N USE AND PARTITIONING IN CORIANDER (CORIANDRUM SATIVUM L.) AFTER ORGANIC AND CONVENTIONAL N FERTILIZATION

In coriander, a well known spice herb, many studies concerning the effect of N fertilization have been conducted in special areas where the cultivation of such plant has a major importance, such as India. Limited information is available as concerns the response of coriander to N fertilization under Mediterranean climatic conditions, above all when organic N fertilizers (mandatory when organic cropping management is chosen) are used. This work refers about some observations realised from 2004 to 2006 by an experiment on organic and mineral N fertilization techniques in coriander, carried on in the experimental farm “Sparacia” (Cammarata, AG, Sicily). Similarly to what suggested for other species, each year at harvest time, for each fertilizer treatment, seeds yield and plant biomass were weighed and the respective N content was determined in order to compare N plant uptake with total and mineral N measured in the soil before and after cropping cycle. From such data a few indices were calculated in order to get information about the efficiency of use by plants of the tested N forms. Some differences in N partitioning and use efficiency according to treatment were noticed, suggesting an overall higher efficiency of N chemical fertilizers

EFFECTS OF ORGANIC AND CONVENTIONAL N-FERTILIZATION ON QUALITY TRAITS IN CORIANDER (CORIANDRUM SATIVUM L.)

In organic cropping management of Medicinal and Aromatic Plants, the best quality expression is crucial to gain satisfactory incomes. Coriander (Coriandrum sativum L.) is an annual herbaceous plant with a commercial value due to the typical scent of its fruits (commonly termed “seeds”), rich in a pale yellow oil (1-2% in small-sized types, 0.2-0.5% in large-sized ones). Several studies have been done for determining the composition of volatile fraction of Coriander, which was found to vary also as a consequence of cropping techniques, including nitrogen fertilization. In order to gain useful information about the effects, if present at all, of organic N fertilization on Coriander quality in terms of volatiles composition pattern, a three-year trial (2004-2006) was carried out using different types and rates of organic and conventional N fertilizers. Volatile composition of fruits was obtained by means of GC-MS and data were evaluated by multivariate statistical analysis. The most representative compound are linalool, followed by camphor, geranyl acetate and geraniol. The group partition was mainly due to different quantitative ratio of compounds; the differences in volatile composition, however, followed a scheme more resembling the cropping year than the fertilization management

IN-VITRO REGENERATION OF CALENDULA MARITIMA GUSS. (ASTERACEAE), A THREATENED PLANT ENDEMIC TO WESTERN SICILY

Calendula maritima is a critically endangered endemic plant of Western Sicily. Besides habitat destruction, the hybridization with the contiguous congener species C. fulgida is a major threat to its conservation. For this reason, seed-based propagation and seed storage are not appropriate for conservation purposes. In the present paper we describe a rapid and prolific in vitro plant regeneration method by direct organogenesis from leaves of C. maritima. Leaf explants were cultured on solid Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium in the presence of several plant growth regulator combinations. The best shoot multiplication rate (2.5 shoots/explant) was obtained on the medium containing 4.4 µM 6-benzylaminopurine in combination with 10 µM ß-naphthoxyacetic acid. Regenerated shoots were successfully rooted on solid MS medium supplemented with several auxins and the best result was obtained with 1.0 µM indole-3-acetic acid (35% of plantlets rooted). Plantlets were thereafter established in the greenhouse (survival frequency 75%) and no phenotypic variations were observed between regenerants and the mother plant

Long-Term Field Evaluation of Conventional vs. Micropropagated Plants of Chrysanthemum cinerariifolium

Pyrethrum is a perennial herbaceous plant endemic to the eastern coast of the Adriatic Sea, and introduced in large areas of nearly all continents, where it is cultivated for the industrial extraction of pyrethrins. Pyrethrins are a group of six closely related monoterpene esters, widely used as natural insecticides. The world production of natural pyrethrins is lower than the market demand, and a wider introduction of this crop within the Mediterranean agrosystems could be an appealing opportunity for farmers and manufacturers. The availability of adequate amounts of selected plant material to bring into cultivation is, however, one of the major issues. Therefore, the in vitro propagation of elite pyrethrum genotypes could be a suitable alternative to conventional propagation methods. In this paper, we present the results of a 9-year field comparison between pyrethrum plants coming from an in vitro propagation protocol and plants obtained by cutting from the same mother plants. Furthermore, since plantlets derived from in vitro regeneration may experience ploidy changes, we evaluated the stability of the ploidy level of pyrethrum micropropagated plants by flow cytometry (FCM) analysis. FCM screening revealed no differences among the morphotypes and between them and the mother plant. Likewise, the field evaluation of plants gave no significant differences between flower yields in both groups. Hence, micropropagation was confirmed as an easy, efficient and reproducible method to obtain large quantities of selected pyrethrum genotypes

Increased Zygote-Derived Plantlet Formation through In Vitro Rescue of Immature Embryos of Highly Apomictic Opuntia ficus-indica (Cactaceae)

O. ficus-indica (prickly pear cactus) is an important forage and food source in arid and semiarid ecosystems and is the most important cactus species in cultivation globally. The high degree of apomixis in the species is a hindrance in plant breeding programs where genetic segregation is sought for the selection of superior genotypes. To understand if in ovulo embryo rescue could increase the proportion of zygotic seedlings, we compared the mature seed-derived seedlings with those regenerated from in vitro embryo rescue at 20, 25, 30, 35, and 40 post-anthesis days (PADs) in four Italian cultivars. The seedlings were classified as apomictic or zygotic based on molecular marker analysis using inter-sequence single repeat (ISSR) primers. Multiple embryos were recovered from all the cultured immature ovules, and plantlets were regenerated and acclimatized to the field post hardening, with success rates ranging from 62% (‘Senza spine’) to 83% (‘Gialla’). The level of polyembryony differed among cultivars and recovery dates, with the highest being ‘Rossa’, producing 4.8 embryos/ovule at 35 PADs, and ‘Gialla’, the lowest, with 2.7 at 40 PADs. The maximum number of embryos observed within a single ovule was 14 in ‘Trunzara bianca’. ISSR analysis revealed that ovule culture at 35 PADs produced the highest percentage of zygotic seedlings in all the cultivars, from 51% (‘Rossa’) to 98% (‘Gialla’), with a high genotype effect as well. Mature seeds produced much fewer seedlings per seed, ranging from 1.2 in ‘Trunzara bianca’ to 2.0 in ‘Rossa’ and a lower percentage of zygotic seedlings (from 14% in ‘Rossa’ to 63% in ‘Gialla’). Our research opens a pathway to increase the availability of zygotic seedlings in O. ficus-indica breeding programs through in ovulo embryo culture

A novel pathway to detect muscle-invasive bladder cancer based on integrated clinical features and VI-RADS score on MRI: results of a prospective multicenter study

Purpose To determine the clinical, pathological, and radiological features, including the Vesical Imaging-Reporting and Data System (VI-RADS) score, independently correlating with muscle-invasive bladder cancer (BCa), in a multicentric national setting. Method and Materials Patients with BCa suspicion were offered magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) before trans-urethral resection of bladder tumor (TURBT). According to VI-RADS, a cutoff of >= 3 or >= 4 was assumed to define muscle-invasive bladder cancer (MIBC). Trans-urethral resection of the tumor (TURBT) and/or cystectomy reports were compared with preoperative VI-RADS scores to assess accuracy of MRI for discriminating between non-muscle-invasive versus MIBC. Performance was assessed by ROC curve analysis. Two univariable and multivariable logistic regression models were implemented including clinical, pathological, radiological data, and VI-RADS categories to determine the variables with an independent effect on MIBC. Results A final cohort of 139 patients was enrolled (median age 70 [IQR: 64, 76.5]). MRI showed sensitivity, specificity, PPV, NPV, and accuracy for MIBC diagnosis ranging from 83-93%, 80-92%, 67-81%, 93-96%, and 84-89% for the more experienced readers. The area under the curve (AUC) was 0.95 (0.91-0.99). In the multivariable logistic regression model, the VI-RADS score, using both a cutoff of 3 and 4 (P < .0001), hematuria (P = .007), tumor size (P = .013), and concomitant hydronephrosis (P = .027) were the variables correlating with a bladder cancer staged as >= T2. The inter-reader agreement was substantial (k = 0.814). Conclusions VI-RADS assessment scoring proved to be an independent predictor of muscle-invasiveness, which might implicate a shift toward a more aggressive selection approach of patients' at high risk of MIBC, according to a novel proposed predictive pathway

Microglia reactivity entails microtubule remodeling from acentrosomal to centrosomal arrays

Microglia reactivity entails a large-scale remodeling of cellular geometry, but the behavior of the microtubule cytoskeleton during these changes remains unexplored. Here we show that activated microglia provide an example of microtubule reorganization from a non-centrosomal array of parallel and stable microtubules to a radial array of more dynamic microtubules. While in the homeostatic state, microglia nucleate microtubules at Golgi outposts, and activating signaling induces recruitment of nucleating material nearby the centrosome, a process inhibited by microtubule stabilization. Our results demonstrate that a hallmark of microglia reactivity is a striking remodeling of the microtubule cytoskeleton and suggest that while pericentrosomal microtubule nucleation may serve as a distinct marker of microglia activation, inhibition of microtubule dynamics may provide a different strategy to reduce microglia reactivity in inflammatory disease

Overcoming sexual sterility in conservation of endangered species: the prominent role of biotechnology in the multiplication of Zelkova sicula (Ulmaceae), a relict tree at the brink of extinction

Biotechnology provides valuable tools to support conservation of plant species, especially in case of threatened taxa or when dealing with seed unavailability, low viability or sterility. However, plant cell culture methods have often to face problems associated with tissue recalcitrance to in vitro systems. Recalcitrance can be related to a variety of triggering factors, involving many efforts and manipulations within one or more of the micropropagation stages before obtaining successful results. An in vitro propagation protocol was developed for Zelkova sicula, a very rare and endangered relict tree, endemic to Sicily (Southern Italy). The species revealed extremely recalcitrant to in vitro culture approaches, but after many trials throughout a number of years an effective micropropagation protocol was completed. The rooting rate was about 84% of the treated explants, 8% of which were successfully acclimatized outdoor and reintroduced in the wild within a comprehensive conservation project. The technique allowed to overcome the problems of sexual sterility of this species, hence contributing concretely to contrast the problems connected with its conservation. However, additional efforts need to be carried out in order to refine the acclimatization step and further improve the whole process effectiveness