Department of Ecophysiology

Leader Prof. dr hab. Maciej Grzesiak

Address

ul. Niezapominajek 21,
30-239 Kraków

Contact

telephone: (+48) 12 4253301 (wew./ext. 58)
faks: (+48) 12 4251844
m.grzesiak@ifr-pan.edu.pl

abiotic stress • abscisic acid • chilling • chlorophyll a fluorescence • drought, flooding • photosynthetic efficiency • plant phenolics • root system structure • soil compaction • water relations

Scientific staff

RESEARCH AREAS

The main research area is integrated physiology of key crops at the level of the organism, organs and processes as well as their interaction with environmental conditions:

daily changes of leaf gas exchange parameters, leaf water relations, chlorophyll a fluorescence parameters, and membrane injury in plants subjected to various abiotic stresses
preparation and implementation of physiological and laboratory tests for the assessment of crop sensitivity to shortage (drought) and excess (flooding) of soil water as well as multistress interaction of these factors with soil compaction stress
quantitative and qualitative analysis of root system structure of seedlings and the impact of drought, flooding, and soil compaction stresses on root architecture
root-to-shoot communication, hormonal balance (abscisic acid (ABA), cytokinins, ethylene, and 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid (ACC, ethylene's precursor)) under drought, flooding, and low temperature (chilling, freezing) stresses
role of abscisic acid (ABA) in plant reactions to abiotic and biotic stresses as well as in the regulation of the cell and tissue capacity for in vitro plant regeneration
phenolics as plant photoprotectants, antioxidants, and hydrophobic stabilizers of cell wall under soil drought

NOTABLE RESEARCH ACHIEVEMENTS

discovery of the beneficial influence of soil drought during vegetative growth phase of triticale on the mechanisms of adaptation to the next drought period during generative growth phase
- Hura T, Hura K, Grzesiak MT (2011) J Agron Crop Sci 197: 113-123
determination of the impact of soil compaction on morphological root structure, water potential, and leaf gas exchange in maize and triticale
- Grzesiak MT (2009) Plant Root 3: 10-16
discovery of the relationship between chilling tolerance level in maize seedlings and their capacity for quick ABA accumulation under chilling conditions
- Janowiak F, Luck E, Dörffling K (2003) J Agron Crop Sci 189: 156-161
determination of the role of ABA in the induction of the expression of dehydrin-like protein (DHN44) in beech seeds during maturation and dehydration tolerance acquirement
- Kalemba ME, Janowiak F, Pukacka S (2009) Trees-Struct Funct 23: 305-315
assessment of ABA changes in triticale anthers and their role in androgenesis
- Żur I, Dubas E, Golemiec E, Szechynska-Hebda M, Janowiak F, Wędzony M (2008) Plant Cell Tissue Organ Cult 94: 319-328
discovery of the significant role of phenolics in drought adaptation mechanisms
contribution to the creation of the first genetic map of triticale
- Tyrka M, Bednarek P, Kilian A, Wędzony M, Hura T, Bauer E (2011) Genome 54: 391-401

RESEARCH COOPERATION OFFER

We offer the following expertise for research projects and cooperation:

measurement of abscisic acid (ABA) content in plant material by ELISA (Enzyme-Linked ImmunoSorbent Assay)
- as used in Dubas E, Janowiak F, Krzewska M, Hura T, Żur I (2013) Plant Cell Reports 32: 1465-1475
- contact: Franciszek Janowiak, f.janowiak@ifr-pan.edu.pl
determination of total antioxidant activity – measurement of low-molecular antioxidants in plant tissues by DPPH (2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl) radical scavenging method adopted to microtitration plates using common plate reader
- as used in Żur I, Dubas E, Krzewska M, Janowiak F, Hura K, Pociecha E, Bączek-Kwinta R, Płażek A (2014) Plant Cell Tissue Organ Cult 119: 79-94
- contact: Franciszek Janowiak, f.janowiak@ifr-pan.edu.pl
measurement of phenolics level (free and cell-wall bound) and hydrogen peroxide content
- as used in Hura T, Hura K, Grzesiak S (2009) J Plant Physiol 166: 1720-1733
- contact: Tomasz Hura, t.hura@ifr-pan.edu.pl
analysis of the fluidity of biological membranes in cell suspension, protoplasts, and chloroplasts
- as used in Dubas E, Janowiak F, Krzewska M, Hura T, Żur I (2013) Plant Cell Reports 32: 1465-1475
- contact: Tomasz Hura, t.hura@ifr-pan.edu.pl
assessment of morphological traits of individual components of seedling root system (root number, length, and mass)
- as used in Grzesiak MT (2009) Plant Root 3: 10-16
- contact: Maciej Grzesiak, m.grzesiak@ifr-pan.edu.pl
evaluation of the tolerance level of genotypes of different crop species to abiotic stresses under field and glasshouse conditions on the basis of yield changes and physiological/biochemical laboratory sensitivity tests
- as used in Grzesiak MT, Waligórski P, Janowiak F, Marcińska I, Hura K, Szczyrek P, Głąb T (2013) Acta Physiol Plant 35: 549-565
- contact: Maciej Grzesiak, m.grzesiak@ifr-pan.edu.pl
evaluation of changes in the general chemical composition of biological material in response to the effects of biotic and abiotic stresses
- as used in Saja D, Ryś M, Skoczowski A (2016) Acta Physiol Plant 38: 168
- contact: Diana Saja, d.saja@ifr-pan.edu.pl

Publications

Zhang F., Haider F.U., Mu, P., Zhu B., Gao Y., Lin T., Liu F., Jiang M., Farooq M, Brestic M., Janowiak F., Siddique K.H.M., Li X. 2026

Agricultural impacts reshape the distribution and future potential health risks of soil heavy metals across global wheat-growing regions under interactive climate–socioeconomic influences

Journal of Hazardous Materials, 518: 144052

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Gula E. , Ostrowska A., Reinartz E., Zeier J., Pociecha E., Tuleja M., Płachno BJ., Niewiadomska E., Libik-Konieczny M. 2026

Pipecolic acid modulates physiological parameters and biotic stress resilience in Mesembryanthemum crystallinum in a photosynthetic mode-dependent manner.

BMC Plant Biology 26: 1794

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Rüter P., Thomsen T., Tyburski J., Waligórski P., Surówka E., Kęsy J., Mucha N., Doan M. H., Winkelmann T., Debener T. 2026

Morphological and hormonal diversity in rose (Rosa hybrida L.) and potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) Ri genotypes: A comparative study.

PLoS One 21: e0345941

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Ostrowska A., Tyrka M., Fiust A., Urban K., Hura T. 2026

Heterotrophic and autotrophic seedlings of the same genotype of spring triticale exhibit different response to drought and early rehydration.

Plant and Soil 520: 939-955

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Ostrowska A., Kováč J., Ďurkovič J., Hesse L. 2026

Editorial: Advanced imaging in plants: exploring development and function.

Frontiers in Plant Science 17: 1784311

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Hura K., Ostrowska A., Hura T. 2026

Impact of L-phenylalanine ammonia-lyase inhibition on winter triticale (× Triticosecale Wittmack) at early developmental stages.

International Agrophysics 40: 133-141

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Ryś M., Saja-Garbarz D., Fodor J., Oliwa J., Gullner G., Juhász C., Kornaś A., Skoczowski A., Chrapek B., Gruszka D., Barna B., Janeczko A. 2025

Effect of powdery mildew infection on some physiological and molecular markers of wild type and hormone mutant barley plants

Acta Phytopathologica et Entomologica Hungarica, 60: 107–125

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Hura K., Dziurka M., Hura T., Zieliński A. 2025

Alterations in carbon and nitrogen metabolism under phenylalanine ammonia-lyase inhibition in winter triticale seedlings

Scientific Reports, 15: 42482

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Szczerba A., Płażek A., Kopeć P., Surówka E., Dubert F. 2025

Mitigating soil drought effects in soybean with Bradyrhizobium japonicum inoculants

BMC Plant Biology, 25: 1533

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Laskoś K., Waligórski P., Pisulewska E., Janowiak F., Sadura-Berg I., Czyczyło-Mysza I. 2025

Herbal maceration modulates fatty acid profile of cold-pressed oils and preserves antioxidant activity during long-term storage

Scientific Reports, 15: 38592

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Hura T., Hura K., Ostrowska A., Urban K., Dziurka K., Pawłowska B. 2025

Repeated soil droughts induce differential responses across leaflets of a compound leaf

Plant, Cell and Environment, 48: 8873–8877

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Oliwa J., Stawoska I., Macioszek VK., Dziurka M., Ryś M., Saja-Garbarz D., Maksymowicz A., Kornaś A., Skoczowski A. 2025

Insight into the sporulation physiology of elkhorn fern: metabolic, hormonal, and pigment changes within a single leaf of Platycerium bifurcatum

International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 26: 8084

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Hura K, Dziurka M, Hura T., Wójcik-Jagła M, Zieliński A. 2025

Physiological and molecular responses of the flag leaf under L-phenylalanine ammonia-lyase inhibition

Cells, 14: 1368

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Surówka E., Grigore M.-N., Ślesak I., Dubert F., Miszalski Z. 2025

Halophytes in the bioeconomy: New opportunity and challenge for agriculture

In: Arora J., Grigore M.-N., Joshi A. (eds.) Sustainable Utilisation and Bioengineering of Halophytes. Springer, Singapore: 363–427

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Wróblewski M., Piotrowska-Niczyporuk A., Ciereszko I., Gocek N., Żabka A., Szczeblewski P., Sobiech Ł., Saja-Garbarz D., Polit J. 2025

Phytotoxicity and bioherbicidal potential of sweet flag (Acorus calamus L.) essential oil on Fabaceae and Brassicaceae species

Scientia Horticulturae, 347: 114180

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Saja-Garbarz D., Godel-Jędrychowska K., Kurczyńska E., Kozieradzka-Kiszkurno M. , Tuleja M., Gula E. , Skubała K. , Ryś M., Urban K., Kwiatkowska M. , Libik-Konieczny M. 2024

The effect of silicon supplementation and drought stress on the deposition of callose and chemical components in the cell walls of the Brassica napus roots

BMC Plant Biology, 24: 1249

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Stawoska I., Saja-Garbarz D., Skoczowski A., Kania A. 2024

Application of vibrational spectroscopy for plant tissue analysis – case study

Polish Journal of Natural Sciences, 39: 53–74

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Stachurska J., Sadura-Berg I., Jurczyk B., Rudolphi-Szydło E., Dyba B., Pociecha E., Ostrowska A., Ryś M., Kvasnica M., Oklestkova, Janeczko A. 2024

Cold acclimation and deacclimation of winter oilseed rape, with special attention being paid to the role of brassinosteroids

International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 25: 6010

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Laskoś K., Czyczyło-Mysza I., Waligórski P., Dziurka K., Skrzypek E., Warchoł M., Juzoń-Sikora K., Janowiak F., Dziurka ., Grzesiak M., Grzesiak S., Quarrie S., Marcińska I. 2024

Characterising biological and physiological drought signals in diverse parents of a wheat mapping population

International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 25: 6573

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Jurczyk B., Dziurka M., Janowiak F., Pociecha E., Grzesiak M., Rapacz M. 2024

Waterlogging-induced changes in ABA, carbohydrates and CBF6 modify freezing tolerance in prehardened Festuca pratensis

Journal of Agronomy and Crop Science, 210: e12740

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Projects

The role of silicon in the resistance of winter oilseed rape against pathogen infections during deacclimation

-, 2024 - 2026

Identyfikacja czynników warunkujących indukcję embriogenezy mikrospor u pszenicy zwyczajnej (Triticum aestivum L.)

MRiRW nr 4, 2021 - 2026

Określenie fizjologicznych i biochemicznych wskaźników tolerancji pszenicy ozimej (Triticum aestivum L.) na stres suszy i wysokiej temperatury

MRiRW nr 3, 2021 - 2026

Czy lotne benzenoidy mogą modulować odpowiedź pszenicy na suszę? Analiza wpływu egzogennej aplikacji fenolu, p-krezolu i benzaldehydu.

2025/09/X/NZ1/01913, 2025 - 2026

Imaging changes in the physicochemical properties of oilseed rape tissues the influence of silicon under optimal hydratation and drought conditions

2022/06/X/NZ3/00555 MINIATURA, 2022 - 2024

Changes in the intensity of selected physiological, biochemical and molecular processes caused by the simultaneous effect of soil compaction stress and soil drought in individual maize hybrids differing in the degree of sensitivity to these stresses

2018/29/B/NZ9/01510, 2019 - 2022

Structural and functional characteristics of loci determining the level of cell wall phenols under conditions of water stress in triticale.

2018/31/B/NZ9/00298, 2019 - 2022

Oxidative stress and its role in the regulation of embryogenesis in isolated microspore cultures of triticale (x Triticale Wittm.) and barley (Hordeum vulgare L.)

2015/18/M/NZ3/00348, 2016 - 2021

Wykonanie prac badawczo-rozwojowych związanych z opracowaniem nowych zestawów dietetycznych bazujących na niezbędnych, nienasyconych kwasach tłuszczowych oraz dodatków, bazujących na kwasach tłuszczowych z grupy NNKT, do wybranych produktów spożywczych celem polepszenia ich wartości odżywczej i sensorycznej

POIR.02.03.02-12-0039/19-00, 2020 - 2020

Optimization of industrial bioethanol production technology from maize grain. task no. 5: Development of wet corn maize ozonation technology

Biostrateg2/298241/10/NCBIR/2016 (akronim CROPTECH), 2017 - 2018

Identification of factors which determine drought and freezing tolerance in barley (Hordeum vulgare L.)

MRiRW, nr 26, 2014 - 2018

ERANET GAS - Genetic adaptation of sorgum - a new generation of energy crops for the sustainable development of Europe

ERA-NET-BIOENERGY/3/2013, 2013 - 2016

The innovative system of selection of barley and triticale based on the latest achievements fenomics and genomics - Task 7, Task 8

PBS1/A8/1/2012, 2012 - 2015

Studies on the biochemical basics of molecular adaptation of the photosynthetic apparatus to soil drought at different growth stages of triticale

2011/01/B/NZ9/00019, 2011 - 2014

Defense and signal induced mechanisms in the optional halophyte Mesembryanthemum crystalllinum in response to salinity and biotic stress

830/1/N-COST/2010/11, 2011 - 2014

Determination of the ability of selected plant species to grow in saline soil conditions and studies of the effectiveness of chemical growth stimulants and stress factors in mitigating the effects of salinity

813/N-COST/2010/0, 2009 - 2014

Winter hardiness QTL location in triticale (× Triticosecale Wittm.)

NN310 778 640, 2011 - 2014

Physiological, biochemical and morphological responses triticale and corn on the level of stress caused by different soil compaction, and the shortage or excess of water in the soil

N N310 782540, 2011 - 2014

The role of vitamin E and xanthophyll cycle in response of plants to salt stress

N310 298639, 2011 - 2013

Analysis of efficiency of antioxidant system under stress

UDA-POIG.01.03.01-00-101/08-00, 2011 - 2013

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