Tissue disruption caused by freezing and thawing may contribute to rapid enzymatic breakdown of dhurrin [p-hydroxy-(S)mandelonitrile-p-D-glucoside], the cyanogenic glucoside of sorghum [Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench], but published reports arenot in agreement as to the effects of freezing on the hydrocyanic acid potential (HCN-p) of field-grown sorghum leaves. Theseeffects were investigated in a ...

We report the twining handedness of Codonopsis pilosula, which has either a 9 leftor right-handed helix among different plants, among different tillers within a 10 single plant, and among different branches within a single tiller. The handedness was 11 randomly distributed among different plants, among the tillers within the same plants, 12 but not among the branches within the same tillers. Mo...

The predicted ongoing increase of atmospheric carbon dioxide levels is considered to be one of the main threats to biodiversity due to potential changes in biotic interactions. We tested whether effects of intraand interspecific planting density of the calcareous grassland perennials Bromus erectus and Carex flacca change in response to elevated [CO2] (600 ppm) by using factorial combinations o...

Epichloë fungal endophytes of cool season grasses are well-known to produce a range of alkaloids of benefit to the host. Some of these compounds are advantageous to agriculture due to qualities that promote pasture persistence (e.g., the loline class of alkaloids confer insect protection) while others are detrimental to the well-being of grazing livestock. The ergot alkaloids (e.g., ergovaline)...

Improvement of economic characters like yield through selection is conditioned by the nature and magnitude of variability existing in such populations. However, the phenotypic expression of complex character like yield is a combination of genotype, environment and their interaction. This indicates the need for partition of overall variability into heritable and non-heritable components with the...

BACKGROUND AND AIMS To improve the management of grass communities, early plant development was compared in three species with contrasting growth forms, a caespitose (Lolium perenne), a rhizomatous (Poa pratensis) and a caespitose-stoloniferous species (Agrostis stolonifera). METHODS Isolated seedlings were grown in a glasshouse without trophic constraints for 37 d (761 degrees Cd). The appea...

The predicted ongoing increase of atmospheric carbon dioxide levels is considered to be one of the main threats to biodiversity due to potential changes in biotic interactions. We tested whether effects of intraand interspecific planting density of the calcareous grassland perennials Bromus erectus and Carex flacca change in response to elevated [CO2] (600 ppm) by using factorial combinations o...

Unlike many wild grasses, domesticated rice cultivars have uniform culm height and panicle size among tillers and the main shoot, which is an important trait for grain yield. However, the genetic basis of this trait remains unknown. Here, we report that Dwarf Tiller1 (DWT1) controls the developmental uniformity of the main shoot and tillers in rice (Oryza sativa). Most dwt1 mutant plants develo...

Tillering is defined as the process of above-ground shoot production by a single plant. The number of grass tillers is one of the most important parameters in ecology and breeding studies. The number of tillers is usually determined by manually counting the separated shoots from a single plant. Unfortunately, this method is too time-consuming. In this study, a new method for counting grass till...