Multiple forms of hydroxycinnamate : CoA ligase in etiolated pea seedlings

A survey of a range of plant tissues showed that the hydroxycinnamate CoA ligase in crude extracts of pea shoots had a high relative activity towards sinapic and other methoxycinnamic acids, together with high activity with p-coumaric acid. The pea enzyme has been resolved by chromatography on DEAE-cellulose into two peaks which differ in their substrate specificity. The form which elutes at relatively low salt concentrations has a ratio activity towards p-coumaric and sinapic acids of about 1.8:1 while the form eluting at higher salt concentrations, although showing very high activity with p-coumaric acid, is inactive towards sinapic acid. The pattern of elution of these forms following gel filtration on Ultragel AcA 34 and Sephadex G100 suggests that these two isoenzymes which differ in ionic properties and substrate specificity can exist in two or three molecular weight forms and there is evidence that these forms are under certain circumstances interconvertible.     

Turonian Pinaceae of the Raritan Formation, New Jersey

 Fossil vegetative and reproductive structures from deposits of the Raritan Formation in New Jersey (Turonian, Upper Cretaceous, ∼90 MYBP) include ferns, gymnosperms, and angiosperms. Gymnosperms collected from this formation have been known since the beginning of the 20th century. Fossil leaves, wood and seed cones have been are identified as belonging to the Cupressaceae, Pinaceae, and Taxodiaceae. In the present contribution, we describe a series of fossil dwarf shoots, leaves and a pollen cone belonging to the family Pinaceae. Fossils are charcoalified with preserved three-dimensional structure and excellent cellular detail. The dwarf shoots are assigned to a new species Prepinus crossmanensis sp. nov. and to the previously described Pinus quinquefolia Jeffrey. The new species Prepinus crossmanensis differs in size, shape, presence of hypodermis, sclerenchyma and stomata in the cataphylls, and number and shape of needle leaves from previously known species. Also, isolated leaves were found that were assigned to the new species, Prepinus raritanensis sp. nov. The new species is differentiated by the size and shape of stomata, the presence of number of layers of the hypodermis; and the cell-shape and number of layers of the mesophyll and transfusion tissue. A previously undescribed male cone, Amboystrobus cretacicum gen. and sp. nov., has an axis with spirally attached microsporophylls, each bearing two abaxial ovoid microsporangia. The pollen grains are monosulcate and bisaccate (eusaccate), with an elliptical corpus, granulate exine sculpture, and honeycomb-like wall structure. Received March 21, 2000 Accepted November 13, 2000     

Causes of root growth retardation induced by ultraviolet-B irradiation of shoots in Barley seedlings

In barley seedlings (Hordeum vulgare L.) during two days after irradiation of shoots with UV-B (0.5 W/m², 6 h), the rate of elongation of primary roots decreased 2–3 times compared to that in control plants. The modulus of elasticity of roots (ε) increased at most twofold in 12 h after the onset of irradiation; the hydraulic conductivity (L _p) diminished by a factor of two in 12 h, and the root osmotic pressure gradually decreased by 0.08 MPa in 24 h. Changes in ε and L _p were shown to be related to oxidative stress in growing roots, which was evidenced from the increase in H₂O₂ level up to 15-fold increase in 6 h and in activity of guaiacol peroxidase (3.5-fold in 12 h). After 48 h, the characteristics of oxidative metabolism and root characteristics ε and L _p became identical in untreated and treated plants. On the third day, the rate of root growth in treated plants reached its initial value. It is concluded that the main causes of retardation of root growth under these conditions were as follows: the increase in cell wall rigidity related to formation of oxidative cross-links in the apoplast and the decrease in root osmotic pressure due to limited transport of assimilates from irradiated leaves. After the intensity of UV-B irradiation applied to shoots was enhanced (1.6 W/m², 4 h), another physiological status of roots was observed on the 2nd day characterized by twofold increase in L _p, tenfold decreased root elongation rate, and by a progressing increase of root diameter in growing roots. The comparison of root responses induced by irradiation of shoots with the root responses to sodium salicylate and ABA suggests that both agents might participate in the transmission of signals from irradiated leaves to roots.     

植物激素和接种方式对广西金线莲壮苗生根的影响

该文以广西野生金线莲无菌播种离体茎段为材料,采用单因素对比试验,研究了植物激素(NAA、IBA、6-BA、GA_3、KT、ZT、TDZ、2-IP)以及接种方式(竖直接种和水平接种)对壮苗生根培养的影响。结果表明:与对照相比,生长素有利于壮苗生根,NAA的效果优于IBA;细胞分裂素对壮苗生根的效果依次为6-BATDZKT=ZT 2-IPCK,其中6-BA诱导平均株高8.4 cm,3.6条根,茎粗为2.84 mm,植株生长健壮,诱导效果最好;赤霉素GA_3诱导出的植株高且直,但植株细弱,且抑制根系生长,不利于壮苗生根培养;在激素组合6-BA 0.5 mg·L~(-1)、NAA1.0 mg·L~(-1)处理中,组培苗生长健壮且根数量较多,效果最佳;水平接种能诱导出更多的根系,且便于接种操作,可以节省接种时间。因此,确定广西金线莲最适宜的壮苗生根培养基配方为1/2MS+6-BA 0.5 mg·L~(-1)+NAA 1.0 mg·L~(-1)+香蕉汁100 g·L~(-1)+AC(活性炭) 1.0 g·L~(-1)+蔗糖20 g·L~(-1),最佳接种方式为水平接种。     

Effect of salt stress on photosynthesis and chlorophyll fluorescence in Medicago truncatula

In the present study, photosynthetic parameters including gas exchanges, pigment contents, and chlorophyll fluorescence, were compared in two contrasting local Medicago truncatula lines TN6.18 and TN8.20, in response to salt added to the nutrient solution. Plants were cultivated under symbiotic nitrogen fixation (SNF) after inoculation with a reference strain Sinorhizobium meliloti 2011, a very tolerant strain to salinity (700 mM NaCl), and grown in a controlled glasshouse. On one month old plants (with active SNF), salt treatment (75 mM NaCl) was gradually applied. Photosynthesis, assimilating pigments and chlorophyll fluorescence were monitored throughout the experiment during both short and long terms, compared to control (non-saline) conditions. A genotypic variation in salt tolerance was found; TN6.18 was the more sensitive to salinity. The relative tolerance of TN8.20 was concomitant with the highest photochemical quenching coefficient (q_P) affecting the maximum quantum yield of PSII (Y); the real quantum yield (?_exc) was the most affected in the sensitive line. Moreover, stomatal and PSII reaction centers activities differed clearly between the studied lines. We found that the effect of salinity on photosynthesis of M. truncatula was related to PSII activity reduction rather than to stomatal conductance limitation. Photosynthesis was reduced by the inhibition of CO₂ assimilation caused by PSII damage. This was clearly estimated by the Y, ?_exc and especially by the quantum yield of electron transport of PSII (Φ_PSII). Thus, on the basis of our results on the two local M. truncatula lines, we recommend the use of chlorophyll fluorescence as non-destructive screening method to discriminate susceptible and resistant legumes to salt stress.     

杨树试管苗嫩茎生根过程中内源IAA的免疫金银定位

生长素类物质在木本植物生根过程中发挥重要作用。杨树生根与生长素的关系及生根过程中内源激素的变化已有大量报道,而生根过程中生长素的组织定位分析则尚未见报道。该文应用免疫化学分析方法对741杨（Populus alba×（P.davidiana×P.simonii）×P.tomentosa）嫩茎生根过程中内源IAA在组织中的分布进行了研究。结果显示,741杨的嫩茎在无外源激素的1/2MS培养基上诱导10天后可生根,14天后生根率达100%。诱导前,嫩茎基部组织中几乎没有IAA信号;诱导8天后,嫩茎基部维管组织中有大量的IAA积累,而且中部的维管组织中也有明显的IAA信号（主要分布在韧皮部和维管形成层）;10天后,形成不定根原基,此时IAA主要分布在根原基;12天后,根原基分化成不定根并突破表皮,IAA在不定根中的分布主要集中在根尖和中柱。该文对741杨的嫩茎生根过程中IAA的组织分布特点及运输途径进行了讨论。     

Enhanced shoot multiplication in Ficus religiosa L. in the presence of adenine sulphate,glutamine and phloroglucinol

Ficus religiosa (Pipal) is a long-lived valuable multipurpose forest tree. The tree is exploited because of its religious, ornamental and medicinal value and the regeneration rate in natural habitat is low. An in vitro propagation protocol has been developed from nodal segments obtained from a 45–50-year old tree. The highest bud break frequency (100 %) followed by maximum number of multiple shoots (13.9) as well as length (2.47 cm) were obtained on Woody Plant medium (WPM) supplemented with 1.0 mg/l BAP along with 0.5 mg/l IAA. Two modifications in this medium resulted in enhanced shoot regeneration-one with 200 mg/l glutamine + 150 mg/l ADS (called as MM-1) giving 32.5 shoots per nodal explant while another modification—with 200 mg/l glutamine + 150 mg/l ADS + 100 mg/l phloroglucinol (called as MM-2) giving 35.65 shoots per explant. These two media were used for sub-culturing of shoots for 4 months. The rate of shoot multiplication was same during the first three sub-cultures on MM-1 and the shoots regenerated were healthy, afterwards shoot multiplication declined. While on MM-2, shoot multiplication declined after first sub-culture and shoots underwent the problem of early leaf fall. Rooting was best induced in micro-shoots excised from proliferated shoot cultures on semi-solid as well as liquid WPM modified with 2.0 mg/l IBA and 0.5 mg/l IAA. The in vitro-raised plantlets were potted and acclimatized under culture room conditions for 25–30 days before transfer to soil conditions, where the established plants showed more than 90 % survival.     

浙江双栉蝠蛾危害对毛竹笋次生物质的影响

本文主要报道了浙江双栉蝠蛾危害对毛竹笋次生物质（主要是单宁、黄酮、总酚）的影响。研究表明,浙江双栉蝠蛾幼虫危害毛竹笋后,与健康笋比较,轻度受害和鸯度受害笋的单宁、总酚含量呈下降趋势,经多重比较表明,其差异极显著。受害后,毛竹笋黄酮含量总体下降,但重度受害的下降量比轻度受害的少;经检验,各组之间的差异极显著。说明毛竹笋受浙江双栉蝠蛾危害后,其单宁、黄酮、总酚的含量均显著下降,这可能是植物的应激防御反应的一种表现。     

不同年代梭梭同化枝解剖结构特征及其对土壤条件的响应

叶片是植物与外界环境进行能量、水气交换的主要器官,对环境变化较敏感且可塑性较大。该研究以民勤不同年代梭梭同化枝为研究对象,采用石蜡切片法,分析不同年代梭梭同化枝解剖结构变异特点及其与土壤条件的关系,旨在探讨梭梭同化枝在干旱环境的生态适应机制。结果表明:(1)除角质层和导管孔径,不同年代梭梭同化枝解剖结构指标差异显著(P<0.05),变异系数变化范围为5.19%~21.53%。(2)随着生长年限的增加,梭梭同化枝直径变小,其他解剖结构指标占半径比例呈先增加后降低趋势。(3)土壤养分含量随年代的增加表现为不断降低的趋势,土壤含水率则因地点不同表现出较大差异。(4)角质层、栅栏组织与速效磷含量呈显著负相关(P<0.05);维管柱直径与电导率呈显著负相关(P<0.05)。研究认为,梭梭同化枝解剖结构与土壤条件存在密切关系,通过改变叶片结构更好地适应干旱荒漠环境,以期为该区梭梭资源的保护与利用提供理论依据。