Phenotypic plasticity has been proposed as an important adaptive strategy for clonal plants in heterogeneous habitats. Increased phenotypic plasticity can be especially beneficial for invasive clonal plants, allowing them to colonize new environments even when genetic diversity is low. However, the relative importance of genetic diversity and phenotypic plasticity for invasion success remains l...

Engraftment of clonal hematopoietic precursor cells from patients with myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) in immunodeficient mice has been difficult to achieve by intravenous (i.v.) injection. We used i.v. coadministration of the human marrow stroma cell line HS27a with CD34+ MDS cells in Nod.cg-Prkdc(scid) Il2rg(tm1wjll) (NSG) mice to provide signals that would facilitate engraftment. Hematopoieti...

--Sixteen full-sib families from crosses between four fast-growing female and four fast-growing male clones of cottonwood (Populus deltoides Bartr.) were clonally evaluated for 1 year in a replicated field test. Seedling size had no effect on clonal performance. Approximately 70 percent of the genetic variance for height and 20 percent of that for survival were additive. The cloned families sur...

Carnivorous plants belong to endangered species. Due to agricultural development, natural populations of these plants are diminishing. The herbal and ornamental value of these species has also led to their over-collection. The Drosera genus is a natural source of pharmacologically important compounds (e.g. naphthoquinones, flavonoids, anthocyanins, phenolic compounds) used as substrates in the ...

Ruscus aculeatus L. is a perennial semi-shrub with distinctive leaf-like branches (cladodes). Rhizomes and roots contain steroidal saponins (ruscogenins) that are used in medicine and cosmetics for their anti-inflammatory, venotonic and antihaemorroidal activity. Problematic cultivation of the species causes in many countries unsustainable over-collection from the wild. Tissue culture propagati...