Unripe Seeds Research Articles

Constituents of plants growing in Qatar III ? Nutritive constituents of Garawah (Glossonema edule)

Both the pericarp and the unripe seeds of the unripe fruits ofGlossonema edule were separately analysed. The crude protein content of the unripe seeds is double that of the pericarp. Investigation of the amino acids of both parts revealed slight quantitative differences with chemical scores of 40, 40 for each of methionine and tryptophan and 65 for lysine. The ratio of essential total: amino acid averages 34.5, compared to a corresponding value of 47.4 for the reference egg proteins. The analysis of the fatty acids showed that the ratio of saturated to non-saturated fatty acids averaged 73:27; palmitic acid makes up 60% of the total fatty acids. The soluble carbohydrate content of the pericarp is slightly higher than the corresponding value in the unripe seeds. Paper chromatography of the free sugars of both parts revealed qualitative differences. The oligosaccharide reffinose was detected in both parts. The ash was analysed for its content in four trace minerals: iron, zinc, manganese and copper.

Dimeric hydroanthracenes from the unripe seeds of Cassia torosa

From the unripe seeds of Cassia torosa three new dimeric hydroanthracene derivatives were isolated along with stigmasterol, sitosterol, campesterol, physcion-9-anthrone, torosachyrsone and the phlegmacins A 2 and B 2. The structures of the new derivatives were established as physcion-10, 10′-bianthrone, anhydrophlegmacin B 2 [2-(6′-methoxy-3′-methyl-3′, 8′, 9′-trihydroxy-1′-oxo-1′, 2′, 3′, 4′-tetrahydroanthracene-10′-yl)-1, 8-dihydroxy-3-methoxy-6-methyl-9-oxo-9, 10-dihydroanthracene] and torosanin [2-(6′-methoxy-3′-methyl-3′, 8′,9′-trihydroxy-1′-oxo-1′, 2′, 3′,4′-tetrahydroanthracene-5′-yl)-1, 8-dihydroxy-3-methoxy-6-methyl-9-oxo-9, 10-dihydroanthracene], respectively.

Gegensätzliche Geschlechtsausprägung von Blütenstandsanlagen der Langtagpflanze Lemna gibba und der Kurztagpflanze Lemna paucicostata in vitro

Inflorescence primordia of two species of the genus Lemna develop on synthetic agar media in vitro. On medium consisting of agar, salts of the PIRSON-SEIDEL-solution, sucrose, kinetin, gibberellic acid, indoleacetic acid, some vitamins, nucleotides and casein hydrolysate the explants of the long-day plant Lemna gibba and of the short-day plant Lemna paucicostata develop in a similar manner. Young, fully meristematic primordia (stage 2) show only little or no growth response, whereas primordia of both species with a pistil length of ≥ 0.08 mm (stage 3) always undergo some growth. With stage 4 full development of all flower organs occurs, if medium composition is adequate. With stage 5 not only mature flowers develop, but also fructification and development of ovules to unripe seeds occur. On a more simple medium containing 2 % sucrose and 1 mg/1 kinetin as the sole organic additions, better development occurs especially in the younger stages. On this medium, however, the relative development of stamens and pistils is altered. In Lemna gibba pistil development is enhanced, which leads to feminisation. In Lemna paucicostata growth of stamens is enhanced, which leads to masculinisation of the explants. This different developmental behaviour of the two photoperiodic reaction types presumably is due to a different endogenous hormone production in the meristems of both species.

Althenia filiformis Petit: Ecologia e significato dell'andamento della germinazione in relazione alle variazioni di temperatura e salinità del substrato nel periodo estivo-autunnale

Abstract Germination ecology of Althenia filiformis Petit in relation to the habitat temperature and salinity fluctuations during the summer and the autumn.—Germination of Althenia filiformis Petit (hydroalophyta) was analized at different phases of seed ripening in relation to the ecology of this species. Seeds were soaked in the dark, at 10°, 20°, 30°C, in deionized water and in NaCl solutions at 6.5‰ and 13‰ concentrations. Experimental results showed that unripe seeds were unable to germinate. On the contrary, germination capacity and energy of ripe seeds was very high and the dormancy, to be considered as « relative dormancy », occurred in the seeds 15–30 days after ripening. Germination capacity and energy of the seeds, when in the after-ripening phase and allowed to germinate in deionized water or in NaCl solutions, differed strongly and seems to be correlated with dormancy. The behaviour of the seeds sown in water or NaCl solutions was considered in relation with the ecology of the habitat of this...

The effect of 6-Benzylamino purine on growth and development of Cattleya seedlings grown from unripe seeds

Summary Unripe seeds of a selfpollinated Cattleya aurantiaca Rolfe germinated, produced protocorms and normal plants when cultivated on Knudson C medium at 25° C under continuous illumination; germination was inhibited in darkness. Young seedlings grown in liquid media without growth regulators, and placed on a rotating wheel, produced protocorms and plantlets when 10 plants had been inoculated in one flask, but no protocorms when only 2 plants had been used. The effect of 6-benzylamino purine (BA) in various concentrations was studied on young seedlings grow in solid standard media. Formation of protocorms was not affected by low BA concentrations, but at high BA concentrations the formation of numerous protocorm-like bodies, protocorms and plantlets was observed. The number of roots and the fresh and dry weight of the root systems decreased with increasing BA concentraions. Although fresh and dry weight of protocorms + shoots decreased at low BA levels, the fresh and dry weight of the protocorm-like bodies, protocorms and shoots were strongly increased by high BA levels.

The Germination of Tea Seed (Part 1)

To enhance and accelerate the germination of tea seed, a few experiments were carried out with regard to the relation of the picking period and conditions for storage to the seed germination using the Japan varieties, the Assam hybrids and the Assam varieties.The seeds of the above 3 groups generally ripened early, midst and late respectively, and their ripening period extended over 2 months (Table 1 and Fig. 2).The optimum picking period of the crossed seeds was considered to be the falling time from tree, and these ripe seeds thus picked germinated quickly and showed a high rate of germination too. On the contrary, the unripe seeds germinated slowly and unevenly and showed relatively low germination percentage (Table 1 and Fig. 2).Being stored in polyethylene bag for about 3 weeks at 5 to 10°C, these unripe seeds which were picked within 40 to 50 days before ripening, however, showed as good germination as the ripe seeds (Table 1 and Fig. 3).It was observed that the tea seeds especially unripe ones or ripe ones of the Assam varieties showed a low rate of germination after storage in a paper bag, and this low rate of germination was considered to be due to drying and loss of weight in seeds (Figs. 1, 3 and 4).Lastly it was seen that the ripe seed stored in a polyethelene bag at about 5°C optimally maintained its vitality for longer than 2 years and showed a high rate of germination.

Ein Beitrag zur Analyse der Gibberelline in Samen von Pisum sativum L.

Unripe seeds of Pisum sativum were analyses for gibberellins and gibberellin-like substances. Forty kg of seeds were extracted with methanol, the methanol was evaporated and the residue distributed between water and ethylacetate, and between water and butanol at different pH-values. The acidic ethylacetate and the butanol fractions were separated by thin layer chromatography. In the acidic ethylacetate fraction a new substance tentatively named gibberellin Ax was isolated by preparative thin layer chromatography. In different solvent mixtures this substance migrates closely behind gibberellin A3. It is biological active in a dwarf pea and in dwarf maize mutant bioassays. IR and fluorescense spectra point to a gibban structure. Furthermore gibberellin A5 was found to be the main gibberellin in pea seeds. It was identified by its Rf-values and the Rf-values of its methylester in different solvent systems as well as by its characteristic relative biological activity in three biological test systems. Most probably gibberellin A6 is also present in the pea seeds, but because the amounts detected were small, no clear evidence can be presented. In the butanol phase two gibberellin-like substances could be separated by thin layer chromatography.

Biosynthesis of Stachyose in Phaseolus vulgaris

Stachyose, a suigar of the raffinose family, is present in a wide variety of plants (3, 5) and sometimes is the most abundant soluble carbohy(lrate including sucrose. The biosynthesis of stachyose is unknowln, although galactose can be transferred from I raffinose molecule for example to ainother one by a-galactosidase giving rise to stachyose (10). a-Galactosidases, however, show little specificity for the donor as well as the acceptor molecule and they transfer with low efficiency as compared to their hydrolytic activity (2, 3, 10). From physiological (lata evidence has acctumulatedl that in a variety of plants stachyose arises by the transfer of galactose from a specific donorgalactoside to raffinose (8, 9). This galactoside has recently been identified as galactinol, a compouind which was first found in sugar beets by Brown and Serro (1) and showin to be 0-a-Dgalacto-pyranosyl-(1l -> I)-myo-inositol (1,6). WVe have now obtained an enzvme from ripening seeds of dwarf beans (Phaseolus zulslgairis) which transfers galactose specifically and with high yield from galactinol to raffinose giving rise to stachyose and mtyo-inositol. In addition it was found that galactinol constitutes the major galactoside in the beans dulring a certain maturation period and preceedes stachyose in this role (Tanner, unpublished). The enzyme was prepare(l as follows: 177g of unripe seeds were homogenized in 250 ml of 0.1 M phosphate buiffer, pH 7.0, with an Ultra Tuirrax at high speed for 2 minutes. The suipernatant fraction ol)tained after centrifugationi at 10,000 X g for 10 mintutes was dialyzed 45 houirs against 0.05 M phosphate btuffer, pH 7.0. The enzyme was puirified 10-fold by ammonitum sulfate precipitation (3556 %) and treatment with calcium phosphate gel. The incubation mixture contained in a total v%oltume of 0.04 ml: 0.5 ,umole raffinose, 2.4 Atmoles sodiuim phosphate buiffer pH 7.0, enzyme as indicated, andl galactinol-14C (40,000 cpm where not indicated otherwise), isolated from Lamium leaves after I hour photosynthesis in -CO., according to Senser and Kandler (9). Of the total radioactivity, 95.5 % of this galactinol-'4C was located in the galactose moiety. The reaction was run at 32° and(l stoppedl with 0.1 ml 99 % ethainol. The supernataint fractioin and( the wvashings were chromatographe(d in ethyl acetate: blutanol: acetic acid: wvater (3: 4: 2.5: 4). The radioactiv e areas were locatedl with a strip cotnnter, ain(I the radioactivity measuire(l directly on paper with a methane flow coulnter Frieseke and Hoepfner 407 A. The amoulnt of stachyose formed was proportional to the amount of enzxme added and linear with time (table I). This linearity was maintained uintil 35 % of the galactose-14C of galactinol had been trainsferred to raffinose, then the rate decreasedl. II 9 houirs 80 % of the galactose-14C was transferre(I by 0.14 mg proteini. The reaction pi 0dtuct was chromatographically identical to stachvose in 4 solvent systems (88 % phenol: water: I M Na.. EDTA: acetic acidl 840: 160: 1 :10 n-butanol: propionic acid: water 7=50: 352: 498; ethyl acetate etc. see above: ni-btitanol pyridine: water: acetic acid = 60:40:30: 3). \When treatedl with a-galactosidase the only radioactive compoun(d forme(d from the reaction produict was galactose; in the presence of 8-galactosidase n1o radlioactive galactose was split off. Inctubation of the reactioni produtict with invertase yielded 1 radioactive compoulnd with the same RF in ethyl acetate-butanol-acetic acid-water as manninotriose obtaine(l from auithentic stachyose in the same way. The seconi(d reaction pro(ltct was identified as inyo-inositol by chromatography and with the help of inositol-dehydrogeniase prepared from Aerobacter aerogenes accorcling to XNVeisshach (11). In the presence of raffinose as the acceptor

On the frost resistance of red clover with special attention to seed production

The frost-resistance of Finnish red clover has been studied by means of experiments in a cold cabinet and on the basis of samples taken from the field. In the cold cabinet experiments the frost injury of the clover plant’s vegetative parts has reached considerable magnitude when the temperature was about 4° C. Also the unripe heads which did not die immediately could suffer so that the development of the seed stopped. Definitive death of the plants began to occur in the treatment at 5° C, though only when the soil was frozen. The plants recovered after treatment at 10° C if the soil was not frozen. In the field little frost injury of the vegetative parts occurred even with a frost of 6 to 7° C, but the unripe seeds suffered injury in that case. The germination percentage is distinctly dependent on the seed size in absence of frost. The stage of development at which more than 70 % of the corollae are light brown constituted an intermediate phase where the variation in germinative ability was great and covered, when the samples subjected to slight natural frost (–6.6° C) were taken into account, practically the entire per cent range (0—99 %). After the corollae of the heads had turned dark brown, at which time the seed had reached full weight, the seed suffered no injury from –6 to –7° C frost, and even more severe frosts could at the most cause a very slight lowering of germination percentage. Frost seems to injure the seed mainly by stopping the development of the unripe seeds. No lowering of germination from the level corresponding to the seed size has been observed in all cases nor was there any complete loss of germinative ability such as occurs with cereals. The commercial value of frost-injured red clover seed can be considerably increased by sorting. The number of hard seeds is highest in large, early harvested seed. Frost evidently causes »softening» of germinative seeds. The risk implied by frost is less in clover seed cultivation than in the cultivation of spring cereals and potatoes.

Rapporti Fra Endosperma ed Embrione Nella Germinazione diPinus PineaL.

Abstract Endosperm embryo interrelationships during germination of PINUS PINEA L. (2nd Note). — Experiments have been performed with unripe fresh seeds paralleled with unripe stored seeds (50 days of storage). The effect of storage is very similar to the effect of further permanence on the tree. It is confirmed the importance of the endosperm in the germination process already put in evidence in the 1rst note. The relationships existing between endosperm and embryo during the germination of the seed become more and more strict as the seed ripens, so that in a ripe seed the embryo develops in a normal seedling only in connection of its own endosperm. In an unripe seed the embryo is uncompletely controlled by its endosperm. Some remarks have been made about the degree of maturity of the different parts of the embryo.

Modificazioni Anatomiche ed Istologiche in Apici Radicali di Plantule diPinus PineaL. Germinate in Vitro al Buio da Semi Immaturi

Abstract Histological and anatomical modifications in the root apex of PINUS PINEA L. seedlings grown in vitro from immature seeds, in the dark. — The seeds of Pinus pinea L. take three years to develop reaching maturity during the spring of the forth year. Immature seeds were collected at successive stages and cultivated in vitro in Heller's medium. The seedlings showed atrophy of the root togheter with histological and anatomical modifications of the root apex and formation of a small tuber. The extent of these modifications depends on the age of the seed and on how long the seedling is cultivated in vitro. Seedlings derived from seeds planted on August 31st and kept in vitro for about a month had an atrophic root through lack of meristematic capacity; in it the secretory and conducting apparatuses had developed but with mixed radical and hypocotilar characters. Seedlings from unripe seeds planted on September 30th and kept in culture for about one month showed an atrophic root owing to a rapid process of differentiation accompanied by the formation of isolated tracheid-like elements and of discontinuos vascular strands very near to the apex. Lateral proliferations gave rise to masses of various size of unorganised parenchyma which could separate the cortical and cap parenchyma from the central cylinder. In some cases the root cortex, clearly recognisable owing to an advanced process of differentiation, cut off from the central cylinder the root cap cells which degenerated. Seedlings obtained from seeds planted on October 11th and kept in culture for about one month showed a radical tubercle deriving from fasciation of the main axis which had ceased growing and had formed various abnormal lateral root primordia.

Rapporti Fra Endosperma ed Embrione Nella Germinazione diPinus PineaL.: Nota i: Effetti del Grado di Maturità del Seme

Abstract Endosperm embryo interrelationships during germination of PINUS PINEA L. 1rst note. — Seeds and excised embryos have been cultured in vitro in the dark. Experiments with ripe seeds and embryos have been paralleled with exper. with unripe ones (6 months before natural seed dispersal). The results are as follows: Both ripe and unripe seeds germinate in the dark into green seedlings. In both types of seedlings the rootlet is the only part which rapidly increases in length, actually growing, but the growth speed of the root is greater in ripe seeds than in the unripe ones. Both ripe and unripe excised embryos grow slowly, with greenles cotyledons and dwarf roots, showing a very slight geotropic curve. The root stops growing more sharply in ripe embryos than in unripe ones. The hypothesis is raised that the rootlet reaches its full growing power, under the endosperm control, and that this control encreases more and more, as the seed approaches its full maturity.

Zur Biochemie und Physiologie von Galegin in Galega officinalis L.

During the development (8 days) of young Galega officinalis plants only 0,9 mg of arginine H·HCl, but 7 mg of total-galegine· 1/2 H 2 SO 4 and 125mg of asparagine/100 plants were synthesized. Quantitative estimations and studies using 14 C-galegine have shown that galegine is not a nitrogen storage compound in Galega officinalis . In the spring the increase of galegine in the shoots of rapidly growing young plants paralleled the increase of the dry weight. Also, during, the development of flowers and fruits significant changes in thp galpgine content were observed. After 3 days only 3 % of biosynthetically produced 14 C-galegine fet to young Galega officinalis plants was degraded; however, after 11 days 25 % was degraded. Grafting studies, experiments with artificially rooted leaves, sterile culture of isolated roots and biosynthesis of galegine in seedlings growing with roots and without roots in 14 CO 2 have shown that galegine and hydroxygalegine are not synthesized in the roots but in the shoots of the young plants. Further studies with 14 CO 2 have shown that biosynthesis takes place in growing leaves and especially in fruits during their development. Unripe seeds which are able to assimilate and also to synthesize galegine Can obtain additional assimilates from the fruit coats. Part of the gaiegine accumulated in the seeds can be synthesized in the fruit coats and leaves. Basal and apical translocation of 14 C-galegine is possible in the presence and absence of the root system. Galegine is fixed by the plant cells in the immediate vicinity of the vessels. Studies with 14 C-labelled precursors demonstrated that the amidine group of galegine is derived from arginine, apparently by a transamidination reaction. Herrn Prof. Dr. K. M othes bin ich für die stete Förderung meiner Arbeit zu großem Dank verpflichtet. Für die technische Unterstützung bei der Durchführung der Versuche danke ich Fräulein CH. S chimpf .

Metabolism of raffinose in cotton seeds

Raffinose and stachyose, in addition to sucrose, are present in the resting seeds of cotton, and on germination, raffinose and stachyose decreased and then disappeared completely, while sucrose and reducing sugars increased to a considerable extent. No free galactose or any other oligosaccharide containing galactose was detected throughout germination, α-galactosidase activity was fairly high in resting seeds and rose in soaked and germinated seeds, while invertase activity was very low in resting and soaked seeds but increased markedly in germinated seedlings. By infiltrating d-galactose, it was shown that an effective mechanism for galactose utilization existed in the cotyledons of germinated seedling. Galactokinase activity was, however, very low in the germinated seedling. Aerobic conditions were found to be necessary not only for germination but also for disappearance of raffinose and utilization of galactose. Raffinose appeared in the seed during ripening, but was not detected in any other parts of the plant body. Raffinose was also formed in unripe seeds when they were detached from cotton boll and air-dried, suggesting the existence of a system for the formation of raffinose inside the unripe seed, Stachyose was formed from raffinose by transgalactosidation.

PRODUCTION OF ALCOHOL AND ACETALDEHYDE BY TOMATOES

ditions seed plants produce small quantities of alcohol. Lechartier and Bellamy (10) were the first to show that fruits, when deprived of air, produce alcohol as well as CO2. These workers studied a number of varieties of fruits and always found some alcohol produced. They inclosed their fruits in tight containers for several months and in many cases the fruits were considerably disintegrated although they were sterile. From his extensive studies on the maturing of fleshy fruits, Gerber (3) came to the conclusion that in many fruits alcohol is formed during the process of ripening, together with volatile acids and esters. Muller-Thurgau and Osterwalder (13) found alcohol in pears. Thomas (18) found alcohol in apples. Although Gerber studied apples he does not mention having found alcohol in these fruits. Onslow and Barker (17) found alcohol in oranges. The concentration was particularly high when the fruits had been stored in an atmosphere high in CO2, but even in ordinary air alcohol was present to the extent of about 0.03 to 0.10 per cent. It is thus evident that alcohol is produced in fruits when they are surrounded by air. Under anaerobic conditions alcohol has been found in many plant structures, and reference to much literature on the subject is to be found in the monographs (8) on plant respiration. It has been shown by a number of investigators that acetaldehyde is formed in plants. Maze (11) found acetaldehyde in unripe seeds of corn and pear. This acetaldehyde he believed prevented them from germinating. In 1912 Kostytschew (7) demonstrated that acetaldehyde was produced in the alcoholic fermentation of yeast. His method of demonstrating acetaldehyde consisted in adding zinc chloride to the fermenting liquid, which brought about polymerization of the acetaldehyde, preventing it from being reduced to alcohol. Kostytschew et al. (9) found acetaldehyde in poplar blossoms. Acetaldehyde has also been found in other plants: by Muller-Thurgau and Osterwalder (13) in pears and apples; by Neuberg and Eeinfurth (14) in alcoholic fermentation; by Neuberg and Gottschalk (15) in crushed peas and bananas; by Thomas (18) in apples; by Bodnar and co workers (1) in whole seeds of peas; by Klein and Pirschle (6) in flowers, leaves, seedlings, and seeds of a number of different species of plants ; by Harley and Fisher (5) in ripe pears.

THE LARVA OF EUSTIXIA PUPULA, HUBN.

The larva of this not uncommon little Pyralid feeds on the seeds of the peppergrass. It has not been described heretofore; the name as given by Packard (American Naturalist, IV., 229) is an error of identification, the species which he represents, copied from Abbot's manuscript drawing, being Enœmia crassinervella, Zell., a Tineid. The true larva of E. pupula lives singly in the heads of the peppergrass in a loose open web, eating the unripe seeds out of the flat pods, forming two holes in each pod on the upper side. The larvæ, though fully exposed, are difficult to see, as their colours harmonize well with the general appearance of the flower heads. The delicate open web is not conspicuous.

Deviation in Development Due to the Use of Unripe Seeds (Continued)

Previous articleNext article FreeDeviation in Development Due to the Use of Unripe Seeds (Continued)J. C. ArthurJ. C. Arthur Search for more articles by this author PDFPDF PLUS Add to favoritesDownload CitationTrack CitationsPermissionsReprints Share onFacebookTwitterLinkedInRedditEmail SectionsMoreDetailsFiguresReferencesCited by The American Naturalist Volume 29, Number 346Oct., 1895 Published for The American Society of Naturalists Article DOIhttps://doi.org/10.1086/276247 Views: 50 PDF download Crossref reports no articles citing this article.

Deviation in Development Due to the Use of Unripe Seeds

Deviation in Development Due to the Use of Unripe Seeds