Studies on colchicine induced tetraploids of jute

Summary Colchicine induced tetraploid jute plants were shorter than their diploid counterparts. C₂ tetraploid plants became taller than C₁ plants. Leaves were larger in size and with higher breadth/length ratios compared to those of diploids. Stomata were bigger than those in diploid leaves but their frequency was less in tetraploid leaves. Tetraploid flowers were bigger than the diploids and bore a reduced number of stamens. Tetraploid pollen grains were larger but the percentage of sterility in them was more than that of the diploids. Fewer fruits with a reduced number of seeds were formed in tetraploid plants. They usually were shorter but wider than diploid fruits. Tetraploid seeds were larger and heavier. C₂ tetraploid plants bore more fruits with an increased number of seeds than C₁ plants. Breadth of individual fibres increased but length remained unchanged.The paper was read at the Eighth Pakistan Science Conference held at Dacca, 1956.     

Cell proliferation and apoptosis in the pathogenesis of oesophagogastric lesions in pigs

Recent studies have stressed the importance of epithelial hyperproliferation in the pathogenesis of early lesions (parakeratotic hyperkeratosis) of the porcine gastric pars oesophagea (PO). In this study, immunohistochemical staining with Ki67 (clone MIB1) and AgNOR proteins silver staining were used to evaluate, by means of image analysis, cell proliferation in normal and parakeratotic (parakeratotic hyperkeratosis) epithelia of the PO. Apoptotic activity was also assessed with the TUNEL assay and compared with cell proliferative parameters. Early lesions of the PO were characterised by a significant increase in epithelial proliferative activity while there was no difference in the apoptotic activity between normal and parakeratotic epithelia.Our data confirm the hyperproliferative nature of epithelial changes preceding degeneration and erosion/ulcer of the PO and suggest that an underlying feature of gastric ulcers in pigs is an imbalance between cell proliferation and programmed cell death.     

Molecular characterization and marker based chemotaxonomic studies of Podophyllum hexandrum Royle

Detailed chemical studies and RAPD analysis were done in different populations of Podophyllum hexandrum collected from high altitude regions of North Western Himalayas. Random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) analysis revealed a high degree of genetic diversity among the 12 collected accessions, attributed to their geographical and climatic conditions. HPLC analysis also revealed variation in the concentration of two major marker compounds which lead to the identification of a chemotype. The study demonstrated that RAPD and chemical markers are very useful tools to compare the genetic relationship and pattern of variation among such prioritized and endangered medicinal plants.     

THE INFLUENCE OF PHOSPHATE AND LIME ON THE GROWTH AND N FIXATION OF LOTUS ULIGINOSUS AND TRIFOLIUM REPENS UNDER GREENHOUSE CONDITIONS

Shoot dry weight, leaf area, leaf lamina dry weight and N-fixation of L. uliginosus cv. Grasslands 4705 were compared with those of T. repens S184 over a 90-day period frotn sowing, in pots in a greenhouse. Three P and three pH levels were imposed and there were three destructive harvests at 30-day intervals. N-fixation was estimated by the acetylene reduction technique prior to the last harvest. L. uliginosus had higjier means than T. repens for all characters measured under all treatments at all harvests. Large increases in shoot weight and leaf area were associated with addition of P, particularly with the first increment of P to L. uliginosus. High P reduced the contribution of lamina to total shoot weight in T. repens more than in L. uliginosus at the second harvest. Raising pH increased shoot weight and leaf area in both species. N-fixation was low in both species at low pH and low P. This was increased by addition of P, a smaller quantity being necessary for the same response in L. uliginosus compared with T. repens. At the higher P levels, the high pH gave rise to lower N-fixation than at the medium pH. Results are discussed in relation to field trials of other workers and the possible suitability of L. uliginosus for low fertility upland conditions.     

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Hybridization barriers between diploid Solanum tuberosum and wild Solanum raphanifolium

Wild potato germplasm represents a unique, diverse and accessible resource for disease and pest resistance, along with useful agronomic traits that may be introgressed into the cultivated potato (Solanum tuberosum L.). Hybridization of diploid wild Solanum species with haploids (2×) of cultivated potato (4×) is generally an effective technique for introducing genetic diversity and desirable traits into potato. However, in this study, hybridization barriers were found in crosses between S. tuberosum haploids and the wild species S. raphanifolium. Male sterility, likely due to nuclear-cytoplasmic interactions, was observed in some haploid tbr?×?S. raphanifolium hybrids. In addition, pollen-pistil incompatibilities were observed in backcross, F2, and reciprocal cross hybridization attempts that failed to produce seed. More crosses were successful when F1 clones were crossed as females to wild clones than to cultivated clones. When crosses were made in the other direction, with F1 hybrids used as male parents, seeds were almost never produced.