The role of mutualistic interactions in adaptive diversification has not been thoroughly examined. Lycaenid butterflies provide excellent systems for exploring mutualistic interactions, as more than half of this family is known to use ants as a resource in interactions that range from parasitism to mutualism. We investigate the hypothesis that protection from predators offered to caterpillars b...

vp2 protein is the major host protective immunogen of infectious bursal disease virus (ibdv) of chickens. plants are now gaining widespread acceptance as a general platform for the large scale production of recombinant proteins including vaccine, antibodies and pharmaceuticals. in present study vp2 gene of an iranian isolate of ibdv was cloned under strong plant expression promoter camv35s and ...

Flavonoids play an important role in interactions of plants with the environment. Liquid chromatography (HPLC) was used to determine the flavonoid profiles (especially luteolin, tricin, and chrysoeriol glycosides), their total concentrations, and changes in the amounts of eight flavones found in the aerial parts of alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) (Fabaceae) Radius cv., uninfested and infested by t...

Cold acclimation in alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) plays a crucial role in cold tolerance to harsh winters. To examine the cold acclimation mechanisms in freezing-tolerant alfalfa (ZD) and freezing-sensitive alfalfa (W5), holoproteins, and low-abundance proteins (after the removal of RuBisCO) from leaves were extracted to analyze differences at the protein level. A total of 84 spots were selected...

This paper reviews the current status, methodology, achievements, and prospects of alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) breeding in China. There are 77 cultivars that have been registered in the country, these include 36 cultivars bred through breeding programs, 17 introduced from overseas, 5 domesticated from wild ecotypes, and 19 through regional collection/breeding programs. Cultivars have been sele...

The growth responses of alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) to azomite, a natural composite earth mineral, were assessed in greenhouse experiment at Virginia State University, Chesterfield, VA. Alfalfa plants raised on lime-amended Bojac, Bourne, Emporia and Cullen soils that received 224 kg K/ha 14 × 16 cm pots. Azomite, micronutrients fertilizer, was applied 0, 200, 400, 600 kg/ha replicated three t...