Reversal of the Direction of Photosynthate Allocation in Urtica dioica L. Plants by Increasing Cytokinin Import into the Shoot

The natural cytokinin import from the root into the shoot of Urtica dioica plants was enhanced by supplying zeatin riboside (ZR) solutions of various concentrations to a portion less than 10 % of the root system after removal of their tips. After 6 h ZR pretreatment of the plants, ¹⁴CO₂ was supplied for 3 h to a mature (source) leaf or to an expanding leaf and the ¹⁴C-distribution in the whole plant was determined after a subsequent dark period of 14 h. ZR substantially increased ¹⁴C fixation by the expanding leaves and also enhanced export of carbon and transport to the shoot apex. The effect of the hormone treatment was, however, more pronounced when the ¹⁴CO₂ was supplied to a mature leaf. In the control plants these leaves exported carbon only to the roots: When the amount of the natural daily ZR input from the roots to the shoot was enhanced by 20%, the bulk of the ¹⁴C exported from a mature leaf moved to the shoot apex and only a minor portion of ¹⁴C was still detected in the root fraction. A several-fold increase of the natural daily ZR input into the shoot resulted in a flow of ¹⁴C only to the growing parts of the shoot. The results suggest control of the sink strength of the shoot apex by ZR in Urtica diocia.     

异株荨麻（Urtica dioica）生长及光合特性对不同土壤水分含量的响应

异株荨麻是我国一种重要中药植物,如何对其进行人工定向培植具有重要意义。以异株荨麻扦插苗为实验材料,采用盆栽水分梯度法,按土壤相对含水量93．58％、80．74％、67．90％、55．06％和42．22％分为对照组CK,实验处理组T1,T2,T3和T4五个处理组,通过观测不同水分条件下,异株荨麻生长量、生物量变化和光合特征变化,试图探讨异株荨麻的水分适应性,寻找出适合其生长的水分范围及对生物量分配的影响,为北方地区种植栽培此类植物提供科学依据。结果发现：随土壤水分含量的降低,异株荨麻生长量和生物量积累呈先上升后下降趋势,在土壤相对含水量80．74％生长达到高峰,土壤相对含水量67．90％～80．74％为异株荨麻生长的适宜范围。净光合速率、蒸腾速率、气孔导度、气孔限制值及叶绿体色素含量的变化趋势与之相近似。在上述水分范围以外其光合功能下降、同化作用减弱,使异株荨麻生长衰退和干物质积累的减少。此外,土壤水分直接调控光合产物在地上和地下的分配以及植株个体形状,生产实践中,通过控水可以达到控制株形和根冠比的作用,用以诱导植株朝种植的预期方向生长,以达到获取植株不同部位产量的实际应用需求。     

Numerical analysis of infraspecific variation in European Silene alba and S. dioica(Caryophyllaceae)

Infraspecific variation among European populations of Silene alba and S. dioica was analysed by non-metric multidimensional scaling, which was applied to K-dissimilarity matrices based either on 16 seed characters or on 34 seed, flower and capsule characters. The material used for analysis consisted of 167 collections of wild seed, largely obtained from European botanic gardens, and 97 sets of mature greenhouse-grown progeny. S. alba was found to show topoclinal variation, primarily along an axis from the Iberian peninsula through central Europe to Romania. This pattern is not reflected in current taxonomic treatments. N. and N.W. European S. alba is morphologically heterogeneous and has probably been introduced from various southern sources. S. dioica shows less total variation between populations than S. alba , and consists of local ecogeographic races that intergrade at their margins. The two species are completely discriminated by seed, flower and capsule characters when used in combination, but S. alba populations from the eastern end of the cline closely approach S. dioica in seed morphology. This convergence is unlikely to be an effect of recent introgression.     

Detection and elimination of Begomovirus infecting Trichosanthes dioica (pointed gourd) plants in Uttar Pradesh,India

Begomovirus is widely spread on cultivated crops in India. In a survey, infected plants of Trichosanthes dioica (Pointed gourd) with the symptoms of mosaic and leaf curling were collected and checked for Begomovirus infection through PCR analysis. Application of meristem culture technique for regeneration of virus free plants of T. dioica was assessed. Plantlets were regenerated from infected plants of T. dioica through meristem culture. Regenerated plants were found Begomovirus free as evident by PCR analysis suggesting the suitability of meristem culture technique for elimination of Begomovirus from infected plants of T. dioica. This is the first report on elimination of Begomovirus in T. dioica in India.     

The Effect of Nitrogen Supply to Urtica dioica L. Plants on the Distribution of Assimilate Between Shoot and Roots

In this study the influence of nitrogen nutrition on the patterns of carbon distribution was investigated with Urtica dioica. The nettles were grown in sand culture at 3 levels of NO^?₃, namely 3 (low), 15 (medium) and 22 (high) mM. These levels encompassed a range within which nitrogen did not affect total biomass production. The ratio of root: shoot biomass of the low nitrogen plants was, however, significantly higher than that of the nettles grown at medium and high N supply. Carbon allocation from one leaf of each pair of leaves was examined after a ¹⁴CO₂-pulse and a subsequent ¹⁴C distribution period of one night. Only the youngest two leaf pairs did not export assimilates. Carbon (¹⁴C) export to the shoot apex and to the roots, as measured at the individual nodes responded to the nitrogen status: At medium and high nitrogen supply the 3rd, 4th and 5th leaf pairs exported to the shoot apex, while lower leaves exported to the root. At low nitrogen supply only the 3rd leaf exported towards the shoot apex. The results illustrate the plastic response of carbon distribution patterns to the nitrogen supply, even when net photosynthesis, carbon export from the source leaves and biomass production were not affected by the nitrogen supply to the plant.     

新疆有毒火欣麻内生菌的分离及AP-PCR与ERIC-PCR分析

目的分离火欣麻的内生菌,探讨ERIC-PCR引物在植物内生细菌分型中的优化及其与AP-PCR的结合在植物内生菌分型中的应用价值。方法通过改进的碾碎法对火欣麻的内生菌进行分离,依据形态学与生理生化特性同时对比AP-PCR和ERIC-PCR图谱,对所分离菌进行分类鉴定。结果所筛选的12株内生细菌,2株为奈氏菌属,1株为葡萄球菌属,1株为链球菌属,3株为芽胞杆菌属,2株为短杆菌属,3株为肠杆菌属。优化引物后的ERIC-PCR条带稳定、丰富、清晰。结论ERIC-PCR与AP-PCR结合使用分型效果明显增强。     

The Chemical Constituents of Myripnois dioica Bunge

Five compounds have been isolated from Myripnois dioica Bunge, a plant native to China. They are identified as nonacosane, taraxerol acetate, β-amyrin acetate, β-amyrin and β-sitosterol.     

Effect of anti-DNA methylation drugs on growth, level of methylated DNA, peroxidase activity and ethylene production of Bryonia dioica internodes

A previous paper (Galaud et al. 1993. Physiol. Plant. 87: 25–30) reported a rapid demethylation of DNA after mechanical rubbing of young Bryonia dioica internodes, leading to growth inhibition. In order to assess an eventual causative role of DNA demethylation in the mechanisms underlying thigmomorphogenesis, the effects of the anti-DNA methylation drugs, 5-azacytosine (5-azacyt) and 5-azacytidine (5-azacyd) were investigated. Treatment with 5-azacyd induced a decrease of the methylated DNA level. This was accompanied by an increase of peroxidase activity and of ethylene production. On the contrary, 5-azacyt had no significant effect on growth, peroxidase activity and ethylene production. The use of 5-azacyd as an inducer of DNA demethylation is discussed in relation to the control of gene expression