Evidence for the occurrence of a substance closely resembling acetylcholine inPorophyllum lanceolatun DC is presented. Its concentration in terms of acetylcholine estimated by biological assay was 0.1 ± 0.02 μmol g^-1 fresh weight of leaf.

Changes in IAA-level during the mildew pathogenesis (Erysiphe graminis f. sp.hordei Marchal) were observed in a resistant barley cultivar "Professor Schiemann" using thin-layer chromatography and biological Avena-test. A decrease in IAA-level occurred on 4th day after the inoculation by parasite, compared with control. On the sixth day, the level of IAA was remarkably increased. During further development, the IAA-level rested, on the whole, without any changes.

Water potential of roots was measured by thermocouple psyohometers in a series of two or more plants ofCynodon dactylon (L.)Pers. interconnected by overground stolons and thus forming one s.c. polycormon. Root water potential was lowest (most negative) in the oldest "mother" plant and increased in younger individua to highest walues in the youngest "doughter" plants. This gradient of root water potential was found although the "mother" plants continued to be watered while watering all daughter plants had been stopped one week before the water potential was measured. Thus the whole polycormon consisting of a series of interconnected individua behaves as one hydrodynamic system where all individual root systems act as if being parts of one sole root system.

2.5 cm long etiolated stem segments ofPopulus nigra did not root at all in water or in IAA alone, but rooted in glucose + IAA. 5-Fluorodeoxyuridine (FUDR), 5-Fluorouracil (FU). actinomycin-D and cycloheximide all inhibited rooting, the inhibitory effect of each increasing with concentration and being more marked in glucose than in glucose + IAA. The inhibitory effect also decreased with the delay in the application of cycloheximide. The DNA, RNA and protein contents of segments grown in IAA + glucose where rooting occurred were higher than in water or in IAA + glucose + cycloheximide/or + aetinomycin-D where rooting did not occur. Auxin in the presence of adequate amount of carbon nutrition increases the fresh production of protein and that the magnitude of rooting is determined by the size of protein pool that is available in tho tissue at the time of root initiation.

The homogenate of different strawberry organs inhibits the degradation of IAA in the presence of horse radish peroxidase, while intact strawberry tissues are able to degrade IAA. The chemical nature of peroxidase inhibitors present, in strawberry tissues was in vestigated. Using paper chromatography the following polyphenolic substances inhibiting peroxidase activity were identified: chlorogenic, caffeic, ellagic, gentisic, gallic, and vanillic acids, quercetin and pelarginidin. Monophenolic compounds, also present in strawberry, such as p-hydroxy-phenyloacetic acid and p-hydroxybenzoic acid, are strong stimulators of IAA oxidase. Abscisic acid in very high concentration (1×10^-4M) enhances degradation of IAA by peroxidase.
When both poly-and monophenolic compounds at equimolar concentrations are present in the system, only the inhibition of IAA degradation occurs.
Tissue explants from the strawberry leaves and petiole degrade less IAA if they are previously forced to synthetize more polyphenols under illumination. Although the difference in IAA-decarboxylation activity between the illumination and dark treated explants was relatively small, nevertheless it was consistent and appears to be very important from a physiological point of view suggesting that there exists a regulatory relationin vivo between IAA degradation and the presence of phenolsin plant tissue.
Electron microscope data revealed that phenolic substances are specially isolated from cytoplasm of the receptacle cells.

The apical dominance in dormant tubers ofCircaea intermedia preventing the extension of lateral buds under favourable conditions differs from the apically directed growth inhibition inducing true dormancy in the tubers. This acropetal inhibition affects the tuber tip more strongly than its lateral buds, which develop into long stolon-like shoots after the tuber decapitation. The local supply of ABA shows no tuberizing effect, but enhances the dormancy of the tuber top. MH interrupts the correlation between the tuber laterals tuberizing without previous stolon formation. The uppermost leaf structures participate in the apical dominance, inhibiting their own axillaries on intact tubers. Mature scales disclose this correlative influence only on decapitated or dissected tubers on which IAA or BA release their inhibitory effect, but ABA increases it. Two scale pairs occurring regularly at the top of dormant tubers and seen later at the erect base of the stem are involved in the initiation of foliage leaves for the next-year growth period. BA applied to an axil at the top of the tuber provokes its sylleptic branching.

A test in vivo has bean realized by the author to measure the systemic activity of a fungicide.

Minimal diffusive resistances of both leaf epidermes increased during normal and retarded ageing (moving secondary leaves aside, plant decapitation). The retarded ageing of primary leaves slowed down increase in epidermal resistance (r_ep), and was also reflected in the prolongation of their growth, increase of leaf area, size of epidermal and guard cells and stomatal pores. Decrease of stomata density was to some extent balanced by an increase in the pore size; the later rapid rise in diffusion resistance was induced by the loss of stomata ability to open fully.

The course of biological curves of accumulation of total (Y_biol), vegetative (Y_veg) and grain dry matter (Y_gr) in maize(Zea mays L.)was investigated in a field experiment. The different population densities from 27 777 to 121 418 plants per ha were tested in interaction with increasing fertilizer rates (NPK) ranging from zero to 780 kg of pure nutrients per ha. The grain yield (F_gr) plotted against the population density shows a parabolic trend with a maximum at densities from 64 000 to 79 000 plants per ha. An asymptotic trend was obtained for the curve of biological yield (F_biol) in relation to the population density. The optimum densities for Y_gr and F_biol were identical in the unfertilized control plot. At optimum and higher population levels the application of optimum rate of pure nutrients was 260 kg per ha. Leaf area index(L) was rising with the increasing stand density. Its value was also increased by increasing mineral nutrition but only at plant densities higher than 64 000 plants per ha. The proportion of Y_gr/ Y_biol showed an optimum atL value within 2.03 and 2.68. Its value declined with further increase of both, stand densities and levels of NPK. The optimumL estimated for Y_gr was within 2.65 and 3.87 and that for Y ol in the control variant was 2.65. Tn fertilized plots even the highestL values (5.17) did not influence neither the biological nor the vegetative dry matter yields. Relative photosynthetic potential for dry matter formation (RPP_gr) was decreasing with the increasing stand density.

In pumpkin plants suffering from calcium deficiency growth of the root system is characteristically suppressed. A biochemical symptom of calcium deficiency is a decrease or even complete disappearance of activity of one of the isoperoxidases (isoperoxidaseD). In the present study the two characteristics were used to compare the effects of calcium deficiency and of IAA in the supraoptimal concentration of 10^-5 M. Peroxidases were separated by centrifugal fractionation: peroxidasesA andB were found in the sediment corresponding to the mitochondrial fraction, peroxidaseD in the supernatant. It was not possible, however, to obtain the sediment completely free of peroxidaseD. A negative correlation between the activity of isoperoxidaseD and the logarithm of concentration of IAA in nutritive solution was found and similarities in the effects of IAA in supraoptimal concentration and of calcium deficiency on the development of root system were demonstrated. Still, it would be difficult to imagine that the mechanism of the action of the two factors is the same. For this reason, a scheme of possible interactions was suggested with the aim to explain how similar changes in the content of isoperoxidases are brought about by the two factors. In this scheme, calcium is considered chiefly as a substance regulating membrane permeability.

Between the electric impedance of the roots of healthy apple-trees and that of apple-trees infected with the proliferation disease there were highly significant differences at the beginning of November. However, the results were not necessarily the same in all roots of the same plant, but varied according to the extent of infection.

Garex packystylis, native of Israël, has been compared in arid zones of Israël and in France under phytotronie conditions. Especially its drought resistance has been studied. Once root formation has stopped through drought action, the shoot apices situated on the rhizomes which are well protected by layers of dry scales, become active and form leaves above the ground when the plants are once again in favorable growth conditions. There is also reumption of the basal growth of leaves incompletely dessicated from the top.

Both nitrite reductase and nitrate reductase were induced by nitrite, but there were differences in the time course of induction and in the response to different NO₂^- concentrations between these enzymes. NH₄⁺ depressed the induction of nitrite reductase. NADH₂ dependent glutamate dehydrogenase activity was enhanced by those NO₂-concentrations in the medium at which unmetabolized NO₂^- occurred in the roots. NADPH₂ and NAD+ dependent GDh activities were not affected. In vivo modification and (or) in vivo activation were probably responsible for the increase in NADH₂ dependent GDH activity.

The changes n dry weight and in the content of sugars and starch of leaves of the evergreen species Prunus laurocerasus L. were studied in the field and in laboratory conditions. The leaves of field-grown bushes as well as those kept under controlled conditions were analyzed at one week intervals at the end of the winter and in early spring from March 11 to May 6, 1970, The effect of four different temperature regimes was compared (day/night) : A : - 2 to - 6 °C/ - 6°C. B: 6°C/ -6°C, C: 6 °C/6 °C and D: 12 °C/ - 6 °C. During the whole experimental period of 56 days a net increase in dry weight 246.84 mg dm^-2, i.e. 21.7 % was found under field conditions. A negative balance in assimilate management was recorded only during the one week period. The total content of sugars decreased from 11.68 % to 6.42 % while the content of starch rose from zero to 3.12 %. The net increase in dry matter found under controlled conditions was 6.69 (A), 4.68 IB). 6.88 (C) and -0.43 (D) mg dm^-2 d^-1.

By modifying the auxine-cytokinine ratios and with or without the addition of sugar, it is possible to direct neoformation in stem and leaf fragments ofTorenia fournieri towards the production of roots only or buds only; the buds either remain vegetative or become floral according of the treatment.

The morphactin - chlorflurenol at 1, 5, 25, 125 and 625 μg/plant either caused total damage of the shoot apices or allowed a few inflorescences to develop with few or no flowers. The inflorescences arising in the lateral branches showed suppressed bracts and modified flowers. With time the treated plants recovered and showed a significant increase in the growth of laterals and the number of inflorescences. Thus morphactin can be used for prolonging the growth period and for obtaining more wholesome plants.

Mutagenic activity of N-ethyl-N-nitrosourea (ENU) and of N-methyl-N'-nitro-N--nitrosoguanidine (MNG) in lentil was studied. The highest proportion of segregating progenies with chlorophyll mutants and chimeric plants was 34.8% from the total number of analysed offsprings, ENU being applied in this case in the concentration of 0.005% for 20 h at 18 to 19 °C. When MNG was applied in the concentration of 0.001 % for 10h at 22 to 23 °C the proportion was 5.1%. Progenies segregating two or more chlorophyll mutants originated with ENU only; their relative frequencies varied from 1.4% to 7.1%. The number of different types of mutants or of their combinations segregating at the same time in the same progeny was shown to be dependent with the two agent tested on the mutagenic activity of the concentration used. The most efficient concentration of ENU induced the total of 8 different mutants at the same time, together with a combination of two or three mutant types in the same progeny. With MNG no combination of chlorophyll mutants in the same progeny was ever found simultaneously. The greatest number of mutants corresponding to 1 progeny M₁ was 0.53 when ENU was applied; with MNG the maximum values were approximately ten times lower. The maximum number M₂ of chlorophyll mutants and chimeric plants was 3.58% with ENU and 0.23 with MNG.

The efficiency of the geocontrol system of pea and. maize roots was compared on the basis of their oscillation movements. The rate of elongation of maize roots is 3.6 times higher, the amplitudes of oscillation deviations are 10 times lower and their frequency is 5 times lower than the corresponding values recorded for pea roots. The period of time which elapses between the stimulus and growth response, i.e. the geotropic reaction time, is 4 times shorter in maize roots than in pea roots. The maize root is able to correct the direction of its elongation 3.5 to 5 times more frequently than the root of pea. This characterize the difference between the both compared control systems from the point of view of physiological economy.

The paper deals with the effect of some factors on the set of mature seeds in artificially pollinated excised placentae cultivatedin vitro.
It was revealed that both the degree and the variability of the seed set depend on the age of the experimental flowers. The best results were achieved using placentae excised from the flowers collected 1 to 3 days after anthesis.
The technique of pollination which consists in applying pollen onto a certain site of the placenta was substantially more successful than dusting pollen over the entire placenta surface or sowing pollen on the nutrient medium in close proximity to placentae.
It was confirmed that casein hydrolysate at a concentration of 500 μg ml^-1 nutrient medium favourably affected the seed formationin vitro.
The seed set resulting fromin vitro fertilization does not depend upon whether, during, a fourweek cultivation, the cultures are kept in the dark or in diffused daylight.

Deformities of leaves induced by 2,3,5-triiodobenzoic acid (TIBA) may be helpful in elucidating certain plant growth correlations. The different behaviour of long and short shoots as regards apical dominance may be tested with this substance. Shoots growing out through ring fasciations first form leaves lacking the teeth and marginal primordia corresponding to bud scales. Are fasciations facilitate correlative studies on anisophylly. Sylleptic branching is cleared by additional fasciations provoked by the cytokinin supply. The effect of gibberellin which decreases these deformities corresponds to the correlative influence of roots. The TIBA induced modification of aerial roots on internodes treated with naphthalenacetic acid reveals the importance of polarity and periodicity in the shoot development.

Five mm sections excised from 20, 30 and 40 mm long coleoptiles were transferred into a indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) solution after an incubation in a medium containing buffer and sucrose without IAA. The ability of sections to elongate in dependence on IAA treatment was rapidly decreased at a temperature of 23 °C within a period of time depending both on the duration of incubation and on the age of coleoptiles from which sections were obtained. Under the same conditions of incubation and age the same decrease of the ability of sections to elongate at 4 °C was, however, observed only after a period fourfold longer than at 23 °C. Incubation of sections in the presence of benzimidazole did not extend their reactivity to IAA. This phenomenon may be therefore considered as a senescence reaction which is more effective at 23 °C than at 4 °C.

The employment of the classic stand density experiments in studies of the horizontal organization of plant stands is very laborious and requires a large experimental field area. The procedure based on the regular thickening of plant stands is more convenient for plants grown in a lower density. A simplified modification of this method is described which keeps a constant square nutritional area regardless of the plant densities.

Five strains of cucumber mosaic virus (CMV) were distinguished in the isolates of viruses which attack cucumber in Czechoslovakia (Havránek 1970). The strains A, B, C, D, and E of CMV were defined according to different syndromes onNicotiana tabacum L.,N. glutinosa L.,Phaseolus vulgaris L. andChenopodium polyspermum L. The Czechoslovak strains, in comparison with American ones, did not cause systemic disease inCucumis anguria L. orCucurbita moschataDuch., but strains D and E of CMV suppressed the tolerance of American cucumber cultivar Wisconsin SMR 18. The propertiesin vitro of isolated CMV strains correspond to the description of CMV, but we did not succeed in establishing their antigenic behaviour. The relation of the Czechoslovak CMV strains to those described in publications is discussed.

Both CCC and cold (5°C) treatment gave rise to an increased content of the water-soluble proteins in leaf tissue of the winter rape, irrespective of the day length. This effect was accompanied by a decrease of the insoluble nitrogen compounds content, mainly under theLD (the 16 hour day). The applied retardant also stimulated the consumption of the structural compounds induced by low temperature.
Low temperature treatment hardened plants more distinctly than the CCC application. The frost hardening effect of CCC andSD (the 8 hour day) was manifested only at 20°C and it disappeared at 5°C.
Changes in frost hardiness were not correlated with the changes in the reducing sugar content and in the reducing ability of the studied tissue. The coincident effect of CCC and cold on the reducing sugar content was observed underSD conditions.

Barley seeds were treated with ethyl methanesulphonate (EMS), washed for 24 h, redried to 15 per cent moisture and stored at 25°C. The criteria used for expressing the effect of storage were chromosomal aberrations in root tips, M₁ germination, M₁ seedling height, M₁ survival and the frequency of M₂ chlorophyll mutants. The increase of the M₁ biological injury due to storage was not influenced:
a) by applying EMS solutions at pH 2, pH 7 and pH 10,
b) by lowering the EMS concentration and increasing the treatment time,
c) by different variations of washing with water and by washings with 0.005 N NaOH, 200 mM cysteine or 200 mM thiourea. The rate of the increase of the M₁ injury due to storage depends on the EMS dose. With a decrease in the EMS dose the storage effect is more delayed.

The influence of photoperiodic induction on the incorporation of uridine-³H into the shoot apices ofChenopodium rubrum was studied using the technique of autoradiography. No increase in uridine incorporation was detected either during induction lasting three days or immediately after its termination. Pyroninophylia likewise did not rise. However, changes in uridine incorporation related to morphogenetic activity during leaf formation and later during differentiation of inflorescences were well marked. The distribution of label in the nucleus immediately after three inductive cycles shows the ratio of extranucleolar to nucleolar incorporation to be higher in non-induced control plants than in induced ones.
Data from literature pointing to an activation of RNA synthesis during transition to flowering are discussed and compared with other systems where ontogenetic changes are accompanied by marked changes in RNA synthesis. It is assumed that the activation of RNA synthesis after induction is connected mainly with the activation of growth. However, inChenopodium rubrum photoperiodic induction proceeds together with limited growth and without activation of RNA synthesis.

Nitrate reductase (NO₃R) activity, nitrite reductase (NO₂R) activity and NADH₂ dependent glutamate dehydrogenase (GDH) activity were followed in extracts from excised pea roots incubated under aseptic conditions for 9 and 24 h in nitrate containing nutrient medium to which IAA was added in concentrations promoting lateral root formation (1 × 10^-5; 3 × 10^-5; 5 × 10^-5 M) and kinetin in concentrations which reduce lateral root formation (0.1; 1; 5 mg 1^-1, that is 4.65 × 10^-7;4.65 × 10^-6 and 2.3 × 10^-5 M). NO₃R activity was not influenced by IAA, NO₂R activity was slightly depressed by IAA after 24 h incubation and GDH activity was slightly increased after 24 h incubation in the presence of IAA. Kinetin decreased NO₃R activity significantly both after 9 h and 24 h incubation, slightly increased NO₂R activity after 9 h incubation but slightly decreased it after 24 h incubation, and did not affect GDH activity after 24 h incubation. However, when applied together with IAA, kinetin abolished the promoting effect of IAA on GDH activity. IAA neither reversed nor accentuated the effect of kinetin on NO₂R activity. Nevertheless the depressing effect of kinetin on NO₃R activity was emphasized by the presence of IAA after 9 h incubation. The results obtained indicate that reduced nitrate assimilation due to the depression of nitrate reductase activity caused by kinetin probably contributes to the negative growth effect of kinetin in pea root segments grown in nitrate medium.

The root surface determined microscopically amounts only to ten per cent of the surface assayed with methylene blue. This difference is assumed to correspond to the sorption surface of cell wall interfibrillar capillaries. The volume of these capillaries amounts to 0.1 per cent of the total volume of the organ only, but their surface far exceeds the external root surface. It is suggested that the interfibrillar capillaries of the epidermis cell walls constitute the main elements of the root sorption surface.

No influence of IAA on the endogenous estrogen content in bean plants was stated. At the same time kinetin was found to increase and abscisic acid to decrease the amounts of estrogens.