The effect of ethylene, octanoic acid and a plant-derived smoke extract on the germination of light-sensitive lettuce seeds

The effects of an aqueous plant-derived smoke extract, octanoic acid and ethylene on germination of light-sensitive Grand Rapids lettuce seeds were investigated. The smoke extract brought about a concentration dependent increase in germination and a complete inhibition of germination at high concentrations. Octanoic acid could not induce germination. Ethylene at concentrations over 5 L L^–1 increased lettuce seed germination, but not to the same degree as smoke. Aqueous smoke in combination with ethylene showed a synergistic effect on germination at suboptimal smoke concentrations. At high smoke concentrations the effect of ethylene was almost completely inhibited. Octanoic acid in combination with ethylene brought about a higher level of germination than with ethylene alone, but only at the highest concentration of octanoic acid tested (1 mM). Standardized hexane and dichloromethane-partitioned smoke extracts and octanoic acid were subjected to TLC separation. The R _f -fractions in the smoke lanes showing activity in the lettuce seed bioassay did not correspond to the R _f -value of octanoic acid. As aqueous smoke can withstand autoclaving and can be separated by TLC and HPLC without loosing activity it is unlikely that the activity of aqueous smoke is linked to ethylene. It thus appears that the active compound in smoke is neither octanoic acid nor ethylene.Abbreviations TLC thin layer chromatography - HPLC High performance liquid chromatography     

High-frequency embryogenesis inBrassica campestris microspore culture

Microspore culture is a very important and useful tool in plant breeding for haploid production and has been developed for many years.Brassica campestris (Brassica rapa L. ssp.oleifera) is an important oilseed crop, but it is relatively recalcitrant in tissue culture including microspore culture. The microspore culture in our laboratory is based on the Canadian protocol. Thirty genotypes ofB. campestris were included in this study; twenty produced embryos. The highest yield was 5930 embryos per 100 buds from Canadian genotype Cv-2, this result was one of the best that had been reported in microspore culture inB. campestris. The buds measuring 2.0 mm to 3.9 mm in length responded best to produce embryos, the optimum timing for microspore culture was confirmed to be during the mid-late to very-late uninucleate stage. The buds could be removed from either the main raceme or lateral racemes. Activated charcoal (150 mg l^-1) was added to the liquid NLN medium, it promoted embryogenesis significantly; embryo development was faster and the embryo yield was significantly higher than those cultures without activated charcoal. The donor plant condition was considered an important factor influencing embryogenesis; older donor plants (older than five weeks) and a cold treatment are recommended.     

Effects of plant size on photosynthesis and water relations in the desert shrub Prosopis glandulosa (Fabaceae)

The Jornada del Muerto basin of the Chihuahuan Desert of southern New Mexico, USA, has undergone a marked transition of plant communities. Shrubs such as mesquite (Prosopis glandulosa) have greatly increased or now dominate in areas that were previously dominated by perennial grasses. The replacement of grasses by shrubs requires an establishment phase where small shrubs must compete directly with similar-sized grass plants. This is followed by a phase in which large, established shrubs sequester nutrients and water within their biomass and alter soil resources directly under their canopy, creating “islands” of fertility. We hypothesized that these two phases were associated with shrubs having different physiological response capacities related to their age or size and the resource structure of the environment. As a corollary, we hypothesized that responses of small shrubs would be more tightly coupled to variation in soil moisture availability compared to large shrubs. To test these hypotheses, we studied gas exchange and water relations of small (establishing) and large (established) shrubs growing in the Jornada del Muerto as a function of varying soil moisture during the season. The small shrubs had greater net assimilation, stomatal conductance, transpiration, and xylem water potential than large shrubs following high summer rainfall in July, and highest seasonal soil moisture at 0.3 m. High rates of carbon assimilation and water use would be an advantage for small shrubs competing with grasses when shallow soil moisture was plentiful. Large shrubs had greater net assimilation and water-use efficiency, and lower xylem water potential than small shrubs following a dry period in September, when soil moisture at 0.3 m was lowest. Low xylem water potentials and high water-use efficiency would allow large shrubs to continue acquiring and conserving water as soil moisture is depleted. Although the study provides evidence of differences in physiological responses of different-sized shrubs, there was not support for the hypothesis that small shrubs are more closely coupled to variation in soil moisture availability than large shrubs. Small shrubs may actually be less coupled to soil moisture than large shrubs, and thus avoid conditions when continued transpiration could not be matched by equivalent water uptake.     

Genetic diversity and hierarchical population structure of a rare autotetraploid plant,Aster kantoensis (Asteraceae)

We sampled 17 populations of a rare autotetraploid Aster kantoensis (Asteraceae) from three river systems located in central Japan, and studied them for allelic variation at 22 enzyme loci. There was no significant correlation between the actual population size and three genetic diversity parameters, suggesting that the effective population size was very small even for the large populations, i.e., even large populations may still have a high probability of being of recent origin and remain influenced by the founder effect. Compared to other autotetraploid species, the total genetic variation of A. kantoensis is small. The number of alleles and gene diversity of a population were not significantly different among the river systems, although the percentage of polymorphic loci was different. Genetic differentiation among river systems was larger than between populations within the river systems, thereby indicating that gene flow between river systems is small, especially between the Kinu River system and Tama or Sagami River systems.     

Identification of single tiny seeds ofOrobanche using RAPD analysis

The tiny seeds of parasitic weeds of the genusOrobanche can be identified by using RAPD markers. A simple procedure for DNA extraction from single seeds, 10 μg each, followed by RAPD-PCR and using specific DNA markers, leads to species identification. Seeds of five different species could be identified using this method.     

Plant growth and reproduction along CO2 gradients: non-linear responses and implications for community change

The effects of rising atmospheric CO₂ concentrations on natural plant communities will depend upon the cumulative responses of plant growth and reproduction to gradual, incremental changes in climatic conditions. We analysed published studies of plant responses to elevated CO₂ to address whether reproductive and total biomass exhibit similar enhancement to elevated vs. ambient CO₂ concentrations, and to assess the patterns of plant response along gradients of CO₂ concentrations. In six annual plant species, mean enhancement at double ambient vs. ambient CO₂ was 1.13 for total biomass and 1.30 for reproductive biomass. The two measures were significantly correlated, but there was considerable scatter in the relationship, indicating that reproductive responses cannot be consistently predicted from enhancement of total biomass. Along experimental CO₂ gradients utilizing three concentrations, there was a great diversity of response patterns, including positive, negative, non-monotonic and non-significant (flat) responses. The distribution of response patterns differed for plants grown in stands compared to those grown individually. Positive responses were less frequent in competitive environments, and non-monotonic responses were more frequent. These results emphasize that interpolation of plant response based on enhancement ratios measured at elevated vs. ambient CO₂ concentrations is not sufficient to predict community responses to incremental changes in atmospheric conditions. The consequences of differential response patterns were assessed in a simulation of community dynamics for four species of annual plants. The model illustrates that the final community composition at a future point in time depends critically on both the magnitude and the rate of increase of atmospheric CO₂.     

普通小麦×东方旱麦草属间杂种的产生及无性系的建立

本研究以普通小麦（ＴｒｉｔｉｃｕｍａｅｓｔｉｖｕｍＬ．;２ｎ＝６ｘ＝４２,ＡＡＢＢＤＤ）为母本,以东方旱麦草（Ｅｒｅｍｏｐｙｒｕｍｏｒｉｅｎｔａｌｅ（Ｌ．）Ｊａｕｂ．ｅｔＳｐａｃｈ;２ｎ＝４ｘ＝２８）为父本,首次成功地获得了属间远缘杂种Ｆ１,其平均结实率为０．０８％。利用植物细胞工程技术,对杂种幼胚愈伤组织的诱导、胚性无性系的建立、植株再生、壮苗培养等,最终获得了生长正常的杂种Ｆ１植株。同时,通过对杂种幼胚愈伤组织、根尖细胞的细胞学观察,结果表明该杂种为真杂种,即２ｎ＝５ｘ＝３５（预期染色体数）的杂种细胞占主体;另外,因组培过程中发生了染色体数目的变异,故也有少量２ｎ＝２８－３４染色体数的细胞。以上杂种的获得为将旱麦草优异基因向小麦的转移奠定了基础。     

Plant regeneration from protoplasts of hydroxyproline resistant cell line in Onobrychis viciaefolia

An efficient protocol for plant regeneration from protoplasts of hydroxyproline(HYP)resistant cell line of Onobrychis viciaefolia was established.In SH medium supplemented with 1mg/L2,4-dichlorophenoxy-acetic acid(2,4-D),0.5mg/L kinetin(KT)and 0.2mg/L naphthalene acetic acid(NAA),the division frequency of protoplastderived cells reached up to over 60%,and microcalli were obtained in 5-6wk.Upon transferring them on agar solidified MS medium plus 2mg/L indole-3-acetic acid (IAA),shoots were induced.After cultivating them on MS medium with or without IAA,roots were regenerated.Chromosome number of all protoplast-regenerated plants examined were normal(2n=28).The protoplast-derived calli and plants grew vigorously on the medium containing 10 mmol/L HYP.     

绞股蓝的林下栽培

近年来由于绞股蓝的过度采收,野生资源面临枯竭危险,为了扩大绞股蓝植物的资源,人工栽培势在必行。１９９０－１９９３年在皖东琅琊山进行林下人工栽培试验,结果表明,在粗放管理的条件下,林下种植绞股蓝是可行的,选择适合的种源及林分郁闭度是关键因子,在刺槐林下栽培产量可到３３００ｋｇ／ｈｍ＾２。     

江苏野菜资源的利用与开发

江苏野菜资源丰富,共计１９２种,隶属４４科１０８属,其中蕨类植物７科１５属５１种,种子植物３７科９３属１４１种。江苏野菜利用历史悠久,近年已发展成为规模种植,产生良好的经济效益和社会效益。