BACKGROUND AND AIMS: The 'orchid-like' bladderworts ( Utricularia ) comprise 15 species separated into two sections: Orchidioides and Iperua . These robust and mostly epiphytic species were originally grouped within the section Orchidioides by the first taxonomical systems. These species were later split into two sections when sect. Iperua was proposed. Due to the lack of strong evidence based on a robust phylogenetic perspective, this study presents a phylogenetic proposal based on four different DNA sequences (plastid and nuclear) and morphology to test the monophyly of the two sections. METHODS: In comparison with all previous phylogenetic studies, the largest number of species across the sections was covered: 11 species from sections Orchidioides and Iperua with 14 species as an external group. Maximum likelihood and Bayesian inferences were applied to DNA sequences of rps16 , trnL-F , matK , the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) and three morphological characters: (1) the crest of the corolla; (2) the primary organs in the embryo; and (3) tubers. Additionally, a histochemical analysis of the stolons and tubers is presented from an evolutionary perspective. KEY RESULTS: The analyses showed the paraphyly of sect. Iperua , since Utricularia humboldtii is more related to the clade of sect. Orchidioides . Utricularia cornigera is grouped in the sect. Iperua clade based on chloroplast DNA sequences, but it is nested to sect. Orchidioides according to ITS dataset. Morphological characters do not support the breaking up of the 'orchid-like' species into two sections, either. Moreover, the stolon-tuber systems of both sections serve exclusively for water storage, according to histological analyses. CONCLUSIONS: This study provides strong evidence, based on DNA sequences from two genomic compartments (plastid and nucleus) and morphology to group the Utricularia sect. Orchidioides into the sect. Iperua . The tubers are important adaptations for water storage and have been derived from stolons at least twice in the phylogenetic history of 'orchid-like' bladderworts.

• Klíčová slova
• Molecular phylogeny, Utricularia, anatomy, morphology, section Iperua, section Orchidioides, tuber,
• MeSH
• biologická evoluce * MeSH
• buněčné jádro genetika   MeSH
• DNA chloroplastová genetika   MeSH
• fylogeneze MeSH
• hlízy rostlin anatomie a histologie   MeSH
• hluchavkotvaré anatomie a histologie   klasifikace   genetika   MeSH
• rostlinné proteiny genetika   MeSH
• sekvenční analýza DNA MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• práce podpořená grantem MeSH
• Názvy látek
• DNA chloroplastová MeSH
• rostlinné proteiny MeSH

The white truffle (Tuber magnatum Picco.; WT) is the most expensive and arguably also the most delicious species within the genus Tuber. Due to its hidden belowground life cycle, complex host symbiosis, and yet unknown distribution, cultivation of the enigmatic species has only recently been achieved at some plantations in France. A sustainable production of WTs under future climate change, however, requires a better ecological understanding of the species' natural occurrence. Here, we combine information from truffle hunters with a literature review to assess the climatic, edaphic, geographic, and symbiotic characteristics of 231 reported WT sites in southeast Europe. Our meta-study shows that 75% of the WT sites are located outside the species' most famous harvest region, the Piedmont in northern Italy. Spanning a wide geographic range from ~ 37° N in Sicily to ~ 47° N in Hungary, and elevations between sea level in the north and 1000 m asl in the south, all WT sites are characterised by mean winter temperatures > 0.4 °C and summer precipitation totals of ~ 50 mm. Often formed during past flood or landslide events, current soil conditions of the WT sites exhibit pH levels between 6.4 and 8.7, high macroporosity, and a cation exchange capacity of ~ 17 meq/100 g. At least 26 potential host species from 12 genera were reported at the WT sites, with Populus alba and Quercus cerris accounting for 23.5% of all plant species. We expect our findings to contribute to a sustainable WT industry under changing environmental and economic conditions.

• Klíčová slova
• Ectomycorrhiza, Environmental change, Fungi, Global warming, Non-woody forest products, Truffle cultivation,
• MeSH
• Ascomycota * MeSH
• mykorhiza * MeSH
• půda MeSH
• symbióza MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• přehledy MeSH
• Názvy látek
• půda MeSH

Dioscorea is an important but underutilized genus of flowering plants that grows predominantly in tropical and subtropical regions. Several species, known as yam, develop large underground tubers and aerial bulbils that are used as food. The Chinese yam (D. polystachya Turcz.) is one of the few Dioscorea species that grows well in temperate regions and has been proposed as a climate-resilient crop to enhance food security in Europe. However, the fragile, club-like tubers are unsuitable for mechanical harvesting, which is facilitated by shorter and thicker storage organs. Brassinosteroids (BRs) play a key role in plant cell division, cell elongation and proliferation, as well as in the gravitropic response. We collected RNA-Seq data from the head, middle and tip of two tuber shape variants: F60 (long, thin) and F2000 (short, thick). Comparative transcriptome analysis of F60 vs. F2000 revealed 30,229 differentially expressed genes (DEGs), 1,393 of which were differentially expressed in the growing tip. Several DEGs are involved in steroid/BR biosynthesis or signaling, or may be regulated by BRs. The quantification of endogenous BRs revealed higher levels of castasterone (CS), 28-norCS, 28-homoCS and brassinolide in F2000 compared to F60 tubers. The highest BR levels were detected in the growing tip, and CS was the most abundant (439.6 ± 196.41 pmol/g in F2000 and 365.6 ± 112.78 pmol/g in F60). Exogenous 24-epi-brassinolide (epi-BL) treatment (20 nM) in an aeroponic system significantly increased the width-to-length ratio (0.045 ± 0.002) compared to the mock-treated plants (0.03 ± 0.002) after 7 weeks, indicating that exogenous epi-BL produces shorter and thicker tubers. In this study we demonstrate the role of BRs in D. polystachya tuber shape, providing insight into the role of plant hormones in yam storage organ development. We found that BRs can influence tuber shape in Chinese yam by regulating the expression of genes involved cell expansion. Our data can help to improve the efficiency of Chinese yam cultivation, which could provide an alternative food source and thus contribute to future food security in Europe.

• Klíčová slova
• Chinese yam, Dioscorea polystachya, brassinosteroids, plant hormones, tuber development,
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH

Cassava tuber is an essential staple crop in tropical regions with versatile applications in the food, feed, and industrial sectors. However, its high moisture content and perishable nature necessitate efficient preservation methods to extend its shelf life and enhance its value. Pre-drying, drying, and post-drying processes play pivotal roles in maintaining the quality and usability of cassava products. This review comprehensively examines the current status and future directions in the pre-drying, drying, and post-drying processes of cassava tuber. Various pre-drying or pretreatment methods and drying techniques are evaluated for their impacts on drying kinetics and product quality. Additionally, challenges and limitations in achieving high-quality processing of cassava flour are identified. Future directions in cassava drying methods emphasize the integration of combined pre-drying and drying techniques to optimize resource utilization and processing efficiency. Furthermore, the adoption of advanced online measurement and control technologies in drying equipment is highlighted for real-time monitoring and optimization of drying parameters. The importance of optimizing existing processes to establish a comprehensive cassava industrial chain and foster the development of the cassava deep-processing industry is emphasized. This review provides valuable insights into the current trends and future prospects in cassava drying technologies, aiming to facilitate sustainable and efficient utilization of cassava resources for various applications.

• Klíčová slova
• cassava tuber, dried cassava products, drying, post-drying, pre-drying,
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• přehledy MeSH

Truffles are prized and nutrition-rich edible hypogeous fungi. The aim of this study was a comprehensive investigation of chemical composition of Burgundy truffle (Tuber aestivum Vittad.). We tried to answer the question: what is the impact of the environment on the truffle quality. To know the nutritional value of Burgundy truffle we compared lipids, proteins, saccharides, polyphenolics, flavonoids, total sterols, ergosterol, volatile flavour and aroma compounds content in fruit bodies of the fungus collected in three different geographical regions, i.e., Poland, Slovakia, and Italy. A comparison of the above mentioned compounds is especially interesting due to environmental and climatic differences among the studied geographical regions. Results revealed that fruit bodies of T. aestivum from Poland and Slovakia possessed nearly similar content of proteins, total sterols, and saccharides. The fruiting bodies from Italy contained significantly larger amounts of most of the investigated compounds. In turn, Polish specimens had higher content of lipids and polyphenolics than Slovak and Italian ones. We have found higher similarity of volatile compounds composition between Polish and Italian specimens than those of Polish and Slovak origin.

• Klíčová slova
• Tuber aestivum, Burgundy truffle, Flavonoids, Lipids, Phenolics, Proteins, Saccharides,
• MeSH
• Ascomycota chemie   MeSH
• ekosystém * MeSH
• fungální proteiny chemie   izolace a purifikace   MeSH
• lipidy chemie   izolace a purifikace   MeSH
• polyfenoly chemie   izolace a purifikace   MeSH
• polysacharidy chemie   izolace a purifikace   MeSH
• steroly chemie   izolace a purifikace   MeSH
• těkavé organické sloučeniny chemie   izolace a purifikace   MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• srovnávací studie MeSH
• Geografické názvy
• Itálie MeSH
• Polsko MeSH
• Slovenská republika MeSH
• Názvy látek
• fungální proteiny MeSH
• lipidy MeSH
• polyfenoly MeSH
• polysacharidy MeSH
• steroly MeSH
• těkavé organické sloučeniny MeSH

BACKGROUND: Tuberization in potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) represents a morphogenetic transition of stolon growth to tuber formation, which is under complex environmental and endogenous regulation. In the present work, we studied the regulatory mechanisms and the role of different morphogenetic factors in a newly isolated potato mutant, which exhibited spontaneous tuberization (ST). The ST mutant was characterized in detail at morphological, physiological and biochemical levels. RESULTS: Tuberization of the ST mutant grown in the soil was photoperiod-insensitive; predominantly sessile tubers formed directly from axillary buds even under continuous light. Single-node cuttings of the ST mutant cultured in vitro frequently formed tubers or basal tuber-like swellings instead of normal shoots under conditions routinely used for shoot propagation. The tuberization response of ST cuttings under light was dependent on sucrose, the concentration of which had to exceed certain threshold that inversely correlated with irradiance. Gibberellic acid prevented tuberization of ST cuttings, but failed to restore normal shoot phenotype and caused severe malformations. Carbohydrate analysis showed increased levels of both soluble sugars and starch in ST plants, with altered carbohydrate partitioning and metabolism. Comparative proteomic analysis revealed only a few differences between ST- and wild-type plants, primary amongst which seemed to be the absence of an isoform of manganese-stabilizing protein, a key subunit of photosystem II. CONCLUSION: ST mutant exhibits complex developmental and phenotypic modifications, with features that are typical for plants strongly induced to tuberize. These changes are likely to be related to altered regulation of photosynthesis and carbohydrate metabolism rather than impaired transduction of inhibitory gibberellin or photoperiod-based signals. The effect of gibberellins on tuberization of ST mutant suggests that gibberellins inhibit tuberization downstream of the inductive effects of sucrose and other positive factors.

• MeSH
• biomasa MeSH
• DNA bakterií metabolismus   MeSH
• fotoperioda MeSH
• gibereliny farmakologie   MeSH
• hlízy rostlin účinky léků   genetika   metabolismus   účinky záření   MeSH
• inzerční mutageneze MeSH
• listy rostlin účinky léků   metabolismus   účinky záření   MeSH
• metabolismus sacharidů účinky léků   účinky záření   MeSH
• mutace genetika   MeSH
• nekódující RNA genetika   MeSH
• proteom metabolismus   MeSH
• půda MeSH
• regulace genové exprese u rostlin účinky léků   účinky záření   MeSH
• ribozomální DNA genetika   MeSH
• rostlinné geny MeSH
• sacharosa farmakologie   MeSH
• škrob metabolismus   MeSH
• Solanum tuberosum účinky léků   genetika   metabolismus   účinky záření   MeSH
• stonky rostlin účinky léků   metabolismus   účinky záření   MeSH
• světlo MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• práce podpořená grantem MeSH
• Názvy látek
• DNA bakterií MeSH
• gibberellic acid MeSH Prohlížeč
• gibereliny MeSH
• nekódující RNA MeSH
• proteom MeSH
• půda MeSH
• ribozomální DNA MeSH
• sacharosa MeSH
• škrob MeSH
• T-DNA MeSH Prohlížeč

Global warming is pushing populations outside their range of physiological tolerance. According to the environmental envelope framework, the most vulnerable populations occur near the climatic edge of their species' distributions. In contrast, populations from the climatic center of the species range should be relatively buffered against climate warming. We tested this latter prediction using a combination of linear mixed effects and machine learning algorithms on an extensive, citizen-scientist generated dataset on the fruitbody productivity of the Burgundy (aka summer) truffle (Tuber aestivum Vittad.), a keystone, ectomycorrhizal tree-symbiont occurring on a wide range of temperate climates. T. aestivum's fruitbody productivity was monitored at 3-week resolution over up to 8 continuous years at 20 sites distributed in the climatic center of its European distribution in southwest Germany and Switzerland. We found that T. aestivum fruitbody production is more sensitive to summer drought than would be expected from the breadth of its species' climatic niche. The monitored populations occurring nearly 5°C colder than the edge of their species' climatic distribution. However, interannual fruitbody productivity (truffle mass year-1 ) fell by a median loss of 22% for every 1°C increase in summer temperature over a site's 30-year mean. Among the most productive monitored populations, the temperature sensitivity was even higher, with single summer temperature anomalies of 3°C sufficient to stop fruitbody production altogether. Interannual truffle productivity was also related to the phenology of host trees, with ~22 g less truffle mass for each 1-day reduction in the length of the tree growing season. Increasing summer drought extremes are therefore likely to reduce fruiting among summer truffle populations throughout Central Europe. Our results suggest that European T. aestivum may be a mosaic of vulnerable populations, sensitive to climate-driven declines at lower thresholds than implied by its species distribution model.

• Klíčová slova
• climate change, drought extremes, ecological niche, global warming, mycorrhizal fungi, truffles,
• MeSH
• Ascomycota * fyziologie   MeSH
• mykorhiza * fyziologie   MeSH
• roční období MeSH
• stromy MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• Geografické názvy
• Evropa MeSH

Mycorrhizal fungi provide direct and functional interconnection of soil environment with their host plant roots. Colonization of non-host plants have occasionally been described, but its intensity and functional significance in complex plant communities remain generally unknown. Here, the abundance of ectomycorrhizal fungus Tuber aestivum was measured in the roots of host and non-host (non-ectomycorrhizal) plants in a naturally occurring T. aestivum colony using a quantitative PCR approach. The roots of non-host plant species found inside the brûlé area were extensively colonized by T. aestivum mycelium, although the levels were significantly lower than those found in host Carpinus betulus roots. However, fungal biomass concentration in the non-host roots was one to two orders of magnitude higher than that in the surrounding soil. This indicates existence of an important biotic interaction between T. aestivum mycelium and the non-host, mostly herbaceous plants. Roots, either host or non-host, thus probably constitute hot spots of T. aestivum activity in the soil ecosystem with as yet uncovered functional significance.

• MeSH
• břízovité mikrobiologie   MeSH
• kořeny rostlin mikrobiologie   MeSH
• mykorhiza fyziologie   MeSH
• rostliny klasifikace   mikrobiologie   MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• práce podpořená grantem MeSH

Certain potato cultivars are capable of producing anthocyanin pigments in the potato skin and flesh and those pigments have been shown, together with other phytochemicals, to promote good health. Six common anthocyanidins (cyanidin, delphinidin, petunidin, pelargonidin, malvidin and peonidin) were analyzed weekly for 15weeks in red- and purple-fleshed potato cultivars (Red Emma, Königspurpur, Valfi and Blaue de la Mancha) grown in field conditions using a validated LC-(+ESI)MS/MS method. Pelargonidin was the major type detected in red-fleshed cultivars whereas petunidin was the major type detected in the purple ones. Neither cyanidin nor delphinidin were found in any of the cultivars. The anthocyanidin levels observed were as high as 78mg/100g FW during tuber growth; however, fully matured tubers contained only 10-39mg anthocyanidins/100gFW. Anthocyanidin levels were moderately correlated with global solar irradiation (r<0.6252) but not with rainfall or daily temperature.

• Klíčová slova
• Acid hydrolysis, Anthocyanidin, Liquid chromatography mass spectrometry, Malvidin (PubChem CID: 159287), Pelargonidin (PubChem CID: 440832), Peonidin (PubChem CID: 441773), Petunidin (PubChem CID: 73386), Phenylpropanoid, Polyphenol, Potato, Solanum tuberosum, Tuber development,
• MeSH
• anthokyaniny MeSH
• hlízy rostlin MeSH
• Solanum tuberosum * MeSH
• tandemová hmotnostní spektrometrie MeSH
• vysokoúčinná kapalinová chromatografie MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• Názvy látek
• anthokyaniny MeSH

This study aimed to characterize potato varieties for producing potato juice media (PJM) that allow bacterial cellulose (BC) effective and cost-efficient production. The study used 12 edible and 10 starch potato varieties from an accredited company for breeding and seed production. In general, edible varieties produced a 73 % higher PJ yield. Favorable BC yields were obtained using five edible and two starch varieties. Notably, the average BC yields in PJM from three edible varieties (Altesse, Mazur, and Owacja) were above the average BC yield from Hestrin-Schramm (HS) medium (4.3, 4.1, and 3.9 g/L v. 3.69 g/L, respectively); these varieties had relatively high concentrations of glucose (3.3-4.2 g/L), fructose (3.0-4.2 g/L), and sucrose (2.9-4.2 g/L). It was also shown that the macro- and microstructure, crystallinity, and polymerization degree showed no significant differences between PJM-derived BC and HS-BC. As estimated, the cost of PJM required to produce 1 kg of BC is approximately EUR 60. In contrast, the cost of HS medium exceeds 1200 EUR. In conclusion, our research has proven that PJM can significantly reduce the costs (by over tenfold) of the medium for BC biosynthesis, ultimately lowering overall costs of producing this valuable biomaterial.

• Klíčová slova
• Bacterial cellulose, Culture medium, Green technology, Potato juice, Sustainable agricultural production,
• MeSH
• celulosa * chemie   biosyntéza   MeSH
• glukosa metabolismus   MeSH
• hlízy rostlin * chemie   metabolismus   MeSH
• škrob chemie   MeSH
• Solanum tuberosum * chemie   MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• přehledy MeSH
• Názvy látek
• celulosa * MeSH
• glukosa MeSH
• škrob MeSH