow into plantlets which displayed a normal chromosome number (2n?=?26). Histological analysis showed differences in the cell organization between somatic and zygotic embryos, as well as several morphological anomalies. Overall, the developed somatic induction protocol proved to be very efficient, with high induction rates achieved, both from seedling and adult material, but its genotype dependent. However, embryo conversion still needs to be improved, in order to fully seize the potential of this micropropagation technique.

     

Daphnia (Ctenodaphnia) hispanica sp. nov., a new daphnid (Cladocera) from Spain

Daphnia (C.) hispanica n. sp. has thoracic limbs of A D. (C.) atkinsoni type and is very similar toD. chevreuxi Richard, 1896. With this speciesD. (C.) hispanica shares the presence of a soft accessory seta on the outer side of the trunk of the first thoracic limb, apparently unique among the genusDaphnia. Although other morphological characteristics are very similar in this two species, a detailed comparison reveals that they can easily be separated as different species. The most useful features in differentiating both species are:D. (C.) hispanica has a dorsal crest in the head, its rostrum is longer, its accesory seta of the first thoracic limb is more developed, the juveniles are not helmeted and its male postabdomen lacks individual denticles on the anal and preanal margin.The new species is, up to now, restricted to Spain and inhabits the temporary and low mineralized waters of the steppe regions.     

In vitro rescue of isolated embryos of Bactris major jacq. and Desmoncus orthacanthos mart., potentially useful native palms from the Yucatan Peninsula (Mexico)

Summary Bactris major and Desmoncus orthacanthos are native palms from the Yucatan Peninsula which could be used as substitutes for rattan. When their seeds were germinated in vivo and in vitro they proved to be highly recalcitrant. Therefore, the culture of isolated embryos was studied as an alternative means of producing planting material for nurseries. It was found that the in vitro germination of the isolated embryos was gradually reduced by storage, falling to zero by 5 wk. However, isolated embryos from freshly collected seeds germinated at ∼100% frequency. The presence of the endosperm, whether still attached to the embryos or separated from them but in direct contact with the nutrient medium, greatly reduced germination in both species. High concentrations of abscisic acid (ABA, 100 μM) only slightly diminished it, suggesting a different cause for the observed endosperm-induced inhibition. This embryo rescue method permits the production of sufficient plants for in vitro micropropagation and the establishment of experimental plots to evaluate the full potential of these materials.     

Ants indirectly reduce the reproductive performance of a leafless shrub by benefiting aphids through predator deterrence

Ant–aphid mutualisms can generate cascade effects on the host plants, but these impacts depend on the ecological context. We studied the consequences of ant–aphid interactions on the reproductive performance of a Mediterranean leafless shrub (Retama sphaerocarpa), through direct and indirect effects on the arthropod community. By manipulating the presence of ants and aphids in the field, we found that ants increased aphid abundance and their persistence on the plant and reduced aphid predators by nearly half. However, the presence of ants did not affect the abundance of other plant herbivores, which were relatively scarce in the studied plants. Aphids, and particularly those tended by ants, had a negative impact on the plant reproductive performance by significantly reducing the number of fruits produced. However, fruit and seed traits were not changed by the presence of aphids or those tended by ants. We show that ants favoured aphids by protecting them from their natural enemies but did not indirectly benefit plants through herbivory suppression, resulting in a net negative impact on the plant reproductive performance. Our study suggests that the benefits obtained by plants from hosting ant–aphid mutualisms are dependent on the arthropod community and plant traits.

     

Targeted genome editing of plants and plant cells for biomanufacturing

Plants have provided humans with useful products since antiquity, but in the last 30 years they have also been developed as production platforms for small molecules and recombinant proteins. This initially niche area has blossomed with the growth of the global bioeconomy, and now includes chemical building blocks, polymers and renewable energy. All these applications can be described as “plant molecular farming” (PMF). Despite its potential to increase the sustainability of biologics manufacturing, PMF has yet to be embraced broadly by industry. This reflects a combination of regulatory uncertainty, limited information on process cost structures, and the absence of trained staff and suitable manufacturing capacity. However, the limited adaptation of plants and plant cells to the requirements of industry-scale manufacturing is an equally important hurdle. For example, the targeted genetic manipulation of yeast has been common practice since the 1980s, whereas reliable site-directed mutagenesis in most plants has only become available with the advent of CRISPR/Cas9 and similar genome editing technologies since around 2010. Here we summarize the applications of new genetic engineering technologies to improve plants as biomanufacturing platforms. We start by identifying current bottlenecks in manufacturing, then illustrate the progress that has already been made and discuss the potential for improvement at the molecular, cellular and organism levels. We discuss the effects of metabolic optimization, adaptation of the endomembrane system, modified glycosylation profiles, programmable growth and senescence, protease inactivation, and the expression of enzymes that promote biodegradation. We outline strategies to achieve these modifications by targeted gene modification, considering case-by-case examples of individual improvements and the combined modifications needed to generate a new general-purpose “chassis” for PMF.

     

Wide hybridization experiments in cereals

Summary Wide hybridization is a useful tool in plant breeding, but little is known about its possible range. For the cereals, wheat, barley and rye, this was tested with 15 different species of the Poaceae and Panicoideae. Embryo formation could be obtained with Agropyron repens, Alopecurus agrestis, Dactylis glomerata, Festuca glauca, Hordeum bulbosum, Lolium perenne, Pennisetum americanum, and Zea mays. As well, haploid as diploid embryos occurred. New embryo culture techniques should enable these embryos to grow to plants.     

Differential strategies of two species of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi in the protection of maize plants grown in chromium-contaminated soils

Chromium (Cr) is a nonessential element for plants that is extremely toxic at high concentrations. Zea mays L. is a species of plant that has developed adaptive mechanisms to increase its tolerance and absorption capacity for this metal. One effective mechanism is to form associations with arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF), which help the plant cope with stress from heavy metals such as Cr. However, it is still not clear which species of AMF are more efficient as bioremediating agents for plants of agricultural importance. Here, we evaluated the effect of Gigaspora gigantea and Rhizophagus irregularis as protective agents of maize plants in soils contaminated with Cr at concentrations of 0, 48.5, 97 and 194 mg kg^?1 under greenhouse conditions. Maize tolerance to Cr was corroborated, as well as increased absorption of this element by plants associated with both species of AMF. G. gigantea caused an increase in nitrogen content and greater translocation of Cr to the aerial part of the plant; R. irregularis registered an increase in the formation of arbuscules and vesicles with increasing metal concentration and greater retention of Cr in the roots of the plants. Based on these results, we can conclude that the analyzed species of fungi use different strategies, with similar effectiveness, to enhance the absorption capacity of Cr by the plant and influence the differential deposition of this metal in various parts of the plant.

     

Chemical composition and biological activity of the essential oil of Ballota hispanica (L.) Benth. growing wild in Sicily

Ballota L. comprises several relevant species largely used for their excellent therapeutic properties. Ballota hispanica (L.) Benth. is widely used in herbal medicine, and it is sold in herbalist shops for its sedative and antispasmodic properties. Considering its traditional medicinal use and the lack of scientific studies on the volatile components of this species as well as on its biological activities, in this study the chemical composition of the essential oil from aerial parts of B. hispanica, collected in Sicily, was evaluated by gas chromatography and gas chromatography–mass spectrometry. α-Elemol was the most abundant component of the oil (10.9%), followed by α-ylangene (8.5%), γ-dodecalactone (5.1%), and manoyl oxide (4.8%). A comparison was made of the composition of the different Ballota taxa studied so far showing a peculiar profile of B. hispanica. Futhermore, the antimicrobial and the free radical scavenging activities of the oil were determined.     

Adaptive phenology of desert and Mediterranean populations of annual plants grown with and without water stress

Summary The dynamics of vegetative and reproductive growth were compared in matched pairs of Mediteranean and desert populations of three unrelated annual species, Erucaria hispanica (L.) Druce, Brachypodium distachyon (L.) Beauv. and Bromus fasciculatus C. Presl., under high and low levels of water availability in a common-environment experiment. Plants of all desert populations showed earlier switches to reproductive development and to subsequent phenophases, and the transition to flowering occurred at smaller plant sizes. Water stress had no effect (E. hispanica) or slightly accelerated the transition to flowering in B. fasciculatus (by 1–2 days) and in B. distachyon (by 4–6 days). Plant senescence was strongly enhanced by water stress, and this enhancement was greater in desert populations than in corresponding Mediterranean ones. Duration of life cycle was greatly shortened by water stress in all three species. Desert and Mediterranean populations of the three species exhibited small differences in their relative response, i.e. phenotypic plasticity, to water stress for phenological and plant size parameters. In E. hispanica and B. fasciculatus the population x water regime interaction amounted to less than 3% of total variance. By contrast, the Mediterranean population of B. distachyon was much more plastic in its response to water stress than the desert population in its transition to plant senescence. Plants from the desert populations appeared to be adapted to shorter, more compact growth cycles, culminating in earlier dates of seed maturation and plant senescence. In addition, they showed larger phenotypic plasticity in the transition to plant senescence, which trait was enhanced or magnified by sustained or repeated lack of water. By contrast, plants from Mediterranean populations delayed switchover from one phenophase to the next, seeming thus to bet on more water being forthcoming.     

Amaranthaceae halophytes from the French Flanders coast of the North Sea: a review of their phytochemistry and biological activities

Halophytes are plant species that tolerate high salinity levels. To adapt to these particular abiotic conditions, they develop multiple physiological, biochemical and molecular mechanisms, including the biosynthesis of osmolytes, enzymes and specialized metabolites. The French Flanders coast of the North Sea is an ideal environment for this kind of plant. Amaranthaceae is one of the most represented botanical families of halophytes present on this coast, with 15 species belonging to 7 genera, namely Atriplex, Beta, Halimione, Kali, Oxybasis, Salicornia and Suaeda. Some of these species are well known as wild edible plants, and some are used in traditional medicine. This review examines the chemistry of these species and their potential for human health.

     

Effects of host plant leaf damage on cabbage looper moth attraction and oviposition

Mated femaleTrichoplusia ni (Hubner) moths, when presented a choice of either undamaged cotton plants,Gossypium hirsutum L., or damaged plants (cut leaves or feedingT. ni larvae) in a flight tunnel, were most often attracted first to the damaged plants. However, these same moths oviposited primarily on the undamaged plants. In a similar test with cabbage plants,Brassica oleracea L., the presence of conspecific larvae decreased both attraction and oviposition. Cuts to cabbage leaves had no significant effect on attraction or oviposition. When presented one plant at a time, percentages of cabbage looper moths attracted were not affected by the presence of larvae on either cabbage or cotton plants, or by cuts to cabbage plant leaves. Percentages of moths attracted were, however, higher using cotton plants with cut leaves. The results suggest an important role for damage induced plant volatiles in host location as well as host acceptance byT. ni.     

The effects of large herbivores on the landscape dynamics of a perennial herb

Background and Aims

Models assessing the prospects of plant species at the landscape level often focus primarily on the relationship between species dynamics and landscape structure. However, the short-term prospects of species with slow responses to landscape changes depend on the factors affecting local population dynamics. In this study it is hypothesized that large herbivores may be a major factor affecting the short-term prospects of slow-responding species in the European landscape, because large herbivores have increased in number in this region in recent decades and can strongly influence local population dynamics.

Methods

The impact of browsing by large herbivores was simulated on the landscape-level dynamics of the dry grassland perennial polycarpic herb Scorzonera hispanica. A dynamic, spatially explicit model was used that incorporated information on the location of patches suitable for S. hispanica, local population dynamics (matrices including the impact of large herbivores), initial population sizes and dispersal rate of the species. Simulations were performed relating to the prospects of S. hispanica over the next 30 years under different rates of herbivory (browsing intensity) and varying frequencies of population destruction (e.g. by human activity).

Key Results

Although a high rate of herbivory was detected in most populations of S. hispanica, current landscape-level dynamics of S. hispanica were approximately in equilibrium. A decline or increase of over 20 % in the herbivory rate promoted rapid expansion or decline of S. hispanica, respectively. This effect was much stronger in the presence of population destruction.

Conclusions

Browsing by large herbivores can have a dramatic effect on the landscape dynamics of plant species. Changes in the density of large herbivores and the probability of population destruction should be incorporated into models predicting species abundance and distribution.     

Somatic embryogenesis from cell suspension and protoplast cultures ofCapsella bursa-pastoris (L.) Medic

Summary Rapidly growing cell suspension cultures of shepherd’s purse (Capsella bursa-pastoris L. Medic.) were established from leaf-derived calli. These suspensions remained unorganized in the presence of 2,4-D, but underwent extensive root organogenesis in a growth regulator-free liquid medium. Attempts to induce direct embryogenesis in liquid cultures were unsuccessful, but numerous embryos were obtained from cells plated onto growth-regulator-free solid medium. These embryos were frequently abnormal, and secondary embryogenesis was problematic for plant recovery but fertile plants were recovered. Viable protoplasts could readily be isolated from these cell suspensions. After 1 wk of culture, protoplast viability was 62%, and 7% of the cells had divided. Embryogenesis was observed from protoplast-derived microcolonies, plated on growth-regulator-free medium. Although these somatic embryos were difficult to root, plants were recovered. New cell suspensions were more recently established, which were only 4 to 6 mo. old when plant regeneration was attempted. Numerous shoots were obtained when these cells were plated onto growth-regulator-free solid media. However, these shoots differed from the embryos previously obtained in that they readily rooted and rapidly developed into plantlets. This system may allow the use of shepherd’s purse as a gene source for introgression of agronomically interesting traits intoBrassica crop species through protoplast manipulation and somatic hybridization.