Turnera fasciculifolia (Turneraceae, Passifloraceae s. l.): A New Species From the Jalapão Region, Tocantins, Brazil

Abstract—We present a new species, Turnera fasciculifolia, from the Jalapão region, the largest continuous protected area of Cerrado in Tocantins State, in central Brazil. The new species belongs to Turnera series Leiocarpae, and it can be recognized by the linear ericoid leaves with revolute margin, generally without extrafloral nectaries, and the basal leaves of the young axillary branches gathered in fascicles. We provide a description, illustrations, a distribution map, and a comparison with T. genistoides and T. revoluta, which also have ericoid leaves.

Cadaveric study identifying clinical sonoanatomy for proximal and distal approaches of ultrasound-guided intercostobrachial nerve block

Background and objectivesThe intercostobrachial nerve (ICBN) has significant anatomical variation. Localization of the ICBN requires an operator’s skill. This cadaveric study aims to describe two simple ultrasound-guided plane blocks of the ICBN when it emerges at the chest wall (proximal approach) and passes through the axillary fossa (distal approach).MethodsThe anatomical relation of the ICBN and adjacent structures was investigated in six fresh cadavers. Thereafter, we described two potential techniques of the ICBN block. The proximal approach was an injection medial to the medial border of the serratus anterior muscle at the inferior border of the second rib. The distal approach was an injection on the surface of the latissimus dorsi muscle at 3–4 cm caudal to the axillary artery. The ultrasound-guided proximal and distal ICBN blocks were performed in seven hemithoraxes and axillary fossae. We recorded dye staining on the ICBN, its branches and clinically correlated structures.ResultsAll ICBNs originated from the second intercostal nerve and 34.6% received a contribution from the first or third intercostal nerve. All ICBNs gave off axillary branches in the axillary fossa and ran towards the posteromedial aspect of the arm. Following the proximal ICBN block, dye stained on 90% of all ICBN’s origins. After the distal ICBN block, all terminal branches and 43% of the axillary branches of the ICBN were stained.ConclusionsThe proximal and distal ICBN blocks, using easily recognized sonoanatomical landmarks, provided consistent dye spread to the ICBN. We encourage further validation of these two techniques in clinical studies.

Impact of Different Phytohormones on Morphology, Yield and Cannabinoid Content of Cannabis sativa L.

The impact of exogenously applied plant growth regulators (PGR), 1-naphthalenaecetic acid (NAA), 6-benzylaminopurine (BAP), and a mixture of both (NAA/BAP-mix), was investigated in regard to plant height, length of axillary branches, number of internodes, biomass yield and cannabinoid content of three different phytocannabinoid-rich (PCR) Cannabis genotypes. The results showed that total plant height was significantly reduced under the application of NAA (28%), BAP (18%), and NAA/BAP-mix treated plants (15%). Axillary branch length was also significantly reduced by 58% (NAA) and 30% (NAA/BAP-mix). BAP did not significantly reduce the length of axillary branches. The number of internodes was reduced by NAA (19%), BAP (10%), and the NAA/BAP-mix (14%) compared to the untreated control. NAA application influenced the plant architecture of the tested cv. KANADA beneficially, resulting in a more compact growth habitus, while inflorescence yield (23.51 g plant−1) remained similar compared to the control (24.31 g plant−1). Inflorescence yield of v. 0.2x and cv. FED was reduced due to PGR application while cannabinoid content remained stable. Overall, the application of PGR could be used on a genotype-specific level to beneficially influence plant architecture and optimize inflorescence yield per unit area and thus cannabinoid yield, especially in the presence of space limitations under indoor cultivation.

Sedum formosanum subsp. miyakojimense (Crassulaceae), a new subspecies from Miyako-jima Island of the Ryukyu Islands, Japan

We re-examined the taxonomic status of plants treated as Sedum formosanum (Crassulaceae) from Miyako-jima Island of the Ryukyu Islands, Japan, using morphological comparison and molecular phylogenetic analyses with related species. In morphology, plants from Miyako-jima Island bore a close resemblance to the other plants of S. formosanum, but differed in being perennial, polycarpic, and having lateral axillary branches. Molecular analyses based on ITS of nrDNA and six regions of cpDNA sequencing indicated that the Miyako-jima plants formed a distinct subclade. This subclade was part of a polytomy with three other subclades comprising nine taxa endemic to Taiwan and S. formosanum from other areas, including the type locality. Therefore, we propose and describe the Miyako-jima plants as a new subspecies, Sedum formosanum subsp. miyakojimense.

Natural Variation in Adventitious Rooting in the Alpine Perennial Arabis alpina

Arctic alpine species follow a mixed clonal-sexual reproductive strategy based on the environmental conditions at flowering. Here, we explored the natural variation for adventitious root formation among genotypes of the alpine perennial Arabis alpina that show differences in flowering habit. We scored the presence of adventitious roots on the hypocotyl, main stem and axillary branches on plants growing in a long-day greenhouse. We also assessed natural variation for adventitious rooting in response to foliar auxin spray. In both experimental approaches, we did not detect a correlation between adventitious rooting and flowering habit. In the greenhouse, and without the application of synthetic auxin, the accession Wca showed higher propensity to produce adventitious roots on the main stem compared to the other accessions. The transcript accumulation of the A. alpina homologue of the auxin inducible GH3.3 gene (AaGH3.3) on stems correlated with the adventitious rooting phenotype of Wca. Synthetic auxin, 1-Naphthaleneacetic acid (1-NAA), enhanced the number of plants with adventitious roots on the main stem and axillary branches. A. alpina plants showed an age-, dosage- and genotype-dependent response to 1-NAA. Among the genotypes tested, the accession Dor was insensitive to auxin and Wca responded to auxin on axillary branches.

Functional Characterization of microRNA171 Family in Tomato

Deeply conserved plant microRNAs (miRNAs) function as pivotal regulators of development. Nevertheless, in the model crop Solanum lycopersicum (tomato) several conserved miRNAs are still poorly annotated and knowledge about their functions is lacking. Here, the tomato miR171 family was functionally analyzed. We found that the tomato genome contains at least 11 SlMIR171 genes that are differentially expressed along tomato development. Downregulation of sly-miR171 in tomato was successfully achieved by transgenic expression of a short tandem target mimic construct (STTM171). Consequently, sly-miR171-targeted mRNAs were upregulated in the silenced plants. Target upregulation was associated with irregular compound leaf development and an increase in the number of axillary branches. A prominent phenotype of STTM171 expressing plants was their male sterility due to a production of a low number of malformed and nonviable pollen. We showed that sly-miR171 was expressed in anthers along microsporogenesis and significantly silenced upon STTM171 expression. Sly-miR171-silenced anthers showed delayed tapetum ontogenesis and reduced callose deposition around the tetrads, both of which together or separately can impair pollen development. Collectively, our results show that sly-miR171 is involved in the regulation of anther development as well as shoot branching and compound leaf morphogenesis.

Flax latitudinal adaptation at LuTFL1 altered architecture and promoted fiber production

After domestication in the Near East around 10,000 years ago several founder crops, flax included, spread to European latitudes. On reaching northerly latitudes the architecture of domesticated flax became more suitable to fiber production over oil, with longer stems, smaller seeds and fewer axillary branches. Latitudinal adaptations in crops typically result in changes in flowering time, often involving the PEBP family of genes that also have the potential to influence plant architecture. Two PEBP family genes in the flax genome, LuTFL1 and LuTFL2, vary in wild and cultivated flax over latitudinal range with cultivated flax receiving LuTFL1 alleles from northerly wild flax populations. Compared to a background of population structure of flaxes over latitude, the LuTFL1 alleles display a level of differentiation that is consistent with selection for an allele III in the north. We demonstrate through heterologous expression in Arabidopsis thaliana that LuTFL1 is a functional homolog of TFL1 in A. thaliana capable of changing both flowering time and plant architecture. We conclude that specialized fiber flax types could have formed as a consequence of a natural adaptation of cultivated flax to higher latitudes.

Changes in seed size and oil accumulation in Brassica napus L. by manipulating the source - sink ratio and excluding light from the developing siliques

Most of the oil in canola seed is contained in the cotyledons and so an increase in cotyledon size may lead to increased oil concentration in the whole seed, provided compensatory changes in non-oil bearing tissues are minimised. In addition, in in vitro studies, light has been shown to affect fatty acid synthesis. In two glasshouse experiments, we manipulated seed size in 3 cultivars of canola by increasing the source–sink ratio through removal of lateral inflorescences, restricting the plants to flowering on the main axis. We manipulated the ability of the growing seed to use light for the synthesis of fatty acids for oil by shading the siliques at different stages of seed development. The growth of ovules and embryos in the first experiment was assessed by evaluating changes in the projected area of the organs during growth and the final seed weight. We examined the pattern of organ development in the embryo by fitting appropriate curves and comparing the effect of the treatments on the coefficients. Pruning axillary branches increased seed weight by 14–43% but did not change the pattern of development of the cotyledons or radicle in the seed. Embryo growth over time was sigmoid in form with the most rapid growth occurring 12–27 days after flowering (daf). The removal of axillary branches and inflorescences reduced oil concentration in the larger seeds by 2.6–4.5% but only in one experiment. Light was excluded from the siliques from 2, 10, or 30 daf or not at all. Excluding light from 2 or 10 daf reduced ovule weight at maturity by 63% and excluding light from 30 daf reduced ovule weight by 20%. Excluding light reduced the number of seeds per silique by up to 90%, especially when excluded from 2 daf. Excluding light slightly reduced oil concentration, suggesting that, provided maternal substrates are available to the seed, it can use these to obtain energy for oil synthesis, even in the dark. We conclude that manipulation of the canopy of canola to change the source–sink ratio or the distribution of light within the canopy may have large effects on seed size, but little effect on the accumulation of oil in the seeds. This conclusion assumes that the relationships found in our glasshouse experiments apply in the field.