Nowadays, a quest for efficient greenhouse heating strategies, and their related effects on the plant's performance, exists. In this study, the effects of a combination of warm days and cool nights in autumn and spring on the photosynthetic activity and efficiency of Phalaenopsis were evaluated; the latter, being poorly characterised in plants with crassulacean acid metabolism (CAM) and, to our knowledge, not reported before in Phalaenopsis. 24-h CO2 flux measurements and chlorophyll (Chl) fluorescence analyses were performed in both seasons on Phalaenopsis 'Hercules' exposed to relatively constant temperature regimes, 25.5/24.0°C (autumn) and 30/27°C (spring) respectively, and distinctive warm day/cool night temperature regimes, 27/20°C (autumn) and 36/24°C (spring), respectively. Cumulated leaf net CO2 uptake of the distinctive warm day/cool night temperature regimes declined with 10-16% as compared to the more constant temperature regimes, while the efficiency of carbon fixation revealed no substantial differences in both seasons. Nevertheless, a distinctive warm day/cool night temperature regime seemed to induce photorespiration. Although photorespiration is expected not to occur in CAM, the suppression of the leaf net CO2 exchange during Phase II and Phase IV as well as the slightly lower efficiency of carbon fixation for the distinctive warm day/cool night temperature regimes confirms the involvement of photorespiration in CAM. A seasonal effect was reflected in the leaf net CO2 exchange rate with considerably higher rates in spring. In addition, sufficiently high levels of photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) in spring led to an efficiency of carbon fixation of 1.06-1.27% which is about twice as high than in autumn. As a result, only in the case where a net energy reduction between the temperature regimes compensates for the reduction in net CO2 uptake, warm day/cool night temperature regimes may be recommended as a practical sustainable alternative. and B. Pollet ... [et al.].
Salinization and alkalization of soil are widespread environmental problem and the alkali stress is more destructive than the effects caused by salt stress. To compare the mechanism of salt and alkali stresses, a sunflower variety (Helianthus annuus L. cv. Baikuiza 6) was tested under saline or alkaline conditions by mixing two neutral salts (NaCl and Na2SO4) or two alkaline salts (NaHCO3 and Na2CO3). The results showed that saline conditions differed greatly from alkaline conditions in their threshold intensities where sunflower can germinate, survive and grow. Under saline conditions, the emergence time was delayed, and the emergence rate and seedling survival rate also decreased with increasing salinity. However, under alkaline conditions, the rate of seedling survival decreased sharply but the emergence time and emergence rate did not change. In addition, the damaging effects of alkali stress on growth and photosynthesis were more severe than those of saline. In shoots, the main inorganic osmolyte and cation was K+ rather than Na+; the primary organic osmolytes were organic acid and soluble sugar rather than proline. Organic acid, NO3 -, and Cl- (only under saline condition) were the main source of anion. In addition, the osmotic adjustment and ion balance differed among sunflower roots, stems, and leaves. In conclusion, saline and alkaline conditions are two different stress conditions and there are special responses to two stress conditions for sunflower. and J. Liu, W. Q. Guo, D. C. Shi.
Physiological responses of two duckweed species, Lemna gibba and Lemna minor, to hexavalent chromium [Cr(VI)] were studied in axenic cultures using short-term (48 h) treatments by K2Cr2O7 (0-200 μM). Chlorophyll (Chl) fluorescence parameters and photosynthetic pigment composition of plants were screened to determine the effects of Cr(VI) exposures. The two duckweed species exhibited different sensitivity in the applied Cr(VI) concentration range. Chl fluorescence parameters of dark-adapted and light-adapted plants and electron transport inducibility were more sensitive to Cr(VI) in L. minor than in L. gibba. We also found fundamental differences in quantum yield of regulated, Y(NPQ), and nonregulated, Y(NO), non-photochemical quenching between the two species. As Cr(VI) concentration increased in the growth medium, L. minor responded with considerable increase of Y(NPQ) with a parallel significant increase of Y(NO). By contrast, in L. gibba only 200 μM Cr(VI) in the growth medium resulted in elevation of Y(NPQ) while Y(NO) remained more or less constant within the regarding Cr(VI) concentration range during 48 h. Photosynthetic pigment content did not change considerably during the short-term Cr(VI) treatment but decrease of Chl a/b and increase of Car/Chl ratios were observed in good accordance with the changes in Chl fluorescence parameters. The data suggest that various duckweed species respond with different sensitivity to the same ambient concentrations of Cr(VI) in the growth medium, and presumably to other environmental stresses too, which may have an influence on their competitive relations when heavy metal pollution occurs in aquatic ecosystem. and V. Oláh ... [et al.].
Molekulární metody umožnily studovat šíření rostlin v povodí Labe. Druhy šířené vodou (zevar, stulík) migrují především jednosměrně podél řek. Bylo prokázáno i šíření mezi říčními systémy, častější je u druhů šířících se také větrem (rákos, orobinec). Klonální šíření mezi populacemi není u těchto studovaných druhů rostlin tak běžné, jak se dosud předpokládalo., Molecular approaches have allowed for the study of plant dispersal in the catchment area of the River Elbe. Plants dispersed by water (Bur-reed, Pond Lily) migrated mainly unidirectionally along streams. Dispersal among river systems was also detected and is more common among plants with wind dispersal (Common Reed, Cattail). Clonal dispersal does not seem to be as common in the studied species as previously suggested., and Tomáš Fér.
Czech botanists have participated in research into the taxonomy, diversity and ecology of plants in the equatorial high Andes since the mid 90s. The results include a description of new species of vascular plants and lichens, a contribution to generic flora, one monography and publication of several dozen original papers. and Petr Sklenář.