Gibberellic acid (GA(3)) promoted leaf abscission from cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) plants exposed to ethylene. With mature plants, only the rate of abscission was increased, but when vegetative plants were exposed to ethylene for 4 days or less, the amount of abscission was increased markedly. Promotion of abscission occurred at near saturating ethylene levels (10 mul/liter), over a wide ran...

Black gram plants subjected to varying levels of Zn supply (0.01 to 10 microM Zn) showed optimum growth and dry matter yield in plants receiving 1 microM Zn. The dry matter yield of plants decreased in plants receiving 0.01 and 0.1 microM Zn (deficient) and excess levels of Zn (2 and 10 microM Zn). The plants grown with Zn deficient supply showed delayed flowering, premature bud abscission, red...

Boric acid (BA) has broad antimicrobial activity that makes it a popular treatment for yeast vaginitis in complementary and alternative medicine. In the model yeast S. cerevisiae, BA disturbs the cytoskeleton at the bud neck and impairs the assembly of the septation apparatus. BA treatment causes cells to form irregular septa and leads to the synthesis of irregular cell wall protuberances that ...

This study aimed to investigate why empty branches occur in ‘Shine Muscat’ grapevines. Moreover, it also understand the bud characteristics of grapevines by examining development, occurrence various necrosis types and inflorescence primordium formation. The rate formation was highest September for young vines October adult vines. In contrast, rather low March following year. blooming during flo...

The flowering process in grapevine (Vitis vinifera) takes place in buds and extends for two consecutive growing seasons. To understand the genetic and molecular mechanisms underlying this process, we have characterized grapevine bud development, cloned the grapevine FLORICAULA/LEAFY (FLO/LFY) ortholog, VFL, and analyzed its expression patterns during vegetative and reproductive development. Flo...

The influence of scoring during the flower induction phase was investigated. Pear trees, Pyrus communis L. cv. Doyenne du Comice, Forelle and Rosemarie were used in the study, conducted in the Western Cape, South Africa. The yield of ‘Doyenne du Comice’ increased by 38% in scored trees compared to the control. The increase in yield was due to 50% more fruits on the scored trees than on the cont...

Axillary meristems form in the axils of leaves. After an initial phase of meristematic activity during which a small axillary bud is produced, they often enter a state of suspended growth from which they may be released to form a shoot branch. This post-embryonic growth plasticity is typical of plants and allows them to adapt to changing environmental conditions. The shoot architecture of genot...

The AXR1 gene of Arabidopsis is required for many auxin responses. The highly branched shoot phenotype of mature axr1 mutant plants has been taken as genetic evidence for a role of auxin in the control of shoot branching. We compared the development of lateral shoots in wild-type Columbia and axr1-12 plants. In the wild type, the pattern of lateral shoot development depends on the developmental...

Florivores are antagonists that damage flowers, and have direct negative effects on flowering and pollination of the attacked plants. While florivory has mainly been studied for its consequences on seed production or siring success, little is known about its impact on mating systems. Damage to flowers can alter pollinator attraction to the plant and may therefore modify patterns of pollen trans...