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Upon storage, seeds inevitably age and lose their viability over time, which determines their longevity. Longevity correlates with successful seed germination and enhancing this trait is of fundamental importance for long-term seed storage (germplasm conservation) and crop improvement. Seed longevity is governed by a complex interplay between genetic factors and environmental conditions experienced during seed development and after-ripening that will shape seed physiology. Several factors have been associated with seed ageing such as oxidative stress responses, DNA repair enzymes, and composition of seed layers. Phytohormones, mainly abscisic acid, auxins, and gibberellins, have also emerged as prominent endogenous regulators of seed longevity, and their study has provided new regulators of longevity. Gaining a thorough understanding of how hormonal signalling genes and pathways are integrated with downstream mechanisms related to seed longevity is essential for formulating strategies aimed at preserving seed quality and viability. A relevant aspect related to research in seed longevity is the existence of significant differences between results depending on the seed equilibrium relative humidity conditions used to study seed ageing. Hence, this review delves into the genetic, environmental and experimental factors affecting seed ageing and longevity, with a particular focus on their hormonal regulation. We also provide gene network models underlying hormone signalling aimed to help visualize their integration into seed longevity and ageing. We believe that the format used to present the information bolsters its value as a resource to support seed longevity research for seed conservation and crop improvement.

Seed dormancy governs germination timing, with both evolutionary and applied consequences. Despite extensive studies on the hormonal and genetic control of these processes, molecular mechanisms directly linking dormancy and germination remain poorly understood. By screening a collection of lines overexpressing Arabidopsis transcription factors, we identified ERF50 as a key gene to control dormancy and germination. To study its regulation, we measured seed-related physiological parameters in loss-of-function mutants and carried out transactivation, protein interaction and ChIP-PCR analyses. We found direct ERF50-mediated repression of DOG1 and activation of EXPA2 transcription, which results in enhanced seed germination. Although ERF50 expression is increased by DOG1 in dormant seeds, ERF50 germination-promoting activity is blocked by RGL2. The physiological, genetic and molecular evidence gathered here supports that ERF50 controls germination timing by regulating DOG1 levels to leverage its role as enhancer of seed germination, via RGL2 antagonism on EXPA2 expression. Our results highlight the central role of ERF50 as a feedback regulator to couple and fine-tune seed dormancy and germination.

This article presents a methodological roadmap for identifying tourist-scientific resources in the Algarve. With ten phases, it spans from conceptualization to the classification of scientific domains, aiming to promote tourism in the municipalities of Monchique, Lagos, Aljezur, and Vila do Bispo, both domestically and internationally. The stages include sustainable tourism policy, territorialization, creation of a theoretical model for inventorying cultural resources, tourist experiences/products, destination governance/management, and information collection methods. This roadmap seeks to provide a comprehensive approach to boost tourism in the region, emphasizing its scientific and touristic significance., Este artigo apresenta um roteiro metodológico para identificar recursos turísticocientíficos no Algarve. Com dez fases, abrange desde a conceptualização até a classificação de domínios científicos, visando promover o turismo nos concelhos de Monchique, Lagos, Aljezur e Vila do Bispo, tanto a nível doméstico quanto internacional. As etapas incluem a política de turismo sustentável, territorialização, criação de modelo teórico para inventariação de recursos culturais, experiências/ produtos turísticos, governança/gestão do destino e métodos de recolha de informação. Este roteiro busca oferecer uma abordagem abrangente para impulsionar o turismo na região, destacando sua relevância científica e turística

Osteoporosis is an aging-related disease and a worldwide health issue. Current therapeutics have failed to reduce the prevalence of osteoporosis in the human population, thus the discovery of compounds with bone anabolic properties that could be the basis of next generation drugs is a priority. Marine plants contain a wide range of bioactive compounds and the presence of osteoactive phytochemicals was investigated in two halophytes collected in Brittany (France): the invasive Spartina alterniflora and the native Salicornia fragilis. Two semi-purified fractions, prepared through liquid-liquid extraction, were assessed for phenolic and flavonoid contents, and for the presence of antioxidant, mineralogenic and osteogenic bioactivities. Ethyl acetate fraction (EAF) was rich in phenolic compounds and exhibited the highest antioxidant activity. While S. fragilis EAF only triggered a weak proliferative effect in vitro, S. alterniflora EAF potently induced extracellular matrix mineralization (7-fold at 250 μg/mL). A strong osteogenic effect was also observed in vivo using zebrafish operculum assay (2.5-fold at 10 μg/mL in 9-dpf larvae). Results indicate that polyphenol rich EAF of S. alterniflora has both antioxidant and bone anabolic activities. As an invasive species, this marine plant may represent a sustainable source of molecules for therapeutic applications in bone disorders.

[CA] Aquest treball és una recopilació d¿històries que el meu avi m¿ha contat sobre el seu passat i el seu entorn. Cadascuna de les històries del llibre va acompanyada d¿una il·lustració elaborada mitjançant la tècnica del dibuix expressiu representant la vitalitat de l¿ésser i el seu caràcter. A aquestes històries es dóna a conèixer la forma de vida des de l¿any 1936, data del seu naixement, fins a hui. Mitjançant anècdotes del meu avi i la seua família, podem trobar des d¿històries amb el seu pare i les seues aventures per a sobreviure, fins a moments del meu germà, acompanyat del nostre avi. Cada capítol tracta una època de la seua vida o d¿algun dels seus familiars propers. Així, podem vorer el recorregut de la seua història des d¿abans de nàixer fins ara, als seus 83 anys. El llibre consta d¿un pròleg, huit capítols i una conclusió., [EN] This final grade project is a compilation of stories which were told to me by my grandfather. Those stories are about his past and his surroundings. Each story of the book is accompanied of an illustration which is done by expressive drawing techniques and by the vitality and kind of the being. In these stories, lifestyle from 1936 ,his birth year, is shown til the present day. Trough my grandfather¿s and his family¿s memories, we can see anecdotes of his father¿s surviving adventures (before 1936) until my brother¿s memories with our grandfather. Each chapter deals with a different time of his life or his closest family. Thus, we can see, his historical route before he was born, til now at his 83 years old. The book has a prologue, made by eight chapters and a conclusion.

Plantago lanceolata is a perennial herbaceous plant widely distributed throughout the Mediterranean region. Variation in germination requirements and tolerance to osmotic stress and salinity were tested using seeds from two wild populations. Germination experiments were conducted under controlled conditions at constant (15, 20 and 25ºC) and alternating (20/10 and 25/15ºC) temperatures, and under a 16 h/8 h light/dark photoperiod. Seeds of both populations were non-dormant and incubation temperature significantly affected the final germination percentage and germination rate. Germination percentages ranged from 27 to 85% for the different temperatures and populations. Significant inter-population variation was found for the germination percentages reached at alternate temperature regimes. To determine the effect of osmotic stress and salinity, four polyethylene glycol (PEG 6000: 10, 20, 30 and 40% w/v) and four NaCl concentrations (50, 100, 200 and 300 mmol·L-1) were tested. Seed germination significantly decreased with increasing in PEG and NaCl concentration. Seed germination recovery when they were transferred to distilled water after PEG or salinity treatments was variable depending on population, suggesting that P. lanceolata seeds are moderately tolerant to osmotic and salt stresses at germination stage., Plantago lanceolata es una planta herbácea perenne ampliamente distribuida por toda la región Mediterránea. Se estudió la variación en los requerimientos germinativos y la tolerancia al estrés osmótico y la salinidad de las semillas de dos poblaciones silvestres. Los ensayos de germinación se realizaron en condiciones controladas, a temperaturas constantes (15, 20 y 25 ºC) y alternas (20/10 y 25/15 ºC) y bajo un fotoperiodo de 16 h/8 h luz/oscuridad. Las semillas de ambas poblaciones fueron no durmientes y la temperatura de incubación afectó significativamente al porcentaje final de germinación y a la velocidad de germinación. Los porcentajes de germinación variaron entre un 27 y un 85%, dependiendo de la temperatura y población. Se encontró una variación interpoblacional significativa para los porcentajes de germinación alcanzados a los regimenes de temperaturas alternas. Para determinar el efecto del estrés osmótico y de la salinidad, se ensayaron cuatro concentraciones de polietilenglicol (PEG 6000: 10, 20, 30 y 40% w/v) y de NaCl (50, 100, 200 y 300 mmol L-1). La germinación de las semillas disminuyó significativamente con el incremento de la concentración de PEG y ClNa. La recuperación de la germinación cuando las semillas se transfirieron a agua destilada después de estar bajo los tratamientos de PEG o salinidad fue variable, dependiendo de la población, lo que sugiere que las semillas de P. lanceolata son moderadamente tolerantes a los estreses osmótico y salino en la etapa germinativa.

Aim of study: The purpose was to determine the type of dormancy and the optimal germination conditions of Phillyrea angustifolia (Oleaceae) seeds.Area of study: Germination requirements of P. angustifolia seeds collected from wild plants growing in the province of Ávila (Central Spain) were studied.Materials and methods: Seed water uptake was measured. Seeds with and without an endocarp were germinated at different temperatures, and several treatments were tested.Main results: The lignified endocarp interferes mechanically with the emergence of the radicle, and the treatments that achieved the highest germination percentages were the total removal of the endocarp with pliers (84%) or the immersion in liquid nitrogen for 1 min (97%). Scarification with concentrated sulphuric acid did not significantly increase germination compared to the control seeds, and treatments with dry heat or wet heat were detrimental to seed germination. The optimum temperature for germination was 15 ºC. A pre-sowing treatment of soaking in distilled water for 24 h slightly increased germination speed. Neither cold stratification at 5 ºC nor soaking in a gibberellic acid solution improved seed germination. Research highlights: Phillyrea angustifolia seeds have physiological dormancy – that is, the embryo does not have enough growth potential to overcome the mechanical restriction of the lignified endocarp. The seeds do not exhibit physical dormancy, given their water-permeable lignified endocarp. Our results suggest that the optimum germination protocol for P. angustifolia would be the total removal of the endocarp or immersion in liquid nitrogen for 1 min, followed by immersion in distilled water for 24 h and then seed incubation at 15 ºC in light or darkness.