Influence of mechanical impedance on root exudation of maize seedlings at two development stages

Studies were undertaken to evaluate the effects of mechanical impedance on root exudation by maize (Zea mays L., var Dea) and to examine the importance of these effects in relation to the stage of plant development. Plants were grown under sterile and hydroponic conditions. Mechanical impedance was simulated using glass beads of 1 mm diameter. This treatment was compared with a control without beads. Results demonstrated that plant growth was influenced by mechanical impedance. Mechanical impedance markedly affected the growth of the shoot, whether this was measured as leaf area or total dry matter. Besides increasing root/shoot biomass ratios, mechanical impedances also stimulated root exudation of organic and inorganic compounds. Stressed plants lost more nitrogenous compounds than control plants. Otherwise, the percentage of released carbon decreased. Depending on the developmental stage of the plant, there was a large variation in the magnitude and time course on mechanical impedance effects. The effects of mechanical impedance persist and accentuate with time.     

The modifying effect of gibberellic acid and kinetin on the growth abnormalities induced by 2,4-D in marrow seedlings and the possible involvement of endogenous ethylene

Swelling of the hypocotyl base induced by 2,4-D in seedlings of marrow was much reduced if GA₃ was also present in the incubation medium. At appropriate concentrations kinetin also counteracted this 2,4-D effect, although at higher concentrations appeared to be ineffective. GA₃ was also able to overcome the inhibitory effects of 2,4-D on extension growth in the hypocotyl but kinetin was much less effective in this case. None of the treatments employed was able to alleviate the inhibition of radicle extension induced by 2,4-D.Ethephon induced similar responses in the seedlings to those resulting from 2,4-D treatment, while treatment with a mixture of 2,4-D and CoCl₂ removed many of these growth abnormalities. These observations are interpreted as indicating that 2,4-D operates at least partly by stimulating the production of ethylene in the tissues. 2,4-D strongly inhibited the accumulation of endogenous gibberellin during the period of seedling development examined, but enhanced cytokinin levels during the later stages of the same period. The possibility of interactions at the biosynthetic level between gibberellins, cytokinins and ethylene and their involvement in the regulation of seedling development are discussed.     

Intra- and intraspecific variation of Juniperus virginiana and J. scopulorum seedling based on volatile oil composition

Comparisons of volatile oil constituents were made among samples of juvenile foliage collected from 78 Juniperus virginiana and 28 J. scopulorum seedling sources growing in a “common garden” environment. A canonical variate analysis, a principal coordinates analysis and hybrid distance diagrams of 30 chemical characters indicate both taxa are good species and that they exhibit clinical patterns in the Great Plains. In addition, a possible evoluitonary link between present-day J. virginiana populations in southern Texas and ancient J. scopulorum populations is indicated.     

Light and ethylenediamine tetraacetic acid mediated differential effects of ammonium on nitrate reductase activity in maize seedlings

Abstract Effect of ammonium on in vivo activity of nitrate reductase in roots, shoots and leaves of maize (Zea mays L.) seedlings was studied in relation to light/dark conditions and EDTA supply. Supply of 5 mM (NH₄)₂SO₄ increased the steady state level of enzyme only in leaves and in light, while it had no effect in roots and shoots and in the dark. The substrate induction of enzyme was also little affected by 1 to 10 mM (NH₄)₂SO₄ in roots and shoots. In the leaves the activity in the dark was either inhibited (minus EDTA) or stimulated (plus EDTA) by 5 to 10 mM (NH₄)₂SO₄. The activity was stimulated in the light also in the presence of EDTA at higher concentrations of ammonium. When different concentrations of ammonium were supplied without any exogenous nitrate in the light, the enzyme activity increased at low concentration and was either inhibited or unaffected at higher concentrations depending upon the tissue used. Supply of EDTA with ammonium modified its effect to some extent. It is suggested that the effect of ammonium on nitrate reductase activity depends upon the tissue used and the effective concentration of the ammonium.     

水体泥沙对黑藻幼苗生长发育的影响

用粒径小于100μm的泥沙分别配置浊度为30、60NTU和90NTU的浑浊水体,将黑藻(Hydrilla verticillata)幼苗分别种植于上述水体中,水深约60cm,定期统计植株的节间距、株高、分枝数、叶宽、叶长、鲜重和泥沙附着量,利用水下饱和脉冲荧光仪(DIVING-PAM)测定叶片的Fv/Fm,并测定附着泥沙叶片和未附着叶片快速光响应曲线。结果表明,前40d随着水体浊度的增加黑藻植株的节间距、株高呈显著的增加趋势,而分枝数和生物量增长速率呈显著降低趋势。植株生长接近水面后接受的光照强度增加,第60天时株高和叶宽增长受到显著抑制,但植株上层的分枝受到促进,生物量显著增加。同时,随着水体浊度的增加植株上的泥沙附着显著增加,第100天时在30、60NTU和90NTU水体中植株的叶宽分别比对照宽71.4%、57.1%、48.6%,叶长分别为对照的113.0%、85.5%和75.1%,差异极显著(P0.01);在高浊度(60NTU和90NTU)水体中,水体下部生物量显著降低,冠层叶片的Fv/Fm分别仅降低了5.5%(P0.05)、2.9%(P0.05),rETRmax分别降低了2.0%(P0.05)、16.8%(P0.01)。表明在水深较浅的泥沙水体中可以适当引种黑藻幼苗,植株可以正常生长发育。     

刺槐幼苗根茎过渡区初生维管组织的观察

对不同苗龄(1-12d)的刺槐(Robinia pseudoacacia L.)幼苗进行观察,比较了其初生维管组织的发育变化。结果表明:根中的初生维管组织借助下胚轴过渡到子叶中,而茎中的初生维管组织与下胚轴中的维管组织仅是简单的连接。这与Esau等认为幼苗的外部形态可以分为根-下胚轴-子叶和上胚轴苗两个系统的观点是一致的。本研究亦证实了可以将刺槐幼苗的外部形态描述为这两个系统,二者的维管组织只是简单的连接,不存在过渡。     

UV-B辐射和NaCl胁迫对绿豆幼苗叶片DNA损伤的复合效应

研究了0·4W/m2UV-B辐射和0·4%NaCl胁迫对两绿豆品种中绿_1和秦豆-20(PhaseolusraditusL.cv.Zhongl櫣-1andQindou-20)幼苗叶片DNA损伤的复合效应。结果表明:(1)中绿-1抗UV-B辐射和NaCl胁迫的能力均强于秦豆-20;NaCl胁迫能降低中绿-1UV-B敏感性,但对秦豆-20UV-B敏感性无明显影响。(2)两逆境因子单独胁迫或复合胁迫下DNA增色效应均明显降低,但中绿-1降低程度小于秦豆-20,复合胁迫下降低程度小于单独NaCl胁迫下。(3)UV-B辐射诱导的中绿-1DNA链内环丁烷嘧啶二聚体(CPD)累积量明显低于秦豆-20;NaCl胁迫能降低UV-B诱导的中绿-1CPD累积,而对UV-B诱导的秦豆-20CPD累积无影响。(4)各种胁迫处理均导致两品种幼苗DNA含量降低,但两品种间相比中绿-1降低程度较大。结果说明UV-B辐射不仅能诱导DNA链内交联形成CPD,而且能诱导DNA链间交联和DNA含量降低,且不同绿豆品种或同一品种在有无NaCl胁迫时UV-B敏感性的差异主要与CPD累积量和DNA链间交联程度有关。     

甜菜碱对NaCl胁迫下小麦细胞保护酶活性的影响

本文以小麦为材料,研究甜菜碱对ＮａＣｌ胁迫下小麦幼苗细胞保护酶系统的影响。结果表明,外源甜菜碱能够提高ＮａＣｌ胁迫下小麦幼苗超氧化物歧化酶、过氧化物酶等细胞保护酶的活性,抑制过氧化作用产物丙二醛的积累,降低叶片质膜透性和盐害对细胞膜的伤害。所有这些变化都有利于提高ＮａＣｌ胁迫下小麦幼苗细胞膜的稳定性、完整性和对ＮａＣｌ胁迫的适应性     

Different strategies of Lotus japonicus, L. corniculatus and L. tenuis to deal with complete submergence at seedling stage

Two main strategies allow plants to deal with submergence: (i) escape from below water by means of shoot elongation, or (ii) remaining quiescent under the water until water subsides and then resume growth. We investigated these strategies in seedlings of Lotus japonicus, L. corniculatus and L. tenuis subjected to control and submergence for 12 days, with a subsequent 30-day recovery period. All three species survived submergence but used different strategies. Submerged seedlings of L. japonicus exhibited an escape strategy (emerging from water) as a result of preferential carbon allocation towards shoot mass and lengthening, in detriment to root growth. In contrast, seedlings of L. corniculatus and L. tenuis became quiescent, with no biomass accumulation, no new unfolding of leaves and no shoot elongation. Upon de-submergence, seedlings of L. japonicus had the lowest recovery growth (a biomass and shoot height 58% and 40% less than controls, respectively), L. corniculatus was intermediate and L. tenuis showed the greatest recovery growth. Previously submerged seedlings of L. tenuis did not differ from their controls, either in final shoot biomass or shoot height. Thus, for the studied species, quiescence appears to be an adequate strategy for tolerance of short-term (i.e., 12 days) complete submergence, being consistent with field observations of L. tenuis colonisation of flood-prone environments.