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Seed germination of spinach (Spinacia oleracea L.) is partially inhibited by a high germination temperature (35 °C). Tolerance of high germination temperatures varies widely depending on the variety used. We ascertained that seed germination of these spinach varieties was thermoinhibited at 35 °C and secondary dormancy was not induced as seeds germinated when transferred to optimum germination conditions (20 °C). Treatment with 99% oxygen and 10 ppm kinetin significantly increased germination of thermoinhibited varieties at 35 °C. During heat stress, all organisms produce heat shock proteins (HSPs), which may function as molecular chaperons, are possibly required for the development of thermotolerance, and may be crucial for cell survival during heat stress. Western blotting of SDS-PAGE gels using antibodies to various heat shock proteins indicated that spinach varieties with the highest degree of thermotolerance have higher levels of HSP expression than varieties with the lowest degree of thermotolerance during germination. These results suggest that thermotolerance could be further improved, either through a breeding program or possibly by genetic engineering.
DNA primers for 37 genes have been developed in pea (Pisum sativum L.). Two-thirds of these primers also amplify orthologous sequences in lentil (Lens culinaris). The primers were designed to be complementary to highly conserved sequences in exons of known genes. In addition, most of the priming sequences were selected to be 1000 to 3000 bp distant on the genomic DNA and to amplify a fragment that contained at least one intron. Segregating sequence polymorphism in mapping populations of recombinant inbred lines (RILs) derived from wide crosses in Pisum was observed by restriction of the amplified fragment with endonucleases recognizing four-base restriction sites. Successful mapping of 36 of these genes in pea demonstrated the utility of these primers for mapping, and it appears likely that the primers should have general utility for comparative mapping in legumes.