L'influence de la temperature sur la morphologie de la pomme de terre

Résumé La morphologie duSolanum tuberosum, variétésGineke etMajestic a été étudiée dans un milieu conditionné avec des températures de 15, 20 et 25°C. En changeant la température, la plante présente des variations remarquables, soit dans l'aspect de la tige, soit dans la forme et la grandeur des feuilles. Les différences remarquées sont probablement liées à la différente fa?on de développement et de différenciation des méristèmes à cause de la température. Ils correspondaient avec les caractéristiques morphologiques et anatomiques des plantes poussant en Italie à des niveaux respectifs de 1700, 1100 et 400 m avec des températures moyennes respectivement comparables. Les remarquables différences morphologiques observées permettent de suivre les étappes de développement de la plante, et d'en juger l'age physiologique.

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Summary In order to list and study the morphological characters of the haulm ofSolanum tuberosum var.Majestic grown in different environments in Italy (Scaramella Petri 1956, 1958, 1959) tubers were planted at the I.B.S., Wageningen, in glasshouses held at 15, 20 and 25 respectively. Other tubers from the same lot were planted in Italy, in the plain near Bologna. All leaves from base to apex of the stem were numbered, dried, laid out on flat sheets and their morphology compared. Histological studies were made on sections of stem taken at predetermined levels: at the basal node, at quarter height and at the apex. Similar studies were made on the varietyGineke under the same conditions and using the same characters (fig. 3, 5). The modifications arising from growth at the three temperatures are in general the same as those shown by the varietyMajestic, but the latter is more sensitive and, therefore, more suited to studies of this kind. Leaf size Mean leaf size is greatest at 15°C; this can be explained by the greater length of the midrib. The number of leaves increases only slightly and that towards the end of the vegetative period (fig. 2,table). General morphology of the plant Similar morphological studies were done in Italy in the same year, on plants grown from the same seed. Plants grown between April and June were subjected to a temperature of 20°C during their early development; this was followed by conditions typical of the region. The mean temperature during the final period of growth was 25°C. The morphological characters of these plants resemble those of the plants grown in the 25°C glasshouse. The leaves are compound and pointed and their size diminishes gradually; the stem is tall and branched. Internal structure also presents similarities (fig. 6, 7). Morphological characters resembling those of the plants grown at 15°C can be found in the plants grown at the intermediate level in the mountains (fig. 1). These observations confirm the results of previous work and indicate clearly the effect of temperature on the morphology of the haulm. Other factors remaining constant, there is for any particular level of temperature a fixed morphological type and rate of development. In general, increased height of stem through the formation of new nodes is reflected in poorer growth below ground, both in yield of tubers and in their capacity to sprout. These observations confirm those ofWent (1959) andTizio et al. (1954) who noted that high temperatures reduced the capacity of the crop to sprout. Bearing these points in mind, it will be possible, on the basis of the form and size of the stem and leaves, to deduce the conditions under which the crop was grown and, indirectly, to forecast the capacity of the tubers to sprout. Stem size At 15°C, increase in length of stem occurs only during the final period of growth. That this increase is usually due to an extension of the internodes is shown by the constant number of nodes present during the major part of the vegetative period. Leaf form The juvenile form is found in plants grown at 15°C. It occurs not only in the lower leaves, which continue to grow, but also in the upper leaves which retain to the apex the dominance of the apical leaflet, which is rounded (fig. 2, 3). At 20°C the lowest leaves are of the juvenile form but above this they very rapidly become composite. The dominance of the apical leaflet is lost in the highest part of the stem. At 25°C the lowest leaves are juvenile in type but above this they very rapidly become elongate and composite. The pointed apical leaflet ceases to be dominant and in contrast becomes smaller and dentate. This confirms that the form of the first leaves is a clonal character whereas their subsequent development is related to the environment. In effect, all the plants started their development at 20°C but while extension of the midrib followed in plants grown at 15°C, it did not do so at 25°C. On the other hand, the form of the other leaves and their relative size is directly related to the ambient temperature.

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Zusammenfassung Zur Kontrolle und zum besseren Verst?ndnis der morphologischen Charakteristik der oberirdischen Teile vonSolanum tuberosum, SorteMajestic, die in Italien in ?kologisch verschiedener Umwelt (Scaramella Petri, 1956, 1958, 1959) angebaut wird, hat man in Glash?usern des I.B.S. in Wageningen Knollen dieser Sorte bei Temperaturen von 15, 20 bzw. 25°C ausgepflanzt. Ein Teil dieser Knollen wurde vorher in Italien an einem in der Ebene bei Bologna gelegenen Ort erzeugt. S?mtliche Bl?tter des Stengels zwischen Basis und Spitze wurden kontrolliert und ihre Morphologie wurde in vergleichender Weise studiert, indem alle getrockneten Bl?tter in Schalen gelegt wurden. Die histologischen Untersuchungen wurden an Stengelschnitten in bestimmter H?he vorgenommen: Basisknoten, Viertel und Spitze. Zum Vergleich wurden entsprechende Versuche unter gleichen Bedingungen mit der SorteGineke (abb. 3, 5) durchgeführt. Die bei der SorteGineke festgestellten Ver?nderungen unter der Einwirkung der drei Temperaturen sind in der Hauptsache gleich wie bei der SorteMajestic. Die letztere ist aber viel empfindlicher und eignet sich sehr gut für Studien dieser Art. Gr?sse der Bl?tter Die durchschnittliche Gr?sse der Bl?tter ist bei 15 am gr?ssten. Dies drückt sich durch eine gr?ssere L?nge der Blattspreite aus. Die Zahl der Bl?tter erh?ht sich nur in der letzten Vegetationsperiode leicht (abb. 2,tabelle). Allgemeine Morphologie der Pflanze Gleiche morphologische Studien wurden im selben Jahr in Italien an Pflanzen durchgeführt, die von diesen Knollenmustern stammten. Die zwischen April und Juni angepflanzten Stauden entwickelten sich zuerst bei Temperaturen von zirka 20°C. Schliesslich war die letzte Periode, unter den besonderen klimatischen Bedingungen der Gegend, durch eine mittlere Temperatur von 25 gekennzeichnet. Die morphologischen Eigenschaften dieser Pflanzen glichen stark jenen der Pflanzen, die im Glashaus bei 25°C wuchsen. Die Bl?tter sind zusammengesetzt und zugespitzt, und ihre Gr?sse nimmt stufenweise ab; der Stengel ist hoch und verzweigt. Auch die innere Struktur zeigt diese ?hnlichkeiten (abb. 6, 7). Wenn man einen Vergleich anstellen will zwischen den bei 15 gehaltenen Pflanzen, stellt man fest, dass ihre Morphologie jener der Pflanzen in den Bergen gleicht (abb. 1). Diese Feststellungen best?tigen die früheren Arbeiten und bestimmen genau den Einfluss der Temperatur auf die Morphologie der oberirdischen Partie. Gleichbleibenden andern Bedingungen entspricht bei jeder Temperatur?nderung eine gleichbleibende Morphologie und eine schnelle Entwicklung des oberirdischen Teiles. Im allgemeinen ist das L?ngenwachstum des Stengels durch Bildung neuer Knoten im Gegensatz zu jenem des unterirdischen Teiles, und die Bildung von Knollen und ihre Keimkraft sind schw?cher. Diese Beobachtungen stimmen überein mit jenen vonWent (1959) und vonTizio et al. (1954), die festgestellt haben, dass bei hohen Temperaturen Knollen mit schwacher Keimkraft gebildet werden. Wenn man diesen Beobachtungen Rechnung tr?gt, wird es m?glich sein, von der Form des Stengels und der Bl?tter und ihrer Gr?sse auf die Umweltsbedingungen, unter denen die Pflanze gewachsen ist, zu schliessen und indirekt die Keimeigenschaften der Knollen vorauszubestimmen. Gr?sse des Stengels Bei einer Temperatur von 15°C verl?ngert sich der Stengel erst w?hrend der letzten Entwicklungsperiode. Diese Verl?ngerung ist, wie die Best?ndigkeit der Knotenzahl w?hrend eines guten Teils der Vegetationsperiode zeigt, meistens durch die internodiale Verl?ngerung bestimmt. Blattform Die Jugendform findet man unter den Pflanzen, die bei 15°C kultiviert werden. Man trifft sie nicht nur in den ersten Bl?ttern an, die weiterwachsen, sondern auch in den oberen Bl?ttern, die bis zur Spitze die Dominanz des Endfiederblattes, das abgerundet ist, bewahren (abb. 2, 3). Bei 20°C gleichen die ersten Bl?tter der Jugendform, aber sehr bald werden die Bl?tter zusammengesetzt. Die Dominanz des Endfiederblattes verliert sich im obersten Teil des Stengels. Bei 25°C weisen die ersten Bl?tter die Jugendform auf, aber sehr bald erscheint die zusammengesetzte, l?ngliche Form. Das zugespitzte Endfiederbl?ttchen h?rt auf vorzuherrschen, es wird im Gegenteil kleiner und zackig. Dies best?tigt, dass die Form der ersten Bl?tter klonal vererbt wird, w?hrend die endgültige Entwicklung von der Umwelt abh?ngt. In der Tat haben alle Pflanzen bei 20°C gekeimt, aber w?hrend das Wachstum der Blattspreite bei den Pflanzen, die bei einer Temperatur von 15°C gehalten wurden, andauerte, h?rte es bei 25°C auf. Dagegen h?ngt die Form der andern Bl?tter und ihre relative Gr?sse direkt von der Temperatur der Umgebung ab.

     

Antioxidant potential of hydroxycinnamic acid glycoside esters

Hydroxycinnamic acids are natural antioxidants found in fruits, vegetables, and cereals. In this study, the antioxidant activity of various types of hydroxycinnamoyl glycoside esters that mimic the structure of polymeric carbohydrates was studied in different model systems prone to oxidation, namely, liposomes and emulsions. In addition, radical scavenging activity against the stable 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical was tested. It was found that the esterification in the primary hydroxyl group of the glycoside resulted in the improved radical scavenging activity of both sinapoyl and feruloyl glycosides compared to conjugation to the secondary hydroxyl group. Increased activity was also observed, particularly in the case of feruloyl glucosides in inhibiting the oxidation of liposomes emulsions. The results showed that sinapic and ferulic acid glycoside esters were as effective or more efficient antioxidants than their free forms. In conclusion, the strength of their antioxidant effect depends on the nature of conjugation.     

Morphological and molecular diversity of Nordic oat through one hundred years of breeding

Summary Genetic diversity in microsatellites and development of agronomical characters in Nordic oat cultivars (Avena sativa) from the 20th century, ranging from landraces to new cultivars, were studied. A clear development in agronomical characters has taken place in this period: Straw length has been reduced, harvest index has increased and heading date has declined. The persistent oat breeding effort in the northern part of the region was indicated by the data, since cultivars from this region showed higher harvest index. Also adaptation to shorter summers was apparent in cultivars from the most northern part of the area. When comparing cultivars released after 1940 to the landraces, the loss of diversity revealed for the agronomical characters was also indicated by the molecular data. This indicates that a more general loss of diversity has taken place in the period, possibly due to random factors during the breeding process (bottleneck effect). The reduction in diversity revealed by recent cultivars at an agronomical as well as a molecular level emphasises the importance of implementing a conservation strategy for older material in order to secure genetic diversity for future oat breeding efforts.     

Response of planted beech (Fagus sylvatica L.) and Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii (Mirb.) Franco) saplings to herbaceous and small shrubs control on clearcuts

The reaction of young beech (Fagus sylvatica L.) and Douglas fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii (Mirb.) Franco) saplings on competition of two types of vegetation—(1) gramineous with mainly Agrostis capillaries, Calamagrostis epigejos, Deschampsia flexuosa, and (2) small shrubs with mainly Rubus fruticosus and R. idaeus—on clear cuts on two sites was studied for 2 years. Half the sample saplings were released from competing vegetation by repeated herbicide applications. This treatment significantly raised the diameter increment in both species at the site with higher competition intensity, and more strongly after the removal of small shrubs than after the removal of grasses. Sapling length increment was not significantly affected. After being released from small shrubs, saplings of both species developed a smaller specific fine root length (cm g⁻¹ fine root biomass) than unreleased saplings during the second year which was characterized by low rainfall. Root nitrogen concentration significantly increased after weed control in both vegetation types. Sapling foliar content of main nutritional elements was negatively related to dry mass and total chemical content of surrounding ground vegetation. Based on these results, a release from ground vegetation could be a useful tool to improve growth of planted beech and Douglas-fir saplings on sites with well-developed small shrubs competition (mainly by Rubus fruticosus and R. idaeus), or under fairly dry conditions.     

Parasites as stressors: plasma cortisol responses of goats infected with the stomach worm Haemonchus contortus to exogenous corticotropin (ACTH)

Ten male, juvenile pigmy goats of similar age and weight were allocated randomly to two groups. Goats in one group were each inoculated with 20,000 infective larvae of Haemonchus contortus. The other group served as uninfected controls. Goats were housed together, and precautions were taken to avoid the creation of differential, between group, stressogenic circumstances. Body weights, nematode egg production, hematocrits, and clinical signs were monitored over a 61-day period following inoculation of larvae. On Days 59 and 61, adrenal response tests (ART) were conducted by measuring the levels of plasma cortisol before and 2 h after administration of porcine ACTH at the rate of 0.35 I.U. kg-1 body weight on Day 59 and 2.2 I.U. kg-1 on Day 61. Although the infections did not reduce body weights, they were 'heavy' on the basis of egg production, and led to significant reductions in packed erythrocyte volumes. There was no significant difference between the groups of goats in the responses to ART, indicating that the infections did not produce sufficient stress to reduce the ability of the adrenal cortex to respond to exogenous ACTH.     

Three mechanisms affecting the mechanical properties of spruce wood dried at high temperatures

Wood drying experiments are conducted in which the temperature and the drying rate are controlled independently. In relationship to drying processes, at least three mechanisms are believed to contribute to the properties of dried wood. However, only two of these are found to affect the properties of macroscopic specimens, the third mechanism being observable in microtomed earlywood sections, and possibly in specimens loaded in the radial direction. Degradation of structural components and irreversible hydrogen bonding (hornification) are found to contribute to both the hygroscopicity and the mechanical properties of macroscopic wood specimens. Mass loss from thermal degradation occurs predominantly in slow high-temperature drying processes. Irreversible hydrogen bonding takes place in high-temperature drying, in particular with high ultimate dryness. Regarding the effect on strength and stiffness, mass loss and hornification appear to compete. The third identified mechanism, microscopic cell wall damage caused by incompatible drying shrinkage of cell wall elements, does not seem to affect the mechanical properties of macroscopic wood specimens. Consequently, slow high-temperature drying processes do not provide much benefit regarding the mechanical behavior of dried wood. The reasons for this are discussed.     

Ein weiterer Beitrag zum Fichtenwachstum im n?rdlichen Rheinland-Pfalz

Ohne Zusammenfassung     

The seasonal activity ofIxodes ricinus ticks in Denmark

The object of this study was to elucidate the seasonal activity ofIxodes ricinus nymphs in Denmark. The activity was estimated by counts from the vegetation. The nymphs appeared to have a bimodal activity, with the highest peak in May and a smaller one in September.With 2 figures     

Modulation of tobacco bacterial disease resistance using cytosolic ascorbate peroxidase and Cu,Zn‐superoxide dismutase

The effect of over‐expression in tobacco plants of cytosolic Cu,Zn‐superoxide dismutase (cytsod) and ascorbate peroxidase (cytapx) alone, or in combination, against bacterial wildfire and crown gall diseases, caused by Pseudomonas syringae pv. tabaci and Agrobacterium tumefaciens, respectively, was investigated. Disease tolerance was observed in all the transgenic lines against the two causal agents, with various levels of resistance, with the double transformants (lines 35 and 39) the most resistant against bacterial wild fire. In the case of P. syringae pv. tabaci, disease tolerance and symptom decrease was associated with a lower bacterial population and a higher level of several antioxidant defence enzymes. Transgenic lines also exhibited an enhanced tolerance against A. tumefaciens, with the transgenic line harbouring cytapx (line 51) the most resistant to crown gall disease. However, this was only observed with strain C58 among the three pathogenic strains tested. These results suggest that cytosolic antioxidant defences have a role in increasing tolerance to the oxidative stress caused by some bacterial pathogens, and resistance of these tobacco lines to wildfire disease seems to be independent of tissue necrosis.