Basra, A.S. (ed.): Handbook of Seed Science and Technology

L. Moravcová

Biologia plantarum 51:466, 2007 | DOI: 10.1007/s10535-007-0097-6

Campbell, A., Anderson, W.W, Jones, E.W. (ed.): Annual Review of Genetics. Volume 40

T. Gichner

Biologia plantarum 51:479, 2007 | DOI: 10.1007/s10535-007-0100-2

Francis, C.A., Poincelot, R.P., Bird, G.W. (ed.): Developing and Extending Sustainable Agriculture. A New Social Contract

L. Nátr

Biologia plantarum 51:487, 2007 | DOI: 10.1007/s10535-007-0102-0

Dutta Gupta, S., Ibaraki, Y. (ed.): Plant Tissue Culture Engineering

J. Pospíšilová

Biologia plantarum 51:506, 2007 | DOI: 10.1007/s10535-007-0106-9

Raman, S.: Agricultural Sustainability. Principles, Processes, and Prospects

L. Nátr

Biologia plantarum 51:513, 2007 | DOI: 10.1007/s10535-007-0108-7

Khan, J.A., Dijkstra, J. (ed.): Handbook of Plant Virology

M. Šindelářová

Biologia plantarum 51:529, 2007 | DOI: 10.1007/s10535-007-0113-x

Van Alfen, N.K., Bruening, G., Dawson, W.O. (ed.): Annual Review of Phytopathology. Vol. 44

M. Šindelářová

Biologia plantarum 51:555, 2007 | DOI: 10.1007/s10535-007-0120-y

Wojtkowski, P.A.: Introduction to Agroecology: Principles and Practices

J. Pulkrábek, I. Capouchová

Biologia plantarum 51:596, 2007 | DOI: 10.1007/s10535-007-0131-8

Somatic embryogenesis and plant regeneration of Abelmoschus esculentus through suspension culture

M. Ganesan, R. Chandrasekar, B. D. Ranjitha Kumari, N. Jayabalan

Biologia plantarum 51:414-420, 2007 | DOI: 10.1007/s10535-007-0090-0

A simple and reliable protocol for regeneration of okra through somatic embryogenesis from suspension cultures has been developed. Embryogenic callus was obtained from hypocotyl explants cultured on media with Murashige and Skoog (MS) salts, Gamborg (B5) vitamins, 2.0 mg dm^-3 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D), 1.0 mg dm^-3 naphthaleneacetic acid (NAA), 25 mg dm^-3 polyvinylpyrrolidone and 30 g dm^-3 sucrose. More number and high frequency of healthy embryoids appeared individually in suspension culture containing MS salts, B5 vitamins, 2.0 mg dm^-3 2,4-D and 1.0 mg dm^-3 kinetin. Formation...

Structural and chemical study of callus formation from leaves of Rubia tinctorum

N. Orbán, I. Boldizsár, K. Bóka

Biologia plantarum 51:421-429, 2007 | DOI: 10.1007/s10535-007-0091-z

Dedifferentiation was monitored in Rubia tinctorum L. leaves over a 14-d period after callus induction using transmission electron microscope (TEM), high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), spectroscopy and thin layer chromatography (TLC). Photosynthetic pigment loss of leaves took 3-5 d coinciding with the first period of anthraquinone accumulation. Callus cells were discernible in the region of the vascular bundles and wounded edges of leaves after 10-14 d. Characteristic ultrastructural alterations were manifested in vacuolization, appearance of mitochondria, amount of smooth endoplasmatic reticulum and cytoplasm, caryolympha density...

Effects of mutagens on somatic embryogenesis and plant regeneration in groundnut

A. Muthusamy, K. Vasanth, D. Sivasankari, B. R. Chandrasekar, N. Jayabalan

Biologia plantarum 51:430-435, 2007 | DOI: 10.1007/s10535-007-0092-y

The embryogenic calli (EC) were obtained from hypocotyl explants of groundnut (Arachis hypogaea L.) cultured on Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium supplemented with different concentrations of 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D) in combination with 0.5 mg dm^-3 6-benzylaminopurine (BAP). The EC were exposed to γ-radiation (10-50 Gy) or treated with 1-5 mM of ethyl methane sulphonate (EMS) or sodium azide (SA). The mutated EC were subcultured on embryo induction medium containing 20 mg dm^-3 2,4-D. Somatic embryos (SE) developed from these calli were transferred to MS medium supplemented with BAP (2.0 mg dm^-3)...

Identification of two phenotypes of Arabidopsis thaliana under in vitro salt stress conditions

K. B. Ruiz Carrasco, R. Baroni Fornasiero, A. Tassoni, N. Bagni

Biologia plantarum 51:436-442, 2007 | DOI: 10.1007/s10535-007-0093-x

This study describes two phenotypes of Arabidopsis thaliana (ecotype Columbia) developed in vitro under salt stress (75 mM NaCl). The phenotypes 01 and 02 appeared visibly distinguishable by rosette morphology and competence to produce flowers. Phenotype 01, sensible to salt stress, accumulated high quantities of Na⁺, showed a slight reduction in dry mass, and high protein and chlorophyll contents. Moreover, its anatomy exhibited some xeromorphic traits. Phenotype 02, clearly salt tolerant, showed a morphology similar to control plants, displaying typical phyllotactic rosette and flowering stalk production. Accumulation of...

Induction of foci of phosphorylated H2AX histones and premature chromosome condensation after DNA damage in Vicia faba root meristem

D. Rybaczek, J. Maszewski

Biologia plantarum 51:443-450, 2007 | DOI: 10.1007/s10535-007-0094-9

Immunocytochemical analysis using antibody raised against human H2AX histones phosphorylated at serine 139 (γ-H2AX) demonstrates that root meristem cells of Vicia faba exposed to UV-radiation or incubated with hydroxyurea (HU) reveal discrete foci at the border of the nucleolus and perinucleolar chromatin or scattered over the whole area of cell nucleus. Western blots detected only one protein band at the position expected for the phosphorylated form of H2AX. The dose-effect relationship was demonstrated following treatment with 2.5 and 10 mM HU. Proteins extracted from root meristems incubated for 2 h either with HU and caffeine or with...

Genetic differentiation of Vigna species by RAPD, URP and SSR markers

H. K. Dikshit, T. Jhang, N. K. Singh, K. R. Koundal, K. C. Bansal, N. Chandra, J. L. Tickoo, T. R. Sharma

Biologia plantarum 51:451-457, 2007 | DOI: 10.1007/s10535-007-0095-8

Seventy genotypes belonging to 7 wild and cultivated Vigna species were genetically differentiated using randomly amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD), universal rice primer (URP) and simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers. We identified RAPD marker, OPG13 which produced a species-specific fingerprint profile. This primer characterized all the Vigna species uniquely suggesting an insight for their co-evolution, domestication and interspecific relationship. The cluster analysis of combined data set of all the markers resulted in five major groups. Most of the genotypes belonging to cultivated species formed a specific group whereas all the wild...

cDNA cloning, expression, protein purification, and characterization of a novel glyoxal oxidase related gene from Vitis pseudoreticulata

B. J. Zhou, X. P. Wang, Y. J. Wang

Biologia plantarum 51:458-466, 2007 | DOI: 10.1007/s10535-007-0096-7

To study the defense mechanism of the resistance to the disease of Chinese wild Vitis species and offer powerful bases for the molecular breeding of highly disease-resistant grape cultivars, using mRNA differential display reverse transcript-PCR (DDRT-PCR) and RACE, a full-length cDNA was isolated from Chinese wild Vitis pseudoreticulata clone Baihe-35-1 inoculated with Uncinula necator by pressing infected leaves under natural field conditions. The cDNA designated as GLOXrg is 1708 bp in length with an open reading frame of 1572 bp encoding 523 amino acids, containing the conserved domain, glyoxaloxid N domain (pfam07250). No...

Hepatitis B surface antigen expression in NT-1 cells of tobacco using different expression cassettes

G. B. Sunil Kumar, T. R. Ganapathi, L. Srinivas, C. J. Revathi, V. A. Bapat

Biologia plantarum 51:467-471, 2007 | DOI: 10.1007/s10535-007-0098-5

Nicotiana tabacum 1 (NT-1) cells were transformed with four different expression cassettes of hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg). The transformed nature of the cells was confirmed by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). The expression levels were assayed by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The expressivities varied among the different cassettes and the maximum expression of 16.6 ng g^-1(f.m.) of cells was noted in pEFEHER transformed cells. Salicylic acid (100 µM) treatment resulted in 1.8 fold increase of expression in pEFEHBS transformed cells. The effect of different concentrations of kanamycin and geneticin was studied...

Cell death induced by sodium nitroprusside and hydrogen peroxide in tobacco BY-2 cell suspension

J. Víteček, A. Wünschová, J. Petřek, V. Adam, R. Kizek, L. Havel

Biologia plantarum 51:472-479, 2007 | DOI: 10.1007/s10535-007-0099-4

The interplay between nitric oxide (NO) and reactive oxygen species can lead to an induction of cell death in plants. The aim of our work was to find out if cyanide released from sodium nitroprusside (SNP; a donor of NO) could be involved in the cell death induction, which is triggered by SNP and H₂O₂. Cell suspension of Nicotiana tabacum L. (line BY-2) was treated with 0.5 mM SNP, 0.5 mM potassium ferricyanide (PFC; analogue of sodium nitroprusside which can not release NO) and/or by 0.5 mM glucose with 0.5 U cm^-3 glucose oxidase (GGO; a donor system of H₂O₂). The cell death was induced...

Exogenous 4-hydroxybenzoic acid and salicylic acid modulate the effect of short-term drought and freezing stress on wheat plants

E. Horváth, M. Pál, G. Szalai, E. Páldi, T. Janda

Biologia plantarum 51:480-487, 2007 | DOI: 10.1007/s10535-007-0101-1

Exogenous salicylic acid has been shown to confer tolerance against biotic and abiotic stresses. In the present work the ability of its analogue, 4-hydroxybenzoic acid to increase abiotic stress tolerance was demonstrated: it improved the drought tolerance of the winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) cv. Cheyenne and the freezing tolerance of the spring wheat cv. Chinese Spring. Salicylic acid, however, reduced the freezing tolerance of Cheyenne and the drought tolerance of Chinese Spring, in spite of an increase in the guaiacol peroxidase and ascorbate peroxidase activity. The induction of cross tolerance between drought and freezing stress was...

Comparison of tolerance of Brassica juncea and Vigna radiata to cadmium

E. Šimonová, M. Henselová, E. Masarovičová, J. Kohanová

Biologia plantarum 51:488-492, 2007 | DOI: 10.1007/s10535-007-0103-z

The effect of different cadmium concentrations (6-120 µM) on Hill reaction activity (HRA) of isolated chloroplasts, contents of chlorophylls (Chls) and carotenoids (Cars), and Cd uptake and accumulation in plant organs of Indian mustard (Brassica juncea L. cv. Vitasso) and mung bean [Vigna radiata (L.) Wilczek] were determined. The Cd stress inhibited photochemical activity of isolated chloroplasts of both species and in both tested developmental stages. On the basis of EC₅₀ values, the mung bean showed a higher sensitivity to Cd treatment than Indian mustard. The higher sensitivity of both species was determined in the...

Protective effect of ascorbic acid and glutathione on AlCl₃-inhibited growth of rice roots

J.-W. Wang, C. H. Kao

Biologia plantarum 51:493-500, 2007 | DOI: 10.1007/s10535-007-0104-y

The effect of AlCl₃ on the antioxidant system of rice roots and the role of applied antioxidants ascorbic acid (AsA) and glutathione (GSH) in AlCl₃-inhibited growth of rice roots were investigated. AlCl₃ treatment resulted in a rapid inhibition of root growth but had no effect on lipid peroxidation and antioxidative enzyme activities in rice roots. AlCl₃ treatment resulted in lower content of H₂O₂, AsA, and GSH than in controls. Exogenous AsA or GSH counteracted growth inhibition of rice roots induced by AlCl₃. AlCl₃ treatment increased syringaldazine peroxidase...

Regrowth dynamics of Calamagrostis epigejos after defoliation as affected by nitrogen availability

V. Gloser, M. Košvancová, J. Gloser

Biologia plantarum 51:501-506, 2007 | DOI: 10.1007/s10535-007-0105-x

Young plants of a rhizomatous grass Calamagrostis epigejos (L.) Roth were grown from seed in nutrient solutions containing nitrogen in concentrations 0.1, 1.0, and 10 mM. After six weeks of cultivation the plants were defoliated and changes in growth parameters and in content of storage compounds were measured in the course of regrowth under highly reduced nitrogen availability. Plants grown at higher nitrogen supply before defoliation had higher amount of all types of nitrogen storage compounds (nitrates, free amino acids, soluble proteins), which was beneficial for their regrowth rate, in spite of lower content of storage saccharides. Amino...

Chitinase isozymes induced by TYMV and Leptosphaeria maculans during compatible and incompatible interaction with Brassica napus

B. Profotová, L. Burketová, O. Valentová

Biologia plantarum 51:507-513, 2007 | DOI: 10.1007/s10535-007-0107-8

Accumulation of extracellular chitinases in Brassica napus plants infected with Turnip yellow mosaic virus (TYMV) and fungal pathogen Leptosphaeria maculans was studied in both compatible and incompatible interaction. Analysis of apoplast fluid by means of non-denaturing anodic and cathodic PAGE followed by in-gel detection of chitinase activity revealed a number of chitinase isozymes. TYMV induced 8 acidic and 4 basic isozymes in a systemic way. Except for one acidic and one basic isozyme, all other chitinases were also constitutively present in low amounts in mock inoculated control. In TYMV systemically infected plants, chitinases...

Leaf senescence and activities of the antioxidant enzymes

D. Procházková, N. Wilhelmová

Biologia plantarum 51:401-406, 2007 | DOI: 10.1007/s10535-007-0088-7

Senescence is a genetically regulated process that involves decomposition of cellular structures and distribution of the products of this degradation to other plant parts. Reactions involving reactive oxygen species are the intrinsic features of these processes and their role in senescence is suggested. The malfunction of protection against destruction induced by reactive oxygen species could be the starting point of senescence. This article reviews biochemical changes during senescence in relation to reactive oxygen species and changes in antioxidant protection.

Some aspects of cellulose biosynthesis

D. Finaev

Biologia plantarum 51:407-413, 2007 | DOI: 10.1007/s10535-007-0089-6

The paper is focused on two groups of proteins inevitably important for cellulose biosynthesis in vascular plants. These are cellulose synthases and chitinase-like proteins. Cellulose synthases have been the subject of much research, and current conceptions and recent findings are reviewed in this paper. Severe effects of mutations and expression analysis have recently shown that chitinase-like proteins are crucial components of cellulose biosynthesis. However, understanding of their precise function is missed. Further research is to be prompted by an effective idea on it. I propose that chitinase-like proteins could play a role in the assembly of...

Histological analysis of somatic embryogenesis and adventitious shoot formation from root explants of Centaurium erythreae Gillib

A. Subotić, D. Grubišić

Biologia plantarum 51:514-516, 2007 | DOI: 10.1007/s10535-007-0109-6

Direct somatic embryogenesis and adventitious shoot formation were successfully achieved from root explants of Centaurium erythrea Gillib. cultured on Murashige and Skoog medium with half-strength macronutrients, full-strength micronutrients and vitamins, 3 % sucrose, 0.7 % agar, 100 mg dm^-3 myo-inositol and without growth regulators. Histological studies revealed that somatic embryos were formed directly from epidermal cells and adventitious buds were developed from meristematic cells in root cortex tissues. Somatic embryos as well as adventitious shoots developed into whole plantlets.

Post-transcriptional gene silencing is involved in resistance of transgenic papayas to papaya ringspot virus

P. Ruanjan, S. Kertbundit, M. Juříček

Biologia plantarum 51:517-520, 2007 | DOI: 10.1007/s10535-007-0110-0

Transgenic papayas carrying the papaya ringspot virus coat protein gene were inoculated with Papaya ringspot virus. Infection was monitored by evaluating symptoms and by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). Among eight tested transgenic lines, clone G2 was found highly resistant to virus infection during 3 years of testing. Further analysis of this clone revealed complex multicopy transgene insertion with aberrant copies. The suspected post transcriptional gene silencing was confirmed by siRNA detection. While the R0 generation of G2 transgenic papaya was found to be fully resistant to the infection, Papaya ringspot virus...

Direct plant regeneration from cucumber embryonal axis

A. Vasudevan, N. Selvaraj, A. Ganapathi, C. W. Choi, M. Manickavasagam, S. Kasthurirengan

Biologia plantarum 51:521-524, 2007 | DOI: 10.1007/s10535-007-0111-z

Embryonal axis explants from 2-d-old in vitro germinated seeds were used to induce multiple shoot production. The combination of 4.44 µM BA and 1.59 µM NAA in MS medium triggered the initiation of adventitious shoot buds. The explants with shoot buds produced maximum number of shoots (10.6 per explant) in MS medium supplemented with 4.44 µM BA and 0.065 mM L-glutamine in three successive transfers. The elongated shoots were rooted on MS medium with 4.92 µM IBA. Rooted plants were transferred to soil with a survival rate of 65 %.

High frequency in vitro propagation of Holarrhena antidysenterica from nodal buds of mature tree

K. Mallikarjuna, G. Rajendrudu

Biologia plantarum 51:525-529, 2007 | DOI: 10.1007/s10535-007-0112-y

An in vitro method for propagation of Holarrhena antidysenterica Wall. has been developed using nodal explants from mature trees growing in the field. Irrespective of concentrations and combinations of growth regulators used, the axillary and terminal buds sprouted and elongated when inoculated on Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium. The highest numbers of shoots were formed when sprouted shoots were subcultured from MS basal medium onto MS medium containing 2 mg dm^-3 N⁶-benzyladenine (BA) and 0.5 mg dm^-3 α-naphthalene acetic acid (NAA). The shoot number further increased upon subculture on MS medium...

Changes in free polyamines and gene expression during peach flower development

J. H. Liu, T. Moriguchi

Biologia plantarum 51:530-532, 2007 | DOI: 10.1007/s10535-007-0114-9

Free polyamine contents and expressions of five genes encoding for polyamine biosynthetic enzymes were investigated at four different stages during peach (Prunus persica L. Batsch cv. Akatsuki) flower development. Fresh mass of peach flowers increased, accompanied by reduction in contents of total polyamines and putrescine/spermidine ratio due to decrease in putrescine content. Spermidine, the largest fraction, and spermine, the least part, underwent minor change. Expressions of the five key genes involved in polyamine biosynthesis during flower development did not parallel the changes in free polyamines.

Plant regeneration from Gossypium davidsonii protoplasts via somatic embryogenesis

X. Yang, X. Guo, X. Zhang, Y. Nie, S. Jin

Biologia plantarum 51:533-537, 2007 | DOI: 10.1007/s10535-007-0115-8

Protoplasts isolated from wild cotton Gossypium davidsonii were cultured in KM₈P medium supplemented with different phytohormones. The most effective combination was 0.45 µM 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid, 2.68 µM α-naphthaleneacetic acid and 0.93 µM kinetin and the division percentage at the 8^th day was 30.78 ± 3.04 %. The density of protoplasts at 2-10 × 10⁵ cm^-3 was suitable for protoplast division and calli formation, with a division percentage of 32.21 ± 3.64 % and a plating efficiency of 9.12 ± 2.61 % at the 40^th day. The optimal osmotic...

A modified low copy number binary vector pUN for Agrobacterium-mediated plant transformation

E. Vaculková, J. Moravčíková, I. Matušíková, M. Bauer, J. Libantová

Biologia plantarum 51:538-540, 2007 | DOI: 10.1007/s10535-007-0116-7

A modified low copy number plant binary vector pUN has been constructed and successfully used to clone unstable DNA sequences. The vector pUN comprises of low copy number, broad host range RK2 replicon from pBin19 and of multiple cloning site (MCS) and T-DNA region, both from a pBINPLUS-derived pLV06 vector. The absence of the ColE1 replicon in the backbone of the binary vector significantly contributed to stability of hardly clonable DNA sequences and enabled their transfer into the tobacco plants through Agrobacterium-mediated transformation.

Establishment of an Agrobacterium-mediated transformation system for Fortunella crassifolia

L. Yang, C.-J. Xu, G.-B. Hu, K.-S. Chen

Biologia plantarum 51:541-545, 2007 | DOI: 10.1007/s10535-007-0117-6

Epicotyl segments of kumquat (Fortunella crassifolia Swingle cv. Jindan) were transformed with Agrobacterium tumefaciens GV3101 harboring neomycin phosphotransferase gene (npt II) containing plant expression vectors. Firstly, the explants were cultured in darkness at 25 °C on kanamycin free shoot regeneration medium (SRM) for 3 d, and then on SRM supplemented with 25 mg dm^-3 kanamycin and 300 mg dm^-3 cefotaxime for 20 d. Finally, they were subcultured to fresh SRM containing 50 mg dm^-3 kanamycin monthly and grown under 16-h photoperiod. Sixty five kanamycin resistant shoots were regenerated from...

Cadmium mitigates ultraviolet-B stress in Anabaena doliolum: Enzymatic and non-enzymatic antioxidants

P. Bhargava, N. Atri, A. K. Srivastava, L. C. Rai

Biologia plantarum 51:546-550, 2007 | DOI: 10.1007/s10535-007-0118-5

Impact of ultraviolet-B (UV-B) and Cd, applied individually and in combination, measured in terms of oxygen-evolution, chlorophyll (Chl) and protein contents, lipid peroxidation, and enzymatic and non-enzymatic antioxidants of Anabaena doliolum, revealed a greater oxidative damage induced by UV-B than by Cd. While superoxide dismutase (SOD) showed a greater stimulation by UV-B than Cd, the activities of catalase (CAT) and glutathione reductase (GR) declined after UV-B treatment. Cd treatment, however, enhanced the activities of ascorbate peroxidase (APX) and GR. CAT activity increased at low but decreased at high dose of Cd. Increase in carotenoid...

Application of fluorimetric analysis of plant esterases to study of programmed cell death and effects of cadmium(II) ions

J. Víteček, J. Petrlová, J. Petřek, V. Adam, L. Havel, K. J. Kramer, R. Kizek

Biologia plantarum 51:551-555, 2007 | DOI: 10.1007/s10535-007-0119-4

Esterases (EC 3.1.1.x) represent a diverse group of hydrolases catalyzing the cleavage and formation of carboxyl ester bonds. Their connection with development has made them a suitable marker of development in plants. In the present work, we focused on the fluorimetric determination of the plant esterases in plant cell cultures (tobacco BY-2 cells and early somatic embryos of Norway spruce, clone 2/32) with respect to application the method for the study of programmed cell death and the influence of cadmium(II) ions on the plant cells. The programmed cell death has been triggered by sodium nitroprusside and glucose oxidase. The determination of the...

Genome size stability in six medicinal plant species propagated in vitro

E. Sliwinska, B. Thiem

Biologia plantarum 51:556-558, 2007 | DOI: 10.1007/s10535-007-0121-x

DNA content was estimated by flow cytometry in seedlings and in vitro clones of six species: Oenothera paradoxa, Inula verbascifolia ssp. aschersoniana, Rubus chamaemorus, Solidago virgaurea, S. graminifolia and Pueraria lobata. With the exception of P. lobata, there was no difference in genome sizes between seedlings and in vitro cultured plants from any species, indicative that they maintain their genetic stability during in vitro culture. This confirms the usefulness of tissue culture for production of certified plant material to obtain herbal medicines.

Photosynthesis and nutrient composition of spinach and fenugreek grown under elevated carbon dioxide concentration

V. Jain, M. Pal, A. Raj, S. Khetarpal

Biologia plantarum 51:559-562, 2007 | DOI: 10.1007/s10535-007-0122-9

The effect of elevated carbon dioxide concentration on the changes in the biomass, photosynthesis and nutrient composition was investigated in two leafy vegetables. Spinach (Spinacia oleracea L.) and fenugreek (Trigonella foenum-graecum L.) plants were grown in open top chambers under either ambient (ACO₂, 350 ± 50 µmol mol^-1) or elevated (ECO₂, 600 ± 50 µmol mol^-1) CO₂ concentration and analyzed 40, 60 and 80 days after exposure. The plants grown in ECO₂ had higher net photosynthetic rate and lower stomatal conductance when compared with the plants...

Responses of Nigella sativa to foliar application of gibberellic acid and kinetin

S. H. Shah, I. Ahmad, Samiullah

Biologia plantarum 51:563-566, 2007 | DOI: 10.1007/s10535-007-0123-8

Foliar sprays of water or 1, 10 and 100 µM aqueous solutions of gibberellic acid (GA₃) or kinetin (KIN) were applied to 40-d-old plants of Nigella sativa (L.) to study their effects on net photosynthetic rate, nitrogen metabolism, and the seed yield. 10 µM solutions of both the hormones, especially GA₃, appreciably increased the activities of nitrate reductase and carbonic anhydrase, chlorophyll and total protein contents and net photosynthetic rate in the leaves, along with capsule number and seed yield plant^-1, at harvest.

Lanthanum relieves salinity-induced oxidative stress in Saussurea involucrata

C.-M. Xu, B. Zhao, X.-D. Wang, Y.-C. Wang

Biologia plantarum 51:567-570, 2007 | DOI: 10.1007/s10535-007-0124-7

Changes in growth, physiological and biochemical characteristics under salt stress with or without La³⁺ treatment in Saussurea involucrata Kar. et Kir. were investigated. The results showed that La³⁺ relieved the plant growth inhibition, improved the leaf water potential and water content, increased the soluble protein and the proline contents and decreased malondialdehyde content under salt stress. Further, addition of La³⁺ significantly increased the activities of superoxide dismutase, ascorbate peroxidase, catalase, and glutathione reductase, decreased the photosynthetic pigment decomposition and increased...

Silicon increases boron tolerance and reduces oxidative damage of wheat grown in soil with excess boron

A. Gunes, A. Inal, E. G. Bagci, S. Coban, O. Sahin

Biologia plantarum 51:571-574, 2007 | DOI: 10.1007/s10535-007-0125-6

The effect of silicon on the growth, boron concentrations, malondialdehyde (MDA) content, lipoxygenase (LOX) activity, proline (PRO) and H₂O₂ accumulation, and the activities of major antioxidant enzymes [superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), and ascorbate peroxidase (APX)] and non-enzymatic antioxidants (AA) of wheat grown in soil originally with toxic B concentrations were investigated. Applied of 5.0 and 10.0 mM Si to the B toxic soil significantly increased Si concentration of the wheat and counteracted the deleterious effects of B on shoot growth. The contents of PRO, H₂O₂, MDA, and LOX activity...

Effects of gibberellic acid and prohexadione-calcium on growth, chlorophyll fluorescence and quality of okra plant

I. Ilias, G. Ouzounidou, A. Giannakoula, P. Papadopoulou

Biologia plantarum 51:575-578, 2007 | DOI: 10.1007/s10535-007-0126-5

The experiment was conducted to identify the response of three cultivars of okra [Abelmoschus esculentus (L.) Moench] to exogenous hormones [gibberellic acid-(GA₃) and prohexadione-Ca] applied as foliar spray. Stem and leaf dry masses and stem length were significantly enhanced by the application of exogenous GA₃, but prohexadione-Ca inhibited growth. Control and prohexadione-Ca treated okra plants took more time to bloom than did GA₃ treated plants. In the fruits of all the cultivars a decrease in fructose content was observed, while protein content remained almost unchanged after the application of the two...

Cytokinin oxidase/dehydrogenase activity as a tool in gibberellic acid/cytokinin cross talk

D. Todorova, I. Vaseva, J. Malbeck, A. Trávníčková, I. Macháčková, E. Karanov

Biologia plantarum 51:579-583, 2007 | DOI: 10.1007/s10535-007-0127-4

Changes in endogenous cytokinin (CK) content and cytokinin oxidase/dehydrogenase activity (CKX) in response to gibberellic acid (GA₃) in two pea cultivars with different life span were assessed. The control leaves of cv. Scinado, which developed faster, had higher initial cytokinin content and lower CKX activity, while opposite trend was observed in cv. Manuela with longer life span. Increased CKX and decreased CK content were detected in leaves of cv. Scinado after treatments with 0.5, 1 and 5 µM GA₃. Changes in CK content and CKX activity in GA₃-treated cv. Manuela leaves were reciprocal to those in cv. Scinado....

Effect of glycinebetaine on function of thylakoid membranes in wheat flag leaves under drought stress

X.-X. Zhao, Q.-Q. Ma, C. Liang, Y. Fang, Y.-Q. Wang, W. Wang

Biologia plantarum 51:584-588, 2007 | DOI: 10.1007/s10535-007-0128-3

Two wheat cultivars, HF9703 (drought tolerant) and SN215953 (drought sensitive) were used to examine the effects of glycinebetaine (GB, 100 mM) on lipid composition and function of thylakoid membranes under drought stress. GB application mitigated negative effect of drought on Ca²⁺-ATPase and Hill reaction activities, chlorophyll content, gas exchange and photosynthesis. These positive effects of GB application maybe, in part, correlated with improving the lipid composition of the thylakoid membranes.

Steady presence of cadmium and nickel affects root anatomy, accumulation and distribution of essential ions in maize seedlings

I. Maksimović, R. Kastori, L. Krstić, J. Luković

Biologia plantarum 51:589-592, 2007 | DOI: 10.1007/s10535-007-0129-2

When growing in the field, plants are exposed to the effect of heavy metals as soon as the seed comes into contact with the soil solution. Therefore, we found important to study the effect of Cd and Ni on maize exposed to these heavy metals since sowing. The aim of this work was to examine which anatomical changes are induced by continuous intoxication of young maize root system with 0.1 mM Cd and Ni, thus modifying its growth and capacity for water and nutrient uptake. Concomitantly, the effect on concentration and distribution of Cd, Ni and some essential ions (Ca, Mg, Zn, Fe, Cu and Mn) was studied.

Photosynthetic gene expression in black willow under various soil moisture regimes

S. Li, S. Goodwin, S. R. Pezeshki

Biologia plantarum 51:593-596, 2007 | DOI: 10.1007/s10535-007-0130-9

This study was the first attempt to extract RNA from black willow (Salix nigra Marshall) that contains numerous secondary products and to examine the photosynthetic gene expression of black willow under a wide range of soil moisture regimes. Black willow cuttings were grown under control, continuous flooding, periodic flooding and periodic drought for 42 d. A modified lithium chloride precipitation method was used for RNA extraction. Results of real-time polymerase chain reaction showed reduced gene expression of oxygen evolving complex, large subunit of ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenasse and ferredoxin on day 7 as well as the...

Responses of the cherry rootstock to salinity in vitro

U. Erturk, N. Sivritepe, C. Yerlikaya, M. Bor, F. Ozdemir, I. Turkan

Biologia plantarum 51:597-600, 2007 | DOI: 10.1007/s10535-007-0132-7

The in vitro response of sweet cherry rootstock Gisela 5 (Prunus cerasus × Prunus canescens) to increasing concentrations of NaCl (0, 50, 100 and 150 mM) in the Murashige and Skoog culture medium was studied. Induced salinity reduced growth and chlorophyll content in shoots but had no effect on water content. The increase in malondialdehyde content indicated that salinity induced oxidative stress which was accompanied with the visible symptoms of salt injury in the shoots. Antioxidant enzymes, such as superoxide dismutase, ascorbate peroxidase, peroxidase, catalase, and glutathione reductase were also significantly elevated. Although...