Effect of three Zn2+ concentrations, i.e. 0.075 (cl), 7.50 (c2) and 37.5 (c3) jiM, on rice seedlings was studied at three stages, i.e. 1, 14 and 21 d after transplantation. Typical deficiency symptoms were observed in both solution and sand cultures of cl and c2, but the effects were more pronounced in the solution culture. The c3 concentration was toxic. There was marked reduction in growth, chlorophyll (Chl) contents (particularly Chl b), Hill reaction activity, photophosphorylation rate (particularly non-cyclic photophosphorylation), thylakoid phosphorylation, and i'‘C02-fixation at the cl concentration. However, a similar reduction was also observed in thylakoid phosphorylation at the c3 concentration. Hence the optimum zinc concentration in the nutrient medium lied between c2 and c3 Zn2+. By regression the theoretical optimum Zn concentration was calculated as 19.20 pM (1.28 mg kg'i) Zn2+. Partitioning of ^'^C-photosynthates indicated reduced allocation to sugar and starch fractions and increased fřee amino acids concentration at the cl concentration and vice-versa at c2 and c3.
Activity of glycollate oxidase (GO) was inhibited by allantoin in spinách leaves after vacuum infiltration. The GO activity was inhibited by 60.1 % at 1.5 mM allantoin. The activity of catalase was inhibited by allantoin too, both in vitro and in vivo experiments, and accumulation of H2O2 inhibited the GO activity. Mercaptoethanol decreased the inhibitoiy effects induced by allantoin and protected the GO activity. As to the mechanism of the inhibitory elfect, it is possible tiiat allantoin inhibited GO indirectly through its inhibitory eťfect on catalase and subsequent H2O2 accumulation in spinách leaves. This, in tum, oxidized essential sulfhydryl group(s) on GO and inhibited its activity.
The aim of this paper is to evaluate whether policy reforms in Austria between 2003 and 2005 were successful in meeting redistributive objectives and in reducing poverty. The authors use the tax/benefit micro-simulation model EUROMOD for this analysis. In the period under review the 2004-2005 tax reform was introduced and contributions to health insurance were raised. On the benefit side no major changes took place, the main family benefits were not even indexed to inflation. The authors find that the measures had no significant impact on poverty and income distribution. However, in total they increased the disposable income of almost all groups of the population.
Walnut (Juglans regia L.) plantlets were incubated during micropropagation in standard vessels (quasi confmed vessels) or in aerated vessels flushed with 360 or 20 000 cm^(C02) under irradiances of 70 (LI) and 250 (HI) pmol m"^ s'*. Plantlet morphology was strongly affected by the environment; leaf surface was increased, but shoot elongation and number of stems were reduced after increasing the irradiance of culture. Gross photosynthesis (Pq) capacity measured by using the •®02 isotope and mass-spectrometry techniques was increased by increasing photosynthetic photon flux (PPF) and CO2 concentration. Plantlets exhibited a potential for photorespiratory activity and Mehler-type reaction and a high rate of mitochondrial respiration in all vessel types and irradiances. When a long-term HI was applied, gas exchange rates (Pq and O2 uptake) were reduced in most of the vessel and PPF conditions, except in quasi confmed vessels. Under all the growth conditions, net photosynthetic rate (P^) was zero or slightly positive and the dry matter accumulation was very similar. Changes in O2 exchange, growth rate or enzyme activities linked to carbon fixation that were induced by changes in PFD and CO2 concentration showed that the photosynthetic characteristics of plantlets were typical for hetero-mixotrophic tissues.
The role of microtubules in the secretory processes in the tegument of adult trematode Fasciola hepatica L. is studied by estimating the effects of colchicine, a substance known to disrupt microtubules, on the number of T2 vesicles. Tissue slices of Ihe worm are incubated in Hedon-Fleig medium with or without 5 x 10'4M colchicine. The dynamics of the colchicine-provoked secretory block is examined by morphometry on samples processed for electron microscopy. T2 vesicles are estimated as a total number or separately within three levels (apical, sub-apical and central) of the distal tegument. The secretory block is demonstrated as reduction in the total number of T2 vesicles. The separate counting within three levels of the distal tegument demonstrates in control samples a trend of sub-apical condensation of T2 vesicles. This pattern of T2 distribution remains unchanged in colchicine-treated samples in spite of the reduction of the mean T2 counts within each of the levels examined. The data illustrate the role of microtubules in both the tegumental transport of secretory vesicles and the stratification of the organelles within the tegument.
Changes in various parameters of room temperature chlorophyll fluorescence were found during cold acciimation at 2.5 of Brassica napiis L, var. oleifera plants. At the beginning of cold stress the non-radiative energy dissipation was enhanced, and afterwards, the photochemistry was affected. After prolonged cold acciimation the fiill recovery of photochemical activity was observed when the plants had been transferred to higher temperature (20/15 oC) for several days.
Greenhouse experiments showed that the preemergence herbicide fluchloralin ušed at recommended level inhibited the activities of nitiite reductase, net photosynthetic rate and DCPIP photoreduction but did not cause appreciable reduction in nitráte reductase activity. Prolonged treatment of groundnut cv. TMV-2 with fluchloralin resulted in accumulation of nitrite in leaves whereas statistically significant changes were not found in leaf crude protein and chlorophyll contents and growth of plants during different stages of growth.
A method of simultaneous recording of the intensity changes in several delayed luminescence (DL) components was ušed to study the effects of HgCl2 on electron transport reaction in intact algal cells. At a low concentration (1 pM), the reagent partially inhibited the electron transport between the acceptors and Qg of photosystem 2 (PS 2), whereas at high concentrations (100 pM) the reagent affected mainly the donor side of PS 2.
The four Fabaceae species of different chilling tolerance (Pisum sativum L., Glycine max. Merr., Phaseolus vulgaris L. and Vigna unguiculata L.) were subjected to simulated bad weather periods at the beginning of the growth season. The treatment parameters were 14 d at constant 10 “C, 100 pmol m-2 s"*, 80 % relative humidity within a 12 h photoperiod. During chilling and subsequent recovery, photosynthesis, chlorophyll fluorescence and assimilate concentrations, as well as ribulose-1,5- bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase (RuBPCO) activity were followed. Despite the observation that no significant photoinhibition had been induced by the treatment, French beán and cowpea showed a strong decrease of photosynthetic capacity within the first week. Diuring chilling, soybean, French beán and cowpea virtually did not grow fiirther, but acciunulated large amounts of starch, in contrast to pea. Specific activity of RuBPCO (Mg2+- and HC03'-activated) was not altered significantly by the chilling treatment. Yet in French beán a generál protein breakdovm occurred in the second week. At the same time, a very strong decrease of qp was obtained in this species, indicating a breakdown of the electron transport. Pea and soybean were not negatively afifected by the long-term chilling.
Wheat plants were cultivated in a growth chamber at normál (35 Pa, C35 plants) and enhanced (70 Pa, C70 plants) CO2 partial pressure. In C35 plants the net photosynthetic rate (P^) of flag leaves and the concentrations of saccharides such as sucrose, glucose, fructose and starch were increased. The C70 plants possessed higher chlorophyll (Chl) a and Chl b contents. The CO2 response of Pn at saturating photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) was very similar for both variants. At the highest CO2 concentration saccharides accumulated in both variants as a consequence of decreased export rate. The response of to ^t saturating CO2 concentrations was similar in the two variants. On the other hand, the response of water vapour pressure conductance (gH2o) to PAR in C35 plants followed a hyperbolic response to PAR, while in the Cjq plants it was linearly related to PAR up to the mean PAR ušed for growth. In this variant ^^20 seemed to change parallelly to changes in the mesophyll demand for CO2 caused by PAR.