Effect of Gibberellic Acid and Some Phenols on Flowering of Impatiens balsamina, a Qualitative Short-day Plant

GA₃ as well as SA (salicylic acid) and β-N (β-naphthol) induce floral buds in Impatiens balsamina under strictly non-inductive photoperiods. The floral bud initiation is accelerated when 1 mg/1 SA is used in combination with 100 mg/1 GA₃. 100 mg/1 GA₃+ 1 mg/1 SA and 100 mg/1 GA₃+ 100 mg/1 β-N increase the number of floral buds as compared with 100 mg/1 GA₃ alone.     

Effect of Acetone on the Induction and Breakage of Secondary Dormancy in Seeds of Cucumber

The dark-germinating seeds of cucumber (Cucumis sativus L. cv.Saharanpur Long green) developed secondary dormancy when giventwo brief far-red light (FR) irradiations during a 4 d incubationin osmoticum at 20°C. Acetone treatment of seeds was foundnot only to break FR-induced dormancy but also to prevent itsdevelopment. The progressive effect of increasing the durationof treatment or the concentrations of acetone, as well as anappreciable activity of the latter, irrespective of its applicationto dry or hydrated seeds, is consistent with the Taylorson hypothesisof anaesthetic action at the membrane level. Contrary to thegeneral consensus that it is only the cells of the embryo whichrespond to an active dormancy-breaking factor, termination ofdormancy as well as prevention of its development by acetonein cucumber seeds was accompanied by a striking change in thepermeability of the cell membranes of the perisperm-endospermenvelope enclosing the embryo. This change in the permeabilityof the cell membranes brought about by acetone appeared to bepermanent in nature as it was not affected by hydration or dehydrationof the treated seeds. Key words: Acetone, anaesthetic substances, secondary seed dormancy, triphenyl tetrazolium chloride, benzyladenine, Evan's blue     

Ecology of cotton stainers (Heteroptera: Pyrrhocoridae) in southern Ghana

An account is given of the ecology of four species of Dysdercus in southern Ghana. Succession of host plants, host preference and migration is studied. Colony structure is examined. Natural enemies are investigated. Mimetic resemblance of the resident predator to a particular species of host Dysdercus is studied. Experiments on the palatibility of Dysdercus species to mammalian predators are discussed.     

Effect of Nutrition on Growth and Sporangial Production of Two West African Isolates of Phytophthora palmivora Butl

Nutrition of two isolates of Phytophthora palmivora was studiedin pure culture. Several amino acids supported good growth ofboth isolates but casein hydrolysate was the best nitrogen sourcefor one isolate. Ammonium sulphate, urea and potassium nitratewere poor nitrogen sources for both isolates. Growth of bothisolates was enhanced by ferric iron in the presence of L-ascorbicacid. Calcium chloride was stimulatory to one isolate whilecholestrol and calcium chloride enhanced the growth of bothisolates. Sporangial production varied in both isolates on mediacontaining various amino acids.     

Incidence and management of white grub, Schizonycha ruficollis on seedlings of teak （Tectona grandis Linn, f,）

In investigation was conducted annually from 2002 to 2005 between the second week of May and the end of September on the incidence of scarab beetle, Schizonycha ruficollis （Fabricius） in a teak （Tectona grandis L.f.） nursery at Ramdongari, Nagpur, India. The immature stages, that is white grubs of the scarab beetle damaged 14%-52% of teak seedlings in the nursery beds, whereas the adult of the species, that is scarab beetles, were recorded on three new host trees （ Ziziphus xylopyra, Acacia catechu and A. leucophloea） in addition to the reported hosts such as ziziphus （Z. jujuba and Z. mauritiana）. Beetles of the S. ruficollis started emerging from the nursery beds just after the pre-monsoon showers and continued for 10-18 days. While beetle of S. ruficollis defoliated tree hosts available in the surroundings, the immature stages of the beetle caused major damage by feeding on root systerfls of teak seedlings with symptoms of wilting and mortality in forest nursery beds. The result of chemical and biological treatments for the management of grubs of S. ruficollis in nursery beds indicated phorate 10% granular at the rate of 20 g/m^2 and chlorpyriphos 20% emulsifiable concentrate at the rate of 5.0 mL/m^2 to be effective. Grubs of S. ruficollis have not been recorded previously as a major pest of teak （T. grandis）. This is also the first report on occurrence of S. ruficollis adults on tree hosts such as Z. xylopyra, A. catechu and A. leucophloea. White grubs being pests of economic importance and the toughest insects to manage, information given in this paper on incidence, pest status and management of Schizonycha ruficollis is of importance to researchers and forest nursery managers.     

Genetics of flowering time in bread wheat <Emphasis Type="Italic">Triticum aestivum</Emphasis>: complementary interaction between vernalization-insensitive and photoperiod-insensitive mutations imparts very early flowering habit to spring wheat

Time to flowering in the winter growth habit bread wheat is dependent on vernalization (exposure to cold conditions) and exposure to long days (photoperiod). Dominant Vrn-1 (Vrn-A1, Vrn-B1 and Vrn-D1) alleles are associated with vernalization independent spring growth habit. The semidominant Ppd-D1a mutation confers photoperiod-insensitivity or rapid flowering in wheat under short day and long day conditions. The objective of this study was to reveal the nature of interaction between Vrn-1 and Ppd-D1a mutations (active alleles of the respective genes vrn-1 and Ppd-D1b). Twelve Indian spring wheat cultivars and the spring wheat landrace Chinese Spring were characterized for their flowering times by seeding them every month for five years under natural field conditions in New Delhi. Near isogenic Vrn-1 Ppd-D1 and Vrn-1 Ppd-D1a lines constructed in two genetic backgrounds were also phenotyped for flowering time by seeding in two different seasons. The wheat lines of Vrn-A1a Vrn-B1 Vrn-D1 Ppd-D1a, Vrn-A1a Vrn-B1 Ppd-D1a and Vrn-A1a Vrn-D1 Ppd-D1a (or Vrn-1 Ppd-D1a) genotypes flowered several weeks earlier than that of Vrn-A1a Vrn-B1 Vrn-D1 Ppd-D1b, Vrn-A1b Ppd-D1b and Vrn-D1 Ppd-D1b (or Vrn-1 Ppd-D1b) genotypes. The flowering time phenotypes of the isogenic vernalization-insensitive lines confirmed that Ppd-D1a hastened flowering by several weeks. It was concluded that complementary interaction between Vrn-1 and Ppd-D1a active alleles imparted super/very-early flowering habit to spring wheats. The early and late flowering wheat varieties showed differences in flowering time between short day and long day conditions. The flowering time in Vrn-1 Ppd-D1a genotypes was hastened by higher temperatures under long day conditions. The ambient air temperature and photoperiod parameters for flowering in spring wheat were estimated at 25°C and 12 h, respectively.     

9个水稻栽培种和1个水稻组培种对稻螟赤眼蜂和赤眼卵蜂的互利作用（英文）

采用培养皿法对营养生长期和开花期的9个水稻栽培种（Pusa Sugandh-2, Pusa Basmati-1, Pusa-2511, Pusa Basmati-370, Pusa-1077, Karnal Local, PRR-78, Jaya, Pusa-1238）和1个组培种（Culture No.34）的正己烷提取物进行了生测,以调查它们对稻螟赤眼蜂Trichogramma japonicum Ashmead和赤眼卵蜂Trichogramma chilonis (Ishii)平均寄生活性指数（PAI）和平均寄生百分率的影响。将不同水稻品种的正己烷提取物进行气相 液相色谱,来测定饱和碳氢化合物。其中,营养生长期的Pusa Sugandh-2叶片提取物激发两种寄生蜂产生最大的反应,平均寄生率最大。而开花期的Pusa Basmati-1使两种寄生蜂的平均寄生率最高。对营养生长阶段的叶片提取物进行的气相 液相色谱分析表明：Pusa Sugandh-2 含有25个碳原子(C25) 和29个碳原子 (C29)的2种化合物。对开花期的叶片提取物进行的气相 液相色谱分析也表明：Basmati-1 含有25个碳原子(C25)、26个碳原子(C26)和29个碳原子 (C29)的3种化合物,可激发寄生蜂产生最大的反应