Livestock production in the European Union EU is highly dependent on imported soybean, exposing the livestock farming system to risks related to the global trade of soybean. Lupin species could be a ...realistic sustainable alternative source of protein for animal feeding.
is a very diverse genus with many species. However, only four of them-namely,
,
,
and
-are cultivated. Their use in livestock farming systems has many advantages in relation to economic and environmental impact. Generally, lupin grains are characterized by high protein content, while their oil content is relatively low but of high quality. On the other hand, the presence of quinolizidine alkaloids and their specific carbohydrate composition are the main antinutritional factors that prevent their use in animal feeding. This research is mainly related to
and to
, and to a lesser extent, to
and
The breeding efforts are mostly focused on yield stabilization, resistance to biotic and abiotic stresses, biochemical structure associated with seed quality and late maturing. Progress is made in improving lupin with respect to the seed quality, as well as the tolerance to biotic and abiotic stress. It has to be noted that modern cultivars, mostly of
and
, contain low levels of alkaloids. However, for future breeding efforts, the implementation of marker-assisted selection and the available genomic tools is of great importance.
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Plant grafting is an ancient agricultural practice widely employed in crops such as woody fruit trees, grapes, and vegetables, in order to improve plant performance. Successful grafting requires the ...interaction of compatible scion and rootstock genotypes. This involves an intricate network of molecular mechanisms operating at the graft junction and associated with the development and the physiology of the scion, ultimately leading to improved agricultural characteristics such as fruit quality and increased tolerance/resistance to abiotic and biotic factors. Bidirectional transfer of molecular signals such as hormones, nutrients, proteins, and nucleic acids from the rootstock to the scion and vice versa have been well documented. In recent years, studies on rootstock-scion interactions have proposed the existence of an epigenetic component in grafting reactions. Epigenetic changes such as DNA methylation, histone modification, and the action of small RNA molecules are known to modulate chromatin architecture, leading to gene expression changes and impacting cellular function. Mobile small RNAs (siRNAs) migrating across the graft union from the rootstock to the scion and vice versa mediate modifications in the DNA methylation pattern of the recipient partner, leading to altered chromatin structure and transcriptional reprogramming. Moreover, graft-induced DNA methylation changes and gene expression shifts in the scion have been associated with variations in graft performance. If these changes are heritable they can lead to stably altered phenotypes and affect important agricultural traits, making grafting an alternative to breeding for the production of superior plants with improved traits. However, most reviews on the molecular mechanisms underlying this process comprise studies related to vegetable grafting. In this review we will provide a comprehensive presentation of the current knowledge on the epigenetic changes and transcriptional reprogramming associated with the rootstock-scion interaction focusing on woody plant species, including the recent findings arising from the employment of advanced-omics technologies as well as transgrafting methodologies and their potential exploitation for generating superior quality grafts in woody species. Furthermore, will discuss graft-induced heritable epigenetic changes leading to novel plant phenotypes and their implication to woody crop improvement for yield, quality, and stress resilience, within the context of climate change.
Increased soil salinity, and therefore accumulation of ions, is one of the major abiotic stresses of cultivated plants that negatively affect their growth and yield. Among Medicago species, only ...Medicago truncatula, which is a model plant, has been extensively studied, while research regarding salinity responses of two important forage legumes of Medicago sativa (M. sativa) and Medicago arborea (M. arborea) has been limited. In the present work, differences between M. arborea, M. sativa and their hybrid Alborea were studied regarding growth parameters and metabolomic responses. The entries were subjected to three different treatments: (1) no NaCl application (control plants), (2) continuous application of 100 mM NaCl (acute stress) and (3) gradual application of NaCl at concentrations of 50-75-150 mM by increasing NaCl concentration every 10 days. According to the results, M. arborea maintained steady growth in all three treatments and appeared to be more resistant to salinity. Furthermore, results clearly demonstrated that M. arborea presented a different metabolic profile from that of M. sativa and their hybrid. In general, it was found that under acute and gradual stress, M. sativa overexpressed saponins in the shoots while M. arborea overexpressed saponins in the roots, which is the part of the plant where most of the saponins are produced and overexpressed. Alborea did not perform well, as more metabolites were downregulated than upregulated when subjected to salinity stress. Finally, saponins and hydroxycinnamic acids were key players of increased salinity tolerance.
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The biodiversity of grasslands has been shaped by long-time interaction between natural processes and human activities, such as grazing. Traditional grazing management by animals contributes to the ...maintenance of high biodiversity in grasslands. However, changes in land use in recent years such as the abandonment of animal husbandry or intensification of grazing, pose a threat to grasslands biodiversity. The aim of the present study was to investigate the compositional and functional diversity in semi-humid grasslands of northern Greece under different grazing intensities. Three sites with similar vegetation and composition but different grazing intensities were selected in Taxiarchis University Forest of Mountain Holomontas. The three grazing intensities were (1) ungrazed, for more than 40 years, (2) moderate grazed, and (3) highly grazed. The ungrazed area showed an increase in vegetation cover and a decrease in bare ground. In comparison to grazed areas, the ungrazed one showed lower levels of grasses and legumes but higher abundances of woody and broad-leaved species. The highest values of all the studied diversity indices (Shannon–Wiener (H), Simpson Diversity Index, Jaccard, and species abundance) were recorded at moderate grazing intensity. Differences were recorded between the grazed and ungrazed areas in all of the quantitative traits (specific leaf area, leaf dry matter content, stem dry matter content, vegetative and reproductive plant height, leaf nitrogen, and phosphorus concentration). Protecting sensitive mountainous grasslands from both overgrazing and abandonment requires a balanced and sustainable management approach.
Grain legumes are feedstuffs with high nutritional value that could replace soybean in dairy sheep nutrition. This could be beneficial in terms of economic efficiency and environmental ...sustainability. However, research regarding their potential effects on animal performance is scarce. The objective was to assess milk production and body condition score (BCS) of intensively reared dairy ewes after replacing soybean meal with a mixture of lupin, pea, vetch, and faba bean in their ration. A total of 40 Chios dairy ewes were randomly selected. They were allocated in two (n = 20) groups C and T; both were fed same amounts of Lucerne hay and wheat straw as well as a concentrate feed that was formulated with either inclusion of soybean meal for Group C or a mixture of legumes for Group T. Both feeds had equal energy and protein contents. Data collection was performed every 15 days for a 60-day period (a total of five measurements). In each measurement, ewe BCS was assessed, milk yield was recorded electronically, and individual milk samples were collected to assess chemical composition (fat, protein, lactose, and solids-non-fat content); energy corrected milk yield and milk components yield were calculated. Moreover, feed refusals from each group were weighed to calculate feed intake. Average individual daily concentrate feed intake was lower in Group T compared to C. Nutritional management did not significantly affect (p > 0.05) milk production and BCS. An exception was the last measurement where ewes in Group T had significantly (p < 0.05) higher milk protein, lactose and SNF yield, and lactose content. Results suggest that the studied legumes could replace soybean without compromising productivity of intensively reared dairy ewes.
L. (faba bean) is one of the most promising pulse crops due to its nutritional value and high nitrogen fixation capacity. The aim of the present study was to compare the genetic diversity and the ...seed metabolite profiles of five genetic materials of faba bean. Specifically, three newly developed advanced lines (KK18, KK14 and KK10) and two commercial cultivars (POLIKARPI and TANAGRA), were evaluated for this purpose. Genetic diversity among populations was assessed by SCoT molecular markers. Through UPGMA dendrogram, genetic distances between populations were estimated. Untargeted metabolomics analysis of the seeds was performed employing GC/EI/MS. The cultivar POLYKARPI exhibited the highest polymorphism. All varieties showed a higher within-cultivars and advanced lines variability than between. POLYKARPI and KK14 had the lowest genetic distances, while KK18 and TANAGRA presented the highest ones. The advanced line KK18 displayed the best nutritional profile, the highest concentration of desirable metabolites (lactic acid and trehalose), the lowest concentration of anti-nutritional factors (oxalic acid) and the lowest concentration of saturated fatty acids (palmitic and stearic acid). According to the results of the present study, KK18 line is a very promising material for further exploration and utilization in breeding programs.
The accumulation of ions due to increased salinity in the soil is one of the major abiotic stressors of cultivated plants that negatively affect their productivity. The model plant, Medicago ...truncatula, is the only Medicago species that has been extensively studied, whereas research into increased salinity adaptation of two important forage legumes, M. sativa and M. arborea, has been limited. In the present study, the expression of six genes, namely SOS1, SOS3, NHX2, AKT, AVP and HKT1 was monitored to investigate the manner in which sodium ions are blocked and transferred to the various plant parts. In addition, in silico miRNA analysis was performed to identify miRNAs that possibly control the expression of the genes studied. The following treatments were applied: (1) salt stress, with initial treatment of 50 mM NaCl and gradual acclimatization every 10 days, (2) salt shock, with continuous application of 100 mM NaCl concentration and (3) no application of NaCl. Results showed that M. arborea appeared to overexpress and activate all available mechanisms of resistance in conditions of increased salinity, while M. sativa acted in a more targeted way, overexpressing the HKT1 and AKT genes that contribute to the accumulation of sodium ions, particularly in the root. Regarding miRNA in silico analysis, five miRNAs with significant complementarity to putative target genes, AKT1, AVP and SOS3 were identified and served as a first step in investigating miRNA regulatory networks. Further miRNA expression studies will validate these results. Our findings contribute to the understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying salt-responsiveness in Medicago and could be used in the future for generating salt-tolerant genotypes in crop improvement programs.
Sideritis scardica (S. scardica) is an endemic medicinal species of the Central Balkan Peninsula. The aerial parts are traditionally used in folk medicine and, therefore, have been collected ...extensively from natural habitats. Overexploitation in combination with climate change has resulted in severely fragmented populations. In this context, the purpose of this study was to access the abundance and phenotypic diversity of S. scardica populations in relation to plant community structure and environmental and anthropogenic factors in six mountainous areas of Northern Greece. For this reason, the floristic composition and diversity was determined by accessing the number of plant species, number of individuals per plant species, and plant cover in each study area. In addition, the soil properties of the studied areas were determined and the phenotypic diversity of S. scardica populations was accessed through the imaging of leaf and inflorescence main characteristics. As a result, 141 plant species were identified in all studied areas, while the floristic composition clearly distinguished the North-Central from the North-Eastern studied areas. S. scardica was the predominant species in the habitats where the presence of forbs was favored, while a high presence of graminoid and shrub species in the study areas depressed its presence. A high coefficient of variations was recorded among the six populations, varying from 12.2%–29.2% and 13.3%–43.1% for inflorescence and leaf traits.
Faba bean (Vicia faba L.) is an important grain legume with high protein content (approximately 25–30%) and high nutritional value. It is broadly cultivated in temperate areas both for human ...consumption and as animal feed. According to FAOSTAT (2020), the total cultivated area of faba bean reached approximately 2.5 million ha, yielding more than 4.5 million tons. The characterization of the genetic diversity in faba bean is an important parameter for genetic and biodiversity studies, germplasm characterization, and for introducing genetic variability in plant breeding. The present study aims to assess the genetic diversity among 53 Greek, varied faba bean populations provided by the Hellenic Agricultural Organization “DEMETER” seed bank. To determine the genetic diversity of the studied populations, six SCoT DNA markers were used. A total of 114 loci were obtained with 37.95% being polymorphic and 62.05% monomorphic within or between populations. SCoT markers are a useful tool for the detection of genetic diversity among faba bean populations and encourage targeted crossing strategies. The present study is the first step towards the development of an efficient breeding program.
Restoration efforts in the Mediterranean Basin have been changing from a silvicultural to an ecological restoration approach. Yet, to what extent the projects are guided by ecological restoration ...principles remains largely unknown. To analyse this issue, we built an on-line survey addressed to restoration practitioners.
We analysed 36 restoration projects, mostly from drylands (86%). The projects used mainly soil from local sources. The need to comply with legislation was more important as a restoration motive for European Union (EU) than for non-EU countries, while public opinion and health had a greater importance in the latter. Non-EU countries relied more on non-native plant species than EU countries, thus deviating from ecological restoration guidelines. Nursery-grown plants used were mostly of local or regional provenance, whilst seeds were mostly of national provenance. Unexpected restoration results (e.g. inadequate biodiversity) were reported for 50% of the projects and restoration success was never evaluated in 22%. Long term evaluation (>6years) was only performed in 31% of cases, and based primarily on plant diversity and cover. The use of non-native species and species of exogenous provenances may: i) entail the loss of local genetic and functional trait diversity, critical to cope with drought, particularly under the predicted climate change scenarios, and ii) lead to unexpected competition with native species and/or negatively impact local biotic interactions. Absent or inappropriate monitoring may prevent the understanding of restoration trajectories, precluding adaptive management strategies, often crucial to create functional ecosystems able to provide ecosystem services. The overview of ecological restoration projects in the Mediterranean Basin revealed high variability among practices and highlighted the need for improved scientific assistance and information exchange, greater use of native species of local provenance, and more long-term monitoring and evaluation, including functional and ecosystem services' indicators, to improve and spread the practice of ecological restoration.
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•The degree to which projects follow ecological restoration principles is unclear.•A survey was addressed to a wide range of practitioners in the Mediterranean Basin.•An ecological restoration practice index revealed high variability among practices.•More scientific assistance and use of native species of local provenance are needed.•Long-term monitoring based on ecosystems' functions and services should be promoted.
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