Partitioning and redistribution of sulphur during S-stress in Macroptilium atropurpureum cv. Siratro

During the first 7 d of sulphate-deprivation stored SO₄^2- wasredistributed and assimilated into organic forms in the tropicallegume Macroptilium atropurpu-reum cv. Siratro. However, whilstthe sulphate content of all tissues declined after removingthe external SO₄^2- supply this was slowest in mature leaves.By contrast, the total S content of mature leaves declined markedlyin the absence of external sulphate whilst that of both youngleaves and roots increased. Furthermore, when radiolabelledSO₄^2- was applied to abraded surfaces of mature leaves, mostof the translocated label was recovered in the root following2 d SO₄^2- deprivation. By contrast, radiolabelled SO₄^2-appliedto young leaves was mostly retained in these tissues and nottranslocated. Within 3 d of removing the SO₄^2- supply there was a large increasein extractable APS-sulphotransferase activity in roots accompaniedby a decline in nitrate reductase activity, but these effectswere not seen in leaves. Five days after the removal of SO₄^2-there was a large increase in the content of asparagine in roots. The results are discussed in relation to the co-ordination ofNO₃^- and SO₄^2- uptake and assimilation and the partitioningof sulphur during S-stress. Key words: Sulphate supply, stomatal conductance, ATP-sulphurylase, APS-sulphotransferase, nitrate reductase     

Regulation of Sulphate Transport in a Tropical Legume, Macroptilium atropurpureum, cv. Siratro

When young plants of Macroptilium atropurpureum, cv. Siratrowere deprived of external sulphate (-S plants) growth of shootsand roots continued at rates comparable to those in plants wellsupplied with sulphate (control) for 3 d and 5 d respectively.Dilution of internal sulphur therefore took place and redistributionof sulphur occurred between inorganic and organic forms andbetween roots and younger leaves. Even when S-deficiency limitedgrowth, plants contained 16% of their total sulphur as sulphate,but most of this was retained in old leaves and redistributedslowly to growing zones. The capacity for sulphate uptake increased in roots of –Splants very soon after they were deprived of external sulphate;within 24 h the absorption from 0.25 mol m^–3 SO₄^2–was more than five times that of control roots. Maximum increasedcapacity was reached after 2–3 d stress when the V_maxof system 1 was 1948 nmol h^–1g^–1root fr. wt. in–S plants and 337 nmol h^–1g^–1root fr. wt.in controls. The K^mfor system 1 did not change significantlywith S-stress being between 5–8 µM in both setsof plants. Absorption of L-cysteine was not stimulated by S-stress. There was a close, positive relationship between plant growthrate and the rate at which sulphate uptake capacity was enhancedby withholding sulphate from culture solutions. When –S plants were replaced in sulphate-containing solutiontheir capacity for SO₄^2– declined to the control levelwithin 24 h. Very marked repression of capacity was also foundwhen –S plants were treated with L-cysteine, but therewas no immediate effect with methionine. Roots of this species appear to have a very active system fordegrading L-cysteine to sulphate, 30% of the label in ³⁵S-cysteineabsorbed by roots was recovered in ³⁵SO₄^2– after 20 minor 2 h incubation. By contrast, roots had a very weak abilityto reduce sulphate. When part of the root system was in solution lacking sulphatethere was enhanced uptake of sulphate by other parts which themselveswere amply supplied with sulphate. This is seen as an exampleof compensatory absorption. The response to S-stress is specific and there were no positiveinteractions between S-stress and the absorption of phosphate,or P-stress and the uptake of sulphate. The results are discussed in relation to the close control ofsulphate uptake by internal sulphate concentration, redistributionof forms of sulphur during stress and mobility of sulphate inthe phloem. Key words: Kinetics, Amino-S, Sulpholipid, Repression;, Deficiency     

Compartmental analysis of 35SO2-4exchange kinetics in roots and leaves of a tropical legume Macroptilium atropurpureum cv. Siratro

Compartmental analysis of ³⁵SO^2-₄ tracer exchange kinetics hasbeen used to estimate unidirectional fluxes and compartmentcontents in excised root and leaf tissue of the tropical legume,Macroptilium atropurpureum. In excised root tissue only 5% ofthe sulphate taken up across the plasmalemma was reduced toorganic forms whereas in excised leaf tissue approximately 20%was reduced. It was necessary, therefore, to incorporate themetabolism of sulphate during the course of the experiment intothe compartmental models. In root tissue, wash-out data was fitted by three exponentials,assumed to correspond to exchange in the extracellular spaces,cytoplasm and vacuole, but in leaf tissue two large, slowlyexchanging compartments have been postulated in order to achievea fit to the data. It is likely that differences in leaf cellpopulations cause the ‘anomalous’ tracer exchangekinetics and the justification of this assumption is discussed. The fluxes of sulphate at the plasmalemma were greater thanthe corresponding fluxes at the tonoplast in both roots andleaves. The flux of SO^2-₄ from the cytoplasm to the externalsolution did not appear to limit the loss of SO^2-₄ from thevacuole. At an external SO^2-₄concentration of 0.25 mol m^-3 therate constants for exchange in the vacuole were two orders ofmagnitude greater in roots than in the slowest exchanging leafcell population. It is possible, therefore, that the slow lossof SO^2-₄ from leaf cell vacuoles may limit the redistributionof sulphate during S-stress. Key words: Compartmental analysis, sulphate, deficiency, Macroptilium atropurpureum     

Stomatal Control of Water Loss in Siratro (Macroptilium atropurpureum (DC) Urb.), a Tropical Pasture Legume

Stomatal conductance of siratro declined linearly as leaf waterpotential fell until zero conductance was reached at –10bar. In a grass/legume pasture stomata of siratro respondedto humidity (saturation deficit), and to a lesser extent toleaf water potential, such that leaf water potential did notfall below –9 bar, whereas that of the grass continuedto decline for most of the day. The dual response of siratroto both humidity and leaf water potential suggests that thisspecies has an efficient two-stage stomatal control of waterloss which provides an explanation of its higher leaf waterpotential and greater drought avoidance compared with sown grassesin semi-arid areas of north-eastern Australia. Macroptilium atropurpureum (DC) Urb., siratro, Desmodium uncinatum, stomatal control, stomatal conductance, water loss, leaf water potential, drought avoidance, saturation deficit     

Rhizobitoxine Production by Bradyrhizobium elkanii Enhances Nodulation and Competitiveness on Macroptilium atropurpureum

Application of 1-aminoocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid, an ethylene precursor, decreased nodulation of Macroptilium atropurpureum by Bradyrhizobium elkanii. B. elkanii produces rhizobitoxine, an ethylene synthesis inhibitor. Elimination of rhizobitoxine production in B. elkanii increased ethylene evolution and decreased nodulation and competitiveness on M. atropurpureum. These results suggest that rhizobitoxine enhances nodulation and competitiveness of B. elkanii on M. atropurpureum.     

Effect of soil moisture stress on yield,nodulation and nitrogenase activity ofMacroptilium atropurpureum cv. Siratro andDesmodium intortum cv. Greenleaf

Summary The effect of soil moisture stress on growth, nodulation and nitrogenase activity of two tropical forage legumes,Macroptilium atropurpureum cv. Siratro andDesmodium intortum cv. Greenleaf was studied in a pot experiment. After ten weeks growth, the highest moisture stress (20 per cent water holding capacity) significantly reduced only the top weight of both plants. Moisture stress progressively retarded top growth in the two legumes. Similar trends were also observed in defoliated plants. Moisture stress had little or no effect on the nodulation or nitrogenase activity of the plants.     

A Physiological Approach to the Analysis of Crop Growth Data: 3. The Effects of Repeated Short Term Soil Water Deficits on the Growth of Spaced Plants of the Legume, Macroptilium atropurpureum cv. Siratro

A physiological analysis of crop growth, reported in the previouspapers in this series, is extended to deal with the growth ofspaced plants, and applied to the growth data for M. atropurpureumsubject to several successive cycles of water deficit. Differences in growth between stressed and unstressed plantscan be quantitatively attributed to a reduction in the photosyntheticactivity of the leaves of stressed plants induced by increasingtheir leaf water deficits, and to an increase in the rate ofleaf abscission by the stressed plants. Macroptilium atropurpureum, growth analysis, water stress, photosynthesis, leaf abscission, stomatal conductance     

Sulphate supply and its regulation of transport in roots of a tropical legume Macroptilium atropurpureum cv. Sirato

During a period of sulphate deprivation, roots of Macroptiliumatropurpureum responded by increasing their uptake capacityat the plasma membrane. This effect was apparent both in intactplants and in tissues excised prior to uptake. In experiments using excised root systems previousy labelledwith ³⁵SO₄^2- the rate of tracer transport to the xylem was muchgreater in roots subsequently deprived of external sulphatethan in those supplied with unlabelled sulphate. Removing theexternal sulphate to the external solution. Additionally, compartmentalanalysis of tracer exchange kinetics showed that the flux ofsulphate from the cytoplasm to the xylem(     

Rhizobitoxine production by Bradyrhizobium elkanii enhances nodulation and competitiveness on Macroptilium atropurpureum

Application of 1-aminoocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid, an ethylene precursor, decreased nodulation of Macroptilium atropurpureum by Bradyrhizobium elkanii. B. elkanii produces rhizobitoxine, an ethylene synthesis inhibitor. Elimination of rhizobitoxine production in B. elkanii increased ethylene evolution and decreased nodulation and competitiveness on M. atropurpureum. These results suggest that rhizobitoxine enhances nodulation and competitiveness of B. elkanii on M. atropurpureum.     

Effects of ethylene precursor and inhibitors for ethylene biosynthesis and perception on nodulation in Lotus japonicus and Macroptilium atropurpureum

Inhibitors of ethylene synthesis or its physiological function enhanced nodulation in Lotus japonicus and Macroptilium atropurpureum. In contrast, the application of 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid, a precursor of ethylene biosynthesis, reduced the nodule number in these legumes. These results suggest that an ethylene-mediated signaling pathway is involved in the nodulation process even in the determinate nodulators.     

Lectin Binding to the Root and Root Hair Tips of the Tropical Legume Macroptilium atropurpureum Urb

Ten fluorescein isothiocyanate-labeled lectins were tested on the roots of the tropical legume Macroptilium atropurpureum Urb. Four of these (concanavalin A, peanut agglutinin, Ricinis communis agglutinin I [RCA-I], wheat germ agglutinin) were found to bind to the exterior of root cap cells, the root cap slime, and the channels between epidermal cells in the root elongation zone. One of these lectins, RCA-I, bound to the root hair tips in the mature and emerging hair zones and also to sites at which root hairs were only just emerging. There was no RCA-I binding to immature trichoblasts. Preincubation of these lectins with their hapten sugars eliminated all types of root cell binding. By using a microinoculation technique, preincubation of the root surface with RCA-I lectin was found to inhibit infection and nodulation by Rhizobium spp. Preincubation of the root surface with the RCA-I hapten beta-d-galactose or a mixture of RCA-I lectin and its hapten failed to inhibit nodulation. Application of RCA-I lectin to the root surface caused no apparent detrimental effects to the root hair cells and did not prevent the growth of root hairs. The lectin did not prevent Rhizobium sp. motility or viability even after 24 h of incubation. It was concluded that the RCA-I lectin-specific sugar beta-d-galactose may be involved in the recognition or early infection stages, or both, in the Rhizobium sp. infection of M. atropurpureum.     

放牧对小叶锦鸡儿种子产量的影响

锡林河流域草地灌木化表现为小叶锦鸡儿（Caragana microphylla）种群的扩张。为了研究放牧与小叶锦鸡儿种群扩张的关系, 从小叶锦鸡儿的种子产量和萌发入手, 分析放牧对小叶锦鸡儿生殖的直接影响（即放牧的直接影响）以及不同放牧处理下昆虫种群对小叶锦鸡儿生殖造成的影响（即放牧的间接影响）。通过比较不同处理下小叶锦鸡儿果荚的数量、种子产量以及昆虫对种子的取食, 发现放牧产生的直接影响和间接影响性质不同, 放牧的直接影响是不利于小叶锦鸡儿的繁殖,而其间接影响却对小叶锦鸡儿的繁殖有利, 且这两种影响在很大程度上会互相抵消。根据所得的研究结果可知在停止放牧之后的一段时间内, 小叶锦鸡儿种群扩张的可能性会增加, 因此在草地生态系统管理中应该注意这个问题。     

Spikelet Sterility and Flowering Response of Rice to Water Stress at Anthesis

Water deficits at the anthesis stage of rice (Oryza sativa L.)induce a high percentage of spikelet sterility and reduce grainyield. This study attempted to elucidate the direct effectsof water stress on panicle exsertion, spikelet opening, andspikelet desiccation leading to spikelet sterility. A well-wateredtreatment and two water stress levels were imposed in pot-grownplants of IRAT 13 (upland cultivar) and IR20 (lowland cultivar)at the time of flowering under greenhouse conditions A cultivar difference was observed in the flowering responseto water stress with a high sensitivity in IR20. The time courseof panicle exsertion showed an inhibitory effect due to thelow panicle water status. Low panicle water potentials significantlyreduced the number of opened spikelets. Spikelet opening wascompletely inhibited at panicle water potentials below –1·8MPa and –2·3 MPa in IR20 and IRAT 13, respectively.However, the peak spikelet opening time in a day was not influencedby the stress treatment. Spikelets in stressed panicles wereobserved to remain open for a longer period than in the well-wateredpanicles. The role of turgor in spikelet opening is also discussedin the study. At low panicle water potentials, severe desiccationof spikelets and anthers was noted. The deleterious effectsof water deficits on spikelet opening and spikelet water losscontributed to reduced spikelet fertility Oryza sativa L., rice, spikelet sterility, flowering, water stress, panicle water potentials, turgor potentials, desiccation     

Induction of pathogenic-like responses in the legume Macroptilium atropurpureum by a transposon-induced mutant of the fast-growing, broad-host-range Rhizobium strain NGR234.

Mutant strain ANU2861, a transposon Tn5 mutant of the fast-growing, broad-host-range Rhizobium strain ANU280 (NGR234 Smr Rfr) overproduces polysaccharide, is an ade auxotroph, and induces poorly developed nodules on Leucaena leucocephala and Lablab purpureus (H.C. Chen, M. Batley, J.W. Redmond, and B.G. Rolfe, J. Plant Physiol. 120:331-349, 1985). Strain ANU2861 cannot form nodules on Macroptilium atropurpureum Urb. (siratro) or on Desmodium intortum and D. uncinatum and the nonlegume Parasponia. The parent strain, ANU280, effectively nodulates all these legume species except Parasponia, on which it forms ineffective nodules. Ultrastructural examination of infection sites on the legume siratro showed that mutant strain ANU2861 caused root hair curling (Hac+ phenotype), some cortical cell division (Noi+), but no infection threads (Inf-). Localized cellular responses, known to occur in phytopathological interactions, were observed in electron micrographs of the epidermal tissue at or near the infection zone after inoculation with strain ANU2861 but not the wild-type parental strain. These include (i) the rapid (within 20 h) accumulation of osmiophilic droplets attached to membranes at potential sites of strain ANU2861 penetration and (after 48 h) in the epidermal cells in the immediate region of the curled root hairs, and (ii) localized cell death of the epidermal cells. In addition, strain ANU2861 can initiate a systemic response in split-root siratro plants which prevents the successful nodulation of strain ANU280. A 6.3-kilobase fragment of wild-type genomic DNA, which includes the site of Tn5 insertion in strain ANU2861, was cloned and introduced to strain ANU2861. All the phenotypic defects of the mutant strain were corrected by the introduction of this DNA fragment. This indicates that the original Tn5 insertion is responsible for the phenotype.     

Influence of Preculture Variables on Microspore Embryo Production in Brassica napus ssp. oleifera cv. Duplo

The effect of four preculture variables on microspore embryoinduction and growth were examined: (1) the source of the budselected for culture (apical or axillary inflorescence; (2)the method of harvest (single harvest of whole inflorescenceor sequential harvest of individual buds; (3) the length ofthe bud (2, 3 or 4 mm); and (4) the application of a 4 ^°Cpretreatment to the bud after harvest. Microscopic and macroscopicanalysis of every anther used for culture permitted an assessmentof the following parameters: (1) the percentage of induced buds;(2) the number of induced anthers per induced bud; (3) the numberof productive buds (with macroscopic embryos) as a percentageof the induced buds; (4) the degree of induction per inducedanther (an estimate of the number of microspores in which initialembryogenic divisions had commenced); and (5) embryoid survival(the number of embryos as a proportion of the degree of induction). The product of parameters 1 and 2 gave the number of inducedanthers and all five parameters were components of the finalyield - the number of embryos produced per bud cultured. It was found that the maximum number of induced buds (67·0per cent) occurred with 2 mm sequentially harvested non-pretreatedbuds. Overall, the values decreased with increasing bud lengthand were lower for pretreated and axillary buds. In contrast,the two other estimates of induction - number of induced anthersper induced bud and degree of induction per induced anther -both had maximum values from 3 mm sequentially harvested, pretreatedbuds from apical inflorescences. The highest final yield ofembryos per cultured bud (44·9) was found with 2 mm non-pretreatedbuds taken from a single harvest of the apical inflorescence.The study therefore confirmed that the different componentsof the final embryo yield are differentially affected by thefour preculture variables tested. These variables must be controlledif reproducible results are to be achieved. Brassica napus, tape, anther culture, pollen, microspore, haploid     

Promotion of Flowering in Brassica campestris L. cv Ceres by Sucrose

Flower initiation of the quantitative long-day plant Brassica campestris cv Ceres was earlier and at a lower final leaf number when sucrose was added to the medium in which plants were grown in sterile culture. The optimal concentration of sucrose was 40 to 80 millimolar. This flower-promoting effect of sucrose was not osmotic, as mannitol, sodium chloride, and polyethylene glycol were not effective at equal osmotic potentials.

Seedlings grown heterotrophically after treatment with 4-chloro-5-(dimethylamino)-2-phenyl-3-(2H)-pyridazinone to prevent chlorophyll accumulation were also induced to form flower primordia earlier as the sucrose concentration in the medium was increased up to 80 millimolar. Inclusion of 4 millimolar sodium nitrate in the culture medium of green plants did not reduce the flower-promoting effects of sucrose but delayed initiation in plants grown without added sucrose.

Removal of CO₂ during a single main or supplementary light period, or both, greatly reduced flower initiation. It is concluded that sucrose may be an important controlling factor determining floral initiation in Brassica.

     

Modelling the Effects of Water Stress and Temperature on Seed Germination of Radish and Cantaloupe

Cantaloupe (Cucumis melo L.) and radish (Raphanus sativus L.) are considered as important vegetables with potential for national and international markets due to their sugars, vitamins and minerals. This study arranged, therefore, to simultaneously investigate the effect of temperature (T) and water potential (ψ) on seed germination (SG) of these plants using two hydrothermal time (HTT) models and to determine cardinal Ts and base water potential (ψ_b(50)) for both species. The results indicated that SG of both species was more affected by ψ than T (p ≤ 0.001). At Ts below an optimum temperature (T_o) the ψ_b(50) was constant (− 0.582 and − 0.760 MPa for radish and cantaloupe, respectively) and then increased linearly by 0.0481 and 0.0446 MPa °C⁻¹ as T increased above T_o (as thermoinhibition) until 0 MPa at the ceiling temperature (T_c), respectively. As the first report, however, we observed that the T at which ψ_b(50) begins to change was the same here (that is, T_d = T_o), when determined by either model for both species. This result suggests that the assumption in Rowse and Finch-Savage’s model (T_d is often less and or very close to T_o) may be invalid in some cases. For both species, the base temperature (T_b) and T_o were not affected by ψ and were constant while there was an exception only for T_c for which the value declined with decreasing ψs (more negative). In general, the estimated T_b, T_o and T_c were 9.64, 21.3 and 33.0 °C for radish and 11.8, 28.3 and 45.7 °C for cantaloupe in the control condition (ψ = 0 MPa), respectively. The HTT models used here and their parameters, each with strengths and weaknesses, can be used as a predictive tool in both cantaloupe and radish SG simulation models. However, at first, we need to select an appropriate HTT model based on SG behavior of plant species and then use the best model for quantifying the response of SG across Ts and ψs.

     

Influence of Organic Pesticides on Nematode Populations and Seed Production of Centipede Grass

Applications of ethyl 4-(methylthio)-m-tolyl isopropylphosphoramidate, O,O-diethyl O-((p-(methylsulfinyl)phenyl) phosphorothioate, and O,O-diethyl S-[2-(ethylthio)ethyll phosphorotbioate effectively controlled Trichodorus christiei on centipede grass. Populations of Pratylenchus spp. and Xiphinema americanum were significantly reduced with a mixture of methanesulfonic acid, 2,4-dichlorophenyl ester and 1,2-dibromo-3-chloropropane. Ethyl 4-(methylthio)-m-tolyl isopropylphosphoramidate and O,O-diethyl O-((p-(methylsulfinyl)phenyl phosphorothioate significantly suppressed populations of Pratylenchus spp., and the latter reduced populations of X. arnericanum. Ethyl 4-(methylthio)-m-tolyl isopropylphosphoramidate and O,O-diethyl O-((p-methylsulfinyl) phenyl) phosphorothioate significantly reduced populations of Criconemoides ornatus. Increased seed production was correlated with nematode control.