Number Of New Branches Research Articles

Comparison of Foraging Strategies and Effects of the Wapiti and Siberian Roe Deer on Japanese Yew.

The foraging strategies of sympatric ungulates with similar ecological niches are important for understanding ecological niche differentiation, resource utilization, competition, and coexistence and for understanding the ecological impacts on plant communities in the ecosystem. The behavior of the wapiti (Cervus elaphus) and Siberian roe deer (Capreolus pygargus) foraging on Japanese yew (Taxus cuspidata) has affected its succession and renewal in the northeastern forests of China, which has become an urgent problem for the relevant departments. This study analyzed the foraging strategies of the wapiti and Siberian roe deer on Japanese yew from July 2021 to January 2024 using field investigations and infrared camera monitoring in the Muling National Nature Reserve, Heilongjiang Province, China. It was found that the wapiti and Siberian roe deer have different foraging strategies in terms of time, space, and behavior. Temporally, they both preferred to forage for the saplings of the Japanese yew during the winter season, the degree of overlap in foraging rhythms was medium (Dhat1 = 0.67), and the diurnal foraging activity index (D RAI) of the wapiti was larger than that of the Siberian roe deer. Spatially, the suitable foraging habitat of the Siberian roe deer was twice that of the wapiti, and their overlap was low in the location and direction of saplings and the distance of the seed tree. Behaviorally, the foraging intensity of the wapiti was high, and that of Siberian roe deer was low. Foraging reduced the average primary branch height, number of new branches, and length of lateral branches of saplings, and the influence of the wapiti was significantly greater than that of the Siberian roe deer. This study provides a scientific basis for solving the conservation and management problems of the deer animals foraging on Japanese yew and contributes to further understanding of the competition-coexistence mechanism of sympatric species.

Consecutive Pruning Enhances Leaf Flavonoids, Leaf Yield, and Cutting Rooting in Ginkgo biloba

Ginkgo biloba L. is a valuable medicinal plant known for its high content of flavonoids and terpenoids in the leaves of young trees. Pruning can increase leaf yield in ginkgo plantations; however, it is unclear how the intensity of pruning affects leaf yield and quality. In addition, G. biloba exhibits low cutting rooting rates, which limits its efficiency in asexual propagation. In our study, we compared consecutive pruning with varying levels of intensity, including top pruning, light pruning, and heavy pruning, to evaluate the effects of pruning on leaf yield and cutting rooting. The results showed that these three pruning methods all contributed to an increase in the number of new branches, the leaf weight, and the flavonoid content in five-year-old trees. Among them, the effect of light pruning was the best, with a 150% increase in branch number, a 130% increase in leaf weight, and a 40.6% increase in flavonoid content. The secondary pruning further increased leaf area by 22.3%, indicating that secondary pruning further enhanced the rejuvenation of plants and increased leaf yield. At the transcriptional level, pruning can significantly change the expression of genes related to bud sprouting, resulting in a particularly significant increase in SHR expression in the buds. Pruning also promoted the expression of important genes related to flavonoid synthesis, including chalcone synthase (CHS), flavonoid 3′-hydroxylase (F3′H), flavonol synthase (FLS), and dihydroflavonol reductase (DFR). Furthermore, we demonstrated a significant increase in the rooting rate of these second-pruned branch cuttings and screened the optimal hormone ratio for rooting, which is 1.5 μM MeJA + 400 mg/L NAA + 100 mg/L Uniconazole-P. These results suggest that secondary pruning can effectively rejuvenate plants to promote cutting rooting in G. biloba. This method can not only be used to improve the yield and quality of ginkgo leaves, but also for cutting propagation.

Alleviation of Shade Stress in Chinese Yew (Taxus chinensis) Seedlings with 5-Aminolevulinic Acid (ALA).

5-aminolevulinic acid (ALA) is a novel regulator that can promote plant growth, nitrogen uptake, and abiotic stress tolerance. Its underlying mechanisms, however, have not been fully investigated. In this study, the effects of ALA on morphology, photosynthesis, antioxidant systems, and secondary metabolites in two cultivars of 5-year-old Chinese yew (Taxus chinensis) seedlings, 'Taihang' and 'Fujian', were examined under shade stress (30% light for 30 days) using different doses of ALA (0, 30, and 60 mg/L). The findings from our study show that shade stress significantly reduced plant height, stem thickness, and crown width and increased malondialdehyde (MDA) levels. However, the application of 30 mg/L ALA effectively mitigated these effects, which further induced the activity of antioxidant enzymes under shade stress, resulting in the activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), peroxidase (POD) and catalase (CAT) being increased by 10%, 16.4%, and 42.1%, and 19.8%, 20.1%, and 42% in 'Taihang' and 'Fujian', respectively. It also promoted their role in the absorption, conversion, and efficient use of light energy. Additionally, the use of 30 mg/L ALA caused a significant increase in the concentration of secondary metabolites, including polysaccharide (PC), carotenoid (CR), and flavonoids (FA), with increases of up to 46.1%, 13.4%, and 35.6% and 33.5%, 7.5%, and 57.5% in both yew cultivars, respectively, contributing to nutrient uptake. With ALA treatment, the yew seedlings showed higher chlorophyll (total chlorophyll, chlorophyll a and b) levels and photosynthesis rates than the seedlings that received the shade treatment alone. To conclude, the application of 30 mg/L ALA alleviated shade stress in yew seedlings by maintaining redox balance, protecting the photorespiratory system, and increasing organic metabolites, thus increasing the number of new branches and shoots and significantly promoting the growth of the seedlings. Spraying with ALA may be a sustainable strategy to improve the shade-resistant defense system of yew. As these findings increase our understanding of this shade stress response, they may have considerable implications for the domestication and cultivation of yew.

Determinants of branching decisions of State-controlled commercial banks: evidence from China

PurposeBranching is one of the crucial strategic non-price actions for banks. Previous studies on the impact of state ownership upon banks focus on bank lending behavior. This paper aims to offer a novel investigation of how state ownership affects bank branching behavior by examining state-controlled commercial banks (SCCBs) in the context of the largest developing and transitional country China.Design/methodology/approachThe two-part model (TPM) is applied to analyze the branching decision process. In the first stage, the dependent variable is the choice of bank branching dynamics and in the second stage the dependent variable is the number of new branches or the number of closed branches. For robustness check, the ordered probit selection model allowing for interdependence of the two stage decisions is also employed.FindingsUsing a unique dataset of bank branches in China, this paper finds that the branching decisions of Chinese SCCBs are driven by both profit motivated factors including population size, population density, income level, financial development and banking competition and politically motivated factors as represented with the proportion of SOEs. As a comparison, branching decisions of joint-stock banks in China are fully determined by profit motivated factors.Originality/valueFirst, this study is the first to explore the effect of state ownership on bank branching decisions, providing a new insight on the literature regarding to the impact of state ownership on bank decisions. Second, this study explores the potential effect of politically motivated factors on bank branching decisions, filling the gap in bank branching literature. Third, this study can contribute to bank branching literature by enriching the limited understanding of how SCCBs make branching decisions. Lastly, this study applies novel empirical strategies to analyze bank branching decisions, including the TPM and the ordered probit selection model.

The Response of Fig to Foliar Application of GA Combination (GA4+GA7) and Nutrition Liquid PRO-SOL on Some of the Growth Parameters

For the growing season (25 February – 30 October 2021), the College of Agriculture at Tikrit University conducted an experiment to convert the wooden canopy to a lath house. Spraying fig seedlings with a Gibberellin acid mixture and Pro-sol nutritional solution allowed researchers to examine the effects on the seedlings’ vegetative development characteristics and chemical content at 0, 25, and 50 mg.L-1. Plants were exposed to three different PRO-SOL nutritional solution concentrations ( 0, 75 and 150 mg.L-1.) There were three separate dates for the addition and distribution: the first on 15 March 2021, the second 15 days later, and so on for the third. A completely randomized block design was used for this study (RCBD). S.A.S., a pre-made statistical program, was used to evaluate the components and their interactions, and the findings were examined using an analysis of variance table. At the 0.05 probability level, the L.S.D. was determined to be the minimal detectable difference. Here is a quick rundown of the study’s findings: The growth rate of the plant, the number of leaves, the diameter of the stem, the number of new branches, the Chlorophyll, Carbohydrate, Nitrogen, and the ratio of Carbohydrates to Nitrogen, Protein, Potassium, and Phosphorous content of the leaves, all reached 46.89 cm, 13.44 sheets after being sprayed with a Gibberellin mixture, especially at the level of 50 mg.L-1 (GA2). One seedling, 16.00 mm in height, with 3.89 limbs. Seedling-1 had a SPAD value of 24.38, and its corresponding percentages were 2.69, 1.26, 2.36, 0.16, and 1.38. PRO-SOL 150mg, which is the maximum recommended dosage. The rate at which the plants in the study increased in height, number of leaves, stem diameter, number of new branches, chlorophyll content, carbohydrates, nitrogen, and the ratio of carbohydrates to nitrogen, protein, and potassium all increased significantly in response to L-1 (Pr2). 50.33 inches, or 14.44 sheets, of phosphorus. One seedling, 17.3mm in diameter, with 4.67 branches. Seedling-1 had the lowest average for the aforementioned characteristics in the comparative treatment (25.38 SPAD units, 3.26 percent, 1.39 percent, 2.10 percent, 0.20 percent, and 1.58 percent). The binary interaction between the Gibberellin mixture and nutrient solution Pro-sol showed significant differences, especially the GA2 Pr2 treatment, which gave the highest rates for all studied traits.

Morphology of Caragana korshinskii seeds across different stand ages in sandy-hilly region of northwest Shanxi Province, China.

We investigated the morphological characteristics of C. korshinskii seeds with three different sizes under plantations with different stand ages (6, 12, 18, 40 and 50 years old) in the typical sandy-hilly region of northwest Shanxi Province, to explore the restoration potential of artificial vegetation from the perspective of reproduction strategies. The results showed that seed production of C. korshinskii plantation increased with stand age, reaching the maximum (584 grain·plant-1) in 50-year-old stand. Seed length, seed width, and seed shape index decreased with stand age, reaching the minimum (5.09 mm, 2.76 mm and 0.05) in 50-year-old stand. Seed germination percentage showed an upward-downward-upward fluctuating trend, reaching the maximum (97.2%) at 12-year-old stand. Seed production was significantly negatively correlated with seed weight. Seed germination percentage was closely related to seed weight. Seeds with low weight had a low germination percentage and were easier to form a persistent seed bank. In addition, seed production was significantly positively correlated with the height of mother plant, aboveground biomass and belowground biomass, while the shape index of C. korshinskii seeds was significantly negatively correlated with number of new branches. It indicated that with the increases of stand age, the reproduction strategy of C. korshinskii changed from the K strategy with larger seeds in the early stage (6-12 year-old) to the r strategy of small seeds in the later stage (18-50 year-old). Specifically, C. korshinskii kept both the high number and high persistence of seeds by producing a larger number of small and round seeds.

Inhibitory effects of safranal on laser-induced choroidal neovascularization and human choroidal microvascular endothelial cells and related pathways analyzed with transcriptome sequencing.

To determine the effects of safranal on choroidal neovascularization (CNV) and oxidative stress damage of human choroidal microvascular endothelial cells (HCVECs) and its possible mechanisms. Forty-five rats were used as a laser-induced CNV model for testing the efficacy and safety of safranal (0.5 mg/kg·d, intraperitoneally) on CNV. CNV leakage on fluorescein angiography (FA) and CNV thickness on histology was compared. HCVECs were used for a H2O2-induced oxidative stress model to test the effect of safranal in vitro. MTT essay was carried to test the inhibition rate of safranal on cell viability at different concentrations. Tube formation was used to test protective effect of safranal on angiogenesis at different concentrations. mRNA transcriptome sequencing was performed to find the possible signal pathway. The expressions of different molecules and their phosphorylation level were validated by Western blotting. On FA, the average CNV leakage area was 0.73±0.49 and 0.31±0.11 mm2 (P=0.012) in the control and safranal-treated group respectively. The average CNV thickness was 127.4±18.75 and 100.6±17.34 µm (P=0.001) in control and safranal-treated group. Under the condition of oxidative stress, cell proliferation was inhibited by safranal and inhibition rates were 7.4%-35.4% at the different concentrations. For tube formation study, the number of new branches was 364 in control group and 35, 42, and 17 in 20, 40, and 80 µg/mL safranal groups respectively (P<0.01). From the KEGG pathway bubble graph, the PI3K-AKT signaling pathway showed a high gene ratio. The protein expression was elevated of insulin receptor substrate (IRS) and the phosphorylation level of PI3K, phosphoinositide-dependent protein kinase 1/2 (PDK1/2), AKT and Bcl-2 associated death promoter (BAD) was also elevated under oxidative stress condition but inhibited by safranal. Safranal can inhibit CNV both in vivo and in vitro, and the IRS-PI3K-PDK1/2-AKT-BAD signaling pathway is involved in the pathogenesis of CNV.

The Development of Gametophyte Sterilization Method for Liverworts Acrolejeunea fertilis (Reinw., Blume and Nees) Schiffn. In vitro Culture

In vitro culture gametophytes of leafy liverworts often have problems in their sterilization process. These problems due to the high level of contamination and the fragile structure of the gametophyte leafy liverworts. The structures can be easily to damage after exposure to disinfectant. This study aimed to observe the concentration and the exposure time of “Bayclin” commercial bleach to suppress contamination with the viability of Acrolejeunea fertilisgametophytic explants. This research was conducted using control and 6 combination treatments with “Bayclin” concentration (1.00%, 1.25%, and 1.50%) and exposure time 60 and 120 seconds, then accompanied by the addition of Tetracycline 2.5 mg/ml. The qualitative parameters observed were the explant color, the type and location of contamination, and the growth of explants. The quantitative parameters were the percentage of contamination, the percentage of growth, and the number of new branches. The results showed that “Bayclin” 1.25% and 1.50% with 60 seconds exposure time has the lowest percentage of contamination which is 70% until the 7th days after planting. The most common type of internal contamination from the explant is bacteria and fungi. However, the growth of the new branch still occurs in some explants even though it has been contaminated and browned.

Влияние Ялтинской конференции на развитие современного международного права

Introduction: the article analyzes the contribution of the Yalta conference of 1945 to the formation of the modern international legal system. We believe that the role the decisions taken at this conference played in the formation of current international law is significantly underestimated these days. The purpose of this article was to identify the elements of modern international law the formation and development of which were influenced by the Yalta Conference. For this, the following objectives were set and consistently accomplished in the course of research: to determine the role of international conferences as mechanisms for the development of international law; to identify the features of the Yalta conference; to study international legal decisions that were made during the Yalta conference. Methods: we applied general scientific methods of analysis, synthesis, interpretation, formal logic. In connection with the study of historical aspects of international legal science, the method of historical and legal analysis played a significant role. Of the specialized legal methodological tools used in the preparation of the article, we note the methods of formal legal analysis and legal modeling. Results: the article proves that the Yalta conference laid the legal foundations for new significant international legal regulations. We consider the following to be the main international legal achievements of Yalta-1945: final agreement on the creation of the UN; the creation of a completely new mechanism of international legal governance – the UN Security Council; participation in the formation of a new system of sources of international law; participation in the development of the basis of new international law; participation in the formation of a number of new branches of international law. Conclusions: the Yalta Conference marks the end of one era and the beginning of a new one, in which the UN will occupy the most important place in the system of management of international legal relations. Many decisions made in Yalta concerned the future of the international legal order, and not just the resolution of the geopolitical issues of the Second World War at its last stage.

Impact of Plant Growth Promoting Bacteria on Salicornia ramosissima Ecophysiology and Heavy Metal Phytoremediation Capacity in Estuarine Soils.

Salicornia ramosissima is a C3 halophyte that grows naturally in South Western Spain salt marshes, under soil salinity and heavy metal pollution (mostly Cu, Zn, As, and Pb) caused by both natural and anthropogenic pressure. However, very few works have reported the phytoremediation potential of S. ramosissima. In this work, we studied a microbe-assisted phytoremediation strategy under greenhouse conditions. We inoculated plant growth promoting (PGP) and heavy metal resistant bacteria in pots with S. ramosissima and natural non-polluted and polluted sediments collected from Spanish estuaries. Then, we analyzed plant ecophysiological and metal phytoaccumulation response. Our data suggested that inoculation in polluted sediments improved S. ramosissima plant growth in terms of relative growth rate (RGR) (32%) and number of new branches (61%). S. ramosissima photosynthetic fitness was affected by heavy metal presence in soil, but bacteria inoculation improved the photochemical apparatus integrity and functionality, as reflected by increments in net photosynthetic rate (21%), functionality of PSII (Fm and Fv/Fm) and electron transport rate, according to OJIP derived parameters. Beneficial effect of bacteria in polluted sediments was also observed by augmentation of intrinsic water use efficiency (28%) and slightly water content (2%) in inoculated S. ramosissima. Finally, our results demonstrated that S. ramosissima was able to accumulate great concentrations of heavy metals, mostly at root level, up to 200 mg Kg–1 arsenic, 0.50 mg Kg–1 cadmium, 400 mg Kg–1 copper, 25 mg Kg–1 nickel, 300 mg Kg–1 lead, and 300 mg Kg–1 zinc. Bioaugmentation incremented S. ramosissima heavy metal phytoremediation potential due to plant biomass increment, which enabled a greater accumulation capacity. Thus, our results suggest the potential use of heavy metal resistant PGPB to ameliorate the capacity of S. ramosissima as candidate for phytoremediation of salty polluted ecosystems.

Impact of Field Densities of the Naturalized Defoliator Caloptilia triadicae (Lepidoptera: Gracillariidae) on the Invasive Weed Chinese Tallowtree.

Chinese tallowtree, Triadica sebifera (L.) Small (Euphoriaceae), is one of the most aggressive weeds of coastal wetlands and forests of the southeastern United States. The lack of specialist herbivores in the invaded range may be one of the factors that contribute to the invasive nature of this weed. Chinese tallowtree has been the target of a classical biological control project since 2006. Several herbivore species are being tested for biological control of Chinese tallowtree. Concurrently, an adventive herbivore, Caloptilia triadicae Davis (Lepidoptera: Gracillariidae), was found feeding on Chinese tallowtree in the southeastern United States in 2004 and now occurs throughout the invaded range. Field populations of C. triadicae from two sites caused extensive mining damage to the Chinese tallowtree leaves. The greatest damage occurred after 30 d of exposure to C. triadicae in the herbivory treatment and amounted to about 25-30 leaf mines (early instars) and leaf rolls (late instars) per plant. Insecticide-treated plants had atmost 5-10 leaf mines and rolls per plant. Despite this difference, plant growth in height, number of new branches, and leaves did not differ significantly from plants protected from herbivory. Analysis of harvested plant results suggested that, in general, herbivory had little impact on biomass. However, there was a slight reduction in trunk weights in the unrestriced herbivory treatment compared with the insecticide-treated plants. Although this study exposed experimental plants to only 60 d of herbivory, these results suggested that C. triadicae alone will not exert sufficient control of invasive populations of Chinese tallowtree. Furthermore, they indicated that continued development of biological control agents that target Chinese tallowtree are needed.

Modern Physics As A New Step In Dialogue Of Man With Nature

The paper describes the content of a set of textbooks entitled Modern Physics consisting of three monographs, which cover the main advancements of physics approximately for last fifty – sixty years (since the middle of the twentieth century). The first textbook contains ten chapters. The second book includes five chapters. In the third book, consisting of three parts, physical foundations of nanotechnologies are discussed. The textbooks are written on the basis of the material, which is selected from various sources (reviews, monographs). The authors mainly discuss the papers published in Advancements of physical sciences journal. The total volume of three books is about eighty printed pages. Justification of the significance of the work is also provided. In this line, it is noted that rapid growth of scientific information and ever-strengthening integration of various branches of science lead to the problems of methodological character, which solution is connected with publication of course books. It is also underlined that since the middle of the twentieth century, a number of new branches of physics, including the nonlinear optics, physics of open systems, quantum information, molecular structure and dynamics, has been developed. There is rather extensive scientific literature related to branches of physics. These are mainly original papers and reviews published in specialized journals. However, as a rule, this literature is intended for experts. As for training materials, they are almost absent. Keywords: modern physics; condensed state; nanomaterials.

Overhead arbor tree shape affects tree development and increases fruit yields in sweet cherry

We evaluated different shapes of sweet cherry trees for their effects on cherry production, and tree development. The tree shapes were a palmette shape (4×7 m), a Y-palmette shape (7×4 m), an open-vase shape (5×4 m), and an overhead arbor shape (6×5 m). After inducing branches on trees of each shape in the first 3 years, tree growth, fruit production, flower bud formation, and labor hours to shape trees were assessed after seven years. The number of new branches was much higher in the overhead arbor shape (10,666 10 a-1) than in the palmette shape (2,867 10 a-1), the Y-palmette shape (6,178 10 a-1), and the open-vase shape (7,250 10 a-1). The average length of new branches was much smaller in the overhead arbor shape (39.6 cm) than in the palmette shape (55.5 cm), the Y-palmette shape (60.6 cm), and the open vase shape (44.0 cm). The results indicate that increasing numbers and decreasing length of new branches are related to tree shape of sweet cherry. Fruit yields were higher 1.86-3.15 times with the overhead arbor shape (916 kg 10 a-1) than with the palmette shape (291 kg 10 a-1), the Y-palmette shape (493 kg 10 a-1), and the open-vase shape (478 kg 10 a-1). A similar trend was observed among the four shapes in the levels of flower bud formation. The lowest amount of labor time was required for developing the open-vase shape (21.9 h 10 a-1) because new branches were not induced artificially in this shape, while the maximum labor time was required to develop overhead arbor shape (47.2 h 10 a-1). The study demonstrated that the overhead arbor shape has potential for small farmers in South Korea.

A case of modular phenotypic plasticity in the depth gradient for the gorgonian coral Antillogorgia bipinnata (Cnidaria: Octocorallia)

BackgroundPhenotypic plasticity, as a phenotypic response induced by the environment, has been proposed as a key factor in the evolutionary history of corals. A significant number of octocoral species show high phenotypic variation, exhibiting a strong overlap in intra- and inter-specific morphologic variation. This is the case of the gorgonian octocoral Antillogorgia bipinnata (Verrill 1864), which shows three polyphyletic morphotypes along a bathymetric gradient. This research tested the phenotypic plasticity of modular traits in A. bipinnata with a reciprocal transplant experiment involving 256 explants from two morphotypes in two locations and at two depths. Vertical and horizontal length and number of new branches were compared 13 weeks following transplant. The data were analysed with a linear mixed-effects model and a graphic approach by reaction norms.ResultsAt the end of the experiment, 91.8% of explants survived. Lower vertical and horizontal growth rates and lower branch promotion were found for deep environments compared to shallow environments. The overall variation behaved similarly to the performance of native transplants. In particular, promotion of new branches showed variance mainly due to a phenotypic plastic effect.ConclusionsGlobally, environmental and genotypic effects explain the variation of the assessed traits. Survival rates besides plastic responses suggest an intermediate scenario between adaptive plasticity and local adaptation that may drive a potential process of adaptive divergence along depth cline in A. bipinnata.

INDUCTION OF LATERAL SHOOTS OF SWEET CHERRY ON THE GISELA 6 ROOTSTOCK

Number of lateral branches and overall development of seedlings is crucial parameter for achieving the required quality standards dedicated to modern intensive production systems. Branched seedlings have formed the structure of the canopy, which is defined nad cultivation model for future plantations. In addition to the uniformity of the plantation better and earlier productivity is achieved. The research, in order to standardize the techniques for induction of lateral branching, was conducted in 2013 in the nursery (Koprivna, Eastern Croatia) on 3 cherry cultivars grafted on Gisela 6 rootstock. The treatments included the application of different combinations of Bioregulators 6- Benzyladenine nad gibberellic acid 4 nad 7 (BA+GA4+7) as well as cyclanilide on cultivars 'Carmen', 'Grace Star', and 'Black Star'. All applied treatments resulted in a significant increase in the number of new branches compared to the control. Cultivar Black Star induced the development of the highest number gof branches. Treatment BA+GA4+7 increased the number of lateral shoots compared to the control in all the invastigated cultivars. The most significant induction in the number of branches has been achieved with cyclanilide treatment which improved more correct distribution and resulted in a more uniform lengh gof induced shoots. Combination of the treatment cyclanilide nad BA+GA4+7 has not resulted in synergic increase in the number of branches in response to treatment with cyclanilide. The Applied treatments also significantly influenced the length of the branches and the branching angle. Results of this study indicate the need for further testing of cyclanilide as a potential regulator of growth in nursery production.

Influence of Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi on Growth, Mineral Nutrition and Chlorogenic Acid Content of Lonicera confusa Seedlings Under Field Conditions

Lonicera confusa, a traditional Chinese medicine herb for treating cold, flu, acute fever, and so forth, is often grown artificially in acidic soils and suffers from phosphorus (P) deficiency. A five-year field experiment was carried out to study the colonization rate, growth, nutrition, and chlorogenic acid content of Lonicera confusa seedlings inoculated with arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi, Glomus etunicatum and Glomus intraradices. Before transplanting into a field, both AM-inoculated and uninoculated control plants were cultured in nursery beds. In the plants inoculated with the AM fungi, the colonization rate decreased linearly with time and a greater decrease was observed in the plants inoculated with G. intraradices than with G. etunicatum, while the AM colonization increased from 0% to 12.1% in the uninoculated control plants 5 years after transplanting. Plant height, crown diameter, number of new branches, and flower yield increased significantly by AM inoculation as compared to the uninoculated control. Phosphorus concentrations in leaves and flowers increased, and plant uptake of nutrients, e.g., nitrogen (N), P, and potassium (K), was also enhanced significantly by AM inoculation. The Lonicera confusa seedlings had a better response to inoculation of G. intraradices than G. etunicatum in both growth and chlorogenic acid content in flowers. In contrast, both plant P uptake and P concentrations in leaves and flowers were similar between two fungal inoculations. The positive responses of Lonicera confusa to AM inoculation in growth, nutrient uptake, flowering, and chlorogenic acid content in flowers suggested that AM inoculation in nursery beds could promote the plant growth and increase chlorogenic acid content in flowers of Lonicera confusa when grown on acidic and P-deficient soils.

BENZYLADENINE INCREASES BRANCHING OF HERBACEOUS PERENNIALS

Many of the herbaceous perennials, especially the newer cultivars of Echinacea, are poorly branching, slow to fill out the pot, and produce few propagules. Configure (6-BA, Fine Americas, Inc.), a new product recently labeled for branching of floricultural crops, was evaluated on a variety of perennials over two seasons. Configure was applied once as a foliar spray at rates of 0, 300, 600, 900 or 1200 mg/L to established plants grown in 1.1-L pots filled with a peat/pine bark medium. Plant height and number of branches were determined at 2-week intervals after treatment (WAT). In spring trials, Configure improved the basal branching of Echinacea purpurea ‘Double Decker’ with a three-fold increase in the number of new shoots per plant with a single foliar application of 300 mg/L (control 1.0 vs. 300 mg/L 3.8 shoots at 2 WAT). Higher rates further increased the number of basal shoots. Echinacea purpurea ‘White Swan’ had a better branching habit and was more responsive to Configure with increased branching at 4 WAT with treatment of 300 mg/L; again higher rates increased the number of new branches. Vinca minor ‘Sterling Silver’ showed a significant quadratic increase in the number of branches at 4 WAT with Configure which did not persist but suggests that there may be value in multiple applications. Coreopsis verticillata ‘Zagreb’ plants treated with Configure had increased branches at 2 WAT that also did not persist. In Fall trials, branching of Echinacea ‘Ruby Star’ increased nearly 2-fold (control 2.6 vs. 300 mg/L 5.0 shoots) at 2 WAT. Similar results were observed with Echinacea ‘Magnus’. Clematis jackmanii, Phlox paniculata ‘Bright Eyes’, Buddleia × weyeriana ‘Honeycomb’ and Coreopsis rosea ‘Sweet Dreams’, were not responsive to Configure. In all tests, positive results persisted throughout the six to ten week studies. Configure offers a new tool for improving the finished quality and propagation potential of Echinacea cultivars and the potential for improving branching of other herbaceous perennials.

STUDYING THE RESPONSE OF CORONET PEACH TRANSPLANTES TO FOLIAR SPRAY WITH ZINC AND ASCORBIC ACID

This study was conducted in the nursery of Hort.& Land Scape Dept./ College of Agriculture and Foresory / University of Mosul during 2006 and 2007 growing seasons. Coronet peach transplants were sprayed three times aseason with four concentrations of chelated Zinc ( 0 , 10 , 20 and 30 mg.L-1.) and three leveles of Ascorbic acid ( 0 , 50 and 100 mg . L-1) , twenty days intervals between each spray and another , the first spray is done at the first week of may . Results of both seasons indicated that foliar spray of chelated Zince and Ascorbic acid each alone or both significantly increased leaves N , K , Zn and carbohydrate concentration , leaves content of total chlorophyll , transplantes leave area , transplants height , main stem diameter , number of new branches , vegetative and roots dry weight .While leaves P concentration significantly decreased with the application of chealated Zince . The treatment 30 mg .L-1+100 mg Ascorbic acid .L-1was the best,which gave the highest means of all studied parameters except P concentration in the leaves which were the highest means of it was in the transplantes which were sprayed with 100 mg Ascorbic acid .L-1 only in both seasons .

Morphological and Chemical Changes Induced by Herbivory in Three Common Aquatic Macrophytes

AbstractThe Dry Matter Content (DMC), the total phenolic content, the production of new branches and the plant fragmentation were compared in three macrophyte species (Elodea canadensis, Elodea nuttallii and Myriophyllum spicatum) exposed or not to snail herbivory. Grazing significantly reduced the DMC of M. spicatum and E. canadensis, but had no effect on the DMC of E. nuttallii. The phenolic contents of Elodea species were not modified by snail herbivory, whereas that of M. spicatum significantly increased when exposed to grazers. The number of new branches produced by M. spicatum and E. canadensis plants, and the fragmentation of E. canadensis also increased in response to herbivory.Chemical defences are therefore probably constitutive in Elodea and induced in M. spicatum, and morphological changes can be related to species growth form and synthesis of phenolic compounds. (© 2009 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH &amp; Co. KGaA, Weinheim)

Transplantation and cultivation of fragments of coral colonies of various scleractinian species on a reef in Vietnam

Six coral species of the genus Acropora and two species of the genus Porites were studied during experiments on cultivation of reef-building scleractinian corals. The research has established species-specific factors and others affecting regeneration of fragments and growth of new colonies in these coral species. The accretion of donor fragments and new branches averaged from 40 to 160 mm per year, depending on the coral species, colony size, and season of transplantation. An average monthly accretion of medium and larger transplants and growth of new branches were 1.2–1.3 times higher at spring cultivation than at autumn transplanting. When transplanted, coral fragments of medium and larger sizes survived well and showed higher growth rates in all species studied. These transplants developed the highest number of new branches, and their buds and formed the largest colonies. Prolongation of the cultivation time from 1 to 1.5 years caused a 1.2–1.4 fold accretion of transplants.