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Dr. Valerio Cirillo
Department of Agricultural Science, University of Napoli Federico II, Portici, 80055 Naples, Italy

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0 Plant Nutrition
0 Salt stress
0 Abiotic Stresses
0 Halophytes
0 Plant resilience

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Abiotic Stresses
Plant Nutrition
Halophytes

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Journal article
Published: 09 June 2021 in Plants
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Lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.) is a winter-spring leafy vegetable, but the high demand for fresh products available year-round requires off-season production. However, the warm climate of the Mediterranean areas can impair the summer production of lettuce, thus requiring the adoption of genotypes tolerant to high irradiance as well as useful agronomic strategies like shading net installations. The aim of our research was to assess the leaf morpho-physiological and anatomical changes, in addition to productive responses, of four lettuce cultivars (‘Ballerina’, ‘Maravilla De Verano Canasta’, ‘Opalix’, and ‘Integral’) grown under shading and non-shading conditions to unveil the adaptive mechanisms of this crop in response to sub-optimal microclimate (high irradiance and temperature) in a protected environment. Growth and yield parameters, leaf gas exchanges, chlorophyll fluorescence and morpho-anatomical leaf traits (i.e., leaf mass area, stomatal density and epidermal cell density) were determined. Under shading conditions, the fresh yields of the cultivars ‘Ballerina’, ‘Opalix’ (‘Oak leaf’) and ‘Integral’ (‘Romaine’) increased by 16.0%, 26.9% and 13.2% respectively, compared to non-shading conditions while both abaxial and adaxial stomatal density decreased. In contrast, ‘Canasta’ under non-shading conditions increased fresh yield, dry biomass and instantaneous water use efficiency by 9.6%, 18.0% and 15.7%, respectively, while reduced abaxial stomatal density by 30.4%, compared to shading conditions. Regardless of cultivar, the unshaded treatment increased the leaf mass area by 19.5%. Even though high light intensity and high temperature are critical limiting factors for summer lettuce cultivation in a protected environment, ‘Canasta’ showed the most effective adaptive mechanisms and had the best production performance under sub-optimal microclimatic conditions. However, greenhouse coverage with a white shading net (49% screening) proved to be a suitable agricultural practice that ensured an adequate microclimate for the off-season growth of more sensitive cultivars ‘Ballerina’, ‘Oak leaf’ and ‘Romaine’.

ACS Style

Luigi Formisano; Michele Ciriello; Valerio Cirillo; Antonio Pannico; Christophe El-Nakhel; Francesco Cristofano; Luigi Duri; Maria Giordano; Youssef Rouphael; Stefania De Pascale. Divergent Leaf Morpho-Physiological and Anatomical Adaptations of Four Lettuce Cultivars in Response to Different Greenhouse Irradiance Levels in Early Summer Season. Plants 2021, 10, 1179 .

AMA Style

Luigi Formisano, Michele Ciriello, Valerio Cirillo, Antonio Pannico, Christophe El-Nakhel, Francesco Cristofano, Luigi Duri, Maria Giordano, Youssef Rouphael, Stefania De Pascale. Divergent Leaf Morpho-Physiological and Anatomical Adaptations of Four Lettuce Cultivars in Response to Different Greenhouse Irradiance Levels in Early Summer Season. Plants. 2021; 10 (6):1179.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Luigi Formisano; Michele Ciriello; Valerio Cirillo; Antonio Pannico; Christophe El-Nakhel; Francesco Cristofano; Luigi Duri; Maria Giordano; Youssef Rouphael; Stefania De Pascale. 2021. "Divergent Leaf Morpho-Physiological and Anatomical Adaptations of Four Lettuce Cultivars in Response to Different Greenhouse Irradiance Levels in Early Summer Season." Plants 10, no. 6: 1179.

Journal article
Published: 21 May 2021 in Plants
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Biostimulants have rapidly and widely been adopted as growth enhancers and stress protectants in agriculture, however, due to the complex nature of these products, their mechanism of action is not clearly understood. By using two algal based commercial biostimulants in combination with the Solanum lycopersicum cv. MicroTom model system, we assessed how the modulation of nitrogen metabolites and potassium levels could contribute to mediate physiological mechanisms that are known to occur in response to salt/and or osmotic stress. Here we provide evidence that the reshaping of amino acid metabolism can work as a functional effector, coordinating ion homeostasis, osmotic adjustment and scavenging of reactive oxygen species under increased osmotic stress in MicroTom plant cells. The Superfifty biostimulant is responsible for a minor amino acid rich-phenotype and could represent an interesting instrument to untangle nitrogen metabolism dynamics in response to salinity and/or osmotic stress.

ACS Style

Emilia Dell’Aversana; Valerio Cirillo; Michael Van Oosten; Emilio Di Stasio; Katya Saiano; Pasqualina Woodrow; Loredana Ciarmiello; Albino Maggio; Petronia Carillo. Ascophyllum nodosum Based Extracts Counteract Salinity Stress in Tomato by Remodeling Leaf Nitrogen Metabolism. Plants 2021, 10, 1044 .

AMA Style

Emilia Dell’Aversana, Valerio Cirillo, Michael Van Oosten, Emilio Di Stasio, Katya Saiano, Pasqualina Woodrow, Loredana Ciarmiello, Albino Maggio, Petronia Carillo. Ascophyllum nodosum Based Extracts Counteract Salinity Stress in Tomato by Remodeling Leaf Nitrogen Metabolism. Plants. 2021; 10 (6):1044.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Emilia Dell’Aversana; Valerio Cirillo; Michael Van Oosten; Emilio Di Stasio; Katya Saiano; Pasqualina Woodrow; Loredana Ciarmiello; Albino Maggio; Petronia Carillo. 2021. "Ascophyllum nodosum Based Extracts Counteract Salinity Stress in Tomato by Remodeling Leaf Nitrogen Metabolism." Plants 10, no. 6: 1044.

Journal article
Published: 16 April 2021 in Plants
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Abiotic stresses adversely affect crop production causing yield reductions in important crops, including tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.). Among the different abiotic stresses, drought is considered to be the most critical one, since limited water availability negatively impacts plant growth and development, especially in arid and semi-arid areas. The aim of this study was to understand how biostimulants may interact with critical physiological response mechanisms in tomato under limited water availability and to define strategies to improve tomato performances under drought stress. We investigated the physiological responses of the tomato genotype ‘E42’ grown in open fields under optimal conditions (100% irrigation) and limited water availability (50% irrigation) treated or not with a novel protein hydrolysate-based biostimulant (CycoFlow, Agriges, BN, Italy). Plants treated with the protein hydrolysate showed a better water status and pollen viability, which also resulted in higher yield under drought stress compared to untreated plants. The treatment with the biostimulant had also an effect on antioxidant contents and activity in leaves and fruits depending on the level of irrigation provided. Altogether, these results indicate that the application of protein hydrolysates on tomato improved plant performances under limited water availability and in different experimental fields.

ACS Style

Silvana Francesca; Valerio Cirillo; Giampaolo Raimondi; Albino Maggio; Amalia Barone; Maria Rigano. A Novel Protein Hydrolysate-Based Biostimulant Improves Tomato Performances under Drought Stress. Plants 2021, 10, 783 .

AMA Style

Silvana Francesca, Valerio Cirillo, Giampaolo Raimondi, Albino Maggio, Amalia Barone, Maria Rigano. A Novel Protein Hydrolysate-Based Biostimulant Improves Tomato Performances under Drought Stress. Plants. 2021; 10 (4):783.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Silvana Francesca; Valerio Cirillo; Giampaolo Raimondi; Albino Maggio; Amalia Barone; Maria Rigano. 2021. "A Novel Protein Hydrolysate-Based Biostimulant Improves Tomato Performances under Drought Stress." Plants 10, no. 4: 783.

Review
Published: 25 March 2021 in Chemical and Biological Technologies in Agriculture
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Weeds are amongst the most impacting abiotic factors in agriculture, causing important yield loss worldwide. Integrated Weed Management coupled with the use of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (drones), allows for Site-Specific Weed Management, which is a highly efficient methodology as well as beneficial to the environment. The identification of weed patches in a cultivated field can be achieved by combining image acquisition by drones and further processing by machine learning techniques. Specific algorithms can be trained to manage weeds removal by Autonomous Weeding Robot systems via herbicide spray or mechanical procedures. However, scientific and technical understanding of the specific goals and available technology is necessary to rapidly advance in this field. In this review, we provide an overview of precision weed control with a focus on the potential and practical use of the most advanced sensors available in the market. Much effort is needed to fully understand weed population dynamics and their competition with crops so as to implement this approach in real agricultural contexts.

ACS Style

Marco Esposito; Mariano Crimaldi; Valerio Cirillo; Fabrizio Sarghini; Albino Maggio. Drone and sensor technology for sustainable weed management: a review. Chemical and Biological Technologies in Agriculture 2021, 8, 1 -11.

AMA Style

Marco Esposito, Mariano Crimaldi, Valerio Cirillo, Fabrizio Sarghini, Albino Maggio. Drone and sensor technology for sustainable weed management: a review. Chemical and Biological Technologies in Agriculture. 2021; 8 (1):1-11.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Marco Esposito; Mariano Crimaldi; Valerio Cirillo; Fabrizio Sarghini; Albino Maggio. 2021. "Drone and sensor technology for sustainable weed management: a review." Chemical and Biological Technologies in Agriculture 8, no. 1: 1-11.

Journal article
Published: 15 March 2021 in Environmental and Experimental Botany
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Vapor Pressure Deficit (VPD) influences plant photosynthesis and the hydraulic behaviour associated with stomata regulation. However, it is not clear whether and how changes in leaf morpho-anatomical traits drive photosynthetic acclimation to VPD. Here, we examined the role of leaf anatomy in the eco-physiological responses of Vigna radiata L. to VPD changes in controlled environment. Plants were grown under two VPD levels (high-VPD, HV; low-VPD, LV) and then transferred to the opposite conditions (high-to-low, HLV; low-to-high, LHV). We hypothesised that growth under different VPDs may determine anatomical changes that could affect plant physiological plasticity to VPD variations. HV plant growth (height, leaf area, number of leaves) and gas-exchange (net-photosynthesis, stomatal conductance, water use efficiency) were reduced in a range of 16–47 % compared to LV. This was mostly attributed to reduction in stomatal and vein density and lower stomatal conductance. After transferring these plants to a more favourable environment (HLV), they showed unchanged photosynthesis and conductance while LHV plants reduced their gas-exchange rates to control water loss under high evaporative demand. Morpho-anatomical traits (high density and smaller stomata, higher vein density) in LHV plants showed higher physiological plasticity. Therefore, physiological plasticity induced by anatomical traits should be considered when evaluating how plants would cope with environmental changes in a climate change scenario.

ACS Style

Chiara Amitrano; Carmen Arena; Valerio Cirillo; Stefania De Pascale; Veronica De Micco. Leaf morpho-anatomical traits in Vigna radiata L. affect plant photosynthetic acclimation to changing vapor pressure deficit. Environmental and Experimental Botany 2021, 186, 104453 .

AMA Style

Chiara Amitrano, Carmen Arena, Valerio Cirillo, Stefania De Pascale, Veronica De Micco. Leaf morpho-anatomical traits in Vigna radiata L. affect plant photosynthetic acclimation to changing vapor pressure deficit. Environmental and Experimental Botany. 2021; 186 ():104453.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Chiara Amitrano; Carmen Arena; Valerio Cirillo; Stefania De Pascale; Veronica De Micco. 2021. "Leaf morpho-anatomical traits in Vigna radiata L. affect plant photosynthetic acclimation to changing vapor pressure deficit." Environmental and Experimental Botany 186, no. : 104453.

Journal article
Published: 20 February 2021 in Agronomy
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Biostimulants hold great potential for developing integrated sustainable agriculture systems. The rhizobacteria Azotobacter chroococcum strain 76A and the fungus Trichoderma harzianum strain T22, with demonstrated biostimulant activity in previous systems, were evaluated in Triticum durum cv Creso for their ability to enhance growth and tolerance to drought stress. Growth and drought tolerance were evaluated in conditions of low and high soil nitrogen, with two levels of water stress. T. harzianum increased plant growth (+16%) under control conditions and tolerance to moderate drought stress (+52%) under optimal fertilization, while A. chroococcum conferred a growth penalty (−28%) in well-watered conditions under suboptimal fertilization and increased tolerance only under extreme drought stress (+15%). This growth penalty was ameliorated by nitrogen fertilization. T. harzianum abundance was found to be positively correlated to extreme soil drying, whereas A. chroococcum-induced tolerance was dependent on soil nitrogen availability. These results indicate that while biostimulants may enhance growth and stress tolerance, nutrient availability soil and environmental conditions heavily influence these responses. These interactions should be considered when designing biostimulant products targeted to specific cultural conditions.

ACS Style

Silvia Silletti; Emilio Di Stasio; Michael Van Oosten; Valeria Ventorino; Olimpia Pepe; Mauro Napolitano; Roberta Marra; Sheridan Woo; Valerio Cirillo; Albino Maggio. Biostimulant Activity of Azotobacter chroococcum and Trichoderma harzianum in Durum Wheat under Water and Nitrogen Deficiency. Agronomy 2021, 11, 380 .

AMA Style

Silvia Silletti, Emilio Di Stasio, Michael Van Oosten, Valeria Ventorino, Olimpia Pepe, Mauro Napolitano, Roberta Marra, Sheridan Woo, Valerio Cirillo, Albino Maggio. Biostimulant Activity of Azotobacter chroococcum and Trichoderma harzianum in Durum Wheat under Water and Nitrogen Deficiency. Agronomy. 2021; 11 (2):380.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Silvia Silletti; Emilio Di Stasio; Michael Van Oosten; Valeria Ventorino; Olimpia Pepe; Mauro Napolitano; Roberta Marra; Sheridan Woo; Valerio Cirillo; Albino Maggio. 2021. "Biostimulant Activity of Azotobacter chroococcum and Trichoderma harzianum in Durum Wheat under Water and Nitrogen Deficiency." Agronomy 11, no. 2: 380.

Journal article
Published: 10 February 2021 in Biology
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Abiotic stresses will be one of the major challenges for worldwide food supply in the near future. Therefore, it is important to understand the physiological mechanisms that mediate plant responses to abiotic stresses. When subjected to UV, salinity or drought stress, plants accumulate specialized metabolites that are often correlated with their ability to cope with the stress. Among them, anthocyanins are the most studied intermediates of the phenylpropanoid pathway. However, their role in plant response to abiotic stresses is still under discussion. To better understand the effects of anthocyanins on plant physiology and morphogenesis, and their implications on drought stress tolerance, we used transgenic tobacco plants (AN1), which over-accumulated anthocyanins in all tissues. AN1 plants showed an altered phenotype in terms of leaf gas exchanges, leaf morphology, anatomy and metabolic profile, which conferred them with a higher drought tolerance compared to the wild-type plants. These results provide important insights for understanding the functional reason for anthocyanin accumulation in plants under stress.

ACS Style

Valerio Cirillo; Vincenzo D’Amelia; Marco Esposito; Chiara Amitrano; Petronia Carillo; Domenico Carputo; Albino Maggio. Anthocyanins Are Key Regulators of Drought Stress Tolerance in Tobacco. Biology 2021, 10, 139 .

AMA Style

Valerio Cirillo, Vincenzo D’Amelia, Marco Esposito, Chiara Amitrano, Petronia Carillo, Domenico Carputo, Albino Maggio. Anthocyanins Are Key Regulators of Drought Stress Tolerance in Tobacco. Biology. 2021; 10 (2):139.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Valerio Cirillo; Vincenzo D’Amelia; Marco Esposito; Chiara Amitrano; Petronia Carillo; Domenico Carputo; Albino Maggio. 2021. "Anthocyanins Are Key Regulators of Drought Stress Tolerance in Tobacco." Biology 10, no. 2: 139.

Journal article
Published: 13 October 2020 in Agronomy
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Salinization of agricultural land is an expanding phenomenon, which requires a multi-level strategy to counteract its deleterious effects on crop yield and quality. Plant biostimulants are increasingly used in agriculture with multiple purposes, including protection against abiotic stresses such as drought and salinity. The complex nature of plant biostimulants, however, makes it difficult to establish a cause–effect relationship between the composition of the commercial product and its expected effects. Here, we demonstrate that field applications of two algal derivatives (Rygex, R and Super Fifty, SU) cause a 26% reduction in shoot biomass and a remodulation of the root-to-shoot ratio under moderately saline irrigation (6.3 dS m−1). Moreover, plants treated with the two algal derivatives showed lower leaf water potential and improved water use efficiency under control conditions, suggesting an osmo-priming effect by these two products. These pre-adaptation responses increased tomato yield by 49% (R) and 70% (SU) regardless of the salinity level, with a remarkable reallocation of the biomass toward the fruits. Overall, our results suggest that the application of these two biostimulants can be useful in the open field to protect tomato plants from osmotic stress due to seasonal salinization, a phenomenon that typically occurs in arid and semi-arid environments.

ACS Style

Emilio Di Stasio; Valerio Cirillo; Giampaolo Raimondi; Maria Giordano; Marco Esposito; Albino Maggio. Osmo-Priming with Seaweed Extracts Enhances Yield of Salt-Stressed Tomato Plants. Agronomy 2020, 10, 1559 .

AMA Style

Emilio Di Stasio, Valerio Cirillo, Giampaolo Raimondi, Maria Giordano, Marco Esposito, Albino Maggio. Osmo-Priming with Seaweed Extracts Enhances Yield of Salt-Stressed Tomato Plants. Agronomy. 2020; 10 (10):1559.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Emilio Di Stasio; Valerio Cirillo; Giampaolo Raimondi; Maria Giordano; Marco Esposito; Albino Maggio. 2020. "Osmo-Priming with Seaweed Extracts Enhances Yield of Salt-Stressed Tomato Plants." Agronomy 10, no. 10: 1559.

Journal article
Published: 25 June 2020 in Plants
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Salt stress is one of the most impactful abiotic stresses that plants must cope with. Plants’ ability to tolerate salt stress relies on multiple mechanisms, which are associated with biomass and yield reductions. Sweet pepper is a salt-sensitive crop that in Mediterranean regions can be exposed to salt build-up in the root zone due to irrigation. Understanding the physiological mechanisms that plants activate to adapt to soil salinization is essential to develop breeding programs and agricultural practices that counteract this phenomenon and ultimately minimize yield reductions. With this aim, the physiological and productive performances of Quadrato D’Asti, a common commercial sweet pepper cultivar in Italy, and Cazzone Giallo, a landrace of the Campania region (Italy), were compared under different salt stress treatments. Quadrato D’Asti had higher tolerance to salt stress when compared to Cazzone Giallo in terms of yield, which was associated with higher leaf biomass vs. fruit ratio in the former. Ion accumulation and profiling between the two genoptypes revealed that Quadrato D’Asti was more efficient at excluding chloride from green tissues, allowing the maintenance of photosystem functionality under stress. In contrast, Cazzone Giallo seemed to compartmentalize most sodium in the stem. While sodium accumulation in the stems has been shown to protect shoots from sodium toxicity, in pepper and/or in the specific experimental conditions imposed, this strategy was less efficient than chloride exclusion for salt stress tolerance.

ACS Style

Pasquale Giorio; Valerio Cirillo; Martina Caramante; Marco Oliva; Gianpiero Guida; Accursio Venezia; Stefania Grillo; Albino Maggio; Rossella Albrizio. Physiological Basis of Salt Stress Tolerance in a Landrace and a Commercial Variety of Sweet Pepper (Capsicum annuum L.). Plants 2020, 9, 795 .

AMA Style

Pasquale Giorio, Valerio Cirillo, Martina Caramante, Marco Oliva, Gianpiero Guida, Accursio Venezia, Stefania Grillo, Albino Maggio, Rossella Albrizio. Physiological Basis of Salt Stress Tolerance in a Landrace and a Commercial Variety of Sweet Pepper (Capsicum annuum L.). Plants. 2020; 9 (6):795.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Pasquale Giorio; Valerio Cirillo; Martina Caramante; Marco Oliva; Gianpiero Guida; Accursio Venezia; Stefania Grillo; Albino Maggio; Rossella Albrizio. 2020. "Physiological Basis of Salt Stress Tolerance in a Landrace and a Commercial Variety of Sweet Pepper (Capsicum annuum L.)." Plants 9, no. 6: 795.

Journal article
Published: 17 February 2020 in Plants
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Salinization of agricultural land is a devastating phenomenon which will affect future food security. Understanding how plants survive and thrive in response to salinity is therefore critical to potentiate tolerance traits in crop species. The halophyte Salicornia europaea has been used as model system for this purpose. High salinity causes NH4+ accumulation in plant tissues and consequent toxicity symptoms that may further exacerbate those caused by NaCl. In this experiment we exposed Salicornia plants to five concentrations of NaCl (0, 1, 10, 50 and 200 mM) in combination with two concentrations of NH4Cl (1 and 50 mM). We confirmed the euhalophytic behavior of Salicornia that grew better at 200 vs. 0 mM NaCl in terms of both fresh (+34%) and dry (+46%) weights. Addition of 50 mM NH4Cl to the growth medium caused a general growth reduction, which was likely caused by NH4+ accumulation and toxicity in roots and shoots. When plants were exposed to high NH4Cl, high salinity reduced roots NH4+ concentration (−50%) compared to 0 mM NaCl. This correlates with the activation of the NH4+ assimilation enzymes, glutamine synthetase and glutamate dehydrogenase, and the growth inhibition was partially recovered. We argue that NH4+ detoxification is an important trait under high salinity that may differentiate halophytes from glycophytes and we present a possible model for NH4+ detoxification in response to salinity.

ACS Style

Jinbiao Ma; Valerio Cirillo; Dayong Zhang; Albino Maggio; Lei Wang; Xinlong Xiao; Yinan Yao. Regulation of Ammonium Cellular Levels is An Important Adaptive Trait for the Euhalophytic Behavior of Salicornia europaea. Plants 2020, 9, 257 .

AMA Style

Jinbiao Ma, Valerio Cirillo, Dayong Zhang, Albino Maggio, Lei Wang, Xinlong Xiao, Yinan Yao. Regulation of Ammonium Cellular Levels is An Important Adaptive Trait for the Euhalophytic Behavior of Salicornia europaea. Plants. 2020; 9 (2):257.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Jinbiao Ma; Valerio Cirillo; Dayong Zhang; Albino Maggio; Lei Wang; Xinlong Xiao; Yinan Yao. 2020. "Regulation of Ammonium Cellular Levels is An Important Adaptive Trait for the Euhalophytic Behavior of Salicornia europaea." Plants 9, no. 2: 257.

Journal article
Published: 01 February 2020 in Agronomy
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The current research elucidated the agronomical, physiological, qualitative characteristics and mineral composition of lettuce (Lactuca sativa L. var. longifolia) after treatments with a beneficial fungus Trichoderma virens (TG41) alone or in combination with a vegetal biopolymer-based biostimulant (VBP; ‘Quik-link’). The experiment consisted of lettuce plants grown in three N conditions: sub-optimal (0N kg ha−1), optimal (70N kg ha−1), and supra-optimal (140N kg ha−1) N levels. Lettuce grown under 0N fertilization showed a significant increase in fresh yield when inoculated with TG41 alone (45%) and a greater increase with TG41 + VBP biostimulant (67%). At 48 days after transplanting, both the TG41 alone or TG41+VBP biostimulant induced higher values of CO2 assimilation in comparison to the control. The mineral concentrations in leaf tissues were greater by 10% for K and 12% for Mg with the TG41+VBP treatments compared to the untreated lettuce. The lettuce plants receiving either TG41 alone or TG41+VBP biostimulants had a significantly lower nitrate content than any of the untreated controls. In non-fertilized conditions, plants treated with TG41+VBP biostimulants produced lettuce of higher premium quality as indicated by the higher antioxidant activity, total ascorbic acid (+61%–91%), total phenols (+14%) and lower nitrate content when compared to the untreated lettuce.

ACS Style

Youssef Rouphael; Petronia Carillo; Giuseppe Colla; Nunzio Fiorentino; Leo Sabatino; Christophe El-Nakhel; Maria Giordano; Antonio Pannico; Valerio Cirillo; Edris Shabani; Eugenio Cozzolino; Nadia Lombardi; Mauro Napolitano; Sheridan L. Woo. Appraisal of Combined Applications of Trichoderma virens and a Biopolymer-Based Biostimulant on Lettuce Agronomical, Physiological, and Qualitative Properties under Variable N Regimes. Agronomy 2020, 10, 196 .

AMA Style

Youssef Rouphael, Petronia Carillo, Giuseppe Colla, Nunzio Fiorentino, Leo Sabatino, Christophe El-Nakhel, Maria Giordano, Antonio Pannico, Valerio Cirillo, Edris Shabani, Eugenio Cozzolino, Nadia Lombardi, Mauro Napolitano, Sheridan L. Woo. Appraisal of Combined Applications of Trichoderma virens and a Biopolymer-Based Biostimulant on Lettuce Agronomical, Physiological, and Qualitative Properties under Variable N Regimes. Agronomy. 2020; 10 (2):196.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Youssef Rouphael; Petronia Carillo; Giuseppe Colla; Nunzio Fiorentino; Leo Sabatino; Christophe El-Nakhel; Maria Giordano; Antonio Pannico; Valerio Cirillo; Edris Shabani; Eugenio Cozzolino; Nadia Lombardi; Mauro Napolitano; Sheridan L. Woo. 2020. "Appraisal of Combined Applications of Trichoderma virens and a Biopolymer-Based Biostimulant on Lettuce Agronomical, Physiological, and Qualitative Properties under Variable N Regimes." Agronomy 10, no. 2: 196.

Original research article
Published: 04 December 2019 in Frontiers in Plant Science
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Omeprazole is a selective proton pump inhibitor in humans that inhibits the H+/K+-ATPase of gastric parietal cells. Omeprazole has been recently shown to act as a plant growth regulator and enhancer of salt stress tolerance. Here, we report that omeprazole treatment in hydroponically grown maize improves nitrogen uptake and assimilation. The presence of micromolar concentrations of omeprazole in the nutrient solution alleviates the chlorosis and growth inhibition induced by low nitrogen availability. Nitrate uptake and assimilation is enhanced in omeprazole treated plants through changes in nitrate reductase activity, primary metabolism, and gene expression. Omeprazole enhances nitrate assimilation through an interaction with nitrate reductase, altering its activation state and affinity for nitrate as a substrate. Omeprazole and its targets represent a novel method for enhancing nitrogen use efficiency in plants.

ACS Style

Michael James Van Oosten; Emilia Dell’Aversana; Alessandra Ruggiero; Valerio Cirillo; Yves Gibon; Pasqualina Woodrow; Albino Maggio; Petronia Carillo. Omeprazole Treatment Enhances Nitrogen Use Efficiency Through Increased Nitrogen Uptake and Assimilation in Corn. Frontiers in Plant Science 2019, 10, 1507 .

AMA Style

Michael James Van Oosten, Emilia Dell’Aversana, Alessandra Ruggiero, Valerio Cirillo, Yves Gibon, Pasqualina Woodrow, Albino Maggio, Petronia Carillo. Omeprazole Treatment Enhances Nitrogen Use Efficiency Through Increased Nitrogen Uptake and Assimilation in Corn. Frontiers in Plant Science. 2019; 10 ():1507.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Michael James Van Oosten; Emilia Dell’Aversana; Alessandra Ruggiero; Valerio Cirillo; Yves Gibon; Pasqualina Woodrow; Albino Maggio; Petronia Carillo. 2019. "Omeprazole Treatment Enhances Nitrogen Use Efficiency Through Increased Nitrogen Uptake and Assimilation in Corn." Frontiers in Plant Science 10, no. : 1507.

Research article
Published: 13 February 2019 in Annals of Applied Biology
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Omeprazole (OP) has been shown to act as a plant growth regulator and enhances tolerance to salt stress. In this study, two Ocimum basilicum genotypes were tested for their responses to OP under salt stress. The two genotypes, Napoletano (NAP) a salt sensitive genotype, and Genovese (GEN) a salt tolerant genotype, had contrasting responses to OP treatment. NAP demonstrated increases in terms of growth (+36%) and salt tolerance (+19%) upon treatment while GEN had a growth increase (+35%) and OP enhanced sensitivity to salt stress (−13%). OP treatment also had an effect on the post‐harvest behaviour of these two genotypes by increasing NAP shelf life while decreasing GEN shelf life. The contrasting responses to OP in these two genotypes has provided insight into the role of this molecule in mediating growth and adaptation to stress and, more importantly, into the complexity of the mechanisms mediating these processes.

ACS Style

Valerio Cirillo; Michael J. Van Oosten; Miriam Izzo; Albino Maggio. Omeprazole treatment elicits contrasting responses to salt stress in two basil genotypes. Annals of Applied Biology 2019, 174, 329 -338.

AMA Style

Valerio Cirillo, Michael J. Van Oosten, Miriam Izzo, Albino Maggio. Omeprazole treatment elicits contrasting responses to salt stress in two basil genotypes. Annals of Applied Biology. 2019; 174 (3):329-338.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Valerio Cirillo; Michael J. Van Oosten; Miriam Izzo; Albino Maggio. 2019. "Omeprazole treatment elicits contrasting responses to salt stress in two basil genotypes." Annals of Applied Biology 174, no. 3: 329-338.

Journal article
Published: 26 January 2019 in Scientia Horticulturae
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Natural or synthetic small molecules (<500 Da), bioactive at very low concentrations, can potentially increase plant tolerance and resilience to abiotic stresses and improve the resources use efficiency (RUE) of a wide range of crops. Hence, they represent a promising tool in coping with the increasing global food demand imposed by climate change. In this study, the responses of butterhead lettuce (cv. Trocadero) treated with omeprazole (OMP), a benzimidazole inhibitor of animal proton pumps, were studied. OMP was applied as substrate drench at five rates (0, 10, 50, 100 or 200 μM) on lettuce plants grown under nonsaline or saline conditions of 1 or 30 mM NaCl. Increasing NaCl concentration decreased lettuce fresh and dry biomass by 37% and 25% in the 0 μM OMP treatment, respectively; whereas these reductions were mitigated by the 10 μM (12% and 19%, respectively) and 50 μM (15% and 14%, respectively) OMP application. Though OMP was not directly involved in ion homeostasis and K+/Na+ ratio regulation, treatment with 10 μM OMP under saline conditions decreased Na+ in leaves and Cl− in leaves and roots while increasing NO3− concentration in both organs. The synthesis of nitrogenous osmolytes may be implicated in increasing salt tolerance and the sustenance of transpiration and photosynthesis. Under nonsaline conditions, OMP increased root biomass, improving nutrient and water uptake, and therefore RUE.

ACS Style

Petronia Carillo; Giampaolo Raimondi; Marios Kyriacou; Antonio Pannico; Christophe El-Nakhel; Valerio Cirillo; Giuseppe Colla; Stefania De Pascale; Youssef Rouphael. Morpho-physiological and homeostatic adaptive responses triggered by omeprazole enhance lettuce tolerance to salt stress. Scientia Horticulturae 2019, 249, 22 -30.

AMA Style

Petronia Carillo, Giampaolo Raimondi, Marios Kyriacou, Antonio Pannico, Christophe El-Nakhel, Valerio Cirillo, Giuseppe Colla, Stefania De Pascale, Youssef Rouphael. Morpho-physiological and homeostatic adaptive responses triggered by omeprazole enhance lettuce tolerance to salt stress. Scientia Horticulturae. 2019; 249 ():22-30.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Petronia Carillo; Giampaolo Raimondi; Marios Kyriacou; Antonio Pannico; Christophe El-Nakhel; Valerio Cirillo; Giuseppe Colla; Stefania De Pascale; Youssef Rouphael. 2019. "Morpho-physiological and homeostatic adaptive responses triggered by omeprazole enhance lettuce tolerance to salt stress." Scientia Horticulturae 249, no. : 22-30.

Journal article
Published: 20 September 2018 in BMC Plant Biology
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The emerging roles of rhizobacteria in improving plant nutrition and stress protection have great potential for sustainable use in saline soils. We evaluated the function of the salt-tolerant strain Azotobacter chroococcum 76A as stress protectant in an important horticultural crop, tomato. Specifically we hypothesized that treatment of tomato plants with A. chroococcum 76A could improve plant performance under salinity stress and sub-optimal nutrient regimen. Inoculation of Micro Tom tomato plants with A. chroococcum 76A increased numerous growth parameters and also conferred protective effects under both moderate (50 mM NaCl) and severe (100 mM NaCl) salt stresses. These benefits were mostly observed under reduced nutrient regimen and were less appreciable in optimal nitrogen conditions. Therefore, the efficiency of A. chroococcum 76A was found to be dependent on the nutrient status of the rhizosphere. The expression profiles of LEA genes indicated that A. chroococcum 76A treated plants were more responsive to stress stimuli when compared to untreated controls. However, transcript levels of key nitrogen assimilation genes revealed that the optimal nitrogen regimen, in combination with the strain A. chroococcum 76A, may have saturated plant's ability to assimilate nitrogen. Roots inoculation with A. chroococcum 76A tomato promoted tomato plant growth, stress tolerance and nutrient assimilation efficiency under moderate and severe salinity. Inoculation with beneficial bacteria such as A. chroococcum 76A may be an ideal solution for low-input systems, where environmental constraints and limited chemical fertilization may affect the potential yield.

ACS Style

Michael James Van Oosten; Emilio Di Stasio; Valerio Cirillo; Silvia Silletti; Valeria Ventorino; Olimpia Pepe; Giampaolo Raimondi; Albino Maggio. Root inoculation with Azotobacter chroococcum 76A enhances tomato plants adaptation to salt stress under low N conditions. BMC Plant Biology 2018, 18, 205 .

AMA Style

Michael James Van Oosten, Emilio Di Stasio, Valerio Cirillo, Silvia Silletti, Valeria Ventorino, Olimpia Pepe, Giampaolo Raimondi, Albino Maggio. Root inoculation with Azotobacter chroococcum 76A enhances tomato plants adaptation to salt stress under low N conditions. BMC Plant Biology. 2018; 18 (1):205.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Michael James Van Oosten; Emilio Di Stasio; Valerio Cirillo; Silvia Silletti; Valeria Ventorino; Olimpia Pepe; Giampaolo Raimondi; Albino Maggio. 2018. "Root inoculation with Azotobacter chroococcum 76A enhances tomato plants adaptation to salt stress under low N conditions." BMC Plant Biology 18, no. 1: 205.

Original research article
Published: 27 February 2018 in Frontiers in Plant Science
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Interest in the role of small bioactive molecules (< 500 Da) in plants is on the rise, compelled by plant scientists' attempt to unravel their mode of action implicated in stimulating growth and enhancing tolerance to environmental stressors. The current study aimed at elucidating the morphological, physiological and metabolomic changes occurring in greenhouse tomato (cv. Seny) treated with omeprazole (OMP), a benzimidazole inhibitor of animal proton pumps. The OMP was applied at three rates (0, 10, or 100 μM) as substrate drench for tomato plants grown under nonsaline (control) or saline conditions sustained by nutrient solutions of 1 or 75 mM NaCl, respectively. Increasing NaCl concentration from 1 to 75 mM decreased the tomato shoot dry weight by 49% in the 0 μM OMP treatment, whereas the reduction was not significant at 10 or 100 μM of OMP. Treatment of salinized (75 mM NaCl) tomato plants with 10 and especially 100 μM OMP decreased Na+ and Cl− while it increased Ca2+ concentration in the leaves. However, OMP was not strictly involved in ion homeostasis since the K+ to Na+ ratio did not increase under combined salinity and OMP treatment. OMP increased root dry weight, root morphological characteristics (total length and surface), transpiration, and net photosynthetic rate independently of salinity. Metabolic profiling of leaves through UHPLC liquid chromatography coupled to quadrupole-time-of-flight mass spectrometry facilitated identification of the reprogramming of a wide range of metabolites in response to OMP treatment. Hormonal changes involved an increase in ABA, decrease in auxins and cytokinin, and a tendency for GA down accumulation. Cutin biosynthesis, alteration of membrane lipids and heightened radical scavenging ability related to the accumulation of phenolics and carotenoids were observed. Several other stress-related compounds, such as polyamine conjugates, alkaloids and sesquiterpene lactones, were altered in response to OMP. Although a specific and well-defined mechanism could not be posited, the metabolic processes involved in OMP action suggest that this small bioactive molecule might have a hormone-like activity that ultimately elicits an improved tolerance to NaCl salinity stress.

ACS Style

Youssef Rouphael; Giampaolo Raimondi; Luigi Lucini; Petronia Carillo; Marios Kyriacou; Giuseppe Colla; Valerio Cirillo; Antonio Pannico; Christophe El-Nakhel; Stefania De Pascale. Physiological and Metabolic Responses Triggered by Omeprazole Improve Tomato Plant Tolerance to NaCl Stress. Frontiers in Plant Science 2018, 9, 249 .

AMA Style

Youssef Rouphael, Giampaolo Raimondi, Luigi Lucini, Petronia Carillo, Marios Kyriacou, Giuseppe Colla, Valerio Cirillo, Antonio Pannico, Christophe El-Nakhel, Stefania De Pascale. Physiological and Metabolic Responses Triggered by Omeprazole Improve Tomato Plant Tolerance to NaCl Stress. Frontiers in Plant Science. 2018; 9 ():249.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Youssef Rouphael; Giampaolo Raimondi; Luigi Lucini; Petronia Carillo; Marios Kyriacou; Giuseppe Colla; Valerio Cirillo; Antonio Pannico; Christophe El-Nakhel; Stefania De Pascale. 2018. "Physiological and Metabolic Responses Triggered by Omeprazole Improve Tomato Plant Tolerance to NaCl Stress." Frontiers in Plant Science 9, no. : 249.

Original research article
Published: 18 July 2017 in Frontiers in Plant Science
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Pre-treatment of tomato plants with micromolar concentrations of omeprazole (OP), a benzimidazole proton pump inhibitor in mammalian systems, improves plant growth in terms of fresh weight of shoot and roots by 49% and 55% and dry weight by 54% and 105% under salt stress conditions (200 mM NaCl), respectively. Assessment of gas exchange, ion distribution and gene expression profile in different organs strongly indicates that OP interferes with key components of the stress adaptation machinery, including hormonal control of root development (improving length and branching), protection of the photosynthetic system (improving quantum yield of photosystem II) and regulation of ion homeostasis (improving the K+:Na+ ratio in leaves and roots). To our knowledge OP is one of the few known molecules that at micromolar concentrations manifests a dual function as growth enhancer and salt stress protectant. Therefore, OP can be used as new inducer of stress tolerance to better understand molecular and physiological stress adaptation paths in plants and to design new products to improve crop performance under suboptimal growth conditions.

ACS Style

Michael Van Oosten; Silvia Silletti; Gianpiero Guida; Valerio Cirillo; Emilio Di Stasio; Petronia Carillo; Pasqualina Woodrow; Albino Maggio; Giampaolo Raimondi. A Benzimidazole Proton Pump Inhibitor Increases Growth and Tolerance to Salt Stress in Tomato. Frontiers in Plant Science 2017, 8, 1 .

AMA Style

Michael Van Oosten, Silvia Silletti, Gianpiero Guida, Valerio Cirillo, Emilio Di Stasio, Petronia Carillo, Pasqualina Woodrow, Albino Maggio, Giampaolo Raimondi. A Benzimidazole Proton Pump Inhibitor Increases Growth and Tolerance to Salt Stress in Tomato. Frontiers in Plant Science. 2017; 8 ():1.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Michael Van Oosten; Silvia Silletti; Gianpiero Guida; Valerio Cirillo; Emilio Di Stasio; Petronia Carillo; Pasqualina Woodrow; Albino Maggio; Giampaolo Raimondi. 2017. "A Benzimidazole Proton Pump Inhibitor Increases Growth and Tolerance to Salt Stress in Tomato." Frontiers in Plant Science 8, no. : 1.