Plant Phenology and An Assessment of the Effects Regarding Heavy Metals, Nanoparticles, and Nanotubes on Plant Development: Runner Bean, Artichoke, and Chickpea Seedlings

The relationship between environmental pollution and nutrition in particular, which forms the basis of health, is fundamentally important for protecting human health. Therefore, the data obtained from the examination of how plants and animals consumed as food are affected by environmental pollution can be seen as an indicator of their effects on humans. On the other hand, the role of technology and nanotechnology in life has been increasing in this century, and a considerable amount of heavy metals, nanoparticles (NPs), and nanotubes (NTs) are released to the environment. The results of morphological or anatomical examination of runner bean (Phaseolus coccineus L) and artichoke (Cynara scolymus L.) plants subjected to copper (Cu) and lead (Pb) heavy metals and chickpea (Cicer arietinum L) plants subjected to Au nanoparticles and C70 single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) are presented with this study in the point of their phenological development process. The three taxa belonging to Fabaceae and Asteraceae families with high economic status and having flowers with characteristic features were chosen deliberately as representatives. This chapter presents a study that will shed light on future biomonitoring-based studies focusing on the impact of environmental pollution on plants phenology with economic value

Micromorphological Investigations on Pollen Samples of Four Yellow Flowered Taxa of Crocus L. (Iridaceae) from Turkey

In this study, yellow flowered taxa of C. ancyrensis (Herbert) Maw, C. sieheanus Barr ex Burtt, C. flavus Weston subsp. flavus and C. flavus subsp. dissectus T. Baytop & Mathew were examined in the point of pollen micromorphology. Accordingly, it was aimed that pollen micromorphological characteristics of the plant samples could be used as a taxonomic criterion considerably or not. In respect to that purpose, exine structure of pollens as regards samples was examined by scanning electron microscope (SEM). On the other hand, differences between taxa were evaluated. As a result of that investigation, pollen exine ornamentation related to studied four taxa of Crocus L. genus were observed different to some extent and could be used as vice for taxonomic characteristic

Crocus chrysanthus s. lato (Iridaceae) in Turkey

New taxa in Crocus are described from Turkey: C. chrysanthus subsp. chrysanthus var. bicoloraceus F. Candan & N. Ozhatay var. nov. and C. chrysanthus subsp. chrysanthus var. atroviolaceus F. Candan & N. Ozhatay var. nov.; C. chrysanthus subsp. punctatus F. Candan & N. Ozhatay subsp. nov., C. chrysanthus subsp. kesercioglui F. Candan & N. Ozhatay subsp. nov. and C. chrysanthus subsp. sipyleus F. Candan & N. Ozhatay subsp. nov. A new classification of the species is based mainly on the colour of flowers and anthers, type of pollen grains, seed surface ornamentation, and chromosome numbers