A reduction of stomatal aperture in light was found in leaves of maize after they had been treated with 10"3-5 m phenylmercuric acetate (PMA). Complete closure of the stomata in darkness was prevented, whilst there was total closure in the controls. Higher PMA concentrations had bigger effects. The relative water content (RWC) of barley tissues was slightly reduced 12 hours after treatment with PMA. The transpiration rate observed on PMA-treated barley plants was lower in light and higher in darkness than in untreated plants. Water saturation deficit (WSD) was higher by about 5%, and water holding capacity (WHC) lower (25%) than in untreated plants. The results suggest that the concentration of PMA normally applied as an antitranspirant is unfavourable for healthy growth of maize and barley.

Relationship between roots and shoots ofPimpinella saxifraga L.,Petroselinum hortense Hoffm.,Lactuca sativa L., andBeta vulgaris subsp.esculenta (Salisbury) Gürke var.altissima Roessig was studied in irrigated and non-irrigated plants. It was found that the irrigation water did not influence distinctly the root-shoot ratio of the experimental plants. From the statical point of view, this relationship could be expressed by the following quantitative ratios for irrigated and non-irrigated plants: 3∶1 forPimpinella saxifraga L., 2∶1 forPetroselinum hortense Hoffm., 9∶1 forLactuca sativa L., and 1∶1 for beetroot. From the dynamic point of view it is possible to state that this ratio changes in the course of individual development. With plants cultivated for their aerial parts, it increased with age, while with plants cultivated for their roots, it decreased with age. The irrigation water produced much greater morphological changes (the shape and the surface area) in the root and shoot system of experimental plants.

The effect of phenolic substances isolated earlier from cabbage, maize and pea on L-tryptophan-3-¹⁴G (L-Try-¹⁴C) metabolism in those plants was investigated. For the sake of comparison the effect of diethyldithiocarbamate (DIECA) on cabbage was also observed. A phenolic substance of unknown structure isolated from cabbage was utilised in a 0.5 mg/ml concentration, p-coumarie acid (PCA) from maize in 0.7 mg/ml concentration and quercetin-glucosyl-coumarate (QGC) found in pea in 8 mg/ml concentration were used. The chosen concentrations were on the limit of their inhibitory effect on the growth of the respective plant apical segments. The effect of DIECA was investigated at 0.1 mg/ml concentration. Using non-labelled L-Try as substrate (5 × 10^-3 M) biological tests have shown that QGC and DIECA have a weaker but distinct effect on the increase in auxin level (+ 17% and + 15%, respectively). All phenolic compounds, as well as DIECA increase the intake of L-Try-¹⁴C from the incubation solutions. Phenolic substances decrease the conversion of L-Try-¹⁴C to its metabolites. The changes were studied after a 20 hour period of L-Try-¹⁴C metabolism. On chromatograms changes in the proportion of L-Try-¹⁴C metabolites took place, especially in the areas of substances of complex character from which IAA splits off easily,i.e. in the areas of 3-indolylacetylglucose and 3-indolylaeetamide. The radioactivity of these areas is generally decreased (e.g. the decrease of radioactivity in the 3-indolylacetylglucose area under the influence of the phenolic substance ofBrassica plants is -7,4%, under the influence of PCA in maize it is -8.9% and under the influence of QGC in pea it is -17.1% DIECA also decreased the radioactivity of this zone, by -10,5%. In cabbage a large part of L-Try-¹⁴C was transformed to glucobrassicin; its biosynthesis increases in the presence of the phenolic substance of cabbage by +3%, in the presence of DIECA by +27%. The results are discussed in a working hypothesis based on the key formation of IAA, accompanied by its oxidation and detoxication.

Experiments with youngHordeum sativum andHelianthus annus plants showed that in the excretion of mannitol in the guttation liquid observed byGroenewegen andMills (1960) after uptake by the root system of plants, the osmotic concentration of mannitol in the nutrient medium and the temperature are significant. The beginning of mannitol excretion during guttation is accelerated considerably by the increase of the osmotic concentration of mannitol in the nutrient medium and the rising temperature. The osmotic concentration of mannitol is also important for the duration of mannitol excretion in the guttation liquid after transfer of the plants into a nutrient medium without mannitol. In the presence of mannitol in the nutrient medium water uptake by the root system and growth are inhibited and the tissues of the organs above ground and of the root system are dehydrated. The inhibitory effect of mannitol on the water uptake by the root system is immediate.

The effect of phenols and simple phenolic glycosides on the activity of IAA-oxidase isolated from gherkin seedlings was studied in experimentsin vitro. Phenol stimulated the enzyme system activity, eugenol and quinol were proven as inhibitors. Simple phenolic glycosides (arbutin, gein and phenol glucoside) influenced IAA-oxidase activity only if β-glycosidase was present: rree phenols released from their bound form increased or decreased the IAA level. The potential fegulatory effect of simple phenolic glycosides on the IAA level in plants has been discussed; this effect is thought to be mediated by free phenols and by influence on the IAA-oxidase system.

A study was performed on the influence of obligate parasitesErysiphe graminis Dc. andPuccinia hordeiOtt4 on peroxidase activity in barley leaves, namely in both susceptible and resistant varieties. Attention was also paid to peroxidase activity in a susceptible wheat variety infected withPuccinia striiformisWest.
The following results were obtained:
In leaves of wheat and harley plants an enzyme was revealed which oxidized pyrocatechol and guajacol only in the presence of hydrogen peroxide. This enzyme can be inactivated by heating and strongly inhibited by cyanide. Evidently peroxidase is concerned.
Peroxidase in susceptible varieties of wheat and barley is markedly activated after infection with parasites mentioned above, this activation reaching maximum at the periode of parasite sporulation. On the other hand the barley varieties resistant toE. graminis andP. hordei, exhibit only a slight or no increase in peroxidase activity at this period. Thus we come to the conclusion that peroxidase does not probably appear to be the cause of the resistance of these varieties. It seems that in tissues attacked by obligate-parasites the intensity of its activation can be a result of the infection intensity.

CCC (2-chloroethyl)trimethylammonium chloride applied to plants ofChenopodium rubrum during floral induction led to an increase in the level of endogenous cytokinins in the apical buds. Application of gibberellic acid or indole-3-acetic acid at concentrations reversing the effect of CCC reduced the level of cytokinins. After simultaneous treatment with both CCC and one of the growth substances this reduction was less pronounced. From the comparison bf the present results, as well as of those published in previous papers it follows that in apical buds ofChenopodium rubrum there exists a mutual interaction between gibberellins and cytokinins. Under certain conditions both these groups of hormones may substitute for each other in flowering. IAA seems to affect flowering by regulating the level of both gibberellins and cytokinins.

Embryogenesis occurred in carrot root callus (Daucus carota L.) cultivated on simple synthetic medium containing IAA and 2,4-D. Embryoid development continued also during successive years when the tissue was cultivated on the same nutrient medium without those substances. Sometimes production of plants with atypical leaves was also observed. In those plants development of adventive embryoids occurred repeatedly. Result of this work confirmed reports about the organogenic potentiality of this species and about its sensitivity to some chemical substances.

The metabolism of D-and L-tryptophan-3-¹⁴C (Try-3-¹⁴C) was studied and compared for three different plant species, cabbage, maize and pea. Apical segments of the seedlings were incubated for 6 hours in solutions of L- or D-Try-3-¹⁴C (1.5 μc/ml) with the addition of chloramphenicol (10^-4g/ml) and then allowed to stand for another 20 hours in moist chambers. The methanolic extract of the tissues was analyzed radiochromatographically and by paper electrophoresis in combination with biological tests. Chloramphenicol in a concentration of 10^-4 g/ml had little influence on the growth of the segments, though the antibiotic slightly decreased the uptake of L-Try, it did not prevent the formation of IAA from L-Try. In the segments of cabbage the following metabolites were formed from L-Try-3-¹⁴C (accounting for 52% of the activity of the chromatographically separated extract): glucobrassicin (26.0%), neoglucobrassicin (3.6%), a spot corresponding according to its Rf to 3-indolylacetamide (IAAmide-10.9%), β-glucoside of 3-indolylacetic acid (IAGluc-3.3%) and traces of 3-indolylacetonitrile (IAN), IAA and indole-3-carboxylic acid (total 5%). In maize segments L-Try-3-¹⁴C (53.0%) was transformed to several unidentified hydrophilic substances, one of them possessing auxin activity (total amount 6.9%), IAGlue (9.3%) accompanied by a small amount of tryptamine, a spot corresponding according to its Rf to IAAmide (16.5%), IAA and another unidentified hydrophobic substance (4.1%). In pea segments L-Try-3-¹⁴C (66.7%) gave a zone corresponding according to its Rf to IAAmide (20.0%), a substance similar to IAGluc (10.5%) and also hydrophobic substances (3.1%) containing traces of IAA, which could be demonstrated only by bioassay.
D-Try is metabolised in the three plants by the virtually exclusive formation of malonyltryptophan.

The present paper deals with the possibility of using growth regulators for the physiological emasculation of rye flowers and utilizes our knowledge of the higher sensibility of stamens to the auxin level. By means of bioassays it has been found that a relatively low content of auxins and a definite level of gibberellins and inhibitors are characteristic for normal rye spikes at the time of stamen differentiation. The higher level of auxins and expressive inhibitions occur in the later course of pistil differentiation.
Two sprayings of plants with mixed solutions of MH and NAA and two further sprayings with a solution of NAA only before the stamen differentiation change slightly the natural character of endogenous regulators in spikes and cause the destruction of mother pollen cells in anthers and the sterility of anthers in the majority of rye florets. The anthers in the basis of spikes sometimes contain pollen grains after treatment, but their fertility is substantially lowered because the spray evidently disturbed the accumulation of reserve substances in pollen grains. The development of pistil was not affected by the exogenous application of growth regulators. Normal kernels arose in the majority of flowers after supplementary pollination. Some accidental effects of exogenous application of growth regulators, as for example reduced stem growth and disorder of lodicule function were lowered to a great extent by adding GA_S to the last two sprayings of NAA.

Whereas experiments directed towards proving the infectious character of the hop curl disease did not give reliable proof of its virus character (we have not been able to transfer it neither by cuttings nor by graft), but made possible its differentiation from the English nettlehead hop virus disease, the practical experiences and results presented in this paper show that nutritional conditions essentially affect the known variability of the external manifestations of the hop curl disease. Especially such nutrients play a role which with the normal fertilising techniques are not returned to the soil in sufficient quantity. Since the hop curl disease was noticeably inhibited in a nutritional field experiment on application of the salts of some elements, predominantly of B, Mg, Mo, Mn, Ni, I and Zn, it appears possible to apply "symptomatic therapy" of the hop curl disease, which could have wide practical importance for limiting this disease.
In order to supplement the provocation field experiments, comparative investigations of the chemical composition of the leaves from healthy and hop curl diseased plants were carried out. Quantitative analysis of the biogenic elements carried out by the usual methods and by polarography showed a regularly higher content of P, K, Ca and a lower content of Zn in the diseased plants as compared to healthy ones. The differences observed in the content of N, Na, Mg, S, Fe and Cu were not always in the same sense. Chemical analysis was accompanied by parallel spectral analysis of ash. This made it possible to obtain a considerably complete survey of the qualitative and approximately quantitative representation of a whole series of other elements in healthy and diseased plants; however, no characteristic differences were recorded.
Finally the results obtained in the present work are confronted with the findings of other researches, especially from Germany, and discussed.

Seedlings of horse chestnut (Aesculus hippocastanum L.) originating from two different localities were cut into several parts in which the tin content was estimated. When expressed per dry weight unit the vegetative parts of plants contain about 9 μg Sn per g dry weight, its content in apical parts of stem and root being still higher. This gives evidence of good mobility of tin in the plant.

Phosphorus-nitrogen compounds characterized by the direct P-N bond, represented by trimeric and tetrameric phosphorus nitridoamide-[PN(NH₂)₂]_3-4, phosphorus oxytriamide-PO(NH₂)₃ and ammonium diamidophosphate-NH₄PO₂(NH₂)₂, were applied as fertilizers in a vessel experiment with barley and their agrochemical effectiveness was compared with that of ammonium phosphate-(NH₄)₂HPO₄. The results obtained indicate that the above compounds are of nutritive value for plants.

A method for determination of potato X-virus and tobacco mosaic virus in infected tobacco leaves was tested. The leaves are rubbed with isolated antibodies against homologous viruses and after 30 minutes incubation in a humid chamber at room temperature are washed with fresh distilled water 3 times. The leaves are afterwards rubbed with³⁵S-labeled pig gamma globulin against rabbit gamma globulin. The most convenient radioactivity of the labeled pig gamma globulin was 100 (µCi. Leaf discs 5 mm in diameter are punched out after half an hour incubation and their radioactivity is measured on a 27π window methane flow counter. The leaves from healthy plants are treated in the same way. The virus presence is presumed from the differences of radioactivity between healthy and infected leaves. If the mean radioactivity of the discs from healthy leaves equaled 100, the discs from potato X-virus infected leaves showed a moan value of 382.3%. This method can be used for estimation of virus distribution in the plant, and/or tracing its translocation.

Dispersing of splits of NaCl and KCl during the drying process has been found using labelled²⁴Na and⁴²K preparations. This bursting effect can cause some misinterpretations in biological experiments with plant material.

A purified potato virus S was prepared using precipitation by the solution of 35% polyethylene glycol 4000 in the presence of an electrolyte. The mixture for precipitation of the potato virus S had to contain 11% polyethylene glycol and 0.25m NaCl. The S virus was extracted by 0.01m phosphate buffer, pH 7.5, from the precipitation separated by centrifugation. One part of the extract was further purified by means of differential centrifugation and the other by means of gel filtration on Sephadex G-100. The ultraviolet absorption measurements of both preparations showed that the differential centrifugation gave a purer preparation than the gel filtration.

Changes in the nucleic acid (NA) content were studied in roots of young wheat plants cultivated under various nutritive conditions, namely in a nutrient solution, in distilled water and in a solution of sodium humate in distilled water. Changes in the ribosomal ribonucleic acid (RNA) in particular and their connection with growth rate were investigated. The amount of the NA fraction investigated (more than 90 per cent of which is represented by the ribosomal RNA) changed substantially under the cultivation conditions studied. In roots of one plant cultivated in water the content of the NA fraction investigated was at the most about 25 μg and it began to decrease as early as from the second day of cultivation. After 12 days of cultivation it decreased to 15 μg. When cultivated in Na-humate the roots contained at the most 33 μg NA, between the 5th-7th day, followed by an intensive decrease after 12 days, to 17 μg. The content of the fraction investigated in wheat plants cultivated in a nutrient solution was about double the value in comparison to these two cases with the maximal value about 60 μg between the 7th-9th day. After 12 days this amount decreased to 45 μg.
The ratio between the growth rate and the NA content presented positive values only when plants were cultivated in a nutrient solution and in Na-humate until the day when the NA content ceased to increase. In the case of Na-humate this took place on the 6th day and in the case of a nutrient solution on the 9th day. Under conditions favourable for growth (in a nutrient solution and in field conditions) the precultivation of wheat plants in Na-humate resulted in a more intensive growth of roots in comparison with the root growth of plants precultivated in distilled water. In plants precultivated in distilled water for 4 days the growth rate continuously increased under favourable nutrition conditions in contrast to plants transferred from distilled water as late as on the 6th day. Their growth stopped after the transplantation and was restored only after a 2 day lag phase. On the other hand, in plants precultivated in Na-humate the transfer to favourable nutritive conditions resulted in both cases in a short term cessation of growth.

Apical buds ofChenopodium rubrum from plants treated with CCC contain more endogenous auxins than buds from control plants, the level of these compounds increasing with the application of rising concentrations of the retardant. An especially marked increase was observed in the level of substance "X" which on chromatographic separation runs in the zone of tryptamine or its derivative. Since it has been shown in previous experiments that the inhibitory effect of CCC on flowering ofChenopodium rubrum may be reversed by indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) it is believed that the increase in auxins after application of CCC does not concern biologically active substances immediately available to the plant. It seems more likely that inactive precursors are involved which cannot be converted to the active substance in the presence of CCC, possibly due to blocking of the pertinent enzyme. If we assume that the wheat coleoptile used in the auxin bioassay in our experiments contains the pertinent enzyme it might convert the inactive precursors to active substances and, therefore, exhibit a growth stimulation even though the substances concerned would not necessarily be active in the buds from which they were extracted.

Influence on individual types (fractions) of nucleic acids (NA) was studied in roots of wheat plants grown in various cultivation media, namely in distilled water, in sodium humate and in a nutrient solution. NA's were prepared by means of the phenol technique. Using separation on a methylalbumine column (MAK) five fractions were obtained, namely: fraction I.- low molecular weight substances, fraction II.-soluble RNA, fraction III.-DNA-RNA, and the ribosomal RNA in two fractions, IV.-(l r-RNA) and V.-(h r-RNA). Of the NA fractions investigated, the r-RNA fraction was noticeably influenced by the kind of nutrition, its amount varying in a certain proportion to the growth intensity affected by the cultivation medium. The other NA fractions were not apparently affected.
The metabolical turnover of the individual NA types (as observed from the specific³²P activity) was considerably influenced by the kind of nutrition as well. The specific³²P activity in all NA fractions of wheat roots cultivated in a nutrient solution was approximately double that in roots of wheat plants cultivated in distilled water and Na-humate.
Changes in the specific³²P activity of r-RNA were again considerably evident. With regard to root growth their relative values appeared in an inverse proportion to the changes in the r-RNA content. The specific³²P activity decreased with increasing growth intensity.
Besides changes in the r-RNA fraction, changes in fraction I. were apparent. An especially striking decrease in the specific³²P activity was found in roots of plants grown in H₂O, namely by about one order in comparison with its specific activity in fraction I. from roots of plants grown in Na-humate and in a nutrient solution.

The following paper deals with the character of endogenous auxins and gibberellinlike substances in the maize tassel and ear primordia during differentiation. Using bioassay the character of substances extracted from tassel primordia, internodes below the tassel, ear primordia and stem base was determined and correlated with the course of morphogenesis and differentiation. A low level of auxins and a high content of gibberellin-like substances accompanies the differentiation of terminal tassel. The differentiation of an ear is associated with an increment in auxin content while the level of gibberellin-like substances decreases. The character of growth substances in primordia remains practically unchanged in the course of further differentiation. The inhibitions appear in the plant and probably start numerous morphological reductions in the pistillate inflorescence structure or inhibit the growth of lateral primordia on the stemetc. The treatment of plants with maleic hydrazide at the beginning of tassel differentiation shifts the normal levels of endogenous regulators and brings about the transformation of tassel primordia into an ear. This transformation is accompanied by a marked rise in gibberellin-like substances, by an increment in auxins and the appearance of inhibitors.

The pathophysiology of tomato plants infected with potato witches' broom was studied. Changes in dry weight, content and composition of ash and the amount of different phosphorus and nitrogen fractions were investigated. All analyses were carried out separately in leaves, stems and preliminarily also in flowers. Considerable disproportions found in the distribution of metabolites among the individual organs investigated correspond to a great extent to the morphological picture of the disease. The leaves of diseased plants are actually starving and their growth and development are greatly inhibited. On the other hand, the stems are overflowing with metabolites, in particular with nitrogenous ones. They are thickened and along their entire length rootlets and sprouts appear forming the characteristic brooms. The authors assume that the disturbances in flower formation in diseased plants are due to the lack of essential metabolites. Diseased plants contain an increased amount of alkaline metals and alkaline earths.

In experiments with double-hybrid maize grown in the field and in a greenhouse, we analysed the value of the suction force as related to the regime of irrigation.
The results showed that the level of water supply to the plants is in good connection with the value of the suction force and the coefficient H (the relative degree of water saturation of the cells) analysed at the same time.
In the case of the 2 hybrids under investigation the highest value of coefficient H was found to be between 35-48.
The data indicate that the use of these two indices should take part in a physiological method for the settlement and the application of water rules in irrigation.

In lupin (Lupinus albus L.) and pea (Pisum sativum L., cv. Raman) it was shown that the uptake of⁸⁹Sr from Knop's nutrient solution is significantly increased from a solution with decreased calcium content (one tenth of the normal content) and is slightly decreased from a solution with higher calcium content (150% of the normal content). The calciphile pea absorbs approximately 50% more calcium than the calciphobe lupin, and accordingly 50% radiostrontium less. The pea plant more strongly blocks the translocation of radiostrontium from roots to overground parts, as is proved by the higher discrimination factor of pea (i.e. by the ratio of specific activities of mCi⁸⁹ Sr/g Ca of roots to overground parts). The presence of chlorine in the nutrient solution decreases the content of radiostrontium per gram of dry matter, both in pea and lupin. Radiostrontium is absorbed quickly by both species of plants and is autoradiographically detectable as early as 2 hours after the introduction of radiostrontium to the nutrient solution. *** DIRECT SUPPORT *** A01GP049 00004

The wound effect ("Wundeffekt") was investigated inSpirodela oligorhiza by comparing respiration in intact plants and plants cut into halves and quarters. The effect of damage was not evident immediately after injury but after 18 hours the respiratory rate of cut plants was twice to three times that of intact plants. The increased respiration rate is, therefore, not the direct result of mechanical injury.

Vicia faba seeds (cv. Giza 1) were planted in the Inshas gamma radiation field where they were chronically irradiated during the whole life of the plant. The percentage of the induced abnormal P.M.Cs, as well as the frequency of abnormal P.M.Cs in the different meiotic stages were proportional with the given doses. The main types of chromosome aberrations were anaphase and telophase bridges, fragmentation and lagging chromosomes. The nearest plants to the source showed an inhibition of shoot growth, flower and seed sterility and irregular branching. At the dosage levels used irradiation had no effect on pollen fertility.
Seeds of the 1st filial generation were used for both mitotic and meiotic studies. The percentage of the mitotic abnormalities was proportional with the doses. The most dominant type of anomaly was the presence of micronuclei in the different stages of mitosis and in the resting cells. Irradiation affected also other types of anomaliese.g. lagging chromosomes, fragments, bridges...etc.
Meiosis, and pollen fertility (2nd generation) were normal.

Purification and preservation of potato virus X from leaf sap of tobacco plants before lyophilization was carried out by two methods: 1) precipitation by polyethylene glycol and ultracentifugation, and 2) precipitation by ammonium sulphate, chromatography on Sephadex G-50 and ultracentrifugation. The first method is preferable to the second because the final preparation contains more virus antigen. Both preparations were strongly infectious and maintained antigenic properties after lyophilization.
To achieve a more gentle course of lyophilization of virus preparations, addition of urotropine and dextran T-10 to the virus suspension, purified by the precipitation by polyethylene glycol-6000, was examined. Addition of urotropine was proved unsatisfactory, because only antigenic properties were maintained after lyophilization while the infectivity disappeared. But we can recommend addition of dextran T-10 up to a concentration of 6% to the preparation of virus antigen before lyophilization. The course of lyophilization is much rapider, the lyophilized product can be very easily dissolved in water and is not hygroscopic. The product is strongly infectious and gives the serological precipitation reaction in a dilution four times that of X virus antigen lyophilized without addition of dextran T-10.

The effects of constant soil moisture levels of 90, 60 and 40% of the maximum capillary capacity, applied beginning from the planting of the germinated kernels, on the dynamics of the foliage development of maize was studied in relation to ontogenical changes in leaf area of individual leaves. There were two maxima in the growth of total leaf area (characterized by leaf area duration and loaf area relative growth rate) unrelated to the soil mositure. The first maximum which was less marked, appeared in the phase of 5-8 leaves, the second and main increase being observed before flowering in the phase of 10-12 leaves. The effects of continued decrease in soil moisture were a correspondingly progressive reduction in leaf area and delayed development of the whole plants. Plants with 60% soil moisture attained the same leaf area as those with 90% but only after the end of the vegetative phase. The greatest differences in rate of development between watering treatments appeared at the time of greatest increase in leaf area of control plants. Continued decrease in soil moisture markedly affected the development of the leaves at different insertion levels (especially in elder leaves). Clear-cut prolongation of ontogenesis took place under dry conditions. In conditions of higher soil moisture growth was rather limited or stopped after reaching a certain maximum.

A virus having 300 nm long rod-shaped particles was isolated fromPlantago media L. in Yugoslavia. The virus was transmitted to 15 species of host plants the symptoms of which are described in detail. The symptoms corresponded to those that appeared after infection by the original Holmes' ribgrass virus (HRV).
The investigated virus was compared both with the common strain of tobacco mosaic and the original Holmes' ribgrass viruses by means of serological tests. The agar double-diffusion tests showed that it is closely related to HRV and remotely related to the common strain of TMV. On the basis of these results we concluded that this virus represented a strain of the HRV.
The investigations of the cell inclusions showed that our virus produced rounded plates instead of hexagonal prisms. Electron micrographs of ultrathin sectioned material demonstrated that these plates were formed by virus particles lying perpendicularly to the layers of the plates. The presence of plates also points to the fact that the investigated virus belongs to the HRV.

A very low, for the most part unmeasurable glutamic-aspartio transminase activity and a very high glutamic-alanine transaminase activity was found in the overground parts and roots of young wheat plants. The roots had a higher glutamic-alanine transaminase activity than the overground parts in the first and second leaf stage.
Plants cultivated in Knop's nutrient solution (variant with humate and without) showed a higher glutamic-alanine transaminase activity than poorly growing plants, cultivated in distilled water (with humate and without). In plants cultivated in nutrient solutions, transaminase activity increased with the age of the wheat plants.
As in the previous experiments, the effect of humate was only significant, in the roots of plants cultivated in distilled water with humate, where transamination activity was greater than in the control without humate. The roots of this variant with a stimulatory growth effect showed a large accumulation of free sugars in the previous experiments.
The connection between these effects of humate on the roots of young winter wheat plants is discussed.

The following work deals with the role of auxin in growth and differentiation processes of isolated shoot tips ofZea mays L. It seems that an optimal auxin concentration is apparently a function of a photoperiod duration. In case of a short day the optimal concentration is approximately 5 mg/l and in case of a long day it represents 1 mg/l. The duration of photoperiod influences even the level of exogenous auxins in explants. The plants exposed to the short photoperiod contain more substances of stimulative character while the ones exposed to the long day possess inhibitive substances. Externally applied auxin takes part in differentiation processes, especially in the formation of female elements in tassel spikelets and in transformation of the tassel primordium in pistillate ear.