Are gas exchange responses to resource limitation and defoliation linked to source:sink relationships?

Productivity of trees can be affected by limitations in resources such as water and nutrients, and herbivory. However, there is little understanding of their interactive effects on carbon uptake and growth. We hypothesized that: (1) in the absence of defoliation, photosynthetic rate and leaf respiration would be governed by limiting resource(s) and their impact on sink limitation; (2) photosynthetic responses to defoliation would be a consequence of changing source:sink relationships and increased availability of limiting resources; and (3) photosynthesis and leaf respiration would be adjusted in response to limiting resources and defoliation so that growth could be maintained. We tested these hypotheses by examining how leaf photosynthetic processes, respiration, carbohydrate concentrations and growth rates of Eucalyptus globulus were influenced by high or low water and nitrogen (N) availability, and/or defoliation. Photosynthesis of saplings grown with low water was primarily sink limited, whereas photosynthetic responses of saplings grown with low N were suggestive of source limitation. Defoliation resulted in source limitation. Net photosynthetic responses to defoliation were linked to the degree of resource availability, with the largest responses measured in treatments where saplings were ultimately source rather than sink limited. There was good evidence of acclimation to stress, enabling higher rates of C uptake than might otherwise have occurred.     

Are ABA,ethylene or their interaction involved in the response of leaf growth to soil water deficit? An analysis using naturally occurring variation or genetic transformation of ABA production in maize

The role of abscisic acid (ABA) and its possible interaction with ethylene in mediating leaf elongation response to soil water deficit are a matter of controversy. To address this question, we used a set of maize genotypes with various levels of ABA either due to natural variability or to genetic transformation targeted on NCED/VP14, a key enzyme of ABA synthesis. The transgenic lines yielded less strong phenotypes than available mutants, making it possible to use them under normal growing conditions. We focused on leaf elongation during night periods in order to avoid the confounding effect of ABA on leaf water status. Our results suggest that over a wide range, internal ABA level (measured in both leaf extracts or xylem sap) has no clear effect on leaf elongation response to soil water deficit, except in the case of an antisense line presenting the strongest reduction in ABA accumulation that showed a slight maintenance of leaf elongation during water deficit. Leaf ethylene production rate was variable and not related to water deficit except in the ABA-deficient transgenic lines where it was increased by water deficit on average but not systematically. Moreover, variability in ethylene production rate was not linked to variability in elongation rate. Our results thus suggest that neither ABA nor ethylene seems to play a major role in the control of leaf elongation response to soil water deficit.     

Do Striga hermonthica-induced changes in soil matric potential cause the reduction in stomatal conductance and growth of infected maize plants?

Maize ( Zea mays L.) plants parasitized by the root hemi-parasitic angiosperm, Striga hermonthica (Del.) Benth., consistently display a range of symptoms similar to those found in droughted plants. The mechanisms by which these changes occur are largely unknown. However, S. hermonthica has unusually high rates of transpiration, and stomata which are relatively insensitive to water deficit. Consequently, it has often been suggested that the parasite might cause a severe depletion of the available water in the host's rooting zone. To determine whether the lower stomatal conductance and retarded growth of infected plants could be a result of parasite-induced water deficit, we have monitored the matric potential of the growth medium, water use, growth and stomatal conductance of infected vs. uninfected maize plants.
Host plant height and stomatal conductance of parasitized plants were significantly lower than those of control plants from 31 or 37 d after planting (d.a.p.) respectively. However, there was no indication of an increase in the rate of water depletion in the rooting zone of infected plants until approx. 63 d into the parasitic association. In fact, from 39 until 59 d.a.p. infected plants used less water than uninfected control plants, probably the result of the plants having fewer expanded leaves during part of this period, combined with the lower stomatal conductance exhibited by the infected plants from day 37 onwards. Leaf RWC of infected plants was unchanged in comparison with that of uninfected plants, therefore the change in stomatal conductance was not a response to dehydration of the leaf tissue. Our results indicate that parasitism by S. hermonthica does not cause an increase in water uptake/use in the host until well after most of the symptoms of infection have become fully established. It is highly unlikely, therefore, that the observed effects on the host are primarily due to soil water deficit.     

Are the metabolomic responses to folivory of closely related plant species linked to macroevolutionary and plant–folivore coevolutionary processes?

The debate whether the coevolution of plants and insects or macroevolutionary processes (phylogeny) is the main driver determining the arsenal of molecular defensive compounds of plants remains unresolved. Attacks by herbivorous insects affect not only the composition of defensive compounds in plants but also the entire metabolome. Metabolomes are the final products of genotypes and are constrained by macroevolutionary processes, so closely related species should have similar metabolomic compositions and may respond in similar ways to attacks by folivores. We analyzed the elemental compositions and metabolomes of needles from three closely related Pinus species with distant coevolutionary histories with the caterpillar of the processionary moth respond similarly to its attack. All pines had different metabolomes and metabolic responses to herbivorous attack. The metabolomic variation among the species and the responses to folivory reflected their macroevolutionary relationships, with P. pinaster having the most divergent metabolome. The concentrations of terpenes were in the attacked trees supporting the hypothesis that herbivores avoid plant individuals with higher concentrations. Our results suggest that macroevolutionary history plays important roles in the metabolomic responses of these pine species to folivory, but plant–insect coevolution probably constrains those responses. Combinations of different evolutionary factors and trade‐offs are likely responsible for the different responses of each species to folivory, which is not necessarily exclusively linked to plant–insect coevolution.     

Invading from the garden? A comparison of leaf herbivory for exotic and native plants in natural and ornamental settings

Abstract The enemies release hypothesis proposes that exotic species can become invasive by escaping from predators and parasites in their novel environment. Agrawal et al. (Enemy release? An experiment with congeneric plant pairs and diverse above‐ and below‐ground enemies. Ecology, 86, 2979–2989) proposed that areas or times in which damage to introduced species is low provide opportunities for the invasion of native habitat. We tested whether ornamental settings may provide areas with low levels of herbivory for trees and shrubs, potentially facilitating invasion success. First, we compared levels of leaf herbivory among native and exotic species in ornamental and natural settings in Cincinnati, Ohio, United States. In the second study, we compared levels of herbivory for invasive and noninvasive exotic species between natural and ornamental settings. We found lower levels of leaf damage for exotic species than for native species; however, we found no differences in the amount of leaf damage suffered in ornamental or natural settings. Our results do not provide any evidence that ornamental settings afford additional release from herbivory for exotic plant species.     

What are the evolutionary origins of stomatal responses to abscisic acid in land plants?

The evolution of active stomatal closure in response to leaf water deficit, mediated by the hormone abscisic acid (ABA), has been the subject of recent debate. Two different models for the timing of the evolution of this response recur in the literature. A single‐step model for stomatal control suggests that stomata evolved active, ABA‐mediated control of stomatal aperture, when these structures first appeared, prior to the divergence of bryophyte and vascular plant lineages. In contrast, a gradualistic model for stomatal control proposes that the most basal vascular plant stomata responded passively to changes in leaf water status. This model suggests that active ABA‐driven mechanisms for stomatal responses to water status instead evolved after the divergence of seed plants, culminating in the complex, ABA‐mediated responses observed in modern angiosperms. Here we review the findings that form the basis for these two models, including recent work that provides critical molecular insights into resolving this intriguing debate, and find strong evidence to support a gradualistic model for stomatal evolution.     

Understanding water deficit stress-induced changes in the basic metabolism of higher plants – biotechnologically and sustainably improving agriculture and the ecoenvironment in arid regions of the globe

Water is vital for plant growth, development and productivity. Permanent or temporary water deficit stress limits the growth and distribution of natural and artificial vegetation and the performance of cultivated plants (crops) more than any other environmental factor. Productive and sustainable agriculture necessitates growing plants (crops) in arid and semiarid regions with less input of precious resources such as fresh water. For a better understanding and rapid improvement of soil–water stress tolerance in these regions, especially in the water-wind eroded crossing region, it is very important to link physiological and biochemical studies to molecular work in genetically tractable model plants and important native plants, and further extending them to practical ecological restoration and efficient crop production. Although basic studies and practices aimed at improving soil water stress resistance and plant water use efficiency have been carried out for many years, the mechanisms involved at different scales are still not clear. Further understanding and manipulating soil–plant water relationships and soil–water stress tolerance at the scales of ecology, physiology and molecular biology can significantly improve plant productivity and environmental quality. Currently, post-genomics and metabolomics are very important in exploring anti-drought gene resources in various life forms, but modern agriculturally sustainable development must be combined with plant physiological measures in the field, on the basis of which post-genomics and metabolomics have further practical prospects. In this review, we discuss physiological and molecular insights and effects in basic plant metabolism, drought tolerance strategies under drought conditions in higher plants for sustainable agriculture and ecoenvironments in arid and semiarid areas of the world. We conclude that biological measures are the bases for the solutions to the issues relating to the different types of sustainable development.     

Are all the miRBase-registered microRNAs true? A structure- and expression-based re-examination in plants

In this survey, we did a large-scale re-examination of the currently registered plant microRNAs (miRNAs) in miRBase (release 17), which were annotated based on the already established criteria. Huge public small RNA (sRNA) high-throughput sequencing (HTS) data sets were employed to interrogate the accuracy of the miRBase registries based on the secondary structures of the miRNA precursors and the expression levels of the miRNAs and the miRNA*s. Our results raised the caveat that the current miRNA lists in miRBase should be carefully refined, and more strict criteria should be implemented for new miRNA registration. Through this work, we proposed a structure- and expression-based strategy to validate a set of defined miRNA genes, or even to annotate novel ones based on currently available sRNA HTS data sets. We also hope to inspire further research efforts on the manual refinement of the current miRNA gene lists.     

Does the rate of German chamomile growth and development influence the response of plants to soil drought?

The response of the wild type (WT) and a strain C6/2 of German chamomile to 7-d soil drought and subsequent 7-day rehydration was studied. Shoot and leaf growth, vegetative development, water and protein contents, ascorbate peroxidase activity and gas exchange were compared. At the stress stage, water content of WT plants was slightly influenced and the effect was ceased after rehydration. Also the decrease in gas exchange was temporary. New leaves were formed, although their area was diminished. On the contrary, leaves of C6/2 plants were more desiccated and the durable decrease in water content was accompanied by the impairment in gas exchange also at the recovery stage (20–40% loss when compared to the control). At both stages of the experiment the growth of the long shoots of this genotype was drastically decreased, as well as leaf formation. Ascorbate peroxidase activity was increased by drought in leaves of both genotypes, but the pattern of changes in WT plants reflected the enhancement of metabolism resulting from proper water content and gas exchange at the recovery stage. Different pattern of changes in the protein content during drought was also noticed: a slight increase in WT, while the decrease by ¼ in C6/2 leaves. The response of WT plants to desiccation and rewatering was found to be more elastic than that of C6/2.     

A high affinity pyruvate decarboxylase is present in cottonwood leaf veins and petioles: A second source of leaf acetaldehyde emission?

Considerable evidence indicates that acetaldehyde is released from the leaves of a variety of plants. The conventional explanation for this is that ethanol formed in the roots is transported to the leaves where it is converted to acetaldehyde by the alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH) found in the leaves. It is possible that acetaldehyde could also be formed in leaves by action of pyruvate decarboxylase (PDC), an enzyme with an uncertain metabolic role, which has been detected, but not characterized, in cottonwood leaves. We have found that leaf PDC is present in leaf veins and petioles, as well as in non-vein tissues. Veins and petioles contained measurable pyruvate concentrations in the range of 2 mM. The leaf vein form of the enzyme was purified approximately 143-fold, and, at the optimum pH of 5.6, the K_m value for pyruvate was 42 μM. This K_m is lower than the typical millimolar range seen for PDCs from other sources. The purified leaf PDC also decarboxylates 2-ketobutyric acid (K_m = 2.2 mM). We conclude that there are several possible sources of acetaldehyde production in cottonwood leaves: the well-characterized root-derived ethanol oxidation by ADH in leaves, and the decarboxylation of pyruvate by PDC in leaf veins, petioles, and other leaf tissues. Significantly, the leaf vein form of PDC with its high affinity for pyruvate, could function to shunt pyruvate carbon to the pyruvate dehydrogenase by-pass and thus protect the metabolically active vascular bundle cells from the effects of oxygen deprivation.     

How do sink and source activities influence the reproduction and vegetative growth of spring ephemeral herbs under different light conditions?

Spring ephemeral herbs inhabiting deciduous forests commonly complete reproduction and vegetative growth before canopy closure in early summer. Effects of shading by early canopy closure on reproductive output and vegetative growth, however, may vary depending on the seasonal allocation patterns of photosynthetic products between current reproduction and storage for future growth in each species. To clarify the effects of sink–source balance on seed production and bulb growth in a spring ephemeral herb, Gagea lutea, we performed a bract removal treatment (source reduction) and a floral-bud removal treatment (sink reduction) under canopy and open conditions. Leaf carbon fixations did not differ between the forest and open sites and among treatments. Bract carbon fixations were also similar between sites but tended to decrease when floral buds were removed. Seed production was higher under open condition but decreased by the bract-removal treatment under both light conditions. In contrast, bulb growth was independent of light conditions and the bract-removal treatment but increased greatly by the bud-removal treatment. Therefore, leaves and bracts acted as specialized source organs for vegetative and reproductive functions, respectively, but photosynthetic products by bracts were flexibly used for bulb growth when plants failed to set fruits. Extension of bright period was advantageous for seed production (i.e., source limited) but not for vegetative growth (i.e., sink limited) in this species.     

A study of the biochemistry and cytochemical localization of β-glycerophosphatase activity in root tips of maize and pea

Summary A critical study has been made of the standard lead phosphate precipitation technique for the localization of-glycerophosphatase activity in young root tips. The effects of fixatives on enzyme activity and on the loss of activity during fixation and incubation have been determined. Cytochemical studies showed that the most prominent sites of-glycerophosphatase activity were at particulate sites in the cytoplasm and in the nucleus. Good correlation was obtained between frozen section and electron microscope studies although a number of problems were encountered. These particularly concerned the penetration of the staining medium, the loss of activity during incubation and the use of the acetic acid rinse. Recommendations are made for the reliable localization of the enzyme. The use of controls in this method were studied and their validity discussed.The study was supported in part by a National Science Foundation Grant GB 12371 to Dr. J.Cronshaw.     

Leaf gas exchange,source–sink relationship,and growth response of cotton to the interactive effects of nitrogen rate and planting density

Nitrogen (N) rate and plant density (PD) are important factors for sustainable cotton production. The objective of this study is to examine the effects of nitrogen rate and plant density on plant growth, source–sink relationship, and cotton yield. A split-plot arrangement was used in the field experiment with the main plots assigned to N rate (120 and 180 kg/ha), and the sub-plots assigned to plant density (8, 10, and 12 plants/m²). Results showed significant N and PD interaction on plant growth, leaf gas exchange, and yield. Higher plant growth and cotton yield were noted under low nitrogen rate and high planting density than other treatment combinations. Leaf photosynthesis, stomatal conductance, intercellular CO₂, transpiration rate, and water use efficiency were considerably influenced by planting density and nitrogen rate. Maximum values of these traits were obtained under low nitrogen rate with high planting density or high nitrogen rate with medium planting density, while the least values were under low nitrogen rate with low planting density. Correlation analysis revealed highly significant and positive relation between leaf gas exchange and cotton yield.     

Does short-term fasting lead to stressed-out parents? A study of incubation commitment and the hormonal stress responses and recoveries in snow petrels

The hormonal stress response is flexible and can be modulated by individuals according to its costs and benefits. Therefore, it is predicted that parents in poor body condition should modify their hormonal stress response, and thus, redirect energy allocation processes from parental care to self-maintenance when stressors occur. To test this prediction, most studies on free-living vertebrates have only focused on the stress response while the stress recovery – how quickly hormonal levels return to baseline values – has been neglected. Moreover, most studies have only focused on corticosterone – the primary mediator of allostasis – without paying attention to prolactin despite its major role in mediating parental behaviors. Here, we examined the effect of a short-term fasting event on the corticosterone and prolactin stress responses and recoveries, and we subsequently explored their relationships with parental decision in the snow petrel (Pagodroma nivea). By comparing the hormonal profiles of fasting and non-fasting snow petrels, we showed that parents modulate their corticosterone (but not prolactin) stress response according to their energetic status. We also described for the first time the hormonal stress recoveries in wild birds and found that they did not differ between fasting and non-fasting birds. Importantly, egg neglect was negatively correlated with circulating prolactin but not corticosterone levels in this species, demonstrating therefore a complex link between body condition, parental behavior and circulating corticosterone and prolactin levels. We suggest that both corticosterone and prolactin play a major role in the way parents adjust to stressors. This multiple signaling may allow parents to fine-tune their response to stressors, and especially, to activate specific allostasis-related mechanisms in a timely manner.     

Is the onset of senescence in leaf cells of intact plants due to low or high sugar levels?

This review examines the hypotheses that developmental programmed cell death in leaves is mediated (i) by sugar starvation in the leaf cells or (ii) by sugar accumulation in these cells. Experimental evidence for both hypotheses is critically discussed and found to be lacking. For example, some papers show that sugars prevent senescence of cut leaves placed in darkness, and prevent low sugar levels in the leaves. In these tests, the sugars seem to replace photosynthesis, hence the results have little relevance to leaf senescence in intact plants in the light. Low nitrogen nutrition and high light results in earlier senescence than the low nitrogen treatment alone. This is accompanied by high sugar levels in the leaves. The results have led to the idea that accumulation of sugars is the cause of the additional effect, or more generally, that sugar accumulation is always the direct cause of leaf senescence. Results from over-expressing, or knocking out, hexokinase genes tend to support the high sugar hypothesis, but pleiotropic effects confound this conclusion. In addition, several experiments show the effects of treatments on senescence without the increase in leaf sugar levels. Nonetheless, sugar levels are usually measured in whole leaves. Such an overall level does not reflect the differences in the onset of senescence between tissues and cells, and can therefore not be used as an argument for or against either of the two hypotheses. It is argued that future work should determine the time line of the concentrations of various sugars in various cells and cellular compartments, in relation to senescence processes in the same cells. Taken together, the data are not decisive. It is possible that neither of the two hypotheses is correct.     

The evaluation of photosynthetic parameters in maize inbred lines subjected to water deficiency: Can these parameters be used for the prediction of performance of hybrid progeny?

The response of selected photosynthetic and morphological parameters of plants to drought was examined in 5 inbred lines of maize (Zea mays L.) and their 10 F1 hybrids. The aim of the study was to establish whether the photosynthetic performance of parental genotypes under drought conditions correlates with the performance of their progeny and whether the net photosynthetic rate, the chlorophyll fluorescence parameters or the content of photosynthetic pigments could be used as reliable physiological markers for early breeding generations. The relative importance of the additive and the nonadditive (dominance, maternal) genetic effects in the inheritance of these parameters was also assessed by means of the quantitative genetics analysis. The results showed that the nonadditive genetic effects associated with a particular combination of genotypes or a particular direction of crossing are at least equally and often even more important as the additivity and that these genetic effects almost totally change with the exposure of plants to drought conditions. This was reflected in the inability to predict the response of F1 hybrids to drought on the basis of the photosynthetic performance of their parents, which indicates that the practical usability of such parameters in maize breeding programs is rather limited.     

Simulated and predicted responses of tree stem radial growth to climate change—A case study in semi-arid north central China

Precise knowledge how tree growth will respond to future climate change is essential for the adapted management of forest ecosystems. By conducting sensitivity tests, tree-ring process-based cambial growth models can provide an innovative way to better understand wood formation under different climate change scenarios. As a case study in semi-arid north central China, we used artificially increased or decreased daily climatic data as input to the Vaganov-Shashkin dynamic growth model to investigate the response of wood formation to climatic change. By calibrating the tree-ring model using daily climate data over the period 1951–2010, we found that 81% of radial growth was driven by soil moisture, while 13% of growth was controlled by temperature. During the main growing season June–August, significant differences in the integral growth rate occurred after changing precipitation by ± 30% or by decreasing temperature by 3.0 °C (p < 0.05). However, increasing temperature showed only modest effects on tree radial growth rate. During the past 60 years, a significant advancement of the starting dates of growth was detected, whereby non-significant variability was found for the ending dates of growth. Contemporaneously, the effect of previous winter temperature (previous December to current January) on cambial growth initiation declined after 1980. Significant differences in the growth onset dates only occurred when temperature was reduced by 4.5 °C or increased by 5.5 °C. Moreover, both the onset and ending dates of growth in the study region were more sensitive to cooling rather than to warming. If temperature will increase by 2°C and precipitation will increase by 30% at the end of this century as predicted by some Earth system models, tree radial growth might increase by 19% in the study region, compared to the average during the period 1952–2010. Consequently, tree stem radial growth is expected to increase under a warming and wetting climatic scenario, but will decrease under drying conditions.