In agreement with the results of biological tests with transmission to herbaoeous indicators and on orientation electron microscopic investigation, alfalfa mosaic virus (AMV) and tomato bushy stunt virus (TBSV) were serologically identified in the leaves of some of 8 samples of hop plants and of 17 bushes of grapevine, showing a complex of symptoms described in this paper. The latter reacted in double gel diffusion tests toPetunia strain but not to artichoke strain. The identification of these two viruses in grapevine is the first finding in Czechoslovakia, whereas in hop it is probably the first finding anywhere.

The role of a globule-like structure in the leaf epidermal cells ofC. auriculata has been studied in relation to stomatal regulation. Water stress and direct sunlight promote the appearance of globules at the same time as the stomata close. Ample water supply and shade inhibit the appearance of globules and the stomata open. The number of stomata is the same on either leaf surface, but their behaviour is different because of different exposure to light.

Indole-³H or tryptophan-³H are applied to tips of sterile grown oat or maize coleoptiles. The produced amounts of IAA and Try are extracted, purified by paper ohromatography, and quantitatively determined by liquid scintillation spectrometry. Admixtures of serine or inhibitors of monoamine oxidase are without effect on the IAA production from indole. The yield of IAA from indole equals the IAA yield from Try. If the amount of free Try-³H in the tissue is used as a reference quantity, indole-³H application yields higher³H-activity in the protein and in the IAA fraction than does Try-³H application, probably as a result of compartmentation effects. There are no results indicating a pathway of IAA biosynthesis from indole without Try as an intermediate.

The effect of short and long term auxin treatments on the elongation of axillary buds and³²P accumulation were studied in 2-leaf decapitated Alaska pea sailings. It was found that (1) auxin delayed the elongation of the lateral buds, (2) none of the auxin concentration applied completely inhibited the elongation of axillary buds, (3) auxin had no retarding effect on the growing buds, (4) strong polarization of 32P occurred in the parts above the treated leaf, when auxin was applied for a short period just after decapitation, (5) long term auxin treatments did not induce any such polarization of 32P to the parts above the treated leaf, (6) the root acted as an alternate accumulating organ for 32P when the apex was removed and the buds were inhibited, and (7) in decapitated plants the growing buds polarized 32P.

The virus replication capacity (determined by density gradient centrifugation and spectrophotometric virus assay) and severity of symptoms were compared in ten cucumber(Cucumis sativus L.) cultivars infected by cucumber virus 4. Except the expected resistant susceptible and symptomless virus carrier plants a new paradoxial group of cultivars was found. This group is characterized by low virus reproduction rate but simultaneously associated with severe symptoms and is responsible for difficulties in the virus transmission and purification. It is concluded that the critical evaluation of the resistance against viruses of TMV-group must include symptomatic and quantitative virus assays, as there need not be a direct relationship between virus symptoms and the virus increase.

Changes in respiration, activity of cytochrome oxidase and ascorbic oxidase and in BSMV content were investigated on winter wheat plants cv. 'Kaštická osinatka' after application of growth stimulating and growth inhibiting concentrations of 2,4-D. It has been found that the rate of respiration is almost exclusively dependent on the activity of both these terminal oxidases. Consumption of oxygen was regularly increasing with decreasing herbicide concentration and at concentration 10^-7 M was even higher than the control value. Healthy and BSMV inoculated plants treated with 2,4-D differed in ascorbic oxidase activity while activity of cytochrome oxidase was almost the same. In contrast to healthy plants the BSMV inoculated ones were seriously damaged after 2,4-D application. Plants inoculated with BSMV and treated with 2,4-D contained in contrast to those inoculated and not treated with 2,4-D a higher content of virus (124 to 150 %) which was not proportional to herbicide concentration. These results, which were obtained from experiments with plants grown in nutrient solutions supplemented with 2,4-D, indicate that BSMV inoculation induces metabolic changes which cause a loss of selectivity of 2,4-D.

During their short preparasitic stage, dodder seedlings are able to absorb phosphates, by means of their rudimentary root. The absorbed phosphorus is translocated into the stem of the young parasite and metabolized.

Cytochrome oxidase and ascorbic acid oxidase activities were investigated in rye, wheat, barley and oat plants. The variations in the activity of both enzymes was followed in the course of the initial 28 days of growth, as well as at the phase of milk ripeness, namely in the cytoplasmic and mitochondrial cell fractions of roots, leaves and spikes.
Both enzymes were active in all measurements. Cytochrome oxidase mostly exhibited a higher activity than ascorbio acid oxidase. The activity of the former enzyme was substantially higher in the mitochondrial fraction of leaves, roots and spikes of the four experimental plants in comparison with the cytoplasmic fraction. On the contrary, the ascorbic acid oxidase activity varied in both cell fractions according to the plant species, organ and growth phase.
The variations in the activity of both enzymes exhibited on the whole a course similar to that of the respiration rate. During the first 14 to 21 days of growth the enzyme activities increased up to the maximum. This was thon followed at first by a rapid, later on by a slow decrease. The course of variations in the enzyme activities was, with certain exceptions, alike in all the four plant species investigated.

In the investigated barley cultivar resistant toErysiphe graminis f. sp.hordei Marchal a temporary decrease in water uptake may be observed during the first days following infection in light. No marked differences could be detected in darkness. Starting from the stage of formation of fructification organs the ratio between water uptake in light and in darkness in the resistant cultivar is similar to that of the control, while the opposite is true in the susceptible cultivar where the ratio markedly decreases with the development of powdery mildew. The resistant cultivar responds more rapidly to the pathogen by changes in water uptake than the susceptible one.

Gamma radiation in doses 0.13 to 0.77 C kg^-1 (0.5 to 3.0 kR) significantly (P ≥ 0.01) stimulated seed germination, seedling height, and length of primary leaves of French bean cv. 'Blue Lake'; these doses did not affect chlorophyll content per leaf area unit. Doses of 1.16 to 1.93 C kg^-1 (4.5 to 7.5 kR) induced inhibition of the four parameters studied.

The endodermal cells of the maize roots are linked to each other via plasmodesmata mainly localized at the proximity of the Casparian band on the anticlinal walls. In this part of the walls was noticed the absence of the suberin lamella in the thickening endodermal cells.

The blade area and the number of stomata were studied in the cotyledons of five cultivars ofBrassica oleracea L., cultivated in a growth chamber and in the greenhouse, respectively. Characteristic differences between different varieties were found in the number of stomata per unit area as well as in their occurrence on both the adaxial and abaxial surfaces.

A relatively high auxin level was found in old leaves from the lower part of long shoots of young apple trees using the straight growth bioassay on wheat coleoptile segments. The auxin level remains almost constant during summer and autumn.

Cotyledons of 15 day-old seedlings of fiveBrassica oleracea L. varieties were surveyed to identify salient anatomical features. Both palisade parenchyma cells present in the first subepidermal layer and stomata were found to differ in size.

A previous report on the mechanism of diurnal oscillations is supplemented here by data concerning causes of irregularities in their oscillation trajectories. Cinematographic records showed that the final trajectory is significantly influenced by the circumnutation oscillations of the stem. Amplitudes of these oscillations which are small(ca 0.7 mm as compared with 5 X larger amplitudes of leaves when measured at the leaf tip) can be enlarged up to 10 times the value at the apical tip of the leaf. These nutations are responsible for side-deviations of space spirals of growing leaves in the direction of their shorter half axis. This explanation is based on the occurrence of side-deviations of leaf trajectories which correlate with the actual position of the nutation phase of the stem. Concurrent frequencies of the two oscillations (= diurnal rhythm) indicate that nyctinastic oscillations of the leaves are controlled by the same mechanism as is the circumnutation of the stem.

Allopolyploids were raised by oolchicine treatment of vegetative buds in the triploid hybrid of tetraploidPhaseolus species xP. calcaratus cross. They had 70 per cent pollen fertility and produced many viable seeds. The average chromosome configuration per cell at MI in them was 1.56_IV + 0.01m + 29.30_II + l.llr. It has been concluded that the increased fertility in allopolyploids was due to more regular meiosis and the low frequency of quadrivalents indicated the occurrence of preferential pairing.

Studies underin vitro conditions withCuscuta stem tips have revealed that the parasite depends on the host for the supply of all essential requirements for its growth. The vestigial photosynthetic apparatus inCuscuta cannot meet its total requirements. Thus for supply of energy it depends primarily on the host. Inorganic nutrients seem to be of secondary importance and perhaps help to some extent in its independent metabolic pool. Carbohydrates, particularly sugars, are presumably tapped by the parasite from the translocating channels of the host and further utilised for its own growth. Besides sugars, which form the carbon and energy source, amino acids and growth substances are also found to be utilised. The mechanism of carbohydrate utilization inCuscuta has been postulated.

The IAA oxidase activity was studied during the culture of dormant apple embryos. The effect of different factors on this enzyme activity was investigated either by adding them to the reaction mixture or to the culture medium. Phloridzin was found to be the best phenolic cofactor. The development of IAA oxidase activity was stimulated by phloridzin and GA₃. The properties of apple embryos IAA oxidase allow to postulate the presence of two enzyme systems able to oxidize IAA in the material studied. The involvement of peroxidase activity in IAA oxidation was also investigated. The differences in the changes of peroxidase and IAA oxidase activities during the culture of dormant apple embryos do not permit to consider the activity of peroxidases to be identical with that of IAA oxidase.

The action of exogenously applied hormones in the induction of morphogenesis inLimnophila chinensis (Osb.) Merr. tissue culture has been demonstrated. Stem expiants were grown on Murashige and Skoog's medium containing various levels of kinetin, gibberellic acid and indole-3-acetic acid. Formation of roots, shoots (normal or abnormal), plantlets and friable, hard or nodulated calluses depended largely on the hormone levels used. The formation of normal shoots and roots were stimulated by treatment with kinetin. GA₃ treatment stimulated the bud differentiation but inhibited the root initiation. A combination of kinetin and GA₃ gave variable results.

Biologioal activities of humic acid (Na salt), hymatomelanic acid (Na salt), lignofulvic acid and of fulvic acids isolated from peat were studied by means of the auxin-, gibberellin-, and cytokinin- bioassays. All the four tested fractions showed higher or lower stimulating activity in these bioassays. However, the stimulating effect is considerably lower and cannot be interpreted as phytohormone activity. Some fractions in some concentrations also showed inhibitory effects. The manner of biological action of the studied fractions might bo the result of interaction of their respective components.

The lowering of the cultivation temperature allows one to alter the growth intensity and micromorphology of tobacco cell strains specifically. By a long-term low temperature treatment the effect is deepened, by transferring inocula into normal cultivation temperature it is repaired. Both the growth and morphogenic effects of the low temperature correspond to those of cytokinins, exhibiting even the same strain specificity.