Salicylate administered to detached tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum L.) leaves kept in the light rapidly induced an increase in stomatal resistance. This effect was not the result of water stress. Both the concentration of salicylate and the duration of the application to leaves affected the extent of the stomatal response. Application of salicylate for short periods showed that, once the stomatal response started, it was maintained for long period of time in the absence of further supply. K⁺ or Ca²⁺ were able to lower the stomatal resistance induced by salicylate, but only when both the ions were administered together with salicylate the stomatal closure was prevented. The results suggest that salicylate elicits some alterations interfering with the control of, stomatal movements, possibly affecting the integrity of cell membranes.

A low reproducibility of some characteristics in the life cycle of the volvocal algaChlamydomonas geitleri was observed in repeated experiments. The sets of the cultures were very similar in the number of the studied characteristics, but some of them differed significantly in one or several characteristics whereas the others agreed in a whole set. This is documented by the growth in a nitrogenless medium, the formation of zygotes, and their maturation and germination. The results of a small representative set of experiments were treated by an analysis of variance. Some possible explanations are discussed.

The occurrence of polysomaty was noted in a diploid cytotype ofUrginea indica with B chromosomes. These accessories could be clearly distinguished from the other chromosomes in their stainability, very small size, morphology, variability and irregular behaviour. The variant nuclei were hyperdiploid, hypertriploid and hypertetraploid. B chromosomes were noted only in diploid cells and no accessories could be recorded in cells showing higher chromosome number.
The amount of DNA content as indicated by the absorbance is rather low as compared to the diploid without accessories which may be due to the shorter size of the chromosomes. Under ultrastructural study subterminal centromeric region of B chromosome show low electron dense appearance.

On rooting the poplar stem cutting, the growth processes are coordinated so as to ensure optimum development of the new, vegetatively acquired individual. At first, adventitious roots develop on the cutting from latent root primordia. A part of them is short-lived, but in the meantime other, the so-called wound adventitious roots initiate from the callus on the lower cut surface of the cutting, which complement the permanent root system. In this way, conditions are prepared for a rapid growth and development of the stem, which forms from the upper bud on the cutting. The action of apical meristems providing the elongation of the stem and root, is followed by the action of vascular cambium. By the radial growth of organs controlled by cambium, the capacity of substance transport increases relatively to progressing development of the new plant. In the buried stem cutting cambium is the first to start functioning. Its reactivation is slow, discontinuous, and at the beginning it depends on local stimulating sources of the cutting itself. It was observed for the first time that, in addition to expanding buds, activated root primordia are also such sources of stimuli. The overall induction of cambial activity in the cutting occurs only in the period of rapid growth and development of the new stem, which thus becomes the main source of factors controlling the cambial activity of the cutting. In comparison with the growth of stem and cutting, the radial growth of adventitious roots is limited and there are considerable differences in the thickness of radial increments between individual roots.

Salinity caused a consistent reduction in the growth of cowpea plants and water content in their leaves. The total as well as the pigment fractions, except carotenoids, exhibited lower values than those of control plants at almost all salinity levels. With the rise of salinization, the total nitrogen and potassium contents in the leaves were decreased but the sodium content was increased and phosphorus content was not significantly affected as compared with the controls.
The application of IAA to salt-treated plants increased the water content in the leaves but it had no effect on the number of leaves and the stem length. The pigment contents in the leaves were either promoted or inhibited with the application of IAA, depending upon the level of salinization. The application of IAA to plants irrigated with water of the highest salinity level was effective in increasing the potassium content in the leaves as compared with the control, but it had no effect on the other mineral elements.

Supply of 0.01 to 5.0 mM salicylic, caffeic and gallic acids, either during imbibition of seeds for 24 to 48 h or during seedling growth increased anthocyanin production in maize (Zea mays L. cv. Ganga safed-2) roots. While tyrosine had no effect, phenylalanine either in the presence or absence of the phenolic acids increased anthocyanin content. Glucose in a concentration range of 1 to 20 mM and shikimic acid in 0.01 to 5.0 mM range also increased pigment level, which was higher in the presence of salicylic acid than in it.s absence. The experiments demonstrate the possibility of some indirect effects of salicylic acid and other phenolic acids on anthocyanin synthesis.

The flag and second leaves of wheat showed physiological and biochemical differences in the normal and water stressed plants. Although the flag leaf had lower enzyme activities in the control plants, in stressed plants it could continue nitrate assimilation better than the second and other leaves. The flag leaf also exhibited a higher tendency to resume normal metabolic activity after the release of stress as is indicated by higher NRA, NiRa, lower r_ad and r_ab.

The effect of sodium humate on phosphorus uptake by maize seedlings devoid of the endosperm was studied. Short-term experiments have shown that a suppression of phosphate ion absorption occurs under the described conditions in the presence of humate without decreasing the weight of experimental plants. The effect reported is delayed and is enhanced by prolonging the preliminary phase of starvation. It varies with the pH of the medium and reduces under extreme conditions the phosphate release from the root to the medium.

Lupin aleurone grains from dry cotyledons contain about 87% of globulin including 57% of proteins solubilized by NaCl solution and 30% by NaOH extractions, and also about 12% of albumin. Activity of acid protease with the optimum at pH 3.6-3.8 was associated with albumin. Albumin was separated by gel filtration on Ultrogel AcA 22 into 3 fractions with mol. m. 179 000, 113 000, and below 100 000, respectively. The component with mol. m. 113 000 prevailed and comprised about 60% of albumin. Globulin was composed mainly of two major components with mol. m. above 364 000 and about 280 000. These correspond to α-and β-conglutin fractions, respectively.
γ-conglutin minor globulin fraction of lupin aleurone grains was composed of about 66% glycoprotein. In contrast, about 82% of albumin lack glycosylation. Essentially, globulins in lupin aleurone grains are glycoprotein.

An improved system of plant cultivation at stable and specific levels of polyethyleneglycol (PEG, mol. mass 1400-1600) - induced water stress has been described. To set up this system a perforated tubular glass vessel containing soil to support seedling growth was wrapped externally first with a layer of macroporous silica gel-G and then with three layers of a dialysis membrane of a lower exclusion limit (2000 mol. mass). Effects of 8 days of PEG - induced stress have been studied on uptake and translocation of N and P and growth of barley (Hordeum vulgare L. cv. KN 16) seedlings. Some of the noteworthy improvements of the system were exelusion of PEG from the plant consequent upon use of silica gel-membrane combination, shorter time (2 days) for the soil-plant-air continuum to attain steady state, and stability of the plant water potential over a period of a few days.

The addition of Na₂EDTA to a minimal medium (agar, sucrose) deprived of cations produces no morphoregulatory effect. This effect is induced only by the addition of iron. Traces of iron present in the agar are sufficient for the development of globular embryoid into a complete plant. The traces of iron in distilled water and sucrose (p. a.) are insufficient for the morphoregulation. The marked difference between the necessary limiting amount of chelate and necessary limiting amount of iron in non-modified media is explained by the presence of other cations, which saturate and thereby inactivate a greater part of Na₂EDTA. It is recommended to decrease the amount of iron and leave the commonly used amount of chelate in the prepared media. Simultaneously with optimal morphoregulatory effect in androgenesis and somatic embryogenesis, vitality of tissue culture will be lengthened and ageing as well as necrosis of the cultures be decreased.

This paper deals with some morphological and histological changes observed during regular intervals inMatricaria inodora L. tissue cultures derived from leaf expiants. The expiants were cultivated on Murashige-Skoog's culture medium supplemented with 1.0 mg 1^-1 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid. The callus formation started about a week after isolation. During the second week the meristematic centers were differentiated from which root and shoot apices were later formed. During long term cultivation under the same culture conditions the inhibition of development of shoot apices took place. Only roots of unorganized growth have been regenerated. The influence of culture conditions on morphogenetic potential is discussed.

Water-stress for 10d at different developmental stages, affected relative water content and leaf water potential of plants. Subsequent rewatering removed these effects. Water stress lowered the contents of chlorophyll, protein, RNA and the activity of catalase, while it increased free proline accumulation and activities of protease, RNase and peroxidase. An overall improvement in biochemical parameters was achieved as soon as the stress was withdrawn by watering and this was reflected in subsequent developmental stages. Water-stress at the reproductive stages induced similar changes as in the vegetative stage but the removal of stress could not improve these parameters to the same extent as at the vegetative stage. In consequence, stress applied at the vegetative stage augmented yield parameters but when applied at the reproductive stage it significantly reduced the yield.

Growth, dark transpiration rate (DTR) as well as water saturation deficit (WSD) of 30 single plants of 8 alfalfa genotypes growing in experimental field of 50 × 10 cm spacing, in four cuts at early bud stage, were studied. The growth and WSD of genotypes examined were significantly different, the differences in DTR were not significant. The growth of alfalfa plants was in negative correlation with both DTR which reflects non-effective water loss and WSD. Significant negative correlation established between plant growth and its variability shows that fodder productivity in alfalfa genotypes was dependent on growth variability of individual plants. Positive correlations established between WSD or DTR and the growth variability show some of the causes of growth variability.

Influence of high intensive flashes on the yield of free radicals in intact seeds and excised embryonic axis, endosperm, and seed coat, and its resulting effect on seedling growth, total biomass production and phosphorus metabolism in wheat (Triticum aeativum), vetch (Vicia sativa L.) and onion (Allium cepa L.) was studied. Free radicals (f.r.) were formed mainly in seed coat and not in the endosperm. Vetch seeds after irradiation had 20.76 X 10¹³ f.r. g^-1 dry intact seed and 17.30 X 10¹³ f.r. g^-1 dry seed coat. Excised seed coats exposed to irradiation also yielded 17.28 × 10¹³ f.r. g^-1 dry matter. High irradiance "white light" flashes induced more f.r. than a monochromatic one of the same photon content. Red (650 nm), farred (750 nm) and even infra-red (1100 nm) radiation did not initiated f.r. formation but resulted in their decay in samples irradiated earlier by "white", blue and green parts of the spectrum. Blue irradiation of seeds led to the decrease in the length of shoots and roots in comparison to "white", green and red irradiation but their biomass increased faster than in the seedlings obtained from non-irradiated or irradiated with "white" and green radiation. The quantity of total acid soluble phosphorus followed a sequence with respect to wavelength of radiation: 436 nm > 650 nm> > 540 nm > non-irradiated > 300-800 nm. Quantity of inorganic phosphorus remained unaffected by different spectral character of radiation. The quantity of organic acid soluble nucleic phosphorus and acid insoluble polyphosphates was higher in samples irradiated with red beams (650 ± 6 nm).

There was a slow and gradual rise in the deoxyribonucleolytic activity of both excised and attached first leaf of ragi (Eleusine coracana Gaertn. cv. PR 202) during senescence. The decline in DNA content is correlated with the rise in deoxyribonucleolytic activity; but both DNA and deoxyribonucleolytic enzyme were photo-insensitive and did not respond to the application of senescence retardants - benzimidazole and gibberellic acid. Increase in deoxyribonucleolytic activity in excised leaves was not affected by actinomycin D; it was, however, wholly or partially prevented by cycloheximide. The effect of the translation inhibitor depended on the time of application. The enzyme activity seems to have no specific relation with the process of senescence.

The contents of reducing sugars, proteins and ascorbic acid and the activities of protease, peroxidase, catalase, indole acetic acid oxidase, ascorbic acid oxidase, succinic dehydrogenase and the rate of respiration were investigated in regenerating and non-regenerating parts ofClerodendrum viscosum Vent. root cuttings. All the above variables have registered higher in the regenerating parts, particularly at the distal end where roots appear, than in the non-regenerating parts of root cuttings. The contents of metabolites and the activities of enzymes in the presence of endogenous cytokinins at the proximal end and auxins at the distal end, were compared and discussed in relation to the initiation of shoots and roots at two ends of root cuttings. In general it was concluded that interacting hormonal and nutritional factors must be appropriate to initiate shoots or roots in the root cuttings.

Contents of individual carotenoids in the fruits of Ramillete cultivar ofCapsicum annuum L. changed during ripening of recently harvested fruits or fruits stored 15 d in a dark and cool room. β-carotene and β-cryptoxanthin contents rose to a maximum and then declined, while the contents of other earotenoids rose to a rather steady level. Capsanthin was the main carotenoid which together with capsorubin were responsihle for the ripening colour.

The sensitivity of stomata to water stress increased during ontogeny of primary bean leaves growing under constant environmental conditions: the decrease in both adaxial and abaxial epidermal conductances was induced by slightly more negative values of leaf water potential in young than in mature and especially old leaves. However, these differences were less expressive than the differences mentioned in the literature for leaves of different insertion level, where adaptations to microclimatic conditions in different canopy layers in addition to ontogeny may occur.