Ecologists have extensively studied the photoprotection of the shade-demanding species from high light with one objective being to elucidate photoprotective mechanisms of a typically shade-demanding species Panax notoginseng. In high-light-grown plants irradiated by high light, more electrons are consumed by non-net carboxylative processes that activate the component of nonphotochemical quenching. The present study shows an interesting aspect of photosynthesis and photoprotection in a shade-demanding species.

This study examines the quantitative and qualitative composition of cuticular wax and their relationship with leaf water retention in banana. The role of total cuticular wax content, wax compounds and their relationship with leaf water retention, followed by gene expression analysis are reported. The results shows that both cuticular wax content and composition plays an important role in maintaining leaf water content.

Root traits may enhance drought adaptation in maize. Root system efficiency (RSE) is defined here as a measure of canopy conductance per unit of investment in root biomass. The significant genotypic differences in RSE found in this study allow the design of breeding strategies to exploit this trait.

Salicylic acid (SA) induces plant defences and renders wheat resistant to the fungal pathogen responsible for the powdery mildew disease. It has been delivered here directly inside wheat leaf tissues in order to test its effect on the treated cells. Lipid metabolism is affected to a great extent by such a treatment and is proposed to be, at least in wheat, a useful marker of the induction of defences by SA, as a potential alternative to fungicides.

Yellow Canopy Syndrome is a still undiagnosed condition of sugarcane in Australia, causing significant yield losses. Plants are shown to have decreased photosynthetic activity and an increase in sugar levels in the leaves before yellowing, which is consistent with a disruption of phloem loading of sucrose causing a feedback regulation effect. Understanding the effects yellow canopy syndrome has in the plant is vital for future development of control methods and to reduce yield loss.

Plant diseases affect most plants in the nature and lead to yield losses in agriculture. We identified a plant gene that contributes to the plant susceptibility to pathogens. The inactivation of plant genes that contribute to disease susceptibility might trigger the resistance. This approach might provide novel strategies for disease resistance breeding.

Conifers forms a special secondary xylem, the so-called ‘compression wood’, to lift inclined stems and branches upward. Our in situ assays demonstrated a compression-wood-specific laccase of Chamaecyparis obtusa (Siebold & Zucc.) Endl. were localised to the highly lignified region of the compression wood cell wall (S2L), where laccase activity was also high. These findings suggested the compression-wood-specific laccase is responsible for the S2L lignification.

Leaf hydraulics are increasingly being researched as a driver of overall plant performance and growth. Five Populus genotypes were studied to determine what aspects of leaf anatomy impact function. Calculated water flow through the petiole strongly correlated with gas-exchange measurements, suggesting that petiole structure influences leaf hydraulics.

The aim of this study was to elucidate the molecular mechanisms underlying phosphite (Phi)-induced resistance to Phytophthora capsici. We proposed that Phi-induced reactive oxygen species production, ethylene and abscisic acid (ABA) biosynthesis mediate the control of P. capsici, and ABA functions through CaMPK17-1-mediated MAPK signalling. We showed a novel aspect of Phi in the development of new protection strategies against Phytophthora.