Seedling establishment,underground kinetics,and clonal reiteration: How do Potentilla inclinata and Inula ensifolia get their multifunctional subterranean systems?

The development of a seedling into an adult plant comprises various underground processes. Time-lapse photography (TLP) makes them visible. This is documented for Potentilla inclinata (Rosaceae) and Inula ensifolia (Asteraceae).After germination, P. inclinata develops a taproot system. Contraction phenomena pull the basal part of the shoot at least 10 mm into the soil. Later, several adventitious roots are generated, and thus the root system changes to a fibrous one. This is followed by cloning without separation of the ramets.Seedlings of I. ensifolia develop a weak primary root. At an early stage, adventitious roots are formed at the leaf rosette. This fibrous root system exerts a strong pulling effect on the shoot. After one vegetation period the basis of the rosette is approx. 30 mm under the soil surface. Cloning includes the formation of many new horizontal shoots, which conquer new sites.These two examples show three functional steps common in the developmental progress of subterranean systems: (I) establishment of the seedling, (II) innovation and survival of the young plant, and (III) reiteration (cloning and dispersal). However, to accomplish these basic development steps the diversity of subterranean systems is enhanced by different organographical components.Furthermore, the development of subterranean systems is a dynamic process consisting of two kinetic processes: the vertical movement during seedling establishment, which brings the innovation buds to a safe soil position, and the horizontal movement during dispersal, which conquers new sites.     

长期不同施氮水平对草原植物群落结构的影响

为探讨施氮对贝加尔针茅草原植物群落结构的影响,该研究于内蒙古贝加尔针茅草原设置不同施氮水平0(N0)、15(N15)、30(N30)、50(N50)、100(N100)、150(N150)、200(N200)和300(N300)kg·hm-2·a-1,研究连续施氮9年后贝加尔针茅草原群落物种组成、重要值、多样性及生物量等指标对不同施氮水平的响应。结果表明:(1)长期施氮导致植物群落物种组成发生了明显的变化,在高浓度氮素添加量下群落物种数最低,但可显著提高优势种在群落中的重要值(P<0.05)。(2)长期施氮使贝加尔针茅草原植物多样性指数不同程度地降低,使优势度指数增加,其中N300添加水平效果最为明显(P<0.05)。(3)长期施氮使草原植被生产力(地上、地下生物量)整体呈先上升后下降的趋势,地上生物量在N100水平时出现峰值,地下生物量在N50水平时出现最大值(P<0.05),且根系分布具有明显的表聚特征(0~10 cm)。(4)RDA分析表明,寸草苔和狭叶柴胡地上生物量与土壤pH呈显著正相关关系(P<0.05);展枝唐松草和二裂委陵菜地上生物量与土壤有机质含量呈显著正相关关系(P<0.05)。研究认为,长期不同施氮水平均可改变贝加尔针茅草原群落物种组成,降低物种多样性,对植物群落结构有着明显的影响。     

檀香与不同豆科植物寄生关系的研究

为了解檀香(Santalum album L.)与不同豆科植物的寄生关系,选取11种具有重要经济价值的豆科植物和檀香一起种植,对檀香叶片的光合特征和株高、地径以及寄主植物根系的吸器大小进行了测定。结果表明,檀香的吸器大小、数量在不同寄主之间存在很大差异,不同寄主对檀香的株高、地径也有显著差异。檀香的优良寄主有美洲合欢(Calliandra haematocephala)、苏木(Caesalpinia sappan)、台湾相思(Acacia confusa)、龙牙花(Erythrina corallodendron);一般的寄主植物有马占相思(Acacia mangium)、降香黄檀(Dalbergia odorifera)、黄槐(Cassia surattensis);不适宜的寄主植物有凤凰木(Delonix regia)、海南红豆(Ormosia pinnata)、银合欢(Leucaena leucocephala)、洋紫荆(Bauhinia blakeana)。同时,檀香的株高、地径及光合特征和吸器数量密切相关。因此,檀香种植时应选择适宜的优良寄主植物。     

In vitro propagation of two spanish endemic species of salvia throught bud proliferation

Summary Salvia valentina Vahl and Salvia blancoana Webb & Heldr subsp. mariolensis Figuerola, two endemic species of Salvia from the Mediterranean coastal region of Spain, were successfully gegenerated in vitro from adult plants using two explant types (apical and nodal segments). Maximum shoot proliferation for both species was obtained with nodal explants: for S. blancoana on Murashige and Skoog medium supplemented with 6-γ-γ-dimethylallylaminopurine at 1 mg 1⁻¹ (4.9 μM). and for S. valentina on the same medium with kinetin at 1–2 mg 1⁻¹ (4.6–9.3 μM). The influence of apical dominance, and the explant viability in culture were found to be the main differences between the two species during the shoot multiplication phase. Rooting of shoots was low, specially for S. valentina. For both species, rooting was achieved in Murashige and Skoog medium without growth regulators. In general the addition of the auxins indole 3 acetic acid or indole-3-butyric acid did not improve the rooting or, in the case of naphthaleneacetic acid, had an inhibitory effect. In the best rooting media, rooting shoots increased in length. The rooted plantlets were acclimated to ex vitro conditions and a survival percentage > 70% was obtained under greenhouse conditions. This work was carried out as an ex situ conservation method for these Spanish endemic species.     

Plant Finding and Acceptance Behaviors of Anasa tristis (DeGeer)

Finding and acceptance behaviors of Anasa tristis were investigated using plants that are suitable (pumpkin) or unsuitable (cucumber, coleus) for development. A. tristis found plants in the absence of non-contact cues. Plant finding is enhanced by olfaction and vision. A. tristis found suitable and unsuitable plants equally well. The importance of olfaction in plant acceptance is suggested by intense antennation while on plant and change in behavior on pumpkin and coleus after removal of antennae. Insects on suitable and unsuitable plants dab the surface, contact the plant surface with the labium and insert stylets. Post ingestive effects are important for plant acceptance and rejection. Ingesting water and some nutrients from plants unsuitable for development can be important in extending the time available to move between resource patches.     

珍稀植物蒜头果野生植株结实量及果实特征研究

该研究对云南省广南县不同分布点的野生植株大小与结实量,果实、果核性状特征,果皮与果核性状间的关系进行了分析。结果表明:(1)野生成年植株个体间结实量差异大,单株结实量从几十个至几千个,变异系数可达136.38%。结实量与冠幅有正相关关系(R=0.592,P0.01),与胸径和树高无相关关系(P0.05)。(2)扁球型果实平均纵径37.10~40.36 mm,变异系数7.28%~8.65%;平均横径41.15~45.03mm,变异系数6.44%~9.31%;平均果实重量35.77~47.29 g,变异系数18.99%~21.44%。野生蒜头果果实大小差异明显,单个果实重量差别为3.4倍。(3)果核平均纵径27.50~31.69 mm,变异系数7.13%~10.99%;平均横径30.94~34.16 mm,变异系数6.47%~9.41%;平均果核重量14.03~18.77 g,变异系数17.37%~22.68%。单个果核重量差别为3.7倍。(4)平均果皮纵向厚度4.33~4.80 mm,变异系数20.22%~26.91%;平均横向厚度5.10~5.44 mm,变异系数12.92%~20.98%;平均果皮重21.62~28.51 g,变异系数20.01%~24.12%。该研究结果表明野生蒜头果单株结实量、果实和果核大小、果皮厚等表型性状存在广泛的多样性,其资源为人工定向培育和开发利用提供了较为丰富的选择材料。     

Bacterial plant oncogenes: Therol genes' saga

Therol genes are part of the T-DNA which is transferred byAgrobacterium rhizogenes in plant cells, causing neoplastic growth and differentiation. Each of these bacterial oncogenes deeply influences plant development and is finely regulated once transferred into the plant host. Both from the study of the effects and biochemical function of therol genes and from the analysis of their regulation, important insight in plant development can be derived. Some of the most intriguing aspects of past, current and future research on this gene system are highlighted and discussed.     

Microorganisms asssociated with Withania somnifera leaves

Microorganisms including bacteria, actinomycetes and fungi were recovered from the leaves of Withania somnifera, which were collected from two altitudinal ranges (0–300 m and 1700–2000 m) in the Asir region, Saudi Arabia. Types and numbers of microorganisms varied according to the altitude and the month of collection. The number of microorganisms was higher on old leaves than that on young ones in most cases. Low altitude exhibited more microorganisms than high altitude. The relationship between meteorological factors and type and number of the recovered microorganisms is discussed. Inoculation of detached healthy leaves of Withania by all recovered fungal species revealed only Alternaria solani as a pathogen of this plant. To confirm pathogenicity, scanning and transmission electron microscopic examination revealed the colonization of this pathogen inside the leaf tissue. Penetration of Withania leaves by the fungus occurred only through stomata, and the invading hyphae were located in the intercellular spaces of leaf tissues. Ultrastructural changes noted in infected cells included changes in chloroplasts and the invagination of the host plasma membrane.     

Response of cowpea to variations in planting density and nutrient level

A greenhouse study was carried out using cowpea (Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp.) grown in Perlite^® and inoculated with Nitragin^® to investigate the concentration of plant nutrients and planting density required for optimum biomass production. Five concentrations (full, 0.5, 0.2, 0.1 and 0.05 strength) of Bisseling's nutrient solution and five planting densities (one to five plants per pot) were tested in a factorial randomized Graeco-Latin square design. Growth was determined as fresh and dry weights of leaves, stems, petioles, roots, flowers and pods, and whole plant.Optimum biomass production was found at 0.5 strength nutrient solution and a density of one plant per pot. Plants were more sensitive to higher planting density than to alterations of nutrient level. Over a twenty-fold range of nutrient supply, whole plant biomass yield varied at most by 44%, whereas increasing planting density from one to five plants per pot decreased biomass production by as much as 77%. There is a decrease in the shoot/root ratio as nutrient level decreases. The data suggests a potential for higher seed production at the higher densities and lowest nutrient levels, but this data was inconclusive.     

Quantitative analysis of endangered Acanthopanax senticosus communities in Dongling Mountain of Beijing

Based on the survey of community plots, a quantitative analysis of endangered Acanthopanax senticosus communities in Dongling Mountain was performed with two way indicator species analysis (TWINSPAN), detrended correspondence analysis (DCA) and canonical correspondence analysis (CCA). The communities of A. senticosus were classified into 9 types by TWINSPAN and the results were validated by DCA. On the DCA graph, the first axis reflected the gradient of altitude and the second axis reflected the aspect and slope. Most of A. senticosus were distributed in the thick forests at a high altitude with little light. With the exception of being a dominant species of shrub layers in a few communities, A. senticosus has a relatively scarce distribution. In accordance with DCA, the results of CCA also show the trend that the distribution of A. senticosus communities varied along with the gradient change of environmental factors. Altitude and light are the main factors affecting A. senticosus growth. __________ Translated from Chinese Journal of Ecology, 2007, 26(3): 314–318 [译自: 生态学杂志]     

Flight responses in a wind tunnel of the parasitoid Microplitis croceipes to three spring and three summer host plants of Heliothis spp.

Flight responses of the parasitoid, Microplitis croceipes (Cresson) (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) to two phenological stages of spring host plants (crimson clover, Trifolium incarnatum L., hairy vetch, Vicia villosa Corbiere, and cutleaf geranium, Geranium dissectum L.) and summer host plants (cotton, Gossypium hirsutum L., sorghum, Sorghum bicolor L., and soybean Glycine max (L.) Merr.) of Heliothis virescens (F.), were measured in a dual choice situation in a wind tunnel. Preflowering clover was more attractive than preflowering geranium, followed by preflowering vetch. Clover was preferred over geranium in flowering stages as well. No within species differences were detected for the two phenological stages. Preflowering and flowering cotton and soybean were preferred over preflowering and flowering sorghum. The findings could be important in pre-determining release sites for M. croceipes in the field.     

Highly regenerative tissue cultures from axillary tiller buds of sexually mature oat plants (Avena sativa L.)

Summary Competent tissue cultures were initiated from axillary tiller buds and immature leaves of two cultivars ofAvena sativa L. and cultured on agar nutrient medium containing 2 mg/l of 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid and 1 mg/l benzyladenine. Using a technique of selective excision and subculturing of the shoot-forming tissues and rejecting the root-froming tissues, we regenerated numerous plants either on hormone-free medium or by allowing the subculture with hormone to age under usual culture-room light conditions. This research was supported in part through a grant to A. W. G. from BARD (Binational Agricultural Research and Development Foundation). N. S. S. is grateful to the Ministry of Education and Culture, Government of India, New Delhi, for the award of a National Scholarship for study abroad 1980–81.     

In vitro propagation of Rauwolfia micrantha, a rare medicinal plant

Shoot tip and single node explants from young shoots of 1-year old flowering plants of Rauwolfia micrantha Hook. f. were cultured on Murashige & Skoog (MS) medium variously supplemented with 6-benzyladenine (BA) and -naphthaleneacetic acid (NAA). A combination of 13.2 M BA and 2.68 M NAA induced high frequency (77%) formation of up to 3 shoots from each node in 8 weeks. The regeneration of shoot tips from the field-grown plants and in vitro shoots placed horizontally differed. Repeated subculturing of the shoot tips and single nodes at 6-week intervals for over a year in combination of 4.4 M BA and 0.27 M NAA enabled mass multiplication of shoots without any evidence of decline. Rooting of the excised shoots on medium containing 2.6 M NAA was preceded by callus formation. The rooted plants were removed off the callus, hardened off and 80% established in pots. Micropropagated plants displayed uniform morphological, growth, flowering, fruiting and seed germination characteristics.Abbreviations BA 6-benzyladenie - IAA indole-3-acetic acid - IBA indole-3-butyrie acid - 2-ip 2-isopentenyladenine - MS Murashige & Skoog (1962) - NAA -naphthaleneacetic acid     

独蒜兰提取物对植物病原真菌的抑菌活性

【目的】研究独蒜兰假鳞茎乙醇提取物对植物病原真菌的抑菌作用,为植物源杀菌剂的开发提供依据。【方法】采用菌丝生长速率法,研究独蒜兰假鳞茎乙醇提取物对15种植物病原菌的抑制活性;以西瓜尖孢镰刀菌作为供试菌,进一步研究该提取物对病原真菌的菌丝干重、细胞膜、过氧化氢酶（CAT）、过氧化物酶（POD）和超氧化物歧化酶（SOD）等的影响。【结果】独蒜兰假鳞茎提取物对辣椒疫霉病菌、西瓜尖孢镰刀菌、番茄灰霉病菌和非洲隐地疫霉菌的抑菌效果明显,其EC₅₀值分别为0.849、0.782、0.813和1.161 mg·mL^-1;经独蒜兰提取物处理后的西瓜尖孢镰刀菌菌丝干重随着药剂浓度的增加而减少;细胞膜丙二醛含量和相对电导率增加;菌丝体细胞内CAT、POD和SOD 3种保护酶活性增加。【结论】独蒜兰假鳞茎提取物对植物病原真菌具有较好的抑菌活性,其抑菌作用可能与其干扰菌丝生长、使菌丝细胞膜正常功能受损等有关。     

Plant Regeneration from Mesophyll Protoplasts of Echinacea Purpurea

An efficient plant regeneration system was developed from isolated protoplasts of Echinacea purpurea L. using an alginate block/liquid culture system. Viable protoplasts could be routinely isolated from young leaves of Echinacea seedlings in an isolation mixture containing 1.0% cellulase Onozuka R-10, 0.5% pectinase and 0.3 mol l^–1 mannitol. Purified protoplasts were embedded in 0.6% Na-alginate block at a density of 1 × 10⁵/ml and cultured in a modified MS medium containing 0.3 mol l^–1 sucrose, 2.5 µmol l^–1 BA and 5.0 µmol l^–1 2,4-D. Cell colonies were observed after 4 weeks of culture, and the protoplast-derived colonies formed calluses when transferred onto 0.25% gellan gum-solidified MS medium supplemented with 1.0 µmol l^–1 BA and 2.0 µmol l^–1 IBA. Shoot organogenesis from protoplast-derived callus was induced on MS medium supplemented with 5.0 µmol l^–1 BA and 2.0 µmol l^–1 IBA. Complete plantlets were obtained from the regenerated shoots on MS basal medium. The protoplast to plant regeneration protocol developed in this study provides the prerequisite for creating novel genotypes of this valuable medicinal species through genetic manipulation.     

Spatial division of labour of Schoenoplectus americanus

If connected ramets are growing in heterogeneous environments, Division of Labour (DoL) among ramets potentially will result in more efficient sharing of resources and an overall benefit to the plants. As a result of DoL, connected ramets growing in a heterogeneous environment might achieve more biomass than ramets growing in a homogeneous environment. DoL has been demonstrated to occur in a few clonal plant species, although most studies simply focussed on biomass allocation, not on actual resource capturing such as water and nutrient consumption. The model system for our study is one in which two connected ramet groups of Schoenoplectus americanus were placed into contrasting environments. In one treatment, the connected ramets grew in heterogeneous environments and in the other treatment, the connected ramets grew in the same (i.e. homogeneous) environment. We manipulated two variables (light and salinity) in the experiment. We hypothesized that ramets growing in a shaded and fresh water condition in a heterogeneous environment would use more water than ramets growing in a similar condition but in a homogeneous environment. We further hypothesized that ramets growing in a light and saline condition in a heterogeneous environment would assimilate less water than ramets growing in a similar condition but in a homogeneous environment. These hypotheses are based on the assumption that ramets in a heterogeneous environment would translocate water from ramets growing in a shaded and fresh water condition to ramets growing in a light and saline water condition. We also hypothesized that ramets growing in heterogeneous environments achieve larger biomass than ramets in homogeneous environments. Ramets grown in light and saline conditions in heterogeneous environments allocated more biomass to aboveground parts, had taller shoots, larger Specific Green (leaf) Area and consumed less water than ramets grown in similar conditions but in a homogeneous environment. Results confirm the hypothesis that connected ramets in heterogeneous environments are specialised to capture locally abundant resources and share these with connected ramets growing in other habitats. The result of DoL is that the entire connected ramet system benefits and achieves higher biomass.     

Environmentally-induced functional specialization for locally abundant resources in the stoloniferous herb Duchesnea indica

Reciprocally patchy environments, where the availability of two resources are patchily distributed and negatively correlated in each patch, are common in many ecosystems. Interconnected ramets of clonal plants can specialize in the uptake of locally abundant resources. Ramet pairs of the stoloniferous herb Duchesnea indica were grown in reciprocally patchy environments i.e., one ramet of a pair was grown in the high light but low water patch (high light patch) and the other in the low light but high water patch (high water patch). Biomass allocation pattern (root-shoot ratio), morphological traits (leaf area and root length) and physiological traits (photosynthetic rate and chlorophyll content) were altered in a way that potentially enables ramets to enhance the capture of the locally abundant resource (i.e., increase the capture of light resource in the high light patch and of water in the high water patch). As a result,biomass and number of ramets in the connected ramet pairs were greatly improved. Functional specialization of ramets, modified by clonal integration, may have contributed greatly to the growth increase of D. indica in the reciprocally patchy environment.