纳米二氧化钛对生菜的生长效应分析

为了阐明纳米二氧化钛颗粒(TiO₂NPs)对生菜(Lactuca sativa)生长的影响，采用自行设计的水培装置探究不同浓度TiO₂NPs (300~1 200 mg/L)下，生菜生长和生理生化指标的变化。结果表明，300 mg/L TiO₂NPs能促进生菜幼苗的根长、茎长、叶表面积、鲜重和干重；随着TiO₂ NPs浓度增大，生菜的生长指标呈现下降趋势，但仍优于对照组。生菜体内的抗氧化酶(SOD、POD)在低TiO₂ NPs浓度(300 mg/L)时，活性明显下降；随着TiO₂ NPs浓度增大，这两种抗氧化酶活性逐渐增强。因此，生菜对TiO₂NPs胁迫具有浓度依赖性，表现为“低促高抑”，且能够通过抗氧化酶系统来减轻TiO₂NPs伤害。     

The role of subterminal sites of transposable element Ds of Zea mays in excision

Transposition depends on DNA sequences located at or near the termini of the transposon. In the maize transposable element Ds, these sequences were studied by site-directed mutagenesis followed by a transient excision assay in Petunia protoplasts. The transposase-binding AAACGG motifs found in large numbers in the element are important, but none of them is in itself indispensable, for excision. However, mutation of an isolated motif at the 3 end considerably reduced excisability. The inverted termini were confirmed to be indispensable. Point mutations in regions outside the inverted termini of Ds and not located in the transposase-binding motifs had, in some cases, a pronounced effect on excision frequency. The implications of these findings are discussed.     

Infrequent transposition of Ac in lettuce,Lactuca sativa

The maize transposable element Activator (Ac) is being used to develop a transposon mutagenesis system in lettuce, Lactuca sativa. Two constructs containing the complete Ac from the waxy-m7 locus of maize were introduced into lettuce and monitored for activity using Southern analysis and PCR amplification of the excision site. No transposition of Ac was detected in over 32 transgenic R₁ plants, although these constructs were known to provide frequent transposition in other species. Also, no transposition was observed in later generations. In subsequent experiments, transposition was detected in lettuce calli using constructs that allowed selection for excision events. In these constructs, the neomycin phosphotransferase II gene was interrupted by either Ac or Ds. Excision was detected as the ability of callus to grow on kanamycin. Synthesis of the transposase from the cDNA of Ac expressed from the T-DNA 2 promoter resulted in more frequent excision of Ds than was observed with the wild-type Ac. No excision was observed with Ds in the absence of the transposase. The excision events were confirmed by amplification of the excision site by PCR followed by DNA sequencing. Excision and reintegration were also confirmed by Southern analysis. Ac/Ds is therefore capable of transposition in at least calli of lettuce.     

镍离子对尖叶莴苣氮素吸收和生长生理的影响

以‘全年油麦菜’尖叶莴苣为试验材料,采用水培方式,研究3个浓度(0 mg·L^-1、0.1 mg·L^-1、1 mg·L^-1)Ni²⁺在22.4 mg·L^-1 N处理下对尖叶莴苣氮素吸收的生长及生理影响。结果显示：(1)尖叶莴苣根系和地上部生物量随处理时间的增加呈上升趋势。与对照T₁(0 mg·L^-1 Ni²⁺、112 mg·L^-1 N)相比,T₂处理(0 mg·L^-1 Ni²⁺、22.4 mg·L^-1 N)对尖叶莴苣根系及叶片生长具有一定抑制作用,植株鲜重、干重、根冠比、根系长度、平均直径、表面积、体积、根尖数、分根数、叶片表面积和体积在T3处理(0.1 mg·L^-1 Ni²⁺、22.4 mg·L^-1 N)下显著高于对照,T₄处理(1 mg·L^-1 Ni²⁺、22.4 mg·L^-1 N)对尖叶莴苣根系及其叶片生长具有一定促进作用,但对其根尖数和分根数表现出一定抑制性。(2)随着Ni²⁺浓度的增加,尖叶莴苣叶片叶绿素a、叶绿素b和总叶绿素含量呈先升后降的变化规律,且均在T₃处理下显著提高。(3)随着处理时间的增加,尖叶莴苣叶片的净光合速率(P_n)、气孔导度(G_s)和蒸腾速率(T_r)逐渐上升,胞间CO₂浓度(C_i)逐渐下降,且T₃处理叶片的G_s显著高于对照,其C_i最低,P_n最大。(4)施加Ni²⁺对尖叶莴苣有机酸、可溶性蛋白和可溶性糖含量以及SOD和POD活性有显著影响,在T₃处理下有机酸含量降低,可溶性糖和可溶性蛋白含量显著增加,SOD和POD活性显著提高。(5)T₃处理尖叶莴苣根系中N及叶片中B和Ca含量较高;根系中Ni含量高于叶片,T₃处理叶片中的Ni含量较低,Mg含量较高;植株体内Cu含量随Ni²⁺浓度增加而下降。研究表明,外源Ni²⁺处理能影响低氮条件下(22.4 mg·L^-1 N)尖叶莴苣幼苗生长及生理状况,适宜浓度(0.1 mg·L^-1)Ni²⁺可有效提高尖叶莴苣根系对氮素的吸收利用效率,减少氮素施用量,促进尖叶莴苣根系和地上部叶片生长,增加光合色素含量,并提高净光合速率,进而改善植株的产量和营养品质。     

硝态和铵态氮配比对水培油麦菜苗期生长及生理特性的影响

采用水培技术,以油麦菜幼苗为材料,研究不同硝铵态氮配比（NO₃^-∶NH₄⁺）对油麦菜苗期地上部和根系生长及生理特性的影响。结果表明：（1）油麦菜地上部和根系硝酸盐含量皆与营养液中NO₃^--N比例呈正相关关系,且各处理均达到无公害蔬菜的标准。（2）随着营养液中NH₄⁺-N比例的增加,油麦菜地上部有机酸含量先降低后升高,且在硝铵态氮配比为5∶5时最低,可溶性糖含量呈上升趋势,而可溶性蛋白质含量先升高后降低,在硝铵态氮配比为5∶5时最高;油麦菜根系有机酸和可溶性糖含量先升高后降低,两者分别在硝铵态氮配比为5∶5和7.5∶2.5时最高,而可溶性蛋白质含量呈下降趋势,在全NO₃^--N时最高。（3）随着营养液中NH₄⁺-N比例的增加,油麦菜地上部和根系中SOD活性先升后降,并分别在硝铵态氮配比为5∶5和7.5∶2.5时最高,而地上部和根系中MDA、脯氨酸含量和POD、CAT活性的变化趋势则与其相反。（4）随着营养液中NH₄⁺-N比例的增加,油麦菜地上部和根系干重皆先升后降,根冠比则逐渐减小;在硝铵态氮配比为7.5∶2.5时干重最大,根冠比适宜且稳定。研究表明,水培油麦菜苗期地上部和根系生长及生理特性受到氮素形态配比的显著影响,且根系的生理响应更敏感;营养液中硝铵态氮配比为7.5∶2.5时,油麦菜受胁迫程度最低,地上部和根系生长较协调,油麦菜生长和生理状况最佳。     

罗马直立生菜生长发育及营养指标对臭氧浓度升高和持续熏蒸的响应

环境臭氧(O₃)已成为影响植物生长发育的重要生态因子。为探究地面O₃污染对蔬菜形态学特征及营养指标的影响,选罗马直立生菜(Lactuca sativa var. roman)为实验材料,采用开顶式气室开展熏蒸实验。实验设置4个O₃熏蒸浓度(NF:未过滤的环境空气;NF40:环境空气+40 nmol/mol;NF80:环境空气+80 nmol/mol;NF120:环境空气+120 nmol/mol),每个处理设置3个重复组,分析评价O₃污染对植物造成的可见伤害、生产量、叶片解剖学特征以及食用部位营养指标的影响。研究表明:(1)O₃熏蒸对生菜叶片产生不可逆的可见伤害,叶片出现浅黄色斑点和棕色斑点,且随着熏蒸时间延长,叶片出现黄化,大面积的坏死斑块,衰老加速。(2)高浓度O₃胁迫显著降低了生长阶段的株高(P<0.05)。与NF组相比,NF40、NF80、NF120组分别使生物量下降5.90%、14.99%、39.21%。(3)随着O₃熏蒸浓度升高,气孔密度增加,气孔开度减小。叶片厚度、海绵组织厚度、栅栏组织厚度与O₃暴露剂量AOT40呈显著负相关关系(P<0.05)。(4)高浓度O₃暴露使蔬菜中Ca、Na、Fe、Zn、Mg等元素含量显著降低,脂肪和蛋白质含量增加,生菜的营养指标发生改变。研究表明,罗马直立生菜对环境O₃污染敏感,其生长发育及营养指标在O₃胁迫条件下发生明显变化。目前,关于O₃污染对蔬菜形态学特征影响的研究较少,研究系统探讨蔬菜的叶片厚度、栅栏组织、海绵组织、气孔密度及开度等形态学指标在臭氧污染条件下的变化。蔬菜的品质是关系到"三农"问题的重要方面,研究探讨了臭氧污染对蔬菜的产量及营养指标的影响,可为O₃污染条件下蔬菜的生产提供科学参考。     

Transgenic tomato lines containing Ds elements at defined genomic positions as tools for targeted transposon tagging

We have introduced a genetically marked Dissociation transposable element (Ds ^HPT ) into tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum) by Agrobacterium tumefaciens-mediated transformation. Probes for the flanking regions of the T-DNA and transposed Ds ^HPT elements were obtained with the inverse polymerase chain reaction (IPCR) technique and used in RFLP linkage analyses. The RFLP map location of 11 T-DNAs carrying Ds ^HPT was determined. The T-DNAs are distributed on 7 of the 12 tomato chromosomes. To explore the feasibility of gene tagging strategies in tomato using Ds ^HPT , we examined the genomic distribution of Ds ^HPT receptor sites relative to the location of two different, but very closely linked, T-DNA insertion sites. After crosses with plants expressing Ac transposase, the hygromycin phosphotransferase (HPT) marker on the Ds element and the excision markers -glucuronidase (GUS) and Basta resistance (BAR) facilitated the identification of plants bearing germinally transposed Ds ^HPT elements. RFLP mapping of 21 transposed Ds ^HPT elements originating from the two different T-DNA insertions revealed distinct patterns of reintegration sites.     

The resistance of lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.) toNasonovia ribisnigri: Bionomics ofN. ribisnigri on near isogenic lettuce lines

The intrinsic rate of increase (r_m-values), mean relative growth rates and mortality ofNasonovia ribisnigri (Mosley) (Homoptera, Aphididae) on different lines of lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.) were determined. Near isogenic resistant and susceptible lines, plus their ancestors, were used. Bionomics ofN. ribisnigri on the resistant lines (NrNr) with the dominantNasonovia resistance gene (Nr-gene) differed clearly from the susceptible lines (nrnr). Mortality was high, no larvae reached adulthood, and no reproduction nor honeydew production was seen on the resistant lines. Transfer of aphids to susceptible plants after a period of 2 days on the resistant lines showed no signs of intoxication of aphids. Apparently there is no feeding on the resistant lines. It is not clear whether the aphids can not reach the phloem or do not accept it on the resistant line.     

Molecular analysis of irradiation-induced and spontaneous deletion mutants at a disease resistance locus inLactuca sativa

The major cluster of disease resistance genes in lettuce (Lactuca sativa) contains at least nine downy mildew resistance genes (Dm) spanning a genetic distance of 20 cM and a physical distance of at least 6 Mb. Nine molecular markers that were genetically tightly linked toDm3 were used to analyze nine independent deletion mutants and construct a map of the region surroundingDm3. This analysis identified a linear order of deletion breakpoints and markers along the chromosome. There was no evidence for chromosomal rearrangements associated with the deletions. The region is not highly recombinagenic and the deletion breakpoints provided greater genetic resolution than meiotic recombinants. The region contains a mixture of high- and low-copy-number sequences; no single-copy sequences were detected. Three markers hybridized to low-copy-number families of sequences that are duplicated predominantly close toDm3. This was not true for sequences related to the triose-phosphate isomerase gene; these had been shown previously to be linked toDm3, as well as to two independent clusters ofDm genes, and elsewhere in the genome. Two spontaneous mutants ofDm3 were identified; several markers flankingDm3 are absent in one of these two mutants. The stability of theDm3 region was also studied by analyzing the genotypes of diverse related cultivars. The 1.5 Mb region surroundingDm3 has remained stable through many generations of breeding with and without selection forDm3 activity.     

Trans-activation and stable integration of the maize transposable element Ds cotransfected with the Ac transposase gene in transgenic rice plants

To develop an efficient gene tagging system in rice, a plasmid was constructed carrying a non-autonomous maize Ds element in the untranslated leader sequence of a hygromycin B resistance gene fused with the 35S promoter of cauliflower mosaic virus. This plasmid was cotransfected by electroporation into rice protoplasts together with a plasmid containing the maize Ac transposase gene transcribed from the 35S promoter. Five lines of evidence obtained from the analyses of hygromycin B-resistant calli, regenerated plants and their progeny showed that the introduced Ds was trans-activated by the Ac transposase gene in rice. (1) Cotransfection of the two plasmids is necessary for generation of hygromycin B resistant transformants. (2) Ds excision sites are detected by Southern blot hybridization. (3) Characteristic sequence alterations are found at Ds excision sites. (4) Newly integrated Ds is detected in the rice genome. (5) Generation of 8 by target duplications is observed at the Ds integration sites on the rice chromosomes. Our results also show that Ds can be trans-activated by the transiently expressed Ac transposase at early stages of protoplast culture and integrated stably into the rice genome, while the cotransfected Ac transposase gene is not integrated. Segregation data from such a transgenic rice plant carrying no Ac transposase gene showed that four Ds copies were stably integrated into three different chromosomes, one of which also contained the functional hph gene restored by Ds excision. The results indicate that a dispersed distribution of Ds throughout genomes not bearing the active Ac transposase gene can be achieved by simultaneous transfection with Ds and the Ac transposase gene.     

Molecular cloning of the o2-m5 allele of Zea mays using transposon marking

Summary The deposition of zein protein in maize endosperm is under the control of several regulatory loci. The isolation of DNA sequences corresponding to Opaque-2 (O2), one of such loci, is described in this paper. The mutable allele, o2-m5 was first induced moving the Ac transposable element present at the wx-m7 allele to the O2 locus. Genetic data suggest that a functional Ac element is responsible for the observed somatic mutability of o2-m5. The isolation of genomic clones containing flanking sequences corresponding to the O2 gene was possible by screening an o2-m5 genomic libary with a probe corresponding to internal Ac sequences usually absent in the defective element Ds. Out of 27 clones isolated with homology to the central part of Ac element, only clones 6IP and 21IP generated a 2.5 kb internal fragment size of an active Ac element when digested with PvuII restriction enzyme. A sequence representing a XhoI fragment of 0.9 kb lying, in the 6IP clone, adjacent to the Ac elements, was subcloned and utilized to prove that it corresponded to a part of the O2 gene. To obtain this information we made use of: (1) DNAs from several reversions originating from the unstable (o2mk-(r) allele, which, when digested with SstI, showed a correct 3.4 kb fragment typical of non-inserted alleles of the O2 locus; and (2) recessive alleles of the O2 locus which were devoid of a 2.0 kb mRNA, present on the contrary in the wild type and in other zein regulating mutants different from O2.This paper is dedicated to the memory of R. Marotta, who actively participated in the realization of this work     

Analysis of the frequency of inheritance of transposed Ds elements in Arabidopsis after activation by a CaMV 35S promoter fusion to the Ac transposase gene

The Ac/Ds transposon system of maize shows low activity in Arabidopsis. However, fusion of the CaMV 35S promoter to the transposase gene (35S::TPase) increases the abundance of the single Ac mRNA encoded by Ac and increases the frequency of Ds excision. In the experiments reported here it is examined whether this high excision frequency is associated with efficient re-insertion of the transposon. This was measured by using a Ds that carried a hygromycin resistance gene (HPT) and was inserted within a streptomycin resistance gene (SPT). Excision of Ds therefore gives rise to streptomycin resistance, while hygromycin resistance is associated with the presence of a transposed Ds or with retention of the element at its original location. Self-fertilisation of most individuals heterozygous for Ds and 35S::TPase produced many streptomycin-resistant (strep^r) progeny, but in many of these families a small proportion of strep^r seedlings were also resistant to hygromycin (hyg^r). Nevertheless, 70% of families tested did give rise to at least one strep^r, hyg^r seedling, and over 90% of these individuals carried a transposed Ds. In contrast, the Ac promoter fusion to the transposase gene (Ac::TPase) produced fewer strep^rhyg^r progeny, and only 53% of these carried a transposed Ds. However, a higher proportion of the strep^r seedlings were also hyg^r than after activation by 35S::TPase. We also examined the genotype of strep^r, hyg^r seedlings and demonstrated that after activation by 35S::TPase many of these were homozygous for the transposed Ds, while this did not occur after activation by Ac::TPase. From these and other data we conclude that excisions driven by 35S::TPase usually occur prior to floral development, and that although a low proportion of strep^r progeny plants inherit a transposed Ds, those that do can be efficiently selected with an antibiotic resistance gene contained within the element. Our data have important implications for transposon tagging strategies in transgenic plants and these are discussed.     

Novel, developmentally specific control of Ds transposition in maize

Plants form their gametes late in somatic development and, as a result, often pass somatic mutations on to their progeny. Classic examples of this process are the germinal revertants of unstable, Ac/Ds transposon-induced kernel mutations in maize: frequent and early reversion events during somatic development are generally correlated with a high frequency of revertant gametes. We have characterized a Ds allele of the maize waxy(wx) gene, wx-m5:CS7, for which the correlation between somatic and germinal reversion frequencies no longer holds. The ability of wx-m5:CS7 (CS7) to produce revertant gametes is suppressed ∼100-fold in comparison with a second Ds allele, wx-m5:CS8 (CS8), which has an identical insertion at Wx and the same frequent and early somatic reversion pattern in endosperm. The excision of Ds from wx is not reduced 100-fold in the somatic tissues of CS7 plants as compared with CS8 plants. Suppressed formation of CS7 revertant gametes is independent of the Ac transposase source and is heritably passed to the embryos of progeny kernels; however, frequent and early somatic reversion is observed again in endosperms of these progeny kernels. This suppression appears to be caused by a dominant mutation in a trans-acting product that can suppress the germinal reversion of other Ds-induced alleles as well; the mutation is tightly linked to Wx but is not in the CS7 Ds itself. Taken together, the data suggest a novel mode of developmental control of Ac/Ds elements by the host plant, suppressing element excision in the shoot meristem. Received: 16 December 1996 / Accepted: 4 March 1997     

Ac transposition in transgenic tomato plants

Summary As an initial step towards developing a transposon mutagenesis system in tomato, the maize transposable element Ac was transformed into tomato plants via Agrobacterium tumefaciens. Southern analysis of leaf tissue indicated that in nine out of eleven transgenic plants, Ac excised from the T-DNA and reintegrated into new chromosomal locations. The comparison of Ac banding pattern in different leaves of the same primary transformant provided evidnece for transposition during later stages of transgenic plant development. There was no evidence of Ds mobilization in tomato transformants.     

Light quality influences the polyamine content of lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.) cotyledon explants during shoot production <Emphasis Type="Italic">in vitro</Emphasis>

Light quality has previously been shown to influence morphogenesis in lettuce cotyledon explants, with white or red light promoting adventitious shoot production, and blue light inhibiting it. Endogenous polyamine (PA) concentrations were compared between explants cultured under different light qualities. Explants cultured under white or red light accumulated PAs during shoot primordia production, with a 5.6-fold increase compared to initial concentrations under white light, and 6.7-fold increase under red light. These results suggest polyamines are involved in the formation of shoot primordia. After 18 days in culture PA concentrations decreased under white light, and to a lesser extent under red light, signaling a shift in polyamine metabolism that correlates with shoot expansion, which occurs more readily under white light. Explants cultured under blue light accumulated polyamines for the first 7 days, to a level 1.3 times greater than initial values, followed by a gradual decline during the remainder of the culture period. Explants cultured under blue light also contained a greater proportion of PCA-insoluble conjugated PAs, compared to explants under white or red light, which contained greater proportions of free or PCA-soluble conjugated polyamines. The ratio of putrescine to spermidine was also different with a lower Put:Spd ratio being associated with shoot production under white or red light, and higher Put:Spd ratio being associated with culture under blue light.     

Transposition of the maize autonomous element Activator in transgenic Nicotiana plumbaginifolia plants

The maize autonomous transposable element Ac was introduced into haploid Nicotiana plumbaginifolia via Agrobacterium tumefaciens transformation of leaf disks. All the regenerated transformants (R0) were diploid and either homozygous or heterozygous for the hygromycin resistance gene used to select primary transformants. The Ac excision frequency was determined using the phenotypic assay of restoration of neomycin phosphotransferase activity and expression of kanamycin resistance among progeny seedlings. Some of the R0 plants segregated kanamycin-resistant seedlings in selfed progeny at a high frequency (34 to 100%) and contained one or more transposed Ac elements. In the primary transformants Ac transposition probably occurred during plant regeneration or early development. Other R0 transformants segregated kanamycin-resistant plants at a low frequency ( 4%). Two transformants of this latter class, containing a unique unexcised Ac element, were chosen for further study in the expectation that their kanamycin resistant progeny would result from independent germinal transposition events. Southern blot analysis of 32 kanamycin-resistant plants (R1 or R2), selected after respectively one or two selfings of these primary transformants, showed that 27 had a transposed Ac at a new location and 5 did not have any Ac element. Transposed Ac copy number varied from one to six and almost all transposition events were independent. Southern analysis of the R2 and R3 progeny of these kanamycin-resistant plants showed that Ac continued to transpose during four generations, and its activity increased with its copy number. The frequency of Ac transposition, from different loci, remained low ( 7%) from R0 to R3 generations when only one Ac copy was present. The strategy of choosing R0 plants that undergo a low frequency of germinal excision will provide a means to avoid screening non-independent transpositions and increase the efficiency of transposon tagging.     

Ac/Ds transposon mutagenesis in Arabidopsis thaliana: mutant spectrum and frequency of Ds insertion mutants

Using a two-component Ac/Ds system consisting of a stabilized Ac element (Ac_c1) and a non-autonomous element (Ds_A), 650 families of plants carrying independent germinal Ds_A excisions/transpositions were isolated. Progenies of 559 of these Ac_c1/Ds_A families, together with 43 families of plants selected for excision/transposition of wild-type (wt)Ac, were subjected to a broad screening program for mutants exhibiting visible alterations. This resulted in the identification of 48 mutants showing a wide variety of mutant phenotypes, including embryo lethality (24 mutants), chlorophyll defects (5 mutants), defective seedlings (2 mutants), reduced fertility (5 mutants), reduced size (3 mutants), altered leaf morphology (2 mutants), dark green, unexpanded rosette leaves (3 mutants), and aberrant flower or shoot morphology (4 mutants). To test whether these mutants were due to transposon insertions, a series of Southern blot experiments was performed on 28 families, comparing in each case several mutant plants with others showing the wild-type phenotype. A preliminary analysis revealed in 4 of the 28 families analyzed a common, novel Ds_A fragment in all mutant plants, which was present only in heterozygous plants with wt phenotype, as expected for Ds_A insertion mutations. These four mutants included two showing embryo lethality, one with dark green, unexpanded rosette leaves and stunted inflorescences, and one with curly growth of stems, leaves and siliques. Further evidence for Ds_A insertion mutations was obtained for one embryo lethal mutant and for the stunted mutant, while in case of the second embryo lethal mutant, the Ds_A insertion could be separated from the mutant locus by genetic recombination.     

Tissue localisation of lettuce resistance to the aphidNasonovia ribisnigri using electrical penetration graphs

Electrical penetration graphs (EPG's) ofNasonovia ribisnigri (Mosley) (Homoptera, Aphididae) on resistant and susceptible lettuce (Lactuca sativa, Compositae) showed a large reduction in the duration of the food uptake pattern (E2) on the resistant line. No differences in EPG's were observed before the phloem was reached. Therefore, resistance is believed to be located in the phloem vessel. Both mechanical blocking of the sieve element after puncturing and a difference in composition of the phloem sap are possible resistance factors. However, a chemical factor seems more likely because of the specificity of the resistance againstN. ribisnigri.     

Effects of long-term storage on phytochrome-mediated germination in lettuce seeds

The effects of long-term seed storage on the physiological properties of phytochrome-mediated germination including water uptake, the temperature and light flunnce dependencies of germination and dark germination were studied. The fluenceresponse relationships of the brief irradiation with monochromatic red (660 nm, 7.5 W m⁻²) and far-red (750 nm, 6.6 W m⁻²) light at various times after sowing were also studied. The samples used consisted of three lots of seeds ofLactuca sativa L. cv. MSU-16, which had been harvested in 1976, 1979 and 1985 and stored dry for 9, 6 and 0 years, respectively, in darkness at 23±2 C until the experiments were carried out in July–August, 1985. Seeds with the longer storage periods showed the higher ability to germinate in both continuous darkness and continuous white fluorescent light at 20–30 C. In the seeds stored for 6 or 9 years, red light irradiation for 20 sec given at 15 min or more after sowing at 25 C induced as high a percent germination (85–95%) as those under continuous white fluorescent light. In the freshly harvested seeds, however, germination under continuous white fluorescent light (46%) was considerably lower than the germination induced by the red pulse (97%). Germination of the seeds decreased when the intervals between sowing and a far-red irradiation for 20 sec increased up to 100 min (or 30 min in the freshly harvested seeds). The far-red pulse given later than 100 min (or 6 hr in the freshly harvested seeds) after sowing resulted in an increased germination up to the dark-germination levels with increasing intervals between sowing and the pulse irradiation. Before or at 3 min after sowing, the seeds stored for 6 or 9 years were responsive to the far-red pulse although they were not or hardly responsive to the red pulse, while the freshly harvested seeds were responsive to both the far-red and the red pulses. These data indicate that normal functions of phytochrome completely survived in the dry seeds during storage at 25 C for as long as 6 or 9 years and that these functions are restored into full operation by means of imbibition. The differences in the dependence of germination on the time and fluence of a single pulse of red or far-red light seems to be related to the smaller water content throughout the imbibition in the seeds with the longer storage periods. The greater ability to germinate in the dark indicates the greater amounts of P_FR or the greater responsivity to P_FR, in the seeds with the longer storage periods.