0000000000556046
AUTHOR
Francesca La Bella
Short-term effects of potassium fertilization on the hydraulic conductance of Laurus nobilis L.
This study reports experimental evidence on the effect of short term potassium fertilization on potassium uptake, tissue concentration and hydraulic conductance of pot-grown laurel plants. Potassium uptake and loading into the xylem of laurel seedlings increased within 24 h from fertilization. Potassium was not accumulated in roots and leaves, but the [K+] of xylem sap was 80% higher in fertilized plants (+K) than in potassium starved plants (-K), likely as a result of recirculation between xylem and phloem. This increase in xylem sap [K+] resulted in a 45% increase in transpiration rate, a 30% increase in plant hydraulic conductance (Kplant) and a 120% increase in leaf specific conductivit…
Phylogenetic Relationship Among Wild and Cultivated Grapevine in Sicily: A Hotspot in the Middle of the Mediterranean Basin
Grapevine (Vitis vinifera ssp. sativa) is a perennial crop especially important for wine and fruit production. The species is highly polymorphic with thousands of different varieties selected by farmers and clonally propagated. However, it is still debated whether grapevine domestication from its wild ancestor (V. vinifera ssp. sylvestris) has been a single event or rather it occurred on multiple occasions during the diffusion of its cultivation across the Mediterranean. Located in the center of the Basin, Sicily is its largest island and has served as a hotspot for all civilizations that have crossed the Mediterranean throughout history. Hundreds of unique grapevine cultivars are still cul…