Physiological Controls on the Production of Cleistogamous and Chasmogamous Flowers in Lamium amplexicaule L

Plants of Lamium amplexicaule, grown under short-day field conditionsin Northern California produce predominantly closed flowers.Under long-day field conditions, plants may produce up to 50per cent open flowers, the same total number of flowers beingproduced under each daylength regime. A 20 ml drop of GA₃ or GA₇ (100µM) was applied to themain shoot apex of plants growing under short-day conditions,and all subsequently produced flowers opened. CCC, an inhibitorof gibberellin synthesis, was applied (0.06 per cent) to thesoil of seedlings grown under long-day conditions. The CCC-treatedplants were dwarfed and bore only closed flowers. With GA₇ appliedexogenously to the CCC-treated shoots, inhibition was released,resulting in elongated internodes and open flower production.The timing of flower production and internodal extension inLamium amplexicaule are positively correlated. When floral primordiawere removed from main shoots, the average internode lengthsdecreased. The number of nodes produced in treated plants wasincreased as a result of flower removal. Exogenous GA₇ (10 µM)applied to the nodes from which flowers were removed resultedin internodal extension but had no effect on node number. Twoprocesses that may contribute to the control of the productionof open and closed flowers in Lamium amplexicaule are: (1) anincreasing anther sac size from lower to upper node flowersthat may exert control locally, via GN production, on corollaexpansion, and (2) a photoperiodic control. Lamium amplexicaule L, henbit, cleistogamy, chasmogamy, gibberellins, gibberellic acid (GA₃), (2 chloroethyl) trimethylammonium chloride (cycocel)     

Significance of secondary infections with lily symptomless carlavirus to cut-flower production of Lilium

The commercial significance of secondary infections of lily symptomless carlavirus (LSV) to commercial Lilium cut-flower producers was assessed by comparing growth of plants and quality of blooms produced from bulbs of eight Asiatic and two Oriental hybrid cultivars both infected and free from infection with LSV. In comparison to LSV-free plants, LSV-infected plants grown under Tasmanian commercial cut-flower production conditions had decreased stem length (mean of 8.5% and 10.4% decrease across cultivars in each of two experiments; P= 0.007 and < 0.001) and fresh weight (18.8% and 23.4%; P= 0.008 and 0.004). Bud size was significantly decreased in one experiment (12.3%; P= 0.001), while bud number and vase life were not affected (P= 0.05). LSV-infected plants grown in a temperature controlled glasshouse had decreased stem length (15.8%; P < 0.001) and petal length (8.7%; P= 0.001) but petal width and bud number were no different to LSV-free plants (P= 0.05). The characters considered to be of greatest economic importance to cut flower producers (viz the number of inflorescences per stem, flower quality and vase life) were not or were only mildly affected by LSV-infection in any cultivar and unlikely to be of major commercial concern.     

The Effect of Gibberellins on Growth and Flowering of Fragaria and Duchesnea

In a series of experiments petiole lengths were increased, steminternode elongation induced, runner formation promoted, andflower initiation inhibited both in the perpetual-fruiting andthe seasonal-fruiting varieties of strawberry by applicationsof gibberellic acid. Runners were induced to form in Fragariavesca semper-florcns var. Baron Solemacher, which does not normallyrunner. Thus the physiological processes which lead to the morphologicaldifferences between perpetual and seasonal fruiting types wereoverruled by treatment with gibberellic acid. Gibberellins A₁, A₄, A₇, and A₉, like gibberellic acid (A₃),induced elongation of petioles (a normal photoperiodic response),elongation of internodes on the main stem, and inhibition offlower formation in Baron Solemacher (responses not inducedby photoperiod). When applied to the cut stump of a debladed petiole, gibberellicacid inhibited flower formation at the growing apex of the stem,thus substituting for the leaf blade, which in long photoperiodsinhibited flower formation. A morphological study suggested that in Duchesnea indica, arelated genus, flower initiation is not regulated by environmentalcircumstances, but is the inevitable consequence of growth.Although promoting increase in petiole length and in elongationof lateral growths as in strawberry, gibberellic acid did notinhibit flower initiation in this species, except in so faras it caused a retardation in the growth of certain axillarybuds, so that a lower proportion of them reached the stage offlower initiation within the duration of the experiment. These results are discussed in relation to the hypothesis thatflower formation is regulated by an inhibitory hormone in seasonal-fruitingstrawberries.     

中国水仙花芽分化观察及储藏条件对花芽数的影响研究

以三年生中国水仙‘金盏银台’为材料,采用石蜡切片法观察其花芽形态分化过程。结果表明：中国水仙的花芽分化从7月上旬开始,到9月中旬形成雌蕊结束。其过程可分为叶芽时期、花序原基形成期、佛焰状总苞形成期、花原基形成期、花冠形成期、雄蕊形成期、雌蕊形成期7个时期。其中花冠形成期较长,20 d左右。花芽的外部形态变化上,分化后期芽的生长速度明显快于前期。对鳞茎球内花序数量的统计结果显示,高温储藏及烟熏法共同使用对中国水仙花序的形成具有很好的促进作用。     

航天诱导凤仙花SP4 代三种不同花色突变系比较

以航天诱变凤仙花院3 株系SP4 代中的三种不同花色(粉花、红花、紫花) 突变系为材料, 对其雄配子体染色体数目、排列方式和花粉活力进行比较分析, 并观察了四分孢子时期的分裂情况。将观察结果同SP1 、SP2 和SP3 的观察结果进行跟踪比较。结果发现SP4 代粉花和红花突变系的小孢子染色体数目趋向正常。紫花突变系花粉染色体数目正常比例仅为2. 88% , 平均为10.46 条, 并且紫色花突变系出现多分孢子、畸形花粉和花粉染色体排列不规则现象。TTC 染色统计分析发现, 紫花突变系花粉活力较低, 而粉花及红花突变系的花粉活力较高。研究结果表明红花和粉花突变系已经趋于稳定, 但紫花突变系远未达到稳定。本研究为凤仙花新品种(系) 的选育提供了参考。     

Specificity of Gibberellin and Sucrose-promoted Flower Bud Growth in Gladiolus

A critical stage in flower bud growth in the spike of Gladioluswhich is initiated by gibberellic acid (GA₃) and sustained bysucrose has been identified. This corresponds to the stage atwhich separation of the outer bract occurs. In buds at differentdevelopmental stages isolated and held in water, it is the samebud stage that first shows increased growth. Buds not inducedby light were shown to respond more significantly to GA₃ andsucrose than those induced by light. Since the separation ofthe outer bract results in light-induced amylase productionand starch hydrolysis leading to petal growth, it is proposedthat growth promotion by GA₃ is related to light-induced petalgrowth at this specific stage. flower bud growth, Gladiolus natalensis, gibberellic acid, sucrose     

Effects of pollination on floral attraction and longevity

The end of a flower's attraction to pollinators may be due toa range of visible cues such as permanent flower closure, acolour change, and withering or abscission of the petals. Floralattraction may be reduced by pollination. Pollination-inducedconclusion of floral attraction is often due to a colour changeor to flower closure. This may or may not be followed by a reductionin floral longevity, defined as the time to petal withering,wilting or shattering. In a few species floral longevity isincreased following pollination-induced flower closure or apollination-induced change in colour. Floral attraction, therefore,has to be disting uished from floral longevity. A literature survey shows that pollination rapidly reduces floralattraction in numerous orchids, but among other plant familiesonly about 60 genera have been found to show pollination-inducedshortening of floral attraction. Although only a few specieshave been investigated, it was invariably established that theeffect of pollination is blocked by inhibitors of ethylene synthesisor ethylene perception, hence is mediated by ethylene. The flowersthat cease to be attractive to pollinators, shortly followingpollination, tend to be from families that are known mainlyto comprise species in which flower longevity, petal colour,or flower closure, is sensitive to exogenous ethylene. Thisindicates that the effect of pollination on floral attractionis generally mediated by endogenous ethylene. Numerous species reportedly show a decrease in the period offloral attraction after exposure to ethylene, whereas only fora small number of species a decrease in the period of floralattraction induced by pollination has been observed. This discrepancymay be due to the greater attention that has been paid to theeffects of ethylene. Nonetheless, the possibility remains thatendogenous ethylene has a role in changing perianth form andcolour in addition to signalling the occurrence of pollination. Key words: Ethylene sensitivity, flower closure, flower longevity, pollination, petal colour, petal wilting, petal withering, petal abscission     

The effect of elevated CO2 and temperature on the secondary chemistry of Betula pendula seedlings

The effect of elevated atmospheric CO₂ and temperature on resource allocation and secondary chemistry of white birch (Betula pendula Roth) under a non-limiting nutrient and water supply was investigated. Birch seedlings were grown in closed-top chambers exposed to ambient CO₂ and temperature, elevated atmospheric CO₂ (700 ppm), elevated temperature (2°C above ambient) and a combination of elevated CO₂ and temperature for one growing season. Elevated CO₂ significantly increased the total biomass of the seedlings. The combined effect of the elevated CO₂ and temperature treatments further increased the total biomass, but not significantly. The content of nitrogen and water decreased, while some secondary compounds (such as condensed tannins and flavonol glycosides) increased in leaves subjected to CO₂ enrichment. Elevated temperature increased the concentration of total flavone aglycones and decreased that of total HPLC-phenolics in the leaves, due to the decrease in individual flavonol glycosides, cinnamoylquinic acids and (+)-catechin. There were no significant interactive effects between CO₂ and temperature in the phenolic concentrations of the leaves and in the stems, while the number of resin droplets in the top part of the stems showed significant interaction. This clearly implies that carbon allocation into secondary metabolites in the leaves and stems differ under enhanced CO₂ and temperature, and the combined effect of CO₂ and temperature on the herbivore resistance of birches, is lower than that of CO₂ and temperature alone.     

福建山樱花天然居群表型变异研究

以闽、赣、粤三省天然分布的福建山樱花(Cerasus campanulata Maxim.)为研究对象,调查了11个居群226个单株的17个表型性状指标,运用变异系数和单因子方差分析研究了居群间和居群内的表型变异;应用相关分析揭示了表型性状间及其与地理、气候因子间的相关性以及表型变异的地理格局;并且运用聚类分析进行了居群分类.结果表明,福建山樱花天然居群内的变异远大于居群间的变异,居群分化较小;花色、花量与经度、纬度间显著或极显著相关,花瓣宽与纬度、海拔显著或极显著相关,花色、花量与年降雨量极显著相关,花量、花瓣宽、开花习性与年日照时数显著相关,花瓣宽与年均温、无霜期显著或极显著相关,存在较明显的地理变异趋势.而居群间马氏距离聚类分析结果与参试居群分布地域性呈现高度一致,二者之间相关显著.     

The role of gibberellins in the growth of floral organs of Pharbitis nil

Evidence that the synthesis of GA₃ is involved in the growthof floral orga'ns of Pharbitis nil is presented. GAs in floralorgans at different developmental stages were surveyed usingTLC followed by the bioassay with two dwarf rice seedlings,‘Tanginbozu’ and ‘Waito-C’. The amountof GAs in the petal and stamen increased rapidly after the petalemerged from calyx, reached a maximum 12 hr before anthesis,then declined markedly thereafter. The GA content in the calyxremained unchanged before and after anthesis, and that in thepistil increased after anthesis. Pharbitis flowers containedat least two active GAs, one of which was probably GA₃, theother appeared to be GA₁₉. GA₃ was detected in relatively largeamounts in both the petal and stamen during their rapid elongation.In the calyx, which showed little increase in fresh weight duringrapid flower growth, GA₉ was the dominant GA. Exogenously suppliedGA₃ promoted elongation of sections in excised young filaments.Sucrose was necessary for definite growth promotion by GA₃.GA₁₉ had little effect on filament elongation, and IAA was ratherinhibitive. (Received July 29, 1972; )     

Influence of leaves and roots on meristem development inNicotiana tabacum L. cv. Wisconsin 38

The terminal, apical shoot meristem ofN. tabacum cv. Wisconsin 38 normally differentiates into a flower after producing 30 to 40 nodes. The influence of leaves and roots on the regulation of flowering was evaluated by counting the number of nodes produced after removal of leaves or the induction of adventitious roots. Leaf removal has no effect on the number of nodes produced before flower formation. Root induction significantly increases the number of nodes produced before flower formation. The plant behaves as if it were measuring the number of nodes between the meristem and the roots as a means of regulating meristem conversion from vegetative to floral differentiation.     

月季花瓣数量遗传分析

以‘窄叶藤本月季花’( Rosa chinensis ‘Zhaiye Tengben Yuejihua’)ב月月粉’( R. chinensis ‘Old Blush’)杂交群体为材料, 分析其花瓣数量的分离特点, 对单瓣花与重瓣花的花芽分化过程进行观察, 并对花瓣、雄蕊及瓣化雄蕊进行表皮细胞超微结构的观察.结果显示...     

The Evergreen gene is essential for flower initiation in carnation

One of the leading cut-flower crops in the world, the greenhouse carnation (Dianthus caryophyllus), has been subjected to intense breeding efforts for the past few hundred years. As an ornamental crop, flowering and flower architecture are major breeding targets that are constantly in demand. In an ongoing breeding program aimed at improving these characteristics, two mutants heterozygous for a mutation in a gene termed evergreen (e) were identified. In these mutants, spike-like clusters of bracteoles subtend each flower. Genetic analysis of the mutants confirmed the semidominant nature of this nuclear mutation and that the two original mutants were allelic at the evergreen locus. In homozygous mutant plants, a more severe phenotype was observed. Flower formation was completely blocked and spikelike clusters of bracteoles did not subtend any flowers. Morphological characterization of mutant plants revealed that vegetative growth and inflorescence structure are not affected by the mutant allele. In plants heterozygous for the evergreen mutation, fertility, petal and pistil length, calyx diameter, and stamen number were not affected. However, flowers from these heterozygous plants had a reduced number of petals, suggesting an intriguing link between evergreen and the double flower (d) gene that determines petal number in carnation. The control by evergreen of bracteole formation, floral meristem initiation, and petal number in carnation is discussed in comparison to the recessive leafy (lfy) and floricaula (flo) mutants of Arabidopsis and Antirrhinum, respectively.     

Light induces petal color change in Quisqualis indica (Combretaceae)

Petal color change, a common phenomenon in angiosperms, is induced by various environmental and endogenous factors. Interestingly, this phenomenon is important for attracting pollinators and further reproductive success. Quisqualis indica L. (Combretaceae) is a tropical Asian climber that undergoes sequential petal color change from white to pink to red. This color changing process is thought to be a good strategy to attract more pollinators. However, the underlying physiological and biochemical mechanisms driving this petal color change phenomenon is still underexplored. In this context, we investigated whether changes in pH, pollination, light, temperature or ethylene mediate petal color change. We found that the detected changes in petal pH were not significant enough to induce color alterations. Additionally, pollination and temperatures of 20-30℃ did not alter the rate of petal color change; however, flowers did not open when exposed to constant temperatures at 15℃ or 35℃. Moreover, the application of ethylene inhibitor, i.e., silver thiosulphate, did not prevent color change. It is worth mentioning here that in our study we found light as a strong factor influencing the whole process of petal color change, as petals remained white under dark conditions. Altogether, the present study suggests that petal color change in Q. indica is induced by light and not by changes in petal pH, pollination, ethylene, or temperature, while extremely low or high temperatures affect flower anthesis. In summary, our findings represent the probable mechanism underlying the phenomenon of petal color change, which is important for understanding flower color evolution.     

Reproductive success and variation in floral traits in the Iberian Peninsula endemic white campion <Emphasis Type="Italic">Silene marizii</Emphasis> (Caryophyllaceae)

Silene marizii (Caryophyllaceae) is a schizoendemism of the west Iberian Peninsula. The correlation between the evolution of reproductive success (as measured in terms of fruit set and seed production) and five floral traits (peduncle length, calyx length, calyx width, petal limb length, and petal limb width) was investigated in five populations of S. marizii, taking into account both intra-populational and inter-populational variability. The populations studied represented the different habitats of S. marizii over its area of distribution. None of the five traits examined was significantly and positively correlated with the number of seeds produced by the flower. An analysis was also made of how floral morphology varies with the position of the flower in the inflorescence in the five populations. The populations from higher altitudes (Caramulhino, Puerto de Menga and Peña de la Cruz) had larger peduncles, calices and petal limbs than those living at lower altitudes (Sabugal and Mangualde) All five morphometric traits, plus the number of ovules per ovary, varied significantly between flower positions on the same plant and among populations.     

黄花菜不同外植体形成的愈伤组织再生苗观察

研究了黄花菜不同外植体愈伤组织的形成与植株再生。结果表明,出愈率是花柄>花茎>叶片。愈伤组织在MS+6-BA 2mg/L的培养基上出现致密愈伤组织颗粒,经增殖→分割→增殖的程序逐渐形成“球状体”似的愈伤组织。叶片、花茎形成的球状体经20代继代培养,再生能力没有减退,苗形态正常,根尖细胞染色体数目为2n=2x=22。该球状体经秋水仙素处理获得多种形态的四倍体苗和少数重复加倍现象。花柄球状体再生苗中出现了叶片花瓣状或类似花蕾状的形态异常苗,其频率与花柄所处的花期及花蕾大小有密切关系。再生异常苗的球状体继代培养,或者由异常苗叶片重新形成的球状体仍然再生异常苗。花柄球状体经秋水仙素处理,获得的变异株其染色体数目类型较多。因而不宜用花柄作黄花菜快速繁殖的外植体。     

Dissecting the causes of variation in intra-inflorescence allocation in a sexually polymorphic species, Fragaria virginiana (Rosaceae)

In this study we dissect the causes of variation in intra-inflorescence allocation in a sexually polymorphic species, Fragaria virginiana. We separated out the effects of resource competition during flowering from those of inflorescence architecture, as well as identified the effects of sex morph and genotype. We found position-based variation in petal length, ovule, pollen, and flower number to be influenced more by architecture than by our resource manipulations during flowering. We also found both genotype- and sex-specific intra-inflorescence patterns. Furthermore, our data indicate that the sex morph-specific intra-inflorescence patterns result from architectural modifications of the basic pattern. In fact, sex-differential intra-inflorescence patterns suggest that fitness through male and female function may be maximized by different resource distribution patterns within the inflorescence and may have been modified by past selection. Specifically, females invested heavily in ovules at positions where fruit set was most likely (primary and secondary), at the expense of flower number and allocation per flower at more distal positions. Whereas functional males invested minimally in ovules at all flower positions and produced the most abundantly flowered inflorescences, hermaphrodites, on the other hand, showed intermediate patterns, implying a compromise between sex functions. We suggest that consideration of intra-inflorescence allocation and inflorescence architecture may reveal the mechanism underlying sexual dimorphism in flower allocation and number.     

Investigating the independent evolution of the size of floral organs via G-matrix estimation and artificial selection

The attractiveness of a plant to pollinators is dependent on both the number of flowers produced and the size of the petals. However, limiting resources often result in a size/number trade-off, whereby the plant can make either more flowers or larger flowers, but not both. If developmental genes underlying sepal and petal identity (some of which overlap) also influence size, then this shared genetic basis could constrain the independent evolution of floral size and attractiveness. Here, we determined whether the size of sepals and petals in the dioecious perennial, Silene latifolia, are developmentally independent by performing two experiments: a genetic variance-covariance experiment to estimate genetic correlations between calyx width, petal-limb length, flower mass, and number and a four-bout artificial-selection experiment to alter calyx width and estimate the correlated response in petal-limb length. In addition, we determined whether variation in petal-limb length is the result of cell expansion or cell proliferation. The first experiment revealed that petal-limb length is not genetically correlated with calyx width, and the second experiment confirmed this; selection on calyx width did not result in a predictable or significant change in petal-limb length. Flower number was negatively correlated with all the floral traits measured, indicating a flower size/number trade-off. Cell number, but not size, explained a significant amount of the variation in petal-limb length. We conclude that the size of the two outer floral organs can evolve independently. This species can therefore increase the number of flowers produced by decreasing investment in the calyx without simultaneously decreasing petal size and the attractiveness of each individual flower to pollinators.