Half Of Leaf Research Articles

Underestimated chlorophyll a fluorescence measurements on Buxus microphylla red winter leaves

Leaves under stressful conditions usually show downregulated maximum quantum efficiency of photosystem II [inferred from variable to maximum chlorophyll (Chl) a fluorescence (Fv/Fm), usually lower than 0.8], indicating photoinhibition. The usual method to evaluate the degree of photoinhibition in winter red leaves is generally by measuring the Fv/Fm on the red adaxial surface. Two phenotypes of overwintering Buxus microphylla ‘Wintergreen’ red leaves, with different measuring site and leaf thickness, were investigated in order to elucidate how red pigments in the outer leaf layer affected the Chl a fluorescence (Fv/Fm) and photochemical reflectance index. Our results showed that the Fv/Fm measured on leaves with the same red surface, but different leaf thickness, exhibited a slightly lower value in half leaf (separated upper and lower layers of leaves by removing the leaf edge similarly as affected by winter freezing and thawing) than that in the intact leaf (without removing the leaf edge), and the Fv/Fm measured on the red surface was significantly lower than that on the inner or backlighted green surface of the same thickness. Our results suggest that the usual measurement of Fv/Fm on red adaxial surface overestimates the actual degree of photoinhibition compared with that of the whole leaf in the winter.

Increased size of epidermal cells in Syringa josikaea Jacq. smaller leaf side as an adaptive mechanism for reducing its asymmetry

Comparative study of quantitative anatomy of the epidermis in Syringa josikaea Jacq. leaf halves of different width was conducted in order to analyze the possible mechanism of formation of the value of fluctuating leaf asymmetry. A regular decrease in the density of main epidermal cells in the smaller leaf half compared with the bigger one was traced during leaf ontogeny. Stomatal index was equal in different-sized leaf halves. Adaptive response was found in fully formed leaves; it was aimed at reducing leaf blade fluctuating asymmetry by 23% on average and consisted of compensatory growth--further elongation of main epidermal cells in the smaller half of the leaf. It was concluded that the level of fluctuating leaf asymmetry in Hungary lilac is mainly due to a lower rate of cell division, as well as due to their greater elongation in the smaller half of adult leaf compared with the bigger half.

Cyanide-resistant respiratory pathway is involved in the high-light systemic acquired acclimation of kidney bean (Phaseolus vulgaris)

After exposing one half of a low light-adapted kidney bean (Phaseolus vulgaris) leaf to high light, parameters of chlorophyll (Chl) a fluorescence, such as PSII operating efficiency, PSII maximum efficiency under light, and photochemical quenching, decreased in the opposite half of the same leaf, whereas the capacity of the cyanide-resistant respiratory pathway significantly increased. When one half of the low light-adapted leaf was exposed to low light, the opposite half pretreated with 1 mM salicylhydroxamic acid (SHAM, an inhibitor of the cyanide-resistant respiratory pathway) did not exhibit significant changes in the Chl fluorescence values compared with the without SHAM pretreatment. However, after exposing one half of the low light-adapted leaf to high light, the opposite half pretreated with 1 mM SHAM showed lower Chl fluorescence values than that without SHAM pretreatment. Our results indicate that partial exposure of the low light-adapted leaf to high light can impose a systemic stress on the PSII photochemistry. The enhanced capacity of the cyanide-resistant respiratory pathway may be involved in the maintenance of the photosynthetic performance in the leaf tissues experiencing high light-induced systemic stress.

Developmental stability of buckwheat (Fagopyrum esculentum Moench.) after treatment with biostimulants of plants

The treatment of buckwheat with biostimulants Floravit E and Atonic Plus in dilutions 10−2–10−3 and 3 × 10−2, accordingly, had no effect on the stability and development of plants, as one can judge by the fluctuating asymmetry of metrical and meristic traits. Treatment with Atonic Plus led to a reduction of fluctuating asymmetry when control plants had a high value of asymmetry. Floravit E in the dilution 10−1 caused an increase of fluctuating asymmetry of half leaf width. The same effect was observed when growing buck-wheat in a lead-contaminated soil.

Antiphytoviral Activities of Turbinaria Conoides (J. Agardh) Kutzing

Turbinaria conoides (J. Agardh) Kutzing, (Phaeophyceaee) a marine seaweed, abundant in the shores of Kanyakumari, India during the month of April , was tested for activity against Tobacco necrotic virus (TNV). Local lesion method was adopted and half leaf comparisons were made in cotyledonary leaves of Cyamopsis tetragonoloba Taub.(Linn.).Extracts of the experimental algae prepared with water , methanol and toluene: methanol (2:1 v/v) ,were tested for antiviral activity against the plant virus TNV. Various concentrations were tested and the toluene: methanol exhibited good activity at a concentration of 1000 μg/mL and reduced the number of lesion formed by TNV by nearly 64%. These results clearly depict the potential of the algae.

Induce resistance in tomato plants against Tomato Mosaic Virus (ToMV) by Pseudomonas fluorescens

s fluorescens This study was conducted to evaluate the ability of Pseudomona to induce systemic resistance in tomato plants against Tomato mosaic virus (ToMV) infection.Tomato seeds were surface sterilized by sodium hypochlorite (1%).Twenty seeds were soaked in Pseudomonas fluorescens suspension at 5 × 109 CFU/ml for 24 hrs anthor 20 seeds were soaked in( KB)broth for 24 hrs.The treated seeds were sown in plastic pots with 15× 10cm dimension (sterilized with ethanol )containing steril mix soil (2seeds /pot).Also non treated seeds were sown in the same soil for foliage spraying with bacterial suspension. The pots were maintained in muslin protected cages under green house condition.The plants were ToMV- inoculated at 2 primary leaves. The virus multiplication was followed by formation of local lesions on Nicotiana glutinosa .Reuslts showed that treated seeds with bacterial suspension at 5× 109 CFU/ml inhibited ToMVmultiplication by 90.30 %after 15 day of virus inoculation,2 spots were appeared on half leaf Nicotiana glutinosa inoculated by extract from treated plants compared with 26 spots on the half leaf inoculated by extract from infected plants.Similar results were obtained when the plants foliage was sprayed by the bacterial suspension (88.8%inhibition)at 5× 108CFU/ml.

Unrecorded Liverwort species from Korean flora: Alobiellopsis parvifolius (Cephaloziaceae), Calypogeia japonica (Calypogeiaceae), Hattoria yakushimensis (Lophoziaceae), Nardia subclavata (Solenostomataceae)

While preparing a floristic study of Korean hepatics, we discovered the 4 unrecorded species Alobiellopsis parvifolius, Calypogeia japonica, Hattoria yakushimensis and Nardia subclavata. A. parvifolius is often confused with Solenostoma fusiforme (Steph.) Amak. in appearance, but the former differs by occasional presence of underleaves and a large hyaline outer cells of stem. C. japonica is similar to C. tosana (Steph.) Steph. The former, however, is separated from the latter by 2?3 biconcentric oil-bodies per cell compared to 3?5 grape oilbodies per cell. H. yakushimensis is a monotypic genus based on a Japanese species. This genus is characterized by unlobed, closely imbricate leaves with margins distinctly incurved and usually pigmented with a reddish purple color. N. subclavata is similar to N. assamica (Mitt.) Amakawa in large underleaves and globular oil-bodies. The former, however, is separated from the latter by convex trigones versus concave trigones, smooth cuticles versus smooth to verrucose cuticles, and oil-bodies occurring in each cell versus occurring in approximately half or fewer leaf cells.

Brushed permanent magnet DC MLC motor operation in an external magnetic field

Linac-MR systems for real-time image-guided radiotherapy will utilize the multileaf collimators (MLCs) to perform conformal radiotherapy and tumor tracking. The MLCs would be exposed to the external fringe magnetic fields of the linac-MR hybrid systems. Therefore, an experimental investigation of the effect of an external magnetic field on the brushed permanent magnet DC motors used in some MLC systems was performed. The changes in motor speed and current were measured for varying external magnetic field strengths up to 2000 G generated by an EEV electromagnet. These changes in motor characteristics were measured for three orientations of the motor in the external magnetic field, mimicking changes in motor orientations due to installation and/or collimator rotations. In addition, the functionality of the associated magnetic motor encoder was tested. The tested motors are used with the Varian 120 leaf Millennium MLC (Maxon Motor half leaf and full leaf motors) and the Varian 52 leaf MKII MLC (MicroMo Electronics leaf motor) including a carriage motor (MicroMo Electronics). In most cases, the magnetic encoder of the motors failed prior to any damage to the gearbox or the permanent magnet motor itself. This sets an upper limit of the external magnetic field strength on the motor function. The measured limits of the external magnetic fields were found to vary by the motor type. The leaf motor used with a Varian 52 leaf MKII MLC system tolerated up to 450 +/- 10 G. The carriage motor tolerated up to 2000 +/- 10 G field. The motors used with the Varian 120 leaf Millennium MLC system were found to tolerate a maximum of 600 +/- 10 G. The current Varian MLC system motors can be used for real-time image-guided radiotherapy coupled to a linac-MR system, provided the fringe magnetic fields at their locations are below the determined tolerance levels. With the fringe magnetic fields of linac-MR systems expected to be larger than the tolerance levels determined, some form of magnetic shielding would be required.

Enraizamento de estacas de Cana-do-Brejo

A propagação vegetativa de espécies medicinais vem despertando o interesse de pesquisas agronômicas já que se constitui em ferramenta básica para qualquer cultivo em escala comercial. Neste contexto, este trabalho objetivou avaliar a propagação por estaquia da cana-do-brejo, considerando o tipo de estaca, a presença de folhas e o tipo de substrato no enraizamento. Foram utilizados dois tipos de substrato: areia e um composto 3:2:1 (terra, areia e húmus). Foram utilizadas estacas da porção apical e mediana, com folhas inteiras, meia folha e sem folha. O delineamento experimental foi inteiramente casualizado, com 10 repetições e esquema fatorial 3 x 2 x 2. Aos 60 dias foram avaliados a porcentagem de sobrevivência das estacas, o número de raízes, número de brotos, comprimento de maior raiz e a biomassa seca das raízes. Foram verificados o maior enraizamento e maior número de brotos nas estacas apicais com folha e meia-folha. Nas estacas medianas e apicais sem folha não se observou enraizamento efetivo nos substratos utilizados.

Effect of leaf area on rooting and growth of single nodal cuttings of Dalbergia sissoo Roxb. (Shisham)

Single nodal softwood cuttings of Dalbergia sissoo obtained from vegetative multiplication garden (VMG) with 100%, 50% and 0% leaf area representing full leaf, half leaf and leafless cuttings were propagated under mist chamber following treatment with Indole butyric acid (IBA) 2000 ppm. After six weeks of planting, data on rooting, sprouting and allied parameters was noted. The best rooting and sprouting was observed in 100% (Full) leaf area in almost all clones followed by 50% (Half) leaf area. Cuttings without leaf showed poor response in some clones or died in others. Analysis of variance revealed significant variation among clones and leaf areas.

Métodos de avaliação da ferrugem do álamo e eficiência de fungicidas no seu controle

A ferrugem do álamo (Melampsora medusae Thuem.) causa sérios prejuízos no viveiro, e seu controle é fundamental para a obtenção de muda de boa qualidade. Este trabalho teve como objetivos: i) testar a eficiência de fungicidas de contato (mancozebe, cartap e oxicloreto de cobre) e sistêmicos (triadimenol, tebuconazole e difenoconazole) no controle da ferrugem; ii) comparar métodos de avaliação para discriminar a eficiência entre os tratamentos; iii) relacionar desfolha com dados de doença; e iv) verificar a influência do controle da ferrugem nos parâmetros de crescimento da árvore em viveiro. O experimento foi montado em São Mateus do Sul, PR, delineado inteiramente ao acaso com 10 tratamentos (testemunha, triadimenol, mancozebe, tebuconazole, difenoconazole, cartap, oxicloreto de cobre, triadimenol-mancozebe, tebuconazole-mancozebe e triadimenol aplicados com o dobro do intervalo dos anteriores) e 11 repetições. Com parcelas experimentais de 10 m de largura com quatro linhas de plantio (espaçamento entre linhas de 2,5 e entre plantas de 0,50 m), totalizando 110 parcelas com o clone Latorre. Durante dois ciclos consecutivos foram avaliados: o número de pústulas em meia folha, a % visual de doença, a severidade por parcela, a % visual de desfolha, o diâmetro à altura do peito e a altura de plantas ao final do experimento. Os produtos sistêmicos (triadimenol, tebuconazole e difenoconazole) aplicados puros ou intercalados com mancozebe foram eficientes no controle da ferrugem, reduzindo o número de pústulas sobre a folha e a desfolha, o que resultou em ganho significativo no volume final das plantas. O mancozebe aplicado isoladamente também reduziu a epidemia e aumentou o volume da árvore em 42%. O produto cúprico proporcionou aumento de volume em 27%. Os métodos de avaliação utilizados diferenciaram dos tratamentos e houve correlação da doença com os danos na cultura.

The Presence of Tobacco Mosaic Virus in the Compost Extract of Cigar Tobacco Debris

Tobacco mosaic virus (TMV) is resistance to high temperature and able to survive over 10 years on dried leaves, and plant debris is considered as source of inoculums of TMV in the field. In order to inactivate TMV, TMV-infected cigar tobacco debris was composted at starting temperature of 50 °C for two to three days; however, TMV was still infective in the extract compost. If a half leaf cigar tobacco ‘H877’ was inoculated with compost extract, the symptoms appeared as a necrotic local lesion (NLL) and did not develop systemic lesions. The dilution end point of TMV in extract compost was 10 −3 . The number of lesion was higher in the glasshouse with average daylight temperature of 32 °C than in the field with average daylight temperature of 29–30 °C. The number NLL was lower and NLL size seemed to be smaller on the first and second inoculated leaves with extract than that of on the first and second inoculated leaves with TMV inoculums. There was a delay of time about 58–106 hours after inoculation of NLL from extract compost inoculums to appear than those of from TMV inoculums. These could be happened because of mineral nutrients of compost and also the temperature of maintaining tobacco plant which inhibited the infections, and of a thermal composting process which destroyed some TMV particles, particularly degraded it's coat protein.

In field‐grown coffee trees source–sink manipulation alters photosynthetic rates, independently of carbon metabolism, via alterations in stomatal function

Perturbations of the source-sink balances were performed in field-grown coffee (Coffea arabica) trees to investigate the possible role of carbohydrates in feedback regulation of photosynthesis. Four treatments were applied at the whole-plant level: (i) complete defruiting and maintenance of the full leaf area, (ii) the half crop load and full leaf area, (iii) the full crop load and full leaf area and (iv) the full crop load and half leaf area. Sampling and measurements were performed twice during the phase of dry matter accumulation of fruits. Gas exchange, chlorophyll a fluorescence, carbon isotope labelling and steady-state metabolite measurements were assessed in source leaves. The average rate of net photosynthetic rate (A) and stomatal conductance (g(s)) were larger (> 50%), and carbon isotope composition ratio was lower, in trees with a full crop load and half leaf area than in defruited trees, with individuals of the other two treatments showing intermediate values. However, differences in A seem unlikely to have been caused either by photochemical impairments or a direct end-product-mediated feedback down-regulation of photosynthesis. It is proposed that the decreased A in defruited coffee trees was independent of carbon metabolism and was rather directly related to a lower CO(2) availability coupled to lower g(s).

Modelling leaf phototropism in a cucumber canopy.

Leaf phototropism might have significant effects on the light interception, dry matter production and yield of cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.). The objective of the present study was to model the phototropism of leaves in a greenhouse cucumber canopy. The dynamic structural model of cucumber using a parametric L-system was extended to mimic the leaf movement induced by gradients in the local light environment of each leaf. The red to far-red (R : FR) ratio is known to be a driving force in shade avoidance reactions of plants. In the model, R : FR ratios on the left and right leaf half of each individual leaf lamina were calculated and the change in tropism angle per phyllochron was based on the R : FR gradient across the leaf halves. The tropism angle of a leaf describes the deviation of the present leaf azimuth from the initial leaf orientation, which is predefined by the phyllotaxis of the plant. Even in its simple form, the model simulated photo-morphogenic canopy responses.

Influência de estípulas foliáceas e do número de folhas no enraizamento de estacas semilenhosas de maracujazeiro amarelo nativo

This work was aimed at studying the effect of the presence of leaf stipule and of one or two leaves or half leaf on the rooting of semi-hardwood cuttings of Passiflora actinia. Cuttings, with two nodes and 8 to 10cm long were planted in tubes with vermiculite and kept for 75 days in greenhouse under intermittent mist. The percentages of rooted cuttings, live cuttings, cuttings with callus, necrosis rate, roots dry weight and the number of leaves and leaf stipule per cutting were evaluated. It was concluded that the presence of two leaves resulted in a better rooting, and higher length and number of roots. The presence of leaf stipule increased the rooting of cuttings without leaves.

Efeitos de reguladores vegetais no enraizamento de estacas caulinares de Poncirus trifoliata var. monstrosa (T. Ito)

O trabalho objetivou estudar os efeitos de reguladores vegetais no enraizamento de estacas caulinares de Flying Dragon [Poncirus trifoliata var. monstrosa (T. Ito)]. Na metade de cada estação do ano, ramos de citros foram coletados (4 experimentos), a partir dos quais foram retiradas estacas com 10 cm de comprimento com uma folha cortada ao meio. As bases das estacas foram tratadas com os seguintes reguladores vegetais na forma de talco: Testemunha (H2O); IBA 0,5%; NAA a 0,5%; IBA + ácido caféico a 0,5%, e NAA + ácido caféico 0,5%. As estacas foram plantadas em bandejas de isopor contendo fibra de coco e mantidas por três meses em câmara de nebulização. Os resultados mostraram que para a propagação desta espécie por estaquia, a coleta dos ramos deve ser no outono e que as mesmas sejam tratadas com a mistura de NAA + ácido caféico, ambos a 0,5%.

Carbonic anhydrase in leaves during radish plant ontogeny and glucose effect

Radish (Raphanus sativus L.) plants were grown in a greenhouse in soil at natural illumination, temperature, and CO2 concentration. A relationship between the activity of soluble carbonic anhydrase (sCA) and the content of soluble carbohydrates (sCH) was investigated depending on leaf position on the stem during plant development. Indices characterizing leaf ageing during the phase of vegetative growth (PVG) (in lower leaves as compared to upper ones) were a decrease in the rate of photosynthetic release of O2, photosynthetic efficiency, quantum efficiency of photosystem II, and the content of chlorophylls a and b. During PVG and the phase of flower bud formation, the activity of sCA and the contents of sCH, soluble protein, and Glu were the greatest in young (topmost) leaves and declined in the leaves of middle and lower storeys. From the top to the middle leaves, a dependence of sCA activity on the content of Glu or other sCH (without Glu) was direct, whereas, from the middle and the lower leaves, it became inversed. During leaf ageing in vegetatively growing plants and in the phase of budding, the relation between sCA and a relative content of Glu (percent of the rest sCH) was similar to that described above and yielded broken lines, and, during flowering, an inverse relation was observed in the leaves of all three storeys with a low content content of Glu and a low sCA activity. In order to study a dependence of sCA activity on the levels of sCH and Glu during PVG, one half of the leaf was incubated in a thin layer of water at a light schedule: by 12 h of night/day/night + 3-h-long illumination (control material). Within the period of active growth of the hypocotyl up to the storage root formation, the sCA activity and the content of sCH in the leaves incubated in water (control) increased. During a later PVG, both characteristics declined with sCA activity reduced stronger. The rate of the photosynthetic O2 release changed in accordance with the changes in sCA activity. Incubation of the other half of the same leaf in 20 mM Glu during early PVG brought about a considerable increase in sCA activity as compared with control material. During a later PVG and at a much greater Glu concentration (330 mM), its content in the leaves increased manifold; however, there were no significant changes in the activity of sCA, the content of protein or chlorophyll. It was concluded that the activity of sCA in the radish leaves during PVG was not regulated by the absolute content of sCH or Glu in the leaves but depended on endogenous factors associated with plant development.

Acaricidal Properties of Spinosad Against Tetranychus urticae and Panonychus ulmi (Acari: Tetranychidae)

Laboratory bioassays were conducted to characterize the activity of the insecticide spinosad against the twospotted spider mite, Tetranychus urticae Koch, and European red mite, Panonychus ulmi (Koch) (Acari: Tetranychidae). T. urticae females and larvae were individually placed on bean, Phaseolus vulgaris L. (Fabaceae), leaf disks treated with four rates of spinosad (25, 55, 121, and 266 ppm) and a water control. Significantly fewer T. urticae completed development on any spinosad rates (<15%) compared with the control (>85%), whereas spinosad exhibited no significant effects on P. ulmi development; 72.5 and 83.1% of P. ulmi completed development on apple (Malus pumila P. Mill, Rosaceae) leaf disks treated with 75 ppm spinosad and the control, respectively. T. urticae adult females placed on spinosad-treated disks had significantly higher mortality and lower oviposition rates compared with the water control; no significant mortality effects were observed until 3 d after placing adults on leaf disks. In choice tests where half of a bean leaf was treated with 55 ppm spinosad transversally or longitudinally, T. urticae females were repelled by spinosad and largely oviposited and fed on nonspinosad treated areas. Spinosad did not affect the behavior of P. ulmi females. When T. urticae females were released on potted bean plants (two-leaf stage) in which leaves received spinosad sprays on the adaxial or abaxial leaf surfaces, or complete spinosad coverage on one or two of the leaves, mite population increase lagged significantly behind those released on control plants. These results indicate that spinosad has significant acaricidal effects against T. urticae but not P. ulmi.

Acaricidal Properties of Spinosad Against &lt;I&gt;Tetranychus urticae&lt;/I&gt; and &lt;I&gt;Panonychus ulmi&lt;/I&gt; (Acari: Tetranychidae)

Laboratory bioassays were conducted to characterize the activity of the insecticide spinosad against the twospotted spider mite, Tetranychus urticae Koch, and European red mite, Panonychus ulmi (Koch) (Acari: Tetranychidae). T. urticae females and larvae were individually placed on bean, Phaseolus vulgaris L. (Fabaceae), leaf disks treated with four rates of spinosad (25, 55, 121, and 266 ppm) and a water control. Significantly fewer T. urticae completed development on any spinosad rates (<15%) compared with the control (>85%), whereas spinosad exhibited no significant effects on P. ulmi development; 72.5 and 83.1% of P. ulmi completed development on apple (Malus pumila P. Mill, Rosaceae) leaf disks treated with 75 ppm spinosad and the control, respectively. T. urticae adult females placed on spinosad-treated disks had significantly higher mortality and lower oviposition rates compared with the water control; no significant mortality effects were observed until 3 d after placing adults on leaf disks. In choice tests where half of a bean leaf was treated with 55 ppm spinosad transversally or longitudinally, T. urticae females were repelled by spinosad and largely oviposited and fed on nonspinosad treated areas. Spinosad did not affect the behavior of P. ulmi females. When T. urticae females were released on potted bean plants (two-leaf stage) in which leaves received spinosad sprays on the adaxial or abaxial leaf surfaces, or complete spinosad coverage on one or two of the leaves, mite population increase lagged significantly behind those released on control plants. These results indicate that spinosad has significant acaricidal effects against T. urticae but not P. ulmi.

A Caged Doxycycline Analogue for Photoactivated Gene Expression

High potential: High-resolution transgene expression in two biological applications demonstrates the potential of a photoactivated gene-expression technique. Irradiation of one half of a transgenic tobacco leaf produced a sharp boundary of reporter gene expression between photoactivated tissue and nonirradiated tissue (see picture). This method was established by synthesis of a photosensitive doxycycline analogue.