南方红豆杉水浸提液对喜树种子发芽和幼苗生长的化感作用

化感作用是影响人工混交林种间关系的重要因素之一。已有研究表明：喜树南方红豆杉混交对喜树生长有明显促进作用,并从混交改善混交林地微气候角度解释了这种促进作用,但未从种间化感作用角度探讨这种作用。为了探究南方红豆杉是否对喜树具有潜在的化感促进作用,从而更全面了解喜树南方红豆杉混交林种间关系,考察了不同浓度（25、50 g/L和100 g/L）的南方红豆杉（Taxus chinensis var.mairei）鲜叶、凋落叶、枝和根水浸提液对喜树（Camptotheca acuminata）种子发芽和幼苗生长的影响。结果表明：（1）南方红豆杉凋落叶浸提液对喜树种子发芽和幼苗生长无显著影响（P>0.05）,而鲜叶、枝和根浸提液对喜树发芽和幼苗生长均具有不同程度的促进作用（P<0.05）,且作用强度大体与浓度呈正相关;（2）100 g/L的南方红豆杉鲜叶、枝和根浸提液浸泡的喜树种子,其发芽率比对照组分别提高8.1%、14.9%和25.6%;（3）南方红豆杉鲜叶浸提液只有在高浓度（100 g/L）时,对喜树幼苗基径生长具有促进作用（P<0.05）,而对其株高、全株干重和净光合速率无显著影响;南方红豆杉根和枝浸提液对喜树幼苗株高、基茎、干重和净光合速率均具有促进作用（P<0.05）,与对照组相比,100 g/L的根和枝浸提液浇灌喜树幼苗,可以使喜树幼苗株高分别提高14.2%和8.4%,基径分别提高19.0%和15.3%,干重分别提高23.1%和15.9%,净光合速率分别提高11.6%和6.1%。研究结果表明,在喜树南方红豆杉混交林中,南方红豆杉对喜树的正向化感作用可能是促进喜树生长的重要因素之一。     

五唇兰对PEG模拟的干旱胁迫响应研究

为了解干旱对五唇兰(Phalaenopsis pulcherrima)生长的影响,以聚乙二醇(PEG)溶液模拟干旱胁迫,对其叶片的光合色素、渗透调节物质和非结构碳水化合物(NSC)含量变化进行研究。结果表明,随着PEG浓度增加,五唇兰植株含水量和鲜质量逐渐下降,以PEG为13.75%～14.84%时最显著。PEG处理显著降低叶片的叶绿素a和b含量。随着植株含水量的降低,叶片可溶性蛋白、淀粉(St)含量均呈下降趋势,可溶性糖(SS)含量、NSC和SS/St均呈先升后降的趋势。因此,干旱胁迫会影响五唇兰植株的含水量和光合产物的积累;在较低程度干旱胁迫下,可溶性糖在抗旱响应中发挥主要作用;随着干旱胁迫程度加深,五唇兰的生理代谢受到严重影响。     

Developmental changes and tissue distribution of lectin in Tulipa

A sensitive enzyme-immunoassay was developed to quantify the tulip lectin and used to follow its distribution during the life cycle of tulips cv. Attila.The tulip lectin is predominantly located in the bulbs. At planting time the absolute lectin concentration is approximately the same in all bulb scales. However, as the shoot grows and the plant turns on to flowering, the lectin concentration rapidly decreases, first in the inner bulb scales but later also in the outer bulb scale. Soon after flowering the lectin rapidly accumulates in the new daughter bulbs.Lectin levels in leaves, stems and flowers are very low. The lectin in these tissues is already present before the sprout emerges. During the first two weeks after planting, there is a small increase in lectin concentration, followed by a rapid decrease as the plant turns on to flowering. By flowering time all the lectin has disappeared from the aerial parts.Abbreviations DW dry weight - ELISA enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay - FW fresh weight - PBS phosphate-buffered saline - PBSN phosphate-buffered saline containing 0.02% sodium azide - PBST phosphate-buffered saline containing 0.02% sodium azide and 0.05% Tween 20 - TL tulip lectin - Tris 2-amino-2-(hydroxymethyl)-1,3-propanediol     

Abscisic acid metabolism and episodic growth in cocoa

Abscisic acid (ABA) levels and metabolism were investigated in relation to shoot growth in cocoa (Theobroma cacao L.). ABA levels were high (14 nmoles/g fwt) in young flush leaves during shoot growth but gradually declined during the subsequent dormant period. ABA levels were low (1–2 nmoles/g fwt) in mature leaves when the terminal bud re-initiated growth. ABA-glucose ester (ABA-glu) levels were low (3–4 nmoles/g fwt) in the flush leaves during shoot growth and dormancy, however, ABA-glu levels increased more than 7-fold in these same leaves during the next flush cycle. ABA-glu levels then dropped significantly during the dormant period. Radiolabeled-ABA was metabolized to three products in cocoa leaves: ABA-glu, phaseic acid and dihydrophaseic acid. Catabolism of radiolabeled ABA was significantly greater in mature leaves during the dormant period when endogenous levels of ABA were high as compared to the period of active shoot growth when endogenous levels of ABA in mature leaves were low.     

Furanocoumarin metabolism in Papilio polyxenes: biochemistry,genetic variability,and ecological significance

The ubiquitous occurrence of series of biosynthetically related plant secondary compounds within individual species has given rise to the suggestion that such multiplicity is adaptive; one possible mechanism that would serve to maintain such within-plant diversity is analog synergism. In a series of experiments, we provide evidence that synergism may account for the presence of multiple structurally related furanocoumarins in apiaceous plants. The black swallowtail, Papilio polyxenes, feeds exclusively on plant species containing furanocoumarins. Growth of larvae fed parsley leaves treated with both xanthotoxin and angelicin, two furanocoumarins that co-occur widely in swallowtail hostplants, was significantly slower than that of larvae fed leaves with an equimolar concentration of either xanthotoxin or angelicin. A multivariate combination of growth, food consumption and frass excretion differed significantly between larvae fed leaves treated with both xanthotoxin and angelicin and larvae fed leaves treated with angelicin alone. In addition, we measured rates of in vitro cytochrome P450-mediated metabolism of three furanocoumarins — bergapten, xanthotoxin, and angelicin. While bergapten and xanthotoxin, both linear furanocoumarins, were metabolized at similar rates (8.07 and 9.86 nmoles/min/g fw caterpillar, respectively), angelicin, an angular furanocoumarin, was metabolized more slowly (2.76 nmoles/min/g fw caterpillar). When all three furanocoumarins were assayed together, overall rates of metabolism were significantly reduced, suggesting substrate inhibition. Thus, the pattern of growth of larvae is consistent with the pattern of in vitro metabolism and is evidence in support of analog synergism. In a separate experiment, metabolism of xanthotoxin and angelicin individually and together were compared in six maternal families. Again, angelicin was metabolized more slowly than xanthotoxin and each furanocoumarin inhibited metabolism of the other. That significant family effects were found for rates of metabolism and for the ratio of moles of angelicin metabolized for each mole of xanthotoxin metabolized raises the possibility that genetic variation exists for the rate and specificity of metabolism and suggests that insect herbivores may be able to adapt to analog synergism.     

Effects of supplementary UV-B radiation on development of damping-off in spinach caused by the soil-borne fungusFusarium oxysporum

The effects of UV-B radiation (290–320 nm) on development of damping-off of spinach (Spinacia oleracea) caused by the fungusFusarium oxysporum were examined in a growth cabinet. The incidence of disease greatly increased when experimental plants were grown in visible radiation with supplementary UV-B radiation. This increase was suppressed by increasing the irradiation of visible radiation.Fusarium oxysporum was isolated from the roots of all damping-off plants and the roots of some unwilted plants, indicating that spinach infected with the pathogen did not necessarily suffer from damping-off in 15d. Supplementary UV-B radiation suppressed the increase in growth components such as the number of leaves, the plant height and the fresh weight of aboveground plant parts, but did not affect the fresh weight of roots. The ratio of the number of plants infected with pathogen to the total number of plants was over 80% irrespective of light conditions. It was suggested that the defense response of spinach to this pathogen was greatly influenced by the physiological state of aboveground plant parts resulting from supplementary UV-B radiation.     

Growth enhancement of soybean (Glycine max) upon exclusion of UV-B and UV-B/A components of solar radiation: characterization of photosynthetic parameters in leaves

Exclusion of UV (280–380 nm) radiation from the solar spectrum can be an important tool to assess the impact of ambient UV radiation on plant growth and performance of crop plants. The effect of exclusion of UV-B and UV-A from solar radiation on the growth and photosynthetic components in soybean (Glycine max) leaves were investigated. Exclusion of solar UV-B and UV-B/A radiation, enhanced the fresh weight, dry weight, leaf area as well as induced a dramatic increase in plant height, which reflected a net increase in biomass. Dry weight increase per unit leaf area was quite significant upon both UV-B and UV-B/A exclusion from the solar spectrum. However, no changes in chlorophyll a and b contents were observed by exclusion of solar UV radiation but the content of carotenoids was significantly (34–46%) lowered. Analysis of chlorophyll (Chl) fluorescence transient parameters of leaf segments suggested no change in the F _v/F _m value due to UV-B or UV-B/A exclusion. Only a small reduction in photo-oxidized signal I (P700⁺)/unit Chl was noted. Interestingly the total soluble protein content per unit leaf area increased by 18% in UV-B/A and 40% in UV-B excluded samples, suggesting a unique upregulation of biosynthesis and accumulation of biomass. Solar UV radiation thus seems to primarily affect the photomorphogenic regulatory system that leads to an enhanced growth of leaves and an enhanced rate of net photosynthesis in soybean, a crop plant of economic importance. The presence of ultra-violet components in sunlight seems to arrest carbon sequestration in plants. An erratum to this article can be found at     

Transgenic tobacco plants producing caffeine: a potential new strategy for insect pest control

Caffeine (1,3,7–trimethylxanthine) is one of the most widely used plant secondary metabolites, primarily as a stimulant and an ingredient in drugs. In nature, caffeine is believed to function in chemical defense, acting as an antiherbivory and allelopathic agent, and therefore it might be employed to protect agriculturally important crop plants. In coffee plants, caffeine is synthesized from the precursor xanthosine in four steps, three N-methylations and removal of ribose. We had previously isolated genes encoding three distinct N-methyltransferases, and we demonstrated production of recombinant enzymes that yielded caffeine in in vitro reconstitution experiments. When these caffeine biosynthetic pathway genes were simultaneously expressed in tobacco plants (Nicotiana tabacum), caffeine was successfully produced up to 5 μg/g fresh weight in leaves. The leaves were unpalatable to tobacco cutworms (Spodoptera litura). This repellent action appeared to be more widely␣applicable to lepidopteran caterpillars as observed with small white (Pieris rapae) fed on Chinese cabbages that had been top-treated with caffeine. Our recent results suggest a novel approach to strengthen anti-herbivore traits by producing caffeine in crop plants.     

The Wound-Inducible Lls1 Gene from Maize is an Orthologue of the Arabidopsis Acd1 Gene,and the LLS1 Protein is Present in Non-Photosynthetic Tissues

Previous studies indicated that the lethal leaf spot 1 lesion mimic locus of maize ( ZmLls1 ) encodes a novel cell protective function in plants. Here we show that the accelerated cell death 1 ( acd1 ) locus of Arabidopsis thaliana corresponds to gene At3g44880 on chromosome 3. Proof that the Acd1 gene is an orthologue of ZmLls1 is provided by in vivo complementation of the acd1 mutant by the ZmLls1 gene. The Atlls1 lesion mimic phenotype was delayed in a chlorophyll a oxygenase (CAO) mutant chlorina1 background which is deficient in chlorophyll b synthesis. The interpretation that the cell protective function of LLS1 is linked with the removal of a phototoxic chlorophyll intermediate is supported by the recent report that the maize Lls1 gene encodes pheophorbide a oxygenase (PaO). Western blot analysis demonstrates that the LLS1 protein is present constitutively in all photosynthetic plant tissues. A transient increase in Lls1 gene expression by about 50-fold upon physical wounding of maize leaves indicates that the function of Lls1 is regulated in response to stress. We show that the LLS1 protein is also present at low levels in non-photosynthetic tissues including etiolated leaves suggesting that the ability to degrade chlorophyll exists in a standby mode in plant cells.     

巨尾桉叶片挥发物对三种植物种子萌发及幼苗生长的化感效应

为探讨人工巨尾桉林叶片挥发物对周边农作物的化感作用,采用不同质量新鲜巨尾桉叶片及由新鲜叶片提取的桉叶油对玉米、辣椒、西红柿等三种植物种子进行处理,观测其种子萌发和幼苗生长状况。结果表明:(1)在三种被测植物中,桉树叶片挥发物对玉米种子萌发影响最小,对辣椒影响最大;(2)当叶片用量小于200g时,桉树叶片挥发物对三种植物种子萌发影响不明显,当叶片用量达400g时,能完全抑制辣椒、西红柿种子萌发,并能极显著降低玉米种子萌发(P0.01);(3)玉米幼苗芽生长随叶片用量的增加呈现先促进后抑制现象,对芽高、鲜重、干重的促进和抑制均达到显著(P0.05)或极显著水平(P0.01);(4)当叶片用量小于或等于100g时,桉树叶片挥发物对辣椒、西红柿幼苗生长影响不明显,当用量达到200g时则能极显著抑制辣椒、西红柿幼苗生长;(5)桉叶油对三种测试植物的抑制效果与叶片自然挥发物相似,且效果更显著。     

茉莉酸甲酯对牛膝生长及主要药用成分积累的影响

不同浓度的外源茉莉酸甲酯(Me JA)对牛膝生长及其主要药用成分齐墩果酸和蜕皮甾酮均有不同的影响。该文采用不同浓度的Me JA分别浸种处理牛膝种子:0(对照)、0.1 mmol·L-1(T1)、0.15 mmol·L-1(T2)、0.2 mmol·L-1(T3)、0.25 mmol·L-1(T4),对照(CK)以同体积的蒸馏水浸泡。取浸种处理后生长培养60 d的牛膝植株,测定牛膝的株高、根长、地上及地下部分的生物量;取牛膝的叶及根,HPLC法测定其齐墩果酸和蜕皮甾酮的含量,研究Me JA对牛膝生长及主要药用成分齐墩果酸和蜕皮甾酮积累的影响。结果表明:0.15 mmol·L-1Me JA浸种处理,对牛膝生长及生物量的促进作用最佳,其株高、根长、地上部分鲜重及根鲜重分别比对照显著升高43.9%、38.7%、26.4%、64.0%(P0.05);0.15 mmol·L-1Me JA处理,对牛膝的根和叶中齐墩果酸的积累作用最佳,分别比对照组显著增加了114.3%和60%(P0.05);0.25 mmol·L-1Me JA处理,对牛膝根中蜕皮甾酮的积累最佳,比对照高出90.3%(P0.05),却不利于根和叶中齐墩果酸的积累,并可抑制叶中蜕皮甾酮的形成。说明0.15 mmol·L-1Me JA浸种处理对牛膝的生长及其根和叶中齐墩果酸的积累作用最佳,并能显著促进根中蜕皮甾酮的积累,有利于牛膝药材产量和品质的提高。     

柽柳根际一株盐单胞菌Bachu 26的分离、鉴定及其盐胁迫下的促生作用研究

盐渍化是世界性的土壤问题,植物促生根际细菌(plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria,PGPR)在盐碱地改良和促进植物生长方面具有独特优势。柽柳是典型的盐生植物,筛选其根际微生物并研究其促生效果与促生机制,以此开发微生物菌肥,具有重要的应用价值。【目的】筛选耐盐碱植物柽柳的根际微生物,对其基本特性、耐盐碱能力、促生功能及促生效果进行评估。【方法】从新疆巴楚境内野生柽柳根际土壤中筛选出一株耐盐碱细菌菌株Bachu 26;通过形态学观察、生理生化特性测定和16S rRNA基因序列分析,对该菌株进行鉴定;利用不同盐浓度(0%–20%)和不同pH(7.0–13.0),对菌株Bachu 26的耐盐耐碱能力进行测定;采用多种功能鉴定培养基测定其促生功能,并对生长素吲哚乙酸(indole-3-acetic acid, IAA)进行定量测定;通过二分格培养皿实验验证菌株产生挥发性酸性物质的能力;在普通培养皿上将拟南芥幼苗与菌株Bachu 26共培养,分析菌株对拟南芥幼苗的促生作用;在二分格培养皿上将拟南芥与Bachu 26隔离培养,分析菌株产生的挥发性酸性物质对拟南芥幼...     

Nicotianamine and the distribution of iron into the apoplasm and symplasm of tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.)

The apoplasmic and symplasmic iron pools were determined in roots and leaves of Lycopersicon esculentum Mill. cv. Bonner Beste and its mutant chloronerva. The mutant is auxotrophic for the ubiquitous plant constituent nicotianamine (NA) and exhibits an impaired iron metabolism. Formation of apoplasmic iron pools in roots was dependent on the iron source in the nutrient solution. With Fe-ethylenediaminedi-(2-hydroxyphenylacetate) (FeEDDHA) only a very small apoplasmic iron pool was formed in the roots of both genotypes. Plants grown with FeEDTA increased their apoplasmic iron pool with increasing exogenous iron concentrations in the nutrient solution. The size of the apoplasmic pools in roots did not differ between the wild-type and the mutant (about 85 mol Fe · g^–1 DW). By contrast, the symplasmic iron concentrations in roots and leaves of the mutant were significantly higher when compared to the wild-type. An exogenous NA supply to the leaves of the mutant reduced the high symplasmic iron concentrations to the level of the wild-type. Mutant leaves exhibited a gradient of symplasmic iron concentrations depending on the developmental age of the leaves. The oldest leaves contained considerably more symplasmic iron than the youngest. The results demonstrate that the apparent iron deficiency of the mutant is not the consequence of an impaired iron transport from the apoplasm to the symplasm. Therefore, it is concluded that NA is not required for the transport of Fe(II) through the plasmalemma into the cell.Abbreviations BPDS bathophenanthroline disulfonic acid, Na₂ salt - FeEDDHA ferric N-N-ethylenediaminedi-(2-hydroxy-phenylacetate) - NA nicotianamine Part 40 in the series The normalizing factor for the tomato mutant chloronerva. For part 39 see Pich et al. (1991)The valuable technical assistance of Mrs. Christa Kallas and Mr. Günter Faupel is gratefully acknowledged.     

Impact of two fluorescent pseudomonads and an arbuscular mycorrhizal fungus on tomato plant growth,root architecture and P acquisition

The ability of fluorescent pseudomonads and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) to promote plant growth is well documented but knowledge of the impact of pseudomonad-mycorrhiza mixed inocula on root architecture is scanty. In the present work, growth and root architecture of tomato plants (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill. cv. Guadalete), inoculated or not with Pseudomonas fluorescens 92rk and P190r and/or the AMF Glomus mosseae BEG12, were evaluated by measuring shoot and root fresh weight and by analysing morphometric parameters of the root system. The influence of the microorganisms on phosphorus (P) acquisition was assayed as total P accumulated in leaves of plants inoculated or not with the three microorganisms. The two bacterial strains and the AMF, alone or in combination, promoted plant growth. P. fluorescens 92rk and G. mosseae BEG12 when co-inoculated had a synergistic effect on root fresh weight. Moreover, co-inoculation of the three microorganisms synergistically increased plant growth compared with singly inoculated plants. Both the fluorescent pseudomonads and the myco-symbiont, depending on the inoculum combination, strongly affected root architecture. P. fluorescens 92rk increased mycorrhizal colonization, suggesting that this strain is a mycorrhization helper bacterium. Finally, the bacterial strains and the AMF, alone or in combination, improved plant mineral nutrition by increasing leaf P content. These results support the potential use of fluorescent pseudomonads and AMF as mixed inoculants for tomato and suggest that improved tomato growth could be related to the increase in P acquisition.     

Using a starch-rich mutant of Arabidopsis thaliana as feedstock for fermentative hydrogen production

A mutant plant (Arabidopsis thaliana), sex1-1 (starch excess 1-1), accumulating high starch content in leaves was created to serve as better biomass feedstock for a H₂-producing strain Clostridium butyricum CGS2, which efficiently utilizes starch for H₂ production but cannot assimilate cellulosic materials. The starch content of the mutant plant increased to 10.67 mg/fresh weight, which is four times higher than that of wild type plant. Using sex1-1 mutant plant as feedstock, C. butyricum CGS2 could produce 490.4 ml/l of H₂ with a H₂ production rate of 32.9 ml/h/l. The H₂ production performance appeared to increase with the increase in the concentration of mutant plant from 2.5 to 10 g/l. The highest H₂ to plant biomass yield was nearly 49 ml/g for the mutant plant. This study successfully demonstrated the feasibility of using a starch-rich mutant plant for more effective bioH₂ production with C. butyricum CGS2.     

Photosynthetic carbon metabolism during leaf ontogeny in Zea mays L.: Enzyme studies

The activities of several enzymes, including ribulose-1,5-diphosphate (RuDP) carboxylase (EC 4.1.1.39) and phosphoenolpyruvate (PEP) carboxylase (EC 4.1.1.31) were measured as a function of leaf age in Z. mays. Mature leaf tissue had a RuDP-carboxylase activity of 296.7 mol CO₂ g^-1 fresh weight h^-1 and a PEP-carboxylase activity of 660.6 mol CO₂ g^-1 fresh weight h^-1. In young corn leaves the activity of the two enzymes was 11 and 29%, respectively, of the mature leaves. In senescent leaf tissue, RuDP carboxylase activity declined more rapidly than that of any of the other enzymes assayed. On a relative basis the activities of NADP malic enzyme (EC 1.1.1.40), aspartate (EC 2.6.1.1) and alanine aminotransferase (EC 2.6.1.2), and NAD malate dehydrogenase (EC 1.1.1.37) exceeded those of both PEP and RuDP carboxylase in young and senescent leaf tissue. Pulse-chase labeling experiments with mature and senescent leaf tissue show that the predominant C₄ acid differs between the two leaf ages. Labeling of alanine in senescent tissue never exceeded 4% of the total ¹⁴C remaining during the chase period, while in mature leaf tissue alanine accounted for 20% of the total after 60 s in ¹²CO₂. The activity of RuDP carboxylase during leaf ontogeny in Z. mays parallels the development of the activity of this enzyme in C₃ plants.Abbreviations RuDP ribulose-1,5-diphosphate - PEP phosphoenol pyruvate - PGA 3-phosphoglycerate     

环链虫草Cordyceps cateniannulata对番茄生长和抗氧化酶活性的影响

【目的】评估环链虫草Cordyceps cateniannulata对植物促生和植物抗氧化酶活性的影响。【方法】本研究利用浸种法将环链虫草接种于番茄植物体,在接种后的第30天和60天,通过番茄株高、根长、地上和地下部分的干鲜重指标评价其对番茄生长的影响;在接种后第10、20、30、60和90天,通过选择性培养基分析其在番茄不同组织中的生存情况,使用形态学及DNA序列比对的方法检验所分离菌株与原有菌株的一致性。在处理后的第30天,检测番茄叶片中的过氧化物酶(POD)、过氧化氢酶(CAT)、超氧化物歧化酶(SOD)及丙二醛(MDA)含量,观察环链虫草对番茄的抗氧化酶活性影响。【结果】环链虫草可定殖于番茄幼苗且对番茄生长有显著促进作用,菌株对植株的定殖偏好性分别为根部>茎部>叶部。酶活检测结果表明,处理组番茄叶片防御酶活性均呈显著升高的趋势,其中POD、CAT、SOD活性分别比对照增加了52.21%、75.31%和158.59%,MDA含量下降了35.15%。【结论】环链虫草可以通过浸种的方法感染并定殖番茄幼苗的根、茎、叶,促进番茄幼苗的生长并提高番茄抗氧化酶活性,具有较好的田间...     

Biomass Partitioning in Tomato Plants Infected with Meloidogyne incognita

Tomato plants were inoculated with Meloidogyne incognita at initial populations (Pi) of 0, 1, 10, 50, 100, and 200 (x 1,000) eggs per plant and maintained in a growth chamber for 40 days. Total fresh biomass (roots + shoots) at harvest was unchanged by nematode inoculation with Pi of 1 x 10⁵ eggs or less. Reductions in fresh shoot weight with increasing Pi coincided with increases in root weight. Total fresh biomass declined with Pi above 1 x 10⁵ eggs, whereas total dry biomass declined at Pi above 1 x 10⁴ eggs. The greatest reduction percentages in fresh shoot biomass induced by root-knot nematodes occurred in the stem tissue, followed by the petiole + rachis; the least weight loss occurred in the leaflets. Although biomass varied among shoot tissues, the relationship between biomass of various shoot tissues and Pi was described by quadratic equations. The linear and quadratic coefficients of the equations (stem, petiole + rachis, or leaflets on Pi) did not differ among tissues when calculations were based on standardized values. Meloidogyne incognita-infected plants had thinner leaves (leaf area/leaf weight) than did uninfected plants. Reductions in leaf weight and leaf area with nematode inoculation occurred at nodes 5-15 and 4, 6-14, respectively. Losses in plant height and mass due to nematodes reflected shorter internodes with less plant mass at each node.