Unraveling subcellular functional traits: Adaptive insights into chloroplast ultrastructure in nonmodel species.

This essay discusses how the ultrastructural changes in chloroplasts, particularly the mechanisms of thylakoid membrane unstacking, help maintain the photosynthetic performance of photosystem II (PSII) under stress conditions. This phenomenon may facilitate the repair of damaged PSII by providing access to the repair machinery. It is argued that this PSII repair mechanism accelerates PSII recovery, optimizing photosynthetic processes in stressed plants.

Effect of TiO Microparticles in Lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.) Seeds and Seedlings.

The particle size reduction technology is used in several segments, including sunscreens and new techniques and product improvement. One of the main particles used in the sunscreens formulation is titanium dioxide (TiO). This formulation allows for better characteristics of these products.

Anatomical traits related to leaf and branch hydraulic functioning on Amazonian savanna plants.

Amazonian savannas are isolated patches of open habitats found within the extensive matrix of Amazonian tropical forests. There remains limited evidence on how Amazonian plants from savannas differ in the traits related to drought resistance and water loss control. Previous studies have reported several xeromorphic characteristics of Amazonian savanna plants at the leaf and branch levels that are linked to soil, solar radiation, rainfall and seasonality.

Acute toxicity of titanium dioxide microparticles in Artemia sp. nauplii instar I and II.

In this study, the toxicity effects of titanium dioxide (MTiO ) microparticles on Artemia sp. nauplii instar I and II between 24 and 48 h was evaluated. The MTiO were characterized using different microscopy techniques.

Rotenoids from Clitoria fairchildiana R. Howard (Fabaceae) seeds affect the cellular metabolism of larvae of Aedes aegypti L. (Culicidae).

Non-domesticated species may represent a treasure chest of defensive molecules which must be investigated and rescued. Clitoria fairchildiana R. Howard is a non-domesticated Fabacea, native from the Amazonian Forest whose seeds are exquisitely refractory to insect predation.

A new bioinspired peptide on defensin from C. annuum fruits: Antimicrobial activity, mechanisms of action and therapeutical potential.

Background: Antimicrobial peptides, natural or synthetic, appear as promising molecules for antimicrobial therapy because of their both broad antimicrobial activity and mechanism of action. Herein, we determine the anti-Candida and antimycobacterial activities, mechanism of action on yeasts, and cytotoxicity on mammalian cells in the presence of the bioinspired peptide CaDef2.1.

Mitochondrial dysfunction associated with ascorbate synthesis in plants.

Mitochondria are the major organelles of energy production; however, active mitochondria can decline their energetic role and show a dysfunctional status. Mitochondrial dysfunction was induced by high non-physiological level of L-galactone-1,4-lactone (L-GalL), the precursor of ascorbate (AsA), in plant mitochondria. The dysfunction induced by L-GalL was associated with the fault in the mitochondrial electron partition and reactive oxygen species (ROS) over-production.

Influence of chromium and sodium on development, physiology, and anatomy of Conilon coffee seedlings.

Some components found in the composition of the tannery sludge are nutrients for the plants; it can be considered an alternative source of fertilization as they have favorable agronomic characteristics. However, it is reported in some studies that the presence of chromium and sodium in this residue causes physiological and anatomical disturbances that inhibit the development of the plants. The objective of this study was to evaluate the influence of chromium and sodium on the physiology, anatomy, and development of Conilon coffee seedlings grown on substrates produced with tannery sludge and equivalent doses of chromium and sodium.

Biomass and Leaf Acclimations to Ultraviolet Solar Radiation in Juvenile Plants of and .

Despite the negative impacts of increased ultraviolet radiation intensity on plants, these organisms continue to grow and produce under the increased environmental UV levels. We hypothesized that ambient UV intensity can generate acclimations in plant growth, leaf morphology, and photochemical functioning in modern genotypes of and . Coffee plants were cultivated for six months in a mini greenhouse under either near ambient (UVam) or reduced (UVre) ultraviolet regimes.

Linking root and stem hydraulic traits to leaf physiological parameters in Coffea canephora clones with contrasting drought tolerance.

Knowing the key hydraulic traits of different genotypes at early seedling stages can potentially provide crucial information and save time for breeding programs. In the current study we investigated: (1) how root, stem and whole plant conductivities are linked to xylem traits, and (2) how the integrated hydraulic system impacts leaf water potential, gas exchange, chlorophyll a fluorescence and the growth of three coffee cultivars (clones of Coffea canephora Pierre ex Froehner cv. Conilon) with known differences in drought tolerance.

Data on leaf structural, physiological and nutritional characteristics of species co-occurring in restinga and semidecidual seasonal forest ecosystems.

This paper presents additional data on the leaf structural, physiological and nutritional characteristics of three species ( e ), co-occurring in restinga and semideciduous seasonal forest (forest). The data of the leaf structural, physiological and nutritional characteristics were obtained from the three species to identify possible adaptive strategies that could explain the co-occurrence of these species in the restinga and forest. In addition, this data can help identify key functional traits in the plant community of restinga and forests that can be employed in the reestablishment of ecological and edaphic processes in these ecosystems.

Photosynthetic quantum efficiency in south-eastern Amazonian trees may be already affected by climate change.

Tropical forests are experiencing unprecedented high-temperature conditions due to climate change that could limit their photosynthetic functions. We studied the high-temperature sensitivity of photosynthesis in a rainforest site in southern Amazonia, where some of the highest temperatures and most rapid warming in the Tropics have been recorded. The quantum yield (F /F ) of photosystem II was measured in seven dominant tree species using leaf discs exposed to varying levels of heat stress.

Programmed cell death in soybean seed coats.

Seed coat is the tissue which establishes an interface between the seed inner tissues and external environment. Our group has shown that cowpea seed coat undergoes coordinated events of programmed cell death (PCD) during development. In relation to germinating seed coats, little is known on PCD events.