Plant genetics: Safeguarding the pool

The genetics of plant clocks.

The rotation of the earth on its axis confers the property of dramatic, recurrent, rhythmic environmental change. The rhythmicity of this change from day to night and again to day imparts predictability. As a consequence, most organisms have acquired the capacity to measure time to use this time information to temporally regulate their biology to coordinate with their environment in anticipatio...

Safeguarding The Public

In his foreword to this volume, Dr. Paul Beeson points out that "the disease certainly justifies prodigious study, as it may well be the model which will provide important clues to links between immune phenomena, virus infections and neoplastic diseases." In this book, thirteen distinguished contributors have provided a comprehensive review of both clinical and experimental observations as well...

Genetics and plant development.

There are only three grand theories in biology: the theory of the cell, the theory of the gene, and the theory of evolution. Two of these, the cell and gene theories, originated in the study of plants, with the third resulting in part from botanical considerations as well. Mendel's elucidation of the rules of inheritance was a result of his experiments on peas. The rediscovery of Mendel's work ...

Plant Breeding and Genetics

Plant genetics: Fast flowering

Poplars are fast-growing trees of cool, temperate climates that find use in the manufacture of pulp, matches and packing cases. They are also widely grown for shelter and for ornamental purposes. Poplars are deciduous trees that flower in the spring soon after new leaves arise. Flowers develop from the axils of these leaves, and arise on short stems carrying a string of flowers (a catkin). They...