While seed source selection is an important initial step in the genetic improvement of Christmas trees, continuously returning to seed collections from natural stands precludes any further improvement in genetic quality. In addition, the genetic variation within most seed sources is tremendous and varies from year to year. In order for the Christmas tree industry to move past the current level ...

With growing environmental and energy concerns, Jatropha plantations are promoted in degraded/waste lands for the biodiesel production. Nutrient rich nonedible deoiled seed cake, a by-product of Jatropha left out after oil extraction was evaluated at the ICRISAT centre at Patancheru, India as an environment friendly source of nutrients for rainy season maize and soybean followed by postrain...

Solid-state fermentation was carried out using jackfruit seed powder as substrate for the production of pigments using a fungal culture of Monascus purpureus. Due to the buffering nature of jackfruit seed powder, colour of pigments produced was stable over a wide range of initial pH of the substrate. Jackfruit seed powder with a particle size between 0.4 and 0.6 mm without any additional carbon...

The sustainability of seed extraction from natural populations has been questioned recently. Increased recruitment failure under intense seed harvesting suggests that seed extraction intensifies source limitation. Nevertheless, areas where more seeds are collected tend to also have more intense hunting of seed-dispersing animals. We studied whether such hunting, by limiting disperser activity, ...

The dormancy status of S. faberi seed at abscission was assessed with reference to tiller and panicle development. Seed from a single genetic line were grown under field, greenhouse and controlled environment growth chamber conditions. At abscission, a small fraction (<10%) of S. faberi seed germinated under favorable conditions. Seed were dissected and germination of caryopses and embryos also...

Sulfur cinquefoil (family Rosaceae) is an invasive, herbaceous perennial, native to Eurasia. It has wide ecological amplitude and has become established throughout North America in numerous habitat types. Sulfur cinquefoil reproduces only by seed (achenes); however, little is known about its regenerative strategy or reproductive biology. To improve understanding of the mechanisms of expansion f...