Andrzej Skoczowski

Bio: Andrzej Skoczowski is an academic researcher from Pedagogical University. The author has contributed to research in topics: Chlorophyll & Photosynthesis. The author has an hindex of 19, co-authored 75 publications receiving 1453 citations. Previous affiliations of Andrzej Skoczowski include Polish Academy of Sciences & Pedagogical University of Kraków.

Salt tolerance of barley induced by the root endophyte Piriformospora indica is associated with a strong increase in antioxidants

Abstract: The root endophytic basidiomycete Piriformospora indica has been shown to increase resistance against biotic stress and tolerance to abiotic stress in many plants. Biochemical mechanisms underlying P. indica-mediated salt tolerance were studied in barley (Hordeum vulgare) with special focus on antioxidants. Physiological markers for salt stress, such as metabolic activity, fatty acid composition, lipid peroxidation, ascorbate concentration and activities of catalase, ascorbate peroxidase, dehydroascorbate reductase, monodehydroascorbate reductase and glutathione reductase enzymes were assessed. Root colonization by P. indica increased plant growth and attenuated the NaCl-induced lipid peroxidation, metabolic heat efflux and fatty acid desaturation in leaves of the salt-sensitive barley cultivar Ingrid. The endophyte significantly elevated the amount of ascorbic acid and increased the activities of antioxidant enzymes in barley roots under salt stress conditions. Likewise, a sustained up-regulation of the antioxidative system was demonstrated in NaCl-treated roots of the salt-tolerant barley cultivar California Mariout, irrespective of plant colonization by P. indica. These findings suggest that antioxidants might play a role in both inherited and endophyte-mediated plant tolerance to salinity.

Mammalian sex hormones in plants

Abstract: The occurrence of mammalian sex hormones and their physiological role in plants is reviewed. These hormones, such as 17beta-estradiol, androsterone, testosterone or progesterone, were present in 60-80% of the plant species investigated. Enzymes responsible for their biosynthesis and conversion were also found in plants. Treatment of the plants with sex hormones or their precursors influenced plant development: cell divisions, root and shoot growth, embryo growth, flowering, pollen tube growth and callus proliferation. The regulatory abilities of mammalian sex hormones in plants makes possible their use in practice, especially in plant in vitro culture.

Protection of winter rape photosystem 2 by 24-epibrassinolide under cadmium stress

Abstract: Seedlings of winter rape were cultured in vitro on media containing 24-epibrassinolide, EBR (100 nM) and cadmium (300 µM). After 14 d of growth, fast fluorescence kinetics of chlorophyll (Chl) a and contents of photosynthetic pigments and Cd in cotyledons were measured. Cd was strongly accumulated but its content in cotyledons was 14.7 % smaller in the presence of EBR. Neither Cd nor EBR influenced the contents of Chl a and b and carotenoids. Cd lowered the specific energy fluxes per excited cross section (CS) of cotyledon. The number of active reaction centres (RC) of photosystem 2 (RC/CS) decreased by about 21.0 % and the transport of photosynthetic electrons (ET0/CS) by about 17.1 %. Simultaneously, under the influence of Cd, the activity of O2 evolving centres (OEC) diminished by about 19.5 % and energy dissipation (DI0/CS) increased by about 14.6 %. In the cotyledons of seedlings grown on media without Cd, EBR induced only a small increase in the activity of most photochemical reactions per CS. However, EBR strongly affected seedlings cultured with cadmium. Specific energy fluxes TR0/CS and ET0/CS of the cotyledons of plants Cd+EBR media were about 10.9 and 20.9 % higher, respectively, than values obtained for plants grown with Cd only. EBR also limited the increase of DI0/CS induced by Cd and simultaneously protected the complex of OEC against a decrease of activity. Hence EBR reduces the toxic effect of Cd on photochemical processes by diminishing the damage of photochemical RCs and OECs as well as maintaining efficient photosynthetic electron transport.

Changes of leaf water potential and gas exchange during and after drought in triticale and maize genotypes differing in drought tolerance

Abstract: Influence of drought (D) on changes of leaf water potential (Ψ) and parameters of gas exchange in D-resistant and D-sensitive genotypes of triticale and maize was compared. Soil D (from −0.01 to −2.45 MPa) was simulated by mannitol solutions. At −0.013 MPa significant differences in Ψ, net photosynthetic rate (P N), transpiration rate (E), stomatal conductance (g s), and internal CO2 concentration (C i) of D-resistant and D-sensitive triticale and maize genotypes were not found. Together with the increase in concentration of the mannitol solution the impact of D on E and g s for D-sensitive genotypes (CHD-12, Ankora) became lower than for the D-resistant ones (CHD-247, Tina). Inversely, impact of D on Ψ was higher in D-sensitive than D-resistant genotypes. From 1 to 3 d of D, a higher decrease in P N was observed in D-resistant genotypes than in the D-sensitive ones. Under prolonged D (5–14 d) and simultaneous more severe D the decrease in P N was lower in D-resistant than in D-sensitive genotypes. Changes in Ψ, P N, E, and g s caused by D in genotypes differing in the drought susceptibility were similar for triticale and maize. Compared to control plants, increase of C i was different for triticale and maize genotypes. Hence one of the physiological reasons of different susceptibility to D between sensitive and resistant genotypes is more efficient protection of tissue water status in resistant genotypes reflected in higher decrease in g s and limiting E compared to the sensitive ones. Other reason, observed in D-resistant genotypes during the recovery from D-stress, was more efficient removal of detrimental effects of D.

Effects of brassinosteroid infiltration prior to cold treatment on ion leakage and pigment contents in rape leaves

Abstract: The effect of 24-epibrassinolide (BR27) on cold resistance of rape seedlings was studied by ion leakage and photosynthetic pigment degradation measurements. Aqueous solutions of BR27 were injected into cotyledons or primary leaves of rape plants and these plants were incubated at 2 °C or 20 °C. Cold treatment (2 °C) without BR27 injection elevated the membrane permeability in both primary leaves and cotyledons significantly. Surprisingly, injection of leaves with water or 0.467 % aqueous ethanol solution led to a massive increase in membrane permeability after cold stress at 2 °C. The synergistic effect of leaf infiltration and cold on permeability was abolished by 0.05 and 1.00 µM of BR27 in primary leaves and by 1.00 µM of BR27 in cotyledons. On the other hand, BR27 solutions strongly elevated the membrane permeability at 20 °C, while water and ethanol solutions brought about only negligible increases. Water or ethanol infiltrations strongly reduced the leaf contents of chlorophyll (Chl) a, Chl b and carotenoids at 2 °C but less markedly at 20 °C. However, in seedlings exposed to 2 °C pigments content was significantly higher in BR27-treated leaves as compared to water/ethanol control. There were no differences between pigment contents of leaves injected with BR27 solutions or only water/ethanol at 20 °C. The above data strongly support the stress protecting effect of BR27.

Fungal endophytes: diversity and functional roles.

Abstract: Summary 1 Summary All plants in natural ecosystems appear to be symbiotic with fungal endophytes. This highly diverse group of fungi can have profound impacts on plant communities through increasing fitness by conferring abiotic and biotic stress tolerance, increasing biomass and decreasing water consumption, or decreasing fitness by altering resource allocation. Despite more than 100 yr of research resulting in thousands of journal articles, the ecological significance of these fungi remains poorly characterized. Historically, two endophytic groups (clavicipitaceous (C) and nonclavicipitaceous (NC)) have been discriminated based on phylogeny and life history traits. Here, we show that NC-endophytes represent three distinct functional groups based on host colonization and transmission, in planta biodiversity and fitness benefits conferred to hosts. Using this framework, we contrast the life histories, interactions with hosts and potential roles in plant ecophysiology of C- and NC-endophytes, and highlight several key questions for future work in endophyte biology.

The Hidden World within Plants: Ecological and Evolutionary Considerations for Defining Functioning of Microbial Endophytes

Abstract: All plants are inhabited internally by diverse microbial communities comprising bacterial, archaeal, fungal, and protistic taxa. These microorganisms showing endophytic lifestyles play crucial roles in plant development, growth, fitness, and diversification. The increasing awareness of and information on endophytes provide insight into the complexity of the plant microbiome. The nature of plant-endophyte interactions ranges from mutualism to pathogenicity. This depends on a set of abiotic and biotic factors, including the genotypes of plants and microbes, environmental conditions, and the dynamic network of interactions within the plant biome. In this review, we address the concept of endophytism, considering the latest insights into evolution, plant ecosystem functioning, and multipartite interactions.

Induced Systemic Resistance and Plant Responses to Fungal Biocontrol Agents

Abstract: Biocontrol fungi (BCF) are agents that control plant diseases. These include the well-known Trichoderma spp. and the recently described Sebacinales spp. They have the ability to control numerous foliar, root, and fruit pathogens and even invertebrates such as nematodes. However, this is only a subset of their abilities. We now know that they also have the ability to ameliorate a wide range of abiotic stresses, and some of them can also alleviate physiological stresses such as seed aging. They can also enhance nutrient uptake in plants and can substantially increase nitrogen use efficiency in crops. These abilities may be more important to agriculture than disease control. Some strains also have abilities to improve photosynthetic efficiency and probably respiratory activities of plants. All of these capabilities are a consequence of their abilities to reprogram plant gene expression, probably through activation of a limited number of general plant pathways.

Introduction To Robust Estimation And Hypothesis Testing

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