Pattern of dry-matter accumulation,and nitrogen concentration and uptake as influenced by levels and methods of nitrogen application in rainfed-upland rice

Summary Dry-matter accumulation, and concentration and uptake of nitrogen increased with increasing level of nitrogen at all the stages of crop growth. The differences in nitrogen concentration due to nitrogen levels were greatest at panicle initiation stage and started becoming narrower with the advancement in crop age. Split application of nitrogen with its heavier fractions at tillering and panicle initiation stages either through soil alone or soil+foliage (1/3+1/3+1/3) resulted in higher dry-matter accumulation, and higher nitrogen concentration and uptake than other methods. The crop, on an average, removed 61 kg N/ha. Plants accumulated nearly 15% of the total absorbed nitrogen, up to tillering, 50% up to panicle initiation and 85–90% up to heading. Proportionately lesser nitrogen uptake and dry-matter accumulation at post-heading stage is an indicative of a major constraint for production efficiency of rainfed-upland rice culture.     

Nodulation,nitrogen fixation,leaf area,and sugars content inLablab purpureus as affected by sulfur nutrition

Summary In order to explore interrelations between S nutrition, soluble sugars, leaf area, nodulation and N₂ fixation, greenhouse experiments were done with several levels of S added to perlite-sand cultures or to a moderately S-deficient soil. Sulfur had indirect effects on nodulation and N₂ fixation, possibly by improving sugars supply and N metabolism.In perlite-sand culture, leaf area increased with concentrations of supplied S up to 50 and 200 M for symbiotic and N-treated plants respectively, then decreased at higher concentrations. Plant yield and total sugars content (mg per plant) for the N-treated plants behaved similar to leaf area in response to added S but in the symbiotic plants maximum values were obtained at 100 M S. In soil, Mo had no effect on growth but interacted significantly with S in affecting total sugars content. High levels of S depressed sugars content at low Mo but raised it at high Mo.Sulfur increased the N content of soil-grown plants. It increased the N content of plants grown in perlite-sand culture except at very high levels of S. There was little effect on concentration of N in the shoots. Nitrogen content correlated significantly with leaf area and sugar content, and highly significantly with S concentration in the shoots.     

Effect of neutralization and addition of urea,sucrose, and various glycols on phosphorus absorption and leaf damage from foliar-applied phosphate

Summary Inclusion of sucrose in the solution applied to soybean (Glycine max L. merr.) leaves much reduced the severity of the damage to the leaves from application of urea and, to a lesser extent, from application of phosphorus (P) as orthophosphoric acid. Sucrose had no evident effect on P absorption. Damage to the leaves from joint application of orthophosphoric acid and urea exceeded the sum of the damage caused by the substances individually. Urea did not seem to influence P absorption, but the effect, if any, was not readily determined because nearly all values for P absorption exceeded 90%.Neutralization of orthophosphoric acid with nitrogen-containing organic bases, including choline, guanidine, and guanyl urea, did not prove useful as a technique for increasing the quantity of orthophosphate that could be applied without damage to the leaves.Absorption and translocation of orthophosphate by corn (Zea mays L.) and soybean leaves were not influenced by the pH of the solution within the range from 2 to 10. Absorption of tripolyphosphate by corn leaves decreased with an increase in pH of the solution applied, but translocation of the absorbed P was not influenced by pH. With soybeans, absorption of tripolyphosphate decreased with an increase in pH of the solution. Translocation of P applied to soybean leaves as tripolyphosphate was less than 5% of the amount absorbed within the first 24 hr and decreased with an increase in pH after 10 days.     

L-lactate dehydrogenase from leaves of Capsella bursa-pastoris (L.) Med.

By ammonium sulfate fractionation and gel filtration an enzyme preparation which catalyzed NAD⁺-dependent L-lactate oxidation (10^-4 kat kg^-1 protein), as well as NADH-dependent pyruvate reduction (10^-3 kat kg^-1 protein), was obtained from leaves of Capsella bursa-pastoris. This lactate dehydrogenase activity was not due to an unspecific activity of either glycolate oxidase, glycolate dehydrogenase, hydroxypyruvate reductase, alcohol dehydrogenase, or a malate oxidizing enzyme. These enzymes could be separated from the protein displaying lactate dehydrogenase activity by gel filtration and electrophoresis and distinguished from it by their known properties. The enzyme under consideration does not oxidize D-lactate, and reduces pyruvate to L-lactate (the configuration of which was determined using highly specific animal L-lactate dehydrogenase). Based on these results the studied Capsella leaf enzyme is classified as L-lactate dehydrogenase (EC 1.1.1.27). It has a K_m value of 0.25 mmol l^-1 (pH 7.0, 0.3 mmol l^-1 NADH) for pyruvate and of 13 mmol l^-1 (pH 7.8, 3 mmol l^-1 NAD⁺) for L-lactate. Lactate dehydrogenase activity was also detected in the leaves of several other plants.Abbreviation FMN flavin adenine mononucleotide     

Evidence for a folded conformation of the cell wall protein fromAcetabularia (Polyphysa) cliftonii

Summary The cell wall protein fromAcetabularia has a non-random structure in aqueous solution at pH 5.3, as determined on the basis of intrinsic viscosity, sedimentation velocity and small angle X-ray scattering experiments. This non-random structure is stable in a pH range of 4.5–6.8, as observed on the basis of circular dichroism and viscosity measurements, supporting that the cell wall protein has a specific folded structure. All hydrodynamic measurements, including small angle X-ray scattering in solution, in this pH range are consistent with a prolate ellipsoid model for the shape of this protein, with overall dimensions ofc=86.0 Å,b=7.0 Å, anda=7.5 Å, and with a radius of gyration ofR=39.5 Å. The possibility of a coiled shape was investigated using a worm-like chain model, but it was inconsistent with the experimental data. Instead, a filled particle with uniform density which is equivalent in the scattering behavior is proposed. By a comparison of the observed radius of gyration, R_g=39.5 Å, and the radius of gyration of the cross section,R _c =7.5 Å, we were able to describe the cell wall protein in terms of a prolate ellipsoid of revolution. Comparisons of the experimental scattering curve, plotted as logl (h) versus logh, with the corresponding plots of normalized intensities, calculated for particles of particular shape and various axial ratios indicate a very asymmetric shape for the cell wall protein fromAcetabularia.This research was supported by a grant of the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft.     

Tubular extensions of the plasmalemma in leaf cells of Zea mays L.

Leaf tissues of Zea mays were examined with a transmission electron microscope and a high-voltage electron microscope. Tubular extensions (invaginations) of the plasmalemma were found in vascular parenchyma cells and thick-walled, lateformed sieve elements of intermediate and small veins, and in epidermal, mesophyll, and sheath cells of all leaves examined. No continuity seems to exist between the tubules and other cellular membranes.     

Effects of cAMP,theophylline, imidazole,and 4-(3,4-dimethoxybenzyl)-2-imidazolidone on the leaf movement rhythm of Trifolium repens—a test of the cAMP-hypothesis of circadian rhythms

The period length of the leaf movement rhythm of Trifolium repens L. is lengthened by continuously offered cAMP (0.5–1.0 mol m^-3) and theophylline (0.5–4 mol m^-3). At the higher concentrations this effect is more pronounced and the rhythm damps out faster. Imidazole (0.5 and 1 mol m^-3) has no effect on the period length; however, after 5 mol m^-3 the rhythm is abolished. Offered as 4 h pulses the resulting phase response curves for cAMP and imidazole are similar and show delays of up to 4 h during the day position of the leaves. Theophylline pulses lead to delays of up to 5 h during closure and advances of up to 3 h during opening. No phase shift is brought about by 4-(3,4-dimethoxybenzyl)-2-imidazolidone. The results do not support the cAMP-model of the circadian clock which has been proposed by Cummings (J. theor. Biol. 55, 455–470; 1975). The effect of the substances tested could, however, be based upon influences on the transport of Ca²⁺.Abbreviations ATP adenosine triphosphate - cAMP cyclic adenosine 35 monophosphate - AMP adenosine 5 monophosphate - AC adenyl cyclase - PDE phosphodiesterase - LL continuous light     

Developmental study onHypolepis punctata (Thunb.) Mett.

The third petiolar bud ofHypolepis punctata appears on the basiscopic lateral side of the petiole above the fairly developed first petiolar bud. This investigation clarified the fact that the third bud is formed neither by the activity of the meristem of the first bud nor by the meristem directly detached from the shoot apical meristem, but is initiated in the cells involved in the abaxial basal part of the elevated portion of the leaf primordium. Thus the third bud is of phyllogenous origin. This investigation further revealed that the cells to initiate the third bud are originally located in the abaxial side of the leaf apical cell complex like the cells to initiate the first bud, but are not incorporated into the meristem of the first. After the first, second and third petiolar buds have been initiated, they are carried up into fairly high regions on the petiolar base by the intercalary growth which occurs in the leaf base below the insertion level of the first and the second buds.     

机械损伤对9种水生植物叶片的影响

水生植物叶片的功能性状特征与陆生植物有所不同,同时叶脉类型也显著影响叶片的功能性状。本研究选取9种具有不同叶脉类型的水生植物,通过对叶脉进行直接损伤,分析叶片性状（形态、色素含量和叶绿素荧光指标）在叶脉受损后的变化程度与叶脉类型的关系。结果显示：具有平行脉的3种水生植物对叶脉损伤具有较强的耐受性;具羽状脉的4种植物主脉受损后显著抑制叶片生长,而侧脉受损的影响在不同物种间有所不同,具有物种特异性。本研究可为大型湖泊水生植物修复的水生物种筛选提供参考。     

兰属(Cymbidium)5种植物叶结构特征

采用光学显微镜和体视镜,对兰属5种植物（春兰、蕙兰、建兰、寒兰、墨兰）的叶结构特征（叶脉结构、叶表皮结构、解剖结构）进行了观察和测量。结果显示,兰属5种植物的叶脉结构相似,叶表皮结构和解剖结构存在较大差异,其中最主要的差异是皮下纤维束的多少和边缘角质层锯齿形态。依据叶结构特征聚类分析结果,5种兰可分为春兰组、建兰组和墨兰组3组。本研究表明叶结构特征对兰属5种植物的分类具有重要意义。