Article
Pharmacology & Pharmacy
Thomas Goels, Elisabeth Eichenauer, Julia Langeder, Georg F. Aichner, Gregor Mauser, Luisa Amtmann, Ulrike Grienke, Sabine Glasl
Summary: This study developed a supercritical fluid-based protocol for the separation and quantitation of diterpene resin acids (DRAs) in Norway spruce balm. The method showed high separation efficiency, accuracy, and linearity, and was able to achieve analysis in a short time.
FRONTIERS IN PHARMACOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Jana Maresova, Hana Hudokova, Lenka Sarvasova, Peter Fleischer, Lubica Ditmarova, Miroslav Blazenec, Gabriela Jamnicka
Summary: Large areas of Norway spruce stands in Europe are being affected by drought and heat waves, and our research has found that drought can induce physiological changes in spruce seedlings. The sensitivity to drought varies among seedlings from different provenances, suggesting the importance of considering provenance in reforestation strategies for drought risk areas.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Kevin Nota, Jonatan Klaminder, Pascal Milesi, Richard Bindler, Alessandro Nobile, Tamara van Steijn, Stefan Bertilsson, Brita Svensson, Shun K. Hirota, Ayumi Matsuo, Urban Gunnarsson, Heikki Seppa, Minna M. Valiranta, Barbara Wohlfarth, Yoshihisa Suyama, Laura Parducci
Summary: Based on evidence from ancient sedimentary DNA and modern population genomics, the authors provide support for the recolonization of Fennoscandia by Norway spruce shortly after the last glaciation, with migration from the east during the early Holocene.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2022)
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Zhi-Qiang Chen, Adam Klingberg, Henrik R. Hallingbaeck, Harry X. Wu
Summary: Genomic prediction is a method to predict the accumulative effect of all quantitative trait loci in a population by estimating the genomic relationships between individuals and capturing the linkage disequilibrium. Using QTLs detected in a GWAS can improve the accuracy and predictive ability of genomic prediction.
Article
Forestry
Petter Ohrn, Mats Berlin, Malin Elfstrand, Paal Krokene, Anna Maria Jonsson
Summary: In 2018, a significant number of Norway spruce trees were killed by the spruce bark beetle in Sweden, due to severe drought stress rather than the availability of defenseless storm-felled trees. The outbreak continued in 2019 and 2020, with twice as many trees killed each year as in 2018. The study aimed to quantify the seasonal variation and potential lag-effects in tree defense capacity following severe drought stress. Inoculation with a bark beetle-associated bluestain fungus showed that tree defense capacity correlated positively with cumulative precipitation levels two months before inoculation.
FOREST ECOLOGY AND MANAGEMENT
(2021)
Article
Forestry
Olli-Pekka Tikkasalo, Kersti Leppa, Samuli Launiainen, Mikko Peltoniemi, Raisa Makipaa, Katja T. Rinne-Garmston, Elina Sahlstedt, Giles H. F. Young, Aleksandra Bokareva, Annalea Lohila, Mika Korkiakoski, Pauliina Schiestl-Aalto, Aleksi Lehtonen
Summary: This study investigated the physiological response of suppressed trees when larger trees are removed as part of continuous cover forestry (CCF) practices. The researchers collected tree-ring samples from Norway spruce trees and measured changes in stable carbon and oxygen isotopic ratios of the wood to quantify the harvest response. The study found that the model predicted a similar but lower harvest response compared to the measurements, and considering mesophyll conductance was important for capturing the variation in carbon discrimination. Sensitivity analysis on the model indicated that carbon discrimination was sensitive to parameters related to CO2 transport through stomata to the mesophyll.
Article
Plant Sciences
Katja Schoss, Nina Kocevar Glavac, Samo Kreft
Summary: This study investigated the composition and abundance of essential oil and hydrosol from Norway spruce needles and branches. The results showed that the relative amounts of monoterpenes, sesquiterpenes, and diterpenes in the essential oil varied significantly throughout the year. The composition of the hydrosol samples was also affected by season.
Article
Plant Sciences
Pavel P. Pashkovskiy, Radomira Vankova, Ilya E. Zlobin, Petre Dobrev, Alexander V. Kartashov, Alexandra I. Ivanova, Valery P. Ivanov, Sergey I. Marchenko, Dmitry I. Nartov, Yury V. Ivanov, Vladimir V. Kuznetsov
Summary: Water stress has different effects on spruce and pine trees, with long-term water deficit impacting spruce more and short-term deficit impacting pine more. Both species showed increased levels of ABA under long-term water deficit. The content of jasmonates and salicylic acid decreased during the short-term water deficit period and was correlated with a decrease in phenolic compounds in pine trees.
ENVIRONMENTAL AND EXPERIMENTAL BOTANY
(2022)
Article
Plant Sciences
Yury Ivanov, Ilya E. Zlobin, Alexander Kartashov, Alexandra I. Ivanova, Valery P. Ivanov, Sergey Marchenko, Dmitry Nartov, Vladimir V. Kuznetsov
Summary: The deterioration of plant mineral nutrition during drought negatively affects plant performance. This study examined the effects of seasonal and multiyear water shortages on nutrient supply and demand in Scots pine and Norway spruce. The results showed that water shortage increased the wood concentrations of all elements except for Mn. Similar patterns of changes were found in needles between species, with Mg increasing and Fe and Mn decreasing under water shortage. Photosynthetic pigments and lipid peroxidation products were not correlated with element dynamics in needles.
Article
Forestry
Saila Varis, Mikko Tikkinen, Jaanika Edesi, Tuija Aronen
Summary: Somatic embryogenesis is the most effective method for propagating Norway spruce, and the initiation success and cryopreservation are influenced by the cone collection date. The PaLAR3B allele does not interfere with the process. Ideally, Norway spruce cones should be collected in southern Finland in early July and cold-stored for five days or less before initiation.
Article
Plant Sciences
Samuel W. Wilkinson, Lars S. Dalen, Thomas O. Skrautvol, Jurriaan Ton, Paal Krokene, Melissa H. Mageroy
Summary: Treating Norway spruce with methyl jasmonate can enhance the tree's resistance to pests and this resistance lasts for a long time. This study found that methyl jasmonate treatment induces a transient upregulation of genes associated with jasmonic acid, salicylic acid, and ethylene biosynthesis, while repressing genes related to growth in Norway spruce.
PLANT CELL AND ENVIRONMENT
(2022)
Article
Forestry
Giuseppe D'Andrea, Vaclav Simunek, Maria Castellaneta, Zdenek Vacek, Stanislav Vacek, Osvaldo Pericolo, Rosa Giada Zito, Francesco Ripullone
Summary: The forests of Norway spruce in Europe, one of the most economically important tree species, are facing disruption and rapid decline due to natural factors such as drought, heatwaves, and bark beetle outbreaks. This study conducted in the central Czech Republic aimed to determine the relationship between remotely sensed characteristics of vegetation (using NDVI) and annual tree-ring growth. However, no significant correlation between NDVI and annual ring width was observed.
Article
Agronomy
Tobias Walter Miller, Dominik Florian Stangler, Elena Larysch, Harald Honer, Thomas Seifert, Heike Puhlmann, Georg von Arx, Patrick Fonti, Marina V. Fonti, Cyrille B. K. Rathgeber, Hans-Peter Kahle
Summary: Climate change is expected to have significant impacts on European forests. This study compares the intra-annual growth dynamics of Douglas fir, silver fir, and Norway spruce in changing climate conditions. The results show that Douglas fir has higher cell production rates and a longer wood formation season, making it a potential alternative to the climate-change-endangered Norway spruce.
AGRICULTURAL AND FOREST METEOROLOGY
(2022)
Article
Forestry
Vasilije Trifkovic, Andrej Boncina, Andrej Ficko
Summary: In this study, the influences of various stand, site, and climatic factors on tree recruitment in uneven-aged forests were explored. It was found that stand structure, including stand basal area and the proportion of tree species, was the most important factor affecting recruitment. Soil pH and rockiness were important for fir recruitment, while decadal precipitation and temperature played significant roles in beech and spruce recruitment. Furthermore, the optimal and critical ranges of these factors differed among the species.
FOREST ECOLOGY AND MANAGEMENT
(2023)
Article
Plant Sciences
Tuija Aronen, Susanna Virta, Saila Varis
Summary: Studies have shown that stress factors during somatic embryogenesis initiation can lead to telomere shortening in Norway spruce. The length of telomeres in embryogenic tissues (ETs) and embryos remains stable up to one year of culture but shows genotypic variation. Successful cryopreservation treatment can preserve telomere length, while prolonged in vitro culture may lead to telomere shortening.
Article
Plant Sciences
Nazeer Fataftah, Erik Edlund, Jenna Lihavainen, Pushan Bag, Lars Bjorken, Torgny Nasholm, Stefan Jansson
Summary: Fertilization with nitrogen-rich compounds can delay autumn senescence in trees, but the effect differs depending on the form of nitrogen administered. Inorganic nitrogen can delay senescence, while amino acids cannot. The levels of tricarboxylic acids, arginine catabolites, glycine, glycine-serine ratio, and overall carbon-to-nitrogen ratio are differently affected by the way of applying inorganic nitrogen and amino acids.
PHYSIOLOGIA PLANTARUM
(2022)
Article
Microbiology
Dorota Muth-Pawlak, Sanna Kreula, Peter J. Gollan, Tuomas Huokko, Yagut Allahverdiyeva, Eva-Mari Aro
Summary: This study analyzed the proteomes of photosynthetic cyanobacteria under different conditions and found differential expression of proteins related to photosynthesis and carbon metabolism. The study also discovered unique expression patterns under specific conditions and concluded that combining photosynthetic activity with high intracellular inorganic carbon conditions promotes excellent growth in the bacteria.
FRONTIERS IN MICROBIOLOGY
(2022)
Editorial Material
Plant Sciences
Nicolas E. Blanco, Peter J. Gollan, Virginie Mengin, Lauri Nikkanen, Corina M. Fusari
FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE
(2022)
Editorial Material
Plant Sciences
Dario Di Silvestre, Luca Tadini, Andrea Trotta, Luis Valledor, Ghasem Hosseini Salekdeh, Jesus V. Jorrin Novo
FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Plant Sciences
Tapio Lempiainen, Eevi Rintamaki, Eva-Mari Aro, Mikko Tikkanen
Summary: Photosynthetic light reactions require strict regulation under dynamic environmental conditions. Depending on environmental constraints, photoinhibition of either Photosystem II (PSII) or Photosystem I (PSI) occurs frequently. Repair of photodamaged PSI is very slow compared to that of PSII, leading to a functional imbalance between the two photosystems. In this study, we investigated the acclimation of photosynthesis to PSI-limited conditions, both in the short-term and long-term, after PSI-specific photoinhibition treatment. We found that short-term acclimation mechanisms were induced immediately after inhibition, while longer-term acclimation involved changes in the stromal redox system and increased abundance of ATP synthase and Cytochrome b6f. Acclimation to PSI-limited conditions restored the CO2 assimilation capacity of plants without major PSI repair. These findings demonstrate that plants efficiently acclimate to changes in the photosynthetic apparatus, which is crucial for their adaptation to adverse environmental conditions.
PLANT CELL AND ENVIRONMENT
(2022)
Article
Biology
Clement Boussardon, Pushan Bag, Marta Juvany, Jan Simura, Karin Ljung, Stefan Jansson, Olivier Keech
Summary: The study reveals the significance of RPN12a in regulating proteasomal activity, hormonal homeostasis, plant development, and leaf senescence.
COMMUNICATIONS BIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Plant Sciences
Emilija Dukic, Peter J. Gollan, Steffen Grebe, Virpi Paakkarinen, Andrei Herdean, Eva-Mari Aro, Cornelia Spetea
Summary: Plants face challenges in coping with changes in light intensity, but they have well-designed mechanisms to acclimate. This study reveals that the thylakoid Cl- channel ClCe plays a role in regulating ATP synthase activity, impacting the phosphorylation of LHCII proteins and state transitions in low light conditions.
FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Pushan Bag, Tatyana Shutova, Dmitry Shevela, Jenna Lihavainen, Sanchali Nanda, Alexander G. Ivanov, Johannes Messinger, Stefan Jansson
Summary: This study reveals that Scots pine and Norway spruce needles exhibit strong oxygen consumption during early spring when extremely low temperatures coincide with high solar irradiation. The light-induced oxygen consumption occurs around photosystem I and is correlated with the abundance of flavodiiron A protein. This photoprotection mechanism suggests that conifers have evolved to adapt to harsh environments.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Jenna Lihavainen, Jan Simura, Pushan Bag, Nazeer Fataftah, Kathryn Megan Robinson, Nicolas Delhomme, Ondrej Novak, Karin Ljung, Stefan Jansson
Summary: Deciduous trees exhibit autumn senescence driven by environmental seasonality, with different genotypes starting senescence at different times. By integrating omics studies, the researchers found that aspen genotypes utilize similar transcriptional cascades and metabolic cues, but the timing of senescence initiation is controlled by environmental changes and the ability of each genotype to sustain stress tolerance mediated by salicylic acid.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Mehmet Kilic, Ville Kapyla, Peter J. Gollan, Eva-Mari Aro, Eevi Rintamaki
Summary: This study investigated the susceptibility of PSI to photoinhibition in plants under different concentrations of CO2 and analyzed global gene expression. It was found that the varying CO2 levels did not affect the likelihood of PSI photodamage. PSI photoinhibition caused the release of iron from damaged iron-sulfur clusters, initiating a retrograde signal from the chloroplast to the nucleus and modifying gene expression. Deprivation of CO2 from the air induced the expression of genes involved in flavonoid biosynthesis.
Article
Plant Sciences
Peter J. Gollan, Steffen Grebe, Lena Roling, Bernhard Grimm, Cornelia Spetea, Eva-Mari Aro
Summary: This study demonstrates the rapid acclimation of plants to fluctuating light, including adjustments in photosynthesis, transcriptomics, and metabolism. It also highlights the connection among thylakoid ion transport, photosynthetic energy balance, and cell signaling.
Article
Plant Sciences
Caterina Gerotto, Andrea Trotta, Azfar Ali Bajwa, Tomas Morosinotto, Eva-Mari Aro
Summary: Phosphorylation plays a crucial role in the formation and adaptation of moss photosynthetic apparatus to changing light conditions. By studying mutant moss plants, researchers identified phosphorylation targets of a specific protein kinase and their roles in short- and long-term acclimation to light conditions. The unique phosphorylation dynamics of moss proteins suggest their evolutionary position between green algae and vascular plants.
Article
Plant Sciences
Rameez Arshad, Francesco Saccon, Pushan Bag, Avratanu Biswas, Claudio Calvaruso, Ahmad Farhan Bhatti, Steffen Grebe, Vincenzo Mascoli, Moontaha Mahbub, Fernando Muzzopappa, Alexandros Polyzois, Christo Schiphorst, Mirella Sorrentino, Simona Streckaite, Herbert van Amerongen, Eva-Mari Aro, Roberto Bassi, Egbert J. Boekema, Roberta Croce, Jan Dekker, Rienk van Grondelle, Stefan Jansson, Diana Kirilovsky, Roman Kouril, Sylvie Michel, Conrad W. Mullineaux, Klara Panzarova, Bruno Robert, Alexander Ruban, Ivo van Stokkum, Emilie Wientjes, Claudia Buechel
Summary: The latest fundamental knowledge on light-harvesting mechanisms of antenna proteins and their application in biotechnical optimization of photosynthesis are discussed in this article. The dynamic nature of antenna complexes and their adaptation to different light environments are highlighted. High-resolution microscopy and spectroscopic studies provide insights into the interactions between antennae and other thylakoid membrane components.
