Objective: To determine the stigma receptivity and pollen viability in order to make manual crosses obtain viable progeny castor bean (Ricinus communis L.).Design/Methodology/Approach: Pollen tests were made on breeding materials by staining with acetocarmine solution. In elite materials, of was evaluated hydrogen peroxide. From inflorescences, male ones removed female preserved, which covered ...

The activity of nitrate reductase (+Mg(2+), NR(act)) in illuminated leaves from spinach, barley and pea was 50-80% of the maximum activity (+EDTA, NR(max)). However, NR from leaves of Ricinus communis L. had a 10-fold lower NR(act), while NR(max) was similar to that in spinach leaves. The low NR(act) of Ricinus was independent of day-time and nitrate nutrition, and varied only slightly with lea...

Phytoremediation is an attractive alternative to conventional treatments of soil due to advantages such as low cost, large application areas, and the possibility of in situ treatment. This study presents the assessment of phytoremediation processes conducted under controlled experimental conditions to evaluate the ability of Ricinus communis L., tropical plant species, to promote the degradatio...