Influence of 2-Chloroethylphosphonic Acid on Anthocyanin Formation, Size, and Yield in Vaccinium macrocarpon cv. Early Black

The influence of 2-chloroethylphosphonic acid (CEPA) on yield, size and pigmentation of cranberries (Vaccinium macrocarpon cv. Early Black) was investigated. Applications of CEPA at 100, 500, and 1000 mg/1 to cranberry vines before bloom and during peak bloom have an adverse effect on yield and size. CEPA applied at these times has litlle influence on color. Applications of CEPA two weeks before harvest significantly accelerates pigment development, peak effect being observed when the vines are treated with 500 mg/1. Size and yield are not noticeably influenced at this time. The possible use of CEPA in the commercial production of cranberries to stimulate color development is considered.     

Sex expression in fruiting male vines of kiwifruit

Summary In three canes on each of five fruiting male kiwifruit vines (A. deliciosa var. deliciosa (A. Chev) Liang and Ferguson), staminate and bisexual flowers were interspersed, so that staminate, bisexual and mixed inflorescences were found. Further variation in inflorescence composition resulted from the abortion of flower buds prior to anthesis. These two sources of variation, in combination, resulted in 19 inflorescence patterns, which varied substantially in frequency among and within vines. Some tendencies were determined. In particular, most of the inflorescences had retained their terminal flower, whereas just over half had retained one or both primary lateral flowers, and in two-thirds of the inflorescences retaining a terminal flower, this was bisexual. The five vines ranged in bisexual flower frequency from 40% to 70%. Phenotypic Gender (P) estimates are given for each vine, based on the frequencies of staminate and bisexual flowers from three canes per vine. Flower development, lability in sex expression and the use of P estimates as part of a selection index in breeding for hermaphrodite kiwifruit cultivars are discussed.     

In vitro regeneration of the tropical multipurpose leguminous tree Sesbania grandiflora from cotyledon explants

Summary A system using cotyledon pieces as explants and a BAP/NAA containing medium was developed for in vitro mass propagation of Sesbania grandiflora, a tropical nitrogen-fixing leguminous tree. The age and the lighting conditions of seedlings providing the explants were shown to be critical factors for both bud induction and bud elongation. Optimal choice for an efficient and reproducible bud induction process consisted of dark-grown seedlings, 24/36 h-old-post-imbibition, that yielded up to 96% of explants producing more than 30 buds each, after one week in culture. Bud development occurred throughout a direct organogenesis pathway, from the proximal and adaxial cut surface of the explants as proved by histological studies. Additional sites of regeneration were also obtained after wounding on the epidermal surface of explants, suggesting a large distribution of regenerative cells all along the explants. Bud elongation, i.e. stem differentiation and leaf growth, was improved by bud isolation from cotyledon explants and their further subculture in liquid bud elongation media for one week. Rooting was obtained on an auxin medium after 3 weeks and plants were established in soil with 92% success.Abbreviations BAP 6-BenzylAminoPurine - NAA a-Naphthalene Acetic Acid - IBA Indole-3-Butyric Acid - IAA Indole-3-Acetic Acid - GA3 Gibberellic Acid - MS Murashige and Skoog (1962) medium     

GIBBERELLIN-INDUCED INHIBITION OF FLORAL INITIATION IN FUCHSIA

The ‘Lord Byron’ cultivar of Fuchsia hybrida is a long day plant for which GA acts as an inhibitor of flower initiation. At the dosages required to inhibit initiation (0.025 μg per plant) GA also promotes increased stem elongation but causes no other departures from normal development. Similar tests with auxins, antiauxins, kinins, and other substances showed no effect on flower initiation at dosages equivalent to that for GA. At 10- to 100-fold greater dosages, auxins, kinins, and anti-auxins inhibit not only flower initiation but also vegetative development. Thus the effect of GA on flower initiation appears to be unique, although other hormonal substances, such as abscisin, have not been tested. GA-induced inhibition is directly proportional to the dosage applied and inversely to the strength of long day induction (as measured by the number of long days). GA is most effective when applied to the terminal bud rather than to the mature leaves, suggesting that it is active at the site of flower initiation rather than in the leaves. If it is applied after translocation of the floral stimuli from the leaves, GA does not prevent flower initiation. Regardless of the dose applied, GA is less effective if applied later rather than earlier during LD induction. The inhibitory effect persists for several days. For example, an 0.85 μg dosage causes an 8–10-day delay in initiation; lower dosages have reduced effects. GA inhibits flower initiation but has no effect upon flower development. The rate of bud development is the same in GA-treated and control plants. Apparently no more than one to two axillary buds immediately below the apical meristem are receptive to long day-induced floral stimuli from the leaves. Regardless of the daylength conditions axillary buds more basal do not initiate flowers but develop into branch axes. The effect of a long day treatment persists for a very short time, perhaps no longer than the inhibition caused by minimal GA dosage. Thus flower initiation continues for a very short time following the end of long day induction. The significance of these findings is discussed in relation to the many reports of GA-induced inhibition as well as promotion of flower initiation. In particular, the discussion concerns the nation that flower initiation in fuchsia may be controlled by a gibberellin-like transmissible inhibitor.     

Growth and Dormancy Cycles in Citrus Bud Cultures and Their Hormonal Control

An in vitro bud culture method was devised in order to better understand the control mechanism of Citrus bud development. This technique offers a new approach to the study of hormonal control of growth, dormancy and flowering cycles in perennial plants. Buds were excised from orchard trees throughout the year, cultured on defined media for prolonged periods, and their vegetative growth responses to various growth hormones were determined. The buds proceeded with their vegetative development in vitro and achieved sprouting on a basal medium. The various growth regulators affected both the time required for sprouting (TRS) and the type of growth. In summer buds, IAA delayed sprouting, while GA enhanced it and caused shoot elongation. Cytokinins specifically induced the formation of numerous adventitious buds, whereas ABA completely inhibited sprouting; this inhibition, however, was reversible. A marked decrease in total protein and in the rate of its synthesis was evident during the first 20 days of sprouting induction and early bud growth. The annual growth rhythm was determined in spring buds sampled and cultured throughout the year, and an innate dormancy of citrus buds was revealed. Both the dormancy and the sprouting periods of buds in vitro corresponded to the natural periods occurring under field conditions. The effect of exogenous IAA, GA and cytokinins on the TRS varied at different periods along the season, suggesting the concept of “critical levels” in the endogenous balance of hormones.     

Time of flowering in spring: Its regulation in temperate zone woody plants

Certain cultivars ofMalus growing at Geneva, New York, USA, begin growth and bloom 2 –3 weeks later than commercial cultivars of apple. Our research suggests that these late bloomers bloom late because they have a very high chilling requirement for bud burst. The chilling requirement interacts with the heat requirement for bud burst in such a way as to result in delayed bud burst and bloom. Abscisic acid (ABA) decreases in the terminal buds of both early and late bloomers during the chilling period, but it decreases more rapidly in the early bloomers. It has not been determined if ABA plays a role in controlling bloom date. Presented at the International Symposium “Plant Growth Regulators” held on June 18–22, 1984 at Liblice, Czechoslovakia.     

RELATIVE GROWTH RATES OF VINES AND SHRUBS OF WESTERN POISON OAK,TOXICODENDRON DIVERSILOBUM (ANACARDIACEAE)

Because of the different mechanical constraints on vines and self-supporting plants, vines are thought to differ from trees and shrubs in a variety of their growth characteristics. I tested the hypotheses that vines grow faster than shrubs and that supported shoots have delayed leaf expansion relative to stem elongation, using western poison oak, Toxicodendron diversilobum (T. & G.) Greene, a plant that grows as a vine when externally supported but otherwise as a shrub. In the field, supported shoots (vines) had significantly higher aboveground biomass and relative growth rates than did their paired unsupported shoots (shrubs) growing nearby. This was not due to differences in leaf phenology, but may have resulted from vines growing into more favorable habitats for growth. In contrast, whereas 2-yr-old cloned plants in a common garden differed in their stem and internode lengths, they had the same aboveground dry weight, proportion of dry weight that was leaf, and relative rate of increase in primary stem length whether grown with stakes (vines) or without stakes (shrubs). These results suggest that there is no inherent requirement of vines to grow faster than shrubs. As hypothesized, leaf elongation was more delayed relative to stem elongation in staked than unstaked individuals in 19 paired plants (each pair cloned from a different source plant). Thus, physical cues resulting from the presence of support can alter the plant's spatial and temporal patterns of development, but do not necessarily dictate the quantity of biomass that will be produced.     

On the role of exogenous gibberellin and cytokinin in the correlation between the leaf and its axillary bud in hortensia (Hydrangea opuloides C. KOCH)

The role of exogenously supplied gibberellin (GA₃) and cytokinin (benzyladenin -BA) in the correlation between the mature leaf and its axillary bud was investigated in one-node segments ofHydrangea. When both leaves were left on the segments, then both GA and BA were able to determine the dominance between axillary buds, that means that the bud treated with the corresponding growth regulator grew more vigorously. When one of the leaves was removed, the bud belonging to the removed leaf grew more vigorously, but GA applied onto the axillary bud belonging to the remaining leaf caused a complete correlation reversal: the bud belonging to the remaining leaf grew more vigorously. On the contrary, the application of BA onto the bud of the remaining leaf resulted in only insignificantly stimulated growth of the bud belonging to this leaf.     

Gibberellins and Subapical Cell Divisions in Relation to Bud Set and Bud Break in Salix pentandra

In young plants of Salix pentandra, a temperate zone deciduous woody species, elongation growth ceases and a terminal bud is formed at day lengths shorter than a critical length. This is the first step in dormancy development, making survival under harsh winter conditions possible. Early studies strongly indicate that gibberellin is involved in the photoperiodic control of bud set and bud break. GA₁ action was studied by application under short days to plants where cessation of shoot elongation had occurred, followed by subsequent anatomic investigations of shoot tips. Under short days the frequency of cell division decreased rapidly along with the earlier observed decrease in GA₁ levels. Application of GA₁ to short-day–induced terminal buds rapidly stimulated cell division in apices several days before visible shoot elongation in response to this treatment was observed. One day after GA₁ application a fourfold increase in cell division frequency in apices was observed, increasing to a maximum of sevenfold 2 days after application. Long-day treatment leading to induction of bud break after about 4–6 days was followed by slowly increasing frequency of cell divisions. In earlier studies of this species, short days and gibberellins had no effect on cell elongation. These data show that increased GA₁ content, by application or long-day treatment, results in increased frequency of mitosis. This strongly indicates that GA₁ affects stem elongation in connection with bud set and bud break primarily by affecting cell divisions in subapical tissues. Received February 26, 1999; accepted October 8, 1999     

The effect of growth regulators on the growth and pigmentation of "Baccara" rose flowers

"Baccara" rose buds were treated with various growth regulatorsduring late stages of bud development. The effect of these substanceson growth and pigmentation were determined. Growth regulatorswere applied by spray or injection or as a lanolin paste, alsoin the nutrient media on which petals were cultured in vitro.Injection of GA into the base of the receptacle caused elongationof the bud whereas IAA, K, ABA, AMO-1618, CCC, and SADH hadlittle or no effect. CCC and MeCl-F did not reduce the elongationcaused by GA. GA treatments also enhanced flower weight andpetal pigmentation and MeCl-F decreased the gibberellin effecton pigmentation. GA treatments of intact flowers and excisedpetals cultured in vitro, were only effective at low temperatures. Gibberellin treatments increased the size of petals, the receptacleand the pedicel only if applied directly to the receptacle.Treatments at lower positions on the flowering shoot eitherhad no effect at all, or caused elongation of only the receptacle. Endogenous gibberellin levels are higher in the receptacle thanin petals or in the pedicel. Injection of GA into the receptaclesignificantly increased gibberellin activity in all flower partswhereas injection into the flowering-shoot base increased gibberellinactivity only in the receptacle. The possibility is discussed that GA, which is exogenously supplieddirectly to the receptacle, enhances flower dimensions and pigmentationby drawing photosynthates to the flower as a consequence ofintensification of the sink. (Received August 17, 1973; )     

Isolation and characterization of a <Emphasis Type="Italic">GAI/RGA</Emphasis>-like gene from <Emphasis Type="Italic">Gossypium hirsutum</Emphasis>

The aim of the investigation reported here was to assess the role of gibberellin in cotton fiber development. The results of experiments in which the gibberellin (GA) biosynthesis inhibitor paclobutrazol (PAC) was tested on in vitro cultured cotton ovules revealed that GA is critical in promoting cotton fiber development. Plant responses to GA are mediated by DELLA proteins. A cotton nucleotide with high sequence homology to Arabidopsis thaliana GAI (AtGAI) was identified from the GenBank database and analyzed with the BLAST program. The full-length cDNA was cloned from upland cotton (Gossypium hirsutum, Gh) and sequenced. A comparison of the putative protein sequence of this cDNA with all Arabidopsis DELLA proteins indicated that GhRGL is a putative ortholog of AtRGL. Over-expression of this cDNA in Arabidopsis plants resulted in the dwarfed phenotype, and the degrees of dwarfism were related to the expression levels of GhRGL. The deletion of 17 amino acids, including the DELLA domain, resulted in the dominant dwarf phenotype, demonstrating that GhRGL is a functional protein that affects plant growth. Real-time quantitative PCR results showed that GhRGL mRNA is highly expressed in the cotton ovule at the elongation stage, suggesting that GhRGL may play a regulatory role in cotton fiber elongation.     

Comparative Effects of Indoleacetic Acid and Gibberellic Acid on Growth of Decapitated Etiolated Epicotyls of Pisum sativum cv. Alaska

Measurements were made of the growthof the sub-apical region of decapitated, etiolated epicotyls of Pisum sativum L. cv. Alaska after treatments with indoleacetic acid (IAA), gibberellic acid (GA) and triiodobenzoic acid (TIBA). Growth was measured either at the end of a 2-day period, at short intervals during growth, or was monitored continuously for 2–3 h using a position-sensing transducer. In experiments measuring growth after 2 days, high levels (0.1–10 μg/plnat) of IAA caused expansion, whereas similar levels of GA caused elongation. When both hormones were applied together, the effects of IAA were dominant and expansion ensued, even when GA was present at 100 times the amount of IAA. Very low amounts of IAA (0.5–5 ng/plant), however, caused elongation. The elongation elicited by high GA or low IAa was inhibited to a similar extent by TIBA and this inhibition of elongation was associated with an increased expansion at the extreme tip. When application of the hormones was delayed, GA-induced elongation was reduced considerably, IAA-induced elongation was lessened somewhat and IAA-induced expansion was partially converted into elongation. In experiments measuring elongation at short intervals, high levels of IAA caused rapid elongation followed after 3 to 6 h by expnasion. Both GA and low levels of IAA extended the duration of elongation with little apparent effect on the rate of growth. In fast-growth experiments, low, intermediate and high levels of IAA doubled the rate of elongation with a lag period of about 20 min, whereas GA had at most a very slight stimulatory effect on the growth rate. It is concluded that the main role of GA in this system is to maintain physiological levels of IAA in the growing zone and that the level of IAA present determines whether elongation or expansion will take place.     

The effect of LAB 173711 and ethephon on time of flowering and cold hardiness of peach flower buds

Peach flowers are often killed during bloom by spring frosts. LAB 173711, a compound with abscisic (ABA)-like activity, and ethephon delayed flowering in peach trees. In greenhouse experiments, LAB 173711, at concentrations of 10^?3–10^?2 M, was most effective in delaying bloom when applied after a 5°C cold storage period, rather than before the dormancy breaking treatment. In contrast, ethephon delayed bloom most effectively when applied before 5°C cold storage; ethephon caused flower bud abscission when treatments were made after the chilling requirement had been satisfied. In field experiments, ethephon delayed flowering by 6–7 days, which reduced bud injury after a spring frost during bloom. No flower bud injury was found on ethephon-treated trees after temperatures of ?4.3°C; whereas without ethephon 25% of the flower buds were frost damaged. LAB 173711 delayed the time to 50% bloom by 2–3 days. However, this was not long enough to avoid low-temperature injury to the flower buds.     

Effect of waterlogging yam vines on vegetative growth and tuber yield

The effect of waterlogging the vines of two yam varieties for 24, 48 and 72 hours at two stages of growth, with or without fertiliser application, was studied in the field. Waterlogging caused a progressive degeneration of the leaf starting with the development of fresh lesions on the lower leaf surface, through necrotic spots or portions, to complete leaf necrosis. The degree of leaf damage was greater with Um 680 (Dioscorea alata) than with Obiaoturugo (D. rotundata). Waterlogging also caused the breakdown of the apical buds of the vines. The degree of damage increased with the duration of waterlogging. Younger plants suffered more damage than older plants, and plants treated with fertiliser suffered more than plants without fertiliser. Waterlogging ultimately hastened the final senescence of the yam vine. Waterlogging vines for 24 h had no effect on tuber yield, while waterlogging for 48 and 72 h reduced tuber yield by 32.4% and 43.2% respectively (P< 0.01). Waterlogging vines at the early growth stage produced 47.6% (P <0.01) less yield than waterlogging at a later stage. It is suggested that short-term or long-term waterlogging of the yam vine, or parts thereof, is the main cause of reduced leaf area and low yield in unstaked compared with staked yarn crops. Waterlogging may also be a predisposing factor to disease infection of yam vines by soil-borne micro-organisms.     

Effects of fruit load,shading, and 9,10-ketol-octadecadienoic acid (KODA) application on <Emphasis Type="Italic">MdTFL1</Emphasis> and <Emphasis Type="Italic">MdFT1</Emphasis> genes in apple buds

The effects of fruit load, shading, and 9, 10-ketol-octadecadienoic acid (KODA) application on the expression of MdTFL1 and MdFT1 genes were investigated in apples (Malus domestica Borkh.). The expression of MdTFL1 in apical buds from 21 to 63 days after full bloom (DAFB) in plants subjected to heavy crop treatment (HCT) was higher than that in plants subjected to flower thinning treatment (FTT). In contrast, the expression of MdFT1 did not show a clear difference between HCT and FTT. The shading treatment increased the expression of MdTFL1 at 35, 49, and 80 DAFB. However, MdFT1 did not show a clear difference between shading and non-shading treatments. KODA application decreased the expression of MdTFL1 at 49 DAFB, but it did not have a clear effect on the expression of MdFT1 from 21 to 91 DAFB. KODA application did not influence endogenous gibberellic acid (GA) concentrations in apical buds. These results show that KODA may be related to flower bud formation through its influence on MdTFL1. The relationship between KODA and GA with regard to the flower bud formation of apples was also discussed.     

The influence of vines on an oligohaline marsh community: results of a removal and fertilization study

The effects of competitive suppression by vines on the non-vine plant community have received little attention in temperate habitats. This study investigated the impact vines have on their herbaceous hosts in a wetland community at two soil fertility levels. Plots in an oligohaline marsh were treated in a 2 × 2 factorial design with vine removal and fertilization over two growing seasons. There was no significant interaction between removal and fertilization treatments on any of the measured variables. Vine removal initially caused an increase in light penetration through the canopy, but by the end of the study, plots with vines removed had less light due to a 25% increase in biomass by the plants released from competition with vines. For plots with vines removed, species richness was higher during a brief period in the spring of the second year, but by the end of the study, richness in removal plots decreased relative to controls. Fertilization caused a 40% increase in biomass overall, although only two species, Sagittaria lancifolia L. and Polygonum punctatum Ell., showed dramatic increases. Despite fertilization causing a 40% decrease in light penetration to the ground, no change in species richness was observed. Overall, these results show that vine cover in this wetland suppresses non-vine species and reduces community biomass. Removal of vines increased biomass of non-vine dominants but resulted in only an ephemeral change in species richness. Fertilization did not increase the effects of vines on the non-vine community. Received: 14 November 1996 / Accepted: 10 June 1997     

Effects of prohexadione on cambial and longitudinal growth and the levels of endogenous gibberellins A1, A3, A4, and A9 and indole-3-acetic acid in Pinus sylvestris shoots

Prohexadione, a gibberellin (GA) biosynthesis inhibitor, was applied in ethanol around the circumference at the midpoint of the previous year terminal shoot of dormant Pinus sylvestris seedlings. After cultivating the seedlings under environmental conditions favorable for growth for 10 weeks, longitudinal and cambial growth were measured, and the endogenous levels of GA₁, GA₃, GA₄, GA₉, and indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) were determined by combined gas chromatography-mass spectrometry, using deuterated GAs and [¹³C₆]IAA as internal standards. Prohexadione application inhibited elongation and xylem and phloem production in the current year terminal shoot and xylem production in the previous year terminal shoots. Concomitantly, in both ages of shoots the cambial region contents of GA₁; GA₃, and GA₄ were decreased, whereas the level of GA₉ was increased. However, the IAA content was not altered in the terminal bud on the current year terminal shoot or in the cambial region of the current year or previous year terminal shoots. The results provide additional evidence that: (1) GAs are involved in the regulation of cambial growth, as well as longitudinal growth, in Pinus sylvestris shoots; (2) they act directly, rather than indirectly, by altering the IAA level; and (3) the GA₉ GA₄ GA₁ pathway is a major route of GA biosynthesis in conifer species.Abbreviations GA gibberellin - IAA indole-3-acetic acid - HPLC high performance liquid chromatography - GC gas chromatography - SIM selected ion monitoring - MS mass spectrometry     

Inhibitory Effect of Methyl Jasmonate on Flowering and Elongation Growth in Pharbitis nil

The effect of methyl jasmonate (JA-Me) on the floral bud formation and elongation growth in the short-day plant Pharbitis nil was investigated. The placing of 4-day-old seedlings of P. nil in a solution of JA-Me for a period of 24 h before an inductive (16 h or 14 h of darkness) night led to a dramatic reduction in the number of flower buds formed by the plant. Plants treated with JA-Me also totally lost their capacity to form a generative terminal bud. JA-Me applied after photoinduction does not inhibit flowering. Gibberellic acid (GA3) partly reverses the inhibitory effect of JA-Me. Plants treated simultaneously with JA-Me and GA3 formed about 3 flower buds more than plants treated with JA-Me only. JA-Me at a concentration of 10-7 M stimulates slightly, but at higher concentrations it inhibits root growth and shoot growth. A distinct lack of correlation between the effect of JA-Me on inhibition of flowering and shoot and root growth was noted. This indicates the independent action of JA-Me in controlling both processes.     

Inhibitory Effect of Methyl Jasmonate on Flowering and Elongation Growth in Pharbitis nil

The effect of methyl jasmonate (JA-Me) on the floral bud formation and elongation growth in the short-day plant Pharbitis nil was investigated. The placing of 4-day-old seedlings of P. nil in a solution of JA-Me for a period of 24 h before an inductive (16 h or 14 h of darkness) night led to a dramatic reduction in the number of flower buds formed by the plant. Plants treated with JA-Me also totally lost their capacity to form a generative terminal bud. JA-Me applied after photoinduction does not inhibit flowering. Gibberellic acid (GA3) partly reverses the inhibitory effect of JA-Me. Plants treated simultaneously with JA-Me and GA3 formed about 3 flower buds more than plants treated with JA-Me only. JA-Me at a concentration of 10-7 M stimulates slightly, but at higher concentrations it inhibits root growth and shoot growth. A distinct lack of correlation between the effect of JA-Me on inhibition of flowering and shoot and root growth was noted. This indicates the independent action of JA-Me in controlling both processes.