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- Author or Editor: Larry S. Kennedy x
The enzymes alcohol dehydrogenase, diaphorase, esterase, glutamate dehydrogenase, glucosephosphate isomerase, isocitrate dehydrogenase, malate dehydrogenase, malic enzyme, 6-phosphogluconate dehydrogenase, phosphoglucomutase, shikimate dehydrogenase, and xanthine dehydrogenase were analyzed by starch gel electrophoresis of leaf tissue from nine sweetpotato [Ipomoea batatas (L.) Lam.] cultivars. Bands of most enzymes were well-defined. Polymorphisms were found in nine enzymes, and cultivars were identified by comparing polymorphisms.
Rapid cycling brassica (RCB) plants, because of their short life cycle and ease of growth under laboratory conditions, offer a valuable tool for studying Brassica nutrition. We have been particularly interested in B nutrition in Brassica and, therefore, a hydroponic system was developed to accurately deliver micronutrient concentrations to RCB plants. RCB plants were supported in predrilled holes in the lids of brown 1-L plastic containers. Nutrients were supplied by spraying a modified Hoagland's solution onto the plant roots as they developed inside the containers. This system provided adequate solution aeration for plant growth and allowed analysis of both plant shoots and roots. RCB seeds were pregerminated for radicle emergence, then placed in the holes in the plastic container lids. The effect of B nutrient concentration on B uptake was examined using nutrient solutions containing 0.08, 0.02 and 0.00 ppm added B. Leaf B contents were 139.5, 26.1, and 7.1 g·g–1 for plants grown in 0.08, 0.02 and 0.00 ppm added B, respectively. Effects of drought stress on B uptake and distribution were studied by adjusting nutrient solution osmotic potential using polyethylene glycol (PEG) 8000. PEG-induced drought, (osmotic potential –0.1 MPa) reduced leaf and root B content ≈50% compared to plants grown in nutrient solution only (–0.05 MPa). Boron content in the shoots and pods, however, was not affected by PEG-induced drought stress. These results suggest that this system provides a reliable tool for studying nutrition and drought stress effects using RCB plants.
Broccoli (Brassica oleraceae L. var. Italica cv. `Premium Crop') plants grown in perlite were supplied with nutrient solutions containing three levels of added boron (0.04 (severely deficient), 0.08 (moderately deficient) or 0.80 (normal) mg L-1). These treatments produced plants exhibiting either obvious (0.04 mg L-1) or no visual boron deficiency symptoms (0.08 and 0.80 mg L-1). At horticultural maturity, cross sections were taken in the upper and mid stem regions. The specimens were mounted on slides after being processed through a biological staining series. Boron availability was found to be correlated with the progressive internal deterioration of the stem which was observed histologically. An examination of staining patterns indicated that possibly a lignification process accompanies and contributes to hollow stem development. We have previously noted an increase in phenolic compounds and fiber content of broccoli produced under boron deficient conditions. The histological evidence of lignification further substantiates that boron deficiency induces changes in cell wall structure which may contribute to the development of hollow stem.
A common problem of researchers concerned with micronutrient plant nutrition is the development of a reliable and affordable experimental system. If nutrient distribution is uneven or subject to outside contamination, then the time and resources dedicated to a project will have been wasted. We have devised a dependable and cost effective nutrient distribution system which has many practical applications. This design is relatively maintenance free, easily adaptable to existing greenhouse conditions and limits the possibility of outside contamination. Using perlite as the rooting medium, our system is constructed of easily obtainable hardware and mechanical components. The total material cost of our system, which included three nutrient treatments, was approximately $800. This resulted in a conservative estimate of $12.50 per plant in our particular study. However, the cost of a larger experiment would be reduced considerably since additional replications could be added at approximately $2.00 each. The experimental set-up is described along with the initial cost analysis.
A pilot test was conducted over a 3-year period to determine the feasibility of using postharvest pressure infiltration of calcium into apples to maintain and/or improve the quality of fruit under commercial storage conditions. Fruits obtained from three different orchards were treated each year. `Golden Delicious' fruits were treated the first year, while `Delicious' fruits were treated the 2nd and 3rd years. In all treatments and years, there was a significant increase in calcium concentration of apples from all calcium chloride (CaCl2) treatments. In general, calcium concentration of treated fruit varied significantly among the three orchards. Firmness also varied among orchards, and was related to fruit calcium concentration. `Golden Delicious' apples were more susceptible to skin injury caused by CaCl2 treatment than were `Delicious' fruits. There was also an increase in infection as a result of some of the treatments, possibly due to injury caused to lenticels by the pressure applied or as a result of calcium injury.