Radical disinfestation protocol eliminates in vitro contamination in Guava (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Psidium guajava </Emphasis>L.) seeds

Controlling contamination in vitro is one of the basic requirements for successful tissue culture technology. In preliminary studies, in vitro contamination of guava seeds was almost 100%, even when disinfested with bleach. To overcome this problem, we developed a unique method to control contamination using bleach and strong acids. Submerging guava seeds in 10% HCl for 24–72 h followed by a 30 min treatment with 10% bleach (NaOCl) reduced contamination rates from 98 to 0%. Substituting 5% H₂SO₄ for 12 h for 10% HCL gave similar results. In addition to eliminating contamination, acid-treated seeds germinated faster in vitro than control seeds germinated in a greenhouse (15 vs. 40 days, respectively).     

Advanced backcross QTL analysis of a Lycopersicon esculentum ×Lycopersicon parviflorum cross

Lycopersicon parviflorum is a sexually compatible, wild tomato species which has been largely unutilized in tomato breeding. The Advanced Backcross QTL (AB-QTL) strategy was used to explore this genome for QTLs affecting traits of agronomic importance in an interspecific cross between a tomato elite processing inbred, Lycopersicon esculentum E6203, and the wild species L. parviflorum (LA2133). A total of 170 BC2 plants were genotyped by means of 133 genetic markers (131 RFLPs; one PCR-based marker, I-2, and one morphological marker, u, uniform ripening). Approximately 170 BC3 families were grown in replicated field trials, in California, Spain and Israel, and were scored for 30 horticultural traits. Significant putative QTLs were identified for all traits, for a total of 199 QTLs, ranging from 1 to 19 QTLs detected for each trait. For 19 (70%) traits (excluding traits for which effects of either direction are not necessarily favourable or unfavourable) at least one QTL was identified for which the L. parviflorum allele was associated with an agronomically favourable effect, despite the overall inferior phenotype of the wild species. Received: 14 September 1999 / Accepted: 7 October 1999     

Molecular Evidence for the Association of Tomato leaf curl Gujarat virus with a Leaf Curl Disease of Phaseolus vulgaris L.

A leaf curl disease with symptoms typical of begomoviruses was observed in bean (Phaseolus vulgaris) at the Main Research Farm of the Indian Institute of Pulses Research, Kanpur, India. Infected plants had severe distortion of leaves and the plants were unproductive. PCR indicated the involvement of French bean leaf curl virus (JQ866297), a recently described Begomovirus, and Tomato leaf curl Gujarat virus (ToLCGV). The full‐length genome of ToLCGV associated with leaf curl disease of bean was 2757 nucleotides long and had maximum identity (97–98%) with seven isolates of ToLCGV (AY234383, AF449999, EU573714, GQ994098, AY190290, FR819708, AF413671) and is designated as Tomato leaf curl Gujarat virus‐(IN:Knp:Bean:2013) (KF440686). To the best of our knowledge, this is the first record of ToLCGV infecting a leguminous host, P. vulgaris.     

荒漠植物角果藜的地上地下结果性

对分布于准噶尔荒漠中角果藜(Ceratocarpus arenarius)果实的形态特征、空间位置、发育特性及散布特性进行了比较研究,结果表明:角果藜具有地上地下结果性,地上果实和地下果实在颜色、形状、大小、质量、数量、空间位置、成熟期和散布特性上均有显著差异。角果藜地上地下结果性是植物适应荒漠多变环境所具有的一种特殊的繁殖方式。这种独特的繁殖方式增加了物种在荒漠极端环境中成功生存的机率,保证了物种的顺利繁衍。这是首次在藜科植物中发现的地上地下结果性现象。     

Influence of light on ascorbate formation and metabolism in apple fruits

To further understand the regulatory mechanism of light on the formation of ascorbic acid (AsA) in the sink organs of plants, a systematical investigation on AsA levels, activities of two key biosynthsis enzymes and their mRNA expression as well as the recycling was performed in the fruits of apple (Malus domestica Borkh), under different levels of shade. After the whole trees were shaded with the sun-light about 50–55% for 20 days, AsA levels were significantly decreased in fruit peel, flesh and leaves, while mRNA expression levels and activities of l-galactose dehydrogenase (l-GalDH, EC 1.1.1.117) and l-galactono-1,4-lactone dehydrogenase (l-GalLDH, EC 1.3.2.3) as well as activities of recycling enzymes was clearly declined in the leaf and peel but not in the flesh. By shading fruits only for 20 days, AsA levels, relative mRNA levels and activities of l-GalDH and l-GalLDH as well as activities of recycling enzymes all showed obvious decrease in the peel, but not in the flesh. However, their levels in the peel were markedly increased after the full shade was removed and re-exposed these fruits on natural light for 5 days. It is concluded that light affects AsA biosynthesis and recycling in the peel and leaf, but did not in the fresh. Results also suggest that apple fruit is potential to biosynthesize AsA via the l-galactose pathway, and AsA content in the fruits may depend partly on levels of AsA or other photochemistry controlled by light in the leaves.     

‘沙田’柚果生长期套袋对果实品质的影响

‘沙田’柚果生长期进行套袋,是提高果实品质的有效措施之一。在田间生长条件下,研究了套袋对‘沙田’柚果实品质的影响。结果表明,套袋促进了柚果生长发育,提高了商品率,降低了含酸量,较明显地提高其糖酸比,并增加了维生素C的含量,从而提高了柚果品质。     

Enzyme activity of the phenylpropanoid pathway as a response to apple scab infection

The study was performed on apple trees, ‘Golden Delicious' cv., which is a scab-susceptible cultivar. The phenolic content of apple fruit was determined in different parts of the peel. The phenolic compounds were analysed in the scab spot, in the tissue around the spot and in the healthy tissue. We determined the concentration of various phenolic compounds and related enzyme activities. Infection with the Venturia inaequalis fungus enhanced the metabolism of phenolic compounds at the scab spot, around the spot and in healthy peel. Compared with the healthy tissue and the tissue around the spot, the scab spot showed higher enzyme activity for all tested enzymes, except for dihydrochalcone 2′-O-glucosyltransferase, which had lower activity in the scab spot. In comparison to the healthy peel, the scab spot showed up to 3.4 times more hydroxycinnamic acids, up to 1.1 times more dihydrochalcones and up to 1.4 times more flavan-3-ols. In contrast, the healthy peel showed up to 1.6 times more flavonols than the scab spot.     

S02对冷藏枇杷果实品质及活性氧和多胺代谢的影响

以"大红袍"枇杷果实为试材,研究了SO2处理对冷藏枇杷果实活性氧代谢和内源多胺含量变化的影响及与果实木质化败坏的关系。结果表明,SO2可提高超氧物歧化酶(SOD)和过氧化氢酶(CAT)活性,抑制过氧化物酶(POD)活性的上升,减少H2O2的积累。经SO2处理的果实,精胺(Spm)和亚精胺(Spd)含量的变化很小,基本维持在贮前水平上,腐胺(Put)的积累则受到极大抑制,贮藏5周后的果实不出现木质化败坏症状。这些结果表明,SO2可能通过维持活性氧代谢的平衡,抑制活性氧的积累,从而防止果实木质化的发生。