Regulation of Sorus Formation by Auxin in Laminariales Sporophyte

Young sporophytes of Laminaria japonica Areshoug were cultured in six indole-acetic acid (IAA) concentrations (0, 10⁻⁸, 10⁻⁷, 10⁻⁶, 10⁻⁵, 10⁻⁴ M) to examine the effect of auxin on growth. The effects of auxin on sorus formation were also examined by using discs taken from the adult sporophyte. The auxin contents and IAA oxidase activities in the thallus and sorus parts of the sporophyte were determined with the blade and sporophyll of other Laminariales plants, Undaria pinnatifida (Harvey) Suringar and Alaria crassifolia Kjellman. The young sporophytes of L. japonica showed highest elongation rate in 10⁻⁵ M IAA. In contrast, the sorus formation on the discs cultured in 10⁻⁵ M IAA was markedly delayed in comparison with other concentrations, indicating that sorus formation was suppressed by IAA. Free and conjugated auxin contents were lower in the reproductive parts than in the vegetative parts. In three Laminariales sporophytes, IAA oxidase activity was about 3–9 times higher in the reproductive parts than in the vegetative parts. Taken together these results suggest that the growth and reproduction of Laminariales sporophytes are regulated by internal auxin levels. Elucidating the regulation mechanism is likely to provide information that is important for the management of plant production and the assessment of the physiological status of plants in the field.     

Sorus development on median and marginal parts of the sporophyte of Laminaria japonica Areschoug (Phaeophyceae)

Sorus formation on median and marginal parts of Laminaria japoncia Areschoug was investigated by cultivating sporophytes from December 1996 to September 1997 in Southern Hokkaido, Japan. Simultaneously, discs (ca. 3 cm in diameter) that were cut off monthly from median and marginal parts of the cultivated sporophytes were incubated in our laboratory. All the cultivated sporophytes formed sori on the median parts from January to August, while all the median and marginal discs formed sori at 10 under 46 μmol photon m^-2s^-1 (12L:12D) in enriched medium. There was no difference in sorus area between median and marginal discs. These results indicated that the marginal parts are able to produce sori, although the greater part of them are actually washed away before forming sori in the sea. The marginal part is probably in a state of `resource limitation' on the reproduction because the resource outflowed from this part to the basal part for the growth of sporophytes. This revised version was published online in August 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Inducible effects of abscisic acid on sporophyte discs from Laminaria japonica Areschoug (Laminariales, Phaeophyceae)

The effects of exogenous abscisic acid (ABA;10^–7–10^–5 M), a knownplantgrowth regulator, on reproduction and growth were investigated by culturingdiscs from sporophytes of Laminaria japonica Areschoug.ABAplays a role in triggering sorus formation, and it was found that sorusformation of discs was fastest in 10^–5 M ABA. Theapplication of 10^–5 M ABA to culturing discs alsosuppressed the expansion of surface area. ABA contents in sorus and vegetativeparts of the sporophyte were determined by bioassay. The mean ABA content insorus parts obtained from sporophytes was 0.222 ± 0.053g equivalent-ABA g wet weight^–1, which wasabout five times higher than the content found in vegetative parts (0.048± 0.009 g equivalent-ABA g wetweight^–1). Taken together these results suggest that sorusdevelopment requires an elevated level of ABA and is associated with decreasingvegetative growth and that the ABA level of the sporophyte may play a crucialrole in reproduction.     

Life-history, thallus ontogeny, and the effects of temperature, irradiance and salinity on growth of the edible green seaweed Gayralia spp. (Chlorophyta) from Southern Brazil

Gayralia K.L. Vinogr. is a monostromatic green alga of commercial importance in the southern Brazil, and its cultivation is being considered. This paper reports some basic aspects of the biology of this poorly known genus. Two populations of Gayralia spp., from outer and inner sectors of Paranaguá Bay, showed an asexual life history with a distinct pattern of thallus ontogeny. In one population (Gayralia sp. 1), zooids developed an expanded monostromatic blade directly, while in the other (Gayralia sp. 2) zooids produced an intermediate saccate stage, before giving rise to a monostromatic blade. Thalli of the two species differ in size and in cell diameter. The effects of temperature (16–30°C), irradiance (50–100 μmol photons m⁻² s⁻¹), and salinity (5–40 psu) on the growth of both populations were assessed. Plantlets of Gayralia sp. 1 from in vitro cultures showed a broader tolerance to all salinity and irradiance levels tested, with the highest growth rate (GR; mean 17% day⁻¹) at 21.5°C and 100 μmol photons m⁻² s⁻¹. Plantlets of Gayralia sp. 1 collected during the winter in the field showed higher GR, ranging from 5% day⁻¹ to 7.5% day⁻¹ in salinities from 20 to 40 psu, and 2.0% day⁻¹ and 4.3% day⁻¹ for plantlets collected during the summer. Gayralia sp. 2 from the field showed highest GR at salinity of 15 psu. These results suggest distinct physiological responses of the two species, in accordance with their distribution: Gayralia sp. 2 is limited to the inner areas of the estuary, while Gayralia sp. 1 grows in outer areas, where salinity values are higher than 20 psu. These data indicate that Gayralia sp. 1 has a higher potential for aquaculture than Gayralia sp. 2 due to its larger thalli, higher GR, and wider tolerance to environmental variations.     

Callus induction and thallus regeneration from callus of phycocolloid yielding seaweeds from the Indian coast

The tissue culture of phycocolloid yielding seaweeds included preparation of axenic explants, callus induction, subculture of excised callus and regeneration of plantlets from pigmented callus in the laboratory. Treatment of algal material with 0.1–0.5% detergent for 10 min and 1–2% betadine for 1–5 min and 3–5% antibiotic treatment for 48–72 h successively enabled viable axenic explants to be obtained as high as 60% for Gracilaria corticata, Sargassum tenerrimum and Turbinaria conoides and 10% for Hypnea musciformis. Callus induction was more conspicuous in T. conoides than in the other three species investigated. Of the irradiances investigated, 30 μmol photons m⁻² s⁻¹ produced calluses in as many as 40% explants in G. corticata and T. conoides and 10% in H. musciformis and S. tenerrimum. The explants cultured at 5 and 70 μmol photons m⁻² s⁻¹ did not produce any callus in all the species studied except for H. musciformis in which 10% explants developed callus at 5 μmol photons m⁻² s⁻¹. Most of the species investigated showed uniseriate filamentous Type of growths and buds from cut ends and from all over the surface of explants. Nevertheless, T. conoides had three Types of callus developments, namely (1) uniseriate filamentous Type of outgrowths from the centre of the cut end of explant, (2) bubbly Type of callus and (3) club-shaped callus clumps. The subculture of T. conoides callus embedded in 0.4% agar produced two Types of filamentous growth, namely filiform (with elongated cells) and moniliform filaments (with round cells) in the 2 months period after inoculation. Further, friable callus with loose cells was also found associated with excised callus. The moniliform filaments showed prolific growth of micro-colonies resembling to somatic embryo-like growth which, in liquid cultures, differentiated and developed into propagules with deformed shoots and distinct rhizoids. The shoots of these propagules remained stunted with abnormal leaf stalks without forming triangular shaped leaves as the parental plant and rhizoids had prolific growth in the laboratory cultures. The excised callus of G. corticata continued to grow when transferred to liquid cultures and showed differentiation of new shoots within 10 days. The shoots grew to a maximum length of 5–6 cm in the 2 months period in aerated cultures in the laboratory. Dedicated to the memory of Late Dr. Rangarajan.     

Biological protection of hardwood logs destined for panel manufacturing using <Emphasis Type="Italic">Gliocladium roseum</Emphasis> against biodegradation

The objective of the present study was to develop a biological technology that would protect logs destined for oriented strand board (OSB) manufacturing from biodegradation. Aspen, red maple, and yellow birch trees were felled in one summer and the logs either debarked or not debarked, and either treated or not treated with a biological product of Gliocladium roseum. The logs were piled in different treatment groups and stored in a yard for 5 months and 1 year before evaluation. The results showed that all untreated logs, with or without bark, were seriously degraded by moulds, stain and decay fungi after a summer storage period of 5 months. The logs with bark were more degraded than the debarked logs, and the log ends were more degraded than the middle sections. After 5 months, 55–83% of the surface area of the wood discs was degraded in untreated logs. The biological treatment was effective, and only 4–16% of the surface area of the wood discs in treated logs was infected by various fungi. Strands cut from untreated logs consisted of 50–75% grey- or blue-stained strands, whereas those cut from biologically treated logs consisted of 10–25% such strands. Panels made using biologically treated logs had a lower thickness swelling and water absorption values compared to panels made using freshly cut logs and untreated stored logs. The other physical and mechanical properties of the various panels made in this test were comparable. In terms of mould resistance, all panels made from fungal-treated logs had a better mould resistance than those made from freshly cut and untreated logs.     

Assessment of optimal depth and photon irradiance for cultivation of the brown alga, <Emphasis Type="Italic">Sargassum fulvellum</Emphasis> (Turner) C. Agardh

This study was aimed at determining the optimal depth and photon irradiance for growth of Sargassum fulvellum. Sampling and measurement of underwater irradiance were carried out at farms cultivating S. fulvellum at Wando, southwestern coast of Korea, from May 2004 to April 2005. Growth of thalli, underwater irradiance and photosynthetic quantum yield were measured over a range of depths for three culture stages. During their nursery cultivation stage (Stage I), length increase was greatest at 1.5 m depth (2.5 ± 0.2 cm), where the average midday irradiance over 28 days was 488 ± 58 μmol photons m⁻² s⁻¹. During the pre-main cultivation stage (Stage II), the greatest length increase occurred at 1 m depth (10.9 ± 0.1 cm) with an average irradiance of 845 ± 169 μmol photons m⁻² s⁻¹. For the main cultivation stage (Stage III) of the alga, thalli showed maximal length growth in March and early April at depths of 1–2 m and 3 m. These results suggest that growth at each cultivation stage of S. fulvellum could be controlled by depth of cultivation rope. Presented at the 6th Meeting of the Asian Pacific Society of Applied Phycology, Manila, Philippines.     

The effects of harvesting of the South African kelp (Ecklonia maxima) on kelp population structure, growth rate and recruitment

Ecklonia maxima is an economically important kelp in South Africa. The harvested kelp is used mainly as feed for cultured Haliotis midae (abalone) on farms all along the South African South and West Coast. The effects that different harvesting methods have on the growth of sub-canopy kelps, kelp population structure and kelp recruitment were tested in a kelp bed at Bordjies Rif near Cape Town. Two 30 × 10 m sites were set up, about 100 m apart, in near monoculture stands of E. maxima. Each 30×10 m area was subdivided into three treatments. In treatment 1 (T1) the whole ‘head’ of each kelp sporophyte that reached the surface was cut off between the bulb and the primary blade (‘lethal’ method). In treatment 2 (T2) (‘non-lethal’ method), the secondary fronds of all sporophytes that reached the surface were cut 20–30 cm from their junction with the primary blade, and removed. In the control plot, the kelp plants were not treated. Harvesting treatments were done approximately every four months, at low spring tide, from 3 March 2003 to 3 November 2003 (three treatments). The effects of harvesting on the kelps depend largely on the size of plant and the time the fronds were removed; however, no seasonal pattern could be observed. The different treatments had no effect on the growth rate, population structure or recruitment of the kelp. This means that factors other than light play an important role in the growth, structure and recruitment of the kelp beds in False Bay. Results are discussed in relation to current commercial harvesting practices.     

Detection Methanogens in Newly Settled Sediments from Xuanwu Lake in Nanjing, China

Sediments from Xuanwu Lake have been dredged in the past 3 years to improve the water quality, but methanogenesis should still exist in the newly settled sediment. Methane production, methanogens, and physiochemical parameters were detected in the surface sediments (0–5 cm) and/or vertical sediments (0–21 cm, segmented at interval of 3 cm). Methane flux at water–air interface varied among five detected sites. Principal component analysis showed that CH₄ flux, content of water and the concentration of total nitrogen (TN), CH₄ and organic matters (OM) weighed most heavily on the component I in surface sediments while different patterns were observed for vertical sediments. The copy number of the 16S rRNA gene for bacteria was lower in the surface sediment (0–6 cm) than that in deeper sediments (12–21 cm), while 16S rRNA genes of Archaea were almost evenly distributed in the vertical sediments. Representatives belonging to the orders Methanobacteriales, Methanomicrobiales, and Methanosarcinales were detected in all samples of the vertical sediments, except that no members of the Methanococcales were detected in the samples at 0–6 cm. The level of Methanobacteriales reached a highest density at 18.1 × 10⁴ copies g⁻¹ dry weight (dw) at 6–9 cm; for Methanosarcinales (76.89 × 10⁶ copies g⁻¹ dw) and Methanococcales (82.70 × 10³ copies g⁻¹ dw) at 12–15 cm, whereas for Methanomicrobiales (43.37 × 10⁶ copies g⁻¹ dw) at 9–12 cm. Methanosarcinaceae and Methanosaetaceae reached to their highest densities at 6–9 and 9–12 cm, respectively. These data provided useful information for better understanding the methanogenesis in the newly settled sediments of a recently dredged lake.     

Orotate leads to a specific increase in uridine nucleotide levels and a stimulation of sucrose degradation and starch synthesis in discs from growing potato tubers

Freshly cut discs from growing potato tubers were incubated for 3 h with 10 mM orotate or 10 mM uridine. Control discs incubated without precursors showed a 30–40% decrease of uridine nucleotides, but not of adenine nucleotides. Orotate- and uridine-feeding led to a 1.5- to 2-fold increase in the levels of uridine nucleotides compared with control discs, and a 15–30% increase compared with the original values in intact tubers, but did not alter the levels of adenine nucleotides. Between 70–80% of the uridine nucleotides were present as UDPglucose, 15–25% as UTP, and 2–3% as UDP. The increase of uridine nucleotides involved a similar relative increase of UDPglucose, UTP and UDP. It was accompanied by a slight stimulation of the rate of [¹⁴C]sucrose uptake, a 2-fold stimulation of the rate at which the [¹⁴C]sucrose was subsequently metabolised, a small increase in the levels of hexose phosphates, glycerate-3-phospate and ADPglucose, and a 30% shift in the allocation of the metabolised label in favour of starch synthesis, resulting in a 2.4-fold stimulation of the rate of starch synthesis. Orotate led to a similar increase of uridine nucleotide levels in the presence of [¹⁴C]glucose, but did not significantly alter the rate of glucose uptake and metabolism to starch, nor did it increase the rate of sucrose resynthesis. The levels of uridine nucleotides were high in tubers on 6 to 10-week-old potato plants, and declined in tubers on 12 to 15-week-old plants. Comparison with the effect of the uridine nucleotide level in discs shows that the high levels of uridine nucleotides in tubers on young plants will play an important role in determining the rate at which sucrose can be converted to starch, and that the level of uridine nucleotides is probably co-limiting for sucrose-starch conversions in tubers on older plants. Received: 25 September 1998 / Accepted: 29 December 1998     

Factors that affect the re-attachment of Chondracanthus chamissoi (Rhodophyta, Gigartinales) thalli

Vegetative reproduction of Chondracanthus chamissoi by means of fragmentation and re-attachment of thalli is considered an effective strategy for maintaining natural populations of this species. Here, we evaluate the effects of (1) time of drifting thallus, (2) type of substratum, and (3) photon flux density, on the re-attachment capacity of thallus fragments of C. chamissoi. The results show that re-attachment decreases with the time after detachment, and was higher at the lower photon flux densities tested (10 and 40 μmol photons m⁻²s⁻¹), and on calcareous substratum. Secondary attachment discs are formed along the entire surface of the fragment.     

Artificial Seed Production and Cultivation of the Edible Brown Alga, Sargassum Fulvellum (Turner) C. Agardh: Developing a new Species for Seaweed Cultivation in Korea

Sargassum fulvellum is a brown alga recently introduced to the seaweed cultivation industry in Korea. There is current interest in the commercial scale of aquaculture of this species. For the artificial seeding and cultivation of this alga, growth and maturation were investigated from September 2002 to August 2003. Indoor culture experiments for maturation induction were also conducted at temperatures of 5, 10, 15, 20 and 25 ^∘C and irradiances of 20, 50, 80 and 100 μmol photons m⁻² s⁻¹ under 16:8 h (L:D) photoperiod. Within a given culture test range, higher temperature and irradiance levels favoured the maturation of receptacles in S. fulvellum. Using temperature and irradiance control for thalli, artificial seed production of this species could be done one month earlier than thalli matured in nature. Under natural condition, receptacle formation of the plants began in February, and the eggs were released from March to April. For mature thalli of 200 g wet wt., artificial seeding was complete enough for attachment on seed strings of 100 m. Mean production obtained from the artificial seeding technique in situ was 3.0 kg wet wt m⁻¹ of culture rope during the cultivation period.     

Streblonema (Ectocarpales,Phaeophyceae) infection in the kelp Laminaria saccharina (Laminariales,Phaeophyceae) in the western Baltic

The brown alga Laminaria saccharina is the dominant subtidal macroalga in Kiel Bay, western Baltic. It is infected by the microscopic brown alga, Streblonema aecidioides. Infected thalli may show symptoms of Streblonema disease, i.e. alterations of blade and stipe, ranging from dark spots to heavy deformations and completely crippled thalli. Samples taken from a single locality all year round show that (i) the host population is infected at a high rate of 87±13% (SD), but that (ii) a considerable proportion of thalli containing Streblonema does not show disease symptoms, and that (iii) juvenile hosts, which mainly appear in autumn, are infected at almost the same rate. Thus the infection seems to occur early in the host's life. Juveniles in nature show fewer symptoms of the disease than adults. Two months after infection, oxygen production and growth in laboratory-raised experimentally infected juvenile hosts was not different from uninfected controls. Experimental thalli showed more severe morphological alterations than uninfected controls only four months after infection. Both field and laboratory observations indicate that a lag phase exists between infection and outbreak of the disease.     

Gibberellic acid regulation of adventitious shoot formation from tuber discs of potato

Summary The formation of adventitious shoots from potato tuber discs explanted onto a modified Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium containingN ⁶-benzylaminopurine (BAP) (3.0 mg/l), and α-naphthaleneacetic, acid (NAA) (0.01 mg/l), was affected by gibberellic acid (GA). The presence of GA in the explant medium was required for shoot formation and 3×10⁻¹⁰ M GA appeared optimum. However, microscopic examination of the tissue protuberances on the surface of the tuber discs from which shoots arose revealed that GA inhibited the formation of shoot meristems. Tuber discs cultured for 6 wk on MS medium containing BAP and NAA without GA did not initiate adventitious shoots that could be determined visually, but microscopic examination of the tissue protuberances revealed the presence of numerous shoot meristems. Subsequent transfer of these tuber discs to medium with GA but without BAP or NAA resulted in the formation of shoots from 100% of the recultrued dises. Thus it appears that although GA inhibits shoot meristem initiation from potato tuber discs, it is required for shoot development once meristems are initiated. This is Journal Paper 8297 of the Purdue University Agricultural Experiment Station. The research was supported by Purdue University Agricultural Experiment Station Program Improvement Funds. Potato tubers were supplied by Wm. Gehring Farms, Inc., Rensselaer, Indiana.     

Transdetermination in leg imaginal discs ofDrosophila melanogaster undDrosophila nigromelanica

Summary The transdetermination capacities of leg discs ofDrosophila melanogaster were examined by mechanically disrupting and kneading whole discs from late third instar larvae and by culturing the resulting tissue mass for 10–14 days in adult female abdomens where the cells continued to divide. The grown implants were then dissected from the abdomens and injected into third instar larvae to undergo metamorphosis.After this treatment, prothoracic leg discs ofDrosophila melanogaster transdetermined with a high frequency (59% of all implants) to wing. Mesothoracic leg discs also transdetermined to wing, but at a very low frequency (4%). Metathoracic leg discs exhibited the same low frequency of transdetermination (4%), but in this case the direction of transdetermination was to haltere (Table 1,D. melanogaster).Very similar results were obtained with leg discs ofDrosophila nigromelanica (Table 1,D. nigromelanica), showing that the peculiar behavior of the three leg discs is not unique forDrosophila melanogaster.The homeotic mutation Polycomb (Pc ³) which partially transforms meso- and metathoracic legs into prothoracic legs did not significantly increase the frequencies of transdetermination in these leg dises and had clearly no effect on the direction of transdetermination (Table 1).We dedicate this publication to the memory of our teacher and advisor, the late Professor Ernst Hadorn, whose enthusiasm and interest stimulated our work     

Size dependency of gametophytes decay inAthyrium brevifrons Nakai during spring desiccation

Gametophyte populations inAthyrium brevifrons were analysed with respect to population size and surviving area (%) of individual thalli in a transplant garden at Sapporo during 5–26 April 1983, to study the safe-microsite for gametophyte establishment in nature. Spores dispersed in August 1982 germinated and grew into thalli of various widths (<10 mm); 10.3% of the thalli matured by early October 1982. Maturation was attained by gametophytes of width 4–7 mm. The number of gametophytes gradually decreased with increasing width. By April 1983, 20.5% of total gametophytes were mature with a mode of 5–6 mm in width. The relative number of gametophytes with surviving area of 2–20% increased and that of 85–100% decreased in accordance with collection days delayed until after snow-melt. Surviving area (%) on gametophyte of all widths decreased with decreasing soil moisture contents. In particular, immature gametophytes of 2–4 mm width showed a significant correlation (P<0.01) between soil moisture content and relative number of gametophytes with 0–20% surviving area and mean surviving area (%) of every width of thalli. The spring desiccation might be a factor that reduces or limits gametophyte populations in nature.     

Curling during desiccation protects the foliose lichen Lobaria pulmonaria against photoinhibition

This study aims to assess the photoprotective potential of desiccation-induced curling in the light-susceptible old forest lichen Lobaria pulmonaria by using chlorophyll fluorescence imaging. Naturally curled thalli showed less photoinhibition-induced limitations in primary processes of photosynthesis than artificially flattened specimens during exposures to 450 μmol m⁻² s⁻¹ in the laboratory after both 12- (medium dose treatment) and 62-h duration (high dose treatment). Thallus areas shaded by curled lobes during light exposure showed unchanged values of measured chlorophyll fluorescence parameters (F _V/F _M, Φ_{PS II}), whereas non-shaded parts of curled thalli, as well as the mean for the entire flattened thalli, showed photoinhibitory limitation after light treatments. Furthermore, the chlorophyll fluorescence imaging showed that the typical small-scale reticulated ridges on the upper side of L. pulmonaria caused a spatial, small-scale reduction in damage due to minor shading. Severe dry-state photoinhibition readily occurred in flattened and light-treated L. pulmonaria, although the mechanisms for such damage in a desiccated and inactive stage are not well known. Natural curling is one strategy to reduce the chance for serious photoinhibition in desiccated L. pulmonaria thalli during high light exposures.     

Agar properties of two species of Gracilariaceae from the Gulf of California,Mexico

Agar properties of two potentially commercial important seaweeds from the Gulf of California were studied. Maximum yield in Gracilaria vermiculophylla (45.7%) occurred during the summer months, coinciding with high water temperatures (31°C) whereas minimum yields (11.6%) were obtained during the coldest months of the year when populations of this species diminish in the bay. Gracilariopsis longissima showed two yield peaks, one in spring and another in fall, before the maximum and minimum seawater temperatures. Gel strength in native agar from the two species was low (<22.5 g cm⁻²) for most of the year. G. vermiculophylla native agar showed a slight increase in gel strength from June to August, which were the hottest months. Maximum value was 85 g cm⁻¹ in August. Maximum gel strength in G. longissima was observed in October (91 g cm⁻¹), and an unusual native agar with no detectable gel strength was observed in March and April samples. Gelling temperatures range from 27.7 to 36.5°C in G. vermiculophyla and from 26.6 to 34.9°C in G. longissima, meanwhile melting points were 73.9 – 53.5°C and 75.5 – 56.6°C, respectively. Sulfate content was high, 6.3–13.9% in G. vermiculophylla and 1.9–11.9% in G. longissima, and on the other hand 3,6 anhydrogalactose content was low 12.1–26.7% and 9.1–23%, respectively compared to other species. Results obtained showed that mean native agar yields of Gracilaria vermiculophylla and Gracilariopsis longissima from the Gulf of California are comparable to other tropical Gracilaria. However, the low gel strength, high sulfate content and low 3,6 anhydrogalactose content observed in the native agar extracted from these species make this an agaroid, thus alternative methods of extraction should be used to evaluate the possibility of commercial utilization of both species.     

Physiological differences in the growth of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Sargassum horneri</Emphasis> between the germling and adult stages

The effects of temperature, irradiance, and daylength on Sargassum horneri growth were examined at the germling and adult stages to discern their physiological differences. Temperature–irradiance (10, 15, 20, 25, 30°C × 20, 40, 80 μmol photons m⁻²s⁻¹) and daylength (8, 12, 16, 24 h) experiments were carried out. The germlings and blades of S. horneri grew over a wide range of temperatures (10–25°C), irradiances (20–80 μmol photons m⁻²s⁻¹), and daylengths (8–24 h). At the optimal growth conditions, the relative growth rates (RGR) of the germlings were 21% day⁻¹ (25°C, 20 μmol photons m⁻²s⁻¹) and 13% day⁻¹ (8 h daylength). In contrast, the RGRs of the blade weights were 4% day⁻¹ (15°C, 20 μmol photons m⁻²s⁻¹) and 5% day⁻¹ (12 h daylength). Negative growth rates were found at 20 μmol photons m⁻²s⁻¹ of 20°C and 25°C treatments after 12 days. This phenomenon coincides with the necrosis of S. horneri blades in field populations. In conclusion, we found physiological differences between S. horneri germlings and adults with respect to daylength and temperature optima. The growth of S. horneri germlings could be enhanced at 25°C, 20 μmol photons m⁻²s⁻¹, and 8 h daylength for construction of Sargassum beds and restoration of barren areas.     

Plant regeneration from callus culture of a Paphiopedilum hybrid

Totipotent calli of a Paphiopedilum hybrid (Paphiopedilum callosum ‘Oakhi’ × Paph. lawrenceanum ‘Tradition’) were induced from seed-derived protocorms on a 1/2 strength Murashige–Skoog medium plus 1–10 mg l⁻¹ 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D) and 0.1–1 mg l⁻¹ 1-phenyl-3-(1.2.3-thiadiazol-5-yl)urea (TDZ). These calli grew well when subcultured on the same medium, but proliferated more on 1/2 MS medium plus 5 mg l⁻¹ 2,4-D and 1 mg l⁻¹ TDZ. Calli developed further along a route of production of protocorm-like bodies and eventually formed plantlets that could be transplanted to pots and grew well. This revised version was published online in June 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.