Spanish University Students¿ Awareness and Perception of Sustainable Development Goals and Sustainability Literacy

[EN] The implementation of Agenda 2030 and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by the United Nations in 2015 focuses on making a more sustainable world in all countries and for all stake-holders. Higher Education Institutions (HEI) play a key role in increasing students¿ sustainability knowledge, transforming their attitudes and motivating them to promote or engage in sustain-ability behaviors. HEI can take several measures to fulfill these objectives, but it is important to develop efficient tools to assess the starting point at which university students are at. In this study, a survey was conducted that addressed students from different Universitat Politècnica de València (UPV) degrees to investigate their knowledge and awareness of sustainability and SDG. This survey (n = 321) showed students¿ level of knowledge and initial awareness. Many UPV students state that they are aware of SDG, but most do not fully understand these 17 goals and their current implementation but think that SDG are important for their daily lives. Therefore, finding links between SDG and daily interests is necessary to advance towards further implementation to allow us to fulfill all SDG. These results offer a good starting point for evaluating future training and awareness actions to improve sustainability-related educational strategies.This research was funded by innovation educative projects (PIME/20-21/224) by the Vice-Rectorate for Studies, Quality and Accreditation of UPV (Valencia, Spain).Leiva-Brondo, M.; Lajara-Camilleri, N.; Vidal Meló, A.; Atarés Huerta, A.; Lull, C. (2022). Spanish University Students¿ Awareness and Perception of Sustainable Development Goals and Sustainability Literacy. Sustainability. 14(8):1-26. https://doi.org/10.3390/su1408455212614

Alq mutation increases fruit set rate and allows the maintenance of fruit yield under moderate saline conditions

[EN] Arlequin (Alq) is a gain-of-function mutant whose most relevant feature is that sepals are able to become fruit-like organs due to the ectopic expression of the ALQ-TAGL1 gene. The role of this gene in tomato fruit ripening was previously demonstrated. To discover new functional roles for ALQ-TAGL1, and most particularly its involvement in the fruit set process, a detailed characterization of Alq yield-related traits was performed. Under standard conditions, the Alq mutant showed a much higher fruit set rate than the wild type. A significant percentage of Alq fruits were seedless. The results showed that pollination-independent fruit set in Alq is due to early transition from flower to fruit. Analysis of endogenous hormones in Alq suggests that increased content of cytokinins and decreased level of abscisic acid may account for precocious fruit set. Comparative expression analysis showed relevant changes of several genes involved in cell division, gibberellin metabolism, and the auxin signalling pathway. Since pollination-independent fruit set may be a very useful strategy for maintaining fruit production under adverse conditions, fruit set and yield in Alq plants under moderate salinity were assessed. Interestingly, Alq mutant plants showed a high yield under saline conditions, similar to that of Alq and the wild type under unstressed conditions.This work was supported by the research grants AGL2015-64991-C3-3-R and AGL2015-64991-C3-1-R from the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness (MINECO/FEDER). The PhD grant to CRA (BES-2013-063778) was funded by the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness.The authors thank Dr Isabel Lopez-Diaz and Dr Esther Carrera for their help in hormone quantification carried out at the Plant Hormone Quantification Service, IBMCP,Valencia, Spain. The authors thank David Harry Rhead for reviewing the manuscript in the English language.Ribelles Alfonso, C.; García Sogo, B.; Yuste-Lisbona, FJ.; Atarés Huerta, A.; Castañeda, L.; Capel, C.; Lozano, R.... (2019). Alq mutation increases fruit set rate and allows the maintenance of fruit yield under moderate saline conditions. Journal of Experimental Botany. 70(20):5731-5744. https://doi.org/10.1093/jxb/erz342S57315744702

Nuevo cultivar con frutos y sépalos convertidos en frutos de alto interés para su consumo fresco y procesado industrial

Número de publicación: 2 341 527 21 Número de solicitud: 200900003 51 Int. Cl.: C12N 15/82 (2006.01) A01H 5/00 (2006.01Nuevo cultivar con frutos y sépalos convertidos en frutos de alto interés para su consumo fresco y procesado industrial. En la presente invención se describen secuencias de nucleótidos capaces de incrementar la expresión de un gen de desarrollo reproductivo lo que tiene como resultado la generación de cultivares con un fruto de alto interés para su consumo fresco y procesado industrial caracterizado por poseer características mejoradas respecto de los cultivares conocidos de variedades comerciales. Estos nuevos cultivares tienen el cáliz de la flor carnoso y convertido en fruto. El fruto verdadero y el cáliz tienen mayores niveles de azúcares y licopeno y un mayor contenido en grados Brix. Además, exhiben una mayor tasa de cuajado de fruto y tienen inhibida la zona de abscisión del fruto, lo que facilita la recolección mecánica.Universidad de Almerí

The sodium transporter encoded by the HKT1;2 gene modulates sodium/potassium homeostasis in tomato shoots under salinity

[EN] Excessive soil salinity diminishes crop yield and quality. In a previous study in tomato, we identified two closely linked genes encoding HKT1-like transporters, HKT1;1 and HKT1;2, as candidate genes for a major quantitative trait locus (kc7.1) related to shoot Na+/K+ homeostasis - a major salt tolerance trait - using two populations of recombinant inbred lines (RILs). Here, we determine the effectiveness of these genes in conferring improved salt tolerance by using two near-isogenic lines (NILs) that were homozygous for either the Solanum lycopersicum allele (NIL17) or for the Solanum cheesmaniae allele (NIL14) at both HKT1 loci; transgenic lines derived from these NILs in which each HKT1;1 and HKT1;2 had been silenced by stable transformation were also used. Silencing of ScHKT1;2 and SlHKT1;2 altered the leaf Na+/K+ ratio and caused hypersensitivity to salinity in plants cultivated under transpiring conditions, whereas silencing SlHKT1;1/ScHKT1;1 had a lesser effect. These results indicate that HKT1;2 has the more significant role in Na+ homeostasis and salinity tolerance in tomato.We thank Dr Espen Granum for critically reading the manuscript, Maria Isabel Gaspar Vidal and Elena Sanchez Romero for technical assistance, the Instrumental Technical Service at EEZ-CSIC for DNA sequencing and ICP-OES mineral analysis and Michael O'Shea for proofreading the text. In addition, we thank Dr Ana P. Ortega who assisted in preliminary experiments. This work was supported by ERDF-cofinanced grants, AGL2010-17090 and AGL2013-41733-R (A.B.), AGL2015-64991-C3-3-R (V.M.) and AGL2014-56675-R (M.J.A.) from the Spanish "Ministerio de Economia, Industria y Competitividad'; CVI-7558, Proyecto de Excelencia, from Junta de Andalucia (A.B); and the Australian Research Council (ARC) for Centre of Excellence (CE14010008) and Future Fellowship (FT130100709) funding (M.G.). N.J-P. was supported by an FPI program BES-2011-046096 and her stay in M.G.'s lab by a short-stay EEBB-I-14-08682, both from the Spanish from "Ministerio de Economia Industria y Competitividad'. The authors have no conflict of interest to declare.Jaime-Perez, N.; Pineda Chaza, BJ.; García Sogo, B.; Atarés Huerta, A.; Athman, A.; Byrt, CS.; Olias, R.... (2017). The sodium transporter encoded by the HKT1;2 gene modulates sodium/potassium homeostasis in tomato shoots under salinity. Plant Cell & Environment. 40(5):658-671. https://doi.org/10.1111/pce.12883S65867140

Approaching the genetic dissection of indirect adventitious organogenesis process in tomato explants

[EN] The screening of 862 T-DNA lines was carried out to approach the genetic dissection of indirect adventitious organogenesis in tomato. Several mutants defective in different phases of adventitious organogenesis, namely callus growth (tdc-1), bud differentiation (tdb-1,-2,-3) and shoot-bud development (tds-1) were identified and characterized. The alteration of the TDC-1 gene blocked callus proliferation depending on the composition of growth regulators in the culture medium. Calli from tds-1 explants differentiated buds but did not develop normal shoots. Histological analysis showed that their abnormal development is due to failure in the organization of normal adventitious shoot meristems. Interestingly, tdc-1 and tds-1 mutant plants were indistinguishable from WT ones, indicating that the respective altered genes play specific roles in cell proliferation from explant cut zones (TDC-1 gene) or in the organization of adventitious shoot meristems (TDS-1 gene). Unlike the previous, plants of the three mutants defective in the differentiation of adventitious shoot-buds (tdb-1,-2,-3) showed multiple changes in vegetative and reproductive traits. Cosegregation analyses revealed the existence of an association between the phenotype of the tdb-3 mutant and a T-DNA insert, which led to the discovery that the SlMAPKKK17 gene is involved in the shoot-bud differentiation process.Vicente Moreno and Rafael Lozano thank the Ministry of Science and Innovation (State Innovation Agency) for granting the projects PID2019-110833RB-C32 and PID2019-110833RB-C31. Benito Pineda's work in the context of this article has been funded by 'Aid for First Research Projects (PAID-06-18)' by the Vicerrectorado de Investigacion, Innovacion y Transferencia de la Universitat Politecnica de Valencia (UPV), Valencia, Spain'. The PhD fellowship for Jorge Sanchez-Lopez and Marybel Jaquez-Gutierrez were funded by the Universidad de Sinaloa and the CONACYT of Mexico.Sanchez-Lopez, J.; Atarés Huerta, A.; Jaquez-Gutierrez, M.; Ortiz-Atienza, A.; Capel, C.; Pineda Chaza, BJ.; García Sogo, B.... (2021). Approaching the genetic dissection of indirect adventitious organogenesis process in tomato explants. Plant Science. 302:1-14. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.plantsci.2020.110721S11430

The SlCBL10 calcineurin B-like protein ensures plant growth under salt stress by regulating Na+ and Ca2+ homeostasis

[EN] Characterization of a new tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) T-DNA mutant allowed for the isolation of the CALCINEURIN B-LIKE PROTEIN 10 (SlCBL10) gene whose lack of function was responsible for the severe alterations observed in the shoot apex and reproductive organs under salinity conditions. Physiological studies proved that SlCBL10 gene is required to maintain a proper low Na+/Ca2+ ratio in growing tissues allowing tomato growth under salt stress. Expression analysis of the main responsible genes for Na+ compartmentalization (i.e. Na+/H+ EXCHANGERs, SALT OVERLY SENSITIVE, HIGH-AFFINITY K+ TRANSPORTER 1; 2, H+-pyrophosphatase AVP1 [SlAVP1] and V-ATPase [SlVHA-A1]) supported a reduced capacity to accumulate Na+ in Slcbl10 mutant leaves, which resulted in a lower uploading of Na+ from xylem, allowing the toxic ion to reach apex and flowers. Likewise, the tomato CATION EXCHANGER 1 and TWO-PORE CHANNEL 1 (SlTPC1), key genes for Ca2+ fluxes to the vacuole, showed abnormal expression in Slcbl10 plants indicating an impaired Ca2+ release from vacuole. Additionally, complementation assay revealed that SlCBL10 is a true ortholog of the Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) CBL10 gene, supporting that the essential function of CBL10 is conserved in Arabidopsis and tomato. Together, the findings obtained in this study provide new insights into the function of SlCBL10 in salt stress tolerance. Thus, it is proposed that SlCBL10 mediates salt tolerance by regulating Na+ and Ca2+ fluxes in the vacuole, cooperating with the vacuolar cation channel SlTPC1 and the two vacuolar H+-pumps, SlAVP1 and SlVHA-A1, which in turn are revealed as potential targets of SlCBL10.This study was supported by grants from the Plant KBBE Program (EUI2009-04074), the Spanish Ministerio de Economia y Competitividad (AGL2012-40150, AGL2015-64991-C3-1-R/2-R/3-R, and BIO2016-79187-R), as well as the French National Research Agency ENDOREPIGEN project. A.O.-A. was supported by a PhD fellowship from the Ministerio de Economia y Competitividad (BIO2009-11484).Egea, I.; Pineda Chaza, BJ.; Ortiz Atienza, A.; Plasencia, F.; Drevensek, S.; García Sogo, B.; Yuste-Lisbona, FJ.... (2018). The SlCBL10 calcineurin B-like protein ensures plant growth under salt stress by regulating Na+ and Ca2+ homeostasis. PLANT PHYSIOLOGY. 176(2):1676-1693. https://doi.org/10.1104/pp.17.01605S16761693176

¿Qué saben de los ODS los alumnos de la UPV? Análisis preliminar

[EN] Universities play an important role in accomplishing the so-called Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), equiping students with knowledge and skills to address the sustainability challenges through the teaching-learning process. The implementation of knowledge of the SDGs among teachers and students is urgent, being thus essential to assess their previous knowledge level. In order to evaluate the previous knowledge about the SDGs of students of different degrees and masters of the Universitat Politècnica de València (UPV), a questionnaire was designed. The questionnaire was answered by 425 students. The analysis of the answers revealed the need to review some of the questions, as well as the convenience of including others that collect evidences on sources of information and professional and personal implications of the SDGs. In general, the results showed a high level of knowledge about the SDGs. The differences observed between subjects could be related to their context within the degree, as well as the profile of the student in each of them. The information obtained will also help in the design of activities for the training of students of different subjects in relation to the SDGs.[ES] Las universidades juegan un papel importante en el cumplimiento de los Objetivos de Desarrollo Sostenible (ODS), ya que en el proceso de enseñanza-aprendizaje equipan al alumnado con conocimiento y habilidades para abordar los desafíos de la sostenibilidad. Urge la puesta en marcha del conocimiento de los ODS entre profesorado y alumnado, resultando fundamental conocer su nivel previo de conocimiento. Con el fin de evaluar el conocimiento previo sobre los ODS del alumnado de diferentes grados y másteres de la Universitat Politècnica de València (UPV), se diseñó un cuestionario, que fue respondido por un total de 425 alumnos/as de distintas titulaciones de la UPV. El análisis de las respuestas reveló la necesidad de revisar alguna de las preguntas, así como la conveniencia de incluir otras que recojan datos sobre fuentes de información e implicaciones profesionales y personales de los ODS. En general, los resultados mostraron un nivel elevado de conocimiento sobre ODS. Las diferencias observadas entre asignaturas podrían estar relacionadas con su contexto dentro de la titulación, así como con el perfil del alumnado de cada una de ellas. La información obtenida se orientará al diseño de actividades para la formación del alumnado de las distintas asignaturas en relación a los ODS.La publicación de este trabajo ha sido parcialmente financiada por el proyecto de innovación educativa (PIME 20-21/224) concedido por el Vicerrectorado de Estudios, Calidad y Acreditación de la Universitat Politècnica de València (UPV). Los autores agradecen también el apoyo proporcionado por el Instituto de Ciencias de la Educación (ICE) de la UPV.Lull Noguera, C.; Pérez De Castro, AM.; Leiva Brondo, M.; Atarés Huerta, A.; Lajara De Camilleri, N.; Llinares Palacios, JV.; Pérez Esteve, E.... (2021). ¿Qué saben de los ODS los alumnos de la UPV? Análisis preliminar. En IN-RED 2021: VII Congreso de Innovación Edicativa y Docencia en Red. Editorial Universitat Politècnica de València. 1106-1119. https://doi.org/10.4995/INRED2021.2021.137811106111

Effect of Gibberellin and Auxin on Parthenocarpic Fruit Growth Induction

The effect of applied gibberellin (GA) and auxin on fruit-set and growth has been investigated in 3 tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) cv Micro-Tom. It was found that to prevent competition 4 between developing fruits only one fruit per truss should be left in the plant. Unpollinated 5 ovaries responded to GA3 and to different auxins [indol-3-acetic acid, naphthaleneacetic acid, 6 and 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D)], 2,4-D being the most efficient. GA3- and 2,4-D7 induced fruits had different internal morphology, with poor locular tissue development in the 8 case of GA, and pseudoembryos development in the case of 2,4-D. Also, GA3 produced larger 9 cells in the internal region of the mesocarp (IM) associated with higher mean C values while 10 2,4-D produced more cell layers in the pericarp than pollinated fruits. The smaller size of GA3- 11 compared to 2,4-D-induced fruits was due to them having fewer cells, only partially 12 compensated by the larger size of IM cells. Simultaneous application of GA3 and 2,4-D 13 produced parthenocarpic fruits similar to pollinated fruits, but for the absence of seeds, 14 suggesting that both kinds of hormones are involved in the induction of fruit development upon 15 pollination. It is concluded that Micro-Tom constitutes a convenient model system, compared to 16 tall cultivars, to investigate the hormonal regulation of fruit development in tomato. 17 Key words: Auxin; Fruit-growth; Fruit-set; Gibberellins; Micro-Tom; Parthenocarpic growth;TomatoMinisterio de Educación y Ciencia, Spain (grant project BIO2003-00151).Peer reviewe

Preliminary assessment of sustainable development goals by freshmen students of a life science degree

[EN] Sustainable development goals (SDGs) are the main instrument of the 2030 agenda for sustainable development of United Nations (UN) adopted in 2015. The 17 SDGs seek a whole approach in different thematic issues including poverty, water, energy education, climate, or peace. They are a supremely ambitious and transformational vision according the statement signed by Heads of State and Government and High Representatives meet at 70th anniversary meeting of UN. One of the main points to get the success of the SDGs is to spread their existence and engage all the population in meet their goals. University is one of the main places than can contribute to their knowledge and education is one of the SDGs. Universities can support students to develop knowledge and skills to solving the complex sustainable development challenges our world/society faces. Biotechnology can help to achieve SDGs by enabling a more sustainable development in different areas like health, biodiversity, desertification, food security and production or industrial processes. In the present study a test was carried out in first year students of Biotechnology degree to assess the preliminary knowledge of SDGs. The participation was very high, and the students showed a high basic knowledge. Activities during the term will be carried out to improve and deepen their knowledge. Further and more complex assessment will be done to get more insight of the SDG understanding of the students.The publication of this work has been funded by a project of Educational Improvement and Innovation awarded by the Vice Dean for Studies, Quality and Accreditation of the Universitat Politècnica de València (Spain).Leiva-Brondo, M.; Atarés Huerta, A.; Pérez De Castro, AM.; Lull, C. (2021). Preliminary assessment of sustainable development goals by freshmen students of a life science degree. IATED. 3394-3400. https://doi.org/10.21125/inted.2021.0708S3394340

Characterization of the procera Tomato Mutant Shows Novel Functions of the SlDELLA Protein in the Control of Flower Morphology, Cell Division and Expansion, and the Auxin-Signaling Pathway during Fruit-Set and Development

procera (pro) is a tall tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) mutant carrying a point mutation in the GRAS region of the gene encoding SlDELLA, a repressor in the gibberellin (GA) signaling pathway. Consistent with the SlDELLA loss of function, pro plants display a GA-constitutive response phenotype, mimicking wild-type plants treated with GA(3). The ovaries from both nonemasculated and emasculated pro flowers had very strong parthenocarpic capacity, associated with enhanced growth of preanthesis ovaries due to more and larger cells. pro parthenocarpy is facultative because seeded fruits were obtained by manual pollination. Most pro pistils had exserted stigmas, thus preventing self-pollination, similar to wild-type pistils treated with GA(3) or auxins. However, Style2.1, a gene responsible for long styles in noncultivated tomato, may not control the enhanced style elongation of pro pistils, because its expression was not higher in pro styles and did not increase upon GA(3) application. Interestingly, a high percentage of pro flowers had meristic alterations, with one additional petal, sepal, stamen, and carpel at each of the four whorls, respectively, thus unveiling a role of SlDELLA in flower organ development. Microarray analysis showed significant changes in the transcriptome of preanthesis pro ovaries compared with the wild type, indicating that the molecular mechanism underlying the parthenocarpic capacity of pro is complex and that it is mainly associated with changes in the expression of genes involved in GA and auxin pathways. Interestingly, it was found that GA activity modulates the expression of cell division and expansion genes and an auxin signaling gene (tomato AUXIN RESPONSE FACTOR7) during fruit-set.Peer reviewe