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18 pages, 2189 KiB  
Article
A Synergistic Role of Photosynthetic Bacteria and Fungal Community in Pollutant Removal in an Integrated Aquaculture Wastewater Bioremediation System
by Muhammad Naeem Ramzan, Ding Shen, Yingzhen Wei, Bilal Raza, Hongmei Yuan, Arslan Emmanuel, Zulqarnain Mushtaq and Zhongming Zheng
Biology 2025, 14(8), 959; https://doi.org/10.3390/biology14080959 - 30 Jul 2025
Viewed by 351
Abstract
This study addresses the understanding of fungal diversity and their bioremediation roles in an integrated aquaculture wastewater bioremediation system, an area less explored compared to bacteria, viruses, and protozoa. Despite the rapid advancement and affordability of molecular tools, insights into fungal communities remain [...] Read more.
This study addresses the understanding of fungal diversity and their bioremediation roles in an integrated aquaculture wastewater bioremediation system, an area less explored compared to bacteria, viruses, and protozoa. Despite the rapid advancement and affordability of molecular tools, insights into fungal communities remain vague, and interpreting environmental studies in an ecologically meaningful manner continues to pose challenges. To bridge this knowledge gap, we developed an integrated aquaculture wastewater bioremediation system, incorporating photosynthetic bacteria, and utilizing internal transcribed spacer (ITS) sequencing to analyze fungal community composition. Our findings indicate that the fungal community in aquaculture wastewater is predominantly composed of the phyla Ascomycota and Chytridiomycota, with dominant genera including Aspergillus, Hortea, and Ciliphora. FUNGuild, a user-friendly trait and character database operating at the genus level, facilitated the ecological interpretation of fungal functional groups. The analysis revealed significant negative correlations between nutrient levels (CODmn, NH4+-N, NO3-N, NO2-N, and PO4−3-P) and specific fungal functional groups, including epiphytes, animal pathogens, dung saprotrophs, plant pathogens, and ectomycorrhizal fungi. The removal rate for the CODmn, NH4+-N, NO3-N, NO2-N, and PO4−3-P were 71.42, 91.37, 88.80, 87.20, and 91.72% respectively. This study highlights the potential role of fungal communities in bioremediation processes and provides a framework for further ecological interpretation in aquaculture wastewater treatment systems. Full article
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17 pages, 658 KiB  
Article
Modulations of Photosynthetic Membrane Lipids and Fatty Acids in Response to High Light in Brown Algae (Undaria pinnatifida)
by Natalia V. Zhukova and Irina M. Yakovleva
Plants 2025, 14(12), 1818; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants14121818 - 13 Jun 2025
Viewed by 424
Abstract
Light is a source of energy for photosynthesis and hence promotes the regulation of multiple physiological and metabolic processes in photoautotrophic organisms. Understanding how brown macrophytes adjust the physical and biochemical properties of photosynthetic membranes in response to high-irradiance environments has received little [...] Read more.
Light is a source of energy for photosynthesis and hence promotes the regulation of multiple physiological and metabolic processes in photoautotrophic organisms. Understanding how brown macrophytes adjust the physical and biochemical properties of photosynthetic membranes in response to high-irradiance environments has received little attention so far. Particularly, it concerns the lipid flexibility of thylakoid membranes. We examined the lipid classes, fatty acid (FA) profiles, chloroplast ultrastructure, and photosynthetic performance of the brown macroalga Undaria pinnatifida after long-term exposure to high light (HL) and moderate light (ML) intensities, at 400 and 270 µmol photons m−2 s−1, respectively. U. pinnatifida responded to HL with a reduction in the level of thylakoid membrane lipids, monogalactosyldiacylglycerol (MGDG), digalactosyldiacylglycerol (DGDG), sulfoquinovosyldiacylglycerol (SQDG), and phosphatidylglycerol (PG), while the character of lipid modulations was specific. The content of storage lipids, triacylglycerols enriched in n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), increased under HL. The general response to long-term HL for the studied thylakoid membrane lipids, but not for SQDG, was the remodeling of FA composition towards increasing the percentages of saturated and monounsaturated acyl groups over PUFAs, suggesting a photoprotective strategy against the intensification of lipid peroxidation. In all, we showed that remodeling in photosynthetic membrane lipids accompanied by structural changes in chloroplasts and modulations in photosynthetic performance augmented the ability of U. pinnatifida to counteract high-intensity light, thereby contributing to its survival potential under suboptimal irradiance conditions. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Mechanisms of Algae Adapting to Environmental Changes)
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20 pages, 5864 KiB  
Article
Photosynthetic Responses of Pontederia cordata to Cadmium Stress: Anatomical Structure, Ultrastructure, Physiology, and Gene Expression
by Yan Li, Wei Zhou, Hanwen Xiao, Jianpan Xin, Chu Zhao and Runan Tian
Plants 2025, 14(9), 1344; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants14091344 - 29 Apr 2025
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 536
Abstract
Pontederia cordata, a horticulturally valuable ornamental plant, exhibits cadmium (Cd) tolerance, but its photosynthetic response to Cd stress has not been fully elucidated. Here, we employed hydroponics to investigate the effects of varying Cd concentrations on the leaf morphology, anatomy, photosynthetic physiology, [...] Read more.
Pontederia cordata, a horticulturally valuable ornamental plant, exhibits cadmium (Cd) tolerance, but its photosynthetic response to Cd stress has not been fully elucidated. Here, we employed hydroponics to investigate the effects of varying Cd concentrations on the leaf morphology, anatomy, photosynthetic physiology, and carbon metabolism enzymes in P. cordata. At 0.1 mM Cd, the plants grew well and showed no toxicity, with a normal chloroplast ultrastructure and chlorophyll a fluorescence parameters. Higher Cd concentrations (0.2–0.4 mM) disrupted chloroplasts, reduced chlorophyll content, and suppressed photosynthetic enzyme expression, thereby impairing light energy conversion efficiency and photosynthetic performance. In response, P. cordata adapted by maintaining the thickness of the palisade tissue, increasing the ratio of palisade tissue thickness to spongy tissue thickness, stabilizing carotenoid levels, enhancing non-photochemical quenching processes, and increasing the content of key photosynthetic enzymes and soluble sugars. These findings advance the theoretical understanding of photosynthetic adaptation mechanisms to heavy metal stress. Full article
(This article belongs to the Section Plant Ecology)
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22 pages, 4619 KiB  
Article
Contribution of Protonation to the Dielectric Relaxation Arising from Bacteriopheophytin Reductions in the Photosynthetic Reaction Centers of Rhodobacter sphaeroides
by Gábor Sipka and Péter Maróti
Biomolecules 2024, 14(11), 1367; https://doi.org/10.3390/biom14111367 - 27 Oct 2024
Viewed by 1185
Abstract
The pH dependence of the free energy level of the flash-induced primary charge pair P+IA was determined by a combination of the results from the indirect charge recombination of P+QA and from the delayed fluorescence [...] Read more.
The pH dependence of the free energy level of the flash-induced primary charge pair P+IA was determined by a combination of the results from the indirect charge recombination of P+QA and from the delayed fluorescence of the excited dimer (P*) in the reaction center of the photosynthetic bacterium Rhodobacter sphaeroides, where the native ubiquinone at the primary quinone binding site QA was replaced by low-potential anthraquinone (AQ) derivatives. The following observations were made: (1) The free energy state of P+IA was pH independent below pH 10 (–370 ± 10 meV relative to that of the excited dimer P*) and showed a remarkable decrease (about 20 meV/pH unit) above pH 10. A part of the dielectric relaxation of the P+IA charge pair that is not insignificant (about 120 meV) should come from protonation-related changes. (2) The single exponential decay character of the kinetics proves that the protonated/unprotonated P+IA and P+QA states are in equilibria and the rate constants of protonation konH +koffH are much larger than those of the charge back reaction kback ~103 s−1. (3) Highly similar pH profiles were measured to determine the free energy states of P+QA and P+IA, indicating that the same acidic cluster at around QB should respond to both anionic species. This was supported by model calculations based on anticooperative proton distribution in the cluster with key residues of GluL212, AspL213, AspM17, and GluH173, and the effect of the polarization of the aqueous phase on electrostatic interactions. The larger distance of IA from the cluster (25.2 Å) compared to that of QA (14.5 Å) is compensated by a smaller effective dielectric constant (6.5 ± 0.5 and 10.0 ± 0.5, respectively). (4) The P* → P+QA and IAQA → IAQA electron transfers are enthalpy-driven reactions with the exemption of very large (>60%) or negligible entropic contributions in cases of substitution by 2,3-dimethyl-AQ or 1-chloro-AQ, respectively. The possible structural consequences are discussed. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Insights into the Membranes of Anoxygenic Phototrophic Bacteria)
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15 pages, 6538 KiB  
Article
Transcriptome Analysis Revealed ZmPTOX1 Is Required for Seedling Development and Stress Tolerance in Maize
by Yixuan Peng, Zhi Liang, Xindong Qing, Motong Wen, Zhipeng Yuan, Quanquan Chen, Xuemei Du, Riliang Gu, Jianhua Wang and Li Li
Plants 2024, 13(17), 2346; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants13172346 - 23 Aug 2024
Viewed by 1079
Abstract
Plant seedling morphogenesis is considerably related to photosynthesis, pigment synthesis, and circadian periodicity during seedling development. We identified and cloned a maize zebra or crossbanding leaves mutant wk3735, which produces pale white kernels and was identified and plays a role in the [...] Read more.
Plant seedling morphogenesis is considerably related to photosynthesis, pigment synthesis, and circadian periodicity during seedling development. We identified and cloned a maize zebra or crossbanding leaves mutant wk3735, which produces pale white kernels and was identified and plays a role in the equilibrium of the Redox state the in/out of ETC by active oxygen scavenging. Interestingly, it produces the zebra leaves during the production of the first seven leaves, which is apparently different from the mutation of homologs AtPTOX in Arabidopsis. It is intriguing to investigate how and why yellow crossbands (zebra leaf phenotype) emerge on leaves. As expected, chlorophyll concentration and photosynthetic efficiency both significantly declined in the yellow sector of wk3735 leaves. Meanwhile, we observed the circadian expression pattern of ZmPTOX1, which was further validated by protein interaction assays of the circadian clock protein TIM1 and ZmPTOX1. The transcriptome data of yellow (muW) and green (muG) sectors of knock-out lines and normal leaves of overexpression lines (OE) at the 5th-leaf seedling stage were analyzed. Zebra leaf etiolated sections exhibit a marked defect in the expression of genes involved in the circadian rhythm and rhythmic stress (light and cold stress) responses than green sections. According to the analysis of co-DEGs of muW vs. OE and muG vs. OE, terms linked to cell repair function were upregulated while those linked to environmental adaptability and stress response were downregulated due to the mutation of ZmPTOX1. Further gene expression level analyses of reactive oxygen species (ROS) scavenging enzymes and detection of ROS deposition indicated that ZmPTOX1 played an essential role in plant stress resistance and ROS homeostasis. The pleiotropic roles of ZmPTOX1 in plant ROS homeostasis maintenance, stress response, and circadian rhythm character may collectively explain the phenotype of zebra leaves during wk3735 seedling development. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Genetic Mechanisms Related to Maize Seed Development)
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23 pages, 8396 KiB  
Article
Hyperspectral Estimation of Chlorophyll Content in Grape Leaves Based on Fractional-Order Differentiation and Random Forest Algorithm
by Yafeng Li, Xingang Xu, Wenbiao Wu, Yaohui Zhu, Guijun Yang, Xiaodong Yang, Yang Meng, Xiangtai Jiang and Hanyu Xue
Remote Sens. 2024, 16(12), 2174; https://doi.org/10.3390/rs16122174 - 15 Jun 2024
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2233
Abstract
Chlorophyll, as a key component of crop leaves for photosynthesis, is one significant indicator for evaluating the photosynthetic efficiency and developmental status of crops. Fractional-order differentiation (FOD) enhances the feature spectral information and reduces the background noise. In this study, we analyzed hyperspectral [...] Read more.
Chlorophyll, as a key component of crop leaves for photosynthesis, is one significant indicator for evaluating the photosynthetic efficiency and developmental status of crops. Fractional-order differentiation (FOD) enhances the feature spectral information and reduces the background noise. In this study, we analyzed hyperspectral data from grape leaves of different varieties and fertility periods with FOD to monitor the leaves’ chlorophyll content (LCC). Firstly, through sensitive analysis, the fractional-order differential character bands were identified, which was used to construct the typical vegetation index (VI). Then, the grape LCC prediction model was built based on the random forest regression algorithm (RFR). The results showed the following: (1) FOD differential spectra had a higher sensitivity to LCC compared with the original spectra, and the constructed VIs had the best estimation performance at the 1.2th-order differential. (2) The accuracy of the FOD-RFR model was better than that of the conventional integer-order model at different fertility periods, but there were differences in the number of optimal orders. (3) The LCC prediction model for whole fertility periods achieved good prediction at order 1.3, R2 = 0.778, RMSE = 2.1, and NRMSE = 4.7%. As compared to the original reflectance spectra, R2 improved by 0.173; RMSE and NRMSE decreased, respectively, by 0.699 and 1.5%. This indicates that the combination of FOD and RFR based on hyperspectral data has great potential for the efficient monitoring of grape LCC. It can provide technical support for the rapid quantitative estimation of grape LCC and methodological reference for other physiological and biochemical indicators in hyperspectral monitoring. Full article
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45 pages, 8996 KiB  
Review
High-Resolution Frequency-Domain Spectroscopic and Modeling Studies of Photosystem I (PSI), PSI Mutants and PSI Supercomplexes
by Valter Zazubovich and Ryszard Jankowiak
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2024, 25(7), 3850; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms25073850 - 29 Mar 2024
Viewed by 1451
Abstract
Photosystem I (PSI) is one of the two main pigment–protein complexes where the primary steps of oxygenic photosynthesis take place. This review describes low-temperature frequency-domain experiments (absorption, emission, circular dichroism, resonant and non-resonant hole-burned spectra) and modeling efforts reported for PSI in recent [...] Read more.
Photosystem I (PSI) is one of the two main pigment–protein complexes where the primary steps of oxygenic photosynthesis take place. This review describes low-temperature frequency-domain experiments (absorption, emission, circular dichroism, resonant and non-resonant hole-burned spectra) and modeling efforts reported for PSI in recent years. In particular, we focus on the spectral hole-burning studies, which are not as common in photosynthesis research as the time-domain spectroscopies. Experimental and modeling data obtained for trimeric cyanobacterial Photosystem I (PSI3), PSI3 mutants, and PSI3–IsiA18 supercomplexes are analyzed to provide a more comprehensive understanding of their excitonic structure and excitation energy transfer (EET) processes. Detailed information on the excitonic structure of photosynthetic complexes is essential to determine the structure–function relationship. We will focus on the so-called “red antenna states” of cyanobacterial PSI, as these states play an important role in photochemical processes and EET pathways. The high-resolution data and modeling studies presented here provide additional information on the energetics of the lowest energy states and their chlorophyll (Chl) compositions, as well as the EET pathways and how they are altered by mutations. We present evidence that the low-energy traps observed in PSI are excitonically coupled states with significant charge-transfer (CT) character. The analysis presented for various optical spectra of PSI3 and PSI3-IsiA18 supercomplexes allowed us to make inferences about EET from the IsiA18 ring to the PSI3 core and demonstrate that the number of entry points varies between sample preparations studied by different groups. In our most recent samples, there most likely are three entry points for EET from the IsiA18 ring per the PSI core monomer, with two of these entry points likely being located next to each other. Therefore, there are nine entry points from the IsiA18 ring to the PSI3 trimer. We anticipate that the data discussed below will stimulate further research in this area, providing even more insight into the structure-based models of these important cyanobacterial photosystems. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Insights into Photosystem I)
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35 pages, 4586 KiB  
Review
Plant Physiological Analysis to Overcome Limitations to Plant Phenotyping
by Matthew Haworth, Giovanni Marino, Giulia Atzori, Andre Fabbri, Andre Daccache, Dilek Killi, Andrea Carli, Vincenzo Montesano, Adriano Conte, Raffaella Balestrini and Mauro Centritto
Plants 2023, 12(23), 4015; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants12234015 - 29 Nov 2023
Cited by 11 | Viewed by 5163
Abstract
Plant physiological status is the interaction between the plant genome and the prevailing growth conditions. Accurate characterization of plant physiology is, therefore, fundamental to effective plant phenotyping studies; particularly those focused on identifying traits associated with improved yield, lower input requirements, and climate [...] Read more.
Plant physiological status is the interaction between the plant genome and the prevailing growth conditions. Accurate characterization of plant physiology is, therefore, fundamental to effective plant phenotyping studies; particularly those focused on identifying traits associated with improved yield, lower input requirements, and climate resilience. Here, we outline the approaches used to assess plant physiology and how these techniques of direct empirical observations of processes such as photosynthetic CO2 assimilation, stomatal conductance, photosystem II electron transport, or the effectiveness of protective energy dissipation mechanisms are unsuited to high-throughput phenotyping applications. Novel optical sensors, remote/proximal sensing (multi- and hyperspectral reflectance, infrared thermography, sun-induced fluorescence), LiDAR, and automated analyses of below-ground development offer the possibility to infer plant physiological status and growth. However, there are limitations to such ‘indirect’ approaches to gauging plant physiology. These methodologies that are appropriate for the rapid high temporal screening of a number of crop varieties over a wide spatial scale do still require ‘calibration’ or ‘validation’ with direct empirical measurement of plant physiological status. The use of deep-learning and artificial intelligence approaches may enable the effective synthesis of large multivariate datasets to more accurately quantify physiological characters rapidly in high numbers of replicate plants. Advances in automated data collection and subsequent data processing represent an opportunity for plant phenotyping efforts to fully integrate fundamental physiological data into vital efforts to ensure food and agro-economic sustainability. Full article
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14 pages, 2298 KiB  
Article
Protective Role of Mycosynthesized Bimetallic ZnO-CuO Nanoparticles as Therapeutic Nutrients to Enhance the Resistance of Vicia faba against Fusarium Wilt Disease
by Mohamed S. Attia, Gharieb S. El-Sayyad, Amer M. Abdelaziz, Sherif E. Gaber, Ahmed Mohamed Aly Khalil, Ahmed Mahmoud Saleh, Omar Mahmoud Al zoubi and Amr H. Hashem
Agronomy 2023, 13(11), 2725; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy13112725 - 29 Oct 2023
Cited by 16 | Viewed by 2164
Abstract
The exacerbation of climatic changes helped to increase the risk of plant diseases in the world. The novelty of this study lies in the manufacture of therapeutic nutrients using nanotechnology with strong effectiveness against plant disease. Based on this concept, we mycosynthesized bimetallic [...] Read more.
The exacerbation of climatic changes helped to increase the risk of plant diseases in the world. The novelty of this study lies in the manufacture of therapeutic nutrients using nanotechnology with strong effectiveness against plant disease. Based on this concept, we mycosynthesized bimetallic ZnO-CuO nanoparticles (NPs), alternatives to reduce the spread of Vicia faba Fusarium wilt disease, which is one of the world’s most imperative cultivated crops. The article’s uniqueness comes in the utilization of ZnO-CuO nanoparticles to carry out two crucial tasks: therapeutic nutrients and managing Fusarium disease. To evaluate the resistance of infected plants, disease index (DI), photosynthetic pigments, osmolytes, oxidative stress and yield parameters were assessed. NPs of ZnO, CuO, and ZnO-CuO were mycosynthesized using a biomass filtrate of Aspergillus fumigatus OQ519856. DI reached 87.5%, due to Fusarium infection, and, as a result, a severe decrease in growth characters, photosynthetic pigments, total soluble carbohydrates, and proteins as well as yield parameters was observed. Infected plants produced more of the studied metabolites and antioxidants. On the other hand, the treatment with CuO-ZnO NPs led to a great decline in the DI by 22.5% and increased the protection by 74.28%. A clear improvement in growth characters, photosynthetic pigments and a high content of carbohydrates and proteins was also observed in both healthy and infected plants as a result of CuO-ZnO NPs treatment. Remarkably, CuO-ZnO NPs significantly increased the yield parameters, i.e., pods/plant and pod weight, by 146.1% and 228.8%, respectively. It could be suggested that foliar application of NPs of ZnO, CuO, and ZnO-CuO could be commercially used as antifusarial agents and strong elicitors of induced systemic resistance. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Post-harvest Pest and Disease Management)
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17 pages, 1173 KiB  
Article
Exploring Salinity Tolerance Mechanisms in Diverse Wheat Genotypes Using Physiological, Anatomical, Agronomic and Gene Expression Analyses
by Mohammed A. A. Hussein, Mesfer M. Alqahtani, Khairiah M. Alwutayd, Abeer S. Aloufi, Omnia Osama, Enas S. Azab, Mohamed Abdelsattar, Abdallah A. Hassanin and Salah A. Okasha
Plants 2023, 12(18), 3330; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants12183330 - 20 Sep 2023
Cited by 11 | Viewed by 2707
Abstract
Salinity is a widespread abiotic stress that devastatingly impacts wheat growth and restricts its productivity worldwide. The present study is aimed at elucidating biochemical, physiological, anatomical, gene expression analysis, and agronomic responses of three diverse wheat genotypes to different salinity levels. A salinity [...] Read more.
Salinity is a widespread abiotic stress that devastatingly impacts wheat growth and restricts its productivity worldwide. The present study is aimed at elucidating biochemical, physiological, anatomical, gene expression analysis, and agronomic responses of three diverse wheat genotypes to different salinity levels. A salinity treatment of 5000 and 7000 ppm gradually reduced photosynthetic pigments, anatomical root and leaf measurements and agronomic traits of all evaluated wheat genotypes (Ismailia line, Misr 1, and Misr 3). In addition, increasing salinity levels substantially decreased all anatomical root and leaf measurements except sclerenchyma tissue upper and lower vascular bundle thickness compared with unstressed plants. However, proline content in stressed plants was stimulated by increasing salinity levels in all evaluated wheat genotypes. Moreover, Na+ ions content and antioxidant enzyme activities in stressed leaves increased the high level of salinity in all genotypes. The evaluated wheat genotypes demonstrated substantial variations in all studied characters. The Ismailia line exhibited the uppermost performance in photosynthetic pigments under both salinity levels. Additionally, the Ismailia line was superior in the activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase activity (CAT), peroxidase (POX), and polyphenol oxidase (PPO) enzymes followed by Misr 1. Moreover, the Ismailia line recorded the maximum anatomical root and leaf measurements under salinity stress, which enhanced its tolerance to salinity stress. The Ismailia line and Misr 3 presented high up-regulation of H+ATPase, NHX2 HAK, and HKT genes in the root and leaf under both salinity levels. The positive physiological, anatomical, and molecular responses of the Ismailia line under salinity stress were reflected on agronomic performance and exhibited superior values of all evaluated agronomic traits. Full article
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12 pages, 1834 KiB  
Article
The Effect of Different Sludge Pretreatment Methods on Microalgae Performance and the Release of Pollutants in Hydrolysis Acidification Solutions
by Xiaoyan Wang, Yu Hong and Xiaoya Liu
Water 2023, 15(16), 2873; https://doi.org/10.3390/w15162873 - 9 Aug 2023
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1873
Abstract
Waste-activated sludge disposal has now become a serious global problem. After pretreatment, sludge was hydrolyzed and acidified to release nutrients. The effects of different sludge pretreatments on microalgal growth and contaminants in a hydrolysis acidification solution were compared. Alkalinization (NaOH), ultrasound (US), and [...] Read more.
Waste-activated sludge disposal has now become a serious global problem. After pretreatment, sludge was hydrolyzed and acidified to release nutrients. The effects of different sludge pretreatments on microalgal growth and contaminants in a hydrolysis acidification solution were compared. Alkalinization (NaOH), ultrasound (US), and combined pretreatment techniques (US-NaOH) all promoted contaminants’ release from the sludge by triggering microbial cell wall rupture and extracellular polymer dissolution. The organics released from the pretreated sludge were more readily and rapidly consumed due the presence of abundant microorganisms. The US group was more capable of releasing contaminants than the NaOH group, while the US-NaOH group overrode both. The growth characteristics, photosynthetic performance, and effluent treatment properties of Chlorella were observed in all group. In the untreated group, Chlorella exhibited higher algal density, maximum photochemical quantum yield, and effluent treatment capacity. The results demonstrated that sludge pretreatment could facilitate the release and rapid consumption of pollutants. Additionally, the NaOH pretreatment could remove the refractory organics to a higher degree, and could also accumulate more photosynthetic pigments. This study demonstrated the feasibility of Chlorella being used in practical scenarios such as hydrolytic acidification solutions for different sludge treatment methods, providing data for wastewater treatment and resource utilization. Full article
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21 pages, 6145 KiB  
Article
Phylogenomics of One of the World’s Most Intriguing Groups of CAM Plants, the Opuntioids (Opuntioideae: Cactaceae): Adaptation to Tropical Dry Forests Helped Drive Prominent Morphological Features in the Clade
by Lucas C. Majure, Serena Achá, Marc A. Baker, Raul Puente-Martínez, Matias Köhler and Shannon Fehlberg
Diversity 2023, 15(4), 570; https://doi.org/10.3390/d15040570 - 18 Apr 2023
Cited by 11 | Viewed by 4070
Abstract
Opuntioideae, composed of roughly 370 species, occur in almost every biome in the Americas, from seasonally dry tropical forests (SDTF) to high-elevation Andean grasslands, American deserts and temperate zones. The interrelationships among the three major clades of Opuntioideae (Cylindropuntieae, Opuntieae and Tephrocacteae) are [...] Read more.
Opuntioideae, composed of roughly 370 species, occur in almost every biome in the Americas, from seasonally dry tropical forests (SDTF) to high-elevation Andean grasslands, American deserts and temperate zones. The interrelationships among the three major clades of Opuntioideae (Cylindropuntieae, Opuntieae and Tephrocacteae) are not well resolved, and thus, the ancestral habitat, biogeographic history and evolution of morphological characters, such as large photosynthetic leaves and flattened stems, are poorly understood. To test their geographic origin and evolution of key morphological characters, we built the largest phylogenomic dataset for Cactaceae to date using 103 plastid genes of 107 taxa of Opuntioideae. The subfamily Opuntioideae likely evolved in South America in a combination of seasonally dry tropical forest (SDTF)/desert habitats. Opuntieae most likely evolved in South America in SDTF and, from there, moved into desert regions, Chaco and temperate/subtropical zones, while Tephrocacteae and Cylindropuntieae evolved in South America in desert regions and moved into SDTF, Chaco and temperate/subtropical zones. Analyses of morphological evolution suggest that, although large leaves are plesiomorphic in Opuntioideae, long-lived, photosynthetically active leaves in Cylindropuntieae and Tephrocacteae are homoplasious and do not represent retained plesiomorphy, as is often assumed. Flattened stems are synapomorphic for Opuntieae, possibly representing adaptation to competition for light resources in SDTF, their most likely ancestral area. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Anatomy, Ecology and Evolution of Cactaceae)
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20 pages, 1204 KiB  
Article
Short-Term Growth Response of Young Pine (Pinus silvestris) Seedlings to the Different Types of Soil Media Mixture with Phosphogypsum Formulations under Poland Forest Environmental Conditions
by Tomasz Oszako, Tomasz Pasławski, Wieslaw Szulc, Beata Rutkowska, Artur Rutkiewicz, Olga Kukina, Sławomir Bakier and Piotr Borowik
Forests 2023, 14(3), 518; https://doi.org/10.3390/f14030518 - 7 Mar 2023
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2014
Abstract
The production of phosphoric acid produces “waste heaps” that have not yet been tapped, but which have the character of weak fertilizers and can perhaps be reintroduced into the elemental cycle in the forests. Two variants of mixing with organic ash and with [...] Read more.
The production of phosphoric acid produces “waste heaps” that have not yet been tapped, but which have the character of weak fertilizers and can perhaps be reintroduced into the elemental cycle in the forests. Two variants of mixing with organic ash and with sewage sludge were carried out. One-year-old pine seedlings (Pinus sylvestris L.) from the Trzebieź forest district (northern Poland) were planted in pots with soil that also came from the same field. Preparations containing phosphogypsum were applied topically to the soil in four doses (1, 2, 3 and 5 t/ha). The trial, which lasted one growing season, was conducted in four replicates. At the end of the trial, the height of the above-ground parts and root length, needle and root area, root neck diameter and photosynthetic performance were measured. The phosphogypsum-based preparations used showed no harmful (toxic) effects on the potted pine seedlings during the six-month trial period. The loosely prepared preparation made from a mixture of phosphogypsum and organic ash began to have a positive effect on the development of the seedlings’ root system, and it was also easier to mix with the soil surface than phosphogypsum with sewage sludge, which also contained a sticky form. The photosynthetic performance of one-year-old pine seedlings decreased after one growing season following the application of phosphogypsum preparations and most of the growth parameters tested did not differ from the control, so observations over a longer period (at least two to three growing seasons) are required. However, dosages of 1 and 2 t/ha seem to be the most promising, and these lower dosages are more economical to manage in nurseries or plantations, especially on poor sites. Formulations should be tested for heavy metals and their effects on seedling development. Testing should also be continued to monitor changes in the microbiome. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Ecological Management and Sustainable Development of Forests)
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15 pages, 3117 KiB  
Article
Aqueous Seaweed Extract Alleviates Salinity-Induced Toxicities in Rice Plants (Oryza sativa L.) by Modulating Their Physiology and Biochemistry
by Kanagaraj Muthu-Pandian Chanthini, Sengottayan Senthil-Nathan, Ganesh-Subbaraja Pavithra, Pauldurai Malarvizhi, Ponnusamy Murugan, Arulsoosairaj Deva-Andrews, Muthusamy Janaki, Haridoss Sivanesh, Ramakrishnan Ramasubramanian, Vethamonickam Stanley-Raja, Aml Ghaith, Ahmed Abdel-Megeed and Patcharin Krutmuang
Agriculture 2022, 12(12), 2049; https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture12122049 - 29 Nov 2022
Cited by 29 | Viewed by 3900
Abstract
Around the world, salinity a critical limiting factor in agricultural productivity. Plant growth is affected by salt stress at all stages of development. The contemporary investigation focused on Chaetomorpha antennina aqueous extracts (SWEs) to decrease the effects of salt strain on rice germination, [...] Read more.
Around the world, salinity a critical limiting factor in agricultural productivity. Plant growth is affected by salt stress at all stages of development. The contemporary investigation focused on Chaetomorpha antennina aqueous extracts (SWEs) to decrease the effects of salt strain on rice germination, growth, yield, and the production of key biological and biochemical characters of the rice, Oryza sativa L. (Poaceae). SWE improved the germination capacities of rice seedlings by promoting their emergence 36.27 h prior to those that had been exposed to saline stress. The creation of 79.647% longer radicles by SWE treatment on salt-stressed seeds which boosted the establishment effectiveness of seeds produced under salt stress longer radicles resulted in plants that were 64.8% taller. SWE treatment was effective in revoking the levels of protein (26.9%), phenol (35.54%), and SOD (41.3%) enzyme levels that were previously constrained by salinity stress. Additionally, SWE were also efficient in retaining 82.6% of leaf water content and enhancing the production of photosynthetic pigments affected by salt exposure earlier. The improvement in plant functionality was evident from the display of increase in tiller numbers/hill (62.36%), grain yield (58.278%), and weight (56.502%). The outcome of our research shows that SWEs protected the plants from the debarring effects of salinity by enhancing the plant functionality and yield by mechanistically enriching their physiological (germination and vegetative growth) and biochemical attributes (leaf RWC, photosynthetic pigments, protein, phenol, and SOD). Despite the increase in TSS and starch levels in rice grain exposed to salinity stress, SWE improved the grain protein content thus cumulatively enhancing rice nutrition and marketability. The current investigation reveals that the extracts of C. antennina can help alleviate rice plants from salt stress in an efficient, eco-friendly, as well as economical way. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Abiotic Stresses, Biostimulants and Plant Activity)
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20 pages, 4067 KiB  
Article
Fine Mapping of BoVl Conferring the Variegated Leaf in Ornamental Kale (Brassica oleracea var. acephala)
by Jie Ren, Jiaqi Zou, Xiao Zou, Gengxing Song, Zhichao Gong, Zhiyong Liu, Ruiqin Ji and Hui Feng
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2022, 23(23), 14853; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms232314853 - 27 Nov 2022
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 2265
Abstract
Ornamental kale, as a burgeoning landscaping plant, is gaining popularity for its rich color patterns in leaf and cold tolerance. Leaf variegation endows ornamental kale with unique ornamental characters, and the mutants are ideal materials for exploring the formation mechanisms of variegated phenotype. [...] Read more.
Ornamental kale, as a burgeoning landscaping plant, is gaining popularity for its rich color patterns in leaf and cold tolerance. Leaf variegation endows ornamental kale with unique ornamental characters, and the mutants are ideal materials for exploring the formation mechanisms of variegated phenotype. Herein, we identified a novel variegated leaf kale mutant ‘JC007-2B’ with green margins and white centers. Morphological observations and physiological determinations of the green leaf stage (S1), albino stage (S2) and variegated leaf stage (S3) demonstrated that the chloroplast structure and photosynthetic pigment content in the white sectors (S3_C) of variegated leaves were abnormal. Genetic analysis revealed that a single dominant nuclear gene (BoVl) controlled the variegated leaf trait of ‘JC007-2B’, and three candidate genes for BoVl were fine-mapped to a 6.74 Kb interval on chromosome C03. Multiple sequence alignment among the green-leaf mapping parent ‘BS’, recombinant individuals, mutant parent ‘JC007-2B’ and its same originated DH line population established that the mutation sites in Bo3g002080 exhibited a complete consensus. Bo3g002080, homologous to Arabidopsis MED4, was identified as the candidate gene for BoVl. Expression analysis showed that Bo3g002080 displayed a 2158.85-fold higher expression at albino stage than that in green leaf stage. Transcriptome analysis showed that related pathways of photosynthesis and chloroplast development were significantly enriched in the white sectors, and relevant DEGs involved in these pathways were almost down-regulated. Overall, our study provides a new gene resource for cultivar breeding in ornamental kale and contributes to uncovering the molecular genetic mechanism underlying the variegated leaf formation. Full article
(This article belongs to the Section Molecular Plant Sciences)
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