Salt stress is one of the most critical factors hindering the growth and development of plants. Paclobutrazol (PBZ) is widely used to minimize this problem in agriculture because it can induce salt stress tolerance in plants. This study investigated the effects of PBZ on salt tolerance of seedlings from two Chinese bayberry cultivars (i.e., Wangdao and Shenhong). Plants were treated with three salt concentrations (0, 0.2, and 0.4 % NaCl) and two PBZ concentrations (0 and 2.0 μmol L-1). Application of PBZ increased a relative water content, proline content, chlorophyll (a+b) content, and antioxidant enzyme activities in both cultivars, resulting in a better acclimation to salt stress and an increase in dry matter production. We concluded that PBZ ameliorated the negative effects of salt stress in Chinese bayberry seedlings., Y. Hu, W. Yu, T. Liu, M. Shafi, L. Song, X. Du, X. Huang, Y. Yue, J. Wu., and Obsahuje bibliografii
In this paper simulated rainfall experiments in laboratory were conducted to quantify the effects of patchy distributed Artemisia capillaris on spatial and temporal variations of the Darcy-Weisbach friction coefficient (f). Different intensities of 60, 90, 120, and 150 mm h-1 were applied on a bare plot (CK) and four different patched patterns: a checkerboard pattern (CP), a banded pattern perpendicular to slope direction (BP), a single long strip parallel to slope direction (LP), and a pattern with small patches distributed like the letter ‘X’ (XP). Each plot underwent two sets of experiments, intact plant and root plots (the above-ground parts were removed). Results showed that mean f for A. capillaris patterned treatments was 1.25-13.0 times of that for CK. BP, CP, and XP performed more effectively than LP in increasing hydraulic roughness. The removal of grass shoots significantly reduced f. A negative relationship was found between mean f for the bare plot and rainfall intensity, whereas for grass patterned plots fr (mean f in patterned plots divided by that for CK) increased exponentially with rainfall intensity. The f -Re relation was best fitted by a power function. Soil erosion rate can be well described using f by a power-law relationship.
Several studies have found the photosynthetic integration in clonal plants to response to resource heterogeneity, while little is known how it responses to heterogeneity of UV-B radiation. In this study, the effects of heterogeneous UV-B radiation (280-315 nm) on gas exchange and chlorophyll fluorescence of a clonal plant Trifolium repens were evaluated. Pairs of connected and severed ramets of the stoloniferous herb T. repens were grown under the homogeneity (both of ramets received only natural background radiation, ca. 0.6 kJ m-2 d-1) and heterogeneity of UV-B radiation (one of the ramet received only natural background radiation and the other was exposed to supplemental UV-B radiation, 2.54 kJ m-2 d-1) for seven days. Stomatal conductance (g s), intercellular CO2 concentration (Ci) and transpiration rate (E) showed no significant differences in connected and severed ramets under homogenous and heterogeneous UV-B radiation, however, net photosynthetic rate (PN) and maximum photosynthetic rate (Pmax) of ramets suffered from supplemental increased UV-B radiation and that of its connected sister ramet decreased significantly. Moreover, additive UV-B radiation resulted in a notable decrease of the minimal fluorescence of dark-adapted state (F0), the electron transport rate (ETR) and photochemical quenching coefficient (qP) and an increase of nonphotochemical quenching (NPQ) under supplemental UV-B radiation, while physiological connection reverse the results. In all, UV-B stressed ramets could benefit from unstressed ramets by physiological integration in photosynthetic efficiency, and clonal plants are able to optimize the efficiency to maintain their presence in less favourable sites. and Q. Li ... [et al.].
In leaves of field-grown grapevine, the contents of chlorophyll, carotenoids, and soluble proteins and the activities of ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase (RuBPC) and nitrate (NR) and nitrite (NiR) reductases were decreased in phytoplasma-infected leaves, but the contents of soluble sugars and total saccharides were markedly increased. In isolated thylakoids, phytoplasma caused marked inhibition of whole chain and photosystem 2 (PS2) activities. The artificial exogenous electron donor, diphenyl carbazide, significantly restored the loss of PS2 activity in infected leaves. and M. Bertamini, N. Nedunchezhian.
The contents of chlorophyll (Chl), leaf biomass, and soluble proteins were markedly decreased in phytoplasma infected apple leaves. Similar results were also observed for ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase, 14CO2 fixation, and nitrate reductase activity. In contrast, the contents of sugars, starch, amino acids, and total saccharides were significantly increased in phytoplasma infected leaves. In isolated chloroplasts, phytoplasma infection caused marked inhibition of whole photosynthetic electron chain and photosystem 2 (PS2) activity. The artificial exogenous electron donor, diphenyl carbazide, significantly restored the loss of PS2 activity in infected leaves. Similar results were obtained when Fv/Fm was evaluated by in vivo Chl a fluorescence kinetic measurements. and M. Bertamini ... [et al.].
Pioglitazone (PIO) is a thiazolidindione antidiabetic agent which improves insulin sensitivity and reduces blood glucose in experimental animals and treated patients. At the cellular level the actions of PIO in diabetic heart are poorly understood. A previous study has demonstrated shortened action potential duration and inhibition of a variety of transmembrane currents including L-type Ca2+ current in normal canine ventricular myocytes. The effects of PIO on shortening and calcium transport in ventricular myocytes from the Goto-Kakizaki (GK) type 2 diabetic rat have been investigated. 10 min exposure to PIO (0.1-10 μM) reduced the amplitude of shortening to similar extents in ventricular myocytes from GK and control rats. 1 μM PIO reduced the amplitude of the Ca2+ transients to similar extents in ventricular myocytes from GK and control rats. Caffeine-induced Ca2+ release from the sarcoplasmic reticulum and recovery of Ca2+ transients following application of caffeine and myofilament sensitivity to Ca2+ were not significantly altered in ventricular myocytes from GK and control rats. Amplitude of L-type Ca2+ current was not significantly decreased in myocytes from GK compared to control rats and by PIO treatment. The negative inotropic effects of PIO may be attributed to a reduction in the amplitude of the Ca2+ transient however, the mechanisms remain to be resolved., K. A. Salem, V. Sydorenko, M. Qureshi, M. Oz, F. C. Howarth., and Seznam literatury
The effects of pleuran, ß-1,3 glucan isolated from Pleurotus ostreatus, were studied in a model of acute colitis induced by intracolonic administration of acetic acid. There was a reduction of the colonic damage score, colonic wet weight and wet/dry weight ratio 48 h after single luminal 2 % pleuran suspension pretreatment. Similar results were obtained after repeated intraperitoneal administration of pleuran in doses of 30 and 100 mg/kg. Pleuran given orally as a 10 % food component over 4 weeks was effective in reducing the extent of mucosal damage, but did not prevent the increase of myeloperoxidase in the injured colonic segment. In the segment without macroscopic evidence of inflammation, myeloperoxidase activity was significantly lower as documented by histological examination. The results indicate a possible role of this immunomodulator in the treatment of ulcerative colitis., V. Nosáľová, P. Bobek, S. Černá, Š. Galbavý, S. Štvrtina., and Obsahuje bibliografii
The effects of postharvest pretreatments on vase life, keeping quality and carbohydrate concentrations in cut sweet pea (Lathyrus odoratus L.) flowers were investigated. Compared to the control, all treatments promoted floret quality and extended longevity. The cut flowers held in the solution containing sucrose + 8-hydroxyquinoline (Suc+HQS) was more effective in promoting absorption rate, achieved greater maximum fresh mass, had better water balance for a longer period, extended the vase life (up to 17 d), and delayed degradation of chlorophylls. The same treatment also enhanced the concentration of soluble carbohydrates in the petals and stems and leaf chlorophyll (Chl) content, whereas it was lowest in silver thiosulphate (STS) treatment. However, concentrations of anthocyanin in the petals were higher for treatment with sucrose or STS plus sucrose than in control or STS alone treatments. Our results suggest that pulse treatment with HQS plus sucrose for 12 h is the most effective for improving pigmentation and use as a commercial cut flower preservative solution to delay flower senescence, enhance quality, and prolong the vase life of sweet pea. The results also showed that soluble carbohydrate concentration in petals and stems is an important factor in determining the vase life of sweet pea flowers., K. M. Elhindi., and Obsahuje bibliografii
Photosynthetic responses of potato (Solanum tuberosum L. cv. Chunzao) were examined during potato virus Y (PVYNTN) infection. PVYNTN infection significantly reduced net photosynthetic rate and stomatal conductance, but had little influence on intercellular CO2 concentration. As the disease developed, the maximum carboxylation velocity of ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase and the maximum electron transport rate contributing to ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate regeneration gradually decreased, followed by substantial reductions in the relative quantum efficiency of photosystem 2 (PS2) electron transport, the efficiency of excitation energy capture by open PS2 reaction centres, and photochemical quenching, but not in sustained photoinhibition. Thus PVYNTN depressed photosynthesis mainly by interfering with the enzymatic processes in the Calvin cycle which resulted in a down-regulation of electron transport. and Y. H. Zhou ... [et al.].
Vojtěch Bartoš, Michal Bauer, Julie Chytilová, Ian Levely., Obsahuje bibliografii a bibliografické odkazy, Anglické resumé, and On-line verze: Appendix v rozsahu str. 41-62.