The role of relative humidity (RH) while processing and storing seeds of Brassica spp. and Eruca sativa was investigated by creating different levels of relative humidity, namely, 75%, 50%, 32%, and 11% using different saturated salt solutions and 1% RH using concentrated sulphuric acid. The variability in seed storage behaviour of different species of Brassica was also evaluated. The samples w...

The paper presents a real-time PCR method allowing the simultaneous detection of traces of black mustard (Brassica nigra) and brown mustard (Brassica juncea) in food. The primers and the probe target the B. nigra partial RT gene for reverse transcriptase from gypsy-like retroelement 13G42-26. The real-time PCR method does not show any cross-reactivity with other Brassicaceae species with the ex...

Oilseed crops, particularly canola, Brassica napus L., and B. rapa L., are now a major part of the prairie landscape in Canada. A diverse assemblage of arthropods can be found in areas devoted to oilseed crop production, either feeding on a resource provided by the crop, or feeding on other insects that have been attracted to these areas. Some insects prefer to feed on other plants that are gro...

Harlequin bug (HB), Murgantia histrionica (Hahn), is a pest of cole crops. Alternative control strategies were investigated for control of HB, including trap cropping and systemic neonicotinoid insecticide applications. Potential trap crops, mustard (Brassica juncea ‘Southern Giant Curled’), rapeseed (B. napus ‘Athena’), rapini (B. rapa) and arugula (Eruca sativa) were preferred over collard (B...

Chimeras have been used to study the transmission of genetic material and the resulting genetic variation. In this study, two chimeras, TCC and TTC (where the origin of the outer, middle, and inner cell layers, respectively, of the shoot apical meristem is designated by a 'T' for tuber mustard and 'C' for red cabbage), as well as their asexual and sexual progeny, were used to analyse the mechan...

To elucidate plant mechanisms involved in molybdenum (Mo) sequestration and tolerance, Brassica spp. seedlings were supplied with molybdate, and the effects on plant physiology, morphology, and biochemistry were analyzed. When supplied with (colorless) molybdate Indian mustard (Brassica juncea) seedlings accumulated water-soluble blue crystals in their peripheral cell layers. Energy dispersive ...

Contamination of soil / water resources by petroleum products poses severe threats to underground water and soil quality. In the present study biosurfactant producing bacterial cultures were used to degrade petrol engine oil under in situ conditions in the plant rhizosphere system. Two bacterial isolates used in this study were recovered from Haldia oil refinery sites and identified as Pseudomo...

Repeated monitoring for escaped transgenic crop plants is sometimes necessary, especially in cases when the crop has not been approved for release into the environment. Transgenic oilseed rape (Brassica napus) was detected along roadsides in central Japan in a previous study. The goal of the current study was to monitor the distribution of transgenic oilseed rape and occurrence of hybridization...

Brassica juncea is promising for metal phytoremediation, but little is known about the functional role of most metal transporters in this plant. The functional characterization of two B. juncea cation-efflux family proteins BjCET3 and BjCET4 is reported here. The two proteins are closely related to each other in amino acid sequence, and are members of Group III of the cation-efflux transporters...

We previously identified the W-box-like-4 (Wbl-4) element (GTAGTGACTCAT), one of six Wbl elements in the BjC-P promoter of the unusual chitinase gene BjCHI1 from Brassica juncea, as the core element responsive to fungal infection. Here, we report the isolation and characterization of the cognate transcription factor interacting with the Wbl-4 element. Using Wbl-4 as a target, we performed yeast...