Treatment of two-week-oldBrassica campestris andTrigonella foenum-graecum plants with morphactin andVicia faba, Antirrhinum orontium, andPapaver somniferum with Niagara, induced marked variations in the orientation and ontogeny of stomata and the epiderma cells. Morphactin-chlorflurenol at 12.5, 62.5, 125, 250, and 500 ppm, caused marked damage of the shoot apices and changes in the epidermal tissue, such as divisions of the guard cells, reduction in the size of the stomata, and epidermal cells. Niagara-ethyl-hydrogen-1-propylphosphonate at 100, 500, 1 000 5 000, and 10 000 ppm caused thickenings of the epidermal cell walls and differentiation of new meristemoids from the epidermal cells, contiguous stomata, and incomplete development of the guard cells.

Big vein disease occurring on lettuce plants cv. 'Pražan' was identified and the susceptibility to this disease was tested on 9 lettuce cultivars of foreign origin. Lettuce big vein virus was confirmed to be the cause of the disease. The transmission of the LBVV by the fungusOlpidium brassicae (Wor.)Dang., the sporangia of which were found by microscopy in the cells of surface tissues of lettuce roots, was experimentally proved. Rod-like particles, the average length of which was estimated at 244 nm, were found in the roots of diseased plants. LBW transmission by mechanical inoculation and by aphids could not be proved.

Funaria spores must structure their photosynthetic apparatus before germination. A lack of manganese in the culture media affects neither the final structure of chloroplast nor the chlorophyll synthesis. Fixation of CO₂, reducing power of chloroplasts (DPIP) and RPE photo-induced signal S II are modified by this lack of manganese. The study of Mn/Chl and CO₂ fixed/Mn ratios shows that Mn is a limiting factor for CO₂ fixation and that in the spores depleted of Mn the residual Mn is "structural" Mn.

In only one cultivar out of 1200 investigated cultivars ofPhaseolus vulgaris L. could we find an extreme change in the pattern of reserve proteins on the cathodic side: one of the proteins, called protein I, is completely absent in the cultivar 'Krupnaya sakharnaya' and is replaced on the same site by another protein,i.e. a protein completely different in its immunochemical specificity. The case is of interest from both the phylogenetic and systematic viewpoints and deserves further attention.

The main enzymatic oxidation products of IAA have been tested for biological activity, using as bioassay the straight-growth test ofAvena coleoptile. After being purified by rechromatography, none of these products (including methyleneoxindole) exhibited biological activity within the wide range of concentrations employed; consequently, the results accord with the evidence that IAA is the true hormone of plant growth.

Viable mutations affecting chlorophyll production in black gram (Phaseolus mungo L.) were recovered following treatments with X-rays and ethyl methanesulphonate singly or in combination. Of these theviridis mutant was characterized by viridine green colour of all the leaves and reduced plant size. inchlorotica the emerging leaves were initially yellowish green which gradually changed to dark green at flowering. The terminal 2-3 leaves always remained yellowish green inchlorina-terminalis whereas inchlorina-virescence the emerging leaves were yellowish green that changed to dark green at flowering. Inalbo-virescence the first 3-5 leaves at emergence were white in which small irregular green dots or patches often developed. The subsequent leaves were normal green. The emerging trifoliate leaves ofaureo-virescence were light green which turned to turtle green within a week. It was established thatviridis, chlorotica, chlorina-terminalis, chlorina-virescence, andalbo-virescence mutants were conditioned by a single receissive gene, in each case. Theaureo-virescence character was found to be inherited through the cytoplasm.

When examining plants of white mustard (Sinapis alba L.), a significant relationship between the size of the roots and the yield was found, both in a pot experiment and in a field one. The yield was influenced by the size of the root system during and after flowering time. Especially the number of seeds has increased, and the average weight of seeds showed the same tendencies after the flowering time. The productivity of plants with an above-average yield was increasing more quickly than the size of their root system. From the beginning of the vegetation till the end of flowering these most efficient plants showed the lowest permitivity dispersion and the highest dispersion after the flowering time. The dispersion has increased towards the end of vegetation.

Cytokinin-dependent and cytokinin-autonomous strains of tobacco callus tissue (Nicotiana tabacum L. cv. 'Wisconsin 38') were grown on media containing sucrose, glucose and fructose, respectively. The tissues were kept 14 days in darkness and then transferred for 9 days to continuous light after which time the fresh weight and chlorophyll content were estimated. The highest chlorophyll concentration was recorded at sugar levels which were either suboptimal (sucrose in the case of cytokinin-dependent strain) or supraoptimal (all other sugars for both strains and sucrose for the cytokinin-autonomous strain) for tissue growth. The chlorophyll concentration was increased when the tissue was cultured on media containing glucose or fructose,i.e. sugars whioh did not support the growth as well as sucrose. Chlorophyll synthesis in the cytokinin-autonomous strain is significantly lower than in the cytokinin-dependent strain. This difference was independent of either sugar source or concentration. These results support the observed inverse relationship between tissue growth and plastid development and the limited metabolic activity of plastids in cytokinin-autonomous tissues.

A thin layer of homologous antiserum (against the beet yellows virus - BYV) between the leaf surface and a Parafilm membrane totally inhibited the acquisition of BYV by aphidsMyzus persicae (Sulz.), but it did not affect the inoculation of BYV by infective aphids. BYV transmission decreased with aphids picking up the virus from leaves coated with a normal rabbit serum. Aphids sucking on purified BYV suspension through the Parafilm membrane as well as aphids allowed to probe into leaves of healthy plants spread with an infectious purified BYV suspension failed to transmit BYV. No BYV particles could be detected in eluates from stylets and labia cut off from aphids which had probed on BYV infected plants by electron microscopic examination. The acquisition seems to be the most important phase for the aphid transmission of BYV which is apparently carried on the stylet surface.

Flowering ofChenopodium rubrum seedlings fed different sugars at a concentration of 0.6 and 0.4 M, reap, during a single inductive cycle was stimulated or inhibited in dependence on the conditions of germination and initial growth. Plants allowed to germinate at alternating temperatures of 28 °C and 5 °C showed a slower initial growth and their development was stimulated by some sugars as compared to controls induced in the absence of sugars. Plants germinated at alternating temperatures of 32 °C and 5 °C exhibited a rapid initial growth and flowering was inhibited after induction in the presence of sugars. On the other hand, development proceeded more rapidly in control plants induced in the absence of sugars after germination at the higher temperature than after germination at the lower one. The differences between the two variants quoted above could be observed also after induction by two 16 h dark cycles. Glucose and sucrose were most effective in stimulating flowering under appropriate conditions of germination. Fructose was less effective and the action of maltose was very weak. Xylose, ribose and galactose were innocuous, while arabinose, glucoso-6-phosphate and mannitol were toxic to the plants. The sugars inhibited root growth in all cases and led to an increase in starch accumulation in the underground and overground plant organs. At a concentration of 0.6 M they mostly inhibited the length of the cotyledons and, especially, of the first leaf; at a concentration of 0.4 M growth of the overground organs was stimulated. The results are discussed with respect to the possible ohanges in photoperiodic sensitivity brought about by the rate of initial growth.

Algologically pure strain ofOscillatoria sancta (KÜTZING) GOMONT was cultivated in a phototermostat using a modified medium of Chu-Gerloff. The inhibiting effect of Na-humate on the numbers of cells and dry weight of this blue-green alga was investigated in dependence on polyvalent cations (Ca²⁺, Mg²⁺, Fe³⁺) concentration, nature of associated anions, and pH of the nutrient solution. Moreover the absorption of light due to humate colour was taken into consideration. Humate restricted the uptake of polyvalent cations (especially calcium); its unfavourable effect on the growth of the investigated organism decreased at the optimum pH.

The effect of two different mechanisms of phosphorus ion transport from the nutrient solution volume to the surface areas of excised maize roots was studied under concentrations ranging from 0.01 mM to 50.0 mM KH₂PO₄. A modified technique of study of kinetic ion absorption was used. In the control series, the roots were placed in absorption solution without flow (the dominant mechanism of ion transport to the roots being diffusion), while in the experimental series the absorption solution was flowing round the roots at a rate of 0.162 cm s^-1 (the dominant mechanism of ion transport to the roots being mass flow). The rate of phosphorus absorption by the roots from flowing solutions was highly significantly increased at all concentrations of absorption solution except for the 50.0 mM KH₂PO₄ concentration. The increase in phosphorus absorption in the case of 50.0 mM KH₂PO₄ concentration was non-significant due to the fact that the high concentration of phosphorus together with the diffusion of phosphorus ions ensured a sufficient supply of phosphorus to the roots, covering the requirement for their uptake.
The results point to the need for an analysis of environmental factors to be carried out in studying ion absorption kinetics, and reveal the inadequacy of methods usually employed in such investigations, in particular with respect to the homogeneity of the nutrient solution in the whole of its volume and especially round the roots.

Uptake of potassium by rice plants at different stages of growth can be described by a biphasic isotherm in the range of 5 × 10^-5 M and is probably mediated bya multiphasic mechanism in the plasmalemma.

The RNA formed in pollen tubes during 4 hours of growthin vitro was resolved by chromatography on methylated albumine on kieselguhr (MAK) into three principal fractions. Acoording to the labelling from uracil-¹⁴C about 11% was eluted with tRNA and 5 S RNA (low molecular weight RNA), 76% just after rRNA (D-RNA) and nearly 14% was recovered from the column by SDS at 35 °C (TB-RNA). In the presence of actinomycin D at concentration of 30 μg ml^-1 the synthesis of the three classes of RNA was inhibited by 71%, 97% and 70% respectively. On sucrose density gradient the radioactive low molecular weight RNA sedimented at 4 S-5 S which suggests that one or both of these RNA species are synthesized in pollen tubes. The D-RNA eluted from the MAK column is polydisperse in size exhibiting a wide range of sedimentation values up to about 35 S with a large peak at 9 S-10 S and two smaller peaks at 14 S-15 S and at about 23 S. The rapid labelling and the polydisperse rather low molecular weight character suggest that the D-RNA is a heterogeneous population of mRNA. The sedimentation profile of TB-RNA was similar to that of D-RNA. The RNA synthesized in the presence of³²PBO3-₄ or uracil-¹⁴C exhibited no radioactivity peaks corresponding to sedimentation peaks of rRNA.

Behaviour of CMV, PVY and BYV was investigated in serological precipitin drop as well as gel diffusion reactions using crude extracts from infected plants and antisera against intact viruses. Gel diffusion reaction of PVY was positively influenced by degradation of viral particles with pyrrolidin while gel tests with CMV and BYV were influenced negatively. Antiserum and antigen titers of CMV, as determined in gel diffusion tests, were 4 to 8 times higher than in drop tests. The titer of PVY antigen, as determined in gel diffusion test, was the same as in drop test. Finally the titer of BYV antigen was 16 times lower in the Ouchterlony tests. On the basis of the ascertained differences in the behaviour of PVY and BYV the pyrrolidin degradation may be recommended for PVY but not for BYV. Diagnosis of PVY or BYV by testing crude extracts from infective sources for the presence of soluble antigen is not successful for the time being.

Peroxidase and polyphenol oxidase activities in malformed mango inflorescences of 'Himsagar' and 'Bombay green' oultivars wore found to be increased considerably following infection byFusarium moniliforme var.subglutinans. Whether such increased activities were due to their synthesis by the pathogen or the host, or both, was not studied although it was found that the pathogen was incapable of producing the enzymesin vitro. The activities of both the enzymes in infected tissues were found to increase considerably during the experimental period. It was found that activities of polyphenol oxidase were inhibited in the presence of sodium diethyldithiocarbamate and phenylthiourea; the former acted as chelating agent of Cu of the enzymes and the latter as a competitive inhibitor. Similarly, peroxidase activity was found to be inhibited by cycloheximide which acted as inhibitor of enzyme protein synthesis. The fact that the 'Himsagar' cultivar showed greater enzyme activity than the 'Bombay green' cultivar possibly suggests its higher resistance to the pathogen.

Treatment with cannabis induces a partial inactivation of the spindle apparatus, and an unequal separation of the chromosomes. There is more or less a tendency to с-mitosis at higher concentrations and to multipolar anaphases at lower concentrations like so many other narcotic substances. The MI value decreases linearly and sharply with the increase of concentrations used,i.e. cannabis had a severe mitodepressive effect. Long treatment for 24 h caused the death of all colls examined.
Cannabis causes a complete dissolution of the matrix substance of the chromosomes and breaks down the chromatin material of the nucleus to minute granules. This phenomenon was observed in all root tips treated with the cannabis. The same picture was observed after letting the roots recover in water.
The application of cannabis may disturb the extrachromosomal mechanism. This disturbance is restricted to the abnormal diffusion of the spindle organizers in many directions instead of two poles.

Suitable conditions for the fertilizationin vitro in maize have been studied. The germinating capacity of pollen in synthetic media was low; it was confirmed that it might be stimulated by supplementing agar with egg yolk. Application of pollen onto styles overhanging from the culture medium of excised ovaries was examined. After 5 days the styles could be cut off the ovaries, for the pollen tubes had already penetrated the embryo sacs. However, better results were obtained when cultivating ovaries along with segments of the maize cob. Solid media were more suitable for the development of kernels. Some of them germinatedin situ and gave rise to normal plants. From nucellar meristems of young kernels a callus could be derived which, on further cultivation, became green and regenerated shoots and roots. The cells of meristems exhibited a varying number of chromosomes.

The effect of 2,4 dinitrophenol and increased viscosity of the absorption solution on the absorption of phosphorus by excised roots of maize plants was investigated. The concentration of the solution was 0.1 mM KH₂PO₄, the activity of³²P was 52 µCi l^-1. The temperature of the absorption solution was 26 °C, pH 5.5, aeration prior to the experiment. There was 11 of solution for every 1 g of roots. Two basic variants were used for comparison: with non-flowing solution and with solution flow (circulation) of 0.162 cm s^-1, respectively. In all cases, 2,4 dinitrophenol reduced the rate of phosphorus absorption by the roots regardless of the mechanism of phosphorus supply to the roots (diffusion, mass flow). If it is proved that 2,4 dinitrophenol inhibits the active uptake of phosphorus, then the uptake of phosphorus by the roots increased under the influence of mass flow will be active,i.e., connected with energy metabolism.
Raising the viscosity of the absorption solution 3.3 times over that of water by means of potato starch substantially reduced the absorption of the phosphorus transported to the absorption zone by diffusion and practically did not affect the rate of absorption, or the amount of anions transported to the absorption area by mass flow.

Plants ofPlectranthus fructicosus were grown in two controlled environments -"spring" and "summer" conditions - differing in temperature and air humidity (day/night 20/15 and 27/22 °C; 80/98 and 50/80 % relative humidity) in order to study the influence of environmental conditions on the development of photosynthetic characteristics of individual leaves. The contribution of individual leaves to plant photosynthesis was very similar in both environments, the maximum shifting from bottom leaves to leaves of middle insertion levels during plant ontogenesis. On integrating the values of leaf photosynthesis for the whole vegetation period, the 5th leaf in "spring" conditions and the 4th leaf in "summer" conditions showed the highest contribution to plant photosynthesis (29 % resp. 25% of total net CO₂ influx). The "photosynthetically mature" leaves of middle insertion levels played the main role in CO₂ uptake of whole plant.