Calhounestes4044

Importantly, phenotypic change was easily observed in the mutants, and the phenotypic mutation efficiency reached 68%. This highly efficient multiplex gRNA-CRISPR/Cas9 genome editing system allowed the generation of homozygous mutants with a complete knockout of the four allelic copies in the T0 generation. This optimized system offers an effective way of testing gene functions and overcomes a major barrier in the utilization of genome editing for alfalfa improvement.Wheat is an important staple food crop of the world and it accounts for 18-20% of human dietary protein. Recent reports suggest that CO2 elevation (CE) reduces grain protein and micronutrient content. In our earlier study, it was found that the enhanced production of nitric oxide (NO) and the concomitant decrease in transcript abundance as well as activity of nitrate reductase (NR) and high affinity nitrate transporters (HATS) resulted in CE-mediated decrease in N metabolites in wheat seedlings. In the current study, two bread wheat genotypes Gluyas Early and B.T. Schomburgk differing in nitrate uptake and assimilation properties were evaluated for their response to CE. To understand the impact of low (LN), optimal (ON) and high (HN) nitrogen supply on plant growth, phenology, N and C metabolism, ROS and RNS signaling and yield, plants were evaluated under short term (hydroponics experiment) and long term (pot experiment) CE. CE improved growth, altered N assimilation, C/N ratio, N use efficiency (NUE) in B.T. Schomburgk. In general, CE decreased shoot N concentration and grain protein concentration in wheat irrespective of N supply. CE accelerated phenology and resulted in early flowering of both the wheat genotypes. Plants grown under CE showed higher levels of nitrosothiol and ROS, mainly under optimal and high nitrogen supply. Photorespiratory ammonia assimilating genes were down regulated by CE, whereas, expression of nitrate transporter/NPF genes were differentially regulated between genotypes by CE under different N availability. The response to CE was dependent on N supply as well as genotype. Hence, N fertilizer recommendation needs to be revised based on these variables for improving plant responses to N fertilization under a future CE scenario.An increase in the severity of drought events on Mediterranean climates highlights the need of using plant material adapted to drought during restoration efforts. Thus, we investigated between-population morpho-physiological differences in Cryptocarya alba and Persea lingue, two native species from Mediterranean central Chile, for traits that could effectively discriminate population performance in response to water restriction (WR) testing. Three populations from each species were subjected to WR treatment and physiological, morphological, and growth parameters were assessed at the beginning and at the end of the experiment. In C. alba, the most xeric population displayed smaller plants with mesophyllous leaves and lower photosynthetic rates indicating a resource saving strategy. Moreover, the xeric population performed better during WR than the most mesic populations, exhibiting higher water use efficiency (iWUE) and maintenance of growth rates. All C. alba populations responded equally to WR in terms of morphology and biomass partitioning. In contrast, differences among P. lingue populations were subtle at the morpho-physiological level with no apparent relation to provenance environmental conditions, and no morphological traits were affected by WR. Tamoxifen supplier However, in response to WR application, the most mesic population was, as observed through reduction in relative growth rates, more affected than xeric populations. We attribute such discrete differences between P. lingue provenances to the lower distributional range of selected populations. Our results show that relative growth rates in both species, and iWUE only in C. alba, exhibited population specific responses upon WR imposition; these results correspond with the environmental conditions found at the origin of each populations. Both traits could further assist in the selection of populations for restoration according to their response to water stress.Advances in next-generation sequencing technologies facilitate the study of plant molecular functions in detail and with precision. Plant genome and proteome databases are continually being updated with large transcriptomic or genomic datasets. With the ever-increasing amount of sequencing data, several thousands of genes or proteins in public databases remain uncharacterized, and their domain functions are largely unknown. Such proteins contain domains of unknown function (DUF). In the present study, we identified 231 upregulated and 206 downregulated DUF genes from the available RNA-Seq-based transcriptome profiling datasets of Arabidopsis leaves exposed to a nitric oxide donor, S-nitroso-L-cysteine (CysNO). In addition, we performed extensive in silico and biological experiments to determine the potential functions of AtDUF569 and to elucidate its role in plant growth, development, and defense. We validated the expression pattern of the most upregulated and the most downregulated DUF genes from the transcriptomic data. In addition, a loss-of AtDUF569 function mutant was evaluated for growth, development, and defense against biotic and abiotic stresses. According to the results of the study, AtDUF569 negatively regulates biotic stress responses and differentially regulates plant growth under nitro-oxidative stress conditions.Combining information of plant physiological processes with climate control systems can improve control accuracy in controlled environments as greenhouses and plant factories. Through that, resource optimization can be achieved. To predict the plant physiological processes and implement them in control actions of interest, a reliable monitoring system and a capable control system are needed. In this paper, we focused on the option to use real-time crop monitoring for precision climate control in greenhouses. For that, we studied the processes and external factors influencing leaf net CO2 assimilation rate (AL , µmol CO2 m-2 s-1) as possible variables of a plant performance indicator. While measured greenhouse environmental variables such as light, temperature, or humidity showed a direct relation between AL and light-quantum yield of photosystem II (Φ2), we defined three objectives (1) to explore the relationship between climate variables and AL , as well as Φ2; (2) create a simple and reliable method for real-time prediction of AL with continuously Φ2 measurements; and (3) calibrate parameters to predict chloroplast electron transport rate as input in AL modelling.