Promotive and inhibitory effects of uniconazole and prohexadione on the sprouting of bulbils of Chinese yam,Dioscorea opposita

Gibberellin A₁ (GA₁), GA₃ and GA₄ inhibited the sprouting of nondormant bulbils of Chinese yam, Dioscorea opposita, where the effectiveness of the GAs was as follows: GA₄>GA₁+GA₃. Uniconazole and prohexadione, plant growth retardants, promoted the sprouting of half-dormant bulbils. By contrast, these retardants inhibited the sprouting of nondormant bulbils. Gibberellin A₃ (GA₃) and A₄ (GA₄) which were applied to the stems of the sprouted bulbils, promoted stem elongation, but GAs applied to the bulbous parts inhibited this process. The effectiveness of the GAs on stem elongation was as follows: GA₃+GA₄ for the promotion and GA₄ > GA₃ for the inhibition. Uniconazole applied to the stem inhibited the stem elongation of the sprouted bulbils. These results suggest the possible involvement of endogenous GAs in the induction and maintenance of bulbil dormancy of D. opposita, as well as in the bulbil sprouting and subsequent stem elongation.     

Dormancy in Dioscorea: Generality of gibberellin-induced dormancy in asexual dormant organs

Effects of GA₃ and CCC application on the sprouting of bulbilsor subterranean dormant organs of 10 species in the genus Dioscoreawere observed. Although the efficiency of both chemicals differedby species, in general GA₃ inhibited and CCC promoted the sproutingof the above dormant organs. In some species, however, dilutedGA₃ (0.003–0.3 µM) has a promotive and diluted CCC(3–30 µM) has an inhibitive effect on sprouting. Effects of GA₃ application on shoot elongation were tested onsprouted bulbils. GA₃ promoted elongation when applied directlyto the shoots and inhibited it when applied to the bulbous parts. These results suggest that GA activates two opposing reactions—sprouting-promotingand sprouting-inhibiting—in these organs. The complicatedrelation between GA₃ or CCC concentrations and sprouting wereexplainable by assuming that the two counteractive reactionswere activated by GA in different degrees. ¹ Present address: Department of Biology, Faculty of Science,Yamagata University, Yamagata 990, Japan. (Received June 21, 1976; )     

Sprout initiation and growth for three years after cutting in an abandoned secondary forest in Kyoto,Japan

Secondary forests in Japan have been abandoned and the ecosystem has degraded since the high economic growth period. We carried out cutting in January in three small areas of a long-abandoned secondary forest and investigated the sprout initiation and growth of woody plants for three years in order to reveal the early stage of sprout regeneration and to understand the sprouting ability and characteristics of each species for effective management. The percentage of sprouted stumps and the number of sprouting shoots was substantially maximized in autumn in the first year. These results suggest that autumn monitoring in the first year after cutting shows the maximum percentage of sprouted stumps and the maximum sprout number when cutting was conducted in the dormant season. With regards to species characteristics, Eurya japonica showed a low percentage of sprouted stumps in the lower plot, where the mean diameter at breast height for this species was smaller than in the other plots. The sprouting ability of E. japonica was deemed to be influenced by parent tree size. Ilex pedunculosa and Lyonia ovalifolia var. elliptica had high percentages of sprouted stumps and many sprouts. These species are useful for obtaining sprouting shoots (e.g., for firewood), but it is difficult to control their sprouting.     

Gibberellic acid-induced prolongation of the dormancy in tubers or rhizomes of several species of East Asian Dioscorea

Effects of the application of gibberellic acid on sprouting of tubers or rhizomes were tested in seven species of the genus Dioscorea that are native to the temperate regions of East Asia. The lowest concentrations for significant inhibition of sprouting in these species varied from 0.1–1 µM Application of gibberellic acid at 100 µM inhibited sprouting for more than 500 days at 20 °C. Some responses to the application of gibberellic acid differed between species and between sections of the genus. In D. japonica, the application of gibberellic acid inhibited sprouting of tubers and bulbils while it promoted seed germination.     

Dormancy in bulbils of several herbaceous plants: Effects of photoperiod,light, temperature,oxygen and gibberellic acid

Effects of some environmental conditions (photoperiod, white and colored lights, temperature, partial oxygen pressure) and growth regulators (gibberellic acid, 2-chloroethyltrimethylammonium chloride) on induction and release of dormancy of the bulbils ofDioscorea batalas, Laportea bulbifera, Elatostema involucratum andSedum bulbiferum were investigated. Bulbils were formed under short-day conditions inLaportea andElatostema, under long-day conditions inSedum, and irrespective of photoperiods inDioscorea. In all species exceptSedum, immature bulbils required light, particularly blue or far red, for sprouting (photo-sprouting stage), and mature bulbils required a cold treatment (thermo-sprouting stage). The duration of photo-sprouting and thermo-sprouting stages and the degree of dependency on light or low temperature of sprouting differed from species to species. Sprouting of chilled mature bulbils of these species was promoted by light, especially by red or green light. Both immature and mature bulbils ofSedum sprouted under short-day conditions. Continuous irradiation with blue, far-red and green light markedly inhibited their sprouting. Oxygen at high concentration inhibited the sprouting of immature bulbils inDioscorea; in the other species it promoted sprouting regardless of the maturation of the bulbils. Applications of gibberellic acid caused the sprouting of bulbils the absence of light, chilling or photoperiodic treatment in all species exceptDioscorea, in which gibberellic acid inhibited sprouting. Polyphenol oxidase activity was very high in the homogenates ofDioscorea bulbils, and increased further when the bulbils had been treated with gibberellic acid. In the other species, little or no such activity was observed.     

The Role of Sprouts in the Restoration of Atlantic Rainforest in Southern Brazil

The relative importance of sexual reproduction (seed) and sprouting as sources for regeneration in Brazilian Atlantic Forest was evaluated in three different successional forest stages: young forest, immature forest, and late‐successional forest. Young plants (10–100 cm tall) of tree species were classified into the following categories: (1) seedlings that are nonsprouting—plants that originated through sexual reproduction as seeds; (2) stem base sprouting—plants that sprouted at the base of an existing plant; and (3) underground stem sprouting—plants that sprouted from subterranean stems of an existing plant. A total of 1,030 individuals of 48 species were collected. Underground stem sprouting is the rarest form of propagation, with stem base sprouting somewhat more common and possibly associated with recovery of damaged parts. The greatest contribution to regeneration was due to seeds: 92% of the individuals counted in 67% of the plant species. However, 13 species were “facultative” sprouters as seedlings and sprouters were observed in this group. The three forest ages differed in the proportion of regeneration strategies; in immature forest, sprouting was more common (15%) than in young (7%) and late‐successional (3%; p < 0.05) forest. In these three forest stages, germinating seeds are the major source of new plants; although sprouting as a reproductive strategy is rare, it is related to recovery after damage of an already existing plant and may be due to previous land use history (agriculture) and low soil fertility. Restoration using natural regeneration should consider these factors to understand seed arrival as seed is the main source of regeneration.     

Dormancy in Dioscorea: Gibberellin-Induced Inhibition or Promotion in Seed Germination of D. tokoro and D. tenuipes in Relation to Light Quality

Effects of light and gibberellic acid (GA₃) application on the germination of Dioscorea tokoro Makino and Dioscorea tenuipes Franch. et Savat. were observed. For complete germination, seeds of both species required prechilling in moist condition before incubation at a higher temperature. Red light irradiation during the incubation after the prechilling promoted germination; blue, green, or far red light markedly inhibited the germination of both species.     

Dormancy in Laportea bulbils: experiments with buds cultured in vitro

Dormancy in bulbils of Laportea bulbifera was investigated usingbuds cultured in vitro. Buds excised from immature bulbils couldsprout in light, but scarcely in the dark. Regardless of lightconditions, buds isolated from mature bulbils failed to sproutwhile those from chilled mature bulbils could. GA and BA stimulatedthe sprouting of buds excised from dormant mature bulbils. Incontrast, ABA and morphactin inhibited the sprouting of budsexcised from nondormant chilled mature bulbils. These resultssuggest that, in dormant Laportea bulbils, the buds themselvesare in a dormant state which may be controlled by a balanceof activity between growth-inhibiting and -promoting substances. (Received October 29, 1976; )     

Gibberellin-induced dormancy in bulbils of Dioscorea

Summary The sprouting of bulbils of some plants in genus Dioscorea was inhibited by gibberellin (GA) treatment and was promoted by treatment with growth retardants. The results suggest that endogenous GAs in some manner induce and maintain the dormant state in these bulbils.     

A Test for the Resource Remobilization Hypothesis: Tree Sprouting using Carbohydrates from Above-ground Parts

To test the resource remobilization hypothesis, i.e. the hypothesisthat some trees sprout from root-collars or from the lower partof trunks using resources obtained from above-ground parts ratherthan from resources reserved in their roots, we conducted cuttingexperiments forEuptelea polyandra, a frequently sprouting treespecies with little carbohydrate reserves in its roots,Quercusserrata,a frequently sprouting tree species with large reservesin the roots, andMallotus japonicus, a rarely sprouting treespecies. Trees of each species were cut down in winter leavingtwo kinds of stumps, those approx. 1.5 m in height and thosecut off near the ground. The number and total dry weight ofnewly sprouted shoots per stump were compared between the twotreatments and among the three species at the end of the followinggrowing season. InE. polyandra,both the number and total dryweight of sprouts per stump were very small for both treatmentsand were similar to, or less than, those ofM. japonicus. Onthe other hand,Q. serratasprouted abundantly in both treatments.These results indicate thatE. polyandracannot sprout sufficientlywithout a considerably large volume of above-ground parts orthat additional structures such as foliage and branches maybe necessary for sprouting. We conclude that the resource remobilizationhypothesis is supported for this species.Copyright 1998 Annalsof Botany Company Euptelea polyandraSieb. et Zacc,Quercus serrataThunb,Mallotus japonicus(Thunb.) Muell. Arg., tree sprouting, cutting experiment, resprouter, resource movement, carbohydrate allocation, ground-surface disturbance, root stock, resource remobilization hypothesis.     

Identification of Endogenous Gibberellins and Abscisic Acid from Dormant Bulbils of Dioscorea japonica (Japanese Yam)

Four gibberelJins (GAs), GA₁₉, GA₂₀, GA₂₄, and GA₅₃, were identified by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) from the dormant bulbils of Dioscorea japonica Thunb. ex Murray (Japanese yam), suggesting that two biosynthetic pathways of GAs, early 13- and non-13-hydroxylation pathways, are operating in the bulbils. Abscisic acid was also identified by GC-MS.     

Adaptive significance of sprouting ofEuptelea polyandra,a deciduous tree growing on steep slopes with shallow soil

We investigated growth characteristics ofEuptelea polyandra Sieb. et Zucc. (Eupteleaceae), a Japanese endemic deciduous tree species growing on unstable ground such as that of very steep slopes with thin soil.Euptelea polyandra began to sprout at the juvenile stage and had a multiple-stemmed tree form. There was a positive correlation between diameter of the maximumsized stem within a stool (DMS) and the number of stems within the stool. Many stools had suffered from disturbances as shown by the fact that uprooting scars were found on 31.4% and 42.4%, respectively, of the stools of the two populations studied. Sprouting played a significance role in repairing damaged stems and stools, and at least 15.5% and 18.2% of the stools of the two populations, respectively, had apparently avoided death by sprouting. Sprouted stems gradually inclined with the increase in their relative sizes within each stool, and this seemed to facilitate the establishment of younger sprouted stems. The small younger sprouted stems had their own roots. There were dormant buds on stems which originated from axillary buds, and secondary dormant buds occurred by branching. The total number of dormant buds in a stool increased with DMS. It is concluded thatE. polyandra accumulates dormant buds for sprouting in order to respond to disturbances quickly.     

Comparative Observations on the Polarity of Sprouting of Bulbils of Dioscorea bulbifera L. and Dioscorea alata L.

The sprouting process of aerial bulbils of D. bulbifera andD. alata was compared. In D. alata, sprouts originated normallyfrom the proximal pole, at or near to the point of abscision,and irrespective of moisture, light or orientation of the bulbil.In D. bulbifera, sprouts originated primarily in response tomoisture and were less influenced by polarity. Post-harvesttreatment with gibberellic acid delayed the sprouting of bulbilsof D. alata but not of D. bulbifera; treatment with 2-chloroethanolor ethanol promoted sprouting in both species. Physiologically,sprouting was characterized by a transient increase in respiratoryrate at the onset of, or just prior to, sprout emergence. Thepromotion of sprouting by chloroethanol was accompanied by asurge in respiratory activity. Dioscorea spp., yams, bulbil germination, polarity     

Mating systems and limits to seed production in two Dicerandra mints endemic to Florida scrub

We used hand-pollination experiments to test the mating systems of and evaluate limits to seed production in two federally listed endangered plants endemic to the Lake Wales Ridge in Florida, USA: Dicerandra frutescens Shinners ssp. frutescens Huck and D. christmanii Huck and Judd (Lamiaceae). Both are nonclonal, short-lived perennials found in gaps created by disturbance (e.g., fire, roads) in Florida scrub. We found that both species require pollen and insect visitation to produce seeds. We detected pollinator limitation of seed production in D. christmanii but not D. frutescens ssp. frutescens, which we suggest is a function of time-since-disturbance or gap size rather than intrinsic differences between the two species. Both species are self-compatible. Inbreeding depression reduced seed set by 60% in D. frutescens ssp. frutescens but did not occur in D. christmanii. We conclude that pollinator limitation (in fire-suppressed populations of both species) and inbreeding depression (in D. frutescens ssp. frutescens) have the potential to limit seed production in these seed-dependent, rare species. Appropriate fire management should mitigate both of these risks, by maintaining large populations and conditions attractive to pollinators. Although these two species are very similar in reproductive biology, comparisons with other Florida scrub endemics and with rare plants in general suggest that potential threats to conservation via reproductive biology are difficult to predict, depending on combinations of ecology, life-history, and phylogenetic history.     

3种薯蓣属植物珠芽糖类含量变化与茎叶生长的关系

以山药、日本薯蓣和黄独3种薯蓣属植物为材料,研究珠芽育苗中其茎叶生长与珠芽内的干物质、淀粉、可溶性糖、还原糖含量和淀粉酶活性变化的关系.结果表明: 3种薯蓣在茎蔓生长过程中珠芽内的干物质和淀粉含量均逐渐降低.山药和黄独的珠芽可溶性糖含量在茎蔓生长初期不断增加,随着茎蔓节数继续增加又逐渐降低,而还原糖含量在叶片展开前不断增加,叶片展开后又急剧降低;日本薯蓣珠芽的可溶性糖和还原性糖含量随着茎蔓节数增加逐渐上升,但保持相对较低水平.3种薯蓣珠芽内α-淀粉酶活性均强于β-淀粉酶,其在茎蔓和叶片生长中发挥重要作用.研究发现,薯蓣珠芽内淀粉主要在α-淀粉酶作用下转化分解为还原糖和可溶性糖,从而为茎蔓和叶片生长提供能量,且还原糖含量与叶片生长的关系更为密切.     

A comparison of the seed dormancy characteristics of Spartina patens and Spartina alterniflora (Poaceae)

Seed dormancy characteristics of Spartina alterniflora were delineated previously by Plyler and Carrick (American Journal of Botany, vol. 80, pp. 752–756, 1993). This study was undertaken in order to determine whether or not the dormancy characteristics of S. patens are similar. As in the previous study, the site of a dormancy mechanism was determined by assessing the germinability of surgically altered dormant seeds. Likewise, the effects of three growth-regulating substances (abscisic acid, fusicoccin, and gibberellic acid), prechilling, and light were studied by assessing the germinability of appropriately treated dormant seeds. Surgical injury to the endosperm, and to a lesser extent the scutellum, produced significant germination in S. patens, whereas only injury to the scutellum produced germination in S. alterniflora. Exogenously applied abscisic acid was highly effective in maintaining dormancy in injured seeds of both species. Gibberellic acid and fusicoccin were ineffective in promoting germination in S. patens, but fusicoccin was highly effective in breaking dormancy in 5. alterniflora. Prechilling was effective in breaking dormancy in S. patens but not in S. alterniflora. In S. patens, treatments that broke dormancy were only successful when seeds were exposed to light during the germination period. It is concluded that the dissimilarities in the dormancy mechanisms may be manifestations of the different environmental adaptations these closely related species display.     

Cryopreservation and long-term storage of pear germplasm

Summary Germplasm collections of vegetatively propagated crops are usually maintained as plants in fields or potted in greenhouses or screened enclosures. Safety duplication of these collections, as duplicate plants or separate collections, is costly and requires large amounts of space. Cryopreservation techniques which were recently developed for long-term storage of pear germalasm may offer an efficient alternative to conventional germplasm collection maintenance. Pear (Pyrus L.) germplasm may now be stored as seeds (species), dormant buds or pollen from field-grown trees, or shoot tips fromin vitro-grown plants (cultivars). Pear germplasm may now be cryopreserved and stored for long periods (> 100 yr) utilizing slow-freezing or vitrification ofin vitro-grown shoot-tips. Dormant bud freezing, pollen, and seed cryopreservation of other lines are being developed to complete the base collection forPyrus. This cryopreserved collection provides base (long-term) storage for the field-grown pear germplasm collection at the National Clonal Germplasm Repository, Corvallis, Oregon. Based on a presentation at the 1997 Congress on In Vitro Biology held in Washington, D.C., June 14–18, 1997.     

Evolution of apomixis as a strategy of colonization in the dioecious species <Emphasis Type="Italic">Lindera glauca</Emphasis> (Lauraceae)

I have investigated the reproductive biology of four dioecious species of Lindera in Japan: Lindera obtusiloba Bl., L. umbellata Thunb., L. erythrocarpa Makino, and L. glauca Bl. The sex ratios in populations of the first three species are close to equality, but in L. glauca only female individuals are found in Japan, although males are known from continental Asia. The persistence of this dioecious species in the absence of males is surprising, and prompts the question: What mechanisms operate to ameliorate problems of colonization in species of Lindera? I carried out bagging experiments in order to test for apomixis (asexual reproduction by seeds) and to establish the importance of pollination and fertilization, and potential pollen vectors. Only L. glauca reproduced by apomixis. Level of fruit set was high, and was not affected by pollination. In the other three species, seed set was entirely dependent on pollen transfer, which could be accomplished by small Coleoptera and Diptera. The evolution of apomixis in L. glauca appears to have been a strategy to overcome sterility and establish a population in the Japanese islands even in the absence of males. However, this change in breeding system has not occurred in congeneric, co-occurring species, which do not seem to have experienced a lack of male plants.     

Identification of Endogenous Gibberellins in Dormant Bulbils of Chinese Yam, Dioscorea opposita

It is known that dormancy of the genus Dioscorea is induced by application of gibberellin (GA) A₃. To understand the role of GAs in dormancy induction, endogenous GAs have been identified by Kovats retention indices and full mass spectra from capillary gas chromatography-mass spectrometry analysis of purified extract from dormant bulbils of Dioscorea opposita Thunb. These include GA₄, GA₉, GA₁₂, GA₁₉, GA₂₀, GA₂₄, GA₃₆, and GA₅₃; their presence suggests the occurrence of two biosynthetic pathways in D. opposita bulbils, the early 13-hydroxylation pathway and the non-13-hydroxylation pathway.     

Dormancy in Dioscorea: Sprouting promotion by inhibitors of protein synthesis in bulbils and rhizomes

The sprouting of immature and half-dormant mature bulbils andrhizomes in some species of Dioscorea was promoted by treatmentwith inhibitors of protein synthesis, although the sproutingof completely awake mature bulbils was inhibited. Gibberellicacid (GA₃) inhibition of the sprouting was relieved by cycloheximideand some base and amino acid analogues. Polyphenol oxidase activity in the bulbils decreased after incubationwith the protein-synthesis inhibitors. Possible involvement of protein synthesis in inducing dormancyof Dioscorea bulbils is discussed. (Received July 11, 1977; )