A Molecular and Fitness Evaluation of Commercially Available versus Locally Collected Blue Lupine Lupinus perennis L. Seeds for Use in Ecosystem Restoration Efforts

Dependence on wild seed sources is often impractical for large‐scale habitat restoration programs. Reliance on commercial seed supplies of unknown provenance and fitness is thereby warranted. Little consideration has been given, however, to how the large volumes of seed required should be sourced. We evaluated commercial and locally collected seed sources for potential use in a New York State‐based, landscape‐scale program for restoring blue lupine Lupinus perennis. Through analysis of microsatellite markers we determined that “native” lupine designations by some commercial suppliers were in fact interspecific hybrids and therefore unreliable; at least two commercial sources, however, were genetically as close to native New York populations as native New York populations were to one other. Common garden experiments revealed that seed source influenced first‐year overwintering survival and subsequent height growth of surviving plants; seed sources more closely related genetically to native New York populations survived better and produced more stems per individual in the field in the area targeted for restoration. We conclude that (1) commercial suppliers often but not always offer reliably characterized seed sources of sufficient genetic similarity to native populations to warrant their use in restoration projects and (2) genetic affinity of potential seed stock to native populations is positively related to its fitness in the environment targeted for restoration.     

Evidence for an inactive plasma membrane-associated precursor of active cytoplasmic ornithine decarboxylase in developing embryos of Musca domestica

During embryonic development of Musca domestica inactive ornithine decarboxylase protein appears in the embryos at 6 h postoviposition, increases in concentration and reaches a maximum level at 9 h postoviposition. The inactive enzyme is associated with the plasma membrane and appears to be the precursor for active ornithine decarboxylase, which is associated with the cytosolic fraction just prior to hatching. Both ornithine decarboxylase protein and enzymatic activity disappear during the early larval stage of this insect.     

REVERSION FROM FLOWERING TO THE VEGETATIVE STATE IN XANTHIUM

Lam , S. L. and A. C. Leopold . (Purdue U., Lafayette, Indiana.) Reversion from flowering to the vegetative state in Xanthium. Amer. Jour. Bot. 47(4): 256—259. Illus. 1960.–Plants of Xanthium pensylvanicum Wallr. which had been induced with short photoperiods were caused to revert to the vegetative state either by decapitation or by pinching and subsequent partial de-budding. The ability of induced plants to revert varies with the intensity of the inductive stimulus, and with the extent to which the plant is cut back. Four successive decapitation treatments caused complete reversion of almost all plants which had been given 7 inductive cycles. Reversion can be obtained after 3 inductive cycles even when all of the induced leaves remain on the plant. It is suggested that under the conditions of these experiments the synthesis of the flowering stimulus is stopped or the stimulus is immobilized in the leaves and made ineffective.     

Bewertung und Vererbung der Milchleistung

Ohne ZusammenfassungMit 4 Figuren     

Polymorphisms and inheritance patterns of tetrazolium oxidase and octanol dehydrogenase in the house fly.

Zymogram analyses suggested the existence of two autosomal codominant alleles each at loci controlling the production of tetrazolium oxidase (To1) and octanol dehydrogenase (Odh1) in Texas house flies; an additional variant of the To1 locus was detected in a population from South Dakota. The allozymes of both systems may be dimeric as indicated by the presence of possible heteropolymers in flies heterozygous for To1 and Odh1 allels. Apparent nonsegregating isozymes of To and Odh (To2 and Odh2) were also noted in the zymograms of Texas flies. Some banding forms in the Odh gels could not be interpreted genetically.