Sodium (Na) is ubiquitous in soils, and is transported to plant shoots via transpiration through xylem elements in the vascular tissue. However, excess Na is damaging. Accordingly, control of xylem-sap Na concentration is important for maintenance of shoot Na homeostasis, especially under Na stress conditions. Here we report that shoot Na homeostasis of Arabidopsis thaliana plants grown in sali...

Plant growth and development was affected greatly through salinity. Appropriate nutrients application on salinity condition can reduce its harmful effects and increased productivity of salinized soils. A pot experiment was carried out in 2007 in cs Lab., Department of Agronomy, Kyungpook National University, Korea to assess the effects of potassium nitrate on Gycine max (Var. Daewonkong) under ...

Selection indices provide useful information to breeders who usually base selection on means and ranks. Knowledge on selection criteria for improving tef grain yield is very limited. Accordingly, the objective of this study was to develop selection criteria for improving tef grain yield through indirect yield component selection via a selection index. Different trait combinations along with thr...

Mineral nutrients taken up by the roots are, as a rule, transported in the xylem to the shoot, and photoassimilates transported in the phloem to the roots. According to the Thornley model of photosynthate partitioning, nutrient deficiencies should favour photosynthate partitioning to the roots. Examples are cited to show that this preferential partitioning is dependent on phloem mobility and he...

In this paper we begin our study of factors controlling Na* and K* uptake in the halophyte Spergularia marina (L.) Griseb., with emphasis on plants growing at moderate salinity (0.2x sea water). The involvement of transpiration was considered first because of its potential to account for much or all of the transport of ions, and particularly of Na*, to the shoot under these growth conditions. T...

Zinc (Zn) deficiency in major food crops has been considered as an important factor affecting the crop production and subsequently the human health. Rice (Oryza sativa) is sensitive to Zn deficiency and thereby causes malnutrition to most of the rice-eating Asian populations. Application of zinc solubilizing bacteria (ZSB) could be a sustainable agronomic approach to increase the soil available...

Carpel margin meristems (CMMs), a pair of meristematic tissues present along the margins of two fused carpel primordia of Arabidopsis thaliana, are essential for the formation of ovules and the septum, two major internal structures of the gynoecium. Although a number of regulatory factors involved in shoot meristem activity are known to be required for the formation of these gynoecial structure...

In order to improve the shoot proliferation rate of ‘Dwarf Cavendish’ banana shoot tip cultures, polyethylene glycol (PEG6000) was employed at concentrations of 2, 4, and 6% (w/v). The medium without PEG was considered as negative control. An increasing of shoot proliferation was achieved in MS medium containing 2% PEG. Furthermore, application of 2% PEG significantly increased the shoot dry we...

BACKGROUND AND AIMS It is generally assumed that plants respond to natural enemies by either allocating resources to resistance traits or compensating for damage. This study evaluated how different methods of artificial shoot removal influence two alternative strategies (i.e. tolerance and defence) of Caragana korshinskii in the semi-arid area of China. METHODS Zero per cent (control), 30% (3...

The apical shoot drives the yearly new stem growth of conifer trees, is the primary site for the establishment of chemical and physical defences, and is important in establishing subsequent perennial growth. This organ presents an interesting developmental system, with growth and development progressing from a meristematic tip through development of a primary vascular system, to a base with ful...