Cellulase, Fruit Softening and Abscission in Red RaspberryRubus idaeusL. cv Glen Clova

The ripening of raspberry fruit (Rubus ideausL. cv Glen Clova)is associated with a climacteric rise in ethylene production.As the fruit pigments change from green to red there is a progressivesoftening, loss of skin strength and a breakdown of cell wallsin the mesocarp. An increase in cellulase (endo-1,4-ß-D-glucanase)in both drupelets and receptacles accompanies these changes.The localization of cellulase in the regions of the fruit associatedwith abscission zones suggest the enzyme may be involved infruit separation as well as softening. Rubus idaeusL; raspberry; fruit ripening; ethylene; abscission; cell wall breakdown; cellulase; endo-1,4-ß-D-glucanase     

A Note on a Highly Sensitive Modified ELISA Technique for Rhizobium Strain Identification

A modification of the ELISA technique using a fluorescent substrate is described and comparisons are made between this highly sensitive technique and the conventional ELISA method for investigations of the Rhizobium /legume symbiosis. The technique can be used to detect Rhizobium spp. both from pure culture and from nodules on Trifolium repens , at a concentration of 10⁴ cells/ml. Tests for cross-reactivity indicated that the technique will facilitate a wide range of experiments which require the identification of Rhizobium strains.     

Chemistry of sediments from two linked lakes in North Wales

SUMMARY. Cores of sediment from Llyn Peris and Llyn Padarn, two linked lakes in North Wales, are described. Dating of sediments by ¹⁴C techniques, investigations of remanent geomagnetism and estimates of recent deposition rates from measurements of ¹³⁷Cs, indicate that in Padarn an unbroken record of the last 7000 years has been obtained. In Peris, the upper lake, the rate of sediment accumulation is greater than in Padarn and the sediment has been considerably disturbed. Sediment chemistry is related to the climatic and industrial history of the area. Some features of the chemical profiles in Padarn are similar to those of lakes in the English Lake District, and there is evidence to suggest that erosion has increased in the catchment since c . 3500 years ago. This is more recent than similar increases in erosion reported for the English Lake District. In Peris, industrial activity during the past few hundred years has resulted in high levels of copper and calcium in the surface regions of sediment profiles.     

Role of root systems of eastern larch and white spruce in response to flooding

Abstract. Soil flooding causes rapid reductions in transpiration, stomatal conductance and photosynthesis of many woody plants, which can decrease growth and ultimately result in plant death. This study was conducted to determine the role of the root system in the flooding response. Eastern larch ( Larix laricina ) seedlings were grown in Plexiglas tubes in which water uptake by flooded and unflooded roots was measured independently. Further flooding studies were conducted with eastern larch and white spruce ( Picea glauca ) in which stems were girdled. Root hydraulic properties were analysed using pressure-flow relationships. Transpiration rates of partially flooded plants declined more slowly than fully-flooded plants. Water uptake by unflooded roots of partially flooded seedlings increased momentarily with flooding. After lOd, flooding caused little change in root hydraulic conductance, a decrease in root system reflection coefficient, and an increase in osmotic permeability. Stem girdling had little effect on stomatal conductance and transpiration in comparison to flooding effects. The response of plant tops to flooding appears to be xylem-mediated and in proportion to the amount of root system flooded. Root hydraulic conductance appears to be unaffected by flooding except for a possible temporary increase on the first day following flooding treatments.