Changes in protein synthesis during stratification and dormancy release in embryos of sugar maple (Acer saccharum)

Protein synthesis in dormant embryos of sugar maple ( Acer saccharum ) was investigated in seeds stratified at 4°C or incubated at 15°C. Seeds stratified at 4°C germinated after 27 days; seeds incubated at 15°C failed to germinate. Stratification increased the embryo's capacity for protein synthesis by day 11 as measured by in vivo incorporation of [³⁵S]-methionine into purified protein. At 4°C protein synthesis in the embryonic axis rose in a linear fashion prior to germination, whereas in cotyledons it increased until day 20 and then declined. Analysis of radiolabelled proteins by two-dimensional gel electrophoresis revealed that the levels of specific proteins were altered by temperature, primarily in the cotyledons. Several proteins were expressed in the cotyledons at 15°C but were absent in unstratified embryos and in embryos stratified at 4°C. That is, the expression of these proteins was repressed during stratification and release from dormancy. Levels of other proteins in the cotyledons declined at 4°C during stratification. We suggest that one or more of these proteins may be associated with the inhibition of growth of the embryonic axis imposed by the cotyledons.     

LIFE-CYCLE COMPONENTS OF SELECTION IN ERIGERON ANNUUS: II. GENETIC VARIATION

Genetic variation for seedling and adult fitness components was measured under natural conditions to determine the relative importance of the seedling stage for lifetime fitness in Erigeron annuus. Variation in lifetime reproductive success can result from both the persistent effects of genetic variation expressed among seedlings and from variation in adult fitness components. Analysis of covariance was used to separate the stage specific from the cumulative effects of genetic variance expressed earlier in the life cycle. E. annuus produces seeds through apomixis, which allowed measurement of the fitness of replicate genotypes from germination through the entire life cycle. There were significant differences among genotypes for date of emergence, seedling size, survivorship and fecundity, but heritabilities were low, indicating slow response to selection. For all characters, environmental components of variance were one to two orders of magnitude larger than genetic variance components, resulting in broad sense heritabilities less than 0.1. For seedling size and fecundity, all of the genetic variance was in the form of genotype-environment interactions, often with large negative genetic correlations across environments. In contrast, genotypes differed in mean survivorship through one year, but there were no genotype-environment interactions for viability. Genetic differences in viability were primarily expressed as differences in overwinter survivorship. Genotype × environment interactions among sites and blocks were generated early in the life cycle while the genotype × environment interactions in response to competitive environment (open, annual cover, perennial cover) first appeared in adult fecundity. Genetic variation in lifetime fitness was not significant, despite a fourfold difference in mean fitness among genotypes.     

β-Glucosidase activities and HCN liberation in unimbibed and imbibed seeds, and the induction of cocklebur seed germination by cyanogenic glycosides

In many seed species, the major source of HCN evolved during water imbibition is cyanogenic glycosides. The present investigation was performed to elucidate the role of endogenous cyanogenic glycosides in the control of seed germination and to examine the involvment of β-glucosidase in this process. All seed species used here contained some activities of β-glucosidase already in the dry state before imbibition. in the decreasing order of Malus pumila, Daucus carota, Hordeum vulgare, Chenopodium album and so on. β-Gluosidase activity in upper and lower seeds of cocklebur (Xanthium pennsylvanicum Wallr.) decreased with imbibition, and in lower seeds the activity disappeared when they germinated. On the contrary, in caryopses of rice (Oryza sativa L. cv. Sasanishiki) β-glucosidase increased during imbibition, and this increase continued even after germination. β-Glucosidase in cocklebur seeds was more active in the axial than in the cotyledonary tissue. Amygdalin, prunasin and linamarin could all serve as substrattes for the β-glucosidase(s) from both cocklebur and rice. Amygdalin, prunasin and linamarin as well as KCN, were effective in stimulating the germination of upper cocklebur seeds. The seeds evolved much more free HCN gas when they were exposed to the cyanogenic glycosides than when the glycosides were absent. Moreover, the application of the cyanogenic glycosides or of KCN caused accumulation of bound HCN in the seeds. Carbon monoxide, which stimulated cocklebur seed germination only slightly, did not cause accumulation of bound HCN. We suggest that a balance between the cytochrome and the alternative respiration pathways, which is adequate for germination (Esashi et al. 1987. Plant Cell Physiol. 28: 141–150), may be brought about by the action of endogenous HCN; a large portion of which is liberated from cyanogenic glycosides via the action of β-glucosidase. In addition to the partial suppression of the cytochrome path and unlike carbon monoxide, the HCN thus produced may act to supply cyanide group(s) to unknown compounds necessary for germination.     

Stimulation of weed seed germination by 1–(3-chlorophthalirnido) cyclohexanecarboxamide (AC 94377)

The N-substituted phthalimide, AC 94377, promoted the germination of dry-stored seeds of 17 out of 24 weed species in Petri-dish tests maintained at 22°C. In a further test it was able to substitute for light and/or alternating temperatures in promoting the germination of some species. AC 94377 was more active than GA, in stimulating Solanum nigrum seed to germinate. When mixed with soil in the laboratory, AC 94377 again promoted germination of S. nigrum but the level and persistence of activity differed between soils. In the glasshouse, with soil containing a natural weed seed population, more seedlings emerged from treated than from untreated soil but this number represented fewer than half of the apparently viable seeds present. Field applications of AC 94377 promoted the germination of hand-sown seeds of certain weed species but did not increase the number of seedlings emerging from the natural weed seed bank.     

The Impact of Different Long-Term Storage Conditions on the Viability of Lichen-Forming Ascomycetes and their Green Algal Photobiont, Trebouxia spp.

Abstract: Lichen-forming ascomycetes and their green algal photobionts completely die off within approximately 3 years of storage at room temperature. Macroscopically this is recognizable as a colour change, the green shades of the chlorophylls being lost. In fluorescent light microscopy preparations an increase in fungal autofluorescence and a significant decrease in chlorophyll autofluorescence in the Trebouxia cells was observed. In transmission electron microscopy preparations of Xanthoria parietina and its green algal photobiont, Trebouxia arboricola, the fungal membrane systems were found to be largely broken down whereas the shrivelled algal protoplast failed to rehydrate after storage at room temperature. When stored in the desiccated state at - 20 °C, both partners of the symbiosis stayed fully viable for up to 13 years, their colouration and chlorophyll fluorescence being unchanged. Viability was measured as ascospore ejection and germination rates in Xanthoria parietina, soredium germination rates in Xanthoria fallax, Hypogymnia physodes and Parmelia sulcata, and autospore formation rate in Trebouxia cells (green algal photobiont), which had been isolated from the thalli after rehydration. Thallus fragments of Xanthoria parietina were shown to grow normally after one week of storage in LN₂ without any cryoprotectant. In the desiccated state deep-frozen samples can be repeatedly brought to room temperature and back to - 20 °C without any loss of viability. Cryopreservation is therefore a suitable mode of long-term storage of viable lichen thalli for experimental studies or transplant experiments.     

Comparative seed ecology of the endangered shrub, Pimelea spicata and a threatening weed, Bridal Creeper: Smoke, heat and other fire-related germination cues

Summary Pimelea spicata R. Br. is a nationally listed endangered Australian shrub threatened with extinction by habitat fragmentation and environmental weed invasion. Bridal Creeper (Asparagus asparagoides L. W. Wight) is the primary weed threat to the largest remaining populations of P. spicata in the Cumberland Plain. Fire, as part of an integrated pest management program, offers the potential to stimulate P. spicata populations while controlling Bridal Creeper. It is important, therefore, to understand how the components of fire affect the germination and growth of both species. Using laboratory experiments we investigated the effects of smoke, heat, ash and/or light on the germination of P. spicata and Bridal Creeper. We found a significant promotive effect of smoke and indication of an inhibitory heat shock (90°C for 10 min) effect on the germination of P. spicata seeds. The response of Bridal Creeper seeds to the same factors was complex; while the results of one experiment suggested an inhibitory effect of smoke and a promotive effect of heat, subsequent trials were contradictory, implying that Bridal Creeper, like many weeds, is able to germinate under a wide range of environmental conditions. Other experiments investigated the optimal germination temperature and innate dormancy of P. spicata in the absence of fire‐related germination cues. Of the incubation temperatures investigated, the optimal diurnally fluctuating regime for P. spicata germinations was 10°C and 20°C in the night and day, respectively. The innate dormancy of freshly produced seeds disappeared after 3 months. In contrast to Bridal Creeper, we found a persistent germinable seed bank of about 97 P. spicata seeds/m² located in the top 5 cm of the soil profile. While fire alone is unlikely to kill Bridal Creeper plants, fire may help to manage local infestations of the weed by limiting germination and providing opportunity for herbicide treatment of regrowth.     

A rapid method for detecting fungi-toxic substances

A simple and rapid technique is reported for the preliminary screening of fungi-toxic extracts/samples by direct spotting onto silica gel plates and subsequent over-spraying with a fungal spore suspension. After incubation fungi-toxicity is indicated by a growth inhibition zone, the area of which is related to the concentration of the sample.B.K. Rana and V. Taneja are with the Department of Biochemistry. Faculty of Science, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi 221005, India; U.P. Singh is with the Department of Mycology and Plant Pathology, Institute of Agricultural Sciences, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi 221005, India.     

促进檀香种子发芽技术的研究

本文讨论了破除檀香种子休眠,提高发芽率和整齐度,缩短发芽期的方法,采用多因子试验,发现用１０００ｍｇ／ＬＧＡ处理檀香种子,播后一个月发芽率可高达８０％左右,有效地解决了檀香种子发芽期长,发芽不整齐和发芽率低的问题。     

南亚热带森林几种乔木种子萌发和幼苗生长观察

本文对香椿（Ｔｏｏｎａｓｉｎｅｎｓｉｓ（Ａ．Ｊｕｓｓ．）Ｒｏｅｍ．）、木蝴蝶（Ｏｒｏｘｙｌｕｍｉｎｄｉｃｕｍ（Ｌ．）Ｖｅｎｔ．）、扁斗青冈（ＱｕｅｒｃｕｓｈｕｉＣｈｕｎ）、泡桐（Ｐａｕｌｏｗｎｉａｆｏｒｔｕｎｅｉ（Ｓｅｅｍ．）Ｈｅｍｓｌ）罗浮柿（ＤｉｏｓｐｙｒｏｓｍｏｒｒｉｓｉａｎａＨａｎｃｅ）、枳（ＢｅｒｃｈｅｍｉａｄｕｌｃｉｓＴｈｕｎｂ．）等南亚热带森林乔木种子萌发和幼苗生长进行观察．香椿、扁斗青冈、罗浮柿种子在轻阴（５５％光）条件下萌发率最高,分别为７０％、９０％、３０％,木蝴蝶种子在重阴（３８％光）条件下萌发率最高,为８０％,枳种子在光照条件下萌发率最高,为１５％．阳性树种香椿、木蝴蝶、泡桐、枳幼苗生长速度较快,属速生型树种,其幼苗在光照条件下生长速度最快,森林中树种扁斗青冈、罗浮柿幼苗生长速度较慢,属慢生型树种,其幼苗在轻阴条件下生长较好．随着施肥量的增加,幼苗生长速度明显提高．     

Biology and life cycle ofAtelocauda koae,an unusual demicyclic rust

Atelocauda koae, a rust of the native HawaiianAcacia koa, is considered as a demicyclic species, having spermogonial, aecial, and telial states, but is unusual in production of aeciospores simultaneously with teliospores rather than consecutively. Host inoculation with spores of each state separately confirmed that the life cycle was perpetuated by the telial state, but the aeciospores, while capable of germination and stomal penetration, did not produce detectable infection. This rust therefore behaves as a microcyclic species, and appears to be in evolutionary transition toward this reduced state. Teliospores produced vestigial, permanently attached basidiosopores which germinated to produce infective hyphae. The hyphae entered the host either through stomata or penetrated the epidermis directly, with the latter method being more common. Unusual nuclear associated with teliospore germination, in which meiosis occurs in more than one diploid nucleus was observed, in confirmation of an earlier study.