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There is a need to summarise information using phenological models to develop a sustainable saffron production technology with further regulation of flowering at a certain phenological stage and determination of the appropriate flowering period to improve yield and quality under different environmental conditions. The purpose of the study is to establish the course of phenological phases of saffron growth and development in the conditions of the Right- Bank Forest-Steppe of Ukraine. Phenological observations and biometric measurements were performed in the study. According to field observations, there are a total of 6 phenological stages of saffron development. The rest period lasts from the third ten days of May to October and is divided into primary and secondary dormancy. During the primary dormant period, corms do not show external morphological changes and growth, but internal physiological and morphogenetic changes occur. In the secondary dormant period, the initial emergence of leaves and flowers and their differentiation take place. During the dormant period, saffron plants were left without aboveground organs. The flowering period falls in October. The passage of this phenological stage may be affected by changes in environmental conditions or agricultural technology. The growth of the root system began with the appearance of flowers and leaves. During the growing season, the growth of the leaf apparatus and the development of the root system continue. During this period, daughter corms are also formed from the buds of the mother corm. During the winter, the replacement corms continue to grow using the nutrient reserves of the mother corm. In early March, the development of the root system slows down and the daughter corms reach almost the final size. At the end of the growing season, the root system of the mother corm stops growing. The leaves begin to age from the top to the base. By the end of May, the daughter corms are fully developed and are preparing for the transition to a dormant state. The number of corms produced per unit area depends on the age of the plot, nutrient supply, and the level of agricultural technology. Older fields produce more corms. Due to the higher density, a larger yield of stamens is formed. Therefore, understanding the phenological reactions and influence of climatic factors on the stages of saffron growth and development in certain soil and climatic conditions is useful for future forecasting of harvest time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Saffron corm is produced annually in large quantities in Iran. It contains some bioactive components like phenolic and antioxidative compounds. We extracted saffron corm by ultrasound-assisted solvent extraction method. The extraction yield and antioxidant properties, free radical scavenging ability, FRAP, and total phenolic compounds (TPC), were determined. To evaluate acute and subchronic toxicity, the extract was administered at three different doses of 1, 10, and 100 mg/kg to BALB/c male mice. Then, the rate of mortality and biochemical parameters such as LDH, ALT, AST, ALP, TG, cholesterol and creatinine were measured after 24 hours and 60 days respectively. Effect of extract on healthy (HFF) and cancerous cells (MCF-7 & HT-29) was evaluated using MTT assay. Results showed that the 40 min ultrasound-assisted extraction method with the highest extraction yield (0.98%), free radical scavenging inhibition (64.37%), and highest FRAP (643.51 µmol/feII.l) and TPC (82.23 mg/ml) could be selected as the most active saffron corm extract. According to our animal study after acute and subchronic administration of extract, no significant alteration of the levels of TG, cholesterol, ALP, ALT, AST and creatinine was observed, in mice. Cytotoxicity tests showed that saffron corm extract had no toxic effect on HFF cells, although it had toxic effects on MCF-7 & HT-29 cells. Conclusively, to our data, saffron corm extract had no significant acute and subchronic toxicity on BALB/c mice, and although it had toxic effects on cancer cells no cytotoxicity was seen on normal fibroblast cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article, published in the journal Environment & Ecology, presents findings on the amylase activity and bio-chemical estimation of different genotypes of post-harvest banana corms. The study found variations in amylase activity, soluble sugar level, starch level, soluble protein level, and crude protein content among the different genotypes. The study concludes that post-harvest banana corms have sufficient organic content that can be used for promoting propagules or making organic compost. Further research is needed to explore the potential uses of banana corms. [Extracted from the article]

The high affinity of hemoglobin makes difficult to use carbon monoxide (CO) as a therapeutic agent. One of the safe ways for exogenous CO application is utilization of CO-releasing molecules. Besides, the chemical properties of CO-releasing molecules must be predictable in order to transportation of CO to the cell with controllable manner. The journey of CO through the body fluids is important for analyzing its effectiveness in target cell. Zetasizer measurements such as particle size, mobility and zeta potential of manganese complexes containing benzimidazole derivative ligands that are proven to show anticancer activity in vitro by CO-releasing; [Mn(CO)3(bpy)(N-benzimidazole)]PF6 and [Mn(CO)3(bpy)(2,4,6-trimethylbenzylbenzimidazole)]PF6 were performed at different pHs and as a function of time in artificial body fluid environments such as PBS, dextrose and isotonic NaCl. The effect of time on the activity and stability of the complexes at different pHs and in different body fluid environments was examined by UV-Vis spectroscopy. In this way, a method was developed that could shed light on the in vivo studies of these complexes that can be used as alternative therapeutic agents in cancer treatment. In addition, the theoretical analysis of the molecules using DFT/TDDFT, and molecular docking methods were made, and structure-activity connections were investigated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present work tried to evaluate whether arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) affected physiological aspects of saffron corms by triggering flowering and dormancy together with improving growth parameter. Endomycorrhizal fungi inoculum was inoculated into potted saffron corms (Crocus sativus L.) exposed to stress conditions (water and salinity) and followed for two growing seasons. Results highlighted a variation among saffron responses to endomycorrhizal fungi inoculum under water and salinity stress. The mycorrhizal corms showed a regular flowering period that occurred earlier than that of non-inoculated with AMF. The superior values of morphological traits, such as leaf and root length, leaves number and daughter corm number were between 3 and 12 cm, 11 to 25 cm; 13.4–4.5; 7 and 3 at respective concentrations of 1 g/l and 5 g/l of NaCl. Similarly, in AMF inoculated saffron, no statistical difference was observed in the dry weight average of aerial part in plants facing water level 60% (0.38 g) and 40% (0.27 g) compared respectively to 0.36 g and 0.22 g in control plants. The fresh weight of aerial saffron parts were 2 g (1 g/L), 0.6 g/L and 0.33 g at 5 g/L of NaCl compared to 1.6 g, 0.4 g and 0.2 g in control plants. At water level of 60% and 40%, this weight decreased from 1.46 g to 0.85 g. Almost equal values of dry weight of root parts were noted at 3 g/L (0.33 g) and 5 g/L of NaCl (0.22 g) in saffron plants from bulbs grown in soil incorporated with AMF inoculum compared to 0.25 g (3 g/L) and 0.18 g at 5 g/L of NaCl in control plants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Saffron (Crocus sativus L.) is a geophytic plant which is one of the most commonly known medicinal and aromatic plant species in the world. The stigma of saffron is used for dye, food, or beverages additive and in the pharmacology industries. The saffron crocus has been cultivated in our country quite recently, but the areas with this crop are rapidly increasing. Saffron (Crocus sativus L.) is the most expensive spice in the world. This plant species is propagated vegetatively through the formation of daughter corms from the mother one. The field experiment was conducted to determine the most suitable bulb size for saffron cultivation. In the present article, we summarize scientific observations on the influence of air factors on the development of saffron and the size of the bulbs, their mass and also the number of daughter bulbs. One of the most important organs for plant development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The experiment was conducted to find out the optimum dose of boron in maximizing growth and improving flowering attributes in gladiolus (Gladiolus sp.) cv. Malaviya Shatabdi at Institute of Agricultural Sciences, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh during 2020-21. The treatments were given as: the control (distilled water), 0.1% boron, 0.2% boron, 0.3% boron, 0.4% boron, 0.5% boron, 0.6% boron, 0.7% boron, 0.8% boron, 0.9% boron and 1.0% boron, applied at 60 and 75 days after planting. There was maximum number of leaves/plant (13.94), maximum width of scape (2.67 cm) was noted at 0.3% of B, maximum plant height was recorded with foliar application of 0.5% B (70.42 cm), whereas leaf length (65.50 cm) and leaf width (2.63 cm) were maximum at 0.6% of B as compared to other treatments. The earliest spike emergence and colour were noted in 68.44 days and 77.88 days respectively at 0.2% of B spray. Earliest opening of first and fifth florets was seen with 0.6% of B (85.06 and 90.00 days respectively). Maximum length (9.72 cm) and diameter (7.81cm) of first floret was observed in 0.2 % and 0.3% B treatments, whereas, maximum length (8.62 cm) and diameter (7.40 cm) of fifth floret was detected in 0.6% and 0.5% B treatments respectively. Results also showed that application of B significantly reduced flowering duration among all the treatments as compared to the control. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Iraqi Journal of Agricultural Sciences is the property of Republic of Iraq Ministry of Higher Education & Scientific Research (MOHESR) and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Journal of Plant Production is the property of Egyptian National Agricultural Library (ENAL) and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Mesopotamia Journal of Agriculture is the property of Republic of Iraq Ministry of Higher Education & Scientific Research (MOHESR) and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

A set of well defined signaling molecules responsible for normal functioning of human physiology including nitric oxide along with carbon monoxide and hydrogen sulphide are referred as "gasotransmitters". Due to their involvement in almost every system of a human body, the care of highly sensitive organs using these molecules as drugs represents highly fascinating area of research. In connection with these interesting aspects, the applied aspects of these gaseous molecules in maintaining healthy eye and vision have been targeted in this review. Several examples of eye-droppers including NORMs like latanoprost and nipradiol, CORMs like CORM-3 and CORM-A1, and Hydrogen sulfide releasing system like GYY4137 have been discussed in this context. Therefore the relation of these trio-gasotransmitters with the ophthalmic homeostasis on one hand, and de-infecting role on the other hand has been mainly highlighted. Some molecular systems capable of mimicking gasotransmitter action have also been introduced in connection with the titled theme. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gladiolus is one of the cut flowers in much demand throughout the world due to its spectacular colorful bloom and long shelf life. Corm and cormels are the major propagative units for this plant. However, lower multiplication rate is a great hindrance for commercial production. This experiment was conducted at research plots of the Bangladesh Agricultural University, Mymensingh, Bangladesh during the period of October 2017 to May 2018. The two-factor experiment included plant spacing (S 1=25 cm x 20 cm, S2 = 20 cm x 30 cm, S3 = 25 cm x 30 cm) as factor A and corm size (C1 = Small corm, 30±2 g, C2 = Medium corm, 35±2 g, C3 = Large corm 40 g to 65 g) as factor B. Hence, nine combinations were set up as treatments with three replicates in a Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) to explore improvement of corm and cormel production of gladiolus. Positive responses were found in experimental parameters such as corm diameter, weight of corm and cormels per plant, weight of corm and cormels per plot and yield of corms and cormels with increasing plant density and corm size. Results of the experiment revealed that yield of corms (23.08 t/ha) and yield of cormels (16.12 t/ha) were the highest with the treatment combination S3C3. This investigation concluded with the g reatest corm and cormel production of gladiolus through the combination of wider plant spacing and large corm size under experimental conditions in Bangladesh. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Carbon monoxide (CO) exerts various protective effects on the body. Drugs known as CORMs (CO-releasing molecules) can continuously release small doses of CO into diseased tissues and cells. Transition metals interact strongly with the carbonyl group, and coordination compounds bearing carbonyl groups are a promising class of CORMs. This study investigates the octahedral coordination of Fe2+ and Fe3+ compounds with carbonyl groups (to give Fen+[CO]6) and subsequent substitutions with Cl−, Br−, NH3, and H2O, to understand how these ligands interfere in the M-CO bond. The geometry optimization calculations were performed with the methods BP86 and B3LYP and the atomic basis set def2-TZVP. The molecular orbitals and the properties derived from the electronic density based on QTAIM were analyzed. Coordination with ligands increased the influence of the metal atomic basin on the Fe-C bond, especially for the Fe2+ compounds, and the Cl− and Br− ligands led to lower local ionization energies at the Fe-C bonds. Trans effects were also observed in the QTAIM real functions: Fe-C bond distances were shorter when C was in trans position to a ligand. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The research aims to observe the influence of harvesting time on the change of calcium oxalate (CaOx) content and crystal density in Porang corms. The corms were harvested at different times, i.e., (1) two weeks before the plants shed (R0-1), (2) when the plants shed (R0), and (3) two weeks after the plants shed (R0+1). CaOx was obtained using the modified extracting method. Microscopic observations were obtained from the slices of the edge and center part of porang corms. Parameter observed including CaOx content, corm weight, shape, and density of CaOx crystal. CaOx content and crystal density in corms were analyzed using One way ANOVA. If the results are significant, it will be followed by Tukey Test α 0.05. In the meantime, the relation between CaOx content and corm weight was analyzed using Correlation Test Bivariate. The results showed that CaOx content was relatively higher in porang corms, i.e., 15.98 ± 0.60g/100g. On the other hand, the increasing of CaOx content might improve corm weight. The total density of druse, styloid, and prism crystal was pretty high in corms obtained when the plants shed compared to another harvest time, i.e., 1,494 ± 286; 31,280 ± 17,406 and 6,256 ± 1,533 crystals/cm2 . Raphide crystal density, by contrast, increased in corms obtained after the plants shed, i.e.,1,656 ± 368 crystals/cm2 . Total CaOx crystal density in the edge parts of corms harvested when the plants shed was proportionately higher than in the other harvest times, i.e., 12,292 ± 4,687.89 crystals/cm2 . In contrast, CaOx crystal densities in the center parts of corms were not much different at three harvesting times. The density of druse and prism crystals was somewhat higher in the center part of corms than in the edge parts. In opposition to, the density of raphide and styloid crystals was fairly higher in the edge part of corms than it was in the center parts. However, only raphide crystal density found in the edge and center part of corms was significantly affected by harvest time from all these results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The vegetative, floral and corm characters of seven gladiolus cultivars (Friendship, Candyman, White Prosperity, Novalux, Priscilla, Summer Sunshine and Dull Queen) were evaluated under paired-row system to study the performance of cultivars and to find suitable cultivar for cut flower production. The vegetative performance of cultivars Novalux, White Prosperity and Candyman were comparatively better with early shoot emergence in 5.566 days (White Prosperity), maximum plant height of 160.62 cm (White Prosperity), maximum shoots per corm of 1.867 (Novalux) and highest number of leaves (8.33) in cultivar Candyman. The cultivar Priscilla performed superiorly in some major floral characters such as spikes per corm (1.733), early spiking (65.33 days) and vase life (10.73 days). While cultivar White Prosperity was also better performer in some critical floral characters such as florets per spike (16.400), rachis (81.827 cm), florets open at once (6.733), spike length (103.587 cm) and size of florets (10.673 cm). In case of multiplication property, cultivar Dull Queen produced highest number of corms (2.400) and cormels (47.267) while corm size (9.060 cm) and weight (212.133 g) was highest in Novalux. The outcome of the experiment indicated that cultivars White Prosperity, Priscilla and Novalux were best suited under paired-row system for cut flower production and corm and cormel production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An experiment was conducted to study the effect of adding Wheat Organic Residues (WOR) to the soil of the pot and spraying Salicylic acid (SA) on growth parameters of freesia plants and production of its corms. The experiment was adopted as two factors. The first include three levels of organic i.e., 0, 5 and 10% while second include three concentration of Salicylic acid i.e., 0, 50 and 150 mg L-1. The results showed that adding 10% of WOR or spraying SA significantly increased the No. of total leaves, shoot dry weight, total chlorophyll content in the leaf, total soluble carbohydrate in the leaf, No. of corms per plant, diameter of corms, No. of the inflorescence per plant, length of inflorescence stem and No. of florets per inflorescence, compared to the control treatment which gave the lowest vales. Also, the results of the interaction between two factors showed that adding WOR at level 10% and spraying SA significantly increased all the growth parameters of fressia plants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An experiment was conducted to study the effect of biofertilizers on floral attributes and corm yield of gladiolus (Gladiolus grandiflora L.) var. Arka Amar at Floriculture and Landscaping Block, College of Horticulture, VCSG, Uttarakhand University of Horticulture and Forestry, during 2016. The experiment consists of eight treatments, viz. control, PSB @ 2ml/l, Azotobacter @ 25g/l, VAM @ 20g/l and their combinations. Recommended doses of fertilizer were applied as a common basal dose in all treatments. The experiment was laid out in randomized complete block design and replicated thrice. The results revealed that minimum number of days were taken to first floret opening (111.76) and maximum number of spike per plant and per plot (2.00 and 32.00, respectively), floret diameter (12.46 cm) and number of corms per plot (31.00) were recorded from the corms inoculated with PSB @ 2ml/l + Azotobacter @ 25 g/l + VAM @ 20 g/l. There was maximum corm weight (60.60 g), corm diameter (6.20 cm), numbers of cormels per plant and per plot (37.33 and 600.76, respectively) from the corms inoculated with Azotobacter @25 g/l +VAM @20 g/l, followed by PSB @ 2ml/l + Azotobacter @ 25 g/l + VAM @ 20 g/l. Thus, it can be concluded that application of PSB @ 2ml/l + Azotobacter @ 25 g/l + VAM @ 20 g/l can be used for getting superior quality and yield in gladiolus var. Arka Amar. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The main goal of the present study was to establish the most appropriate gladiolus variety for growing under Bulgarian conditions. The experiment carried out in the Experimental fields of Agricultural University - Plovdiv with five gladiolus varieties: Purple flora, Priscilla, Plum tart, Oscar and Green star. The corms were planted in March. The phenological phases of sprouting, the appearance of the inflorescence stalk, beginning and end of flowering were observed. During the vegetation, the most important vegetative behaviours of the plant as high of plant, the diameter of the stem, number of leaves, length of inflorescence stalk and numbers of fully developed flowers and undeveloped flowers per plant were established. The coluor of the flowers was also registered. A Green star and Purple flora varieties have the strongest vegetative development, resulting in the formation of the highest plants, with the largest diameter and number of leaves. The highest decorative value of all tested genotypes, under the conditions of Bulgaria, indicated the Purple flora variety. Positive correlations are established between the height of the plant and the number of leaves and also for the length of inflorescences stalk and the number of developed flowers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study was conducted in the Greenhouse of Horticulture Department, College of Agricultural Engineering Sciences, Duhok University, Iraq during spring season of 2019 to investigate the effect of electric current severity and shock timing of corms on the vegetative, flowering and corm growth characters of Gladiolus grandiflorus. The treatments including three levels of electric current severity (AC 6, 8 and 10 amp.) and three timings of electric shock (1, 3 and 5 min) were tested on corms of two cultivars of gladiolus (Bimbo and Sapporo). A special electric apparatus was designed for this purpose. The corms were first soaked for 3 h in 1% NaCl solution, and then soaked in fresh water for the same period of 3 h before planting. The corms of cv. Bimbo which were exposed to low current for a short period treatment (T1) i. e. 4 A × 1 min significantly reduced sprouting time of vegetative growth to 12 days and flowering date to 68 days, increased the number of lateral branches (2.75 lateral branches/plant), largest leaf area (191.35 cm2), chlorophyll content (59.65 SPAD), longest spike flower (12.50 cm), highest number of florets in spike flower (27.85 flowers/spike) and highest dry weight of corms (19.81 g). However, the treatment T15 (6 A × 3 min) significantly increased the plant height (128.95 cm), dry weight of vegetative parts (12.09 g) and diameter of corm (6.13 cm). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Acta Agriculturae Slovenica is the property of Biotechnical Faculty of the University of Ljubljana and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Iva is a new Bulgarian gladiolus variety created at the Institute of Ornamental and medicinal Plants - Sofia by the method of intraspecific hybridization, i.e. by crossing Oasis and Blues varieties. Variety Iva is of high ornamental quality with purple color, medium high, very strong and light green stem, that makes it competitive on the market. The new variety is characterized by earlier flowering period in comparison with standard cultivar Blues, respectively 13 days. The number of blossoms per one plant, yield of cut flower and corms, and weight of cormels /100 m2, from the new variety are higher in comparison with the standard variety Blues, respectively 16.30 %, 9.61% аnd 45.6%. The cut flowers of variety Iva show longer vase life in water, than the standard variety, respectively 4 days. The new variety is suitable for greenhouse and field production, urban landscaping purposes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Xanthosoma sagittifolium, belonging to the araceas family, represents an attractive alternative as a starch source. Nevertheless, as a rhizome plant two differentiated parts could be distinguished named corms and cormels." by "However, the rhizome of Xanthosoma sagittifolium has two differentiate parts named corms and cormels of Xanthosoma. Granules morphology, composition, hydration properties, pasting/thermal behaviour, as well as gelling performance were assessed. Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) revealed different morphology, granules were organised as aggregates in starch isolated from corms. Corms starch displayed lower hydration properties, lower apparent viscosity during heating and cooling and higher gelatinisation temperatures than cormels starch. Gels from corms starch showed less syneresis than cormels starch, but no significant differences were observed regarding their hardness. Therefore, the part of the araceas plant from which the starch is extracted must be always defined, because significant differences in their functionality are ascribed to their morphological origin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Corm, being a unit of reproduction and storage, plays an indispensable role in the life cycle of Crocus sativus (saffron). This study deals with the screening of bacteria isolated from cormosphere (area surrounding the corm sheath) of C. sativus during three growth stages for biofertilizer and biocontrol property. Out of 1000 protease producing bacteria isolated from the cormosphere (soil adhering corm sheath in analogy to rhizosphere), three plant growth promoting (PGP) Bacilli namely Bacillus thuringiensis DC1, B. megaterium VC3 and B. amyloliquefaciens DC8 were selected based on multiple and maximum PGP traits along with corm rot pathogen antagonism. To evaluate in vivo efficacy of the consortia, pot trials were conducted and a significant increase in number and length of both, shoot and root were observed. Further, the disease incidence in test corms was reduced by threefold as compared to control and the number of daughter corms produced in pot trials was also increased. Since corm is a unit of reproduction/propagation, increase in its number is of major significance. This is the first report on isolation and characterization of Plant growth promoting bacteria from any cormosphere. Significance and Impact of the Study: Saffron is referred as 'golden condiment' as it is the most expensive crop in the world. However, the yield of the crop is declining due to corm rot disease caused by Fusarium oxysporum fungus in saffron corms. Corm of Crocus sativus is the unit of propagation and is also the site of root & shoot initiation. The corm rot disease is being controlled using chemical fungicides which in turn have adverse effect on the crop. Use of native bacteria having biocontrol and biofertilizer properties, isolated in this study, will help in reduction in disease and increase in the yield of saffron crop without any hazardous effect on the plant. Production of disease free cormlets will certainly give boost to the saffron cultivation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The photoCORMs [Mn(CO)3(L)]Br with the tridentate ligands L1 = S[(CH2)2NH2]2 (1) (CORM-EDE3) and L2 = cyclo- S[(CH2)2NH(CH2-)]2 (2) (CORM-EDE4) are non-toxic and release all CO ligands upon irradiation. Reduction of the hydrophilicity of the cation by L2 (thia-4,7-diazacyclononane) enables accumulation of the resulting water-soluble CORM-EDE4 as well as administration of CO inside of cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Binding a small molecule to proteins causes conformational changes, but often to a limited extent. Here, we demonstrate that the interaction of a CO-releasing molecule (CORM3) with a photoreceptor photoactive yellow protein (PYP) drives large structural changes in the latter. The interaction of CORM3 and a mutant of PYP, Met100Ala, not only trigger the isomerization of its chromophore, p-coumaric acid, from its anionic trans configuration to a protonated cis configuration, but also increases the content of β-sheet at the cost of α-helix and random coil in the secondary structure of the protein. The CORM3 derived Met100Ala is found to highly resemble the signaling state, which is one of the key photo-intermediates of this photoactive protein, in both protein local conformation and chromophore configuration. The organometallic reagents hold promise as protein engineering tools. This work highlights a novel approach to structurally accessing short lived intermediates of proteins in a steady-state fashion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The reaction of [(OC)5MnBr] with substituted 3-(2-pyridyl)pyrazoles) 2-PyPzRH (1a-l) in methanol or diethyl ether yields the yellow to orange manganese(I) complexes [(OC)3Mn(Br)(2-PyPzRH)] (2a-l), the substituents R being phenyl (a), 1-naphthyl (b), 2-anthracenyl (c), 1-pyrenyl (d), 4-bromophenyl (e), 3-bromophenyl (f), duryl (g), 2-pyridyl (h), 2-furanyl (i), 2-thienyl (j), ferrocenyl (k), and 1-adamantyl (l). The carbonyl ligands are arranged facially, leading to three chemically different CO ligands due to different trans-positioned Lewis donors. The diversity of the substituent R demonstrates that this photoCORM backbone can easily be varied with a negligible influence on the central (OC)3MnBr fragment, because the structural parameters and the spectroscopic data of this unit are very similar for all these derivatives. Even the ferrocenyl complex 2k shows a redox potential for the ferrocenyl subunit which is identical to the value of the free 5-ferrocenyl-3-(2-pyridyl)pyrazole (1k). The ease of variation of the starting 5-substituted 3-(2-pyridyl)pyrazoles) offers a modular system to attach diverse substituents at the periphery of the photoCORM complex. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The choice of explant and its preparation are most likely one of the most important biotic factors that determine the success of a tissue culture protocol when the explant is derived from ex vitro organs. This review assesses the disinfection protocols available for saffron (Crocus sativus L.; Iridaceae) explants in an attempt to ascertain the most suitable set of parameters that could ensure successful tissue culture in subsequent treatments. From a methodological perspective, two explant types are most commonly adopted in saffron biotechnology, namely the use of fresh field-grown shoots, or dormant corms. The latter is more recommended to minimize contamination and to allow the use of more aggressive disinfection treatments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Alexandria Science Exchange Journal is the property of Alexandria Science Exchange Journal and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Alexandria Science Exchange Journal is the property of Alexandria Science Exchange Journal and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The objective of this study was to investigate taro [Colocasia esculenta (L.) Schott] corm quality as determined by changes in starch morphology and degradation during storage after harvest. Starch is the major nutrient component of taro corms and its quality in corms that are stored as planting material or consumption has not been fully explained. Scanning electron microscopy was used to examine the changes that occur to the surface morphology of starch granules in corms of taro landraces, Dumbe-dumbe, Mgingqeni and Pitshi, stored at cool (12ºC) and ambient (20ºC) temperatures. Alphaamylase activity and sprouting were used as indicators of changes in the starch granules, and hence corm quality, during storage in polyethylene bags, card boxes, and mesh bags. The degradation of starch granules, alpha amylase activity, and sprouting increased over storage time and varied with landraces, storage material, and temperature. Overall, there was 23% more alpha-amylase activity and 67% more sprouting at 20ºC compared with 12ºC. With respect to storage material, polyethylene bags showed the highest alpha-amylase activity (0.18 EU 0.1 g-1) followed by card boxes (0.15 EU mg-1 0.1 g-1) and mesh bags (0.14 EU mg-1 0.1 g-1). A similar, but more pronounced, trend was observed for sprouting. The findings have implications for selection of storage material for food and propagule storage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Jordan Journal of Agricultural Sciences is the property of University of Jordan and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Molecules that can be used to deliver a controlled amount of carbon monoxide (CO) have the potential to facilitate investigations into the roles of this gaseous molecule in biology and advance therapeutic treatments. This has led to the development of light-induced CO-releasing molecules (photoCORMs). A goal in this field of research is the development of molecules that exhibit a combination of controlled CO release, favorable biological properties (e.g., low toxicity and trackability in cells), and structural tunability to affect CO release. Herein, we report a new biologically-inspired organic photoCORM motif that exhibits several features that are desirable in a next-generation photoCORM. We show that 3-hydroxyflavone-based compounds are easily synthesized and modified to impart changes in absorption features and quantum yield for CO release, exhibit low toxicity, are trackable in cells, and can exhibit both O2-dependent and -independent CO release reactivity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An experiment on the performance of different genotypes of gladiolus was conducted for four consecutive years from 2010 to 2014 at Floricultural Research Station, Hyderabad for the identification of a suitable variety for the cultivation in Andhra Pradesh. Six genotypes of gladiolus along with check White prosperity were evaluated and found that, maximum average plant height (101.1 cm), no. of tillers/plant (2.0), spike length (90.1 cm), no. of spikes per plant (2.1), no. of corms/plant (2.1), diameter of cormel (14.5 mm) were maximum in IIHR-G-12. Days taken to spike emergence (57.1), and days taken to flowering ( 68.5) were minimum in IIHR-G-12. The genotype White prosperity recorded maximum no. of leaves/plant (8.6), leaf width (2.9 cm), no. of florets/spike (12.5), diameter of 2nd floret (10.0 cm), no. of cormels/plant (40.1), weight of cormels/plant (50.0 g). Pusa Kiran recorded maximum length of rachis (38.8 cm) and diameter of corm (53.7 mm). Pusa Shubham recorded maximum in weight of corms/plant (60.6 g). The genotypes viz; IIHR-G-12, White prosperity and Pusa Kiran can be recommended for cultivation in Andhra Pradesh. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Carbon monoxide ( CO) is an endogenous small signalling molecule in the human body, produced by the action of haem oxygenase on haem. Since it is very difficult to apply safely as a gas, solid storage and delivery forms for CO are now explored. Most of these CO-releasing molecules ( CORMs) are based on the inactivation of the CO by coordinating it to a transition metal centre in a prodrug approach. After a brief look at the potential cellular target structures of CO, an overview of the design principles and activation mechanisms for CO release from a metal coordination sphere is given. Endogenous and exogenous triggers discussed include ligand exchange reactions with medium, enzymatically-induced CO release and photoactivated liberation of CO. Furthermore, the attachment of CORMs to hard and soft nanomaterials to confer additional target specificity to such systems is critically assessed. A survey of analytical methods for the study of the stoichiometry and kinetics of CO release, as well as the tracking of CO in living systems by using fluorescent probes, concludes this review. CORMs are very valuable tools for studying CO bioactivity and might lead to new drug candidates; however, in the design of future generations of CORMs, particular attention has to be paid to their drug-likeness and the tuning of the peripheral 'drug sphere' for specific biomedical applications. Further progress in this field will thus critically depend on a close interaction between synthetic chemists and researchers exploring the physiological effects and therapeutic applications of CO. Linked Articles This article is part of a themed section on Pharmacology of the Gasotransmitters. To view the other articles in this section visit [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Brittonia is the property of Springer Nature and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Acta Agrobotanica is the property of Polish Botanical Society / Polskie Towarzystwo Botaniczne and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Acta Agrobotanica is the property of Polish Botanical Society / Polskie Towarzystwo Botaniczne and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The growth characteristics of transgenic Gladiolus plants cvs. 'Peter Pears' and 'Jenny Lee' were compared to non-transformed plants either regenerated from embryogenic callus or micropropagated in vitro. Micropropagated and regenerated plants of 'Peter Pears' showed similar sprouting percentage of corms in vitro and daughter corm production after one season in the greenhouse. Differences were found in the weight of corms produced in vitro and the length of leaves with the regenerated corms weighing less and having shorter leaves than those of micropropagated plants. Transgenic plants of 'Peter Pears' had similar corm weights to those from regenerated plants, but the greenhouse sprouting percentage, leaf length, and daughter corm production was less than that of regenerated plants. Micropropagated plants of 'Jenny Lee' were similar to regenerated plants in weight of corms grown in vitro, sprouting efficiencies, and the length of leaves. Transgenic plants of 'Jenny Lee' produced larger corms in vitro than regenerated plants, and both the final weight of transgenic corms and leaf length after one season in the greenhouse were comparable to that of regenerated plants of 'Jenny Lee'. 'Jenny Lee' plants were less affected by the regeneration and transformation conditions than 'Peter Pears'. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The research was aimed at determining the influence of chitosan with different molecular weights on the growth and yield of flowers and corms of 'Gompey' freesia cultivated in pots. Freesia corms were soaked for 20 minutes in 0.5% chitosan solutions with low molecular weight (2 kDa), medium molecular weight (50 kDa) and high molecular weight (970 kDa). The average deacetylation level of the chitosans used was 85%. The plants were cultivated under controlled conditions (18/16 °C day/ night, relative air humidity of 60%, quantum irradiance of 90 µmol·m-2·s-1 with a light/ dark cycle of 14/8 hours). The research results obtained have shown that chitosan is used as a biostimulator in the cultivation of potted freesia. Regardless of the molecular weight of the compound, the chitosan-treated plants had more leaves and shoots, flowered earlier, formed more flowers and corms. The application of medium- and high-molecular-weight chitosan resulted in higher plants with a higher relative chlorophyll content (SPAD). The highest increase in the corm weight was observed as a result of treating plants with high-molecular-weight chitosan. No chitosan influence on the length of the main inflorescence shoot or the inflorescence length was observed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Immature seeds were cultured on 10 different media for germination. Maximum germination was achieved on Lindeman orchid medium (37.12%) within 17 days of culturing. Protocorms with leaf primordia were cultured on BM-2 and 7 different modifications of Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium with various hormone combinations [0-3 mg/L indole butyric acid (IBA) and 0-3 mg/L kinetin (Kin)] for plantlet regeneration and mass multiplication. Maximum number of shoots (18.12 ± 0.3), highest shoot length (17.80 cm ± 2.16), maximum root number (8.25 ± 0.69), and highest root length (8.02 cm ± 1.45) were found on MS medium with 3 mg/L IBA and 1 mg/L Kin. Plantlets with 2-3 shoots were transferred to different potting mixtures for acclimatization to field conditions and further multiplication. One hundred percent survival was obtained in C-8 potting mixture consisting of cocopeat + vermiculite + perlite (1:1:1), which produced 75 shoots (25 plantlets) after 1 month of transplantation in the greenhouse. The current study describes for the first time a rapid in vitro protocorm development and mass multiplication protocol for Dactylorhiza hatagirea (D.Don) Soo that holds robust potential for large-scale propagation and metabolite production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An efficient tissue culture protocol was developed to regenerate the cormels of commercially grown varieties of Gladiolus. Callus was initiated in the cultures after three to five weeks from middle and bottom slices of the cormels in White Friendship and Peter pears. The maximum mean callus induction of 72.50% was observed on MS medium supplemented with NAA at 4 mg L-1 while best proliferation (0.80 g) was recorded on basal MS medium supplemented with NAA at 0.5 mg L-1. On the basis of cormel slices, best results were observed from bottom slice of the cormel producing 0.506 g of fresh callus growth in variety White Friendhsip. The efficient shoot regeneration from proliferated calli was observed increased in the presence of BAP from 2 to 4 mg L-1 and exhibited the highest mean percentage of shoot regeneration (92.92%) and number of shoots (18.25). Middle slice of the cormel had more potential for mean shoot induction (70.95%) while more number of shoots (12.98) was observed from bottom slice of the cormel in variety Peter Pears. Root formation was reduced on 7% sucrose as compared to 3-5 % sucrose supplemented with IBA. The in vitro propagules initiated the development of cormels producing the highest mean number of cormels (12.06) on MS medium supplemented with 5% sucrose plus IBA (1 mg L-1). Middle and Bottom slice of the cormels exhibited statistically similar and more potential results for cormel induction and number of cormels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to study the best time, depth, and corm sowing distance of saffron cultivation in Guilan Province, a factorial experiment was carried out based on a randomized complete block design with three replications in Langeroud, Guilan Province, during growing season of 2011-2012. Studies factors included sowing date (A) (a1: 18th July, a2: 18th August, and a3: 18th September), sowing depth (B) (b1:5 and b2: 10 cm), and distance between corms (C) (c1:5 and c2: 10 cm). Yield of dry stigma, wet weight of petal, dry weight of leaf, length of stigmas, total length, number of flowers and number of days from sowing to flowering of saffron were recorded. The results showed that sowing date had significant (at a significance level of 1%) impacts on the weight of style and stigma, wet weight of flower, number of flower, and number of days from sowing to flowering of saffron. Sowing depth had no significant effect on the weight of style and stigma of saffron. On the other hand, the interaction between sowing date and sowing depth was significant on dry weight of leaf, weight of style and stigma, and number of flower per square meter of saffron. The interaction between sowing depth and corm distance was significant on dry weight of leaf. The highest yield of style and stigma and number of flowers of saffron were recorded at sowing date of 18th September based on 5 cm corm distance, while the lowest yield was for sowing date of 15th July and 10 cm corm distance. Density of 5 × 25 m2 produced the maximum yield of style weight, stigma weight, and dry weight of leaf. The highest leaf dry weight was observed in interaction of sowing depth and corm distance (sowing depth of 5 cm and corm distance of 5 cm) and interaction of sowing date and corm distance (sowing in July and corm distance of 5 cm). On the other hand, the lowest dry weight of leaf was produced in interaction of sowing depth and corm distance (sowing depth of 5 cm and corm distance of 10 cm) and interaction of sowing date and corm distance (sowing in July and corm distance of5 cm). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study investigated the effect of peeling and cormels weight on physicochemical and rheological properties of taro ( Colocasia esculenta) flour. The cormels were divided by the weight into four classes: size < 170 g, 170 < size < 214 g, 214 g < size < 284 g, and size > 284 g. Each one of these classes contains half of peeled and unpeeled cormels. The results showed a difference between the flour derived from different taro cormels weight in term of the physicochemical, morphological, and rheological properties. However, no difference was observed in terms of the thermal properties. The study revealed that taro flours are mainly made of dietary fibers. The granule size of the flour varied significantly within each different cormels weight in the same method of peeling and the mean flour diameters are around 204 μm. For both form of peeling, potassium was found to be the higher mineral and sodium was the lower one. Concerning phytate, the peeled samples have the lowest values of 5.76 and 4.79 mg/g dry matter, respectively, for cormels size < 170 g and 170 g < size < 214 g. Finally, we observed that peeling methods and weight of taro cormels have an influence on some physicochemical composition of flour and rheological properties of flours suspensions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gladiolus is very popular among ornamental bulbous plants mainly used as cut flower and greatly demanded in the world floral market. Production of inferior quality spikes is one of the major hurdles for their export. The research was conducted under Faisalabad conditions to evaluate the use of plant growth regulators in order to improve the vegetative, floral and physiological attributes. Gladiolus plants were sprayed thrice with different concentrations (0.1, 0.4, 0.7 and 1mM) of gibberellic acid, benzylaminopurine and salicylic acid at three leaf stage, five leaf stage and slipping stage. Foliar application of 1mM gibberellic acid increased the plant height (122.14cm), spike length (58.41cm), florets spike-1 (13.49), corm diameter (4.43cm), corm weight (25.34g) and total cormel weight (20.45g) compared to benzylaminopurine and salicylic acid. Gibberellic acid at 1mM concentration also increased the total chlorophyll content to 7.72mg/g, total carotenoids (1.61mg/g), total soluble sugars (3.68mg/g) followed by application of benzylaminopurine. Salicylic acid application at 1mM concentration decreased the number of days to flower (64.93) compared to 76.12 days in non treated plants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Key message: Virus-induced gene silencing (VIGS) system could be performed successfully in Gladiolus hybridus with vacuum infiltration of cormels and young plants. Abstract: Functional analysis of genes in gladiolus has previously been impractical due to the lack of an efficient stable genetic transformation method. However, virus-induced gene silencing (VIGS) is effective in some plants which are difficult to transform through other methods. Although the Tobacco rattle virus (TRV)-based VIGS system has been developed and used for verifying gene functions in diverse plants, an appropriate TRV-VIGS approach for gladiolus has not been established yet. In this report we describe the first use of the TRV-VIGS system for gene silencing in gladiolus. Vacuum infiltration of cormels and young plants with the GhPDS-VIGS vector effectively down-regulated the PHYTOENE DESATURASE ortholog GhPDS gene and also resulted in various degrees of photobleaching in Gladiolus hybridus. The reduction in GhPDS expression was tested after TRV-based vector infection using real-time RT-PCR. In addition, the progress of TRV infection was detected by fluorescence visualization using a pTRV2: CP-GFP vector. In conclusion, the TRV-mediated VIGS described here will be an effective gene function analysis mechanism in gladiolus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Canadian Journal of Plant Pathology is the property of Taylor & Francis Ltd and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of BIOAGRO is the property of Revista BIOAGRO and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The study was made to identify the association of yield and stolon characters and their direct and indirect effects in panikachu, Colocasia esculenta (L.) Schott. The stolon number, single stolon weight, total stolon weight, stolon length, length and breadth of corm and weight of corm showed positive correlation with yield per plant of which single stolon weight and corm breadth showed significant positive correlation with yield per plant at phenotypic level. Stolon breadth exhibited significant positive correlation with yield per plant at genotypic level. The residual effect in the genotypic level was 0.2205 which indicated this character contributed 78% of the yield. Results obtained suggested that maximum emphasis should be given on characters in selecting panikachu genotypes with higher yield per plant and the residual effect in phenotypic level was 0.4235 indicating 58% variability contributed by these characters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of the study was to evaluate the performance of most suitable cultivar under the climatic conditions of Bagh. Five cultivars of Gladiolus namely Amsterdam, Applause, Fidelio, Peter pears and Priscilla were evaluated for their adoptability and performance. Results on vegetative characteristics showed that cultivars Applause and Amsterdam took less number of days for sprouting, Fidelio and Priscilla produced more plants per corm and Applause obtained maximum plant height. Results on floral characteristics showed that cultivar Applause and Peter pears were earlier for spike emergence, Priscilla and Peter pears took minimum days to flowering, maximum florets were produced by Peter pears and Applause, Applause obtained maximum spike length and Peter pears remained attractive for longer time. Results on corm and cormels characteristics showed that Peter pears produced more corms, Applause produced maximum cormels and gained maximum corm size, maximum corm weight was recorded in Fidelio. From the results we conclude that keeping in view the vegetative and reproductive characteristics Applause, Peter pears and Fidelio are recommended for general cultivation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]