Leaf gas exchange and growth of flood-tolerant and flood-sensitive tree species under low soil redox conditions

Seedlings of Taxodium distichum L., Quercus lyrata Walt. and Q. falcata var. pagodaefolia Ell. were grown for 22 days in a rhizotron system providing two soil redox potential regimes, +170 mV (low Eh) and +560 mV (high Eh). Leaf chlorophyll concentration and gas exchange, root alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH) activity, root and leaf ethylene production, and growth and biomass partitioning were measured. In response to the low Eh soil treatment, stomatal conductance was reduced in Q. falcata and Q. lyrata but not in T. distichum, whereas net photosynthesis was reduced significantly in all species; however, net photosynthesis in T. distichum began to recover within 2 weeks of treatment initiation. Within each treatment, mean stomatal conductance and net photosynthesis were significantly greater in T. distichum than in the oak species. Leaf chlorophyll concentration was not affected by the soil treatments. All species showed significant reductions in root and leaf dry weights in response to the low Eh soil condition. The low Eh soil treatment resulted in increased root ADH activity and ethylene production in T. distichum, but had no effect on root ADH activity and ethylene production in the oak species.     

Symbiotic variability in Vicia faba. 1. Genetic variation in the Rhizobium leguminosarum population

Summary Twenty isolates taken at random from indigenous populations of Rhizobium leguminosarum sampled near Aberystwyth were each inoculated into plants of a standard Vicia faba variety grown aseptically under conditions free of combined nitrogen. Plants in association with the individual rhizobium isolates exhibited large differences in dry matter yield, nitrogen content, efficiency of nitrogen utilization and date of first flower. The implications of these differences to the productivity and reliability of varieties of field beans are discussed.     

Phylogenetic studies in Citrus reticulata and related types

Summary Sixteen types of mandarins were screened for their leaf flavonoid patterns with the help of cellulose thin-layer chromatography. In general, Tanaka's classification of mandarins into 36 species is untenable, as was already concluded by Swingle (1948), Hodgson (1965) and Singh (1967). It is likely that a fine loose skinned mandarin was first evolved. Later, it hybridized with wild mandarin to give rise to numerous types and forms.Contribution No. 474 of Indian Institute of Horticultural Research, Bangalore-6, India.     

THE MEASUREMENT AND MECHANISM OF ION DIFFUSION IN SOILS

Integral diffusion coefficients for K in two contrasting soils, containing different levels of exchangeable K, are calculated from measurements of diffusive flux to a hydrogen resin paper. The diffusion coefficients are larger, the higher the exchangeable K level or moisture content. Diffusive flux of K in these soils can be accounted for entirely by diffusion through the soil solution in the pores. Impedance factors calculated compare satisfactorily with values for similar soils reported by other workers. The concentration dependence of the diffusion coefficient is shown to be causally related to the nature of the sorption isotherm. A method for estimating the differential diffusion coefficient at any concentration is described. It can also be calculated from the slope of the sorption isotherm at the chosen concentration, if the value of the impedance factor at the relevant moisture content is known and if diffusion other than through solution only is negligible.     

Inter- and intraspecific sequence variations of the chloroplast genome in wild and cultivated Raphanus

To assess the differentiation of the chloroplast genome in wild and cultivated species of Raphanus , nucleotide sequence polymorphisms were investigated for approximately 2 kbp ranging from trnL (UAA) to psbG in R. raphanistrum and R. sativus . Eighteen plants of wild species, 10 Japanese wild radish plants ( R. sativus ), and 31 cultivated plants were used for sequence analysis. Intraspecific variations of the chloroplast genome were present both in wild and cultivated Raphanus . All three genes investigated ( trnL , trnF and ndhJ ) contained nucleotide substitutions within the genus. Whereas, larger numbers of mutations were observed in the intergenic regions. Using the detected variations, the 59 radish plants were classified into 11 haplotypes, seven of which were unique to wild species. Among the haplotypes, one type corresponded completely with the Ogura male sterile cytoplasm. All the cultivated radishes belonged to one of four types, of which three were also observed in Japanese wild radish. The haplotypes were classified into four groups by cluster analysis, and the distribution in the dendrogram confirmed that cultivated radish has multiple origins. On the other hand, the seven haplotypes uniquely observed in R. raphanistrum were considered as useful materials to provide genetic diversity of cytoplasm for breeding of cultivated radishes.