Impact of Aluminum on Phosphate Uptake and Acid Phosphatase Activity in Root Tips of Lotus Japonicus

The effect of aluminum (Al) on phosphate homeostasis and induction of acid phosphatase activity and isoenzymes was analyzed in root tips of Lotus japonicus. The rapid uptake of phosphate as well as the decrease of soluble inorganic phosphate in tissues suggested, that the presence of Al in root apoplast causes precipitation of the most of absorbed phosphate. Acid phosphatase (ACP) isoenzymes are affected differentially during low pH and Al stress and both Al induced increases and decreases of ACP isoenzyme activities were observed.     

The Yields and Carbon and Nitrogen Balances in the Polyfactorial Field Experiments

The polyfactorial long-term field experiments have been founded in 1979 in several experimental stations located in different soil and climatic conditions, representing a climate and pedosequence of arable soils in the Czech Republic. Four of these experiments exist till the present time. Essentially, the same experimental design that includes different fertilisation with farmyard manure and/or with mineral fertilisers (N, P, K), liming and stand density, each in five levels with four replications, have been applied for all these experiments. Practically, the same eight year crop rotations were applied during the first and second rotations. A conventional tillage has been applied. Organic carbon and nitrogen contents in soil, dry matter of the main and second products, nitrogen uptake by the main and second products and carbon and nitrogen balances have been evaluated in six selected variants of organic and mineral fertilisation over the time period 1996 to 2000.     

Ecologically based height growth model and derived raster maps of Norway spruce site index in the Western Carpathians

The purpose of this study was to find the ecological factors that most affect height growth of Norway spruce (Picea abies Karst.) over the Western Carpathians. The specific aim was to find climate and soil parameters which are influenced by climate change and can thus be used to make a forest growth model more sensitive to climate. From the results, a regression model was built which can predict top height growth of Norway spruce from ecological parameters. Data collected on 201 plots established within National Forest Inventory of Slovakia were used. The plots selected for the study were distributed almost over the whole Western Carpathians. Mean height of the 20 % largest spruce trees was used as dependent variable. From all investigated ecological factors, the growing season length explained as the number of days with temperature over 5 °C, the carbon-to-nitrogen ratio and soil acidity were shown to have the major impact on top height growth of Norway spruce. Finally, 76 % of total variability in top height was explained by the mentioned site variables. To obtain a user-friendly output, a probability matrix was developed showing the likelihood of a discrete site index to occur on different combinations of site factors. Moreover, raster maps showing the site index of spruce and its probability distribution were developed.     

Antioxidant capacity changes and phenolic profile of Echinacea purpurea, nettle (Urtica dioica L.), and dandelion (Taraxacum officinale) after application of polyamine and phenolic biosynthesis regulators

The changes of the antioxidant (AOA) and antiradical activities (ARA) and the total contents of phenolics, anthocyanins, flavonols, and hydroxybenzoic acid in roots and different aerial sections of Echinacea purpurea, nettle, and dandelion, after treatment with ornithine decarboxylase inhibitor, a polyamine inhibitor (O-phosphoethanolamine, KF), and a phenol biosynthesis stimulator (carboxymethyl chitin glucan, CCHG) were analyzed spectrophotometrically; hydroxycinnamic acids content was analyzed by RP-HPLC with UV detection. Both regulators increased the AOA measured as inhibition of peroxidation (IP) in all herb sections, with the exception of Echinacea stems after treatment with KF. In root tissues IP was dramatically elevated mainly after CCHG application: 8.5-fold in Echinacea, 4.14-fold in nettle, and 2.08-fold in dandelion. ARA decrease of Echinacea leaves treated with regulators was in direct relation only with cichoric acid and caftaric acid contents. Both regulators uphold the formation of cinnamic acid conjugates, the most expressive being that of cichoric acid after treatment with CCHG in Echinacea roots from 2.71 to 20.92 mg g(-1). There was a strong relationship between increase of the total phenolics in all sections of Echinacea, as well as in the studied sections of dandelion, and the anthocyanin content.     

供体细胞和曲古抑菌素(TSA)对奶牛克隆胚胎发育的影响

本研究探讨供核细胞处理策略(新鲜消化、-196℃冻存组(复苏后)和曲古抑菌素(TSA)处理组)和TSA-CR1aa胚胎培养液处理时间对克隆胚发育的影响。利用体细胞核移植技术生产奶牛克隆胚胎,将部分克隆胚移植给自然发情同步的受体,检验克隆胚的体内发育能力。结果显示:TSA处理体细胞组的克隆胚卵裂率和囊胚率与新鲜消化和-196℃冻存组相比差异显著(P<0.05);-196℃冻存组与新鲜消化组差异不显著;用TSA-CR1aa分别处理新鲜消化细胞构建的克隆胚0、24、48和60h,其中,60h处理组的囊胚率最高(36.11±1.78%)与其他组对比差异显著(P<0.05);用TSA-CR1aa分别处理TSA处理组构建的重构胚24、48和60h,结果发现,60hTSA-CR1aa处理组囊胚率(37.39±1.78%)最高,显著高于24h(25.48±1.34%)TSA-CR1aa处理组,且差异显著(P<0.05)。将所获得的克隆胚胎分别移植给40头自然发情的受体母牛,并观察移植25,45,65和90d后的返情情况,结果显示,各组受孕率无统计学差异,但经TSA处理细胞和胚胎组移植的受体中,获得一头存活的体细胞克隆奶牛。说...     

Evaluation of Czech spring malting barleys with respect to the β-amylase allele incidence

Strong enzymatic activities in the germinating barley grain, together with protein and starch content, are crucial for high extraction values in the resulting malt and, therefore, barley malting quality. The efficient characterization of registered barley cultivars and genetic resources with respect to one of the relevant thermostability enzymes (β‐amylase) is an essential requirement. The template‐directed dye‐terminator incorporation (TDI) assay: based on flourescence resonance energy transfer (TDI‐FRET) ( Chen et al. 1995 ) was used to detect single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the β‐amylase coding sequence resulting in low (Sd2L), intermediate (Sd1) and high (Sd2H and Sd3) thermostability enzyme across 84 Czech barley cultivars and genetic resources used over a period of time in the Czech Republic. The incidence of different alleles has changed during the last 100 years. Also the new resources with high thermostabile β‐amylase were identified. They can be used effectively to breed for malting quality improvement.     

Modeling effects of hydrological changes on the carbon and nitrogen balance of oak in floodplains

We extended the applicability of the ecosystem model BIOME-BGC to floodplain ecosystems to study effects of hydrological changes on Quercus robur L. stands. The extended model assesses floodplain peculiarities, i.e., seasonal flooding and water infiltration from the groundwater table. Our interest was the tradeoff between (a). maintaining regional applicability with respect to available model input information, (b). incorporating the necessary mechanistic detail and (c). keeping the computational effort at an acceptable level. An evaluation based on observed transpiration, timber volume, soil carbon and soil nitrogen content showed that the extended model produced unbiased results. We also investigated the impact of hydrological changes on our oak stands as a result of the completion of an artificial canal network in 1971, which has stopped regular springtime flooding. A comparison of the 11 years before versus the 11 years after 1971 demonstrated that the hydrological changes affected mainly the annual variation across years in leaf area index (LAI) and soil carbon and nitrogen sequestration, leading to stagnation of carbon and nitrogen stocks, but to an increase in the variance across years. However, carbon sequestration to timber was unaffected and exhibited no significant change in cross-year variation. Finally, we investigated how drawdown of the water table, a general problem in the region, affects modeled ecosystem behavior. We found a further amplification of cross-year LAI fluctuations, but the variance in soil carbon and nitrogen stocks decreased. Volume increment was unaffected, suggesting a stabilization of the ecosystem two decades after implementation of water management measures.     

Phyletic relationships within the genus Hordeum using PCR-based markers

Fifteen Hordeum species and subspeciesbelonging to groups with different genomes were studied usingPCR-based markers to establish phylogenetic relationshipswithin the genus. Two hundred and seventeen RAPD and STS markers wereused to calculate genetic distances and construct phylogenetic trees.The phenetic analysis clearly separated the primary gene pool,represented by H. vulgaressp. vulgare, H.vulgare ssp. vulgare convar. vulgare f. agriochriton andH. vulgare ssp.spontaneum, from the secondary gene pool,represented by H. bulbosumand the tertiary gene pool, represented by American wild barleys andH. bogdanii. Data obtainedfrom PCO analysis are in complete agreement with taxonomicclassifications proposed previously, which were comparisons ofnumerous morphological, cytological and reproductivecharacters.