Development of fine and coarse roots of Thuja occidentalis `Brabant' in non-irrigated and drip irrigated field plots

Aboveground dry mass, total root dry mass and root length density of the fine roots of Thuja occidentalis `Brabant' were determined under non- and drip-irrigated field conditions. Two-dimensional diffusion parameters for dynamic root growth were estimated based on dry mass production of the fine roots and the concept of the convective-diffusion model of cylindrical root growth and proliferation. Drip irrigation increased above-ground dry mass and the shoot:root ratio compared with no irrigation. Dry mass of the coarse roots increased as well due to drip irrigation. No effect on total or fine root dry mass was found. Drip irrigation increased root length densities in the top 0.1 m but not significantly. However, drip irrigation decreased root proliferation in depth by 27%, whereas proliferation in the horizontal direction was not altered. Measured root length densities were overestimated by 6–21% by the model (0.68 < R ² < 0.92).     

Voltage and Use Dependence of Sodium Channel Blockade by a New Analgesic,D57, in Rat Dorsal Root Ganglion Neurons

We studied the voltage- and use-dependent action of pyrrolo-imidazole derivative, D57, on sodium currents in different dorsal root ganglion neurons of rats. At the level of 50% of maximum tonic block, which corresponded to a concentration of 0.44 mM, the use-dependent block of tetrodotoxin resistant (TTXr) sodium currents reached 59 ± 12% of the remaining currents when neurons were stimulated by 6-msec-long impulses up to -10 mV with a 20 sec^-1 frequency, whereas for TTX sensitive (TTXs) currents this value was equal to 38 ± 9%. This block was dependent on the holding potential, and for cells with only TTXr currents the dependence was shifted to more positive potentials compared with that for neurons with only TTXs currents or with both of them.     

Interactions between atmospheric CO2 concentration and phosphorus nutrition on the formation of proteoid roots in white lupin (Lupinus albus L.)

Atmospheric [CO₂] affects photosynthesis and therefore should affect the supply of carbon to roots. To evaluate interactions between carbon supply and nutrient acquisition, the [CO₂] effects on root growth, proteoid root formation and phosphorus (P) uptake capacity were studied in white lupin (Lupinus albus L.) grown hydroponically at 200, 410 and 750 µmol mol^?1 CO₂, under sufficient (0·25 mm P) and deficient (0·69 µm P) phosphorus. Plant size increased with increasing [CO₂] only at high P. Both P deficiency and increasing [CO₂] increased the production of proteoid clusters; the increase in response to increased [CO₂] was proportionally greater from low to ambient [CO₂] than from ambient to high. The activity of phosphoenol pyruvate carboxylase in the proteoid root, the exudation of organic acids from the roots, and the specific uptake of P increased with P deficiency, but were unaffected by [CO₂]. Increasing [CO₂] from Pleistocene levels to those predicted for the next century increased plant size and allocation to proteoid roots, but did not change the specific P uptake capacity per unit root mass. Hence, rising [CO₂] should promote nutrient uptake by allowing lupins to mine greater volumes of soil.     

Cryopreservation of hairy root cultures of Vinca minor (L.) by encapsulation-dehydration

Hairy root cultures of Vinca minor and Ajuga reptans var. atropurpurea could be cryopreserved when the roots were precultured and encapsulated in 2% (w/v) alginate beads with 0.3 M sucrose and 0.5 M glycerol and dehydrated until the bead weight reached 25% of the initial weight before cooling in liquid nitrogen. Preculture and encapsulation of the roots with abscisic acid was effective in increasing the survival rates. For V. minor root tips moreover a sufficiently high survival rate of more than 70% was attained by eliminating glycerol from the preculture medium and dehydration of beads until 23% of the initial weight was reached instead of 25%.     

Effect of heat–moisture treatment on the structure and physicochemical properties of tuber and root starches

Starch from tubers potato (Solanum tuberosum), taro (Alocassia indica), new cocoyam (Xanthosoma sagitifolium), true yam (Dioscorea alata), and root cassava, (Manihot esculenta) crops was isolated and its morphology, composition and physicochemical properties were investigated before and after heat–moisture treatment (HMT) (100 °C, for 10 h at a moisture content of 30%). Native starch granules were round to oval to polygonal with smooth surfaces. The granule size (diameter) ranged from 3.0 to 110 μm.The total amylose content ranged from 22.4 to 29.3%, of which 10.1–15.5% was complexed by native lipid. The phosphorus content ranged from 0.01 to 0.1%. The X-ray pattern of potato and true yam was of the ‘B’-type. Whereas, that of new cocoyam and taro was of the ‘A’-type. Cassava exhibited a mixed ‘A+B’-type X-ray pattern. The relative crystallinity, swelling factor (SF), amylose leaching (AML), gelatinization temperature range and the enthalpy of gelatinization of the native starches ranged from 30 to 46, 22 to 54, 5 to 23%, 13 to 19 °C and 12 to 18 J/g, respectively. Susceptibility of native starches towards hydrolysis by 2.2N HCl and porcine pancreatic -amylase were 60–86% (after 12 days), and 4–62% (after 72 h), respectively. Retrogradation was most pronounced in the B-type starches. Granule morphology remained unchanged after HMT. The X-ray pattern of the B-type starches was altered (B→A+B) on HMT. However, that of the other starches remained unchanged. HMT decreased SF, AML, gelatinization enthalpy and susceptibility towards acid hydrolysis, but increased gelatinization temperatures and enzyme susceptibility. Extent of retrogradation and relative crystallinity decreased on HMT of true yam and potato starches, but remained unchanged in the other starches. The foregoing data showed that changes in physicochemical properties on HMT are influenced by the interplay of crystallite disruption, starch chain associations and disruption of double helices in the amorphous regions.     

人参毛状根培养过程中对活性氧清除能力的动态变化

采用化学发光法 ,考察了人参 (PanaxginsengC .A .Mey)毛状根培养过程中对 3种重要活性氧ROS(O2÷、OH·、H2 O2 )清除能力的动态变化 ,发现在毛状根生长对数期时对 3种ROS都有很强的清除能力 ,而在生长停滞期较低 ,符合人参毛状根生长的S型曲线 ,印证了人参毛状根的生长和衰老过程。     

中国结缕草属植物(Zoysia spp.)地下部分分布和形态类型的多样性

通过对分布于我国的结缕草属(ZoysiaWilld.)54份种质地下部分特点的研究,发现其地下茎分布都在15cm土层内,其中大部分在5cm深度的土层范围内(97.23%),很少达到15cm(0.29%);不定根一般可分布到40cm左右,但表层15cm内分布了不定根总量的81.62%,其下的25cm土层中分布的不定根只占不定根总量的18.38%。地下茎在10～15cm、不定根在30～40cm土层中各性状的变异都比较显著。相关分析表明,随着纬度的升高,地下茎在较深的土层(5～15cm)中分布密度有增加的趋势,而伴随着纬度升高不定根分布密度趋小。根据地下茎和不定根分布的特点,可将我国结缕草属植物地下部分划分为3大类型,即浅茎密根型、中茎密根型和深茎浅根型。     

根系分泌物研究方法(综述)

根系分泌物是植物与土壤进行物质、能量与信息交流的重要载体物质.研究根系分泌物的种类、数量对了解植物与土壤及根际微生物相互作用机理具有重要指导意义,根系分泌物研究方法的选择对研究结果有重要的影响.本文着重讨论根系分泌物收集、分离纯化及鉴定的常用方法,并列举特定根系分泌物的研究方法,旨在为根系分泌物的研究提供借鉴和参考.