Marco Porceddu

University of Cagliari | UNICA · Department of Environmental and Life Science

Aims The physiological responses during dormancy removal and multiphasic germination were investigated in seeds of Paeonia corsica (Paeoniaceae). Methods Seeds of P. corsica were incubated in the light at a range of temperatures (10–25 and 25/10°C), without any pre-treatment, after W (3 months at 25°C), C (3 months at 5°C) and W + C (3 months at 25...

Ribes sardoum, the most threatened endemic plant of Sardinia, is included in the Habitats Directive (92/43/EEC) and it was considered Critically Endangered in the global IUCN Red Lists. This species has been reported to have an extremely low fertility, scarce fruit production, low seed viability and a general inability to reproduce sexually. Fruits...

The Sardinian Germplasm Bank (BG-SAR) is a facility of the Hortus Botanicus Karalitanus (HBK), which belongs to the University of Cagliari (Italy). Its main objective is the conservation, study and management of the germplasm of Sardinian endemic, threatened and policy species (i.e., species inserted in the Habitat Directive 92/43/EEC, CITES and Be...

Full-text view-only version: https://rdcu.be/b3cB2 --- The seed germination of Helichrysum microphyllum subsp. tyrrhenicum, an endemic species of Sardinia and Corsica with metal tolerance capability, was evaluated against zinc (Zn; 0, 250, 500 and 1000 mg/L) and lead (Pb; 0, 25, 50 and 100 mg/L) stress. Seeds were collected in three localities: (a)...

Running title: Morphophysiological seed dormancy in G. lutea Aims: There are a number of mechanisms that regulate germination; among these, seed dormancy, one of the most important, is an adaptative mechanism in plants to promote survival by dispersing germination in space and time until environmental conditions are favourable for germination. The...

This is the sixth issue of the series of germination reports from Mediterranean areas (sensu Med- Checklist). It comprises germination protocols for 29 taxa, 19 of which are endemic, preserved in six seedbanks from the Ribes and/or GENMEDA networks. The investigated taxa and populations are Leucanthemum tridactylites, Achillea barrelieri subsp. bar...

Tailings and mine dumps are often pollutant sources that pose serious environmental threats to surrounding areas. The use of pioneer vascular plants to extract or stabilize metals is considered among the more effective mine tailing reclamation techniques. The study aimed at evaluating the phytoremediation potential of Pinus halepensis in abandoned...

Many Astragalus species exhibit seeds with physical dormancy (PY), but little is known about the ecological context of this dormancy. We focused on A. maritimus and A. verrucosus, two threatened Sardinian endemic species inside the subgenus Trimeniaeus Bunge. Fresh seeds collected from the only two respective known populations were used to investig...

This is the fifth issue of the series of germination reports from Mediterranean areas (sensu Med-Checklist). It comprises germination protocols for 18 taxa: Hieracium and Pilosella from South Italy by Di Gristina & al. (Nos. 103-106); Genista from Sardinia by Deplano & al. (No. 107); Antirrhinum, Anthyllis, Digitalis, Echium, Jasione, Nothoscordum,...

Mining exploitation in the Mediterranean Basin has left evident scars on the environment, and poses serious risks for human health and biodiversity, especially when mine wastes are left abandoned. This review analysed the main issues of metal(loid)s pollution related to mine exploitation in the Mediterranean Basin. Here, a list of Mediterranean nat...

Among the main problems that compromise the development of forest species are water and salt stresses, especially in the early stages of development, when seedlings are more sensitive. Thus, the objective of this study was to evaluate the morphophysiological and biochemical changes in Enterolobium contortisiliquum seedlings subjected to abiotic str...

Phytoremediation and the use of suitable amendments are well-known technologies for the mitigation of petroleum hydrocarbon (PHC) contaminations in terrestrial ecosystems. Our study is aimed at combining these two approaches to maximize their favorable effects. To this purpose, Helichrysum microphyllum subsp. tyrrhenicum, a Mediterranean shrub grow...

The conservation of endemic and endangered plant species is of great interest to the scientific and research community. In this frame, seed banks play a crucial role when biodiversity preservation and climate change are considered. The study of seed viability and germination during storage conditions provides basic and useful information to ensure...

The present report illustrates the first germination data of Limonium merxmuelleri subsp. merxmuelleri, a pioneer species of mine waste materials of Iglesiente region (South-West Sardinia). After harvesting, seeds were subjected to germination tests at the Sardinian Germplasm Bank (BG-SAR). The results show a high germination capability and germina...

The Italian seed bank network (RIBES) aims to improve the quality and safety of the germplasm reserves of native plant species in Italy to ensure the long-term conservation of endangered and/or endemic flora. The strategy includes traditional methods to secure seed conservation. A comprehensive priority list for seed collection is being defined, it...

In the framework of the project Interreg Italia-Francia Marittimo "ALIEM", two species of Acacia s.l. were selected to study some of their invasive traits in the Mediterranean Basin. We focused on seed germination ecophysiology of the phanerophytes Acacia saligna (Labill.) H.L. Wendl., native to Western Australia and Vachellia karroo (Hayne) Banfi...

Arsenate, As(V), and arsenite, As(III), are the most available arsenicals present in the soil solutions, in particular in mine polluted substrates, and cause several symptoms of toxicity in plants (like inhibition of seed germination and reduction of seedling development). For these reasons, seeds germination studies are essential for the design of...

Three subspecies of Armeria arenaria are reported from Italy, two of which are considered endemic to the Apennines. The taxonomic value of these two taxa (A. arenaria subsp. marginata and A. arenaria subsp. apennina) is unclear. Moreover, the relationships between A. arenaria subsp. praecox and Northern Italian populations—currently ascribed to A....

The description of seed shape by comparison with geometric models allows shape quantification, providing the means for an accurate comparison between different species or populations. Geometric models described for the lateral and dorsal views of the seeds of Silene species are applied to the quantification of the shape in the seeds belonging to tw...

The extract of Teucrium marum L. (Lamiaceae) was obtained using the aerial parts of the plant, by means of a maceration process. Verbascoside, caffeic acids derivatives and flavonols were the main components contained in the extract as detected using high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with diode array detector (HPLC–DAD) as an analytica...

The vascular flora of Sardinia has been investigated for more than 250 years, with particular attention to the endemic component due to their phylogeographic and conservation interest. However, continuous changes in the floristic composition through natural processes, anthropogenic drivers or modified taxonomical attributions require constant updat...

The vascular flora of Sardinia has been investigated for more than 250 years, with particular attention to the endemic component, due to their phylogeographic and conservation interest. However, continuous changes in the floristic composition through natural processes, anthropogenic drivers or modified taxonomical attributions require constant upda...

The present work gathers new germination assays of two Teucrium species from Sardinia. The studied taxa are: Teucrium massiliense and T. flavum subsp. glaucum. Seeds were collected at the time of natural seed dispersal in two different localities of Sardinia (Italy). The germination tests were carried out at the Sardinian Germplasm Bank (BG-SAR). O...

Stator limbatus is a phytophagous beetle native to warm regions of North and Central America, feeding on Fabaceae seeds and one of the most polyphagous species within the subfamily Bruchinae, here reported for the first time in Europe and on new hosts. Adult beetles emerged from Acacia spp. seeds collected in the islands of Corsica (France), and Sa...

In this contribution, we synthesize the main findings regarding Armeria arenaria complex in Italy through a taxonomic integrated approach.

Acacia dealbata and A. mearnsii are two invasive species found in coastal, mountain, and riparian Mediterranean habitats. Seed biology and germination traits are important drivers of the competitive performance of plants and may significantly contribute to biological invasions. The seeds of Acacia s.l. have physical dormancy due to an impermeable e...

The mitigation of metals contamination is currently a crucial issue for the reclamation of mine sites. Indeed, mine wastes are often disposed in open dumps and consequently pollutants are subjected to dispersion in the surrounding areas. In this study, the potential use of Helichrysum microphyllum subsp. tyrrhenicum for phytostabilization was evalu...

The Mediterranean Basin is one of the biodiversity mega-hotspots of biodiversity, but it is also considered as one of the most disturbed areas, due to a legendary human occupation, mostly concentrated in coastal areas. These factors, together with a mild climate, explain the high impact of invasive alien plants in the Mediterranean coastline. The h...

Saline irrigation water at high levels causes disturbance in the growth of more sensitive plants. The objective of this research was to evaluate the initial growth of Pityrocarpa moniliformis seedlings under different electrical conductivity in irrigation water through physiological and biochemical analyses. The experiment was conducted in a greenh...

An extract of Hypericum scruglii, an endangered endemic plant of Sardinia (Italy), was prepared and characterized. It was loaded in special phospholipid vesicles, glycerosomes, which were modified by adding maltodextrin (glucidex) and a polymer (gelatin or hyaluronan). The corresponding liposomes were also prepared and used as reference. The vesicl...

Predicting seed germination in the field is a critical part of anticipating the impact of climate change on the timing of wild species regeneration. We combined thermal time and soil heat sum models of seed germination for three endemic Mediterranean mountain species with endospermic seeds and morphophysiological dormancy: Aquilegia barbaricina, Pa...

In this work, the seed morpho-colorimetric differentiation of the Sardinian endemic species of Anchusa (Boraginaceae) was evaluated. In Sardinia, the Anchusa genus includes the following seven taxa: A. capellii, A. crispa ssp. crispa, A. crispa ssp. maritima, A. formosa, A. littorea, A. montelinasana, and A. sardoa. Seed images were acquired using...

Hypericum scruglii Bacch., Brullo & Salmeri is an endangered endemic plant of Sardinia, and the phloroglucinol compounds identified in this species have been reported to inhibit the activity of the Human Immunodeficiency Virus. Seed banks are a genetic repository that effectively preserve taxa of conservation interest, and they hold knowledge about...

Background: Temperature is the main environmental factor controlling seed germination; it determines both the percentage and the rate of germination. According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, the global mean surface temperature could increase of approx. 2–4 °C by 2090–2099. As a consequence of global warming, the period of snow co...

Understanding seed viability under long-term storage conditions provides basic and useful information to investigate the effectiveness of seed banking. Besides the germination success, seedling establishment is also an important requirement, and a decisive step to ensure plant propagation. We used comparative data of germination, seedling growth, a...

Environmental contamination due to human activities is a worldwide problem that has led to the development of different remediation techniques, including biotechnological approaches such as phytoextraction and phytostabilization. These techniques take advantage of pioneer plants that naturally develop tolerance mechanisms to survive in extreme envi...

The present work gathers new germination assays of four Mediterranean species of coastal sand dunes. The studied species are: Anthemis maritima L. subsp. maritima, Crucianella maritima L., Eryngium maritimum L. and Thinopyrum junceum (L.) Á.Löve. Seeds were collected at the time of natural seed dispersal in two sites in the South of Sardinia. The g...

The taxonomy of the Paeonia mascula group in the Tyrrhenian Islands has always been controversial, especially in Sardinia and Corsica. In this paper, 124 morpho-colorimetric quantitative and qualitative features of seeds of the Paeonia mascula group from the Balearic Islands, Corsica, Sicily, and Sardinia were measured by an image analysis system t...

Acacia dealbata Link subsp. dealbata e Acacia mearnsii De Wild. sono due specie alloctone invasive nel bacino del Mediterraneo, appartenenti alla famiglia delle Fabaceae, sottofamiglia Caesalpinioideae. Le due specie, native della zona sud-orientale dell' Australia, sono state introdotte nel Mediterraneo durante il XIX secolo, principalmente a scop...

La tassonomia del gruppo di Paeonia mascula nelle isole tirreniche (Isole Baleari, Corsica, Sardegna e Sicilia) è piuttosto controversa (Hong, Wang 2006). In Sardegna, per esempio, Hong (2005) e Hong, Wang (2006) hanno segnalato la presenza della sola Paeonia corsica, considerando Paeonia morisii suo sinonimo; nel 2007, Schmitt riporta che nell’iso...

Acacia mearnsii De Wild. (De Wildeman 1925), chiamata anche mimosa nera, è una fanerofita originaria dell’Australia sudorientale, appartenente alla famiglia delle Fabaceae, sottofamiglia Caesalpinioideae (The Legume Phylogeny Working Group 2017). Ha generalmente portamento arboreo, un ciclo vitale relativamente breve (<100 anni) e in Sardegna raggi...

The genetic variability of the ex situ cultivated plants of Ribes sardoum, obtained from seeds collected from the unique natural population, was investigated. Our results revealed that plants cultivated ex situ captured a higher amount of genetic diversity and this will be useful in future translocation of this threatened species.

Sardinia was known as an important mine pole in Europe during his history. Still after decades from mine closure, 75.000.000 m3 of mine waste, rich in heavy metals, were left abandoned causing a huge environmental legacy on the mine district area. Consequently, cost effective remediation is required. In this frame, phytoremediation is considered a...

Soil salinity is among the main factors influencing seed germination in coastal dunes, acting as a major determinant of species establishment and growth. Tolerance to salinity during the germination process is crucial especially for species of the drift line, which are exposed to high levels. Cakile maritima is an annual species of coastal dunes wh...

Ex situ conservation acts as a back-up for certain fields of plant diversity, generally through the maintenance of clonal material in field gene banks and in vitro banks, certain trees in conservation stands, and many seed-bearing species in botanic gardens and/or in conventional and cryogenic seed banks (Li & Pritchard, 2009). The term gene bank t...

Concluding messages 1. In order to halt and reverse the continuous decline of plant diversity, specific action plans and programmes addressing particular plant conservation challenges must be incorporated in regional and national conservation programmes and strategies. 2. Enhanced cooperation between botanists, practitioners and communities is esse...

The germination of seeds represents a high-risk period in the life cycle of many plant species, and the (important adaptation named) “dormancy” acts in preventing germination when the environmental conditions do not remain favourable long enough for seedlings to become established and thus survive (Baskin and Baskin, 2014). Under Mediterranean clim...

Knowledge of the levels of genetic diversity and of the spatial genetic structure of plant species is important to ensure their effective management and conservation, especially in the case of endangered species. Gentiana lutea L. subsp. lutea is a long-lived plant which occurs in central and southern European mountains. It has a long-standing hist...

The project “Higher Education Innovation in Plant Diversity: flexible learning paths for emerging labour market” HEIPLADI relays on constructive cooperation and integration of expertise between Botanic Gardens, Germplasm Banks, Herbarium and Higher Education Institutes from University of Molise (Italy), University of Cagliari (Italy), University of...

Beyond the fundamental interaction between water and rock, the active role of living organisms in the formation of new minerals stable at the Earth’s surface must be considered (Velde & Barré, 2009). Transformation of primary minerals caused by biological degradation is up to several orders of magnitude faster than transformation of minerals due to...

Gentiana lutea subsp. lutea, the only subspecies present in Sardinia, is restricted to the Gennargentu Massif (Central-Eastern part of the island). This massif represents an independent phytogeographical sector and consists of a system of summits with four peaks at more than 1,800 m. The Sardinian population, that represents a southern edge of it...

La Banca del Germoplasma della Sardegna (BG-SAR), nasce nel 1997 grazie ad una convenzione firmata con la Provincia di Cagliari e un finanziamento concesso dal Ministero dell’Istruzione, dell’Università e della Ricerca (MIUR). Dal 2015, BG-SAR fa parte del Centro Servizi Hortus Botanicus Karalitanus (HBK) dell’Università degli Studi di Cagliari com...

• Threshold-based thermal time models provide insight into the physiological switch from the dormant to the non-dormant germinating seed. • This approach was used to quantify the different growth responses of the embryo of seeds purported to have morphophysiological dormancy (MPD) through the complex phases of dormancy release and germination. Aqui...

Each plant species has particular requirements for seed germination, and some of them respond differently to constant or alternating temperature regimes. In this study, the interchangeable effects of different treatments and temperatures on the completion of seed germination of Clematis vitalba L. were investigated. The seeds were tested with a con...

ABSTRACT Keywords: ex situ conservation, Mediterranean species, germination ecophysiology, salt stress, archaeological seeds, alien species. The Sardinian Germplasm Bank (BG-SAR) is part of the Hortus Botanicus Karalitanus (HBK) which belongs to the University of Cagliari (Italy). The main objective of BG-SAR is the conservation, study and manage...

Gentiana lutea L. subsp. lutea (Gentianaceae) is a perennial herbaceous plant which is widespread in Central-Southern Europe. It has a long-standing history of human roots exploitation, mainly for liqueurs preparation and in the pharmaceutical industry. It is a plant of community interest and currently listed in the EU Habitats Directive. In Sardin...

Sardinia, the second largest Mediterranean island, thanks to its isolation and high geological diversity, presents a wide range of habitats with high rates of plant endemicity, particularly in mountainous areas where ecological insularity conditions occur. Thus, a representative number of endemic species are mainly located in mountainous areas, and...

The X International Meeting Biodiversity Conservation and Management: Conservation studies on Mediterranean threatened flora and vegetation was held in Sardinia, Italy, at the University of Cagliari and Villacidro on June 13-17, 2016. One post-congress excursion to Sulcis-Iglesiente biogeographic sector, were carried out on June 18. This meeting fo...