The increased cultivation of highly productive C4 crop plants may contribute to a second green revolution in agriculture. However, the regulation of mineral nutrition is rather poorly understood in C4 plants. To understand the impact of C4 photosynthesis on the regulation of sulfate uptake by the root and sulfate assimilation into cysteine at the whole plant level, seedlings of the monocot C4 plant maize (Zea mays) were exposed to a non-toxic level of 1.0 µl l−1 atmospheric H2S at sulfate-sufficient and sulfate-deprived conditions. Sulfate deprivation not only affected growth and the levels of sulfur- and nitrogen-containing compounds, but it also enhanced the expression and activity of the sulfate transporters in the root and the expression and activity of APS reductase (APR) in the root and shoot. H2S exposure alleviated the establishment of sulfur deprivation symptoms and seedlings switched, at least partly, from sulfate to H2S as sulfur source. Moreover, H2S exposure resulted in a downregulation of the expression and activity of APR in both shoot and root, though it hardly affected that of the sulfate transporters in the root. These results indicate that maize seedlings respond similarly to sulfate deprivation and atmospheric H2S exposure as C3 monocots, implying that C4 photosynthesis in maize is not associated with a distinct whole plant regulation of sulfate uptake and assimilation into cysteine.
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Circular BIOmass CAScade to 100% North Sea Region (NSR) economic activity and growth are mostly found in urban areas. Rural NSR regions experience population decline and negative economic growth. The BIOCAS project expects revitalizing and greening of rural areas go hand in hand. BIOCAS will develop rural areas of the NSR into smart specialized regions for integrated and local valorization of biomass. 13 Commercial running Bio-Cascade-Alliances (BCA’s) will be piloted, evaluated and actively shared in the involved regions. These proven concepts will accelerate adoption of high to low value bio-cascading technologies and businesses in rural regions. The project connects 18 regional initiatives around technologies, processes, businesses for the conversion of biomass streams. The initiatives collaborate in a thematic approach: Through engineering, value chain assessments, BCA’s building, partners tackle challenges that are shared by rural areas. I.e. unsustainable biomass use, a mineral surplus and soil degradation, deprivation of potentially valuable resources, and limited involvement of regional businesses and SMEs in existing bio-economy developments. The 18 partners are strongly embedded in regional settings, connected to many local partners. They will align stakeholders in BCA’s that would not have cooperated without BIOCAS interventions. Triple helix, science, business and governmental input will realize inclusive lasting bio cascade businesses, transforming costly waste to resources and viable business.Interreg IVB North Sea Region Programme: €378,520.00, fEC % 50.00%1/07/17 → 30/06/21