Identification of GROWTH-REGULATING FACTOR Transcription Factor Family Involved in Leaf Growth Regulation in Lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.)

Background: GROWTH-REGULATING FACTORs (GRFs), a type of plant-specific transcription factors, play important roles in regulating plant growth and development. Although GRF gene family has been identified in various plant species, a genome-wide analysis of GRF gene family in lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.) has not been reported yet. Results: Here we identified 15 members of GRF genes in lettuce and performed comprehensive analysis of them, including chromosomal locations, gene structures, and conserved motifs. Through phylogenic analysis between GRF genes in Arabidopsis and rice, we divided LsaGRFs into six groups. Specifically, the N-terminal of LsaGRF5 showed transcriptional activity, LsaGRF5 probably functioned as a transcriptional factor in cell nucleus. Meanwhile, 14 LsaGRF genes were predicted to be the target of Lsa-miR396 except of LsaGRF9 using free energies of duplex structures. LsaGRF5 could be cleaved by Lsa-miR396 at specific binding site between the 9th and 10th nucleotides. Furthermore, overexpression of LsaGRF5 in lettuce exhibited larger leaves, while smaller leaves were observed in LsaMIR396a overexpression lines, in which LsaGRF5 was down-regulated. Conclusions: These results in lettuce provide insight into the molecular mechanism of GRF gene family in regulating leaf growth and development and foundational information for genetic improvement of the lettuce variations specialized in leaf character.

Karakteristik Morfologi Lamun Thalassodendron ciliatum (Forsskall) Hartog 1970 (Kelas: Magnoliopsida,Famili : Cymodoceaceae) Berdasarkan Tipe Substrat di Perairan Pantai Timur Kabupaten Bulukumba

This study aims to determine the seagrass morphological characteristic based on substrates and analyze the relationship of environmental factors with the morphology of Thalassodendron ciliatum. A sampling at each station was done purposively according to the substrate. Sampling was carried out in 3 areas as replication by digging and taking seagrass complete with rhizome and its roots as many as 25 stands. Then the seagrass was cleaned from the sand and put into a sample bag and stored in a cooler. At the same time, sand and water samples were also taken to measure the nitrate and phosphate. The measured water quality in situ includes current speed, temperature, salinity, depth, and wave height. In the laboratory, measurements of morphological parameters of seagrass were done on the leaves, stems, rhizomes, and roots. The results showed that the sandy substrate (Kasuso Station: more protected) showed a longer and thicker leaf character, and a longer root with a greater number of roots, but had a number of leaves, rhizoma length, internode distance, and root diameter smaller than the area with the substrate was dominated by coral fragments (Panrangluhu Station). Under weak current conditions with high nitrate and phosphate content, they were characterized by the larger stem and leaf lengths with a large number of roots. Whereas in strong currents, seagrass was characterized by a greater number and area of leaves and root diameter. Areas with high waves, characterized by seagrasses that have larger stem diameters, longer rhizomes with larger diameters, and also longer internode distances Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mendeterminasi karakter morfologi lamun berdasarkan tipe substrat dan menganalisis keterkaitan faktor lingkungan dengan morfologi lamun Thalassodendron ciliatum. Sampling pada setiap stasiun dilakukan secara purposif dengan memperhatikan susbstrat dasar. Sampling dilakukan pada 3 area sebagai ulangan dengan cara menggali dan mengambil lamun lengkap dengan rhizoma dan akarnya sebanyak 25 tegakan. Kemudian lamun dibersihkan dari pasir dan dimasukkan ke dalam kantong sampel yang berisi air laut dan disimpan dalam kotak pendingin. Bersamaan dengan itu, juga diambil sampel pasir dan air untuk diukur kandungan nitrat dan posfatnya. Kualitas air yang diukur secara insitu meliputi kecepatan arus, suhu, salinitas, kedalaman, dan tinggi gelombang. Di laboratorium diukur parameter morfologi lamun pada bagian daun, batang, rhizoma, dan akar. Hasil analisis menunjukkan bahwa pada substrat berpasir (Stasiun Kasuso: lebih terlindung) memperlihatkan karakter daun yang lebih panjang dan tebal, serta akar yang lebih panjang dengan jumlah akar yang lebih banyak, namun memiliki jumlah daun, panjang rhizoma, jarak internode, dan diameter akar yang lebih kecil dibandingkan dengan daerah yang substratnya didominasi oleh pecahan karang (Stasiun Panrangluhu). Pada kondisi arus yang lemah dengan kandungan nitrat dan posfat yang tinggi, dicirikan oleh panjang batang dan daun yang lebih besar dengan jumlah akar yang banyak. Sedangkan pada arus yang kuat, lamun dicirikan oleh jumlah dan luasan daun serta diameter akar yang lebih besar. Daerah dengan gelombang yang tinggi, dicirikan oleh lamun yang memiliki diameter batang yang lebih besar, rhizoma yang lebih panjang dengan diameter yang besar, dan jarak internode yang juga lebih panjang.

Morphological Character of Local Irrigated Rice on Farmer Field in North Sulawesi

<p>Local rice is a potential germplasm as a source of genes that control important properties in rice plants. The research aimed to characterize the morphological character of local rice cultivars of North Sulawesi. The research was conducted from January to June 2015 in North Sulawesi. The method used was the descriptive qualitative method. Exploration was done by collecting samples of local rice cultivars in North Sulawesi. Each cultivar was characterized its morphological characters according to the Characterization and Evaluation Guidelines of Rice Germplasm. The local rice found in North Sulawesi were 10 varieties, namely Pulo Sawah, Superwin, CK, Serwo, Pilihan, Sako, Sito Merah, Sito Putih, TB, and Serayu. There were similarities of the characters from all local rice varieties of North Sulawesi, such as culm (culm strength and culm habit), leaf character (basal leaf sheath color, leaf blade color, collar color, and auricle color), and flower character (panicle exsertion and panicle attitude of branches). The character of grain morphology was very diverse for all local rice varieties of North Sulawesi.</p>

Automated leaf physiognomic character identification from digital images

Research into the relationship between leaf form and climate over the last century has revealed that, in many species, the sizes and shapes of leaf characters exhibit highly structured and predictable patterns of variation in response to the local climate. Several procedures have been developed that quantify covariation between the relative abundance of plant character states and the states of climate variables as a means of estimating paleoclimate parameters. One of the most widely used of these is the Climate Leaf Analysis Multivariate Program (CLAMP). The consistency, accuracy and reliability with which leaf characters can be identified and assigned to CLAMP character-state categories is critical to the accuracy of all CLAMP analyses. Here we report results of a series of performance tests for an image-based, fully automated at the point of use, leaf character scoring system that can be used to generate CLAMP leaf character state data for: leaf bases (acute, cordate and round), leaf apices (acute, attenuate), leaf shapes (ovate, elliptical and obovate), leaf lobing (unlobed, lobed), and leaf aspect ratios (length/width). This image-based system returned jackknifed identification accuracy ratios of between 87% and 100%. These results demonstrate that automated image-based identification systems have the potential to improve paleoenvironmental inferences via the provision of accurate, consistent and rapid CLAMP leaf-character identifications. More generally, our results provide strong support for the feasibility of using fully automated, image-based morphometric procedures to address the general problem of morphological character-state identification.

VARIASI KARAKTER MORFOLOGIS LIMA JENIS SAGU (Metroxylon sp) DI PULAU SAPARUA

Background: Sago (Metroxylon sp) is one of food commodities that contains many carbohydrates, so it serves as a staple food for some regions in Indonesia such as Maluku, Papua and Sulawesi. Sago can also be used as raw material for food industry such as bagea, sago pearl, pastry, wet cake, noodle, biscuit, cracker and vermicelli. Various uses of sago cause attention in terms of development and conservation. Saparua Island is one of the areas in the Maluku archipelago with sago potential that is wide enough. There are 5 types of sago in the area such as sago tuni, sagu molat, sago eataru, sagu ihur, and sago thorn rattan.Methods: This research took place in February-March 2014 by conducting exploration on location and samples selected by proposive sampling. For each quantitative parameter such as height, length, width, using a measuring instrument of ruler, roll meter while qualitative parameters such as shape, color can be observed visually.Results: Exploration was conducted on February-March 2014 with morphological character parameters on vegetative and generative organs of 70 characters. The results of the study showed a varied morphological appearance in each variety. Visually, variations of morphological characters in the vegetative organ seen in the trunk character are height, surface, circumference, color. Leaf character has variation in leaf sponge, leaf bone flexibility, midst of base of midrib, midrib, midrib, midrib, midlet, child length, upper surface. Morphological characters in generative organs appear to vary in flower, ie, the length and width of the stem, the diameter of the flower. Variations in fruits such as shape, amount, and color while on the seeds are the color and weight.Conclusion: There are variations of morphological characters in the five varieties of sago on Saparua Island in shape, size, and color, appearance of each organ either on stems, leaves, flowers, fruits and seeds.