Sexual and Asexual Propagation of Teucrium brevifolium

The propagation with seeds and stem cuttings of Teucrium brevifolium were investigated in order to facilitate the use of the species in floricultural practice and as a medicinal plant. The seeds after they subjected to different types of treatments (dipping in H2SO4 for 15 min or in H2SO4 for 15 min and GA3 1000 mg l-1 for 10 min, 24 or 48h and untreated) cultured for germination in vitro at 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, and 30 °C. The cuttings were planted in a peat/perlite mixture 1:1 v/v in plastic square plug trays in order to study the rooting percentage. Seed germination was very low (2%) at temperatures of 15-25 °C, while chemical treatment with the concentrated H2SO4 for 15 min, increased germination to 8-10% at the same temperatures. Asexual propagation of the species resulted in a 52.5-61.5% rooting percentage, in all seasons except winter. Treatment with IBA 2000 mg l-1 increaseds rooting percentage

Effects of Cadmium (Cd) on Dry Matter and on Cd Concentration in Leaves and Roots of Purple Coneflower (Echinacea purpurea L.)

The aim of this research was to examine the effect of Cd on leaves dry matter (LDM), root dry matter (RDM) and on Cd concentration in leaves (Cd-leaves) and roots (Cd-roots) of purple coneflower (E. purpurea) grown in an acid and in a neutral substrate. A completely randomized block design with four treatments (0-control, 1, 2, and 5 mg Cd L-1) and six replications for each treatment and each substrate (acid, neutral) was conducted in pot experiments. Cd concentration in leaves grown in acid substrate as well as in roots of plants grown in neutral substrate increased at Cd rates greater than 2 mg Cd L-1. Cd concentration in roots of the plants grown in neutral substrate raised with increasing doses of Cd. In general Cd concentration in the roots and leaves of purple coneflower grown either in acid or in neutral substrate was affected by Cd applications

Effects of Fertilization on Growth of Zinnia elegans L. Seedlings Grown in Floating System

The floating system is a promising alternative type of hydroponic seedling production system, which has not been much studied and disseminated in the flower industry. This study aimed to produce seedlings of Zinnia elegans in a floating system and to evaluate the influence of two organic (Codaphos & Codasting and Fish-Fert) and one inorganic nutrient solution formulations on the seedling growth parameters. Z. elegans seeds germinated at a high rate (76.6-82.1%) in all fertilization treatments with a T50 ranging from 9.54 to 10.50 days. Application of Codaphos and Codasting (organic fertilizer containing N- Codasting and P+K- Codaphos) in floating system resulted in better development of the aboveground parts and roots of seedlings comparing with the other organic and the inorganic fertilization. As a conclusion, the present study showed that organic fertilization, especially with Codaphos and Codasting, could successfully be used for the production of Z. elegans seedlings in a floating system; however, further studies must be carried out on this aspect

Nickel (Ni) Effects on Shoots and Roots Dry Matter and on Ni Concentration in Shoots of Mojito (Mentha × villosa) and Lavender (Lavandula angustifolia)

Nickel is an essential trace element for plants, but excessive Ni levels in the soil can result in toxicity to plants. The aim of this research was to examine the effect of Ni on shoots dry matter (SDM), roots dry matter (RDM) and on Ni concentrations in SDM (Ni-SDM) of mojito and lavender plants. A completely randomized block design with five treatments (0, 5, 10, 20 and 40 mg Ni L-1) and five replications for each treatment and plant species was conducted in pot experiments. Nickel was applied to the pot medium as NiCl26H2O. No visible toxic or inhibitory symptoms were observed on the plants due to the increasing rates of Ni applications. The SDM and RDM were not affected by Ni in the studied plants. Ni-SDM of mojito and lavender raised with increasing rates of Ni above 20 and 10 mg Ni L-1, respectively

Comparative study of the photosynthetic process in high light and low light in door plants and the effects of light intensity reversal during plant growth

We studied photoacclimation in tow indoor plants, the Spathiphyllum marma loa supreme (lowTlight-plant) and Schefflera arboncola which grown or transferred to light intensities ranging from 2,000 (LL) to 27,000 (HL) lx. We studied the morphological and anatomical characteristics of leaves, the structure of chloroplasts and the compositionof the thilakoid membfanes The loavoo of Spathiphyllum, in the acclimation to LL·, in contrast to HT, leaves, were thinner and and had fewem the uprxfr^urtace and their chloroplasts at LL had more granO°wer Pnoto synthetic activities. Few but large PSII and PSI units were present at LL. The increase in PSII unit size was not followed by a parallel increase in the chlorophyll bound to its LHCP antennae. This suggests that the increase in PSII size may reflect LHCÏÏ antenna sharing of PSII units in appressed membranes of giana, and îaises (he quesliun whether this is the result of the presence of the inner LHCII antenna in this plant (27 kPa τ urn apoprotein), the size of which remains unchanged upon acclimation. On the other hand photoacclimation in Schefflera took place via changes mainly in the activity (and number) of the PSUs, since under all conditions 1he size of the units remained small, and the changes in activity were correlated with reorganization of the antenna chlorophyll proteins around the units, so that better organized and more active units were present in HL. Ill Ulis plant species the LHCII apoprotein was found to have a molecular weight of 25 kDa, suggesting that it is the peripheral antenna of PSÏÏ. Our results showed that, contrary to the situation with Spathiphyllum, the thylakoids of this species exhibit proteolytic activity against LHCII, suggesting that the protease is directed only against the peripheral LHCII protein (25 kDa). The activity was enhanced in plants -grown at HLΜελετήθηκε ο φωτοεγκλιματισμός δύο φυτών εσωτερικού χώρου, του σπαθίφυλλου και της σεφλέρας που αναπτύχθηκαν ή μεταφέρθηκαν σε 2000 lx (χαμηλό φωτισμό) και 27000 lx (υψηλό φωτισμό).Μελετήθηκαν τα μορφολογικά, ανατομικά χαρακτηριστικά των φύλλων, οι ενεργότητες των φωτοσυστηματων, η λεπτή δομή των χλωροπλαστών και η σύσταση της θυλακοοιδούς μβμβράνης. Τα φύλλα του σπαθίφυλλου κατά τον φωτοεγκλιματισμό του στο χαμηλό φωτισμό σε αντίθεση με τον υψηλό, ήταν λεπτότερα με μικρότερο αριθμό στοματίων στην άνω επιφάνεια των φύλλων και οι χλωροπλάστες είχαν περισσότερα grana και μικρότερη ενεργότητα. Επίσης στο χαμηλό φωτισμό αυξήθηκε το μέγεθος των φωτοσυστηματων. Η αύξηση ωοιόσο ιου μεγέθους του PSII δεν συνοδεύτηκε από αύξηση του LHC II και αυτό διότι το σπαθίφυλλο φέρει εσωτερική αντένα LHC-II (27 kDa) η οποία δεν μεταβάλλεται κατά τον φωτοεγκλιματισμό. Έτσι ο φωτοεγκλιματισμός στο χαμηλό φωτισμό γίνεται με δανεισμό μορίων αντενών από γειτονικές PSII μονάδες πού βρίσκονται στα grana. Ο φωτοεγκλιματισμός στη σεφλέρα έγινε μέσω μεταβολών στην ενεργότητυι και τυ μέγεθυς ίων ψωΐϋουνθεπκών μονάδων ενώ το μέγεθος των |invnSmv ττπρρρρινρ. μικρό m- όλες τις συνθήκες φωτισμού. Στον υψηλό φωτισμό παρατηρήθηκε καλύτερη οργάνωση και υψηλότερη ενεργότητα των φωτοσυστηματων. Στη σεφλέρα βρέθηκε ότι η αποπρωτείνη του LHC-II έχει μοριακό βάρος 25 kDa που δηλώνει την ύπαρξη περιφερειακής αντένας. Τα αποτελέσματα επίσης έδειξαν ότι ή σεφλέρα σε αντίθεση με ιυ υπαθίψυλλο επιδεικνύει πρωτεολυτική ενεργότητα έναντι του Ι HC-ÎT, υποθέτοντας έτσι ότι η πρωτεάση δρα μόνο στη περιφερειακή αντένα της πρωτεΐνης του LHC-II (25 kDa). Η ενεργότητα αυξήθηκε στον υψηλό φωτισμό. Παράκλησ