Ratites (ostriches Struthio camelus) and ungulates (red deer Cervus elaphus scoticus and goats Capra hircus) were presented with 14 indigenous shrubs in cafeteriastyle trials. The shrubs represented the spectrum of woody plant architecture, ranging from broadleaved monopodial species through to small-leaved highly branched divaricates. Trials were stopped when almost all shoots of the plant exp...

In vitro chemotherapy using ribavirin or acyclovir was applied to eliminate Grapevine fanleaf virus (GFLV) from Vitis vinifera cv 'Zalema' plant material. Ribavirin at 20 mgl of concentration eliminated GFLV from the 94% of the grapevine in vitro shoots, enabling GFLV virus free plants to be obtained. The ribavirin treatment did not affect plant growth, rooting and number of roots, and did not ...

With the aim of investigating the effects of carbonaceous sorbent amendment on plant health and end point contaminant bioavailability, plant experiments were set up to grow maize (Zea mays) in soil contaminated with polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and metals. Maize and pine derived biochars, as well as a commercial grade activated carbon, were used as amendments. Plant growth characteri...

The effect of irrigation with lake water containing a variety of microcystins on accumulation of toxins, or toxin metabolites, and plant growth in ryegrass, clover, rape, and lettuce, was investigated in a glasshouse experiment. The plants were grown in sand culture and received either three or six applications of lake water, which was applied either directly to the sand surface or to the plant...

Two Zea mays cultivars, salt sensitive Trihybrid 321 and salt tolerant Giza 2, were studied, namely their adaptation to NaCl imposition at cell and whole plant level. Changes in growth and mineral content of roots and shoots, glycinebetaine (GB) and free proline (Pro) levels of shoots, plasma membrane permeability and solute potential (ø s) of leaf sheath subepider-mal cells were measured. NaCl...

The cactus Mammillaria gracillis Pfeiff. was propagated in vitro on Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium without any growth regulators. At the bases of some plants abundant callus masses developed. Lower agar and higher MS salt concentrations stimulated callus pro­ duction. In the culture, morphologically normal and hyperhydric shoots were regenerated. The growth of crown-gall tumour was induced on ...

Activation of aspartate-specific cysteine proteases (caspases) plays a crucial role in programmed cell death (PCD) in animals. Although to date caspases have not been identified in plants, caspase-like activity was described in tobacco during a hypersensitive response to pathogens and in Arabidopsis and tomato cell cultures during chemical-induced PCD. Caspase-like activity was also detected in...

Petiole explants were obtained from in vitro grown diploid (2x = 22) Echinacea purpurea plantlets. Shoots were regenerated by culturing the explants on MS basal medium containing 0.3 mg/L benzyladenine (BA), 0.01 mg/L naphthaleneacetic acid (NAA) and four concentrations (30, 60, 120, and 240 mg/L) of colchicine for 30 days, or 120 mg/L of colchicine for various durations (7, 14, 21, and 28 days...

For more than 1000 years green tea has been used in China and Japan as a medical herb and a healthful beverage. The traditional Chinese medicine has recommended this plant for headaches, body aches and pains, digestion, depression, detoxification, as an energizer and, in general, to prolong life. Tea is made from young shoots and leaves of the plant Camellia sinensis (Willson and Clifford 1992;...

Growing plant shoots exhibit spontaneous oscillations that Darwin observed, and termed ‘circumnutations’. Recently, they have received renewed attention for the design optimal actuation of bioinspired robotic devices. We discuss a possible interpretation these as Hopf-type bifurcation in growing morphoelastic rod. Using three-dimensional model numerical simulations, we analyse salient features ...