Seed oils of Passiflora edulis, Jatropa curucas, Tinospora cordifolia, Sesbania grandiflora and Sapindus laurifolia were investigated for their antihelmintic property against Pheritima pasthuma. Three concentrations (10, 50 and 100 mg/ml) of each oil were studied in the bioassay, which involved the determination of time of paralysis and time of death of the worm. Sesbania grandiflora showed the...

MIGS (miRNA-induced gene silencing) is a straightforward and efficient gene silencing technique in Arabidopsis. It works by exploiting miR173 to trigger the production of phasiRNAs (phased small interfering RNAs). MIGS can be used in plant species other than Arabidopsis by co-expression of miR173 and target gene fragments fused to an upstream miR173 target site. However, the efficiency and tech...

Molecular mechanisms governing development of the male reproductive organs of flowers, the anthers, are largely unknown. In this article, we report on the investigation of the molecular basis of a mutation involving the expression of a gene encoding the flavonoid biosynthesis enzyme chalcone flavanone isomerase (CHI) in anthers of petunia. In petunia, the gene Po regulates the expression of CHI...

A microplot study under field conditions was carried out during 2 consecutive years to assess the effect of root-knot nematode infection (2,000 Meloidogyne incognita eggs/kg soil) on three winter ornamental plants: hollyhock (Althea rosea), petunia (Petunia hybrida), and poppy (Papaver rhoeas). Effects of root-dip treatment with the biocontrol agents Pochonia chlamydosporia, Bacillus subtilis, ...

The long-term success of populations is dependent on individual reproductive success, and in general, increased population size genetic diversity contribute to maintenance, reducing the risk local extinction. Interspecific hybridization has consequences that can vary according hybrids' fate, which be strongly influenced by capacity hybrids canonical individuals from contact zone. We examined bi...

Calliandra grandiflora has been used as a medicinal plant for thousands of years in Mexico. Rhizobial strains were obtained from root nodules of C. grandiflora collected from different geographical regions in Chiapas and characterized by BOX-PCR, amplified rDNA restriction analysis (ARDRA) and 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis. Most isolates corresponded to members of the genus Rhizobium and thos...

The phenylpropanoid pathway gives rise to metabolites that determine floral colour and fragrance. These metabolites are one of the main means used by plants to attract pollinators, thereby ensuring plant survival. A lack of knowledge about factors regulating scent production has prevented the successful enhancement of volatile phenylpropanoid production in flowers. In this study, the Production...

Severa1 homeotic genes that are involved in floral differentiation have recently been isolated and characterized from Antirrhinum majus and Arabidopsis thaliana (Sommer et al., 1990; Yanofsky et al., 1990). Based on genetic and molecular studies, a model has been proposed to explain the roles of different homeotic genes in the specification of floral organ identity (Bowman et al., 1991). To see...

THE activity of phosphatase in the bean, potato, radish and wheat at different stages of their life histories was reported in a previous paper [Ignatieff & Wasteneys, 1936]. The small amounts of material available however made the investigation of the distribution of the enzyme in the various parts of the flower impossible. Such data are needed to complete our knowledge of the distribution of t...