Adaptation of the tetrazolium method for testing the seed viability, and scanning electron microscopy study of some Western European orchids

A modified tetrazolium method was formulated for use with seeds of Western European orchids. The sequence of treatments which gave the highest percentage of coloured (i.e. viable) embryos was: (1) pretreatment in a solution of 5% (w/v) Ca(OCl)₂+ 1% (v/v) Tween-80, (2) soaking for 1 day in sterile water, (3) the classical tetrazolium test. The optimal duration of the pretreatment in Ca(OCl)₂+ Tween-80 depends upon the species, and to investigate the effect a scanning electron microscopy study was performed on the testa of 3 species. For a given species, the optimal pretreatment period was not affected by the year of harvest or the source of the seed lots.     

沫蝉的病原真菌新种——巨孢虫疫霉(英文)

在浙江省百山祖自然保护区虫生真菌调查中发现松树上的菱沫蝉(Agrophora sp.)的新病原真菌一种,因其分生孢子远大于任何已知种虫疫霉,故定为新种巨孢虫疫霉(Eryniagigantea Li,Chert et Xu)。其初生分生孢子长倒拟卵形或拟纺锤形,对称或略弯曲,42.6—76.7×l 2.3—26.0μm(平均57.6×l 8.6μm),长径比2.2—4.9(平均3.1);顶稍圆或尖削;基部乳突略钝,有时有孢领。次生分生孢子倒拟卵形至广倒拟卵形;毛管分生孢子未见。假根成束。假囊状体及休眠孢子未见。     

Factors controlling the population dynamics of the clonal helophyte Ranunculus lingua

Abstract. Two marginal and two central populations of the pseudo-annual aquatic plant Ranunculus lingua were studied over four years. The main purpose was to quantify potentially influential abiotic and biotic factors and to derive predictions about life-history differences between the populations. Variation in abundance and height of R. lingua ramets at different depths were related to water-level fluctuations, to abundance of other helophyes (emergent macrophytes), and to the occurrence of invertebrate grazing and fungal pathogens. Clear differences between marginal and central populations were shown in the depth distribution of ramet numbers and ramet heights, as well as in the dynamic patterns, where marginal populations had a higher flux of ramets. These patterns and regression analyses indicated that abiotic factors have a greater influence in marginal populations, whereas biotic factors are more important in central populations. It is suggested that marginal habitats for R. lingua would favour life-histories with a high reproductive capacity, whereas a large size of ramet would be the most important life-history feature in central habitats. This was supported by the fact that ramets in marginal populations, in spite of their smaller size, produced higher number of rhizomes than ramets in central populations. Variation in regional abundance was finally related to differences in demographic processes and dispersal potential between the populations.     

西藏东南部柏木属群落类型及物种多样性

西藏东南部柏木属植物群落是青藏高原天然林资源的重要组分,在维持高原生物多样性与生态安全方面作用显著.为明确其群落类型及物种多样性,本研究通过在米林县、朗县和波密县设置典型样地和划分群落类型,分析了不同群落物种组成、物种多样性指数及建群种径级结构.结果表明: 柏木属植物群落可划分为4个群落类型:西藏柏木-柳叶忍冬+绒毛山梅花-凤尾蕨+紫马唐群落(群落Ⅰ)、巨柏-圆锥山蚂蝗+砂生槐-线形草沙蚕+芸香草+固沙草群落(群落Ⅱ)、巨柏-甘肃野丁香-杂配藜+固沙草群落(群落Ⅲ)、巨柏-小蓝雪花-藏沙蒿+固沙草+蒺藜群落(群落Ⅳ).各群落Margalef丰富度指数、Shannon多样性指数、Pielou均匀度指数及种间相遇机率指数均表现为:群落Ⅰ＞群落Ⅱ＞群落Ⅲ＞群落Ⅳ.4个群落的建群种幼龄级个体多而中老龄级少,植株由幼龄级向中龄级过渡阶段死亡率较高,柏木属植物种群呈衰退趋势.     

Gastrodianin-like mannose-binding proteins: a novel class of plant proteins with antifungal properties

The orchid Gastrodia elata depends on the fungus Armillaria mellea to complete its life cycle. In the interaction, fungal hyphae penetrate older, nutritive corms but not newly formed corms. From these corms, a protein fraction with in vitro activity against plant-pathogenic fungi has previously been purified. Here, the sequence of gastrodianin, the main constituent of the antifungal fraction, is reported. Four isoforms that encoded two different mature proteins were identified at the cDNA level. Another isoform was detected in sequenced peptides. Because the antifungal activity of gastrodianins produced in and purified from Escherichia coli and Nicotiana tabacum was comparable to that of gastrodianin purified from the orchid, gastrodianins are the active component of the antifungal fractions. Gastrodianin accumulation is probably an important part of the mechanism by which the orchid controls Armillaria penetration. Gastrodianin was found to be homologous to monomeric mannose-binding proteins of other orchids, of which at least one (Epipactis helleborine mannose-binding protein) also displayed in vitro antifungal activity. This establishes the gastrodianin-like proteins (GLIPs) as a novel class of antifungal proteins.     

Initial net CO2 uptake responses and root growth for a CAM community placed in a closed environment

To help understand carbon balance between shoots and developing roots, 41 bare-root crassulacean acid metabolism (CAM) plants native to the Sonoran Desert were studied in a glass-panelled sealable room at day/night air temperatures of 25/15 degrees C. Net CO(2) uptake by the community of Agave schottii, Carnegia gigantea, Cylindropuntia versicolor, Ferocactus wislizenii and Opuntia engelmannii occurred 3 weeks after watering. At 4 weeks, the net CO(2) uptake rate measured for south-east-facing younger parts of the shoots averaged 1.94 micro mol m(-2) s(-1) at night, considerably higher than the community-level nocturnal net CO(2) uptake averaged over the total shoot surface, primarily reflecting the influences of surface orientation on radiation interception (predicted net CO(2) uptake is twice as high for south-east-facing surfaces compared with all compass directions). Estimated growth plus maintenance respiration of the roots averaged 0.10 micro mol m(-2) s(-1) over the 13-week period, when the community had a net carbon gain from the atmosphere of 4 mol C while the structural C incorporated into the roots was 23 mol. Thus, these five CAM species diverted all net C uptake over the 13-week period plus some existing shoot C to newly developing roots. Only after sufficient roots develop to support shoot water and nutrient requirements will the plant community have net above-ground biomass gains.     

大叶黑桫椤孢子超低温保存

大叶黑桫椤孢子在液氮中长期保存的结果表明：（1）大叶黑桫椤孢子可以保存于液氮中;（2）液氮保存后的孢子萌发率比未用液氮保存的普遍下降,保存90d的用室温慢速化冻的孢子萌发率最高（65.3％）,相对保持率最高可达79.3％;（3）采用室温（22～25℃）慢速化冻的效果优于37℃温水浴快速化冻的。据此认为,液氮超低温长期保存大叶黑桫椤孢子是可行的。     

The "Kluge-Lüttge Kammer": a preliminary evaluation of an enclosed, Crassulacean acid metabolism (CAM) Mesocosm that allows separation of synchronized and desynchronized contributions of plants to whole system gas exchange

Crassulacean acid metabolism (CAM) is recognized as a photosynthetic adaptation of plants to arid habitats. This paper presents a proof-of-concept evaluation of partitioning net CO2 exchanges for soil and plants in an arid, exclusively CAM mesocosm, with soil depth and succulent plant biomass approximating that of natural Sonoran Desert ecosystems. We present the first evidence that an enclosed CAM-dominated soil and plant community exposed to a substantial day/night temperature difference (30/20 degrees C), exhibits a diel gas exchange pattern consisting of four consecutive phases with a distinct nocturnal CO2 uptake. These phases were modulated by plant assimilation and soil respiration processes. Day-time stomatal closure of the CAM cycle during phase III was used to eliminate aboveground photosynthetic assimilation and respiration and thereby to estimate belowground plant plus soil respiration. Rapid changes in temperature appeared to synchronize single plant gas exchange but individual plant gas exchange patterns were desynchronized at constant day/night temperatures (25 degrees C), masking the distinct mesocosm pattern. Overall, the mean carbon budget of this CAM model Sonoran Desert system was negative, releasing an average of 22.5 mmol CO2 m-2 d-1. The capacity for nocturnal CO2 assimilation in this exclusively CAM mesocosm was inadequate to recycle CO2 released by plant and soil respiration.     

Ca2+ transient induced by extracellular changes in osmotic pressure in Arabidopsis leaves: differential involvement of cell wall-plasma membrane adhesion

We investigated the mechanism underlying the perception of extracellular changes in osmotic pressure in Vallisneria gigantea Graebner and transgenic Arabidopsis thaliana (L.) Heynh. expressing cytoplasmic aequorin. Hypertonic and hypotonic treatments of A. thaliana leaves each rapidly induced a Ca2+ transient. Both responses were essentially dependent on the presence of extracellular Ca2+ and were sensitive to Gd3+ a potential blocker of stretch-activated Ca2+ channels. Immediately after plasmolysis caused by hypertonic treatment and subsequent deplasmolysis caused by hypotonic treatment, the cells did not respond to a second hypertonic treatment and exhibited an impaired adhesion of the plasma membrane (PM) to the cell wall (CW). Recovery of the responsiveness required about 6 h. By contrast, no refractory phenomenon was observed in response to hypotonic treatment. Pretreatment with cellulase completely inhibited the Ca2+ transient induced by hypertonic treatment, but it did not affect the response to hypotonic treatment. V. gigantea mesophyll cells pretreated with cellulase exhibited an impaired adhesion of the PM to the CW. The leaf cells of multicellular plants can respond to both hypertonic and hypotonic treatments through the stretch-activated Ca2+ channels, whereas cellulase-sensitive adhesion of the PM to the CW is involved only in the response to hypertonic treatment.