Freezing avoidance mechanism of primordial shoots of conifer buds

Excised winter buds of very hardy fir supercooled to —30or — 35?C, though primordial shoots excised from thesewinter buds (freezing point: about —5.5?C) supercooledonly to —12 to — 14?C. Also, excised primordialshoots did not tolerate freezing, but were rather resistantto desiccation. Differential thermal analysis (DTA) of primordialshoots revealed that the capability of supercooling increasedwith decreasing water content and that no exotherm could bedetected in the primordial shoots with a water content belowabout 20%. When excised whole buds were cooled very slowly,the exotherm temperature shifted markedly to a lower value andthe exotherm became much smaller. Also, masses of needle icewere observed, mainly beneath the crown of the primordial shoot.From these results, it may be concluded that most of the waterin primordial shoots gradually migrates out through the crownand freezes as the temperature decreases (extraorgan freezing),which enables primordial shoots to survive at very low temperatures.Winter buds of Abies balsamea held at — 20?C for 30 daysand then slowly cooled down to —50 or —60?C remainedalive. Thus, there seems to be no low temperature limit to thisfrost avoidance mechanism, if the primordial shoots can resistintensive freeze-dehydration. Low temperature exotherms wereobserved in all genera which belong to Abietoideae and Laricoideaeof Pinaceae, all of which have a crown in the primordial shoots,but not in other conifers. ¹ Contribution No. 2037 from the Institute of Low TemperatureScience. (Received June 25, 1979; )     

Freeze Desiccation: a Second Mechanism for the Survival of Hydrated Lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.) Seed at Sub-zero Temperatures

Differential Thermal Analysis of hydrated lettuce cv. GreatLakes achenes using a rapid cooling rate (20 °C h^–1)produced two exotherms per achene. Both exotherms representedthe freezing of supercooled water. The high temperature exothermoccurred at –93 °C and was produced by freezing ofwater inside the pericarp but exterior to the endosperm. Thetemperature at which it occurred could be altered by the additionof nucleating agents. The low temperature exotherm produced by freezing of the embryooccurred at –162 °C and marked the death of the seed.Its temperature was not changed by the addition of nucleatingagents but its occurrence required the structural integrityof the endosperm. At low cooling rates (1 and 2 °C h^–1)low temperature exotherms were not recorded and samples removedat –25 °C had high viability. Slow cooling causeda redistribution of water within the seed whereby ice formingoutside the endosperm caused desiccation of the embryo and preventedits freezing. A mechanism is proposed, in terms of established supercoolingand nucleation theory, to explain the observed results and thevalue of freeze tolerance to the species in its natural habitatis discussed. Cooling rate, differential thermal analysis, freezing avoidance, Lactuca sativa L., lettuce, seed, supercooling, water migration     

The Potential for Newly-Germinated Cabbage Seed Survival and Storage at Sub-Zero Temperatures

The moisture content of newly germinated cabbage seed (radicles1 05 mm long) was reduced to 14% of f.wt without loss of viability.As the moisture content was reduced below 45%, the temperatureat which the germinated seeds froze, and therefore died, decreasedprogressively to a minimum of –34 C at 19% moisture content.No freezing exotherms were recorded in seeds with moisture contentsbelow 19%. Seeds with a moisture content between 14 and 16%maintained viability for at least 1 week when cooled at 26C.min^–1to –20 C and held at this temperature, indicating thepotential for prolonged storage of these low-moisture-contentgerminated (LMCG) seeds. Brassica oleracea, cabbage, germinated seed, seed storage, fluid drilling, freezing exotherm, thermal analysis     

Freezing Tolerance of Shoot and Flower Primordia of Coniferous Buds by Extraorgan Freezing

Shoot and flower primordia of vegetative and flower buds ofextremely or very hardy conifers belonging to the subfamilyAbietoideae of the Pinaceae, survived between –40 and–70?C by extraorgan freezing, which differed greatly dependingupon species. The water in these organs gradually froze outwith decreasing temperatures when cooled very slowly, whichenabled these organs to survive %40?C or below. The same icesegregation in shoot and flower primordia by extraorgan freezingwas observed in most of the temperate conifers belonging toTaxaceae, Cephalotaxaceae, Taxodiaceae and Cuppressaceae, makingthem resistant to temperatures between –15 and –25?C.In these conifers, scales acted as an ice sink, unlike the conifersof Abietoideae. The rates of cooling and exosmosis of waterin the shoot or flower primordia, their size, and their abilityto tolerate freeze-dehydration or its related stress play animportant role in determining whether death is caused by freeze-dehydrationor intraorgan freezing. Even in very hardy conifers, low temperature exotherms fromfreezing within the shoot primordia appeared between –30and –35?C on the DTA profiles when cooled continuouslyunder laboratory conditions from 5?C to –50?C at 2 to5?C/h. Appearance of low temperature exotherms always resultedin death. However, in the coldest area of Hokkaido, where theair temperature cools down to –40?C or below nearly everyyear, such an intraorgan freezing seems seldom to occur, especiallyin natural stands. On the other hand, low temperatures below–25?C seldom occur in warm-temperate climates. Thus, itmay be considered that in both boreal and temperate coniferstheir shoot and flower primordia seem to tolerate freeze dehydrationby extraorgan freezing under natural conditions. ¹ Contribution No. 2431 from the rnstitute of Low TemperatureScience. (Received March 27, 1982; Accepted August 12, 1982)     

Supercooling ability of Rhododendron flower buds in relation to cooling rate and cold hardiness

The freezing process and supercooling ability in flower budsof 11 native Rhododendron species were examined with referenceto the cooling rate and cold hardiness by differential thermalanalysis. The freezing patterns of the excised whole buds variedwith the season: in autumn, buds froze as whole units, whilein winter, freezing was initiated in the scales and propagatedto each floret. The supercooling ability of florets was enhancedduring winter. The freezing patterns in winter buds were stronglyinfluenced by the cooling rate (1 to 30°C/hr). Althoughthe first exotherm in scales occurred at –5 to –10°Gand was rate-independent, the occurrence of several floret exothermsshifted considerably to lower subzero temperatures at slowerrates. The most reliable cooling rate for testing maximum supercoolingability was l°C/hr. The exotherm in florets of hardier speciesoccurred at –20 to –25°C and at –7 to–20°C for less hardy ones, and were well correlatedwith their killing temperatures. Water relations within budtissues in response to freezing are briefly discussed. (Received June 26, 1980; )     

Determinate Floral Buds of Plantain (Musa AAB) as a Site of Adventitious Shoot Formation

Floral buds of the ‘False Horn’ plantain clonesMusa (AAB) ‘Harton Verde’, ‘Harton Negra’,and ‘Currare’ terminate in a large single floralstructure. The apices of these floral buds are here designatedas determinate since they have lost the ability to produce additionalfloral initials or buds. Terminal peduncle segments can be culturedin a modified Murashige and Skoog (1962) medium supplementedwith N⁶-benzyl-aminopurine (5 mg I^–1). Under these conditions,this apparent inability to yield buds can be overcome as vegetativeshoot clusters form in the axils of the bracts. Rooted plantletsare obtainable by treating shoots with naphthaleneacetic acid(1 mg I^–1) and activated charcoal (0.025%). The adventitiousorigin of the shoots has been established. Musa cultivars, plantains, floral bud, adventitious buds, tissue culture     

Supercooling ability of Rhododendron flower buds in relation to cooling rate and cold hardiness

The freezing process and supercooling ability in flower budsof 11 native Rhododendron species were examined with referenceto the cooling rate and cold hardiness by differential thermalanalysis. The freezing patterns of the excised whole buds variedwith the season: in autumn, buds froze as whole units, whilein winter, freezing was initiated in the scales and propagatedto each floret. The supercooling ability of florets was enhancedduring winter. The freezing patterns in winter buds were stronglyinfluenced by the cooling rate (1 to 30°C/hr). Althoughthe first exotherm in scales occurred at –5 to –10°Gand was rate-independent, the occurrence of several floret exothermsshifted considerably to lower subzero temperatures at slowerrates. The most reliable cooling rate for testing maximum supercoolingability was l°C/hr. The exotherm in florets of hardier speciesoccurred at –20 to –25°C and at –7 to–20°C for less hardy ones, and were well correlatedwith their killing temperatures. Water relations within budtissues in response to freezing are briefly discussed. (Received June 26, 1980; )     

Supercooling Ability, Water Content and Hardiness of Rhododendron Flower Buds during Cold Acclimation and Deacclimation

The relationship between supercooling ability and water contentand killing temperature of flower buds during cold acclimationand deacclimation were studied using R. kiusianum and R. x akebono.The occurrence of multiple floret exotherms and their shiftto a narrow range at lower subzero temperatures, as well asthe marked decrease of florets water content, were observedas the symptoms of cold acclimation occuring in flower budsfrom fall to winter, and vice versa in spring buds during deacclimation.In R. kiusianum, the fully acclimated period was from Novemberto March and two months longer than that of R. x akebono. Thesupercooling ability of the former was about –25°Cand about –20°C in the latter. Although the watermigration within bud tissues during the freezing process wasdetermined in the acclimated and deacclimated buds for R. xakebono, no significant water changes could be observed, evenin the acclimated buds. Thus, it is conceivable that deep supercoolingin florets may result not necessarily from water migration fromflorets and bud axes to scales in response to freezing, butfrom low water content in situ of cold-acclimated or artificiallydehydrated flower buds. (Received July 29, 1981; Accepted October 12, 1981)     

Freezing Avoidance Mechanisms by Supercooling in Some Rhododendron flower Buds with Reference to Water Relations

Excised florets of some hardy Rhododendron species did not toleratefreezing at –5°C when ice-inoculated due to intracellularfreezing. Florets in intact December buds, however, could besupercooled to about –30°C. When flower buds of R.japonicum were slowly cooled with daily decrements of 5°Cto temperatures ranging from 0 to –20°C, the exothermtemperatures of the florets drastically decreased. This wasaccompanied by a decrease in water content of florets and peduncleand an increase in that of scales. The water in florets andthe peduncle is thought to migrate to scales and other tissuesduring the early stages of freezing; the dehydrated floret hasa lower freezing point which enhances its supercooling abilityand the dehydrated peduncle helps to maintain the supercooledstate of the florets. This hypothesis would explain the dependenceon the cooling rate of supercooling in Rhododendron flower buds.Water migration within flower buds was observed in other hardyRhododendron species with some variation in ice formation siteand the quantity of migrated water. The exotherm temperatureof excised florets was inversely proportional to their watercontent. Dehydration of flower buds by wind at 0°C alsoenhanced their supercooling ability. Mechanisms of freezingavoidance by supercooling in Rhododendron flower buds and therelationship of supercooling to freezing tolerance are discussed. ¹ Contribution No. 2254 from the Institute of Low TemperatureScience ² This is a revised form of the master's thesis of the seniorauthor (M.I.) which is cited in the present and previous papers(Sakai 1979a, b, etc.). (Received August 11, 1980; Accepted June 1, 1981)     

In Vitro Embryo Culture and Induction of Multiple Shoots in Lychee (Litchi chinensis Sonn.)

Immature embryos of different sizes and ages from commercialvarieties of lychee (Litchi chinensis Sonn.) were cultured ina range of different media. Embryos as small as 3 mm could becultured using in vitro techniques and subsequently grown intoplants. MS solid medium with 2% sucrose supplemented with 150ml l^–1 coconut water was most effective in stimulatingthe germination of immature lychee embryos. Embryos of lycheewere treated to induce adventitious buds from embryonic shootsas a means of achieving multiplication. The different varietiesexhibited differences in response, with Bengal embryonic shootsproducing 15 adventitious buds after pretreatment with 100 mgl^–1 BAP for 3 h. Root formation was achieved in 65% ofadventitious shoots using MS medium supplemented with 0.5 mgl^–1 NAA and activated charcoal. These plants were successfullydeflasked and grown on in the glasshouse. This technique providesof means of producing some multiple shoots from lychee embryosand has value for multiplication in a breeding program wherea method of micropropagation is unavailable. Litchi chinensis Sonn., lychee, embryo culture, multiple shoots, in vitro     

The Responses of Net Photosysthesis to Light and Temperature in Spartina townsendii(sensu lato), a C4 Species from a Cool Temperate Climate

Carbon dioxide and water vapour exchanges for single attachedleaves of the temperate C₄ grass Spartina townsendii were measuredunder controlled environment conditions in an open gas-exchangesystem. The responses of net photosynthesis, stomatal resistance,and residual resistance to leaf temperature and photon fluxdensity are described. The light and temperature responses ofnet photosynthesis in S. townsendii are compared to informationon these responses in both temperate C₃ grasses and sub-tropicalC₄ grasses. Adaptation of photosynthesis in this C₄ speciesto a cool temperate climate is indicated both by the light andtemperature responses of net photo-synthesis. Unlike the C₄grasses examined previously, significant rates of net photosynthesiscan be detected at leaf temperatures below 10?C. Rates of netphotosynthesis equal or exceed those reported for temperateC₃ grasses at all of the temperature (5–40?C) and photonflax density (13–2500µmol m^–2 s^–1) conditionsexamined. Maximum rates of net photosynthesis in S. townsendiiare almost double those reported for C₃ herbage grasses. Unliketemperate C₃ grasses, the major limitation to net photosynthesisat low leaf temperatures (10?C and below) is the stomatal resistance,showing that the low residual resistance characteristic of C₄species is maintained in S. townsendii even at low leaf temperatures.     

Winterfat (Eurotia lanata(Pursh) Moq.) Seedbed Ecology: Low Temperature Exotherms and Cold Hardiness in Hydrated Seeds as Influenced by Imbibition Temperature

Thermal analyses of freezing events in hydrated lettuce (LactucasativaL.) seeds show a correlation between low temperature exotherms(LTEs) (evidence of ice crystal formation) and seed death. Yet,weather patterns common to the Northern Great Plains of NorthAmerica regularly create conditions where non-dormant seedsof native plants hydrate with snow melt and are subsequentlyexposed to -30 °C or colder conditions. To determine ifsuch weather patterns decimate dispersed seeds, we measuredthe effects of freezing on fully hydrated winterfat (Eurotialanata(Pursh) Moq.) seeds harvested from the Northern Plainsat two USA and one Canadian location. Survival of hydrated seedsto -30 °C at a cooling rate of 2.5 °C h^-1was similarto that of seeds not subjected to cooling, even though botha high temperature exotherm (HTE) and an LTE were observed.Although the LTE was not related to winterfat seed survival,freeze-stressed seeds had reduced germination rates and reducedseedling vigour, particularly for the collection with the lightestseeds. The temperature of LTEs was similar among seed collectionswith a mean of -17.6 °C, but was warmer when the seeds wereimbibed at 0 °C compared to 5, 10 or 20 °C. We founda significant correlation between the HTE and LTE temperatures.The difference and the correlation may be due to the highermoisture content of seeds imbibed at 0 °C. After pericarpremoval, only one exotherm in the range of the LTE was observed.This was also true for the naked embryo. We conclude that anLTE indicates ice formation in the embryo, but that it doesnot signal the death of a winterfat seed.Copyright 1998 Annalsof Botany Company Eurotia lanata(Pursh) Moq.,Krascheninnikovia, Ceratoides,winterfat, exotherm, freezing tolerance, freezing avoidance, seedbed ecology, germination, D50, seedling vigour, seed collection     

Callus, Organogenesis and Plantlet Formation in Tissue Cultures of Clitoria ternatea

Decoated seeds of Clitoria ternatea L. germinated on Murashigeand Skoog (Physiologia Plantarum 1962, 15, 473–97) basalmedium (BM) and differentiated callus and bipolar embryoids(two-step method) in low frequency. Calluses developed on lateralroots [BM+KN(0.1 mg 1^–1)], on roots and hypocotyls [BM+KN(0.5mg 1^–1)], and on roots [BM+KN+IAA (0.5 mg 1^–1 ofeach)]. On basal medium with KN (0.5 mg 1^–1) and withKN+IAA (0.5 mg1^–1 of each), multiple shoot buds and embryoids(one-step method) were differentiated directly on split hypocotylsand roots. In the former, shoot buds developed even on unsplithypocotyls. Rhizogenesis on isolated shoot buds occurred efficientlyin BM+indole butyric acid (IBA 0.1 mg 1^–1) and BM+IAA(0.1 mg 1^–1 and 0.5 mg 1^–1). Profuse direct embryoidsand shoot buds developing on root systems are interesting morphogeneticphenomena rarely reported. Clitoria ternatea L., callus, embryoids, multiple shoot buds, regeneration     

Ethylene and 1 -Aminocyclopropane-1-Carboxylic Acid Production in flacca, a Wilty Mutant of Tomato, Subjected to Water Deficiency and Pre-treatment with Abscisic Acid

Neill, S. J., McGaw, B. A. and Horgan, R. 1986. Ethylene and1-aminocyclopropane-l-carboxylic acid production in flacca,a wilty mutant of tomato, subjected to water deficiency andpretreatment with abscisic acid —J. exp. Bot. 37: 535–541. Plants of Lycoperstcon esculentum Mill. cv. Ailsa Craig wildtype and flacca (flc) were sprayed daily with H²O or 2?10^–2mol m^–3 abscisic acid (ABA). ABA treatment effected apartial phenotypic reversion of flc shoots; leaf areas wereincreased and transpiration rates decreased. Leaf expansionof wild type shoots was inhibited by ABA. Indoleacetic acid (IAA), ABA and l-aminocyclopropane-l-carboxylicacid (ACC) concentrations were determined by combined gas chromatography-massspectrometry using deuterium-labelled internal standards ABAtreatment for 30 d resulted in greatly elevated internal ABAlevels, increasing from 1?0 to 4?3 and from 0?45 to 4?9 nmolg^–1 fr. wt. in wild type and flc leaves respectively.Endogenous IAA and ACC concentrations were much lower than thoseof ABA. IAA content ranged from 0?05 to 0?1 nmol g^–1 andACC content from 0?07 to 0?24 nmol g^–1 Ethylene emanationrates were similar for wild type and flc shoots. Wilting of detached leaves induced a substantial increase inethylene and ACC accumulation in all plants, regardless of treatmentor type. Ethylene and ACC levels were no greater in flc leavescompared to the wild type. ABA pretreatment did not preventthe wilting-induced increase in ACC and ethylene synthesis. Key words: ABA, ACC, ethylene, wilting, wilty mutants     

In vitro Propagation of Narcissus

Adventitious shoots were induced on leaf, scale and stem explantstaken from the basal plate region of flowering-size bulbs onmedia containing 2–16 mg l^–1 6-benzylaminopurineand 0·25–4·0 mg 1^–1 1-naphthal-eneacetic acid (NAA). Only the levels of NAA had a significanteffect on the numbers of shoots produced. When trimmed and splitin half, 6 mm or more diameter in vitro shoots regenerated furtheradventitious shoots which in turn grew in size suitable forsplitting within 16 weeks. The vigour of the first generation of shoots was proportionalto the hormone levels used for their initiation. All shootseventually declined in vigour, senesced and formed dormant bulbils.Split senescent shoots regenerated only a few secondary shootswhich quickly became senescent. A total of 500–2000 bulbilscould be obtained from each initial bulb within 18 months. Bulbilsrequired 10 weeks at low temperature before planting to breakdormancy. Histological observations showed that in twin scales and splitshoots, adventitious shoots were regenerated from at least twosuperficial layers of menstematic cells near to the basal plate.This multicellular mode of origin suggests that plants multipliedfrom in vitro adventitious shoots could be as genetically uniformas those from natural vegetative increase. Narcissus, tissue culture, propagation, adventitious shoots, histology     

The Effect of Root Temperature on Growth and Uptake of Ammonium and Nitrate by Brassica napus L. cv. Bien venu in Flowing Solution Culture: II. UPTAKE FROM SOLUTIONS CONTAINING NH4NO3

Macduff, J. H., Hopper, M. J. and Wild, A. 1987. The effectof root temperature on growth and uptake of ammonium and nitrateby Brassica napus L. CV. Bien venu in flowing solution culture.II. Uptake from solutions containing NH₄NO₃.—J. exp. Bot.38: 53–66 The effects of root temperature on uptake and assimilation ofNH₄⁺ and NO₃^– by oilseed rape (Brassica napus L. CV. Bienvenu) were examined. Plants were grown for 49 d in flowing nutrientsolution at pH 6?0 with root temperature decrementally reducedfrom 20?C to 5?C; and then exposed to different root temperatures(3, 5, 7, 9, 11, 13, 17 or 25?C) held constant for 14 d. Theair temperature was 20/15?C day/night and nitrogen was suppliedautomatically to maintain 10 mmol m^–3 NH₄NO₃ in solution.Total uptake of nitrogen over 14 d increased threefold between3–13?C but was constant above 13?C. Net uptake of NH₄⁺exceeded that of NO₃^– at all temperatures except 17?C,and represented 47–65% of the total uptake of nitrogen.Unit absorption rates of NH₄⁺ and of 1?5–2?7 for NO₃^–suggested that NO₃^– absorption was more sensitive thanNH₄⁺ absorption to temperature. Rates of absorption were relativelystable at 3?C and 5?C compared with those at 17?C and 25?C whichincreased sharply after 10 d. Tissue concentration of N in theshoot, expressed on a fresh weight basis, was independent ofroot temperature throughout, but doubled between 3–25?Cwhen expressed on a dry weight basis. The apparent proportionof net uptake of NO₃^– that was assimilated was inverselyrelated to root temperature. The results are used to examinethe relation between unit absorption rate adn shoot:root ratioin the context of short and long term responses to change ofroot temperature Key words: Brassica napus, oilseed rape, root temperature, nitrogen uptake     

Effects of Sucrose Concentration on the Photosynthetic Ability of Rose Shoots In Vitro

Reducing the concentration of sucrose in the culture mediumover successive subcultures has been tested as a method forincreasing the ability of rose shoots grown in vitro (Rosa cvsIceberg and Peace) to take up CO₂. Shoots maintained on ‘constant’10, 20 and 40 g I^–1 sucrose showed decreased levels ofCO² uptake at higher sucrose concentrations, although cv. Peacegrew least at 10 g l^–1 and showed correspondingly lowamounts of CO₂ uptake compared with 20 and 40 g l^–1. Bothcultivars died when sucrose was omitted from the medium. Assucrose concentration was reduced in the medium, so CO₂ uptakeof shoots initially cultured on 20 and 40 g l^–1 sucrosewas found to increase, although a concentration of 10 gl ^–1sucrose seemed to be limiting, below which the growth and chlorophylllevels of shoots declined. Rosa hybrid, rose, shoot culture in vitro, photosynthetic ability, sucrose, infra-red gas analysis     

Growth and Preferences for Ammonium or Nitrate Uptake by Barley in Relation to Root Termperature

Barley plants (Hordewn vulgare L. cv. Atem) were grown fromseed for 28 d in flowing solution culture, during which timeroot temperature was lowered decrementally to 5?C. Plants werethen subjected to root temperatures of 3, 5, 7, 9, 11, 13, 17or 25 ?C, with common air temperature of 25/15 ?C (day/night).Changes in growth, plant total N, and NO₃^– levels, andnet uptake of NH₄⁺ and NO₃^– from a maintained concentrationof 10 mmol m^–3 NH₄NO₃ were measured over 14 d. Dry matterproduction increased 6-fold with increasing root temperaturebetween 3–25 ?C. The growth response was biphasic followingan increase in root temperature. Phase I, lasting about 5 d,was characterized by high root specific growth rates relativeto those of the shoot, particularly on a fresh weight basis.During Phase I the shoot dry weight specific growth rates wereinversely related to root temperature between 3–13 ?C.Phase 2, from 5–14 d, was characterized by the approachtowards, and/or attainment of, balanced exponential growth betweenshoots and roots. Concentrations of total N in plant dry matterincreased with root temperature between 3–25 ?C, moreso in the shoots than roots and most acutely in the youngestfully expanded leaf (2?l–6?9% N). When N contents wereexpressed on a tissue fresh weight basis the variation withtemperature lessened and the highest concentration in the shootwas at 11 ?C. Uptake of N increased with root temperature, andat all temperatures uptake of NH₄⁺, exceeded that of NO₃^–,irrespective of time. The proportions of total N uptake over14 d absorbed in the form of NH₄⁺ were (%): 86, 91, 75, 77,76, 73, 77, and 80, respectively, at 3, 5, 7, 9, Il, 13, 17,and 25 ?C. At all temperatures the preference for NH₄⁺ overNO₃^– uptake increased with time. An inverse relationshipbetween root temperature (3–11 ?C) and the uptake of NH₄⁺as a proportion of total N uptake was apparent during PhaseI. The possible mechanisms by which root temperature limitsgrowth and influences N uptake are discussed. Key words: Hordeum vulgare, root temperature, ammonium, nitrate, ion uptake, growth rate     

Effect of Temperature and External pH on the Cytoplasmic pH of Chara corallina

Cytoplasmic pH (pH_c) in Chara corallina was measured (from [¹⁴C]stribution)as a function of external pH (pH₀)and temperature. With pH₀near 7, pH_c at 25?C is 7.80; pH_cincreases by 0.005 pH units?C^–1 temperature decrease, i.e. pH_c at 5 ?C is 7.90. WithpH? near 5.5, the increase in pH_c with decreasing temperatureis 0.015 units ?C^–1 between 25 and 15?C, but 0.005 units?C^–1 between 15 and 5?C. This implies a more precise regulationof pH_c with variations in pH_o at 5 or 15 ?C compared with 25?C. The observed dp H_c/dT is generally smaller than the –0.017units ?C^–1 needed to maintain a constant H⁺/OH^–1,or a constant fractional ionization of histidine in protein,with variation in temperature. It is closer to that needed tomaintain the fractional ionization of phosphorylated compoundsor of CO₂–HCO₃^– The value of dpH_c/dT has importantimplications for several regulatory aspects of cell metabolism.These include (all as a function of temperature) the rates ofenzyme reactions, the _H+ at the plasmalemma(and hence the energy available for cotransport processes),and the mechanism for pH_c regulation by the control of bidirectionalH⁺ fluxes at the plasmalemma.     

Shoot Extension in Picea sitchensis II. Analysis of Weather Influences on Daily Growth Rate

The influence of mean temperature and total solar radiationon the daily increment of shoots of 12-year-old Picea sitchensisis described. Serial auto and cross-correlation analysis isused to show that variation in shoot increment is correlatedwith variations in weather occurring over several previous hours.The relationships between daily increments for the leading andtopmost five whorl shoots and the two controlling variablesof temperature and solar radiation are described for the firsthalf of the growing season by auto-regressive models fittedby time-series methods as described by Box and Jenkins. Thesedynamic system models showed that there was a delay of one dayand two days respectively in the influence of temperature andsolar radiation on shoot increment and that after these delaysthe response continued for more than a single day. The maximumfinal response (or steady state gain) of a typical topmost shootto temperature and solar radiation change was found to be 0.091mm d^–1(°C)^–1 and 0.027 mm d^–1 (MJ m^–2)^–1.For the normal range of these variables experienced this indicatesthat shoot extension was five times more sensitive to changesin temperature than to those in solar radiation. Picea sitchensis, Sitka spruce, shoot growth, weather influences, ARMA model, time-series analysis, Box-Jenkins method