Will halophytes in Mediterranean salt marshes be able to adapt to climate change?

[EN] Mediterranean salt marshes are fragile ecosystems, highly susceptible to the effects of climate change, inhabited by a characteristic halophytic flora, which includes abundant and widely distributed `structural¿ halophytes, together with rare species of high ecological value. These plants are distributed along salinity gradients, primarily based on their relative salt tolerance; they are also adapted to the high temperatures and drought characteristic of Mediterranean summers. With periods of drought and heatwaves increasingly frequent and intense, global warming will also cause a rise in soil salinity. These changes could affect the distribution of some species, reducing their populations or even leading to the local disappearance of some taxa. Over the last years, we have investigated the salt and water stress responses of halophytes of several genera, in field studies and under greenhouse conditions. In this communication, we will present results showing that at least some of the species investigated possess mechanisms that can allow them to rapidly adapt and survive the climate change-induced alterations of the environment in their natural habitats.The initial fieldwork was funded by a grant to O. Vicente from the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation (Project CGL2008-00438/BOS), with contribution from the European Regional Development Fund. More recent work was partly supported by Project AICO/2017/039 from Generalitat Valenciana, granted to M. Boscaiu, and by internal funds of Universitat Politecnica de Valencia.Vicente, O.; Boscaiu, M. (2020). Will halophytes in Mediterranean salt marshes be able to adapt to climate change?. AgroLife Scientific Journal (Online). 9(2):369-376. http://hdl.handle.net/10251/166336S3693769

Comparative analyses of plant responses to salinity in related taxa: A useful approach to study salt stress tolerance mechanisms

[EN] The progressive salinisation of irrigated cropland is causing substantial losses in agricultural production, a problema that will worsen due to climate change effects. Enhancing crop salt tolerance is a sensible strategy to achieve significant increases in crop yields, but requires a deep understanding of the underlying mechanisms. When challenged by salinity, all plants, regardless of their degree of tolerance, activate a series of basic responses, including the control of ion transport, the synthesis of compatible solutes for osmotic adjustment, or the activation of antioxidant systems. Yet, for a given species, the biological relevance and the relative contribution of different responses to the mechanisms of salt tolerance remain largely unknown. Over the last years, we have performed comparative analyses on the responses to salinity in different taxa, genetically related but with varying levels of tolerance. Correlating salt-induced changes in the concentrations of suitable biochemical stress markers with the relative tolerance of the investigated species, we are obtaining novel and interesting information on those mechanisms. Some examples with taxa of several genera are discussed, to show the usefulness of our approachVicente, O.; Boscaiu, M. (2019). Comparative analyses of plant responses to salinity in related taxa: A useful approach to study salt stress tolerance mechanisms. Scientific Bulletin. Series F. Biotechnologies (Online). 23:29-36. http://hdl.handle.net/10251/160696S29362

Physiological and Molecular Characterization of Crop Resistance to Abiotic Stresses

[EN] Abiotic stress represents a main constraint for agriculture, affecting plant growth and productivity. Drought and soil salinity, especially, are major causes of reduction of crop yields and food production worldwide. It is not unexpected, therefore, that the study of plant responses to abiotic stress and stress tolerance mechanisms is one of the most active research fields in plant biology. This Special Issue compiles 22 research papers and 4 reviews covering different aspects of these responses and mechanisms, addressing environmental stress factors such as drought, salinity, flooding, heat and cold stress, deficiency or toxicity of compounds in the soil (e.g., macro and micronutrients), and combination of different stresses. The approaches used are also diverse, including, among others, the analysis of agronomic traits based on morphological characteristics, physiological and biochemical studies, and transcriptomics or transgenics. Despite its complexity, we believe that this Special Issue provides a useful overview of the topic, including basic information on the mechanisms of abiotic stress tolerance as well as practical aspects such as the alleviation of the deleterious effects of stress by different means, or the use of local landraces as a source of genetic material adapted to combined stresses. This knowledge should help to develop the agriculture of the (near) future, sustainable and better adapted to the conditions ahead, in a scenario of global warming and environmental pollution.Boscaiu, M.; Fita, A. (2020). Physiological and Molecular Characterization of Crop Resistance to Abiotic Stresses. Agronomy. 10(9):1-7. https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy10091308S17109Fedoroff, N. V., Battisti, D. S., Beachy, R. N., Cooper, P. J. M., Fischhoff, D. A., Hodges, C. N., … Zhu, J.-K. (2010). Radically Rethinking Agriculture for the 21st Century. Science, 327(5967), 833-834. doi:10.1126/science.1186834Fita, A., Rodríguez-Burruezo, A., Boscaiu, M., Prohens, J., & Vicente, O. (2015). Breeding and Domesticating Crops Adapted to Drought and Salinity: A New Paradigm for Increasing Food Production. Frontiers in Plant Science, 6. doi:10.3389/fpls.2015.00978Zhu, J.-K. (2001). Plant salt tolerance. Trends in Plant Science, 6(2), 66-71. doi:10.1016/s1360-1385(00)01838-0Zhu, J.-K. (2016). Abiotic Stress Signaling and Responses in Plants. Cell, 167(2), 313-324. doi:10.1016/j.cell.2016.08.029Munns, R. (2002). Comparative physiology of salt and water stress. Plant, Cell & Environment, 25(2), 239-250. doi:10.1046/j.0016-8025.2001.00808.xMunns, R., & Tester, M. (2008). Mechanisms of Salinity Tolerance. Annual Review of Plant Biology, 59(1), 651-681. doi:10.1146/annurev.arplant.59.032607.092911Khan, A., Pan, X., Najeeb, U., Tan, D. K. Y., Fahad, S., Zahoor, R., & Luo, H. (2018). Coping with drought: stress and adaptive mechanisms, and management through cultural and molecular alternatives in cotton as vital constituents for plant stress resilience and fitness. Biological Research, 51(1). doi:10.1186/s40659-018-0198-zHernández, J. A. (2019). Salinity Tolerance in Plants: Trends and Perspectives. International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 20(10), 2408. doi:10.3390/ijms20102408Nemeskéri, E., & Helyes, L. (2019). Physiological Responses of Selected Vegetable Crop Species to Water Stress. Agronomy, 9(8), 447. doi:10.3390/agronomy9080447Ketehouli, T., Idrice Carther, K. F., Noman, M., Wang, F.-W., Li, X.-W., & Li, H.-Y. (2019). Adaptation of Plants to Salt Stress: Characterization of Na+ and K+ Transporters and Role of CBL Gene Family in Regulating Salt Stress Response. Agronomy, 9(11), 687. doi:10.3390/agronomy9110687Thangthong, N., Jogloy, S., Punjansing, T., Kvien, C. K., Kesmala, T., & Vorasoot, N. (2019). Changes in Root Anatomy of Peanut (Arachis hypogaea L.) under Different Durations of Early Season Drought. Agronomy, 9(5), 215. doi:10.3390/agronomy9050215Zeeshan, M., Lu, M., Sehar, S., Holford, P., & Wu, F. (2020). Comparison of Biochemical, Anatomical, Morphological, and Physiological Responses to Salinity Stress in Wheat and Barley Genotypes Deferring in Salinity Tolerance. Agronomy, 10(1), 127. doi:10.3390/agronomy10010127Brenes, M., Solana, A., Boscaiu, M., Fita, A., Vicente, O., Calatayud, Á., … Plazas, M. (2020). Physiological and Biochemical Responses to Salt Stress in Cultivated Eggplant (Solanum melongena L.) and in S. insanum L., a Close Wild Relative. Agronomy, 10(5), 651. doi:10.3390/agronomy10050651Fess, T. L., Kotcon, J. B., & Benedito, V. A. (2011). Crop Breeding for Low Input Agriculture: A Sustainable Response to Feed a Growing World Population. Sustainability, 3(10), 1742-1772. doi:10.3390/su3101742Arteaga, S., Yabor, L., Díez, M. J., Prohens, J., Boscaiu, M., & Vicente, O. (2020). The Use of Proline in Screening for Tolerance to Drought and Salinity in Common Bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) Genotypes. Agronomy, 10(6), 817. doi:10.3390/agronomy10060817Sumalan, R. M., Ciulca, S. I., Poiana, M. A., Moigradean, D., Radulov, I., Negrea, M., … Sumalan, R. L. (2020). The Antioxidant Profile Evaluation of Some Tomato Landraces with Soil Salinity Tolerance Correlated with High Nutraceuticaland Functional Value. Agronomy, 10(4), 500. doi:10.3390/agronomy10040500Kondwakwenda, A., Sibiya, J., Zengeni, R., Musvosvi, C., & Tesfay, S. (2019). Screening of Provitamin-A Maize Inbred Lines for Drought Tolerance Using β-carotene Content: Morphophysiological and Biochemical Traits. Agronomy, 9(11), 692. doi:10.3390/agronomy9110692Urano, K., Kurihara, Y., Seki, M., & Shinozaki, K. (2010). ‘Omics’ analyses of regulatory networks in plant abiotic stress responses. Current Opinion in Plant Biology, 13(2), 132-138. doi:10.1016/j.pbi.2009.12.006Hou, Yin, Lu, Song, Wang, Wei, … Fang. (2019). Transcriptomic Analysis Reveals the Temporal and Spatial Changes in Physiological Process and Gene Expression in Common Buckwheat (Fagopyrum esculentum Moench) Grown under Drought Stress. Agronomy, 9(10), 569. doi:10.3390/agronomy9100569Jia, S., Li, H., Jiang, Y., Tang, Y., Zhao, G., Zhang, Y., … Shao, R. (2020). Transcriptomic Analysis of Female Panicles Reveals Gene Expression Responses to Drought Stress in Maize (Zea mays L.). Agronomy, 10(2), 313. doi:10.3390/agronomy10020313Liu, C., Zhao, Y., Zhao, X., Wang, J., Gu, M., & Yuan, Z. (2019). Transcriptomic Profiling of Pomegranate Provides Insights into Salt Tolerance. Agronomy, 10(1), 44. doi:10.3390/agronomy10010044Moradtalab, N., Hajiboland, R., Aliasgharzad, N., Hartmann, T. E., & Neumann, G. (2019). Silicon and the Association with an Arbuscular-Mycorrhizal Fungus (Rhizophagus clarus) Mitigate the Adverse Effects of Drought Stress on Strawberry. Agronomy, 9(1), 41. doi:10.3390/agronomy9010041Minh, B., Linh, N., Hanh, H., Hien, L., Thang, N., Hai, N., & Hue, H. (2019). A LEA Gene from a Vietnamese Maize Landrace Can Enhance the Drought Tolerance of Transgenic Maize and Tobacco. Agronomy, 9(2), 62. doi:10.3390/agronomy9020062Abdelaal, K. A., EL-Maghraby, L. M., Elansary, H., Hafez, Y. M., Ibrahim, E. I., El-Banna, M., … Elkelish, A. (2019). Treatment of Sweet Pepper with Stress Tolerance-Inducing Compounds Alleviates Salinity Stress Oxidative Damage by Mediating the Physio-Biochemical Activities and Antioxidant Systems. Agronomy, 10(1), 26. doi:10.3390/agronomy10010026Loreti, E., van Veen, H., & Perata, P. (2016). Plant responses to flooding stress. Current Opinion in Plant Biology, 33, 64-71. doi:10.1016/j.pbi.2016.06.005Bashar, K., Tareq, M., Amin, M., Honi, U., Tahjib-Ul-Arif, M., Sadat, M., & Hossen, Q. (2019). Phytohormone-Mediated Stomatal Response, Escape and Quiescence Strategies in Plants under Flooding Stress. Agronomy, 9(2), 43. doi:10.3390/agronomy9020043Vwioko, E. D., El-Esawi, M. A., Imoni, M. E., Al-Ghamdi, A. A., Ali, H. M., El-Sheekh, M. M., … Al-Dosary, M. A. (2019). Sodium Azide Priming Enhances Waterlogging Stress Tolerance in Okra (Abelmoschus esculentus L.). Agronomy, 9(11), 679. doi:10.3390/agronomy9110679Eremina, M., Rozhon, W., & Poppenberger, B. (2015). Hormonal control of cold stress responses in plants. Cellular and Molecular Life Sciences, 73(4), 797-810. doi:10.1007/s00018-015-2089-6Li, Y., Zhang, Q., Ou, L., Ji, D., Liu, T., Lan, R., … Jin, L. (2020). Response to the Cold Stress Signaling of the Tea Plant (Camellia sinensis) Elicited by Chitosan Oligosaccharide. Agronomy, 10(6), 915. doi:10.3390/agronomy10060915Anwar, A., Wang, J., Yu, X., He, C., & Li, Y. (2020). Substrate Application of 5-Aminolevulinic Acid Enhanced Low-temperature and Weak-light Stress Tolerance in Cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.). Agronomy, 10(4), 472. doi:10.3390/agronomy10040472Diffenbaugh, N. S., Pal, J. S., Giorgi, F., & Gao, X. (2007). Heat stress intensification in the Mediterranean climate change hotspot. Geophysical Research Letters, 34(11). doi:10.1029/2007gl030000Martínez-Nieto, M. I., Estrelles, E., Prieto-Mossi, J., Roselló, J., & Soriano, P. (2020). Resilience Capacity Assessment of the Traditional Lima Bean (Phaseolus lunatus L.) Landraces Facing Climate Change. Agronomy, 10(6), 758. doi:10.3390/agronomy10060758Nelimor, C., Badu-Apraku, B., Tetteh, A. Y., Garcia-Oliveira, A. L., & N’guetta, A. S.-P. (2020). Assessing the Potential of Extra-Early Maturing Landraces for Improving Tolerance to Drought, Heat, and Both Combined Stresses in Maize. Agronomy, 10(3), 318. doi:10.3390/agronomy10030318Probert, M. ., & Keating, B. . (2000). What soil constraints should be included in crop and forest models? Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment, 82(1-3), 273-281. doi:10.1016/s0167-8809(00)00231-0Pereira-Dias, L., Gil-Villar, D., Castell-Zeising, V., Quiñones, A., Calatayud, Á., Rodríguez-Burruezo, A., & Fita, A. (2020). Main Root Adaptations in Pepper Germplasm (Capsicum spp.) to Phosphorus Low-Input Conditions. Agronomy, 10(5), 637. doi:10.3390/agronomy10050637Hefferon, K. (2019). Biotechnological Approaches for Generating Zinc-Enriched Crops to Combat Malnutrition. Nutrients, 11(2), 253. doi:10.3390/nu11020253Szopiński, M., Sitko, K., Gieroń, Ż., Rusinowski, S., Corso, M., Hermans, C., … Małkowski, E. (2019). Toxic Effects of Cd and Zn on the Photosynthetic Apparatus of the Arabidopsis halleri and Arabidopsis arenosa Pseudo-Metallophytes. 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Ecological implications of bulliform cells on halophytes, in salt and water stress natural conditions

[EN] Seven Romanian salt-tolerant species were histo-anatomical investigated. These species have been classified by the authors of the present study as ¿amphibious¿ halophytes, related to the field observations and anatomical considerations. All the analyzed taxa present bulliform cells at the foliar epidermis level. Despite the fact that there are different interpretations regarding the bulliform cells role and functional significance, we correlate these structures with the ecological factors, salinity and, respectively, drought conditions.This paper was published with support provided by the POSDRU project “Developing the innovation capacity and improving the impact of research through postdoctoral programmes”.Grigore, MN.; Toma, C.; Boscaiu, M. (2010). Ecological implications of bulliform cells on halophytes, in salt and water stress natural conditions. Analele Stiintifice ale Universitatii "Alexandru Ioan Cuza" din Iasi. Biologie Vegetala. 56(2):5-15. http://hdl.handle.net/10251/101713S51556

Dealing with halophytes: an old problem, the same continuous exciting challenge

[EN] It¿s common sense to usually recognize some concepts as being very simple and accessible. Often, this could lead to a reductionist way in which some problems are regarded and understood. In plant ecology, many concepts are volatile and in nowadays we are using some of them mainly as standard definitions. But in the nature, there are no standards. Only a continuum flux of energy and stable instability that would imply caution and attention in the interpretation of ecological groups of plants. In this work we try to sensitize and pay attention to the complexity of some concepts in plant ecology, and to focus on halophytes, as an example of our intentionThis paper was published with support provided by the POSDRU/89/1.5/S/49944 project “Developing the innovation capacity and improving the impact of research through post-doctoral programmes”.Grigore, MN.; Toma, C.; Boscaiu, M. (2010). Dealing with halophytes: an old problem, the same continuous exciting challenge. Analele Stiintifice ale Universitatii "Alexandru Ioan Cuza" din Iasi. Biologie Vegetala. 56(1):21-32. http://hdl.handle.net/10251/101719S213256

Flavonoids: Antioxidant Compounds for Plant Defence... and for a Healthy Human Diet

[EN] Flavonoids are a large group of plant phenolics, including almost 10,000 different compounds with a common chemical structure consisting of two aromatic rings, joined by a three-carbon chain generally forming a heterocyclic ring (C6-C3-C6). Interest on these secondary metabolites has increased exponentially in the last years, for its alleged beneficial effects on human health. It has been reported that flavonoids - and other phenolics - show antibacterial, antiviral, anti-inflammatory, antilipidemic, or antidiabetic activities, and also possess neuroprotective, hepatoprotective or cardioprotective properties. Anthocyanins, particularly, seem to be effective antitumoural compounds, at least in human tumour cell lines and in mouse models. These properties appear to be due to the strong antioxidant character of flavonoids and their capacity to scavenge 'reactive oxygen species' (ROS) which, if in excess, cause oxidative cellular damage. Therefore, flavonoid-rich fruits and vegetables should contribute to a healthy diet. Yet flavonoids are not present in plants for human benefit. They fulfil many disparate biological functions, mostly mediating interactions between plants and the environment: animal attractants for pollination and seed dispersal, signalling molecules in plant-microorganisms interactions, or participating in plant defence against pathogens. They are also involved in the mechanisms of tolerance to practically all types of abiotic stress, including UV radiation, extreme temperatures, ozone exposure, drought or salinity. Since abiotic stresses cause an increase in cellular ROS levels, these latter functions appear to be based on flavonoids' antioxidant activity, similarly to their assumed positive effects for human health if used as dietary components, nutraceuticals or even pharmacological drugs.Vicente, O.; Boscaiu, M. (2018). Flavonoids: Antioxidant Compounds for Plant Defence... and for a Healthy Human Diet. Notulae Botanicae Horti Agrobotanici Cluj-Napoca. 46(1):14-21. https://doi.org/10.15835/nbha45210992S142146

Stress-tolerant Wild Plants: a Source of Knowledge and Biotechnological Tools for the Genetic Improvement of Stress Tolerance in Crop Plants

Over the next few decades we must boost crop productivity if we are to feed a growing world population, which will reach more than 9×109 people by 2050; and we should do it in the frame of a sustainable agriculture, with an increasing scarcity of new arable land and of water for irrigation. For all important crops, average yields are only a fraction-somewhere between 20% and 50%-of record yields; these losses are mostly due to drought and high soil salinity, environmental conditions which will worsen in many regions because of global climate change. Therefore, the simplest way to increase agricultural productivity would be to improve the abiotic stress tolerance of crops. Considering the limitations of traditional plant breeding, the most promising strategy to achieve this goal will rely on the generation of transgenic plants expressing genes conferring tolerance. However, advances using this approach have been slow, since it requires a deep understanding of the mechanisms of plant stress tolerance, which are still largely unknown. Paradoxically, most studies on the responses of plants to abiotic stress have been performed using stress-sensitive species-such as Arabidopsis thaliana-although there are plants (halophytes, gypsophytes, xerophytes) adapted to extremely harsh environmental conditions in their natural habitats. We propose these wild stress-tolerant species as more suitable models to investigate these mechanisms, as well as a possible source of biotechnological tools (‘stress tolerance’ genes, stress-inducible promoters) for the genetic engineering of stress tolerance in crop plants

HPLC-DAD-ESI+-MS PHYTOCHEMICAL PROFILES OF SEVERAL ROSMARINUS OFFICINALIS ACCESSIONS FROM SPAIN AS INFLUENCED BY DIFFERENT ENVIRONMENTAL STRESS CONDITIONS

[EN] Rosemary, a native Mediterranean plant is a well-known source of phytochemicals with antioxidant activity attributed mainly to diterpenoids and flavonoids. The aim of the study was to establish an accurate evaluation of the rosemary metabolite profiles from several accessions under changing environmental conditions (water stress and soil salinity) comparing two sampling seasons (summer vs. spring) from four different habitats in Eastern Spain. The methodology was based on the identification and the quantitative evaluation of phytochemicals (phenolic acid derivatives, flavonoids, diterpenes and triterpenes) by HPLC coupled with diode-array detection and electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESI+-MS). Phytochemical profiles were statistically compared by factorial ANOVA, cluster analysis, principal component analysis and univariate analysis (Pearson correlations), that allowed the discrimination between the extract composition in correlation to their hábitat and stress conditions. Out of twenty-three compounds identified, the major ones were represented by diterpenoids (carnosic acid, carnosol and oxidized metabolites rosmanol, epirosmanol, rosmadial, rosmanol methyl ether) and flavonoids, which showed significant metabolic regulation induced by wáter stress. The main conclusion of the work is that the diterpene derivatives and their oxidized metabolites may be considered as optimal biomarkers of the environmental stress in Rosmarinus officinalis.We acknowledge the contribution of our collaborators from the Applied Biotechnology Centre BIODIATECH-Proplanta SRL, as well the funding from the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation (Project CGL2008- 00438/BOS) and the contribution of European Regional Development FundBoscaiu, M.; Vicente, O.; Bautista, I.; Ranga, F.; Socaciu, C. (2019). HPLC-DAD-ESI+-MS PHYTOCHEMICAL PROFILES OF SEVERAL ROSMARINUS OFFICINALIS ACCESSIONS FROM SPAIN AS INFLUENCED BY DIFFERENT ENVIRONMENTAL STRESS CONDITIONS. Studia Universitatis Babes-Bolyai Chemia. LXIV(3):163-180. https://doi.org/10.24193/subbchem.2019.3.14163180LXIV