Cistus salvifolius L. is the most widely spread Cistus species around the Mediterranean basin. It colonizes a wide range of habitats growing from sea level to 1,800 m a.s.l., on silicolous and calcicolous soils, in sun areas as well as in the understory of wooded areas. Nevertheless, this species has been mainly investigated in term of its responsiveness to drought. Our aim was to understand which leaf traits allow C. salvifolius to cope with low-light environments. We questioned if biochemical and physiological leaf trait variations in response to a reduced photosynthetic photon flux density were related to leaf morphological plasticity, expressed by variations of specific leaf area (SLA) and its anatomical components (leaf tissue density and thickness). C. salvifolius shrubs growing along the Latium coast (41°43'N,12°18'E, 14 m a.s.l., Italy) in the open and in the understory of a Pinus pinea forest, were selected and the relationships between anatomical, gas exchange, chlorophyll (Chl) fluorescence, and biochemical parameters with SLA and PPFD variations were tested. The obtained results suggested long-term acclimation of the selected shrubs to contrasting light environments. In high-light conditions, leaf nitrogen and Chl contents per leaf area unit, leaf thickness, and Chl a/b ratio increased, thus maximizing net photosynthesis, while in shade photosynthesis, it was downregulated by a significant reduction in the electron transport rate. Nevertheless, the increased pigment-protein complexes and the decreased Chl a/b in shade drove to an increased light-harvesting capacity (i.e. higher actual quantum efficiency of PSII). Moreover, the measured vitality index highlighted the photosynthetic acclimation of C. salvifolius to contrasting light environments. Overall, our results demonstrated the morphological, anatomical, and physiological acclimation of C. salvifolius to a reduced light environment., G. Puglielli, L. Varone, L. Gratani, R. Catoni., and Obsahuje bibliografii
Tomato samples were collected from the field of Absheron peninsula in Azerbaijan in order to evaluate the incidence of main Tobamoviruses. According to results of serological and molecular tests, Tomato mosaic virus (ToMV), Tobacco mosaic virus (TMV), and Pepper mild mottle virus (PMMoV) were detected as single and mixed infections (TMV + PMMoV; ToMV + PMMoV) in various tomato samples. It was found that Tobamovirus infection caused an increase in the content of malondialdehyde, alterations in the activities of peroxidase enzymes and quantitative and qualitative changes in their molecular isoforms. A comparison of thylakoid membrane polypeptides from virus-infected leaves indicated a decrease in the content of the thylakoid membrane polypeptides with molecular masses of 123, 55, 47, 33, 28-24, 17, and 15 kD. PSII efficiency and the content of chlorophylls (a and b) were significantly lower in the virus-infected leaves., I. M. Huseynova, S. M. Mirzayeva, N. F. Sultanova, D. R. Aliyeva, N. Sh. Mustafayev, J. A. Aliyev., and Obsahuje bibliografii