Rapid and reproducible determination of active gibberellins in citrus tissues by UPLC/ESI-MS/MS

Phytohormone determination is crucial to explain the physiological mechanisms during growth and development. Therefore, rapid and precise methods are needed to achieve reproducible determination of phytohormones. Among many others, gibberellins (GAs) constitute a family of complex analytes as most of them share similar structure and chemical properties although only a few hold biological activity (namely GA1; GA3; GA4 and GA7). A method has been developed to extract GAs from plant tissues by mechanical disruption using ultrapure water as solvent and, in this way, ion suppression was reduced whereas sensitivity increased. Using this methodology, the four active GAs were separated and quantified by UPLC coupled to MS/MS using the isotope-labeled internal standards [2 H2]-GA1 and [2 H2]-GA4. To sum up, the new method provides a fast and reproducible protocol to determine bioactive GAs at low concentrations, using minimal amounts of sample and reducing the use of organic solvents.Ministerio de Economia (MINECO) AGL2013-42038-R Universitat Jaume I P1IB2013-23 "Santiago Grisolia" grant from Generalitat Valenciana "Ramon y Cajal" contract from MINEC

Characterization of the Volatile Profile of Cultivated and Wild-Type Italian Celery (Apium graveolens L.) Varieties by HS-SPME/GC-MS

Celery (Apium graveolens L.) is a vegetable belonging to the Apiaceae family that is widely used for its distinct flavor and contains a variety of bioactive metabolites with healthy properties. Some celery ecotypes cultivated in specific territories of Italy have recently attracted the attention of consumers and scientists because of their peculiar sensorial and nutritional properties. In this work, the volatile profiles of white celery "Sedano Bianco di Sperlonga" Protected Geographical Indication (PGI) ecotype, black celery "Sedano Nero di Torricella Peligna" and wild-type celery were investigated using head-space solid-phase microextraction combined with gas-chromatography/mass spectrometry (HS-SPME/GC-MS) and compared to that of the common ribbed celery. Exploratory multivariate statistical analyses were conducted using principal component analysis (PCA) on HS-SPME/GC-MS patterns, separately collected from celery leaves and petioles, to assess similarity/dissimilarity in the flavor composition of the investigated varieties. PCA revealed a clear differentiation of wild-type celery from the cultivated varieties. Among the cultivated varieties, black celery "Sedano Nero di Torricella Peligna" exhibited a significantly different composition in volatile profile in both leaves and petioles compared to the white celery and the prevalent commercial variety. The chemical components of aroma, potentially useful for the classification of celery according to the variety/origin, were identified

New floristic data of vascular plants from central Italy

Based on field, herbarium and bibliographic research, we report distributional data for 21 species and subspecies (11 natives included 1 regional alien and 1 cryptogenic, 10 aliens) whose presence has been ascertained for some administrative regions of central Italy. In particular, 10 taxa are new or confirmed to Abruzzo, 7 to Umbria, 2 to Lazio, and 1 to Marche. Some taxa are particularly interesting from a phytogeographical or conservational point of view. Specifically, Astragalus exscapus and Salix pentandra are very rare in Italy. The new findings of Erythronium dens-canis and Thesium alpinum, in Umbria and Lazio respectively, represent the southernmost limits of their Italian distribution

Integrazioni alla flora vascolare dell\u2019Italia centrale. Secondo contributo

Additions to the vascular flora of central Italy. Second contribution. In this paper, new floristic records for 55 taxa for central Italy are reported. In particular, 39 taxa are native and 16 aliens, 9 are new or confirmed to Abruzzo, 1 to Marche, 21 to Molise, 16 to Umbria, 1 is excluded from the flora of Abruzzo, 1 from Molise and 1 from Lazio. Furthermore, new distribution data for 2 rare species in Abruzzo and Molise are reported

Checklist of gypsophilous vascular flora in Italy

Our understanding of the richness and uniqueness of the flora growing on gypsum substrates in Italy has grown significantly since the 19th century and, even today, new plant species are still being discovered. However, the plants and plant communities, growing on gypsum substrates in Italy, are still a relatively unknown subject. The main aim of this paper was to elaborate a checklist of the Italian gypsophilous flora, to increase knowledge about this peculiar flora and for which conservation efforts need to be addressed. Through a structured group communication process of experts (application of the Delphi technique), a remarkable number of experienced Italian botanists have joined together to select focal plant species linked to gypsum substrates. From the results obtained, 31 plant species behave as absolute or preferent taxa (gypsophytes and gypsoclines) and form the ‘core’ Italian gypsophilous flora. The most abundant life forms were chamaephytes and hemicryptophytes, belonging to Poaceae and Brassicaceae; as for chorotypes, the most represented are Mediterranean and narrow endemics. By improving on previously available information about the flora with a clear preference for gypsum in Italy, this undertaking represents an important contribution to the knowledge of a habitat which is today considered a priority for conservation

Depletion of abscisic acid levels in roots of flooded Carrizo citrange (Poncirus trifoliata L. Raf. x Citrus sinensis L. Osb.) plants is a stress-specific response associated to the differential expression of PYR/PYL/RCAR receptors

[EN] Soil flooding reduces root abscisic acid (ABA) levels in citrus, conversely to what happens under drought. Despite this reduction, microarray analyses suggested the existence of a residual ABA signaling in roots of flooded Carrizo citrange seedlings. The comparison of ABA metabolism and signaling in roots of flooded and water stressed plants of Carrizo citrange revealed that the hormone depletion was linked to the upregulation of CsAOG, involved in ABA glycosyl ester (ABAGE) synthesis, and to a moderate induction of catabolism (CsCYP707A, an ABA 8'-hydroxylase) and buildup of dehydrophaseic acid (DPA). Drought strongly induced both ABA biosynthesis and catabolism (CsNCED1, 9-cis-neoxanthin epoxycarotenoid dioxygenase 1, and CsCYP707A) rendering a significant hormone accumulation. In roots of flooded plants, restoration of control ABA levels after stress release was associated to the upregulation of CsBGLU18 (an ABA beta-glycosidase) that cleaves ABAGE. Transcriptional profile of ABA receptor genes revealed a different induction in response to soil flooding (CsPYL5) or drought (CsPYL8). These two receptor genes along with CsPYL1 were cloned and expressed in a heterologous system. Recombinant CsPYL5 inhibited Delta NHAB1 activity in vitro at lower ABA concentrations than CsPYL8 or CsPYL1, suggesting its better performance under soil flooding conditions. Both stress conditions induced ABA-responsive genes CsABI5 and CsDREB2A similarly, suggesting the occurrence of ABA signaling in roots of flooded citrus seedlings. The impact of reduced ABA levels in flooded roots on CsPYL5 expression along with its higher hormone affinity reinforce the role of this ABA receptor under soil-flooding conditions and explain the expression of certain ABA-responsive genes.This work was supported by Ministerio de Economia y Competitividad (MINECO), Fondo Europeo de Desarrollo Regional (FEDER) and Universitat Jaume I through grants No. AGL201676574-R, UJI-B2016-23/UJI-B2016-24 to A.G-C. and V.A. and MINECO, FEDER and Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Cientificas (CSIC) through grant BIO2014-52537-R to P.L.R. S.I.Z. and M.M. were supported by predoctoral grants from Universitat Jaume I and Generalitat Valenciana, respectively. M.G.G. was recipient of a "JAE-DOC" contract from the CSIC. Mass spectrometry analyses were performed at the central facilities (Servei Central d'Instrumentacio Cientifica, SCIC) of Universitat Jaume I.Arbona, V.; Zandalinas, SI.; Manzi, M.; González Guzmán, M.; Rodríguez Egea, PL.; Gómez-Cadenas, A. (2017). Depletion of abscisic acid levels in roots of flooded Carrizo citrange (Poncirus trifoliata L. Raf. x Citrus sinensis L. Osb.) plants is a stress-specific response associated to the differential expression of PYR/PYL/RCAR receptors. Plant Molecular Biology. 93(6):623-640. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11103-017-0587-7S623640936Agarwal PK, Jha B (2010) Transcription factors in plants and ABA dependent and independent abiotic stress signalling. Biol Plant 54:201–212Agustí J, Merelo P, Cercós M, Tadeo FR, Talón M (2008) Ethylene-induced differential gene expression during abscission of citrus leaves. 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Guida fotografica alle piante del Parco Nazionale del Gran Sasso e Monti della Laga. Compendio della flora vascolare.

Si riporta l'elenco delle piante censite nel territorio del Parco Nazionale del Gran Sasso e Monti della Laga. Con 2665 entità risulta il Parco Nazionale europeo e di tutto i bacino del Mediterranei più ricco di piante. L'elenco è preceduto da una serie di capitoli introduttivi: Assetto normativo per la tutela del territorio e delle rarità botaniche; Il ruolo del Parco nelle rete comunitaria "Natura 2000"; Descrizione del territorio; Aspetti geografici; Aspetti climatici; Aspetti paessaggistici e vegetazionali; Aspetti floristici; Il Centro Ricerche Floristiche dell'Appennino; L'esplorazione floristica del territorio del Parco. Correda l'elenco un ricco repertorio fotografico che consta di 1823 foto

Protocol for Increasing Carotenoid Levels in the Roots of Citrus Plants

Carotenoids in plants play several key functions such as acting as light-harvesters, antioxidants (Lado et al., 2016) or being precursors of strigolactones, abscisic acid, volatiles and other signaling compounds (Arbona et al., 2013). Although those functions are well-known in light-exposed tissues, information in belowground organs is limited because of reduced abundance of these pigments. In order to better understand the role of carotenoids in roots, we developed a methodology to increase the abundance of these pigments in underground tissues. We took advantage of the fact that citrus roots exposed to light develop pigmentation in order to increase the carotenoid content. Therefore, here we describe a simple method to increase carotenoids in citrus roots.This work was supported by the Ministerio de Economia (MINECO) and Universitat Jaume I through grants No. AGL2013- 42038-R and P1IB2013-23, respectively. MM was recipient of a ‘Santiago Grisolia’ fellowship from Generalitat Valenciana (Spain). This protocol is based on the methodology used in the manuscript Manzi et al. (2016)

Flora del Parco Nazionale della Majella 2

Twenty five years after it was officially established, the Majella National Park is publishing the first exhaustive list of its flora. This volume on the Park’s flora conceived with the layman in mind is a symbolic tribute to all the botanical explorers who have gathered data on the plants of the Majella, starting in the 16th century with Luigi Anguillara, first curator of the Padua Botanical Garden, and, above all, the renowned Neapolitan botanist Michele Tenore (and his local collaborators, including Giuseppe De Angelis from Roccamorice and Pasquale Gravina from Pettorano sul Gizio) who attributed particular importance to the Sacred Mountain in his monumental Flora Napolitana. The Majella is the locus classicus (the site where they were first described) of numerous species endemic to the Central Apennines. The great number of plant species present is the expression of a vast and complex biological richness, direct consequence of the wide range of climates and geomorphologies represented in the Park, together with its fortunate geographic position at the transition between the Mediterranean and Temperate bioclimates and long history of plant migrations. The remarkable mosaic of plant communities creates a variegated and unique landscape, together with the transformations produced by man’s activities which in some cases have created new biological and cultural equilibriums. The principal merit for this fascinating and complex volume goes to my friend and botanical colleague, Prof. Fabio Conti, who took his first steps as researcher right here on the Majella long before the Park was established and who was accompanied in his research by his collaborator Fabrizio Bartolucci. The Park Authority’s botanists (myself and Giampiero Ciaschetti) also collaborated with regard to the Park’s flora. Finally, special thanks is due to the expert ethnobotanist and historian of agriculture, Aurelio Manzi, whose research on the wild ancestors of cultivated plants provided much historical information on the current distribution of numerous species. A guide to the flora of the Park of undoubted scientific value to help enthusiasts discover the beauties of our area