A practical guide to the starch granules’ morphology study by microscopy

Potato starch is a valuable and affordable technical raw material for a number of industries. For selection of plants producing starch with optimal processing properties effective methods for physicochemical parameters evaluation of a large number of starch samples are needed. Thus, variability of phenotypic traits data are important both for fundamental works on identification of genomic loci responsible for a wide range of potato starch characteristics as well as for applied accelerated selection of new varieties for technical use. Estimating the morphology of starch granules by microscopy is one of the most accessible and therefore widespread methods of phenotyping. We developed a four-step approach to the estimation of the geometric parameters of starch granules. It includes an isolation of starch from the tuber (stage 1), the preparation of mi-crographs of starch samples (stage 2), processing and analysis of the images obtained in the freely distributed ImageJ program (stage 3), and the construction of distribution curve for starch granules by geometric parameters (stage 4). It was shown that the starch granules of different varieties and hybrids of potato differ in morphology and can be differentiated by microscopy with obtaining data on the Feret’s diameter and the circularity of the particles. Thus, typical values of the Feret’s diameter of starch granules of “Alena” and “Nevsky” varieties and 785/8-5 hybrid are 5, 22 and 67 microns, respectively. The distributions on circularity of starch granules of these varieties and the hybrid have only minor differences. Light optical microscopy of starch granules followed by digital image analysis is an affordable, economical, simple and effective approach to phenotyping the varieties and hybrids of potato Solanum tuberosum L. on the physicochemical parameters of starch. The approach may be applied for accelerated analysis of a large number of samples on a limited amount of natural material in the field and countryside economic laboratories

Floristic findings in the Upper Yenisei Basin (2)

В результате экспедиционных исследований, анализа ранее опубликованных работ и просмотра материалов, хранящихся в гербариях ЦСБС (NS, NSK) и государственного природного заповедника «Азас», уточнены сведения о видовом составе флоры бассейна Верхнего Енисея. Впервые во флоре Тывы отмечены Humulus lupulus, Atriplex hortensis, Saponaria officinalis, Raphanus sativus, Abutilon theophrastii, Cichorium intybus, Elodea canadensis, Cypripedium × ventricosum, Poa sergievskajae; во флоре Хакасии – Microcerasus tomentosa, Cypripedium × ventricosum, S. viridis subsp. pycnocoma; во флоре южной части Красноярского края – Microcerasus tomentosa, Cypripedium × ventricosum. Уточнено распростране- ние и обнаружены новые местонахождения редких на этой территории видов – Asterothamnus heteropappoides, Ulmus pumila, Saxifraga nivalis, Euphorbia caesia.As a result of field work, analysis of the works published earlier and study of herbarium specimens in CSBG and State Nature Reserve «Azas», data on species composition of the Upper Yenisei Basin flora were verified. Humulus lupulus, Atriplex hortensis, Saponaria officinalis, Raphanus sativus, Abutilon theophrastii, Cichorium intybus, Elodea canadensis, Cypripedium × ventricosum and Poa sergievskajae were noted for the first time in the flora of Tyva, Microcerasus tomentosa, Cypripedium × ventricosum and Setaria viridis subsp. pycnocoma – in the flora of Khakasiya, Microcerasus tomentosa and Cypripedium × ventricosum – inthe flora of southern Krasnoyarsk Krai. Distribution was specified and new localities of rare species: Asterothamnus heteropappoides,Ulmus pumila, Saxifraga nivalis and Euphorbia caesia were found

Филогенетическая систематика и биогеография восточноазиатско-североамериканского рода Coptis (Ranunculaceae)

The goldthread genus Coptis includes 15 species disjunctly distributed in eastern Asia and North America. Here, we provide

Особенности получения вторичных метаболитов в культуре клеток, тканей и органов Hedysarum theinum (Fabaceae) in vitro

Получены стабильно растущие каллусные культуры, культура «hairy roots» и растениярегенеранты Hedysarum theinum. Подобраны и оптимизированы среды для культивирования различных типов эксплантов. Проведен биохимический анализ образцов на содержание дубильных веществ, флавонолов, катехинов и ксантонов. Показано, что H. theinum при разных способах культивирования in vitro способен синтезировать биологически активные вещества, содержащиеся как в надземной, так и в подземной частях интактных растений. Содержание катехинов и флавонолов в каллусных культурах, культуре «hairy roots» и растениях-регенерантах H. theinum не уступает содержанию этих веществ в интактных растениях в отдельные фазы онтогенеза.</p

On the finding of Ribes diacanthum Pall. in the south of Republic of Khakassia

Finding of Ribes diacanthum Pall. in Khakassia clarifies the western border of distribution area of this species. Location is probably of a relict character.</p

Karyotypes and genome size of Adonis amurensis and Adonis apennina (Ranunculaceae) from Asian Russia

The karyotypes of Adonis amurensis from Amur Oblast,' and Adonis apennina from Altai Republic, Khakassia Republic, and Irkutsk Oblast' have been investigated. The karyotype formula was obtained as 2n = 2x =16 = 8m + 8sm(4sat) for all specimens. We estimated karyotype asymmetry through the calculation of the Coefficient of Variation of Chromosome Length (CVCL), Coefficient of Variation of Centromeric Index (CVCI), and Mean Centromeric Asymmetry (MCA), and determination of Stebbins asymmetry index. The chromosome set of Adonis amurensis was found to be more symmetrical than the chromosome set of Adonis apennina. The average absolute nuclear DNA content (2С–value) was originally determined for Adonis amurensis and Adonis apennina by flow cytometry and attained on average 20.38 pg and 17.29 pg, respectivel

Distribution analysis, updated checklist, and DNA barcodes of the endemic vascular flora of the Altai mountains, a Siberian biodiversity hotspot

The Altai Mountains of central Asia are biologically rich and comprise a wide diversity of ecosystems and lineages, including numerous endemic vascular plant species. Here we provide an updated checklist of the endemic vascular flora of the Altai Mountains with more taxa and higher geographic resolution than previously reported, as well as first molecular data and specimen images for many of these species. This flora is now known to contain 321 endemic species distributed in 34 families, many of which are narrowly restricted to one subregion of the Altai. The Fabaceae has given rise to the most endemic species in the Altai (74 spp.), and most of this diversity is found in the large and ecologically important genera Astragalus and Oxytropis. Approximately 60% of the endemic flora was imaged and successfully barcoded with at least one of three common DNA barcoding loci, and a phylogenetic tree based upon these loci is also presented to display the evolutionary breadth of endemism in the Altai. The distribution of each endemic species is presented in terms of a standard geographic subdivision of the Altai region, with general conservation priorities discussed based on areas currently afforded protected status

Distribution analysis, updated checklist, and DNA barcodes of the endemic vascular flora of the Altai mountains, a Siberian biodiversity hotspot

The Altai Mountains of central Asia are biologically rich and comprise a wide diversity of ecosystems and lineages, including numerous endemic vascular plant species. Here we provide an updated checklist of the endemic vascular flora of the Altai Mountains with more taxa and higher geographic resolution than previously reported, as well as first molecular data and specimen images for many of these species. This flora is now known to contain 321 endemic species distributed in 34 families, many of which are narrowly restricted to one subregion of the Altai. The Fabaceae has given rise to the most endemic species in the Altai (74 spp.), and most of this diversity is found in the large and ecologically important genera Astragalus and Oxytropis. Approximately 60% of the endemic flora was imaged and successfully barcoded with at least one of three common DNA barcoding loci, and a phylogenetic tree based upon these loci is also presented to display the evolutionary breadth of endemism in the Altai. The distribution of each endemic species is presented in terms of a standard geographic subdivision of the Altai region, with general conservation priorities discussed based on areas currently afforded protected status