Callus cultures from root explants of Lathyrus sativus L. ‘Derek’ were tested for their morphogenic capacity. Primary explants (fragments of roots) were cultivated on three induction media. We obtained three lines of callus tissue among which we identified two non-embryogenic lines and one embryogenic line. Callus originally cultivated on modified MS medium supplemented with 0.05 mgL picloram, ...

Epidemics of lathyrism, a neurological syndrome of spastic paraparesis, have occurred during severe droughts in Europe, Asia, and Africa for millenia. Causation is linked to exposure to β-N-oxalyl-L-α,β-diaminopropionic acid (β-L-ODAP), a neurotoxin in Lathyrus sativus. Lathyrism shares neurological features with konzo, a syndrome of predominantly spastic paraparesis which occurs during drought...

In many forage legumes, hard seed coat is the main problem impeding thegermination by preventing water and gases transport in seed. We evaluated theeffects of mechanical scarification, chilling, different seedbeds (peat and sand) andtheir combination on the germination ratio and time of 9 naturally grown legumespecies belonging Lathyrus and Vicia genus. Control seeds showed very lowgermination ...

Grass pea (Lathyrus sativus L.) has great agronomic potential as grain and forage legume, and presently is considered as a model crop for sustainable agriculture. However, the development into an important food legume has been hindered by the presence of the neurotoxic amino acid β-N-Oxalyl-α, β-diaminopropionic acid (β-ODAP). Recent studies reported that homoarginine (Har) can counteract this ...

The effects of Lathyrus sativus neurotoxin were studied on the cell membrane potential and cellular cation composition in Retzius nerve cells of the leech Haemopis sanguisuga, with ion-selective microelectrodes using liquid ion-exchangers. Bath application of 10(-4) mol/l Lathyrus sativus neurotoxin for 3 min depolarized the cell membrane potential and decreased the input resistance of directly...

Large numbers of viable protoplasts of pea (Pisum sativum) and grass pea (Lathyrus sativus) were efficiently and reproducibly obtained and, for the first time, fused. Different procedures for fusion were compared, based either on electrofusion (750, 1000, 1250 or 1500 V cm(-1)), or on the use of macro or micromethods with a polyethylene glycol (PEG 6000 or PEG 1540), or a glycine/high pH soluti...