Effects of Serpentinite Fertilization with N,P, and K Fertilizers on Soil Properties and Needle Chemistry

The aim of the present research was to study the long-term effect of serpentinite fertilization with additional nitrogen, phosphorous, and potassium fertilizers on some physicochemical properties and the enzyme activity of acidic soils and needle chemistry in stands of Norway spruce (Picea abies (L.) Karst.). Experimental plots were located in spruce stands in the middle forest zone (900–950 m) on two nappes of the Carpathian flysch: Magura and Silesian. Serpentinite was introduced in autumn 2008 on all plots while the other fertilizers in spring 2009. The effect of fertilization was visible mainly in the humus horizon. No significant changes were found in the deeper mineral soil. The acidity and Al toxicity in the surface horizon were ameliorated through serpentinite fertilization. Five years after fertilization, no significant difference in the fertilization treatments was noted in the chemistry of the spruce needles.     

Herbicidal activity of phosphonic and phosphinic acid analogues of glutamic and aspartic acids

Phosphonic and phosphinic acid analogues of glutamic and aspartic acids were synthesized and screened for herbicidal activity on Lepidium sativum L. Depending on the chemical structure, they exhibited significant or moderate herbicidal activity against L. sativum roots (with some representatives being equipotent with phosphinothricin), while their influence on shoot growth was negligible. Cucumis sativus L. appeared to be more tolerant to these analogues. The origin of this selectivity remains to be determined.     

The Seasonal Variation in Bioactive Compounds Content in Juice from Organic and Non-organic Tomatoes

A specific objective of this paper was to evaluate seasonal changes in bioactive compounds level (carotenoids and polyphenols) in juice prepared from organic and non-organic tomatoes in Poland. In the examined tomato juice, the content of dry matter, vitamin C, carotenoids as well as polyphenols (by HPLC method) has been measured. The presented results indicate the impact of the growing system and the year of production on the composition of tomato juice. The organic tomato juice contained significantly more beta-carotene, chlorogenic acid, rutin as well as more total phenolic acids, gallic acid, p-coumaric acid, total flavonoids, quercetin-3-O-glucoside and quercetin in comparison with the non-organic. The tomato juice from 2008 contained significantly more carotenoids and some flavonoids compared to the one produced in 2009, which contained significantly more dry matter, vitamin C, as well as quercetin and it derivatives.     

An Outlook on the Localisation and Structure-Function Relationships of R Proteins in <Emphasis Type="Italic">Solanum</Emphasis>

The co-evolution of plants and plant-pathogens shaped a multi-layered defence system in plants, in which Resistance proteins (R proteins) play a significant role. A fundamental understanding of the functioning of these R proteins and their position in the broader defence system of the plant is essential. Sub-project 3 of the BIOEXPLOIT programme studies how R proteins are activated upon effector recognition and how recognition is conveyed in resistance signalling pathways, using the solanaceous R proteins Rx1 (from S. tuberosum spp. andigena; conferring extreme resistance against Potato Virus X), I-2 (from S. lycopersicon; mediating resistance to Fusarium oxysporum) and Mi-1.2 (from S. lycopersicon; conferring resistance to Meloidogyne incognita) as model systems. The results obtained in this project will serve as a model for other R proteins and will be translated to potential applications or alternative strategies for disease resistance. These include the modification of the recognition specificity of R proteins with the aim to obtain broad spectrum resistance to major pathogens in potato.     

Inheritance of tuber greening under light exposure in diploid potatoes

Low tendency to tuber greening under light exposure is a desirable trait for marketing and processing potatoes. Knowledge of the genetic basis of this trait is limited. During two consecutive years tuber greening after 2-week light exposure was evaluated on 17 unselected diploid potato families obtained between parents with varying tuber-greening tendencies. Parents of these families and standard cultivars were evaluated at the same time. External and depth of tuber greening were examined after tubers were exposed to 2 weeks of light in the greenhouse followed by storage at 10 C, 4 C, and after reconditioning at 18 C. Families, storage conditions, and years significantly influenced tuber greening. Distribution of greening indicated it would be possible to select individuals with very low tuber-greening tendency. Generally, external tuber greening was more intense than depth of greening. External tuber greening increased during storage while depth of tuber greening decreased. A significant maternal effect on external tuber greening was found in one of the three sets of reciprocal crosses after storage at 4 C. Both general and specific combining abilities were important in the inheritance of tuber greening. The correlations between external and depth of tuber greening in most families were significant and relatively high. The results indicated that genotypes with low tendency to tuber greening can be selected in diploid families.     

Changes of the lipid catabolism in potato tubers from cultivars differing in susceptibility to autolysis during the storage

Summary The activities of lipolytic acyl-hydrolases (LAH) and lipoxygenases (LOX) were compared in stored tubers of potato cultivars resistant (Acresta, Eba, Pentland Envoy) and susceptible (Kastor, Pana, Tasso) to post-wounding autolysis. In most cultivars, LAH activities had reached a maximum by the end of December but in cv. Kastor activity continued to increase throughout the storage period. LOX activities increased during most of the storage period except in cv. Tasso. The level of the fatty acid hydroperoxides, assumed from determinations of the malonaldehyde level, also increased during storage. This work was supported by Project CPBP 05.02.2.10 financed by the Polish Academy of Science.     

The effects of cadmium and copper on embryonic and larval development of ide Leuciscus idus L.

The effects of Cd and Cu on embryos and larvae of the ide Leuciscus idus were evaluated. The ide is an European cyprinid fish, natural populations of which tend to decrease. The ide is also used as a bioindicator organism to evaluate water quality. However, sensitivity of ide early developmental stages to heavy metal intoxication is not known. Fish were exposed to Cd or Cu (100 μg/L) during embryonic, larval or both developmental periods. Survival of the embryos, time of hatching, size and quality of newly hatched larvae were evaluated at the end of embryonic period. Correctly developed larvae from the control and Cd or Cu-exposed groups were transferred to clean water, Cd or Cu solutions (100 μg/L) immediately after hatching. Larval development was observed, and the larvae were photographed. Time of yolk sac resorption, onset of active feeding and swim bladder inflation were evaluated, and the measurements were done on body and swim bladder size. The results showed that exposure of embryos to Cd and Cu significantly reduced embryonic survival and increased frequency of body malformations and death in newly hatched larvae and delayed hatching. Exposure to Cd and Cu during larval period reduced larval survival, growth and delayed development (yolk utilization, beginning of active feeding and swim bladder inflation). Cadmium was more toxic to the ide embryos and larvae than copper. Exposures to metals during embryonic period alone caused adverse impact on larval performance even when larval development took place in clean water. However, exposure of embryos to Cu reduced toxic impact of metal on larvae in continuous Cu exposure compared to the non-preexposed fish, but no such an effect occurred in case of Cd exposure. The results show that even a short-term exposure to Cd or Cu during early development of ide may adversely affect recruitment of this species. Among the measured endpoints, quality of newly hatched larvae (frequency of body malformations and larvae dead immediately after hatching) and swim bladder size were the most sensitive to intoxication with both metals. Embryos were more sensitive to Cu intoxication than larvae, while in case of Cd, sensitivity of both stages was similar.     

Preparation of biologically active monomeric recombinant zebrafish (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Danio rerio</Emphasis>) and rainbow trout (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Oncorhynchus mykiss</Emphasis>) recombinant growth hormones

Fish growth hormones (GHs) play an important role in regulating growth, metabolism, reproduction, osmoregulation, and immunity and have thus garnered attention for their application in aquaculture. Zebrafish GH (zGH) cDNA or rainbow trout GH (rtGH) cDNA was cloned into the pMon3401 vector, expressed in MON105-competent Escherichia coli and purified to homogeneity. Their biological activity was evidenced by their ability to interact with ovine GH receptor extracellular domain and stimulate GH receptor-mediated proliferation in FDC-P1-3B9 cells stably transfected with rabbit GH receptor. The relative affinity of zGH and rtGH, estimated by IC₅₀, was about 38-fold and 512-fold lower, respectively, than ovine GH. This is likely the reason for the low biological activity in cells with rabbit GH receptor, ~?36-fold lower for zGH and ~?107-fold lower for rtGH than for human GH. This was not due to improper refolding, as evidenced by circular dichroism analysis. Predicting the activity of fish GHs is problematic as there is no one single optimal in vitro bioassay; heterologous assays may be ambiguous, and only homologous assays are suitable for measuring activity.     

Rearing of coregonid fishes (Coregonidae) in illuminated lake cages: IV. Gonad development in whitefish (Coregonus lavaretus L.) under conditions of cage culture

The paper presents the results of observations on gonad development in whitefish (Coregonus lavaretus L.) in the fourth year of culture in illuminated like cages. Whitefish ovaries attained stage III of maturity. Stage IV of maturity was attained by only a few individual females. Disturbances in the development of the ovary were observed, consisting of asynchronous growth of the oocytes, their partial resorption, and delayed trophoplasmatic growth. Development of male gonads was also disturbed. Different males matured at different times, and their testes were in different stages of maturity. Fishes did not attain sexual maturity by the end of the fourth year of cage culture, so that no spawning could have taken place.