High bandwidth frequency lock of a rigid tunable optical cavity

International audienceIn this paper, we present a high bandwidth frequency lock of a rigid tunable Fabry Perot cavity based on a set of lead zirconate titanate (PZT) actuators. The cavity spacer was specifically designed such that the frequency of the first resonance of the whole assembly under PZT excitation is above 35 kHz, thus allowing a servo-loop bandwidth of 13 kHz. It is demonstrated that no significant noise is added by the cavity to the output beam with respect to the input beam over the servo-loop bandwidth. This cavity can be used as a pre-mode cleaner in interferometric gravitational wave detectors such as the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory (LIGO) and Virgo

Abscisic acid reduces leaf abscission and increases salt tolerance in citrus plants

This paper describes the physiological effects of abscisic acid (ABA) and 100 mM NaCl on citrus plants. Water potential, leaf abscission, ethylene production, photosynthetic rate, stomatal conductance, and chloride accumulation in roots and leaves were measured in plants of Salustiana scion [Citrus sinensis (L) Osbeck] grafted onto Carrizo citrange (Citrus sinensis [L.] Osbeck x Poncirus trifoliata [L.] Raf) rootstock. Plants under salt stress accumulated high amounts of chloride, increased ethylene production, and induced leaf abscission. Stomatal conductance and photosynthetic rates rapidly dropped after salinization. The addition of 10 muM ABA to the nutrient solution 10 days before the exposure to salt stress reduced ethylene release and leaf abscission. These effects were probably due to a decrease in the accumulation of toxic Cl- ions in leaves. In non-salinized plants, ABA reduced stomatal conductance and CO2 assimilation, whereas in salinized plants the treatment slightly increased these two parameters. The results suggest a protective role for ABA in citrus under salinity

Hydrogel substrate amendment alleviates drought effects on young citrus plants

Water deficits affect citrus physiology, yield, fruit size and quality. Citrus can respond to drought stress conditions through endogenous hormonal regulation of water status and leaf abscission. In this work, we assayed the efficiency of an amendment to soilless media in delaying the drought stress effect in young citrus seedlings and trees. Substrate amendment promoted plant survival of citrus seedlings subjected to several cycles of drought stress and rehydration. In budded trees, the amendment increased substrate water content, leaf water potential, leaf number, root biomass, CO2 assimilation and stomatal conductance over that of control plants growing in non-amended substrates. We conclude that the substrate amendment reduced the damaging effects of drought stress in citrus plants. The longer survival of seedlings in the amended treatment together with the reduction in leaf abscission and the improvement of physiological parameters, can account for a higher vigour of citrus grown under water stress conditions