We invite you to listen to Prof. Ewelina Ratajczak’s lecture entitled “Will stressed seeds provide us with a better future?"
We are observing rapid climate changes that cause stress to trees. This is due to the fact that they induce an oxidative stress condition, which lowers the metabolic activity of plant cells. Stressed trees produce stressed seeds, whose viability is reduced. Storing seeds in a way that preserves their viability becomes crucial for safeguarding the genetic resources of tree species and protecting biodiversity in commercial forests.
We invite you to listen to Prof. Ewa M. Kalemba’s lecture entitled “From seed germination to plant formation. The different sides of reactive oxygen species”.
All plants, including trees, go through growth stages. A seed germinates and a seedling is formed, which after many years of vegetative growth will give rise to a tree capable of flowering and producing its own fruit with seeds. Plant functioning is controlled by hormones interacting with reactive oxygen species, which regulate the growth and development of plant organs (roots, leaves, flowers), seed germination, aging and response to stress conditions.
We invite you to listen to Ms. Joanna Kijowska-Oberc’s, M.Sc., lecture entitled “How do seeds fight drought?”
Drought occurring in the wake of climate change results in a decrease in the viability of tree seeds. The extinction of many species occurs, and this threatens the sustainability of forest ecosystems. The accumulation of proline is a defense reaction of seeds. Proline not only protects cell membrane components from damage and prevents water loss, but can also be used as an indicator of seed resistance to drought. Resilient seeds, in turn, will give rise to stable forests.
We invite you to listen to Dr. Agnieszka Szuba’s lecture entitled “Molecular research and the functioning of trees in a changing environment”.
Molecular biology allows the analysis of processes that take place in cells. We examine variability of mRNA, protein or metabolite levels. Biological material is analysed in well-equipped laboratories, performing relatively uncomplicated biochemical analyses, but also high-throughput macromolecule studies. Our work requires knowledge, but also modern equipment, such as robots or mass spectrometers. The obtained mass spectra and (meta)data are subjected to statistical analysis and the obtained results allow us to answer our research questions.
We invite you to listen to Dr. Hanna Fuchs’s lecture entitled “Genetic basis of seed longevity”.
In the face of climate change, gene banks uphold the biodiversity of the plant world. Seed viability loss is one of the biggest problems of such places. Therefore, at the Institute of Dendrology, Polish Academy of Sciences, we are interested in the genetic basis of seed longevity. Knowledge of these mechanisms can give us the tools to influence seeds to achieve tolerance to desiccation and extend their storability.
