Effect of Photoperiodic Induction on the Transpiration Rate and Stomatal Behaviour of Debudded Xanthium Plants

In controlled-environment studies with debudded Xanthium plants,appreciable changes in stomatal activity and attendant ratesof transpiration were found to be associated with photoperiodicinduction. Leaves of plants kept on a 10-h inductive photoperiodafter removal of the apical and axillary buds grew at ratescomparable to those of similarly debudded plants kept on a 10-h-interruptednon-inductive photoperiod (consisting of an 8-h photoperiodand a 2-h interruption of the dark period). There was a large effect of leaf age on stomatal behaviour:the minimum stomatal resistance of leaves of non-induced plantsdecreased from about 5 s cm^–1 when the leaf was 25 percent of its final size to 1.6 s cm^–1 when almost fullyexpanded. Thereafter, it slowly increased with time. Superimposedon this age response was a marked effect of photoperiodic induction.The stomata on induced leaves opened more widely than thoseon non-induced leaves, the response being greatest with theleaves which were youngest at the time induction commenced.However, this ‘opening’ tendency was maintainedfor only a few weeks; thereafter, the stomata failed to openas widely. This later ‘closing’ tendency of stomataon leaves of induced plants progressed rapidly and in a basipetalsequence and presaged a necrotic form of leaf senescence whichdeveloped in the same sequence. The closing tendency on leavesof non-induced plants progressed slowly in an acropetal direction;leaves senesced in the same sequence with the familiar yellowingsymptoms. It is suggested that flower induction sets in train a sequenceof events which influence stomatal movement (and other processes)and inevitably leads to the death of the induced axis. Transpiration rates calculated from measurements of the physicalenvironments and stomatal resistances agreed well with thosemeasured.     

Studies on Dark Fixation of Carbon Dioxide in Kalanchoe: II. Effect of Interaction of Photoperiodic Induction with Water Stress and Growth Retardants

In Kalanchoë blossfeldiana von Poellnitz cv. Tom Thumband cv. Feuer Blute interaction of CO₂ fixation with photoperiodicinduction and water stress was examined. It was found that TomThumb raised in dilute culture solution and kept in photoinductivecycles (8 h light and 16 h dark) flowered but failed to showa net dark CO₂ fixation. A net dark fixation was observed whenthe concentration of the culture solution was increased or plantswere sprayed with 300 or 750 mg 1^–1 CCC or 300 or 2000mg 1^–1 B-9. In a non-inductive photoperiod no net darkfixation was observed with these treatments although there wasa tendency for dark fixation to increase. Feuer Blute did not flower in inductive photoperiods when keptin half strength solution. It is suggested that in Tom Thumbboth photoperiodic induction and water stress are required forinitiation of net CO₂ dark fixation. In Feuer Blute where CAMis occurring normally photo-induction is sufficient to induceflowering. In half strength solution CO2 dark fixation is disturbedand floral induction also does not occur.     

Effect of Changing the Light/Dark Schedule, the Time of Onset of the Light or Dark Period, or the Daylength, on Rhythms of Epidermal Cell Proliferation

Rhythms of labeling and mitotic indices were studied in the hindlimb epidermis of the anuran tadpole Rana pipiens under different light/dark (LD) cycles and daylengths in order to examine the role of the various parameters of the lighting regimen in setting the periods of the rhythms and the timing of the cell proliferation peaks. Altering the time of, or inverting, the 12 h light period on a 24 h day resulted in phase shifting of basically bimodal circadian rhythms with peaks in the light and dark. Thus the cell proliferation rhythms were entrained to the LD cycle. These rhythms also entrained to noncircadian schedules since they lengthened on a 15L : 15D cycle and shortened on a 9L : 9D cycle, although the bimodal characteristic of a peak in the light and a peak in the dark remained. Studies of 18L: 6D and 6L : 18D cycles in which either the time of onset of light or dark was changed relative to the 12L: 12D control indicated that the onset of dark may regulate the timing of the labeling index peaks while the onset of light may determine the time of occurrence of mitotic index peaks. Control of the timing of labeling and mitotic index peaks by different parameters of the LD cycle suggests a mechanism for cell cycle regulation by the environmental lighting schedule. Analysis of the rhythms on all the cycles studied suggested that labeling index rhythms equal the length of, or twice the length of, the dark period. Mitotic index rhythms equal the daylfength or a multiple of the length of the dark period.     

Effect of Light Quality on Stomatal Opening in Leaves of Xanthium strumarium L

Flux response curves were determined at 16 wavelengths of light for the conductance for water vapor of the lower epidermis of detached leaves of Xanthium strumarium L. An action spectrum of stomatal opening resulted in which blue light (wavelengths between 430 and 460 nanometers) was nearly ten times more effective than red light (wavelengths between 630 and 680 nanometers) in producing a conductance of 15 centimoles per square meter per second. Stomata responded only slightly to green light. An action spectrum of stomatal responses to red light corresponded to that of CO₂ assimilation; the inhibitors of photosynthetic electron transport, cyanazine (2-chloro-4[1-cyano-1-methylethylamino]-6-ethylamino-s-triazine) and 3-(3,4-dichlorophenyl)-1,1-dimethylurea, eliminated the response to red light. This indicates that light absorption by chlorophyll is the cause of stomatal sensitivity to red light. Determination of flux response curves on leaves in the normal position (upper epidermis facing the light) or in the inverted position (lower epidermis facing the light) led to the conclusion that the photoreceptors for blue as well as for red light are located on or near the surfaces of the leaves; presumably they are in the guard cells themselves.     

The Effects of Light Breaks in the Dark Period on Flower-bud Development in Varieties of Phaseolus vulgaris L.

A light break imposed in the middle of, or more effectively,two-thirds of the way through a 13 h dark period inhibited thedevelopment of the first initiated flower buds and reduced theproduction of open flowers in two daylength-sensitive varietiesof Phaseolus vulgaris. The effects were similar to those ofa long photoperiod applied continuously and therefore provideclear evidence of the importance of the dark period in mediatingthe effects of daylength on flower-bud development in the twovarieties. Phaseolus vulgaris, bean flower-bud development, photopcriodism     

Contrasted Effects of CO2 on the Regulation of Dormancy and Germination in Xanthium pennsylvanicum and Setaria faberi Seeds

The effects of CO₂ on dormancy and germination were examinedusing seeds of cocklebur (Xanthium pennsylvanicum Wallr.) andgiant foxtail (Setaria faberi Herrm.). The rate of germinationof the giant foxtail seeds as well as cocklebur was promotedby exogenously applied CO₂ at a concentration of 30 mmol mol^-1regardless of the sowing conditions. However, seeds which failedto germinate in the presence of CO₂, entered a secondary phaseof dormancy under unfavourable germination conditions. If CO₂was applied to seeds under conditions such as water stress imposedwith a 200 mol m^-3 mannitol solution, a hypoxic atmosphere of100 mmol mol^-1 O₂ or a treatment of 0·1 mol m^-3 ABA,development of secondary dormancy was accelerated. These contrastedeffects of CO₂ were observed in ecological studies. Under naturalfield conditions germination of buried giant foxtail seeds respondedpositively to CO₂ during a period of release from primary dormancyfrom Feb. to May, but CO₂ accelerated secondary dormancy commencingin early Jun. In other words, in the presence of CO₂, both theenvironmental conditions and the germination states of the seedsclearly showed secondary dormancy-inducing effects. Thus, itseems that CO₂ has contrasted effects on regulation of dormancyand germination of seeds depending on the germination conditions.Copyright1995, 1999 Academic Press Xanthium pennsylvanicum, cocklebur, Setaria faberi, giant foxtail, CO₂, water stress, hypoxia, ABA, germination, secondary dormancy     

Spectral Dependence of Night-break Effect on Photoperiodic Floral Induction in Lemna paucicostata 441

A single dark period of longer than 8 hr induced flowering inLemna paucicostata 441 cultured in E medium. Monochromatic lightsof 450, 550, 650 and 750 nm with a half-power bandwidth of 9nm given for 10 min at the 8th hour of a 14-hr dark period inhibitedflowering. The fluence rates required for 50% inhibition were10, 0.5, 0.1 and 3 µmol m^–2. sec^–1, respectively.When applied between the 4th and the 10th hour of the dark period,lights of 450, 550 and 650 nm were inhibitory showing a maximumeffect at the 8th hour. But 750-nm light completely inhibitedflowering when applied at any time during the first 8 hr ofthe dark period. The inhibitory effect of 750-nm light givenat the beginning of the dark period was totally reversed bya subsequent exposure to 650-nm light, and the fluence-responsecurves for the effect of 750-nm light given at the 0, 4th and8th hour were essentially the same. This suggests that the presenceof P_FR is crucial for the floral initiation throughout the first8 hr of the inductive dark period. The role of phytochrome inthe photoperiodic flower induction of L. paucicostata is discussed. (Received January 4, 1982; Accepted March 19, 1982)     

Effects of Moonlight on Flower Induction in Pharbitis nil, Using a Single Dark Period

Flowering of Pharbitis nil plants was slightly inhibited byexposure to the light of the full moon for 8 or more hours witha single dark period of 16, 14 or 13 h. It is suggested thatin the natural environment moonlight may have at most only aslight delaying effect on the time of flower induction in short-dayplants. Flowering, moonlight, night-break, Pharbitis nil, photoperiodism, short day plants     

Studies on the Role of Photosynthesis in the Photoperiodic Induction of Flowering in the Short-Day Plants Kalanchoe blossfeldiana Poellniz and Xanthium pensylvanicum Wallr: II. THE EFFECT OF CHEMICAL INHIBITORS OF PHOTOSYNTHESIS

The role of photosynthesis in flower induction in the short-dayplants Kalanchoe blossfeldiana and Xanthium pensylvanicum wasinvestigated by chemical suppression of photosynthesis and preventionof chlorophyll formation in the induced leaf. ‘Bleaching’leaves with streptomycin completely prevented flowering in X.pensylvanicum at concentrations shown to reduce the chlorophylland carotenoid content of the leaf significantly. Such leaveswere unable to induce flowering even when supplied with sugarsand other photosynthetic products. Photosystem II inhibitors,DCMU and cadmium ion, inhibited induction in both species aswell as suppressing photosynthesis (as tested by O₂ evolutionand starch production) whereas the photosystem I inhibitor,metronidazole, had no effect. Antimycin A inhibited floweringin K. blossfeldiana and may have a similar site of action toDCMU. Neither ammonium ion nor DBMIB, which acts upon plastoquinone(i.e. between PS I and PS II in the ‘Z scheme’),had any effect on floral induction and it is argued that theinductive process is independent of photosynthetic phosphorylationbut a step in the electron transport pathway between the sitesof action of DCMU and DBMIB may be crucial. DSPD and its hydrolysisproduct, salicylaldehyde, suppressed flowering in K. blossfeldianabut the uncertainty regarding their chemistry precludes anyfirm conclusions regarding the nature of their action.     

Studies on the Role of Photosynthesis in the Photoperiodic Induction of Flowering in the Short-Day Plants Kalanchoe blossfeldiana Poellniz and Xanthium pensylvanicum Wallr: I. THE REQUIREMENT FOR CO2 DURING PHOTOPERIODIC INDUCTION

It has been established that Kalanchoe blossfeldiana and Xanthiumpensylvanicum require CO₂ during the light period of short daysfor successful photoperiodic induction of flowering, even ifall but the induced leaf are held in normal air. In X. pensylvanicumfloral induction in normal air was independent of the starchstatus of the leaves but when reserves were reduced, lack ofCO₂ in the light suppressed floral induction to an even greaterextent. Injection into the induced leaf (Kalanchoe) or leaftip feeding (Xanthium) of carbohydrates, organic and amino acidsor several other metabolites failed to substitute for the CO₂requirement for induction. A small response was produced by10 mg ml^–1 sucrose in X. pensylvanicum while in normalair 25 parts 10^–6 ATP reduced the time to flowering inK. blossfeldiana and 10^–4 M proline was inhibitory. Anexperiment on the light requirement established a need for redlight ( max 660 nm) during photoperiods but red light alonedid not facilitate maximal induction. It is concluded that someearly, possibly labile, product of photosynthetic CO₂ fixationis essential to floral induction in these species.     

The Effect of Length of Dark Period on the Amplitude of Leaf Movement in Bauhinia monandra

In Bauhinia monandra, a short-day plant with a critical daylengthfor flowering of about 12 hours, there is a progressive decreasein the amount of nastic leaf movement as daylength increases.When the daylength is increased from 18 to 18.5 hours, however,there is such a sudden decrease as to suggest the existenceof a critical dark period at that daylength. The parallel withthe critical dark period in the photoperiodism of some short-dayplants lends some support to Bünning's endogenous rhythmexplanation of photoperiodism. All the same, in Bauhinia thesame rhythm cannot very well control both leaf movement andphotoperiodic response, for the observed critical daylengthsdo not agree.     

Fluctuations of Uridine Incorporation in the Shoot Apex ofChenopodium rubrum L. during Photoperiodic Induction

Uridine incorporation into the shoot apex of the short-day plantChenopodium rubrum was investigated during a 16 h period of darkness and the following transfer to light. Uridine incorporation during this single inductive cycle was compared to incorporation under non-inductive conditions of continuous light. After transfer of the plants from light to darkness RNA synthesis was reduced to about half after the first two hours. This occurred not only when the plants were precultivated in continuous light but also after an interruption of the dark period by light for 31/2 h. The low level of uridine incorporation was maintained for the whole duration of the dark period. Incorporation regained its initial level after exposure of the plants to light irrespective of the duration of the preceding dark period. After this immediate rise of uridine incorporation in plants transferred from darkness to light a slight temporary decrease was observed in light. In darkness the decrease of incorporation into the nucleoli was still more marked than the reduction of overall incorporation. After the termination of the dark period incorporation into the nucleolus rose slowly and extranucleolar incorporation was relatively enhanced during the first 10 h of light in induced plants. The fluctuations of RNA synthesis observed in the shoot apex during photoperiodic treatment may be regarded as a necessary condition for the transition from the vegetative to the reproductive state.     

Cultivation in the Dark of the Blue-green Alga Fremyella diplosiphon. A Photoreversible Effect of Green and Red Light on Growth Rate

The blue-green alga Fremyella diplosiphon Drouet can be grown in the dark on a medium consisting of mineral salts, glucose, and casein hydrolysate. A variety of organic substances was tested for effectiveness as a carbon or nitrogen source. The most effective individual compounds were glucose and citrulline, respectively. A daily irradiation of 5 min green light depresses the dark growth rate. The effect of green is reversible by brief irradiation with red light, and multiple photoreversibility was demonstrated. This green, red-reversible effect on dark growth rate may be related to other photomorphogenic responses to brief irradiation with green and red in the Cyanophyta. A master photoreversible pigment similar to phytochrome is a possible photoreceptor for these effects.     

Dark Recovery Processes in Escherichia coli Irradiated with Ultraviolet Light II. Effect of uvr Genes on Liquid Holding Recovery

The uvr mutations of Escherichia coli K-12 decrease the ability of cells to survive ultraviolet light (UV), to excise pyrimidine dimers from their deoxyribonucleic acid and to reactivate bacteriophage exposed to UV. The rec mutations decrease the ability of the cells to survive UV and to undergo genetic recombination. Certain rec mutations, including recA1, rec-12, recA13, and rec-56, are necessary for the expression of liquid-holding recovery (LHR), observed as an increase in colony-forming ability when irradiated cells are held in buffer in the dark. These rec mutations appear to act indirectly to permit the detection of LHR rather than to affect its occurrence directly. We have tested the effect of uvr markers on LHR in cells containing one of these rec mutations. Recombinants containing rec-56 together with a uvr marker were constructed and tested for LHR. None of the 39 recombinants examined, carrying uvrA6, uvrB5, or uvrC34, showed LHR. Three rec(-)uvr(-) strains were also tested for photoreactivation. In all three, photoreactivation was observed, indicating that they contained detectable amounts of pyrimidine dimers. Our results are consistent with the idea that uvr mutations inactivate LHR, and suggest that LHR reflects excision-dependent repair of pyrimidine dimers.     

The Influence of Light Wavelength on Phase-Dependent Responsiveness of the Photoperiodic Clock in Migratory Blackheaded Bunting

We investigated the phase-dependent effects of light wavelength on photoperiodic clock in the migratory blackheaded bunting. Two experiments were performed, employing a skeleton paradigm (6 hours light : 6 hours darkness : 1 hour light : 11 hours darkness; 6L : 6D : 1L : 11D) at 37 ± 2 lux intensity. In the experiment 1, both 6 and 1 h light pulses were given at the same wavelength, 500 nm (green) or 650 nm (red). A group exposed to both pulses of white light served as control. In the experi-ment 2, the two light pulses were given at two different wavelengths, 6 h at 500 nm (green) and 1 h at 640 nm (red) in one group or vice-versa in the other. There was almost no photoinduction when both light pulses in experiment 1, or 1 h light pulse in experiment 2, were green. On the other hand, birds fattened and testes recrudesced when both the light pulses in experiment 1, or 1 h light pulse in experiment 2, were red. Birds receiving both pulses of white light in experiment 1 showed an intermediate response. Taken together, these results indicate that the photoperiodic clock in buntings is differentially responsive at its various circadian phases to different light wavelengths.