scholarly journals Growth and Nutritional Quality of Lemnaceae Viewed Comparatively in an Ecological and Evolutionary Context

Plants ◽  
2022 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
pp. 145
Author(s):  
Barbara Demmig-Adams ◽  
Marina López-Pozo ◽  
Stephanie K. Polutchko ◽  
Paul Fourounjian ◽  
Jared J. Stewart ◽  
...  

This review focuses on recently characterized traits of the aquatic floating plant Lemna with an emphasis on its capacity to combine rapid growth with the accumulation of high levels of the essential human micronutrient zeaxanthin due to an unusual pigment composition not seen in other fast-growing plants. In addition, Lemna’s response to elevated CO2 was evaluated in the context of the source–sink balance between plant sugar production and consumption. These and other traits of Lemnaceae are compared with those of other floating aquatic plants as well as terrestrial plants adapted to different environments. It was concluded that the unique features of aquatic plants reflect adaptations to the freshwater environment, including rapid growth, high productivity, and exceptionally strong accumulation of high-quality vegetative storage protein and human antioxidant micronutrients. It was further concluded that the insensitivity of growth rate to environmental conditions and plant source–sink imbalance may allow duckweeds to take advantage of elevated atmospheric CO2 levels via particularly strong stimulation of biomass production and only minor declines in the growth of new tissue. It is proposed that declines in nutritional quality under elevated CO2 (due to regulatory adjustments in photosynthetic metabolism) may be mitigated by plant–microbe interaction, for which duckweeds have a high propensity.

Atmosphere ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (2) ◽  
pp. 212
Author(s):  
Jun-Lan Xiao ◽  
Feng Zeng ◽  
Qiu-Lan He ◽  
Yu-Xia Yao ◽  
Xiao Han ◽  
...  

Forests play a pivotal role in mitigating global warming as an important carbon sink. Recent global greening trends reflect a positive influence of elevated atmospheric CO2 on terrestrial carbon uptake. However, increasingly frequent and intense drought events endanger the carbon sequestration function of forests. This review integrates previous studies across scales to identify potential global trends in forest responses to drought and elevated CO2 as well as to identify data needs in this important research field. The inconsistent responses of ecosystem respiration to drought contributes to the change of forest net CO2 exchange, which depends on the balance of opposite effects of warming and water stress on respiration. Whether CO2 fertilization can offset the effects of drought remains controversial, however, we found a potential overestimation of global CO2 fertilization effects because of increasing water stress and other limitations such as light and nutrients (N, P) as well as the possibility of photosynthetic acclimation.


AoB Plants ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (5) ◽  
Author(s):  
Wanli Zhao ◽  
Peili Fu ◽  
Guolan Liu ◽  
Ping Zhao

Abstract Emergent aquatic plants mostly occur in shallow waters and root in bottom substrates, but their leaves emerge from the water surface and are thus exposed to air, similar to the leaves of terrestrial plants. Previous studies have found coordination between leaf water supply and demand in terrestrial plants; however, whether such a coordination exists in emergent aquatic plants remains unknown. In this study, we analysed leaf veins and stomatal characteristics of 14 emergent aquatic and 13 terrestrial monocotyledonous herb species (EMH and TMH), with 5 EMH and 8 TMH belonging to Poaceae. We found that EMH had significantly higher mean leaf area, leaf thickness, stomatal density, stomatal number per vein length and major vein diameter, but lower mean major vein length per area (VLA) and total VLA than TMH. There was no significant difference in stomatal length, minor VLA and minor vein diameter between the two groups. Stomatal density and total VLA were positively correlated among the EMH, TMH, as well as the 8 Poaceae TMH species, but this correlation became non-significant when data from both the groups were pooled. Our results showed that the differences in water supply between emergent aquatic and terrestrial plants modify the coordination of their leaf veins and stomatal traits.


Planta ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 255 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Kibrom B. Abreha ◽  
Muluken Enyew ◽  
Anders S. Carlsson ◽  
Ramesh R. Vetukuri ◽  
Tileye Feyissa ◽  
...  

Abstract Main conclusion Droughts negatively affect sorghum’s productivity and nutritional quality. Across its diversity centers, however, there exist resilient genotypes that function differently under drought stress at various levels, including molecular and physiological. Abstract Sorghum is an economically important and a staple food crop for over half a billion people in developing countries, mostly in arid and semi-arid regions where drought stress is a major limiting factor. Although sorghum is generally considered tolerant, drought stress still significantly hampers its productivity and nutritional quality across its major cultivation areas. Hence, understanding both the effects of the stress and plant response is indispensable for improving drought tolerance of the crop. This review aimed at enhancing our understanding and provide more insights on drought tolerance in sorghum as a contribution to the development of climate resilient sorghum cultivars. We summarized findings on the effects of drought on the growth and development of sorghum including osmotic potential that impedes germination process and embryonic structures, photosynthetic rates, and imbalance in source-sink relations that in turn affect seed filling often manifested in the form of substantial reduction in grain yield and quality. Mechanisms of sorghum response to drought-stress involving morphological, physiological, and molecular alterations are presented. We highlighted the current understanding about the genetic basis of drought tolerance in sorghum, which is important for maximizing utilization of its germplasm for development of improved cultivars. Furthermore, we discussed interactions of drought with other abiotic stresses and biotic factors, which may increase the vulnerability of the crop or enhance its tolerance to drought stress. Based on the research reviewed in this article, it appears possible to develop locally adapted cultivars of sorghum that are drought tolerant and nutrient rich using modern plant breeding techniques.


2003 ◽  
Vol 48 (8) ◽  
pp. 1432-1439 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nancy C. Tuchman ◽  
Kirk A. Wahtera ◽  
Robert G. Wetzel ◽  
Nicole M. Russo ◽  
Grace M. Kilbane ◽  
...  

2007 ◽  
Vol 58 (2) ◽  
pp. 95 ◽  
Author(s):  
Fangmin Cheng ◽  
Yi Liu ◽  
Zhenghui Liu ◽  
Ningchun Zhao ◽  
Feng Wang ◽  
...  

The effect of grain position within a panicle on chalky occurrence, and its relation to phytic acid and protein content, were studied using 6 Japonica rice cultivars with compact panicles and through leaf and floret removal treatments to alter source-sink ratio. There were significant differences in total chalky grain (TCG), white core grain (WCG), white belly grain (WBG), and WCG/WBG among grains within a panicle, with the top and primary rachides having higher WBG than the bottom and secondary rachides. Alteration of source-sink ratio had a remarkable influence on chalky grain occurrence and its positional distribution within a panicle, and the extent of the influence varied greatly with cultivars. In comparison with WCG, WBG occurrence was more susceptible to the alteration of source-sink ratio. No significant correlation was found between chalky percentage and phytic acid and protein contents for the grains in the different positions within a panicle. Chalky occurrence had little effect on the nutritional quality.


2002 ◽  
Vol 29 (7) ◽  
pp. 805 ◽  
Author(s):  
María Dolores Fernández ◽  
Wilmer Tezara ◽  
Elizabeth Rengifo ◽  
Ana Herrera

We evaluated the effects of an elevated [CO2] on photosynthesis and growth of cassava plants grown in open-top chambers with an adequate supply of water and N and a sufficient rooting volume. Cassava plants (Manihot esculenta Crantz. cv. Motilona) showed higher photosynthetic rates (Pn) when grown and measured at elevated [CO2] (680 µmol mol-1) than when grown and measured at ambient [CO2] (480 µmol mol-1). No downregulation of photosynthesis due to elevated [CO2] was found, since carboxylation efficiency increased after 220 d in spite of a decrease in leaf soluble protein, Rubisco, and leaf N content. Soluble sugar and starch contents decreased with time under elevated [CO2], the decrease in starch content coinciding with the beginning of the increase in root mass. Canopy Pn by leaf area decreased with time under elevated [CO2] but, when canopy Pn was expressed by ground area, higher and constant rates were observed, suggesting a higher productivity in plants grown at elevated [CO2]. The absence of differences between growth [CO2] in root : shoot ratio observed suggests that elevated [CO2], while causing increases in the shoot as well as the root, did not affect the pattern of biomass allocation. Acclimation responses of gas exchange parameters changed during the experiment. The absence of downregulation of photosynthesis was associated with a decrease in leaf sugar and starch contents of plants grown at elevated [CO2], which suggests a favourable source/sink relationship.


2004 ◽  
Vol 10 (9) ◽  
pp. 1565-1575 ◽  
Author(s):  
Raymond V. Barbehenn ◽  
Zhong Chen ◽  
David N. Karowe ◽  
Angela Spickard

2007 ◽  
Vol 4 (3) ◽  
pp. 1437-1460 ◽  
Author(s):  
K. Denef ◽  
H. Bubenheim ◽  
K. Lenhart ◽  
J. Vermeulen ◽  
O. Van Cleemput ◽  
...  

Abstract. The aim of this study was to identify the microbial communities that are actively involved in the assimilation of rhizosphere-C and are most sensitive in their activity to elevated atmospheric CO2 in grassland ecosystems. For this, we analyzed 13C signatures in microbial biomarker phospholipid fatty acids (PLFA) from an in situ 13CO2 pulse-labeling experiment in the Gießen Free-Air Carbon dioxide Enrichment grasslands (GiFACE, Germany) exposed to ambient and elevated (i.e. 50% above ambient) CO2 concentrations. Carbon-13 PLFA measurements at 3 h, 10 h and 11 months after the pulse-labeling indicated a much faster transfer of newly produced rhizosphere-C to fungal compared to bacterial PLFA. After 11 months, the proportion of 13C had decreased in fungal PLFA but had increased in bacterial PLFA compared to a few hours after the pulse-labeling. Nevertheless, a significant proportion of the rapidly assimilated rhizosphere-C was still present in fungal PLFA after 11 months. These results demonstrate the dominant role of fungi in the immediate assimilation of rhizodeposits in grassland ecosystems, while also suggesting a long-term retention of rhizosphere-C in the fungal mycelium as well as a possible translocation of the rhizosphere-C from the fungal to bacterial biomass. Elevated CO2 caused an increase in the relative abundance of root-derived PLFA-C in the saprotrophic fungal PLFA 18:2ω6,9 as well as arbuscular mycorrhizal fungal PLFA 16:1ω5, but a decrease in the saprotrophic fungal biomarker PLFA 18:1ω9. This suggests enhanced rhizodeposit-C assimilation only by selected fungal communities under elevated CO2.


EDIS ◽  
1969 ◽  
Vol 2005 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Eva C. Worden ◽  
David L. Sutton

Water gardening is increasing in popularity in ornamental landscapes across the country. Ornamental aquatic plants can be grown in small ponds and in containers on the patio or in the yard. Many water-tight containers of many sizes and shapes are available for displaying ornamental aquatic plants. Water gardens provide additional, attractive features to landscapes not available with terrestrial plants. An aquatic plant palette of considerable variety is available for water gardens in Florida (Table 1). The abundance of sunshine and warm temperatures provides ideal growing conditions for many aquatic plant species. This document is ENH988, one of a series of the Environmental Horticulture Department, Florida Cooperative Extension Service, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, University of Florida. Original publication date February 2005. 


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