Micropropagation of three genotypes of Indian mustard [Brassica juncea (L.) Czern.] using 7-days old seedling-derived transverse thin cell layer (tTCL) explants was accomplished. The genotype, explant source and addition of silver nitrate to the medium significantly influenced shoot bud induction. MS medium with 26.6 μM of 6-Benzylaminopurin (BAP) and 3.22 μM of 1-naphtaleneacetic acid (NAA) wa...

It is generally accepted that seedlings from large seeds are more tolerant to defoliation than those from small seeds due to the additional metabolic reserves present in the large seeds. However, information on the effects of amount of seed reserves (cotyledon removal) from seedlings resulting from large vs. small seeds on seedling growth and long-term survival in the field is limited. Five leg...

Sophisticated regulation of gene expression, including microRNAs (miRNAs) and their target genes, is required for leaf differentiation, growth, and senescence. The impact of miR319 and its target TEOSINTE BRANCHED1, CYCLOIDEA, and PROLIFERATING CELL NUCLEAR ANTIGEN BINDING FACTOR (TCP) genes on leaf development has been extensively investigated, but the redundancies of these gene families often...

Field and laboratory studies were conducted to examine the relationship between foliar feeding damage caused by striped cucumber beetle, Acalymma vittatum (F.) (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae), and yield of pumpkin, Cucurbita pepo L. (var. Spookie). In field trials in 1996 and 1997, plants were artificially infested with varying numbers of beetles at the cotyledon-, first-, second-, or third-leaf st...

To investigate the existence of coordinated sets of seedling traits adapted to contrasting establishment conditions, we examined evolutionary convergence in seedling traits for 299 French Guianan woody plant species and the stress response in a shadehouse of species representing seed size gradients within five major cotyledon morphology types. The French Guianan woody plant community has larger...

Differences in the accumulation of total seed protein and globulin-1 (G1) protein were detected among three inbred lines of common bean. Total protein accumulation ranged from 2.3 to 3.7 milligrams per cotyledon pair per day among lines. In all lines the dry weight and protein accumulation ceased and a loss of chlorophyll in the cotyledons occurred when the moisture content had fallen to 50% of...

Plant sterols are structural components of cell membranes that provide rigidity, permeability, and regional identity to membranes. Sterols are also the precursors to the brassinosteroid signaling molecules. Evidence is accumulating that specific sterols have roles in pattern formation during development. COTYLEDON VASCULAR PATTERNING1 (CVP1) encodes C-24 STEROL METHYLTRANSFERASE2 (SMT2), one of...

It is unclear why some cows fail to expel the placenta following calving. One theory suggests the fetal placenta must be recognized as "foreign" tissue and rejected by the immune system after parturition to cause expulsion of the placenta. We hypothesized that impaired neutrophil function causes retained placenta (RP). We examined the ability of neutrophils to recognize fetal cotyledon tissue a...