Comparative plant biochemistry and soil biology of wild and cultivated cotton species

Purpose No attempts were made to analyze the diversity in soil and plant biology of wild cotton species (WCS) and cultivated cotton species (CCS), so far. Our study aimed to understand the differences in soil biological, plant biochemistry, and defense enzyme activities among the ten WCS and four CCS. Methods We studied the differences in soil biology, plant biochemistry, and defense enzyme activities among the ten WCS (Gossypium anomalum, G. aridum, G. australe, G. barbosanum, G. capitis-virides, G. davidsonii, G. raimondii, G. somalense, G. stocksii, G. thurberi) and four CCS (G. arboreum, G. herbaceum, G. hirsutum, and G. barbadense). Results CCS had 11%, 2%, and 10% higher soil respiration rate, microbial biomass carbon, and microbial metabolic quotient, respectively, compared to WCS. While, WCS had 45%, 15%, and 5% higher glomalin, soil polysaccharide, proteins, respectively, compared to CCS. WCS had 45%, 13%, 8%, and 13% higher acid and alkaline phosphatase, β-glucosidase, and soil dehydrogenase activities, respectively, compared to CCS. WCS had higher carbohydrates in the shoot (40%) and root (27%), while, CCS recorded higher proteins in the shoot (13%) and root (13%). WCS had significantly higher polyphenol oxidase (4% and 15%), peroxidase (30% and 31%), and catalase (36% and 31%) activities in shoots and root tissues, respectively, compared with CCS, while, WCS had higher phenol concentrations (4%) than CCS. Conclusion Our study suggests that the difference in soil biological, plant biochemistry, and defense enzyme activities among the WCS and CCS can be attributed to the inherent genetic makeup, which influences consequent plant and soil attributes.

In View of Today’s Realities: What should any Work with the Plant World Actually Gain us?

Studies on plants are important evidence not only for their diversity and richness in the world, but also for revealing the relationship between the environment and the organisms. How important are the concepts of climate crisis and global warming? What is the number of people in the world, other than scientists, who are aware of the seriousness of the problem? Do we have any information about the number of people who have knowledge about what can be done? Do we want to experience the carbon richness of millions of years ago (Carboniferous) again? Let's not forget that this reality, which seems to be an advantageous situation at first glance, has actually been moved to a platform where today's leaders discuss the effects of climate balance. We need more and more plants all over the planet. With the increase in the human population, it is time to change our prejudices about “uncertain or suspicious” plants to be used. Could some toxic metabolites be usable or even edible by appropriate treatments? Can countries that are lucky in terms of endemic species make better use of these reserves? Plant biochemistry studies should be encouraged in this respect.In addition, there is evidence that the consumption of a large number of products that we use as food causes health problems that we do not know yet, but which can increase greatly with daily use and even be fatal when contaminated by pathogenic organisms.

Biochemical Origin of Raman-Based Diagnostics of Huanglongbing in Grapefruit Trees

Biotic and abiotic stresses cause substantial changes in plant biochemistry. These changes are typically revealed by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and mass spectroscopy-coupled HPLC (HPLC-MS). This information can be used to determine underlying molecular mechanisms of biotic and abiotic stresses in plants. A growing body of evidence suggests that changes in plant biochemistry can be probed by Raman spectroscopy, an emerging analytical technique that is based on inelastic light scattering. Non-invasive and non-destructive detection and identification of these changes allow for the use of Raman spectroscopy for confirmatory diagnostics of plant biotic and abiotic stresses. In this study, we couple HPLC and HPLC-MS findings on biochemical changes caused by Candidatus Liberibacter spp. (Ca. L. asiaticus) in citrus trees to the spectroscopic signatures of plant leaves derived by Raman spectroscopy. Our results show that Ca. L. asiaticus cause an increase in hydroxycinnamates, the precursors of lignins, and flavones, as well as a decrease in the concentration of lutein that are detected by Raman spectroscopy. These findings suggest that Ca. L. asiaticus induce a strong plant defense response that aims to exterminate bacteria present in the plant phloem. This work also suggests that Raman spectroscopy can be used to resolve stress-induced changes in plant biochemistry on the molecular level.

Sir Leslie Fowden. 13 October 1925—16 December 2008

Professor Sir Leslie Fowden was an organic chemist and one of the most influential plant scientists of his generation. He pioneered the new field of phytochemistry and was the world authority on plant amino acids. He was distinguished for the identification, characterization and biological function of a new category of nitrogen containing molecules in plants, the non-protein amino acids. During his research career, he isolated at least 50 of these compounds from a wide range of different plant genera and established their structural diversity, metabolic and toxic functions, and their scientific significance. In achieving this, he developed novel techniques for the rapid, quantitative separation of compounds by chromatography and electrophoresis, which were widely adopted in other disciplines. As Director of Rothamsted Experimental Station, he opened up new areas of research in plant biochemistry and molecular biology, and became an effective voice for the importance of agricultural research in the UK. He provided strategic leadership in the translational application of plant biochemistry to the agrichemical industry and to global crop resistance and production. His discoveries established the complexity and central role of plant nitrogen metabolism in plant growth and laid the foundations for current research in plant sciences aimed at improving both food security and the nutritional value of plants.

Whole-Genome Sequencing and Annotation of 10 Endophytic and Epiphytic Bacteria Isolated from Lolium arundinaceum

We report the whole-genome sequence and annotation of 10 endophytic and epiphytic bacteria isolated from the grass Lolium arundinaceum as part of a laboratory exercise in a Fundamentals of Plant Biochemistry and Pathology undergraduate course (BIOL403) at the Rochester Institute of Technology in Rochester, New York.