Flavonoid and enzyme polymorphisms and taxonomic organisation of Rosa sections: Carolinae, Cinnamomeae, Pimpinellifoliae and Synstylae

Sixty-seven species belonging to four sections of the genus Rosa were analysed by means of flavonoids and isozyme polymorphism (esterase, leucine amino peptidase and superoxyde dismutase). A clear delineation of most of Pimpinellifoliae and Synstylae was observed. A more subtle dichotomy was observed for the Cinnamomeae, which showed two groups: the first very close to the hypothetical ancestor of wild roses, the second much more advanced. The Carolinae section was associated with the first group of Cinnamomeae.     

Expression of a chitinase transgene in rose (Rosa hybrida L.) reduces development of blackspot disease (Diplocarpon rosae Wolf)

Blackspot, caused by the Ascomycete fungus Diplocarpon rosae, is the most widespread and pernicious disease of cultivated roses. While some species of rose possess resistance to D. rosae, none of the modern-day rose cultivars are fully resistant to the pathogen. In the current study, Biolistic gene delivery was used to introduce a rice gene, encoding a basic (Class I), chitinase into embryogenic callus of the blackspot-susceptible rose (Rosa hybrida L.) cv. Glad Tidings. The plasmid used for transformation carried the neomycin phosphotransferase (nptII) gene facilitating the selection and regeneration of transgenic plants on medium containing 250 mg/l kanamycin. Southern analysis confirmed integration of 2–6 copies of the chitinase gene into the rose genome; gene expression was confirmed by enzyme assay. Bioassays demonstrated that expression of the chitinase transgene reduced the severity of blackspot development by 13–43%. This degree of resistance to the pathogen correlated with the level of chitinase expression in the transgenic rose plants. The introduction of disease defence genes into rose provides a method of producing blackspot-resistant rose cultivars sought by breeders and growers.     

Relationship between species in the genus Rosa, section Pimpinellifoliae

The morphology of twelve species of Rosa is described and similarities between these species are assessed. Possible origins of the tetraploid species from diploid species are indicated on grounds of comparative morphology.
The wild origins of living and herbarium specimens are given in order to supplement published data on geographical distribution.
Meiosis in pollen mother cells, viability of pollen grains at anthesis and ability to set seed was studied in several F₁ hybrids: no indication of complete or even partial sterility was found. Reproductive isolation is therefore unlikely to be maintained by reduced fertility of interspecific hybrids.
Three species are reduced to synonymy with three other species, being retained as subspecific taxa. Two species are transferred from section Pimpinellifoliae to section Cinnamomeae.     

二倍体蔷薇FT基因序列多样性研究

以3个类群73个二倍体蔷薇属(Rosa)植物为材料,克隆获得其FLOWERING LOCUS T(FT)同源基因,并对该基因的编码区序列进行多态性分析以及多维尺度(MDS)聚类分析。结果显示,73个二倍体蔷薇植物的FT基因共检测到215个核苷酸多态性位点,其中包括214个SNP和1个缺失突变,平均185个碱基发生1次突变;氨基酸多态性分析结果显示共有35个氨基酸发生变异,平均379.6个氨基酸残基发生1次突变;突变位点统计分析结果发现39、258、426 bp位点是高频突变位点,其碱基由A或C突变为T。MDS聚类分析结果表明,3个类群FT基因编码区序列的碱基组内差异依次排序为:野生种月季组中国古老月季,氨基酸组内差异依次排序为:中国古老月季月季组野生种,推测中国古老月季在长期栽培驯化过程中,其FT基因可能经历了较强的人工选择压力,月季组的种和变种可能是古老月季的重要亲本来源。     

雄性不育无籽刺梨花药发育过程中生理特性的初步研究

为探究无籽刺梨(Rosasterilis)雄性不育原因,采用1%I2-KI染色法观察花粉活性,并对无籽刺梨和正常可育刺梨(R.roburghii)花药不同发育时期的生理生化指标进行了研究。结果表明,无籽刺梨的败育花粉占95.5%,刺梨的正常花粉占99%。刺梨花药的可溶性蛋白质、可溶性糖和脯氨酸含量在各时期的总体变化趋势相似,可溶性淀粉含量呈上升趋势,而无籽刺梨花药的可溶性蛋白质、可溶性糖、淀粉和脯氨酸含量在各时期的变化无规律可循,且花粉成熟期这4种物质的含量均明显低于刺梨,即花粉成熟期缺少各营养物质的积累。在花药发育过程中,无籽刺梨的SOD活性均低于刺梨;MDA含量呈上升趋势,且上升幅度比刺梨大;MDA含量和POD活性均高于刺梨。因此,营养物质的匮乏和酶系统的紊乱可能是导致无籽刺梨雄性不育的原因。     

供磷水平对刺梨幼苗生长和养分含量及其相关生理指标的影响

为了探析磷对刺梨(Rosa roxburghii Tratt.)幼苗生长、养分含量及其相关生理的影响,揭示刺梨适应低磷胁迫的生理机制,该研究采用石英砂和蛭石混合基质培育的方法,分析不同供磷水平对刺梨幼苗生长和根系形态特征、根和叶中的酸性磷酸酶(APase)、硝酸还原酶(NR)和根中的分泌性磷酸酶活性(SAPase)、根中小分子有机酸组分及含量和植株中营养元素含量的影响。结果表明:(1)供磷水平高于或低于45mg·L-1均会抑制刺梨幼苗的生长,明显降低刺梨幼苗生物量和根总长度、总表面积、总体积、平均直径以及总根尖数;在5mg·L-1的低磷水平下,刺梨幼苗的根冠比值、根毛长度和密度最大,随着供磷水平的增加这3个指标明显降低。(2)根和叶片的APase及根的SAPase活性随供磷水平的增大而减弱,根和叶片中NR活性均于45mg·L-1供磷水平时最高,小于或大于45mg·L-1磷水平后NR活性明显减弱;根中的草酸、酒石酸、柠檬酸、苹果酸、乙酸和琥珀酸的含量均随着供磷水平的增大而降低。(3)刺梨幼苗中P、Ca和Mg含量均随着供磷水平的提高而增大,Zn含量随供磷水平的增大而减小;在45mg·L-1供磷水平下刺梨幼苗中的N、P、K、Mn、Cu、B含量最高,降低或提高供磷水平后这些元素的含量都明显降低。研究认为,供磷水平过低或过高对刺梨幼苗的生长和营养元素吸收均有不利影响;根毛长度和密度的增大、叶片和根中APase及根中SAPase的活性增强、根中小分子有机酸含量的增加是刺梨幼苗应对低磷胁迫采取的重要适应策略。     

Spatial Patterns of Seed Dispersal by White-Faced Capuchins in Costa Rica: Evaluating Distant-Dependent Seed Mortality

Spatial patterns of seed dispersal are the focus of numerous theoretical examinations of endozoochory. Here, we examine the spatial pattern of seed dispersal by white-faced capuchin monkeys Cebus capucinus in Santa Rosa National Park, Costa Rica, and the neighborhood characteristics and distance variables most closely associated with seed survival and germination, and seedling survival and growth in various locations. Overall, distance to the nearest fruiting conspecific tree has the most positive, consistent effect on growth and survival variables, which supports a variation of the Janzen–Connell seed escape hypothesis.     

How much is a lot? Seed dispersal by white-faced capuchins and implications for disperser-based studies of seed dispersal systems

The quantity of seeds dispersed is considered one of several means to determine the dispersal effectiveness of an animal. However, there is little consistency in the manner in which quantities are measured or presented. Here, we quantify seed dispersal by white-faced capuchin monkeys (Cebus capucinus) in Santa Rosa National Park, Costa Rica by measuring: degree of frugivory, number of plant species consumed, the number of seeds consumed per unit time, the number of seeds dispersed intact per unit time, and the number of seeds dispersed intact per unit space. Forty-nine percent of C. capucinus diet is composed of the fruit of 39 species, 4 of which constitute 82% of the frugivory. Seventy-four percent of consumed fruits contain seeds that pass intact through the capuchin digestive system. Capuchins pass a mean of 15.7 seeds of a mean of 1.3 species per defecation, and defecate 25.4 times per 12-h day. These numbers are compared with extant data for C. capucinus, and possible reasons for discrepancies among results between studies are discussed. We propose a standardization of quantitative measures of seed dispersal so that quantifications of seed dispersal can be compared within species, and eventually across species.     

Chromosome doubling in a <Emphasis Type="Italic">Rosa rugosa</Emphasis> Thunb. hybrid by exposure of in vitro nodes to oryzalin: the effects of node length,oryzalin concentration and exposure time

Chromosome doubling was induced in vitro in a diploid hybrid of Rosa rugosa Thunb. using oryzalin as the spindle inhibitor. Nodal sections, 2 mm long, were exposed to 2.5 or 5 μM oryzalin and 10 mm nodal sections were exposed to 5 μM oryzalin for 0 (controls), 6, 12, 24 and 48 h. The ploidy of the emergent shoots was determined by flow cytometry. The frequency of tetraploid and mixoploid leaves that developed from 2 mm nodal sections exposed to 5 μM oryzalin peaked at 12 h exposure, when 35% of the leaves were tetraploid, but fell after longer exposures. Fewer tetraploid and mixoploid leaves were found when 2 mm nodes were exposed to 2.5 μM oryzalin for 6 and 12 h, indicating that it took longer for a spindle inhibiting concentration of oryzalin to build up in the meristem. However, the frequencies of tetraploid and mixoploid leaves continued to rise after 12 h and were highest at 48 h, when 44% were tetraploid. In treatments with 5 μM oryzalin, the frequencies of tetraploid and mixoploid leaves were lower, at equivalent exposure times, in 10 mm nodes than 2 mm nodes. This suggests that oryzalin diffused to the meristem mainly via the cut surfaces and that access via the epidermis and cuticle was impeded.