Changes in Pigment Composition and Photosynthetic Activity of Aquatic Fern (Azolla Microphylla Kaulf.) Exposed to Low Doses of UV-C (254 nm) Radiation

Changes in the content of pigments and rate of photosynthesis in Azolla microphylla Kaulf. fronds were measured during growth under solar and ultraviolet-C (UV-C) supplemented solar radiation. Maximum content of total chlorophyll (Chl) was observed on the 13^th day (termination of the experiment) of treatment in both control and treated plants. The treated plants had significantly lower total Chl and carotenoid contents than the control plants during the 1^st day of growth. After the 4^th day of exposure to UV-C supplemented solar radiation, the Chl and carotenoids accumulation increased in treated plants, so that the pigment concentration in the treated fronds was nearer to the control values after the 13^th day of treatment. Significant increase in UV absorbing pigments, anthocyanins, and flavonoids was observed at the 13^th day of treatment. In spite of the roughly similar photosynthetic pigment concentration, the photosynthetic activity measured as the rate of electron transport at photosystem 2 was only 65 % of the control values after 13 d of UV-C exposure. This revised version was published online in June 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Changes in Oil Accumulation and Fatty Acid Composition of Soybean Seeds under Salt Stress in Response to Salicylic Acid and Jasmonic Acid

greenhouse experiment with factorial arrangement based on randomized complete block design with four replications was conducted in 2015 to evaluate the effects of salicylic acid (SA) (1 mM) and jasmonic acid (JA) (0.5 mM) on oil accumulation and fatty acid composition of soybean oil (Glycine max L.) under salt stress (Non-saline, 4, 7, and 10 dS/m NaCl). Oil percentage of soybean seeds declined, while oil content per seed enhanced with increasing seed filling duration. Foliar application of SA improved oil content per soybean seed at different stages of development under all salinity levels. Although JA treatment enhanced seed oil percentage, oil yield of these plants decreased as a result of reduction in seed yield per plant. In contrast, the highest oil yield was recorded for SA treated plants, due to higher seed yield. Salinity had no significant effects on percentage of palmitic acid and stearic acid, but treatment with JA significantly reduced stearic acid percentage. Oleic acid content of seeds increased, but percentages of linoleic acid, linolenic acid and unsaturation index (UI) of soybean oil decreased with increasing salinity. Foliar application of SA and JA improved oil quality of soybean seeds by reducing oleic acid and enhancing linoleic acid, linolenic acid contents and UI. Exogenous application of SA had the most beneficial effects on soybean seeds due to enhancing oil yield and quality under saline and non-saline conditions.     

Spermine Promotes Acclimation to Osmotic Stress by Modifying Antioxidant, Abscisic Acid, and Jasmonic Acid Signals in Soybean

The possible involvement of spermine (Spm) in the acclimation of soybean to osmotic stress was investigated by determining the changes in photosynthetic pigments, antioxidants, and plant hormone levels in response to applied Spm. Plants were exposed to 9 % PEG-induced osmotic stress with or without 0.4 μM Spm. Osmotic stress reduced the relative water content, chlorophyll a, chlorophyll b, carotenoid, and protein contents in leaves, and these detrimental effects were alleviated by treatment with Spm. Moreover, the significant increase in the content of abscisic acid and decrease in that of jasmonic acid in plants subjected to osmotic stress was attenuated by treatment with Spm. Osmotic stress caused a significant increase in lipid peroxidation when compared to controls, and that was accompanied by a slight reduction in the level of antioxidants and reduced glutathione and in the activities of catalase, superoxide dismutase, peroxidase, and polyphenol oxidase. Spm treatment ameliorated these osmotic stress effects by reducing lipid peroxidation and increasing catalase, superoxide dismutase, peroxidase, and polyphenol oxidase activities. These results indicate that application of Spm could be exploited to alleviate a moderate level of osmotic stress through the regulation of stress-related components such as photosynthetic pigments, plant hormones, and antioxidants.     

Nickel and Cadmium-related Changes in Growth, Plasma Membrane Lipid Composition, ATPase Hydrolytic Activity and Proton-pumping of Rice (Oryza sativa L. cv. Bahia) Shoots

Six-day-old rice plants (Oryza sativa L. cv. Bahia) were grownin the presence of 0.5 mol m^–3 Ni or Cd for 5 or 10 d.Five days after treatment, some plants were transferred to amedium containing no heavy metal for 5 or 10 d. Plasmalemmavesicles from shoots of treated, transferred (recovery experiments)and control plants were isolated, ATPase activity and proton-pumpingwere assessed, and free sterols and phospholipids determined.The ATPase hydrolytic activity was increased by 37% and 34%in 5 and 10 d Cd-treated plants, respectively; and by 66% in5 and 10 d Ni-treated plants. However, neither the initial rateof H⁺ transport nor the proton-pumping rate at steady-statewere significantly affected by the treatments. The relativeproportion (%) of the plasmalemma sterols campesterol and ⁵-avenasteroldecreased while sitosterol increased during heavy metal treatment.The overall plasmalemma phospholipid fatty acyl chain lengthand degree of unsaturation were also reduced. In experimentswhere plants recovered from Cd and Ni treatment, differencesbetween treated and control plants were reverted, particularlyin 10 d Ni-recovered plants. The possible involvement of lipidsin the regulation of the plasmalemma ATPase as well as the relationshipbetween growth, ATPase and adaptations to stress conditionsare discussed. Key words: Cadmium, nickel, sterols, phospholipids, ATPase     

Chemical Composition and Antifungal Activity of Essential Oils and Supercritical CO2 Extracts of Apium nodiflorum (L.) Lag.

Aerial parts of Apium nodiflorum collected in Portugal and Italy were submitted to hydrodistillation; also a supercritical fluid extract was obtained from Italian plants. The extracts were analyzed by GC and GC/MS. Both essential oils, obtained from Portuguese and Italian plants, posses high content of phenylpropanoids (51.6 vs. 70.8%); in the former, the percentage split in myristicin (29.1%) and dillapiol (22.5%), whereas in the latter, the total percentage is only of dillapiol (70.8%). The co-occurrence of myristicin and dillapiol is frequent because dillapiol results from enzymatic methoxylation of myristicin. Antimicrobial activity of phenylpropanoids has been patented, what suggest the potential of plants with high amounts of these compounds. Minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimal lethal concentration, determined according to NCCLS, were used to evaluate the antifungal activity of the essential oils against yeasts, Aspergillus species and dermatophytes. Essential oils exhibited higher antifungal activity than other Apiaceae against dermatophytes, with MIC ranging from 0.04 to 0.32?μl/ml. These results support the potential of A. nodiflorum oil in the treatment of dermatophytosis and candidosis.     

Growth and Fatty Acid Composition of Borage (Borago officinalis L.) Leaves and Seeds Cultivated in Saline Medium

The effects of salinity on growth and fatty acid composition of borage (Borago officinalis L.) leaves and seeds grown in hydroponic medium were investigated. Three different levels of NaCl (25, 50, and 75 mM) were applied. The first results showed that salinity significantly reduced plant growth by 56.5 % at 75 mM compared with the control, suppressed seed yield at 50 and 75 mM, and increased lipid peroxidation. Raising NaCl concentrations led to an important decrease in total fatty acid (TFA) content by 77 % at 75 mM NaCl. Moreover, the polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) content decreased, whereas the saturated fatty acids increased with respect to increasing salinity. The 25 mM NaCl level did not modify the fatty acid composition of seeds and their contents.     

Changes in Carbohydrate Levels in Red Kidney Bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) Exposed to Sulphur Dioxide

Red kidney bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) was exposed to variousconcentrations of SO² for 24 h (16 h light/8 h dark photoperiod)with continuous monitoring of photosynthetic and respiratoryactivity. Plants were harvested at the end of the dark periodinto samples of mature and immature leaf tissue, stems, androots for determination of sugar and starch levels. In all tissue samples the levels of total sugars were increasedby exposure to the lower concentrations of SO², but decreasedby the higher concentrations. Starch levels in leaves followeda similar trend. Increases in sugar and starch levels precededsymptoms of visible injury. Decreasing rates of photosynthesiswere correlated with increasing rates of respiration, the occurrenceof visible injury, and the depletion of sugar and starch levels.     

Growth and 2, 4-Diaminobutyric Acid Composition of Flatpea (Lathyrus sylvestris L.) as Influenced by Mineral- and Symbiotically Fixed-Nitrogen

Flatpea (Lathyrus sylvestris L. cv. ‘Lathco’) plants,grown hydroponically, were inoculated with rhizobia (Rhizobiumleguminosarum strain 92F2), supplied with nitrate nitrogen (2meq 1^–1), or provided with both rhizobia and . Nodulated plants supplied with had the highest biomass and the highest level of free amino acids in leavesand roots. Nitrogen fixation was depressed 80% in inoculatedplants supplemented with . Compared to plants whose nitrogen requirement was satisfied either partially orfully by , plants that were totally dependent upon biological nitrogen fixation had fewer lateral shoots andlower concentrations of nitrogen, soluble protein, and totalfree amino acids in the shoots, especially in the leaves. Thesymbiotic association between plants and rhizobia for nitrogenfixation was not essential to the production and accumulationof 2,4-diaminobutyric acid (A₂bu) and other non-protein aminoacids in flatpea. Levels of A₂bu, and most of the other freeamino acids quantified, were significantly lower in the nodulatedplants grown in the absence of than in the inoculated or noninoculated plants supplied with . Arginine and glutamic acid were exceptions in that levels ofthese two amino acids were higher in roots bearing effectivenodules. Plant responses to the different treatments are attributedto the amount of nitrogen available to the plant, rather thanthe method or form of nitrogen supplied. Key words: 2,4-Diaminobutyric acid, Lathyrus, nitrogen     

黄花补血草挥发性化学成分研究

为了研究黄花补血草挥发油的化学成分,本文采用了水蒸气蒸馏法从黄花补血草中提取挥发油,并用GC-MS法采用最佳分析条件对化学成分进行鉴定,用峰面积归一化法测定各化合物在挥发油中的相对百分含量;通过研究,鉴定出70种化合物,其峰面积相对含量约占挥发油总量82.12%。黄花补血草挥发油的主要组分为2-硝基乙醇(59.63%)、正二十四烷(3.71%)、二苯胺(2.31%)、6,10,14-三甲基-2-十五烷酮(1.79%)、正二十一烷(1.57%)、丙二醇(1.40%)等。     

Antisecretory,Gastroprotective, Antioxidant and Anti-Helicobcter Pylori Activity of Zerumbone from Zingiber Zerumbet (L.) Smith

Background

Zingiber zerumbet Smith is a perennial herb, broadly distributed in many tropical areas. In Malaysia, it’s locally known among the Malay people as “lempoyang” and its rhizomes, particularly, is widely used in traditional medicine for the treatment of peptic ulcer disease beyond other gastric disorders.

Aim of the study

The aim of the current study is to evaluate the gastroprotective effect of zerumbone, the main bioactive compound of Zingiber zerumbet rhizome, against ethanol-induced gastric ulcer model in rats.

Materials and Methods

Rats were pre-treated with zerumbone and subsequently exposed to acute gastric ulcer induced by absolute ethanol administration. Following treatment, gastric juice acidity, ulcer index, mucus content, histological analysis (HE and PAS), immunohistochemical localization for HSP-70, prostaglandin E2 synthesis (PGE₂), non-protein sulfhydryl gastric content (NP-SH), reduced glutathione level (GSH), and malondialdehyde level (MDA) were evaluated in ethanol-induced ulcer in vivo. Ferric reducing antioxidant power assay (FRAP) and anti-H. pylori activity were investigated in vitro.

Results

The results showed that the intragastric administration of zerumbone protected the gastric mucosa from the aggressive effect of ethanol-induced gastric ulcer, coincided with reduced submucosal edema and leukocyte infiltration. This observed gastroprotective effect of zerumbone was accompanied with a significant (p <0.05) effect of the compound to restore the lowered NP-SH and GSH levels, and to reduce the elevated MDA level into the gastric homogenate. Moreover, the compound induced HSP-70 up-regulation into the gastric tissue. Furthermore, zerumbone significantly (p <0.05) enhanced mucus production, showed intense PAS stain and maintained PG content near to the normal level. The compound exhibited antisecretory activity and an interesting minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) against H. pylori strain.

Conclusion

The results of the present study revealed that zerumbone promotes ulcer protection, which might be attributed to the maintenance of mucus integrity, antioxidant activity, and HSP-70 induction. Zerumbone also exhibited antibacterial action against H. pylori.     

Depression of Photosynthesis, Growth, and Yield in Field-Grown Green Pepper (Capsicum annuum L.) Exposed to Acidic Fog and Ambient Ozone

The relationship among physiological, injury, growth, and yield responses was examined in field-grown green pepper (Capsicum annuum L. `California Wonder') subjected to two airborne environmental stresses. The primary objectives were to determine if the stresses could cause alterations in the plant responses, and to determine if any stress induced alterations in physiological or injury responses were correlated with effects on growth or yield. Responses were monitored in green pepper exposed to simulated acidic fog alone, or in combination with ambient concentrations of ozone in open-top field chambers. Both highly acidic fog and ambient ozone depressed green pepper growth and yield responses via the inhibition of photosynthesis. Applications of highly acidic fog (i.e. two exposures of pH 1.68 fog per week for 11 weeks) caused a significant depression of net photosynthesis, reduction in leaf buffering capacity, and an extensive amount of leaf injury. These alterations closely paralleled decreases in growth and yield on a percentage basis. In contrast, ambient ozone had similar impacts on net photosynthesis, growth and yield, but enhanced leaf buffering capacity, and caused no visible injury. The pollutant-specific differences in plant response are discussed with respect to whole-plant carbon metabolism and physiological compensation.     

Effects of Chemical Growth Retardants on Growth and Development of Sweetpotato (Ipomoea batatas (L.) Lam.) in Vitro

Plant growth retardants were evaluated for their ability to reduce the growth rate of sweetpotato (Ipomoea batatas (L.) Lam.) in vitro. Nodal sections of cv. Jewel were cultured for 30 days on medium containing NDA, ancymidol, phosfon, TIBA, difenzoquat, chlormequat, ACC, mepiquat chloride, or daminozide at 0, 10⁻⁴, 10⁻⁵, 10⁻⁶, 10⁻⁷, or 10⁻⁸ m. Difenzoquat, NDA, phosfon, and TIBA, at 10⁻⁴ m, were lethal to axillary bud explants. A low concentration (10⁻⁸ m) of chlorflurenol or NDA stimulated shoot elongation. The effective concentration range for most growth retardants was 10⁻⁵ to 10⁻⁶ m. Small (2- to 4-mm diameter) storage root-like swellings were observed on roots in cultures containing TIBA or ancymidol. The growth-inhibiting effects of ancymidol and NDA were transitory and did not persist through a 180-day culture period. Shoots cultured on medium containing 10⁻⁵ m phosfon, TIBA, or difenzoquat were significantly shorter than control plants after a 180-day culture period. Culture on medium containing TIBA, NDA, ancymidol, or ACC resulted in abnormal leaf and stem development. Plants derived from nodal explants cultured on medium containing either phosfon or chlormequat were near normal in appearance but with some plants exhibiting interveinal chlorosis and reduced root system development. Received May 9, 1997; accepted August 14, 1997     

Effects of Plant Growth Regulators on Flower Abscission and Growth of Tea Plant Camellia sinensis (L.) O. Kuntze

Journal of Plant Growth Regulation - The flowering of tea plant Camellia sinensis (L.) O. Kuntze consumes large amounts of water and nutrients and negatively affects the growth of tea plant. The...     

Changes in the Activity of Catalase (EC 1.11.1.6) in Relation to the Dormancy of Grapevine (Vitis vinifera L.) Buds

Catalase activity in grapevine (Vitis vinifera L.) buds cv. `Perlette.' increased to a maximum in October and thereafter decreased within 3 months to less than half its maximal rate. The decrease in catalase activity coincided with the decline in temperature during winter. The rate of sprouting of buds forced at 23°C was negatively related to the activity of catalase. Artificial chilling of grapevine canes at 5°C resulted in a 25% decrease of catalase activity in the buds after 3 days and 31% after 17 days. The activity of catalase increased to the control level only 96 hours after removing canes from 5°C to room temperature. Efficient buddormancy breaking agents, such as thiourea and cyanamide decreased catalase activity to 64 and 50% of the controls respectively, while the activity of peroxidase remained the same under those conditions. A less efficient dormancy breaking agent dinitro-ortho-cresol, did not decrease catalase activity.     

Growth of Ryegrass (Lolium perenne L.) Exposed to SO2: I. EFFECTS ON PHOTOSYNTHESIS AND RESPIRATION

The effects of exposure to SO₂ (50 and 400 µg m^–3SO₂) on the growth, photosynthesis, and respiration of perennialryegrass (Lolium perenne L.) cv. S23 were examined in two successivegrowth periods of 29 and 22 d. At the higher concentration ofSO₂, there was some visible injury of the leaves and specificleaf area was reduced, but yield, net photosynthesis, and darkrespiration of the plants were not significantly affected byexposure. The treatment was also without effect on the transpirationcoefficient of the plants and their number of tillers. The plantsexposed to the lower concentration of SO₂ showed no signs ofinjury and did not differ in any of the measured characteristicsfrom plants grown in SO₂-free air. Content of S in the shootsincreased linearly with the concentration of SO₂, the additionalS being found in the sulphate fraction whilst organic S wasunchanged. The results are discussed in relation to earlierfindings that yield of ryegrass exposed to SO₂ may be reducedwithout visible signs of injury.     

Variation in Phenolic Compounds,Antioxidant Activity and Osmotica of Different Cultivars of Tagetes erecta L. at Different Growth Stages and Effect of its Leachates on Germination and Growth of Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.)

Journal of Plant Growth Regulation - The present investigation reports antioxidant and osmotic components of Marigold at different developmental stages and also presents influence of its leachates...     

三叶橡胶光合作用能力和抗氧化系统以及单萜类物质对茉莉酸的响应

用茉莉酸（JA）处理三叶橡胶,分别在JA处理1、24、48、72、96、120h后,分析三叶橡胶光合作用能力和抗氧化系统活性以及单萜类物质的变化。结果发现,与对照相比,用JA处理的三叶橡胶的叶片最大净光舍速率和气孔导度显著下降,光系统Ⅱ潜在最大光化学效率和内在光化学效率也明显下降。光合作用能力的下降可能是由于JA处理导致的叶绿素、类胡萝卜素、可溶性蛋白质含量逐渐下降的结果。然而,JA处理却导致过氧化氢含量逐渐增加,过氧化氢含量的增加激活了抗氧化系统,结果导致超氧化物歧化酶、过氧化氢酶、过氧化物酶活性上升,抗坏血酸-谷胱甘肽循环加强。但是,α-蒎烯、β-蒎烯、桧烯以及总单萜这些潜在的抗氧化物的含量却先增加,而后逐渐下降。