Ontogenesis and functions of saxophone stem in Acrocomia aculeata (Arecaceae).

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: The underground saxophone stem systems produced by seedlings of certain palm species show peculiar growth patterns and distinctive morphologies, although little information is available concerning their development and function. We studied the ontogenesis of the saxophone stem in Acrocomia aculeata, an important neotropical oleaginous palm, and sought to experimentally define its function. METHODS: Morpho-anatomical evaluations were performed during 240 d on seedlings using traditional methodologies. The tuberous region of the structure was submitted to histochemical tests and evaluated by transmission electron microscopy. The aerial portions of 130 1- to 3-year-old greenhouse plants were removed and their continuous growth capacity was evaluated after 30 d. Severed saxophone stems were also stored at room temperature (average 25 °C) for up to 90 d and then cultured for 60 d to evaluate root and shoot emission. KEY RESULTS: The development of the saxophone stem is distinct from other underground systems previously described, and involves three processes: growth and curvature of the cotyledonary petiole, expansion and curvature of the hypocotyl, and expansion of the plumule internodes. The tuberous region stores water and starch, as well as lesser amounts of mucilage and oil. Growth of the aerial portion occurred in 84 % of the separated saxophone stems and in 53 % of the stems held in storage. CONCLUSIONS: The saxophone stem represents an important adaptation of A. aculeata to anthropogenically impacted and/or dry environments by promoting the burial of both the shoot meristem and storage reserves, which allows the continuous growth of aerial organs.

Cambios anatómicos en raíces e hipocótilos de plántulas de Prosopis ruscifolia (Fabaceae) sometidas a estrés salino / Anatomical changes in roots and hypocotyls of Prosopis ruscifolia (Fabaceae) seedlings exposed to saline stress

ResumenProsopis ruscifolia es una especie arbórea pionera en áreas inundadas o salinas. El objetivo de este trabajo fue determinar cambios anatómicos en raíces e hipocótilos de plántulas de P. ruscifolia sometidas a estrés salino, bajo condiciones controladas. Las semillas se recolectaron en bosques nativos de la Región Chaqueña Occidental de Argentina. Las semillas se sembraron sobre toallas de papel humedecidas con soluciones salinas de 100, 200 y 300 mM de NaCl y un control humedecido con agua destilada. Se sembraron cuatro repeticiones de 50 semillas cada una, correspondientes a cada tratamiento, se ubicaron en cajas plásticas herméticas dentro de cámara de siembra a 27 ºC y con fotoperíodo de 12 horas. Doce días después de la siembra, se extrajeron plántulas para estudios anatómicos. Se estudiaron 35 plántulas correspondientes a cada tratamiento. Se midieron en raíces e hipocótilos las siguientes variables anatómicas: diámetro de la raíz principal e hipocótilo (µm), espesor de la corteza (µm), número de estratos celulares en la corteza, diámetro del cilindro central (µm), diámetro de la médula (µm), número de estratos celulares en el periciclo y diámetro tangencial de los vasos (µm). Se realizó ANOVA con diámetro de la raíz o hipocótilo como variable dependiente y espesor de la corteza, número de estratos celulares en la corteza, diámetro del cilindro central, diámetro de la médula, número de estratos celulares en el periciclo, diámetro tangencial de los vasos y concentración salina como variables independientes. El diámetro de la raíz disminuyó significativamente con el aumento de la concentración salina (P < 0.0001). El espesor de la corteza redujo su espesor a 100 mM (P < 0.0001) e incrementó el número de estratos celulares que la componen (P < 0.0002). El diámetro del cilindro central se redujo a la concentración salina de 100 mM (P < 0.0001) y el diámetro de la médula y el número de estratos celulares del periciclo (P < 0.0003) disminuyó progresivamente hasta 300 mM. El diámetro tangencial de los vasos (P < 0.0001) se redujo recién a 300 mM de NaCl. Estos cambios anatómicos podrían estar relacionados con la alteración de la expansión y división celular causada por la salinidad y comprometer la formación de raíces laterales y el almacenamiento de reservas. Los hipocótilos no mostraron cambios anatómicos significativos en respuesta al incremento en la salinidad, con excepción de la variación en la posición de estomas y un incremento en el espesor de la hipodermis. Estos cambios parecen indicar el estrés hídrico impuesto por el bajo potencial osmótico causado por las sales. Las plántulas de P. ruscifolia experimentaron cambios anatómicos en respuesta a las concentraciones salinas analizadas, en rasgos vinculados al almacenamiento de reservas, a la absorción y la conducción de agua y la formación de raíces laterales.

Abstract:Prosopis ruscifolia is a pioneer tree species in flooding or saline areas. The aim of this work was to assess anatomical changes in roots and hypocotyls of P. ruscifolia seedlings induced to saline stress under controlled conditions. Seeds, collected in natural forests of Western Chaco region in Argentina, were sown on paper towels moisturized with saline solutions of 100, 200 and 300 mM of NaCl, and a control group with distilled water. Four repetitions of 50 seeds per treatment were sown, located in hermetic polystyrene boxes, and included in a seeding chamber, at 27 ºC and 12 hours photoperiod. Were studied 35 seedlings from each saline concentration; these seedlings were processed 12 days after sown to obtain microscopic samples. The anatomical variables measured in roots and hypocotyls were the following: main root diameter (µm), bark thickness (µm), number of cell strata in bark, central cylinder diameter (µm), pith diameter (µm), number of cell strata in the pericycle and the tangential diameter of vessels (µm). ANOVA analysis were performed with hypocotyl and root diameters as the dependent variable, and bark thickness (µm), number of cell strata in the bark, the central cylinder diameter (µm), the pith diameter (µm), number of cell strata in the pericycle, the tangential diameter of vessels and the saline concentration as independent variables. Results showed that the root diameter decreased with increasing saline concentrations (P < 0.0001). The bark thickness decreased at 100 mM (P < 0.0001) and the number of cell strata of bark increased to 300 mM (P < 0.0002). The central cylinder diameter decreased at 100 mM saline concentration (P < 0.0001) and the number of cell strata of the pericycle and the pith diameter reduced progressively until 300 mM. The tangential diameter of vessels decreased at 300 mM. These anatomical changes suggested alterations in the expansion and cell division caused by the salinity, and could limit lateral roots formation and reserves storage. Hypocotyls did not show significant anatomical changes in response to increasing salinity, with exception of stomata position and an increase of the hypodermis thickness. These changes indicated that the water stress imposed by low osmotic potential is caused by increasing saline concentration. The seedlings of P. ruscifolia experienced anatomical changes in response to tested saline concentrations in traits related to reserve storage, the absorption and conduction of water, and lateral roots formation. Rev. Biol. Trop. 64 (3): 1007-1017. Epub 2016 September 01.

[Anatomical changes in roots and hypocotyls of Prosopis ruscifolia (Fabaceae) seedlings exposed to saline stress].

Prosopis ruscifolia is a pioneer tree species in flooding or saline areas. The aim of this work was to assess anatomical changes in roots and hypocotyls of P. ruscifolia seedlings induced to saline stress under controlled conditions. Seeds, collected in natural forests of Western Chaco region in Argentina, were sown on paper towels moisturized with saline solutions of 100, 200 and 300 mM of NaCl, and a control group with distilled water. Four repetitions of 50 seeds per treatment were sown, located in hermetic polystyrene boxes, and included in a seeding chamber, at 27 ºC and 12 hours photoperiod. Were studied 35 seedlings from each saline concentration; these seedlings were processed 12 days after sown to obtain microscopic samples. The anatomical variables measured in roots and hypocotyls were the following: main root diameter (µm), bark thickness (µm), number of cell strata in bark, central cylinder diameter (µm), pith diameter (µm), number of cell strata in the pericycle and the tangential diameter of vessels (µm). ANOVA analysis were performed with hypocotyl and root diameters as the dependent variable, and bark thickness (µm), number of cell strata in the bark, the central cylinder diameter (µm), the pith diameter (µm), number of cell strata in the pericycle, the tangential diameter of vessels and the saline concentration as independent variables. Results showed that the root diameter decreased with increasing saline concentrations (P < 0.0001). The bark thickness decreased at 100 mM (P < 0.0001) and the number of cell strata of bark increased to 300 mM (P < 0.0002). The central cylinder diameter decreased at 100 mM saline concentration (P < 0.0001) and the number of cell strata of the pericycle and the pith diameter reduced progressively until 300 mM. The tangential diameter of vessels decreased at 300 mM. These anatomical changes suggested alterations in the expansion and cell division caused by the salinity, and could limit lateral roots formation and reserves storage. Hypocotyls did not show significant anatomical changes in response to increasing salinity, with exception of stomata position and an increase of the hypodermis thickness. These changes indicated that the water stress imposed by low osmotic potential is caused by increasing saline concentration. The seedlings of P. ruscifolia experienced anatomical changes in response to tested saline concentrations in traits related to reserve storage, the absorption and conduction of water, and lateral roots formation.

Potential of hypocotyl diameter in family selection aiming at plant architecture improvement of common bean.

Cultivars of common bean with more erect plant architecture and greater tolerance to degree of lodging are required by producers. Thus, to evaluate the potential of hypocotyl diameter (HD) in family selection for plant architecture improvement of common bean, the HDs of 32 F2 plants were measured in 3 distinct populations, and the characteristics related to plant architecture were analyzed in their progenies. Ninety-six F2:3 families and 4 controls were evaluated in a randomized block design, with 3 replications, analyzing plant architecture grade, HD, and grain yield during the winter 2010 and drought 2011 seasons. We found that the correlation between the HD of F2 plants and traits related to plant architecture of F2:3 progenies were of low magnitude compared to the estimates for correlations considering the parents, indicating a high environmental influence on HD in bean plants. There was a predominance of additive genetic effects on the determination of hypocotyl diameter, which showed higher precision and accuracy compared to plant architecture grade. Thus, this characteristic can be used to select progenies in plant architecture improvement of common beans; however, selection must be based on the means of at least 39 plants in the plot, according to the results of repeatability analysis.

The transcriptional regulator BBX24 impairs DELLA activity to promote shade avoidance in Arabidopsis thaliana.

In response to canopy shade, plant vegetative structures elongate to gain access to light. However, the mechanism that allows a plastic transcriptional response to canopy shade light is not fully elucidated. Here we propose that the activity of PIF4, a key transcription factor in the shade signalling network, is modulated by the interplay between the BBX24 transcriptional regulator and DELLA proteins, which are negative regulators of the gibberellin (GA) signalling pathway. We show that GA-related targets are enriched among genes responsive to BBX24 under shade and that the shade-response defect in bbx24 mutants is rescued by a GA treatment that promotes DELLA degradation. BBX24 physically interacts with DELLA proteins and alleviates DELLA-mediated repression of PIF4 activity. The proposed molecular mechanism provides reversible regulation of the activity of a key transcription factor that may prove especially relevant under fluctuating light conditions.

Morphoanatomy of Serjania communis Cambess. seedling (Sapindaceae) / Morfoanatomia da plântula de Serjania communis Cambess. (Sapindaceae)

Serjania communis Cambess. (Sapindaceae) is a plant with climbing habit and occurs relatively often in Paraná State, Brazil. The fruits were collected at the "Parque dos Pioneiros" a remnant of subtropical forest in Maringá, Paraná State, Brazil. The seedlings obtained in the greenhouse were described according to traditional techniques in plant morphology. Seedlings were embedded in historesin and sectioned in rotation microtome. The fruit is the samaroid type, the seeds have about 3 mm in length and brown color. Seedlings are epigeal phanerocotylar. The seedlings have a hairy hypocotyl, foliaceous cotyledons, reduced epicotyl, and two opposite eophylls. The root is diarch, the hypocotyl shows root-stem transition structure, stem epicotyl, and dorsiventral and hypostomatous cotyledons and eophylls. "Tirodendros" with 45 days of age do not develop cambial variant.(AU)

Serjania communis Cambess. (Sapindaceae) é uma planta de hábito lianescente e ocorre com relativa frequência no Estado do Paraná, Brasil. A coleta dos frutos para a obtenção de sementes foi realizada no parque florestal dos Pioneiros (bosque II), um remanescente de floresta subtropical de Maringá, Estado do Paraná, Brasil. As plântulas, obtidas em casa de vegetação foram descritas conforme técnicas usuais em morfologia vegetal. Após a germinação, as plântulas foram descritas morfoanatomicamente e também foi verificada se ocorria a instalação de variante cambial nesta fase inicial de desenvolvimento. O fruto é do tipo samaroide. As sementes têm cerca de 3 mm de comprimento, de cor marrom e com germinação epigeia e as plântulas são fanerocotiledonares. As plântulas foram emblocadas em historresina e secionadas em micrótomo de rotação. As plântulas apresentam o hipocótilo piloso, cotilédones foliáceos, o epicótilo é reduzido, os dois primeiros eofilos são opostos e os demais eofilos apresentam filotaxia alterna helicoidal. A raiz é diarca. O hipocótilo é uma região de transição raiz-caule. O epicótilo tem estrutura caulinar eustélica. Os cotilédones e os eofilos são hipostomáticos e dorsiventrais. Tirodendros com 45 dias de idade não desenvolvem variante cambial.(AU)