Synthetic seed production from encapsulated somatic embryos of cork oak (Quercus suber L.) and automated growth monitoring.

Cork oak (Quercus suber) somatic embryos were coatedwith alginate for the production of synthetic seeds and their storability for commercialization was investigated. Also, the automatic monitoring of somatic embryo growth with a digital system of image capture was tested.Apower regressionmodelwasfitted between size and fresh weight (Adjusted R-squared = 0.96). This method permitted growth assessment without contamination risk and opens the possibility of an automated control of culture growth for the future up scaling of plant production. Conversion rate of synthetic seedswas higher onmediumsupplementedwithmineral nutrients than onmediumwithout nutrients. Also, when the somatic embryos were coated without mineral nutrients added to the capsule, conversion rate was significantly lower. The addition of sucrose to the capsule had no significant effect on the conversion rate. No differences were recorded between 50 and 100 mM CaCl2 for capsule complexation. Synthetic seeds were cold stored at 4_C for two months without significant loss of conversion capacity. The present study reports the first attempts to determine optimal storage time and conditions for conversion of encapsulated somatic embryos of cork oak

Embryogenesis in Oak species. A Review.

Embryogenesis in Oak species. A Review

Problem-Based Learning in Plant Biology (Poster)

Depto. de Genética, Fisiología y MicrobiologíaFac. de Ciencias BiológicasTRUEsubmitte

Sap flow, leaf-level gas exchange and spectral responses to drought in Pinus sylvestris, Pinus pinea and Pinus halepensis

In a climate change scenario, Mediterranean forest species such as pines may be endangered by rising temperatures and reduced precipitation, thus calling for studies on the transpiration and water balance in pines. In this paper, the response of young plants of Pinus sylvestris L., Pinus pinea L. and Pinus halepensis Mill. to different irrigation treatments has been studied. Significant differences were found in water potential, sap flow, leaf-level gas exchange and spectral variables. P. sylvestris had higher pre-dawn and midday water potentials, sap flow rates and leaf-level gas exchange rates compared to the other two species in well-watered conditions. Vapor pressure gradient correlated with stomatal conductance, net assimilation and transpiration, but the association between stomatal conductance and sap flow was weak. The environmental variables more strongly associated with sap flow were solar radiation and reference evapo-transpiration, especially in the well-watered plants, but those associations were weaker in the stressed plants. All three pine species showed the isohydric, drought-avoiding strategy common in the genus Pinus, maintaining relatively high water potentials in dry conditions. Nevertheless, P. halepensis showed a water-saving strategy, with a stomatal closure behavior under drought. Stomatal regulation was less strict in P. sylvestris, closer to a water-spending pattern, while P. pinea showed an intermediate behavior. Significant differences were recorded among species in spectral reflectance in the visible and infra-red regions. Photochemical Reflectance Index, Normalized Difference Vegetation Index and combinations of other ratios permitted the discrimination among the three pine species. These spectral variables showed association with sap flow rate, water potential and leaflevel gas exchange variables. Both cluster analysis and k-means classification discriminated Scots pine and Aleppo pine in two different groups. On the other hand, Stone pine showed differences in spectral behavior depending on the hydric status of the plants. Well-watered Stone pine plants had the same spectral behavior as Scots pine, while the plants subjected to drought stress were closer to Aleppo pine plants in spectral response. These findings may help to quantify the impacts of early and mid-summer water deficit on Mediterranean pines in future climate regimes

Role of synthetic plant extracts on the production of silver-derived nanoparticles

The main antioxidants present in plant extracts—quercetin, β-carotene, gallic acid, ascorbic acid, hydroxybenzoic acid, caffeic acid, catechin and scopoletin—are able to synthesize silver nanoparticles when reacting with a Ag NO3 solution. The UV-visible absorption spectrum recorded with most of the antioxidants shows the characteristic surface plasmon resonance band of silver nanoparticles. Nanoparticles synthesised with ascorbic, hydroxybenzoic, caffeic, and gallic acids and scopoletin are spherical. Nanoparticles synthesised with quercetin are grouped together to form micellar structures. Nanoparticles synthesised by β-carotene, were triangular and polyhedral forms with truncated corners. Pentagonal nanoparticles were synthesized with catechin. We used Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy to check that the biomolecules coat the synthesised silver nanoparticles. X-ray powder diffractograms showed the presence of silver, AgO, Ag2O, Ag3O4 and Ag2O3 . Rod-like structures were obtained with quercetin and gallic acid and cookie-like structures in the nanoparticles obtained with scopoletin, as a consequence of their reactivity with cyanide. This analysis explained the role played by the various agents responsible for the bio-reduction triggered by nanoparticle synthesis in their shape, size and activity. This will facilitate targeted synthesis and the application of biotechnological techniques to optimise the green synthesis of nanoparticles

FIVEGAME: Mobile-learning como herramienta de aprendizaje en la asignatura de Fisiología Vegetal

Es un proyecto original de innovación y mejora de la calidad de la docencia que incorpora la herramienta de gamificación Socrative en las clases de Fisiología Vegetal para fomentar el interés del alumnado con un aprendizaje lúdico y divertido

FIVELAB: Laboratorio virtual de Fisiología Vegetal a través de la plataforma MOODLE

FiVeLab es un proyecto de innovación docente que incorpora el laboratorio virtual como herramienta básica para el aprendizaje online. Se propone la virtualización de las prácticas de Fisiología Vegetal en Moodle mediante vídeos, códigos QR y gamificación con Socrative. El objetivo fundamental de FiVeLab se enmarca en la modernización de las técnicas pedagógicas y adquisición de competencias digitales por parte del profesorado universitario de la unidad docente de Fisiología Vegetal y supone la consolidación de los recursos educativos virtuales en la metodología de enseñanza de un laboratorio de Fisiología Vegetal dentro de los estudios de Grado de la Facultad de Biología de la UCM. La plataforma virtual utilizada es el entorno Moodle que ofrece herramientas que nos permitirán virtualizar las prácticas de laboratorio de Fisiología Vegetal mediante la edición de vídeos, manuales y guion de prácticas con códigos QR que permiten redirigir al alumno a los distintos vídeos elaborados y cuestionarios de autoevaluación referidos a estas prácticas