The function of the pericarp in fruits of crop legumes

Summary Legume fruits consist of the seeds and the pericarp that develops from the carpel. Anatomical as well as physiological functions of the pericarp on the one hand resemble those of leaves, on the other hand similarities exist to storage organs. This double function is closely related to the maintainance of a continuous ontogenetic development of the embryo and contributes to the survival of the species. The fleshy and reserve accumulating pericarps of most of the agronomically used grain legumes may have been accidentally selected by breeders in former times. A well developed system of relations between pericarp and developing seeds may have an evolutionary advantage, too. Consequently, the optimally coordinated development of pericarp and seeds in fruits of grain legumes should also be of interest in breeding for increased yields.Pericarps represent a protection against damage of the developing embryo and maintain a favourable micro-climate. All transport streams supplying nutrients to the developing embryo have to pass through the pericarp tissues; pericarp vascular tissue mediates the transport between vegetative parts and the developing young plant organism. Like leaves pericarp assimilates carbon dioxide as well as nitrate autotrophically. During stage 1 of embryogenesis, when the seeds are only small and slowly growing organs, the pericarp represents the centre of anabolism in the fruits and accumulates starch and amides that are degraded and transferred into the seeds during stage 2 of ontogenesis when the cotyledons are growing rapidly. Pericarp metabolism seems to be controlled by the seeds. Temporarily physiological processes in the pericarp can buffer seed development against damages by environmental and nutrient stress.The present knowledge on the structures and functions of the pericarp in grain legume fruits is summarized on the basis of available literature as well as on the basis of own investigations.

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Die Funktion des Pericarps in Früchten von Körnerleguminosen

Zusammenfassung Leguminosenfrüchte bestehen aus dem Pericarp, das sich aus dem Fruchtblatt entwickelt, und den davon umschlossenen Samen. Anatomische und physiologische Funktionen des Pericarps entsprechen einerseits denen eines Blattes, andererseits bestehen Ähnlichkeiten zu Speicherorganen. Diese Doppelfunktion ist eng mit der Erhaltung einer kontinuierlichen ontogenetischen Entwicklung der Embryonen verknüpft und trägt zur Erhaltung der Art bei. Die fleischigen und Reserve-Stoffe akkumulierenden Pericarpien der meisten landwirtschaftlich genutzten Körnerleguminosen könnten in vergangenen Zeiten unbewußt durch Pflanzenzüchter herausgebildet worden sein. Ein gut entwickeltes System von Beziehungen zwischen Pericarp und sich entwickelnden Samen könnte einen Evolutionsvorteil darstellen. Infolgedessen sollte die Herausbildung eines solchen Systems mit optimal koordinierter Entwicklung von Pericarp und Samen für die Ertragszüchtung bei Körnerleguminosen von Interesse sein.Pericarpien bilden einen Schutz gegen die Schädigung der sich entwickelnden Samen und erhalten ein günstiges Mikroklima. Alle Transportströme, mit denen Nährstoffe für den herangewachsenen Embryo bereitgestellt werden, passieren das Pericarp; die Leitgewebe des Pericarps bilden die Transportverbindungen zwischen vegetativen Teilen und den sich entwickelnden jungen pflanzlichen Organismen. Ebenso wie Blätter können Pericarpien autotroph Kohlendioxyd und Nitrat assimilieren. Während der 1. Phase der Embryogenese, wenn die Samen noch klein sind und nur langsam wachsen, liegt das anabolische Stoffwechselzentrum der Leguminosenfrüchte im Pericarp, das zu dieser Zeit Stärke und Amide akkumuliert, die während des 2. ontogenetischen Stadiums reaktiviert und in die nun rasch wachsenden Samen verlagert werden. Der Stoffwechsel des Pericarps scheint unter Kontrolle durch die Samen zu stehen. Physiologische Prozesse im Pericarp können zeitweilig die sich entwickelnden Samen gegen Schädigungen infolge Umwelt- und Ernährungsbelastungen abpuffern.Der gegenwärtige Stand unserer Kenntnisse über Funktion und Struktur des Pericarps der Früchte von Körnerleguminosen wird auf der Grundlage von Literaturinformationen und eigener Untersuchungen zusammenfassend dargestellt.

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Biogenetic studies in Syringa vulgaris L.: bioconversion of (18)O(2H)-labeled precursors into lilac aldehydes and lilac alcohols

Syringa vulgaris L. inflorescences, petals, and chloroplasts, isolated from lilac flower petals, were fed with aqueous solutions of (18)O-labeled linalool and [5,5-(2)H(2)]-deoxy-d-xylose (DOX). The chloroplasts of lilac flower petals were isolated after feeding experiments with labeled precursors. Volatiles from the chloroplasts were extracted by stir bar sorptive extraction (SBSE) and analyzed using enantioselective multidimensional gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (enantio-MDGC-MS). Feeding experiments with DOX indicate that the novel mevalonate-independent 1-deoxy-d-xylose 5-phosphate/2C-methyl-d-erythritol 4-phosphate (DOX/MEP) is the decisive pathway of lilac aldehyde and lilac alcohol, respectively. Bioconversion of [(18)O]linalool into lilac aldehyde and lilac alcohol during in vivo feeding experiments was monitored, and the metabolic pathways are discussed.     

Land cover mapping of deciduous forest regions using ETM+ data: a case study of Azerbaijan Province,Iran

Up to date information about the existing land cover patterns and changes in land cover over time is one of the prime prerequisites for the preparation of an integrated development plan and economic development program of a region. By using ETM+ image data from 2002, we provided a land cover map of deciduous forest regions in Azerbaijan Province, Iran. Initial qualitative evaluation of the data showed no significant radiometric errors. Image classification was carried out using a maximum likelihood-based supervised classification method. In the end, we determined five major land cover classes, i.e., grass lands, deciduous broad-leaf forest, cultivated land, river and land without vegetation cover. Accuracy, estimated by the use of criteria such as overall accuracy from a confusion matrix of classification was 86% with a 0.88 Kappa coefficient. Such high accuracy results demonstrate that the combined use of spectral and textural characteristics increased the number of classes in the field classification, also with excellent accuracy. The availability and use of time series of remote sensing data permit the detection and quantification of land cover changes and improve our understanding of the past and present status of forest ecosystems.     

Untersuchungen zur Zusammensetzung der Blattpigmente an Mutanten vonLycopersicon esculentum,Lycopersicon pimpinellifolium und Antirrhinum majus

Zusammenfassung Die Mutantensortimente vonLycopersicon esculentum, Lycopersicon pimpinellifolium undAntirrhinum majus des Zentralinstitutes für Genetik und Kulturpflanzenforschung wurden einem Screening-Programm zum Auffinden von Formen mit von der Norm abweichender Zusammensetzung der Photosynthesepigmente unterzogen. Dazu wurden zunächst die Absorptions- und Derivativspektren der Blätter sämtlicher Mutanten in vivo gemessen. Nach Auswertung dieser Spektren wurden verschiedene Mutanten mit veränderten Pigmentverhältnissen ausgewählt, an denen zusätzlich eine Chlorophyllanalyse im Azetonextrakt durchgeführt wurde.Auf diese Weise wurden Mutanten mit teilweise stark veränderten Chlorophyll a/Chlorophyll b-Verhältnissen gefunden.Anhand dieser Ergebnisse wurde geprüft, inwieweit eine quantitative Bestimmung der Chlorophylle aus dem in-vivo-Spektrum möglich ist.Die erhaltenen Ergebnisse zeigen weiterhin, daß Pflanzen mit verringertem Chlorophyll b-Gehalt einen höheren Anteil an der kurzwelligen Chlorophyll a-Form in vivo (C_a673) besitzen.

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On the composition of leaf pigments in mutants ofLycopersicon esculentum, Lycopersicon pimpinellifolium andAntirrhinum majus

Summary The mutant collections ofLycopersicon esculentum, Lycopersicon pimpinellifolium andAntirrhinum majus of the Zentralinstitut für Genetik und Kulturpflanzenforschung were investigated in order to find mutants with changed composition of the photosynthetic pigments.For this purpose the absorption and (second) derivative spectra of the leaves of all mutants were measured. After evaluation of these spectra some mutants were selected, which were additionally analysed by extracting the leaf pigments in acetone.In this way some mutants with strongly changed chlorophyll a/chlorophyll b ratios were found.Proceeding from these results the possibility of a quantitative estimation of the chlorophylls from in vivo spectra was tested.Furthermore it was shown, that plants with a decreased content of chlorophyll b have a higher amount of the short wave form of chlorophyll a (C_a673) in vivo.

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Lycopersicon esculentum, L. pimpinellifolium Antirrhinum majus

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Dispersal of the endangered flightless beetle Dorcadion fuliginator (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae) in spatially realistic landscapes

Habitat destruction and degradation are the major causes for the decline of the endangered grass-feeding beetle Dorcadion fuliginator in Central Europe. In the southern part of the Upper Rhine valley (border region of Switzerland, Germany and France) the habitat suitable for this flightless beetle has been reduced to small remnants of extensively managed dry grassland, usually surrounded by intensively cultivated agricultural fields or settlements. Using a mark-release-resight technique we examined movement patterns in three D. fuliginator populations to obtain basic information on the dispersal ability and longevity of this beetle. Estimated daily survival rates ranged from 88.8% to 90.8% in the populations examined. This corresponds to a mean life span of 10.5 days. Distances moved by D. fuliginator differed among populations. The beetles walked the largest distances in the verges of a field track. Several beetles moved distances of 20-100 m along the track, with a maximum distance of 218 m (a male in 12 days). The shortest displacements were recorded in the bank of the river Rhine, a narrow habitat surrounded by tarmac roads. We also assessed the spatial arrangement of 12 patches with D. fuliginator populations in two regions and estimated the size of each population over 4 years. Data on dispersal, daily survival, population size and spatial arrangement of patches were used to simulate patch-specific migration rates. The simulations suggested that in both areas the beetles regularly moved between neighbouring patches separated by distances shorter than 100 m, whereas patches separated by distances exceeding 500 m are isolated.     

Messung von Absorptionsspektren in vivo

Zusammenfassung Die Messung von Absorptionsspektren biologischer Objekte in vivo ermöglicht eine rasche Information über die Zusammensetzung und den Zustand der enthaltenen Pigmente, insbesondere bei der Untersuchung photosynthetisch aktiver Organe. Es wird deshalb eine Übersicht über Probleme, Methoden und Anwendungsmöglichkeiten gegeben.Meßtechnische Schwierigkeiten ergeben sich in erster Linie aus der Lichtstreuung, die in verschiedener Weise zu einer Verzerrung der Spektren führt. Eine Verringerung dieser Effekte ist mit verschiedenen Methoden möglich, die entweder das Streulicht oder einen repräsentativen Anteil desselben sammeln oder durch Angleichung des Brechungsindex des umgebenden Mediums die Streuung selbst herabsetzen.Das Auftreten verschiedener Pigmentformen mit ähnlichen spektralen Eigenschaften führt zu einer starken Überlagerung und damit schlechter Auflösung ihrer Absorptionsbanden. Eine Erhöhung der Auflösung ist mit Methoden möglich, die die Halbwertsbreite der Banden verringern. Dazu dienen die Messung bei der Temperatur des flüssigen Stickstoffs (–196 °C) und die Anwendung mathematischer Verfahren zur Bandenverschärfung, insbesondere der Derivativ-Spektrophotometrie.Einige Anwendungsbeispiele demonstrieren den Nutzen der Methode bei der Untersuchung der Chlorophylle in vivo.

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Measurement of absorption spectra in vivo

Summary The measurement of absorption spectra of biological objects enables fast information about composition and state of pigments, especially in the study of photosynthetically active organs. Therefore a review is given about problems, methods, and possible applications.Difficulties in the measurement result mainly from light scattering, causing a distortion of spectra in different ways. A reduction of these effects is possible by several methods, which either collect the scattered radiation (or a representative portion of it) or decrease the scattering by adjusting the refractive index of the surrounding medium to those of the cell walls.The existence of different pigment forms having similar spectral properties results in a strong overlapping and bad resolution of their absorption bands. A resolution enhancement is possible by methods reducing the halfwidth of the bands. This can be performed by measurement at liquid nitrogen temperature (–196 °C) and by mathematical methods of band sharpening, especially derivative spectrophotometry.Some examples demonstrate the use of the method in the study of chlorophylls in vivo.

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in vivo

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Herrn Prof. Drs. Dr. h. c.Hans Stubbe zum 75. Geburtstag gewidmet.     

Präferenzielle Paarung der Chromosomen autotetraploider Gerste — Mathematisches Modell

Zusammenfassung Ein mathematisches Verfahren wird beschrieben, mit dessen Hilfe auf mögliche, durch Translokationen bedingte Paarungspräferenzen der Chromosomen in der Meiose bei Autotetraploiden geschlossen werden kann. Bei Gerste konnte mit Hilfe von einfachen und multiplen Translokationen im duplex-heterozygoten Zustand gezeigt werden, daß die Strukturumbauten offenbar in gewissen Grenzen zu präferenzieller Paarung der an den Translokationen beteiligten Chromosomen führten.

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Preferential Pairing of the Chromosomes of Autotetraploid Barley — a Mathematical Model

Summary A mathematical method is described which can be used for ascertaining possible effects of translocations on chromosome pairing during meiosis in autotetraploids. Using single and multiple translocations in duplex-heterozygous condition in barley, it has been shown that the structural rearrangements apparently resulted in a certain amount of preferential pairing of the chromosomes involved in the interchanges.

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Herrn Prof. Dr. Drs. h. c.Hans Stubbe zum 75. Geburtstag gewidmet.     

Insights into the dynamics of endemic Coxiella burnetii infection in cattle by application of phase-specific ELISAs in an infected dairy herd

Serological diagnosis of acute and chronic Q fever in humans relies on detection of antibodies to phase I (PhI) and II (PhII) antigens of Coxiella (C.) burnetii. Although phase-specific antigens are available, they are not yet used in ruminants as they are in humans. This study focuses on phase-specific serology as a tool for analysis of the dynamics of infection in cattle. As a prerequisite, sero-prevalence in Bavarian cattle (1) and sero-prevalences for age-groups (2) were determined by ELISA (CHEKIT Q-Fever; mix of PhI/PhII-antigen). Subsequently, phase-specific antigens were coated onto ELISA plates individually and tests were simultaneously applied in an endemically infected herd with about 90 dairy cows and 250 calves/heifers in April 2005, March 2006 and retrospectively in May and October 2004. From April 2005 onward, placentas were analysed for C. burnetii by PCR (3). (1) Sero- and herd prevalences based on 21,051 sera from 603 Bavarian dairy farms collected in 2003 were 14.8% ± 0.48% and 72.3% ± 3.6%, respectively. (2) Analysis of 3965 animals from 105 farms for which age was reported revealed a base level of sero-prevalence of less than 5% in 1-2 years old animals, it increased to 15% in 2-3 years old and reached a plateau (25-30%) in cows four years and older. (3) In May 2004 and April 2005 a peak of PhI(-)/PhII(+)-prevalence in primiparous cows (2.0-3.5 years) was observed; but not in October 2004 and March 2006. The PhI(-)/PhII(+)-pattern in primiparous cows changed to negative (one-third), PhI(+)/PhII(+) (1/3) or persisted (1/3). In contrast, sero-conversion was rare in multiparous cows (>3.5 years). If the PhI(-)/PhII(+) pattern was detected, it was due to an infection in preceding years. This pattern persisted (2/3) or changed to negative (1/3); a change to PhI(+)/PhII(+) did not occur. PhI(-)/PhII(+) in heifers (1-2 years) always changed to negative. Detection of PhII-antibodies was significantly associated with PCR-positive placentas. Remarkably, 45% of sera with the PhI(-)/PhII(+) pattern were negative for the CHEKIT Q-Fever ELISA, thus this test missed an important group of infected animals.