Somatic embryogenesis from ovaries, developing ovules and immature zygotic embryos, and improved embryo development of Castanea sativa

U. Sauer, E. Wilhelm

Biologia plantarum 49:1-6, 2005 | DOI: 10.1007/s10535-005-1006-5

Somatic embryogenesis of European chestnut (Castanea sativa Mill.) was obtained using juvenile tissue cultured on P24 medium with 5 μM 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid plus 0.5 μM 6-benzylaminopurine (BA) for three weeks and then cultured on 0.89 μM BA. Induction frequency with ovaries ranged from 2.0 to 19.1 % and was observed in tissue collected 2 to 8 weeks postanthesis, ovules used as a starting tissue gained 0.8 to 7.8 %, 3 to 9 weeks postanthesis. Zygotic embryos collected 5 to 10 weeks postanthesis formed 10.5 to 57.1 % somatic embryos, respectively. The culture lines were maintained via secondary embryogenesis on P24 medium...

High irradiance can minimize the negative effect of exogenous sucrose on the photosynthetic capacity of in vitro grown coconut plantlets

G. Fuentes, C. Talavera, Y. Desjardins, J. M. Santamaria

Biologia plantarum 49:7-15, 2005 | DOI: 10.1007/s10535-005-7015-6

There is increasing evidence that the sucrose normally added to the culture medium affects negatively the photosynthetic capacity of plantlets. At the same time, however, sucrose cannot be eliminated from the medium, as it is required for normal in vitro growth. We argue that this is true only under the conventional light conditions of growth-rooms. In the present paper irradiance of growth-rooms was increased 10 times and although the sucrose-inhibitory effect was found at high sucrose concentrations, it was possible to grow coconut (Cocos nucifera L.) plantlets without sucrose. Those plantlets showed both high photosynthetic capacity...

Book review

M. Ondřej

Biologia plantarum 49:16, 2005 | DOI: 10.1007/s10535-005-6016-9

Development of adventitious shoots from in vitro grown Cydonia oblonga leaves as influenced by different cytokinins and treatment duration

C. D'Onofrio, S. Morini

Biologia plantarum 49:17-21, 2005 | DOI: 10.1007/s10535-005-7021-8

The effects of three cytokinins, kinetin 4.5 μM (Kin), 6-benzylaminopurine 4.5 μM (BA) and N-phenyl-N'1,2,3- thiadiazol-5-yl-urea 4.5 μM (TDZ), and the effects of different treatment duration on the regeneration of adventitious shoots from quince (Cydonia oblonga Mill.) leaves were studied. In a first experiment, leaves treated with Kin for 0, 8, 16 and 24 d were transferred to BA or TDZ-containing growth medium. In a second experiment TDZ applied for 0, 4, 8, 12, 16 and 24 d was followed by BA. All treatments included 0.5 μM α -naphthaleneacetic acid (NAA). In the sequence Kin-BA, the production of adventitious shoots decreased...

Book review

J. Čatský

Biologia plantarum 49:22, 2005 | DOI: 10.1007/s10535-005-2022-1

Microspore development during in vitro androgenesis in triticale

J. M. González, N. Jouve

Biologia plantarum 49:23-28, 2005 | DOI: 10.1007/s10535-005-3028-4

Microspore division was monitored in three triticale (× Triticosecale Wittmack) genotypes over 21 d of in vitro anther culture, on two media differing in their 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid content. After low temperature (4 °C) pre-treatment for two weeks, all the microspores were still alive, but they began to die from day one of culture. Both genotype and culture medium affected the number of microspores that aborted over time (82 - 97 % by day 21), the number of microspores that underwent the first symmetrical division (> 82 % over all), the number of microspores that attained four or more nuclei, and the number of divisions per...

Direct somatic embryogenesis and plant regeneration from ray florets of chrysanthemum

A. K. A. Mandal, S. K. Datta

Biologia plantarum 49:29-33, 2005 | DOI: 10.1007/s10535-005-0033-6

Direct somatic embryogenesis from ray floret explants of five chrysanthemum cultivars has been obtained within 12 - 15 d on Murashige and Skoog medium supplemented with 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D) and 6-benzyladenine (BA). Scanning electron microscopic observation also confirmed the direct origin of somatic embryos from explants. Somatic embryos developed asynchronously on the adaxial surface of explants. Among the five cultivars tested, Birbal Sahani was best responding (40 % explants responded on 4 mg dm^-3 2,4-D and 2 mg dm^-3 BA supplemented medium). Precocious germination of somatic embryos was noticed on the same...

Book review

I. Prášil

Biologia plantarum 49:34, 2005 | DOI: 10.1007/s10535-005-4034-2

Somatic embryogenesis in Chenopodium rubrum and Chenopodium murale in vitro

S. Milivojević, A. Mitrović, Lj. Ćulafić

Biologia plantarum 49:35-39, 2005 | DOI: 10.1007/s00000-005-5039-5

In order to establish an efficient system for in vitro plant regeneration of a short day plant Chenopodium rubrum L. and a long day plant Chenopodium murale L., optimum culture conditions for somatic embryogenesis were investigated. The effects of different growth regulators, their combination and their concentrations on somatic embryos induction in different explant types (root, hypocotyl, cotyledon and leaf) were tested. Somatic embryogenesis was induced in both plants on Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium supplemented with sucrose (3 %), agar (0.7 %) and 1 - 10 μM 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D) as the sole growth regulator....

Book review

V. Motyka

Biologia plantarum 49:40, 2005 | DOI: 10.1007/s10535-005-0040-7

In vitro culture of Feronia limonia (L.) Swingle from hypocotyl and internodal explants

L. V. Hiregoudar, H. G. Ashok Kumar, H. N. Murthy

Biologia plantarum 49:41-45, 2005 | DOI: 10.1007/s10535-005-1045-y

The hypocotyl and internodal segments from in vitro grown seedlings of Feronia limonia (L.) Swingle (wood apple) were cultivated on Murashige and Skoog's (1962, MS) medium supplemented with N⁶-benzyladenine (BA) or adenine (ADE) or kinetin (KN) at 0.5 to 5 µM. The optimum response was recorded on the medium containing 2 µM BA. An average of 12 and 8 shoots were developed from hypocotyl and internodal explants, respectively, after eight weeks of culture. The shoots were excised, and the residual explants were transferred to fresh medium where again they developed shoots. Up to three such passages resulted in the...

Book review

J. Gloser

Biologia plantarum 49:46, 2005 | DOI: 10.1007/s10535-005-6046-3

Phylogenetic relationships among annual and perennial species of the genus Cicer as inferred from ITS sequences of nuclear ribosomal DNA

M. Frediani, P. Caputo

Biologia plantarum 49:47-52, 2005 | DOI: 10.1007/s10535-005-7052-1

The cladistic analysis of the DNA sequences of the internal transcribed spacers of ribosomal cistrons (ITS1 and ITS2) for 20 species of Cicer L. (among which all the annuals), shows that various sections of the genus are not monophyletic. Annual species do not form a clade: C. arietinum, in fact, is closely related to both C. echinospermum and C. reticulatum, whereas C. bijugum, C. judaicum, and C. pinnatifidum form a separate clade. The annual C. cuneatum is sister group to the perennial C. canariense and both are archaic species within the genus. C. yamashitae is, on the contrary, the...

Influence of different co-cultivation temperatures, periods and media on Agrobacterium tumefaciens-mediated gene transfer

S. Uranbey, C. S. Sevimay, M. D. Kaya, A. İpek, C. Sancak, D. Başalma, C. Er, S. Özcan

Biologia plantarum 49:53-57, 2005 | DOI: 10.1007/s10535-005-3057-z

Tobacco leaf disc explants were inoculated with Agrobacterum tumefaciens strain GV2260 carrying p35S GUS-INT to determine the influence of different co-cultivation temperatures (18 - 26 °C), periods (24 - 96 h) and media (solid and liquid) on transformation efficiency. Kanamycin-resistant shoots developed on leaf discs inoculated with Agrobacterium after 4 weeks of culture initiation. Regenerated shoots were excised and rooted in the basal medium supplemented with 100 mg dm ^-3 kanamycin and 250 mg dm ^-3 augmentin. The rooted plantlets were finally transferred to compost and confirmed by GUS assay and PCR analysis....

Book review

J. Pospíšilová

Biologia plantarum 49:58, 2005 | DOI: 10.1007/s10535-005-8058-4

L-myo-inositol-1-phosphate synthase: partial purification and characterisation from Gleichenia glauca

D. R. Chettri, M. Choudhuri, A. K. Mukherjee, J. Adhikari

Biologia plantarum 49:59-63, 2005 | DOI: 10.1007/s10535-005-0063-0

A screening for the enzyme L-myo-inositol-1-phosphate synthase [EC 5.5.1.4] has been made first time in both vegetative and reproductive parts of the representative members of pteridophytes: Lycopodium, Selaginella, Equisetum, Polypodium, Dryopteris, and Gleichenia. The enzyme has been partially purified following low-speed centrifugation, streptomycin sulphate precipitation, ammonium sulphate fractionation, chromatography on DEAE-cellulose and gel-filtration through Sephadex G-200, and characterised from the reproductive pinnules of Gleichenia glauca Smith. The enzyme has a pH optimum at 7.5. The K_m for...

Development of freezing tolerance in different altitudinal ecotypes of Salix paraplesia

C. Li, N. Wu, S. Liu

Biologia plantarum 49:65-71, 2005 | DOI: 10.1007/s10535-005-5071-6

Salix paraplesia was used as an experimental model to investigate the effect of short day photoperiod (SD) and low temperature (LT) on development of freezing tolerance and on endogenous abscisic acid (ABA) contents. We characterized differences in SD and LT-induced cold acclimation in three ecotypes from different altitudes. The results demonstrated that cold acclimation could be triggered by exposing the plants to SD or LT alone, and that a combination of the different treatments had an additive effect on freezing tolerance in all ecotypes studied. However, the high altitudinal ecotype was more responsive to SD and LT than the low altitudinal...

Photosynthetic light-use by three bromeliads originating from shaded sites (Ananas ananassoides, Ananas comosus cv. Panare) and exposed sites (Pitcairnia pruinosa) in the medium Orinoco basin, Venezuela

P. Keller, U. Lüttge

Biologia plantarum 49:73-79, 2005 | DOI: 10.1007/s10535-005-3079-6

Three Bromeliaceae species of the medium Orinoco basin, Venezuela, were compared in their light-use characteristics. The bromeliads studied were two species of pineapple, i.e. the wild species Ananas ananassoides originating from the floor of covered moist forest, and the primitive cultivar Panare of Ananas comosus mostly cultivated in semi-shaded palm swamps, and Pitcairnia pruinosa, a species abundant in highly sun exposed sites on rock outcrops. Ananas species are Crassulacean acid metabolism (CAM) plants, P. pruinosa is C₃ plant. Plants were grown at low daily irradiance (LL = 1.3 mol...

Responses of antioxidative system to chilling stress in two rice cultivars differing in sensitivity

M. Huang, Z. Guo

Biologia plantarum 49:81-84, 2005 | DOI: 10.1007/s00000-005-1084-3

The responses of antioxidative system of rice to chilling were investigated in a tolerant cultivar, Xiangnuo-1, and a susceptible cultivar, IR-50. The electrolyte leakage and malondialdehyde content of Xiangnuo-1 were little affected by chilling treatment but those of IR-50 increased. Activities of suoperoxide dismutase, catalase, ascorbate peroxidase and glutathione reductase, and ascorbic acid content of Xiangnuo-1 were remained high, while those of IR-50 decreased under chilling. The results indicated that higher activities of defense enzymes and higher content of antioxidant under stress were associated with tolerance to chilling.

Differences in antioxidant activity in response to salinity stress in tolerant and susceptible wheat genotypes

R. K. Sairam, G. C. Srivastava, S. Agarwal, R. C. Meena

Biologia plantarum 49:85-91, 2005 | DOI: 10.1007/s10535-005-5091-2

Effects of long-term sodium chloride salinity (100 and 200 mM NaCl; ECe = 6.85 and 12.3 dS m^-1) were studied in tolerant (Kharchia 65, KRL 19) and susceptible (HD 2009, HD 2687) wheat genotypes. NaCl decreased relative water content (RWC), chlorophyll content (Chl), membrane stability index (MSI) and ascorbic acid (AA) content, and increased the contents of hydrogen peroxide, thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS), and activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), ascorbate peroxidase (APOX) and glutathione reductase (GR). Kharchia 65 showed lowest decline in RWC, Chl, MSI and AA content, lowest increase in H₂O₂...

The effect of NaCl on antioxidant enzyme activities in potato seedlings

H. Rahnama, H. Ebrahimzadeh

Biologia plantarum 49:93-97, 2005 | DOI: 10.1007/s10535-005-3097-4

The effect of NaCl on the growth and activity of antioxidant enzymes such as superoxide dismutase (SOD), peroxidase (POD), catalase (CAT) and ascorbate peroxidase (APX) were investigated in the seedlings of four potato cultivars (Agria, Kennebec; relatively salt tolerant, Diamant and Ajax; relatively salt sensitive). The shoot fresh mass of Agria and Kennebec did not changed at 50 mM NaCl, whereas in Diamant and Ajax it decreased to 50 % of that in the controls. In Agria and Kennebec, SOD activity increased at 50 mM NaCl, but no significant changes observed in Diamant and Ajax. At higher NaCl concentration, SOD activity reduced in all cultivars. CAT...

Nitrogen nutrition of rice plants under salinity

E. M. Abdelgadir, M. Oka, H. Fujiyama

Biologia plantarum 49:99-104, 2005 | DOI: 10.1007/s10535-005-0104-8

Two rice (Oryza sativa L.) cultivars, Koshihikari and Pokkali, were grown in solution culture at three concentrations of NaCl or Na₂SO₄ [0 (S0), 50 (S1), and 100 (S2) mmol dm^-3] and three N contents [0.7 (N1), 7 (N2) and 14 (N3) mmol dm^-3]. Salinity significantly decreased dry matter of both cultivars. Pokkali had better growth than Koshihikari under both saline and non-saline conditions. Applications of N enhanced development of shoot dry mass under S0 and S1 treatments up to N2. Under S2, N application had no effect on shoot dry mass of both cultivars. Root dry mass of both cultivars decreased with...

Structure and development of the secretory cavities of Myrtus communis leaves

D. Kalachanis, G. K. Psaras

Biologia plantarum 49:105-110, 2005 | DOI: 10.1007/s00000-005-5110-2

The structure and development of Myrtus communis L. secretory cavities has been studied in young and expanded leaves, using light and scanning electron microscope. Secretory cavities are continuously formed during leaf development, but in mature leaves the rhythm of their appearance shows steep decrease. Each secretory cavity is developed from a single epidermal cell, which undergoes a periclinal division followed by anticlinal and several oblique cell divisions. The lumen of the secretory cavity is initiated by cell wall separation, i.e., schizogenously. The secretory cells line the cavity, where the secreted material is collected. Secretory...

Leaf construction cost in Avicennia germinans as affected by salinity under field conditions

N. Suárez

Biologia plantarum 49:111-116, 2005 | DOI: 10.1007/s10535-005-1116-0

This study assessed the effects of salinity and drought upon leaf construction (CC) and maintenance (MC) costs in Avicennia germinans growing under contrasting soil salinities in the field. Additionally, an analysis of leaf chemical composition was carried out to determine the underlying reasons for possible variation in CC. With the increase of external salinity, leaf osmotic potential (ψ_s) declined and a significant negative correlation was found between both variables. Changes in average CC were about 15 % when ψ_s changed by 85 %. Despite this, leaf ash-free heat of combustion per unit of leaf dry mass remained...

Inhibitory effects of flavonoids on alternative respiration of plant mitochondria

H. Shimoji, H. Yamasaki

Biologia plantarum 49:117-119, 2005 | DOI: 10.1007/s10535-005-7119-z

Inhibitory effects of flavonoids on plant alternative respiration were investigated using isolated mitochondria of Vigna radiata seedlings. The antioxidant flavonoids quercetin and myricetin effectively inhibited alternative respiration. We suggest that radical scavenging activity is involved in the inhibitory mechanism.

Nickel hyperaccumulation in shoot cultures of Alyssum markgrafii

B. Vinterhalter, D. Vinterhalter

Biologia plantarum 49:121-124, 2005 | DOI: 10.1007/s00000-005-1124-z

Shoot cultures of Alyssum markgrafii O.E. Shulz, endemic nickel hyperaccumulating species of central Balkan, were established and maintained on Murashige and Skoog medium supplemented with 0.2 mg dm^-3 benzyladenine (BA). Nickel in form of NiCl₂ . 6 H₂O was supplemented at 22 different concentrations ranging from 0.0001 to 15 mM but none of them was lethal to cultures. High Ni²⁺ concentrations (10 mM or more) arrested shoot growth which, upon transfer to Ni-free medium, commenced via axillary bud proliferation. Shoots that developed from axillary buds through the subculture manifested increased...

Characterisation of Chinese elite cultivars and genetic resources of chestnut by AFLP

J. Ovesná, L. Kučera, L.J. Jiang, D. Vagnerová

Biologia plantarum 49:125-127, 2005 | DOI: 10.1007/s10535-005-5127-7

We selected a informative set of twelve amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP) primer pairs suitable for evaluation of Chinese chestnut (Castanea mollissima Blume) genotypes. Cluster analysis based on 198 polymorphic AFLP amplified by these 12 primer pairs clearly divided investigated genotypes according to their place of origin. We showed, that genetic basis of modern genotypes is narrow also in the case of this species.

In vitro regeneration of Perilla frutescens from hypocotyl and cotyledon explants

S. W. Hou, J. F. Jia

Biologia plantarum 49:129-132, 2005 | DOI: 10.1007/s10535-005-0132-4

Organogenetic buds were induced from hypocotyl and cotyledon explants of oil crop Perilla frutescens in Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium supplemented with 5.7 μM indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) and 8.9 - 13.3 μM 6-benzylaminopurine (BA). Shoots were rooted on MS medium with 2.9 μM IAA and 1.4 μM gibberellic acid (GA3) and the regenerated plants flowered and set seeds normally.

Effects of competition and N and P supply on carbon isotope discrimination and ¹⁵N-natural abundance in four grassland species

J. T. Tsialtas, M. T. Kassioumi, D. S. Veresoglou

Biologia plantarum 49:133-136, 2005 | DOI: 10.1007/s10535-005-3136-1

The effect of interspecific competition and element additions (N and P) on four grassland species (Poa pratensis, Lolium perenne, Festuca valida, Taraxacum officinale) grown under field conditions was studied. Two grasses (L. perenne, F. valida) grown in monoculture (absence of competition) showed lower carbon isotope discrimination (Δ¹³C) and enriched δ¹⁵N values. Nitrogen addition (as urea) had inconsistent effects on species Δ¹³C while caused enrichment of δ¹⁵N of P. pratensis and F. valida but strong depletion of δ¹⁵N of T. officinale....

Induction of a novel boiling stable protein in response to desiccation and ABA treatments in Sesbania sesban var. bicolor leaves

R. S. Purty, V. Agrawal, S. C. Gupta

Biologia plantarum 49:137-140, 2005 | DOI: 10.1007/s00000-005-7140-1

Several polypeptides were induced in leaves of Sesbania sesban var. bicolor under water stress (desiccation). Among them, the SDS-PAGE resolved a few high molecular mass polypeptides along with one major of 66 kDa. After boiling the total protein fraction, some low molecular mass polypeptides (10 - 30 kDa) as well as the one of 66 kDa remained stable. The latter (66 kDa) polypeptide is also regulated by exogenous application of ABA, indicating its significant role in adaptation of sesban to drought.

Effects of salt stress on the reproductive biology of the halophyte Plantago crassifolia

M. Boscaiu, E. Estrelles, P. Soriano, O. Vicente

Biologia plantarum 49:141-143, 2005 | DOI: 10.1007/s10535-005-1143-x

Floral phenology, pollen quality and seed set of Plantago crassifolia plants, grown in the presence of increasing NaCl concentrations, were studied to test how this Mediterranean halophyte responded to salt stress during the reproductive phase of its life cycle. "Reproductive success" was maximal in plants grown in non-saline conditions, or in the presence of 100 mM NaCl, but it was negatively affected by higher salinities, due to a progressive reduction of pollen fertility, seed set, and seed viability.

Influence of short-term osmotic stress on the photosynthetic activity of barley seedlings

K. V. Kocheva, M. C. Busheva, G. I. Georgiev, P. H. Lambrev, V. N. Goltsev

Biologia plantarum 49:145-148, 2005 | DOI: 10.1007/s10535-005-5148-2

Oxygen evolution and chlorophyll a fluorescence transients of two barley (Hordeum vulgare L) cultivars subjected to polyethylene glycol induced osmotic stress was examined. The relative water content of the plants was used as a measure of their water status. The results suggested that although dehydration was considerable, photosystem 2 was weakly affected by the osmotic treatment.

Indexing and production of virus-free chrysanthemums

R. Ram, N. Verma, A. K. Singh, L. Singh, V. Hallan, A. A. Zaidi

Biologia plantarum 49:149-152, 2005 | DOI: 10.1007/s10535-005-0152-0

Chrysanthemum morifolium cv. Regol Time plants were found to be infected with Chrysanthemum B carlavirus (CVB). They were made CVB-free by using meristem tip culture, chemotherapy and thermotherapy. The plants were indexed by biological assay, double antibody sandwitch enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (DAS-ELISA) and reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). The maximum number of virus-free plants (26.7 %, as indexed by RT-PCR) was obtained with 2-thiouracil at 0.04 g dm^-3 concentration. Only 12 % plants were found to be virus-free, after being kept at 38 °C for 30 d. For indexing CVB in chrysanthemums, RT-PCR...

Water stress-induced oxidative damage and antioxidant responses in micropropagated banana plantlets

T. -T. Chai, N. M. Fadzillah, M. Kusnan, M. Mahmood

Biologia plantarum 49:153-156, 2005 | DOI: 10.1007/s00000-005-3156-9

Oxidative injury and antioxidant responses were investigated in two banana genotypes (Musa AAA 'Berangan' and Musa AA 'Mas') subjected to 40 % PEG-induced water stress. PEG treatment resulted in oxidative injury, as expressed in increased lipid peroxidation and reduced membrane stability index, in both cultivars; however, greater oxidative injury was detected in 'Mas'. Under PEG treatment, catalase activity and glutathione reductase activity were enhanced in both cultivars, but were higher in 'Mas'. Ascorbate peroxidase activity was enhanced in 'Berangan' under water stress, but was unaffected in 'Mas'. Meanwhile, superoxide dismutase...

Salt tolerance of two aquatic macrophytes, Pistia stratiotes and Salvinia molesta

R. K. Upadhyay, S. K. Panda

Biologia plantarum 49:157-159, 2005 | DOI: 10.1007/s10535-005-7159-4

The physiological responses to NaCl salinity were investigated in two floating aquatic macrophytes, Pistia stratiotes L. and Salvinia molesta L. With the increasing NaCl concentration a decrease in chlorophyll and carotenoid contents was recorded in Salvinia as compared to Pistia. Also a greater increase in H₂O₂ accumulation and lipid peroxidation was observed in the shoot and root tissues of Salvinia as compared to Pistia. The superoxide dismutase, glutathione reductase, catalase and guaiacol peroxidase activities, and ascorbate and glutathione contents increased in Salvinia and...