Ornamental species with possible application in the Mediterranean enviroment

Izbor biljnih vrsta jedan je od glavnih aspekata oblikovanja zelenih površina o kojem ovise i estetsko-oblikovni i tehničko-ekonomski rezultati samog oblikovanja. U području Mediterana teoretski je moguća primjena vrlo velikog broja vrsta. Karakteristike tog područja, naročito one povezane s fototermičkim svojstvima, omogućuju uvrštavanje brojnih tropskih i suptropskih vrsta. Ograničavajući faktor u korištenju ovih biljaka često puta predstavlja preslabo poznavanje njihovih specifičnih potreba. Izbor vrsta se stoga učestalo provodi u svjetlu nepotpunih i približnih informacija o svojstvima i potrebama biljaka. Takva praksa je naročito “kažnjiva” u južnom dijelu Italije gdje je tradicija uređivanja zelenih površina manje raznolika u usporedbi sa srednjom i sjevernom Europom. Cilj ovog rada bila je preliminarna procjena svojstava ključnih pri izboru ukrasnih biljaka za zelene površine. Naime, zahvaljujući analizi nekih bibliografskih izvora te direktnih snimaka utvrđene su vrste pogodne za primjenu u mediteranskom području. Ti podaci poslužit će za stvaranje što potpunijeg i ažuriranog popisa korištenih i/ili iskoristivih vrsta. Ukupno je popisano nešto manje od 3500 vrsta, mnoge od njih (74, 8%) se navode samo u jednom od konzultiranih literaturnih izvora dok se tek 36 vrsta (1,1%) spominje u svim konzultiranim izvorima. Od botaničkih porodica, po brojnosti se ističu vrste iz porodice Rosaceae (57 rodova i 371 vrsta), Leguminosae (69 rodova i 218 vrsta), Compositae (71 rod i 156 vrsta) i Liliaceae (55 rodova i 147 vrsta). Dobro su zastupljene i porodice sa sukulentnim vrstama (Agavaceae, Cactaceae, Crassulaceae itd.) i geofiti (Amaryllidaceae, Iridaceae, Liliaceae) uvijek prisutni u oblikovanju zelenih površina u mediteranskom okružju, uz druge reprezentativne porodice kao što su Palmae, Bignoniaceae, Myrtaceae. Raspro-stranjenost vrsta prema području porijekla potvrđuje značajno ali ne dominantno prisustvo “pravih mediteranskih biljaka” tj. svega 8% autohtonih vrsta. Ukrasno mediteransko zelenilo je, čini se obilježeno uočljivim karakterom egzotičnosti, što je i pokazatelj povoljnih uvijeta na proučavanom području.The choice of plant species represents one of the main aspects of landscaping upon which esthetical, structural as well as the technical and economic results of the landscaping depend. In theory, for such a choice in the Mediterranean environment one can rely on high quantity of species. The characteristics of such environment, especially those associated with photothermic conditions enable the introduction of numerous plants of tropical or subtropical origin. The limiting factor in utilization of these plants is scarce knowledge of theirs functional traits. The selection of species is therefore often performed in the light of insufficient or inexact information on species’ traits and requirements. This kind of practice is especially punishable in the southern part of Italy where the landscaping tradition is less ample compared with central and northern Europe. Having this in mind, the goal of this work is to acquire preliminary elements apt for purpose of selection of ornamental plants suitable for green areas. As a result of bibliography analysis and direct recording, identification of plant species appropriate for application in Mediterranean environment was performed in order to elaborate thorough and updated list of applied and/or applicable species. In total, a little less than 3500 species were listed, majority of these (74,8%) found in just only bibliography source; only 36 of them (1,1%) cited in all of the consulted sources. Regarding botanical families, majority of species belong to the following families: Rosaceae (57 genera and 371 species), Leguminosae (69 genera and 218 species), Compositae (71 genera and 156 species) and Liliaceae (55 genera and 147 species). Well represented are also families with succulent species (Agavaceae, Cactaceae, Crassulaceae etc.) and bulbs (Amaryllidaceae, Iridaceae, Liliaceae) which are always present in landscaping of green areas in Mediterranean environment as well as other representative families such as Palmae, Bignoniaceae, Myrtaceae. Distribution of species according to their origin confirms significant but not dominant participation of “true Mediterranean plants”; only 8% are autochthonous species. Ornamental Mediterranean plants seam to be characterised with visible exotic character, which represents evidence of favourable conditions offered by the considered environment

Population variation in early development can determine ecological resilience in response to environmental change

As climate change transforms seasonal patterns of temperature and precipitation, germination success at marginal temperatures will become critical for the long-term persistence of many plant species and communities. If populations vary in their environmental sensitivity to marginal temperatures across a species’ geographical range, populations that respond better to future environmental extremes are likely to be critical for maintaining ecological resilience of the species. / Using seeds from two to six populations for each of nine species of Mediterranean plants, we characterized patterns of among-population variation in environmental sensitivity by quantifying genotype-by-environment interactions (G × E) for germination success at temperature extremes, and under two light regimes representing conditions below and above the soil surface. / For eight of nine species tested at hot and cold marginal temperatures, we observed substantial among-population variation in environmental sensitivity for germination success, and this often depended on the light treatment. Importantly, different populations often performed best at different environmental extremes. / Our results demonstrate that ongoing changes in temperature regime will affect the phenology, fitness, and demography of different populations within the same species differently. We show that quantifying patterns of G × E for multiple populations, and understanding how such patterns arise, can test mechanisms that promote ecological resilience

Conservation and valorization of native germplasm of mediterranean region. Morpho ecological characterization of sicilian flora species for sustainable use

La ricerca ha analizzato il germoplasma di 150 piante vascolari della flora sicula (79 generi, 33 famiglie), raccolto in diversi territori e habitat siciliani - Isole Eolie ed Egadi incluse nel corso di un triennio. Sono state studiate numerose specie ad ampia distribuzione (Arbutus unedo, Coronilla valentina, Emerus major, Erica arborea, E. multiflora, Lomelosia cretica, Lonicera implexa, Myrtus communis, Pistacia lentiscus, ecc.) come pure specie endemiche sicule quali Anthemis aetnensis, A. cupaniana, specie dei generi Centaurea, Euphorbia, Genista e Jacobaea, nonché Cytisus aeolicus e Silene hicesiae, presenti solo nelle isole Eolie e considerate a rischio. Al fine di indagare le possibilità di conservazione in-situ ed ex-situ e trarre informazioni utili per l elaborazione di protocolli specie-specifici sono stati analizzati i fattori che influenzano la germinazione dei semi, l'emergenza delle plantule e la radicazione delle talee. Il comportamento germinativo, è stato studiato su 27 taxa; i test di germinazione sono stati effettuati a diversi regimi termici e di luce. Le caratteristiche fenologiche e morfologiche delle specie selezionate, a diversi stadi di crescita, sono state analizzate presso un azienda vivaistica. Su 87 specie (55 generi, 24 famiglie) sono stati effettuati test di emergenza, mentre 72 specie (45 generi, 20 famiglie) sono state oggetto di prove di propagazione per talea. Il 62% delle accessioni ha mostrato un alto tasso di germinazione e di emergenza (80-100%), come Centaurea aeolica, Erysimum etnense, E. bonannianum, Euphorbia dendroides, E. rigida, Iberis semperflorens, Ptilostemon greuteri, Silene fruticosa, S. hicesiae, mentre in altre sono stati riscontrati valori di minore interesse (es. Capparis spinosa subsp. spinosa var. canescens). Anthemis maritima, Centaurea aeolica, C. busambarensis, Lomelosia cretica, Pallenis maritima, Teucrium flavum, T. fruticans e specie dei generi Helichrysum e Jacobaea hanno mostrato una buona attitudine alla propagazione per talea erbacea. 20 specie autoctone esprimono interessanti caratteri ornamentali, come Achillea maritima, Cerastium tomentosum, Iberis semperflorens, Lomelosia cretica, Pallenis maritima, Pseudoscabiosa limonifolia, Ptilostemon greuteri, Silene fruticosa, Teucrium flavum e alcuni taxa appartenenti ai generi Anthemis, Centaurea, Dianthus, Euphorbia, Helichrysum e Jacobaea. Dal complesso delle specie indagate emergono possibili applicazioni per usi e/o riusi polivalenti e sostenibili

CRITICAL FEATURES OF THE DIAGNOSIS OF CLAVIBACTER MICHIGANENSIS subsp. MICHIGANENSIS FROM TOMATO SEED

Bacterial canker, caused by Clavibacter michiganensis subsp. michiganensis (Cmm) is one of the most important bacterial disease of tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) worldwide. Seeds are the main pathway for the transmission of the bacterium, listed as an A2 quarantine pest, consequently the reliability of seed detection tests represents a critical point to prevent the introduction and spread of the pathogen. In this study some conventional (isolation and immunofluorescence) and molecular (end-point PCR) methods for the detection of Cmm from tomato seed samples were compared by an inter-laboratory comparison (ITC). Several Italian laboratories, belonging to different institutions, analysed the same panel consisting of 11 Cmm-spiked tomato seed samples for the evaluated methods. The obtained results showed that end-point PCR gave acceptable performance values, even if the choice of enzyme in the PCR reaction was crucial. Currently the EPPO protocol (Standard PM7/42 2) does not contemplate a preliminary screening phase based on molecular methods, but suggests two parallel flow diagrams that use, as first step, the isolation and immunofluorescence, respectively. Since these latter techniques showed low values of performance criteria, the study highlighted the necessity to integrate the EPPO protocol with a preliminary molecular screening test. It is advisable to validate new molecular methods more specific and sensitive than end-point PCR, based on systems such as real time PCR, LAMP and digital PCR

Conditional Seed Dormancy Helps Silene hicesiae Brullo & Signor. Overcome Stressful Mediterranean Summer Conditions

Investigations on seed biology and ecology are of major importance for the conservation of threatened plants, both providing baseline information and suggesting practical approaches. In our study, we focused on the germination behavior of Silene hicesiae Brullo & Signor., a narrow endemic species to Panarea and Alicudi (Aeolian Archipelago, Italy), as well as one of the 50 most threatened Mediterranean island plants. Specifically, the effects of temperature, light, seed age, seed source, and collection year were evaluated; in addition, threshold temperatures and thermal–time parameters were estimated. The thermal range for fresh seed germination resulted between 5 and 15 °C, reaching up to 20 and 25 °C at increasing seed age, with 30 °C being clearly beyond the ceiling temperature. This behavior indicates that fresh seeds exhibit the Type 1 non-deep physiological dormancy, and that germination is regulated by conditional dormancy. This dormancy syndrome emerged as a highly efficient adaptation strategy for this species and, together with thermo-inhibition, would allow seeds to counteract or take advantage of Mediterranean environmental conditions. The comparison between the wild Panarea population and the corresponding ex situ cultivated progeny has enabled the identification of the latter as a suitable seed source for sustainable in situ reinforcement actions, at least in the short-term; indeed, plant cultivation for a single generation did not produce significant modifications in the germination behavior of the offspring

PM 7/44 (2) Xanthomonas citri pv. citri and Xanthomonas citri pv. aurantifolii

International audienc

Detection and identification of Xanthomonas arboricola pv. pruni from symptomless plant material: results of an Italian test performance study

ABSTRACT. Xanthomonas arboricola pv. pruni, the causal agent of bacterial spot disease of stone fruits, is a regulated quarantine pathogen in the European Union, listed as an A2 pest by the European and Mediterranean Plant Protection Organization (EPPO). Because detection and identification of this pathogen is key for its management and to ensure the production of pest free propagation material, it should be based on reliable tests, in particular when dealing with symptomless material. The current EPPO diagnostic Standard (PM 7/64) does not provide specific molecular methods for detection of this pest. The present paper summarizes the results of a test-performance study (TPS) to validate, at a national level, a detection procedure for this bacterium. A working group was established in order to evaluate the performance criteria for tests included in the current EPPO Standard, and for a conventional PCR. On the basis of the obtained performance criteria, a diagnostic procedure was elaborated and then applied to perform an inter-laboratory comparison. Screening tests for the detection of the bacterium on symptomless plant material based on IF and/or PCR were proposed, in parallel with isolation on agar media. For identification two methods were suggested: a molecular test or IF. This paper reports on the results of the TPS and proposes a flow diagram for the detection and identification of X. arboricola pv. pruni