Regulation of early flowering in Pinus banksiana

Seedlings of three families of jack pine (Pinus banksiana Lamb.) were subjected to 16 combinations of photoperiod, growth environment (outdoors, greenhouse and biotron) and gibberellin (GA(4/7)) treatment. After 14 months, which included two dormancy induction periods, ovulate flowering was observed. There was a strong positive correlation between flowering and seedling height; female flower production was stimulated by both a declining photoperiod during bud development and GA(4/7) treatment; and there was an interaction between GA(4/7) treatment and family, such that the difference in flowering intensity between a late-flowering and an early-flowering family was eliminated by GA(4/7) treatment. The results suggest that the genetic control over the time of onset of flowering, and GA(4/7)-induction of flowering depend on a common mechanism.     

Geographic origin of Pinus sylvestris populations influences the effects of air pollution on flowering and growth

Flowering and height growth of 20 Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) populations from 10 countries were analyzed at two replicated provenance sites established in 1984 in western Poland. One site was 2 km from a phosphate fertilizer factory that emits SO₂ and fluorides, and the other 12 km to the southeast in an area free of acute air pollution levels was treated as a control. Slow-growing populations from the southern (40 to 45°N) and northern (58 to 61°N) part of the species range exhibited relatively smaller air pollutioninduced growth reductions than those from the central part of the range (45 to 58°N). Trees growing in the control area started flowering 4 yrs earlier than those at the polluted site. The percent of trees flowering at the control site differed significantly among provenances in both 1988 and 1990. The mean percent of trees with flowers was three times lower at the polluted site. The least sensitive southern and northern provenances in terms of pollutioninduced reductions in growth exhibited the largest pollution-induced decreases in flowering. These findings indicate that the sensitivity of vegetative organs to air pollution stress is not always paralleled by the sensitivity of reproductive organs.     

Nutritional Status of Pollen and Needles of Diverse Pinus Sylvestris Populations Grown at Sites with Contrasting Pollution

Pollen may serve as a biological indicator for air pollution stress in plants. However, knowledge of pollen mineral composition and its relationship to environmental and genetic factors is very limited. We studied the concentrations of macro- and micronutrients in pollen and needles for seven European Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) populations grown in two 15-yr-old provenance plantations with contrasting pollution levels. One site was located near a phosphate fertilizer factory, and the other in an area free of acute air pollution. We also tested the relationship between tree age and pollen nutrient composition by sampling 60-yr-old trees of local origin in both sites. No population differences were found in nutrient concentrations in pollen. However, there were significant differences among populations in needle concentrations of K, Mg and Zn, as well as significant site x population interaction for Mn concentration. In pollen, populations at the polluted site had significantly higher concentrations of S, Mn, Al, Na, Cu, Ni and Cd, and lower Zn. Average concentrations of S, P, Mn and Cd was lower in pollen of 60-yr-old than 15-yr-old Scots pine trees. Pollen concentrations of P, K, Ca, Mg, Fe and B were similar between sites and not related to the concentration of these elements in needles. Therefore, by analyzing the chemical composition of pollen it is not possible to detect any nutritional disorders for P, K, Ca and Mg in plants, and it seems unlikely that nutrient analyses of pollen have an advantage over analyses of foliage as a bioindicator of pollution. However, enhanced accumulation by pollen of such elements as Al, S, Mn, Cu, Ni and Cd at the polluted site may adversely affect pollen function.     

GLP1 and GIP are involved in the action of synbiotics in broiler chickens

Background: In order to discover new strategies to replace antibiotics in the post-antibiotic era in meat-type chicken production, two new synbiotics were tested:(Lactobacillus salivarius IBB3154 plus galactooligosaccharide(Syn1) and Lactobacillus plantarum IBB3036 plus raffinose family oligosaccharides(Syn2).Methods: The synbiotics were administered via syringe, using a special automatic system, into the egg air chamber of Cobb 500 broiler chicks on the 12 thday of egg incubation(2 mg of prebiotics + 105 cfu bacteria per egg).Hatched roosters(total 2,400) were reared on an experimental farm, kept in pens(75 animals per pen), with free access to feed and water. After 42 d animals were slaughtered. Blood serum, pancreas, duodenum and duodenum content were collected.Results: Syn2 increased trypsin activity by 2.5-fold in the pancreas and 1.5-fold in the duodenal content. In the duodenum content, Syn2 resulted in ca 30% elevation in lipase activity and 70% reduction in amylase activity.Syn1 and Syn2 strongly decreased expression of m RNA for GLP-1 and GIP in the duodenum and for GLP-1 receptors in the pancreas. Simultaneously, concentrations of the incretins significantly diminished in the blood serum(P 0.05). The decreased expression of incretins coincides with changed activity of digestive enzymes in the pancreas and in the duodenal content. The results indicate that incretins are involved in the action of Syn1 and Syn2 or that they may even be their target. No changes were observed in key hormones regulating metabolism(insulin, glucagon, corticosterone, thyroid hormones, and leptin) or in metabolic indices(glucose,NEFA, triglycerides, cholesterol). Additionally, synbiotics did not cause significant changes in the activities of alanine and aspartate aminotransferases in broiler chickens. Simultaneously, the activity of alkaline phosphatase and gamma glutamyl transferase diminished after Syn2 and Syn1, respectively.Conclusion: The selected synbiotics may be used as in ovo additives for broiler chickens, and Syn2 seems to improve their potential digestive proteolytic and lipolytic ability. Our results suggest that synbiotics can be directly or indirectly involved in incretin secretion and reception.