Search results for " PLANTS"
showing 10 items of 860 documents
Agro-Morphological Characterization of Sicilian Chili Pepper Accessions for Ornamental Purposes
2020
The species belonging to the genus Capsicum have been widely used as decorative vegetables, however only a few genotypes are available for this purpose. The goal of the present work was the agro-morphological characterization of several chili pepper accessions cultivated into different pot sizes (10, 14, 18 or 20 cm diameters). The agro-morphological characterization of 19 accessions was performed following IPGR (International Plant Genetic Resources Institute) descriptors: plant height (PH), plant canopy width (PCW), PH/PCW ratio, plant growth habit, plant visual quality, first flower emission, fruiting start, end of harvest, fruit number, fruit length, fruit width, fruit color at mature s…
Next-generation biological control
2020
Biological control is widely successful at controlling pests, but effective biocontrol agents are now more difficult to import from countries of origin due to more restrictive international trade laws (the Nagoya Protocol). Coupled with increasing demand, the efficacy of existing and new biocontrol agents needs to be improved with genetic and genomic approaches. Although they have been underutilised in the past, application of genetic and genomic techniques is becoming more feasible from both technological and economic perspectives. We review current methods and provide a framework for using them. First, it is necessary to identify which biocontrol trait to select and in what direction. Nex…
Active Wild Food Practices among Culturally Diverse Groups in the 21st Century across Latgale, Latvia
2021
Simple Summary A study in the bordering region of Latvia took place in order to investigate wild plant food uses. In total 72 interviewees reported food uses. The most represented uses of recorded plants were recreational tea; for jam; as snacks and soup; and drink. Interviewees also reported loss of foraging practice due to the habitat change as for example in case of caraway and chamomile. The results indicated that part of the reason for the main use of wild plants were linked to diet diversification. Abstract Local ecological knowledge (LEK), including but not limited to the use of wild food plants, plays a large role in sustainable natural resource management schemes, primarily due to …
Persistence of remnant boreal plants in the Chiricahua Mountains, southern Arizona
2020
Abstract Boreal plants growing along the southern edge of their range on isolated mountains in a hot desert matrix live near the extreme of their physiological tolerance. Such plants are considered sensitive to small changes in climate. We coupled field observations (1974, 1993, 2019) about the abundance and vigor of small populations of ten remnant boreal plant species persisting in the uppermost elevations of spruce-fir forests of the Chiricahua Mountains, together with modeling of the species sensitivities to three stress factors associated with climatic change: warming, drought, and forest fire, in order to explore the persistence of frontier boreal plant species during climate change. …
Genetic Diversity and Structure of Northern Populations of the Declining Coastal Plant Eryngium maritimum
2019
Abstract Genetic diversity among 13 northern populations of the declining coastal plant Eryngium maritimum L. at the northernmost extent of the species distribution range was studied using retro-transposon-based SSAP molecular markers. Diversity indices varied extensively among populations; some showing extremely low diversity whereas other populations exhibited moderate amounts of genetic variation. Differentiation among populations was highly variable as well. Interestingly, differentiation among northern populations was not influenced strongly by geographic distance. Closely situated populations were often more divergent than more distant populations suggesting other factors may be respo…
Seedling growth of a native ( Ampelodesmos mauritanicus ) and an exotic ( Pennisetum setaceum ) grass
2016
Scarce information is available on the biological reasons why a small subset of introduced species can effectively establish within novel ecosystems. A comparison of early growth traits can help to explain the better performance of alien invasive species versus native co-occurring species. In one year-long experiment, we compared the early life stages of Ampelodesmos mauritanicus (Poir.) Dur. & Schinz (Amp), a native perennial Mediterranean grass, and Pennisetum setaceum (Forssk.) Chiov (Penn), an emerging invader grass in sub-arid and Mediterranean-climate areas. The Penn seedlings grew significantly faster and were approximately 2.5 times taller than the Amp seedlings, reaching a fina…
A Systematic Literature Review of Historic Garden Management and Its Economic Aspects
2020
Historic gardens are important parts of humanity’s built heritage within the designed landscape, providing many environmental, economic and socio-cultural benefits. Management is a key part of their conservation, perhaps the most difficult because it is costly, must be continual, and requires a skilled workforce. This systematic review looks at the literature addressing historic garden management, with special attention regarding the social, economic and environmental aspects of sustainability. Academic studies on this subject come from many different disciplines, making it both stimulating and fragmented. It is now time to consolidate these interdisciplinary efforts into a clear vision, in…
Arabidopsis thaliana nicotianamine synthase 4 is required for proper response to iron deficiency and to cadmium exposure.
2013
International audience; The nicotianamine synthase (NAS) enzymes catalyze the formation of nicotianamine (NA), a non-proteinogenic amino acid involved in iron homeostasis. We undertook the functional characterization of AtNAS4, the fourth member of the Arabidopsis thaliana NAS gene family. A mutant carrying a T-DNA insertion in AtNAS4 (atnas4), as well as lines overexpressing AtNAS4 both in the atnas4 and the wild-type genetic backgrounds, were used to decipher the role of AtNAS4 in NA synthesis, iron homeostasis and the plant response to iron deficiency or cadmium supply. We showed that AtNAS4 is an important source for NA. Whereas atnas4 had normal growth in iron-sufficient medium, it dis…
Nonchemical weeding of medicinal and aromatic plants
2013
International audience; Medicinal and aromatic plants are major crops of domestic and industrial interest. Medicinal and aromatic plants are increasingly organically grown to enhance profitability. However, the presence of weeds may lead to a decrease in both yield and quality. Therefore, nonchemical methods of weed control are needed. In this study, mechanical weeding, flaming, stale seedbed, and biodegradable mulch were tested from 2003/2004 to 2006/2007 on coriander, fennel, and psyllium. Biomass and seed yield were measured. The biomass of weeds remaining at harvest was also measured. Results show a high sensitivity of coriander, fennel, and psyllium crops to the presence of weeds. Stal…
Reviewing research priorities in weed ecology, evolution and management: a horizon scan.
2018
Weedy plants pose a major threat to food security, biodiversity, ecosystem services and consequently to human health and wellbeing. However, many currently used weed management approaches are increasingly unsustainable. To address this knowledge and practice gap, in June 2014, 35 weed and invasion ecologists, weed scientists, evolutionary biologists and social scientists convened a workshop to explore current and future perspectives and approaches in weed ecology and management. A horizon scanning exercise ranked a list of 124 pre-submitted questions to identify a priority list of 30 questions. These questions are discussed under seven themed headings that represent areas for renewed and em…