Structural and functional organization of the root system: a comparative study on five plant species

Plants are affected by soil environments to the same extent that they affect soil functioning through interactions between environmental and genetic factors. Here, five plant species (broad bean, pea, cabbage, fennel, and olive) grown under controlled pot conditions were tested for their ability to differently stimulate the degradation of standard litter. Litter, soil C and N contents were measured for evaluating chemical changes due to plant presence, while soil microbial abundance was evaluated to assess if it had a positive or negative catalyzing influence on litter decomposition. The architecture and morphological traits of roots systems were also evaluated by using specific open-source software (SmartRoot). Soil chemical and microbiological characteristics were significantly influenced by the plant species. Variations in soil C/N dynamics were correlated with the diversity of root traits among species. Early stage decomposition of the standard litter changed on the basis of the plant species. The results indicated that key soil processes are governed by interactions between plant roots, soil C and N, and the microbial metabolism that stimulate decomposition reactions. This, in turn, can have marked effects on soil chemical and microbiological fertility, both fundamental for sustaining crops, and can promote the development of new approaches for optimizing soil C and N cycling, managing nutrient transport, and sustaining and improving net primary production

The morphology of the root system in five plant species can affect soil organic matter decomposition

Plants are affected by soil environments at the same extent they affect soil functioning through interactions between environmental and genetic factors. Here, five cultivated species (broad bean, pea, cabbage, fennel and olive) were grown under controlled pot conditions were tested for their ability of degrading standard litter (tea bags method) in the same soil type, under the same climatic conditions. Litter, soil C and N contents and soil microbial abundance were measured. The architecture and morphological traits of roots systems were also evaluated by using a specific open-source software (SmartRoot). Soil chemical and microbiological characteristics were significantly influenced by the cultivated plant species. Variations in soil C/N dynamics were correlated with the diversity of root traits among species. Early stage decomposition of the standard litter changed on the basis of the plant species. The results indicated that key soil processes are governed by interactions between plant roots, soil C and N, and the microbial metabolism that stimulate decomposition reactions. This, in turn, can have marked effects on soil nutrient cycling and soil fertility, both fundamental for sustaining crops, and promote the development of new approaches for optimizing soil C and N cycling, managing nutrient transport, and sustaining and improving net primary production

Impact of airborne zinc pollution on olive oil antimicrobial activity and soil microbial metabolic profiles in an Italian olive orchard

The growing of microbial resistance leads to a great interest about some natural alternatives to synthetic compounds. This study was carried out in two olive orchards (Olea europaea L., cv. Coratina) South Italy (Basilicata region), one located in a polluted area near a fertilizers factory releasing Zn and the other in a control unpolluted site, both managed with similar cultivation techniques. Olive oil samples were studied from both areas during 2014 and 2015. The soil microbiological status of the polluted and unpolluted orchards has been characterized and the antimicrobial effects of olive oils extracted from polluted plants (PP) and control plants (CP) against some phytopathogens have been explored. Results showed that the antibacterial activity of PP oil was significantly higher than CP and this could be due to the high content of some phenolic compounds elicited by air and soil Zn pollution (especially in the layer 0-20 cm). There is no detectable antifungal activity of the studied oils. The metabolic activity (both total and for each carbon substrate group), diversity and evenness of PP soil bacterial communities were significantly different from CP soil, while the effects of soil depth was negligible. The same parameters measured on soil fungal communities are lower in PP soil at 0-20 cm soil depth. The current research clarified the impact of atmospheric Zn pollution on the antimicrobial activity of olive oil and the soil microbial metabolic profiles. The bioactive substances extracted from olive oils growing in Zn-polluted area might be used as antibiotics

Clinically-Defined Maturity Onset Diabetes of the Young in Omanis: Absence of the common Caucasian gene mutations

Objectives: We are seeing a progressive increase in the number of young patients with clinically defined maturity onset diabetes of the young (MODY) having a family history suggestive of a monogenic cause of their disease and no evidence of autoimmune type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM). The aim of this study was to determine whether or not mutations in the 3 commonest forms of MODY, hepatic nuclear factor 4α (HNF4α), HNF1α and glucokinase (GK), are a cause of diabetes in young Omanis. Methods: The study was performed at Sultan Qaboos University Hospital (SQUH), Oman. Twenty young diabetics with a family history suggestive of monogenic inheritance were identified in less than 18 months; the median age of onset of diabetes was 25 years and the median body mass index (BMI) 29 at presentation. Screening for the presence of autoimmune antibodies against pancreatic beta cells islet cell antibody (ICA) and glutamic acid decarboxylase (GAD) was negative. Fourteen of them consented to genetic screening and their blood was sent to Prof. A. Hattersley’s Unit at the Peninsular Medical School, Exeter, UK. There, their DNA was screened for known mutations by sequencing exon 1-10 of the GCK and exon 2-10 of the HNF1α and HNF4α genes, the three commonest forms of MODY in Europe. Results: Surprisingly, none of the patients had any of the tested MODY mutations. Conclusion: In this small sample of patients with clinically defined MODY, mutations of the three most commonly affected genes occurring in Caucasians were not observed. Either these patients have novel MODY mutations or have inherited a high proportion of the type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) susceptibility genes compounded by excessive insulin resistance due to obesity