The influence of three unchanging photoperiods on growth and parr-smolt transformation in Atlantic salmon, Salmo salar L.

Groups of pre-smolt Atlantic salmon were reared under three experimental photoperiods. Growth rate was significantly enhanced under 24 h of light: 0 h of darkness per diem (24 L: 0 D) compared with 16 L: 8 D and 8 L: 16 D from early January to early May. From the beginning of May until the termination of the experiment on 27 May, growth rate was highest under 8 L: 16 D.
All groups developed bimodal length-frequency distributions during the experiment. The proportion of the population in each of the two growth modes was significantly affected by photoperiod treatment.
The level of plasma cortisol increased significantly from February to May. There were no differences in levels of plasma cortisol among photoperiod treatments.
Judged by development in plasma cortisol, changes in condition factor and external appearance, the parr-smolt transformation was not completed under any of the experimental photoperiods.     

Interaction of gibberellic acid and photoperiod on leaf sheath elongation in normal and gibberellin-insensitive genotype of wheat

Effect of gibberellic acid (GA₃) on leaf sheath elongation in a normal (cv. Møystad) and a gibberellin(GA)-insensitive (cv. Siete Cerros) genotype of wheat ( Triticum aestivum L.) were studied at 18 and 12°C under short (SD, 12 h) or long (LD, 24 h) photoperiod. Leaf sheath length in cv. Møystad was signficantly increased by exogenous GA₃ both under SD and LD. LD alone stimulated leaf sheath elongation and the combined effect of LD and GA₃ was additive, and there was no statistically signficant interaction between photoperiod and GA₃ concentrations. Leaf sheath length in cv. Siete Cerros was not significantly affected by GA₃ under any conditions. However, there was a highly significant stimulation of leaf sheath elongation by LD in cv. Siete Cerros as well. These results indicate that stimulation of elongation growth in wheat leaves by LD is not mediated by gibberellin.     

Feruloyl- and caffeoylputrescine in stem explants from photoperiodically determined Nicotiana species

The distribution and formation of hydroxycinnamoyl amides (HCA) in in vitro grown stem explants from day-neutral Nicotiana tabacum L. var. Xanthi no were investigated using [¹⁴C]-labelled precursors. Feruloylputrescine (FP) (labelled from [¹⁴C]-putrescine) was continually formed with a decreasing formation rate during a culture period of 35 days. The specific radioactivity, however, remained constant. In contrast, caffeoylputrescine (CP) was labelled in the second part of culture only. [UC]-Label from putrescine, spermidine, spermine, and cinnamic acid was incorporated into FP and p -coumaroylspermidine. CP was labelled from [¹⁴C]-putreseine and [¹⁴C]-spermidine only, while diferuloylputrescine (diFP) failed to be labelled by any of the precursors used. Tissue investigations showed that FP is dominant in cortex during formation of cortical callus, while CP showed a sequential gradient from pith to cortical callus to floral buds. Experiments with photoperiodical Nicotiana species were used to investigate the pattern of HCAs in induced and non-induced plants. The origin of explants had no influence on the pattern of FP and CP but resulted in different growth responses. FP is a marker of cortical callus formation in all explants. CP does not trigger the growth processes observed in the expants since CP also increased in photoperiodically non-induced explants of tobacco, which stopped growing after the formation of cortical callus.     

Ultrastructural and biochemical seasonal changes in epididymal corpus and cauda of viscacha (Lagostomus maximus maximus)

The reproductive and adaptative behavior of wild rodents is synchronized primarily by the photoperiod. The viscacha, a South American rodent of nocturnal habits and seasonal reproduction is photoperiod‐dependent and its reproductive behavior is regulated by the retinohypothalamic‐pituitary pineal axis. Adult males exhibit an annual reproductive cycle with periods of maximum gonadal activity (summer‐early autumn) and gonadal regression (winter). The corpus and the cauda, the most sensitive segments of the epididymis to changes induced by the photoperiod, were analyzed using electron microscopy and enzymatic biochemistry. During gonadal regression, principal and clear cells showed signs of involution with respect to the activity period. These were characterized by more irregular nuclei, smaller cytoplasms, large vacuoles, altered mitochondria, and glycogen deposits. All cellular populations of the epididymal epithelium in regression presented abundant lysosome‐like dense bodies during the active period. In addition, we measured the activity of four acid glycosidases in the cauda epididymis along the reproductive cycle. N‐acetyl‐β‐D‐glucosaminidase (NAG), an enzyme that degrades endocytosed substances from the epididymal lumen, increased significantly during gonadal regression relative to the active period. These results demonstrate that the viscacha epididymis exhibits significant ultrastructural and biochemical changes during the reproductive cycle. We demonstrate that during regression, melatonin secretion in viscacha increases. This study shows that the epididymal epithelium is reduced. Thus, we postulate that the changes observed in the epididymis are modulated by pineal melatonin. Despite these changes, the epididymis might maintain a microenvironment suitable for the survival of stored spermatozoa. J. Morphol. 2009. © 2009 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.     

Phenology of Plumeria alba and its Herbivores in a Tropical Dry Forest

Understanding phenology in plant populations requires distinction between proximate mechanisms and ultimate (evolutionary) causation. Leaf production and abscission, flower production, and herbivory were monitored for 2 yr in a population of the stem succulent tree, Plumeria alba L. in the Guánica State Forest in southwest Puerto Rico. Dependence of phenological events on abiotic (rainfall and day length) and biotic factors (herbivore abundance/damage) was quantified to discern potential relationships. Leaf flush and flowering were not associated with periods of highest rainfall as might be expected in a dry tropical forest. Rather, these events were highly correlated with day length. We observed that most leaf flush began in March and April, which was several months before the wettest period of the year (August to November). This result is consistent with other studies that show that leaf flush in Plumeria is under photoperiodic control and that the plants initiate growth and reproduction when cloudiness is low and seasonal light availability is greatest. Herbivore damage by caterpillars of the sphinx moth Pseudosphinx tetrio is restricted primarily to the wettest season, consistent with the hypothesis that early leaf flush and reproduction has been selected to avoid herbivory. It is not clear whether photoperiodic control of leaf flush and reproduction serves to maximize seasonal light availability, minimize the impact of herbivores, or both. However, it is clear that peak rainfall is not likely to have been the sole selective factor determining leaf flush and flowering in P. alba .     

不同光质与光周期对粗肋草生长、叶片色素和颜色的影响

为改良粗肋草叶色和优化粗肋草设施栽培体系,该研究以粗肋草品种‘吉利红''的水培苗为材料,设置6种光质(白光、R:B=1:1、R:B=1:2、R:B=2:1、R:B=1:3、R:B=3:1,其中R、B分别代表红光、蓝光)和2种光周期(8、12 h·d^-1)交叉培养,测定粗肋草的生长量、生物量、土壤和作物分析仪器开发(SPAD)值、花色素苷含量和叶片颜色参数(色相值a^*、色相值b^*、明度值L^*、色调角h^*),研究粗肋草对红蓝光质和光周期互作的响应。结果表明:(1)12 h·d^-1光周期更有利于粗肋草生物量的积累,其中LP11(R:B=1:3×12 h·d^-1)处理的粗肋草苗木干重、鲜重均为最高,最有利于植物生长及生物量积累; 其次是LP5(R:B=1:3×8 h·d^-1)处理。(2)相同光质条件下,8 h·d^-1光周期处理的粗肋草叶片SPAD值比12 h·d^-1光周期处理高,12 h·d^-1光周期处理的粗肋草叶片花色素苷含量高于8 h·d^-1光周期的处理,LP11处理叶片SPAD值最低,花色素苷含量最高。12 h·d^-1光周期培养的粗肋草叶片颜色参数a^*、b^*值比8 h·d^-1光周期高,h^*值比8 h·d^-1光周期低。(3)主成分分析结果表明,LP11处理在促进粗肋草生长及叶色改良方面效果最好。综上认为,12 h·d^-1光周期更有利于粗肋草的生长和叶片颜色变化,其中LP11处理为最佳光质和光周期组合。     

Historical and projected interactions between climate change and insect voltinism in a multivoltine species

Climate change can cause major changes to the dynamics of individual species and to those communities in which they interact. One effect of increasing temperatures is on insect voltinism, with the logical assumption that increases in surface temperatures would permit multivoltine species to increase the number of generations per year. Though insect development is primarily driven by temperature, most multivoltine insect species rely on photoperiodic cues, which do not change from year‐to‐year or in response to climate warming, to initiate diapause. Thus, the relationship between climate change and voltinism could be complex. We use a phenology model for grape berry moth, Paralobesia viteana (Clemens), which incorporates temperature‐dependent development and diapause termination, and photoperiod‐dependent diapause induction, to explore historical patterns in year‐to‐year voltinism fluctuations. We then extend this model to predict voltinism under varying scenarios of climate change to show the importance of both the quality and quantity of accumulated heat units. We also illustrate that increases in mean surface temperatures > 2 °C can have dramatic effects on insect voltinism by causing a shift in the ovipositional period that currently is subject to diapause‐inducing photoperiods.     

矮牵牛(Petunia hybrida)开花过程中的可溶性蛋白质分析

在进行矮牵牛(Petunia hybrida)光周期诱导开花的过程中,对叶子中的可溶性蛋白质进行了分析,其中有4条与开花有关的特异蛋白,分子量分别为49.45 kD(a)、35.45 kD(b)、17.98 kD(c)和11.74 kD(d).在不开放的花苞中不含有蛋白质a和d,只有这4种蛋白质全出现时,才能形成花苞并且开放.花开了以后,蛋白质c和d就消失.即使在开花的植株中,各组织中的蛋白质也是不同的.茎中完全不含有蛋白质c和d,叶子和花中的蛋白质组成也是不同的.