Studies on stercuia gum formulations in the form of osmotic core tablet for colon-specific drug delivery of azathioprine.

PubMed

Nath, Bipul; Nath, Lila Kanta

2013-01-01

The purpose of this research is to evaluate Sterculia urens gum as a carrier for a colon-targeted drug delivery system. Microflora degradation studies of Sterculia gum was conducted in phosphate-buffered saline pH 7.4 containing rat caecal medium under an anaerobic environment. Solubility, swelling index, viscosity, and pH of the polymer solution were determined. Different formulation aspects considered were gum concentration (10-40%) and concentration of citric acid (10-30%) on the swelling index and in-vitro dissolution release. The results of the isothermal stress testing showed that there is no degradation of samples of model drug, azathioprine, the drug polymer mixture, and the core tablet excipients. Differential scanning calorimetry and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy study proved the compatibility of the drug with Sterculia gum and other tablet excipients. Microflora degradation study revealed that Sterculia gum can be used as tablet excipient for drug release in the colonic region by utilizing the action of enterobacteria. The swelling force of the Sterculia gum could concurrently drive the drug out of the polysaccharide core due to the rupture of the mixed film coating under colonic microflora-activated environment. Sterculia gum gives premature drug release in the upper gastrointestinal tract without enteric coating and may not reach the colonic region. Sterculia gum as a colon-targeting carrier is possible via double-layer coating with chitosan/Eudragit RLPO (ammonio-methacrylate copolymer) mixed blend as well as enteric polymers, which would provide acid as well as intestinal resistance but undergo enzymatic degradation once reaching the colon. The aim of the research is to evaluate wheather Sterculia urens, which is a polysaccharide, is suitable as a carrier for colonic delivery of drugs acting locally in the colon. Sterculia gum has been reported to have wide pharmaceutical applications such as tablet binder, disintegrant, gelling agent, and as a controlled release polymer. Sterculia gum falls under the category of a polysaccharide and is yet to be evaluated as a carrier for colonic delivery of drugs. First the susceptibility of the polysaccharide gum in rat caecal microflora was investigated because true polysaccharides are degraded by the action of normal colonic bacteria. Bacterial degradation of the gum in the colonic environment was confirmed by adding a small quantity of the gum in rat caecal content mixed with phosphate-buffered saline pH 7.4 under an anaerobic environment. Solubility, swelling index, viscosity, and pH of the polymer solution were determined. Different formulation aspects considered were gum concentration (10-40%), concentration of citric acid (10-30%) on swelling index, and in vitro dissolution behavior. Isothermal stress testing was done to determine that there was no degradation of the model drug, azathioprine, with Sterculia gum excipient mixtures under stressed conditions. Differential scanning calorimetry and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy study proved the compatibility of the drug with Sterculia gum and other tablet excipients. Microflora degradation study revealed that Sterculia gum is digested by the colonic microflora and therefore can be used as a tablet excipient for drug release in the colonic region utilizing the microflora degradation mechanism. Sterculia gum gives premature drug release in the upper gastrointestinal tract without enteric coating and may not reach the colonic region. Sterculia gum as colon-targeting carrier is possible via double-layer coating with chitosan/Eudragit RLPO (ammonio-methacrylate copolymer) and Eudragit L100 polymers, which would provide acid as well as intestinal resistance but undergo enzymatic degradation once reaching the colon.

21 CFR 184.1349 - Karaya gum (sterculia gum).

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

...; stabilizer and thickener, § 170.3(o)(28) of this chapter. All other food categories .002 Formulation aid... 21 Food and Drugs 3 2010-04-01 2009-04-01 true Karaya gum (sterculia gum). 184.1349 Section 184.1349 Food and Drugs FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES (CONTINUED...

21 CFR 184.1349 - Karaya gum (sterculia gum).

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

...; stabilizer and thickener, § 170.3(o)(28) of this chapter. All other food categories .002 Formulation aid... 21 Food and Drugs 3 2011-04-01 2011-04-01 false Karaya gum (sterculia gum). 184.1349 Section 184.1349 Food and Drugs FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES (CONTINUED...

Evaluation of medicinal plants from Central Kalimantan for antimelanogenesis.

PubMed

Arung, Enos Tangke; Kusuma, Irawan Wijaya; Christy, Eva Oktoberiani; Shimizu, Kuniyoshi; Kondo, Ryuichiro

2009-10-01

In the course of searching for new materials to use as whitening agents, we screened 19 methanol extracts prepared from 14 medicinal plants from Central Kalimantan province, Indonesia. The screening methods used were the 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical-scavenging assay, a tyrosinase inhibition assay, and a melanin formation inhibition assay using B16 melanoma cells. The extracts of Willughbeia coriacea (bark part of aerial root), Phyllanthus urinaria (root), Eleutherine palmifolia (bulb), Eusideroxylon zwageri (seed), Dendrophthoe petandra (aerial root), Passiflora foetida (stem), and Vitex pinnata (root) showed DPPH radical-scavenging activity of more than 70% at 100 microg/ml. The extracts of W. coriacea (bark part of aerial root), P. urinaria (root), and D. petandra (aerial root) showed tyrosinase inhibitory activity of more than 40% using L-tyrosine as a substrate at 500 microg/ml. The extracts of W. coriacea (bark part of aerial root) and D. petandra (aerial root) showed tyrosinase inhibitory activity of more than 40% using L-DOPA as a substrate at 500 microg/ml. The extracts of W. coriacea (bark part of aerial root, 200 microg/ml), Glochidion philippcum (aerial root, 200 and 300 microg/ml), E. palmifolia (bulb, 50 microg/ml), E. zwageri (seed, 100 microg/ml), D. petandra (aerial root, 200 microg/ml), Lansium domesticum (bark, 25 microg/ml), P. foetida (stem, fruit, 300 microg/ml), and Solanum torvum (root, 300 microg/ml) strongly inhibited the melanin production of B16 melanoma cells without significant cytotoxicity. These findings indicate that some medicinal plants from Central Kalimantan are potential ingredients for skin-whitening cosmetics if their safety can be confirmed.

Green Extraction of Natural Antioxidants from the Sterculia nobilis Fruit Waste and Analysis of Phenolic Profile.

PubMed

Zhang, Jiao-Jiao; Li, Ya; Lin, Sheng-Jun; Li, Hua-Bin

2018-05-02

The waste of Sterculia nobilis fruit was massively produced during food processing, which contains lots of natural antioxidants. In this study, antioxidants in the Sterculia nobilis fruit waste were extracted using the green microwave-assisted extraction (MAE) technique. The effects of five independent variables (ethanol concentration, solvent/material ratio, extraction time, temperature, and microwave power) on extraction efficiency were explored, and three major factors (ethanol concentration, extraction time, and temperature) showing great influences were chosen to study their interactions by response surface methodology. The optimal conditions were as follows: 40.96% ethanol concentration, 30 mL/g solvent/material ratio, 37.37 min extraction time at 66.76 °C, and 700 W microwave power. The Trolox equivalent antioxidant capacity value obtained in optimal conditions was in agreement with the predicted value. Besides, MAE improved the extraction efficiency compared with maceration and Soxhlet extraction methods. Additionally, the phenolic profile in the extract was analyzed by UPLC-MS/MS, and eight kinds of phenolic compounds were identified and quantified, including epicatechin, protocatechuic acid, ferulic acid, gallic acid, p -coumaric acid, caffeic acid, quercetin, and p -hydroxycinnamic acid. This study could contribute to the value-added utilization of the waste from Sterculia nobilis fruit, and the extract could be developed as food additive or functional food.

Vermiconversion of wastewater sludge from textile mill mixed with anaerobically digested biogas plant slurry employing Eisenia foetida.

PubMed

Garg, V K; Kaushik, Priya; Dilbaghi, Neeraj

2006-11-01

Vermicomposting is commonly used for the management of organic wastes. We have investigated the potential of an epigeic earthworm, Eisenia foetida, to transform solid textile mill sludge (STMS) spiked with anaerobically digested biogas plant slurry (BPS) into vermicompost to evaluate the feasibility of vermicomposting in industries for waste management. The growth and reproduction of E. foetida was monitored in a range of different feed mixtures for 15 weeks in laboratory under controlled experimental conditions. E. foetida did not survive in fresh STMS. But worms grew and reproduced in STMS spiked with BPS feed mixtures. A greater percentage of STMS in feed mixture affected biomass gain and cocoon production by earthworms. The maximum growth was recorded in 100% BPS. The net weight gain by E. foetida in 100% BPS was two-four-fold higher than STMS-containing feed mixtures. After 15 weeks, maximum cocoons (78) were counted in 100% BPS and minimum (26) in 60% BPS+40% STMS feed. Vermicomposting resulted in pH shift toward acidic, significant reduction in C:N ratio, and increase in nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium contents. Microbial activity measured as dehydrogenase activity increased with time up to day 75 but decreased on day 90, indicating the exhaustion of feed and decrease in microbial activity. These experiments demonstrate that vermicomposting can be an alternate technology for the recycling and environmentally safe disposal/management of textile mill sludge using an epigeic earthworm, E. foetida, if mixed with anaerobically digested BPS in appropriate ratios.

Multiple shoot cultures of Ophiorrhiza rugosa var. decumbens Deb and Mondal--a viable renewable source for the continuous production of bioactive Camptotheca alkaloids apart from stems of the parent plant of Nothapodytes foetida (Wight) Sleumer.

PubMed

Gopalakrishnan, Roja; Shankar, Bhavani

2014-02-15

Camptotheca alkaloids were isolated from multiple shoot cultures of O. decumbens (0.056% dry weight) and stems of N. foetida. The cytotoxicity of the extracts and products were tested in a panel of five cell lines. Crude extract from O. decumbens (Cr-Od) and N. foetida (Cr-Nf) showed more potent cytotoxic activity as compared to the isolated camptothecin from O. decumbens (CPT-Od) and N. foetida (CPT-Nf). CPT isolated from shoot cultures contained biological activity suggesting the possibility of using this system of O. decumbens as a renewable source for the production of camptotheca alkaloids. 9-Methoxy camptothecin (9-mCPT), isolated from N. foetida, was a very effective cytotoxic agent as compared to Cr-Nf or CPT-Nf. The IC50 of 9-mCPT was 0.84, 0.32, and 0.35 μg/ml for A549, MCF7 and Jurkat cell lines and >3 μg/ml for U937. Viability assays using MTT dye were further confirmed by assessing extent of apoptosis in these cells. These findings suggest that shoot cultures of O. decumbens offer a rich alternative plant source for the anticancer compound, CPT and 9-mCPT is a more potent compound in N. foetida as compared to CPT. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

Influence of graphene-oxide nanosheets impregnation on properties of sterculia gum-polyacrylamide hydrogel formed by radiation induced polymerization.

PubMed

Singh, Baljit; Singh, Baldev

2017-06-01

Present work is an attempt, to explore the potential of graphene oxide nanoplates impregnation, on the mechanical and drug delivery properties of sterculia gum-polyacrylamide composite hydrogel formed by radiation induced polymerization. These polymers were characterized by SEM, cryo-SEM, AFM, FTIR's, 13 C NMR and swelling studies. Release profile of an anticancer drug 'gemcitabine' was studied to determine the drug release mechanism and best fit kinetic model. Furthermore, some important biomedical properties of the polymers such as blood compatibility, mucoadhesion, antioxidant properties and gel strength were also studied. Impregnation of GO into sterculia gum-poly(AAm) hydrogels decreased the swelling of hydrogels but improved the mechanical, drug loading and drug release properties of the hydrogels. Release of gemcitabine from drug loaded hydrogels occurred through non-Fickian diffusion mechanism and release profile was best fitted in first order kinetic model. These hydrogels have been found as haemocompatible, mucoadhesive, and antioxidant in nature. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

A new species, of Aceria neopaederiae (Acari: Eriophyidae), infesting Paederia foetida L. (Rubiaceae) in Thailand, Hong Kong and Singapore

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Aceria paederiae (Nalepa) infesting leaves of Paederia foetida L. (Family Rubiaceae) in Thailand, Hong Kong and Singapore is reported for the first time. The mite induces small, round galls on both leaf surfaces. The complete descriptions of both males and females, including line drawings and SEM ...

Contribution to our knowledge of the whitefly genus Aleuroclava Singh (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae) in China, including Taiwan and Hong Kong, with descriptions of two new species.

PubMed

Wang, Ji-Rui; Du, Yu-Zhou

2016-07-15

Two new whitefly species, Aleuroclava sterculiae sp. nov., collected from Sterculia nobilis (Malvales: Sterculiaceae) of Qingxiu hill park (Guangxi, China), and Aleuroclava rosae sp. nov., collected from Stranvaesia sp. (Rosales: Rosaceae) of Maoer Mountain (Guangxi, China), are described with morphology, line illustrations, photographs and scanning electron microscope (SEM) images. In addition, two other whitefly species, Aleuroclava lefroyi (Sundararaj & David) and Aleuroclava manii (David), are reported as new to the fauna of China, and are discussed. An identification key to Aleuroclava species known from Mainland China, Taiwan and Hong Kong is provided. The specimens are deposited in the Insect Collection of Yangzhou University (YZU).

Chemical Composition of Ballota macedonica Vandas and Ballota nigra L. ssp. foetida (Vis.) Hayek Essential Oils - The Chemotaxonomic Approach.

PubMed

Đorđević, Aleksandra S; Jovanović, Olga P; Zlatković, Bojan K; Stojanović, Gordana S

2016-06-01

The essential oils isolated from fresh aerial parts of Ballota macedonica (two populations) and Ballota nigra ssp. foetida were analyzed by GC and GC/MS. Eighty five components were identified in total; 60 components in B. macedonica oil (population from the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia), 34 components in B. macedonica oil (population from the Republic of Serbia), and 33 components in the oil of B. nigra ssp. foetida accounting for 93.9%, 98.4%, and 95.8% of the total oils, respectively. The most abundant components in B. macedonica oils were carotol (13.7 - 52.1%), germacrene D (8.6 - 24.6%), and (E)-caryophyllene (6.5 - 16.5%), while B. nigra ssp. foetida oil was dominated by (E)-phytol (56.9%), germacrene D (10.0%), and (E)-caryophyllene (4.7%). Multivariate statistical analyses (agglomerative hierarchical cluster analysis and principal component analysis) were used to compare and discuss relationships among Ballota species examined so far based on their volatile profiles. The chemical compositions of B. macedonica essential oils are reported for the first time. © 2016 Verlag Helvetica Chimica Acta AG, Zürich.

Preparation and properties of biodegradable films from Sterculia urens short fiber/cellulose green composites.

PubMed

Jayaramudu, J; Reddy, G Siva Mohan; Varaprasad, K; Sadiku, E R; Sinha Ray, S; Varada Rajulu, A

2013-04-02

The development of commercially viable "green products", based on natural resources for the matrices and reinforcements, in a wide range of applications, is on the rise. The present paper focuses on Sterculia urens short fiber reinforced pure cellulose matrix composite films. The morphologies of the untreated and 5% NaOH (alkali) treated S. urens fibers were observed by SEM. The effect of 5% NaOH treated S. urens fiber (5, 10, 15 and 20% loading) on the mechanical properties and thermal stability of the composites films is discussed. This paper presents the developments made in the area of biodegradable S. urens short fiber/cellulose (SUSF/cellulose) composite films, buried in the soil and later investigated by the (POM), before and after biodegradation has taken place. SUSF/cellulose composite films have great potential in food packaging and for medical applications. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Influence of gamma radiation on the physicochemical and rheological properties of sterculia gum polysaccharides

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Singh, Baljit; Sharma, Vikrant

2013-11-01

Keeping in view the influence of gamma radiation on the physiochemical properties of the polysaccharides and their importance in the food and pharmaceutical industry, in the present study attempt has been made to investigate the effects of absorbed dose on FTIR, XRD, SEMs, absorbance, pH, solubility, water absorption capacity, emulsion stability and rheology of sterculia gum. Increase in solubility and decrease in swellability of gum has been observed on increasing the absorbed dose. The emulsion stability has improved for the gum sample irradiated with total dose of 8.1±0.2 kGy. Apparent viscosity of gum solution first increased with increase in dose from 0 to 8.1±0.2 kGy than decreased with regular trends with further increase in total absorbed dose. Flow behavior of gum solution shifted to Newtonian from non-Newtonian with increasing the dose.

Vermistabilization of textile mill sludge spiked with poultry droppings by an epigeic earthworm Eisenia foetida.

PubMed

Garg, V K; Kaushik, Priya

2005-06-01

Investigations were made to explore the potential of an epigeic earthworm Eisenia foetida to transform textile mill sludge spiked with poultry droppings in to value added product, i.e., vermicompost. The growth and reproduction of E. foetida was monitored in a range of different feed mixtures for 77 days in the laboratory under controlled experimental conditions. The maximum growth was recorded in 100% cow dung (CD). Replacement of poultry droppings by cow dung in feed mixtures and vice versa had little or no effect on worm growth rate and reproduction potential. Worms grew and reproduced favourably in 70% poultry droppings (PD)+30% solid textile mill sludge (STMS) and 60% PD+40% STMS feed mixtures. Greater percentage of STMS in the feed mixture significantly affected the biomass gain and cocoon production. Net weight gain by earthworms in 100% CD was 2.9-18.2 fold higher than different STMS containing feed mixtures. The mean number of cocoon production was between 23.4+/-4.65 (in 100% CD) and 3.6+/-1.04 (in 50% PD+50% STMS) cocoons earthworm(-1) for different feed mixtures tested. Vermicomposting resulted in significant reduction in C:N ratio and increase in nitrogen and phosphorus contents. Total potassium, total calcium and heavy metals (Fe, Zn, Pb and Cd) contents were lower in the final product than initial feed mixtures. Our trials demonstrated vermicomposting as an alternate technology for the recycling and environmentally safe disposal/management of textile mill sludge using an epigeic earthworm E. foetida if mixed with poultry droppings.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Janssen, M.P.M.; Glastra, P.; Lembrechts, J.F.M.M.

The uptake processes of {sup 134}Cs in two earthworm species were investigated as well as the effect of temperature on these processes. The results show that equilibrium concentrations in the two species differ by 1.5- to fivefold. Equilibrium concentrations range from 367 to 963 Bq g{sup {minus}1} in Lumbricus rubellus and from 920 to 1,893 g{sup {minus}1} in Eisenia foetida; biological half-lives range from 56 to 119 h and 52 to 64 h, respectively. Assimilation was two to four times higher in E. foetida and elimination rate one to two times higher in E. foetida than in L. rubellus. Further,more » the results show that temperature may affect the {sup 134}Cs concentration in these earthworms by a factor of 1.4 to 2.1 between 10 and 20 C, depending on the species. The maximum difference found within one species was a factor of 2.6. Their results show no clear effect of temperature on the assimilation, but a small negative effect on elimination, resulting in an increasing biological half-life and concentration factor with higher temperatures.« less

Characterization and analysis of the cotton cyclopropane fatty acid synthase family and their contribution to cyclopropane fatty acid synthesis

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Yu X. H.; Shanklin J.; Rawat, R.

Cyclopropane fatty acids (CPA) have been found in certain gymnosperms, Malvales, Litchi and other Sapindales. The presence of their unique strained ring structures confers physical and chemical properties characteristic of unsaturated fatty acids with the oxidative stability displayed by saturated fatty acids making them of considerable industrial interest. While cyclopropenoid fatty acids (CPE) are well-known inhibitors of fatty acid desaturation in animals, CPE can also inhibit the stearoyl-CoA desaturase and interfere with the maturation and reproduction of some insect species suggesting that in addition to their traditional role as storage lipids, CPE can contribute to the protection of plants frommore » herbivory. Three genes encoding cyclopropane synthase homologues GhCPS1, GhCPS2 and GhCPS3 were identified in cotton. Determination of gene transcript abundance revealed differences among the expression of GhCPS1, 2 and 3 showing high, intermediate and low levels, respectively, of transcripts in roots and stems; whereas GhCPS1 and 2 are both expressed at low levels in seeds. Analyses of fatty acid composition in different tissues indicate that the expression patterns of GhCPS1 and 2 correlate with cyclic fatty acid (CFA) distribution. Deletion of the N-terminal oxidase domain lowered GhCPS's ability to produce cyclopropane fatty acid by approximately 70%. GhCPS1 and 2, but not 3 resulted in the production of cyclopropane fatty acids upon heterologous expression in yeast, tobacco BY2 cell and Arabidopsis seed. In cotton GhCPS1 and 2 gene expression correlates with the total CFA content in roots, stems and seeds. That GhCPS1 and 2 are expressed at a similar level in seed suggests both of them can be considered potential targets for gene silencing to reduce undesirable seed CPE accumulation. Because GhCPS1 is more active in yeast than the published Sterculia CPS and shows similar activity when expressed in model plant systems, it represents a strong candidate gene for CFA accumulation via heterologous expression in production plants.« less

Feasibility of utilization of horse dung spiked filter cake in vermicomposters using exotic earthworm Eisenia foetida.

PubMed

Sangwan, Pritam; Kaushik, C P; Garg, V K

2008-05-01

This contribution reports the potential of vermicomposting technology in the management of horse dung (HD) spiked sugar mill filter cake (SMFC) using an epigeic earthworm Eisenia foetida under laboratory conditions. A total of six vermicomposters filled with different ratios of HD and SMFC were maintained for this study. The growth and fecundity of E. foetida was monitored for 12 weeks. Maximum growth was recorded in 90% HD+10% SMFC feed mixture containing vermicomposter. Earthworms' biomass gain and reproduction was favorably up to 50% HD+50% SMFC feed composition. Maximum cocoons were also recorded in 90% HD+10% SMFC feed mixtures, however increasing proportions of SMFC in different vermicomposters affected the growth and fecundity of worms. A significant decrease in C:N ratio and increase in total kjeldahl nitrogen, total available phosphorus and calcium contents was recorded. The heavy metals content was higher in the vermicompost obtained in all the reactors than initial feed substrates. Based on investigations it is concluded that vermicomposting could be an alternative technology for the management of filter cake if it is mixed in 1:1 ratio with horse dung.

The impact on the soil microbial community and enzyme activity of two earthworm species during the bioremediation of pentachlorophenol-contaminated soils.

PubMed

Lin, Zhong; Zhen, Zhen; Wu, Zhihao; Yang, Jiewen; Zhong, Laiyuan; Hu, Hanqiao; Luo, Chunling; Bai, Jing; Li, Yongtao; Zhang, Dayi

2016-01-15

The ecological effect of earthworms on the fate of soil pentachlorophenol (PCP) differs with species. This study addressed the roles and mechanisms by which two earthworm species (epigeic Eisenia fetida and endogeic Amynthas robustus E. Perrier) affect the soil microbial community and enzyme activity during the bioremediation of PCP-contaminated soils. A. robustus removed more soil PCP than did E. foetida. A. robustus improved nitrogen utilisation efficiency and soil oxidation more than did E. foetida, whereas the latter promoted the organic matter cycle in the soil. Both earthworm species significantly increased the amount of cultivable bacteria and actinomyces in soils, enhancing the utilisation rate of the carbon source (i.e. carbohydrates, carboxyl acids, and amino acids) and improving the richness and evenness of the soil microbial community. Additionally, earthworm treatment optimized the soil microbial community and increased the amount of the PCP-4-monooxygenase gene. Phylogenic classification revealed stimulation of indigenous PCP bacterial degraders, as assigned to the families Flavobacteriaceae, Pseudomonadaceae and Sphingobacteriacea, by both earthworms. A. robustus and E. foetida specifically promoted Comamonadaceae and Moraxellaceae PCP degraders, respectively. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Toxic responses of Sox2 gene in the regeneration of the earthworm Eisenia foetida exposed to Retnoic acid.

PubMed

Tao, Jing; Rong, Wei; Diao, Xiaoping; Zhou, Hailong

2018-01-01

Exogenous retinoic acid delays and disturbs the regeneration of Eisenia foetida. The stem cell pluripotency factor, Sox2, can play a crucial role in cell reprogramming and dedifferentiation. In this study, we compared the regeneration of Eisenia foetida in different segments after amputation and the effects of retinoic acid on the regeneration of different segments. The results showed that the regeneration speed of the head and tail was slightly faster than the middle part, and retinoic acid disrupted and delayed the regeneration of the earthworm. The qRT-PCR and Western blot analysis showed that the expression of the Sox2 gene and Sox2 protein was highest on the seventh day in different segments (p<0.05). After treatment with retinoic acid, the expression level of the Sox2 gene and Sox2 protein was significantly reduced (p<0.05). The results indicated that the regeneration of earthworms and the formation of blastema are related to the expression of the Sox2 gene and protein. Retinoic acid delays and interferes with the regeneration of the earthworm by affecting the expression levels of the Sox2 gene and protein. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Bioavailability of butachlor and myclobutanil residues in soil to earthworms.

PubMed

Yu, Y L; Wu, X M; Li, S N; Fang, H; Tan, Y J; Yu, J Q

2005-05-01

To establish chemical extraction procedures for predicting bioavailability of butachlor and myclobutanil in soil, several solvent systems, including methanol, methanol-water (9:1), methanol-water (1:1), acetone-water (5:3), petroleum ether and water, were assessed for their feasibility in determining extractability of the target compounds from soil samples. Experimental data showed that the extractability of butachlor and myclobutanil by the solvents was well linearly correlated with their bioavailability to Eisenia foetida and Allolobophora caliginosa, indicating that these extraction procedures may be efficient for predicting bioavailability of the two pesticides. The concentrations of the pesticides accumulated in E. foetida and A. caliginosa varied with species, suggesting that the availability of the soil-sequestered pesticide is a species-dependent process.

[Genetic aspects of species structure of the compost worm Eisenia foetida (Sav.) (Oligochaeta, Lumbricidae)].

PubMed

Bolotetskiĭ, N M; Kodolova, O P

2002-01-01

Distribution of frequencies alleles of polymorphous loci of peroxidase (Pox), leucineaminopeptidase (Lap), phosphoglucomutase (Pgm) and octanoldehydrogenase (Odh) were studied by electrophoresis in polyacrylamide gel in 22 local samples of Esenia foetida in Russia (European part), Ukraine, Kazakhstan and Kirghizia. The samples form two spatial groups--"northern" and "southern", distinguished by set of alleles in every studied locus. The "northern" groups is formed by local populations of European Russia from Murmansk region on the north to Smolensk region on the south, and also by cultivated population of selection line "red California hybrid". The "southern" group is formed by local populations on the territory of Russia from middle Volga to the North Caucasus, Ukraine, Kazakhstan, Kirghizia, cultivated populations from Kirghizia and Portugal. High degree of genetic difference between samples and independence of alleles frequencies distribution from geographical location and habitat allows to consider almost all studied groups as separate populations. Statistical processing of Nei genetic distances (Nei, 1972) revealed reliable differences between averages of within- and intergroup distances. Besides, discrete differences between intervals of significance of genetic distances were revealed. The results indicate that on the studied territory E. foetida has hierarchical two level structure. The first level is formed by local populations differed by frequency of the same alleles. The second level is formed by local populations, united into spatial groups, that are qualitatively distinguished by the set of alleles in the same loci.

Natural polysaccharides as active biomaterials in nanostructured films for sensing.

PubMed

Eiras, Carla; Santos, Amanda C; Zampa, Maysa F; de Brito, Ana Cristina Facundo; Leopoldo Constantino, Carlos J; Zucolotto, Valtencir; dos Santos, José R

2010-01-01

The search for natural, biocompatible and degradable materials amenable to be used in biomedical/analytical applications has attracted attention, either from the environmental or medical point of view. Examples are the polysaccharides extracted from natural gums, which have found applications in the food and pharmaceutical industries as stabilizers or thickening agent. In a previous paper, however, it was shown that a Brazilian natural gum, chicha (Sterculia striata), is suitable for application as building block for nanostructured film fabrication in conjunction with phthalocyanines. The films displayed electroactivity and could be used in sensing. In the present paper, we introduce the use of two different natural gums, viz., angico (Anadenanthera colubrina) and caraia (Sterculia urens), as active biomaterials to be used to modification layers, in the form of nanostructured thin films, including the study of dopamine detection. The multilayer films were assembled in conjunction with nickel tetrasulfonated phthalocyanines (NiTsPC) and displayed good chemical and electrochemical stability, allowing their use as transducer elements in sensors for detection of specific neurotransmitters. It is suggested here that nanoscale manipulation of new biodegradable natural polymers opens up a variety of new opportunities for the use of these materials in advanced biomedical and analytical devices.

Constipation in adults.

PubMed

Frizelle, Frank; Barclay, Murray

2007-08-01

Although there are defined criteria for the diagnosis of constipation, in practice, diagnostic criteria are less rigid, and in part depend on the perception of normal bowel habit. Constipation is highly prevalent, with approximately 12 million general practitioner prescriptions for laxatives in England in 2001. We conducted a systematic review and aimed to answer the following clinical questions: What are the effects of non-drug interventions, and of other interventions, in adults with idiopathic chronic constipation? We searched: Medline, Embase, The Cochrane Library and other important databases up to October 2006 (BMJ Clinical evidence reviews are updated periodically, please check our website for the most up-to-date version of this review). We included harms alerts from relevant organisations such as the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the UK Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA). We found 42 systematic reviews, RCTs, or observational studies that met our inclusion criteria. We performed a GRADE evaluation of the quality of evidence for interventions. In this systematic review we present information relating to the effectiveness and safety of the following interventions: arachis oil, biofeedback, bisacodyl, cascara, docusate, exercise, glycerine suppositories, glycerol, high-fibre diet, increasing fluids, ispaghula husk, lactitol, lactulose, macrogols (polyethylene glycols), magnesium salts, methylcellulose, paraffin, phosphate enemas, seed oils, senna, sodium citrate enemas, sterculia.

Purification and function of two analgesic and anti-inflammatory peptides from coelomic fluid of the earthworm, Eisenia foetida.

PubMed

Li, Chunlong; Chen, Mengrou; Li, Xiaojie; Yang, Meifeng; Wang, Ying; Yang, Xinwang

2017-03-01

The potential application of anti-inflammatory and analgesic compounds in medication and therapeutic care have become of increasing interest. We purified and characterized two novel analgesic and anti-inflammatory peptides, VQ-5 and AQ-5, from the coelomic fluid of the earthworm (Eisenia foetida). Their primary structures were determined as VSSVQ and AMADQ, respectively. Both peptides, especially AQ-5, exhibited analgesic activity in mouse models of persistent neuropathic pain and inflammation. AQ-5 also inhibited tumor necrosis factor alpha and cyclooxygenase-2 production. The mitogen-activated protein kinase signaling pathway, which is involved in analgesic and anti-inflammatory functions, was inhibited by AQ-5. Thus, the analgesic and anti-inflammatory effects of these peptides, especially AQ-5, demonstrated their potential as candidates for the development of novel analgesic medicines. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The effect of the glycolipoprotein extract (G-90) from earthworm Eisenia foetida on the wound healing process in alloxan-induced diabetic rats.

PubMed

Goodarzi, Golnaz; Qujeq, Durdi; Elmi, Maryam M; Feizi, Farideh; Fathai, Sadegh

2016-06-01

Diabetes is now regarded as a major public health problem. The number of patients is estimated to increase to over 439 million cases by 2030. One of the major health clinical problems in patients with diabetes patients is impaired wound healing. Diabetic foot ulcer is a major complication of diabetes mellitus in 12 to 25% of patients, which increases the risk of damage in the limbs or amputation. The earthworm Eisenia foetida glycolipoprotein (as known G-90) is a blend of macromolecules with some biological properties including mitogenicity, anticoagulation, fibrinolysis, bacteriostatic and antioxidatiaon. Given the biological properties of G-90, this study was conducted to investigate the effect of extract obtained from the homogenate of Eisenia foetida (G-90) on the wound healing process in alloxan-induced diabetic rats. The results of the present study revealed that treatment by using G-90 can speed up the wound healing process, which is exactly similar to the effect of D-panthenol treatment in rats. These findings also demonstrated that G-90 treatment decreases the risk of infection in the wound site compared with D-panthenol treatment. In addition, histological analysis indicated that a better extracellular matrix formation with increased fibroblast proliferation, neovascularization, collagen synthesis and early epithelial layer formation was observed in G-90 treated group. Therefore, the G-90 could be considered as a new wound healing agent introducing promising therapeutic approaches in both human and veterinary medicine. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Paederia foetida Linn. leaf extract: an antihyperlipidemic, antihyperglycaemic and antioxidant activity

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background The primary objective of the present investigation is to evaluate the antidiabetic, antihyperlidemic and antioxidant activity of the methanolic extract of the Paederia foetida Linn. (PF) leaf extract in the streptozotocin induced diabetic rats. Methods Single intraperitoneal injection (IP) of streptozotocin (60 mg/kg body weight) was used for induction of diabetes is swiss albino (wistar strain) rats. The induction of diabetes was confirmed after 3 days as noticing the increase in blood sugar level of tested rats. PF at a once a daily dose of 100 mg/kg, 250 mg/kg, 500 mg/kg, p.o. along with glibenclamide 10 mg/kg, p.o. was also given for 28 days. On the 28th day rats from all the groups fasted overnight fasted and the blood was collected from the puncturing the retro orbit of the eye under mild anesthetic condition. There collected blood sample was used to determine the antihyperlipidemic, hypoglycemic and antioxidant parameters. Results The oral acute toxicity studies did not show any toxic effect till the dose at 2000 mg/kg. While oral glucose tolerance test showed better glucose tolerance in tested rats. The statistical data indicated that the different dose of the PF significantly increased the body weight, hexokinase, plasma insulin, high density lipoprotein cholesterol, superoxide dismutase, catalase and glutathione peroxides. It also decreases the level of fasting blood glucose, total cholesterol, triglycerides, low density lipoprotein cholesterol, very low density lipoprotein cholesterol, malonaldehyde, glucose-6-phosphate, fructose-1-6-biphosphate and glycated hemoglobin in STZ induced diabetic rats. The histopathology of STZ induce diabetic rats, as expected the test dose of PF extract considerably modulates the pathological condition of various vital organ viz. heart, kidney, liver, pancreas as shown in the histopathology examinations. Conclusions Our investigation has clearly indicated that the leaf extract of Paederia foetida Linn. showed remarkable antihyperglycemic activity due to its possible systematic effect involving in the pancreatic and extra pancreatic mechanism. Forever, the antihyperlipidemic activity was exerted possible by lowering the higher level of lipid profile and decreasing the intercalated disc space in the heart. The antioxidant activity of extract was due to inhibition of lipid peroxidation and increasing the SOD, GPx and CAT. It was corroborate that the extract shown the Paederia foetida Linn leaves potential to be act as antidiabetic, antihyperlipidemic and antioxidant properties. PMID:24564866

In vitro Antiproliferative Effect of Earthworm Coelomic Fluid of Eudrilus Eugeniae, Eisenia Foetida, and Perionyx Excavatus on Squamous Cell Carcinoma-9 Cell Line: A Pilot Study.

PubMed

Augustine, Dominic; Rao, Roopa S; Anbu, Jayaraman; Chidambara Murthy, K N

2017-12-01

The earthworm coelomic fluid (ECF) has shown proven antiproliferative effect against breast, liver, gastrointestinal, and brain cancer, but it is least explored in oral cancer. The present in vitro study is an attempt to investigate the antiproliferative activity of ECF on oral cancer cell line squamous cell carcinoma (SCC)-9. ECF was collected from the species Eudrilus eugeniae (EE), Eisenia foetida (EF), and Perionyx excavatus (PE) stored at -80°C. Percentage inhibition of ECF on squamous cell carcinoma-9 cells in vitro was recorded at 24 h. Protein estimation was done using Bradford protein assay validated by the biuret method. Cytotoxicity was tested at 2.5, 5, 10, 20, 40, and 80 μg/ml concentrations by 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2, 5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide assay in SCC-9 cells in vitro . GraphPad Prism 7.0 software was used to calculate the inhibitory concentration (IC 50 ). Chi-square test was used to analyze the difference between samples. The test samples EE, EF, and PE inhibited the growth of SCC-9 cells significantly in a dose-dependent manner, and the IC 50 values were found to be 4.6, 44.69, and 5.27 μg/ml, respectively. The antiproliferative effect was found to be variable among the three earthworm species with EE showing the most promising effect followed by PE and EF. Establishing the antiproliferative effect of ECF on oral cancer cells could be an initial step toward drug development and future anticancer research. The preliminary investigation has shown that ECF has a promising antiproliferative effect on oral cancer cells in vitro . The present pilot study evaluated the in vitro antiproliferative effect of earthworm coelomic fluid (ECF) of Eudrilus eugeniae (EE), Eisenia foetida (EF), and Perionyx excavatus (PE) on squamous cell carcinoma-9 cell line. The ECF inhibitory activity was promising at inhibitory concentration values of 4.6, 44.69, and 5.27 μg/ml, respectively. Further studies pertaining to antiproliferative mechanism of EE, EF, and PE have been planned. Abbreviations Used: ECF: Earthworm coelomic fluid, EE: Eudrilus eugeniae , EF: Eisenia foetida , PE: Perionyx excavatus , MTT: 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide, SCC: Squamous cell carcinoma, BSA: Bovine serum albumin, PBS: Phosphored buffered saline, ATCC: American Type Culture Collection.

Comparative toxicology of laboratory organisms for assessing hazardous waste sites

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Miller, W.E.; Peterson, S.A.; Greene, J.C.

1985-01-01

Multi-media/multi-trophic level bioassays have been proposed to determine the extent and severity of environmental contamination at hazardous waste sites. Comparative toxicological profiles for algae (Selenastrum capricornutum), daphnia (Daphnia magna), earthworms (Eisenia foetida), microbes (Photobacterium fisherii, mixed sewage microorganisms) and plants; wheat Stephens, (Triticum aestivum), lettuce, butter crunch, (Lactuca sativa L.) radish, Cherry Belle, (Raphanus sativa L.), red clover, Kenland, (Trifolium pratense L.) and cucumber, Spartan Valor, (Cucumis sativa L.) are presented for selected heavy metals, herbicides and insecticides. Specific chemical EC/sub 50/ values are presented for each test organism. Differences in standard deviations were compared between each individual test organism,more » as well as for the chemical subgroup assayed. Algae and daphnia are the most sensitive test organisms to heavy metals and insecticides followed in order of decreasing sensitivity by Microtox (Photobacterium fisherii), DO depletion rate, seed germination and earthworms. Higher plants were most sensitive to 2,4-D, (2,4-Dichlorophenoxy acetic acid) followed by algae, Microtox, daphnia and earthworms. Differences in toxicity of 2,4-D chemical formulations and commercial sources of insecticides were observed with algae and daphia tests.« less

Constipation in adults.

PubMed

Mueller-Lissner, Stefan A; Wald, Arnold

2010-07-05

Although there are defined criteria for the diagnosis of constipation, in practice, diagnostic criteria are less rigid, and depend in part on the perception of normal bowel habit. Constipation is highly prevalent, with approximately 12 million general practitioner prescriptions for laxatives in England in 2001. We conducted a systematic review and aimed to answer the following clinical questions: What are the effects of non-drug interventions, bulk-forming laxatives, faecal softeners, stimulant laxatives, osmotic laxatives, prostaglandin derivatives, and 5-HT4 agonists in adults with idiopathic chronic constipation? We searched: Medline, Embase, The Cochrane Library, and other important databases up to October 2009 (Clinical Evidence reviews are updated periodically, please check our website for the most up-to-date version of this review). We included harms alerts from relevant organisations such as the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the UK Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA). We found 51systematic reviews, RCTs, or observational studies that met our inclusion criteria. We performed a GRADE evaluation of the quality of evidence for interventions. In this systematic review we present information relating to the effectiveness and safety of the following interventions: arachis oil, biofeedback, bisacodyl, cascara, docusate, exercise, glycerol/glycerine suppositories, high-fibre diet, increasing fluids, ispaghula husk, lactitol, lactulose, lubiprostone, macrogols (polyethylene glycols), magnesium salts, methylcellulose, paraffin, phosphate enemas, seed oils, senna, sodium citrate enemas, prucalopride, and sterculia.

Growth and reproductive potential of Eisenia foetida (Sav) on various zoo animal dungs after two methods of pre-composting followed by vermicomposting.

PubMed

Pérez-Godínez, Edmundo Arturo; Lagunes-Zarate, Jorge; Corona-Hernández, Juan; Barajas-Aceves, Martha

2017-06-01

Disposal of animal manure without treatment can be harmful to the environment. In this study, samples of four zoo animal dungs and one horse dung were pre-composted in two ways: (a) traditional composting and (b) bokashi pre-composting for 1month, followed by vermicomposting for 3months. The permanence (PEf) and reproductive potential (RP) of Eisenia foetida as well as the quality of vermicompost were evaluated. The PEf values and RP index of E. foetida were higher for samples pre-composted using the traditional composting method (98.7-88% and 31.85-16.27%, respectively) followed by vermicomposting (92.7-72.7% and 22.96-13.51%, respectively), when compared with those for bokashi pre-composted samples followed by vermicomposting, except for the horse dung sample (100% for both the parameters). The values of electrical conductivity (EC), cation exchange capacity (CEC), organic C, total N, available P, C/N ratio, and pH showed that both treatments achieved the norms of vermicompost (<4mScm -1 , 40cmolkg -1 , 20-50%, 1-4%, ≤20, 5.5-8.5, respectively). However, the maturity indices of vermicompost, namely, organic matter loss, N loss, and CEC/organic carbon (OC) ratio indicated that bokashi pre-composting followed by vermicomposting produced the highest values (98.7-70.7%, 97.67-96.65%, and 2.7-1.97%, respectively), when compared with the other method adapted in this study. Nevertheless, further studies with plants for plant growth evaluation are needed to assess the benefits and limitations of these two pre-composting methods prior to vermicomposting. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Ecotoxicological evaluation of municipal sludge.

PubMed

Srivastava, Richa; Tewari, Anamika; Chauhan, Lalit K S; Kumar, Dinesh; Gupta, Shrawan K

2005-02-01

Municipal wastes originating from urban and industrial areas have become a major source of soil, ground and surface water pollution. These undesirable agents in our environment significantly interact with our flora and fauna. The aim of this study was to test samples of municipal sludge (MS) for their ecotoxicological potential by using sensitive bioassays involving a plant, Vicia faba, and the earthworm, Eisenia foetida. A 10% leachate of MS was prepared for the experiments, and V. faba seedlings were exposed to three leachate concentrations (2.5%, 5% and 10%) for 5 days. The findings revealed chromosome aberrations during the metaphase as well as the anaphase of cell division, and inhibition of the mitotic index, which reflects that MS originating from domestic and other human activities may be genotoxic to the living organisms of the ecosystem. Abnormalities in chlorophyll content, plant growth, root length, shoot length and root/shoot length ratio in V. faba clearly indicated the toxicity of the sludge. Behavioural and reproduction studies with E. foetida also provided evidence for the toxic nature of the MS.

Design, Development, and Optimization of Sterculia Gum-Based Tablet Coated with Chitosan/Eudragit RLPO Mixed Blend Polymers for Possible Colonic Drug Delivery

PubMed Central

Nath, Bipul; Nath, Lila Kanta

2013-01-01

The purpose of this study is to explore the possible applicability of Sterculia urens gum as a novel carrier for colonic delivery system of a sparingly soluble drug, azathioprine. The study involves designing a microflora triggered colon-targeted drug delivery system (MCDDS) which consists of a central polysaccharide core and is coated to different film thicknesses with blends of chitosan/Eudragit RLPO, and is overcoated with Eudragit L00 to provide acid and intestinal resistance. The microflora degradation property of gum was investigated in rat caecal medium. Drug release study in simulated colonic fluid revealed that swelling force of the gum could concurrently drive the drug out of the polysaccharide core due to the rupture of the chitosan/Eudargit coating in microflora-activated environment. Chitosan in the mixed film coat was found to be degraded by enzymatic action of the microflora in the colon. Release kinetic data revealed that the optimized MCDDS was fitted well into first-order model, and apparent lag time was found to be 6 hours, followed by Higuchi release kinetics. In vivo study in rabbits shows delayed T max, prolonged absorption time, decreased C max, and absorption rate constant (Ka), indicating a reduced systemic toxicity of the drug as compared to other dosage forms. PMID:26555985

Some Observations on the Fine Structure of the Giant Nerve Fibers of the Earthworm, Eisenia foetida

PubMed Central

Hama, Kiyoshi

1959-01-01

Sectioned dorsal giant fibers of the earthworm Eisenia foetida have been studied with the electron microscope. The giant axon is surrounded by a Schwannian sheath in which the lamellae are arranged spirally. They can be traced from the outer surface of the Schwann cell to the axon-Schwann membranes. Irregularities in the spiral arrangement are frequently observed. Desmosome-like attachment areas occur on the giant fiber nerve sheath. These structures appear to be arranged bilaterally in columns which are oriented slightly obliquely to the long axis of the giant fiber and aligned linearly from the axon to the periphery of the sheath. At these sites they bind together apposing portions of Schwann cell membrane comprising the sheath. Longitudinal or oblique sections of the nerve sheath attachment areas are reminiscent of the Schmidt-Lantermann clefts of vertebrate peripheral nerve. Septa of the giant fibers have been examined. They are symmetrical or non-polarized and consist of the two plasma membranes of adjacent nerve units. Characteristic vesicular and tubular structures are associated with both cytoplasmic surfaces of these septa. PMID:13673048

A novel hydrogel plug of Sterculia urens for pulsatile delivery: in vitro and in vivo evaluation.

PubMed

Amrutkar, Jitendra R; Gattani, Surendra G

2012-01-01

The objective of this study was to investigate a novel hydrogel plug using isolated root mucilage of Sterculia urens to obtain a desired lag time for an oral chronotherapeutic colon-specific pulsatile drug delivery of indomethacin. Pulsatile drug delivery was developed using chemically treated hard gelatin capsule bodies filled with eudragit multiparticulates of indomethacin, and sealed with different hydrogel plugs (root mucilage of S. urens, xanthan gum, guar gum, HPMC K4M and combination of maltodextrin with guar gum). Indomethacin multiparticulates were prepared using extrusion spheronization, spray drying and solvent evaporation techniques with Eudragit® L-100 and S-100 (1:2) by varying drug-to-polymer ratio. After oral administration, the water-soluble cap of capsule dissolved in the intestinal fluid and the hydrogel plug swells. After a controlled time, the swollen plug subsequently ejected from the dosage form, releases the contents of the capsule. The formulation factors affecting the drug release were concentration and types of hydrogel plug used. In vivo gamma scintigraphy study in healthy rabbits proved the capability of the system to release drug in lower parts of the gastrointestinal tract after a programmed lag time. This study demonstrates that the indomethacin multiparticulates could be successfully colon-targeted by the design of time and pH-dependent modified chronopharmaceutical formulation. In conclusion, the investigated novel hydrogel plug could be a valuable tool for achieving desired lag time.

Isolation of a species-specific mitochondrial DNA sequence for identification of Tilletia indica, the Karnal bunt of wheat fungus.

PubMed Central

Ferreira, M A; Tooley, P W; Hatziloukas, E; Castro, C; Schaad, N W

1996-01-01

Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) from five isolates of Tilletia indica was isolated and digested with several restriction enzymes. A 2.3-kb EcoRI fragment was chosen, cloned, and shown to hybridize with total DNA restricted with EcoRI from T. indica and not from a morphologically similar smut fungus, Tilletia barclayana. The clone was partially sequenced, and primers were designed and tested under high-stringency conditions in PCR assays. The primer pair Ti1/Ti4 amplified a 2.3-kb fragment from total DNA of 17 T. indica isolates from India, Pakistan, and Mexico. DNA from 25 isolates of other smut fungi (T. barclayana, Tilletia foetida, Tilletia caries, Tilletia fusca, and Tilletia controversa) did not produce any bands, as detected by ethidium bromide-stained agarose gels and Southern hybridizations. The sensitivity of the assay was determined and increased by using a single nested primer in a second round of amplification, so that 1 pg of total mycelial DNA could be detected. The results indicated that the primers which originated from a cloned mtDNA sequence can be used to differentiate T. indica from other Tilletia species and have the potential to identify teliospores contaminating wheat seeds. PMID:8572716

Reduction of clog matter in constructed wetlands by metabolism of Eisenia foetida: Process and modeling.

PubMed

Ye, Jianfeng; Xu, Zuxin; Chen, Hao; Wang, Liang; Benoit, Gaboury

2018-07-01

Introducing of earthworms to constructed wetlands (CWs) has been considered as a new approach to solve the clogging problems in the long-established systems. Despite its potential advantage, the correlational researches are still in the stage of preliminary observation and speculation. This paper presents a comprehensive and in-depth research about the positive effects of earthworms (Eisenia foetida) on clog matter (CM) reduction through different pathways, including in vivo metabolism and uptake, conversion, transport, and promotion of microorganism quantities. The results showed that the metabolism and uptake by Eisenia foetida could effectively reduce the CM content at an average removal rate of 0.155 mg g -1  d -1 , which was obviously higher than the rate of CM decomposition by microorganisms alone. Through the metabolism of earthworms, the amounts of proteins and polysaccharides in CM were decreased, while the amounts of humin and nucleic acids were increased. Simultaneously, the viscosity of CM was reduced by 0.0082 mPa s g -1 d -1 , and the quantity of microorganisms was increased by 0.0109 mg g -1  d -1 , which finally made the treated CM can be easily washed away and decomposed. Furthermore, earthworms could reduce the CM content in the clogging layer by transporting the metabolic products out. A regression model was further performed for describing the interaction between earthworm and CM. The simulated value of porosity fitted well with the measured one, suggesting that the earthworms can increase the substrate porosity at a rate of 0.33 mL g -1  d -1 . This study quantitively depicted the mechanisms of earthworms on the decrement of CM content in CWs, which is of great benefit for the engineering management of constructed wetlands in the future. We also proposed that the density of introduced earthworms should exceed a certain threshold for effectively increasing the substrate porosity and solving the clogging problems. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Effects of a constructed Technosol on mortality, survival and reproduction of earthworms

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pey, Benjamin; Cortet, Jerome; Capowiez, Yvan; Mignot, Lenaic; Nahmani, Johanne; Watteau, Francoise; Schwartz, Christophe

2010-05-01

Soils, whose properties and pedogenesis are dominated by artificial materials or transported materials, are classified as Technosols. Some of these Technosols are used in soil engineering, which is the voluntary action to combine technical materials in a given objective to restore an ecosystem. Primary by products that are used to build these Technosols need to be assessed on an ecotoxicological point of view. The following study aims to assess the effects of a constructed Technosol made from different primary by-products on the mortality, survival and reproductions of two earthworm species. The model of Technosol used here is a combination of green-waste compost (GWC) and papermill sludge (PS) mixed with thermally treated industrial soil (TIS). OECD soil is used as a control soil. Three different experiments have been managed: i) the first, to assess the potential toxicity effect on Eisenia foetida biomass (28 days) and reproduction (56 days), ii) the second to assess the short-term effect (7 days) on Lumbricus terrestris biomass, iii) and the third to assess the medium-term effect (30 days) on L. terrestris biomass. Reproduction of E. foetida is enhanced with high proportions of GWC. For biomass, GWC seems to improve body mass contrary to other materials which lead to losses of body mass. Thus, for E. foetida, GWC seems to be a high-quality and long-term source of food. Body mass of L. terrestris decreased with GWC and OECD. At short-term only, TIS/PS leads to a gain of body mass. Only equilibrium of 25% GWC - 75% TIS/PS allows a gain of body mass at medium term. TIS/PS appears to be a low-quality and short-term food resource but an excellent water tank. It can be concluded that the constructed Technosol is not toxic for fauna but some differences appear between different tested material combinations, depending on nature, proportion and trophic properties of materials.

Target and non-target toxicity of botanical insecticide derived from Couroupita guianensis L. flower against generalist herbivore, Spodoptera litura Fab. and an earthworm, Eisenia foetida Savigny

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Novel chemistries in botanical insecticides may provide alternatives to, or development of synthetic insecticides suitable for controlling the Lepidopteran pests, like Spodoptera litura (F.). Many botanical chemistries are biodegradable, and have lower mammalian toxicity. Eight natural chemical comp...

Binding of quinolizidine alkaloids to nicotinic and muscarinic acetylcholine receptors.

PubMed

Schmeller, T; Sauerwein, M; Sporer, F; Wink, M; Müller, W E

1994-09-01

Fourteen quinolizidine alkaloids, isolated from Lupinus albus, L. mutabilis, and Anagyris foetida, were analyzed for their affinity for nicotinic and/or muscarinic acetylcholine receptors. Of the compounds tested, the alpha-pyridones, N-methylcytisine and cytisine, showed the highest affinities at the nicotinic receptor, while several quinolizidine alkaloid types were especially active at the muscarinic receptor.

Comparison of Heavy Metal Uptake by Eisenia Foetida with That of other Common Earthworms.

DTIC Science & Technology

1986-01-01

the ecotoxicological testing of industrial chemicals. An earthworm bioassay procedure developed at the Waterways Experiment Station (Vicksburg... ecotoxicological testing of industrial S-. chemicals (EEC Directive 79/81, 1984). Earthworms are known to exploit a wide range of ecological niches within...inhabiting, deep burrowing species, (Ude, 1885) ingesting predominantly mineral soil. Colonizing cultivated soil, gardens, pastures and woodland

Identification of new pathogenic races of common bunt and dwarf bunt fungi, and evaluation of known races using an expanded set of differential cultivars

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Pathogenic races of Tilletia caries and T. foetida, which cause common bunt of wheat (Triticum aestivum), and T. contraversa, which causes dwarf bunt of wheat, have been identified previously by their reaction to ten monogenic differential wheat lines, each containing single bunt resistance genes Bt...

Pathogenicity of Fusarium semitectum against crop pests and its biosafety to non-target organisms.

PubMed

Mikunthan, G; Manjunatha, M

2006-01-01

Microbial control is receiving more attention, since these alternative tactics, compared to chemical control methods, are energy saving, non polluting, ecologically sound and sustainable. A mycopathogen, Fusarium semitectum Berk. and Rav. (ARSEF 7233) was isolated from diseased cadavers of aphid (Aphis gossypii) and cultured in Saboraud Maltose Agar supplemented with Yeast extract medium (SMAY). Being isolated first time from the chilli ecosystem its potential was evaluated. Experiments were conducted to understand its pathogenicity against crop pests as well as to ensure its safety to non target organisms such as silk worm (Bombyx mor), honey bee (Apis indica) and earthworm (Eisenia foetida). A paper-thrips-paper sandwich method for thrips and detached-leaf bioassay method for mites were used. Test insects and mites either reared in laboratory or obtained from the field were topically applied with spore suspension of F. semitectum (1x10(9) spores/ml). Mortality was recorded and dead animals were surface sterilized with 0.5% NaOCl and placed in SMAY medium to confirm pathogenicity. Mulberry leaves sprayed with the fungal suspension were fed to larvae of B. mori and reared. Newly emerged A. indica were topically applied with fungus. The fungus grown in cow dung for two weeks was used to assess the composting ability of E. foetida. F. semitectum produced mycosis and caused mortality to sucking pests such as chilli thrips (Scirtothrips dorsalis), broad mite (Polyphagotarsonemus latus), sugarcane wooly aphid (Ceratavacuna lanigera), spiraling whitefly (Aleyrodicus disperses), whitefly (Bemisia tabaci, A. gossypii and coconut mite (Aceria guerroronis). The fungus did not cause mortality on larvae of lepidopteran insect pests and ladybird beetle (Menochilus sexmaculatus), predatory mite (Amblysius ovalis) and larval parasitoid (Goniozus nephantidis). F. semitectum failed to infect the larvae of B. mori and newly emerged A. indica and its brood. The mycopathogen had no influence on the composting ability and growth of E. foetida. F. semitectum, in general, expressed its selectivity against sucking pests and proved its eco-friendly characteristics to the beneficial organisms and especially safe to Sericulture, Apiculture and Vermiculture industries in Karnataka, India. This novel fungus can be well incorporated as a viable tactics into the integrated management programmes of crop pests.

Antileishmanial and immunomodulatory activities of lupeol, a triterpene compound isolated from Sterculia villosa.

PubMed

Das, Antu; Jawed, Junaid Jibran; Das, Manash C; Sandhu, Padmani; De, Utpal C; Dinda, Biswanath; Akhter, Yusuf; Bhattacharjee, Surajit

2017-10-01

Visceral leishmaniasis (VL) is one of the most severe forms of leishmaniasis, caused by the protozoan parasite Leishmania donovani. Nowadays there is a growing interest in the therapeutic use of natural products to treat parasitic diseases. Sterculia villosa is an ethnomedicinally important plant. A triterpenoid was isolated from this plant and was screened for its antileishmanial and immunomodulatory activities in vitro and in vivo. Biochemical colour test and spectroscopic data confirmed that the isolated pure compound was lupeol. Lupeol exhibited significant antileishmanial activity, with IC 50 values of 65 ± 0.41 µg/mL and 15 ± 0.45 µg/mL against promastigote and amastigote forms, respectively. Lupeol caused maximum cytoplasmic membrane damage of L. donovani promastigote at its IC 50 dose. It is well known that during infection the Leishmania parasite exerts its pathogenicity in the host by suppressing nitric oxide (NO) production and inhibiting pro-inflammatory responses. It was observed that lupeol induces NO generation in L. donovani-infected macrophages, followed by upregulation of pro-inflammatory cytokines and downregulation of anti-inflammatory cytokines. Lupeol was also found to reduce the hepatic and splenic parasite burden through upregulation of the pro-inflammatory response in L. donovani-infected BALB/c mice. Strong binding affinity of lupeol was observed for four major potential drug targets, namely pteridine reductase 1, adenine phosphoribosyltransferase, lipophosphoglycan biosynthetic protein and glycoprotein 63 of L. donovani, which also supported its antileishmanial and immunomodulatory activities. Therefore, the present study highlights the antileishmanial and immunomodulatory activities of lupeol in an in vitro and in vivo model of VL. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. and International Society of Chemotherapy. All rights reserved.

Formulation development and in-vitro/in-vivo correlation for a novel Sterculia gum-based oral colon-targeted drug delivery system of azathioprine.

PubMed

Nath, Bipul; Nath, Lila Kanta

2013-11-01

The present study was aimed at designing a microflora triggered colon-targeted drug delivery system (MCDDS) based on swellable polysaccharide, Sterculia gum in combination with biodegradable polymers with a view to target azathioprine (AZA) in the colon for the treatment of IBD with reduced systemic toxicity. The microflora degradation study of gum was investigated in rat cecal medium. The polysaccharide tablet was coated to different film thicknesses with blends of chitosan/Eudragit RLPO and over coated with Eudragit L00 to provide acid and intestinal resistance. Swelling and drug release studies were carried out in simulated gastric fluid (SGF) (pH 1.2), simulated intestinal fluid (SIF) (pH 6.8) and simulated colonic fluid (SCF) (pH 7.4 under anaerobic environment), respectively. Drug release study in SCF revealed that swelling force of the gum could concurrently drive the drug out of the polysaccharide core due to the rupture of the chitosan/Eudragit coating in microflora-activated environment. Chitosan in the mixed film coat was found to be degraded by enzymatic action of the microflora in the colon. Release kinetic data revealed that, the optimized MCDDS was fitted well into first order model and apparent lag time was found to be 6 h, followed by Higuchi spherical matrix release. The degradation of chitosan was the rate-limiting factor for drug release in the colon. In-vivo study in rabbit shows delayed T(max), prolonged absorption time, decreased C(max) and absorption rate constant (Ka) indicating reduced systemic toxicity of the drug as compared to other dosage forms.

Nutritional potential, chemical profile and antioxidant activity of Chichá (Sterculia striata) nuts and its by-products.

PubMed

de Britto Policarpi, Priscila; Turcatto, Leticia; Demoliner, Fernanda; Ferrari, Roseli Aparecida; Bascuñan, Vera Lúcia Azzolin Frescura; Ramos, Juliano Carvalho; Jachmanián, Iván; Vitali, Luciano; Micke, Gustavo Amadeu; Block, Jane Mara

2018-04-01

The Sterculia striata nut commonly known as chichá is consumed raw or toasted inBrazil but information on its chemical composition and antioxidant activity are scarce in the literature. In this work, the nutritional composition, minerals profile, lipid composition and phenolic compounds profile of chichá nuts and its by-products (pellicle and shell) were determined. The results showed that the nuts and the cake contain considerable amount of fibers and proteins and are rich in minerals (Fe, Mn and Cu). Oleic acid was the main fatty acid (37.8%), and PPO (36.0%) and POP (15.6%) were the main triacylglycerides present in the chichá oil. The phytosterols β-sitosterol, stigmasteroland campesterol (1848.5μgg -1 , 542.2μgg -1 and 186.3μgg -1 , respectively), and the γ-, δ-, α- and β-tocopherol (8.85; 2.10; 1.64, and 0.11mg100g -1 , respectively) were identified in the oil. The antioxidant activity (ABTS and FRAP assays) followed the order pellicle>shell>nuts (13.25 and 84.65; 8.71 and 64.3; 5.85 and 36.79μmolTEACg -1 , respectively). The main phenolic compounds identified in the extracts were ellagic and ferulic acids; ellagic and protocatechuic acids; and protocatechuic, ellagic and methoxyphenylacetic acids for the nuts, shells and pellicle, respectively. A strong positive correlation was observed between total phenolic content and antioxidant activity determined by ABTS and FRAP assays (r=0.9067, p<0.01; and r=0.9584, p<0.01; respectively). Collectively, the results showed that the chichá is a nut of high nutritional value, rich in bioactive compounds. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Comparative Heavy Metal Uptake by Soil-Dwelling Invertebrates and the Bioassay Earthworm Eisenia Foetida

DTIC Science & Technology

1988-03-31

NUMBER IN POOLED SAMPLE AT EACH PLOT Al Tettigoniidao 5-- -- -- - -- -- - -- -- - -- -- - - -- - -- - Al Tettigoniidae 5 A3 Tettigoniidas 7 A4... Tettigoniidae 28 B) Tettigoniidae 10 82 Tettigoniidae 34 B3 Tettigoniidae 8 B4 Tettlioniidae 9 B5 Tettigoniidae 14 Cl Tottigoniida. 81 Acridiidae I C2...Ttttigoniidat 58 C3Tettigoniidae 28 C4 Tettigoniida . 17 15 TABLE 2 contd... TABLE 2(c) Composition of soil dwelling invertebrate fauna sampled by pitfall traps

Paederia foetida Linn. promoted biogenic gold and silver nanoparticles: Synthesis, characterization, photocatalytic and in vitro efficacy against clinically isolated pathogens.

PubMed

Bhuyan, Bishal; Paul, Arijita; Paul, Bappi; Dhar, Siddhartha Sankar; Dutta, Pranab

2017-08-01

Development of newer improved therapeutic agents with efficient antimicrobial activities continues to draw attention of researchers till date. Moreover, abatement of polluting dyes released from industry with enhanced efficiency is currently being considered as challenging task for people working on material sciences. In the present study, we report a facile biogenic synthesis of gold and silver nanoparticles (NPs) in which aqueous extracts of Paederia foetida Linn. was used as reducing as well as stabilizing agent. The biosynthesized Au and Ag NPs were characterized by UV-visible spectroscopy (UV-vis), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), powder X-ray diffraction analysis (XRD) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The photocatalytic activity of these nanoparticles were tested against Rhodamine B (RhB). The antimicrobial activity of these biosynthesized NPs were investigated against four human pathogens viz. B. cereus, E. coli, S. aureus and A. niger. Biogenic silver nanoparticles presented a strong antimicrobial activity against B. cereus (26.13) followed by E. coli (26.02), S. aureus (25.43) and A. niger (22.69). Ag NPs owing to their small size (5-25nm) could have easily penetrate into the cell membrane, disturb the metabolism, cause irretrievable damage finally leading to the microbial cell death. Interestingly biogenic gold nanoparticles didn't show any antimicrobial activity. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Space matters: meristem expansion triggers corona formation in Passiflora

PubMed Central

Claßen-Bockhoff, Regine; Meyer, Charlotte

2016-01-01

Background and aims Flower meristems differ from vegetative meristems in various aspects. One characteristic is the capacity for ongoing meristem expansion providing space for new structures. Here, corona formation in four species of Passiflora is investigated to understand the spatio-temporal conditions of its formation and to clarify homology of the corona elements. Methods One bird-pollinated species with a single-rowed tubular corona (Passiflora tulae) and three insect-pollinated species with three (P. standleyi Killip), four (P. foetida L. ‘Sanctae Martae’) and six (P. foetida L. var. hispida) ray-shaped corona rows are chosen as representative examples for the study. Flower development is documented by scanning electron microscopy. Meristem expansion is reconstructed by morphometric data and correlated with the sequential corona element formation. Key Results In all species, corona formation starts late in ontogeny after all floral organs have been initiated. It is closely correlated with meristem expansion. The rows appear with increasing space in centripetal or convergent sequence. Conclusions Based on the concept of fractionation, space induces primordia formation which is a self-regulating process filling the space completely. Correspondingly, the corona is interpreted as a structure of its own, originating from the receptacle. Considering the principle capacity of flower meristems to generate novel structures widens the view and allows new interpretations in combination with molecular, phylogenetic and morphogenetic data. PMID:26658486

Novel Crystalline SiO2 Nanoparticles via Annelids Bioprocessing of Agro-Industrial Wastes

PubMed Central

2010-01-01

The synthesis of nanoparticles silica oxide from rice husk, sugar cane bagasse and coffee husk, by employing vermicompost with annelids (Eisenia foetida) is reported. The product (humus) is calcinated and extracted to recover the crystalline nanoparticles. X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) and dynamic light scattering (DLS) show that the biotransformation allows creating specific crystalline phases, since equivalent particles synthesized without biotransformation are bigger and with different crystalline structure. PMID:20802789

Exfoliation of the epidermal cells and defecation by amphibian larvae in response to coelomic fluid and lysenin from the earthworm Eisenia foetida.

PubMed

Kobayashi, Hideshi; Suzuki, Hirohumi; Ohta, Naoshi

2006-08-01

Coelomic fluid (CF) and lysenin from the earthworm Eisenia foetida induced heavy epidermal exfoliation in the larvae of Bufo japonicus formosus at developmental stages from hatching (stage 22) to operculum completion (stage 34). In experiments with Xenopus laevis, we observed that exfoliated cells were not stained by trypan blue. Thus, it appeared that these cells were still alive. It is likely, therefore, that both CF and lysenin might disrupt the adhesion between epidermal cells of larvae prior to stage 34. Since it is known that lysenin exerts its toxic effects through its specific binding to sphingomyelin (SM), SM might be involved in such adhesion. This hypothesis was supported by the observations that CF and lysenin which had been incubated with SM-liposomes lost their exfoliative activity. In larvae after stage 34, the mechanism of adhesion between epidermal cells seemed to change and the adhesion was no longer disrupted by CF and lysenin. In larvae at around stage 34, a collagen layer started to form beneath the basement membrane of the epidermis. Furthermore, larvae at around this stage started to eat solid food. The developing collagen layer and food intake might be related indirectly to the chemical change in epidermal adhesion. The induction of exfoliation by CF and lysenin was also observed in other amphibian species. In Bufo larvae, defecation was induced both by CF and by lysenin but this effect was independent of exfoliation.

Space matters: meristem expansion triggers corona formation in Passiflora.

PubMed

Claßen-Bockhoff, Regine; Meyer, Charlotte

2016-02-01

Flower meristems differ from vegetative meristems in various aspects. One characteristic is the capacity for ongoing meristem expansion providing space for new structures. Here, corona formation in four species of Passiflora is investigated to understand the spatio-temporal conditions of its formation and to clarify homology of the corona elements. One bird-pollinated species with a single-rowed tubular corona (Passiflora tulae) and three insect-pollinated species with three (P. standleyi Killip), four (P. foetida L. 'Sanctae Martae') and six (P. foetida L. var. hispida) ray-shaped corona rows are chosen as representative examples for the study. Flower development is documented by scanning electron microscopy. Meristem expansion is reconstructed by morphometric data and correlated with the sequential corona element formation. In all species, corona formation starts late in ontogeny after all floral organs have been initiated. It is closely correlated with meristem expansion. The rows appear with increasing space in centripetal or convergent sequence. Based on the concept of fractionation, space induces primordia formation which is a self-regulating process filling the space completely. Correspondingly, the corona is interpreted as a structure of its own, originating from the receptacle. Considering the principle capacity of flower meristems to generate novel structures widens the view and allows new interpretations in combination with molecular, phylogenetic and morphogenetic data. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Annals of Botany Company. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Disturbance of smooth muscle regulatory function by Eisenia foetida toxin lysenin: insight into the mechanism of smooth muscle contraction.

PubMed

Czuryło, Edward A; Kulikova, Natalia; Sobota, Andrzej

2008-05-01

Lysenin, a toxin present in the coelomic fluid of the earthworm Eisenia foetida, is known to cause a long-lasting contraction of rat aorta smooth muscle strips. We addressed the mechanisms underlying its action on smooth muscle cells and present the first report demonstrating a completely new property of lysenin unrelated to its basic sphingomyelin-binding ability. Here we report lysenin enhancement effect on smooth muscle actomyosin ATPase activity and the ability of networking the actin filaments. The maximum enhancement of the ATPase activity of actomyosin at 120 mM KCl was observed at a molar ratio of lysenin to actin of about 1:10(5), while at 70 mM KCl at the ratio of about 1:10(6). The effect of lysenin became most pronounced only when both smooth muscle regulatory proteins, tropomyosin and caldesmon, were present. Co-sedimentation experiments indicated that lysenin did not displace neither tropomyosin nor caldesmon from the thin filament. Thus, the lysenin-dependent abolishment of the inhibitory effect of caldesmon on the ATPase activity was related rather to the modification of the filament structure. The ability of the toxin to exert its stimulatory effect at extremely low concentrations (as low as one molecule of lysenin per 10(6) actin molecules) may result from the long-range cooperative transitions in the entire thin filament with an involvement of smooth muscle tropomyosin, while the role of caldesmon may be limited exclusively to the inhibition of ATPase activity.

Oleo gum resin of Ferula assa-foetida L. ameliorates peripheral neuropathy in mice.

PubMed

Homayouni Moghadam, Farshad; Dehghan, Maryam; Zarepur, Ehsan; Dehlavi, Reyhaneh; Ghaseminia, Fatemeh; Ehsani, Shima; Mohammadzadeh, Golnaz; Barzegar, Kazem

2014-05-28

According to the Chinese, European, Iranian and Indian traditional medicines, oleo gum resin of Ferula assa-foetida (asafoetida) has therapeutic effects on different kinds of diseases. Some of these effects are related to the diseases of nervous system such as hysteresis and convulsion. In recent studies, some anti-epileptic and neuroprotective roles were also considered for it and we examined its possible role on treatment of peripheral neuropathy. in vitro studies were carried out to identify the response of isolated sciatic nerves to different concentrations of oleo gum resin of asafoetida solved in Lock׳s solution. Then, in vivo studies were conducted to evaluate its effect on amelioration of peripheral neuropathy in mice. Peripheral neuropathy was induced by intraperiotoneal injection of high doses of pyridoxine in adult Balb/c male mice. Tail flick tests were performed to identify the incidence of neuropathy in animals. After 10 days treatment with asafoetida, the efficiency of treatment was assessed by behavioral, electrophysiological and histological studies. in vitro experiments confirmed that incubating the nerves in aqueous extract of oleo gum rein of asafoetida increased the amplitude and decreased the latent period of nerve compound action potential (CAP). Nerve conduction velocity (NCV) and amplitude of CAP also improved in asafoetida treated animals. Histological and behavioral studies showed that asafoetida was able to facilitate the healing process in peripheral nerves. in vitro experiments showed that asafoetida is a nerve stimulant and its administration in neuropathic mice exerted neuroprotecting effects through stimulating axonal regeneration and remyelination and decrement of lymphocyte infiltration. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Widespread plant specialization in the polyphagous planthopper Hyalesthes obsoletus (Cixiidae), a major vector of stolbur phytoplasma: Evidence of cryptic speciation

PubMed Central

Kosovac, Andrea; Johannesen, Jes; Krstić, Oliver; Cvrković, Tatjana; Toševski, Ivo

2018-01-01

The stolbur phytoplasma vector Hyalesthes obsoletus is generally considered as a polyphagous species associated with numerous wild and cultivated plants. However, recent research in southeastern Europe, the distribution centre of H. obsoletus and the area of most stolbur-inflicted crop diseases, points toward specific host-plant associations of the vector, indicating specific vector-based transmission routes. Here, we study the specificity of populations associated with four host-plants using mitochondrial and nuclear genetic markers, and we evaluate the evolution of host-shifts in H. obsoletus. Host-plant use was confirmed for Convolvulus arvensis, Urtica dioica, Vitex agnus-castus and Crepis foetida. Mitochondrial genetic analysis showed sympatric occurrence of three phylogenetic lineages that were ecologically delineated by host-plant preference, but were morphologically inseparable. Nuclear data supported the existence of three genetic groups (Evanno’s ΔK(3) = 803.72) with average genetic membership probabilities > 90%. While populations associated with C. arvensis and U. dioica form a homogenous group, populations affiliated with V. agnus-castus and C. foetida constitute two independent plant-associated lineages. The geographical signal permeating the surveyed populations indicated complex diversification processes associated with host-plant selection and likely derived from post-glacial refugia in the eastern Mediterranean. This study provides evidence for cryptic species diversification within H. obsoletus sensu lato: i) consistent mitochondrial differentiation (1.1–1.5%) among host-associated populations in syntopy and in geographically distant areas, ii) nuclear genetic variance supporting mitochondrial data, and iii) average mitochondrial genetic distances among host-associated meta-populations are comparable to the most closely related, morphologically distinguishable species, i.e., Hyalesthes thracicus (2.1–3.3%). PMID:29738577

Widespread plant specialization in the polyphagous planthopper Hyalesthes obsoletus (Cixiidae), a major vector of stolbur phytoplasma: Evidence of cryptic speciation.

PubMed

Kosovac, Andrea; Johannesen, Jes; Krstić, Oliver; Mitrović, Milana; Cvrković, Tatjana; Toševski, Ivo; Jović, Jelena

2018-01-01

The stolbur phytoplasma vector Hyalesthes obsoletus is generally considered as a polyphagous species associated with numerous wild and cultivated plants. However, recent research in southeastern Europe, the distribution centre of H. obsoletus and the area of most stolbur-inflicted crop diseases, points toward specific host-plant associations of the vector, indicating specific vector-based transmission routes. Here, we study the specificity of populations associated with four host-plants using mitochondrial and nuclear genetic markers, and we evaluate the evolution of host-shifts in H. obsoletus. Host-plant use was confirmed for Convolvulus arvensis, Urtica dioica, Vitex agnus-castus and Crepis foetida. Mitochondrial genetic analysis showed sympatric occurrence of three phylogenetic lineages that were ecologically delineated by host-plant preference, but were morphologically inseparable. Nuclear data supported the existence of three genetic groups (Evanno's ΔK(3) = 803.72) with average genetic membership probabilities > 90%. While populations associated with C. arvensis and U. dioica form a homogenous group, populations affiliated with V. agnus-castus and C. foetida constitute two independent plant-associated lineages. The geographical signal permeating the surveyed populations indicated complex diversification processes associated with host-plant selection and likely derived from post-glacial refugia in the eastern Mediterranean. This study provides evidence for cryptic species diversification within H. obsoletus sensu lato: i) consistent mitochondrial differentiation (1.1-1.5%) among host-associated populations in syntopy and in geographically distant areas, ii) nuclear genetic variance supporting mitochondrial data, and iii) average mitochondrial genetic distances among host-associated meta-populations are comparable to the most closely related, morphologically distinguishable species, i.e., Hyalesthes thracicus (2.1-3.3%).

Mechanical and toxicological evaluation of concrete artifacts containing waste foundry sand.

PubMed

Mastella, Miguel Angelo; Gislon, Edivelton Soratto; Pelisser, Fernando; Ricken, Cláudio; da Silva, Luciano; Angioletto, Elídio; Montedo, Oscar Rubem Klegues

2014-08-01

The creation of metal parts via casting uses molds that are generally made from sand and phenolic resin. The waste generated after the casting process is called waste foundry sand (WFS). Depending on the mold composition and the casting process, WFS can contain substances that prevent its direct emission to the environment. In Brazil, this waste is classified according to the Standard ABNT NBR 10004:2004 as a waste Class II (Non-Inert). The recycling of this waste is limited because its characteristics change significantly after use. Although the use (or reuse) of this byproduct in civil construction is a technically feasible alternative, its effects must be evaluated, especially from mechanical and environmental points of view. Thus, the objective of this study is to investigate the effect of the use of WFS in the manufacture of cement artifacts, such as masonry blocks for walls, structural masonry blocks, and paving blocks. Blocks containing different concentrations of WFS (up to 75% by weight) were produced and evaluated using compressive strength tests (35 MPa at 28 days) and toxicity tests on Daphnia magna, Allium cepa (onion root), and Eisenia foetida (earthworm). The results showed that there was not a considerable reduction in the compressive strength, with values of 35 ± 2 MPa at 28 days. The toxicity study with the material obtained from leaching did not significantly interfere with the development of D. magna and E. foetida, but the growth of the A. cepa species was reduced. The study showed that the use of this waste in the production of concrete blocks is feasible from both mechanical and environmental points of view. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Antitumor effect of Ferula assa foetida oleo gum resin against breast cancer induced by 4T1 cells in BALB/c mice.

PubMed

Bagheri, Seyyed Majid; Abdian-Asl, Amir; Moghadam, Mahin Taheri; Yadegari, Maryam; Mirjalili, Aghdas; Zare-Mohazabieh, Fatemeh; Momeni, Haniyeh

Ferula assa foetida commonly consumed as a healthy beverage has been demonstrated to have various biological activities, including antioxidation, anti-obesity and anti-cancer. Our study aims to investigate the antitumor effect of asafoetida in vivo using mouse mammary carcinoma 4T1 cells. In the study, female BALB/c mice were divided into two groups (n = 6), which were control (untreated) and other group of mice with breast cancer treated with 100 mg/kg of asafoetida, respectively, by oral gavage. All mice were injected into the mammary fat pad with 4T1 cells (1 × 10 5 4T1 cells/0.1 ml of phosphate buffer solution). Asafoetida was administered on day 15 after the tumor had developed for 3 weeks. At end of experiment, tumor weight, tumor volume and tumor burden were measured and lung, liver, kidney and tumor were harvested and sections were prepared for histopathological analysis. Lipoxygenase inhibitory and antioxidant activity of asafoetida was also determined. Our results showed that treatment with asafoetida was effective in decreasing the tumor weight and tumor volume in treated mice. Body weight significantly increased in female BALB/c mice against control. Apart from the antitumor effect, asafoetida decreased lung, liver and kidney metastasis and also increased areas of necrosis in the tumor tissue respectively. The present study demonstrated that asafoetida has potent antitumor and antimetastasis effects on breast cancer and is a potential source of natural antitumor products. Copyright © 2017 Transdisciplinary University, Bangalore and World Ayurveda Foundation. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Modulation of flyash-induced genotoxicity in Vicia faba by vermicomposting.

PubMed

Jain, Kavindra; Singh, Jitendra; Chauhan, L K S; Murthy, R C; Gupta, S K

2004-09-01

Cytogenetic effects of pre- and postvermicomposted flyash samples were evaluated on the root meristem cells of Vicia faba. Seedlings of V. faba were directly sown in flyash and cow dung-soil mixtures (20%, 40%, 60%, and 80%) and the lateral roots grown in these test mixtures were sampled at 5 days. Negative control was run parallel in cow dung-soil (CS) mixture alone. One set of flyash-cow dung-soil (FCS) mixture was subjected to vermicomposting by introducing Eisenia foetida species of earthworms for 30 days and the cytogenetic effects were reinvestigated through V. faba root meristems. Chemical analysis carried out prior to vermicomposting revealed high concentrations of heavy metals such as Cr, Cu, Pb, Zn, and Ni in FCS samples. CS samples also showed the presence of these metals. Cytogenetic examinations of root meristems exposed to the FCS mixtures showed significant inhibition of mitotic index (MI), induction of chromosome aberrations (CA), and a significantly increased frequency of mitotic aberrations (MA). The increase of the aberrations was dependent on the flyash concentrations. Roots grown in CS samples also showed chromosomal and MAs; however, the percentage was lower than that observed with FCS and also statistically nonsignificant. Cytogenetic analysis of vermicomposted samples of FCS revealed a 15-45% decline in the aberration frequencies whereas chemical analysis showed a 10-50% decline in the metal concentrations, viz. Cr, Cu, Pb, Zn, and Ni, which indicates E. foetida a potential accumulator of heavy metals and the decline in metal concentrations may be the cause of the decrease in aberration frequencies. The present study indicates the genotoxicity potential of flyash and also the feasibility of vermicomposting for cleanup of metal-contaminated soil to mitigate the toxicity/genotoxicity. Copyright 2004 Elsevier Inc.

Holocene vegetation and climatic variations in Central India: A study based on multiproxy evidences

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chauhan, M. S.; Sharma, Anupam; Phartiyal, Binita; Kumar, Kamlesh

2013-11-01

Palynology, texture, mineralogy, geochemistry, and magnetic susceptibility analysis of a 2 m deep sediment core from Padauna Swamp, southeastern Madhya Pradesh infers that between 8600 and 7500 cal yr BP a warm and relatively less-humid climate prevailed with open tree-savannahs dominated by grasses followed by sedges, Artemisia and members of Chenopodiaceae/Amaranthaceae with scanty trees viz., Schrebera, Aegle marmelos and Sterculia urens. This is well supported by lower organic to carbonate carbon ratio, coarser texture having relatively low CIA and magnetic susceptibility values and presence of some primary minerals. Between 7500 and 6250 cal yr BP the tree-savannahs were succeeded by open mixed deciduous forests with the invasion of a few more trees viz., Madhuca indica, Holoptelea, Emblica officinalis, Mitragyna parvifolia and members of Anacardiaceae in response to onset of a warm and humid climate. A considerable rise in organic carbon generated from the degradation of plentiful biomass along with increase in clay content with signs of kaolinite and increase in immobile over mobile elements with slightly higher CIA and magnetic susceptibility values also suggest climatic amelioration. The presence of ruderal plants such as Artemisia, Cannabis sativa and Cheno/Am further infers initiation of human activities in the region. Between 6250 and 2800 cal yr BP, the mixed deciduous forests became more diverse and dense, subduing grasses and other herbaceous elements. Sporadic incursion of Shorea robusta (Sal) in forest floristic was recorded around 5000 cal yr BP. The overall change in the vegetation mosaic reflects that a warm and more-humid climate prevailed in the region, probably on account of invigoration of southwest monsoon. This observation is further corroborated by other proxy data showing a spurt in organic/inorganic carbon ratio, increase in clay content with matured mineralogy, significantly higher CIA and magnetic susceptibility values. Since 2800 cal yr BP onwards, the modern Sal dominated deciduous forests were established indicating continuation of warm and more-humid climate including timely arrival of SW monsoon coinciding with the shedding of Sal seeds as they are viable for a very short period.

In vitro and in vivo evaluation of novel interpenetrated polymer network microparticles containing repaglinide.

PubMed

Kulkarni, Raghavendra V; Patel, Foram S; Nanjappaiah, H M; Naikawadi, Akram A

2014-08-01

Interpenetrated polymer network (IPN) microparticles of sterculia gum and sodium alginate loaded with repaglinide were developed by ionic gelation and emulsion crosslinking method. The drug entrapment efficiency was as high as 91%. FTIR and TG analyses confirmed the crosslinking and IPN formation. Microparticles have demonstrated the drug release up to 24h depending upon type of crosslinking agents; the glutaraldehyde treatment of ionically crosslinked microparticles has resulted in decreased drug release rate. The in-vivo anti-diabetic activity performed on streptozotocin induced diabetic rats indicated that the pristine repaglinide has shown maximum percentage reduction of elevated blood glucose within 3h and then the percentage reduction in blood glucose was decreased. In the case of rats treated with KA8 IPN microparticles, percentage reduction of elevated glucose was slow as compared to pristine drug within 3h, but it was gradually increased to 81.27% up to 24h. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Natural gum-assisted phthalocyanine immobilization in electroactive nanocomposites: physicochemical characterization and sensing applications.

PubMed

Zampa, Maysa F; de Brito, Ana Cristina F; Kitagawa, Igor L; Constantino, Carlos J L; Oliveira, Osvaldo N; da Cunha, Helder N; Zucolotto, Valtencir; dos Santos, José Ribeiro; Eiras, Carla

2007-11-01

Natural gums have been traditionally applied in cosmetics and the food industry, mainly as emulsification agents. Due to their biodegradability and excellent mechanical properties, new technological applications have been proposed involving their use with conventional polymers forming blends and composites. In this study, we take advantage of the polyelectrolyte character exhibited by the natural gum ChichA (Sterculia striata), extracted in the Northeastern region of Brazil, to produce electroactive nanocomposites. The nanocomposites were fabricated in the form of ultrathin films by combining a metallic phthalocyanine (nickel tetrasulfonated phthalocyanine, NiTsPc) and the ChichA gum in a tetralayer architecture, in conjunction with conventional polyelectrolytes. The presence of the gum led to an efficient adsorption of the phthalocyanine and enhanced the electrochemical response of the films. Upon combining the electrochemical and UV-vis absorption data, energy diagrams of the ChichA/NiTsPc-based system were obtained. Furthermore, modified electrodes based on gum/phthalocyanine films were able to detect dopamine at concentrations as low as 10-5 M.

Effects of polystyrene microplastics on the fitness of earthworms in an agricultural soil

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cao, Dongdong; Wang, Xiao; Luo, Xianxiang; Liu, Guocheng; Zheng, Hao

2017-04-01

Microplastics (MPs) pollution is widespread in the environment, while the effects of MPs on the soil organisms are poorly understood. In this study, we investigated the fitness of earthworms (E. Foetida) exposed to MPs (Polystyrene, 58 μm) in soils at the concentrations of 0, 0.25, 0.5, 1 and 2% (w/w). The results showed that MPs had little effects on the fitness of earthworms under low exposure concentrations (≤ 0.5 % (w/w)), while MPs exposure with high concentrations (i.e., 1% and 2%) significantly inhibited the growth and increased the mortality of earthworms. The results indicated that the MPs pollution in soils have an adverse effect on the fitness of soil organisms, and implied the ecological risk of MPs in terrestrial ecosystems.

[Organic waste treatment by earthworm vermicomposting and larvae bioconversion: review and perspective].

PubMed

Zhang, Zhi-jian; Liu, Meng; Zhu, Jun

2013-05-01

There is a growing attention on the environmental pollution and loss of potential regeneration of resources due to the poor handling of organic wastes, while earthworm vermicomposting and larvae bioconversion are well-known as two promising biotechnologies for sustainable wastes treatments, where earthworms or housefly larvae are employed to convert the organic wastes into humus like material, together with value-added worm product. Taken earthworm ( Eisenia foetida) and housefly larvae ( Musca domestica) as model species, this work illustrates fundamental definition and principle, operational process, technical mechanism, main factors, and bio-chemical features of organisms of these two technologies. Integrated with the physical and biochemical mechanisms, processes of biomass conversion, intestinal digestion, enzyme degradation and microflora decomposition are comprehensively reviewed on waste treatments with purposes of waste reduction, value-addition, and stabilization.

Paederia foetida Linn. inhibits adjuvant induced arthritis by suppression of PGE(2) and COX-2 expression via nuclear factor-κB.

PubMed

Kumar, Vikas; Al-Abbasi, F A; Ahmed, Danish; Verma, Amita; Mujeeb, Mohd; Anwar, Firoz

2015-05-01

The current investigation was undertaken to determine the anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects of Paederia foetida Linn. (PF) along with its mechanism of action when implemented in tissue protection. HPTLC was used in the identification of the compound quercetin, while in vitro analysis confirmed the significance of the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory action of PF. We initially demonstrated the in vivo anti-inflammatory effect of PF, evaluating it against a variety of phlogistic agents as well as turpentine oil, prostaglandin and arachidonic acid. Groups of rats, fasted overnight, were treated as follows: Group I: normal control (vehicle), Group II: PF (100 mg kg(-1)), Group III: arthritic control (CFA only, 0.05 ml), Group IV, V, VI: CFA (0.05 ml) + PF (25, 50 and 100 mg kg(-1)) and Group VII: CFA (0.05 ml) + indomethacin (10 mg per kg b.w.). PF significantly protected against paw edema, arthritic index and body weight alteration induced by Complete Fruend's Adjuvant (CFA). Other observations, like histological and macroscopic changes, were observed in CFA induced inflammation in knee joints. Subcutaneous administration of CFA was accompanied by proinflammatory cytokine status, as appraised by the amplification of interleukin-2 (IL-2), interleukin-1β (IL-1β) and tumor necrosis factor (TNF-α); oxidative stress status was estimated by the enhancement of the level of lipid peroxidation (LPO) and the depletion of superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GPx) and glutathione (GSH). Pre-treatment with PF significantly (P < 0.001) protected against CFA induced oxidative stress and proinflammatory cytokines. More prominently, CFA administration augmented tissue and plasma superoxide (O2) and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) levels, while the PF pre-treatment significantly (P < 0.001) reversed all CFA induced intracellular interruption. Following CFA induced arthritis, PF was tested for its free radical scavenging activity against the DPPH and ABTS radicals and its inhibitory proficiency against COX-1 and COX-2 in vitro. Considering the above, the current research confirmed momentous protection against CFA induced arthritis, which could be attributed to its anti-inflammatory and pro-oxidant nature.

Rat urinary metabolites of [9,10-methylene-14C] sterculic acid.

PubMed

Eisele, T A; Yoss, J K; Nixon, J E; PAwlowski, N E; Libbey, L M; Sinnhuber, R O

1977-07-20

1. The metabolism of [9,10-methylene-14C] sterculic acid was studied in corn oil and Stercula foetida oil fed rats. The majority of the radioactivity was excreted into the urine as short chain dicarboxylic acids. The main urinary metabolites were cis-3,4-methylene adipic acid, cis-3,4-methylene suberic acid, trans-3,4-methylene adipic acid, cis-3,4-methylene pimelic acid, and cis-3,4-methylene azelic acid. 2. Formation of these urinary metabolites requires alpha-, beta-, and omega-oxidation plus reduction of the cyclopropene ring to a cyclopropane ring. Sterculic acid must be transported through both mitochondrial and microsomal systems. 3. Other non-radioactive urinary compounds were also identified. A proposed pathway for the metabolism of sterculic acid and possible detrimental effects caused by these metabolites is discussed.

Successful treatment of ozena with ciprofloxacin.

PubMed

Nielsen, B C; Olinder-Nielsen, A M; Malmborg, A S

1995-06-01

Rhinitis chronica foetida, or ozena, is a rare chronic inflammatory disease. The aetiology and pathogenesis are still not satisfactory explained. For many years various medical and surgical methods for the treatment of this slowly progressive and disabling disease have been tried without permanent success so far. The new fluoroquinolones with excellent effect on gram-negative bacteria and high suitability for oral use offer a potentially attractive treatment for ozena. We review our experience in the treatment of 10 patients with ciprofloxacin in a daily dose of 500-750 mg b.i.d. for 1-3 months. The patients have been followed regularly for up to 26-74 months after treatment and in all of them we registered permanent disappearance of odour, crusting, and growth of Klebsiella ozenae. We conclude that ciprofloxacin provides a step towards better conservative therapy for patients with ozena.

Population survey of phytoseiid mites and spider mites on peach leaves and wild plants in Japanese peach orchard.

PubMed

Wari, David; Yamashita, Jun; Kataoka, Yoko; Kohara, Yoko; Hinomoto, Norihide; Kishimoto, Hidenari; Toyoshima, Shingo; Sonoda, Shoji

2014-07-01

A population survey of phytoseiid mites and spider mites was conducted on peach leaves and wild plants in Japanese peach orchards having different pesticide practices. The phytoseiid mite species composition on peach leaves and wild plants, as estimated using quantitative sequencing, changed during the survey period. Moreover, it varied among study sites. The phytoseiid mite species compositions were similar between peach leaves and some wild plants, such as Veronica persica, Paederia foetida, Persicaria longiseta, and Oxalis corniculata with larger quantities of phytoseiid mites, especially after mid-summer. A PCR-based method to detect the ribosomal ITS sequences of Tetranychus kanzawai and Panonychus mori from phytoseiid mites was developed. Results showed that Euseius sojaensis (specialized pollen feeder/generalist predator) uses both spider mites as prey in the field.

Development of a water hyacinth based vermireactor using an epigeic earthworm Eisenia foetida.

PubMed

Gupta, Renuka; Mutiyar, Praveen Kumar; Rawat, Naresh Kumar; Saini, Mahender Singh; Garg, V K

2007-09-01

The aim of this work was to investigate the potential of water hyacinth (WH) spiked with cow dung (CD) into vermicompost. Five vermireactors containing WH and CD in different ratios, were run under laboratory conditions for 147 days. The maximum worm growth was recorded in CD alone. Worms grew and reproduced favourably in 25% WH+75% CD feed mixture. Greater proportion of WH in feed mixture significantly affected the biomass gain, hatchling numbers and numbers of cocoons produced during experiments. In all the vermireactors, there was significant decrease in pH, TOC and C:N ratio, but increase in TKN, TK and TAP at the end. The heavy metals content in the vermicomposts was lower than initial feed mixtures. The results indicated that WH could be potentially useful as raw substrate in vermicomposting if mixed with up to 25% in cow dung (on dry weight basis).

[Host plants of Aphis gossypii (Aphididae), vector of virus of Cucumis melo melon (Cucurbitaceae) in Costa Rica].

PubMed

Sánchez, M V; Agüero, R; Rivera, C

2001-03-01

Plant species associated with commercial melon crops and surrounding areas were examined to identity the natural host plants of Aphis gossypii Glover. The study was conducted in two farms located in different melon production areas and plant life zones of Costa Rica. Plant species diversity, percent coverage and distribution over time were recorded during one year. Differences between locations were observed. A total of 86 plant species (49 families) and 72 plant species (40 families) were identified associated to the crop in farms A and B, respectively. In both farms a total of 24 species plants (16 families) were colonized by A. gossypii and 16 (10 families) are new reports of host plant species for this aphid. The new reports are: Justicia comata, Tetramerium nervosum, Alternanthera pubiflora, Cassia massoni, C. reticulata, Cleome viscosa, C. spinosa, Croton argenteus, Caperonia palustris, Chamaesyce gyssopilopia, Phyllantus amarus, Sida decumbens, Ludwigia erecta, Passiflora foetida, Guazuma ulmifolia and Corchorus orinocensis.

Evaluation of the botanical origin of black cohosh products by genetic and chemical analyses.

PubMed

Masada-Atsumi, Sayaka; Kumeta, Yukie; Takahashi, Yutaka; Hakamatsuka, Takashi; Goda, Yukihiro

2014-01-01

Despite the increasing sales of black cohosh (the dried rhizome and root of Cimicifuga racemosa L.) in the world herbal market, these products have continuous adulteration issues. The botanical authenticity of the black cohosh products is the first important step for ensuring their quality, safety and efficacy. In this study, we genetically identified the botanical sources of 10 black cohosh products and 5 Cimicifuga Rhizome crude drugs of Japanese Pharmacopoeia grade, and analyzed the metabolic profiling of 25 black cohosh products using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). Consequently, we found that C. dahurica and possibly C. foetida are misused as sources of the black cohosh products and in some cases, the extracts of black cohosh were adulterated with the plant materials of C. dahurica. We demonstrated that these three species can be distinguished by three marker compounds in a specific mass range. These results must be helpful in establishing regulations for the safe use of the black cohosh products.

Biosynthesis of cobalt oxide nanoparticles using endophytic fungus Aspergillus nidulans.

PubMed

Vijayanandan, Ajuy Sundar; Balakrishnan, Raj Mohan

2018-07-15

Metallic oxide nanoparticles have profound applications in electrochemical devices, supercapacitors, biosensors and batteries. Though four fungi were isolated from Nothapodytes foetida, Aspergillus nidulans was found to be suitable for synthesis of cobalt oxide nanoparticles, as it has proficient tolerance towards metal under study. The broth containing precursor solution and organism Aspergillus nidulans had changed from pink to orange indicating the formation of nanoparticles. Characterization by x-ray diffraction analysis (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and energy dispersive x-ray analysis (EDX) confirmed the formation of spinel cobalt oxide nanoparticles at an average size of 20.29 nm in spherical shape with sulfur-bearing proteins acting as a capping agent for the synthesized nanoparticles. The nanoparticles could be applied in energy storage, as a specific capacitance of 389 F/g showed competence. The study was a greener attempt to synthesize cobalt oxide nanoparticles using endophytic fungus. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Communities of microorganisms and invertebrates in soil-like bodies of soccer fields in Moscow oblast

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kutovaya, O. V.; Zamotaev, I. V.; Belobrov, V. P.

2014-11-01

Artificially created soil-like technogenic formations (STFs) of soccer fields are developed under combined action of intense technogenic and natural factors and processes, which cannot but affect the structure and biological activity of their microbial communities and mesofauna. The microflora of the STFs is very similar to the microflora of the background soddy-podzolic soils of Moscow oblast with respect to the composition of the physiological groups of microorganisms. However, they are drastically different in their quantitative characteristics. The numbers of all the trophic groups of microorganisms, except for the microscopic fungi, in the STFs are much higher than those in the zonal soils. An increased biological activity of the STFs is due to regular watering, heating, application of sand and mineral fertilizers, and technogenic turbation processes. The mesofauna of the STFs is represented by several ecological groups of earthworms, including soildwelling (endogeic) earthworms ( Aporrectodea caliginosa), epigeic earthworms dwelling at the soil-litter interface ( Lumbricus rubellus), and litter-dwelling earthworms ( Eisenia foetida).

Relevance of octanol-water distribution measurements to the potential ecological uptake of multi-walled carbon nanotubes.

PubMed

Petersen, Elijah J; Huang, Qingguo; Weber, Walter J

2010-05-01

Many potential applications of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) require various physicochemical modifications prior to use, suggesting that nanotubes having varied properties may pose risks in ecosystems. A means for estimating bioaccumulation potentials of variously modified CNTs for incorporation in predictive fate models would be highly valuable. An approach commonly used for sparingly soluble organic contaminants, and previously suggested for use as well with carbonaceous nanomaterials, involves measurement of their octanol-water partitioning coefficient (KOW) values. To test the applicability of this approach, a methodology was developed to measure apparent octanol-water distribution behaviors for purified multi-walled carbon nanotubes and those acid treated. Substantial differences in apparent distribution coefficients between the two types of CNTs were observed, but these differences did not influence accumulation by either earthworms (Eisenia foetida) or oligochaetes (Lumbriculus variegatus), both of which showed minimal nanotube uptake for both types of nanotubes. The results suggest that traditional distribution behavior-based KOW approaches are likely not appropriate for predicting CNT bioaccumulation. Copyright (c) 2010 SETAC.

Remediation of PAH-contaminated soil by the combination of tall fescue, arbuscular mycorrhizal fungus and epigeic earthworms.

PubMed

Lu, Yan-Fei; Lu, Mang

2015-03-21

A 120-day experiment was performed to investigate the effect of a multi-component bioremediation system consisting of tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea), arbuscular mycorrhizal fungus (AMF) (Glomus caledoniun L.), and epigeic earthworms (Eisenia foetida) for cleaning up polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs)-contaminated soil. Inoculation with AMF and/or earthworms increased plant yield and PAH accumulation in plants. However, PAH uptake by tall fescue accounted for a negligible portion of soil PAH removal. Mycorrhizal tall fescue significantly enhanced PAH dissipation, PAH degrader density and polyphenol oxidase activity in soil. The highest PAH dissipation (93.4%) was observed in the combination treatment: i.e., AMF+earthworms+tall fescue, in which the soil PAH concentration decreased from an initial value of 620 to 41 mg kg(-1) in 120 days. This concentration is below the threshold level required for Chinese soil PAH quality (45 mg kg(-1) dry weight) for residential use. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Genetic mapping of common bunt resistance and plant height QTL in wheat.

PubMed

Singh, Arti; Knox, Ron E; DePauw, R M; Singh, A K; Cuthbert, R D; Kumar, S; Campbell, H L

2016-02-01

Breeding for field resistance to common bunt in wheat will need to account for multiple genes and epistatic and QTL by environment interactions. Loci associated with quantitative resistance to common bunt are co-localized with other beneficial traits including plant height and rust resistance. Common bunt, also known as stinking smut, is caused by seed borne fungi Tilletia tritici (Bjerk.) Wint. [syn. Tilletia caries (DC.) Tul.] and Tilletia laevis Kühn [syn. Tilletia foetida (Wallr.) Liro.]. Common bunt is known to cause grain yield and quality losses in wheat due to bunt ball formation and infestation of the grain. The objectives of this research were to identify and map quantitative trait loci (QTL) for common bunt resistance, to study the epistatic interactions between the identified QTL, and investigate the co-localization of bunt resistance with plant height. A population of 261 doubled haploid lines from the cross Carberry/AC Cadillac and checks were genotyped with polymorphic genome wide microsatellite and DArT(®) markers. The lines were grown in 2011, 2012, and 2013 in separate nurseries for common bunt incidence and height evaluation. AC Cadillac contributed a QTL (QCbt.spa-6D) for common bunt resistance on chromosome 6D at markers XwPt-1695, XwPt-672044, and XwPt-5114. Carberry contributed QTL for bunt resistance on chromosomes 1B (QCbt.spa-1B at XwPt743523) 4B (QCbt.spa-4B at XwPt-744434-Xwmc617), 4D (QCbt.spa-4D at XwPt-9747), 5B (QCbt.spa-5B at XtPt-3719) and 7D (QCbt.spa-7D at Xwmc273). Significant epistatic interactions were identified for percent bunt incidence between QCbt.spa-1B × QCbt.spa-4B and QCbt.spa-1B × QCbt.spa-6D, and QTL by environment interaction between QCbt.spa-1B × QCbt.spa-6D. Plant height QTL were found on chromosomes 4B (QPh.spa-4B) and 6D (QPh.spa-6D) that co-located with bunt resistance QTL. The identification of previously unreported common bunt resistance QTL (on chromosomes 4B, 4D and 7D), and new understanding of QTL × QTL interactions will facilitate marker-assisted breeding for common bunt resistance.

Dynamics of biological and chemical parameters during vermicomposting of solid textile mill sludge mixed with cow dung and agricultural residues.

PubMed

Kaushik, Priya; Garg, V K

2004-09-01

In India, thousands of tons of textile mill sludge are produced every year. We studied the ability of epigeic earthworm Eisenia foetida to transform textile mill sludge mixed with cow dung and/or agricultural residues into value added product, i.e., vermicompost. The growth, maturation, mortality, cocoon production, hatching success and the number of hatchlings were monitored in a range of different feed mixtures for 11 weeks in the laboratory under controlled environmental conditions. The maximum growth and reproduction was obtained in 100% cow dung, but worms grew and reproduced favorably in 80% cow dung + 20% solid textile mill sludge and 70% cow dung + 30% solid textile mill sludge also. Addition of agricultural residues had adverse effects on growth and reproduction of worms. Vermicomposting resulted in significant reduction in C:N ratio and increase in TKN, TP, TK and TCa after 77 days of worm activity in all the feeds. Vermicomposting can be an alternate technology for the management of textile mill sludge if mixed with cow dung in appropriate quantities. Copyright 2003 Elsevier Ltd.

Inferring the Provenance of an Alien Species with DNA Barcodes: The Neotropical Butterfly Dryas iulia in Thailand

PubMed Central

Burg, Noah A.; Pradhan, Ashman; Gonzalez, Rebecca M.; Morban, Emely Z.; Zhen, Erica W.; Sakchoowong, Watana; Lohman, David J.

2014-01-01

The Neotropical butterfly Dryas iulia has been collected from several locations in Thailand and Malaysia since 2007, and has been observed breeding in the wild, using introduced Passiflora foetida as a larval host plant. The butterfly is bred by a butterfly house in Phuket, Thailand, for release at weddings and Buddhist ceremonies, and we hypothesized that this butterfly house was the source of wild, Thai individuals. We compared wing patterns and COI barcodes from two, wild Thai populations with individuals obtained from this butterfly house. All Thai individuals resemble the subspecies D. iulia modesta, and barcodes from wild and captive Thai specimens were identical. This unique, Thai barcode was not found in any of the 30 specimens sampled from the wild in the species' native range, but is most similar to specimens from Costa Rica, where many exporting butterfly farms are located. These data implicate the butterfly house as the source of Thailand's wild D. iulia populations, which are currently so widespread that eradication efforts are unlikely to be successful. PMID:25119899

Amorfrutins are potent antidiabetic dietary natural products

PubMed Central

Weidner, Christopher; de Groot, Jens C.; Prasad, Aman; Freiwald, Anja; Quedenau, Claudia; Kliem, Magdalena; Witzke, Annabell; Kodelja, Vitam; Han, Chung-Ting; Giegold, Sascha; Baumann, Matthias; Klebl, Bert; Siems, Karsten; Müller-Kuhrt, Lutz; Schürmann, Annette; Schüler, Rita; Pfeiffer, Andreas F. H.; Schroeder, Frank C.; Büssow, Konrad; Sauer, Sascha

2012-01-01

Given worldwide increases in the incidence of obesity and type 2 diabetes, new strategies for preventing and treating metabolic diseases are needed. The nuclear receptor PPARγ (peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma) plays a central role in lipid and glucose metabolism; however, current PPARγ-targeting drugs are characterized by undesirable side effects. Natural products from edible biomaterial provide a structurally diverse resource to alleviate complex disorders via tailored nutritional intervention. We identified a family of natural products, the amorfrutins, from edible parts of two legumes, Glycyrrhiza foetida and Amorpha fruticosa, as structurally new and powerful antidiabetics with unprecedented effects for a dietary molecule. Amorfrutins bind to and activate PPARγ, which results in selective gene expression and physiological profiles markedly different from activation by current synthetic PPARγ drugs. In diet-induced obese and db/db mice, amorfrutin treatment strongly improves insulin resistance and other metabolic and inflammatory parameters without concomitant increase of fat storage or other unwanted side effects such as hepatoxicity. These results show that selective PPARγ-activation by diet-derived ligands may constitute a promising approach to combat metabolic disease. PMID:22509006

Inferring the provenance of an alien species with DNA barcodes: the neotropical butterfly Dryas iulia in Thailand.

PubMed

Burg, Noah A; Pradhan, Ashman; Gonzalez, Rebecca M; Morban, Emely Z; Zhen, Erica W; Sakchoowong, Watana; Lohman, David J

2014-01-01

The Neotropical butterfly Dryas iulia has been collected from several locations in Thailand and Malaysia since 2007, and has been observed breeding in the wild, using introduced Passiflora foetida as a larval host plant. The butterfly is bred by a butterfly house in Phuket, Thailand, for release at weddings and Buddhist ceremonies, and we hypothesized that this butterfly house was the source of wild, Thai individuals. We compared wing patterns and COI barcodes from two, wild Thai populations with individuals obtained from this butterfly house. All Thai individuals resemble the subspecies D. iulia modesta, and barcodes from wild and captive Thai specimens were identical. This unique, Thai barcode was not found in any of the 30 specimens sampled from the wild in the species' native range, but is most similar to specimens from Costa Rica, where many exporting butterfly farms are located. These data implicate the butterfly house as the source of Thailand's wild D. iulia populations, which are currently so widespread that eradication efforts are unlikely to be successful.

Matrix Effect on the Spray Drying Nanoencapsulation of Lippia sidoides Essential Oil in Chitosan-Native Gum Blends.

PubMed

Paula, Haroldo C B; Oliveira, Erick F; Carneiro, Maria J M; de Paula, Regina C M

2017-03-01

Essential oils have many applications in the pharmaceutical, chemical, and food fields, however, their use is limited to the fact that they are very labile, requiring their a priori encapsulation, aiming to preserve their properties.This work reports on the preparation of chitosan-gum nanoparticles loaded with thymol containing Lippia sidoides essential oil, using exudates of Anacardium Occidentale (cashew gum), Sterculia striata (chichá gum), and Anadenanthera macrocarpa trees (angico gum). Nanoparticles were produced by spray drying an emulsion of L. sidoides essential oil and aqueous solution of gums with different chitosan : gum ratios. Samples were characterized by FTIR and UV/VIS spectroscopy, particle size, volume distribution, and zeta potential. The FTIR spectrum showed the main signals of chitosan and the gums. Data obtained revealed that the samples had sizes in the nano range, varying from 17 nm to 800 nm. The zeta potential varied from + 30 mV to - 40 mV. Nanoparticle loading values varied from 6.7 % to 15.6 %, with an average encapsulating efficiency of 62 %, where the samples with high ratios of cashew gum and chichá gum presented high oil loading values. The data revealed that both the chitosan : gum ratio and polysaccharide characteristics play major roles in nanoencapsulation processes. Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.

Ethnomedicinal uses of plants in the treatment of paediatric geohelminth infections in Kalat district of Northern Balochistan, Pakistan.

PubMed

Bibi, Tahira; Ahmad, Mushtaq; Edwards, Sarah E; Tareen, Niaz Mohammad; Jabeen, Rukhsana; Abdullah, Irum

2016-05-13

Infection by intestinal parasitic worms (soil-transmitted helminths or geohelminths) is prevalent in many parts of the world, and poses a particular health risk to children. This paper presents findings from a preliminary study with the primary aim to document indigenous knowledge about the use of herbal medicines in the treatment of intestinal worm infections in children among the local communities of Kalat district of northern Balochistan, Pakistan. Ethnomedicinal data were collected through a triangulation approach, that included participant-observation and rapid appraisal methods. Prior-informed consent (PIC) was obtained from participants before conducting structured and semi-structured interviews and delivering an open ended questionnaire. A total of 94 participants, including 28 men (of whom 7 were traditional healers), and 66 women of four different age groups were interviewed. Results were analyzed using quantitative indices of Use Value citations (UVC) and Disease-Consensus Index (DCI). Fewer men than women agreed to be interviewed, thus overall women in the area appeared to have more ethnomedicinal knowledge. The majority of study participants belonged to the older age group (>55 years). A total of 49 plant species, belonging to 47 genera, distributed in 30 families were reported. The families Asteraceae and Lamiaceae were most frequently represented, with four species each. Trees were the most common life form, with seeds the most frequently cited plant part used (29%). Nearly a third (31%) of plant-based remedies reported in the treatment of intestinal worms were administered as a decoction. The highest UVC and DCI was reported for the species Ferula assa-foetida sL. (UVC 0.51, DCI 0.46). This study provides previously unreported data on the use of medicinal plants in the treatment of geohelminth infections in children of Kalat. Eight species, Acacia modesta Wall., Asparagus capitatus Baker, Microcephala lamellata (Bunge) Pobed., Nepeta praetervisa Rech.f., Plantago ciliata Desf., Pistacia atlantica Desf., Seriphidium quettense (Podlech) Y.R.Ling and Thymus linearis Benth. are reported here as anthelmintics for the first time. Detailed studies on the anthelmintic activity of chemical constituents of these species are lacking from existing literature. Further phytochemical, pharmacological and toxicity studies are required in order to evaluate the efficacy and safety of these newly reported anthelmintic species. These plants may provide a source of novel anthelmintic drug leads, which are urgently required due to the problem of global anthelmintic resistance. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Herbal medicines used in the treatment of malaria in Budiope county, Uganda.

PubMed

Tabuti, John R S

2008-02-28

This study was conducted to document herbal medicines (HMs) used in the treatment of malaria as well as the existing knowledge, attitudes and practices related to malaria recognition, control and treatment in Budiope county, Uganda. Data was collected using semi-structured interviews, and open- and close-ended questionnaires. The respondents had a good understanding of malaria, and could recognize it and distinguish it from other fever types. They were also aware that malaria was spread by mosquitoes. Malaria prevalence was high, and affected individuals an average of six times a year. Respondents avoided mosquito bites by using mosquito nets, clearing bush around their homesteads, and burning plant parts to generate smoke. They preferred treating malaria using allopathic medicines because, according to them, they lacked the appropriate traditional knowledge necessary to exploit plants for the treatment of malaria. Secondly, allopathic medicines were believed to be superior to HMs in the treatment of malaria. Twenty-seven species were used for the treatment of malaria. The most frequently mentioned were Vernonia amygdalina, Momordica foetida, Zanthoxylum chalybeum, Lantana camara and Mangifera indica. Drugs from these plants were prepared from single species as water extracts and were administered in variable doses over varied time periods.

Ferulic acid exerts antitumor activity and inhibits metastasis in breast cancer cells by regulating epithelial to mesenchymal transition.

PubMed

Zhang, Xiang; Lin, Dan; Jiang, Rong; Li, Hongzhong; Wan, Jingyuan; Li, Hongyuan

2016-07-01

Metastasis, which frequently occurs in breast cancer, is the major cause of mortality; therefore, new treatment strategies are urgently needed. Ferulic acid, isolated from Ferula foetida, a perennial herb, has shown antineoplastic activity in various types of cancers, such as colon and lung cancer, and central nervous system tumors. However, its potential role in suppressing breast cancer metastasis has not been fully understood. In the present study, we evaluated the antitumor activity of ferulic acid in breast cancer cell line-based in vitro and in vivo models. We first showed that ferulic acid treatment resulted in decreased viability, increased apoptosis and suppression of metastatic potential in breast cancer cell line MDA-MB-231. Furthermore, it was demonstrated that the antitumor activity of ferulic acid and its role in suppressing metastasis were regulated by the reversal of epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT). Consistent with our findings in vitro, the antitumor potential of ferulic acid was also verified in an MDA-MB-231 xenograft mouse model where significantly decreased tumor volume, weight and increased apoptosis were observed. Taken together, these results indicate that ferulic acid may be used as an effective therapeutic agent against breast cancer.

[Selection and purification potential evaluation of woody plant in vertical flow constructed wetlands in the subtropical area].

PubMed

Chen, Yong-Hua; Wu, Xiao-Fu; Hao, Jun; Chen, Ming-Li; Zhu, Guang-Yu

2014-02-01

In order to solve the problem that wetland herbaceous plants tend to die during winter in subtropics areas, selection and purification potential evaluation experiments were carried out by introducing into the constructed wetlands 16 species of woody wetland plants. Cluster analysis was performed by including the morphological characteristics, physiological characteristics, as well as nitrogen and phosphorus accumulation of the woody wetland plants. The results indicated that there were significant differences among the tested woody plants in their survival rate, height increase, root length increase and vigor, Chlorophyll content, Superoxide dismutase, Malonaldehyde, Proline, Peroxidase, biomass, average concentration and accumulation of nitrogen and phosphorus. Based on the established evaluation system, the tested plants were clustered into 3 groups. The plants in the 1st group possessing high purification potentials are Nerium oleander and Hibiscus syriacus. Those in the 2nd group possessing moderate purification potentials are Trachycarpus fortune, Llex latifolia Thunb., Gardenia jasminoides, Serissa foetida and Ilex crenatacv Convexa. And those in the 3rd group with low purification potentials are Jasminum udiflorum, Hedera helix, Ligustrum vicaryi, Ligustrum lucidum, Buxus sempervives, Murraya paniculata, Osmanthus fragrans, Mahoniafortune and Photinia serrulata.

[Geographic variation of seed morphological traits of Picea schrenkiana var. tianschanica in Tianshan Mountains, Xinjiang of Northwest China].

PubMed

Liu, Gui-Feng; Zang, Run-Guo; Liu, Hua; Bai, Zhi-Qiang; Guo, Zhong-Jun; Ding, Yi

2012-06-01

Taking the Picea schrenkiana var. tianschanica forests at three sites with different longitudes (Zhaosu, Tianchi, and Qitai) in Tianshan Mountains as the objects, the cones were collected along an altitudinal gradient to analyze the variation of their seed morphological traits (seed scale length and width, seed scale length/width ratio, seed wing length and width, seed wing length/ width ratio, seed length and width, and seed length/width ratio). All the seed traits except seed width tended to decrease with increasing altitude. The seed traits except seed wing width, seed width, and seed length/width ratio all had significant negative correlations with altitude. Seed scale length and width and seed scale length/width ratio had significant positive correlations with longitude. Seed scale length, seed scale length/width ratio, and seed wing length/width ratio had significant negative correlations with slope degree. No significant correlations were observed between the seed traits except seed wing width and the slope aspect. Altitude was the main factor affecting the seed scale length, seed scale length/width ratio, and seed wing length/width ratio.

Seed size selection by olive baboons.

PubMed

Kunz, Britta Kerstin; Linsenmair, Karl Eduard

2008-10-01

Seed size is an important plant fitness trait that can influence several steps between fruiting and the establishment of a plant's offspring. Seed size varies considerably within many plant species, yet the relevance of the trait for intra-specific fruit choice by primates has received little attention. Primates may select certain seed sizes within a species for a number of reasons, e.g. to decrease indigestible seed load or increase pulp intake per fruit. Olive baboons (Papio anubis, Cercopithecidae) are known to select seed size in unripe and mature pods of Parkia biglobosa (Mimosaceae) differentially, so that pods with small seeds, and an intermediate seed number, contribute most to dispersal by baboons. We tested whether olive baboons likewise select for smaller ripe seeds within each of nine additional fruit species whose fruit pulp baboons commonly consume, and for larger seeds in one species in which baboons feed on the seeds. Species differed in fruit type and seed number per fruit. For five of these species, baboons dispersed seeds that were significantly smaller than seeds extracted manually from randomly collected fresh fruits. In contrast, for three species, baboons swallowed seeds that were significantly longer and/or wider than seeds from fresh fruits. In two species, sizes of ingested seeds and seeds from fresh fruits did not differ significantly. Baboons frequently spat out seeds of Drypetes floribunda (Euphorbiaceae) but not those of other plant species having seeds of equal size. Oral processing of D. floribunda seeds depended on seed size: seeds that were spat out were significantly larger and swallowed seeds smaller, than seeds from randomly collected fresh fruits. We argue that seed size selection in baboons is influenced, among other traits, by the amount of pulp rewarded per fruit relative to seed load, which is likely to vary with fruit and seed shape.

[Study on procedure of seed quality testing and seed grading scale of Phellodendron amurense].

PubMed

Liu, Yanlu; Zhang, Zhao; Dai, Lingchao; Zhang, Bengang; Zhang, Xiaoling; Wang, Han

2011-12-01

To study the procedure of seed quality testing and seed grading scale of Phellodendron amurense. Seed quality testing methods were developed, which included the test of sampling, seed purity, weight per 1 000 seeds, seed moisture, seed viability and germination rate. The related data from 62 cases of seed specimens of P. amurense were analyzed by cluster analysis. The seed quality test procedure was developed, and the seed quality grading scale was formulated.

Wrinkled alfalfa seeds harbor more aerobic bacteria and are more difficult to sanitize than smooth seeds.

PubMed

Charkowski, A O; Sarreal, C Z; Mandrell, R E

2001-09-01

At least 14 separate outbreaks of food poisoning attributed to either Salmonella enterica or Escherichia coli O157:H7 have been traced to sprouts in the past decade. Seeds contaminated with human pathogens caused most of these outbreaks, thus many sprout growers are now treating alfalfa seeds with the sanitizing agent, calcium hypochlorite (Ca[OCl]2), prior to sprouting. The efficacy of alfalfa seed sanitation varies between seed lots and between seeds within each lot. Alfalfa seeds from different seed lots were sorted by type in an effort to determine if certain seed types carry more aerobic bacteria than other seed types. Seeds with a wrinkled type, characteristic of lygus bug damage, had significantly higher levels of culturable aerobic bacteria and were more difficult to sanitize than smooth, healthy seeds. After sanitation, wrinkled alfalfa seeds that had been inoculated with S. enterica ser. Newport carried significantly higher levels of Salmonella Newport than smooth seeds. If S. enterica is present on wrinkled seeds in naturally contaminated seed lots, it may be difficult to chemically sanitize the seed lot. Removal of the wrinkled alfalfa seeds from the seed lots, perhaps by adapting color sorting equipment similar to that used to sort rice grains and other seeds, should reduce the level of aerobic bacteria in seed lots and may result in lower levels of human pathogens on contaminated alfalfa seeds.

Differential seed handling by two African primates affects seed fate and establishment of large-seeded trees

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gross-Camp, Nicole D.; Kaplin, Beth A.

2011-11-01

We examined the influence of seed handling by two semi-terrestrial African forest primates, chimpanzees ( Pan troglodytes) and l'Hoest's monkeys ( Cercopithecus lhoesti), on the fate of large-seeded tree species in an afromontane forest. Chimpanzees and l'Hoest's monkeys dispersed eleven seed species over one year, with quantity and quality of dispersal varying through time. Primates differed in their seed handling behaviors with chimpanzees defecating large seeds (>0.5 cm) significantly more than l'Hoest's. Furthermore, they exhibited different oral-processing techniques with chimpanzees discarding wadges containing many seeds and l'Hoest's monkeys spitting single seeds. A PCA examined the relationship between microhabitat characteristics and the site where primates deposited seeds. The first two components explained almost half of the observed variation. Microhabitat characteristics associated with sites where seeds were defecated had little overlap with those characteristics describing where spit seeds arrived, suggesting that seed handling in part determines the location where seeds are deposited. We monitored a total of 552 seed depositions through time, recording seed persistence, germination, and establishment. Defecations were deposited significantly farther from an adult conspecific than orally-discarded seeds where they experienced the greatest persistence but poorest establishment. In contrast, spit seeds were deposited closest to an adult conspecific but experienced the highest seed establishment rates. We used experimental plots to examine the relationship between seed handling, deposition site, and seed fate. We found a significant difference in seed handling and fate, with undispersed seeds in whole fruits experiencing the lowest establishment rates. Seed germination differed by habitat type with open forest experiencing the highest rates of germination. Our results highlight the relationship between primate seed handling and deposition site and seed fate, and may be helpful in developing models to predict seed shadows and recruitment patterns of large-seeded trees.

7 CFR 201.33 - Seed in bulk or large quantities; seed for cleaning or processing.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... quantities; seed for cleaning or processing. (a) In the case of seed in bulk, the information required under... seeds. (b) Seed consigned to a seed cleaning or processing establishment, for cleaning or processing for... pertaining to such seed show that it is “Seed for processing,” or, if the seed is in containers and in...

7 CFR 201.33 - Seed in bulk or large quantities; seed for cleaning or processing.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... quantities; seed for cleaning or processing. (a) In the case of seed in bulk, the information required under... seeds. (b) Seed consigned to a seed cleaning or processing establishment, for cleaning or processing for... pertaining to such seed show that it is “Seed for processing,” or, if the seed is in containers and in...

7 CFR 201.33 - Seed in bulk or large quantities; seed for cleaning or processing.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... quantities; seed for cleaning or processing. (a) In the case of seed in bulk, the information required under... seeds. (b) Seed consigned to a seed cleaning or processing establishment, for cleaning or processing for... pertaining to such seed show that it is “Seed for processing,” or, if the seed is in containers and in...

7 CFR 201.33 - Seed in bulk or large quantities; seed for cleaning or processing.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... quantities; seed for cleaning or processing. (a) In the case of seed in bulk, the information required under... seeds. (b) Seed consigned to a seed cleaning or processing establishment, for cleaning or processing for... pertaining to such seed show that it is “Seed for processing,” or, if the seed is in containers and in...

7 CFR 201.33 - Seed in bulk or large quantities; seed for cleaning or processing.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... quantities; seed for cleaning or processing. (a) In the case of seed in bulk, the information required under... seeds. (b) Seed consigned to a seed cleaning or processing establishment, for cleaning or processing for... pertaining to such seed show that it is “Seed for processing,” or, if the seed is in containers and in...

Pre-dispersal predation effect on seed packaging strategies and seed viability.

PubMed

DeSoto, Lucía; Tutor, David; Torices, Rubén; Rodríguez-Echeverría, Susana; Nabais, Cristina

2016-01-01

An increased understanding of intraspecific seed packaging (i.e. seed size/number strategy) variation across different environments may improve current knowledge of the ecological forces that drive seed evolution in plants. In particular, pre-dispersal seed predation may influence seed packaging strategies, triggering a reduction of the resources allocated to undamaged seeds within the preyed fruits. Assessing plant reactions to pre-dispersal seed predation is crucial to a better understanding of predation effects, but the response of plants to arthropod attacks remains unexplored. We have assessed the effect of cone predation on the size and viability of undamaged seeds in populations of Juniperus thurifera with contrasting seed packaging strategies, namely, North African populations with single-large-seeded cones and South European populations with multi-small-seeded cones. Our results show that the incidence of predation was lower on the single-large-seeded African cones than on the multi-small-seeded European ones. Seeds from non-preyed cones were also larger and had a higher germination success than uneaten seeds from preyed cones, but only in populations with multi-seeded cones and in cones attacked by Trisetacus sp., suggesting a differential plastic response to predation. It is possible that pre-dispersal seed predation has been a strong selective pressure in European populations with high cone predation rates, being a process which maintains multi-small-seeded cones and empty seeds as a strategy to save some seeds from predation. Conversely, pre-dispersal predation might not have a strong effect in the African populations with single-large-seeded cones characterized by seed germination and filling rates higher than those in the European populations. Our results indicate that differences in pre-dispersal seed predators and predation levels may affect both selection on and intraspecific variation in seed packaging.

Myrmecochory and short-term seed fate in Rhamnus alaternus: Ant species and seed characteristics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bas, J. M.; Oliveras, J.; Gómez, C.

2009-05-01

Benefits conferred on plants in ant-mediated seed dispersal mutualisms (myrmecochory) depend on the fate of transported seeds. We studied the effects of elaiosome presence, seed size and seed treatment (with and without passage through a bird's digestive tract) on short-term seed fate in Rhamnus alaternus. In our study, we define short-term seed, or initial, seed fate, as the location where ants release the seeds after ant contact with it. The elaiosomes had the most influence on short-term fate, i.e. whether or not seeds were transported to the nest. The workers usually transported big seeds more often than small ones, but small ants did not transport large seeds. Effect of seed size on transport depended on the ant species and on the treatment of the seed (manual extraction simulating a direct fall from the parent plant vs. bird deposition corresponding to preliminary primary dispersal). Probability of removal of elaiosome-bearing seeds to the nest by Aphaenogaster senilis increased with increasing seed weight.

Seed dimorphism, nutrients and salinity differentially affect seed traits of the desert halophyte Suaeda aralocaspica via multiple maternal effects.

PubMed

Wang, Lei; Baskin, Jerry M; Baskin, Carol C; Cornelissen, J Hans C; Dong, Ming; Huang, Zhenying

2012-09-25

Maternal effects may influence a range of seed traits simultaneously and are likely to be context-dependent. Disentangling the interactions of plant phenotype and growth environment on various seed traits is important for understanding regeneration and establishment of species in natural environments. Here, we used the seed-dimorphic plant Suaeda aralocaspica to test the hypothesis that seed traits are regulated by multiple maternal effects. Plants grown from brown seeds had a higher brown:black seed ratio than plants from black seeds, and germination percentage of brown seeds was higher than that of black seeds under all conditions tested. However, the coefficient of variation (CV) for size of black seeds was higher than that of brown seeds. Seeds had the smallest CV at low nutrient and high salinity for plants from brown seeds and at low nutrient and low salinity for plants from black seeds. Low levels of nutrients increased size and germinability of black seeds but did not change the seed morph ratio or size and germinability of brown seeds. High levels of salinity decreased seed size but did not change the seed morph ratio. Seeds from high-salinity maternal plants had a higher germination percentage regardless of level of germination salinity. Our study supports the multiple maternal effects hypothesis. Seed dimorphism, nutrient and salinity interacted in determining a range of seed traits of S. aralocaspica via bet-hedging and anticipatory maternal effects. This study highlights the importance of examining different maternal factors and various offspring traits in studies that estimate maternal effects on regeneration.

Seed dimorphism, nutrients and salinity differentially affect seed traits of the desert halophyte Suaeda aralocaspica via multiple maternal effects

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background Maternal effects may influence a range of seed traits simultaneously and are likely to be context-dependent. Disentangling the interactions of plant phenotype and growth environment on various seed traits is important for understanding regeneration and establishment of species in natural environments. Here, we used the seed-dimorphic plant Suaeda aralocaspica to test the hypothesis that seed traits are regulated by multiple maternal effects. Results Plants grown from brown seeds had a higher brown:black seed ratio than plants from black seeds, and germination percentage of brown seeds was higher than that of black seeds under all conditions tested. However, the coefficient of variation (CV) for size of black seeds was higher than that of brown seeds. Seeds had the smallest CV at low nutrient and high salinity for plants from brown seeds and at low nutrient and low salinity for plants from black seeds. Low levels of nutrients increased size and germinability of black seeds but did not change the seed morph ratio or size and germinability of brown seeds. High levels of salinity decreased seed size but did not change the seed morph ratio. Seeds from high-salinity maternal plants had a higher germination percentage regardless of level of germination salinity. Conclusions Our study supports the multiple maternal effects hypothesis. Seed dimorphism, nutrient and salinity interacted in determining a range of seed traits of S. aralocaspica via bet-hedging and anticipatory maternal effects. This study highlights the importance of examining different maternal factors and various offspring traits in studies that estimate maternal effects on regeneration. PMID:23006315

Dispersal of mimetic seeds of three species of Ormosia (Leguminosae)

USGS Publications Warehouse

Foster, M.S.; DeLay, L.S.

1998-01-01

Seeds with 'imitation arils' appear wholly or partially covered by pulp or aril but actually carry no fleshy material. The mimetic seed hypothesis to explain this phenomenon proposes a parasitic relationship in which birds are deceived into dispersing seeds that resemble bird-dispersed fruits, without receiving a nutrient reward. The hard-seed for grit hypothesis proposes a mutualistic relationship in which large, terrestrial birds swallow the exceptionally hard 'mimetic' seeds as grit for grinding the softer seeds on which they feed. They defecate, dispersing the seeds, and abrade the seed surface, enhancing germination. Any fruit mimicry is incidental. Fruiting trees of Ormosia spp. (Leguminosae: Papilionoideae) were observed to ascertain mechanisms of seed dispersal and the role of seemingly mimetic characteristics of the seeds in that dispersal. Seed predation and seed germination were also examined. Ormosia isthamensis and O. macrocalyx (but not O. bopiensis) deceived arboreally-foraging frugivorous birds into taking their mimetic seeds, although rates of seed dispersal were low. These results are consistent with the mimetic seed hypothesis. On the other hand, the rates of disappearance of seeds from the ground under the Ormosia trees, hardness of the seeds, and enhancement of germination with the abrasion of the seed coat are all consistent with the hard-seed for grit hypothesis.

Differential foraging preferences on seed size by rodents result in higher dispersal success of medium-sized seeds.

PubMed

Cao, Lin; Wang, Zhenyu; Yan, Chuan; Chen, Jin; Guo, Cong; Zhang, Zhibin

2016-11-01

Rodent preference for scatter-hoarding large seeds has been widely considered to favor the evolution of large seeds. Previous studies supporting this conclusion were primarily based on observations at earlier stages of seed dispersal, or on a limited sample of successfully established seedlings. Because seed dispersal comprises multiple dispersal stages, we hypothesized that differential foraging preference on seed size by animal dispersers at different dispersal stages would ultimately result in medium-sized seeds having the highest dispersal success rates. In this study, by tracking a large number of seeds for 5 yr, we investigated the effects of seed size on seed fates from seed removal to seedling establishment of a dominant plant Pittosporopsis kerrii (Icacinaceae) dispersed by scatter-hoarding rodents in tropical forest in southwest China. We found that small seeds had a lower survival rate at the early dispersal stage where more small seeds were predated at seed stations and after removal; large seeds had a lower survival rate at the late dispersal stage, more large seeds were recovered, predated after being cached, or larder-hoarded. Medium-sized seeds experienced the highest dispersal success. Our study suggests that differential foraging preferences by scatter-hoarding rodents at different stages of seed dispersal could result in conflicting selective pressures on seed size and higher dispersal success of medium-sized seeds. © 2016 by the Ecological Society of America.

[Seed geography: its concept and basic scientific issues].

PubMed

Yu, Shun-Li; Wang, Zong-Shuai; Zeren, Wangmu

2010-01-01

In this paper, a new concept 'seed geography' was provided, and its definition, research contents, and scientific issues were put forward. Seed geography is a newly developed interdisciplinary science from plant geography, seed ecology, and phytosociology, which studies the geographic variation patterns of seed biological traits as well as their relationships with environmental factors from macroscopic to microscopic, and the seed formation, development, and change trends. The main research contents would include geography of seed mass, geography of seed chemical components, geography of seed morphology, geography of seed cell biological characteristics, geography of seed physiological characteristics, geography of seed genetic characteristics, and geography of flower and fruit. To explore the scientific issues in seed geography would help us to better understand the long-term adaptation and evolution of seed characteristics to natural environments.

Species-abundance--seed-size patterns within a plant community affected by grazing disturbance.

PubMed

Wu, Gao-lin; Shang, Zhan-huan; Zhu, Yuan-jun; Ding, Lu-ming; Wang, Dong

2015-04-01

Seed size has been advanced as a key factor that influences the dynamics of plant communities, but there are few empirical or theoretical predictions of how community dynamics progress based on seed size patterns. Information on the abundance of adults, seedlings, soil seed banks, seed rains, and the seed mass of 96 species was collected in alpine meadows of the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau (China), which had different levels of grazing disturbance. The relationships between seed-mass-abundance patterns for adults, seedlings, the soil seed bank, and seed rain in the plant community were evaluated using regression models. Results showed that grazing levels affected the relationship between seed size and abundance properties of adult species, seedlings, and the soil seed bank, suggesting that there is a shift in seed-size--species-abundance relationships as a response to the grazing gradient. Grazing had no effect on the pattern of seed-size-seed-rain-abundance at four grazing levels. Grazing also had little effect on the pattern of seed-size--species-abundance and pattern of seed-size--soil-seed-bank-abundance in meadows with no grazing, light grazing, and moderate grazing), but there was a significant negative effect in meadows with heavy grazing. Grazing had little effect on the pattern of seed-size--seedling-abundance with no grazing, but had significant negative effects with light, moderate, and heavy grazing, and the |r| values increased with grazing levels. This indicated that increasing grazing pressure enhanced the advantage of smaller-seeded species in terms of the abundances of adult species, seedlings, and soil seed banks, whereas only the light grazing level promoted the seed rain abundance of larger-seeded species in the plant communities. This study suggests that grazing disturbances are favorable for increasing the species abundance for smaller-seeded species but not for the larger-seeded species in an alpine meadow community. Hence, there is a clear advantage of the smaller-seeded species over the larger-seeded species with increases in the grazing level.

Comparison of germination and seed bank dynamics of dimorphic seeds of the cold desert halophyte Suaeda corniculata subsp. mongolica

PubMed Central

Cao, Dechang; Baskin, Carol C.; Baskin, Jerry M.; Yang, Fan; Huang, Zhenying

2012-01-01

Background and Aims Differences in dormancy and germination requirements have been documented in heteromorphic seeds of many species, but it is unknown how this difference contributes to maintenance and regeneration of populations. The primary aim of this study was to compare the seed bank dynamics, including dormancy cycling, of the two seed morphs (black and brown) of the cold desert halophyte Suaeda corniculata and, if differences were found, to determine their influence on regeneration of the species. Method Seeds of the two seed morphs were buried, exhumed and tested monthly for 24 months over a range of temperatures and salinities, and germination recovery and viability were determined after exposure to salinity and water stress. Seedling emergence and dynamics of the soil seed bank were also investigated for the two morphs. Key Results Black seeds had an annual dormancy/non-dormancy cycle, while brown seeds, which were non-dormant at maturity, remained non-dormant. Black seeds also exhibited an annual cycle in sensitivity of germination to salinity. Seedlings derived from black seeds emerged in July and August and those from brown seeds in May. Seedlings were recruited from 2·6 % of the black seeds and from 2·8 % of the brown seeds in the soil, and only 0·5 % and 0·4 % of the total number of black and brown seeds in the soil, respectively, gave rise to seedlings that survived to produce seeds. Salinity and water stress induced dormancy in black seeds and decreased viability of brown seeds. Brown seeds formed only a transient soil seed bank and black seeds a persistent seed bank. Conclusions The presence of a dormancy cycle in black but not in brown seeds of S. corniculata and differences in germination requirements of the two morphs cause them to differ in their germination dynamics. The study contributes to our limited knowledge of dormancy cycling and seed bank formation in species producing heteromorphic seeds. PMID:22975287

Comparison of germination and seed bank dynamics of dimorphic seeds of the cold desert halophyte Suaeda corniculata subsp. mongolica.

PubMed

Cao, Dechang; Baskin, Carol C; Baskin, Jerry M; Yang, Fan; Huang, Zhenying

2012-12-01

Differences in dormancy and germination requirements have been documented in heteromorphic seeds of many species, but it is unknown how this difference contributes to maintenance and regeneration of populations. The primary aim of this study was to compare the seed bank dynamics, including dormancy cycling, of the two seed morphs (black and brown) of the cold desert halophyte Suaeda corniculata and, if differences were found, to determine their influence on regeneration of the species. Seeds of the two seed morphs were buried, exhumed and tested monthly for 24 months over a range of temperatures and salinities, and germination recovery and viability were determined after exposure to salinity and water stress. Seedling emergence and dynamics of the soil seed bank were also investigated for the two morphs. Black seeds had an annual dormancy/non-dormancy cycle, while brown seeds, which were non-dormant at maturity, remained non-dormant. Black seeds also exhibited an annual cycle in sensitivity of germination to salinity. Seedlings derived from black seeds emerged in July and August and those from brown seeds in May. Seedlings were recruited from 2·6 % of the black seeds and from 2·8 % of the brown seeds in the soil, and only 0·5 % and 0·4 % of the total number of black and brown seeds in the soil, respectively, gave rise to seedlings that survived to produce seeds. Salinity and water stress induced dormancy in black seeds and decreased viability of brown seeds. Brown seeds formed only a transient soil seed bank and black seeds a persistent seed bank. The presence of a dormancy cycle in black but not in brown seeds of S. corniculata and differences in germination requirements of the two morphs cause them to differ in their germination dynamics. The study contributes to our limited knowledge of dormancy cycling and seed bank formation in species producing heteromorphic seeds.

Seed Nutrition and Quality, Seed Coat Boron and Lignin Are Influenced by Delayed Harvest in Exotically-Derived Soybean Breeding Lines under High Heat.

PubMed

Bellaloui, Nacer; Smith, James R; Mengistu, Alemu

2017-01-01

The timing of harvest is a major factor affecting seed quality in soybean, particularly in Midsouthern USA, when rain during harvest period is not uncommon. The objective of this research was to evaluate the effects of time of harvest on soybean seed quality (seed composition, germination, seed coat boron, and lignin) in high germinability (HG) breeding lines (50% exotic) developed under high heat. The hypothesis was that seeds of HG lines possess physiological and genetic traits for a better seed quality at harvest maturity and delayed harvest. A 2-year field experiment was conducted under irrigated conditions. Results showed that, at harvest maturity, the exotic HG lines had higher seed protein, oleic acid, sugars, seed coat boron, and seed coat lignin, but lower seed oil compared with the non-exotic checks (Control), confirming our hypothesis. At 28 days after harvest maturity (delayed harvest), the content of seed protein, oleic acid, sugars, seed coat boron, and seed coat lignin were higher in some of the HG lines compared with the checks, indicating a possible involvement of these seed constituents, especially seed coat boron and seed coat lignin, in maintaining seed coat integrity and protecting seed coat against physical damage. Highly significant positive correlations were found between germination and seed protein, oleic acid, sugars, and seed coat boron and seed coat lignin. Highly significant negative correlation was found between germination and oil, linoleic acid, seed coat wrinkling, shattering, and hard seed. Yields of some HG lines were competitive with checks. This research demonstrated that time of harvesting is an important factor influencing seed protein and oil production. Also, since high oleic acid is desirable for oxidative stability, shelf-life and biodiesel properties, using HG lines could positively influence these important traits. This result should suggest to breeders of some of the advantages of selecting for high seed coat boron and lignin, and inform growers of the importance of timely harvest for maintaining high seed quality.

[Procedure of seed quality testing and seed grading standard of Prunus humilis].

PubMed

Wen, Hao; Ren, Guang-Xi; Gao, Ya; Luo, Jun; Liu, Chun-Sheng; Li, Wei-Dong

2014-11-01

So far there exists no corresponding quality test procedures and grading standards for the seed of Prunus humilis, which is one of the important source of base of semen pruni. Therefor we set up test procedures that are adapt to characteristics of the P. humilis seed through the study of the test of sampling, seed purity, thousand-grain weight, seed moisture, seed viability and germination percentage. 50 cases of seed specimens of P. humilis tested. The related data were analyzed by cluster analysis. Through this research, the seed quality test procedure was developed, and the seed quality grading standard was formulated. The seed quality of each grade should meet the following requirements: for first grade seeds, germination percentage ≥ 68%, thousand-grain weight 383 g, purity ≥ 93%, seed moisture ≤ 5%; for second grade seeds, germination percentage ≥ 26%, thousand-grain weight ≥ 266 g, purity ≥ 73%, seed moisture ≤9%; for third grade seeds, germination percentage ≥ 10%, purity ≥ 50%, thousand-grain weight ≥ 08 g, seed moisture ≤ 13%.

CT, MR, and ultrasound image artifacts from prostate brachytherapy seed implants: The impact of seed size

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Robertson, Andrew K. H.; Basran, Parminder S.; Thomas, Steven D.

Purpose: To investigate the effects of brachytherapy seed size on the quality of x-ray computed tomography (CT), ultrasound (US), and magnetic resonance (MR) images and seed localization through comparison of the 6711 and 9011 {sup 125}I sources. Methods: For CT images, an acrylic phantom mimicking a clinical implantation plan and embedded with low contrast regions of interest (ROIs) was designed for both the 0.774 mm diameter 6711 (standard) and the 0.508 mm diameter 9011 (thin) seed models (Oncura, Inc., and GE Healthcare, Arlington Heights, IL). Image quality metrics were assessed using the standard deviation of ROIs between the seeds andmore » the contrast to noise ratio (CNR) within the low contrast ROIs. For US images, water phantoms with both single and multiseed arrangements were constructed for both seed sizes. For MR images, both seeds were implanted into a porcine gel and imaged with pelvic imaging protocols. The standard deviation of ROIs and CNR values were used as metrics of artifact quantification. Seed localization within the CT images was assessed using the automated seed finder in a commercial brachytherapy treatment planning system. The number of erroneous seed placements and the average and maximum error in seed placements were recorded as metrics of the localization accuracy. Results: With the thin seeds, CT image noise was reduced from 48.5 {+-} 0.2 to 32.0 {+-} 0.2 HU and CNR improved by a median value of 74% when compared with the standard seeds. Ultrasound image noise was measured at 50.3 {+-} 17.1 dB for the thin seed images and 50.0 {+-} 19.8 dB for the standard seed images, and artifacts directly behind the seeds were smaller and less prominent with the thin seed model. For MR images, CNR of the standard seeds reduced on average 17% when using the thin seeds for all different imaging sequences and seed orientations, but these differences are not appreciable. Automated seed localization required an average ({+-}SD) of 7.0 {+-} 3.5 manual corrections in seed positions for the thin seed scans and 3.0 {+-} 1.2 manual corrections in seed positions for the standard seed scans. The average error in seed placement was 1.2 mm for both seed types and the maximum error in seed placement was 2.1 mm for the thin seed scans and 1.8 mm for the standard seed scans. Conclusions: The 9011 thin seeds yielded significantly improved image quality for CT and US images but no significant differences in MR image quality.« less

Tracking Seed Fates of Tropical Tree Species: Evidence for Seed Caching in a Tropical Forest in North-East India

PubMed Central

Sidhu, Swati; Datta, Aparajita

2015-01-01

Rodents affect the post-dispersal fate of seeds by acting either as on-site seed predators or as secondary dispersers when they scatter-hoard seeds. The tropical forests of north-east India harbour a high diversity of little-studied terrestrial murid and hystricid rodents. We examined the role played by these rodents in determining the seed fates of tropical evergreen tree species in a forest site in north-east India. We selected ten tree species (3 mammal-dispersed and 7 bird-dispersed) that varied in seed size and followed the fates of 10,777 tagged seeds. We used camera traps to determine the identity of rodent visitors, visitation rates and their seed-handling behavior. Seeds of all tree species were handled by at least one rodent taxon. Overall rates of seed removal (44.5%) were much higher than direct on-site seed predation (9.9%), but seed-handling behavior differed between the terrestrial rodent groups: two species of murid rodents removed and cached seeds, and two species of porcupines were on-site seed predators. In addition, a true cricket, Brachytrupes sp., cached seeds of three species underground. We found 309 caches formed by the rodents and the cricket; most were single-seeded (79%) and seeds were moved up to 19 m. Over 40% of seeds were re-cached from primary cache locations, while about 12% germinated in the primary caches. Seed removal rates varied widely amongst tree species, from 3% in Beilschmiedia assamica to 97% in Actinodaphne obovata. Seed predation was observed in nine species. Chisocheton cumingianus (57%) and Prunus ceylanica (25%) had moderate levels of seed predation while the remaining species had less than 10% seed predation. We hypothesized that seed traits that provide information on resource quantity would influence rodent choice of a seed, while traits that determine resource accessibility would influence whether seeds are removed or eaten. Removal rates significantly decreased (p < 0.001) while predation rates increased (p = 0.06) with seed size. Removal rates were significantly lower for soft seeds (p = 0.002), whereas predation rates were significantly higher on soft seeds (p = 0.01). Our results show that murid rodents play a very important role in affecting the seed fates of tropical trees in the Eastern Himalayas. We also found that the different rodent groups differed in their seed handling behavior and responses to changes in seed characteristics. PMID:26247616

A role for seed storage proteins in Arabidopsis seed longevity

PubMed Central

Nguyen, Thu-Phuong; Cueff, Gwendal; Hegedus, Dwayne D; Rajjou, Loïc; Bentsink, Leónie

2015-01-01

Proteomics approaches have been a useful tool for determining the biological roles and functions of individual proteins and identifying the molecular mechanisms that govern seed germination, vigour and viability in response to ageing. In this work the dry seed proteome of four Arabidopsis thaliana genotypes, that carry introgression fragments at the position of seed longevity quantitative trait loci and as a result display different levels of seed longevity, was investigated. Seeds at two physiological states, after-ripened seeds that had the full germination ability and aged (stored) seeds of which the germination ability was severely reduced, were compared. Aged dry seed proteomes were markedly different from the after-ripened and reflected the seed longevity level of the four genotypes, despite the fact that dry seeds are metabolically quiescent. Results confirmed the role of antioxidant systems, notably vitamin E, and indicated that protection and maintenance of the translation machinery and energy pathways are essential for seed longevity. Moreover, a new role for seed storage proteins (SSPs) was identified in dry seeds during ageing. Cruciferins (CRUs) are the most abundant SSPs in Arabidopsis and seeds of a triple mutant for three CRU isoforms (crua crub cruc) were more sensitive to artificial ageing and their seed proteins were highly oxidized compared with wild-type seeds. These results confirm that oxidation is involved in seed deterioration and that SSPs buffer the seed from oxidative stress, thus protecting important proteins required for seed germination and seedling formation. PMID:26184996

Dense understory dwarf bamboo alters the retention of canopy tree seeds

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Qian, Feng; Zhang, Tengda; Guo, Qinxue; Tao, Jianping

2016-05-01

Tree seed retention is thought to be an important factor in the process of forest community regeneration. Although dense understory dwarf bamboo has been considered to have serious negative effects on the regeneration of forest community species, little attention has been paid to the relationship between dwarf bamboo and seed retention. In a field experiment we manipulated the density of Fargesia decurvata, a common understory dwarf bamboo, to investigate the retention of seeds from five canopy tree species in an evergreen and deciduous broad-leaved mixed forest in Jinfoshan National Nature Reserve, SW China. We found that the median survival time and retention ratio of seeds increased with the increase in bamboo density. Fauna discriminately altered seed retention in bamboo groves of different densities. Arthropods reduced seed survival the most, and seeds removed decreased with increasing bamboo density. Birds removed or ate more seeds in groves of medium bamboo density and consumed fewer seeds in dense or sparse bamboo habitats. Rodents removed a greater number of large and highly profitable seeds in dense bamboo groves but more small and thin-husked seeds in sparse bamboo groves. Seed characteristics, including seed size, seed mass and seed profitability, were important factors affecting seed retention. The results suggested that dense understory dwarf bamboo not only increased seeds concealment and reduced the probability and speed of seed removal but also influenced the trade-off between predation and risk of animal predatory strategies, thereby impacting the quantity and composition of surviving seeds. Our results also indicated that dense understory dwarf bamboo and various seed characteristics can provide good opportunities for seed storage and seed germination and has a potential positive effect on canopy tree regeneration.

Chitosan doped with nanoparticles of copper, nickel and cobalt.

PubMed

Cárdenas-Triviño, Galo; Elgueta, Carolina; Vergara, Luis; Ojeda, Javier; Valenzuela, Ariel; Cruzat, Christian

2017-11-01

Metal colloids in 2 propanol using nanoparticles (NPs) of copper, nickel and cobalt were prepared by Chemical Liquid Deposition (CLD) method. The resulting colloidal dispersions were characterized by Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM). The colloids were supported in chitosan. Then, microbiological assays were performed using E. coli and S. aureus in order to determine the bactericide/bacteriostatic activity of nanoparticles (NPs) trapped or chelated with chitosan. Finally, the toxicity of the metal colloids Cu, Ni and Co was tested. Bio-assays were conducted in three different animal species. First of all on earth warms (Eisenia foetida) to evaluate the toxicity and the biocompatibility of chitosan in lactic acid (1% and 0.5%). Secondly bio-assay done in fishes (rainbow trout), the liver toxicity of NPs in vivo was evaluated. Finally, a bio-assay was conducted in Sprange-Dawley rats of 100g weight, which were injected intraperitoneally with different solutions of chitosan metal colloids. Then, the minimum and maximum concentration were determined for copper, nickel and cobalt. The purpose of the use of chitosan was acting as a carrier for some magnetic NPs, which toxicity would allow to obtain new polymeric materials with potential applications as magnet future drugs carrier. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Silver nano fabrication using leaf disc of Passiflora foetida Linn

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lade, Bipin D.; Patil, Anita S.

2017-06-01

The main purpose of the experiment is to develop a greener low cost SNP fabrication steps using factories of secondary metabolites from Passiflora leaf extract. Here, the leaf extraction process is omitted, and instead a leaf disc was used for stable SNP fabricated by optimizing parameters such as a circular leaf disc of 2 cm (1, 2, 3, 4, 5) instead of leaf extract and grade of pH (7, 8, 9, 11). The SNP synthesis reaction is tried under room temperature, sun, UV and dark condition. The leaf disc preparation steps are also discussed in details. The SNP obtained using (1 mM: 100 ml AgNO3+ singular leaf disc: pH 9, 11) is applied against featured room temperature and sun condition. The UV spectroscopic analysis confirms that sun rays synthesized SNP yields stable nano particles. The FTIR analysis confirms a large number of functional groups such as alkanes, alkyne, amines, aliphatic amine, carboxylic acid; nitro-compound, alcohol, saturated aldehyde and phenols involved in reduction of silver salt to zero valent ions. The leaf disc mediated synthesis of silver nanoparticles, minimizes leaf extract preparation step and eligible for stable SNP synthesis. The methods sun and room temperature based nano particles synthesized within 10 min would be use certainly for antimicrobial activity.

Biodegradation of paper waste using Eisenia foetida by vermicomposting Technology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mathivanan, Mahalakshmi; Aravind Vishnu Saravanan, G.; Baji, Aravindh; Manoj kumar, J.

2017-07-01

The paper wastes are being a big concern over past decades. The process of reuse of the paper wastes is employed by ‘eisenia foetida’ in Vermiculture. The paper waste in SASTRA is collected around 50kg and organic wastes like vegetable wastes and cow dung wastes are also collected. In the adjacent area of Nirman Vihar, SASTRA, the experimental setup is done in a Geosynthetic polymer bag. The area is divided into three segments and in each segment appropriate amount of paper waste and organic waste were added along with 25 numbers of earthworms. The setup is watered daily and monitored periodically and it is kindled for proper aeration. The soil samples were collected on 20 days, 45 days and 60 days from the day the earthworms were added. After 60 days of the experiment, the paper wastes, compost and earthworms are separated. The quantity of the wastes was compared to the initial amount and the composts are collected. The elemental analysis of the soil used as Vermi-bed is analyzed for improvement of soil nutrients. The vermiwashed water of the setup is analyzed for total protein. The number of earthworm is also compared to initial quantity. Out of all, the loss percentage of the organic waste and paper waste shows the degradation of the paper wastes.

Dormancy as exaptation to protect mimetic seeds against deterioration before dispersal

PubMed Central

Brancalion, Pedro H. S.; Novembre, Ana D. L. C.; Rodrigues, Ricardo R.; Marcos Filho, Júlio

2010-01-01

Background and Aims Mimetic seeds simulate the appearance of fleshy fruits and arilled seeds without producing nutritive tissues as a reward for seed dispersers. In this strategy of seed dispersal, seeds may remain attached to the mother plant for long periods after maturity, increasing their availability to naïve seed dispersers. The hypothesis that seed coat impermeability in many tropical Fabaceae with mimetic seeds serves as an exaptation to protect the seeds from deterioration and rotting while awaiting dispersal was investigated. Methods Seed coat impermeability was evaluated in five mimetic-seeded species of tropical Fabaceae in south-eastern Brazil (Abarema langsdorffii, Abrus precatorius, Adenanthera pavonina, Erythrina velutina and Ormosia arborea) and in Erythrina speciosa, a ‘basal’ species in its genus, which has monochromatic brown seeds and no mimetic displays. Seed hardness was evaluated as a defence against accelerated ageing (humid chamber at 41 °C for 144 h). Seed development and physiological potential of O. arborea was evaluated and the effect of holding mature seeds in pods on the mother plant in the field for a period of 1 year under humid tropical conditions was compared with seeds stored under controlled conditions (15 °C and 40 % relative air humidity). Key Results All five mimetic-seeded species, and E. speciosa, showed strong coat impermeability, which protected the seeds against deterioration in accelerated ageing. Most O. arborea seeds only became dormant 2 months after pod dehiscence. Germination of seeds after 1 year on the plant in a humid tropical climate was 56 %, compared with 80 % for seeds stored in controlled conditions (15 °C, 45 % relative humidity). Seedling shoot length after 1 year did not differ between seed sources. Conclusions Dormancy acts in mimetic-seeded species as an exaptation to reduce seed deterioration, allowing an increase in their effective dispersal period and mitigating the losses incurred by low removal rates by naïve avian frugivores. PMID:20354070

The seed bank longevity index revisited: limited reliability evident from a burial experiment and database analyses.

PubMed

Saatkamp, Arne; Affre, Laurence; Dutoit, Thierry; Poschlod, Peter

2009-09-01

Seed survival in the soil contributes to population persistence and community diversity, creating a need for reliable measures of soil seed bank persistence. Several methods estimate soil seed bank persistence, most of which count seedlings emerging from soil samples. Seasonality, depth distribution and presence (or absence) in vegetation are then used to classify a species' soil seed bank into persistent or transient, often synthesized into a longevity index. This study aims to determine if counts of seedlings from soil samples yield reliable seed bank persistence estimates and if this is correlated to seed production. Seeds of 38 annual weeds taken from arable fields were buried in the field and their viability tested by germination and tetrazolium tests at 6 month intervals for 2.5 years. This direct measure of soil seed survival was compared with indirect estimates from the literature, which use seedling emergence from soil samples to determine seed bank persistence. Published databases were used to explore the generality of the influence of reproductive capacity on seed bank persistence estimates from seedling emergence data. There was no relationship between a species' soil seed survival in the burial experiment and its seed bank persistence estimate from published data using seedling emergence from soil samples. The analysis of complementary data from published databases revealed that while seed bank persistence estimates based on seedling emergence from soil samples are generally correlated with seed production, estimates of seed banks from burial experiments are not. The results can be explained in terms of the seed size-seed number trade-off, which suggests that the higher number of smaller seeds is compensated after germination. Soil seed bank persistence estimates correlated to seed production are therefore not useful for studies on population persistence or community diversity. Confusion of soil seed survival and seed production can be avoided by separate use of soil seed abundance and experimental soil seed survival.

Seed population dynamics on abandoned slopes in the hill and gully Loess Plateau region of China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yu, Weijie; Jiao, Juying

2017-04-01

Recovery of natural vegetation is an effective but slow approach to control the soil erosion in the Chinese hill and gully Loess Plateau region. As seed stage is particularly vulnerable to environmental conditions, characteristics of seed population should be needed to study for determining whether the recovery of natural vegetation is limited during this stage on the abandoned slopes in this region. The study was performed on three abandoned slopes in a watershed with an area of 8.27 km2in the Shaanxi province of China. The differences in soil seed banks were investigated in two different points in time, late March2011 and early April 2013. Main factors of seed population dynamics, such as seed yield of dominant species, seed inputs by seed rain as well as seed outputs through seed loss by overland flow and seedling emergence, were monitored from late March 2011 to early April 2013. In this study, seed rain densities of the main later successional species, i.e., Lespedeza davurica, Stipa bungeana and Artemisia gmelinii accounted for 51.5-71.6% of their own seed yields. The soil seed bank density in early April 2013 was larger than that in late March 2011. The density of seed inputs by seed rain was 10186 seeds•m-2, and the total seed bank, including seed rain and seeds present in the soil seed bank in late March 2011, reached a density of 15018 seeds•m-2 during the study period. Seed densities of loss due to overland flow and seedling emergence were 79 seeds•m-2 from 20 species and 938 seedlings•m-2 that belonged to 38 species during a study period, and the seed output through them accounted for 0.5% and 6.3% of the total seed bank, respectively. The study concluded that overland flow could not result in large numbers of seeds loss and seeds were accumulating in the soil seed bank due to seed rain, and vegetation succession might be limited by curbed spatial seed dispersal and seedling establishment.

Tree Seed Technology Training Course

Treesearch

F.T. Bonner; James A. Vozzo; W.W. Elam; S.B. Land

1994-01-01

This manual is intended primarily to train seed collectors, seed-plant managers, seed analysts, and nursery managers, but it can serve as a resource for any training course in forest regeneration. It includes both temperate and tropical tree species of all intended uses. The manual covers the following topics: seed biology, seed collection, seed handling, seed-quality...

Image-processing algorithms for inspecting characteristics of hybrid rice seed

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cheng, Fang; Ying, Yibin

2004-03-01

Incompletely closed glumes, germ and disease are three characteristics of hybrid rice seed. Image-processing algorithms developed to detect these seed characteristics were presented in this paper. The rice seed used for this study involved five varieties of Jinyou402, Shanyou10, Zhongyou207, Jiayou and IIyou. The algorithms were implemented with a 5*600 images set, a 4*400 images set and the other 5*600 images set respectively. The image sets included black background images, white background images and both sides images of rice seed. Results show that the algorithm for inspecting seeds with incompletely closed glumes based on Radon Transform achieved an accuracy of 96% for normal seeds, 92% for seeds with fine fissure and 87% for seeds with unclosed glumes, the algorithm for inspecting germinated seeds on panicle based on PCA and ANN achieved n average accuracy of 98% for normal seeds, 88% for germinated seeds on panicle and the algorithm for inspecting diseased seeds based on color features achieved an accuracy of 92% for normal and healthy seeds, 95% for spot diseased seeds and 83% for severe diseased seeds.

Seed consumption and dispersal of ant-dispersed plants by slugs.

PubMed

Türke, Manfred; Heinze, Eric; Andreas, Kerstin; Svendsen, Sarah M; Gossner, Martin M; Weisser, Wolfgang W

2010-07-01

In beech-dominated forests in Central Europe, many spring geophytes show adaptations to seed dispersal by ants (myrmecochory). Ants, however, can be rare in such moist forests. Motivated by observations of slug feeding on seeds we investigated the seed consumption of two plant species, Anemone nemorosa and Asarum europaeum, by slugs, in a series of experiments. In a seed predation experiment in a beech forest, we found that seed removal was strongly reduced when gastropods were excluded from the seed depots. The contribution of insects, including ants, and rodents to seed removal was relatively less but differed between May and July. In the laboratory, slug species, in particular Arion sp., consumed seeds of both plant species. Slugs either consumed the elaiosomes of seeds or swallowed seeds intact. Swallowed seeds were defecated undamaged and germinated as well as control seeds when buried overwinter, indicating the potential for seed dispersal by slugs. We also recovered seeds of myrmecochores in the faeces of several slugs caught in forests. In a slug release experiment in the forest, slugs moved up to 14.6 m (mean 4.4 m) in 15 h, which is the median gut passage time of seeds based on measurements made in the laboratory. We also found that when slug-defecated seeds were offered to rodents, these were less attractive than control seeds, suggesting that passage through the slug gut reduces seed predation risk. Our results demonstrate that slugs are significant consumers of elaiosomes or entire seeds of ant-dispersed plants and that they can function as seed dispersers of these plants.

Lack of divergence in seed ecology of two Amphicarpaea (Fabaceae) species disjunct between eastern Asia and eastern North America.

PubMed

Zhang, Keliang; Baskin, Jerry M; Baskin, Carol C; Yang, Xuejun; Huang, Zhenying

2015-06-01

Many congeneric species are disjunct between eastern Asia and eastern North America. No previous study has compared the seed biology of closely related disjunct taxa of legumes or of a diaspore-heteromorphic species. Our objective was to compare seed dormancy in two such sister species in the genus Amphicarpaea (Fabaceae). We investigated the ecology and ecophysiology of aerial and subterranean seeds of the amphicarpic species Amphicarpaea edgeworthii from China and compared the results to those published for its sister species A. bracteata from eastern North America. The seed coat of aerial seeds of A. edgeworthii is well developed, whereas the seed coat of subterranean seeds is not. Aerial seeds have combinational dormancy (physical dormancy [PY] + physiological dormancy [PD]) broken by scarification followed by cold stratification or by after-ripening and scarification; whereas subterranean seeds have PD broken by cold stratification. Aerial seeds formed a persistent soil seed bank, and subterranean seeds a transient soil seed bank. Aerial seeds of A. bracteata also have PY+PD and subterranean seeds PD. Subterranean seeds of both species are desiccation intolerant. Dormancy in neither aerial nor subterranean seeds of both species has diverged over geological time. Compared to subterranean seeds, aerial seeds of both species dispersed over longer distances. Seed dispersal ability and degree of dormancy of neither species fits the high-risk/low-risk (H-H/L-L) strategy found in many diaspore-dimorphic species. Rather, both species have an H-L/L-H strategy for these two life history traits. © 2015 Botanical Society of America, Inc.

Hydrated mucilage reduces post-dispersal seed removal of a sand desert shrub by ants in a semiarid ecosystem.

PubMed

Yang, Xuejun; Baskin, Carol C; Baskin, Jerry M; Gao, Ruiru; Yang, Fan; Wei, Lingling; Li, Leilei; He, Hongju; Huang, Zhenying

2013-12-01

Post-dispersal seed removal by animals can lead to extensive seed loss and thus is an important factor in structuring plant communities. However, we know much less about post-dispersal seed predation than about other forms of herbivory. Mucilage plays many ecological roles in adaptation of plants to diverse environments; nevertheless, until now the role of mucilage in ant-mediated seed movement remains largely hypothetical. We studied the role of mucilage in seed removal of Artemisia sphaerocephala by ants in Mu Us Sandland in Inner Mongolia, China. Messor aciculatus was the most active seed predator of Artemisia sphaerocephala. Time to first ant collecting (T 1st) of wet intact seeds was longest and significantly different from that for dry intact seeds, wet demucilaged seeds, and dry demucilaged seeds; number of seeds removed to ant nests was lowest for wet intact seeds. After they were collected by ants, 5 % of wet intact seeds were dropped during transport. Our results indicate that seed mucilage of Artemisia sphaerocephala may play a significant role in post-dispersal seed removal by (1) making seeds less attractive to ants, thus resulting in a delay of collection time; (2) forming a strong bond to soil particles, making it difficult for ants to remove seeds; and (3) making seeds more likely to be dropped during transport, thereby allowing them to escape from predation even after collection by ants. This study demonstrates the importance of mucilage in reducing seed removal by ants and thus in anchoring seeds of desert plants in the vicinity of mother plants.

Skylarks trade size and energy content in weed seeds to maximize total ingested lipid biomass.

PubMed

Gaba, Sabrina; Collas, Claire; Powolny, Thibaut; Bretagnolle, François; Bretagnolle, Vincent

2014-10-01

The trade-off between forage quality and quantity has been particularly studied in herbivore organisms, but much less for seed eating animals, in particular seed-eating birds which constitute the bulk of wintering passerines in European farmlands. The skylark is one of the commonest farmland birds in winter, mainly feeding on seeds. We focus on weed seeds for conservation and management purposes. Weed seeds form the bulk of the diet of skylarks during winter period, and although this is still a matter for discussion, weed seed predation by granivorous has been suggested as an alternative to herbicides used to regulate weed populations in arable crops. Our objectives were to identify whether weed seed traits govern foraging decisions of skylarks, and to characterize key seed traits with respect to size, which is related to searching and handling time, and lipid content, which is essential for migratory birds. We combined a single-offer experiment and a multiple-offer one to test for feeding preferences of the birds by estimating seed intake on weed seed species differing in their seed size and seed lipid content. Our results showed (1) a selective preference for smaller seeds above a threshold of seed size or seed size difference in the pair and, (2) a significant effect of seed lipid biomass suggesting a trade-off between foraging for smaller seeds and selecting seeds rich in lipids. Skylarks foraging decision thus seems to be mainly based on seed size, that is presumably a 'proxy' for weed seed energy content. However, there are clearly many possible combinations of morphological and physiological traits that must play crucial role in the plant-bird interaction such as toxic compound or seed coat. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The Florida Harvester Ant, Pogonomyrmex badius, Relies on Germination to Consume Large Seeds

PubMed Central

Kwapich, Christina L.

2016-01-01

The Florida harvester ant, Pogonomyrmex badius, is one of many ant species and genera that stores large numbers of seeds in damp, underground chambers for later consumption. A comparison of the sizes of seeds recovered from storage chambers with those of seed husks discarded following consumption revealed that the used seeds are far smaller than stored seeds. This difference in use-rate was confirmed in field and laboratory colonies by offering marked seeds of various sizes and monitoring the appearance of size-specific chaff. Because foragers collect a range of seed sizes but only open small seeds, large seeds accumulate, forming 70% or more of the weight of seed stores. Major workers increase the rates at which small and medium seeds are opened, but do not increase the size range of opened seeds. Experiments limiting ant access to portions of natural seed chambers showed that seeds germinate during storage, but that the ants rapidly remove them. When offered alongside non germinating seeds, germinating seeds were preferentially fed to larvae. The rate of germination during the annual cycle was determined by both burial in artificial chambers at various depths and under four laboratory temperatures. The germination rate depends upon the species of seed, the soil/laboratory temperature and/or the elapsed time. The seasonal soil temperature cycle generated germination patterns that vary with the mix of locally-available seeds. Taken together, exploitation of germination greatly increases the resources available to the ants in space and time. While the largest seeds may have the nutritional value of 15 small seeds, the inability of workers to open large seeds at will precludes them from rapid use during catastrophic events. The harvester ant’s approach to seed harvesting is therefore two-pronged, with both immediate and delayed payoffs arising from the tendency to forage for a wide variety of seeds sizes. PMID:27893844

The Florida Harvester Ant, Pogonomyrmex badius, Relies on Germination to Consume Large Seeds.

PubMed

Tschinkel, Walter R; Kwapich, Christina L

2016-01-01

The Florida harvester ant, Pogonomyrmex badius, is one of many ant species and genera that stores large numbers of seeds in damp, underground chambers for later consumption. A comparison of the sizes of seeds recovered from storage chambers with those of seed husks discarded following consumption revealed that the used seeds are far smaller than stored seeds. This difference in use-rate was confirmed in field and laboratory colonies by offering marked seeds of various sizes and monitoring the appearance of size-specific chaff. Because foragers collect a range of seed sizes but only open small seeds, large seeds accumulate, forming 70% or more of the weight of seed stores. Major workers increase the rates at which small and medium seeds are opened, but do not increase the size range of opened seeds. Experiments limiting ant access to portions of natural seed chambers showed that seeds germinate during storage, but that the ants rapidly remove them. When offered alongside non germinating seeds, germinating seeds were preferentially fed to larvae. The rate of germination during the annual cycle was determined by both burial in artificial chambers at various depths and under four laboratory temperatures. The germination rate depends upon the species of seed, the soil/laboratory temperature and/or the elapsed time. The seasonal soil temperature cycle generated germination patterns that vary with the mix of locally-available seeds. Taken together, exploitation of germination greatly increases the resources available to the ants in space and time. While the largest seeds may have the nutritional value of 15 small seeds, the inability of workers to open large seeds at will precludes them from rapid use during catastrophic events. The harvester ant's approach to seed harvesting is therefore two-pronged, with both immediate and delayed payoffs arising from the tendency to forage for a wide variety of seeds sizes.

Seed harvesting is influenced by associational effects in mixed seed neighbourhoods, not just by seed density

USGS Publications Warehouse

Ostoja, Steven M.; Schupp, Eugene W.; Durham, Susan; Klinger, Robert C.

2013-01-01

Rodents frequently forage in a density-dependent manner, increasing harvesting in patches with greater seed densities. Although seldom considered, seed harvesting may also depend on the species identities of other individuals in the seed neighbourhood. When the seed harvest of a focal species increases in association with another seed species, the focal species suffers from Associational Susceptibility. In contrast, if seeds of the focal species are harvested less when in association with a second species, the focal species benefits from Associational Resistance.To evaluate density dependence and associational effects among seeds in mixtures, we conducted seed removal experiments using a completely additive design patterned after a two-species competition experiment using seeds of either Achnatherum hymenoides(Indian ricegrass), Leymus cinereus (basin wildrye) or Pseudoroegneria spicata (bluebunch wheatgrass), all native perennial grasses, combined with seeds of Bromus tectorum(cheatgrass), a non-native annual grass. The experiment involved placing five fixed quantities of the native seeds mixed with five fixed quantities of B. tectorum seeds in a factorial design, resulting in 35 seed mixture combinations. The seed-eating rodent community at our study sites, in order of abundance, is composed of Peromyscus maniculatus (North American deer mouse), Dipodomys ordii (Ord's kangaroo rat) and Perognathus parvus (Great Basin pocket mouse).Native seed harvesting was density dependent, with a greater proportion of seeds being harvested as density increased. In the mixed density model, the presence of B. tectorumdid not affect harvest of any of the native species' seeds when analysed individually. However, when all three native species were analysed together, increasing quantities of B. tectorum resulted in reduced harvest of native seeds, demonstrating weak but significant Associational Resistance. In contrast, harvest of B. tectorum seeds increased when in combination with any of the native seed species individually, indicating relatively strong Associational Susceptibility.These results demonstrate that seed harvest is determined not just by seed density, but also by the local seed neighbourhood and suggest that associational effects between native seeds and B. tectorum can occur in field conditions. The ecological implications of seed selection and associational effects on plant populations in natural and managed systems are also discussed.

The fate of seeds in the soil: a review of the influence of overland flow on seed removal and its consequences for the vegetation of arid and semiarid patchy ecosystems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bochet, E.

2014-10-01

Since seeds are the principle means by which plants move across the landscapes, the final fate of seeds plays a fundamental role in the assemblage, functioning and dynamics of plant communities. Once seeds land on the soil surface after being dispersed from the parent plant, they can be moved horizontally by surface runoff. In arid and semiarid patchy ecosystems, where seeds are scattered into a very heterogeneous environment and intense rainfalls occur, the transport of seeds by runoff to new sites may be an opportunity for seeds to reach more favourable sites for seed germination and seedling survival. Although seed transport by runoff may be of vital importance for the recruitment of plants in these ecosystems, it has received little attention in the scientific literature, especially among soil scientists. The main goals are (1) to offer an updated conceptual model of seed fate with a special attention to seed destiny in and on the soil, (2) to review studies on seed fate in overland flow and the ecological implications seed transport by runoff has for the origin, spatial patterning and maintenance of patches and for plant community composition in arid and semiarid patchy ecosystems, and finally (3) to point out directions for future research. Our review shows that seed fate in overland flow may result either in the export of seeds from the system (seed loss) or in the spatial redistribution of seeds within the system through short-distance seed movements (seed displacement). Seed transport by runoff depends on rainfall, slope and soil characteristics. Seed susceptibility to be removed varies highly between species and is mainly related to seed traits, as seed size, seed shape, presence of appendages, and seed ability to secrete mucilage. Although initially considered as a risk of seed loss, seed removal by runoff has recently been described as an ecological driver that shapes plant composition from the first phases of the plant life, by favouring species with seeds able to resist erosion and by selecting for plant traits that prevent seed loss. Moreover, the interaction of seed transport by overland flow with the high seed trapping capacity of vegetated patches results in a "patch-to-patch" transport of seeds that plays a relevant role in vegetation establishment and patterning in arid and semiarid patchy ecosystems. Overall, this review shows how the knowledge about seed fate in overland flow can be used to explain a number of important characteristics of whole plant communities. It also underlines important gaps of knowledge that should be filled in. Future lines of research are proposed in order to broaden our understanding of the origin, maintenance and dynamics of patchiness in arid and semiarid ecosystems and to improve restoration success of intensively eroded ecosystems.

19 CFR 10.57 - Certified seed potatoes, and seed corn or maize.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... 19 Customs Duties 1 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Certified seed potatoes, and seed corn or maize... Provisions Potatoes, Corn, Or Maize § 10.57 Certified seed potatoes, and seed corn or maize. Claim for classification as seed potatoes under subheading 0701.10.00, as seed corn (maize) under subheading 1005.10...

Efficiency of seed production in southern pine seed orchards

Treesearch

David L. Bramlett

1977-01-01

Seed production in southern pine seed orchards can be evaluated by estimating the efficiency of four separate stages of cone, seed, and seedling development. Calculated values are: cone efficiency (CE), the ratio of mature cones to the initial flower crop; seed efficiency (SE), the ratio of filled seeds per cone to the seed potential; extraction efficiency (EE), the...

Tree Seed Technology Training Course - Instructor's Manual

Treesearch

F.T. Bonner; John A. Vozzo; W.W. Elam; S.B. Land

1994-01-01

This manual is intended primarily to train seed collectors, seed-plant managers, seed analysts, and nursery managers, but it can serve as a resource for any training course in forest regeneration. It includes both temperate and tropical tree species of all intended uses. The manual covers the following topics: seed biology, seed collection, seed handling, seed-quality...

19 CFR 10.57 - Certified seed potatoes, and seed corn or maize.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... 19 Customs Duties 1 2011-04-01 2011-04-01 false Certified seed potatoes, and seed corn or maize... Provisions Potatoes, Corn, Or Maize § 10.57 Certified seed potatoes, and seed corn or maize. Claim for classification as seed potatoes under subheading 0701.10.00, as seed corn (maize) under subheading 1005.10...

19 CFR 10.57 - Certified seed potatoes, and seed corn or maize.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-04-01

... 19 Customs Duties 1 2014-04-01 2014-04-01 false Certified seed potatoes, and seed corn or maize... Provisions Potatoes, Corn, Or Maize § 10.57 Certified seed potatoes, and seed corn or maize. Claim for classification as seed potatoes under subheading 0701.10.00, as seed corn (maize) under subheading 1005.10...

19 CFR 10.57 - Certified seed potatoes, and seed corn or maize.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-04-01

... 19 Customs Duties 1 2013-04-01 2013-04-01 false Certified seed potatoes, and seed corn or maize... Provisions Potatoes, Corn, Or Maize § 10.57 Certified seed potatoes, and seed corn or maize. Claim for classification as seed potatoes under subheading 0701.10.00, as seed corn (maize) under subheading 1005.10...

19 CFR 10.57 - Certified seed potatoes, and seed corn or maize.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-04-01

... 19 Customs Duties 1 2012-04-01 2012-04-01 false Certified seed potatoes, and seed corn or maize... Provisions Potatoes, Corn, Or Maize § 10.57 Certified seed potatoes, and seed corn or maize. Claim for classification as seed potatoes under subheading 0701.10.00, as seed corn (maize) under subheading 1005.10...

Converting standard seeding rates for grasses to actual seeding rates per acre.

Treesearch

Joseph F. Pechanec

1950-01-01

Standard rates specifying the amount of grass seed to sow per acre are stated in most of the more recent publications as pounds of live pure seed (lps) to be used. For a seeding project these rates must be converted to the actual amount of seed to sow because seed as purchased from the dealer or grower is never all live pure seed. Even the best lots of seed contain...

Tree seed traits' response to monsoon climate and altitude in Indian subcontinent with particular reference to the Himalayas.

PubMed

Singh, Surendra P; Phartyal, Shyam S; Rosbakh, Sergey

2017-09-01

Seed traits are related to several ecological attributes of a plant species, including its distribution. While the storage physiology of desiccation-sensitive seeds has drawn considerable attention, their ecology has remained sidelined, particularly how the strong seasonality of precipitation in monsoonal climate affects their temporal and spatial distribution. We compiled data on seed mass, seed desiccation behavior, seed shedding, and germination periodicity in relation to monsoon and altitude for 198 native tree species of Indian Himalayas and adjoining plains to find out (1) the adaptive significance of seed mass and seed desiccation behavior in relation to monsoon and (2) the pattern of change in seed mass in relation to altitude, habitat moisture, and succession. The tree species fall into three categories with respect to seed shedding and germination periodicities: (1) species in which both seed shedding and germination are synchronized with monsoon, referred to as monsoon-synchronized (MS, 46 species); (2) species in which seed germination is synchronized with monsoon, but seeds are shed several months before monsoon, referred to as partially monsoon-synchronized (PMS, 112 species); and (3) species in which both shedding and germination occur outside of monsoon months, referred to as monsoon-desynchronized (MD, 39 species). The seed mass of MS species (1,718 mg/seed) was greater than that of PMS (627 mg/seed) and MD (1,144 mg/seed). Of the 40 species with desiccation-sensitive seeds, 45% belong to the MS category, almost similar (approx. 47%) to woody plants with desiccation-sensitive seeds in evergreen rain forests. Seed mass differed significantly as per seed desiccation behavior and successional stage. No relationship of seed mass was found with altitude alone and on the basis of seed desiccation behavior. However, seed mass trend along the altitude differed among monsoon synchronization strategies. Based on our findings, we conclude that in the predicted climate change (warming and uncertain precipitation pattern) scenario, a delay or prolonged break-spell of monsoon may adversely affect the regeneration ecology of desiccation-sensitive seed-bearing species dominant over large forest areas of monsoonal climate.

Physical, chemical and biological characteristics of space flown tomato (Lycopersicum esculentum) seeds

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Esyanti, Rizkita R.; Dwivany, Fenny M.; Almeida, Maria; Swandjaja, Leonita

2016-11-01

Several research showed that space flown treated seeds had a different characteristic with that of ground treated seed, which eventually produced a different characteristic of growth and productivity. Research was conducted to study the physical, chemical and biological properties, such as the rate of germination and the growth of tomato (Lycopersicum esculentum) space flown seeds compared with that of control one. Observations of physical properties using a SEM showed that there were pores on the surface of some tomato space flown seeds. Observations using a stereo and inverted microscope showed that the coat layer of space flown seeds was thinner than control seeds. The total mineral content in the control seeds (22.88%) was averagely higher than space flown seeds (18.66%), but the average carbohydrate content in control seed was lower (15.2 ± 2.79%) than the space flown seeds (9.02 ± 1.87%). The level of auxin (IAA) of control seeds (142 ± 6.88 ppm) was averagely lower than the space flown seeds (414 ± 78.84 ppm), whereas the level of cytokinins (zeatin) for the control seeds (381 ± 68.86 ppm) was higher than the space flown seeds (68 ± 9.53 ppm), and the level of gibberellin (GA3) for the control seeds (335 ± 10.7 ppm) was higher than the space flown seeds (184 ± 7.4 ppm). The results of this study showed that the physical and chemical properties of tomato space flown seeds were generally different compare with that to control seeds, so that it might also be resulted in different germination and growth characteristic. The germination test showed that space flown seeds had lower germination rate compare to control. The growth pattern indicated that planted space flown seeds generally grew better than control. However, those data were more homogenous in control seeds compare to that in space flown tomato seeds.

A Prospective Quasi-Randomized Comparison of Intraoperatively Built Custom-Linked Seeds Versus Loose Seeds for Prostate Brachytherapy

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Ishiyama, Hiromichi, E-mail: hishiyam@kitasato-u.ac.jp; Satoh, Takefumi; Kawakami, Shogo

Purpose: To compare dosimetric parameters, seed migration rates, operation times, and acute toxicities of intraoperatively built custom-linked (IBCL) seeds with those of loose seeds for prostate brachytherapy. Methods and Materials: Participants were 140 patients with low or intermediate prostate cancer prospectively allocated to an IBCL seed group (n=74) or a loose seed group (n=66), using quasirandomization (allocated by week of the month). All patients underwent prostate brachytherapy using an interactive plan technique. Computed tomography and plain radiography were performed the next day and 1 month after brachytherapy. The primary endpoint was detection of a 5% difference in dose to 90% ofmore » prostate volume on postimplant computed tomography 1 month after treatment. Seed migration was defined as a seed position >1 cm from the cluster of other seeds on radiography. A seed dropped into the seminal vesicle was also defined as a migrated seed. Results: Dosimetric parameters including the primary endpoint did not differ significantly between groups, but seed migration rate was significantly lower in the IBCL seed group (0%) than in the loose seed group (55%; P<.001). Mean operation time was slightly but significantly longer in the IBCL seed group (57 min) than in the loose seed group (50 min; P<.001). No significant differences in acute toxicities were seen between groups (median follow-up, 9 months). Conclusions: This prospective quasirandomized control trial showed no dosimetric differences between IBCL seed and loose seed groups. However, a strong trend toward decreased postimplant seed migration was shown in the IBCL seed group.« less

Interactions between seed traits and digestive processes determine the germinability of bird-dispersed seeds

PubMed Central

Soons, Merel B.

2018-01-01

Waterbirds disperse a wide range of plant seeds via their guts, promoting biotic connectivity between isolated habitat patches. However, the intensity of digestive forces encountered by seeds, and therefore their potential to survive digestive tract passage, varies within and between waterbird species. Here, we investigate under controlled conditions how the interaction between seed traits and digestive strategies affect the germinability of seeds following waterbird-mediated dispersal. We exposed seeds of 30 wetland plant species to the main digestive processes in the dabbling duck digestive system: mechanical, chemical and intestinal digestion. These were simulated by 1) a pressure test and scarification treatment, 2) incubation in simulated gastric juice, and 3) incubation in intestinal contents of culled mallards (Anas platyrhynchos). We evaluated their separate and combined effects on seed germination, and identified the role of seed size and seed coat traits in resisting the digestive forces. Seeds were generally resistant to separate digestive processes, but highly sensitive to a combination. Resistance to mechanical break-down was reduced by up to 80% by chemical pre-treatment, especially for seeds with permeable coats. Scarified seeds were 12–17% more vulnerable to chemical and intestinal digestive processes than undamaged seeds. Large seeds and seeds with thin, permeable coats were particularly sensitive to chemical and intestinal digestion. These results indicate that efficient digestion of seeds requires multiple digestive processes. The gizzard, responsible for mechanical digestion, plays a key role in seed survival. Omnivorous birds, which have relatively light gizzards compared to pure herbivores or granivores, are thus most likely to disperse seeds successfully. Regardless of digestive strategy, small seeds with tough seed coats are most resistant to digestion and may be adapted to endozoochorous dispersal by waterbirds. PMID:29614085

[Study on seed quality test and quality standard of Pesudostellaria heterophylla].

PubMed

Xiao, Cheng-Hong; Zhou, Tao; Jiang, Wei-Ke; Chen, Min; Xiong, Hou-Xi; Liao, Ming-Wu

2014-08-01

Referring to the rules for agricultural seed testing (GB /T 3543-1995) issued by China, the test of sampling, seed purity, weight per 1 000 seeds, seed moisture, seed viability and germination rate had been studied for screening seed quality test methods of Pesudostellaria heterophylla. The seed quality from different collection areas was measured. The results showed that at least 6.5 g seeds should be sampled and passed through 10-mesh sieve for purity analysis. The weight of 1 000 seeds was determined by using the 500-seed method. The phenotypic observation and size measurement were used for authenticity testing. The seed moisture was determined under the higher temperature (130 ± 2) degrees C for 5 hours. The seeds were dipped into 0.2% TTC sustaining 1 hour at 40 degrees C, then the viability could be determined. The break dormancy seeds were cultured on sand at 10 degrees C. K cluster analysis was applied for the data analysis, the seed quality from different collection areas grading of P. Heterophylla was described as three grades. The seed quality of each grade should reach following requirements: for first grade seeds, germination rate ≥ 86%, 1 000-grain weight ≥ 2.59 g, purity ≥ 87%, moisture ≤ 13.1%; for second grade seeds, germination rate ≥ 70%, 1 000-grain weight ≥ 2.40 g, purity ≥ 77%, moisture ≤ 14.3%; for third grade seeds, germination rate ≥ 41%, 1 000-grain weight ≥ 2.29 g, purity ≥ 76%, moisture ≤ 15.8%. The seed testing methods for quality items of P. heterophylla had been initially established, as well as the primary P. heterophylla seed quality classification standard.

Interactions between seed traits and digestive processes determine the germinability of bird-dispersed seeds.

PubMed

Kleyheeg, Erik; Claessens, Mascha; Soons, Merel B

2018-01-01

Waterbirds disperse a wide range of plant seeds via their guts, promoting biotic connectivity between isolated habitat patches. However, the intensity of digestive forces encountered by seeds, and therefore their potential to survive digestive tract passage, varies within and between waterbird species. Here, we investigate under controlled conditions how the interaction between seed traits and digestive strategies affect the germinability of seeds following waterbird-mediated dispersal. We exposed seeds of 30 wetland plant species to the main digestive processes in the dabbling duck digestive system: mechanical, chemical and intestinal digestion. These were simulated by 1) a pressure test and scarification treatment, 2) incubation in simulated gastric juice, and 3) incubation in intestinal contents of culled mallards (Anas platyrhynchos). We evaluated their separate and combined effects on seed germination, and identified the role of seed size and seed coat traits in resisting the digestive forces. Seeds were generally resistant to separate digestive processes, but highly sensitive to a combination. Resistance to mechanical break-down was reduced by up to 80% by chemical pre-treatment, especially for seeds with permeable coats. Scarified seeds were 12-17% more vulnerable to chemical and intestinal digestive processes than undamaged seeds. Large seeds and seeds with thin, permeable coats were particularly sensitive to chemical and intestinal digestion. These results indicate that efficient digestion of seeds requires multiple digestive processes. The gizzard, responsible for mechanical digestion, plays a key role in seed survival. Omnivorous birds, which have relatively light gizzards compared to pure herbivores or granivores, are thus most likely to disperse seeds successfully. Regardless of digestive strategy, small seeds with tough seed coats are most resistant to digestion and may be adapted to endozoochorous dispersal by waterbirds.

Tree-to-tree variation in seed size and its consequences for seed dispersal versus predation by rodents.

PubMed

Wang, Bo; Ives, Anthony R

2017-03-01

Individual variation in seed size and seed production is high in many plant species. How does this variation affect seed-dispersing animals and, in turn, the fitness of individual plants? In this study, we first surveyed intraspecific variation in seed mass and production in a population of a Chinese white pine, Pinus armandii. For 134 target trees investigated in 2012, there was very high variation in seed size, with mean seed mass varying among trees almost tenfold, from 0.038 to 0.361 g. Furthermore, 30 of the 134 trees produced seeds 2 years later, and for these individuals there was a correlation in seed mass of 0.59 between years, implying consistent differences among individuals. For a subset of 67 trees, we monitored the foraging preferences of scatter-hoarding rodents on a total of 15,301 seeds: 8380 were ignored, 3184 were eaten in situ, 2651 were eaten after being cached, and 395 were successfully dispersed (cached and left intact). At the scale of individual seeds, seed mass affected almost every decision that rodents made to eat, remove, and cache individual seeds. At the level of individual trees, larger seeds had increased probabilities of both predation and successful dispersal: the effects of mean seed size on costs (predation) and benefits (caching) balanced out. Thus, despite seed size affecting rodent decisions, variation among trees in dispersal success associated with mean seed size was small once seeds were harvested. This might explain, at least in part, the maintenance of high variation in mean seed mass among tree individuals.

Does gall midge larvae cause pre-dispersal seed mortality and limit cornflower population growth?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Koprdova, Stanislava; Bellanger, Solène; Skuhrovec, Jiří; Darmency, Henri

2015-11-01

Many kinds of pests can reduce seed production. Some directly attack seeds before they are released, and some are hosted by the fruit and impact seed ripening and viability indirectly. Pre-dispersal seed mortality may have strong effects on plant population dynamics and evolution. Our goals were to determine to what extent insect-mediated pre-dispersal seed mortality contributes to population-level declines of cornflower, Centaurea cyanus L. We recorded occurrence and abundance of seed-feeding insects on flower heads in twelve cornflower populations. We measured flower head size, number of disc florets, seed production, and seed viability and germination. Larger flower heads had proportionally fewer healthy seeds. Although we observed no visible damage to the C. cyanus seed, the presence of gall midge (Cecidomyiidae) larvae inside the flower head correlated with four times fewer viable seeds. It seems that gall midges could have a significant impact on ovule fertilization, seed abortion and viability of fully developed cornflower seeds. The higher rate of aborted seeds in the presence of gall midge larvae could have been because the larvae extracted resources from the seeds, or because the larvae repelled pollinators. The viability of apparently healthy seeds was 40% lower in flower heads that contained larvae and/or aborted seed. Insect-mediated pre-dispersal mortality could select against evolution toward larger flower head, and have detrimental consequences on seed number, viability and germination, all of which could limit the spread of C. cyanus populations.

Seed removal in a tropical North American desert: an evaluation of pre- and post-dispersal seed removal in Stenocereus stellatus.

PubMed

Álvarez-Espino, R; Ríos-Casanova, L; Godínez-Álvarez, H

2017-05-01

To determine seed removal influence on seed populations, we need to quantify pre- and post-dispersal seed removal. Several studies have quantified seed removal in temperate American deserts, but few studies have been performed in tropical deserts. These studies have only quantified pre- or post-dispersal seed removal, thus underestimating the influence of seed removal. We evaluated pre- and post-dispersal seed removal in the columnar cactus Stenocereus stellatus in a Mexican tropical desert. We performed selective exclosure experiments to estimate percentage of seeds removed by ants, birds and rodents during the pre- and post-dispersal phases. We also conducted field samplings to estimate abundance of the most common seed removers. Birds (10-28%) removed a higher percentage of seeds than ants (2%) and rodents (1-4%) during pre-dispersal seed removal. Melanerpes hypopolius was probably the main bird removing seeds from fruits. Ants (62-64%) removed a higher percentage of seeds than birds (34-38%) and rodents (16-30%) during post-dispersal seed removal. Pogonomyrmex barbatus was probably the main ant removing seeds from soil. Birds and ants are the main pre- and post-dispersal seed removers in S. stellatus, respectively. Further studies in other S. stellatus populations and plants with different life forms and fruit types will contribute to evaluate seed removal in tropical American deserts. © 2016 German Botanical Society and The Royal Botanical Society of the Netherlands.

[Study on seed testing for Salvia miltiorrhiza].

PubMed

Dan, Hong-mei; Qi, Jian-jun; Zhou, Li-li; Li, Xian-en

2008-09-01

To establish a seed testing methods for Salvia miltiorrhiza. Referring to the International Seed Testing Rules made by ISTA and the Seed Testing for Crops (GB/T3543. 1-1995) issued by China. The seeds are selected by winnowing; the seed purity is about 50%-60%; 100 grain weight is used to determine the quality of the seed; the seed moisture content is determined by air drying, the drying hour is 3 h. Seed viability is tested by TFC method.

Seed rain, soil seed bank, seed loss and regeneration of Castanopsis fargesii (Fagaceae) in a subtropical evergreen broad-leaved forest

USGS Publications Warehouse

Du, X.; Guo, Q.; Gao, X.; Ma, K.

2007-01-01

Understanding the seed rain and seed loss dynamics in the natural condition has important significance for revealing the natural regeneration mechanisms. We conducted a 3-year field observation on seed rain, seed loss and natural regeneration of Castanopsis fargesii Franch., a dominant tree species in evergreen broad-leaved forests in Dujiangyan, southwestern China. The results showed that: (1) there were marked differences in (mature) seed production between mast (733,700 seeds in 2001) and regular (51,200 and 195,600 seeds in 2002 and 2003, respectively) years for C. fargesii. (2) Most seeds were dispersed in leaf litter, humus and 0-2 cm depth soil in seed bank. (3) Frequency distributions of both DBH and height indicated that C. fargesii had a relatively stable population. (4) Seed rain, seed ground density, seed loss, and leaf fall were highly dynamic and certain quantity of seeds were preserved on the ground for a prolonged time due to predator satiation in both the mast and regular years so that the continuous presence of seed bank and seedling recruitments in situ became possible. Both longer time observations and manipulative experiments should be carried out to better understand the roles of seed dispersal and regeneration process in the ecosystem performance. ?? 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Burial increases seed longevity of two Artemisia tridentata (Asteraceae) subspecies

USGS Publications Warehouse

Wijayratne, Upekala C.; Pyke, David A.

2012-01-01

Premise of the study: Seed longevity and persistence in soil seed banks may be especially important for population persistence in ecosystems where opportunities for seedling establishment and disturbance are unpredictable. The fire regime, an important driver of population dynamics in sagebrush steppe ecosystems, has been altered by exotic annual grass invasion. Soil seed banks may play an active role in postfire recovery of the foundation shrub Artemisia tridentata, yet conditions under which seeds persist are largely unknown. Methods: We investigated seed longevity of two Artemisia tridentata subspecies in situ by retrieving seed bags that were placed at varying depths over a 2 yr period. We also sampled naturally dispersed seeds in litter and soil immediately after seed dispersal and before flowering in subsequent seasons to estimate seed persistence. Key results: After 24 mo, seeds buried at least 3 cm below the soil surface retained 30–40% viability whereas viability of seeds on the surface and under litter declined to 0 and Artemisia tridentata has the potential to form a short-term soil seed bank that persists longer than has been commonly assumed, and that burial is necessary for seed longevity. Use of seeding techniques that promote burial of some seeds to aid in formation of a soil seed bank may increase restoration potential.

Research on tomato seed vigor based on X-ray digital image

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhao, Xueguan; Gao, Yuanyuan; Wang, Xiu; Li, Cuiling; Wang, Songlin; Feng, Qinghun

2016-10-01

Seed size, interior abnormal and damage of the tomato seeds will affect the germination. The purpose of this paper was to study the relationship between the internal morphology, seed size and seed germination of tomato. The preprocessing algorithm of X-ray image of tomato seeds was studied, and the internal structure characteristics of tomato seeds were extracted by image processing algorithm. By developing the image processing software, the cavity area between embryo and endosperm and the whole seed zone were determined. According to the difference of area of embryo and endosperm and Internal structural condition, seeds were divided into six categories, Respectively for three kinds of tomato seed germination test, the relationship between seed vigor and seed size , internal free cavity was explored through germination experiment. Through seedling evaluation test found that X-ray image analysis provide a perfect view of the inside part of the seed and seed morphology research methods. The larger the area of the endosperm and the embryo, the greater the probability of healthy seedlings sprout from the same size seeds. Mechanical damage adversely effects on seed germination, deterioration of tissue prone to produce week seedlings and abnormal seedlings.

The perspective effects of various seed coating substances on rice seed variety Khao DAWK Mali 105 storability I: the case study of physiological properties.

PubMed

Thobunluepop, P; Pawelzik, E; Vearasilp, S

2008-10-01

This study aimed to evaluate the perspective changes of several physiological performances of rice seeds cv. KDML 105 which were coated with various seed coating substances [chemical fungicide, captan (CA) and biological coating polymers; chitosan-lignosulphonate polymer (CL) and eugenol incorporated into chitosan-lignosulphonate polymer (E + CL)] during storage (12 months). CA significantly increased seed moisture content and seed water activity through out the storage period. The qualities and viability of the seeds were seriously declined by this treatment. Moreover, CA inhibited the shoot and root development, seedling dry weight accumulation, delayed the seed germination and seedling growth rate. CA treated seeds were susceptible to stress conditions that declined the seed germination potential under cold, high moisture and temperature stress conditions. Nevertheless, CL and E + CL coating polymer could maintain seed storability, which significantly improved seed germination and seedling performances. These improvements were attributed to maintain the nutritive reserve and dehydrogenase activity in seeds. Moreover, the biological seed treatment stimulated the embryo growth and so speeding up the seedling emergence when compared untreated seeds.

Assessing the Fatty Acid, Carotenoid, and Tocopherol Compositions of Amaranth and Quinoa Seeds Grown in Ontario and Their Overall Contribution to Nutritional Quality.

PubMed

Tang, Yao; Li, Xihong; Chen, Peter X; Zhang, Bing; Liu, Ronghua; Hernandez, Marta; Draves, Jamie; Marcone, Massimo F; Tsao, Rong

2016-02-10

Various fatty acids, tocopherols, carotenoids, and their respective antioxidant contributions in 7 amaranth seed and 11 quinoa seed samples along with a new evaluation method are reported. The lipid yield was 6.98-7.22% in amaranth seeds and 6.03-6.74% in quinoa seeds, with unsaturated fatty acids (UFAs) being the predominant fatty acids, 71.58-72.44% in amaranth seeds and 81.44-84.49% in quinoa seeds, respectively. Carotenoids, mainly lutein and zeaxanthin, are confirmed for the first time in amaranth seeds, while β-carotene is reported first in quinoa seeds. The predominant tocopherols in amaranth seeds are δ- and α-tocopherol, whereas γ- and α-tocopherol are the primary tocopherols in quinoa seeds. UFAs, carotenoids, and tocopherols showed good correlation with antioxidant activity. All of the amaranth seeds demonstrated lower overall lipophilic quality than quinoa seeds, with the AS1 and QS10 cultivars providing the highest scores for amaranth and quinoa seeds, respectively. Results from this study will contribute to developing quinoa seeds and related functional foods with increased benefits.

Investigating Seed Longevity of Big Sagebrush (Artemisia tridentata)

USGS Publications Warehouse

Wijayratne, Upekala C.; Pyke, David A.

2009-01-01

The Intermountain West is dominated by big sagebrush communities (Artemisia tridentata subspecies) that provide habitat and forage for wildlife, prevent erosion, and are economically important to recreation and livestock industries. The two most prominent subspecies of big sagebrush in this region are Wyoming big sagebrush (A. t. ssp. wyomingensis) and mountain big sagebrush (A. t. ssp. vaseyana). Increased understanding of seed bank dynamics will assist with sustainable management and persistence of sagebrush communities. For example, mountain big sagebrush may be subjected to shorter fire return intervals and prescribed fire is a tool used often to rejuvenate stands and reduce tree (Juniperus sp. or Pinus sp.) encroachment into these communities. A persistent seed bank for mountain big sagebrush would be advantageous under these circumstances. Laboratory germination trials indicate that seed dormancy in big sagebrush may be habitat-specific, with collections from colder sites being more dormant. Our objective was to investigate seed longevity of both subspecies by evaluating viability of seeds in the field with a seed retrieval experiment and sampling for seeds in situ. We chose six study sites for each subspecies. These sites were dispersed across eastern Oregon, southern Idaho, northwestern Utah, and eastern Nevada. Ninety-six polyester mesh bags, each containing 100 seeds of a subspecies, were placed at each site during November 2006. Seed bags were placed in three locations: (1) at the soil surface above litter, (2) on the soil surface beneath litter, and (3) 3 cm below the soil surface to determine whether dormancy is affected by continued darkness or environmental conditions. Subsets of seeds were examined in April and November in both 2007 and 2008 to determine seed viability dynamics. Seed bank samples were taken at each site, separated into litter and soil fractions, and assessed for number of germinable seeds in a greenhouse. Community composition data from each site, as well as several environmental variables, were used to evaluate seed viability within the context of habitat variation. Initial viability of seeds used in the seed retrieval experiment was 81 and 92 percent for mountain and Wyoming big sagebrush, respectively. After remaining in the field for 24 months, buried Wyoming big sagebrush seeds retained 28-58 percent viability,11-23 percent of seeds under litter remained viable, and no seeds remained viable on the surface (estimates are 95-percent confidence intervals). The odds of remaining viable did not change from 12 to 24 months. However, after 24 months the odds of seeds beneath litter being viable decreased to 75 percent of the odds of viability at 12 months. Similar to Wyoming big sagebrush, buried seeds of mountain big sagebrush were 31-68 percent viable, seeds under litter retained 10-22 percent of their viability, and no surface seeds were viable after 24 months. Both subspecies of big sagebrush had some portion of seed that remained viable for more than one growing season provided they were buried or under litter. Although seeds beneath litter may remain viable in intact communities, seeds are susceptible to incineration during fires. Nine months after seed dispersal, seed bank estimates for Wyoming big sagebrush ranged from 19 to 49 viable seeds/m2 in litter samples and 19-57 viable seeds/m2 in soil samples (95-percent confidence interval). For mountain big sagebrush, estimates were 27-75 viable seeds/m2 in litter samples and 54-139 viable seeds/m2 in soil (95-percent confidence interval). The number of viable seeds present in the seed bank 9 months after seed dispersal was not significantly different from the number present immediately after seed dispersal. Seed viability was highest in mountain big sagebrush sites for seeds on the surface and beneath litter, but decreased after one season. Buried seeds of both subspecies were in equal abundances and may be insulated from the effect

[Dynamics of seed rain of Tripterygium hypoglaucum and soil seed bank].

PubMed

Zhang, Zhi-Wei; Wei, Yong-Sheng; Liu, Xiang; Su, Shu; Qu, Xian-You; Wang, Chang-Hua

2017-11-01

Tripterygium hypoglaucum is an endangered species in arid areas of Xiannvshan Chongqing, China. The dynamic characteristics of seed rain and soil seed bank of T. hypoglaucum were studied in this paper．Results showed that T. hypoglaucum years of mature seeds distribution number up to October; the seed rain occurred from the last ten-day of September to in the first ten-day of November and the peak of scattered seed rain concentrated in the October．The numbers of soil seed bank at 2-5 cm soil layer,mainly concentrated in the 1.5-3.5 m range. T. hypoglaucum seeds to the wind as a force for transmission, the transmission ability is strong, but in the process of natural reproduction, full mature seed rate is low, the soil seed bank seeds seed short-lived factors these were unfavorable for the natural reproduction of T. hypoglaucum population. Copyright© by the Chinese Pharmaceutical Association.

Conference Proceedings: Seed Ecology III - The Third International Society for Seed Science Meeting on Seeds and the Environment - "Seeds and Change"; June 20-June 24, 2010; Salt Lake City, Utah, USA

Treesearch

Rosemary Pendleton; Susan Meyer; Bitsy Schultz

2010-01-01

Seed Ecology III was held in Salt Lake City, Utah in June 2010, sharing the latest research on all aspects of seed ecology. Our meeting was organized around the theme "Seeds and Change." We welcomed contributions in any area of seed ecology. Our agenda also aimed to create bridges between seed ecology and plant conservation, restoration ecology, and global...

A race for survival: Can Bromus tectorum seeds escape Pyrenophora semeniperda-caused mortality by germinating quickly?

Treesearch

Julie Beckstead; Susan E. Meyer; Cherrilyn J. Molder; Caitlyn Smith

2007-01-01

Pathogen-seed interactions may involve a race for seed resources, so that seeds that germinate more quickly, mobilizing reserves, will be more likely to escape seed death than slow-germinating seeds. This race-for-survival hypothesis was tested for the North American seed pathogen Pyrenophora semeniperda on seeds of the annual grass Bromus tectorum, an invasive plant...

Equilibrium relative humidity as a tool to monitor seed moisture

Treesearch

Robert P. Karrfalt

2010-01-01

The importance of seed moisture in maintaining high seed viability is well known. The seed storage chapters in the Tropical Tree Seed Manual (Hong and Ellis 2003) and the Woody Plant Seed Manual (Bonner 2008a) give a detailed discussion and many references on this point. Working with seeds in an operational setting requires a test of seed moisture status. It is...

Potential for seed-mediated gene flow in agroecosystems from transgenic safflower (Carthamus tinctorius L.) intended for plant molecular farming.

PubMed

McPherson, Marc A; Yang, Rong-Cai; Good, Allen G; Nielson, Ryan L; Hall, Linda M

2009-04-01

Safflower has been transformed for field scale molecular farming of high-value proteins including several pharmaceuticals. Viable safflower seed remaining in the soil seed bank after harvest could facilitate seed and pollen-mediated gene flow. Seeds may germinate in subsequent years and volunteer plants may flower and potentially outcross with commodity safflower and/or produce seed. Seeds from volunteers could become admixed with conventional crops at harvest, and/or replenish the seed bank. Seed in following crops could be transported locally and internationally and facilitate gene flow in locations where regulatory thresholds and public acceptance differ from Canada. Seed-mediated gene flow was examined in three studies. Safflower seed loss and viability following harvest of commercial fields of a non-transgenic cultivar were determined. We assessed seed longevity of transgenic and non-transgenic safflower, on the soil surface and buried at two depths. Finally, we surveyed commercial safflower fields at different sites and measured density and growth stage of safflower volunteers, in other crops the following year and documented volunteer survival and viable seed production. Total seed loss at harvest in commercial fields, ranged from 231 to 1,069 seeds m(-2) and the number of viable seeds ranged from 81 to 518 seeds m(-2). Safflower has a relatively short longevity in the seed bank and no viable seeds were found after 2 years. Based on the seed burial studies it is predicted that winter conditions would reduce safflower seed viability on the soil surface by >50%, leaving between 40 and 260 viable seeds m(-2). The density of safflower volunteers emerging in the early spring of the following year ranged from 3 to 11 seedlings m(-2). Safflower volunteers did not survive in fields under chemical fallow, but in some cereal fields small numbers of volunteers did survive and generate viable seed. Results will be used to make recommendations for best management practices to reduce seed-mediated gene flow from commercial production of plant molecular farming with safflower.

Endocarp thickness affects seed removal speed by small rodents in a warm-temperate broad-leafed deciduous forest, China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Hongmao; Zhang, Zhibin

2008-11-01

Seed traits are important factors affecting seed predation by rodents and thereby the success of recruitment. Seeds of many tree species have hard hulls. These are thought to confer mechanical protection, but the effect of endocarp thickness on seed predation by rodents has not been well investigated. Wild apricot ( Prunus armeniaca), wild peach ( Amygdalus davidiana), cultivated walnut ( Juglans regia), wild walnut ( Juglans mandshurica Maxim) and Liaodong oak ( Quercus liaotungensis) are very common tree species in northwestern Beijing city, China. Their seeds vary greatly in size, endocarp thickness, caloric value and tannin content. This paper aims to study the effects of seed traits on seed removal speed of these five tree species by small rodents in a temperate deciduous forest, with emphasis on the effect of endocarp thickness. The results indicated that speed of removal of seeds released at stations in the field decreased significantly with increasing endocarp thickness. We found no significant correlations between seed removal speed and other seed traits such as seed size, caloric value and tannin content. In seed selection experiments in small cages, Père David's rock squirrel ( Sciurotamias davidianus), a large-bodied, strong-jawed rodent, selected all of the five seed species, and the selection order among the five seed species was determined by endocarp thickness and the ratio of endocarp mass/seed mass. In contrast, the Korean field mouse ( Apodemus peninsulae) and Chinese white-bellied rat ( Niviventer confucianus), with relatively small bodies and weak jaws, preferred to select small seeds like acorns of Q. liaotungensis and seeds of P. armeniaca, indicating that rodent body size is also an important factor affecting food selection based on seed size. These results suggest endocarp thickness significantly reduces seed removal speed by rodents and then negatively affects dispersal fitness of seeds before seed removal of tree species in the study region. However, effect of endocarp thickness on final dispersal fitness needs further investigation because it may increase seed caching and survival after seed removal.

Seed Dormancy, Seedling Establishment and Dynamics of the Soil Seed Bank of Stipa bungeana (Poaceae) on the Loess Plateau of Northwestern China

PubMed Central

Hu, Xiao Wen; Wu, Yan Pei; Ding, Xing Yu; Zhang, Rui; Wang, Yan Rong; Baskin, Jerry M.; Baskin, Carol C.

2014-01-01

Studying seed dormancy and its consequent effect can provide important information for vegetation restoration and management. The present study investigated seed dormancy, seedling emergence and seed survival in the soil seed bank of Stipa bungeana, a grass species used in restoration of degraded land on the Loess Plateau in northwest China. Dormancy of fresh seeds was determined by incubation of seeds over a range of temperatures in both light and dark. Seed germination was evaluated after mechanical removal of palea and lemma (hulls), chemical scarification and dry storage. Fresh and one-year-stored seeds were sown in the field, and seedling emergence was monitored weekly for 8 weeks. Furthermore, seeds were buried at different soil depths, and then retrieved every 1 or 2 months to determine seed dormancy and seed viability in the laboratory. Fresh seeds (caryopses enclosed by palea and lemma) had non-deep physiological dormancy. Removal of palea and lemma, chemical scarification, dry storage (afterripening), gibberellin (GA3) and potassium nitrate (KNO3) significantly improved germination. Dormancy was completely released by removal of the hulls, but seeds on which hulls were put back to their original position germinated to only 46%. Pretreatment of seeds with a 30% NaOH solution for 60 min increased germination from 25% to 82%. Speed of seedling emergence from fresh seeds was significantly lower than that of seeds stored for 1 year. However, final percentage of seedling emergence did not differ significantly for seeds sown at depths of 0 and 1 cm. Most fresh seeds of S. bungeana buried in the field in early July either had germinated or lost viability by September. All seeds buried at a depth of 5 cm had lost viability after 5 months, whereas 12% and 4% seeds of those sown on the soil surface were viable after 5 and 12 months, respectively. PMID:25396423

Tolerance of Ruppia sinensis Seeds to Desiccation, Low Temperature, and High Salinity With Special Reference to Long-Term Seed Storage.

PubMed

Gu, Ruiting; Zhou, Yi; Song, Xiaoyue; Xu, Shaochun; Zhang, Xiaomei; Lin, Haiying; Xu, Shuai; Yue, Shidong; Zhu, Shuyu

2018-01-01

Seeds are important materials for the restoration of globally-threatened marine angiosperm (seagrass) populations. In this study, we investigated the differences between different Ruppia sinensis seed types and developed two feasible long-term R. sinensis seed storage methods. The ability of R. sinensis seeds to tolerate the short-term desiccation and extreme cold had been investigated. The tolerance of R. sinensis seeds to long-term exposure of high salinity, cold temperature, and desiccation had been considered as potential methods for long-term seed storage. Also, three morphological and nine physiological indices were measured and compared between two types of seeds: Shape L and Shape S. We found that: (1) wet storage at a salinity of 30-40 psu and 0°C were the optimal long-term storage conditions, and the proportion of viable seeds reached over 90% after a storage period of 11 months since the seeds were collected from the reproductive shoots; (2) dry condition was not the optimal choice for long-term storage of R. sinensis seeds; however, storing seeds in a dry condition at 5°C and 33 ± 10% relative humidity for 9 months had a relatively high percentage (74.44 ± 2.22%) of viable seeds, consequently desiccation exposure could also be an acceptable seed storage method; (3) R. sinensis seeds would lose vigor in the interaction of extreme cold (-27°C) and desiccation; (4) there were significant differences in seed weight, seed curvature, and endocarp thickness between the two types of seeds. These findings provided fundamental physiological information for R. sinensis seeds and supported the long-term storage of its seeds. Our results may also serve as useful reference for seed storage of other threatened seagrass species and facilitate their ex situ conservation and habitat restoration.

[Dynamics of Quercus variabilis seed rain and soil seed bank in different habitats on the north slope of Qinling Mountains].

PubMed

Wu, Min; Zhang, Wen-Hui; Zhou, Jian-Yun; Ma, Chuang; Ma, Li-Wei

2011-11-01

In order to explore the dynamics of Quercus variabilis seed rain and soil seed bank in different habitats on the north slope of Qinling Mountains, three kinds of micro-habitats (understory, forest gap, and forest edge) were selected, with the seed rain quantity and quality of Q. variabilis, seed amount and viability in soil seed bank, as well as the seedling development of Q. variabilis studied. The seed rain of Q. variabilis started from mid August, reached the peak in mid September-early October, and ended at the beginning of November, and there existed differences in the dissemination process, occurrence time, and composition of the seed rain among the three micro-habitats. The seed rain had the maximum intensity (39.55 +/- 5.56 seeds x m(-2)) in understory, the seeds had the earliest landing time, the longest lasting duration, and the highest viability in forest gap, and the mature seeds had the largest proportion in forest edge, accounting for 58.7% of the total. From the ending time of seed rain to next August, the total reserve of soil seed bank was the largest in understory and the smallest in forest edge. In the three habitats, the amount of mature and immature seeds, that of seeds eaten by animals, and the seed viability in soil seed bank all decreased with time. In contrast, the number of moldy seeds increased. The seeds were mainly concentrated in litter layer, a few of them were in 0-2 cm soil layer, and few were in 2-5 cm soil layer. The density of the seedlings varied with habitats, being the largest in forest gap, followed by in forest edge, and the least in understory, which suggested that forest gap was more suitable for the seed germination and seedling growth of Q. variabilis, and thus, appropriate thinning should be taken to increase forest gap to provide favorable conditions for the natural regeneration of Q. variabilis forest.

7 CFR 201.69 - Classes of certified seed.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 3 2011-01-01 2011-01-01 false Classes of certified seed. 201.69 Section 201.69..., Inspections, Marketing Practices), DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE (CONTINUED) FEDERAL SEED ACT FEDERAL SEED ACT REGULATIONS Certified Seed § 201.69 Classes of certified seed. (a) Classes of certified seed are as follows...

7 CFR 361.9 - Recordkeeping.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

..., DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE IMPORTATION OF SEED AND SCREENINGS UNDER THE FEDERAL SEED ACT § 361.9 Recordkeeping. (a) Each person importing agricultural seed or vegetable seed under this part must maintain a... seed, for each lot of seed imported. Except for the seed sample, which may be discarded 1 year after...

7 CFR 201.69 - Classes of certified seed.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 3 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Classes of certified seed. 201.69 Section 201.69..., Inspections, Marketing Practices), DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE (CONTINUED) FEDERAL SEED ACT FEDERAL SEED ACT REGULATIONS Certified Seed § 201.69 Classes of certified seed. (a) Classes of certified seed are as follows...

The fate of seeds in the soil: a review of the influence of overland flow on seed removal and its consequences for the vegetation of arid and semiarid patchy ecosystems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bochet, E.

2015-01-01

Since seeds are the principle means by which plants move across the landscape, the final fate of seeds plays a fundamental role in the assemblage, functioning and dynamics of plant communities. Once seeds land on the soil surface after being dispersed from the parent plant, they can be moved horizontally by surface runoff. In arid and semiarid patchy ecosystems, where seeds are scattered into a very heterogeneous environment and intense rainfalls occur, the transport of seeds by runoff to new sites may be an opportunity for seeds to reach more favourable sites for seed germination and seedling survival. Although seed transport by runoff may be of vital importance for the recruitment of plants in these ecosystems, it has received little attention in the scientific literature, especially among soil scientists. The main goals of this review paper are (1) to offer an updated conceptual model of seed fate with a focus on seed destiny in and on the soil; (2) to review studies on seed fate in overland flow and the ecological implications seed transport by runoff has for the origin, spatial patterning and maintenance of patches in arid and semiarid patchy ecosystems; and finally (3) to point out directions for future research. This review shows that seed fate in overland flow may result either in the export of seeds from the system (seed loss) or in the spatial redistribution of seeds within the system through short-distance seed movements (seed displacement). Seed transport by runoff depends on rainfall, slope and soil characteristics. Susceptibility of seed removal varies highly between species and is mainly related to seed traits, including seed size, seed shape, presence of appendages, and ability of a seed to secrete mucilage. Although initially considered as a risk of seed loss, seed removal by runoff has recently been described as an ecological driver that shapes plant composition from the first phases of the plant life by favouring species with seeds able to resist erosion and by selecting for plant traits that prevent seed loss. Moreover, the interaction of seed transport by overland flow with the high seed trapping capacity of vegetated patches results in a "patch-to-patch" transport of seeds that plays a relevant role in vegetation establishment and patterning in arid and semiarid patchy ecosystems. Overall, this review shows how the knowledge about seed fate in overland flow can be used to explain a number of important characteristics of whole plant communities. It also underlines important gaps in knowledge that should be filled in. Future lines of research are proposed in order to broaden our understanding of the origin, maintenance and dynamics of patchiness in arid and semiarid ecosystems and to improve restoration success of intensively eroded ecosystems. Among the most exciting challenges, empirical studies are needed to understand the relevance of short-distance seed displacements in the origin and maintenance of patchiness, addressing the feedbacks between structure and function and abiotic and biotic components, in order to validate existing models about the dynamics of arid and semiarid ecosystems and help to predict future changes under the scenarios of climate change.

Adaptive evolution of seed oil content in angiosperms: accounting for the global patterns of seed oils.

PubMed

Sanyal, Anushree; Decocq, Guillaume

2016-09-09

Studies of the biogeographic distribution of seed oil content in plants are fundamental to understanding the mechanisms of adaptive evolution in plants as seed oil is the primary energy source needed for germination and establishment of plants. However, seed oil content as an adaptive trait in plants is poorly understood. Here, we examine the adaptive nature of seed oil content in 168 angiosperm families occurring in different biomes across the world. We also explore the role of multiple seed traits like seed oil content and composition in plant adaptation in a phylogenetic and nonphylogenetic context. It was observed that the seed oil content in tropical plants (28.4 %) was significantly higher than the temperate plants (24.6 %). A significant relationship between oil content and latitude was observed in three families Papaveraceae, Sapindaceae and Sapotaceae indicating that selective forces correlated with latitude influence seed oil content. Evaluation of the response of seed oil content and composition to latitude and the correlation between seed oil content and composition showed that multiple seed traits, seed oil content and composition contribute towards plant adaptation. Investigation of the presence or absence of phylogenetic signals across 168 angiosperm families in 62 clades revealed that members of seven clades evolved to have high or low seed oil content independently as they did not share a common evolutionary path. The study provides us an insight into the biogeographical distribution and the adaptive role of seed oil content in plants. The study indicates that multiple seed traits like seed oil content and the fatty acid composition of the seed oils determine the fitness of the plants and validate the adaptive hypothesis that seed oil quantity and quality are crucial to plant adaptation.

Transcriptomic profiling of genes in matured dimorphic seeds of euhalophyte Suaeda salsa.

PubMed

Xu, Yange; Zhao, Yuanqin; Duan, Huimin; Sui, Na; Yuan, Fang; Song, Jie

2017-09-13

Suaeda salsa (S. salsa) is a euhalophyte with high economic value. S. salsa can produce dimorphic seeds. Brown seeds are more salt tolerant, can germinate quickly and maintain the fitness of the species under high saline conditions. Black seeds are less salt tolerant, may become part of the seed bank and germinate when soil salinity is reduced. Previous reports have mainly focused on the ecophysiological traits of seed germination and production under saline conditions in this species. However, there is no information available on the molecular characteristics of S. salsa dimorphic seeds. In the present study, a total of 5825 differentially expressed genes were obtained; and 4648 differentially expressed genes were annotated based on a sequence similarity search, utilizing five public databases by transcriptome analysis. The different expression of these genes may be associated with embryo development, fatty acid, osmotic regulation substances and plant hormones in brown and black seeds. Compared to black seeds, most genes may relate to embryo development, and various genes that encode fatty acid desaturase and are involved in osmotic regulation substance synthesis or transport are upregulated in brown seeds. A large number of differentially expressed genes related to plant hormones were found in brown and black seeds, and their possible roles in regulating seed dormancy/germination were discussed. Upregulated genes involved in seed development and osmotic regulation substance accumulation may relate to bigger seed size and rapid seed germination in brown seeds, compared to black seeds. Differentially expressed genes of hormones may relate to seed dormancy/germination and the development of brown and black seeds. The transcriptome dataset will serve as a valuable resource to further understand gene expression and functional genomics in S. salsa dimorphic seeds.

Scatter Hoarding of Seeds Confers Survival Advantages and Disadvantages to Large-Seeded Tropical Plants at Different Life Stages

PubMed Central

Kuprewicz, Erin K.

2015-01-01

Scatter hoarding of seeds by animals contributes significantly to forest-level processes, including plant recruitment and forest community composition. However, the potential positive and negative effects of caching on seed survival, germination success, and seedling survival have rarely been assessed through experimental studies. Here, I tested the hypothesis that seed burial mimicking caches made by scatter hoarding Central American agoutis (Dasyprocta punctate) enhances seed survival, germination, and growth by protecting seeds from seed predators and providing favorable microhabitats for germination. In a series of experiments, I used simulated agouti seed caches to assess how hoarding affects seed predation by ground-dwelling invertebrates and vertebrates for four plant species. I tracked germination and seedling growth of intact and beetle-infested seeds and, using exclosures, monitored the effects of mammals on seedling survival through time. All experiments were conducted over three years in a lowland wet forest in Costa Rica. The majority of hoarded palm seeds escaped predation by both invertebrates and vertebrates while exposed seeds suffered high levels of infestation and removal. Hoarding had no effect on infestation rates of D. panamensis, but burial negatively affected germination success by preventing endocarp dehiscence. Non-infested palm seeds had higher germination success and produced larger seedlings than infested seeds. Seedlings of A. alatum and I. deltoidea suffered high mortality by seed-eating mammals. Hoarding protected most seeds from predators and enhanced germination success (except for D. panamensis) and seedling growth, although mammals killed many seedlings of two plant species; all seedling deaths were due to seed removal from the plant base. Using experimental caches, this study shows that scatter hoarding is beneficial to most seeds and may positively affect plant propagation in tropical forests, although tradeoffs in seed survival do exist. PMID:25970832

Do cacti form soil seed banks? An evaluation using species from the Southern Central Andes.

PubMed

Lindow-López, Lucía; Galíndez, Guadalupe; Sühring, Silvia; Pastrana-Ignes, Valeria; Gorostiague, Pablo; Gutiérrez, Angela; Ortega-Baes, Pablo

2018-06-22

There is controversy over whether cactus species form soil seed banks. Although it is commonly assumed that cacti do not form seed banks, very few studies have evaluated them. In this work, we analyzed whether cactus species form soil seed banks, studying seed distribution, seed density and seed longevity in the Southern Central Andes. Soil samples were collected in two microhabitats (under nurse plants and in bare areas) at 12 selected sites. We determined seed presence-absence, density and distribution for 32 native cactus species. Seed longevity for six of these species was determined through a burial experiment. We recorded viable seeds for 62.5% of the 32 evaluated species, finding variation in seed density between microenvironments and among populations. In some species, the greatest seed density was found under potential nurse plants. Seed germination and seed viability decreased with burial time, with seed longevity always being less than 24 months after burial. Our results show strong evidence that cactus species do form seed banks. Seed density can vary between microenvironments and among populations, suggesting that cactus-nurse plant associations can also be explained by differential seed dispersal and not only by differential establishment. We found that Echinopsis and Gymnocalycium species form short-term seed banks. Our results will help to better understand the population dynamics of cactus species, a focal species group for conservation actions because many of them are threatened by human activities. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

Seed size variation in the palm Euterpe edulis and the effects of seed predators on germination and seedling survival

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pizo, Marco A.; Von Allmen, Christiane; Morellato, L. Patricia C.

2006-05-01

Intraspecific variation in seed size is common in wild plant populations and has important consequences for the reproductive success of individual plants. Multiple, often conflicting evolutionary forces mediated by biotic as well as abiotic agents may maintain such a variation. In this paper we assessed seed size variation in a population of the threatened, commercially important palm Euterpe edulis in southeast Brazil. We investigated (i) how this variation affects the probability of attack by vertebrate and invertebrate post-dispersal seed predators, and (ii) if seed size influences the outcome of seeds damaged by beetles in terms of seed germination and early survival of seedlings. Euterpe edulis seeds varied in diameter from 8.3 to 14.1 mm. Neither insects nor rodents selected the seeds they preyed upon based on seed size. Seed germination and total, shoot and root biomasses of one-year seedlings were significantly and positively affected by seed size. Root biomass and seedling survival were negatively affected by seed damage caused by a scolytid beetle ( Coccotrypes palmarum) whose adults bore into seeds to consume part of the endosperm, but do not oviposit on them. Seed size had a marginally significant effect on seedling survival. Therefore, if any advantage is accrued by E. edulis individuals producing large seeds, this is because of greater seed germination success and seedling vigor. If this is so, even a relatively narrow range of variation in seed size as observed in the E. edulis population studied may translate into differential success of individual plants.

Seed source, seed traits, and frugivore habits: Implications for dispersal quality of two sympatric primates.

PubMed

Benítez-Malvido, Julieta; González-Di Pierro, Ana Ma; Lombera, Rafael; Guillén, Susana; Estrada, Alejandro

2014-06-01

• Premise of the study: Frugivore selection of fruits and treatment of seeds together with seed deposition site are crucial for the population dynamics of vertebrate-dispersed plants. However, frugivore species may influence dispersal quality differently even when feeding on the same fruit species and, while animals disperse some seeds, others simply fall beneath the parent plant.• Methods: In southern Mexico, we investigated to see if within-species seed traits (i.e., length, width, weight, and volume) and germination success differed according to seed source. For five tropical tree species we obtained ingested seeds from two sources, howler monkey (Alouatta pigra) and spider monkey (Ateles geoffroyi) feces; and noningested seeds from two sources, the ground and tree crowns (with predispersed seeds used as control).• Key results: A principal components' analysis showed that traits of seeds ingested by howler monkeys differed from other sources while seeds ingested by spider monkeys were similar to noningested seeds. Howlers consumed on average the larger seeds in Ampelocera hottlei, Brosimum lactescens, and Dialium guianense. Both primate species consumed the smaller seeds in Spondias mombin, while no seed trait differences among seed sources were found in Spondias radlkoferi. For all five tree species, germination rate was greatest for seeds ingested by howler monkeys.• Conclusions: For the studied plant species, seed ingestion by howler monkeys confers higher dispersal quality than ingestion by spider monkeys or nondispersal. Dispersal services of both primate species, however, are not redundant and may contribute to germination heterogeneity within plant populations in tropical forests. © 2014 Botanical Society of America, Inc.

Rodent-Mediated Interactions Among Seed Species of Differing Quality in a Shrubsteppe Ecosystem

USGS Publications Warehouse

Beard, Karen H.; Faulhaber, Craig A.; Howe, Frank P.; Edwards, Thomas C.

2013-01-01

Interactions among seeds, mediated by granivorous rodents, are likely to play a strong role in shrubsteppe ecosystem restoration. Past studies typically consider only pairwise interactions between preferred and less preferred seed species, whereas rangeland seedings are likely to contain more than 2 seed species, potentially leading to complex interactions. We examined how the relative proportion of seeds in a 3-species polyculture changes rodent seed selectivity (i.e., removal) and indirect interactions among seeds. We presented 2 rodent species, Peromyscus maniculatus (deer mice) and Perognathus parvus (pocket mice), in arenas with 3-species seed mixtures that varied in the proportion of a highly preferred, moderately preferred, and least preferred seed species, based on preferences determined in this study. We then conducted a field experiment in a pocket mouse—dominated ecosystem with the same 3-species seed mixtures in both “treated” (reduced shrub and increased forb cover) and “untreated” shrubsteppe. In the arena experiment, we found that rodents removed more of the highly preferred seed when the proportions of all 3 seeds were equal. Moderately preferred seeds experienced increased removal when the least preferred seed was in highest proportion. Removal of the least preferred seed increased when the highly preferred seed was in highest proportion. In the field experiment, results were similar to those from the arena experiment and did not differ between treated and untreated shrubsteppe areas. Though our results suggest that 3-species mixtures induce complex interactions among seeds, managers applying these results to restoration efforts should carefully consider the rodent community present and the potential fate of removed seeds.

Diplochory in Ulex parviflorus Pourr

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

López-Vila, J. R.; García-Fayos, P.

2005-09-01

Ulex parviflorus (Fabaceae) is a fire-prone shrub of the western Mediterranean Basin that disperses their seeds both by the explosion of the legumes and the action of ants. Over 3 years we studied seed dispersal in a population from eastern Spain. We analysed the temporal and spatial patterns of primary seed dispersal and their consequences for the foraging behaviour of ants. We also studied the effect of seed manipulation by ants on germination success. Primary seed dispersal correlated positively with air temperature. The curve of seed abundance as a function of distance of the plant displayed one peak under the plant and another peak at 130 cm. Ants of the species Messor barbarus were observed collecting seeds and they were attracted by the elaiosome. However, the spatial pattern of the seeds in the soil did not shape the foraging activity of the ants. Ants brought the seeds to their nest stores, removed the elaiosome and threw away the seeds in the refuse piles. By removing the elaiosome ants increased the germination rate in relation to intact seeds. Results showed that diplochory operates on seeds of U. parviflorus allowing the species to exploit heterogeneous establishment conditions. Primary dispersal places seeds near the mother plant but at the expense of delayed germination. These seeds should be incorporated into the soil seed bank and then activated by forest-fires or canopy disturbance. Secondary seed dispersal by ants activates seed germination and allows the plant to establish immediately after seed dispersal.

Global Changes in DNA Methylation in Seeds and Seedlings of Pyrus communis after Seed Desiccation and Storage

PubMed Central

Michalak, Marcin; Barciszewska, Mirosława Z.; Barciszewski, Jan; Plitta, Beata P.; Chmielarz, Paweł

2013-01-01

The effects of storage and deep desiccation on structural changes of DNA in orthodox seeds are poorly characterized. In this study we analyzed the 5-methylcytosine (m5C) global content of DNA isolated from seeds of common pear (Pyrus communis L.) that had been subjected to extreme desiccation, and the seedlings derived from these seeds. Germination and seedling emergence tests were applied to determine seed viability after their desiccation. In parallel, analysis of the global content of m5C in dried seeds and DNA of seedlings obtained from such seeds was performed with a 2D TLC method. Desiccation of fresh seeds to 5.3% moisture content (mc) resulted in a slight reduction of DNA methylation, whereas severe desiccation down to 2–3% mc increased DNA methylation. Strong desiccation of seeds resulted in the subsequent generation of seedlings of shorter height. A 1-year period of seed storage induced a significant increase in the level of DNA methylation in seeds. It is possible that alterations in the m5C content of DNA in strongly desiccated pear seeds reflect a reaction of desiccation-tolerant (orthodox) seeds to severe desiccation. Epigenetic changes were observed not only in severely desiccated seeds but also in 3-month old seedlings obtained from these seeds. With regard to seed storage practices, epigenetic assessment could be used by gene banks for early detection of structural changes in the DNA of stored seeds. PMID:23940629

Effect of processing techniques on nutritional composition and antioxidant activity of fenugreek (Trigonella foenum-graecum) seed flour.

PubMed

Pandey, Hemlata; Awasthi, Pratima

2015-02-01

Fenugreek (Pusa Early Bunching) seeds were processed by using different processing methods viz. soaking, germination and roasting. Raw and processed fenugreek seed flours were analyzed for nutritional composition, anti- nutritional, and antioxidant activity. Raw fenugreek seed flour contained higher amount of dietary fiber (45.4 %) followed by 41.7 % in soaked seed flour, 40.9 % in roasted fenugreek seed flour and 31.3 % in germinated fenugreek seed flour. Processing of fenugreek seeds improved in vitro starch digestibility and in vitro protein digestibility. Soaking, germination and roasting enhanced total phenolic content and the antioxidant activity of fenugreek seed flour as compared to raw fenugreek seed flour. The phenolic content of soaked, germinated and roasted fenugreek seed flours was 54.4, 80.8 and 48.5 mg of gallic acid equivalents/g of sample in contrast to raw fenugreek seed flour (45.4 mg of gallic acid equivalents/g of sample). The antioxidant activity of the extracts of soaked, germinated and roasted fenugreek seed flours was 60.7 %, 73.9 % and 32.0 % whereas as the raw fenugreek seed flour exhibited 18.1 % antioxidant activity. Processing of fenugreek seeds also decreased phytic acid content significantly (P < 0.05) as compared to raw seeds.

Seeds integrate biological information about conspecific and allospecific neighbours.

PubMed

Yamawo, Akira; Mukai, Hiromi

2017-06-28

Numerous organisms integrate information from multiple sources and express adaptive behaviours, but how they do so at different developmental stages remains to be identified. Seeds, which are the embryonic stage of plants, need to make decisions about the timing of emergence in response to environmental cues related to survival. We investigated the timing of emergence of Plantago asiatica (Plantaginaceae) seed while manipulating the presence of Trifolium repens seed and the relatedness of neighbouring P. asiatica seed. The relatedness of neighbouring P. asiatica seed and the presence of seeds of T. repens did not on their own influence the timing of P. asiatica emergence. However, when encountering a T. repens seed, a P. asiatica seed emerged faster in the presence of a sibling seed than in the presence of a non-sibling seed. Water extracts of seeds gave the same result. We show that P. asiatica seeds integrate information about the relatedness of neighbouring P. asiatica seeds and the presence of seeds of a different species via water-soluble chemicals and adjust their emergence behaviour in response. These findings suggest the presence of kin-dependent interspecific interactions. © 2017 The Author(s).

The evolutionary diversification of seed size: using the past to understand the present.

PubMed

Sims, Hallie J

2012-05-01

The Devonian origin of seed plants and subsequent morphological diversification of seeds during the late Paleozoic represents an adaptive radiation into unoccupied ecological niche space. A plant's seed size is correlated with its life-history strategy, growth form, and seed dispersal syndrome. The fossil record indicates that the oldest seed plants had relatively small seeds, but the Mississippian seed size envelope increased significantly with the diversification of larger seeded lineages. Fossil seeds equivalent to the largest extant gymnosperm seeds appeared by the Pennsylvanian, concurrent with morphological diversification of growth forms and dispersal syndromes as well as the clade's radiation into new environments. Wang's Analysis of Skewness indicates that the evolutionary trend of increasing seed size resulted from primarily passive processes in Pennsylvanian seed plants. The distributions of modern angiosperms indicate a more diverse system of active and some passive processes, unbounded by Paleozoic limits; multiple angiosperm lineages independently evolved though the upper and lower bounds. Quantitative measures of preservation suggest that, although our knowledge of Paleozoic seeds is far from complete, the evolutionary trend in seed size is unlikely to be an artifact of taphonomy. © 2012 The Author. Evolution© 2012 The Society for the Study of Evolution.

Seed dispersal and seed fate in Joshua tree (Yucca brevifolia)

USGS Publications Warehouse

Waitman, B.A.; Vander Wall, S.B.; Esque, Todd

2012-01-01

Joshua tree (Yucca brevifolia) is a charismatic symbol of the Mojave Desert. Despite its familiarity, we know little about the reproduction of this species, including mechanisms of seed dispersal. Here we examine mechanisms of seed dispersal and resulting seed fate. We experimentally tracked fruit and seed removal and followed the fates of Joshua tree seeds using radioactive tracers. The majority of Joshua tree fruits monitored were taken directly from the tree canopy by white-tailed antelope squirrels, and seeds and fruits on the soil surface were quickly removed by animals. Rodents given seeds labeled with scandium-46 cached them between 0.1 cm and 4.1 cm deep. Seedling emergence was most common for seeds planted 1 cm deep, whereas seeds placed on the soil surface seldom germinated. Wind dispersal is unlikely because fruits and seeds lack adaptations for wind dispersal; wind speeds required to move Joshua tree seeds and fruits across the soil surface were higher than those typically found in the Mojave Desert. Further, rodents removed most seeds before abiotic burial was possible. We conclude that most Joshua tree seeds are dispersed by scatter hoarding by rodents, and that caches made by rodents are suitable sites for seedling emergence.

Automated seed manipulation and planting

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Garcia, Ray; Herrera, Javier; Holcomb, Scott; Kelly, Paul; Myers, Scott; Rosendo, Manny; Sivitz, Herbert; Wolsefer, Dave

1988-01-01

The Mechanical Division fabricated three seed separators utilizing pressure gradients to move and separate wheat seeds. These separators are called minnow buckets and use air, water, or a combination of both to generate the pressure gradient. Electrostatic fields were employed in the seed separator constructed by the Electrical Division. This separator operates by forcing a temporary electric dipole on the wheat seeds and using charged electrodes to attract and move the seeds. Seed delivery to the hydroponic growth tray is accomplished by the seed cassette. The cassette is compatible with all the seed separators, and it consists of a plastic tube threaded with millipore filter paper. During planting operations, the seeds are placed in an empty cassette. The loaded cassette is then placed in the growth tray and nutrient solution provided. The solution wets the filter paper and capillary action draws the nutrients up to feed the seeds. These seeding systems were tested and showed encouraging results. Seeds were effectively separated and the cassette can support the growth of wheat plants. Problems remaining to be investigated include improving the success of delivering the seeds to the cassette and providing adequate spacing between seeds for the electric separator.

Continued results of the seeds in space experiment

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Alston, Jim A.

1993-01-01

Two million seeds of 120 different varieties representing 106 species, 97 genera, and 55 plant families were flown aboard the Long Duration Exposure Facility (LDEF). The seed were housed on the Space Exposed Experiment Developed for Students (SEEDS) tray in the sealed canister number 6 and in two small vented canisters. The tray was in the F-2 position. The seed were germinated and the germination rates and the development of the resulting plants were compared to the performance of the control seed that stayed in Park Seed's seed storage facility. The initial results were presented in a paper at the First LDEF Post-Retrieval Symposium. There was a better survival rate of the seed in the sealed canister in space than in the storage facility at Park Seed. At least some of the seed in each of the vented canisters survived the exposure to vacuum for almost six years. The number of observed apparent mutations was very low. In the initial testing, the small seeded crops were not grown to maturity to check for mutations and obtain second generation seed. These small seeded crops have now been grown for evaluation and second generation seed collected.

Joshua tree (Yucca brevifolia) seeds are dispersed by seed-caching rodents

USGS Publications Warehouse

Vander Wall, S.B.; Esque, T.; Haines, D.; Garnett, M.; Waitman, B.A.

2006-01-01

Joshua tree (Yucca brevifolia) is a distinctive and charismatic plant of the Mojave Desert. Although floral biology and seed production of Joshua tree and other yuccas are well understood, the fate of Joshua tree seeds has never been studied. We tested the hypothesis that Joshua tree seeds are dispersed by seed-caching rodents. We radioactively labelled Joshua tree seeds and followed their fates at five source plants in Potosi Wash, Clark County, Nevada, USA. Rodents made a mean of 30.6 caches, usually within 30 m of the base of source plants. Caches contained a mean of 5.2 seeds buried 3-30 nun deep. A variety of rodent species appears to have prepared the caches. Three of the 836 Joshua tree seeds (0.4%) cached germinated the following spring. Seed germination using rodent exclosures was nearly 15%. More than 82% of seeds in open plots were removed by granivores, and neither microsite nor supplemental water significantly affected germination. Joshua tree produces seeds in indehiscent pods or capsules, which rodents dismantle to harvest seeds. Because there is no other known means of seed dispersal, it is possible that the Joshua tree-rodent seed dispersal interaction is an obligate mutualism for the plant.

7 CFR 201.51 - Inert matter.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... stated under pure seed. Refer to § 201.48 (g) and (h) for pure seed classification. (5) Seed units with... the seed unit. Refer to § 201.48(h) for pure seed classification. (6) Broken seed units of... to be within the following categories: (1) Damaged seed (other than grasses) with over one-half of...

7 CFR 201.51 - Inert matter.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... stated under pure seed. Refer to § 201.48 (g) and (h) for pure seed classification. (5) Seed units with... the seed unit. Refer to § 201.48(h) for pure seed classification. (6) Broken seed units of... to be within the following categories: (1) Damaged seed (other than grasses) with over one-half of...

Roles of Gibberellins and Abscisic Acid in Regulating Germination of Suaeda salsa Dimorphic Seeds Under Salt Stress

PubMed Central

Li, Weiqiang; Yamaguchi, Shinjiro; Khan, M. Ajmal; An, Ping; Liu, Xiaojing; Tran, Lam-Son P.

2016-01-01

Seed heteromorphism observed in many halophytes is an adaptive phenomenon toward high salinity. However, the relationship between heteromorphic seed germination and germination-related hormones under salt stress remains elusive. To gain an insight into this relationship, the roles of gibberellins (GAs) and abscisic acid (ABA) in regulating germination of Suaeda salsa dimorphic brown and black seeds under salinity were elucidated by studying the kinetics of the two hormones during germination of the two seed types with or without salinity treatment. Morphological analysis suggested that brown and black are in different development stage. The content of ABA was higher in dry brown than in black seeds, which gradually decreased after imbibition in water and salt solutions. Salt stress induced ABA accumulation in both germinating seed types, with higher induction effect on black than brown seeds. Black seeds showed lower germination percentage than brown seeds under both water and salt stress, which might be attributed to their higher ABA sensitivity rather than the difference in ABA content between black and brown seeds. Bioactive GA4 and its biosynthetic precursors showed higher levels in brown than in black seeds, whereas deactivated GAs showed higher content in black than brown seeds in dry or in germinating water or salt solutions. High salinity inhibited seed germination through decreasing the levels of GA4 in both seeds, and the inhibited effect of salt stress on GA4 level of black seeds was more profound than that of brown seeds. Taken together higher GA4 content, and lower ABA sensitivity contributed to the higher germination percentage of brown seeds than black seeds in water and salinity; increased ABA content and sensitivity, and decreased GA4 content by salinity were more profound in black than brown seeds, which contributed to lower germination of black seeds than brown seeds in salinity. The differential regulation of ABA and GA homeostases by salt stress in dimorphic seeds might provide a strategy for S. salsa plants to survive adverse environmental conditions. PMID:26793214

A real-time, non-invasive, micro-optrode technique for detecting seed viability by using oxygen influx.

PubMed

Xin, Xia; Wan, Yinglang; Wang, Wenjun; Yin, Guangkun; McLamore, Eric S; Lu, Xinxiong

2013-10-28

Quantifying seed viability is required for seed bank maintenance. The classical methods for detecting seed viability are time consuming and frequently cause seed damage and unwanted germination. We have established a novel micro-optrode technique (MOT) to measure seed viability in a quick and non-invasive manner by measuring the oxygen influxes of intact seeds, approximately 10 seconds to screen one seed. Here, we used soybean, wheat, and oilseed rape as models to test our method. After 3-hour imbibition, oxygen influxes were recorded in real-time with the total measurement taking less than 5 minutes. The results indicated a significantly positive correlation between oxygen influxes and viability in all 3 seed types. We also established a linear equation between oxygen influxes and seed viability for each seed type. For measurements, seeds were kept in the early imbibition stage without germination. Thus, MOT is a reliable, quick, and low-cost seed viability detecting technique.

Global asymptotic stability of plant-seed bank models.

PubMed

Eager, Eric Alan; Rebarber, Richard; Tenhumberg, Brigitte

2014-07-01

Many plant populations have persistent seed banks, which consist of viable seeds that remain dormant in the soil for many years. Seed banks are important for plant population dynamics because they buffer against environmental perturbations and reduce the probability of extinction. Viability of the seeds in the seed bank can depend on the seed's age, hence it is important to keep track of the age distribution of seeds in the seed bank. In this paper we construct a general density-dependent plant-seed bank model where the seed bank is age-structured. We consider density dependence in both seedling establishment and seed production, since previous work has highlighted that overcrowding can suppress both of these processes. Under certain assumptions on the density dependence, we prove that there is a globally stable equilibrium population vector which is independent of the initial state. We derive an analytical formula for the equilibrium population using methods from feedback control theory. We apply these results to a model for the plant species Cirsium palustre and its seed bank.

Seed-predator satiation and Janzen-Connell effects vary with spatial scales for seed-feeding insects.

PubMed

Xiao, Zhishu; Mi, Xiangcheng; Holyoak, Marcel; Xie, Wenhua; Cao, Ke; Yang, Xifu; Huang, Xiaoqun; Krebs, Charles J

2017-01-01

The Janzen-Connell model predicts that common species suffer high seed predation from specialized natural enemies as a function of distance from parent trees, and consequently as a function of conspecific density, whereas the predator satiation hypothesis predicts that seed attack is reduced due to predator satiation at high seed densities. Pre-dispersal predation by insects was studied while seeds are still on parent trees, which represents a frequently overlooked stage in which seed predation occurs. Reproductive tree density and seed production were investigated from ten Quercus serrata populations located in south-west China, quantifying density-dependent pre-dispersal seed predation over two years by three insect groups. Acorn infestation was nearly twice as high in the low-seed year as that in the high-seed year, with considerable spatio-temporal variation in the direction and magnitude of density-dependent pre-dispersal seed predation evident. Across whole populations of trees, a high density of reproductive trees caused predator satiation and reduced insect attack in the high-seed year. Within individual trees, and consistent with the Janzen-Connell model, overall insect seed predation was positively correlated with seed production in the low-seed year. In addition, there was variation among insect taxa, with positive density-dependent seed predation by Curculio weevils in the high-seed year and moths in the low-seed year, but apparent density independence by Cyllorhynchites weevils in both years. The overall trend of negative density-dependent, pre-dispersal seed predation suggests that predator satiation limited the occurrence of Janzen-Connell effects across Q. serrata populations. Such effects may have large impacts on plant population dynamics and tree diversity, depending on the extent to which they are reduced by counteracting positive density-dependent predation for seeds on individual trees and other factors affecting successful recruitment. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Annals of Botany Company. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Differential Attachment of Salmonella enterica and Enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli to Alfalfa, Fenugreek, Lettuce, and Tomato Seeds

PubMed Central

Cui, Yue; Walcott, Ronald

2017-01-01

ABSTRACT Vegetable seeds have the potential to disseminate and transmit foodborne bacterial pathogens. This study was undertaken to assess the abilities of selected Salmonella and enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli (EHEC) strains to attach to fungicide-treated versus untreated, and intact versus mechanically damaged, seeds of alfalfa, fenugreek, lettuce, and tomato. Surface-sanitized seeds (2 g) were exposed to four individual strains of Salmonella or EHEC at 20°C for 5 h. Contaminated seeds were rinsed twice, each with 10 ml of sterilized water, before being soaked overnight in 5 ml of phosphate-buffered saline at 4°C. The seeds were then vortexed vigorously for 1 min, and pathogen populations in seed rinse water and soaking buffer were determined using a standard plate count assay. In general, the Salmonella cells had higher attachment ratios than the EHEC cells. Lettuce seeds by unit weight had the highest numbers of attached Salmonella or EHEC cells, followed by tomato, alfalfa, and fenugreek seeds. In contrast, individual fenugreek seeds had more attached pathogen cells, followed by lettuce, alfalfa, and tomato seeds. Significantly more Salmonella and EHEC cells attached to mechanically damaged seeds than to intact seeds (P < 0.05). Although, on average, significantly more Salmonella and EHEC cells were recovered from untreated than fungicide-treated seeds (P < 0.05), fungicide treatment did not significantly affect the attachment of individual bacterial strains to vegetable seeds (P > 0.05), with a few exceptions. This study fills gaps in the current body of literature and helps explain bacterial interactions with vegetable seeds with differing surface characteristics. IMPORTANCE Vegetable seeds, specifically sprout seeds, have the potential to disseminate and transmit foodborne bacterial pathogens. This study investigated the interaction between two important bacterial pathogens, i.e., Salmonella and EHEC, and vegetable seeds with differing surface characteristics. This research helps understand whether seed surface structure, integrity, and fungicide treatment affect the interaction between bacterial cells and vegetable seeds. PMID:28130295

The use of powder and essential oil of Cymbopogon citratus against mould deterioration and aflatoxin contamination of "egusi" melon seeds.

PubMed

Bankole, S A; Joda, A O; Ashidi, J S

2005-01-01

Experiments were carried out to determine the potential of using the powder and essential oil from dried ground leaves of Cymbopogon citratus (lemon grass) to control storage deterioration and aflatoxin contamination of melon seeds. Four mould species: Aspergillus flavus, A. niger, A. tamarii and Penicillium citrinum were inoculated in the form of conidia suspension (approx. 10(6) conidia per ml) unto shelled melon seeds. The powdered dry leaves and essential oil from lemon grass were mixed with the inoculated seeds at levels ranging from 1-10 g/100 g seeds and 0.1 to 1.0 ml/100 g seeds respectively. The ground leaves significantly reduced the extent of deterioration in melon seeds inoculated with different fungi compared to the untreated inoculated seeds. The essential oil at 0.1 and 0.25 ml/100 g seeds and ground leaves at 10 g/100 g seeds significantly reduced deterioration and aflatoxin production in shelled melon seeds inoculated with toxigenic A. flavus. At higher dosages (0.5 and 1.0 ml/100 g seeds), the essential oil completely prevented aflatoxin production. After 6 months in farmers' stores, unshelled melon seeds treated with 0.5 ml/ 100 g seeds of essential oil and 10 g/100 g seeds of powdered leaves of C. citratus had significantly lower proportion of visibly diseased seeds and Aspergillus spp. infestation levels and significantly higher seed germination compared to the untreated seeds. The oil content, free fatty acid and peroxide values in seeds protected with essential oil after 6 months did not significantly differ from the values in seeds before storage. The efficacy of the essential oil in preserving the quality of melon seeds in stores was statistically at par with that of fungicide (iprodione) treatment. ((c) 2005 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim).

Fruit and seed heteromorphism in the cold desert annual ephemeral Diptychocarpus strictus (Brassicaceae) and possible adaptive significance.

PubMed

Lu, Juanjuan; Tan, Dunyan; Baskin, Jerry M; Baskin, Carol C

2010-06-01

Diptychocarpus strictus is an annual ephemeral in the cold desert of northwest China that produces heteromorphic fruits and seeds. The primary aims of this study were to characterize the morphology and anatomy of fruits and seeds of this species and compare the role of fruit and seed heteromorphism in dispersal and germination. Shape, size, mass and dispersal of siliques and seeds and the thickness of the mucilage layer on seeds were measured, and the anatomy of siliques and seeds, the role of seed mucilage in water absorption/dehydration, germination and adherence of seeds to soil particles, the role of pericarp of lower siliques in seed dormancy and seed after-ripening and germination phenology were studied using standard procedures. Plants produce dehiscent upper siliques with a thin pericarp containing seeds with large wings and a thick mucilage layer and indehiscent lower siliques with a thick pericarp containing nearly wingless seeds with a thin mucilage layer. The dispersal ability of seeds from the upper siliques was much greater than that of intact lower siliques. Mucilage increased the amount of water absorbed by seeds and decreased the rate of dehydration. Seeds with a thick mucilage layer adhered to soil particles much better than those with a thin mucilage layer or those from which mucilage had been removed. Fresh seeds were physiologically dormant and after-ripened during summer. Non-dormant seeds germinated to high percentages in light and in darkness. Germination of seeds from upper siliques is delayed until spring primarily by drought in summer and autumn, whereas the thick, indehiscent pericarp prevents germination for >1 year of seeds retained in lower siliques. The life cycle of D. strictus is morphologically and physiologically adapted to the cold desert environment in time and space via a combination of characters associated with fruit and seed heteromorphism.

Differential Attachment of Salmonella enterica and Enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli to Alfalfa, Fenugreek, Lettuce, and Tomato Seeds.

PubMed

Cui, Yue; Walcott, Ronald; Chen, Jinru

2017-04-01

Vegetable seeds have the potential to disseminate and transmit foodborne bacterial pathogens. This study was undertaken to assess the abilities of selected Salmonella and enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli (EHEC) strains to attach to fungicide-treated versus untreated, and intact versus mechanically damaged, seeds of alfalfa, fenugreek, lettuce, and tomato. Surface-sanitized seeds (2 g) were exposed to four individual strains of Salmonella or EHEC at 20°C for 5 h. Contaminated seeds were rinsed twice, each with 10 ml of sterilized water, before being soaked overnight in 5 ml of phosphate-buffered saline at 4°C. The seeds were then vortexed vigorously for 1 min, and pathogen populations in seed rinse water and soaking buffer were determined using a standard plate count assay. In general, the Salmonella cells had higher attachment ratios than the EHEC cells. Lettuce seeds by unit weight had the highest numbers of attached Salmonella or EHEC cells, followed by tomato, alfalfa, and fenugreek seeds. In contrast, individual fenugreek seeds had more attached pathogen cells, followed by lettuce, alfalfa, and tomato seeds. Significantly more Salmonella and EHEC cells attached to mechanically damaged seeds than to intact seeds ( P < 0.05). Although, on average, significantly more Salmonella and EHEC cells were recovered from untreated than fungicide-treated seeds ( P < 0.05), fungicide treatment did not significantly affect the attachment of individual bacterial strains to vegetable seeds ( P > 0.05), with a few exceptions. This study fills gaps in the current body of literature and helps explain bacterial interactions with vegetable seeds with differing surface characteristics. IMPORTANCE Vegetable seeds, specifically sprout seeds, have the potential to disseminate and transmit foodborne bacterial pathogens. This study investigated the interaction between two important bacterial pathogens, i.e., Salmonella and EHEC, and vegetable seeds with differing surface characteristics. This research helps understand whether seed surface structure, integrity, and fungicide treatment affect the interaction between bacterial cells and vegetable seeds. Copyright © 2017 American Society for Microbiology.

Magnetic stimulation of marigold seed

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Afzal, I.; Mukhtar, K.; Qasim, M.; Basra, S. M. A.; Shahid, M.; Haq, Z.

2012-10-01

The effects of magnetic field treatments of French marigold seeds on germination, early seedling growth and biochemical changes of seedlings were studied under controlled conditions. For this purpose, seeds were exposed to five different magnetic seed treatments for 3 min each. Most of seed treatments resulted in improved germination speed and spread, root and shoot length, seed soluble sugars and a-amylase activity. Magnetic seed treatment with 100 mT maximally improved germination, seedling vigour and starch metabolism as compared to control and other seed treatments. In emergence experiment, higher emergence percentage (4-fold), emergence index (5-fold) and vigorous seedling growth were obtained in seeds treated with 100 mT. Overall, the enhancement of marigold seeds by magnetic seed treatment with 100 mT could be related to enhanced starch metabolism. The results suggest that magnetic field treatments of French marigold seeds have the potential to enhance germination, early growth and biochemical parameters of seedlings.

Effects of rodent species, seed species, and predator cues on seed fate

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sivy, Kelly J.; Ostoja, Steven M.; Schupp, Eugene W.; Durham, Susan

2011-07-01

Seed selection, removal and subsequent management by granivorous animals is thought to be a complex interaction of factors including qualities of the seeds themselves (e.g., seed size, nutritional quality) and features of the local habitat (e.g. perceived predator risk). At the same time, differential seed selection and dispersal is thought to have profound effects on seed fate and potentially vegetation dynamics. In a feeding arena, we tested whether rodent species, seed species, and indirect and direct predation cues influence seed selection and handling behaviors (e.g., scatter hoarding versus larder hoarding) of two heteromyid rodents, Ord's kangaroo rat ( Dipodomys ordii) and the Great Basin pocket mouse ( Perognathus parvus). The indirect cue was shrub cover, a feature of the environment. Direct cues, presented individually, were (1) control, (2) coyote ( Canis latrans) vocalization, (3) coyote scent, (4) red fox ( Vulpes vulpes) scent, or (5) short-eared owl ( Asio flammeus) vocalization. We offered seeds of three sizes: two native grasses, Indian ricegrass ( Achnatherum hymenoides) and bluebunch wheatgrass ( Pseudoroegneria spicata), and the non-native cereal rye ( Secale cereale), each in separate trays. Kangaroo rats preferentially harvested Indian ricegrass while pocket mice predominately harvested Indian ricegrass and cereal rye. Pocket mice were more likely to scatter hoard preferred seeds, whereas kangaroo rats mostly consumed and/or larder hoarded preferred seeds. No predator cue significantly affected seed preferences. However, both species altered seed handling behavior in response to direct predation cues by leaving more seeds available in the seed pool, though they responded to different predator cues. If these results translate to natural dynamics on the landscape, the two rodents are expected to have different impacts on seed survival and plant recruitment via their different seed selection and seed handling behaviors.

phenoSeeder - A Robot System for Automated Handling and Phenotyping of Individual Seeds.

PubMed

Jahnke, Siegfried; Roussel, Johanna; Hombach, Thomas; Kochs, Johannes; Fischbach, Andreas; Huber, Gregor; Scharr, Hanno

2016-11-01

The enormous diversity of seed traits is an intriguing feature and critical for the overwhelming success of higher plants. In particular, seed mass is generally regarded to be key for seedling development but is mostly approximated by using scanning methods delivering only two-dimensional data, often termed seed size. However, three-dimensional traits, such as the volume or mass of single seeds, are very rarely determined in routine measurements. Here, we introduce a device named phenoSeeder, which enables the handling and phenotyping of individual seeds of very different sizes. The system consists of a pick-and-place robot and a modular setup of sensors that can be versatilely extended. Basic biometric traits detected for individual seeds are two-dimensional data from projections, three-dimensional data from volumetric measures, and mass, from which seed density is also calculated. Each seed is tracked by an identifier and, after phenotyping, can be planted, sorted, or individually stored for further evaluation or processing (e.g. in routine seed-to-plant tracking pipelines). By investigating seeds of Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana), rapeseed (Brassica napus), and barley (Hordeum vulgare), we observed that, even for apparently round-shaped seeds of rapeseed, correlations between the projected area and the mass of seeds were much weaker than between volume and mass. This indicates that simple projections may not deliver good proxies for seed mass. Although throughput is limited, we expect that automated seed phenotyping on a single-seed basis can contribute valuable information for applications in a wide range of wild or crop species, including seed classification, seed sorting, and assessment of seed quality. © 2016 American Society of Plant Biologists. All Rights Reserved.

phenoSeeder - A Robot System for Automated Handling and Phenotyping of Individual Seeds1[OPEN

PubMed Central

Roussel, Johanna; Kochs, Johannes; Huber, Gregor; Scharr, Hanno

2016-01-01

The enormous diversity of seed traits is an intriguing feature and critical for the overwhelming success of higher plants. In particular, seed mass is generally regarded to be key for seedling development but is mostly approximated by using scanning methods delivering only two-dimensional data, often termed seed size. However, three-dimensional traits, such as the volume or mass of single seeds, are very rarely determined in routine measurements. Here, we introduce a device named phenoSeeder, which enables the handling and phenotyping of individual seeds of very different sizes. The system consists of a pick-and-place robot and a modular setup of sensors that can be versatilely extended. Basic biometric traits detected for individual seeds are two-dimensional data from projections, three-dimensional data from volumetric measures, and mass, from which seed density is also calculated. Each seed is tracked by an identifier and, after phenotyping, can be planted, sorted, or individually stored for further evaluation or processing (e.g. in routine seed-to-plant tracking pipelines). By investigating seeds of Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana), rapeseed (Brassica napus), and barley (Hordeum vulgare), we observed that, even for apparently round-shaped seeds of rapeseed, correlations between the projected area and the mass of seeds were much weaker than between volume and mass. This indicates that simple projections may not deliver good proxies for seed mass. Although throughput is limited, we expect that automated seed phenotyping on a single-seed basis can contribute valuable information for applications in a wide range of wild or crop species, including seed classification, seed sorting, and assessment of seed quality. PMID:27663410

A study on seed characteristics and seed bank of Spartina alterniflora at saltmarshes in the Yangtze Estuary, China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xiao, Derong; Zhang, Liquan; Zhu, Zhenchang

2009-06-01

Since Spartina alterniflora was introduced into the Chongming Dongtan Nature Reserve in 1995, there has been a rapid expansion of this species, seriously threatening the overall biodiversity. In this study, the seed production, germination characteristics and soil seed bank of S. aterniflora were studied at the nature reserve along an intertidal gradient where this invasive species distributed and spread. The results showed that the middle intertidal zone (MIT) had the largest seed production and higher viability than those of lower (LIT) and higher (HIT) intertidal zones. The differences in seed production among these sites were largely dependent on the higher percentage of fruiting culms, longer spike and higher seed number per spike. The differences in seed viability among these sampling sites seemed largely dependent on the higher seed weight at the site MIT. The chilling treatment (at low temperature and in moist conditions) could significantly enhance the germinability of S. alterniflora seeds and shorten the time of onset seed germination. The seeds from the site MIT had much higher germinability than the sites LIT and HIT. The highest density of soil seed bank was recorded at the site of MIT, where had the highest seed production. By July, before there was any replenishment with fresh seeds from the current year, the soil seed bank was completely exhausted and the persistent time of soil seed bank for S. alterniflora was less than 9 months, which is in agreement with that of the transient seed bank. The results from this study indicated that the seed propagation could have an important attribution to the spreading of this invasive plant and the implications in terms of controlling and managing the invasion of S. alterniflora at the nature reserve were discussed.

Effects of rodent species, seed species, and predator cues on seed fate

USGS Publications Warehouse

Sivy, Kelly J.; Ostoja, Steven M.; Schupp, Eugene W.; Durham, Susan

2011-01-01

Seed selection, removal and subsequent management by granivorous animals is thought to be a complex interaction of factors including qualities of the seeds themselves (e.g., seed size, nutritional quality) and features of the local habitat (e.g. perceived predator risk). At the same time, differential seed selection and dispersal is thought to have profound effects on seed fate and potentially vegetation dynamics. In a feeding arena, we tested whether rodent species, seed species, and indirect and direct predation cues influence seed selection and handling behaviors (e.g., scatter hoarding versus larder hoarding) of two heteromyid rodents, Ord's kangaroo rat (Dipodomys ordii) and the Great Basin pocket mouse (Perognathus parvus). The indirect cue was shrub cover, a feature of the environment. Direct cues, presented individually, were (1) control, (2) coyote (Canis latrans) vocalization, (3) coyote scent, (4) red fox (Vulpes vulpes) scent, or (5) short-eared owl (Asio flammeus) vocalization. We offered seeds of three sizes: two native grasses, Indian ricegrass (Achnatherum hymenoides) and bluebunch wheatgrass (Pseudoroegneria spicata), and the non-native cereal rye (Secale cereale), each in separate trays. Kangaroo rats preferentially harvested Indian ricegrass while pocket mice predominately harvested Indian ricegrass and cereal rye. Pocket mice were more likely to scatter hoard preferred seeds, whereas kangaroo rats mostly consumed and/or larder hoarded preferred seeds. No predator cue significantly affected seed preferences. However, both species altered seed handling behavior in response to direct predation cues by leaving more seeds available in the seed pool, though they responded to different predator cues. If these results translate to natural dynamics on the landscape, the two rodents are expected to have different impacts on seed survival and plant recruitment via their different seed selection and seed handling behaviors.

Studies on optimum harvest time for hybrid rice seed.

PubMed

Fu, Hong; Cao, Dong-Dong; Hu, Wei-Min; Guan, Ya-Jing; Fu, Yu-Ying; Fang, Yong-Feng; Hu, Jin

2017-03-01

Timely harvest is critical for hybrid rice to achieve maximum seed viability, vigor and yield. However, how to predict the optimum harvest time has been rarely reported so far. The seed vigor of Zhuliangyou 06 (ZLY06) increased and reached the highest level at 20 days after pollination (DAP), when seed moisture content had a lower value, which was maintained until final seed maturation. For Chunyou 84 (CY84), seed vigor, fresh and dry weight had relatively high values at 25 DAP, when seed moisture content reached the lowest value and changed slightly from 25 to 55 DAP. In both hybrid rice varieties, seed glume chlorophyll content declined rapidly from 10 to 30 DAP and remained at a very low level after 35 DAP. Starch content exhibited an increasing trend during seed maturation, while both soluble sugar content and amylase activity decreased significantly at the early stages of seed development. Moreover, correlation analyses showed that seed dry weight, starch content and superoxide dismutase activity were significantly positively correlated with seed vigor. In contrast, chlorophyll content, moisture content, soluble sugar, soluble protein, abscisic acid, gibberellin content, electrical conductivity, catalase and ascorbate peroxidase activities were significantly negatively correlated with seed vigor. Physiological and biochemical parameters were obviously more closely related with seed vigor than with seed germinability during seed development. Seed vigor could be better used as a comprehensive factor to predict the optimum seed harvest time. It is suggested that for ZLY06 seeds could be harvested as early as 20 DAP, whereas for CY84 the earliest optimum harvest time was 25 DAP. © 2016 Society of Chemical Industry. © 2016 Society of Chemical Industry.

Germination and soil seed bank traits of Podocarpus angustifolius (Podocarpaceae): an endemic tree species from Cuban rain forests.

PubMed

Ferrandis, Pablo; Bonilla, Marta; Osorio, Licet del Carmen

2011-09-01

Podocarpus angustifolius is an endangered recalcitrant-seeded small tree, endemic to mountain rain forests in the central and Pinar del Río regions in Cuba. In this study, the germination patterns of P. angustifolius seeds were evaluated and the nature of the soil seed bank was determined. Using a weighted two-factor design, we analyzed the combined germination response to seed source (i.e. freshly matured seeds directly collected from trees versus seeds extracted from soil samples) and pretreatment (i.e. seed water-immersion for 48h at room temperature). Germination was delayed for four weeks (= 30 days) in all cases, regardless of both factors analyzed. Moreover, nine additional days were necessary to achieve high germination values (in the case of fresh, pretreated seeds). These results overall may indicate the existence of a non-deep simple morphophysiological dormancy in P. angustifolius seeds. The water-immersion significantly enhanced seed germination, probably as a result of the hydration of recalcitrant seeds. Although germination of seeds extracted from soil samples was low, probably due to aging and pathogen effects throughout the time of burial, the study revealed the existence of a persistent soil seed bank (at least short-termed) of approximately 42 viable seeds per m2 in the upper 10cm of soil. Such a record is noteworthy since references to persistent soil seed banks in recalcitrant-seeded species are scarce in the literature. The population consequences derived from the formation of persistent soil seed banks in this endangered species are discussed.

Consistent individual differences in seed disperser quality in a seed-eating fish.

PubMed

Pollux, Bart J A

2017-01-01

Animal-mediated seed dispersal (zoochory) is considered to be an important mechanism regulating biological processes at larger spatial scales. To date, intra-specific variation in seed disperser quality within seed-dispersing animals has not been studied. Here, I employed seed feeding trials to quantify individual differences in disperser quality within the common carp (Cyprinus carpio) using seeds of two aquatic plants: unbranched bur-reed (Sparganium emersum, Sparganiaceae) and arrowhead (Sagittaria sagittifolia, Alismataceae). I found substantial variation among carp individuals in their propensity to ingest seeds and their ability to digest them, resulting in up to 31-fold differences in the probability of seed dispersal. In addition, there were significant differences in the time that seeds are retained in their digestive systems, generating a twofold difference in the maximum distance over which they can potentially disperse seeds. I propose that seed-eating animal species consist of individuals that display continuous variation in disperser quality, with at one end of the continuum individuals that are likely to eat seeds, pass them unharmed through their digestive tract and transport them over large distances to new locations (i.e. high-quality seed dispersers) and at the other end individuals that rarely eat seeds, destroy most of the ones they ingest and transport the few surviving seeds over relatively short distances (low-quality seed dispersers). Although individual differences in seed dispersal quality could be the result of a variety of factors, these results underline the ecological and evolutionary potential of such variation for both plants and animals.

Value of Neonicotinoid Insecticide Seed Treatments in Mid-South Corn (Zea mays) Production Systems.

PubMed

North, J H; Gore, J; Catchot, A L; Stewart, S D; Lorenz, G M; Musser, F R; Cook, D R; Kerns, D L; Leonard, B R; Dodds, D M

2018-02-09

Neonicotinoid seed treatments are one of several effective control options used in corn, Zea mays L., production in the Mid-South for early season insect pests. An analysis was performed on 91 insecticide seed treatment trials from Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Tennessee to determine the value of neonicotinoids in corn production systems. The analysis compared neonicotinoid insecticide treated seed plus a fungicide to seed only with the same fungicide. When analyzed by state, corn yields were significantly higher when neonicotinoid seed treatments were used compared to fungicide only treated seed in Louisiana and Mississippi. Corn seed treated with neonicotinoid seed treatments yielded 111, 1,093, 416, and 140 kg/ha, higher than fungicide only treatments for Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Tennessee, respectively. Across all states, neonicotinoid seed treatments resulted in a 700 kg/ha advantage compared to fungicide only treated corn seed. Net returns for corn treated with neonicotinoid seed treatment were $1,446/ha compared with $1,390/ha for fungicide only treated corn seed across the Mid-South. Economic returns for neonicotinoid seed treated corn were significantly greater than fungicide-only-treated corn seed in 8 out of 14 yr. When analyzed by state, economic returns for neonicotinoid seed treatments were significantly greater than fungicide-only-treated seed in Louisiana. In some areas, dependent on year, neonicotinoid seed treatments provide significant yield and economic benefits in Mid-South corn. © The Author(s) 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Entomological Society of America. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Seeding big sagebrush successfully on Intermountain rangelands

Treesearch

Susan E. Meyer; Thomas W. Warren

2015-01-01

Big sagebrush can be seeded successfully on climatically suitable sites in the Great Basin using the proper seeding guidelines. These guidelines include using sufficient quantities of high-quality seed of the correct subspecies and ecotype, seeding in late fall to mid-winter, making sure that the seed is not planted too deeply, and seeding into an environment...

Implications of seed banking for recruitment of Southern Appalachian woody species

Treesearch

Janneke Hille Ris Lambers; James S. Clark; Michael Lavine

2002-01-01

Seed dormancy is assumed to be unimportant for population dynamics of temperate woody species, because seeds occur at low densities and are short lived in forest soils. However, low soil seed densities may result from low seed production, and even modest seed longevity can buffer against fluctuating seed production, potentially limiting density-dependent mortality and...

7 CFR 201.67 - Seed certifying agency standards and procedures.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 3 2011-01-01 2011-01-01 false Seed certifying agency standards and procedures. 201...) FEDERAL SEED ACT FEDERAL SEED ACT REGULATIONS Certified Seed § 201.67 Seed certifying agency standards and procedures. In order to qualify as a seed certifying agency for purposes of section 101(a)(25) of the Federal...

7 CFR 201.67 - Seed certifying agency standards and procedures.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 3 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Seed certifying agency standards and procedures. 201...) FEDERAL SEED ACT FEDERAL SEED ACT REGULATIONS Certified Seed § 201.67 Seed certifying agency standards and procedures. In order to qualify as a seed certifying agency for purposes of section 101(a)(25) of the Federal...

Chloroxyanion residue on seeds and sprouts after chlorine dioxide sanitation of alfalfa seed

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The effects of a 6-h chlorine dioxide sanitation of alfalfa seed (0, 50, 100, and 200 mg/kg seed) on total coliform bacteria, seed germination, and on the presence of chlorate and perchlorate residues in seed rinse, seed soak, and in alfalfa sprouts was determined. Chlorate residues in 20000 ppm cal...

Roles of gibberellins and abscisic acid in dormancy and germination of red bayberry (Myrica rubra) seeds.

PubMed

Chen, Shun-Ying; Kuo, Shing-Rong; Chien, Ching-Te

2008-09-01

Intact seeds from freshly harvested fruits of Myrica rubra (Sieb et Zucc.) were dormant and required 8 weeks of warm stratification followed by 12 weeks of cold stratification for germination. Exogenous application of gibberellic acid (GA(3)) to intact fresh seeds was effective in breaking dormancy, with > 70% of seeds germinating when treated with 5.2 mM GA(3) and incubated at a day/night temperature of 30/20 degrees C for 20 weeks. Removing the hard endocarp or endocarp plus seed coat of fresh seeds promoted germination, and addition of GA(3) to the embryo accelerated germination. The gibberellins GA(1) and GA(4) were more effective than GA(3) in promoting germination of seeds with the endocarp removed. Endogenous contents of GA(1), GA(3), GA(4), GA(7) and GA(20) were quantified by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry-selected ion monitoring in the endocarps, seed coats and embryos of fresh seeds treated with 5.2 mM GA(3). The content of GA(3) decreased in the endocarp during incubation, whereas GA(1) contents increased in the endocarp and seed coat. A high GA(1) content was detected in the endocarps and embryos of newly germinated seeds. We speculate that GA(3) was converted to GA(1) during incubation and that GA(1) is involved in seed germination. Endogenous abscisic acid (ABA) contents were measured in fresh seeds and in warm and cold stratified seeds. The ABA content in fresh seeds was distributed in the order endocarp > seed coat > embryo, with the content in the endocarp being about 132-fold higher than in the seed coat and embryo. Total ABA content of seeds subjected to warm or cold stratification, or both, was 8.7- to 14.0-fold lower than that of fresh seeds. Low contents of endogenous GA(1), GA(3), GA(7) and GA(20), but elevated contents of GA(4), were found in the seed coats and endocarps of warm plus cold stratified seeds and in the seed coats and embryos of newly germinated seeds. These observations, coupled with the finding that GA stimulated germination of dormant Myrica seeds, provide evidence that endogenous ABA inhibited release of dormancy and that endogenous gibberellins, especially GA(4) or GA(1), or both, are involved in germination.

Seed dispersal limitations shift over time in tropical forest restoration.

PubMed

Reid, J Leighton; Holl, Karen D; Zahawi, Rakan A

2015-06-01

Past studies have shown that tropical forest regeneration on degraded farmlands is initially limited by lack of seed dispersal, but few studies have tracked changes in abundance and composition of seed rain past the first few years after land abandonment. We measured seed rain for 12 months in 10 6-9-year-old restoration sites and five mature, reference forests in southern Costa Rica in order to learn (1) if seed rain limitation persists past the first few years of regeneration; (2) how restoration treatments influence seed community structure and composition; and (3) whether seed rain limitation is contingent on landscape context. Each restoration site contained three 0.25-ha treatment plots: (1) a naturally regenerating control, (2) tree islands, and (3) a mixed-species tree plantation. Sites spanned a deforestation gradient with 9-89% forest area within 500 m around the treatment plots. Contrary to previous studies, we found that tree seeds were abundant and ubiquitous across all treatment plots (585.1 ± 142.0 seeds · m(-2) · yr(-1) [mean ± SE]), indicating that lack of seed rain ceased to limit forest regeneration within the first decade of recovery. Pioneer trees and shrubs comprised the vast majority of seeds, but compositional differences between restoration sites and reference forests were driven by rarer, large-seeded species. Large, animal-dispersed tree seeds were more abundant in tree islands (4.6 ± 2.9 seeds · m(-2) · yr(-1)) and plantations (5.8 ± 3.0 seeds · m(-2) · yr(-1)) than control plots (0.2 ± 0.1 seeds · m(-2) · yr(-1)), contributing to greater tree species richness in actively restored plots. Planted tree species accounted for < 1% of seeds. We found little evidence for landscape forest cover effects on seed rain, consistent with previous studies. We conclude that seed rain limitation shifted from an initial, complete lack of tree seeds to a specific limitation on large-seeded, mature forest species over the first decade. Although total seed abundance was equal among restoration treatments, tree plantations and tree islands continued to diversify seed rain communities compared to naturally regenerating controls. Compositional differences between regenerating plots and mature forests suggest that large-seeded tree species are appropriate candidates for enrichment planting.

Spatial variation in post-dispersal seed removal in an Atlantic forest: Effects of habitat, location and guilds of seed predators

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Christianini, Alexander V.; Galetti, Mauro

2007-11-01

Studies of post-dispersal seed removal in the Neotropics have rarely examined the magnitude of seed removal by different types of granivores. The relative impact of invertebrates, small rodents, and birds on seed removal was investigated in a 2,178 ha Atlantic forest fragment in southeastern Brazil. We used popcorn kernels ( Zea mays—Poaceae) to investigate seed removal in a series of selective exclosure treatments in a replicated, paired design experiment that included forest understory, gaps, and forest edge sites. We recorded the vegetation around the experimental seed stations in detail in order to evaluate the influence of microhabitat traits on seed removal. Vertebrate granivores (rodents and birds) were surveyed to determine whether granivore abundance was correlated with seed removal levels. Seed removal varied spatially and in unpredictable ways at the study site. Seed encounter and seed use varied with treatments, but not with habitat type. However, seed removal by invertebrates was negatively correlated with gap-related traits, which suggested an avoidance of large gaps by granivorous ants. The abundance of small mammals was remarkably low, but granivorous birds (tinamous and doves) were abundant at the study site. Birds were the main seed consumers in open treatments, but there was no correlation between local granivorous bird abundance and seed removal. These results emphasize the stochastic spatial pattern of seed removal, and, contrary to previous studies, highlight the importance of birds as seed predators in forest habitats.

Thieving rodents as substitute dispersers of megafaunal seeds.

PubMed

Jansen, Patrick A; Hirsch, Ben T; Emsens, Willem-Jan; Zamora-Gutierrez, Veronica; Wikelski, Martin; Kays, Roland

2012-07-31

The Neotropics have many plant species that seem to be adapted for seed dispersal by megafauna that went extinct in the late Pleistocene. Given the crucial importance of seed dispersal for plant persistence, it remains a mystery how these plants have survived more than 10,000 y without their mutualist dispersers. Here we present support for the hypothesis that secondary seed dispersal by scatter-hoarding rodents has facilitated the persistence of these large-seeded species. We used miniature radio transmitters to track the dispersal of reputedly megafaunal seeds by Central American agoutis, which scatter-hoard seeds in shallow caches in the soil throughout the forest. We found that seeds were initially cached at mostly short distances and then quickly dug up again. However, rather than eating the recovered seeds, agoutis continued to move and recache the seeds, up to 36 times. Agoutis dispersed an estimated 35% of seeds for >100 m. An estimated 14% of the cached seeds survived to the next year, when a new fruit crop became available to the rodents. Serial video-monitoring of cached seeds revealed that the stepwise dispersal was caused by agoutis repeatedly stealing and recaching each other's buried seeds. Although previous studies suggest that rodents are poor dispersers, we demonstrate that communities of rodents can in fact provide highly effective long-distance seed dispersal. Our findings suggest that thieving scatter-hoarding rodents could substitute for extinct megafaunal seed dispersers of tropical large-seeded trees.

[The research of Valeriana amurensis seed germination characteristics].

PubMed

Liu, Juan; Yang, Chun-Rong; Jiang, Bo; Fang, Min; Du, Juan

2011-10-01

To study the effect of different treatments on the Valeriana amurensis seed germination rate. Used different chemical reagents and seed soakings on the routine germination test and the orthogonal test of the Valeriana amurensis seed, calculated the germination rate under different germination condition. Valeriana amurensis treated with different chemical reagends had different germination rate. The suitable immersion time could enhance Valeriana amurensis seed germination rate. Different treatment time, different disposal temperature, different germination temperature would have an impact on the Valeriana amurensis seed germination rate. In order to raise the Valeriana amurensis seed germination rate, use appropriate treatment on the seed before plant seeds; The seed growing must under suitable time and temperature.

Methods and systems for seed planting management and control

DOEpatents

Svoboda, John M.; Hess, J. Richard; Hoskinson, Reed L.; Harker, David J.

2002-01-01

A seed planting system providing optimal seed spacing in an agricultural field. The seed planting system includes a mobile seed planter having one or more planting shoes, or members being adapted for towing by a farm vehicle or being self-propelled. Sensors, disposed proximate to respective planting shoes, detect seed planting events and send corresponding signals to a computer. Contemporaneously, a geospatial locator acquires, and transmits to the computer, the geospatial location of each planted seed. The computer correlates the geospatial location data with the seed deposition data and generates a seed distribution profile indicating the location of each seed planted in a zone of interest to enable the control of speed spacing.

Transcriptome analyses of seed development in grape hybrids reveals a possible mechanism influencing seed size.

PubMed

Wang, Li; Hu, Xiaoyan; Jiao, Chen; Li, Zhi; Fei, Zhangjun; Yan, Xiaoxiao; Liu, Chonghuai; Wang, Yuejin; Wang, Xiping

2016-11-09

Seedlessness in grape (Vitis vinifera) is of considerable commercial importance for both the table grape and processing industries. Studies to date of grape seed development have been made certain progress, but many key genes have yet to be identified and characterized. In this study we analyzed the seed transcriptomes of progeny derived from the V. vinifera seeded maternal parent 'Red Globe' and the seedless paternal parent 'Centennial seedless' to identify genes associated with seedlessness. A total of 6,607 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified and examined from multiple perspectives, including expression patterns, Gene Ontology (GO) annotations, pathway enrichment, inferred hormone influence and epigenetic regulation. The expression data of hormone-related genes and hormone level measurement reveals the differences during seed development between seedless and seeded progeny. Based on both our results and previous studies of A. thaliana seed development, we generated network maps of grape seed-related DEGs, with particular reference to hormone balance, seed coat and endosperm development, and seed identity complexes. In summary, the major differences identified during seed development of seedless and seeded progeny were associated with hormone and epigenetic regulation, the development of the seed coat and endosperm, and the formation of seed identity complexes. Overall the data provides insights into the possible molecular mechanism controlling grape seed size, which is of great importance for both basic research and future translation applications in the grape industry.

Spatial ecology of predator-prey interactions: corridors and patch shape influence seed predation.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

J. L . Orrock; B. J. Danielson; M. J. Burns

2003-02-03

J.L. Orrock, B.J. Danielson, M.J. Burns, and D.J. Levey. 2003. Spatial ecology of predator-prey interactions: corridors and patch shape influence seed predation. Ecology, 84(10):2589-2599. Abstract: Corridors that connect patches of disjunct habitat may be promising tools for mediating the negative impacts of habitat fragmentation, but little is known about how corridors affect ecological interactions. In eight 12-ha experimental landscapes, we examined how corridors affect the impact of invertebrate, rodent, and avian seed predators on pokeweed, Phytolacca americana. Over 13 months in 2000 and 2001, we quantified the effects of patch shape, connectivity, and predator type on the number of seedsmore » germinating in the field (germinants), seed removal, and the viability of remaining seeds. Corridors did not affect the number of P. americana germinants in experimental exclosures or the viability of seeds remaining in exclosures. However, corridors affected the removal of seeds in a predator-specific manner: invertebrates removed more seeds in unconnected patches, whereas rodents removed more seeds in connected patches. Seed removal by birds was similar in connected and unconnected patches. Total seed removal by all seed predators was not affected by corridors, because invertebrates removed more seeds where rodents removed fewer seeds, and vice versa. Overall, seed predation signi®cantly reduced the number and viability of remaining seeds, and reduced the number of germinants in 2000 but not in 2001. The abundance of naturally occurring P. americana plants in our experimental patches in 2000 decreased with increasing seed removal from exclosures but was not related to viability or germinants in 2000, suggesting that seed removal may shape the distribution and abundance of this species. Complementary patterns of seed removal by rodents and invertebrates suggest that corridors alter the effects of these predator taxa by changing the relative amounts of edge and core (nonedge) habitats in a patch. Because invertebrates and rodents do not completely overlap in the seeds they consume, corridors may change predation pressure on seeds that are primarily consumed by one predator type, with potential consequences for the composition of plant and seed predator communities.« less

Changes in endogenous abscisic acid levels during dormancy release and maintenance of mature seeds: studies with the Cape Verde Islands ecotype, the dormant model of Arabidopsis thaliana.

PubMed

Ali-Rachedi, Sonia; Bouinot, Denise; Wagner, Marie-Hélène; Bonnet, Magda; Sotta, Bruno; Grappin, Philippe; Jullien, Marc

2004-07-01

Mature seeds of the Cape Verde Islands (Cvi) ecotype of Arabidopsis thaliana (L.) Heynh. show a very marked dormancy. Dormant (D) seeds completely fail to germinate in conditions that are favourable for germination whereas non-dormant (ND) seeds germinate easily. Cvi seed dormancy is alleviated by after-ripening, stratification, and also by nitrate or fluridone treatment. Addition of gibberellins to D seeds does not suppress dormancy efficiently, suggesting that gibberellins are not directly involved in the breaking of dormancy. Dormancy expression of Cvi seeds is strongly dependent on temperature: D seeds do not germinate at warm temperatures (20-27 degrees C) but do so easily at a low temperature (13 degrees C) or when a fluridone treatment is given to D seeds sown at high temperature. To investigate the role of abscisic acid (ABA) in dormancy release and maintenance, we measured the ABA content in both ND and D seeds imbibed using various dormancy-breaking conditions. It was found that dry D seeds contained higher amounts of ABA than dry ND after-ripened seeds. During early imbibition in standard conditions, there was a decrease in ABA content in both seeds, the rate of which was slower in D seeds. Three days after sowing, the ABA content in D seeds increased specifically and then remained at a high level. When imbibed with fluridone, nitrate or stratified, the ABA content of D seeds decreased and reached a level very near to that of ND seeds. In contrast, gibberellic acid (GA3) treatment caused a transient increase in ABA content. When D seeds were sown at low optimal temperature their ABA content also decreased to the level observed in ND seeds. The present study indicates that Cvi D and ND seeds can be easily distinguished by their ability to synthesize ABA following imbibition. Treatments used here to break dormancy reduced the ABA level in imbibed D seeds to the level observed in ND seeds, with the exception of GA3 treatment, which was active in promoting germination only when ABA synthesis was inhibited.

SU-F-T-39: Comparing Nomograms for Ordering of Palladium-103 Seeds for Dynamic Intraoperative Prostate Seed Implantation

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Taylor, P; Wang, L; Riegel, A

Purpose: Several nomograms exist for the purpose of ordering palladium- 103 seeds for permanent prostate seed implants. Excess seeds pose additional radiation safety risks and increase the cost of care. This study compared three seed ordering nomograms with seed counts from dynamic intra-operative PSI to determine (1) the cause of excess seeds and (2) the optimal nomogram for our institution. Methods: Pre-operative and intra-operative clinical data were collected for 100 Gy (n=151) and 125 Gy (n=224) prostate seed implants. The number of implanted seeds which would have given D90=100% was normalized to that criteria and seed strength of 2U. Thismore » was plotted against intra-operative prostate volume and compared to two previously published nomograms and an in-house nomogram. A linear fit was produced and confidence intervals were calculated. The causes of excess seeds were assessed by comparing pre- and intra-operative prostate volumes, variability of D90 around 100%, and variance of seed strength from 2U. Results: Of the 375 total cases, 97.6% had excess seeds. On average, 27.17±12.91% of ordered seeds were wasted. Of this percentage, 6.98±5.47% of excess seeds were due to overestimation of pre-operative prostate volume, 1.10±0.88% were due to D90<100%, 1.17±0.67% were due to seed strength over 2U, and 17.36±7.79% could not be directly attributed to a specific reason. The latter percentage may be due to overestimation of the in-house nomogram. Two of three nomograms substantially overestimated the number of seeds required. The third nomogram underestimated the required seed number for smaller prostate treatment volume. A linear fit to the clinical data was derived and 99.9% confidence intervals were calculated. Conclusion: Over 85% of clinical cases wasted over 15% of ordered seeds. Two of three nomograms overestimated the required number of seeds. The upper 99.9% C.I. of the clinical data may provide a more reasonable nomogram for Pd-103 seed ordering.« less

Genetic relatedness among developing seeds and intra fruit seed abortion in Dalbergia sissoo (Fabaceae).

PubMed

Mohana, G S; Shaanker, R U; Ganeshaiah, K N; Dayanandan, S

2001-07-01

Dalbergia sissoo, a wind-dispersed tropical tree, exhibits high intrafruit seed abortion. Of the four to five ovules in the flower, generally one and occasionally two or three develop to maturity. It has been proposed that the seed abortion is a consequence of intense sibling competition for maternal resources and that this competition occurs as an inverse function of the genetic relatedness among the developing seeds. Accordingly, developing seeds compete intensely when they are genetically less related but tend to develop together when genetically more related. We tested this hypothesis by comparing the genetic similarity among the pairs of seeds developing within a pod with that among (a) random pairs from the pool of all seeds, (b) random pairs from single-seeded pods, and (c) random pairs from two-seeded pods, using both randomly amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) and isozymes in five trees. We found that the pairs of seeds developing within a pod are genetically more similar than any random pairs of seeds in a tree. Thus the formation of two-seeded pods appear to be associated with increased genetic relatedness among the developing seeds. We discuss the results in the context of possible fitness advantages and then discuss the possible mechanisms that promote tolerance among related seeds.

Viability of small seeds found in feces of the Central American tapir on Barro Colorado Island, Panama.

PubMed

Capece, Paula I; Aliaga-Rossel, Enzo; Jansen, Patrick A

2013-03-01

Tapirs are known as effective dispersers of large-seeded tree species, but their role in dispersing small-seeded plant species has yet to be established. Tapir feces have been reported to contain large numbers of small seeds, but whether these are viable has rarely been evaluated. We determined the abundance and viability of small seeds in feces of Central American tapir (Tapirus bairdii) on Barro Colorado Island, Panama. A total of 72 fecal samples were collected opportunistically from 4 tapir latrine sites. Seeds were manually extracted from feces and classified by size. Seed viability was estimated by opening each seed and examining for the presence of at least 1 intact firm white endosperm. In total, we obtained 8166 seeds of at least 16 plant species. Small-seeded species dominated, with 96% of all seeds found measuring <5 mm. The canopy tree Laetia procera was the most abundant species in the samples. Of all small seeds found, 69% contained an intact endosperm and appeared viable. This suggests that small seeds, like large seeds, often pass through the digestive tract of T. bairdii intact. Thus, tapirs potentially serve as effective dispersers of a wide range of small-seeded plant species. © 2012 Wiley Publishing Asia Pty Ltd, ISZS and IOZ/CAS.

Seed distribution of four co-occurring grasses around Artemisia halodendron shrubs in a sandy habitat

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Feng-Rui; Zhao, Wen-Zhi; Kang, Ling-Fen; Liu, Ji-Liang; Huang, Zhi-Gang; Wang, Qi

2009-05-01

In a natural population of the perennial semi-shrub Artemisia halodendron in a shifting sandy habitat in the Horqin Desert of eastern Inner Mongolia, six isolated adult A. halodendron individuals of similar canopy size were chosen as target plants. The density of seeds in the top 5 cm soil depth around shrubs was measured using transects aligned to the four main wind directions and at different distances from the shrub base on both the windward and leeward sides. The effects of shrub presence on seed distribution of four co-occurring grasses were examined by linking seed distribution to seed traits. Of the four species, Setaris viridis and Eragrostis pilosa had small but similar seed mass, while Chloris virgata and Aristida adscensionis had large but similar seed mass. The species were grouped into two cohorts: small-seeded vs. large-seeded cohorts, and shrub presence effects on seed distribution of both cohorts were examined. We found marked difference in the seed distribution pattern among species, especially between the small-seeded and large-seeded cohorts. The small-seeded cohort had significantly higher seed accumulation on the windward than the leeward sides in the most and least prevailing wind directions and much higher seed accumulation on the leeward than the windward sides in the second and third most prevailing wind directions, while opposite patterns occurred in the large-seeded cohort. Four species also showed marked variation in the seed distribution pattern among transects and between windward and leeward sides of each transect. This study provided further evidence that shrubs embedded in a matrix of herbaceous plants is a key cause of spatial heterogeneity in seed availability of herbaceous species. However, seed distribution responses to the presence of shrubs will vary with species as well as with wind direction, sampling position (windward vs. leeward sides of the shrub) and distance from the shrub.

Morpho-anatomy, imbibition, viability and germination of the seed of Anadenanthera colubrina var. cebil (Fabaceae).

PubMed

Varela, Rodolfo Omar; Albornoz, Patricia Liliana

2013-09-01

Seed biology is a relevant aspect of tropical forests because it is central to the understanding of processes of plant establishment, succession and natural regeneration. Anadenanthera colubrina var. cebil is a timber tree from South America that produces large seeds with thin weak teguments, which is uncommon among legumes. This study describes the morphology and anatomy of the seed coat, the viability, imbibition, and germination in this species. Seeds used during the essays came from 10 trees that grow naturally in Horco Molle, province of Tucumán, Argentina. Seed morphology was described from a sample of 20 units. The seed coat surface was examined with a scanning electron microscope. Transverse sections of hydrated and non-hydrated seeds were employed to describe the histological structure of the seed coat. Hydration, viability and germination experiments were performed under laboratory controlled conditions; and the experimental design consisted of 10 replicas of 10 seeds each. Viability and germination tests were conducted using freshly fallen seeds and seeds stored for five months. Morphologically the seeds of A. colubrina var. cebil are circular to subcircular, laterally compressed, smooth, bright brown and have a horseshoe fissure line (= pleurogram) on both sides. The seed coat comprises five tissue layers and a double (external and internal) cuticle. The outer cuticle (on the epidermis) is smooth and interrupted by microcracks and pores of variable depth. The epidermis consists of macroesclereids with non-lignified secondary walls. This layer is separated from the underlying ones during seed hydration. The other layers of internal tissues are comprised of osteosclereids, parenchyma, osteosclereids, and macrosclereids. The percentage of viable seeds was 93%, decreasing to 75% in seeds with five months old. Seed mass increased 76% after the first eight hours of hydration. Germination percentage was 75% after 76 hours. Germination of seeds stored for five months decreased to 12%. The results showed that seeds of A. colubrina var. cebil are highly permeable and germinate directly without a dormant period.

Seed harvesting by a generalist consumer is context-dependent: Interactive effects across multiple spatial scales

USGS Publications Warehouse

Ostoja, Steven M.; Schupp, Eugene W.; Klinger, Rob

2013-01-01

Granivore foraging decisions affect consumer success and determine the quantity and spatial pattern of seed survival. These decisions are influenced by environmental variation at spatial scales ranging from landscapes to local foraging patches. In a field experiment, the effects of seed patch variation across three spatial scales on seed removal by western harvester ants Pogonomyrmex occidentalis were evaluated. At the largest scale we assessed harvesting in different plant communities, at the intermediate scale we assessed harvesting at different distances from ant mounds, and at the smallest scale we assessed the effects of interactions among seed species in local seed neighborhoods on seed harvesting (i.e. resource–consumer interface). Selected seed species were presented alone (monospecific treatment) and in mixture with Bromus tectorum (cheatgrass; mixture treatment) at four distances from P. occidentalis mounds in adjacent intact sagebrush and non-native cheatgrass-dominated communities in the Great Basin, Utah, USA. Seed species differed in harvest, with B. tectorum being least preferred. Large and intermediate scale variation influenced harvest. More seeds were harvested in sagebrush than in cheatgrass-dominated communities (largest scale), and the quantity of seed harvested varied with distance from mounds (intermediate-scale), although the form of the distance effect differed between plant communities. At the smallest scale, seed neighborhood affected harvest, but the patterns differed among seed species considered. Ants harvested fewer seeds from mixed-seed neighborhoods than from monospecific neighborhoods, suggesting context dependence and potential associational resistance. Further, the effects of plant community and distance from mound on seed harvest in mixtures differed from their effects in monospecific treatments. Beyond the local seed neighborhood, selection of seed resources is better understood by simultaneously evaluating removal at multiple scales. Associational effects provide a useful theoretical basis for better understanding harvester ant foraging decisions. These results demonstrate the importance of ecological context for seed removal, which has implications for seed pools, plant populations and communities.

Seed rain, soil seed bank, seed loss and regeneration of Castanopsis fargesii (Fagaceae) in a subtropical evergreen broad-leaved forest

Treesearch

Xiaojun Du; Qinfeng Guo; Xianming Gao; Keping Na

2007-01-01

Understanding the seed rain and seed loss dynamics in the natural condition has important significance for revealing the natural regeneration mechanisms.We conducted a 3-year field observation on seed rain, seed loss and natural regeneration of Castanopsis fargesii Franch., a dominant tree species in evergreen broad-leaved forests in Dujiangyan,...

Germinability of Cook pine (Araucaria columnaris) seeds under different storage conditions

Treesearch

Paul G. Scowcroft

1988-01-01

Up to 25 metric tonnes of seeds of Cook pine, raucaria columnaris (Forst. f.) Hook., are exported from Hawaii in abundant seed years. Excess seeds cannot be stored and used to fill orders in poor seed years because the seeds quickly lose their ability to germinate. The effects of storage temperature, seed moisture content, and nitrogen enrichment...

Adaptive and selective seed abortion reveals complex conditional decision making in plants.

PubMed

Meyer, Katrin M; Soldaat, Leo L; Auge, Harald; Thulke, Hans-Hermann

2014-03-01

Behavior is traditionally attributed to animals only. Recently, evidence for plant behavior is accumulating, mostly from plant physiological studies. Here, we provide ecological evidence for complex plant behavior in the form of seed abortion decisions conditional on internal and external cues. We analyzed seed abortion patterns of barberry plants exposed to seed parasitism and different environmental conditions. Without abortion, parasite infestation of seeds can lead to loss of all seeds in a fruit. We statistically tested a series of null models with Monte Carlo simulations to establish selectivity and adaptiveness of the observed seed abortion patterns. Seed abortion was more frequent in parasitized fruits and fruits from dry habitats. Surprisingly, seed abortion occurred with significantly greater probability if there was a second intact seed in the fruit. This strategy provides a fitness benefit if abortion can prevent a sibling seed from coinfestation and if nonabortion of an infested but surviving single seed saves resources invested in the fruit coat. Ecological evidence for complex decision making in plants thus includes a structural memory (the second seed), simple reasoning (integration of inner and outer conditions), conditional behavior (abortion), and anticipation of future risks (seed predation).

Seed bank characteristics of the Nymphoides peltata population in Lake Taihu

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Huang, Wei; Chen, Qiuwen; Chen, Kaining

2015-08-01

The Nymphoides peltata (N. peltata) population has shown rapid expansion in Lake Taihu, China, in recent years. The core question is whether N. peltata seeds have contributed to the expansion. To address this, we randomly selected three N. peltata stands to investigate the seed bank characteristics of N. peltata in Lake Taihu. Results showed that N. peltata had high seed production, with a maximum seed yield of 1763 seeds per m2. Density of intact and fragmented seeds decreased rapidly with sediment depth. Few intact or fragmented seeds were distributed at depths greater than 4 cm in the sediment. Spatial distribution of the seed bank indicated that most seeds sank to the sediment within the N. peltata stands, and few seeds took advantage of their floating ability. Seeds recovered from the sediment during April to June had a low germination rate, and no seeds germinated during October to April. Cold exposure treatment increased the germination rate remarkably. No seedlings were found in the field from January 2012 to December 2012, indicating that few seeds were successfully established in the surveyed area. The results suggested that sexual reproduction had little direct contribution to the N. peltata expansion in this large shallow lake.

Assessing potential exposure of birds to pesticide-treated seeds.

PubMed

Prosser, Phil; Hart, A D M

2005-10-01

Seed treatments are widely used for crop protection and present a particular risk to granivorous birds. UK risk assessment for seed treatments has tended to focus on highly granivorous species; however, under some conditions, non-granivorous birds will take seeds. Better data is needed on which species eat seeds for which pesticide treatments are used. To identify which species will take and eat a range of crop seeds in common usage in the UK, birds visiting bait stations at which untreated seed was presented were video recorded. Information was also obtained on how much seed is taken by individual birds. The seeds tested were wheat, barley, maize, oilseed rape, grass, peas and pelleted sugar beet. For many of the species observed at the bait stations, the amounts of seed consumed during single visits were sufficient to pose a potential risk (toxicity-exposure ratio < 10) if the seed had been treated with one of the more acutely toxic seed treatments. Previous studies have shown that de-husking of seeds can substantially reduce birds' exposure. This paper provides information on which of the species recorded de-husked which seeds, in field conditions. The use of these data in pesticide risk assessment is considered.

Extension of oil biosynthesis during the mid-phase of seed development enhances oil content in Arabidopsis seeds.

PubMed

Kanai, Masatake; Mano, Shoji; Kondo, Maki; Hayashi, Makoto; Nishimura, Mikio

2016-05-01

Regulation of oil biosynthesis in plant seeds has been extensively studied, and biotechnological approaches have been designed to increase seed oil content. Oil and protein synthesis is negatively correlated in seeds, but the mechanisms controlling interactions between these two pathways are unknown. Here, we identify the molecular mechanism controlling oil and protein content in seeds. We utilized transgenic Arabidopsis thaliana plants overexpressing WRINKLED1 (WRI1), a master transcription factor regulating seed oil biosynthesis, and knockout mutants of major seed storage proteins. Oil and protein biosynthesis in wild-type plants was sequentially activated during early and late seed development, respectively. The negative correlation between oil and protein contents in seeds arises from competition between the pathways. Extension of WRI1 expression during mid-phase of seed development significantly enhanced seed oil content. This study demonstrates that temporal activation of genes involved in oil or storage protein biosynthesis determines the oil/protein ratio in Arabidopsis seeds. These results provide novel insights into potential breeding strategies to generate crops with high oil contents in seeds. © 2015 Society for Experimental Biology, Association of Applied Biologists and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

The effects of seed size on hybrids formed between oilseed rape (Brassica napus) and wild brown mustard (B. juncea).

PubMed

Liu, Yong-Bo; Tang, Zhi-Xi; Darmency, Henri; Stewart, C Neal; Di, Kun; Wei, Wei; Ma, Ke-ping

2012-01-01

Seed size has significant implications in ecology, because of its effects on plant fitness. The hybrid seeds that result from crosses between crops and their wild relatives are often small, and the consequences of this have been poorly investigated. Here we report on plant performance of hybrid and its parental transgenic oilseed rape (Brassica napus) and wild B. juncea, all grown from seeds sorted into three seed-size categories. Three seed-size categories were sorted by seed diameter for transgenic B. napus, wild B. juncea and their transgenic and non-transgenic hybrids. The seeds were sown in a field at various plant densities. Globally, small-seeded plants had delayed flowering, lower biomass, fewer flowers and seeds, and a lower thousand-seed weight. The seed-size effect varied among plant types but was not affected by plant density. There was no negative effect of seed size in hybrids, but it was correlated with reduced growth for both parents. Our results imply that the risk of further gene flow would probably not be mitigated by the small size of transgenic hybrid seeds. No fitness cost was detected to be associated with the Bt-transgene in this study.

Improving Soil Seed Bank Management.

PubMed

Haring, Steven C; Flessner, Michael L

2018-05-08

Problems associated with simplified weed management motivate efforts for diversification. Integrated weed management uses fundamentals of weed biology and applied ecology to provide a framework for diversified weed management programs; the soil seed bank comprises a necessary part of this framework. By targeting seeds, growers can inhibit the propagule pressure on which annual weeds depend for agricultural invasion. Some current management practices affect weed seed banks, such as crop rotation and tillage, but these tools are often used without specific intention to manage weed seeds. Difficulties quantifying the weed seed bank, understanding seed bank phenology, and linking seed banks to emerged weed communities challenge existing soil seed bank management practices. Improved seed bank quantification methods could include DNA profiling of the soil seed bank, mark and recapture, or 3D LIDAR mapping. Successful and sustainable soil seed bank management must constrain functionally diverse and changing weed communities. Harvest weed seed controls represent a step forward, but over-reliance on this singular technique could make it short-lived. Researchers must explore tools inspired by other pest management disciplines, such as gene drives or habitat modification for predatory organisms. Future weed seed bank management will combine multiple complementary practices that enhance diverse agroecosystems. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

HONSU, a protein phosphatase 2C, regulates seed dormancy by inhibiting ABA signaling in Arabidopsis.

PubMed

Kim, Woohyun; Lee, Yeon; Park, Jeongmoo; Lee, Nayoung; Choi, Giltsu

2013-04-01

Seed dormancy, a seed status that prohibits germination even in the presence of inductive germination signals, is a poorly understood process. To identify molecular components that regulate seed dormancy, we screened T-DNA insertion lines and identified a mutant designated honsu (hon). HON loss-of-function mutants display deep seed dormancy, whereas HON-overexpressing lines display shallow seed dormancy. HON encodes a seed-specific group A phosphatase 2C (PP2C) and is one of the major negative regulators of seed dormancy among group A PP2Cs. Like other PP2C family members, HON interacts with PYR1/RCAR11 in the presence of ABA. Our analysis indicates that HON inhibits ABA signaling and activates gibberellic acid signaling, and both of these conditions must be satisfied to promote the release of seed dormancy. However, HON mRNA levels are increased in mutants displaying deep seed dormancy or under conditions that deepen seed dormancy, and decreased in mutants displaying shallow seed dormancy or under conditions that promote the release of seed dormancy. Taken together, our results indicate that the expression of HON mRNA is homeostatically regulated by seed dormancy.

[Testing methods for seed quality of Bletilla striata].

PubMed

Zhang, Zhi-Hui; Liu, Da-Hui; Zhu, Xin-Yan; Ji, Peng-Zhang; Wang, Li; Shi, Ya-Na; Ma, Cong-Ji

2016-06-01

In order to provide a basis for establishing seed testing rules and seed quality standard of Bletilla striata, the seed quality of B.striata from different producing area was measured referring to the Rules for Agricultural Seed Testing(GB/T 3543-1995).The results showed that the seeds of B.striata passed through 20-mesh sieve for purity analysis.The weight of seeds was measured by 1000-seed method and the water content was measured at the higher temperature (133±2) ℃ for 3 hours.The seeds were cultured on the wet filter paper at 30 ℃ for 4-20 days in light for germination testing.The method of testing seed viability was that seeds were dipped into 1% TTC solution for 7 hours at temperature of 40 ℃. Copyright© by the Chinese Pharmaceutical Association.

Seasonal Variation in the Fate of Seeds under Contrasting Logging Regimes

PubMed Central

Fleury, Marina; Rodrigues, Ricardo R.; do Couto, Hilton T. Z.; Galetti, Mauro

2014-01-01

Seed predators and dispersers may drive the speed and structure of forest regeneration in natural ecosystems. Rodents and ants prey upon and disperse seeds, yet empirical studies on the magnitude of these effects are lacking. Here, we examined the role of ants and rodents on seed predation in 4 plant species in a successional gradient on a tropical rainforest island. We found that (1) seeds are mostly consumed rather than dispersed; (2) rates of seed predation vary by habitat, season, and species; (3) seed size, shape, and hardness do not affect the probability of being depredated. Rodents were responsible for 70% of seed predation and were negligible (0.14%) seed dispersers, whereas ants were responsible for only 2% of seed predation and for no dispersal. We detected seasonal and habitat effects on seed loss, with higher seed predation occurring during the wet season and in old-growth forests. In the absence of predators regulating seed-consumer populations, the densities of these resilient animals explode to the detriment of natural regeneration and may reduce diversity and carrying capacity for consumers and eventually lead to ecological meltdown. PMID:24614500

Seasonal variation in the fate of seeds under contrasting logging regimes.

PubMed

Fleury, Marina; Rodrigues, Ricardo R; do Couto, Hilton T Z; Galetti, Mauro

2014-01-01

Seed predators and dispersers may drive the speed and structure of forest regeneration in natural ecosystems. Rodents and ants prey upon and disperse seeds, yet empirical studies on the magnitude of these effects are lacking. Here, we examined the role of ants and rodents on seed predation in 4 plant species in a successional gradient on a tropical rainforest island. We found that (1) seeds are mostly consumed rather than dispersed; (2) rates of seed predation vary by habitat, season, and species; (3) seed size, shape, and hardness do not affect the probability of being depredated. Rodents were responsible for 70% of seed predation and were negligible (0.14%) seed dispersers, whereas ants were responsible for only 2% of seed predation and for no dispersal. We detected seasonal and habitat effects on seed loss, with higher seed predation occurring during the wet season and in old-growth forests. In the absence of predators regulating seed-consumer populations, the densities of these resilient animals explode to the detriment of natural regeneration and may reduce diversity and carrying capacity for consumers and eventually lead to ecological meltdown.

Investigation of radical locations in various sesame seeds by CW EPR and 9-GHz EPR imaging.

PubMed

Nakagawa, K; Hara, H

2015-01-01

We investigated the location of radical in various sesame seeds using continuous-wave (CW) electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) and 9-GHz EPR imaging. CW EPR detected persistent radicals (single line) for various sesame seeds. The EPR linewidth of black sesame seeds was narrower than that of the irradiated white sesame seeds. A very small signal was detected for the white sesame seeds. Two-dimensional (2D) imaging using a 9-GHz EPR imager showed that radical locations vary for various sesame seeds. The paramagnetic species in black sesame seeds were located on the seed coat (skin) and in the hilum region. The signal with the highest intensity was obtained from the hilum part. A very low-intensity image was observed for the white sesame seeds. In addition, the 2D imaging of the irradiated white sesame seeds showed that free radicals were located throughout the entire seed. For the first time, CW EPR and 9-GHz EPR imaging showed the exact location of radical species in various sesame seeds.

Seed tolerance to predation: Evidence from the toxic seeds of the buckeye tree (Aesculus californica; Sapindaceae).

PubMed

Mendoza, Eduardo; Dirzo, Rodolfo

2009-07-01

Tolerance, the capacity of plants to withstand attack by animals, as opposed to resistance, has been poorly examined in the context of seed predation. We investigated the role that the seed mass of the large-seeded endemic tree Aesculus californica plays as a tolerance trait to rodent attack by comparing, under greenhouse conditions, patterns of germination, and subsequent seedling growth, of seeds with a wide range of natural damage. Germination percentage was reduced by 50% and time to germination by 64% in attacked compared to intact seeds, and germination probability was negatively correlated with damage. Seedlings that emerged from intact seeds were taller and bore more leaves than those from damaged seeds. This species' large seed mass favors tolerance to damage because heavily damaged seeds are able to germinate and produce seedlings. This finding is significant given that seeds of this species are known to contain chemical compounds toxic to vertebrates, a resistance trait. We posit that this combination of tolerance and resistance traits might be a particularly effective antipredation strategy when seeds are exposed to a variety of vertebrate predators.

Contagious seed dispersal beneath heterospecific fruiting trees and its consequences.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kwit, Charles; Levey, Douglas, J.; Greenberg, Cathyrn, H.

2004-05-03

Kwit, Charles, D.J. Levey and Cathryn H. Greenberg. 2004. Contagious seed dispersal beneath heterospecific fruiting trees and its consequences. Oikos. 107:303-308 A n hypothesized advantage of seed dispersal is avoidance of high per capita mortality (i.e. density-dependent mortality) associated with dense populations of seeds and seedlings beneath parent trees. This hypothesis, inherent in nearly all seed dispersal studies, assumes that density effects are species-specific. Yet because many tree species exhibit overlapping fruiting phenologies and share dispersers, seeds may be deposited preferentially under synchronously fruiting heterospecific trees, another location where they may be particularly vulnerable to mortality, in this case bymore » generalist seed predators. We demonstrate that frugivores disperse higher densities of Cornus florida seeds under fruiting (female) I lex opaca trees than under non-fruiting (male) I lex trees in temperate hardwood forest settings in South Carolina, U SA . To determine if density of Cornus and/or I lex seeds influences survivorship of dispersed Cornus seeds, we followed the fates of experimentally dispersed Cornus seeds in neighborhoods of differing, manipulated background densities of Cornus and I lex seeds. We found that the probability of predation on dispersed Cornus seeds was a function of both Cornus and I lex background seed densities. H igher densities of I lex seeds negatively affected Cornus seed survivorship, and this was particularly evident as background densities of dispersed Cornus seeds increased. These results illustrate the importance of viewing seed dispersal and predation in a community context, as the pattern and intensity of density-dependent mortality may not be solely a function of conspecific densities.« less

Developmental changes in the germinability, desiccation tolerance, hardseededness, and longevity of individual seeds of Trifolium ambiguum

PubMed Central

Hay, F. R.; Smith, R. D.; Ellis, R. H.; Butler, L. H.

2010-01-01

Background and Aims Using two parental clones of outcrossing Trifolium ambiguum as a potential model system, we examined how during seed development the maternal parent, number of seeds per pod, seed position within the pod, and pod position within the inflorescence influenced individual seed fresh weight, dry weight, water content, germinability, desiccation tolerance, hardseededness, and subsequent longevity of individual seeds. Methods Near simultaneous, manual reciprocal crosses were carried out between clonal lines for two experiments. Infructescences were harvested at intervals during seed development. Each individual seed was weighed and then used to determine dry weight or one of the physiological behaviour traits. Key Results Whilst population mass maturity was reached at 33–36 days after pollination (DAP), seed-to-seed variation in maximum seed dry weight, when it was achieved, and when maturation drying commenced, was considerable. Individual seeds acquired germinability between 14 and 44 DAP, desiccation tolerance between 30 and 40 DAP, and the capability to become hardseeded between 30 and 47 DAP. The time for viability to fall to 50 % (p50) at 60 % relative humidity and 45 °C increased between 36 and 56 DAP, when the seed coats of most individuals had become dark orange, but declined thereafter. Individual seed f. wt at harvest did not correlate with air-dry storage survival period. Analysing survival data for cohorts of seeds reduced the standard deviation of the normal distribution of seed deaths in time, but no sub-population showed complete uniformity of survival period. Conclusions Variation in individual seed behaviours within a developing population is inherent and inevitable. In this outbreeder, there is significant variation in seed longevity which appears dependent on embryo genotype with little effect of maternal genotype or architectural factors. PMID:20228084

Radioactive seed migration following parotid gland interstitial brachytherapy.

PubMed

Fan, Yi; Huang, Ming-Wei; Zhao, Yi-Jiao; Gao, Hong; Zhang, Jian-Guo

To evaluate the incidence and associated factors of pulmonary seed migration after parotid brachytherapy using a novel migrated seed detection technique. Patients diagnosed with parotid cancer who underwent permanent parotid brachytherapy from January 2006 to December 2011 were reviewed retrospectively. Head and neck CT scans and chest X-rays were evaluated during routine follow-up. Mimics software and Geomagic Studio software were used for seed reconstruction and migrated seed detection from the original implanted region, respectively. Postimplant dosimetry analysis was performed after seeds migration if the seeds were still in their emitting count. Adverse clinical sequelae from seed embolization to the lung were documented. The radioactive seed implants were identified on chest X-rays in 6 patients. The incidence rate of seed migration in 321 parotid brachytherapy patients was 1.87% (6/321) and that of individual seed migration was 0.04% (6/15218 seeds). All migrated seeds were originally from the retromandibular region. No adverse dosimetric consequences were found in the target region. Pulmonary symptoms were not reported by any patient in this study. In our patient set, migration of radioactive seeds with an initial radioactivity of 0.6-0.7 mCi to the chest following parotid brachytherapy was rare. Late migration of a single seed from the central target region did not affect the dosimetry significantly, and patients did not have severe short-term complications. This study proposed a novel technique to localize the anatomical origin of the migrated seeds during brachytherapy. Our evidence suggested that placement of seeds adjacent to blood vessels was associated with an increased likelihood of seed migration to the lungs. Copyright © 2017 American Brachytherapy Society. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Seed dispersal capacity and post-dispersal fate of the invasive Spartina alterniflora in saltmarshes of the Yangtze Estuary

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xiao, Derong; Zhang, Chao; Zhang, Liquan; Zhu, Zhenchang; Tian, Kun; Gao, Wei

2016-02-01

Spartina alterniflora is one of the most serious invasive species in the coastal saltmarshes of China. Seeds are generally considered to be the main method for this species to colonise new habitat, but little is known quantitatively about the seed dispersal capacity and post-dispersal fate (i.e., germination and survival time). We measured the duration of seed flotation, seed persistence and seed germination of S. alterniflora in three intertidal zones [low intertidal zone (LIT), middle intertidal zone (MIT) and high intertidal zone (HIT)] in the Yangtze Estuary on the eastern coast of China. The results showed that (1) the flotation time of S. alterniflora seeds ranged from 3 to 13 days, and the values were higher in HIT and MIT than in LIT; (2) the period of seed germination was from February to June, mainly in March and April, and seed source affected seed germination as the values for seeds from HIT and MIT were much higher than those from LIT, while burial sites had no effect on germination percentages, and (3) the seed persistence was less than a year regardless of seed source, which was characterised by a transient seed bank, with values being higher in HIT and MIT than in LIT. Our results suggested that low marsh plants were far less able to produce successful seeds, or conversely, that the mid-marsh location had plants with the greatest seed production and seed mass, and the high- and mid-marsh plants had good seed floatation ability, germination and survival. Thus, plants in the mid-and high-marsh may contribute disproportionally to an invasion.

Effectiveness of post-fire seeding at the Fitzner-Eberhardt Arid Land Ecology Reserve, Washington

USGS Publications Warehouse

Wirth, Troy A.; Pyke, David A.

2011-01-01

In August 2007, the Milepost 17 and Wautoma fires burned a combined total of 77,349 acres (31,302 hectares) of the Fitzner-Eberhardt Arid Land Ecology Reserve (ALE), part of the Hanford Reach National Monument administered by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) Mid-Columbia National Wildlife Refuge. In 2009, the USFWS implemented a series of seeding and herbicide treatments to mitigate potential negative consequences of these fires, including mortality of native vegetation, invasion of Bromus tectorum (cheatgrass), and soil erosion. Treatments included combinations of seeding (drill and aerial), herbicides, and one of six different mixtures of species. Artemisia tridentata ssp. wyomingensis (Wyoming big sagebrush) also was planted by hand in a small area in the southern end of the fire perimeter. Due to differences in plant communities prior to the fire and the multiple treatments applied, treatments were grouped into five treatment associations including mid-elevation aerial seedings, low-elevation aerial seedings, low-elevation drill seedings, high-elevation drill seeding, and no seeding treatments. Data collected at the mid-elevation aerial seedings indicate that the seeding did not appear to increase the density of seedlings compared to the non-seeded area in 2010. At the low-elevation aerial seedings, there were significantly more seedlings at seeded areas as compared to non-seeded areas. Low densities of existing perennial plants probably fostered a low-competition environment enabling seeds to germinate and emerge in 2010 during adequate moisture. Low-elevation drill seedings resulted in significant emergence of seeded grasses in 2009 and 2010 and forbs in 2010. This was likely due to adequate precipitation and that the drill seeding assured soil-to-seed contact. At the high-elevation drill seeding, which was implemented in 2009, there were a high number of seedlings in 2010. Transplanting of A. tridentata following the fires resulted in variable survival rates that warrant further testing; however, transplants located closer to washes tended to have the highest survival rates. Overall, the low-elevation aerial and drill seedings, and the high-elevation drill seedings resulted in significant numbers of seedlings. Further research is needed on methods that provide land managers with critical information about whether or not to seed post-fire areas including status of pre-fire vegetation and estimates of plant mortality due to fire.

Changes in seed water status as characterized by NMR in developing soybean seed grown under moisture stress conditions

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Krishnan, P., E-mail: pkrishnan@iari.res.in; Singh, Ravender; Verma, A.P.S.

Highlights: • In developing soybean seeds, moisture stress resulted in more proportion of water to bound state. • These changes are further corroborated by concomitant changes in seed metabolites. • Thus there exists a moisture stress and development stage dependence of seed tissue water status. - Abstract: Changes in water status of developing seeds of Soybean (Glycine max L. Merrill.) grown under different moisture stress conditions were characterized by proton nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR)- spin–spin relaxation time (T{sub 2}). A comparison of the seed development characteristics, composition and physical properties indicated that, characteristics like seed weight, seed number/ear, rate ofmore » seed filling increased with development stages but decreased with moisture stress conditions. The NMR- spin–spin relaxation (T{sub 2}) component like bound water increased with seed maturation (40–50%) but decreased with moisture stress conditions (30–40%). The changes in seed water status to increasing levels of moisture stress and seed maturity indicates that moisture stress resulted in more proportion of water to bound state and intermediate state and less proportion of water in free-state. These changes are further corroborated by significant changes in protein and starch contents in seeds under high moisture stress treatments. Thus seed water status during its development is not only affected by development processes but also by moisture stress conditions. This study strongly indicated a clear moisture stress and development stage dependence of seed tissue water status in developing soybean seeds.« less

SmartGrain: high-throughput phenotyping software for measuring seed shape through image analysis.

PubMed

Tanabata, Takanari; Shibaya, Taeko; Hori, Kiyosumi; Ebana, Kaworu; Yano, Masahiro

2012-12-01

Seed shape and size are among the most important agronomic traits because they affect yield and market price. To obtain accurate seed size data, a large number of measurements are needed because there is little difference in size among seeds from one plant. To promote genetic analysis and selection for seed shape in plant breeding, efficient, reliable, high-throughput seed phenotyping methods are required. We developed SmartGrain software for high-throughput measurement of seed shape. This software uses a new image analysis method to reduce the time taken in the preparation of seeds and in image capture. Outlines of seeds are automatically recognized from digital images, and several shape parameters, such as seed length, width, area, and perimeter length, are calculated. To validate the software, we performed a quantitative trait locus (QTL) analysis for rice (Oryza sativa) seed shape using backcrossed inbred lines derived from a cross between japonica cultivars Koshihikari and Nipponbare, which showed small differences in seed shape. SmartGrain removed areas of awns and pedicels automatically, and several QTLs were detected for six shape parameters. The allelic effect of a QTL for seed length detected on chromosome 11 was confirmed in advanced backcross progeny; the cv Nipponbare allele increased seed length and, thus, seed weight. High-throughput measurement with SmartGrain reduced sampling error and made it possible to distinguish between lines with small differences in seed shape. SmartGrain could accurately recognize seed not only of rice but also of several other species, including Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana). The software is free to researchers.

Does retained-seed priming drive the evolution of serotiny in drylands? An assessment using the cactus Mammillaria hernandezii.

PubMed

Santini, Bianca A; Martorell, Carlos

2013-02-01

Serotinous plants retain their seeds for a long time. In deserts, retained seeds undergo hydration-dehydration cycles and thus may become primed. Priming enhances germination and seedling vigor. We test the hypothesis that serotiny evolves because it provides a site protected from predators in which seeds can become primed. Rainfall-cued dispersal of primed seeds may enhance this effect. We tested this hypothesis with Mammillaria hernandezii through protein-content analyses; field and laboratory germination experiments with primed, unprimed, and retained seeds; and fitness estimations from demographic models. Hydration-dehydration cycles induced priming, enhancing germination. Artificial priming and retention in the parent plant for 1 yr induced similar changes in seed protein patterns, suggesting that priming occurs naturally while seeds are retained. Under field conditions, germination of seeds retained for 1 yr more than doubled that of seeds of the same cohort that were not primed or that remained buried for 1 yr. The first seeds to germinate died rapidly. Serotinous plants whose seeds underwent priming had higher fitness than those whose seeds were in the soil seed bank or that did not experience priming. Priming in soil seed banks may be costly because of high predation, so seed protection during priming is sufficient to promote the evolution of serotiny. Bet hedging contributes to this process. Rapid germination of primed seeds that respond to brief rainfall events is disadvantageous because such rainfall is insufficient for seedling survival. Serotinous species counteract this cost by cueing dispersal with heavy precipitation.

Germination of dimorphic seeds of the desert annual halophyte Suaeda aralocaspica (Chenopodiaceae), a C4 plant without Kranz anatomy.

PubMed

Wang, Lei; Huang, Zhenying; Baskin, Carol C; Baskin, Jerry M; Dong, Ming

2008-11-01

Suaeda aralocaspica is a C4 summer annual halophyte without Kranz anatomy that is restricted to the deserts of central Asia. It produces two distinct types of seeds that differ in colour, shape and size. The primary aims of the present study were to compare the dormancy and germination characteristics of dimorphic seeds of S. aralocaspica and to develop a conceptual model of their dynamics. Temperatures simulating those in the natural habitat of S. aralocaspica were used to test for primary dormancy and germination behaviour of fresh brown and black seeds. The effects of cold stratification, gibberellic acid, seed coat scarification, seed coat removal and dry storage on dormancy breaking were tested in black seeds. Germination percentage and recovery responses of brown seeds, non-treated black seeds and 8-week cold-stratified black seeds to salt stress were tested. Brown seeds were non-dormant, whereas black seeds had non-deep Type 2 physiological dormancy (PD). Germination percentage and rate of germination of brown seeds and of variously pretreated black seeds were significantly higher than those of non-pretreated black seeds. Exposure of seeds to various salinities had significant effects on germination, germination recovery and induction into secondary dormancy. A conceptual model is presented that ties these results together and puts them into an ecological context. The two seed morphs of S. aralocaspica exhibit distinct differences in dormancy and germination characteristics. Suaeda aralocaspica is the first cold desert halophyte for which non-deep Type 2 PD has been documented.

A role for fruit structure in seed survival and germination of Swartzia langsdorffii Raddi beyond dispersal.

PubMed

Vaz, T A A; Rodrigues-Junior, A G; Davide, A C; Nakamura, A T; Toorop, P E

2018-03-01

Diaspore structure has been hypothesised to play a role in seed viability and/or germination of recalcitrant seeds, especially for Swartzia langsdorffii. Thus, this work aims to (i) investigate the in situ contribution of pericarp and aril on seed viability and germination, and (ii) identify morphoanatomical traits of S. langsdorffii diaspores that allow its desiccation-sensitive seeds to remain viable. The role of the pericarp and aril in seed survival and germination was investigated by placing the whole fruit, whole seeds (arillate seed) and bare seeds (without aril) in soil in the forest understorey, assessing germination, emergence, dead, firm and predated seeds, and water content of pericarps, arils and seeds. Correlation analysis was performed between environmental variables and physiological parameters. Histochemical features of diaspores were also investigated. Pericarp water content fell after several months, while the aril maintained its water content. Seeds did not lose water even without the presence of the pericarp and aril. However, presence of the pericarp promoted seed water content, viability and germination long after dispersal. The embryo had a thickened outer periclinal cell wall. Pericarp and aril are not essential to prevent water loss in seeds, but do help to retain seed moisture, favouring viability maintenance and promoting germination during the rainy season. Morphoanatomical features of seeds are suggested as main factors that reduce water loss. Survival of these desiccation-sensitive seeds upon dispersal during the dry season appears to be facilitated by multiple diaspore features that prevent viability loss. © 2017 German Society for Plant Sciences and The Royal Botanical Society of the Netherlands.

Seed Treatment. Manual 92.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Missouri Univ., Columbia. Agricultural Experiment Station.

This training manual provides information needed to meet minimum EPA standards for certification as a commercial applicator of pesticides in the seed treatment category. The text discusses pests commonly associated with seeds; seed treatment pesticides; labels; chemicals and seed treatment equipment; requirements of federal and state seed laws;…

Evaluation of soybean genotypes for resistance to three seed borne diseases

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Seed-borne diseases of soybeans caused by Phomopsis longicolla (Phomopsis seed decay), Cercospora kukuchii (purple seed stain), and M. phaseolina (charcoal rot) are economically important seed-borne diseases that affect seed quality. Commercial cultivars marketed as resistant to all the three disea...

Seed Treatment. Bulletin 760.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lowery, Harvey C.

This manual gives a definition of seed treatment, the types of seeds normally treated, diseases and insects commonly associated with seeds, fungicides and insecticides used, types of equipment used for seed treatment, and information on labeling and coloring of treated seed, pesticide carriers, binders, stickers, and safety precautions. (BB)

Metabolism variation and better storability of dark- versus light-coloured soybean (Glycine max L. Merr.) seeds.

PubMed

Liu, Jiang; Qin, Wen-Ting; Wu, Hai-Jun; Yang, Cai-Qiong; Deng, Jun-Cai; Iqbal, Nasir; Liu, Wei-Guo; Du, Jun-Bo; Shu, Kai; Yang, Feng; Wang, Xiao-Chun; Yong, Tai-Wen; Yang, Wen-Yu

2017-05-15

The effects of storage duration on the seed germination and metabolite profiling of soybean seeds with five different coloured coats were studied. Their germination, constituents and transcript expressions of isoflavones and free fatty acids (FFAs) were compared using chromatographic metabolomic profiling and transcriptome sequencing. The seed water content was characterized using nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) relaxometry. Results showed that dark-coloured seeds were less inactivated than light-coloured seeds. The aglycone and β-glucoside concentrations of upstream constituents increased significantly, whereas the acetylglucosides and malonylglucosides of downstream constituents decreased with an increase in the storage period. FFAs increased considerably in the soybean seeds as a result of storage. These results indicate that dark-coloured soybean seeds have better storability than light-coloured seeds, and seed water content plays a role in seed inactivation. It was concluded that there are certain metabolic regularities that are associated with different coloured seed coats of soybeans under storage conditions. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

[Effects of sowing date and planting density on the seed yield and oil content of winter oilseed rape].

PubMed

Zhang, Shu-Jie; Li, Ling; Zhang, Chun-Lei

2012-05-01

A field experiment was conducted to investigate the effects of different sowing date and planting density on the seed yield and seed oil content of winter oilseed rape (Brassica napus). Sowing date mainly affected the seed yield of branch raceme, while planting density affected the seed yields of both branch raceme and main raceme. The seed oil content was less affected by sowing date. The proportion of the seed yield of main raceme to the seed yield per plant increased with increasing planting density, and the seed oil content of main raceme was about 1% higher than that of branch raceme. Consequently, the seed oil production per plot increased significantly with increasing planting density. In the experimental region, the sowing date of winter oilseed rape should be earlier than mid-October. When sowing in late October, the seed yield would be decreased significantly. A planting density of 36-48 plants x m(-2) could improve the seed yield and oil content of winter oilseed rape.

Ammonia Volatilization from Urea-Application Influenced Germination and Early Seedling Growth of Dry Direct-Seeded Rice

PubMed Central

Qi, Xiaoli; Wu, Wei; Shah, Farooq; Peng, Shaobing; Huang, Jianliang; Cui, Kehui; Liu, Hongyan; Nie, Lixiao

2012-01-01

Poor seed germination and early seedling growth associated with urea-induced soil ammonia volatilization are major constraints in the adoption of dry direct-seeded rice. To directly examine soil ammonia volatilization and its damage to seed germination and early seedling growth of dry direct-seeded rice when urea is applied at seeding, two Petri-dish incubation experiments and a field experiment were conducted. Ammonia volatilization due to urea application significantly reduced seed germination and early seedling growth of dry direct-seedling rice. NBPT significantly reduced ammonia volatilization following urea application. The application of ammonium sulfate, instead of urea at seeding, may mitigate poor crop establishment of dry direct-seeded rice. Root growth of dry direct-seeded rice was more seriously inhibited by soil ammonia volatilization than that of shoot. Results suggest that roots are more sensitive to soil ammonia toxicity than shoots in dry direct-seeded rice system when N is applied as urea at seeding. PMID:22454611

Chloroxyanion Residue on Seeds and Sprouts after Chlorine Dioxide Sanitation of Alfalfa Seed.

PubMed

Smith, David J; Herges, Grant R

2018-02-28

The effects of a 6-h chlorine dioxide sanitation of alfalfa seed (0, 50, 100, and 200 mg/kg seed) on total coliform bacteria, seed germination, and the presence of chlorate and perchlorate residues in seed rinse, seed soak, and alfalfa sprouts was determined. Chlorate residues in 20,000 mg/L calcium hypochlorite, commonly used to disinfect seed, were quantified. Chlorine dioxide treatment reduced (P < 0.05) total coliforms on seeds with no effect (P > 0.05) on germination. Dose-dependent sodium chlorate residues were present in seed rinse (4.1 to 31.2 μg/g seed) and soak (0.7 to 8.3 μg/g seed) waters, whereas chlorate residues were absent (LOQ 5 ng/g) in sprouts, except for 2 of 5 replicates from the high chlorine dioxide treatment. Copious chlorate residues were present (168 to 1260 mg/L) in freshly prepared 20,000 mg/L calcium hypochlorite solution, and storage at room temperature increased chlorate residues significantly (P < 0.01).

Seed feeding beetles (Bruchidae, Curculionidae, Brentidae) from legumes (Dalea ornata, Astragalus filipes) and other forbs needed for restoring rangelands of the Intermountain West

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Larval seed beetles are common seed predators that feed within individual seeds, and legume plants are especially plagued by seed beetles. This can be problematic for seed growers who raise seeds of North American legumes native to the Intermountain Region of the western U.S. for use in the reveget...

Emergence of native plant seeds in response to seed pelleting, planting depth, scarification, and soil anti-crusting treatment, 2009

Treesearch

Clint Shock; Erik Feibert; Lamont Saunders; Nancy Shaw

2010-01-01

Seed of native plants is needed to restore rangelands of the Intermountain West. Reliable commercial seed production is desirable to provide the quantity of seed needed for restoration efforts. Establishment of native seed crops has been difficult, because fall-planted seed is susceptible to bird damage, soil crusting, and soil erosion. Fall planting is important for...

Do soil microbes and abrasion by soil particles influence persistence and loss of physical dormancy in seeds of tropical pioneers?

PubMed Central

Zalamea, Paul-Camilo; Sarmiento, Carolina; Arnold, A. Elizabeth; Davis, Adam S.; Dalling, James W.

2015-01-01

Germination from the soil seed bank (SSB) is an important determinant of species composition in tropical forest gaps, with seed persistence in the SSB allowing trees to recruit even decades after dispersal. The capacity to form a persistent SSB is often associated with physical dormancy, where seed coats are impermeable at the time of dispersal. Germination literature often speculates, without empirical evidence, that dormancy-break in physically dormant seeds is the result of microbial action and/or abrasion by soil particles. We tested the microbial/soil abrasion hypothesis in four widely distributed neotropical pioneer tree species (Apeiba membranacea, Luehea seemannii, Ochroma pyramidale, and Cochlospermum vitifolium). Seeds were buried in five common gardens in a lowland tropical forest in Panama, and recovered at 1, 3, 6, and 12 months after burial. Seed permeability, microbial infection, seed coat thickness, and germination were measured. Parallel experiments compared the germination fraction of fresh and aged seeds without soil contact, and in seeds as a function of seed permeability. Contrary to the microbial/soil abrasion hypothesis the proportion of permeable seeds, and of seeds infected by cultivable microbes, decreased as a function of burial duration. Furthermore, seeds stored in dark and dry conditions for 2 years showed a higher proportion of seed germination than fresh seeds in identical germination conditions. We determined that permeable seeds of A. membranacea and O. pyramidale had cracks in the chalazal area or lacked the chalazal plug, whereas all surfaces of impermeable seeds were intact. Our results are inconsistent with the microbial/soil abrasion hypothesis of dormancy loss and instead suggest the existence of multiple dormancy phenotypes, where a fraction of each seed cohort is dispersed in a permeable state and germinates immediately, while the impermeable seed fraction accounts for the persistent SSB. Thus, we conclude that fluctuations in the soil temperature in the absence of soil abrasion and microbial infection are sufficient to break physical dormancy on seeds of tropical pioneer trees. PMID:25628640

Timing of seed dispersal and seed dormancy in Brazilian savanna: two solutions to face seasonality.

PubMed

Escobar, Diego F E; Silveira, Fernando A O; Morellato, Leonor Patricia C

2018-05-11

The relationship between fruiting phenology and seed dispersal syndrome is widely recognized; however, the interaction of dormancy classes and plant life-history traits in relation to fruiting phenology and seed dispersal is understudied. Here we examined the relationship between fruiting season and seed dormancy and how this relationship is modulated by dormancy classes, dispersal syndromes, seed mass and seed moisture content in a Brazilian savanna (cerrado). Dormancy classes (non-dormancy and physical, morphological, morphophysiological, physiological and physiophysical dormancy) of 34 cerrado species were experimentally determined. Their seed dispersal syndrome (autochory, anemochory, zoochory), dispersal season (rainy, dry, rainy-to-dry and dry-to-rainy transitions), seed mass and moisture contents, and the estimated germination date were also determined. Log-linear models were used to evaluate how dormancy and dormancy classes are related to dispersal season and syndrome. The proportions of dormant and non-dormant species were similar in cerrado. The community-estimated germination date was seasonal, occurring at the onset of rainy season. Overall, anemochorous non-dormant species released seeds during the dry-to-rainy transition; autochorous physically dormant species dispersed seeds during the dry season and rainy-to-dry transition; zoochorous species dispersed non-dormant seeds during the dry and rainy seasons, while species with morphological, morphophysiological or physiological dormancy dispersed seeds in the transitional seasons. Seed mass differed among dispersal seasons and dormancy classes, but seed moisture content did not vary with dispersal syndrome, season or dormancy class. The beginning of the rainy season was the most favourable period for seed germination in cerrado, and the germination phenology was controlled by both the timing of seed dispersal and seed dormancy. Dormancy class was influenced by dispersal syndrome and season. Moreover, dormancy avoided seed germination during the rainy-to-dry transition, independently of dispersal syndrome. The variability of dormancy classes with dispersal syndrome allowed animal-dispersed species to fruit all year round, but seeds germinated only during the rainy season. Conversely, seasonally restricted wind-dispersal species dispersed and germinated their non-dormant seeds only in the rainy season.

[Viability and germination of Hechtia perotensis (Bromeliaceae) seed].

PubMed

Elizalde, Violeta; García, José Rodolfo; Peña-Valdivia, Cecilia Beatriz; Ybarra, Ma Carmen; Leyva, Otto Raúl; Trejo, Carlos

2017-03-01

Endemic populations of Hechtia perotensis have been described in Puebla and Veracruz, Mexico. Good quality seed collections can be used in conservation, research and ecological restoration. To evaluate seed quality of wild and endemic species, some compounds are used as effective promoters of germination, such as potassium nitrate (KNO3) and gibberellic acid (AG3), because they increase seed germination capacity and reduce latency. The triphenyl tetrazolium chloride (tetrazolium) test correlates seed viability because it is based on the activity of dehydrogenases in live tissues that catalyze mitochondrial respiration. The objective of this study was to obtain information on size and weight of capsules and seeds and seed germination and viability of H. perotensis, collected in Veracruz in the year 2012 and 2015. The hypotheses were 1) that seed germination and viability are independent of the year of collection, 2) that there is a tetrazolium concentration that can identify seed viability better than others, and 3) that pretreatment with KNO3 or AG3 improves seed germination. Seed germination was assessed using a completely randomized design with three treatments (control and the germination promoters 0.2 % KNO3 and 500 mg/L AG3), four treatments for the viability test (control, 0.2, 0.5 and 1.0 % of tetrazolium) and six replicates for each treatment. A total of one hundred seeds for germination experiments, and 25 seeds for the viability test were used. The results between and within years were analyzed with ANOVA and multiple comparison with the Tukey test. The proportion of non-germinated seeds was quantified along with the number of normal and abnormal seedlings, seeds with viable embryo, seeds without embryo, and seeds with low or no viability. On average, for the 2012 collected sample, 36 % had viable embryos, 7 % had low viability, 24 % were not viable and 33 % had no embryo. This result was significantly different from the 2015 sample, for which 87 % of seed showed viable embryos, 10 % had low viability, 0 % was not viable and 3 % had no embryo. Seed germination was also significantly different between years (22 and 92 %) Pregerminative treatments did not improve germination. Seed germination and viability of H. perotensis significantly varied between years of seed collection.

Characterization and optimization of cell seeding in scaffolds by factorial design: quality by design approach for skeletal tissue engineering.

PubMed

Chen, Yantian; Bloemen, Veerle; Impens, Saartje; Moesen, Maarten; Luyten, Frank P; Schrooten, Jan

2011-12-01

Cell seeding into scaffolds plays a crucial role in the development of efficient bone tissue engineering constructs. Hence, it becomes imperative to identify the key factors that quantitatively predict reproducible and efficient seeding protocols. In this study, the optimization of a cell seeding process was investigated using design of experiments (DOE) statistical methods. Five seeding factors (cell type, scaffold type, seeding volume, seeding density, and seeding time) were selected and investigated by means of two response parameters, critically related to the cell seeding process: cell seeding efficiency (CSE) and cell-specific viability (CSV). In addition, cell spatial distribution (CSD) was analyzed by Live/Dead staining assays. Analysis identified a number of statistically significant main factor effects and interactions. Among the five seeding factors, only seeding volume and seeding time significantly affected CSE and CSV. Also, cell and scaffold type were involved in the interactions with other seeding factors. Within the investigated ranges, optimal conditions in terms of CSV and CSD were obtained when seeding cells in a regular scaffold with an excess of medium. The results of this case study contribute to a better understanding and definition of optimal process parameters for cell seeding. A DOE strategy can identify and optimize critical process variables to reduce the variability and assists in determining which variables should be carefully controlled during good manufacturing practice production to enable a clinically relevant implant.

Removal and Burial of Weed Seeds by Ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) From the Soil Surface of a Cropped Area in Western Australia.

PubMed

Minkey, D M; Spafford, H

2016-10-01

Although granivorous ants are known to collect weed seeds from cropping areas in Australia, the fate of these seeds has not been adequately investigated. Seeds of annual ryegrass (Lolium rigidum Gaud.) and wild radish (Raphanus raphanistrum L.) were placed around the nests of five native ant species (Iridomyrmex greensladei Shattuck, Rhytidoponera metallica Smith, Melophorus turneri Forel, Monomorium rothsteini Forel, and Pheidole hartmeyeri Forel) and tracked continuously over a 24-h period. Removal rates and seed preference of the ant species were evaluated. Ant nests were then excavated to determine the placement of seeds that were taken into each nest. Seed preference, seed removal efficiencies, activity, and seed storage all varied between the ant species. Annual ryegrass seed was collected by three species of ants and was removed from the soil surface more efficiently than wild radish seed. Most ant species stored seed below ground at a depth that is inhibitory to emergence, thereby potentially removing that portion of seed from the seed bank, but some seed was placed at germinable depths. Pheidole hartmeyeri was identified as a likely biological control agent for annual ryegrass seeds and wild radish, while Me. turneri and Mo. rothsteini have potential as biocontrol agents for annual ryegrass, but further research is needed. © The Authors 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Entomological Society of America. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

[Soil seed bank in Keerqin meadow grassland under grazing and harvesting].

PubMed

Jiang, Deming; Li, Rongping; Liu, Zhimin; Yan, Qiaoling

2004-10-01

This study on the size and composition of seed bank and its relationship with vegetation showed in Keerqin meadow grassland, the density of soil seed bank was 6158 +/- 1647 grains x m(-2) under grazing and 8312 +/- 2540 grains m(-2) under harvesting. Under grazing, the seed bank was mainly composed of some dwarf and short-life annuals. The seeds of the annuals and biennials accounted for 81.66% of the seeds in seed bank. The four species with largest proportion of seed bank were Chloris virgata, Chenopodium glaucum, Digitaria cilliaris and Setaria viridis, and the proportions were 38.55%, 15.42%, 14.95%, and 9.83%, respectively. The density of perennials in soil seed bank was 1129 +/- 302 grains x m(-2). Under harvesting, the seeds of annuals and biennials accounted for 68.08% of the seed in seed bank, and the proportion of Setaria viridis was 52.7%. In the harvesting meadow grassland, the seed density of perennials was 2653 +/- 811 grains x m(-2). There was no significant correlation between the seed density in soil and the vegetation under grazing, but a significant correlation between the seed density in soil and the species abundance of vegetation under harvesting (r = 0.76, P < 0.01). The index of Shannon-Wiener and richness of grazing meadow grassland were 2.96 and 2.98, respectively, distinctly smaller than 3.10 and 5.09 of harvesting meadow, which showed that free grazing made the diversity of seed bank decrease easily.

Seed germination, seedling traits, and seed bank of the tree Moringa peregrina (Moringaceae) in a hyper-arid environment.

PubMed

Gomaa, Nasr H; Picó, F Xavier

2011-06-01

Water-limited hot environments are good examples of hyper-aridity. Trees are scarce in these environments but some manage to survive, such as the tree Moringa peregrina. Understanding how trees maintain viable populations in extremely arid environments may provide insight into the adaptive mechanisms by which trees cope with extremely arid weather conditions. This understanding is relevant to the current increasing aridity in several regions of the world. Seed germination experiments were conducted to assess variation in seed mass, seed germination, and seedling traits of Moringa peregrina plants and the correlations among these traits. A seed burial experiment was also designed to study the fate of M. peregrina seeds buried at two depths in the soil for two time periods. On average, seeds germinated in three days and seedling shoots grew 0.7 cm per day over three weeks. Larger seeds decreased germination time and increased seedling growth rates relative to smaller seeds. Seeds remained quiescent in the soil and germination was very high at both depths and burial times. The after-ripening time of Moringa peregrina seeds is short and seeds germinate quickly after imbibition. Plants of M. peregrina may increase in hyper-arid environments from seeds with larger mass, shorter germination times, and faster seedling growth rates. The results also illustrate the adjustment in allocation to seed biomass and correlations among seed and seedling traits that allows M. peregrina to be successful in coping with aridity in its environment.

Aerial and soil seed banks enable populations of an annual species to cope with an unpredictable dune ecosystem

PubMed Central

Gao, Ruiru; Yang, Xuejun; Yang, Fan; Wei, Lingling; Huang, Zhenying; Walck, Jeffrey L.

2014-01-01

Background and Aims Simultaneous formation of aerial and soil seed banks by a species provides a mechanism for population maintenance in unpredictable environments. Eolian activity greatly affects growth and regeneration of plants in a sand dune system, but we know little about the difference in the contributions of these two seed banks to population dynamics in sand dunes. Methods Seed release, germination, seedling emergence and survival of a desert annual, Agriophyllum squarrosum (Chenopodiaceae), inhabiting the Ordos Sandland in China, were determined in order to explore the different functions of the aerial and soil seed banks. Key Results The size of the aerial seed bank was higher than that of the soil seed bank throughout the growing season. Seed release was positively related to wind velocity. Compared with the soil seed bank, seed germination from the aerial seed bank was lower at low temperature (5/15 °C night/day) but higher in the light. Seedling emergence from the soil seed bank was earlier than that from the aerial seed bank. Early-emerged (15 April–15 May) seedlings died due to frost, but seedlings that emerged during the following months survived to reproduce successfully. Conclusions The timing of seed release and different germination behaviour resulted in a temporal heterogeneity of seedling emergence and establishment between the two seed banks. The study suggests that a bet-hedging strategy for the two seed banks enables A. squarrosum populations to cope successfully with the unpredictable desert environment. PMID:24918206

Optimum harvest maturity for Leymus chinensis seed.

PubMed

Lin, Jixiang; Wang, Yingnan; Qi, Mingming; Li, Xiaoyu; Yang, Chunxue; Wang, Yongcui; Mu, Chunsheng

2016-06-15

Timely harvest is critical to achieve maximum seed viability and vigour in agricultural production. However, little information exists concerning how to reap the best quality seeds of Leymus chinensis, which is the dominant and most promising grass species in the Songnen Grassland of Northern China. The objective of this study was to investigate and evaluate possible quality indices of the seeds at different days after peak anthesis. Seed quality at different development stages was assessed by the colours of the seed and lemmas, seed weight, moisture content, electrical conductivity of seed leachate and germination indices. Two consecutive years of experimental results showed that the maximum seed quality was recorded at 39 days after peak anthesis. At this date, the colours of the seed and lemmas reached heavy brown and yellow, respectively. The seed weight was highest and the moisture content and the electrical conductivity of seed leachate were lowest. In addition, the seed also reached its maximum germination percentage and energy at this stage, determined using a standard germination test (SGT) and accelerated ageing test (AAT). Thus, Leymus chinensis can be harvested at 39 days after peak anthesis based on the changes in parameters. Colour identification can be used as an additional indicator to provide a more rapid and reliable measure of optimum seed maturity; approximately 10 days after the colour of the lemmas reached yellow and the colour of the seed reached heavy brown, the seed of this species was suitable for harvest. © 2016. Published by The Company of Biologists Ltd.

Poor Fertility, Short Longevity, and Low Abundance in the Soil Seed Bank Limit Volunteer Sugarcane from Seed

PubMed Central

Pierre, Johann S.; Perroux, Jai; Whan, Alex; Rae, Anne L.; Bonnett, Graham D.

2015-01-01

The recent development of genetically modified sugarcane, with the aim of commercial production, requires an understanding of the potential risks of increased weediness of sugarcane as a result of spread and persistence of volunteer sugarcane. As sugarcane is propagated vegetatively from pieces of stalk and the seed plays no part in the production cycle, the fate of seed in the environment is yet to be studied. In this study, sugarcane seed samples, collected in fields over a 2-year period, were used to determine the overall level of sugarcane fertility, seed dormancy, and longevity of seed under field conditions. A survey of the soil seed bank in and around sugarcane fields was used to quantify the presence of sugarcane seeds and to identify and quantify the weeds that would compete with sugarcane seedlings. We demonstrated that under field conditions, sugarcane has low fertility and produces non-dormant seed. The viability of the seeds decayed rapidly (half-life between 1.5 and 2.1 months). This means that, in Australia, sugarcane seeds die before they encounter climatic conditions that could allow them to germinate and establish. Finally, the soil seed bank analysis revealed that there were very few sugarcane seeds relative to the large number of weed seeds that exert a large competitive effect. In conclusion, low fertility, short persistence, and poor ability to compete limit the capacity of sugarcane seed spread and persistence in the environment. PMID:26090363

Poor Fertility, Short Longevity, and Low Abundance in the Soil Seed Bank Limit Volunteer Sugarcane from Seed.

PubMed

Pierre, Johann S; Perroux, Jai; Whan, Alex; Rae, Anne L; Bonnett, Graham D

2015-01-01

The recent development of genetically modified sugarcane, with the aim of commercial production, requires an understanding of the potential risks of increased weediness of sugarcane as a result of spread and persistence of volunteer sugarcane. As sugarcane is propagated vegetatively from pieces of stalk and the seed plays no part in the production cycle, the fate of seed in the environment is yet to be studied. In this study, sugarcane seed samples, collected in fields over a 2-year period, were used to determine the overall level of sugarcane fertility, seed dormancy, and longevity of seed under field conditions. A survey of the soil seed bank in and around sugarcane fields was used to quantify the presence of sugarcane seeds and to identify and quantify the weeds that would compete with sugarcane seedlings. We demonstrated that under field conditions, sugarcane has low fertility and produces non-dormant seed. The viability of the seeds decayed rapidly (half-life between 1.5 and 2.1 months). This means that, in Australia, sugarcane seeds die before they encounter climatic conditions that could allow them to germinate and establish. Finally, the soil seed bank analysis revealed that there were very few sugarcane seeds relative to the large number of weed seeds that exert a large competitive effect. In conclusion, low fertility, short persistence, and poor ability to compete limit the capacity of sugarcane seed spread and persistence in the environment.

Optimum harvest maturity for Leymus chinensis seed

PubMed Central

Lin, Jixiang; Wang, Yingnan; Qi, Mingming; Li, Xiaoyu; Yang, Chunxue; Wang, Yongcui

2016-01-01

ABSTRACT Timely harvest is critical to achieve maximum seed viability and vigour in agricultural production. However, little information exists concerning how to reap the best quality seeds of Leymus chinensis, which is the dominant and most promising grass species in the Songnen Grassland of Northern China. The objective of this study was to investigate and evaluate possible quality indices of the seeds at different days after peak anthesis. Seed quality at different development stages was assessed by the colours of the seed and lemmas, seed weight, moisture content, electrical conductivity of seed leachate and germination indices. Two consecutive years of experimental results showed that the maximum seed quality was recorded at 39 days after peak anthesis. At this date, the colours of the seed and lemmas reached heavy brown and yellow, respectively. The seed weight was highest and the moisture content and the electrical conductivity of seed leachate were lowest. In addition, the seed also reached its maximum germination percentage and energy at this stage, determined using a standard germination test (SGT) and accelerated ageing test (AAT). Thus, Leymus chinensis can be harvested at 39 days after peak anthesis based on the changes in parameters. Colour identification can be used as an additional indicator to provide a more rapid and reliable measure of optimum seed maturity; approximately 10 days after the colour of the lemmas reached yellow and the colour of the seed reached heavy brown, the seed of this species was suitable for harvest. PMID:27170257

Busy Nights: High Seed Dispersal by Crickets in a Neotropical Forest.

PubMed

Santana, Flávia Delgado; Baccaro, Fabricio Beggiato; Costa, Flávia Regina Capellotto

2016-11-01

Among invertebrates, ants are the most abundant and probably most important seed dispersers in both temperate and tropical environments. Crickets, also abundant in tropical forests, are omnivores and commonly attracted to fruits on the forest floor. However, their capability to remove seeds has been reported only once. We compared Marantaceae seed removal by crickets and ants to assess the role of crickets as secondary seed dispersers in Amazonia. Compared with ants, crickets dispersed an equivalent number of seeds and tended to disperse larger seeds farther. However, seed removal by crickets occurs mostly at night, suggesting that removal of arillate seeds by crickets on the tropical forest floor is probably being overlooked or wrongly attributed to other invertebrate groups. One potential consequence of seed dispersal by crickets may be a change in the local spatial distribution of arillate-seed species, due to lower aggregation around ant nests.

Pollination effects on antioxidant content of Perilla frutescens seeds analysed by NMR spectroscopy.

PubMed

Ferrazzi, Paola; Vercelli, Monica; Chakir, Amina; Romane, Abderrahmane; Mattana, Monica; Consonni, Roberto

2017-12-01

The effects of Perilla frutescens pollination on the content of seed antioxidants were analysed by agronomical and pollination trials, comparing seeds produced from bagged plants in 2013 (A) to prevent access to pollinating insects, and seeds from open-pollinated plants in 2013 (B) and 2015 (C). The seeds of open-pollinated plants were significantly more numerous and heavier than those of self-pollinated plants. 1 H NMR seed analysis showed a higher presence of phenolic compounds in open-pollinated seeds, mainly rosmarinic acid and flavonoids, apigenin and luteolin. Flavonoids were present in the glucosylated form in seeds (A) and (C), and in the aglycone form in seeds from (B) plants. Saturated and unsaturated fatty acids (palmitic, linoleic and linolenic) were more abundant in seeds from self-pollinated flowers. Pollination performed almost exclusively by the honeybee notably increased the antioxidant content in perilla seeds and gave rise to a reduction in the fatty acid content.

How the pine seeds attach to/detach from the pine cone scale?

PubMed

Song, Kahye; Chang, Shyr-Shea; Lee, Sang Joon

2017-01-01

One of the primary purposes of pine cones is the protection and distant dispersal of pine seeds. Pine cones open and release their embedded seeds on dry and windy days for long-distance dispersal. In this study, how the pine seed attach to/ detach from the pine cone scale for efficient seed dispersal were experimentally investigated by using X-ray micro-imaging technique. The cone and seeds adhere to one another in the presence of water, which could be explained by the surface tension and the contact angle hysteresis. Otherwise, without water, the waterproof seed wing surface permits rapid drying for detach and dispersion. On the other hand, during wildfires, pine cones open their seed racks and detach the pine seeds from pine cones for rapid seed dispersal. Due to these structural advantages, pine seeds are released safely and efficiently on adjust condition. These advantageous structure could be mimicked in practical applications.

7 CFR 201.70 - Limitations of generations for certified seed.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 3 2011-01-01 2011-01-01 false Limitations of generations for certified seed. 201.70... SERVICE (Standards, Inspections, Marketing Practices), DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE (CONTINUED) FEDERAL SEED ACT FEDERAL SEED ACT REGULATIONS Certified Seed § 201.70 Limitations of generations for certified seed...

7 CFR 201.70 - Limitations of generations for certified seed.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 3 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Limitations of generations for certified seed. 201.70... SERVICE (Standards, Inspections, Marketing Practices), DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE (CONTINUED) FEDERAL SEED ACT FEDERAL SEED ACT REGULATIONS Certified Seed § 201.70 Limitations of generations for certified seed...

Efficacy of Selected Insecticides Applied to Hybrid Rice Seed

PubMed Central

Adams, A.; Gore, J.; Musser, F.; Cook, D.; Walker, T.; Dobbins, C.

2016-01-01

Hybrid rice and insecticide seed treatments targeting rice water weevil, Lissorhoptrus oryzophilus Kuschel, have altered the landscape of rice production. The effect of reduced seeding rates on seed treatment efficacy in hybrid rice has not been studied. During 2011 and 2012, an experiment was conducted at seven locations to determine the relationship between low seeding rates used in hybrid rice and efficacy of selected insecticidal seed treatments as measured by rice water weevil densities and yield. Labeled rates of thiamethoxam, chlorantraniliprole, and clothianidin were compared with higher rates of these products to determine if labeled rates provide an acceptable level of control of the rice water weevil. Study locations were divided into low, moderate, and high groups based on rice water weevil larval densities. All seed treatments and seed treatment rates reduced rice water weevil densities. However, there was no observed yield or economic benefit from the use of an insecticidal seed treatment in areas of low pressure. Differences in yield were observed among seed treatments and seed treatment rates in moderate and high pressure locations, and all seed treatments yielded better than the untreated plots, but these differences were not always economical. All seed treatments showed an economic advantage in areas of high weevil pressure, and there were no differences among seed treatment products or rates, suggesting that currently labeled seed treatment rates in hybrid rice are effective for rice water weevil management. PMID:26537671

An invasive slug exploits an ant-seed dispersal mutualism.

PubMed

Meadley Dunphy, Shannon A; Prior, Kirsten M; Frederickson, Megan E

2016-05-01

Plant-animal mutualisms, such as seed dispersal, are often vulnerable to disruption by invasive species. Here, we show for the first time how a non-ant invasive species negatively affects seed dispersal by ants. We examined the effects of several animal species that co-occur in a temperate deciduous forest-including native and invasive seed-dispersing ants (Aphaenogaster rudis and Myrmica rubra, respectively), an invasive slug (Arion subfuscus), and native rodents-on a native myrmecochorous plant, Asarum canadense. We experimentally manipulated ant, slug, and rodent access to seed depots and measured seed removal. We also video-recorded depots to determine which other taxa interact with seeds. We found that A. rudis was the main disperser of seeds and that A. subfuscus consumed elaiosomes without dispersing seeds. Rodent visitation was rare, and rodent exclusion had no significant effect on seed or elaiosome removal. We then used data obtained from laboratory and field mesocosm experiments to determine how elaiosome robbing by A. subfuscus affects seed dispersal by A. rudis and M. rubra. We found that elaiosome robbing by slugs reduced seed dispersal by ants, especially in mesocosms with A. rudis, which picks up seeds more slowly than M. rubra. Taken together, our results show that elaiosome robbing by an invasive slug reduces seed dispersal by ants, suggesting that invasive slugs can have profound negative effects on seed dispersal mutualisms.

How much Dillenia indica seed predation occurs from Asian elephant dung?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sekar, Nitin; Giam, Xingli; Sharma, Netra Prasad; Sukumar, Raman

2016-01-01

Elephants are thought to be effective seed dispersers, but research on whether elephant dung effectively protects seeds from seed predation is lacking. Quantifying rates of seed predation from elephant dung will facilitate comparisons between elephants and alternative dispersers, helping us understand the functional role of megaherbivores in ecosystems. We conducted an experiment to quantify the predation of Dillenia indica seeds from elephant dung in Buxa Reserve, India from December 2012 to April 2013. Using dung boluses from the same dung pile, we compared the number of seeds in boluses that are a) opened immediately upon detection (control boluses), b) made available only to small seed predators (<3 mm wide) for 1-4 months, and c) made available to all seed predators and secondary dispersers for 1-4 months. Using a model built on this experiment, we estimated that seed predation by small seed predators (most likely ants and termites) destroys between 82.9% and 96.4% of seeds in elephant dung between the time of defecation and the median germination date for D. indica. Exposure to larger seed predators and secondary dispersers did not lead to a significant additional reduction in the number of seeds per dung bolus. Our findings suggest that post-dispersal seed predation by small insects (<3 mm) substantially reduces but does not eliminate the success of elephants as dispersers of D. indica in a tropical moist forest habitat.

Effects of gut passage, feces, and seed handling on latency and rate of germination in seeds consumed by capuchins (Cebus capucinus).

PubMed

Valenta, Kim; Fedigan, Linda M

2009-04-01

One of the key measures of the effectiveness of primary seed dispersal by animals is the quality of seed dispersal (Schupp: Plant Ecol 107/108 [1993] 15-29). We present data on quality of seed dispersal by two groups of white-faced capuchins (Cebus capucinus) in Costa Rica to test the hypothesis that capuchin seed handling results in effective primary dispersal for some fruit species they consume. We examined seed handling for 27 plant species, and germination rates of 18 species consumed by capuchins. For five of the most commonly swallowed seed species, we determined germination rates and average time to germination (latency) for seeds ingested and defecated by capuchins and compared these to seeds removed directly from fruit and planted. For the same five species, we compared germination rates and latency for passed seeds planted in capuchin feces to those cleaned of feces and planted in soil. For three of five species, differences in proportion of germinated seeds were significantly higher for gut passed seeds than for controls. For four of five species, germination latency was significantly faster for gut passed seeds than for controls. Feces had either no effect on seed germination rate or precluded germination. Data presented here support the hypothesis that white-faced capuchins are effective primary dispersers.

Viability of barley seeds after long-term exposure to outer side of international space station

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sugimoto, Manabu; Ishii, Makoto; Mori, Izumi C.; Elena, Shagimardanova; Gusev, Oleg A.; Kihara, Makoto; Hoki, Takehiro; Sychev, Vladimir N.; Levinskikh, Margarita A.; Novikova, Natalia D.; Grigoriev, Anatoly I.

2011-09-01

Barley seeds were exposed to outer space for 13 months in a vented metal container without a climate control system to assess the risk of physiological and genetic mutation during long-term storage in space. The space-stored seeds (S0 generation), with an 82% germination rate in 50 seeds, lost about 20% of their weight after the exposure. The germinated seeds showed normal growth, heading, and ripening. The harvested seeds (S1 generation) also germinated and reproduced (S2 generation) as did the ground-stored seeds. The culm length, ear length, number of seed, grain weight, and fertility of the plants from the space-stored seeds were not significantly different from those of the ground-stored seeds in each of the S0 and S1 generation. Furthermore, the S1 and S2 space-stored seeds respectively showed similar β-glucan content to those of the ground-stored seeds. Amplified fragment length polymorphism analysis with 16 primer combinations showed no specific fragment that appears or disappears significantly in the DNA isolated from the barley grown from the space-stored seeds. Though these data are derived from nine S0 space-stored seeds in a single exposure experiment, the results demonstrate the preservation of barley seeds in outer space for 13 months without phenotypic or genotypic changes and with healthy and vigorous growth in space.

A latitudinal gradient in seed nutrients of the forest herb Anemone nemorosa.

PubMed

De Frenne, P; Kolb, A; Graae, B J; Decocq, G; Baltora, S; De Schrijver, A; Brunet, J; Chabrerie, O; Cousins, S A O; Dhondt, R; Diekmann, M; Gruwez, R; Heinken, T; Hermy, M; Liira, J; Saguez, R; Shevtsova, A; Baskin, C C; Verheyen, K

2011-05-01

The nutrient concentration in seeds determines many aspects of potential success of the sexual reproductive phase of plants, including the seed predation probability, efficiency of seed dispersal and seedling performance. Despite considerable research interest in latitudinal gradients of foliar nutrients, a similar gradient for seeds remains unexplored. We investigated a potential latitudinal gradient in seed nutrient concentrations within the widespread European understorey forest herb Anemone nemorosa L. We sampled seeds of A. nemorosa in 15 populations along a 1900-km long latitudinal gradient at three to seven seed collection dates post-anthesis and investigated the relative effects of growing degree-hours >5 °C, soil characteristics and latitude on seed nutrient concentrations. Seed nitrogen, nitrogen:phosphorus ratio and calcium concentration decreased towards northern latitudes, while carbon:nitrogen ratios increased. When taking differences in growing degree-hours and measured soil characteristics into account and only considering the most mature seeds, the latitudinal decline remained particularly significant for seed nitrogen concentration. We argue that the decline in seed nitrogen concentration can be attributed to northward decreasing seed provisioning due to lower soil nitrogen availability or greater investment in clonal reproduction. This pattern may have large implications for the reproductive performance of this forest herb as the degree of seed provisioning ultimately co-determines seedling survival and reproductive success. © 2010 German Botanical Society and The Royal Botanical Society of the Netherlands.

Benefits of rice seed priming are offset permanently by prolonged storage and the storage conditions

PubMed Central

Hussain, Saddam; Zheng, Manman; Khan, Fahad; Khaliq, Abdul; Fahad, Shah; Peng, Shaobing; Huang, Jianliang; Cui, Kehui; Nie, Lixiao

2015-01-01

Seed priming is a commercially successful practice, but reduced longevity of primed seeds during storage may limit its application. We established a series of experiments on rice to test: (1) whether prolonged storage of primed and non-primed rice seeds for 210 days at 25°C or −4°C would alter their viability, (2) how long primed rice seed would potentially remain viable at 25°C storage, and (3) whether or not post-storage treatments (re-priming or heating) would reinstate the viability of stored primed seeds. Two different rice cultivars and three priming agents were used in all experiments. Prolonged storage of primed seeds at 25°C significantly reduced the germination (>90%) and growth attributes (>80%) of rice compared with un-stored primed seeds. However, such negative effects were not observed in primed seeds stored at −4°C. Beneficial effects of seed priming were maintained only for 15 days of storage at 25°C, beyond which the performance of primed seeds was worse even than non-primed seeds. The deteriorative effects of 25°C storage were related with hampered starch metabolism in primed rice seeds. None of the post-storage treatments could reinstate the lost viability of primed seeds suggesting that seeds become unviable by prolonged post-priming storage at 25°C. PMID:25631923

Characterization of physical and biochemical changes in plasma treated spinach seed during germination

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hye Ji, Sang; Ki, Se Hoon; Kang, Min Ho; Choi, Jin Sung; Park, Yeunsoo; Oh, Jaesung; Kim, Seong Bong; Yoo, Suk Jae; Choi, Eun Ha; Park, Gyungsoon

2018-04-01

Despite the accumulating data on the effect of plasma on seed germination, mechanisms of plasma action need more extensive research. In a previous study, we observed that high voltage nanosecond pulsed plasma enhanced the germination of spinach seeds and subsequent seedling growth. As a follow-up study, we investigated the physico-chemical, biochemical, and molecular changes in seed after plasma treatment, focusing on the early germination stage, to elucidate mechanism(s) for the stimulating effects of plasma on seed germination. The primary radicle protruded from seeds exposed to high voltage nanosecond pulsed plasma (one shot) slightly faster than the control seeds. The hydrophilicity of the seed surface significantly increased after treatment with high voltage nanosecond pulsed plasma (one shot). However, a very subtle increase in water uptake by plasma treated seeds was observed. Raman and FTIR spectroscopy analyses on chloroform extract of seed coats demonstrated no significant chemical etching on the surface of plasma treated seeds. This may be related to no dramatic increase in water absorption by seeds. The level of GA hormone and starch hydrolysis inside the plasma treated seeds was significantly elevated within 24 h. Taken together, our results suggest that high voltage nanosecond pulsed plasma may not only enhance hydrophilicity of the seed surface but also stimulate biochemical and molecular processes inside seed, leading to enhanced embryonic development.

A Noninvasive Platform for Imaging and Quantifying Oil Storage in Submillimeter Tobacco Seed1[W][OA

PubMed Central

Fuchs, Johannes; Neuberger, Thomas; Rolletschek, Hardy; Schiebold, Silke; Nguyen, Thuy Ha; Borisjuk, Nikolai; Börner, Andreas; Melkus, Gerd; Jakob, Peter; Borisjuk, Ljudmilla

2013-01-01

While often thought of as a smoking drug, tobacco (Nicotiana spp.) is now considered as a plant of choice for molecular farming and biofuel production. Here, we describe a noninvasive means of deriving both the distribution of lipid and the microtopology of the submillimeter tobacco seed, founded on nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) technology. Our platform enables counting of seeds inside the intact tobacco capsule to measure seed sizes, to model the seed interior in three dimensions, to quantify the lipid content, and to visualize lipid gradients. Hundreds of seeds can be simultaneously imaged at an isotropic resolution of 25 µm, sufficient to assess each individual seed. The relative contributions of the embryo and the endosperm to both seed size and total lipid content could be assessed. The extension of the platform to a range of wild and cultivated Nicotiana species demonstrated certain evolutionary trends in both seed topology and pattern of lipid storage. The NMR analysis of transgenic tobacco plants with seed-specific ectopic expression of the plastidial phosphoenolpyruvate/phosphate translocator, displayed a trade off between seed size and oil concentration. The NMR-based assay of seed lipid content and topology has a number of potential applications, in particular providing a means to test and optimize transgenic strategies aimed at the manipulation of seed size, seed number, and lipid content in tobacco and other species with submillimeter seeds. PMID:23232144

On the relative contributions of wind vs. animals to seed dispersal of four Sierra Nevada pines.

PubMed

Vander Wall, Stephen B

2008-07-01

Selective pressures that influence the form of seed dispersal syndromes are poorly understood. Morphology of plant propagules is often used to infer the means of dispersal, but morphology can be misleading. Several species of pines, for example, have winged seeds adapted for wind dispersal but owe much of their establishment to scatter-hoarding animals. Here the relative importance of wind vs. animal dispersal is assessed for four species of pines of the eastern Sierra Nevada that have winged seeds but differed in seed size: lodgepole pine (Pinus contorta murrayana, 8 mg); ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa ponderosa, 56 mg); Jeffrey pine (Pinus jeffreyi, 160 mg); and sugar pine (Pinus lambertiana, 231 mg). Pre-dispersal seed mortality eliminated much of the ponderosa pine seed crop (66%), but had much less effect on Jeffrey pine (32% of seeds destroyed), lodgepole pine (29%), and sugar pine (7%). When cones opened most filled seeds were dispersed by wind. Animals removed > 99% of wind-dispersed Jeffrey and sugar pine seeds from the ground within 60 days, but animals gathered only 93% of lodgepole pine seeds and 38% of ponderosa pine seeds during the same period. Animals gathered and scatter hoarded radioactively labeled ponderosa, Jeffrey, and sugar pine seeds, making a total of 2103 caches over three years of study. Only three lodgepole pine caches were found. Caches typically contained 1-4 seeds buried 5-20 mm deep, depths suitable for seedling emergence. Although Jeffrey and sugar pine seeds are initially wind dispersed, nearly all seedlings arise from animal caches. Lodgepole pine is almost exclusively wind dispersed, with animals acting as seed predators. Animals treated ponderosa pine in an intermediate fashion. Two-phased dispersal of large, winged pine seeds appears adaptive; initial wind dispersal helps to minimize pre-dispersal seed mortality whereas scatter hoarding by animals places seeds in sites with a higher probability of seedling establishment.

Novel Insights into the Influence of Seed Sarcotesta Photosynthesis on Accumulation of Seed Dry Matter and Oil Content in Torreya grandis cv. “Merrillii”

PubMed Central

Hu, Yuanyuan; Zhang, Yongling; Yu, Weiwu; Hänninen, Heikki; Song, Lili; Du, Xuhua; Zhang, Rui; Wu, Jiasheng

2018-01-01

Seed oil content is an important trait of nut seeds, and it is affected by the import of carbon from photosynthetic sources. Although green leaves are the main photosynthetic organs, seed sarcotesta photosynthesis also supplies assimilates to seed development. Understanding the relationship between seed photosynthesis and seed development has theoretical and practical significance in the cultivation of Torreya grandis cv. “Merrillii.” To assess the role of seed sarcotesta photosynthesis on the seed development, anatomical and physiological traits of sarcotesta were measured during two growing seasons in the field. Compared with the attached current-year leaves, the sarcotesta had higher gross photosynthetic rate at the first stage of seed development. At the late second stage of seed development, sarcotesta showed down-regulation of PSII activity, as indicated by significant decrease in the following chlorophyll fluorescence parameters: the maximum PSII efficiency (Fv/Fm), the PSII quantum yield (ΦPSII), and the photosynthetic quenching coefficient (qP). The ribulose 1, 5—bisphosphate carboxylase (Rubisco) activity, the total chlorophyll content (Chl(a+b)) and nitrogen content in the sarcotesta were also significantly decreased during that period. Treatment with DCMU [3-(3,4-dichlorophenyl)-1,1-dimethylurea] preventing seed photosynthesis decreased the seed dry weight and the oil content by 25.4 and 25.5%, respectively. We conclude that seed photosynthesis plays an important role in the dry matter accumulation at the first growth stage. Our results also suggest that down-regulation of seed photosynthesis is a plant response to re-balance the source-sink ratio at the second growth stage. These results suggest that seed photosynthesis is important for biomass accumulation and oil synthesis of the Torreya seeds. The results will facilitate achieving higher yields and oil contents in nut trees by selection for higher seed photosynthesis cultivars. PMID:29375592

Seed Dispersal by Ants in the Semi-arid Caatinga of North-east Brazil

PubMed Central

Leal, Inara R.; Wirth, Rainer; Tabarelli, Marcelo

2007-01-01

Background and Aims Myrmecochory is a conspicuous feature of several sclerophyll ecosystems around the world but it has received little attention in the semi-arid areas of South America. This study addresses the importance of seed dispersal by ants in a 2500-km2 area of the Caatinga ecosystem (north-east Brazil) and investigates ant-derived benefits to the plant through myrmecochory. Methods Seed manipulation and dispersal by ants was investigated during a 3-year period in the Xingó region. Both plant and ant assemblages involved in seed dispersal were described and ant behaviour was characterized. True myrmecochorous seeds of seven Euphorbiaceae species (i.e. elaiosome-bearing seeds) were used in experiments designed to: (1) quantify the rates of seed cleaning/removal and the influence of both seed size and elaiosome presence on seed removal; (2) identify the fate of seeds dispersed by ants; and (3) document the benefits of seed dispersal by ants in terms of seed germination and seedling growth. Key Results Seed dispersal by ants involved one-quarter of the woody flora inhabiting the Xingó region, but true myrmecochory was restricted to 12·8 % of the woody plant species. Myrmecochorous seeds manipulated by ants faced high levels of seed removal (38–84 %) and 83 % of removed seeds were discarded on ant nests. Moreover, seed removal positively correlated with the presence of elaiosome, and elaiosome removal increased germination success by at least 30 %. Finally, some Euphorbiaceae species presented both increased germination and seedling growth on ant-nest soils. Conclusions Myrmecochory is a relevant seed dispersal mode in the Caatinga ecosystem, and is particularly frequent among Euphorbiaceae trees and shrubs. The fact that seeds reach micro-sites suitable for establishment (ant nests) supports the directed dispersal hypothesis as a possible force favouring myrmecochory in this ecosystem. Ecosystems with a high frequency of myrmecochorous plants appear not to be restricted to regions of nutrient-impoverished soil or to fire-prone regions. PMID:17430980

Stability in and correlation between factors influencing genetic quality of seed lots in seed orchard of Pinus tabuliformis Carr. over a 12-year span.

PubMed

Li, Wei; Wang, Xiaoru; Li, Yue

2011-01-01

Coniferous seed orchards require a long period from initial seed harvest to stable seed production. Differential reproductive success and asynchrony are among the main factors for orchard crops year-to-year variation in terms of parental gametic contribution and ultimately the genetic gain. It is fundamental in both making predictions about the genetic composition of the seed crop and decisions about orchard roguing and improved seed orchard establishment. In this paper, a primary Chinese pine seed orchard with 49 clones is investigated for stability, variation and correlation analysis of factors which influence genetic quality of the seed lots from initial seed harvest to the stable seed production over a 12 years span. Results indicated that the reproductive synchrony index of pollen shedding has shown to be higher than that of the strobili receptivity, and both can be drastically influenced by the ambient climate factors. Reproductive synchrony index of the clones has certain relative stability and it could be used as an indication of the seed orchard status during maturity stage; clones in the studied orchard have shown extreme differences in terms of the gametic and genetic contribution to the seed crop at the orchard's early production phase specifically when they severe as either female or male parents. Those differences are closely related to clonal sex tendency at the time of orchard's initial reproduction. Clonal gamete contribution as male and female parent often has a negative correlation. Clone utilization as pollen, seed or both pollen and seed donors should consider the role it would play in the seed crop; due to numerous factors influencing on the mating system in seed orchards, clonal genetic contribution as male parent is uncertain, and it has major influence on the genetic composition in the seed orchard during the initial reproductive and seed production phase.

Effect of surface roughness on inactivation of Escherichia coli O157:H7 87-23 by new organic acid-surfactant combinations on alfalfa, broccoli, and radish seeds.

PubMed

Fransisca, Lilia; Feng, Hao

2012-02-01

Surface roughness has been reported as one of the factors affecting microbial attachment and removal. Seed surfaces are complex, and different seed varieties have different surface topographies. As a result, a sanitizer effective in eliminating pathogenic bacteria on one seed may not be as effective when applied to another seed. The objectives of this research were (i) to investigate the efficacy of malic acid and thiamine dilaurylsulfate (TDS) combined treatments for inactivation of E. coli O157:H7 strain 87-23 on alfalfa, broccoli, and radish seeds, (ii) to quantify surface roughness of the seeds, and (iii) to determine the correlation between microbial removal and surface roughness. The surface roughness of each seed type was measured by confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM) and surface profilometry. Surface roughness (Ra) values of the seeds were then calculated from CLSM data. Seeds inoculated with E. coli O157:H7 87-23 were washed for 20 min in malic acid and TDS solutions and rinsed for 10 min in tap water. Radish seeds had the highest Ra values, followed by broccoli and alfalfa seeds. A combination of 10% malic acid and 1% TDS was more effective than 20,000 ppm of Ca(OCl)(2) for inactivation of E. coli O157:H7 87-23 on broccoli seeds, while the inactivation on radish and alfalfa seeds was not significantly different compared with the 20,000-ppm Ca(OCl)(2) wash. Overall, a negative correlation existed between the seeds' Ra values and microbial removal. Different seeds had different surface roughness, contributing to discrepancies in the ability of the sanitizers to eliminate E. coli O157:H7 87-23 on the seeds. Therefore, the effectiveness of one sanitizer on one seed type should not be translated to all seed varieties.

7 CFR 52.1844 - Definition of terms.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... of the branch or main stem. (c) Seeds refers to whole, fully developed seeds which have not been removed during the processing of seeded raisins with seeds. (d) Damaged raisins means raisins affected by... appearance, edibility, keeping quality, or shipping quality of the raisins. In seeded Raisins with Seeds...

7 CFR 52.1844 - Definition of terms.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... of the branch or main stem. (c) Seeds refers to whole, fully developed seeds which have not been removed during the processing of seeded raisins with seeds. (d) Damaged raisins means raisins affected by... appearance, edibility, keeping quality, or shipping quality of the raisins. In seeded Raisins with Seeds...

7 CFR 201.64 - Pure live seed.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... applying the respective tolerances to the germination plus the hard seed and the pure seed. [5 FR 35, Jan... 7 Agriculture 3 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Pure live seed. 201.64 Section 201.64 Agriculture..., Inspections, Marketing Practices), DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE (CONTINUED) FEDERAL SEED ACT FEDERAL SEED ACT...

7 CFR 201.64 - Pure live seed.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... applying the respective tolerances to the germination plus the hard seed and the pure seed. [5 FR 35, Jan... 7 Agriculture 3 2011-01-01 2011-01-01 false Pure live seed. 201.64 Section 201.64 Agriculture..., Inspections, Marketing Practices), DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE (CONTINUED) FEDERAL SEED ACT FEDERAL SEED ACT...

7 CFR 201.74 - Labeling of all classes of certified seed.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 3 2011-01-01 2011-01-01 false Labeling of all classes of certified seed. 201.74... SERVICE (Standards, Inspections, Marketing Practices), DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE (CONTINUED) FEDERAL SEED ACT FEDERAL SEED ACT REGULATIONS Certified Seed § 201.74 Labeling of all classes of certified seed. (a...

7 CFR 201.74 - Labeling of all classes of certified seed.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 3 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Labeling of all classes of certified seed. 201.74... SERVICE (Standards, Inspections, Marketing Practices), DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE (CONTINUED) FEDERAL SEED ACT FEDERAL SEED ACT REGULATIONS Certified Seed § 201.74 Labeling of all classes of certified seed. (a...

Sugar maple seed production in northern New Hampshire

Treesearch

Peter W. Garrett; Raymond E. Graber

1995-01-01

Large numbers of sugar maple seed are dispersed every second or third year. Very little seed was damaged by insects or mammals prior to dispersal. The trapping methods used prevented major losses following seed fall. Seed production was positively correlated with tree diameter but not with age of seed trees.

7 CFR 201.18 - Other agricultural seeds (crop seeds).

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 3 2011-01-01 2011-01-01 false Other agricultural seeds (crop seeds). 201.18 Section 201.18 Agriculture Regulations of the Department of Agriculture (Continued) AGRICULTURAL MARKETING SERVICE (Standards, Inspections, Marketing Practices), DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE (CONTINUED) FEDERAL SEED ACT FEDERAL SEED ACT REGULATIONS Labeling...

Defense enzyme responses in dormant wild oat and wheat caryopses challenged with a seed decay pathogen

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Seed dormancy and resistance to seed decay organisms are fundamental ecological strategies for weed seed persistence in the weed seed-bank. Seeds have well-established physical, chemical, and biological defense mechanisms that protect their food reserves from decay-inducing organisms and herbivores....

7 CFR 201.18 - Other agricultural seeds (crop seeds).

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 3 2013-01-01 2013-01-01 false Other agricultural seeds (crop seeds). 201.18 Section 201.18 Agriculture Regulations of the Department of Agriculture (Continued) AGRICULTURAL MARKETING SERVICE (Standards, Inspections, Marketing Practices), DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE (CONTINUED) FEDERAL SEED ACT FEDERAL SEED ACT REGULATIONS Labeling...

7 CFR 201.18 - Other agricultural seeds (crop seeds).

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 3 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Other agricultural seeds (crop seeds). 201.18 Section 201.18 Agriculture Regulations of the Department of Agriculture (Continued) AGRICULTURAL MARKETING SERVICE (Standards, Inspections, Marketing Practices), DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE (CONTINUED) FEDERAL SEED ACT FEDERAL SEED ACT REGULATIONS Labeling...

7 CFR 201.18 - Other agricultural seeds (crop seeds).

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 3 2012-01-01 2012-01-01 false Other agricultural seeds (crop seeds). 201.18 Section 201.18 Agriculture Regulations of the Department of Agriculture (Continued) AGRICULTURAL MARKETING SERVICE (Standards, Inspections, Marketing Practices), DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE (CONTINUED) FEDERAL SEED ACT FEDERAL SEED ACT REGULATIONS Labeling...

7 CFR 201.18 - Other agricultural seeds (crop seeds).

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 3 2014-01-01 2014-01-01 false Other agricultural seeds (crop seeds). 201.18 Section 201.18 Agriculture Regulations of the Department of Agriculture (Continued) AGRICULTURAL MARKETING SERVICE (Standards, Inspections, Marketing Practices), DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE (CONTINUED) FEDERAL SEED ACT FEDERAL SEED ACT REGULATIONS Labeling...

7 CFR 201.49 - Other crop seed.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 3 2011-01-01 2011-01-01 false Other crop seed. 201.49 Section 201.49 Agriculture..., Inspections, Marketing Practices), DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE (CONTINUED) FEDERAL SEED ACT FEDERAL SEED ACT REGULATIONS Purity Analysis in the Administration of the Act § 201.49 Other crop seed. (a) Seeds of plants...

7 CFR 201.49 - Other crop seed.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 3 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Other crop seed. 201.49 Section 201.49 Agriculture..., Inspections, Marketing Practices), DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE (CONTINUED) FEDERAL SEED ACT FEDERAL SEED ACT REGULATIONS Purity Analysis in the Administration of the Act § 201.49 Other crop seed. (a) Seeds of plants...

Work of multiple organizations to improve seed potato health in U.S.A. and an example of change to reduce Potato virus Y in seed potato lots

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Work of multiple organizations to improve seed potato health in U.S.A. and an example of change to reduce Potato virus Y in seed lots. In the United States, seed potato improvement starts with the individual seed potato grower. The seed grower also has resources that are available from university e...

Improving the sludge conditioning potential of moringa seed

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ademiluyi, Joel O.; Eze, Romanus M.

1990-01-01

In the search for a cheaper material to effectively condition sludge, oil-free moringa seed was prepared and tested. A Soxhlet apparatus was used to extract the oil from moringa seed ( Moringa oleifera). The oil-free seed (marc) has been found to have higher conditioning potential than the ordinary moringa seed. However, the traditional ferric chloride is still a better sludge conditioner than moringa seed marc. For the digested domestic sludge used, optimum conditioning dosages were found to be 0.6, 0.80, and 1.10% of the total solids for ferric chloride, marc of the moringa seed, and ordinary moringa seed, respectively. Since little or no operational material is lost in the extraction process, the moringa seed marc is a promising conditioner in place of the ordinary seed.

Seed-to-seed-to-seed growth and development of Arabidopsis in microgravity.

PubMed

Link, Bruce M; Busse, James S; Stankovic, Bratislav

2014-10-01

Arabidopsis thaliana was grown from seed to seed wholly in microgravity on the International Space Station. Arabidopsis plants were germinated, grown, and maintained inside a growth chamber prior to returning to Earth. Some of these seeds were used in a subsequent experiment to successfully produce a second (back-to-back) generation of microgravity-grown Arabidopsis. In general, plant growth and development in microgravity proceeded similarly to those of the ground controls, which were grown in an identical chamber. Morphologically, the most striking feature of space-grown Arabidopsis was that the secondary inflorescence branches and siliques formed nearly perpendicular angles to the inflorescence stems. The branches grew out perpendicularly to the main inflorescence stem, indicating that gravity was the key determinant of branch and silique angle and that light had either no role or a secondary role in Arabidopsis branch and silique orientation. Seed protein bodies were 55% smaller in space seed than in controls, but protein assays showed only a 9% reduction in seed protein content. Germination rates for space-produced seed were 92%, indicating that the seeds developed in microgravity were healthy and viable. Gravity is not necessary for seed-to-seed growth of plants, though it plays a direct role in plant form and may influence seed reserves.

Seed dispersal by wind, birds, and bats between Philippine montane rainforest and successional vegetation.

PubMed

Ingle, Nina M R

2003-01-01

In the moist Neotropics, vertebrate frugivores have a much greater role in the dispersal of forest and successional woody plants than wind, and bats rather than birds play the dominant role in dispersing early successional species. I investigated whether these patterns also occurred in a Philippine montane rainforest and adjacent successional vegetation. I also asked whether seed mass was related to probability of dispersal between habitats. A greater number of woody species and stems in the forest produced vertebrate-dispersed seeds than wind-dispersed seeds. Although input of forest seeds into the successional area was dominated by vertebrate-dispersed seeds in terms of species richness, wind-dispersed seeds landed in densities 15 times higher. Frugivorous birds dispersed more forest seeds and species into the successional area than bats, and more successional seeds and species into the forest. As expected, seed input declined with distance from source habitat. Low input of forest seeds into the successional area at the farthest distance sampled, 40 m from forest edge, particularly for vertebrate-dispersed seeds, suggests very limited dispersal out of forest even into a habitat in which woody successional vegetation provides perches and fruit resources. For species of vertebrate-dispersed successional seeds, probability of dispersal into forest declined significantly with seed mass.

Global biogeography of seed dormancy is determined by seasonality and seed size: a case study in the legumes.

PubMed

Rubio de Casas, Rafael; Willis, Charles G; Pearse, William D; Baskin, Carol C; Baskin, Jerry M; Cavender-Bares, Jeannine

2017-06-01

Seed dormancy is expected to provide ecological advantages by adjusting germination to the favorable growth period. However, many species produce nondormant seeds, particularly in wet tropical forests, a biogeographic pattern that is not well accounted for in current models. We hypothesized that the global distribution of dormant seeds derives from their adaptive value in predictably fluctuating (i.e. seasonal) environments. However, the advantage conferred by dormancy might ultimately depend on other seed attributes, particularly size. This general model was tested within a phylogenetically informed framework using a data set comprising > 216 000 world-wide observations of Fabaceae, spanning three orders of magnitude in seed size and including both dormant and nondormant seeds. Our results confirmed our hypothesis: nondormant seeds can only evolve in climates with long growing seasons and/or in lineages that produce larger seeds. Conversely, dormancy should be evolutionarily stable in temperate lineages with small seeds. When the favorable season is fleeting, seed dormancy is the only adaptive strategy. Based on these results, we predict that, within a given lineage, taxa producing larger, nondormant seeds will necessarily predominate in aseasonal environments, while plants bearing small, dormant seeds will be dominant under short growing seasons. © 2017 The Authors. New Phytologist © 2017 New Phytologist Trust.

Analysis of Large Seeds from Three Different Medicago truncatula Ecotypes Reveals a Potential Role of Hormonal Balance in Final Size Determination of Legume Grains

PubMed Central

Bandyopadhyay, Kaustav; Uluçay, Orhan; Şakiroğlu, Muhammet; Udvardi, Michael K.; Verdier, Jerome

2016-01-01

Legume seeds are important as protein and oil source for human diet. Understanding how their final seed size is determined is crucial to improve crop yield. In this study, we analyzed seed development of three accessions of the model legume, Medicago truncatula, displaying contrasted seed size. By comparing two large seed accessions to the reference accession A17, we described mechanisms associated with large seed size determination and potential factors modulating the final seed size. We observed that early events during embryogenesis had a major impact on final seed size and a delayed heart stage embryo development resulted to large seeds. We also observed that the difference in seed growth rate was mainly due to a difference in embryo cell number, implicating a role of cell division rate. Large seed accessions could be explained by an extended period of cell division due to a longer embryogenesis phase. According to our observations and recent reports, we observed that auxin (IAA) and abscisic acid (ABA) ratio could be a key determinant of cell division regulation at the end of embryogenesis. Overall, our study highlights that timing of events occurring during early seed development play decisive role for final seed size determination. PMID:27618017

Statistical Analysis of the Polarimetric Cloud Analysis and Seeding Test (POLCAST) Field Projects

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ekness, Jamie Lynn

The North Dakota farming industry brings in more than $4.1 billion annually in cash receipts. Unfortunately, agriculture sales vary significantly from year to year, which is due in large part to weather events such as hail storms and droughts. One method to mitigate drought is to use hygroscopic seeding to increase the precipitation efficiency of clouds. The North Dakota Atmospheric Research Board (NDARB) sponsored the Polarimetric Cloud Analysis and Seeding Test (POLCAST) research project to determine the effectiveness of hygroscopic seeding in North Dakota. The POLCAST field projects obtained airborne and radar observations, while conducting randomized cloud seeding. The Thunderstorm Identification Tracking and Nowcasting (TITAN) program is used to analyze radar data (33 usable cases) in determining differences in the duration of the storm, rain rate and total rain amount between seeded and non-seeded clouds. The single ratio of seeded to non-seeded cases is 1.56 (0.28 mm/0.18 mm) or 56% increase for the average hourly rainfall during the first 60 minutes after target selection. A seeding effect is indicated with the lifetime of the storms increasing by 41 % between seeded and non-seeded clouds for the first 60 minutes past seeding decision. A double ratio statistic, a comparison of radar derived rain amount of the last 40 minutes of a case (seed/non-seed), compared to the first 20 minutes (seed/non-seed), is used to account for the natural variability of the cloud system and gives a double ratio of 1.85. The Mann-Whitney test on the double ratio of seeded to non-seeded cases (33 cases) gives a significance (p-value) of 0.063. Bootstrapping analysis of the POLCAST set indicates that 50 cases would provide statistically significant results based on the Mann-Whitney test of the double ratio. All the statistical analysis conducted on the POLCAST data set show that hygroscopic seeding in North Dakota does increase precipitation. While an additional POLCAST field project would be necessary to obtain standardly accepted statistically significant results (p < 0.5) for the double ratio of precipitation amount, the obtained p-value of 0.063 is close and considering the positive result from other hygroscopic seeding experiments, the North Dakota Cloud Modification Project should consider implementation of hygroscopic seeding.

Embryonal Control of Yellow Seed Coat Locus ECY1 Is Related to Alanine and Phenylalanine Metabolism in the Seed Embryo of Brassica napus

PubMed Central

Wang, Fulin; He, Jiewang; Shi, Jianghua; Zheng, Tao; Xu, Fei; Wu, Guanting; Liu, Renhu; Liu, Shengyi

2016-01-01

Seed coat color is determined by the type of pigment deposited in the seed coat cells. It is related to important agronomic traits of seeds such as seed dormancy, longevity, oil content, protein content and fiber content. In Brassica napus, inheritance of seed coat color is related to maternal effects and pollen effects (xenia effects). In this research we isolated a mutation of yellow seeded B. napus controlled by a single Mendelian locus, which is named Embryonal Control of Yellow seed coat 1 (Ecy1). Microscopy of transverse sections of the mature seed show that pigment is deposited only in the outer layer of the seed coat. Using Illumina Hisequation 2000 sequencing technology, a total of 12 GB clean data, 116× coverage of coding sequences of B. napus, was achieved from seeds 26 d after pollination (DAP). It was assembled into 172,238 independent transcripts, and 55,637 unigenes. A total of 139 orthologous genes of Arabidopsis transparent testa (TT) genes were mapped in silico to 19 chromosomes of B. napus. Only 49 of the TT orthologous genes are transcribed in seeds. However transcription of all orthologs was independent of embryonal control of seed coat color. Only 55 genes were found to be differentially expressed between brown seeds and the yellow mutant. Of these 55, 50 were upregulated and five were downregulated in yellow seeds as compared to their brown counterparts. By KEGG classification, 14 metabolic pathways were significantly enriched. Of these, five pathways: phenylpropanoid biosynthesis, cyanoamino acid metabolism, plant hormone signal transduction, metabolic pathways, and biosynthesis of secondary metabolites, were related with seed coat pigmentation. Free amino acid quantification showed that Ala and Phe were present at higher levels in the embryos of yellow seeds as compared to those of brown seeds. This increase was not observed in the seed coat. Moreover, the excess amount of free Ala was exactly twice that of Phe in the embryo. The pigment substrate chalcone is synthesized from two molecules of Ala and one molecule of Phe. The correlation between accumulation of Ala and Phe, and disappearance of pigment in the yellow seeded mutant, suggests that embryonal control of seed coat color is related with Phe and Ala metabolism in the embryo of B. napus. PMID:26896439

The Effect of Seed-borne Mycoflora from Sorghum and Foxtail Millet Seeds on Germination and Disease Transmission.

PubMed

Yago, Jonar I; Roh, Jae-Hwan; Bae, Soon-do; Yoon, Young-Nam; Kim, Hyun-Ju; Nam, Min-Hee

2011-09-01

The seed-borne mycoflora of sorghum and foxtail millet collected from different growing areas in South Korea were isolated and taxonomically identified using dry inspection, standard blotter and the agar plate method. We investigated the in vitro and in vivo germination rates of disinfected and non-disinfected seeds of sorghum and foxtail millet using sterilized and unsterilized soil. The percent recovery of seed-borne mycoflora from the seed components of sorghum and foxtail millet seeds was determined and an infection experiment using the dominant species was evaluated for seedling emergence and mortality. A higher number of seed-borne fungi was observed in sorghum compared to that of foxtail millet. Eighteen fungal genera with 34 fungal species were identified from the seeds of sorghum and 13 genera with 22 species were identified from the seeds of foxtail millet. Five dominant species such as Alternaria alternata, Aspergillus flavus, Curvularia lunata, Fusarium moniliforme and Phoma sp. were recorded as seed-borne mycoflora in sorghum and 4 dominant species (Alternaria alternata, Aspergillus flavus, Curvularia lunata, Fusarium moniliforme) were observed in foxtail millet. The in vitro and in vivo germination rates were higher using disinfected seeds and sterilized soil. More seed-borne fungi were recovered from the pericarp compared to the endosperm and seed embryo. The percent recovery of seed-borne fungi ranged from 2.22% to 60.0%, and Alternaria alternata, Curvularia lunata and 4 species of Fusarium were isolated from the endosperm and embryo of sorghum and foxtail millet. Inoculation of the dominant seed-borne fungi showed considerable mortality of seedlings. All the transmitted seed-borne fungi might well be a primary source of infection of sorghum and foxtail millet crops.

Seed storage at elevated partial pressure of oxygen, a fast method for analysing seed ageing under dry conditions.

PubMed

Groot, S P C; Surki, A A; de Vos, R C H; Kodde, J

2012-11-01

Despite differences in physiology between dry and relative moist seeds, seed ageing tests most often use a temperature and seed moisture level that are higher than during dry storage used in commercial practice and gene banks. This study aimed to test whether seed ageing under dry conditions can be accelerated by storing under high-pressure oxygen. methods: Dry barley (Hordeum vulgare), cabbage (Brassica oleracea), lettuce (Lactuca sativa) and soybean (Glycine max) seeds were stored between 2 and 7 weeks in steel tanks under 18 MPa partial pressure of oxygen. Storage under high-pressure nitrogen gas or under ambient air pressure served as controls. The method was compared with storage at 45 °C after equilibration at 85 % relative humidity and long-term storage at the laboratory bench. Germination behaviour, seedling morphology and tocopherol levels were assessed. The ageing of the dry seeds was indeed accelerated by storing under high-pressure oxygen. The morphological ageing symptoms of the stored seeds resembled those observed after ageing under long-term dry storage conditions. Barley appeared more tolerant of this storage treatment compared with lettuce and soybean. Less-mature harvested cabbage seeds were more sensitive, as was the case for primed compared with non-primed lettuce seeds. Under high-pressure oxygen storage the tocopherol levels of dry seeds decreased, in a linear way with the decline in seed germination, but remained unchanged in seeds deteriorated during storage at 45 °C after equilibration at 85 % RH. Seed storage under high-pressure oxygen offers a novel and relatively fast method to study the physiology and biochemistry of seed ageing at different seed moisture levels and temperatures, including those that are representative of the dry storage conditions as used in gene banks and commercial practice.

A simple and rapid method for preparing the whole section of starchy seed to investigate the morphology and distribution of starch in different regions of seed.

PubMed

Zhao, Lingxiao; Pan, Ting; Guo, Dongwei; Wei, Cunxu

2018-01-01

Storage starch in starchy seed influences the seed weight and texture, and determines its applications in food and nonfood industries. Starch granules from different plant sources have significantly different shapes and sizes, and even more the difference exists in the different regions of the same tissue. Therefore, it is very important to in situ investigate the morphology and distribution of starch in the whole seed. However, a simple and rapid method is deficient to prepare the whole section of starchy seed for investigating the morphology and distribution of starch in the whole seeds for a large number of samples. A simple and rapid method was established to prepare the whole section of starchy seed, especially for floury seed, in this study. The whole seeds of translucent and chalky rice, vitreous and floury maize, and normal barley and wheat were sectioned successfully using the newly established method. The iodine-stained section clearly exhibited the shapes and size of starch granules in different regions of seed. The starch granules with different morphologies and iodine-staining colors existed regionally in the seeds of high-amylose rice and maize. The sections of lotus and kidney bean seeds also showed the feasibility of this method for starchy non-cereal seeds. The simple and rapid method was proven effective for preparing the whole sections of starchy seeds. The whole section of seed could be used to investigate the morphology and distribution of starch granules in different regions of the whole seed. The method was especially suitable for large sample numbers to investigate the starch morphology in short time.

Water absorption and method improvement concerning electrical conductivity testing Acacia mangium (Fabaceae) seeds.

PubMed

de Oliveira, Daniel Luiz; Smiderle, Oscar Jose; Paulino, Pollyana Priscila Schuertz; Souza, Aline das Graças

2016-12-01

Acacia is an important forest species of rapid growth whose seeds have tegument dormancy. In this work it was intended to characterize water absorption pattern after seed dormancy break, and to determine the amount of water, container size and the need of breaking the tegument dormancy, as to perform electrical conductivity test in small and large seeds of Acacia mangium (Fabaceae). The seeds were collected from 10, 8 and 6 years old trees established in poor yielding-capacity soils on savannah areas of Roraima, Brazil; seeds were classified in six lots concerning to seed size and tree age. Germination tests (50 seeds and four replications per lot) were carried out on germitest® paper maintained on gerbox at 25 °C. Imbibition was verified by seed weighing at different times (0, 2, 5, 8, 12, 16, 24, 36, 48, 60, 72, 84, 96 and 120 hours). The electrical conductivity test consisted of three experiments, distinguished by the amount of water used and by the container size in which seeds were immersed. Seeds of A. mangium coming from 10 years old trees presented increased germination percent and germination speed than seeds of six-year old trees. Small seeds presented increased in electrical conductivity and water absorption until 120 hours when compared to large seeds. The immersion of seeds of A. mangium in 40 mL of distilled water into 180 mL plastic containers, after dormancy break, it is indicated for the determination of electrical conductivity test. The ratio of electrolytes by seed mass, after 24 hours of immersion in water, turns electrical conductivity test more accurate concerning A. mangium seeds.

The Effect of Seed-borne Mycoflora from Sorghum and Foxtail Millet Seeds on Germination and Disease Transmission

PubMed Central

Yago, Jonar I.; Bae, Soon-do; Yoon, Young-Nam; Kim, Hyun-Ju; Nam, Min-hee

2011-01-01

The seed-borne mycoflora of sorghum and foxtail millet collected from different growing areas in South Korea were isolated and taxonomically identified using dry inspection, standard blotter and the agar plate method. We investigated the in vitro and in vivo germination rates of disinfected and non-disinfected seeds of sorghum and foxtail millet using sterilized and unsterilized soil. The percent recovery of seed-borne mycoflora from the seed components of sorghum and foxtail millet seeds was determined and an infection experiment using the dominant species was evaluated for seedling emergence and mortality. A higher number of seed-borne fungi was observed in sorghum compared to that of foxtail millet. Eighteen fungal genera with 34 fungal species were identified from the seeds of sorghum and 13 genera with 22 species were identified from the seeds of foxtail millet. Five dominant species such as Alternaria alternata, Aspergillus flavus, Curvularia lunata, Fusarium moniliforme and Phoma sp. were recorded as seed-borne mycoflora in sorghum and 4 dominant species (Alternaria alternata, Aspergillus flavus, Curvularia lunata, Fusarium moniliforme) were observed in foxtail millet. The in vitro and in vivo germination rates were higher using disinfected seeds and sterilized soil. More seed-borne fungi were recovered from the pericarp compared to the endosperm and seed embryo. The percent recovery of seed-borne fungi ranged from 2.22% to 60.0%, and Alternaria alternata, Curvularia lunata and 4 species of Fusarium were isolated from the endosperm and embryo of sorghum and foxtail millet. Inoculation of the dominant seed-borne fungi showed considerable mortality of seedlings. All the transmitted seed-borne fungi might well be a primary source of infection of sorghum and foxtail millet crops. PMID:22783105

Hares promote seed dispersal and seedling establishment after volcanic eruptions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nomura, Nanae; Tsuyuzaki, Shiro

2015-02-01

Although seed dispersal through animal guts (endozoochory) is a process that determines plant establishment, the behaviour of carriers mean that the seeds are not always dispersed to suitable habitats for germination. The germinable seeds of Gaultheria miqueliana were stored in the pellets of a hare (Lepus timidus ainu) on Mount Koma in northern Japan. To clarify the roles of hares in seed dispersal and germination, field censuses and laboratory experiments were conducted. The field observations were conducted on pellets and seeds in four habitats (bare ground, G. miqueliana shrub patch, Salix reinii patch, and Larix kaempferi understory), and the laboratory experiments were conducted on seed germination with different light, water potential and cold stratification treatments. The laboratory experiments confirmed that seed germination began a few weeks after the sowing of seeds, independent of cold stratification, when light was sufficient and the water potential was low. The seeds did not germinate at high water potential. The pellets were gradually degraded in situ. More seeds germinated from crushed than from intact pellets. Therefore, over the long term, seeds germinated when exposed to light due to the degradation of pellets. The pellets were proportionally dispersed among the four studied habitats. More seeds sown in the field germinated more in shaded habitats, such as in the Gaultheria patch and the Larix understory, and seeds did not germinate on bare ground, where drought often occurred. Thus, the hares had two roles in the dispersal and germination of seeds: (1) the expansion of G. miqueliana populations through seed dispersal to various habitats and (2) the facilitation of delayed seed germination to avoid risks of hazards such as drought. The relationships between small mammals represented by the hare and the shrubs that produce berries are likely to be more mutually evolved than was previously thought.

Seasonal dynamics of the plant community and soil seed bank along a successional gradient in a subalpine meadow on the Tibetan Plateau.

PubMed

Ma, Miaojun; Zhou, Xianhui; Qi, Wei; Liu, Kun; Jia, Peng; Du, Guozhen

2013-01-01

Knowledge about how change the importance of soil seed bank and relationship between seed mass and abundance during vegetation succession is crucial for understanding vegetation dynamics. Many studies have been conducted, but their ecological mechanisms of community assembly are not fully understood. We examined the seasonal dynamics of the vegetation and soil seed bank as well as seed size distribution along a successional gradient. We also explored the potential role of the soil seed bank in plant community regeneration, the relationship between seed mass and species abundance, and the relative importance of deterministic and stochastic processes along a successional gradient. Species richness of seed bank increased (shallow layer and the total) and seed density decreased (each layer and the total) significantly with succession. Species richness and seed density differed significantly between different seasons and among soil depths. Seed mass showed a significant negative relationship with relative abundance in the earliest successional stage, but the relationships were not significant in later stages. Seed mass showed no relationship with relative abundance in the whole successional series in seed bank. Results were similar for both July 2005 and April 2006. The seed mass and abundance relationship was determined by a complex interaction between small and larger seeded species and environmental factors. Both stochastic processes and deterministic processes were important determinants of the structure of the earliest stage. The importance of seed bank decreased with succession. The restoration of abandoned farmed and grazed meadows to the species-rich subalpine meadow in Tibetan Plateau can be successfully achieved from the soil seed bank. However, at least 20 years are required to fully restore an abandoned agricultural meadow to a natural mature subalpine meadow.

Methodological bias in the seed bank flora holds significant implications for understanding seed bank community functions.

PubMed

Plue, J; Colas, F; Auffret, A G; Cousins, S A O

2017-03-01

Persistent seed banks are a key plant regeneration strategy, buffering environmental variation to allow population and species persistence. Understanding seed bank functioning within herb layer dynamics is therefore important. However, rather than assessing emergence from the seed bank in herb layer gaps, most studies evaluate the seed bank functioning via a greenhouse census. We hypothesise that greenhouse data may not reflect seed bank-driven emergence in disturbance gaps due to methodological differences. Failure in detecting (specialist) species may then introduce methodological bias into the ecological interpretation of seed bank functions using greenhouse data. The persistent seed bank was surveyed in 40 semi-natural grassland plots across a fragmented landscape, quantifying seedling emergence in both the greenhouse and in disturbance gaps. Given the suspected interpretational bias, we tested whether each census uncovers similar seed bank responses to fragmentation. Seed bank characteristics were similar between censuses. Census type affected seed bank composition, with >25% of species retrieved better by either census type, dependent on functional traits including seed longevity, production and size. Habitat specialists emerged more in disturbance gaps than in the greenhouse, while the opposite was true for ruderal species. Both censuses uncovered fragmentation-induced seed bank patterns. Low surface area sampling, larger depth of sampling and germination conditions cause underrepresentation of the habitat-specialised part of the persistent seed bank flora during greenhouse censuses. Methodological bias introduced in the recorded seed bank data may consequently have significant implications for the ecological interpretation of seed bank community functions based on greenhouse data. © 2016 German Botanical Society and The Royal Botanical Society of the Netherlands.

Effects of seed density and proximity to refuge habitat on seed predation rates for a rare and a common Lupinus species.

PubMed

Pardini, Eleanor A; Patten, Melissa V; Knight, Tiffany M

2017-03-01

Biotic interactions such as seed predation can play a role in explaining patterns of abundance among plant species. The effect of seed predation will depend on how the strength of predation differs across species and environments, and on the degree to which seed loss at one life-cycle phase increases fitness at another phase. Few studies have simultaneously quantified predispersal and postdispersal predation in co-occurring rare and common congeners, despite the value of estimating both for understanding causes of rarity. We quantified predispersal seed predation on the rare, herbaceous species Lupinus tidestromii (Fabaceae) and its common, shrubby congener L. chamissonis across multiple years in the same community. We experimentally measured postdispersal seed predation at two seed densities and locations near or far from an exotic grass housing high densities of deer mice ( Peromyscus maniculatus ), their primary, native seed predator. The common L. chamissonis had the lowest predispersal seed predation of the two lupine species, potentially because of its height: its high racemes received less predation than those low to the ground. By contrast, the same species experienced higher postdispersal seed predation, and at predators traveled long distances away from refuge habitat to consume their seeds. Across both plant species, mice preferentially predated high-density seed sources. Our results show differences in the magnitude and direction of seed predation between the species across different life-cycle phases. We demonstrated possible roles of proximity to refuge habitat, seed density, and seed size in these patterns. Congeneric comparisons would benefit from a comprehensive framework that considers seed predation across different life-cycle phases and the environmental context of predation. © 2017 Botanical Society of America.

Seed birth to death: dual functions of reactive oxygen species in seed physiology.

PubMed

Jeevan Kumar, S P; Rajendra Prasad, S; Banerjee, Rintu; Thammineni, Chakradhar

2015-09-01

Reactive oxygen species (ROS) are considered to be detrimental to seed viability. However, recent studies have demonstrated that ROS have key roles in seed germination particularly in the release of seed dormancy and embryogenesis, as well as in protection from pathogens. This review considers the functions of ROS in seed physiology. ROS are present in all cells and at all phases of the seed life cycle. ROS accumulation is important in breaking seed dormancy, and stimulating seed germination and protection from pathogens. However, excessive ROS accumulation can be detrimental. Therefore, knowledge of the mechanisms by which ROS influence seed physiology will provide insights that may not only allow the development of seed quality markers but also help us understand how dormancy can be broken in several recalcitrant species. Reactive oxygen species have a dual role in seed physiology. Understanding the relative importance of beneficial and detrimental effects of ROS provides great scope for the improvement and maintenance of seed vigour and quality, factors that may ultimately increase crop yields. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Annals of Botany Company. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Seed predators exert selection on the subindividual variation of seed size.

PubMed

Sobral, M; Guitián, J; Guitián, P; Larrinaga, A R

2014-07-01

Subindividual variation among repeated organs in plants constitutes an overlooked level of variation in phenotypic selection studies, despite being a major component of phenotypic variation. Animals that interact with plants could be selective agents on subindividual variation. This study examines selective pressures exerted during post-dispersal seed predation and germination on the subindividual variation of seed size in hawthorn (Crataegus monogyna). With a seed offering experiment and a germination test, we estimated phenotypic selection differentials for average and subindividual variation of seed size due to seed predation and germination. Seed size affects germination, growth rate and the probability of an individual seed of escaping predation. Longer seeds showed higher germination rates, but this did not result in significant selection on phenotypes of the maternal trees. On the other hand, seed predators avoided wider seeds, and by doing so exerted phenotypic selection on adult average and subindividual variation of seed size. The detected selection on subindividual variation suggests that the levels of phenotypic variation within individual plants may be, at least partly, the adaptive consequence of animal-mediated selection. © 2013 German Botanical Society and The Royal Botanical Society of the Netherlands.

[Study on seed quality test and quality standard of Lonicera macranthoides].

PubMed

Zhang, Ying; Xu, Jin; Li, Long-Yun; Cui, Guang-Lin; She, Yue-Hui

2016-04-01

Referring to the rules for agricultural seed testing (GB/T 3543-1995) issued by China, the test of sampling, purity, thousand seed weight, moisture, viability, relative conductivity and germination rate had been studied for seed quality test methods of Lonicera macranthoides. The seed quality from 38 different collection areas was measured to establish quality classification standard by K-means clustering. The results showed that at least 7.5 g seeds should be sampled, and passed 20-mesh sieve for purity analysis.The 500-seed method used to measure thousand seed weight. The moisture was determined by crushed seeds dried in high temperature (130±2) ℃ for 3 h.The viability determined by 25 ℃ 0.1% TTC stained 5h in dark. 1.0 g seeds soaked in 50 ml ultra pure water in 25 ℃ for 12 hours to determine the relative conductivity. The seed by 4 ℃stratification for 80 days were cultured on paper at 15 ℃. Quality of the seeds from different areas was divided into three grades. The primary seed quality classification standard was established.The I grade and II grade were recommend use in production. Copyright© by the Chinese Pharmaceutical Association.

Seed deposition patterns and the survival of seeds and seedlings of the palm Euterpe edulis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pizo, Marco A.; Simão, Isaac

2001-08-01

The seed deposition pattern created by a seed disperser is one of the components of the efficiency of a species as seed disperser, and ultimately may influence the recruitment of a plant species. In this study, we used the seeds of a bird-dispersed forest palm, Euterpe edulis, to investigate the effects of two distinct seed deposition patterns created by birds that defecate (clumped pattern) and regurgitate seeds (loose-clumped pattern) on the survival of seeds experimentally set in an E. edulis-rich site, and of seedlings grown under shade-house conditions. The study was conducted in the lowland forest of Parque Estadual Intervales, SE Brazil. Clumped and loose-clumped seeds were equally preyed upon by rodents and insects. Although clumped and isolated seedlings had the same root weight after 1 year, the isolated seedlings survived better and presented more developed shoots, suggesting intraspecific competition among clumped seedlings. Our results indicate that animals that deposit E. edulis seeds in faecal clumps (e.g. cracids, tapirs) are less efficient seed dispersers than those that regurgitate seeds individually (e.g. trogons, toucans). Intraspecific competition among seedlings growing from faecal clumps is a likely process preventing the occurrence of clumps of adult palms.

An overlooked plant–parakeet mutualism counteracts human overharvesting on an endangered tree

PubMed Central

Gleiser, Gabriela; Tella, José L.; Hiraldo, Fernando; Aizen, Marcelo A.

2018-01-01

The exponential growth of the human population often causes the overexploitation of resources and disruption of ecological interactions. Here, we propose that the antagonist effect of humans on exploited species might be alleviated with the advent of a second predator species. We focused on the complex interactions between an endangered conifer (Araucaria araucana) and two seed exploiters: the Austral parakeet (Enicognathus ferrugineus) and human seed collectors. We tested the importance of partial seed consumption by parakeets as an escape from human seed harvesting. Although parakeets frequently ate whole seeds, a substantial proportion of the seeds found under trees were only partially eaten and avoided by human seed collectors. These seeds germinated at a similar proportion but faster than intact seeds under laboratory conditions. Our results revealed an overlooked mutualism between parakeets and an endangered tree. Incomplete seed eating by parakeets, plus selection against these eaten seeds by humans, may enhance regeneration possibilities for this conifer species subject to human seed collection, turning the scale of the antagonism–mutualism continuum to the mutualistic side. In this context, parakeets might be providing an important service in those forests subject to human harvesting by allowing a fraction of seeds to escape human predation. PMID:29410848

Germination responses of the invasive Calotropis procera (Ait.) R. Br. (Apocynaceae): comparisons with seeds from two ecosystems in Northeastern Brazil.

PubMed

Leal, Laura C; Meiado, Marcos V; Lopes, Ariadna V; Leal, Inara R

2013-09-01

Life history traits are considered key indicators of plant invasibility. Among them, the germination behavior of seeds is of major relevance because it is influenced by environmental factors of invaded ecosystem. Here, we investigated how seed traits and seed tolerance to environmental factors on seed germination of Calotropis procera vary depending on the invaded ecosystems in northeastern Brazil. We have tested seeds from two vegetation types - Caatinga and Restinga - to different levels of light intensity, salinity, and water stress. Previous to those experiments, seed-set and morphometric analysis were carried out for both studied populations. We have observed a higher seed-set in Caatinga. Seeds produced in this ecosystem had lower seed moisture content. Seeds from Restinga showed lower germination time when light intensity decreased. We observed a reduction in both the germinability and the synchronization index with decreasing osmotic potential and increasing salinity. Nevertheless, both populations exhibited changes in photoblastism when seeds were submitted to water and saline stress. In conclusion, C. procera seeds are tolerant to environmental factors assessed. That characteristic ensures the colonization success and wide distribution of this plant species in the studied ecosystems.

Harvest time of Cryptomeria japonica seeds depending on climate factors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Son, Seog-Gu; Kim, Hyo-Jeong; Kim, Chang-Soo; Byun, Kwang-Ok

2010-05-01

Sound seeds should have good germination rates and seed germination can be influenced by several factors. Seed picking time is regarded as one of the necessary elements to obtain sound seeds. From a clonal seed orchard of Cryptomeria japonica located in southern part of Korean peninsular, cones were picked about every 10 days from 30th of July 2005 to 30th of October in both 2005 and 2006. We have also analyzed the effects of climatic factors about two consecutive years on seed productivity. From the picked cones, seeds were collected and these germination ability, seed size and embryo shapes were investigated according to cone picking time. The 1,000-seed weight picked on 18th of August was 3.3 g and 5.3 g on 30th of September 2005and 2006. The size of seeds picked from 18th of August to 30th of September increased from 19.3 mm to 21.3 mm in length and from 15.8 mm to 18.5 mm in width. Depending on picking time, various shapes of embryos, including embryos with liquid material, jellied material and fully matured ones were observed. Germination aspects also varied throughout the test days. About two weeks after seeding in a glass petri-dish, germinal apparatuses appeared from each test seed sets which had been picked from after 10 August 2005 and 10 August 2006. The germination rates started from 10.7% from seeds picked 20 August 2006. Average germination rate in 2005 was 18.3 and 19.6 in 2006. In 2005, the highest germination rate was 34.3% from seeds picked on the 30th of September. In 2006, the highest germination rate was 31.7% for seeds picked at the same date as the 2005 seeds. After September, the highest germination rate for picked seeds decreased in both 2005 and 2006. Among the climatic factors, monthly sum of temperature and of precipitation were the main factors for maturation of C. japonica seeds. The results implied that the best cone picking time for the Korean C. japonica seed orchard to be around the end of September.

Infection Courts in Watermelon Plants Leading to Seed Infestation by Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. niveum.

PubMed

Petkar, Aparna; Ji, Pingsheng

2017-07-01

Fusarium wilt incited by Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. niveum is a seed-transmitted disease that causes significant yield loss in watermelon production. The pathogen may infect watermelon seeds latently, which can be an important inoculum source and contribute to severe disease outbreak. However, information regarding infection courts of F. oxysporum f. sp. niveum leading to infestation of watermelon seeds is limited. To determine how seeds in watermelon fruit can be infested by F. oxysporum f. sp. niveum during the watermelon growing season, greenhouse and field experiments were conducted in 2014 and 2015 where watermelon flowers and immature fruit were inoculated with F. oxysporum f. sp. niveum. Seeds were extracted from mature watermelon fruit, and infestation of watermelon seeds was determined by isolation of F. oxysporum f. sp. niveum and further confirmed by real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) analysis. Inoculation of the pericarp of immature fruit resulted in 17.8 to 54.4% of infested seeds under field conditions and 0.6 to 12.8% of infested seeds under greenhouse conditions when seeds were not surface disinfested prior to isolation. Seed infestation was also detected in 0 to 4.5% of the seeds when seeds were surface disinfested prior to isolation. Inoculation of pistil resulted in 0 to 7.2% and 0 to 18.3% of infested seeds under greenhouse and field conditions when seeds were surface disinfested or not disinfested before isolation, respectively. Inoculation of peduncle resulted in 0.6 to 6.1% and 0 to 10.0% of infested seeds in the greenhouse and field experiments when seeds were surface disinfested or not disinfested before isolation, respectively. Seed infestation was also detected in all the experiments using real-time PCR assay when pericarp or pistil was inoculated, and in three of four experiments when peduncle was inoculated, regardless of whether seeds were surface disinfested or not disinfested. Pericarp and peduncle of immature watermelon fruit and pistil of watermelon flowers could be potential infection courts for F. oxysporum f. sp. niveum leading to infestation of seeds in asymptomatic watermelon fruit.

Frugivory and seed dispersal by tapirs: an insight on their ecological role.

PubMed

O'Farrill, Georgina; Galetti, Mauro; Campos-Arceiz, Ahimsa

2013-03-01

Tapirs are one of the last extant megafauna species that survived the Pleistocene extinctions. Given their size and digestive system characteristics, tapirs might be the last potential seed disperser of plant species that were previously dispersed by other large mammal species that are now extinct. We compiled evidence from 39 published scientific studies showing that tapirs have a key role as seed dispersers and seed predators. Tapirs play an important role either through seed predation or by facilitating the recruitment of seeds over long distances, therefore influencing the diversity of plant species in the ecosystem. Neotropical tapirs might have a unique role as long-distance seed dispersers of large seeds (<20 mm) because they are capable of depositing viable large seeds in favorable places for germination that even large-bodied primates cannot disperse. Given the high diversity of seed species found in tapir diet, more information is needed on the identification of seed traits that allow the survival of seeds in the tapir's gut. Moreover, further studies are necessary on the role of tapirs as seed dispersers and predators; in particular considering spatial patterns of dispersed seeds, seed viability, effect of dung, and seed density in tapir latrines, and the effect of deposition sites on germination and seedling survival. Because all tapir species are highly threatened, it is paramount to identify gaps in our knowledge on the ecological role of tapirs and, in particular, on critical and endangered plant-tapir interactions to avoid possible trophic cascading effects on ecosystem function. © 2012 Wiley Publishing Asia Pty Ltd, ISZS and IOZ/CAS.

Potential effects of arboreal and terrestrial avian dispersers on seed dormancy, seed germination and seedling establishment in Ormosia (Papilionoideae) species in Peru

USGS Publications Warehouse

Foster, Mercedes S.

2008-01-01

The relative effectiveness of arboreal or terrestrial birds at dispersing seeds of Ormosia macrocalyx and O. bopiensis (Fabaceae: Papilionoideae) were studied in south-eastern Peru. Seeds of both species were either scarified, to represent seed condition after dispersal by terrestrial birds, or left intact, to represent seed condition after dispersal by arboreal birds. Seeds were distributed along forest transects, and germination, seedling development and mortality were monitored to determine the successes of the two groups at producing seedlings. Scarified seeds germinated with the early rains of the dry-to-wet-season transition, when erratic rainfall was interspersed with long dry spells. Intact seeds germinated 30 d later when the rain was more plentiful and regular. Intact seeds of O. macrocalyx gave rise to significantly more seedlings (41.1% vs. 25.5%) than did scarified seeds, in part, because significantly more seedlings from scarified seeds (n = 20) than from intact seeds (n = 3) died from desiccation when their radicles failed to enter the dry ground present during the dry-to-wet-season transition. Also, seedlings from scarified seeds were neither larger nor more robust than those from intact seeds despite their longer growing period. Results are consistent with the hypothesis that dispersal effectiveness of arboreal birds, at least for O. macrocalyx, is greater than that of terrestrial birds. Screen-house experiments in which seedlings developed under different watering regimes supported this result. Numbers of seedlings developing from intact and scarified seeds of O. bopiensis did not differ significantly.

Genome-Wide Analysis of the Complex Transcriptional Networks of Rice Developing Seeds

PubMed Central

Xue, Liang-Jiao; Zhang, Jing-Jing; Xue, Hong-Wei

2012-01-01

Background The development of rice (Oryza sativa) seed is closely associated with assimilates storage and plant yield, and is fine controlled by complex regulatory networks. Exhaustive transcriptome analysis of developing rice embryo and endosperm will help to characterize the genes possibly involved in the regulation of seed development and provide clues of yield and quality improvement. Principal Findings Our analysis showed that genes involved in metabolism regulation, hormone response and cellular organization processes are predominantly expressed during rice development. Interestingly, 191 transcription factor (TF)-encoding genes are predominantly expressed in seed and 59 TFs are regulated during seed development, some of which are homologs of seed-specific TFs or regulators of Arabidopsis seed development. Gene co-expression network analysis showed these TFs associated with multiple cellular and metabolism pathways, indicating a complex regulation of rice seed development. Further, by employing a cold-resistant cultivar Hanfeng (HF), genome-wide analyses of seed transcriptome at normal and low temperature reveal that rice seed is sensitive to low temperature at early stage and many genes associated with seed development are down-regulated by low temperature, indicating that the delayed development of rice seed by low temperature is mainly caused by the inhibition of the development-related genes. The transcriptional response of seed and seedling to low temperature is different, and the differential expressions of genes in signaling and metabolism pathways may contribute to the chilling tolerance of HF during seed development. Conclusions These results provide informative clues and will significantly improve the understanding of rice seed development regulation and the mechanism of cold response in rice seed. PMID:22363552

Seed Regeneration Potential of Canopy Gaps at Early Formation Stage in Temperate Secondary Forests, Northeast China

PubMed Central

Yan, Qiao-Ling; Zhu, Jiao-Jun; Yu, Li-Zhong

2012-01-01

Promoting the seed regeneration potential of secondary forests undergoing gap disturbances is an important approach for achieving forest restoration and sustainable management. Seedling recruitment from seed banks strongly determines the seed regeneration potential, but the process is poorly understood in the gaps of secondary forests. The objectives of the present study were to evaluate the effects of gap size, seed availability, and environmental conditions on the seed regeneration potential in temperate secondary forests. It was found that gap formation could favor the invasion of more varieties of species in seed banks, but it also could speed up the turnover rate of seed banks leading to lower seed densities. Seeds of the dominant species, Fraxinus rhynchophylla, were transient in soil and there was a minor and discontinuous contribution of the seed bank to its seedling emergence. For Quercus mongolica, emerging seedling number was positively correlated with seed density in gaps (R = 0.32, P<0.01), especially in medium and small gaps (<500 m2). Furthermore, under canopies, there was a positive correlation between seedling number and seed density of Acer mono (R = 0.43, P<0.01). Gap formation could promote seedling emergence of two gap-dependent species (i.e., Q. mongolica and A. mono), but the contribution of seed banks to seedlings was below 10% after gap creation. Soil moisture and temperature were the restrictive factors controlling the seedling emergence from seeds in gaps and under canopies, respectively. Thus, the regeneration potential from seed banks is limited after gap formation. PMID:22745771

Impact of seed predators on the herb Baptista lanceolata (Fabales: Fabacae).

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Scott Horn; James L. Hanula.

2004-09-01

Leguminous seeds are a concentrated source of nutrition (Brashier 2000). In a nutrient-poor habitat, these seeds are important resources for many of the animal species residing there. Several insect predators are known to feed on Baptisia seeds. One such insect is Apion rostrum Say (Coleoptera: Curculionidae), a weevil that feeds on seeds of several wild indigo species. Females lay eggs in developing seed pods where the larvae eat the seeds.

Research on purple seed stain of soybean: germplasm screening and genetic resistance

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Soybean purple seed stain (PSS) causes seed decay and purple seed discoloration, resulting in overall poor seed quality and reduced market grade and value. It is a prevalent disease that also affects seed vigor and stand establishment. PSS is caused by the fungus Cercospora kikuchii and other Cercos...

Subsurface drip irrigation for native wildflower seed production

Treesearch

Clint C. Shock; Erik Feibert; Lamont Saunders; Nancy Shaw

2008-01-01

Native forb seed is needed to restore rangelands of the Intermountain West. Commercial seed production is necessary to provide the quantity of seed needed for restoration efforts. A major limitation to economically viable commercial production of native forb seed is stable and consistent seed productivity over years. Variations in spring rainfall and soil moisture...

Native wildflower seed production with limited subsurface drip irrigation

Treesearch

Clinton C. Shock; Erik B. G. Feibert; Lamont D. Saunders; Nancy Shaw

2010-01-01

Native wildflower seed is needed to restore rangelands of the Intermountain West. Commercial seed production is necessary to provide the quantity of seed needed for restoration efforts. A major limitation to economically viable commercial production of native wildflower (forb) seed is stable and consistent seed productivity over years. Variations in spring rainfall and...

Native wildflower seed production with limited subsurface drip irrigation

Treesearch

Clint C. Shock; Erik Feibert; Lamont Saunders; Nancy Shaw

2009-01-01

Native wildflower seed is needed to restore rangelands of the Intermountain West. Commercial seed production is necessary to provide the quantity of seed needed for restoration efforts. A major limitation to economically viable commercial production of native wildflower (forb) seed is stable and consistent seed productivity over years. Variations in spring rainfall and...

Rapid assessment of corn seed viability using short wave infrared line-scan hyperspectral imaging and chemometrics

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Knowledge of the viability status of seeds before sowing is important to farmers and seed suppliers. However, a myriad of factors can reduce viability of seeds or completely render seeds non-viable during pre- and post-harvest operations. Spectral imaging has shown potential for determining seed via...

7 CFR 201.71 - Establishing the source of all classes of certified seed.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... seed. 201.71 Section 201.71 Agriculture Regulations of the Department of Agriculture (Continued... (CONTINUED) FEDERAL SEED ACT FEDERAL SEED ACT REGULATIONS Certified Seed § 201.71 Establishing the source of all classes of certified seed. The certifying agency shall have evidence of the class and source of...

7 CFR 201.71 - Establishing the source of all classes of certified seed.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... seed. 201.71 Section 201.71 Agriculture Regulations of the Department of Agriculture (Continued... (CONTINUED) FEDERAL SEED ACT FEDERAL SEED ACT REGULATIONS Certified Seed § 201.71 Establishing the source of all classes of certified seed. The certifying agency shall have evidence of the class and source of...

Artificial Ripening of Sweetgum Seeds

Treesearch

F. T. Bonner

1969-01-01

Untrained collectors of hardwood seeds often start picking the seeds too early in the year. The immature seeds germinate poorly, if at all, and nursery production suffers. In the study reported here, sweetgum (Liquidambar styraciflua L.) seeds collected in central Mississippi in mid-August were ripe. Seeds collected as early as July 19 were artificially ripened by...

Seed invasion filters and forest fire severity

Treesearch

Tom R. Cottrell; Paul F. Hessburg; Jonathan A. Betz

2008-01-01

Forest seed dispersal is altered after fire. Using seed traps, we studied impacts of fire severity on timing of seed dispersal, total seed rain, and seed rain richness in patches of high and low severity fire and unburned Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii) forests in the Fischer and Tyee fire complexes in the eastern Washington Cascades. Unburned...

Image-Based Rapid Phenotyping Method of Chickpeas Seed Size Characterization

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The value of a chickpea crop is influenced by both total seed yield and also by the size of the harvested seed. Larger seeds are used for canning, salads, and fresh markets and have a higher value than smaller seeds, which are typically processed into hummus. The standard method for determining seed...

Applicator Training Manual for: Seed Treatment Pest Control.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

TeKrony, Dennis M.

This manual gives general information on seed treatment and type of seeds which can be treated. Also discussed are the problems and pests commonly associated with seed diseases and the fungicides and insecticides used for seed treatment. Information is also given on seed treatment equipment such as dust treaters, slurry treaters, and direct…

The perspective effects of various seed coating substances on rice seed variety Khao Dawk Mali 105 storability II: the case study of chemical and biochemical properties.

PubMed

Thobunluepop, P; Pan-in, W; Pawelzik, E; Vearasilp, S

2009-04-01

The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of seed coating substances; chemical fungicide (CA) and biological fungicide polymers [chitosan-lignosulphonate polymer (CL) and eugenol incorporated into chitosan-lignosulphonate polymer (E+CL)] on chemical and biochemical changes of rice seeds cv. KDML 105, which have been studied during storage for 12 months. CA significantly affected the rice seed chemical properties and the associated seed deterioration. After 12 months storage, protein content decreased accompanied by declined of lipid content, increased free fatty acids and activated lipoxygenase enzyme. In the case of biological fungicide coated seeds, the antioxidative scavenging enzymes were ascorbate peroxidase and superoxide dismutase and a high antioxidant activity protected them. Moreover, the sugar content was positive correlated with seed germination and vigor. The biological coated seeds were found to maintain high sugar contents inside the seeds, which resulted high seed storability significantly. In contrast, under fungicide stress (CA), those compounds were lost that directly affected seed vigor during storage.

Manipulation of Auxin Response Factor 19 affects seed size in the woody perennial Jatropha curcas

PubMed Central

Sun, Yanwei; Wang, Chunming; Wang, Ning; Jiang, Xiyuan; Mao, Huizhu; Zhu, Changxiang; Wen, Fujiang; Wang, Xianghua; Lu, Zhijun; Yue, Genhua; Xu, Zengfu; Ye, Jian

2017-01-01

Seed size is a major determinant of seed yield but few is known about the genetics controlling of seed size in plants. Phytohormones cytokinin and brassinosteroid were known to be involved in the regulation of herbaceous plant seed development. Here we identified a homolog of Auxin Response Factor 19 (JcARF19) from a woody plant Jatropha curcas and genetically demonstrated its functions in controlling seed size and seed yield. Through Virus Induced Gene Silencing (VIGS), we found that JcARF19 was a positive upstream modulator in auxin signaling and may control plant organ size in J. curcas. Importantly, transgenic overexpression of JcARF19 significantly increased seed size and seed yield in plants Arabidopsis thaliana and J. curcas, indicating the importance of auxin pathway in seed yield controlling in dicot plants. Transcripts analysis indicated that ectopic expression of JcARF19 in J. curcas upregulated auxin responsive genes encoding essential regulators in cell differentiation and cytoskeletal dynamics of seed development. Our data suggested the potential of improving seed traits by precisely engineering auxin signaling in woody perennial plants. PMID:28102350

Seed size, fecundity and postfire regeneration strategy are interdependent in Hakea.

PubMed

El-ahmir, Sh-hoob Mohamed; Lim, Sim Lin; Lamont, Byron B; He, Tianhua

2015-01-01

Seed size is a key functional trait that affects plant fitness at the seedling stage and may vary greatly with species fruit size, growth form and fecundity. Using structural equation modelling (SEM) and correlated trait evolution analysis, we investigated the interaction network between seed size and fecundity, postfire regeneration strategy, fruit size, plant height and serotiny (on-plant seed storage) among 82 species of the woody shrub genus, Hakea, with a wide spectrum of seed sizes (2-500 mg). Seed size is negatively correlated with fecundity, while fire-killed species (nonsprouters) produce more seeds than resprouters though they are of similar size. Seed size is unrelated to plant height and level of serotiny while it scales allometrically with fruit size. A strong phylogenetic signal in seed size revealed phylogenetic constraints on seed size variation in Hakea. Our analyses suggest a causal relationship between seed size, fecundity and postfire regeneration strategy in Hakea. These results demonstrate that fruit size, fecundity and evolutionary history have had most control over seed size variation among Hakea species.

What volume of seeds can a chimpanzee carry in its body?

PubMed

Nakamura, Michio; Sakamaki, Tetsuya; Zamma, Koichiro

2017-01-01

Great apes are important seed dispersers with large bodies, able to swallow large seeds and travel long distances. Although there have been several studies investigating seed dispersal quality [sensu Schupp (Vegetatio 107/108:15-29, 1993)] by chimpanzees, there is little information on the volume of seeds they can carry in their bodies. When a relatively fresh corpse of a mature female chimpanzee was found at Mahale, Tanzania, we took advantage of the rare opportunity to investigate the total weight and cubic volume of seeds recovered from the corpse. The seeds contained in the corpse weighed 258.8 g (dry weight) and measured 489.4 cm 3 . The volume of seeds was 14.7 % of the previously reported capacity of the digestive tract of a chimpanzee in captivity. We also indirectly estimated the volume of seeds from the values of observed seed volume in feces, the reported number of defecations per day, and the seed passage time. The estimated volume was significantly lower than the observed seed volume, suggesting that the number of defecations per day is underestimated because it may not include nighttime defecation.

Seed Size, Fecundity and Postfire Regeneration Strategy Are Interdependent in Hakea

PubMed Central

El-ahmir, Sh-hoob Mohamed; Lim, Sim Lin; Lamont, Byron B.; He, Tianhua

2015-01-01

Seed size is a key functional trait that affects plant fitness at the seedling stage and may vary greatly with species fruit size, growth form and fecundity. Using structural equation modelling (SEM) and correlated trait evolution analysis, we investigated the interaction network between seed size and fecundity, postfire regeneration strategy, fruit size, plant height and serotiny (on-plant seed storage) among 82 species of the woody shrub genus, Hakea, with a wide spectrum of seed sizes (2–500 mg). Seed size is negatively correlated with fecundity, while fire-killed species (nonsprouters) produce more seeds than resprouters though they are of similar size. Seed size is unrelated to plant height and level of serotiny while it scales allometrically with fruit size. A strong phylogenetic signal in seed size revealed phylogenetic constraints on seed size variation in Hakea. Our analyses suggest a causal relationship between seed size, fecundity and postfire regeneration strategy in Hakea. These results demonstrate that fruit size, fecundity and evolutionary history have had most control over seed size variation among Hakea species. PMID:26035821

Space Exposed Experiment Developed for Students (SEEDS) (P0004-2)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Grigsby, Doris K.; Ehrlich, Nelson J.

1992-01-01

SEEDS, a cooperative endeavor of NASA Headquarters, the NASA Langley Research Center, and the George W. Park Seed Company, resulted in the distribution of approximately 132,000 SEEDS kits to 3.3 million students. Kits contained Rutger's tomato seeds that had flown on the Long Duration Exposure Facility (LDEF), as well as seeds that had been stored in a climate controlled warehouse for the same time period. Preliminary data indicates the germination rate for space exposed seeds was 73.8 percent while Earth based seeds germinated at a rate of 70.3 percent. Tests conducted within the first six months after retrieval indicated space exposed seeds germinated in an average of 8.0 days, while Earth based seeds' average germination time was 8.3 days. Some mutations (assumed to be radiation induced) include plants that added a leaf instead of the usual flower at the end of the flower frond. Also, fruit produced from a flower with a variegated calyx bore seeds producing albino plants, while fruit from a flower with a green calyx from the same plant bore seeds producing green plants.

Seeds in space experiment results

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Alston, Jim A.

1991-01-01

Two million seeds of 120 different varieties representing 106 species, 97 genera, and 55 plant families were flown aboard the Long Duration Exposure Facility (LDEF). The seeds were housed on the space exposed experiment developed for students (SEEDS) tray in sealed canister number six and in two small vented canisters. The tray was in the F-2 position. The seeds were germinated and the germination rates and development of the resulting plants compared to the control seed that stayed in Park Seed's seed storage facility. The initial results are presented. There was a better survival rate in the sealed canister in space than in the storage facility at Park Seed. At least some of the seeds in each of the vented canisters survived the exposure to vacuum for almost six years. The number of observed apparent mutations was very low.

A comparison of mango seed kernel powder, mango leaf powder and Manilkara zapota seed powder for decolorization of methylene blue dye and antimicrobial activity.

PubMed

Sundararaman, B; Muthuramu, K L

2016-11-01

The waste mango seed generated from mango pulp industry in India is a major problem in handling the waste and hence, conversion of mango seed kernel. Mango seeds were collected and processed for oil extraction. Decolorization of methylene blue was achieved by mango seed kernel powder, mango leaf powder and Manilkara zapota seed powder. Higher efficiency was attained in mango seed kernel powder when compared to mango leaf powder and Manilkara zapota seed powder. A 60 to 95 % of removal efficiency was achieved by varying concentration. Effect of pH, dye concentration, adsorbent dosage and temperature were studied. Mango seed kernel powder is a better option that can be used as an adsorbent for the removal of methylene blue and basic red dye from its aqueous solutions.

[Infrared spectroscopic study on the component and vigor analysis of Cistanche deserticola seeds].

PubMed

Xu, Rong; Sun, Su-Qin; Chen, Jun; Chen, Shi-Lin; Zhou, Feng

2009-01-01

Comparative study of the different parts of cistanche deserticola seeds and their changes after different processing were examined by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy spectra (FTIR). The results of the analysis showed that components in the cistanche deserticola seeds were abundant, which contained characteristic absorption peaks of protein, fat and carbohydrate. As well, pectin and aromatic compound can be also found in the seeds. However, the components were different in different parts of cistanche deserticola seeds. The characteristic absorption peak intensities of fat at 2,926, 1,746, 1,161 and 721 cm(-1) were the strongest in the seed kernels. However, the seed coats mainly consisted of carbohydrate and pectin, which were showed at 1,054 cm(-1). The contents of protein and carbohydrate were decreased distinctly in the moldy and dead seeds after processing. The characteristic absorption peak intensity ratio of protein to fat (I1,630/I1,745 ) was all higher than 1.05 in the live seeds. The characteristic absorption peak intensity ratio of amido link I of protein to fat (11,653/I1,745) in the dead seed kernels of the cistanche deserticola was decreased from 0.31 to 0. 23, which was 25.8% less than that in vital seed kernels. The results suggest that FTIR not only can be used in fast comprehensive analysis of seed components, but also can be used in the seed vigor analysis, seed longevity determination and seed quality evaluation.

Effects of frugivore impoverishment and seed predators on the recruitment of a keystone palm

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fadini, Rodrigo F.; Fleury, Marina; Donatti, Camila I.; Galetti, Mauro

2009-03-01

Many plant species are threatened as a result of extinction of their large-bodied frugivores all over the world. Additionally, introduced herbivores and seed predators may cause severe pressure on early stages of plant recruitment. We studied the seed dispersal and seed predation of the keystone palm Euterpe edulis on a land-bridge island with a highly impoverished frugivore fauna and overabundant seed predators, and in a continuous Atlantic forest in Brazil. While the diversity of avian seed dispersers and predators was higher on the mainland, the abundance of seed dispersers was 4-fold higher on the island. Turdus flavipes was responsible for 72% and 96% of seeds removed in the island and mainland, respectively. However, the higher density of T. flaviceps on the island did not result in higher seed removal. In fact, seed removal rate was 1.7 times lower there than on the mainland, probably due to the aggressive behavior of the major seed disperser who defend palm fruits. Seed predation, on the other hand, was markedly higher on the island, where nearly 100% of seeds were preyed upon, but only 0.3% on the mainland. As a consequence of higher seed predation the population of E. edulis has few numbers of seedlings and saplings on the island. Therefore, management of the seed predator populations on the island is a key priority for recovering the natural population of this keystone palm and the frugivores that depend on its fruits.

Advantages of masting in European beech: timing of granivore satiation and benefits of seed caching support the predator dispersal hypothesis.

PubMed

Zwolak, Rafał; Bogdziewicz, Michał; Wróbel, Aleksandra; Crone, Elizabeth E

2016-03-01

The predator satiation and predator dispersal hypotheses provide alternative explanations for masting. Both assume satiation of seed-eating vertebrates. They differ in whether satiation occurs before or after seed removal and caching by granivores (predator satiation and predator dispersal, respectively). This difference is largely unrecognized, but it is demographically important because cached seeds are dispersed and often have a microsite advantage over nondispersed seeds. We conducted rodent exclosure experiments in two mast and two nonmast years to test predictions of the predator dispersal hypothesis in our study system of yellow-necked mice (Apodemus flavicollis) and European beech (Fagus sylvatica). Specifically, we tested whether the fraction of seeds removed from the forest floor is similar during mast and nonmast years (i.e., lack of satiation before seed caching), whether masting decreases the removal of cached seeds (i.e., satiation after seed storage), and whether seed caching increases the probability of seedling emergence. We found that masting did not result in satiation at the seed removal stage. However, masting decreased the removal of cached seeds, and seed caching dramatically increased the probability of seedling emergence relative to noncached seeds. European beech thus benefits from masting through the satiation of scatterhoarders that occurs only after seeds are removed and cached. Although these findings do not exclude other evolutionary advantages of beech masting, they indicate that fitness benefits of masting extend beyond the most commonly considered advantages of predator satiation and increased pollination efficiency.

Effect of Emulsification Method and Particle Size on the Rate of in vivo Oral Bioavailability of Kenaf (Hibiscus cannabinus L.) Seed Oil.

PubMed

Cheong, Ai Mun; Tan, Chin Ping; Nyam, Kar Lin

2018-05-26

Kenaf (Hibiscus cannabinus L.) seed oil-in-water nanoemulsions stabilized by complexation of beta-cyclodextrin with sodium caseinate and Tween 20 have been shown to have higher bioaccessibility of vitamin E and total phenolic content than nonemulsified kenaf seed oil in the previous in vitro gastrointestinal digestion study. However, its oral bioavailability was unknown. Therefore, the aim of this study was to evaluate the rate of in vivo oral bioavailability of kenaf seed oil-in-water nanoemulsions in comparison with nonemulsified kenaf seed oil and kenaf seed oil macroemulsions during the 180 min of gastrointestinal digestion. Kenaf seed oil macroemulsions were produced by using conventional method. Kenaf seed oil-in-water nanoemulsions had shown improvement in the rate of absorption. At 180 min of digestion time, the total α-tocopherol bioavailability of kenaf seed oil nanoemulsions was increased by 1.7- and 1.4-fold, compared to kenaf seed oil and macroemulsion, respectively. Kenaf seed oil-in-water nanoemulsions were stable in considerably wide range of pH (>5 and <3), suggesting that it can be fortified into beverages within this pH range PRACTICAL APPLICATION: The production of kenaf seed oil-in-water nanoemulsions had provided a delivery system to encapsulate the kenaf seed oil, as well as enhanced the bioaccessibility and bioavailability of kenaf seed oil. Therefore, kenaf seed oil-in-water nanoemulsions exhibit a great potential application in nutraceutical fields. © 2018 Institute of Food Technologists®.

Effects of Cultivar and Maternal Environment on Seed Quality in Vicia sativa

PubMed Central

Li, Rong; Chen, Lijun; Wu, Yanpei; Zhang, Rui; Baskin, Carol C.; Baskin, Jerry M.; Hu, Xiaowen

2017-01-01

Production of high quality seeds is of fundamental importance for successful crop production. However, knowledge of the effects of increased temperature resulting from global warming on seed quality of alpine species is limited. We investigated the effect of maternal environment on seed quality of three cultivars of the leguminous forage species Vicia sativa, giving particular attention to temperature. Plants of each cultivar were grown at 1700 and 3000 m a.s.l., and mass, germination, electrical conductivity (EC) of leakage and longevity were determined for mature seeds. Seeds of all three cultivars produced at the low elevation had a significantly lower mass and longevity but higher EC of leachate than those produced at the high elevation, suggesting that increased temperatures decreased seed quality. However, seed viability did not differ between elevations. The effects of maternal environment on seed germination strongly depended on cultivar and germination temperature. At 10 and 15°C, seeds of “Lanjian 3” produced at high elevation germinated to higher percentages and rates than those produced at low elevation, but the opposite trend was observed at 20°C. However, for seeds of “Lanjian 1” and “Lanjian 2,” no significant effect of elevation was observed in germination percentage. Our results indicate that the best environment for the production of high quality seeds (e.g., high seed mass, low EC, high seed longevity) of V. sativa is one in which temperatures are relatively low during seed development. PMID:28861096

Fast radioactive seed localization in intraoperative cone beam CT for low-dose-rate prostate brachytherapy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hu, Yu-chi; Xiong, Jian-ping; Cohan, Gilad; Zaider, Marco; Mageras, Gig; Zelefsky, Michael

2013-03-01

A fast knowledge-based radioactive seed localization method for brachytherapy was developed to automatically localize radioactive seeds in an intraoperative volumetric cone beam CT (CBCT) so that corrections, if needed, can be made during prostate implant surgery. A transrectal ultrasound (TRUS) scan is acquired for intraoperative treatment planning. Planned seed positions are transferred to intraoperative CBCT following TRUS-to-CBCT registration using a reference CBCT scan of the TRUS probe as a template, in which the probe and its external fiducial markers are pre-segmented and their positions in TRUS are known. The transferred planned seeds and probe serve as an atlas to reduce the search space in CBCT. Candidate seed voxels are identified based on image intensity. Regions are grown from candidate voxels and overlay regions are merged. Region volume and intensity variance is checked against known seed volume and intensity profile. Regions meeting the above criteria are flagged as detected seeds; otherwise they are flagged as likely seeds and sorted by a score that is based on volume, intensity profile and distance to the closest planned seed. A graphical interface allows users to review and accept or reject likely seeds. Likely seeds with approximately twice the seed volume are automatically split. Five clinical cases are tested. Without any manual correction in seed detection, the method performed the localization in 5 seconds (excluding registration time) for a CBCT scan with 512×512×192 voxels. The average precision rate per case is 99% and the recall rate is 96% for a total of 416 seeds. All false negative seeds are found with 15 in likely seeds and 1 included in a detected seed. With the new method, updating of calculations of dose distribution during the procedure is possible and thus facilitating evaluation and improvement of treatment quality.

Seed Placement in Permanent Breast Seed Implant Brachytherapy: Are Concerns Over Accuracy Valid?

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Morton, Daniel, E-mail: dmorton@bccancer.bc.ca; Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Victoria, Victoria, British Columbia; Hilts, Michelle

Purpose: To evaluate seed placement accuracy in permanent breast seed implant brachytherapy (PBSI), to identify any systematic errors and evaluate their effect on dosimetry. Methods and Materials: Treatment plans and postimplant computed tomography scans for 20 PBSI patients were spatially registered and used to evaluate differences between planned and implanted seed positions, termed seed displacements. For each patient, the mean total and directional seed displacements were determined in both standard room coordinates and in needle coordinates relative to needle insertion angle. Seeds were labeled according to their proximity to the anatomy within the breast, to evaluate the influence of anatomicmore » regions on seed placement. Dosimetry within an evaluative target volume (seroma + 5 mm), skin, breast, and ribs was evaluated to determine the impact of seed placement on the treatment. Results: The overall mean (±SD) difference between implanted and planned positions was 9 ± 5 mm for the aggregate seed population. No significant systematic directional displacements were observed for this whole population. However, for individual patients, systematic displacements were observed, implying that intrapatient offsets occur during the procedure. Mean displacements for seeds in the different anatomic areas were not found to be significantly different from the mean for the entire seed population. However, small directional trends were observed within the anatomy, potentially indicating some bias in the delivery. Despite observed differences between the planned and implanted seed positions, the median (range) V{sub 90} for the 20 patients was 97% (66%-100%), and acceptable dosimetry was achieved for critical structures. Conclusions: No significant trends or systematic errors were observed in the placement of seeds in PBSI, including seeds implanted directly into the seroma. Recorded seed displacements may be related to intrapatient setup adjustments. Despite observed seed displacements, acceptable postimplant dosimetry was achieved.« less

Cone and seed traits of two Juniperus species influence roles of frugivores and scatter-hoarding rodents as seed dispersal agents

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dimitri, Lindsay A.; Longland, William S.; Vander Wall, Stephen B.

2017-11-01

Seed dispersal in Juniperus is generally attributed to frugivores that consume the berry-like female cones. Some juniper cones are fleshy and resinous such as those of western juniper (Juniperus occidentalis), while others are dry and leathery such as those of Utah juniper (J. osteosperma). Rodents have been recorded harvesting Juniperus seeds and cones but are mostly considered seed predators. Our study sought to determine if rodents play a role in dispersal of western and Utah juniper seeds. We documented rodent harvest of cones and seeds of the locally-occurring juniper species and the alternate (non-local) juniper species in removal experiments at a western juniper site in northeastern California and a Utah juniper site in western Nevada. Characteristics of western and Utah juniper cones appeared to influence removal, as cones from the local juniper species were preferred at both sites. Conversely, removal of local and non-local seeds was similar. Piñon mice (Peromyscus truei) were responsible for most removal of cones and seeds at both sites. We used radioactively labeled seeds to follow seed fate and found many of these seeds in scattered caches (western juniper: 415 seeds in 82 caches, 63.0% of seeds found; Utah juniper: 458 seeds in 127 caches, 39.5% of seeds found) most of which were attributed to piñon mice. We found little evidence of frugivores dispersing Utah juniper seeds, thus scatter-hoarding rodents appear to be the main dispersal agents. Western juniper cones were eaten by frugivores, and scatter-hoarding is a complimentary or secondary form of seed dispersal. Our results support the notion that Utah juniper has adapted to xeric environments by conserving water through the loss of fleshy fruits that attract frugivores and instead relies on scatter-hoarding rodents as effective dispersal agents.

Sensitivity cycling in physically dormant seeds of the Neotropical tree Senna multijuga (Fabaceae).

PubMed

Rodrigues-Junior, A G; Baskin, C C; Baskin, J M; Garcia, Q S

2018-03-23

Cycling of sensitivity to physical dormancy (PY) break has been documented in herbaceous species. However, it has not been reported in tree seeds, nor has the effect of seed size on sensitivity to PY-breaking been evaluated in any species. Thus, the aims of this study were to investigate how PY is broken in seeds of the tropical legume tree Senna multijuga, if seeds exhibit sensitivity cycling and if seed size affects induction into sensitivity. Dormancy and germination were evaluated in intact and scarified seeds from two collections of S. multijuga. The effects of temperature, moisture and seed size on induction of sensitivity to dormancy-breaking were assessed, and seasonal changes in germination and persistence of buried seeds were determined. Reversal of sensitivity was also investigated. Fresh seeds were insensitive to dormancy break at wet-high temperatures, and an increase in sensitivity occurred in buried seeds after they experienced low temperatures during winter (dry season). Temperatures ≤20 °C increased sensitivity, whereas temperatures ≥30 °C decreased it regardless of moisture conditions. Dormancy was broken in sensitive seeds by incubating them at 35 °C. Sensitivity could be reversed, and large seeds were more sensitive than small seeds to sensitivity induction. Seeds of S. multijuga exhibit sensitivity cycling to PY-breaking. Seeds become sensitive during winter and can germinate with the onset of the spring-summer rainy season in Brazil. Small seeds are slower to become sensitive than large ones, and this may be a mechanism by which germination is spread over time. Sensitive seeds that fail to germinate become insensitive during exposure to drought during summer. This is the first report of sensitivity cycling in a tree species. © 2018 German Society for Plant Sciences and The Royal Botanical Society of the Netherlands.

Dormancy cycling and persistence of seeds in soil of a cold desert halophyte shrub

PubMed Central

Cao, Dechang; Baskin, Carol C.; Baskin, Jerry M.; Yang, Fan; Huang, Zhenying

2014-01-01

Background and Aims Formation of seed banks and dormancy cycling are well known in annual species, but not in woody species. In this study it was hypothesized that the long-lived halophytic cold desert shrub Kalidium gracile has a seed bank and dormancy cycling, which help restrict germination to a favourable time for seedling survival. Methods Fresh seeds were buried in November 2009 and exhumed and tested for germination monthly from May 2010 to December 2011 over a range of temperatures and salinities. Germination recovery and viability were determined after exposure to salinity and water stress. Seedling emergence and dynamics of the soil seed bank were investigated in the field. Key Results Seeds of K. gracile had a soil seed bank of 7030 seeds m−2 at the beginning of the growing season. About 72 % of the seeds were depleted from the soil seed bank during a growing season, and only 1·4 % of them gave rise to seedlings that germinated early enough to reach a stage of growth at which they could survive to overwinter. About 28 % of the seeds became part of a persistent soil seed bank. Buried seeds exhibited an annual non-dormancy/conditional dormancy (ND/CD) cycle, and germination varied in sensitivity to salinity during the cycle. Dormancy cycling is coordinated with seasonal environmental conditions in such a way that the seeds germinate in summer, when there is sufficient precipitation for seedling establishment. Conclusions Kalidium gracile has three life history traits that help ensure persistence at a site: a polycarpic perennial life cycle, a persistent seed bank and dormancy cycling. The annual ND/CD cycle in seeds of K. gracile contributes to seedling establishment of this species in the unpredictable desert environment and to maintenance of a persistent soil seed bank. This is the first report of a seed dormancy cycle in a cold desert shrub. PMID:24249808

The flight of Ruellia ciliatiflora seeds

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cooper, Eric; Mosher, Molly; Whitaker, Dwight

2017-11-01

Fruits of Ruellia ciliatiflora explosively launch seeds at velocities over 10 m/s, reaching distances of over 7 m. Through high speed video analysis of the seeds' flight, we have observed high rates of backspin of up to 1660 Hz, one of the fastest known rotational rates in the natural world. Analytical calculations that model the torques on the seeds as those of a Rayleigh Disk and incorporate the effects of gravity of the seeds' angles of attack, show that the seeds' backspin orientation is stable under gyroscopic procession. This stable backspin orientation maintains a small area in direction of motion, decreasing drag force on the seeds and thus increasing dispersal distance. From careful analysis of high-speed video of the seeds' flight we experimentally determine the seeds' drag coefficients and find that they are consistent with drag predicted for the streamlined orientation. By using backspin to ensure a streamlined orientation, the seeds are able to reduce the energy costs for seed dispersal by up to a factor of ten.

Increasing seed size and quality by manipulating BIG SEEDS1 in legume species

PubMed Central

Ge, Liangfa; Yu, Jianbin; Wang, Hongliang; Luth, Diane; Bai, Guihua; Wang, Kan

2016-01-01

Plant organs, such as seeds, are primary sources of food for both humans and animals. Seed size is one of the major agronomic traits that have been selected in crop plants during their domestication. Legume seeds are a major source of dietary proteins and oils. Here, we report a conserved role for the BIG SEEDS1 (BS1) gene in the control of seed size and weight in the model legume Medicago truncatula and the grain legume soybean (Glycine max). BS1 encodes a plant-specific transcription regulator and plays a key role in the control of the size of plant organs, including seeds, seed pods, and leaves, through a regulatory module that targets primary cell proliferation. Importantly, down-regulation of BS1 orthologs in soybean by an artificial microRNA significantly increased soybean seed size, weight, and amino acid content. Our results provide a strategy for the increase in yield and seed quality in legumes. PMID:27791139

Mag-seeding of rat bone marrow stromal cells into porous hydroxyapatite scaffolds for bone tissue engineering.

PubMed

Shimizu, Kazunori; Ito, Akira; Honda, Hiroyuki

2007-09-01

Bone tissue engineering has been investigated as an alternative strategy for autograft transplantation. In the process of tissue engineering, cell seeding into three-dimensional (3-D) scaffolds is the first step for constructing 3-D tissues. We have proposed a methodology of cell seeding into 3-D porous scaffolds using magnetic force and magnetite nanoparticles, which we term Mag-seeding. In this study, we applied this Mag-seeding technique to bone tissue engineering using bone marrow stromal cells (BMSCs) and 3-D hydroxyapatite (HA) scaffolds. BMSCs were magnetically labeled with our original magnetite cationic liposomes (MCLs) having a positive surface charge to improve adsorption to cell surface. Magnetically labeled BMSCs were seeded onto a scaffold, and a 1-T magnet was placed under the scaffold. By using Mag-seeding, the cells were successfully seeded into the internal space of scaffolds with a high cell density. The cell seeding efficiency into HA scaffolds by Mag-seeding was approximately threefold larger than that by static-seeding (conventional method, without a magnet). After a 14-d cultivation period using the osteogenic induction medium by Mag-seeding, the level of two representative osteogenic markers (alkaline phosphatase and osteocalcin) were significantly higher than those by static-seeding. These results indicated that Mag-seeding of BMSCs into HA scaffolds is an effective approach to bone tissue engineering.

Seed-to-Seed-to-Seed Growth and Development of Arabidopsis in Microgravity

PubMed Central

Link, Bruce M.; Busse, James S.

2014-01-01

Abstract Arabidopsis thaliana was grown from seed to seed wholly in microgravity on the International Space Station. Arabidopsis plants were germinated, grown, and maintained inside a growth chamber prior to returning to Earth. Some of these seeds were used in a subsequent experiment to successfully produce a second (back-to-back) generation of microgravity-grown Arabidopsis. In general, plant growth and development in microgravity proceeded similarly to those of the ground controls, which were grown in an identical chamber. Morphologically, the most striking feature of space-grown Arabidopsis was that the secondary inflorescence branches and siliques formed nearly perpendicular angles to the inflorescence stems. The branches grew out perpendicularly to the main inflorescence stem, indicating that gravity was the key determinant of branch and silique angle and that light had either no role or a secondary role in Arabidopsis branch and silique orientation. Seed protein bodies were 55% smaller in space seed than in controls, but protein assays showed only a 9% reduction in seed protein content. Germination rates for space-produced seed were 92%, indicating that the seeds developed in microgravity were healthy and viable. Gravity is not necessary for seed-to-seed growth of plants, though it plays a direct role in plant form and may influence seed reserves. Key Words: Arabidopsis—Branch—Inflorescence—Microgravity—Morphology—Seed—Space. Astrobiology 14, 866–875. PMID:25317938

Phenotypic and Transcriptional Analysis of Divergently Selected Maize Populations Reveals the Role of Developmental Timing in Seed Size Determination1[W][OPEN

PubMed Central

Sekhon, Rajandeep S.; Hirsch, Candice N.; Childs, Kevin L.; Breitzman, Matthew W.; Kell, Paul; Duvick, Susan; Spalding, Edgar P.; Buell, C. Robin; de Leon, Natalia; Kaeppler, Shawn M.

2014-01-01

Seed size is a component of grain yield and an important trait in crop domestication. To understand the mechanisms governing seed size in maize (Zea mays), we examined transcriptional and developmental changes during seed development in populations divergently selected for large and small seed size from Krug, a yellow dent maize cultivar. After 30 cycles of selection, seeds of the large seed population (KLS30) have a 4.7-fold greater weight and a 2.6-fold larger size compared with the small seed population (KSS30). Patterns of seed weight accumulation from the time of pollination through 30 d of grain filling showed an earlier onset, slower rate, and earlier termination of grain filling in KSS30 relative to KLS30. This was further supported by transcriptome patterns in seeds from the populations and derived inbreds. Although the onset of key genes was earlier in small seeds, similar maximum transcription levels were observed in large seeds at later stages, suggesting that functionally weaker alleles, rather than transcript abundance, may be the basis of the slow rate of seed filling in KSS30. Gene coexpression networks identified several known genes controlling cellularization and proliferation as well as novel genes that will be useful candidates for biotechnological approaches aimed at altering seed size in maize and other cereals. PMID:24710068

Cheating on the mutualistic contract: nutritional gain through seed predation in the frugivorous bat Chiroderma villosum (Phyllostomidae).

PubMed

Wagner, Insa; Ganzhorn, Jörg U; Kalko, Elisabeth K V; Tschapka, Marco

2015-04-01

Most frugivorous bats are efficient seed dispersers, as they typically do not damage seeds and transport them over long distances. In contrast, bats of the phyllostomid genus Chiroderma cheat fig trees by acting more as seed predators than as seed dispersers. The bats initially separate seeds from fruit pulp in the mouth. After extracting the juice from the fruit pulp, they thoroughly chew the seeds and spit out small seed fragments in a pellet. Consequently, the faeces contain almost no viable seeds. We compared the nutrient content of intact fig seeds with ejecta and faecal samples from both Chiroderma villosum and the 'conventional' frugivorous bat Artibeus watsoni. We show that C. villosum can extract nutrients from the seeds, especially protein and fat. The processing time of figs showed no significant difference between the two bat species. Food-choice experiments showed that C. villosum preferred fig species with more seeds over those with fewer seeds. This preference, in combination with the specialized seed-chewing behaviour, leads to an increased nutrient intake per fig. This unique strategy enables C. villosum to satisfy its nutritional requirements with a lower number of figs than other species, which decreases the amount of energy necessary for foraging flights as well as the predation risk during foraging. © 2015. Published by The Company of Biologists Ltd.

Seed dormancy and germination—emerging mechanisms and new hypotheses

PubMed Central

Nonogaki, Hiroyuki

2014-01-01

Seed dormancy has played a significant role in adaptation and evolution of seed plants. While its biological significance is clear, molecular mechanisms underlying seed dormancy induction, maintenance and alleviation still remain elusive. Intensive efforts have been made to investigate gibberellin and abscisic acid metabolism in seeds, which greatly contributed to the current understanding of seed dormancy mechanisms. Other mechanisms, which might be independent of hormones, or specific to the seed dormancy pathway, are also emerging from genetic analysis of “seed dormancy mutants.” These studies suggest that chromatin remodeling through histone ubiquitination, methylation and acetylation, which could lead to transcription elongation or gene silencing, may play a significant role in seed dormancy regulation. Small interfering RNA and/or long non-coding RNA might be a trigger of epigenetic changes at the seed dormancy or germination loci, such as DELAY OF GERMINATION1. While new mechanisms are emerging from genetic studies of seed dormancy, novel hypotheses are also generated from seed germination studies with high throughput gene expression analysis. Recent studies on tissue-specific gene expression in tomato and Arabidopsis seeds, which suggested possible “mechanosensing” in the regulatory mechanisms, advanced our understanding of embryo-endosperm interaction and have potential to re-draw the traditional hypotheses or integrate them into a comprehensive scheme. The progress in basic seed science will enable knowledge translation, another frontier of research to be expanded for food and fuel production. PMID:24904627

[Eco-physiological studies on desert plants : V. Influence of soaking and redrying on the germination of Zygophyllum coccineum seeds and the possible contribution of an inhibitor to the effect].

PubMed

Batanouny, K H; Ziegler, H

1971-06-01

1. The rate and percentage of germination of soaked and redried seeds are higher than those of untreated seeds. The promoting effect of soaking and redryring of seeds on germination increases with the duration of soaking. Seeds that germinated during soaking are unable to tolerate drying. 2. Exposure of the seeds to light after the first 8 hours of soaking inhibits germination of the seeds after drying. 3. Washing the seeds with water has no effect on germination in the dark at 25°C, while it promotes germination in light at 25°C and in the dark at 10°C. 4. The leachate of Zygophyllum coccineum seeds has no significant effect on the dark germination of these seeds. On the other hand, it inhibits the light germination. Germination of Lepidium sativum seeds is not affected by the leachate of Zygophyllum seeds, either in the dark or in light. 5. When the washed seeds of Zygophyllum coccineum are germinated, their radicles are longer and the hypocotyls shorter than in the controls. The leachate promotes hypocotyl growth and inhibits that of the radicle. 6. A hypothesis is suggested to interpret the results based on the assumed interaction between seeds, light and an inhibitor.

Healthy food trends -- chia seeds

MedlinePlus

... Healthy snacks - Chia seeds; Weight loss - Chia seeds; Healthy diet - Chia seeds; Wellness - Chia seeds ... of nutrition and dietetics: dietary fatty acids for healthy adults. J Acad Nutr Diet . 2014;114(1):136-153. PMID: 24342605 www. ...

7 CFR 201.31a - Labeling treated seed.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... the amount remaining with the seed is harmful to humans or other vertebrate animals, the seed shall..., and the amount remaining with the seed is harmful to humans or other vertebrate animals, the seed...

Virginia pine seed viable two months before natural cone opening

Treesearch

Thomas W., Jr. Church; Edward I. Sucoff

1960-01-01

Virginia pine (Pinus virginiana Mill.) seed used in nurseries and for forest seeding ordinarily is collected from standing or felled trees in autumn. Some questions that concern the seed collector are: How early in the season does Virginia pine seed ripen? How does seed viability change if the cones are left on the felled trees?

How seed orchard culture affects seed quality: experience with the southern pines

Treesearch

James P. Barnett

1996-01-01

Tree improvement programs have influenced significantly the quality of southern pine seeds produced when compared to collections from native stands. Seed orchard management practices such as fertilization can increase seed size and reduce seed dormancy. These result in the need for less complex pregermination treatments. Repeated cone collections from the same clones...

Common difficulties encountered in collecting native seed

Treesearch

Richard Dunne

1999-01-01

The increased demand for native seed has surpassed our ability to provide high quality range-collected seed. This paper discusses some of the hazards and common mistakes associated with the collection of wildland native seed. Among the common difficulties in collecting native seed are: (1) native species do not produce seed often in the arid West; (2) there is a...

46 CFR 148.310 - Seed cake.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... apply to solvent-extracted rape seed meal, pellets, soya bean meal, cotton seed meal, or sunflower seed meal that— (1) Contains a maximum of 4 percent vegetable oil and a maximum of 15 percent vegetable oil... cake. (e) The seed cake must be kept as dry as practical at all times. (f) If the seed cake is solvent...

Improvements on a Reliable Oak Seed Trap

Treesearch

Carl N. Phillips; Thomas B. Hunnicutt

1995-01-01

The need for seed trap longevity, capture of heavy seed, and protection from predation in several forest types for long-term studies of seed production prompted seed trap design improvements. Critical improvements were achieved by painting the trap with a latex exterior gloss house paint, raising traps above water lines in areas tbat flooded, and enclosing the seed...

40 CFR 180.416 - Ethalfluralin; tolerances for residues.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

...)benzenamine] in or on the following raw agricultural commodities: Commodity Parts per million Bean, dry, seed 0.05 Dill, dried leaves 0.05 Dill, fresh leaves 0.05 Mustard, seed 0.05 Peanut 0.05 Pea, dry, seed 0.05 Potato 0.05 Rapeseed, seed 0.05 Safflower, seed 0.05 Soybean 0.05 Sunflower, seed 0.05 Vegetable...

40 CFR 180.416 - Ethalfluralin; tolerances for residues.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

...)benzenamine] in or on the following raw agricultural commodities: Commodity Parts per million Bean, dry, seed 0.05 Dill, dried leaves 0.05 Dill, fresh leaves 0.05 Mustard, seed 0.05 Peanut 0.05 Pea, dry, seed 0.05 Potato 0.05 Rapeseed, seed 0.05 Safflower, seed 0.05 Soybean 0.05 Sunflower, seed 0.05 Vegetable...

7 CFR 202.43 - Proceedings under section 302(a) to show cause why seed or screenings should be admitted into the...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... seed or screenings should be admitted into the United States. 202.43 Section 202.43 Agriculture..., Inspections, Marketing Practices), DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE (CONTINUED) FEDERAL SEED ACT FEDERAL SEED ACT... show cause why seed or screenings should be admitted into the United States. When seed or screenings...

7 CFR 202.43 - Proceedings under section 302(a) to show cause why seed or screenings should be admitted into the...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... seed or screenings should be admitted into the United States. 202.43 Section 202.43 Agriculture..., Inspections, Marketing Practices), DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE (CONTINUED) FEDERAL SEED ACT FEDERAL SEED ACT... show cause why seed or screenings should be admitted into the United States. When seed or screenings...

role of seed analysis in genetic conservation

Treesearch

V.G. Vankus; R.P. Karrfalt

2017-01-01

Long term storage of seeds at freezing temperatures is one strategy for genetic conservation of tree species. It can be used to preserve species that produce seeds that remain viable after drying to a low seed moisture content. The U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service (USDA FS) National Seed Laboratory (NSL) began long term seed storage for genetic...

The benefits of seed banking for red maple (Acer rubrum): maximizing seedling recruitment

Treesearch

Janneke Hille Ris Lambers; James S. Clark

2005-01-01

Seed banking is assumed to be unimportant for temperate trees, because their seeds are short-lived in soils. However, even short-term seed banking could increase recruitment and affect population dynamics of seed-banking trees. To investigate this possibility, we examined early life-history stages of red maple (Acer rubrum L.), an abundant seed-...

Germination and Seed Bank Studies of Macbridea alba (Lamiaceae), a Federally Theatened Plant

Treesearch

Dana Madsen Schulze; John L. Walker; Timothy P. Spira

2002-01-01

Macbridea alba (Lamiaceae) is a Federally threatened plant endemic to Florida. Seedlings are rarely observed in natural populations, but seed production has been documented. We assessed the germinability of dry-stored seeds and of experimentally buried seeds, and sampled soil to detect a persistent seed bank.More than 20% of recorded seeds...

Shortleaf pine seedling production and seeding trends in Missouri

Treesearch

David Gwaze; Greg Hoss; Dena Biram

2007-01-01

The Missouri Department of Conservation operates the only nursery that supplies bare-root shortleaf pine seedlings in Missouri. Seedlings and seed have been sold to landowners since 1935. Prior to 1981 most seed was locally collected wild seed, some was purchased from neighboring states. After 1981, most of the seed for artificial regeneration was improved orchard seed...

University of Maryland MRSEC - Research: Seed 2

Science.gov Websites

Administration Committees Directory Research IRG 1 IRG 2 Seed 1 Seed 2 Seed 3 Highlights Publications Facilities MRSEC Templates Opportunities Search Home » Research » Seed 2 Seed 2: Synthesis and Exploration of Topological Insulators Figure 1 High quality single crystals of bismuth-based topological insulator grown at

Occurrence of trends of weed seed and pathogen contaminants in bentgrass seed lots in Oregon

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Nearly all of the bentgrass seed grown in the United States is produced in Oregon. However, little is known about the occurrence of weed seed or pathogen propagule contaminants in bentgrass seed lots. This study was conducted to assess the diversity and frequency of occurrence of weed seeds, ergot (...

77 FR 12740 - Trinexapac-ethyl; Pesticide Tolerances

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-03-02

... CGA-179500, in or on grass, forage, grown for seed at 1.60 parts per million (ppm); grass, hay, grown for seed at 3.5 ppm; grass, seed screenings, grown for seed at 45.0 ppm; grass, straw, grown for seed..., Sugarcane, and Grasses Grown for Seed'' p. 48 in docket ID number EPA-HQ-OPP-2010-0524. B. Toxicological...

Postfire drill-seeding of Great Basin plants: Effects of contrasting drills on seeded and nonseeded species

Treesearch

Jeffrey E. Ott; Robert D. Cox; Nancy L. Shaw; Beth A. Newingham; Amy C. Ganguli; Mike Pellant; Bruce A. Roundy; Dennis L. Eggett

2016-01-01

Objectives of postfire seeding in the Great Basin include reestablishment of perennial cover, suppression of exotic annual weeds, and restoration of diverse plant communities. Nonconventional seeding techniques may be required when seeding mixes of grasses, forbs, and shrubs containing seeds of different sizes. We conducted an operational-scale experiment to...

Seeds in space experiment. [long duration exposure facility

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Alston, Jim A.

1992-01-01

Two million seeds of 120 different varieties representing 106 species, 97 genera, and 55 plant families were flown aboard the Long Duration Exposure Facility (LDEF). The seeds were housed in one sealed canister and in two small vented canisters. After being returned to earth, the seeds were germinated and the germination rates and development of the resulting plants were compared to the performance of the control seeds that stayed in the Park Seed's seed storage facility. There was a better survival rate in the sealed canister in space than at the storage facility at Park Seed. At least some of the seeds in each of the vented canisters survived the exposure to vacuum for almost six years. The number of observed apparent mutations was very low.

Methods for measuring bird-mediated seed rain: Insights from a Hawaiian mesic forest

USGS Publications Warehouse

Rose, Eli; Stewart, Meredith; Brinkman, Andrew; Paxton, Eben H.; Yelenik, Stephanie G.

2017-01-01

Amount and diversity of bird-dispersed seed rain play important roles in determining forest composition, yet neither is easy to quantify. The complex ecological processes that influence seed movement make the best approach highly context specific. Although recent advances in seed rain theory emphasize quantifying source-specific seed shadows, many ecological questions can be addressed u sing a less mechanistic approach that requires fewer assumptions. Using seed rain rates from 0.38 m2 hoop traps sampled twice monthly over the course of a year, we show that number of traps required to identify changes in seed rain varies across seed species and forest type. Detecting a 50% increase in amount of seed rain required from 65 to >300 traps, while detecting a 200% increase generally required ≤⃒50 traps. Trap size and ecological context dictate the number of seeds found in each trap, but the coefficient of variation (CV) across traps in a given ecological context can help inform future studies about number of traps needed to detect change. To better understand factors influencing variation around estimates of seed rain, we simulated both clustered and evenly distributed patterns of fecal deposition using three different levels of seed aggregation (number of seeds in each fecal deposit). When patterns of fecal deposition were clustered, rather than evenly dispersed across the study area, they required >1.5 times the number of traps to identify a 100% increase in seed rain. Similarly, we found that low seed aggregation required >1.5 times the number of traps to detect a 100% change than when aggregation was medium or high. At low aggregations, fewer seed rain traps contained seeds (low, 33 ± 5%; medium, 23 ± 4%; high, 24 ± 5%), resulting in more variation across traps than medium and high aggregations. We also illustrate the importance of training observers to discern between morphologically similar seeds from different species and provide resources to help identify bird-dispersed seeds commonly found within midelevation mesic Hawaiian forests.

Gender inequality in predispersal seed predation contributes to female seed set advantage in a gynodioecious species.

PubMed

Clarke, Gretel L; Brody, Alison K

2015-05-01

Most flowering plants are hermaphrodites. However, in gynodioecious species, some members of the population are male-sterile and reproduce only by setting seed, while others gain fitness through both male and female function. How females compensate for the loss of male function remains unresolved for most gynodioecious species. Here, as with many plants, fitness differences may be influenced by interactions with multiple species. However, whether multiple species interactions result in gender-specific fitness differences remains unknown. Using observational data from 2009-2010, we quantified seed set of the two sex morphs of Polemonium foliosissimu and asked how it is affected by pollination, and seed predation from a dipteran predispersal seed predator (Anthomyiidae: Hylemya sp.). We assessed seed production and losses to predation in 27 populations for one year and in six populations for a second year. Females set significantly more seed than did hermaphrodites in both years. Of the fitness components we assessed, including the number of flowers per plant, fruit set, seeds/fruit, and proportion of fruits destroyed by Hylemya, only fruit destruction differed significantly between the sexes. In one year, seeds/fruit and predation had a stronger effect on seed set for hermaphrodites than for females. Because predispersal seed predators do not pollinate flowers, their effects may depend on successful pollination of flowers on which they oviposit. To examine if genders differed in pollen limitation and seed predation and/or their interactive effects, in 2011 we hand-pollinated flowers and removed seed predator eggs in a fully factorial design. Both sexes were pollen limited, but their degree of pollen limitation did not differ. However, predation reduced.seed set more for hermaphrodites than for females. We found no significant interaction between hand pollen and seed predation, and no interaction between hand pollination and gender. Our results suggest that while interactions with both pollinators and seed predators affect reproductive success, floral enemies can cause inequality in seed set between genders. The next step is to understand how the seed set advantage affects long-term fitness and persistence of females in gynodioecious populations.

Leaching and sorption of neonicotinoid insecticides and fungicides from seed coatings

USGS Publications Warehouse

Smalling, Kelly; Hladik, Michelle; Sanders, Corey; Kuivila, Kathryn

2018-01-01

Seed coatings are a treatment used on a variety of crops to improve production and offer protection against pests and fungal outbreaks. The leaching of the active ingredients associated with the seed coatings and the sorption to soil was evaluated under laboratory conditions using commercially available corn and soybean seeds to study the fate and transport of these pesticides under controlled conditions. The active ingredients (AI) included one neonicotinoid insecticide (thiamethoxam) and five fungicides (azoxystrobin, fludioxonil, metalaxyl, sedaxane thiabendazole). An aqueous leaching experiment was conducted with treated corn and soybean seeds. Leaching potential was a function of solubility and seed type. The leaching of fludioxonil, was dependent on seed type with a shorter time to equilibrium on the corn compared to the soybean seeds. Sorption experiments with the treated seeds and a solution of the AIs were conducted using three different soil types. Sorption behavior was a function of soil organic matter as well as seed type. For most AIs, a negative relationship was observed between the aqueous concentration and the log Koc. Sorption to all soils tested was limited for the hydrophilic pesticides thiamethoxam and metalaxyl. However, partitioning for the more hydrophobic fungicides was dependent on both seed type and soil properties. The mobility of fludioxonil in the sorption experiment varied by seed type indicating that the adjuvants associated with the seed coating could potentially play a role in the environmental fate of fludioxonil. This is the first study to assess, under laboratory conditions, the fate of pesticides associated with seed coatings using commercially available treated seeds. This information can be used to understand how alterations in agricultural practices (e.g., increasing use of seed treatments) can impact the exposure (concentration and duration) and potential effects of these chemicals to aquatic and terrestrial organisms.

Storage behavior and changes in concentrations of abscisic acid and gibberellins during dormancy break and germination in seeds of Phellodendron amurense var. wilsonii (Rutaceae).

PubMed

Chen, Shun-Ying; Chien, Ching-Te; Baskin, Jerry M; Baskin, Carol C

2010-02-01

The medicinal Asian plant genus Phellodendron is known to contain several very important compounds that have biological action. The main purpose of this study was to determine whether seeds of Phellodendron amurense var. wilsonii can be stored and to characterize their dormancy. Seeds of this taxon stored at -20 and -80 degrees C and in liquid nitrogen retained their high germinability, indicating that they have orthodox storage behavior. Intact seeds from freshly collected fruits were dormant and required 12 weeks of cold stratification at 4 degrees C for complete germination. Scarifying the seed coat was partially effective in breaking seed dormancy. Exogenous gibberellins (GA(3), GA(4) and GA(4+7)) promoted germination of scarified seeds, GA(4) and GA(4+7) being more effective than GA(3). Fluridone, an abscisic acid (ABA) biosynthesis inhibitor, was efficient in breaking dormancy, but it was less effective than GA(4) or GA(4+7) alone. Paclobutrazol, a GA biosynthesis inhibitor, inhibited seed germination, and the inhibitory effect was reversed completely by GA(4) and by GA(4+7). ABA content of seeds subjected to cold stratification or to incubation at 35/10 degrees C, which enhanced seed germination, was reduced about four- to sixfold compared to that of fresh seeds. Higher concentrations of GA(3), GA(4) and GA(7) were detected in nondormant seeds and in seeds with an emerged radicle than in fresh seeds. Present results seem to indicate that dormancy in P. amurense var. wilsonii seeds is imposed partially by the seed coat and partially by high ABA content. ABA content decreased and GA(3), GA(4) and GA(7) content increased during germination.

Effects of germination time on seed morph ratio in a seed-dimorphic species and possible ecological significance

PubMed Central

Yang, Fan; Baskin, Jerry M.; Baskin, Carol C.; Yang, Xuejun; Cao, Dechang; Huang, Zhenying

2015-01-01

Background and Aims Diaspores of heteromorphic species may germinate at different times due to distinct dormancy-breaking and germination requirements, and this difference can influence life history traits. The primary aim of this study was to determine the effect of germination time of the two seed morphs of Suaeda corniculata subsp. mongolica on life history traits of the offspring. Methods Germinated brown and black seeds were sown on the 20th of each month from April to September in a simulated but near-natural habitat of the species. Phenological and vegetative traits of the maternal plants, and number, size and germination percentage of the offspring were determined. Key Results Germinated seeds sown late in the year produced smaller plants that had a higher proportion of non-dormant brown than dormant black seeds, and these brown seeds were larger than those produced by germinated seeds sown early in the year. The length of the seedling stage for brown seeds was shorter than that for black seeds, and the root/shoot ratio and reproductive allocation of plants from brown seeds were more variable than they were for plants from black seeds. Late-germinating brown seeds produced larger plants than late-germinating black seeds. Conclusions Altering the proportion of the two seed types in response to germination timing can help alleviate the adverse effects of delayed germination. The flexible strategy of a species, such as S. corniculata, that produces different proportions of dimorphic seeds in response to variation in germination timing may favour the maintenance and regeneration of the population in its unpredictable environment. PMID:25395107

Evaluation of water binding, seed coat permeability and germination characteristics of wheat seeds equilibrated at different relative humidities.

PubMed

Chatterjee, Nabamita; Nagarajan, Shantha

2006-08-01

The relative binding of seed water and seed coat membrane stability were measured in two contrasting wheat (Triticum aestivum L) varieties, HDR 77 (drought-tolerant) and HD 2009 (susceptible) using seed water sorption isotherms, electrical conductivity (EC) of leachates and desorption-absorption isotherms. Analysis of sorption isotherm at 25 degrees C showed that the seeds of HDR 77 had significantly higher number of strong binding sites, with correspondingly greater amount of seed water as strongly bound water, as compared to HD 2009. Total number of binding sites was also higher in HDR 77 than HD 2009, which explained the better desiccation tolerance and higher capacity to bind water in seeds of HDR 77. EC of seed leachate in both varieties did not change with respect to change in equilibrium relative humidity (RII), indicating the general seed coat membrane stability of wheat seeds. However, absolute conductivity values were higher for HD 2009. showing its relatively porous seed coat membrane. Significantly lower area enclosed by the desorption-absorption isotherm loop in HDR 77, as compared to HD 2009 also indicated the greater membrane integrity of HDR 77. Germination and seedling vigour of HD 2009 were reduced when equilibrated over very low and very high RH. In contrast, germination and vigour in HDR 77 were maintained high, except at very high RH, indicating again its desiccation tolerance. Thus, the study demonstrated the relative drought tolerance of HDR 77, on the basis of seed water-binding characteristics and seed membrane stability. Seed membrane stability as measured by seed leachate conductivity or as area under dehydration-rehydration loop may be used as a preliminary screening test for drought tolerance in wheat.

Effect of some Evaporation Matters on Storability of Sunflower ( Helianthus annuus L.) Seed.

PubMed

El-Saidy, Aml E A; El-Hai, K M Abd

This study focuses on finding compounds that are safe to humans and environment, such as propionic and acetic acids that may provide an alternative control of seed-borne pathogens and decrease seed deterioration during storage. The objectives of this study were to reduce sunflower seed deterioration and improve the viability of sunflower seed using environmentally safe organic acids. Propionic and acetic acids were applied on sunflower seed at different concentrations under laboratory conditions during different storage periods. After 6 months storage period, the viability of sunflower seed as well as morphological and physiological characteristics of seedlings were evaluated under greenhouse conditions. Laboratory experiment was conducted in a factorial completely randomized design and randomized complete block design for greenhouse experiment. Propionic and acetic acids at different concentrations showed inhibitory effects on the presence of different fungal genera in all storage periods. Propionic acid was most effective followed by acetic acid. Increasing storage periods from 0-6 months significantly decreased germination percentage, germination energy, seedling characters, survived healthy seedlings and seed oil and protein percentages but dead and rotted seeds, as well as rotted seedlings were increased. Treating sunflower seeds with propionic acid (100%) improved germination criteria, seedling characters and seed chemical characters as well as survival seedlings and minimized the dead seeds, rotted seeds and rotted seedlings as compared with the control under all storage periods. Under greenhouse conditions, the maximum growth parameter and physiological characters (chlorophylls a, b, carotenoids and total phenols) were recorded from seed treated with 100% propionic acid after 6 months of storage. It may be concluded that propionic and acetic acids vapors can have considerable fungicidal activity against sunflower pathogens and improve seed viability. Therefore, it is recommended using 100% propionic acid to reduce deterioration and seed-borne pathogens of sunflower under storage conditions.

EFFECTS OF COLD STRATIFICATION AND GA3 ON GERMINATION OF ARBUTUS UNEDO SEEDS OF THREE PROVENANCES.

PubMed

Pipinis, Elias; Stampoulidis, Athanasios; Milios, Elias; Kitikidou, Kyriaki; Radoglou, Kalliopi

2017-01-01

Arbutus unedo is a valuable Mediterranean shrub as an ornamental plant as well as fruit tree. Fresh fruits of A. unedo are a good source of antioxidants, of vitamins C, E and carotenoids and also are characterized by the high content of mineral elements. The effects of gibberellic acid (GA 3 ) and cold stratification (CS) on seed germination performance were investigated in A. unedo seeds collected from three provenances in the Northern part of Greece. Seeds of each provenance were soaked in solutions of GA 3 (500, 1000 or 2000 ppm) for 24 h and subsequently were subjected to CS at 3 - 5°C for 0, 1, 2, and 3 months. Non-stratified seeds of the three A. unedo provenances which were not treated with GA 3 solutions exhibited very low germination. However, seed germination was significantly improved after a one-month period of CS. Similarly, the non-stratified seeds of all three provenances became non-dormant after the treatment with 2000 ppm GA 3 and they germinated at high percentages. However, in untreated seeds with GA3, after a one-month CS period the seeds of the Pieria provenance exhibited higher germination percentage than that of Rodopi provenance seeds. Furthermore, in non-stratified seeds, the Pieria provenance seeds treated with GA3 germinated at higher percentages and more rapidly than those of the other two provenances. The results indicated that untreated seeds exhibited very low germination at 20/25°C. However, in all three provenances seed germinability was significantly improved by a one-month period of CS or treatment of seeds with 2000 ppm GA3. Furthermore, there was a considerable variability among seed provenances in response to the treatments which were applied.

Intraoperative 3D Navigation for Single or Multiple 125I-Seed Localization in Breast-Preserving Cancer Surgery.

PubMed

Pouw, Bas; de Wit-van der Veen, Linda J; van Duijnhoven, Frederieke; Rutgers, Emiel J Th; Stokkel, Marcel P M; Valdés Olmos, Renato A; Vrancken Peeters, Marie-Jeanne T F D

2016-05-01

Mammographic screening has led to the identification of more women with nonpalpable breast cancer, many of them to be treated with breast-preserving surgery. To accomplish radical tumor excision, adequate localization techniques such as radioactive seed localization (RSL) are required. For RSL, a radioactive I-seed is implanted central in the tumor to enable intraoperative localization using a γ-probe. In case of extensive tumor or multifocal carcinoma, multiple I-seeds can be used to delineate the involved area. Preoperative imaging is performed different from surgical positioning; therefore, exact I-seed depth remains unknown during surgery. Twenty patients (mean age, 56.8 years) with 25 implanted I-seeds scheduled for RSL were included. Sixteen patients had 1 I-seed implanted in the primary lesion, 3 patients had 2 I-seeds, and 1 patient had 3 I-seeds. Freehand SPECT localized I-seeds by measuring γ-counts from different directions, all registered by an optical tracking system. A reconstruction and visualization algorithm enabled 3-dimensional (3D) navigation toward the I-seeds. Freehand SPECT visualized all I-seeds in primary tumors and provided preincision depth information. The deviation, mean (SD), between the freehand SPECT depth and the surgical depth estimation was 1.9 (2.1) mm (range, 0-7 mm). Three-dimensional freehand SPECT was especially useful identifying multiple implanted I-seeds because the conventional γ-probe has more difficulty discriminating I-seeds transcutaneous. Freehand SPECT with 3D navigation is a valuable tool in RSL for both single and multiple implanted I-seeds in breast-preserving cancer surgery. Freehand SPECT provides continuous updating 3D imaging with information about depth and location of the I-seeds contributing to adequate excision of nonpalpable breast cancer.

Seed colour affects light and temperature requirements during germination in two Lotus species (Fabaceae) of the Arabian subtropical deserts.

PubMed

Bhatt, Arvind; Gairola, Sanjay; El-Keblawy, Ali A

2016-06-01

Heterogeneity in seeds mostly occurs due to physiological, environmental and genetic factors, and these could affect seed dormancy and germination. Therefore, the aim of our study was to assess the effect of seed colour on germination behavior. For this, both light and temperature requirements were assessed in Lotus glinoides and Lotus halophilus (Fabaceae) from the hyper-arid deserts of the United Arab Emirates. Germination was assessed in terms of both final germination level (percentage) and germination rate, as expressed by Timson’s germination velocity index. Lotus glinoides produces black and yellow-colored seeds, and L. halophilus produces green and yellow seeds. Different seed lots were germinated in both light and darkness at different temperatures. Yellow seeds of the two species attained significantly lower germination, compared to black and green seeds. There was no specific light or temperature requirements for the germination of the two coloured seeds of L. glinoides; the effect of interactions between seed colour and both light and incubation temperature, were not significant on the final germination percentage. In L. halophilus, green seeds germinated significantly more in both light and darkness at lower temperatures (15/25 °C) and in light at higher temperatures (25/35 °C), compared to yellow seeds. Yellow seeds germinated faster, compared to black at 15/25 °C in L. glinoides and compared to green seeds at 15/25 °C and 25/35 °C in L. halophilus. Seed colour variation, at least in L. halophilus, could be a survival strategy that would determine the time of germination throughout the year in the unpredictable desert environment.

Variation in Weed Seed Fate Fed to Different Holstein Cattle Groups.

PubMed

Rahimi, Salman; Mashhadi, Hamid Rahimian; Banadaky, Mehdi Dehghan; Mesgaran, Mohsen Beheshtian

2016-01-01

Weed seeds may maintain their viability when passing through the digestive tract of cattle and can be therefore dispersed by animal movement or the application of manure. Whether different cattle types of the same species can cause differential weed seed fate is largely unknown to us particularly under non-grazed systems similar to Holstein-Friesian dairy farming. We investigated the effect on the seed survival of four weed species in the digestive tracts of four groups of Holstein cattle: lactating cows, feedlot male calves, dry cows and growing heifers. The weed species used were Cuscuta campestris, Polygonum aviculare, Rumex crispus and Sorghum halepense. Cattle excretion was sampled for recovery and viability of seeds at four 24 hourly intervals after seed intake. The highest seed recovery occurred two days after seed intake in all cattle groups. Averaged over weed species, dry and lactating cows had the lowest and highest seed recovery of 36.4% and 74.4% respectively. No significant differences were observed in seed recovery of the four weed species when their seeds were fed to dry cows. Based on a power model fitted to seed viability data, the estimated time to 50% viability loss after seed intake, over all cattle groups ranged from 65 h (R. crispus) to 76 h (P. aviculare). Recovered seeds from the dung of feedlot male calves showed the highest mortality among cattle groups. Significant correlation was found between seed viability and ruminal pH (r = 0.86; P<0.05). This study shows that management programs aiming to minimize weed infestation caused by livestock should account for the variation amongst cattle groups in seed persistence. Our findings can be used as a guideline for evaluating the potential risk of the spread of weeds via the application of cattle manure.

Interaction between parental environment and genotype affects plant and seed performance in Arabidopsis.

PubMed

He, Hanzi; de Souza Vidigal, Deborah; Snoek, L Basten; Schnabel, Sabine; Nijveen, Harm; Hilhorst, Henk; Bentsink, Leónie

2014-12-01

Seed performance after dispersal is highly dependent on parental environmental cues, especially during seed formation and maturation. Here we examine which environmental factors are the most dominant in this respect and whether their effects are dependent on the genotypes under investigation. We studied the influence of light intensity, photoperiod, temperature, nitrate, and phosphate during seed development on five plant attributes and thirteen seed attributes, using 12 Arabidopsis genotypes that have been reported to be affected in seed traits. As expected, the various environments during seed development resulted in changed plant and/or seed performances. Comparative analysis clearly indicated that, overall, temperature plays the most dominant role in both plant and seed performance, whereas light has a prominent impact on plant traits. In comparison to temperature and light, nitrate mildly affected some of the plant and seed traits while phosphate had even less influence on those traits. Moreover, clear genotype-by-environment interactions were identified. This was shown by the fact that individual genotypes responded differentially to the environmental conditions. Low temperature significantly increased seed dormancy and decreased seed longevity of NILDOG1 and cyp707a1-1, whereas low light intensity increased seed dormancy and decreased seed longevity of NILDOG3 and NILDOG6. This also indicates that different genetic and molecular pathways are involved in the plant and seed responses. By identifying environmental conditions that affect the dormancy vs longevity correlation in the same way as previously identified naturally occurring loci, we have identified selective forces that probably shaped evolution for these important seed traits. © The Author 2014. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society for Experimental Biology.

Standardized Method for High-throughput Sterilization of Arabidopsis Seeds.

PubMed

Lindsey, Benson E; Rivero, Luz; Calhoun, Chistopher S; Grotewold, Erich; Brkljacic, Jelena

2017-10-17

Arabidopsis thaliana (Arabidopsis) seedlings often need to be grown on sterile media. This requires prior seed sterilization to prevent the growth of microbial contaminants present on the seed surface. Currently, Arabidopsis seeds are sterilized using two distinct sterilization techniques in conditions that differ slightly between labs and have not been standardized, often resulting in only partially effective sterilization or in excessive seed mortality. Most of these methods are also not easily scalable to a large number of seed lines of diverse genotypes. As technologies for high-throughput analysis of Arabidopsis continue to proliferate, standardized techniques for sterilizing large numbers of seeds of different genotypes are becoming essential for conducting these types of experiments. The response of a number of Arabidopsis lines to two different sterilization techniques was evaluated based on seed germination rate and the level of seed contamination with microbes and other pathogens. The treatments included different concentrations of sterilizing agents and times of exposure, combined to determine optimal conditions for Arabidopsis seed sterilization. Optimized protocols have been developed for two different sterilization methods: bleach (liquid-phase) and chlorine (Cl2) gas (vapor-phase), both resulting in high seed germination rates and minimal microbial contamination. The utility of these protocols was illustrated through the testing of both wild type and mutant seeds with a range of germination potentials. Our results show that seeds can be effectively sterilized using either method without excessive seed mortality, although detrimental effects of sterilization were observed for seeds with lower than optimal germination potential. In addition, an equation was developed to enable researchers to apply the standardized chlorine gas sterilization conditions to airtight containers of different sizes. The protocols described here allow easy, efficient, and inexpensive seed sterilization for a large number of Arabidopsis lines.

Standardized Method for High-throughput Sterilization of Arabidopsis Seeds

PubMed Central

Calhoun, Chistopher S.; Grotewold, Erich; Brkljacic, Jelena

2017-01-01

Arabidopsis thaliana (Arabidopsis) seedlings often need to be grown on sterile media. This requires prior seed sterilization to prevent the growth of microbial contaminants present on the seed surface. Currently, Arabidopsis seeds are sterilized using two distinct sterilization techniques in conditions that differ slightly between labs and have not been standardized, often resulting in only partially effective sterilization or in excessive seed mortality. Most of these methods are also not easily scalable to a large number of seed lines of diverse genotypes. As technologies for high-throughput analysis of Arabidopsis continue to proliferate, standardized techniques for sterilizing large numbers of seeds of different genotypes are becoming essential for conducting these types of experiments. The response of a number of Arabidopsis lines to two different sterilization techniques was evaluated based on seed germination rate and the level of seed contamination with microbes and other pathogens. The treatments included different concentrations of sterilizing agents and times of exposure, combined to determine optimal conditions for Arabidopsis seed sterilization. Optimized protocols have been developed for two different sterilization methods: bleach (liquid-phase) and chlorine (Cl2) gas (vapor-phase), both resulting in high seed germination rates and minimal microbial contamination. The utility of these protocols was illustrated through the testing of both wild type and mutant seeds with a range of germination potentials. Our results show that seeds can be effectively sterilized using either method without excessive seed mortality, although detrimental effects of sterilization were observed for seeds with lower than optimal germination potential. In addition, an equation was developed to enable researchers to apply the standardized chlorine gas sterilization conditions to airtight containers of different sizes. The protocols described here allow easy, efficient, and inexpensive seed sterilization for a large number of Arabidopsis lines. PMID:29155739

Expression of TaCYP78A3, a gene encoding cytochrome P450 CYP78A3 protein in wheat (Triticum aestivum L.), affects seed size.

PubMed

Ma, Meng; Wang, Qian; Li, Zhanjie; Cheng, Huihui; Li, Zhaojie; Liu, Xiangli; Song, Weining; Appels, Rudi; Zhao, Huixian

2015-07-01

Several studies have described quantitative trait loci (QTL) for seed size in wheat, but the relevant genes and molecular mechanisms remain largely unknown. Here we report the functional characterization of the wheat TaCYP78A3 gene and its effect on seed size. TaCYP78A3 encoded wheat cytochrome P450 CYP78A3, and was specifically expressed in wheat reproductive organs. TaCYP78A3 activity was positively correlated with the final seed size. Its silencing caused a reduction of cell number in the seed coat, resulting in an 11% decrease in wheat seed size, whereas TaCYP78A3 over-expression induced production of more cells in the seed coat, leading to an 11-48% increase in Arabidopsis seed size. In addition, the cell number in the final seed coat was determined by the TaCYP78A3 expression level, which affected the extent of integument cell proliferation in the developing ovule and seed. Unfortunately, TaCYP78A3 over-expression in Arabidopsis caused a reduced seed set due to an ovule developmental defect. Moreover, TaCYP78A3 over-expression affected embryo development by promoting embryo integument cell proliferation during seed development, which also ultimately affected the final seed size in Arabidopsis. In summary, our results indicated that TaCYP78A3 plays critical roles in influencing seed size by affecting the extent of integument cell proliferation. The present study provides direct evidence that TaCYP78A3 affects seed size in wheat, and contributes to an understanding of the cellular basis of the gene influencing seed development. © 2015 The Authors The Plant Journal © 2015 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Corridors cause differential seed predation.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Orrock, John L.; Damschen, Ellen I.

2005-06-01

Orrock, John, L., and Ellen I. Damschen. 2005. Corridors cause differential seed predation. Ecol. Apps. 15(3):793-798. Abstract. Corridors that connect disjunct populations are heavily debated in conservation, largely because the effects of corridors have rarely been evaluated by replicated, large-scale studies. Using large-scale experimental landscapes, we found that, in addition to documented positive effects, corridors also have negative impacts on bird-dispersed plants by affecting seed predation, and that overall predation is a function of the seeds primary consumer (rodents or arthropods). Both large-seeded Prunus serotina and small-seeded Rubus allegheniensis experienced greater predation in connected patches. However, P. serotina experienced significantlymore » less seed predation compared to R. allegheniensis in unconnected patches, due to decreased impacts of rodent seed predators on this large-seeded species. Viewed in light of previous evidence that corridors have beneficial impacts by increasing pollination and seed dispersal, this work demonstrates that corridors may have both positive and negative effects for the same plant species at different life stages. Moreover, these effects may differentially affect plant species within the same community: seeds primarily consumed by rodents suffer less predation in unconnected patches. By shifting the impact of rodent and arthropod seed predators, corridors constructed for plant conservation could lead to shifts in the seed bank.« less

Invasive Australian Acacia seed banks: Size and relationship with stem diameter in the presence of gall-forming biological control agents.

PubMed

Strydom, Matthys; Veldtman, Ruan; Ngwenya, Mzabalazo Z; Esler, Karen J

2017-01-01

Australian Acacia are invasive in many parts of the world. Despite significant mechanical and biological efforts to control their invasion and spread, soil-stored seed banks prevent their effective and sustained removal. In response South Africa has had a strong focus on employing seed reducing biological control agents to deal with Australian Acacia invasion, a programme that is considered as being successful. To provide a predictive understanding for their management, seed banks of four invasive Australian acacia species (Acacia longifolia, A. mearnsii, A. pycnantha and A. saligna) were studied in the Western Cape of South Africa. Across six to seven sites for each species, seed bank sizes were estimated from dense, monospecific stands by collecting 30 litter and soil samples. Average estimated seed bank size was large (1017 to 17261 seed m-2) as was annual input into the seed bank, suggesting that these seed banks are not residual but are replenished in size annually. A clear relationship between seed bank size and stem diameter was established indicating that mechanical clearing should be conducted shortly after fire-stimulated recruitment events or within old populations when seed banks are small. In dense, monospecific stands seed-feeding biological control agents are not effective in reducing seed bank size.

Towards a better monitoring of seed ageing under ex situ seed conservation

PubMed Central

Fu, Yong-Bi; Ahmed, Zaheer; Diederichsen, Axel

2015-01-01

Long-term conservation of 7.4 million ex situ seed accessions held in agricultural genebanks and botanic gardens worldwide is a challenging mission for human food security and ecosystem services. Recent advances in seed biology and genomics may have opened new opportunities for effective management of seed germplasm under long-term storage. Here, we review the current development of tools for assessing seed ageing and research advances in seed biology and genomics, with a focus on exploring their potential as better tools for monitoring of seed ageing. Seed ageing is found to be associated with the changes reflected in reactive oxygen species and mitochondria-triggered programmed cell deaths, expression of antioxidative genes and DNA and protein repair genes, chromosome telomere lengths, epigenetic regulation of related genes (microRNA and methylation) and altered organelle and nuclear genomes. Among these changes, the signals from mitochondrial and nuclear genomes may show the most promise for use in the development of tools to predict seed ageing. Non-destructive and non-invasive analyses of stored seeds through calorimetry or imaging techniques are also promising. It is clear that research into developing advanced tools for monitoring seed ageing to supplement traditional germination tests will be fruitful for effective conservation of ex situ seed germplasm. PMID:27293711

Volatile fingerprint of Brazilian defective coffee seeds: corroboration of potential marker compounds and identification of new low quality indicators.

PubMed

Toci, Aline T; Farah, Adriana

2014-06-15

In the present work, the volatile profiles of green and roasted Brazilian defective coffee seeds and their controls were characterised, totalling 159 compounds. Overall, defective seeds showed higher number and concentration of volatile compounds compared to those of control seeds, especially pyrazines, pyrroles and phenols. Corroborating our previous results, butyrolactone and hexanoic acid, previously considered as potential defective seeds' markers, were observed only in raw and roasted defective seeds, respectively, and not in control seeds. New compounds were suggested as potential defective seeds' markers: hexanoic acid (for raw and roasted defective seeds in general), butyrolactone (for raw defective seeds in general), and 3-ethyl-2-methyl-1,3-hexadiene (for raw black seeds); β-linalool and 2-butyl-3,5-dimethylpyrazine (for roasted defective seeds in general), and 2-pentylfuran (for roasted black seeds). Additional compounds suggested as low quality indicators were 2,3,5,6-tetramethylpyrazine,2,3-butanediol and 4-ethylguaiacol, β-linalool, 2-,3-dimethylbutyl butanoate, 2-phenylethyl acetate, 2,3-butanedione, hexanedioic acid, guaiacol, 2,3-dihydro-2-methyl-1H-benzopyrrol, 3-methylpiperidine, 2-pentylpiperidine, 3-octen-2-one, 2-octenal, 2-pentylfuran and 2-butyl-3-methylpyrazine. Copyright © 2014. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Testing the capacity of clothing to act as a vector for non-native seed in protected areas.

PubMed

Mount, Ann; Pickering, Catherine Marina

2009-10-01

Although humans are a major mechanism for short and long distance seed dispersal, there is limited research testing clothing as a vector. The effect of different types of material (sports vs hiking socks), or different items of clothing (boots, socks, laces vs legs) or the same item (socks) worn in different places on seed composition were assessed in Kosciuszko National Park, Australia. Data was analyzed using Repeated Measures ANOVA, independent and paired t-tests, Multi-dimensional Scaling Ordinations and Analysis of Similarity. A total of 24,776 seeds from 70 taxa were collected from the 207 pieces of clothing sampled, with seed identified from 31 native and 19 non-native species. Socks worn off-track collected more native seeds while those worn on roadsides collected more non-native seeds. Sports socks collected a greater diversity of seeds and more native seeds than hiking socks. Boots, uncovered socks and laces collect more seeds than covered socks and laces, resulting in 17% fewer seeds collected when wearing trousers. With seeds from over 179 species (134 recognized weeds) collected on clothing in this, and nine other studies, it is clear that clothing contributes to unintended human mediated seed dispersal, including for many invasive species.

A comparison of seed banks across a sand dune successional gradient at Lake Michigan dunes (Indiana, USA)

USGS Publications Warehouse

Leicht-Young, S. A.; Pavlovic, N.B.; Grundel, R.; Frohnapple, K.J.

2009-01-01

In habitats where disturbance is frequent, seed banks are important for the regeneration of vegetation. Sand dune systems are dynamic habitats in which sand movement provides intermittent disturbance. As succession proceeds from bare sand to forest, the disturbance decreases. At Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore, we examined the seed banks of three habitat types across a successional gradient: foredunes, secondary dunes, and oak savanna. There were differences among the types of species that germinated from each of the habitats. The mean seed bank density increased across the successional gradient by habitat, from 376 to 433 to 968 seeds m-2, but with foredune and secondary dune seed bank densities being significantly lower than the savanna seed bank density. The number of seeds germinated was significantly correlated with soil organic carbon, demonstrating for this primary successional sequence that seed density increases with stage and age. The seed bank had much lower species richness than that of the aboveground vegetation across all habitats. Among sites within a habitat type, the similarity of species germinated from the seed banks was very low, illustrating the variability of the seed bank even in similar habitat types. These results suggest that restoration of these habitats cannot rely on seed banks alone. ?? 2008 Springer Science+Business Media B.V.

Predicting seed dispersal using a Lagrangian Stochastic Model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hsieh, C. I.; Chen, C. W.; Su, M. D.

2017-12-01

Migration and expansion of a plant species are determined by longdistance dispersion (LDD). A more sophisticated mechanical dispersion model is needed for mimicking LDD of wind-driven seeds. This study simulated seed dispersion trajectories in canopy turbulence by using the Lagrangian stochastic dispersion model under varying atmospheric stabilities in conjunction with the effects of turbulent kinetic energy dissipation rate intermittency. The effects of friction velocity, seed release height, and seed terminal velocity were also studied. The results showed that both the unstable atmosphere and the inclusion of the dissipation rate intermittency in the model could increase seeds' LDD. The number of seeds that escape the canopy volume by dissipation intermittency is increased under unstable atmospheric conditions. As a result, more seeds can be transported a further distance. When dissipation intermittency is included under astrong unstable atmosphere, the peak location of dispersal kernel tends to be closer to the source. Contrasting this, under both neutral and stable conditions when LDD of both are similar, the peak location will be further away from the source. However higher friction velocity, higher seed release height, and lower seed terminal velocity will all increase the LDD of seeds irregardless of atmospheric conditions. The change of LDD due to change in friction velocity, seed release height, or the seed terminal velocity, would be heightened under unstable conditions

Free and Conjugated Indole-3-Acetic Acid in Developing Bean Seeds 1

PubMed Central

Bialek, Krystyna; Cohen, Jerry D.

1989-01-01

The changes in conjugated indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) levels compared to the levels of free IAA have been analyzed during the development of bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) seed using quantitative mass spectrometry. Free and ester-linked IAA levels are both relatively high in the early stages of seed development but drop during seed maturation. Concomitantly, the amide-linked IAA becomes the major form of IAA present as the seed matures. In fully mature seed, amide IAA accounts for 80% of the total IAA. The total IAA pool in the seed is maintained at approximately the same level (150-170 nanograms/seed) once the level of free IAA has attained its maximum. Thus, the amount of amide IAA conjugates that accumulate in mature seed is closely related to the amounts of free and ester-linked IAA that disappeared from the rapidly growing seed. Analysis of developing bean pods, from which the seeds were taken for analysis, showed very low levels of both ester and amide-linked IAA conjugates. The pattern of changes seen in the levels of free and conjugated IAA in developing bean seed supports our prior hypothesis suggesting a role of IAA conjugates in the storage of the phytohormone in the seed. PMID:16667099

Seed banks in a degraded desert shrubland: Influence of soil surface condition and harvester ant activity on seed abundance

USGS Publications Warehouse

DeFalco, L.A.; Esque, T.C.; Kane, J.M.; Nicklas, M.B.

2009-01-01

We compared seed banks between two contrasting anthropogenic surface disturbances (compacted, trenched) and adjacent undisturbed controls to determine whether site condition influences viable seed densities of perennial and annual Mojave Desert species. Viable seeds of perennials were rare in undisturbed areas (3-4 seeds/m2) and declined to <1 seed/m2 within disturbed sites. Annual seed densities were an order of magnitude greater than those of perennials, were one-third the undisturbed seed densities on compacted sites, but doubled on trenched sites relative to controls. On trenched sites, greater litter cover comprising the infructescences of the dominant spring annuals, and low gravel content, enhanced seed densities of both annuals and perennials. Litter cover and surface ruggedness were the best explanations for viable perennial seed densities on compacted sites, but litter cover and the presence of a common harvester ant explained annual seed densities better than any other surface characteristics that were examined. Surface disturbances can have a varied impact on the condition of the soil surface in arid lands. Nevertheless, the consistently positive relationship between ground cover of litter and viable seed density emphasizes the importance of litter as an indicator of site degradation and recovery potential in arid lands.

Producing the target seed: Seed collection, treatment, and storage

Treesearch

Robert P. Karrfalt

2011-01-01

The role of high quality seeds in producing target seedlings is reviewed. Basic seed handling and upgrading techniques are summarized. Current advances in seed science and technology as well as those on the horizon are discussed.

Continued results of the seeds in space experiment

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Alston, Jim A.

1992-01-01

Two million seeds of 120 different varieties representing 106 species, 97 genera, and 55 plant families were flown aboard the Long Duration Exposure Facility (LDEF). The seeds were housed on the Space Exposed Experiment Developed for Students (SEEDS) tray in the sealed canister number 6 and in two small vented canisters. The seeds were germinated and the germination rates and development of the resulting plants compared to the control seed that stayed in the storage facility. There was a better survival rate in the sealed canister in space than in the storage facility. At least some of the seed in the vented canisters survived the exposure to vacuum for almost six years. The number of observed mutations was very low. In the initial testing, the small seeded crops were not grown to maturity to check for mutation and obtain a second generation seed. These small seeded crops are now being grown for evaluation.

Identification of a characteristic antioxidant, anthrasesamone F, in black sesame seeds and its accumulation at different seed developmental stages.

PubMed

Furumoto, Toshio; Nishimoto, Kiyoshi

2016-01-01

Assay-guided fractionation of the methanol extract from black seeds of sesame (Sesamum indicum L.) led to the isolation of an active compound that had a 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl radical scavenging activity. This antioxidant was confirmed to be anthrasesamone F, an anthraquinone derivative previously isolated from different black sesame seeds and biogenetically related to other anthrasesamones in sesame roots. The radical scavenging assay showed that anthrasesamone F had more potent activity than Trolox. The content of anthrasesamone F in different parts and at different developmental stages of black sesame seeds was investigated to clarify the accumulation pattern of this antioxidant in the black seeds. Anthrasesamone F was localized in the seed coat of black seeds and accumulated after the seed coat color changed to black. The content of anthrasesamone F increased gradually with seed maturation and drastically on air-drying, the final stage in sesame cultivation.

Diplochory in western chokecherry: you can't judge a fruit by its mesocarp.

PubMed

Beck, Maurie J; Vander Wall, Stephen B

2011-01-01

Western chokecherry (Prunus virginiana var. demissa, Rosaceae) is dispersed by frugivorous birds and carnivores, but it has large seeds that are potentially attractive to rodents that could act as seed predators and dispersers. Here, we quantify the benefits of primary dispersal by birds and secondary dispersal by scatter-hoarding rodents. In the fall, avian frugivores (mostly American robins, Turdus migratorius, and cedar waxwings, Bombycilla cedrorum) consumed 87% of the fruit crop and dispersed 67% of the fruit crop away from parent plants. Rodents removed 89% of seeds that simulated bird-dispersed seed rain from transects in riparian zones and 58% from transects in upland habitats. Rodents scatter-hoarded 91.6% of the seeds they removed, burying most in small caches (two to eight seeds) 8-25 mm deep. About 39% of the seeds in spring caches produced seedlings. Inside rodent-proof exclosures, 52.1% of seeds buried to simulate rodent caches produced seedlings, 29.7% of which were still alive after 1 year. In contrast, only 3.8% of seeds placed on the soil surface, simulating dispersal by avian frugivores, produced seedlings. Seed dispersal by frugivorous birds likely contributes to colonization of unoccupied habitat through long-range dispersal and to escape from distance-dependent seed mortality near the parent plant. Despite seed losses, rodents offer short-range seed dispersal and bury seeds in more favorable sites for germination, improving seedling emergence and establishment. The combined mechanisms of seed dispersal significantly enhanced chokecherry seedling recruitment by providing more dispersal-related benefits than either frugivorous bird or scatter-hoarding rodents could provide alone.

Analysis of how ant behaviors affect germination in a tropical myrmecochore Calathea microcephala (P. & E.) Koernicke (Marantaceae): Microsite selection and aril removal by neotropical ants, Odontomachus, Pachycondyla, and Solenopsis (Formicidae).

PubMed

Horvitz, C C

1981-10-01

The evolutionary effects of a tropical ant-seed interaction are examined by posing questions about the fate of Calathea seeds carried by neotropical ants. Where do ants take seeds and what do they do with them? How do ant behaviors affect seed germination? Treatment of seeds by ants is determined by a series of seed-fate trials in captive colonies. There is no evidence of seed predation by ants. Odontomachus laticeps, Pachycondyla spp, and Solenopsis geminata rapidly displace seeds to ant nests, determine the microsites of seeds, and remove the seed arils for food. The seed arils are rich in lipids. The effects on germination of microsite selection and aril removal are quantitatively evaluated. Seeds which are immediately taken to a consistently moist spot germinate readily; 72% germinate, with a mean germination speed of 29 days. For such seeds aril removal does not significantly affect germination. In contrast, seeds which experience a delay before encountering appropriate germination conditions seem to exhibit an induced dormancy (sensu, Harper 1977) and a lower germination percentage. They take longer to germinate (up to 85 days) even after conditions become appropriate. It appears that their germination is enhanced by aril removal, which may act as an environmental cue to break dormancy. Such a mechanism would indicate that ant-handling of seeds is predictive of favorable conditions for seedling growth and establishment. The exact nature of such conditions and the effects on plant population dynamics remain to be seen.

The role of dung beetles as a secondary seed disperser after dispersal by frugivore mammals in a temperate deciduous forest

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Koike, Shinsuke; Morimoto, Hideto; Kozakai, Chinatsu; Arimoto, Isao; Soga, Masashi; Yamazaki, Koji; Koganezawa, Masaaki

2012-05-01

We studied the effects of dung beetles on the fates of endozoochorous seeds of five species (Prunus jamasakura, Prunus verecunda, Prunus grayana, Swida controversa, and Vitis coignetiae) in a temperate deciduous forest in Japan during 2004-2006. In field experiments using dung of the Asiatic black bear (Ursus thibetanus), we investigated the depths that dung beetles (Onthophagus atripennis, Onthophagus lenzii, and Phelotrupes auratus) buried seeds (4.8-6.8 mm diameter) and plastic markers (2 or 5 mm diameter), the levels of predation on buried and unburied seeds, and germination rates of seeds buried to different depths. All three species buried the 2-mm markers, but only P. auratus buried the seeds and 5-mm markers. There were seasonal differences in mean seed burial rates (range, 27-51%) and depths (range, 1-27 mm). Significantly more seeds were buried in June, July, and September than in August or October, and the mean burial depth was significantly deeper in June and July. Most seeds and markers were buried to a 3-6 cm depth. Germination of seeds that were positioned at depths of 1-4 cm was significantly greater than that of seeds left on the surface or buried at greater depths. Buried seeds were less likely to disappear than seeds at the surface, which may reflect differential predation. These results suggested that dung beetles, especially P. auratus, acted as a secondary seed disperser that affected the survival and distribution of seeds dispersed by a frugivore.

Dose-dependent effects of higher methionine levels on the transcriptome and metabolome of transgenic Arabidopsis seeds.

PubMed

Cohen, Hagai; Amir, Rachel

2017-05-01

Higher methionine levels in transgenic Arabidopsis seeds trigger the accumulation of stress-related transcripts and primary metabolites. These responses depend on the levels of methionine within seeds. Methionine, a sulfur-containing amino acid, is a key metabolite in plant cells. To reveal the regulatory role of the Arabidopsis thaliana CYSTATHIONINE γ-SYNTHASE (AtCGS), methionine main regulatory enzyme, in the synthesis of methionine in seeds, we generated transgenic RNAi seeds with targeted repression of AtCGS during late developmental stages of seeds. Unexpectedly, these seeds accumulated 2.5-fold more methionine than wild-type seeds. To study the nature of these seeds, transcriptomic and primary metabolite profiling were employed using Affymetrix ATH1 microarray and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry analyses, respectively. The results were compared to transgenic Arabidopsis seeds expressing a feedback-insensitive form of AtCGS (named SSE-AtD-CGS) that were previously showed to accumulate up to sixfold more soluble methionine than wild-type seeds. Statistical assessments showed that the nature of transcriptomic and metabolic changes that occurred in RNAi::AtCGS seeds were relatively similar, but to lesser extents, to those previously reported for SSE-AtD-CGS seeds, and linked to the induction of global transcriptomic and metabolic responses associated with stronger desiccation stress. As transgenic seeds obtained by both manipulations exhibited higher, but different methionine levels, the data strongly suggest that these changes depend on the absolute amounts of methionine within seeds and much less to the expression level of AtCGS.

Frugivory and the effects of ingestion by bats on the seed germination of three pioneering plants

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

de Carvalho-Ricardo, Maria C.; Uieda, Wilson; Fonseca, Renata Cristina B.; Rossi, Marcelo N.

2014-02-01

The dispersion and seedling establishment of pioneering plants can be favoured by the presence of frugivorous bats because the bats usually improve seed germination after ingestion. Although seed germinability is known to vary greatly after ingestion by different bats, the relative contribution of each bat species to seed germination within plant communities is poorly understood. In this study, we first determined the fauna of frugivorous bats in a semideciduous seasonal forest remnant in southern Brazil and subsequently identified the plant species of the seeds passed through their guts. Second, the germination performance (i.e., germination percentage and speed) of the seeds of three pioneering plants (Piper aduncum, Piper hispidinervum and Solanum granuloso-leprosum) ingested by the most abundant bats was compared with that of the non-ingested seeds (seeds collected from fruits). Additionally, the effects on seed germination of different bat species were compared. During one year, five species of frugivorous bats were caught, and the seeds of eleven identifiable plant species (not counting those of undetermined species) were found in their faeces. We found that the germination performance of the seeds of Piper species was significantly enhanced after ingestion by bats, whereas S. granuloso-leprosum seeds had neutral or reduced germinability when seeds in faeces were compared with pulp-removed seeds. Our results revealed that the bat species that were captured exerted different effects upon seed germination; such a disparity is expected to result in different rates of early establishment of these pioneer plants in tropical forests, most likely affecting forest composition and structure, particularly during the initial stages of succession.

Determination of Seed Soundness in Conifers Cryptomeria japonica and Chamaecyparis obtusa Using Narrow-Multiband Spectral Imaging in the Short-Wavelength Infrared Range

PubMed Central

Matsuda, Osamu; Hara, Masashi; Tobita, Hiroyuki; Yazaki, Kenichi; Nakagawa, Toshinori; Shimizu, Kuniyoshi; Uemura, Akira; Utsugi, Hajime

2015-01-01

Regeneration of planted forests of Cryptomeria japonica (sugi) and Chamaecyparis obtuse (hinoki) is the pressing importance to the forest administration in Japan. Low seed germination rate of these species, however, has hampered low-cost production of their seedlings for reforestation. The primary cause of the low germinability has been attributed to highly frequent formation of anatomically unsound seeds, which are indistinguishable from sound germinable seeds by visible observation and other common criteria such as size and weight. To establish a method for sound seed selection in these species, hyperspectral imaging technique was used to identify a wavelength range where reflectance spectra differ clearly between sound and unsound seeds. In sound seeds of both species, reflectance in a narrow waveband centered at 1,730 nm, corresponding to a lipid absorption band in the short-wavelength infrared (SWIR) range, was greatly depressed relative to that in adjacent wavebands on either side. Such depression was absent or less prominent in unsound seeds. Based on these observations, a reflectance index SQI, abbreviated for seed quality index, was formulated using reflectance at three narrow SWIR wavebands so that it represents the extent of the depression. SQI calculated from seed area-averaged reflectance spectra and spatial distribution patterns of pixelwise SQI within each seed area were both proven as reliable criteria for sound seed selection. Enrichment of sound seeds was accompanied by an increase in germination rate of the seed lot. Thus, the methods described are readily applicable toward low-cost seedling production in combination with single seed sowing technology. PMID:26083366

Triacylglycerol phase and 'intermediate' seed storage physiology: a study of Cuphea carthagenensis.

PubMed

Crane, Jennifer; Kovach, David; Gardner, Candice; Walters, Christina

2006-04-01

Seeds with 'intermediate' storage physiology store poorly under cold and dry conditions. We tested whether the poor shelf life can be attributed to triacylglycerol phase changes using Cuphea carthagenensis (Jacq.) seeds. Viability remained high when seeds were stored at 25 degrees C, but was lost quickly when seeds were stored at 5 degrees C. Deterioration was fastest in seeds with high (>or=0.10 g g(-1)) and low (0.01 g g(-1)) water contents (g H(2)O g dry mass(-1)), and slowest in seeds containing 0.04 g g(-1). A 45 degrees C treatment before imbibition restored germination of dry seeds by melting crystallized triacylglycerols. Here, we show that the rate of deterioration in C. carthagenensis seeds stored at 5 degrees C correlated with the rate that triacylglycerols crystallized within the seeds. Lipid crystallization, measured using differential scanning calorimetry, occurred at 6 degrees C for this species and was fastest for seeds stored at 5 degrees C that had high and very low water contents, and slowest for seeds containing 0.04 g g(-1). Germination decreased to 50% (P50) when between 16 and 38% of the triacylglycerols crystallized; complete crystallization took from 10 to over 200 days depending on water content. Our results demonstrate interactions between water and triacylglycerols in seeds: (1) water content affects the propensity of triacylglycerols to crystallize and (2) hydration of seed containing crystallized triacylglycerols is lethal. We suggest that these interactions form the basis of the syndrome of damage experienced when seeds with intermediate storage physiologies are placed in long-term storage.

Ecosystem services from keystone species: diversionary seeding and seed-caching desert rodents can enhance Indian ricegrass seedling establishment

USGS Publications Warehouse

Longland, William; Ostoja, Steven M.

2013-01-01

Seeds of Indian ricegrass (Achnatherum hymenoides), a native bunchgrass common to sandy soils on arid western rangelands, are naturally dispersed by seed-caching rodent species, particularly Dipodomys spp. (kangaroo rats). These animals cache large quantities of seeds when mature seeds are available on or beneath plants and recover most of their caches for consumption during the remainder of the year. Unrecovered seeds in caches account for the vast majority of Indian ricegrass seedling recruitment. We applied three different densities of white millet (Panicum miliaceum) seeds as “diversionary foods” to plots at three Great Basin study sites in an attempt to reduce rodents' over-winter cache recovery so that more Indian ricegrass seeds would remain in soil seedbanks and potentially establish new seedlings. One year after diversionary seed application, a moderate level of Indian ricegrass seedling recruitment occurred at two of our study sites in western Nevada, although there was no recruitment at the third site in eastern California. At both Nevada sites, the number of Indian ricegrass seedlings sampled along transects was significantly greater on all plots treated with diversionary seeds than on non-seeded control plots. However, the density of diversionary seeds applied to plots had a marginally non-significant effect on seedling recruitment, and it was not correlated with recruitment patterns among plots. Results suggest that application of a diversionary seed type that is preferred by seed-caching rodents provides a promising passive restoration strategy for target plant species that are dispersed by these rodents.

Seed production of native forbs shows little response to irrigation in a wet year

Treesearch

Clinton C. Shock; Erik B. G. Feibert; Lamont D. Saunders; Nancy Shaw; Ann DeBolt

2007-01-01

Native forb seed is needed to restore rangelands of the Intermountain West. Commercial seed production is necessary to provide the quantity of seed needed for restoration efforts. A major limitation to economically viable commercial production of native forb seed is stable and consistent seed productivity over years. Variations in spring rainfall and soil moisture...

Small-mammal seed predation limits the recruitment and abundance of two perennial grassland forbs

Treesearch

Mary Bricker; Dean Pearson; John Maron

2010-01-01

Although post-dispersal seed predators are common and often reduce seed density, their influence on plant population abundance remains unclear. On the one hand, increasing evidence suggests that many plant populations are seed limited, implying that seed predators could reduce plant abundance. On the other hand, it is generally uncertain whether the magnitude of seed...

Reaction of maturity group V soybean plant introductions to Phomopsis Seed Decay in Arkansas Mississippi and Missouri 2009

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

In 2009, Soybean Phomopsis seed decay (PSD) caused over 12 million bushels of yield loss in 16 southern states. This disease severely affects soybean seed quality due to the reduction of seed viability, oil content, and alteration of seed composition, and it may also increase moldy and/or split seed...

Chapter 27. Seed testing requirements and regulatory laws

Treesearch

Richard Stevens; Kent R. Jorgensen

2004-01-01

Federal and State seed laws require that seed used on range and wildland sites be officially tested and appropriately labeled or tagged. It is the responsibility of the seed distributor (who may be the producer, collector, or broker) toward the end user to properly tag each container of seed to comply with these laws. An analysis tag is always required. If seed has...

Uses of the Westrup brush machine

Treesearch

Jill Barbour

2002-01-01

The Westrup brush machine can be used as the first step in the conditioning process of seeds. Even though there are various sizes of the machine, only the laboratory model (LA-H) is described. The machine is designed to separate seed from pods or flowers, dewing tree seed, remove appendages or hairs from seed, split twin seed, de-lint cotton seed, scarify hard coated...

Chapter 24. Seed collection, cleaning, and storage

Treesearch

Kent R. Jorgensen; Richard Stevens

2004-01-01

Acquisition of quality seed in the quantity needed is essential for successful restoration and revegetation programs. Seed is grown and harvested as a crop, or collected from native stands. In the past, when native species were seeded, it was either collect the seed yourself, or go without. Now, there are dealers who supply seed of many native species on a regular...

Hypercarnivorous apex predator could provide ecosystem services by dispersing seeds

PubMed Central

Sarasola, José Hernán; Zanón-Martínez, Juan Ignacio; Costán, Andrea Silvina; Ripple, William J.

2016-01-01

Large “hypercarnivorous” felids are recognized for their role as apex predators and hence as key elements in food webs and ecosystem functioning through competition and depredation. Here we show that cougars (Puma concolor), one of the largest and the most widely ranging apex felid predators with a strictly carnivorous diet, could also be effective secondary long distance seed dispersers, potentially establishing direct and non-herbivore mediated interactions with plant species at the bottom of the food web. Cougars accidently ingest and disseminate large amounts of seeds (31,678 seeds in 123 scats) of plant species initially consumed by their main prey, the Eared Dove Zenaida auriculata. The germination potential of seeds for the three plant species most abundantly found in cougar scats (19,570 seeds) was not significantly different from that observed in seeds obtained from dove gizzards, indicating that seed passage through cougar guts did not affect seed germination. Considering the estimated cougar density in our study area, dispersal of seeds by cougars could allow a mean, annual seed spread of ~5,000 seeds per km2. Our results demonstrate that strictly carnivorous, felid predators could have broad and overlooked ecological functions related to ecosystem structuring and functioning. PMID:26791932

Dissecting the proteome of pea mature seeds reveals the phenotypic plasticity of seed protein composition.

PubMed

Bourgeois, Michael; Jacquin, Françoise; Savois, Vincent; Sommerer, Nicolas; Labas, Valérie; Henry, Céline; Burstin, Judith

2009-01-01

Pea (Pisum sativum L.) is the most cultivated European pulse crop and the pea seeds mainly serve as a protein source for monogastric animals. Because the seed protein composition impacts on seed nutritional value, we aimed at identifying the determinants of its variability. This paper presents the first pea mature seed proteome reference map, which includes 156 identified proteins (http://www.inra.fr/legumbase/peaseedmap/). This map provides a fine dissection of the pea seed storage protein composition revealing a large diversity of storage proteins resulting both from gene diversity and post-translational processing. It gives new insights into the pea storage protein processing (especially 7S globulins) as a possible adaptation towards progressive mobilization of the proteins during germination. The nonstorage seed proteome revealed the presence of proteins involved in seed defense together with proteins preparing germination. The plasticity of the seed proteome was revealed for seeds produced in three successive years of cultivation, and 30% of the spots were affected by environmental variations. This work pinpoints seed proteins most affected by environment, highlighting new targets to stabilize storage protein composition that should be further analyzed.

Hypercarnivorous apex predator could provide ecosystem services by dispersing seeds.

PubMed

Sarasola, José Hernán; Zanón-Martínez, Juan Ignacio; Costán, Andrea Silvina; Ripple, William J

2016-01-21

Large "hypercarnivorous" felids are recognized for their role as apex predators and hence as key elements in food webs and ecosystem functioning through competition and depredation. Here we show that cougars (Puma concolor), one of the largest and the most widely ranging apex felid predators with a strictly carnivorous diet, could also be effective secondary long distance seed dispersers, potentially establishing direct and non-herbivore mediated interactions with plant species at the bottom of the food web. Cougars accidently ingest and disseminate large amounts of seeds (31,678 seeds in 123 scats) of plant species initially consumed by their main prey, the Eared Dove Zenaida auriculata. The germination potential of seeds for the three plant species most abundantly found in cougar scats (19,570 seeds) was not significantly different from that observed in seeds obtained from dove gizzards, indicating that seed passage through cougar guts did not affect seed germination. Considering the estimated cougar density in our study area, dispersal of seeds by cougars could allow a mean, annual seed spread of ~5,000 seeds per km(2). Our results demonstrate that strictly carnivorous, felid predators could have broad and overlooked ecological functions related to ecosystem structuring and functioning.

[Seed quality test methods of Paeonia suffruticosa].

PubMed

Cao, Ya-Yue; Zhu, Zai-Biao; Guo, Qiao-Sheng; Liu, Li; Wang, Chang-Lin

2014-11-01

In order to optimize the testing methods for Paeonia suffruticosa seed quality, and provide basis for establishing seed testing rules and seed quality standard of P. suffruticosa. The seed quality of P. suffruticosa from different producing areas was measured based on the related seed testing regulations. The seed testing methods for quality items of P. suffruticosa was established preliminarily. The samples weight of P. suffruticosa was at least 7 000 g for purity analysis and was at least 700 g for test. The phenotypic observation and size measurement were used for authenticity testing. The 1 000-seed weight was determined by 100-seed method, and the water content was carried out by low temperature drying method (10 hours). After soaking in distilled water for 24 h, the seeds was treated with different temperature stratifications of day and night (25 degrees C/20 degrees C, day/night) in the dark for 60 d. After soaking in the liquor of GA3 300 mg x L(-1) for 24 h, the P. suffruticos seeds were cultured in wet sand at 15 degrees C for 12-60 days for germination testing. Seed viability was tested by TlC method.

Effects of predispersal insect seed predation on the early life history stages of a rare cold sand-desert legume.

PubMed

Han, Yi J; Baskin, Jerry M; Tan, Dun Y; Baskin, Carol C; Wu, Ming Y

2018-02-19

Seed predation by insects is common in seeds of Fabaceae (legume) species with physical dormancy (PY). However, the consequences of insect seed predation on the life history of legumes with PY have been little studied. In the largest genus of seed plants, Astragalus (Fabaceae), only one study has tested the effects of insect predation on germination, and none has tested it directly on seedling survival. Thus, we tested the effects of insect predation on seed germination and seedling growth and survival of Astragalus lehmannianus, a central Asian sand-desert endemic. Under laboratory conditions, seeds lightly predated in the natural habitat of this perennial legume germinated to a much higher percentage than intact seeds, and seedlings from predated and nonpredated seeds survived and grew about equally well. Further, in contrast to our prediction seedlings from predated seeds that germinated "out-of-season" under near-natural conditions in NW China survived over winter. The implication of our results is that individual plants from predated seeds that germinate early (in our case autumn) potentially have a fitness advantage over those from nonpredated seeds, which delay germination until spring of a subsequent year.

The role of seed bank in the dynamics of understorey in an oak forest in Hungary.

PubMed

Koncz, G; Papp, Mária; Török, P; Kotroczó, Zs; Krakomperger, Zs; Matus, G; Tóthmérész, B

2010-01-01

We studied the potential role of seed bank in the dynamics of the understorey in a turkey oak-sessile oak forest (Querceteum petraeae-cerris) in Hungary. We used long-term records of the herb layer (1973-2006) and the seed bank composition of 2006 to assess the role of seed bank in the regeneration of herb layer. The total cover of herb layer decreased from 22% (1973) to 6% (1988), and remained low (<10%) till 2006; coinciding with the increasing cover of secondary canopy dominated by Acer campestre. We found a low density seed bank (ca. 1300 seeds/m2). Altogether 33 species were germinated from the soil samples. A few generalist weed species composed the majority of seed bank. It was possible to assign a seed bank type for 19 species; 14 species out of 19 was long-term persistent. We found that the characteristic perennial forest herbs and grasses had only sparse seed bank. The Jaccard similarity between vegetation and seed bank was low (<30%). Our results suggest that the continuous establishment of forest herbs are not based on local persistent seed bank; it should be based on vegetative spreading and/or seed rain.

Timing of seed dispersal generates a bimodal seed bank depth distribution

USGS Publications Warehouse

Espinar, J.L.; Thompson, K.; Garcia, L.V.

2005-01-01

The density of soil seed banks is normally highest at the soil surface and declines monotonically with depth. Sometimes, for a variety of reasons, peak density occurs below the surface but, except in severely disturbed soils, it is generally true that deeper seeds are older. In seasonally dry habitats that develop deep soil cracks during the dry season, it is possible that some seeds fall down cracks and rapidly become deeply buried. We investigated this possibility for three dominant clonal perennials (Scirpus maritimus, S. litoralis, and Juncus subulatus) in the Don??ana salt marsh, a nontidal marsh with a Mediterranean climate located in southwest Spain. Two species, which shed most of their seed during the dry season and have seeds with low buoyancy, had bimodal viable seed depth distributions, with peak densities at the surface and at 16-20 cm. A third species, which shed most seeds after soil cracks had closed and had seeds with high buoyancy, had viable seeds only in surface soil. Bimodal seed bank depth distributions may be relatively common in seasonally dry habitats with fine-textured soils, but their ecological significance has not been investigated.

Seed-specific overexpression of AtFAX1 increases seed oil content in Arabidopsis.

PubMed

Tian, Yinshuai; Lv, Xueyan; Xie, Guilan; Zhang, Jing; Xu, Ying; Chen, Fang

2018-06-02

Biosynthesis of plant seed oil is accomplished through the coordinate action of multiple enzymes in multiple subcellular compartments. Fatty acid (FA) has to be transported from plastid to endoplasmic reticulum (ER) for TAG synthesis. However, the role of plastid FA transportation during seed oil accumulation has not been evaluated. AtFAX1 (Arabidopsis fatty acid export1) mediated the FA export from plastid. In this study, we overexpressed AtFAX1 under the control of a seed specific promoter in Arabidopsis. The resultant overexpression lines (OEs) produced seeds which contained 21-33% more oil and 24-30% more protein per seed than those of the wild type (WT). The increased oil content was probably because of the enhanced FA and TAG synthetic activity. The seed size and weight were both increased accordingly. In addition, the seed number per silique and silique number per plant had no changes in transgenic plants. Taken together, our results demonstrated that seed specific overexpression of AtFAX1 could promote oil accumulation in Arabidopsis seeds and manipulating FA transportation is a feasible strategy for increasing the seed oil content. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Fate of Salmonella enterica and Enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli Cells Artificially Internalized into Vegetable Seeds during Germination.

PubMed

Liu, Da; Cui, Yue; Walcott, Ronald; Chen, Jinru

2018-01-01

Vegetable seeds contaminated with bacterial pathogens have been linked to fresh-produce-associated outbreaks of gastrointestinal infections. This study was undertaken to observe the physiological behavior of Salmonella enterica and enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli (EHEC) cells artificially internalized into vegetable seeds during the germination process. Surface-decontaminated seeds of alfalfa, fenugreek, lettuce, and tomato were vacuum-infiltrated with four individual strains of Salmonella or EHEC. Contaminated seeds were germinated at 25°C for 9 days, and different sprout/seedling tissues were microbiologically analyzed every other day. The internalization of Salmonella and EHEC cells into vegetable seeds was confirmed by the absence of pathogens in seed-rinsing water and the presence of pathogens in seed homogenates after postinternalization seed surface decontamination. Results show that 317 (62%) and 343 (67%) of the 512 collected sprout/seedling tissue samples were positive for Salmonella and EHEC, respectively. The average Salmonella populations were significantly larger ( P < 0.05) than the EHEC populations. Significantly larger Salmonella populations were recovered from the cotyledon and seed coat tissues, followed by the root tissues, but the mean EHEC populations from all sampled tissue sections were statistically similar, except in pregerminated seeds. Three Salmonella and two EHEC strains had significantly larger cell populations on sprout/seedling tissues than other strains used in the study. Salmonella and EHEC populations from fenugreek and alfalfa tissues were significantly larger than those from tomato and lettuce tissues. The study showed the fate of internalized human pathogens on germinating vegetable seeds and sprout/seedling tissues and emphasized the importance of using pathogen-free seeds for sprout production. IMPORTANCE The internalization of microorganisms into vegetable seeds could occur naturally and represents a possible pathway of vegetable seed contamination by human pathogens. The present study investigated the ability of two important bacterial pathogens, Salmonella and enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli (EHEC), when artificially internalized into vegetable seeds, to grow and disseminate along vegetable sprouts/seedlings during germination. The data from the study revealed that the pathogen cells artificially internalized into vegetable seeds caused the contamination of different tissues of sprouts/seedlings and that pathogen growth on germinating seeds is bacterial species and vegetable seed-type dependent. These results further stress the necessity of using pathogen-free vegetable seeds for edible sprout production. Copyright © 2017 American Society for Microbiology.

Internal dispersal of seeds by waterfowl: effect of seed size on gut passage time and germination patterns

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Figuerola, Jordi; Charalambidou, Iris; Santamaria, Luis; Green, Andy J.

2010-06-01

Long distance dispersal may have important consequences for gene flow and community structure. The dispersal of many plants depends on transport by vertebrate seed dispersers. The shapes of seed shadows produced by vertebrates depend both on movement patterns of the dispersers and on the dynamics and effects of passage through the disperser’s gut (i.e. the retention time, survival and germination of ingested seeds). A combination of experiments with captive waterbirds and aquatic plant seeds was used to analyse the following: (a) the effects of inter- and intra-specific variation in seed size and duck species on seed retention time in the gut and (b) the relationship between retention time and the percent germination and germination rates of seeds. Among the three Scirpus species used, those with smaller seeds showed higher survival after ingestion by birds and longer retention times inside their guts than those with larger seeds. For Potamogeton pectinatus, only seeds from the smaller size class (<8 mg) survived ingestion. Retention time affected the percent germination and germination rate of Scirpus seeds but in a manner that varied for the different plant and bird species studied. We recorded both linear and non-linear effects of retention time on percent germination. In addition, germination rate was positively correlated with retention time in Scirpus litoralis but negatively correlated in Scirpus lacustris. Small seed size can favour dispersal over larger distances. However, the effects of retention time on percent germination can modify the seed shadows produced by birds due to higher percent germination of seeds retained for short or intermediate periods. The changes in dispersal quality associated with dispersal distance (which is expected to be positively related to retention time) will affect the probability of seedling establishment over longer distances and, thus, the spatial characteristics of the effective seed shadow.

I-125 seed calibration using the SeedSelectron® afterloader: a practical solution to fulfill AAPM-ESTRO recommendations

PubMed Central

Perez-Calatayud, Jose; Richart, Jose; Guirado, Damián; Pérez-García, Jordi; Rodríguez, Silvia; Santos, Manuel

2012-01-01

Purpose SeedSelectron® v1.26b (Nucletron BV, The Netherlands) is an afterloader system used in prostate interstitial permanent brachytherapy with I-125 selectSeed seeds. It contains a diode array to assay all implanted seeds. Only one or two seeds can be extracted during the surgical procedure and assayed using a well chamber to check the manufacturer air-kerma strength (SK) and to calibrate the diode array. Therefore, it is not feasible to assay 5–10% seeds as required by the AAPM-ESTRO. In this study, we present a practical solution of the SeedSelectron® users to fulfill the AAPM- ESTRO recommendations. Material and methods The method is based on: a) the SourceCheck® well ionization chamber (PTW, Germany) provided with a PTW insert; b) n = 10 selectSeed from the same batch and class as the seeds for the implant; c) the Nucletron insert to accommodate the n = 10 seeds on the SourceCheck® and to measure their averaged SK. Results for 56 implants have been studied comparing the SK value from the manufacturer with the one obtained with the n = 10 seeds using the Nucletron insert prior to the implant and with the SK of just one seed measured with the PTW insert during the implant. Results We are faced with SK deviation for individual seeds up to 7.8%. However, in the majority of cases SK is in agreement with the manufacturer value. With the method proposed using the Nucletron insert, the large deviations of SK are reduced and for 56 implants studied no deviation outside the range of the class were found. Conclusions The new Nucletron insert and the proposed procedure allow to evaluate the SK of the n = 10 seeds prior to the implant, fulfilling the AAPM-ESTRO recommendations. It has been adopted by Nucletron to be extended to seedSelectron® users under request. PMID:23346136

Seed storage at elevated partial pressure of oxygen, a fast method for analysing seed ageing under dry conditions

PubMed Central

Groot, S. P. C.; Surki, A. A.; de Vos, R. C. H.; Kodde, J.

2012-01-01

Background and Aims Despite differences in physiology between dry and relative moist seeds, seed ageing tests most often use a temperature and seed moisture level that are higher than during dry storage used in commercial practice and gene banks. This study aimed to test whether seed ageing under dry conditions can be accelerated by storing under high-pressure oxygen. Methods Dry barley (Hordeum vulgare), cabbage (Brassica oleracea), lettuce (Lactuca sativa) and soybean (Glycine max) seeds were stored between 2 and 7 weeks in steel tanks under 18 MPa partial pressure of oxygen. Storage under high-pressure nitrogen gas or under ambient air pressure served as controls. The method was compared with storage at 45 °C after equilibration at 85 % relative humidity and long-term storage at the laboratory bench. Germination behaviour, seedling morphology and tocopherol levels were assessed. Key Results The ageing of the dry seeds was indeed accelerated by storing under high-pressure oxygen. The morphological ageing symptoms of the stored seeds resembled those observed after ageing under long-term dry storage conditions. Barley appeared more tolerant of this storage treatment compared with lettuce and soybean. Less-mature harvested cabbage seeds were more sensitive, as was the case for primed compared with non-primed lettuce seeds. Under high-pressure oxygen storage the tocopherol levels of dry seeds decreased, in a linear way with the decline in seed germination, but remained unchanged in seeds deteriorated during storage at 45 °C after equilibration at 85 % RH. Conclusions Seed storage under high-pressure oxygen offers a novel and relatively fast method to study the physiology and biochemistry of seed ageing at different seed moisture levels and temperatures, including those that are representative of the dry storage conditions as used in gene banks and commercial practice. PMID:22967856

Co-adaptation of seed dormancy and flowering time in the arable weed Capsella bursa-pastoris (shepherd's purse)

PubMed Central

Toorop, Peter E.; Campos Cuerva, Rafael; Begg, Graham S.; Locardi, Bruna; Squire, Geoff R.; Iannetta, Pietro P. M.

2012-01-01

Background and Aims The duration of the plant life cycle is an important attribute that determines fitness and coexistence of weeds in arable fields. It depends on the timing of two key life-history traits: time from seed dispersal to germination and time from germination to flowering. These traits are components of the time to reproduction. Dormancy results in reduced and delayed germination, thus increasing time to reproduction. Genotypes in the arable seedbank predominantly have short time to flowering. Synergy between reduced seed dormancy and reduced flowering time would create stronger contrasts between genotypes, offering greater adaptation in-field. Therefore, we studied differences in seed dormancy between in-field flowering time genotypes of shepherd's purse. Methods Genotypes with early, intermediate or late flowering time were grown in a glasshouse to provide seed stock for germination tests. Secondary dormancy was assessed by comparing germination before and after dark-incubation. Dormancy was characterized separately for seed myxospermy heteromorphs, observed in each genotype. Seed carbon and nitrogen content and seed mass were determined as indicators of seed filling and resource partitioning associated with dormancy. Key Results Although no differences were observed in primary dormancy, secondary dormancy was weaker among the seeds of early-flowering genotypes. On average, myxospermous seeds showed stronger secondary dormancy than non-myxospermous seeds in all genotypes. Seed filling was similar between the genotypes, but nitrogen partitioning was higher in early-flowering genotypes and in non-myxospermous seeds. Conclusions In shepherd's purse, early flowering and reduced seed dormancy coincide and appear to be linked. The seed heteromorphism contributes to variation in dormancy. Three functional groups of seed dormancy were identified, varying in dormancy depth and nitrate response. One of these groups (FG-III) was distinct for early-flowering genotypes. The weaker secondary dormancy of early-flowering genotypes confers a selective advantage in arable fields. PMID:22147546

Seed dormancy and germination of the medicinal holoparasitic plant Cistanche deserticola from the cold desert of northwest China.

PubMed

Wang, Jia; Baskin, Jerry M; Baskin, Carol C; Liu, Guofang; Yang, Xuejun; Huang, Zhenying

2017-06-01

Cistanche deserticola is a holoparasitic plant with high medicinal value that reproduces only by seeds. However, the requirements for seed dormancy break and germination of this species remain unclear. The freshly matured dust-like seeds consist of a water-permeable seed coat and an undifferentiated oval-shaped embryo embedded in endosperm. No fresh seeds germinated in water or a 10 -5  M fluridone solution at any incubation temperature within 60 days. Length of embryos in seeds incubated in warm- and cold-started stratification sequences had increased 10.4 and 11.7% after 50 and 40 weeks, respectively. After 6 months, length of embryos in seeds stratified at 5 °C had increased by 12%. Germination of fresh seeds and of seeds stratified at 5 °C for 6 months and then incubated in mixed fluridone/gibberellic acid 3 (GA 3 ) solutions at 30/20 °C germinated to only 2.6 and 11.7%, respectively. Embryos of fresh seeds and of cold-stratified seeds had increased 29.4 and 15.8% in length, respectively, at the time of germination, but they never differentiated into organs. The highest germination (54.4%) was for seeds incubated in a 10 -5  M solution of fluridone in darkness in spring that had overwinter on the soil surface in the natural habitat. Our study indicates that breaking of physiological dormancy (PD) occurs first and then the embryo grows to a critical length (0.44 mm) without differentiation into organs prior to seed germination. Seeds for which PD had been broken were induced to germinate by fluridone and GA 3 at high temperature. Taken together, these results suggest that C. deserticola seeds have a specialized kind of morphophysiological dormancy. This study reveals possible ways to release seed dormancy that will be useful in propagating this medicinal species. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Clinical application and validation of an iterative forward projection matching algorithm for permanent brachytherapy seed localization from conebeam-CT x-ray projections.

PubMed

Pokhrel, Damodar; Murphy, Martin J; Todor, Dorin A; Weiss, Elisabeth; Williamson, Jeffrey F

2010-09-01

To experimentally validate a new algorithm for reconstructing the 3D positions of implanted brachytherapy seeds from postoperatively acquired 2D conebeam-CT (CBCT) projection images. The iterative forward projection matching (IFPM) algorithm finds the 3D seed geometry that minimizes the sum of the squared intensity differences between computed projections of an initial estimate of the seed configuration and radiographic projections of the implant. In-house machined phantoms, containing arrays of 12 and 72 seeds, respectively, are used to validate this method. Also, four 103Pd postimplant patients are scanned using an ACUITY digital simulator. Three to ten x-ray images are selected from the CBCT projection set and processed to create binary seed-only images. To quantify IFPM accuracy, the reconstructed seed positions are forward projected and overlaid on the measured seed images to find the nearest-neighbor distance between measured and computed seed positions for each image pair. Also, the estimated 3D seed coordinates are compared to known seed positions in the phantom and clinically obtained VariSeed planning coordinates for the patient data. For the phantom study, seed localization error is (0.58 +/- 0.33) mm. For all four patient cases, the mean registration error is better than 1 mm while compared against the measured seed projections. IFPM converges in 20-28 iterations, with a computation time of about 1.9-2.8 min/ iteration on a 1 GHz processor. The IFPM algorithm avoids the need to match corresponding seeds in each projection as required by standard back-projection methods. The authors' results demonstrate approximately 1 mm accuracy in reconstructing the 3D positions of brachytherapy seeds from the measured 2D projections. This algorithm also successfully localizes overlapping clustered and highly migrated seeds in the implant.

Environmental regulation of dormancy loss in seeds of Lomatium dissectum (Apiaceae)

PubMed Central

Scholten, Melissa; Donahue, Jacklyn; Shaw, Nancy L.; Serpe, Marcelo D.

2009-01-01

Background and Aims Lomatium dissectum (Apiaceae) is a perennial, herbaceous plant of wide distribution in Western North America. At the time of dispersal, L. dissectum seeds are dormant and have under-developed embryos. The aims of this work were to determine the requirements for dormancy break and germination, to characterize the type of seed dormancy, and to determine the effect of dehydration after embryo growth on seed viability and secondary dormancy. Methods The temperature requirements for embryo growth and germination were investigated under growth chamber and field conditions. The effect of GA3 on embryo growth was also analysed to determine the specific type of seed dormancy. The effect of dehydration on seed viability and induction of secondary dormancy were tested in seeds where embryos had elongated about 4-fold their initial length. Most experiments examining the nature of seed dormancy were conducted with seeds collected at one site in two different years. To characterize the degree of variation in dormancy-breaking requirements among seed populations, the stratification requirements of seeds collected at eight different sites were compared. Key Results Embryo growth prior to and during germination occurred at temperatures between 3 and 6 °C and was negligible at stratification temperatures of 0·5 and 9·1 °C. Seeds buried in the field and exposed to natural winter conditions showed similar trends. Interruption of the cold stratification period by 8 weeks of dehydration decreased seed viability by about 30 % and induced secondary dormancy in the remaining viable seeds. Comparison of the cold stratification requirements of different seed populations indicates that seeds collected from moist habitats have longer cold stratification requirements that those from semiarid environments. Conclusions Seeds of L. dissectum have deep complex morphophysiological dormancy. The requirements for dormancy break and germination reflect an adaptation to trigger germination in late winter. PMID:19233890

Grazing disturbance increases transient but decreases persistent soil seed bank.

PubMed

Ma, Miaojun; Walck, Jeffrey L; Ma, Zhen; Wang, Lipei; Du, Guozhen

2018-04-30

Very few studies have examined whether the impacts of grazing disturbance on soil seed banks occur directly or indirectly through aboveground vegetation and soil properties. The potential role of the seed bank in alpine wetland restoration is also unknown. We used SEM (structural equation modeling) to explore the direct effect of grazing disturbance on the seed bank and the indirect effect through aboveground vegetation and soil properties. We also studied the role of the seed bank on the restoration potential in wetlands with various grazing intensities: low (fenced, winter grazed only), medium (seasonally grazed), and high (whole-year grazed). For the seed bank, species richness and density per plot showed no difference among grazing intensities for each depth (0-5, 5-10, 10-15 cm) and for the whole depth (0-15 cm) in spring and summer. There was no direct effect of grazing disturbance on seed bank richness and density both in spring and summer, and also no indirect effect on the seed bank through its direct effect on vegetation richness and abundance. Grazing disturbance indirectly increased spring seed bank density but decreased summer seed bank density through its direct effect (negative correlation) on soil moisture and total nitrogen and its indirect effect on vegetation abundance. Species composition of the vegetation changed with grazing regime, but that of the seed bank did not. An increased trend of similarity between the seed bank and aboveground vegetation with increased grazing disturbance was found in the shallow depth and in the whole depth only in spring. Although there was almost no change in seed bank size with grazing intensities, grazing disturbance increased the quantity of transient seeds but decreased persistent seeds. Persistent seeds stored in the soil could play a crucial role in vegetation regeneration and in restoration of degraded wetland ecosystems. The seed bank should be an integral part of alpine wetland restoration programs. © 2018 by the Ecological Society of America.

Seed Anatomy and Water Uptake in Relation to Seed Dormancy in Opuntia tomentosa (Cactaceae, Opuntioideae)

PubMed Central

Orozco-Segovia, A.; Márquez-Guzmán, J.; Sánchez-Coronado, M. E.; Gamboa de Buen, A.; Baskin, J. M.; Baskin, C. C.

2007-01-01

Background and Aims There is considerable confusion in the literature concerning impermeability of seeds with ‘hard’ seed coats, because the ability to take up (imbibe) water has not been tested in most of them. Seeds of Opuntia tomentosa were reported recently to have a water-impermeable seed coat sensu lato (i.e. physical dormancy), in combination with physiological dormancy. However, physical dormancy is not known to occur in Cactaceae. Therefore, the aim of this study was to determine if seeds of O. tomentosa are water-permeable or water-impermeable, i.e. if they have physical dormancy. Methods The micromorphology of the seed coat and associated structures were characterized by SEM and light microscopy. Permeability of the seed-covering layers was assessed by an increase in mass of seeds on a wet substrate and by dye-tracking and uptake of tritiated water by intact versus scarified seeds. Key Results A germination valve and a water channel are formed in the hilum–micropyle region during dehydration and ageing in seeds of O. tomentosa. The funicular envelope undoubtedly plays a role in germination of Opuntia seeds via restriction of water uptake and mechanical resistance to expansion of the embryo. However, seeds do not exhibit any of three features characteristic of those with physical dormancy. Thus, they do not have a water-impermeable layer(s) of palisade cells (macrosclereids) or a water gap sensu stricto and they imbibe water without the seed coat being disrupted. Conclusions Although dormancy in seeds of this species can be broken by scarification, they have physiological dormancy only. Further, based on information in the literature, it is concluded that it is unlikely that any species of Opuntia has physical dormancy. This is the first integrative study of the anatomy, dynamics of water uptake and dormancy in seeds of Cactaceae subfamily Opuntioideae. PMID:17298989

Clinical application and validation of an iterative forward projection matching algorithm for permanent brachytherapy seed localization from conebeam-CT x-ray projections

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Pokhrel, Damodar; Murphy, Martin J.; Todor, Dorin A.

2010-09-15

Purpose: To experimentally validate a new algorithm for reconstructing the 3D positions of implanted brachytherapy seeds from postoperatively acquired 2D conebeam-CT (CBCT) projection images. Methods: The iterative forward projection matching (IFPM) algorithm finds the 3D seed geometry that minimizes the sum of the squared intensity differences between computed projections of an initial estimate of the seed configuration and radiographic projections of the implant. In-house machined phantoms, containing arrays of 12 and 72 seeds, respectively, are used to validate this method. Also, four {sup 103}Pd postimplant patients are scanned using an ACUITY digital simulator. Three to ten x-ray images are selectedmore » from the CBCT projection set and processed to create binary seed-only images. To quantify IFPM accuracy, the reconstructed seed positions are forward projected and overlaid on the measured seed images to find the nearest-neighbor distance between measured and computed seed positions for each image pair. Also, the estimated 3D seed coordinates are compared to known seed positions in the phantom and clinically obtained VariSeed planning coordinates for the patient data. Results: For the phantom study, seed localization error is (0.58{+-}0.33) mm. For all four patient cases, the mean registration error is better than 1 mm while compared against the measured seed projections. IFPM converges in 20-28 iterations, with a computation time of about 1.9-2.8 min/iteration on a 1 GHz processor. Conclusions: The IFPM algorithm avoids the need to match corresponding seeds in each projection as required by standard back-projection methods. The authors' results demonstrate {approx}1 mm accuracy in reconstructing the 3D positions of brachytherapy seeds from the measured 2D projections. This algorithm also successfully localizes overlapping clustered and highly migrated seeds in the implant.« less

SU-E-T-378: Evaluation of An Analytical Model for the Inter-Seed Attenuation Effect in 103-Pd Multi-Seed Implant Brachytherapy

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Safigholi, H; Soliman, A; Song, W

Purpose: Brachytherapy treatment planning systems based on TG-43 protocol calculate the dose in water and neglects the heterogeneity effect of seeds in multi-seed implant brachytherapy. In this research, the accuracy of a novel analytical model that we propose for the inter-seed attenuation effect (ISA) for 103-Pd seed model is evaluated. Methods: In the analytical model, dose perturbation due to the ISA effect for each seed in an LDR multi-seed implant for 103-Pd is calculated by assuming that the seed of interest is active and the other surrounding seeds are inactive. The cumulative dosimetric effect of all seeds is then summedmore » using the superposition principle. The model is based on pre Monte Carlo (MC) simulated 3D kernels of the dose perturbations caused by the ISA effect. The cumulative ISA effect due to multiple surrounding seeds is obtained by a simple multiplication of the individual ISA effect by each seed, the effect of which is determined by the distance from the seed of interest. This novel algorithm is then compared with full MC water-based simulations (FMCW). Results: The results show that the dose perturbation model we propose is in excellent agreement with the FMCW values for a case with three seeds separated by 1 cm. The average difference of the model and the FMCW simulations was less than 8%±2%. Conclusion: Using the proposed novel analytical ISA effect model, one could expedite the corrections due to the ISA dose perturbation effects during permanent seed 103-Pd brachytherapy planning with minimal increase in time since the model is based on multiplications and superposition. This model can be applied, in principle, to any other brachytherapy seeds. Further work is necessary to validate this model on a more complicated geometry as well.« less

Pre- and Post-harvest Influences on Seed Dormancy Status of an Australian Goodeniaceae species, Goodenia fascicularis

PubMed Central

Hoyle, Gemma L.; Steadman, Kathryn J.; Daws, Matthew I.; Adkins, Steve W.

2008-01-01

Background and Aims The period during which seeds develop on the parent plant has been found to affect many seed characteristics, including dormancy, through interactions with the environment. Goodenia fascicularis (Goodeniaceae) seeds were used to investigate whether seeds of an Australian native forb, harvested from different environments and produced at different stages of the reproductive period, differ in dormancy status. Methods During the reproductive phase, plants were grown ex situ in warm (39/21 °C) or cool (26/13 °C) conditions, with adequate or limited water availability. The physiological dormancy of resulting seeds was measured in terms of the germination response to warm stratification (34/20 °C, 100 % RH, darkness). Key Results Plants in the cool environment were tall and had high above-ground biomass, yet yielded fewer seeds over a shorter, later harvest period when compared with plants in the warm environment. Seeds from the cool environment also had higher viability and greater mass, despite a significant proportion (7 % from the cool-wet environment) containing no obvious embryo. In the warm environment, the reproductive phase was accelerated and plants produced more seeds despite being shorter and having lower above-ground biomass than those in the cool environment. Ten weeks of warm stratification alleviated physiological dormancy in seeds from all treatments resulting in 80–100 % germination. Seeds that developed at warm temperatures were less dormant (i.e. germination percentages were higher) than seeds from the cool environment. Water availability had less effect on plant and seed traits than air temperature, although plants with reduced soil moisture were shorter, had lower biomass and produced fewer, less dormant seeds than plants watered regularly. Conclusions Goodenia fascicularis seeds are likely to exhibit physiological dormancy regardless of the maternal environment. However, seeds collected from warm, dry environments are likely to be more responsive to warm stratification than seeds from cooler, wetter environments. PMID:18430743

TaCYP78A5 regulates seed size in wheat (Triticum aestivum).

PubMed

Ma, Meng; Zhao, Huixian; Li, Zhaojie; Hu, Shengwu; Song, Weining; Liu, Xiangli

2016-03-01

Seed size is an important agronomic trait and a major component of seed yield in wheat. However, little is known about the genes and mechanisms that determine the final seed size in wheat. Here, we isolated TaCYP78A5, the orthologous gene of Arabidopsis CYP78A5/KLUH in wheat, from wheat cv. Shaan 512 and demonstrated that the expression of TaCYP78A5 affects seed size. TaCYP78A5 encodes the cytochrome P450 (CYP) 78A5 protein in wheat and rescued the phenotype of the Arabidopsis deletion mutant cyp78a5. By affecting the extent of integument cell proliferation in the developing ovule and seed, TaCYP78A5 influenced the growth of the seed coat, which appears to limit seed growth. TaCYP78A5 silencing caused a 10% reduction in cell numbers in the seed coat, resulting in a 10% reduction in seed size in wheat cv. Shaan 512. By contrast, the overexpression of TaCYP78A5 increased the number of cells in the seed coat, resulting in seed enlargement of ~11-35% in Arabidopsis. TaCYP78A5 activity was positively correlated with the final seed size. However, TaCYP78A5 overexpression significantly reduced seed set in Arabidopsis, possibly due to an ovule development defect. TaCYP78A5 also influenced embryo development by promoting embryo integument cell proliferation during seed development. Accordingly, a working model of the influence of TaCYP7A5 on seed size was proposed. This study provides direct evidence that TaCYP78A5 affects seed size and is a potential target for crop improvement. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society for Experimental Biology. All rights reserved. For permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Surface potential driven dissolution phenomena of [0 0 0 1]-oriented ZnO nanorods grown from ZnO and Pt seed layers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Seo, Youngmi; Kim, Jung Hyeun

2011-06-01

Highly oriented ZnO nanorods are synthesized hydrothermally on ZnO and Pt seed layers, and they are dissolved in KOH solution. The rods grown on ZnO seed layer show uniform dissolution, but those grown on Pt seed layer are rod-selectively dissolved. The ZnO nanorods from both seed layers show the same crystalline structure through XRD and Raman spectrometer data. However, the surface potential analysis reveals big difference for ZnO and Pt seed cases. The surface potential distribution is very uniform for the ZnO seed case, but it is much fluctuated on the Pt seed case. It suggests that the rod-selective dissolution phenomena on Pt seed case are likely due to the surface energy difference.

[Effects of illumination and seed-soaking reagent on seed germination of Solanum nigrum].

PubMed

Yang, Chuan-Jie; Wei, Shu-He; Zhou, Qi-Xing; Hu, Ya-Hu; Niu, Rong-Cheng

2009-05-01

To explore a rapid seed germination method for hyperaccumulator Solanum nigrum, a germination experiment with different illumination and seed-soaking treatments was conducted in constant temperature box and greenhouse, with filter as burgeon base. Under illumination, the germination rate was about 5 times high of that without illumination (P < 0.05), indicating that illumination was one of the prerequisites for the seed germination of S. nigrum. All test seed-soaking reagents could significantly improve the germination rate of S. nigrum (P < 0.05), with the best effect of H2O2. The seeds treated with H2O2 had the shortest germination time. The germination rate of seeds soaked but without cleaning was 2-3 times as high as that of seeds soaked and cleaned with water.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Welch, B.L.; Briggs, S.F.; Johansen, J.H.

Big sagebrush (Artemisia tridentata Nutt.) seeds were stored in three different environments; cool, constant temperature (refrigerator 10 degs. C); room temperature (14 to 24 degs. C); and a nonheated warehouse (-28 to +44 degs. C). In all three cases, humidity was held constant and equal. Significant drop in seed viability occurred first in the seed stored in the nonheated warehouse, followed by seed stored at room temperatures, and then seed stored at cool temperatures. It appeared from this study and studies by others that humidity control is more important to maintaining seed viability than temperature control. The old adage simplymore » states `store seeds in a cool and dry place` - but first make sure the seeds have been properly dried. Drying sagebrush seed during the cool, wet weather of the harvesting period creates special challenges to the producer.« less

The design of dapog rice seeder model for laboratory scale

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Purba, UI; Rizaldi, T.; Sumono; Sigalingging, R.

2018-02-01

The dapog system is seeding rice seeds using a special nursery tray. Rice seedings with dapog systems can produce seedlings in the form of higher quality and uniform seed rolls. This study aims to reduce the cost of making large-scale apparatus by designing models for small-scale and can be used for learning in the laboratory. Parameters observed were soil uniformity, seeds and fertilizers, soil looses, seeds and fertilizers, effective capacity of apparatus, and power requirements. The results showed a high uniformity in soil, seed and fertilizer respectively 92.8%, 1-3 seeds / cm2 and 82%. The scattered materials for soil, seed and fertilizer were respectively 6.23%, 2.7% and 2.23%. The effective capacity of apparatus was 360 boxes / hour with 237.5 kWh of required power.

Seed set in guayule (Parthenium argentatum, Asteraceae) in relation to insect pollination

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Mamood, A.N.; Waller, G.D.; Ray, D.T.

Guayule (Parthenium argentatum, Asteraceae) is one of two major plant species grown for natural rubber. Studies were conducted to determine the effect of honey bee (Apis mellifera) pollination and season on seed set and total seed yield/ha. The experiments involved four pollination treatments: plants caged with bees; plants caged without bees; plants open pollinated (uncovered); and plants individually covered. Seeds were harvested monthly July-September 1984, and May-September 1985. Plots with bees produced at least 150% more seeds than plots without bees, and there were no qualitative differences in the seed weights among treatments. Highest seed yield was in May andmore » September. Results indicate that (1) insect pollination in guayule increases seed yield and (2) fewer seeds are produced in the warmest months.« less

Maternal synthesis of abscisic acid controls seed development and yield in Nicotiana plumbaginifolia.

PubMed

Frey, Anne; Godin, Béatrice; Bonnet, Magda; Sotta, Bruno; Marion-Poll, Annie

2004-04-01

The role of maternally derived abscisic acid (ABA) during seed development has been studied using ABA-deficient mutants of Nicotiana plumbaginifolia Viviani. ABA deficiency induced seed abortion, resulting in reduced seed yield, and delayed growth of the remaining embryos. Mutant grafting onto wild-type stocks and reciprocal crosses indicated that maternal ABA, synthesized in maternal vegetative tissues and translocated to the seed, promoted early seed development and growth. Moreover ABA deficiency delayed both seed coat pigmentation and capsule dehiscence. Mutant grafting did not restore these phenotypes, indicating that ABA synthesized in the seed coat and capsule envelope may have a positive effect on capsule and testa maturation. Together these results shed light on the positive role of maternal ABA during N. plumbaginifolia seed development.

Mapping quantitative trait loci affecting Arabidopsis thaliana seed morphology features extracted computationally from images.

PubMed

Moore, Candace R; Gronwall, David S; Miller, Nathan D; Spalding, Edgar P

2013-01-01

Seeds are studied to understand dispersal and establishment of the next generation, as units of agricultural yield, and for other important reasons. Thus, elucidating the genetic architecture of seed size and shape traits will benefit basic and applied plant biology research. This study sought quantitative trait loci (QTL) controlling the size and shape of Arabidopsis thaliana seeds by computational analysis of seed phenotypes in recombinant inbred lines derived from the small-seeded Landsberg erecta × large-seeded Cape Verde Islands accessions. On the order of 10(3) seeds from each recombinant inbred line were automatically measured with flatbed photo scanners and custom image analysis software. The eight significant QTL affecting seed area explained 63% of the variation, and overlapped with five of the six major-axis (length) QTL and three of the five minor-axis (width) QTL, which accounted for 57% and 38% of the variation in those traits, respectively. Because the Arabidopsis seed is exalbuminous, lacking an endosperm at maturity, the results are relatable to embryo length and width. The Cvi allele generally had a positive effect of 2.6-4.0%. Analysis of variance showed heritability of the three traits ranged between 60% and 73%. Repeating the experiment with 2.2 million seeds from a separate harvest of the RIL population and approximately 0.5 million seeds from 92 near-isogenic lines confirmed the aforementioned results. Structured for download are files containing phenotype measurements, all sets of seed images, and the seed trait measuring tool.

Surface coating for prevention of metallic seed migration in tissues

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Lee, Hyunseok; Park, Jong In; Lee, Won Seok

Purpose: In radiotherapy, metallic implants often detach from their deposited sites and migrate to other locations. This undesirable migration could cause inadequate dose coverage for permanent brachytherapy and difficulties in image-guided radiation delivery for patients. To prevent migration of implanted seeds, the authors propose a potential strategy to use a biocompatible and tissue-adhesive material called polydopamine. Methods: In this study, nonradioactive dummy seeds that have the same geometry and composition as commercial I-125 seeds were coated in polydopamine. Using scanning electron microscopy and x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, the surface of the polydopamine-coated and noncoated seeds was characterized. The detachment stress betweenmore » the two types of seeds and the tissue was measured. The efficacy of polydopamine-coated seed was investigated through in vitro migration tests by tracing the seed location after tissue implantation and shaking for given times. The cytotoxicity of the polydopamine coating was also evaluated. Results: The results of the coating characterization have shown that polydopamine was successfully coated on the surface of the seeds. In the adhesion test, the polydopamine-coated seeds had 2.1-fold greater detachment stress than noncoated seeds. From the in vitro test, it was determined that the polydopamine-coated seed migrated shorter distances than the noncoated seed. This difference was increased with a greater length of time after implantation. Conclusions: The authors suggest that polydopamine coating is an effective technique to prevent migration of implanted seeds, especially for permanent prostate brachytherapy.« less

Ant-mediated seed dispersal in a warmed world

PubMed Central

Patterson, Courtney M.; Rodriguez-Cabal, Mariano A.; Ribbons, Relena R.; Dunn, Robert R.; Sanders, Nathan J.

2014-01-01

Climate change affects communities both directly and indirectly via changes in interspecific interactions. One such interaction that may be altered under climate change is the ant-plant seed dispersal mutualism common in deciduous forests of eastern North America. As climatic warming alters the abundance and activity levels of ants, the potential exists for shifts in rates of ant-mediated seed dispersal. We used an experimental temperature manipulation at two sites in the eastern US (Harvard Forest in Massachusetts and Duke Forest in North Carolina) to examine the potential impacts of climatic warming on overall rates of seed dispersal (using Asarum canadense seeds) as well as species-specific rates of seed dispersal at the Duke Forest site. We also examined the relationship between ant critical thermal maxima (CTmax) and the mean seed removal temperature for each ant species. We found that seed removal rates did not change as a result of experimental warming at either study site, nor were there any changes in species-specific rates of seed dispersal. There was, however, a positive relationship between CTmax and mean seed removal temperature, whereby species with higher CTmax removed more seeds at hotter temperatures. The temperature at which seeds were removed was influenced by experimental warming as well as diurnal and day-to-day fluctuations in temperature. Taken together, our results suggest that while temperature may play a role in regulating seed removal by ants, ant plant seed-dispersal mutualisms may be more robust to climate change than currently assumed. PMID:24688863

Community-wide spatial and temporal discordances of seed-seedling shadows in a tropical rainforest.

PubMed

Rother, Débora Cristina; Pizo, Marco Aurélio; Siqueira, Tadeu; Rodrigues, Ricardo Ribeiro; Jordano, Pedro

2015-01-01

Several factors decrease plant survival throughout their lifecycles. Among them, seed dispersal limitation may play a major role by resulting in highly aggregated (contagious) seed and seedling distributions entailing increased mortality. The arrival of seeds, furthermore, may not match suitable environments for seed survival and, consequently, for seedling establishment. In this study, we investigated spatio-temporal patterns of seed and seedling distribution in contrasting microhabitats (bamboo and non-bamboo stands) from the Brazilian Atlantic Forest. Spatial distribution patterns, spatial concordance between seed rain and seedling recruitment between subsequent years in two fruiting seasons (2004-2005 and 2007-2009), and the relation between seeds and seedlings with environmental factors were examined within a spatially-explicit framework. Density and species richness of both seeds and seedlings were randomly distributed in non-bamboo stands, but showed significant clustering in bamboo stands. Seed and seedling distributions showed across-year inconsistency, suggesting a marked spatial decoupling of the seed and seedling stages. Generalized linear mixed effects models indicated that only seed density and seed species richness differed between stand types while accounting for variation in soil characteristics. Our analyses provide evidence of marked recruitment limitation as a result of the interplay between biotic and abiotic factors. Because bamboo stands promote heterogeneity in the forest, they are important components of the landscape. However, at high densities, bamboos may limit recruitment for the plant community by imposing marked discordances of seed arrival and early seedling recruitment.

Zinc and selenium accumulation and their effect on iron bioavailability in common bean seeds.

PubMed

de Figueiredo, Marislaine A; Boldrin, Paulo F; Hart, Jonathan J; de Andrade, Messias J B; Guilherme, Luiz R G; Glahn, Raymond P; Li, Li

2017-02-01

Common beans (Phaseolus vulgaris) are the most important legume crops. They represent a major source of micronutrients and a target for essential trace mineral enhancement (i.e. biofortification). To investigate mineral accumulation during seed maturation and to examine whether it is possible to biofortify seeds with multi-micronutrients without affecting mineral bioavailability, three common bean cultivars were treated independently with zinc (Zn) and selenium (Se), the two critical micronutrients that can be effectively enhanced via fertilization. The seed mineral concentrations during seed maturation and the seed Fe bioavailability were analyzed. Common bean seeds were found to respond positively to Zn and Se treatments in accumulating these micronutrients. While the seed pods showed a decrease in Zn and Se along with Fe content during pod development, the seeds maintained relatively constant mineral concentrations during seed maturation. Selenium treatment had minimal effect on the seed accumulation of phytic acid and polyphenols, the compounds affecting Fe bioavailability. Zinc treatment reduced phytic acid level, but did not dramatically affect the concentrations of total polyphenols. Iron bioavailability was found not to be greatly affected in seeds biofortified with Se and Zn. In contrast, the inhibitory polyphenol compounds in the black bean profoundly reduced Fe bioavailability. These results provide valuable information for Se and Zn enhancement in common bean seeds and suggest the possibility to biofortify with these essential nutrients without greatly affecting mineral bioavailability to increase the food quality of common bean seeds. Published by Elsevier Masson SAS.

Supplementing seed banks to rehabilitate disturbed Mojave Desert shrublands: where do all the seeds go?

USGS Publications Warehouse

DeFalco, Lesley A.; Esque, Todd C.; Nicklas, Melissa B.; Kane, Jeffrey M.

2012-01-01

Revegetation of degraded arid lands often involves supplementing impoverished seed banks and improving the seedbed, yet these approaches frequently fail. To understand these failures, we tracked the fates of seeds for six shrub species that were broadcast across two contrasting surface disturbances common to the Mojave Desert—sites compacted by concentrated vehicle use and trenched sites where topsoil and subsurface soils were mixed. We evaluated seedbed treatments that enhance soil-seed contact (tackifier) and create surface roughness while reducing soil bulk density (harrowing). We also explored whether seed harvesting by granivores and seedling suppression by non-native annuals influence the success of broadcast seeding in revegetating degraded shrublands. Ten weeks after treatments, seeds readily moved off of experimental plots in untreated compacted sites, but seed movements were reduced 32% by tackifier and 55% through harrowing. Harrowing promoted seedling emergence in compacted sites, particularly for the early-colonizing species Encelia farinosa, but tackifier was largely ineffective. The inherent surface roughness of trenched sites retained three times the number of seeds than compacted sites, but soil mixing during trench development likely altered the suitability of the seedbed thus resulting in poor seedling emergence. Non-native annuals had little influence on seed fates during our study. In contrast, the prevalence of harvester ants increased seed removal on compacted sites, whereas rodent activity influenced removal on trenched sites. Future success of broadcast seeding in arid lands depends on evaluating disturbance characteristics prior to seeding and selecting appropriate species and seasons for application.

Combining ability analysis for within-boll yield components in upland cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.).

PubMed

Imran, M; Shakeel, A; Azhar, F M; Farooq, J; Saleem, M F; Saeed, A; Nazeer, W; Riaz, M; Naeem, M; Javaid, A

2012-08-24

Cotton is an important cash crop worldwide, accounting for a large percentage of world agricultural exports; however, yield per acre is still poor in many countries, including Pakistan. Diallel mating system was used to identify parents for improving within-boll yield and fiber quality parameters. Combining ability analysis was employed to obtain suitable parents for this purpose. The parental genotypes CP-15/2, NIAB Krishma, CIM-482, MS-39, and S-12 were crossed in complete diallel mating under green house conditions during 2009. The F₀ seed of 20 hybrids and five parents were planted in the field in randomized complete block design with three replications during 2010. There were highly significant differences among all F₁ hybrids and their parents. Specific combining ability (SCA) variance was greater than general combining ability (GCA) variance for bolls per plant (9.987), seeds per boll (0.635), seed density (5.672), lint per seed (4.174), boll size (3.69), seed cotton yield (0.315), and lint percentage (0.470), showing predominance of non-additive genes; while seed volume (3.84) was controlled by additive gene action based on maximum GCA variance. Cultivar MS-39 was found to be the best general combiner for seed volume (0.102), seeds per boll (0.448), and lint per seed (0.038) and its utilization produced valuable hybrids, including MS-39 x NIAB Krishma and MS-39 x S-12. The parental line CIM-482 had high GCA effects for boll size (0.33) and seeds per boll (0.90). It also showed good SCA with S-12 and NIAB Krishma for bolls per plant, with CP- 15/2 for boll size, and with MS-39 for seeds per boll. The hybrids, namely, CP-15/2 x NIAB Krishma, NIAB Krishma x S-12, NIAB Krishma x CIM-482, MS-39 x NIAB Krishma, MS-39 x CP-15/2, and S-12 x MS-39 showed promising results. Correlation analysis revealed that seed cotton yield showed significant positive correlation with bolls per plant, boll size and seeds per boll while it showed negative correlation with lint percentage and lint per seed. Seed volume showed significant negative correlation with seed density. Seeds per boll were positively correlated with boll size and negatively correlated with bolls per plant lint percentage and lint per seed. Similarly, lint per seed exhibited positive correlation with lint percentage and boll size showed significantly negative correlation with bolls per plant. Presence of non-additive genetic effects in traits like bolls per plant, seeds per boll, lint per seed, seed cotton yield, and lint percentage is indicative of later generation selection or heterosis breeding may be adopted. For boll size, seed volume and seed density early generation selection may be followed because of the presence of additive gene action. The parental material used in this study and cross combinations obtained from these parents may be exploited in future breeding endeavors.

Possible utilization of acrylic paint and copper phthalocyanine pigment sludge for vermiculture.

PubMed

Majumdar, Deepanjan; Buch, Vaidehi; Macwan, Praisy; Patel, Jignesh

2010-05-01

Sludge generated from water treatment plants in two different paint and pigment manufacturing industries, one manufacturing CPC Green (copper phthalocyanine green) and the other acrylic (pure and styrene) washable distempers, synthetic enamels, fillers and putties, were used for culturing earthworms (Eisenia foetida Savigny). The possibility of getting a quality vermicompost was also explored. The sludges were used pure and mixed with month-old cow dung at 1:1, 1:2, 1:3, 2:1 and 3:1 ratios (sludge:cow dung). In pure sludges and in the 3:1 ratio, earthworms did not survive. Earthworms had very low survival in CPC Green sludge and its mixtures while acrylic paint sludge was very efficient in supporting worm growth and worm castings were generated quickly. Both sludges were alkaline, non-saline, but had appreciable Ca, Al, Pb, Zn, and Mn. CPC Green had high Cu (12,900 mg kg(-1)) and acrylic paint sludge had high total Cr (155 mg kg(-1)). High Ca and Al in both came from water treatment chemicals (lime and alum), while CPC Green itself is a copper-based pigment. The sludges were suitable for land application with regard to their metal contents, except for Cu in CPC Green. CPC Green did not support proper growth of plants (green gram, Vigna radiata (L). R. Wilcz.), while acrylic paint sludge supported growth in pure form and mixtures with soil.

[Use of Ancient texts in modern therapeutic research].

PubMed

Fabre, André

2003-01-01

Two main purposes were assigned to this study of medicinal prescription of spices at the time of the Roman Empire: analyze Roman pharmacopoeia of spices in reference to modern criteria and assess a new discipline, close to "ethno-botany" and "ethno-pharmacology", aiming to a new approach of drug research: "archeopharmacology". A brief overview is given of the Roman world of spices : all aromatic substances from Orient, India and Far-East held a major place which can only be compared to the role of petroleum in our modern times. The study is conducted on a thesaurus of 2600 quotations from twelve authors: Apicius, Caelius Aurelianus, Cassius Felix, Celsus, Dioscorides, Galen, Marcellus,(Anonymous) Mulonmedicina, Pelagorius, Pliny the Elder, Serenus Sammonicus and Scribonius Largus and a set of 33 medicinal spices among which: cyperus, ferulas (Asa foetida), frankincense, pepper, myrrh and saffron. Medicinal use of spices (mainly for pneumology, dermatology and gastroenterology) do not differ notably from the rest of Roman pharmacopoeia: the main criteria for prescription of spices is not their place of origin but a "therapeutic profile" which is clearly assigned to each substance by tradition. During the last decades, new methods of therapeutic research: ethno-botany and ethno-pharmacology have been used extensively to explore traditional medicines. A new discipline is ready to emerge: "archeo-pharmacology", aiming towards a drug research based on Ancient texts.

7 CFR 201.47a - Seed unit.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... Regulations of the Department of Agriculture (Continued) AGRICULTURAL MARKETING SERVICE (Standards, Inspections, Marketing Practices), DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE (CONTINUED) FEDERAL SEED ACT FEDERAL SEED ACT... structure usually regarded as a seed in planting practices and in commercial channels. The seed unit may...

Effects of the seasonal flooding on riparian soil seed bank in the Three Gorges Reservoir Region: a case study in Shanmu River.

PubMed

Zhang, Miao; Chen, Fangqing; Chen, Shaohua; Wang, Yajin; Wang, Jianzhu

2016-01-01

The water-level fluctuation in the Three Gorges Reservoir Region has changed dramatically as a result of the hydroelectric project for flood control and power generation. The riparian seasonal hydrological environment also has changed from summer flooding with winter drought to summer drought with winter flooding. The changes of riparian seed bank and vegetation were investigated to determine the effects of the seasonal flooding on the composition and spatial distribution of riparian soil seed bank and the similarity of seed bank to standing vegetation. We conducted intensive riparian soil sampling (525 samples) along altitude gradient in the Shanmu River, a tributary of the Yangzi River in the reservoir region of China. Seed bank density, species richness and composition of soil seed bank were examined using the seedling-emergence method. The seasonal hydrological conditions resulted in a decrease in species diversity and an increase in the distribution heterogeneity of the soil seed bank. The soil seed bank was composed of 48 species from 22 families and 40 genera. Most species were annual and perennial herbaceous Polygonaceae, Asteraceae, and Poaceae. Rumex dentatus was the predominant species accounting for 27.0 % of the total seeds. Diversity and composition of the seed bank changed along an altitude gradient and soil depth. Maximum species richness was found in the top soil layer at 165 m and 175 m above sea level. The mean overall seed density of the soil seed bank was 13,475.3 ind m(-2). Density and the number of seeds increased initially and then decreased with increased altitude. Maximum seed density (22,500.2 ind m(-2)) was found at 165 m above sea level in the intermediately flooded riverbank, with the seed number accounting for 27.8 % of the total soil seed bank. Average seed density declined significantly with soil depth. The similarity of seed bank to standing vegetation was relatively high. The environmental heterogeneity created by the wide range and seasonal flooding led to the changes in biodiversity and seed density along altitude gradient. The seasonal flooding also led to the increase in the similarity of seed bank to standing vegetation as their composition both degraded. The seasonal flooding due to the dam reshape the composition and spatial distribution of riparian soil seed bank and limit the vegetation to a grassland dominated by a few annuals and perennials in the Three Gorges Reservoir Region.

Red fox ( Vulpes vulpes L.) favour seed dispersal, germination and seedling survival of Mediterranean Hackberry ( Celtis australis L.)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Juan, Traba; Sagrario, Arrieta; Jesús, Herranz; Cristina, Clamagirand M.

2006-07-01

Seeds of the Mediterranean Hackberry Celtis australis are often encountered in fox faeces. In order to evaluate the effect of gut transit on the size of seeds selected, the rates and speed of germination and on the survival of the seedlings, Mediterranean Hackberry seeds from fox faeces were germinated in a greenhouse. The results were compared with those of seeds taken from ripe, uneaten fruits. Fox-dispersed seeds were smaller and lighter than the control ones and had higher (74% vs. 57%) and more rapid germination (74.5 days vs. 99.2 days). Seedlings from fox-dispersed seeds showed significantly greater survival by the end of the study period (74.1% vs. 43.6%) than the control ones. Survival in seedlings from fox-dispersed seeds was related to germination date, late seedlings showing poorer survival. This relationship was not observed away in the control seedlings. Seed mass did not affect seedling survival. Seedling arising from fox-dispersed seeds grew faster than control ones. These results suggest that fox can play a relevant role as seed disperser of Mediterranean Hackberry.

Seed Dispersers, Seed Predators, and Browsers Act Synergistically as Biotic Filters in a Mosaic Landscape

PubMed Central

Zamora, Regino; Matías, Luis

2014-01-01

In this study, we analize the functional influence of animals on the plants they interact with in a mediterranean mountain. We hypothesise that seed dispersers, seed predators, and browsers can act as biotic filters for plant communities. We analyse the combined effects of mutualistic (seed dispersal) and antagonistic (seed predation, herbivory) animal interactions in a mosaic landscape of Mediterranean mountains, basing our results on observational and experimental field. Most of the dispersed seeds came from tree species, whereas the population of saplings was composed predominantly of zoochorous shrub species. Seed predators preferentially consumed seeds from tree species, whereas seeds from the dominant fleshy-fruited shrubs had a higher probability of escaping these predators. The same pattern was repeated among the different landscape units by browsers, since they browsed selectively and far more intensely on tree-species saplings than on the surrounding shrubs. In synthesis, our work identifies the major biotic processes that appear to be favoring a community dominated by shrubs versus trees because seed dispersers, predators, and herbivores together favored shrub dispersal and establishment versus trees. PMID:25233342

The effect of altitude on breaking seed dormancy and stimulation of seed germination of Persian hogweed (Heracleum persicum).

PubMed

Salehani, M Khajavi; Mahmoudi, J; Mahdavi, S Kh; Habibzadeh, R

2013-01-01

Persian hogweed is a perennial herb and aromatic plant which has pharmaceutical and fodder values, and the main propagation method of this species is seed. The goal of this study was to investigate the effect of altitude on breaking dormancy and stimulate seed germination of this species. The study was designed and carried out using the test of seed analysis. For our purpose, seeds were collected from three different altitudes (1700, 2200, 2700 masl) in Kojoor area. After initial purification, germination percent (GP) and speed (GS) of each elevation were determined by cold stratification compared to control. According to results, control seeds did not germinate, showing that the seeds of this species need to be treated. Statistical analysis of results showed that there are significant differences between GP and GS of each elevation, as seeds of higher elevation had slower and less germination in longer periods. So, changes in elevation are an effective factor on seed germination characteristics of this species and this factor has to be considered in seed preparation and restoration with this species.

Influence of Grape Seeds and Stems on Wine Composition and Astringency.

PubMed

Pascual, Olga; González-Royo, Elena; Gil, Mariona; Gómez-Alonso, Sergio; García-Romero, Esteban; Canals, Joan Miquel; Hermosín-Gutíerrez, Isidro; Zamora, Fernando

2016-08-31

The aim of this paper is to study the real influence of seeds and stems on wine composition, astringency, and bitterness. A decolored grape juice and a grape juice macerated for 4 days from the same Cabernet Sauvignon grapes were fermented with or without supplementation with 100% seeds, 300% seeds, or 100% stems. Once alcoholic fermentation had finished, the wines were analyzed and tasted. The presence of seeds and stems increased the concentration of flavan-3-ol monomers with respect to the controls. However, the seeds mainly released (+)-catechin and (-)-epicatechin, whereas the stems mainly released (+)-catechin and (+)-gallocatechin. The seeds and stems also released proanthocyanidins; those from seeds have a lower mDP and a high percentage of galloylation, whereas those from stems have a higher mDP and a relatively high percentage of prodelphinidins. The presence of seeds and stems brought about a slight but significant increase in pH and lowered titratable acidity and ethanol content. The presence of seeds boosted color intensity, whereas stems had the opposite effect. Finally, both seeds and stems increased wine astringency and bitterness.

A Cascade of Sequentially Expressed Sucrose Transporters in the Seed Coat and Endosperm Provides Nutrition for the Arabidopsis Embryo[OPEN

PubMed Central

Chen, Li-Qing; Lin, I Winnie; Qu, Xiao-Qing; Sosso, Davide; McFarlane, Heather E.; Londoño, Alejandra; Samuels, A. Lacey; Frommer, Wolf B.

2015-01-01

Developing plant embryos depend on nutrition from maternal tissues via the seed coat and endosperm, but the mechanisms that supply nutrients to plant embryos have remained elusive. Sucrose, the major transport form of carbohydrate in plants, is delivered via the phloem to the maternal seed coat and then secreted from the seed coat to feed the embryo. Here, we show that seed filling in Arabidopsis thaliana requires the three sucrose transporters SWEET11, 12, and 15. SWEET11, 12, and 15 exhibit specific spatiotemporal expression patterns in developing seeds, but only a sweet11;12;15 triple mutant showed severe seed defects, which include retarded embryo development, reduced seed weight, and reduced starch and lipid content, causing a “wrinkled” seed phenotype. In sweet11;12;15 triple mutants, starch accumulated in the seed coat but not the embryo, implicating SWEET-mediated sucrose efflux in the transfer of sugars from seed coat to embryo. This cascade of sequentially expressed SWEETs provides the feeding pathway for the plant embryo, an important feature for yield potential. PMID:25794936

Analysis of the NMI01 marker for a population database of cannabis seeds.

PubMed

Shirley, Nicholas; Allgeier, Lindsay; Lanier, Tommy; Coyle, Heather Miller

2013-01-01

We have analyzed the distribution of genotypes at a single hexanucleotide short tandem repeat (STR) locus in a Cannabis sativa seed database along with seed-packaging information. This STR locus is defined by the polymerase chain reaction amplification primers CS1F and CS1R and is referred to as NMI01 (for National Marijuana Initiative) in our study. The population database consists of seed seizures of two categories: seed samples from labeled and unlabeled packages regarding seed bank source. Of a population database of 93 processed seeds including 12 labeled Cannabis varieties, the observed genotypes generated from single seeds exhibited between one and three peaks (potentially six alleles if in homozygous state). The total number of observed genotypes was 54 making this marker highly specific and highly individualizing even among seeds of common lineage. Cluster analysis associated many but not all of the handwritten labeled seed varieties tested to date as well as the National Park seizure to our known reference database containing Mr. Nice Seedbank and Sensi Seeds commercially packaged reference samples. © 2012 American Academy of Forensic Sciences.

Near-infrared reflectance spectroscopy predicts protein, starch, and seed weight in intact seeds of common bean ( Phaseolus vulgaris L.).

PubMed

Hacisalihoglu, Gokhan; Larbi, Bismark; Settles, A Mark

2010-01-27

The objective of this study was to explore the potential of near-infrared reflectance (NIR) spectroscopy to determine individual seed composition in common bean ( Phaseolus vulgaris L.). NIR spectra and analytical measurements of seed weight, protein, and starch were collected from 267 individual bean seeds representing 91 diverse genotypes. Partial least-squares (PLS) regression models were developed with 61 bean accessions randomly assigned to a calibration data set and 30 accessions assigned to an external validation set. Protein gave the most accurate PLS regression, with the external validation set having a standard error of prediction (SEP) = 1.6%. PLS regressions for seed weight and starch had sufficient accuracy for seed sorting applications, with SEP = 41.2 mg and 4.9%, respectively. Seed color had a clear effect on the NIR spectra, with black beans having a distinct spectral type. Seed coat color did not impact the accuracy of PLS predictions. This research demonstrates that NIR is a promising technique for simultaneous sorting of multiple seed traits in single bean seeds with no sample preparation.

Survival and germination of Mediterranean grassland species after simulated sheep ingestion: ecological correlates with seed traits

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Peco, B.; Lopez-Merino, L.; Alvir, M.

2006-09-01

Large amounts of viable seeds from Mediterranean grassland species have been found in herbivore dung; however which species produce seeds that can survive and germinate after ingestion by herbivores is still not well understood. This paper evaluates the importance of seed size, shape and coat impermeability in the endozoochorous dispersal process of 20 abundant species from central Iberian rangelands. Seed survival, germination percentages and germination speed were analysed in controlled experiments on the chewing and gut passage process by inserting seeds in the rumen of fistulated sheep, followed by simulated acid-pepsin digestion. Higher germination percentages in the control than the simulated sheep ingestion treatment were found in 75% of seeds. All species showed lower survival following the treatment, two species had a higher germination speed and five had a lower rate. Large-seeded species generally had higher survival percentages than small-seeded species. Species with impermeable seed coats had higher germination percentages following treatment although no significant differences were noted for either seed survival or germination speed.

Direct seeding of brushbox, lemon-gum eucalyptus, and cluster pine in Hawaii

Treesearch

Gerald A. Walters

1969-01-01

Seeds of brushbox, lemon-gum eucalyptus, and cluster pine were sown in separate seed spots on the Mokuleia Forest Reserve, Oahu. Half the seed spots were mulched. After 1 year, only two brushbox seed spots were stocked; lemon-gum eucalyptus had significantly (5 percent level) more seed spots stocked in the mulched plots; cluster pine had significantly less. These two...

Effect of fire on a seed bank pathogen and on seeds of its host Bromus tectorum

Treesearch

J. Beckstead; S.E. Meyer; L.E. Street; P.S. Allen

2010-01-01

The generalist pathogen Pyrenophora semeniperda (Brittlebank and Adam) Shoemaker occurs primarily in cheatgrass (Bromus tectorum L.) seed banks, where it causes high seed mortality (Beckstead et al. 2007; Meyer et al. 2007). How does fire impact survival of a fungal seed pathogen, P. semeniperda, versus survival of the seeds of its cheatgrass host, the invasive Bromus...

Shortleaf pine seed production in natural stands in the Ouachita and Ozark mountains

Treesearch

Michael G. Shelton; Robert F. Wittwer

1996-01-01

Seed production of shortleaf pine (Pinus echinata Mill.) was monitored from 1965 to 1974 to determine the periodicity qf seed crops in both woods-run stands and seed-production areas. One bumper and two good seed crops occurred during the 9-yr period. The two largest crops occurred in successive years, then seed production was low for 4 yr before...

Seed morphology, germination phenology, and capacity to form a seed bank in six herbaceous layer apiaceae species of the eastern deciduous forest

Treesearch

Tracy S. Hawkins; Jerry M. Baskin; Carol C. Baskin

2007-01-01

We compared seed mass, seed morphology, and long-term germination phenology of three monocarpic (MI and three polycarpic (P) Apiaceae species of the herbaceous layer of the Eastern Deciduous Forest. Seeds (mericarps) of the six species differed considerably in mass, shape, and ornamentation. Mean seed masses were ranked Cryptotaenia canadensis (M)...

Analysis of factors affecting volatile compound formation in roasted pumpkin seeds with selected ion flow tube-mass spectrometry (SIFT-MS) and sensory analysis.

PubMed

Bowman, T; Barringer, S

2012-01-01

Pumpkin (Cucurbita pepo and maxima) seeds are uniquely flavored and commonly consumed as a healthy roasted snack. The objective was to determine dominant volatiles in raw and roasted pumpkin seeds, and the effect of seed coat, moisture content, fatty acid ratio, total lipids, reducing sugars, and harvest year on volatile formation. Sensory was conducted to evaluate overall liking of seed variety and texture. Seed processing included extraction from the fruit, dehydration, and roasting (150 °C). Oil extraction was done using soxhlet, fatty acid profile using Gas Chromatography Flame Ionization Detector, and reducing sugars using 3,5-dinitrosalicylic acid and UV-spectroscopy. Headspace analysis of seeds was performed by selected ion flow tube-mass spectrometry (SIFT-MS). Volatiles dominating in raw pumpkin seeds were lipid aldehydes, ethyl acetate, 2,3-butandione, and dimethylsulfide. Compounds contributing to roasted aroma include alkylpyrazines and Strecker and lipid aldehydes. Overall, hull-less seeds had higher volatile lipid aldehydes and Strecker aldehydes. Seeds dehydrated to a moisture content of 6.5% before roasting had higher initial and final volatile concentrations than seeds starting at 50% moisture. Higher oil content resulted in higher lipid aldehyde formation during roasting with a moderate correlation between free fatty acid ratio and corresponding lipid aldehyde. Harvest year (2009 compared with 2010) had a significant impact on volatile formation in hull-less seeds, but not as much as variety differences. No significant correlation was found between reducing sugars and volatile formation. Sensory showed that hull-less seeds were liked significantly more than hulled seeds. Elucidation of aromatic flavor development during roasting with SIFT-MS provides information on flavor release and offers better control during processing. Knowledge of volatiles in raw and roasted pumpkin seeds and effects of seed coat, moisture content, seed composition, and harvest date will allow for better control over the production/storage/transportation process and a more educated decision during selection of a variety for production of pumpkin seeds in the snack food industry. © 2011 Institute of Food Technologists®

Tree seed rain and seed removal, but not the seed bank, impede forest recovery in bracken (Pteridium aquilinum (L.) Kuhn)-dominated clearings in the African highlands.

PubMed

Ssali, Fredrick; Moe, Stein R; Sheil, Douglas

2018-04-01

Considerable areas dominated by bracken Pteridium aquilinum (L.) Kuhn occur worldwide and are associated with arrested forest recovery. How forest recovery is impeded in these areas remains poorly understood, especially in the African highlands. The component processes that can lead to recruitment limitation-including low seed arrival, availability and persistence-are important determinants of plant communities and offer a potential explanation for bracken persistence. We investigated key processes that can contribute to recruitment limitation in bracken-dominated clearings in the Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, Uganda. We examined if differences in seed rain (dispersal limitation), soil seed bank, or seed removal (seed viability and persistence) can, individually or in combination, explain the differences in tree regeneration found between bracken-dominated areas and the neighboring forest. These processes were assessed along ten 50-m transects crossing the forest-bracken boundary. When compared to the neighboring forest, bracken clearings had fewer seedlings (bracken 11,557 ± 5482 vs. forest 34,515 ± 6066 seedlings/ha), lower seed rain (949 ± 582 vs. 1605 ± 335 tree seeds m -2  year -1 ), comparable but sparse soil seed bank (304 ± 236 vs. 264 ± 99 viable tree seeds/m 2 ), higher seed removal (70.1% ± 2.4% vs. 40.6% ± 2.4% over a 3-day interval), and markedly higher rodent densities (25.7 ± 5.4 vs. 5.0 ± 1.6 rodents per 100 trapping sessions). Camera traps revealed that rodents were the dominant animals visiting the seeds in our seed removal study. Synthesis : Recruitment limitation contributes to both the slow recovery of forest in bracken-dominated areas, and to the composition of the tree species that occur. Low seed arrival and low persistence of unburied seeds can both explain the reduced density of seedlings found in bracken versus neighboring forest. Seed removal, likely due to rodents, in particular appears sufficient to constrain forest recovery and impacts some species more severely than others.

The Arabidopsis MYB96 transcription factor plays a role in seed dormancy.

PubMed

Lee, Hong Gil; Lee, Kyounghee; Seo, Pil Joon

2015-03-01

Seed dormancy facilitates to endure environmental disadvantages by confining embryonic growth until the seeds encounter favorable environmental conditions for germination. Abscisic acid (ABA) and gibberellic acid (GA) play a pivotal role in the determination of the seed dormancy state. ABA establishes seed dormancy, while GA triggers seed germination. Here, we demonstrate that MYB96 contributes to the fine-tuning of seed dormancy regulation through the coordination of ABA and GA metabolism. The MYB96-deficient myb96-1 seeds germinated earlier than wild-type seeds, whereas delayed germination was observed in the activation-tagging myb96-1D seeds. The differences in germination rate disappeared after stratification or after-ripening. The MYB96 transcription factor positively regulates ABA biosynthesis genes 9-CIS-EPOXYCAROTENOID DIOXYGENASE 2 (NCED2), NCED5, NCED6, and NCED9, and also affects GA biosynthetic genes GA3ox1 and GA20ox1. Notably, MYB96 directly binds to the promoters of NCED2 and NCED6, primarily modulating ABA biosynthesis, which subsequently influences GA metabolism. In agreement with this, hyperdormancy of myb96-1D seeds was recovered by an ABA biosynthesis inhibitor fluridone, while hypodormancy of myb96-1 seeds was suppressed by a GA biosynthesis inhibitor paclobutrazol (PAC). Taken together, the metabolic balance of ABA and GA underlies MYB96 control of primary seed dormancy.