The Sedum alfredii Hance hyperaccumulating ecotype (HE) has the ability to hyperaccumulate cadmium (Cd), as well as zinc (Zn) and lead (Pb) in above-ground tissues. Although many physiological studies have been conducted with these plants, the molecular mechanisms underlying their hyper-tolerance to heavy metals are largely unknown. Here we report on the generation of 9.4 gigabases of adaptor-t...

A protocol for in vitro cloning of mature plants of Citrus limon using nodal shoot segments has been developed. Three to four shoots were induced per axillary meristems on MS medium amended with 9 μM BAP. Repeated transfer of the initial explants for up to six passages on MS medium [having 50% of the original concentrations of NH4NO3 and KNO3, and supplement of 250 mg L (NH4)2SO4] with 0.22 μM ...

The results of several recent investigations indicate that length of day or photoperiod is an important factor in determining the length of growing season in certain species of woody plants. The short days of late summer and autumn stop stem elongation and the production of new leaves in a number of species long before temperatures are low enough to check growth. This has been strikingly demons...

The possibility of utilizing plants for soil decon­ tamination of heavy metals received more and more interest in recent years. Plants useful for phytoremediation should be characterized by a high biomass production and by accumulation of high amounts of metals in easily harvested shoots (Blaylock et al., 1997). These conditions are ful­ filled by some cultivars of Indian mustard (Bras­ sica ju...

Leaf phenology, growth irradiance (i.e., photosynthetic photon flux (PPF) at the leaf surface) and photosynthetic capacity (A(area); measured at a PPF of 1000 micro mol m(-2) s(-1) and expressed on a leaf area basis) were investigated in early leaves (ELs) and late leaves (LLs) of Betula grossa Siebold & Zucc. trees. Early leaves first appeared on morphologically distinct long shoots and short ...

A mutagenesis programme was carried out using physical mutagens (gamma rays) on Cucumis melo cv. Bathasa. In irradiated seeds the number of shoots formed in the lower doses was significantly higher than the controls. Decrease in the number of shoots and shoot bud formation was observed with higher doses in all the explants studies. There was complete lethality in the 10, 15 and 20 kR doses. In ...

season they begin to come out from the roots of mature bamboos and then become available in the vegetable stalls in the bazar. They are taken by all classes of people and have lately become popular even among the European residents in Calcutta. Cattle are also fond of these shoots and the owners of bamboo clumps always try to protect the young shoots by fencing off the clumps during the rains w...

Thermotherapy and chemotherapy in vitro were applied to eliminate Apple chlorotic leaf spot virus (ACLSV) and Prunus necrotic ring spot virus (PNRSV) from myrobalan (Prunus cerasifera var. divaricata Borgh.), PNRSV from ‘Empress’ plum (Prunus domestica L.) and Prune dwarf virus (PDV) from ‘Early Rivers’ sweet cherry (Cerasus avium (L.) Moench.) plants. ELISA assays conducted one year after ther...

In an effort to determine the biochemical markers for identifying genotypes before sowing for drought tolerance, changes in activities of antioxidant enzymes were determined in the seedlings of five drought-tolerant and five drought-sensitive wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) genotypes, each with different genetic background growing under normal and water deficit conditions induced by 6% mannitol. I...

Dried-fermented, fermented-canned and fermented-sliced bamboo shoots form a customary grace of different cookeries of the South-East Asian countries. Bamboo shoots are high moisture product, low in fat, cholesterol and high in carbohydrates and dietary fibers. Many nutrients and active materials can be extracted from them. Hence, bamboo shoots are more valuable in pharmaceutical and food proces...