Search results for "botany"
showing 10 items of 4586 documents
Development of methods using phytoalexin (resveratrol) assessment as a selection criterion to screen grapevine in vitro cultures for resistance to gr…
1995
The purpose of this research was, firstly to determine the ability of grapevine in vitro cultures to synthesize resveratrol, a stilbene-type phytoalexin that is considered to be a good marker for resistance of grapevines to Botrytis cinerea, the causal organism for grey mould. Secondly, this study sought to establish the relationship between phytoalexin production potential and resistance to Botrytis cinerea in grapevines. In this aim, resveratrol production was assessed in 13 Vitis species or cultivars. A good correlation appeared between resveratrol production by grapevine in vitro cultures and grey mould resistance except for two Vitis spp. for which no correlation was observed, thus sug…
Relationships among soil characteristics, plant macronutrients, and cardenolide accumulation in natural populations of Digitalis obscura
2005
In the present study, we have investigated relationships among several soil parameters (pH, organic matter, total carbonate, macronutrients, electrical conductivity, cation-exchange capacity) and macronutrient and cardenolide contents in leaves of wild Digitalis obscura plants. Young and mature leaves and soil samples were collected in ten different areas, corresponding to three Mediterranean bioclimatic belts (thermo-, meso-, and supramediterranean belts). Soil and leaf macronutrient (N, P, K, Ca, and Mg) contents and leaf cardenolide contents were determined. Bioclimatic conditions influenced the development of D. obscura, biomass being lowest in plant populations of the supramediterranea…
Inhibitory Action of Glufosinate on Photosynthesis
1993
Glufosinate (phosphinothricin) irreversibly blocks the glutamine synthetase which subsequently gives rise to an accumulation of ammonium and to a strong decrease in some amino acids, especially glutamine and glutamate. Under atmospheric conditions (400 ppm CO2, 21% O2) glufosinate causes a rapid inhibition of photosynthesis, too. H ow ever, under non-photo respiratory conditions (1000 ppm CO2, 2% O2) only a slight inhibition of photosynthesis occurs with glufosinate. Since under both conditions an accumulation of ammonium occurs, it is concluded that inhibition of photosynthesis is not induced by the higher concentrations of ammonium. The results rather suggest that the absence of amino don…
Studies on the diurnal courses of the contents of abscisic acid, 1-aminocyclopropane carboxylic acid and its malonyl conjugate in needles of damaged …
1993
Summary The diurnal courses of the contents of 1-aminocyclopropane carboxylic acid (ACC), its malonyl conjugate (MACC) and abscisic acid (ABA) in the two-year-old needles of damaged and undamaged spruce trees (Picea abies L.) were investigated. The contents of ACC and MACC were significantly higher in the needles of the damaged trees as compared with the undamaged ones. In the needles of the damaged spruce trees, the ACC and MACC contents, and ABA contents as well, fluctuated to a greater extent than those in the undamaged spruce trees during the day. The relationships between ACC-ABA and MACC-ACC contents as well are also discussed.
Characterization of the Proteinases Present in Germinating Seeds of Scots Pine, Pinus sylvestris
1978
Methods were developed to determine proteinase activity in germinating seeds of Scots pine. The assays were based on the liberation of TCA-soluble peptides from haemoglobin at pH 3.7 and from casein at pH 5.4 and pH 7.0; the reaction products were determined by the Lowry method. — Endosperms separated from seeds at the time of rapid storage protein mobilization (seedling length between 20 and 50 mm) showed high proteinase activities in all three assays. Experiments with different inhibitors suggested that at least four enzymes were involved. One of the enzymes resembled mammalian and microbial pepsin-like acid proteinases: the pH optimum was 3.7 and the enzyme was inhibited by pepstatin.—Th…
Effects of Gibberellic Acid on Morphogenesis and Cardenolide Accumulation in Juvenile and Adult Digitalis obscura Cultures
1993
Summary Effects of gibberellic acid on morphogenesis and cardenolide accumulation in in vitro cultures of Digitalis obscura are reported. Cultures were established from hypocotyls or leaves of axenic seedlings and shoot tips of mature plants. Irrespective of the kind of explant, gibberellic acid by itself did not induce morphogenesis but modified those morphogenic responses promoted by auxins and/or cytokinins, always inhibited organogenesis and favoured both embryo formation and conversion into plants. Gibberellic acid did not significantly affect cardenolide content of plants regenerated from juvenile or mature D. obscura explants.
Localization and Activity of Naphthylamidases in Germinating Seeds of Scots Pine, Pinus sylvestris
1976
Extracts prepared from endosperms of germinating seeds of Scots pine, Pinus sylvestris L., rapidly hydrolysed the β-naphthylamides of L-phenylalanine and L-leucine optimally at pH 6.5 and that of L-arginine at pH 7.7. Disc electrophoresis followed by activity staining showed that the activities were due to two naphthylamidases (aminopeptidases) with different substrate specificities. Seeds were allowed to germinate at 20°C on agar gel in the dark and the activities on the three substrates were assayed from separated endosperms and seedlings at various stages of germination. The activities in the endosperm of resting seeds were relatively high and they remained unchanged throughout the perio…
The Effect of Light on the Growth of Pea Plants and the Subsequent Influence in Shikimate Oxidoreductase (EC 1.1.1.25) Activity
1981
Summary Pea plants were cultured in white light, red and far red light, and in the dark during a period of three weeks. At several states of development we investigated the activity of the enzyme shikimate oxidoreductase, the amount of fresh and dry matter, and the contents of protein in stem, leaves, cotyledons, and roots. The enzyme activity was found to be distributed organ-specifically and uninfluenced by the phytochrome system, but it was significantly depressed in plants grown in the dark compared to plants grown in white light. Enzyme activity occurred also in non photosynthetic plants. Regarding the different light conditions the activity of shikimate oxidoreductase was found to cor…
GLYCOSIDES FROM LINARIA VULGARIS MILL
2008
A new flavonol glycoside, 5,4′-dimethylkaempferol 3-O-β-D-(6′′-α-Lrhamnopyranosyl) -glucopyranoside, together with three known compounds were isolated from the n-butanolic soluble fraction of underground and aerial parts of Linaria vulgaris Mill, collected on the territory of Moldova. The characterisation of these compounds was achieved by various chromatographic and spectroscopic methods (IR, UV, 13C-NMR, 1H-NMR and MS).
Cardenolides of Digitalis obscura: The effect of phosphate and manganese on growth and productivity of shoot-tip cultures
1997
Abstract Cardenolide composition of leaves from wild and micropropagated elite plants of Digitalis obscura (genotype T4) has been investigated and no qualitative differences were found among their major cardenolides (series A). All of the detected glycosides belong to the digitoxose-type cardenolides. Genins represented less than 2% of the overall content, while lanatoside A was the predominant cardenolide ( ca. 65%) in all samples. The cardenolide yield of micropropagated D. obscura plants depended on the age and development of the cultures, but productivity of long-term cultures (2 years) was quite similar to that of the parent plant. Changes in the concentrations of phosphate or manganes…