The aim of this study is to describe the ultrastructural changes of the egg apparatus associated with fertilisation of the natural tetraploid Trifolium pratense. The pollen tube enters one of the synergids through the filliform apparatus from the micropyle. Before the entry of the pollen tube into the embryo sac, one of the synergids begins to degenerate, as indicated by increased electron dens...

Only some imprinting control regions (ICRs) acquire their DNA methylation in the male germ line. These imprints are protected against the global demethylation of the sperm genome following fertilisation, and are maintained throughout development. We find that in somatic cells and tissues, DNA methylation at these ICRs is associated with histone H4-lysine-20 and H3-lysine-9 trimethylation. The u...

Grain yield and yield components of winter wheat were recorded during 2-year field trials in Southern Bavaria, Germany. The impact of single ear sink size on the efficiency of grain production was studied in plants differing in single ear weight. While total grain yield showed only slight differences between N fertiliser treatments, significant variations were detected in harvest index and N ha...

BACKGROUND Today in vitro fertilisation (IVF) is a widespread and important technique of reproductive medicine. When the technique was first used, it was considered ethically controversial. This is the first study conducted of adult IVF-offspring in order to learn about their ethical opinions and personal attitudes towards this medical technology. METHODS We recruited the participants from th...

When under competition for fertilisations, males are thought to increase their reproductive success by releasing as many sperm as possible into the reproductive arena and in many species, this prediction holds. For marine invertebrates, which utilise the ancestral strategy of broadcast spawning eggs and sperm, however, it appears that males tend to release their sperm more slowly than females r...

Mammalian metaphase II (mII) exit and embryogenesis are induced at fertilisation by a signal thought to come from the sperm protein, phospholipase C-zeta (PLCZ1). Meiotic progression can also be triggered without sperm, as in parthenogenesis, although the classic mouse in vivo parthenogenetic model, LT/Sv, fails in meiosis I owing to an unknown molecular etiology. Here, we dissect PLCZ1 specifi...

The production system, especially fertilisation has an important effect on yield and quality of strawberries. In the present study, plants were fertilized with different doses nitrogen (0–100% recommended doses), calcium chelate, as well nano fertilizer Lithovit. Strawberry cultivar ‘Clery’ parameters (fruit color firmness) including nutritional indicators (total soluble solids, sugars, organic...

The paper determines the effect of selected cultivation technologies, including production chain energy inputs (growing, harvest, heap forming) on greenhouse gas emissions (GHGs) to atmosphere. data for study was collected from 13 actually operating family farms ranging in size 2 ha, located Podlaskie voivodship (Poland). GHG and ammonia (NH3) natural mineral fertilisation as well GHGs carriers...