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This study aimed to clarify differences in susceptibility to red wine pellicle formation by pellicle-forming yeasts between two wine grape cultivars and to investigate wine components affecting pellicle formation. Twenty wines each of Muscat Bailey A (MBA) and Merlot (MR), the major grape cultivars of Japanese red wine, were used. Pellicle formation occurred more often in MBA wines than in MR wines, and almost all MBA wine surfaces were covered with pellicle after incubation for five days. Principal component analysis revealed the relationships between pellicle formation and the concentrations of ethanol, phenolics and tannins. The mean concentration of tannins in the pellicle MR wines (436 mg/L) was significantly lower than that in the non-pellicle MR wines (660 mg/L). Furthermore, the mean concentration of tannins in MBA wines (139 mg/L) was also significantly lower than that in MR wines (570 mg/L). Wine grape cultivar having a low concentration of tannins may be highly susceptible to pellicle formation by pellicle-forming yeasts during winemaking.

In this work, the taxonomic study of Salvinia from the southern and southeastern regions of Brazil is presented. We analyzed materials from herbaria BHCB, BHZB, CAY, CESJ, CVRD, DIAM, ESAL, FLOR, FUEL, FURB, HAS, HB, HBR, HUFU, HURG, ICN, MBM, MBML, OUPR, PACA, R, RB, SJRP, SP, SPF, SPFR, UEC, UPCB, VIC, VIES, plus online images of types, and field studies. In southern and southeastern Brazil, nine taxa of Salvinia occur, of which two are new to science: S. auriculata var. major C.V. Miranda & Schwartsb., var. nov., S. biloba Raddi, S. cucullata Roxb., S. × delasotae C.V. Miranda & Schwartsb., hybr. nov., S. herzogii de la Sota, S. oblongifolia Mart., S. minima Baker, S. molesta D.S. Mitch., and S. radula Baker. Salvinia cucullata and S. × delasotae are cultivated taxa, not occurring naturally. Based on studies of plants from French Guiana, we concluded that S. auriculata s. str. (= S. auriculata var. auriculata) does not occur in southern and southeastern Brazil. Updated nomenclatural headings, descriptions, illustrations, key, and maps of distribution of all taxa are also presented.

SUMMARY Petal laminae in Silene pratensis (Rafn.) Godron et Gren, contain 60 to 80% of the flower flavonoids. The flavone content of the petal lamina on a fresh weight basis is about 10 times that of the petal claw and at least five times that of the calyx. The ratios between the different glycosides found in the stigmata or in the stamen usually differ from those in the rest of the flower. The highest flavone concentration is always found in the vacuoles of the epidermal cells in the most exposed parts of both leaves and the flower. The total flavone distribution pattern is not influenced by the type of glycosylation.

Summary • Witches’ brooms on Berberis vulgaris are induced by a systemically infecting rust fungus, Puccinia arrhenatheri. These witches’ brooms bear yellow discolored leaves on which the fungus exposes its gametes in a sugary nectar. During the spermatial stage of the fungus the infected leaves emit a strong, flowery scent. • An exclusion-experiment was used to evaluate whether fungal reproductive success, defined by the ability of the fungus to produce aeciospores, depended on gamete transfer by insects. To determine whether insects were attracted to the infected leaves, and if so, why, visitation to infected and uninfected leaves was quantified and volatiles produced by leaves, infected leaves and flowers were analyzed. • The production of aeciospores was significantly higher on witches’ brooms with insect visitation. Visitation rates were higher and visits were longer on witches’ brooms than on uninfected branches. A wide diversity of visitors, mainly Diptera and Hymenoptera, was observed. The volatiles emitted by infected leaves were composed of sweet floral fragrances and insect pheromones. • Our results suggest that sexual reproduction of the pathogen requires out-crossing by insects and that infected leaves attract insects by floral mimicry (bright yellow color and the production of sugary nectar and volatiles).

El objetivo fue llevar a cabo la prospección fitoquímica de la cáscara de Norantea guianensis y evaluar su potencial alelopático en la germinación de semillas y el crecimiento inicial de plántulas de lechuga y tomate, utilizando extractos acuosos y etanólicos. Se identificaron compuestos fenólicos y sus derivados, flavonoides y taninos, así como cumarinas, antraquinonas, alcaloides y saponinas. Se produjo interferencia negativa en la germinación y el vigor, especialmente en las semillas de tomate, y los extractos afectaron negativamente el desarrollo de las plántulas. La especie N. guianensis tiene la capacidad de interferir en el desarrollo de otras plantas y por esta razón, su uso debe evaluarse cuidadosamente. The purpose of thisstudy was to carry out phytochemical prospecting of Norantea guianensis bark and to evaluate its allelopathic potential in seed germination and the initial growth of lettuce and tomato seedlings using aqueous and ethanolic extracts. We identified phenolic compounds and derivatives, flavonoids, and tannins, as well as coumarins, anthraquinones, alkaloids, and saponins. Negative interference was observed in germination and vigour tests, mainly in tomato seeds, with extracts negatively affecting seedling development. The species N. guianensis has the ability to interfere in the development of other plants, and for this reason, its use should be carefully evaluated.

An attack of Lauritrioza alacris (Flor, 1861) (Hemiptera: Triozidae) was recorded in a commercial plantation of bay laurel (Laurus nobilis L., Lauraceae) in the municipality of Dois Lajeados, Rio Grande do Sul state (RS), Brazil. The immature triozids induced galls on the attacked leaves consisting of the thickened margins that became folded downward, forming an elongated tube-shaped roll that sheltered the immatures. All developmental stages (egg, immatures, and adults) of the psyllid were found on young leaves of bay laurel. Lauritrioza alacris is an introduced pest in Brazil that was detected in Pelotas, RS in 1949 and Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro state in 1953. Therefore, we are reporting the third record of L. alacris; however, it is the first documented information of an infestation in a commercial bay laurel plantations by L. alacris in Brazil. Information on taxonomy, biological aspects, distribution, and damage caused by the laurel psyllid is also provided. Made available in DSpace on 2021-08-05T02:11:27Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Artigo-143-Article-Text-2724-3-10-20210409-3.pdf: 808029 bytes, checksum: 96b7a2da6b1d82189d3cfe42c45e505b (MD5) Previous issue date: 2021

Maize has played a key role in the sustenance and cultural traditions of the inhabitants of the southwestern USA for many centuries. Blue maize is an important component of the diverse landraces still cultivated in the region but the degree to which they are related is unknown. This research was designed to ascertain the genotypic, morphological, and phenotypic diversity of six representative southwestern blue maize landraces. Their genotypic diversity was examined using tunable genotyping-by-sequencing (tGBS™). A total of 81,038 high quality SNPs were identified and obtained through tGBS. A total of 45 morphological and biochemical traits were evaluated at two locations in New Mexico. The varieties Los Lunas High and Flor del Rio were genetically less related with other southwestern landraces whereas diffusion between Navajo Blue, Hopi Blue, Yoeme Blue, and Taos Blue demonstrated that these landraces were genetically related. Phenotypic variability was highest for kernel traits and least for plant traits. Plant, ear, and kernel traits were fairly consistent within and across locations. Principal component analysis and tGBS showed that Corn Belt variety ‘Ohio Blue’ was distinctly different from southwestern landraces. Genotypic analysis displayed that southwestern landraces are genetically closely related, but selection has resulted in differing phenotypes. This study has provided additional insight into the genetic relatedness of southwestern blue maize landraces.

Las Sierras de Famatina son un área importante de endemismo, allí conviven dos representantes de Trichocereus, de los que se discute su identidad taxonómica. Trichocereus pseudocandicans es endémica, con flores coloridas y diurnas; mientras que, T. candicans presenta distribución más amplia, con flores blancas y nocturnas. Teniendo en cuenta estas diferencias, llevamos a cabo un estudio morfo-anatómico del perigonio, gineceo y fruto, realizando comparaciones cualitativas y cuantitativas. El objetivo es generar información novedosa para el género, aportar caracteres taxonómicos confiables y realizar inferencias sobre su biología reproductiva.M&M: Se realizaron preparados histológicos temporarios y permanentes de flores y frutos, utilizando técnicas clásicas. Se analizaron y compararon estadísticamente 43 variables morfo-anatómicas.Resultados: Las entidades presentan características morfo-anatómicas similares, pero se diferencian por el color del perigonio y el tamaño de las flores. Se destacan los siguientes caracteres: el estilo presenta canal estilar y tejido transmisor, el receptáculo y la pared del ovario son notoriamente diferentes pero íntimamente fusionados, incluso luego de la fecundación, óvulos circinótropos, entre otros. Solo el 27,9% de las variables analizadas resultaron con diferencias estadísticamente significativas, siendo las flores de T. candicans levemente mayores que las de T. pseudocandicans.Conclusiones: La similitud encontrada entre los taxones reafirma su alto grado de parentesco, siendo posible que T. pseudocandicans sea una subespecie o híbrido de T. candicans. Por otro lado, los rasgos florales diferentes podrían deberse a una alta variabilidad fenotípica, influenciada por las características particulares que presentan las Sierras de Famatina. Sierras de Famatina are an important area of endemism, where two representatives of Trichocereus coexist, whose taxonomic identity is discussed. Trichocereus. pseudocandicans is endemic, with colorful, diurnal flowers; while, T. candicans has a wider distribution, with white and nocturnal flowers. Taking these differences into account, we carried out a morpho-anatomical study of perigonium, gynoecium and fruit, making qualitative and quantitative comparisons. The objective is to generate new information for the genus, provide reliable taxonomic traits, and make inferences about its reproductive biology. M&M: We made temporary and permanent histological preparations of flowers and fruits, using classical techniques. In addition, we analyzed 43 morpho-anatomical variables, which were statistically compared. Results: The entities present similar morpho-anatomical traits but are differentiated by the color of the perigonium and the total size of the flowers. The following characters stand out: the style presents a stilar canal and transmitter tissue, the receptacle and the ovary wall are notoriously different but intimately fused, even after fertilization, circinate ovules, among others. Only 27.9% of the variables analyzed resulted in statistically significant differences, the flowers of T. candicans being slightly larger than those of T. pseudocandicans. Conclusions: The similarity found between the taxa reaffirms their high degree of kinship, and it is possible that T. pseudocandicans is a subspecies or hybrid of T. candicans. On the other hand, the different floral traits could be due to a high phenotypic variability, influenced by the particular characteristics of the Famatina Sierras. Fil: Fernandez, Gimena. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba; Argentina Fil: Stiefkens, Laura Beatriz. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Córdoba. Instituto Multidisciplinario de Biología Vegetal. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas Físicas y Naturales. Instituto Multidisciplinario de Biología Vegetal; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba; Argentina Fil: Las Peñas, Maria Laura. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Córdoba. Instituto Multidisciplinario de Biología Vegetal. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas Físicas y Naturales. Instituto Multidisciplinario de Biología Vegetal; Argentina Fil: Perez, Adriana Nelida. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Córdoba. Instituto Multidisciplinario de Biología Vegetal. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas Físicas y Naturales. Instituto Multidisciplinario de Biología Vegetal; Argentina Fil: Delbón, Natalia. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Córdoba. Instituto Multidisciplinario de Biología Vegetal. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas Físicas y Naturales. Instituto Multidisciplinario de Biología Vegetal; Argentina

En las Sierras de Calilegua reconocimos siete especies de Dioscorea como parte de su flora y una octava entidad que denominamos Dioscorea sp., la cual evidenció algunos caracteres morfológicos similares a D. glomerulata y D. haumanii, posibles progeni- tores de ésta, dado que comparten el área de distribución en zonas propicias para el fenómeno de hibridación. El objetivo del presente trabajo fue analizar la morfología floral y la morfoanatomía foliar de D. glomerulata, D. haumanii y Dioscorea sp. Se tra- bajó con material fresco y herborizado al que se aplicaron técnicas convencionales. Los resultados evidenciaron que los caracteres morfoanatómicos de Dioscorea sp. no son intermedios a los de sus probables progenitores. El análisis de componentes principales permitió agrupar a los individuos de cada entidad por separado. Por esta razón, podemos concluir que este estudio posiciona a Dioscorea sp. en un lugar estable e independiente.

Characteristics of parthenogenesis in Cacopsylla ledi (Flor, 1861) were analyzed using cytological and molecular approaches. In all three populations studied from Finland, i.e. Turku, Kustavi and Siikajoki, males were present at a low frequency but were absent from a population from Vorkuta, Russia. In a follow-up study conducted in the Turku population during 2010–2016, the initial frequency of males was ca. 10 % and showed no intraseasonal variation, but then dramatically decreased down to approximately 1–2 % level in seasons 2015–2016. Male meiosis was chiasmate with some traces of chromosomal fragmentation and subsequent fusions. In most females, metaphase in mature eggs included 39 univalent chromosomes which indicated apomictic triploidy. Only a small fraction of females was diploid with 13 chiasmate bivalents. The frequency of diploid females approximately equaled that of males. COI barcode analyses showed that triploid females (N = 57) and diploids (7 females and 5 males) displayed different haplotypes, demonstrating that triploid females reproduced via obligate parthenogenesis. The rarity of diploids, along with the lack of males' preference towards diploid females, suggested that most likely diploids were produced by rare triploid females which shared the same haplotype with the diploids (not found in the present analysis). Minimum haplotype diversity was detected in the Turku population, but it was much higher in Vorkuta with some indication for the mixed origin of the population. We suggest that functional diploids produced in a parthenogenetic population can give rise either to a new parthenogenetic lineage or even to a new bisexual species.

One of the seminal events in plant pathology was the discovery by Francis O. Holmes that necrotic local lesions induced on certain species of Nicotiana following rub-inoculation of Tobacco mosaic virus (TMV) was due to a specific interaction involving a dominant host gene (N). From this, Holmes had an idea that if the N gene from N. glutinosa was introgressed into susceptible tobacco, the greatly reduced titer of TMV would, by extension, prevent subsequent infection of tomato and pepper plants by field workers whose hands were contaminated with TMV from their use of chewing and smoking tobacco. The ultimate outcome has many surprising twists and turns, including Holmes’ failure to obtain fertile crosses of N. glutinosa × N. tabacum after 3 years of intensive work. Progress was made with N. digluta, a rare amphidiploid that was readily crossed with N. tabacum. And, importantly, the first demonstration by Holmes of the utility of interspecies hybridization for virus resistance was made with Capsicum (pepper) species with the identification of the L gene in Tabasco pepper, that he introgressed into commercial bell pepper varieties. Holmes’ findings are important as they predate Flor’s gene-for-gene hypothesis, show the use of interspecies hybridization for control of plant pathogens, and the use of the local lesion as a bioassay to monitor resistance events in crop plants.

Harold Flor, working alone in North Dakota on the interactions between flax plants ( Linum usitatissimum ) and their rust parasite, coined the term “gene-for-gene” resistance to describe race-specific interactions between plants and their fungal parasites. It was already well known that many

Fusarium oxysporum Schechtend.:Fr. f. sp. phaseoli J. B. Kendrick & W. C. Snyder (FOP) is the causal agent of the common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) disease known as Fusarium wilt or Fusarium yellows. FOP has been reported from the Castilla y Leon region in Spain, where it is a serious problem on most commercial bean cultivars (1). Five FOP isolates from Spain (AB-6, AB-111, AB-112, AS-1, and AS-4) obtained from J. M. Díaz-Mínguez and the isolate FOP-CO1 (ATCC 90245) from Colorado were tested for pathogenicity on two American lines: Pinto U.I. 114, considered as a universal susceptible check, and Flor de Mayo, a Mexican landrace. Seedlings were root-clip inoculated and evaluated according to the CIAT 1 to 9 severity scale, in which 1 to 3 = resistant, 3.1 to 6 = intermediate, and 6.1 to 9 = susceptible. Three inoculum concentrations were tested: 104, 105, and 106 conidia/ml. AS-1 and AS-4 produced resistant reactions in both U.I. 114 (1.5 to 2.1 and 1.2 to 1.5) and Flor de Mayo (1.9 to 2.3 and 1.4), respectively, at all inoculum concentrations. Susceptible reactions to AB-6 (7.3 to 8.9), AB-111 (7.6 to 8.9), AB-112 (7.5 to 7.9), and FOP-CO1 (8.1 to 8.6) were observed in Pinto U.I. 114, regardless of inoculum concentration, although severity ratings increased as the inoculum concentration was increased. Flor de Mayo exhibited a susceptible reaction (6.7 to 7.8) to FOP-CO1 at all inoculum concentrations tested, and intermediate reactions to AB-6 (4.9), AB-111 (5.4), and AB-112 (5.0) at the lowest inoculum concentration. Susceptible reactions (7 to 8.2 for AB-6; 6.8 to 7.0 for AB-111, and 7.3 to 7.7 for AB-112) occurred with higher inoculum concentrations, and severity ratings increased as the inoculum concentration increased. Recently, FOP isolates from Greece and Italy were recognized as each belonging to different pathogenic races (2); consequently, more research on the Spanish isolates (AB-6, AB-111, and AB-112) is needed to determine if they are similar to the races reported from the Mediterranean Basin or should be classified as a new FOP race (s). References: (1) J. M. Díaz-Mínguez et al. Plant Dis. 80:600, 1996. (2) S. L. Woo et al. Phytopathology 86:966, 1996.

Isolations were attempted from flowers, stems, and seeds from six Spiroplasma citri-infected periwinkles and from flowers and stems from two healthy plants. Each flower was separated into four parts: petals, sepals, pistils, and corolla tubes. A total of 140 seeds from infected plants were germinated, with a germination rate of 59%. Two and three months after germination, 25 plants from seeds were sampled for the isolation of S. citri. The average spiroplasma cells g-1 of diseased pistils, sepals, petals, corolla tubes, or stems was 1.87 × 108, 1.9 × 107, 1.89 × 106, 3.7 × 106, or 2.35 × 106, respectively. The number of cells isolated from pistils was significantly higher than that from stems, whereas the numbers from sepals, corolla tubes, and petals were comparable to those from stems. No spiroplasma was isolated from flower parts of two healthy plants, from seeds, or from samples collected from 25 plants grown from seeds. Results indicated that flowers were good sources for the isolation of S. citri and confirmed that there is no seed transmission of the S. citri infection in periwinkles.

Fino wine is one of the most important Sherry wines and it is obtained through a complex and dynamic biological aging system. In this study, wine and veil of flor samples from fifty-two barrels with different aging levels and distributed in three different wineries from the Jerez-Xeres-Sherry winemaking area have been analyzed during two years. Some of the wine compounds most deeply involved in flor yeast metabolism were analyzed to take into account the blending effect of this system. On the other hand, veil of flor was analyzed by molecular methods, finding five different species: S. cerevisiae, W. anomalus, P. membranaefaciens, P. kudriavzevii and P. manshurica, being the first time that the three last species have been reported in this biological aging system. Since S. cerevisiae was the vast majority of the isolates, its intraspecies variability was also analyzed by the simultaneous amplification of three microsatellite loci, obtaining nine different S. cerevisiae genotypes, also differentiated according to their physiological properties. Biodiversity analysis showed there were significant differences between the three wineries in the three aging scales, although the overall diversity was relatively low. Moreover, variations in the relative frequency of the different S. cerevisiae genotypes were found to be seasonal-dependent.

Rapateaceae are a monophyletic family of 17 genera with greatest species diversity on the mountains and savannas of the Guiana Shield. The family has intrigued botanists because of their interesting and unusual inflorescence and leaf morphologies. The small tribe Schoenocephalieae (three genera and seven species) are regionally prized for their showy inflorescences that are harvested as everlasting flowers. Here, we report on local cultivation efforts to minimize harvesting from wild populations and examine vegetative morphology and anatomy, reporting for the first time the presence of a lateral thickening meristem in Rapateaceae. Schoenocephalieae exhibit possible adaptations to their oligotrophic, open, and fire-prone habitats such as abundant mucilage, idioblasts containing a tannin-like substance, leaf fibers, presence of epidermal silica, the formation of telmata in Guacamaya, and vesicular-arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi.

This study was conducted to investigate petal pigmentation and the expression patterns of anthocyanin-related genes in bicolored roses ‘Pinky Girl’ treated with temporal heat stress (THS). Cyanin accumulation in petals was correlated with flor al bud development and started rapidly as floral buds began to open, defined as the 4 th stage of floral bud development (S 4 ). This stage seems to be most susceptible to petal pigmentation. The total of cyanin pigmentation at blooming was si gnificantly decreased (by 45.5%) with exposure to THS (39/18°C for three days at S 4 ) in comparison with control. Meanwhile, the expression of anthocyanin-related genes such as CHS, CHI, F3’H, DFR, ANS, 3GT, and 5GT was relatively promoted by THS. Only F3H was less expressed (by 26.7%) with THS treatment; thus, F3H could be a key gene for bicolor promotion in ‘Pinky Girl’ amon g anthocyanin-related genes. Overall, the expression pattern of the most anthocyanin-related genes did not match the trends of cyanin pigmentation in petals. These results suggest that floral pigmentation could be associated with other mechanisms related to anthocyanin biosynthesis such as post-translational effects and regulatory genes.Additional key words

Seventeen auchenorrhynchan species of the family Cicadellidae are recorded from Greece for the first time: Euscelidius variegatus (Kirschbaum 1858), Euscelis ohausi (Wagner 1939), Psammotettix notatus (Melichar 1896), Psammotettix striatus (Linnaeus 1758), Psammotettix sabulicola (Curtis 1837), Anzygina honiloa (Kirkaldy 1906), Arboridia versuta (Melichar 1897), Edwardsiana ishidae (Matsumura 1932), Edwardsiana tersa (Edwards 1914), Eupteryx decemnotata (Rey 1891), Eupteryx curtisii (Flor 1861), Eupteryx rostrata (Ribaut 1936), Frutioidia sanguinosa (Rey 1891), Zygina rosea (Flor 1861), Zygina suavis (Rey 1891), Zygina tiliae (Fallen 1806), Anaceratagallia frisia (Wagner 1939). Faunistic and distributional data notes are given for each species and a complete, updated species checklist for Greece is provided.

Yeasts involved in veil formation during biological ageing of Sherry wines are mainly Saccharomyces cerevisiae, and they have traditionally been divided into four races or varieties: beticus, cheresiensis, montuliensis and rouxii. Recent progress in molecular biology has led to the development of several techniques for yeast identification, based on similarity or dissimilarity of DNA, RNA or proteins. In view of the latest yeast taxonomy, there are no more races. However, molecular techniques are not enough to understand the real veil-forming yeast diversity and dynamics in Sherry wines. We propose a reliable method, using a microtiter reader, to evaluate the fermentation and assimilation of carbon and nitrogen sources, the osmotolerance and the antibiotic resistance, using 18 S. cerevisiae and 5 non-Saccharomyces yeast strains, to allow correct identification and classification of the yeast strains present in the velum of flor complex.

Premise of research. Early-divergent angiosperms typically possess hermaphroditic flowers but often lack any biochemically mediated self-incompatibility mechanism. Although outcrossing is generally promoted in these taxa by protogyny, which is effective for precluding autogamy (self-fertilization within a flower), other mechanisms are necessary to prevent geitonogamy (self-pollination between different flowers within an individual). In this article we investigate the occurrence and efficacy of inter- and intraindividual floral synchrony for preventing geitonogamy in the early-divergent angiosperm Desmos chinensis (Annonaceae) within the context of the overall floral biology and pollination ecology of the species.Methodology. We assess the floral phenology (at the flower, individual plant, and population levels), floral scent chemistry, pollination ecology, and breeding system of D. chinensis.Pivotal results. Desmos chinensis is pollinated by small Amystrops beetles (Nitidulidae) that are attracted by flor...

We used arrays of artificial flowers with and without fragrance to determine the importance of olfactory and visual cues in attracting insects to a floral mimic. The mimic is a fungus, Puccinia monoica Arth., which causes its crucifer hosts (here, Arabis drummondii Gray) to form pseudoflowers that mimic co-occurring flowers such as the buttercup, Ranunculus inamoenus Greene. Although pseudoflowers are visually similar to buttercups, their sweet fragrance is distinct. To determine whether visitors to pseudoflowers were responding to fragrance we performed an experiment in which we removed the visual cues, but allowed fragrance to still be perceived. In this experiment we found that pseudoflower fragrance can attract visitors by itself. In other experiments we found that the relative importance of olfactory and visual cues depended on the species of visitor. Halictid bees (Dialictus sp.) had a somewhat greater visual than olfactory response, whereas flies (muscids and anthomyiids) were more dependent on olfactory cues. We also used bioassays to determine which of the many compounds present in the natural fragrance were responsible for attraction. We found that halictid bees were equally attracted to pseudoflowers and to a blend containing phenylacetaldehyde, 2-phenylethanol, benzaldehyde and methylbenzoate in the same relative concentrations as in pseudoflowers. Flies, on the other hand, only responded to pseudoflower scent, indicating that we have not yet identified the compound(s) present in pseudoflowers that are attracting them. The ability of insects to differentiate pseudoflowers from true flowers by their fragrance may be important in the evolution of the mimicry system. Different fragrances may facilitate proper transfer of both fungal spermatia and pollen, and thus make it possible for the visual mimicry to evolve.

Local density and sexual composition are two aspects of floral neighborhoods thought to influence pollination and seed output of recipient plants. I characterized the floral neighborhood of 436 flowering ramets of Alstroemeria aurea, a southern Andean perennial, distributed among three sites. On each ramet, I measured total pollen receipt and seed output. The long-lived, bumblebee-pollinated flowers of A. aurea are synchronously protandrous with a given ramet being either all male or all female and thus incapable of self or geitonogamous pollination at the ramet level. Even though each ramet changes sex over time, A. aurea forms floral neighborhoods that remain stable with respect to density and sex ratio during the span of a focal ramet female phase. Contrary to expectation, under field conditions neither local density nor sexual identity explained significant amounts of variation in pollen receipt. Density of neighboring flowering ramets marginally affected pollen receipt in two of the three populations but in opposite directions. Despite the absence of strong effects of neighborhood sexual composition on pollen receipt, the sexual identity of neighbors affected seed output which suggests effects on the quality of pollination due to changes in patterns of pollen flow. I also compared pollen loads on the stigmas of artificially isolated ramets (6 m) with those on experimental focal ramets surrounded by six close neighbors (20 cm) that were either all male or all female. Here, pollen receipt by focal ramets in all-male neighborhoods was 1.3 times greater than in isolated ramets, and 3.8 times greater than in ramets in all-female neighborhoods. In these artificial neighborhoods, stigmatic pollen deposition increased significantly over time. In nature, rates of bumblebee visits were higher in female-biased (early-flowering) than in male-biased (late-flowering) co-occurring floral patches. Thus, spatio-temporal shifts in visitation frequencies associated with the sexual composition of floral neighborhoods might compensate for spatial variability in pollen availability within populations and explain the discrepancies between empirical and experimental results.

Interspecific interactions can vary within and among populations and geographic locations. This variation can subsequently influence the evolution and coevolution of species interactions. We investigated population and geographic variation in traits important to pollinating seed-consuming interactions between the senita cactus (Lophocereus schottii) and its obligate pollinating moth (Upiga virescens), both of which are geographically restricted to the Sonoran Desert. Female moths actively pollinate senita flowers and oviposit onto flowers. Their larvae consume developing seeds and fruit of flowers pollinated by females. Traits important to this interaction include fruit set from moth pollination, fruit survivorship, and costs of fruit consumption by larvae. We studied these traits for five populations at two widely separated geographic locations. On average, 37% of flowers set fruit, 22% of flowers produced mature fruit, and larvae consumed 25% of immature fruit pollinated by female senita moths. Senita cactus and senita moth interactions were strongly mutualistic in all populations that we studied. Although one population had statistically lower fruit set and fruit production than the other four, all five populations were qualitatively similar in fruit production, costs, and patterns of fruit survivorship. Hand-pollination experiments suggested that fruit set was resource-limited in all but this one population. Apparent pollen limitation in the one population explains the quantitative differences in fruit set and fruit survivorship among the populations. As predicted by theory and exemplified by the senita mutualism, specialized and/or obligate interactions vary little among populations and geographic locations.

Rhizanthes lowii (Beccari) Harms (Rafflesia- ceae) is a parasitic plant that grows in the understory of the rainforest in South-East Asia. This plant does not have leaves, stems, or photosynthetic tissue and is characterised by the emission of a strong odour that attracts the natural pollinators, carrion flies. Flowers that volatilise odorous compounds and attract carrion flies, beetles and other insects are often thermogenic. Here we present evidence of both thermogenesis and thermoregulation in R. lowii from microclimate and tissue temperatures measured during different stages of flower development in R. lowii, in natural conditions in Brunei, Borneo. Endothermy was detected in young and mature buds as well as in blooming flowers and even in decaying tissues 3 or more days after blooming. Tissue temperatures were maintained at 7–9 K above air temperature, in both female and male flowers, at all stages of floral development.

We studied the effect of floral color change on long- and short-distance attraction of insect pollinators to the herb lungwort, Pulmonaria collina. Lungwort flowers change color with age from red to blue. Young red flowers had a significantly greater pollen and nectar reward and were significantly more often unpollinated than old blue ones. Red and blue flowers both influenced long-distance attractiveness of plants, defined as the number of insect approaches towards an individual plant. After reaching a plant, flower visitors preferred to visit young red flowers. Therefore, short-distance attractiveness, defined as the number of flowers visited successively on an individual plant, was influenced mainly by the number of young red flowers. The co-occurrence of the change in reproductive ability, in amount of reward, and in flower color enabled lungwort plants to direct pollinators to reproductive, highly rewarding red flowers. The data suggest that by maintaining changed flowers lungwort plants can increase their long-distance attraction and simultaneously enhance the probability of flower visits to pre-changed flowers. Thus, we propose floral color change as a mechanism that can increase the efficiency of pollen transfer to enhance plant fitness.

The thesis is based on the research results of the lichen flora formation on the substrates: the surface of erratic blocks, aspen barks and straw thatches. Subjection of the species composition to the changes of conditions of the closest environment (mainly the substrate) was analysed. The relationships between the kind of substrate and its permanence, and some features (e.g. morphological features) of pioneering lichens were examined; the intensification of those features and degrees of species pioneering were also distinguished.

Resumo. Este trabalho teve como objetivo avaliar a influência diária dos fatores ambientais e da quantidade de néctar na frequência de forrageio de abelhas em flores de Adenocalymma bracteatum (Cham.) DC. Para isso, foi demarcada uma área focal e registrada a atividade de forrageio das abelhas em um intervalo de 30 minutos para cada hora, das 6:00 às 17:30 h, nas flores da referida espécie vegetal durante quatro dias não consecutivos. Também foi avaliada a produção acumulativa de néctar e o seu consumo pelos visitantes no decorrer do dia. Dados referentes à temperatura, umidade relativa do ar, luminosidade e velocidade do vento foram anotados no início de cada hora. Para verificar se as frequências de forrageios das espécies de abelhas estavam correlacionadas com os fatores abióticos, foram realizados testes de correlação de Pearson. Dentre as espécies registradas, Oxaea flavescens Klug apresentou o maior número de forrageios. O número de forrageio no decorrer do dia não se manteve uniforme, o que faz acreditar que a atividade de forrageio das abelhas sofreu interferência dos fatores ambientais e da quantidade de néctar presente nas flores de A. bracteatum. Os polinizadores efetivos foram responsáveis por 51,6% do total de visitas por flor em A. bracteatum, enquanto os pilhadores de recursos perfizeram 33,1% e os furtadores de recursos realizaram somente 15,3% do total de visitas por flor. Houve ainda, forrageios de formigas e moscas. As formigas sugavam néctar extrafloral, possivelmente conferindo proteção contra pilhagem de néctar. Já as moscas pousavam na corola, mas não extraíram néctar nem pólen. Influence in the Environmental Factors and the Amount of Nectar in the Foraging Activity of Bees on Flowers Adenocalymma bracteatum (Cham.) DC. (Bignoniaceae) Abstract. This study aimed to evaluate the daily influence of environmental factors and the amount of nectar in the foraging frequency of bees on flowers Adenocalymma bracteatum (Cham.) DC. For this, a focal area was demarcated and registered foraging activity of bees in a 30-minute break for every hour from 6:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., in the flowers of this plant species during four non-consecutive days. Also was analyzed the nectar production and its consumption by visitors throughout the day. Data relating to temperature, relative humidity, luminosity, and wind speed were recorded at the beginning of each hour. To check if the frequencies of foraging the bee species were correlated with abiotic factors, tests of Pearson correlation were performed. Among the species recorded, Oxaea flavescens Klug had the highest number of foraging. The number of foraging during the day did not remain uniform, which makes to believe that foraging activity of bees suffered interference from environmental factors and the amount of nectar present in flowers of A. bracteatum. The effective pollinators were responsible for 51.6% of total visits per flower in A. bracteatum, while the robber’s resources totaled 33.1%, and only 15.3% of all visits were made by thieves’ resource. There was also foraging of ants and flies. Nectar present around the flower was sucked by ants, possibly conferring protection against robbery nectar. There were flies landing on the corolla of the flowers, but nectar and pollen were not collected.

Cultivated buckwheat, such as common (Fagopyrum esculentum Moench.) and tartary (Fagopyrum tataricum (L.) Gaertn.) buckwheat, is one of the most versatile crops for forage and food and has several benefits for human health. Interspecific hybridization between Fagopyrum species is of great importance to improvement of buckwheat. Hybridization would allow the transfer of agronomical beneficial characteristics from wild Fagopyrum species, including self-pollination and increased fertility, frost tolerance, and higher content of beneficial compounds. However, conventional breeding methods are only partially applicable because of the self-incompatibility and incompatibility barriers between different species. Present review summarizes the morphology of self-incompatibility, the genetic and cellular basis of incompatibility between different Fagopyrum species. In many interspecific crosses hybrid embryos are aborted after successful pollination due to post-zygotic incompatibility. The use of in vitro embryo rescue after interspecific hybridization has been successful in circumventing breeding barriers between Fagopyrum species. Methods applied successfully for the construction of interspecific hybrids are discussed in detail.

The yeast microbiota present in wines produced by the ancient "Kakhetian" method in Georgia (EU) was studied. This technique involves the use of terracotta vessels (amphoras), during spontaneous fermentation, maceration phase and wine ageing. The analysed yeasts were collected from wines after maturation for one year in ten amphoras from a Georgian winery. The 260 isolates were all identified as Saccharomyces cerevisiae, and the majority were classified as flor yeasts by restriction analysis of ITS region. A first technological and molecular screening was used to select 70 strains for further characterization. Both genetic and metabolic characterization discriminated flor from non-flor strains. The combined results obtained by analysis of interdelta region and mtDNA-RFLP yielded 23 different biotypes; no biotype was common to flor and non-flor strains. The wines produced by flor yeasts showed a high content in acetaldehyde, acetic acid, acetoin, whereas the level of other compounds was similar to wines obtained by non-flor strains. This study represents the first report on the composition of yeast microbiota involved in the maturation of this traditional wine. These flor strains represent an interesting yeast population, in possession of peculiar characteristics allowing them to survive during wine ageing, becoming the dominant flora in the final wine.

Floral density often influences the species composition of flower visitors. This variation in visitor species composition could have significant effects on pollination success and plant fitness but is poorly understood, especially in the many pollination guilds dominated by nonterritorial species. This article presents a foraging model that explores how flower visitors with diverse traits should distribute themselves across resource patches differing in floral density. The model predicts that species with low flower search speeds and low flower handling costs compared to those of competitors will usually dominate dense flower patches. In addition, among flower visitors that have lower energy expenditure rates while handling flowers than while traveling, species maximizing energetic efficiency are typically associated with dense flower patches, whereas those maximizing net rate of energy intake are associated with sparse patches. The model is able to predict some key aspects of a previously observed effect of floral density on species composition of flower visitors to the yellowflower tarweed (Holocarpha virgata). By providing insights into how flower visitors' traits shape the effects of floral density on the species composition of flower visitors, this study makes an important step towards understanding how pollinator diversity influences relationships between plant density and plant fitness.

Background Plant volatiles are promising cues for trapping pest insects. This study started with a recently identified complex blend released by prebloom apple trees and aimed to reduce the number of compounds in the blend while maintaining the attraction of the target pest, the apple blossom weevil Anthonomus pomorum. An evaluation was made to determine whether attraction to plant volatiles is a general feature in this species. Results Laboratory-based bioassays with field-collected weevils demonstrated repellency by volatiles from the non-host walnut, indicating that preference for plant odours is not a general feature in this species. By a subtractive bioassay approach, the original number of compounds in the apple-plant-released blend was stepwise reduced from 12 to 6 while maintaining weevil attraction. This resulting blend was as attractive as the full blend and as a blossom-bud-carrying apple twig. It was found to be composed of two synergistically interacting constituents, of which the first containing benzenoids was behaviourally inactive, and the second comprising the remaining compounds was even repellent. Conclusions This study enhances knowledge of the interaction of behaviourally effective constituents in complex odour blends and contributes to the development of an efficient monitoring system involving plant volatiles for the apple blossom weevil. © 2013 Society of Chemical Industry

The saguaro (Carnegiea gigantea) is a keystone resource for Sonoran desert consumers of nectar, pollen, fruit, and cactus tissues. Saguaro tissue contains oxalic acid and is unavailable to most consumers. The white-throated woodrat (Neotoma albigula) is, however, able to consume foods with high oxalate content, and is strongly associated with desert succulents, primarily cacti of the genus Opuntia. N. albigula forages secondarily on saguaro tissues, reducing photosynthetic surface area and eliciting an energetically-demanding wound response that reduces energy stores available to fuel reproduction. We observed and quantified Neotoma herbivory on saguaros in a low desert environment. Evidence of Neotoma grazing was found on 44% of all saguaros surveyed, and 13% of all saguaros had >20% of their surface area affected by Neotoma grazing. Neotoma herbivory on saguaros was predicted by the number of nearby succulents, presence of Neotoma middens, and saguaro age. When comparing similarly sized plants, saguaros with high levels (>20% of surface) of herbivory produced fewer flowers and fruits than plants with no Neotoma herbivory. These findings suggest that periodic use of saguaros by N. albigula, such as during extended droughts with conditions unfavorable for Opuntia growth and establishment, may reduce long-term reproductive capacities in low-density saguaro populations.

Seven traits related to flowering and sex expression in melon were studied and their reaction to application of two growth regulators (ethrel and gibberellic acid) was observed. Four monoecious genotypes (Sesame, ED-3, ED-4, Pobeditel) and four andromonoecious genotypes (Chinese muskmelon, Anannas, Fiata, A2-3lb) had been used for experiments. According to the results, ethrel had higher effects on the investigated traits than gibberellic acid. Ethrel increased the number of perfect flowers per plant for 7.18 (31.42%), reduced the number of male flowers per plant for 21.47 (17.98%), affected earlier appearance of the first pistillate/perfect flower for 3.68 days, and delayed the appearance of the first staminate flower for 16.07 days. Changes in the last two traits caused an extension of the period from the emergence of the first pistillate/perfect to the first staminate flower from 0.1 to 21.57 days, which represents the strongest effect of ethrel. Gibberellic acid had generally opposite effects on the studied traits. Foram selecionadas sete características relacionadas ao florescimento e expressão do sexo no melão e, em seguida, observada a reação de dois reguladores de crescimento (Ethrel e ácido giberélico). Quatro genótipos de flores monóicas (Gergelim, ED-3, ED-4, Pobeditel) e quatro genótipos andromonóicos (Melão chinês, Anannas, Fiata, A2-3lb) foram ensaiados durante dois anos. Ethrel teve um efeito mais forte do que o ácido giberélico, aumentando o número de flores femininas/hermafrofitas por planta para 7,18 (40,61%) e reduzindo o número de flores masculinas para 21,47 (17,98%). Ethrel adiantou o aparecimento da primeira flor feminina/hermafrofita em 3,68 dias, e atrasou o aparecimento da primeira flor masculina em 16.07 dias. Como consequência, percebe-se que Ethrel prolonga o período entre o aparecimento da primeira flor fêmea/hermafrodita até a primeira flor masculina de 0,1 dia para 21,57 dias, sendo este o efeito mais forte (99,49%).

The most important dogma in white-wine production is the preservation of the wine aroma and the limitation of the oxidative action of oxygen. In contrast, the aging of Sherry and Sherry-like wines is an aerobic process that depends on the oxidative activity of flor strains of Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Under depletion of nitrogen and fermentable carbon sources, these yeast produce aggregates of floating cells and form an air–liquid biofilm on the wine surface, which is also known as velum or flor. This behavior is due to genetic and metabolic peculiarities that differentiate flor yeast from other wine yeast. This review will focus first on the most updated data obtained through the analysis of flor yeast with -omic tools. Comparative genomics, proteomics, and metabolomics of flor and wine yeast strains are shedding new light on several features of these special yeast, and in particular, they have revealed the extent of proteome remodeling imposed by the biofilm life-style. Finally, new insights in terms of promotion and inhibition of biofilm formation through small molecules, amino acids, and di/tripeptides, and novel possibilities for the exploitation of biofilm immobilization within a fungal hyphae framework, will be discussed.

The use of the Roundup Ready(r) technology and the cultivation of a second crop influence the floristic composition of weed communities in Brazilian Central-West region cropping systems. This study has aimed to diagnose the dominant weed species in southwestern Goiás in areas of genetically-modified and conventional soybeans, using phytosociological and floristic surveys. Weed sampling was obtained by collecting all the plants present within a 0.5 m hollow frame, randomly thrown 20 times in each of thirty-five agricultural areas in the 2012/2013 harvest. Field survey was carried out in three periods: before desiccation for soybean sowing, before postemergence herbicide in soybean first application and before postemergence herbicide application in late harvest. A total of 525 m2 was inventoried and 3,219 weeds were collected, which included 79 species, 58 genera and 28 families. Families Poaceae, Asteraceae, Euphorbiaceae, Fabaceae, Amaranthaceae, were the most representative in the survey. Species Cenchrus echinatus, Glycine max, Chamaesyce hirta, Commelina benghalensis, and Alternanthera tenella stood out in importance. The RR+millet soybean treatment had the highest number of species (44), while the conventional soybean + sorghum treatment had the lowest number of species (18). The highest number of species was recorded in first sampling period. Treatments conventional soybean + maize and conventional soybean + millet showed higher similarity (70%), while treatments RR soybean + millet and conventional soybean + sorghum showed the least (51%). Species of difficult control were recorded in all cultivation systems analyzed. A utilização da tecnologia Roundup Ready(r) e o cultivo de segunda safra influenciam a composição florística das comunidades infestantes dos sistemas de cultivo do Centro-Oeste. Este estudo objetivou diagnosticar as espécies de plantas daninhas predominantes na região sudoeste de Goiás, em áreas de soja geneticamente modificada e soja convencional, por meio de levantamento fitossociológico e florístico. Para amostragem das plantas daninhas foi utilizado um quadrado vazado de 0,5 m, lançado aleatoriamente 20 vezes em cada uma das 35 áreas agrícolas na safra 2012/2013. O levantamento de campo foi realizado em três épocas: antes da dessecação para o plantio da soja, previamente à primeira aplicação de herbicida em pós-emergência da soja e anteriormente à aplicação de pós-emergência da safrinha. Foram inventariados 525 m2 no total, sendo coletadas 3.219 plantas daninhas, distribuídas em 79 espécies, 58 gêneros e 28 famílias. As famílias Poaceae, Asteraceae, Euphorbiaceae, Fabaceae e Amaranthaceae, foram as mais representativas. As espécies Cenchrus echinatus, Glycine max, Chamaesyce hirta, Commelina benghalensis e Alternanthera tenella destacaram-se em valor de importância. O tratamento soja RR + milheto apresentou o maior número de espécies (44), e o tratamento soja convencional+sorgo, o menor (18). Registrou-se o maior número de espécies na primeira época de avaliação. Os tratamentos soja convencional+milho e soja convencional + milheto mostraram maior similaridade (70%), enquanto os tratamentos soja RR+milheto e soja convencional + sorgo apresentaram a menor (51%). Espécies de difícil controle foram registradas em todos os sistemas cultivo de analisados.

Chloraea crispa Lindl. is a terrestrial orchid endemic to Chile that has potential to be a novel alternative for the cut flower industry. The objectives of this study were to describe the phenological cycle and floral bud development of C. crispa to determine the timing of initiation and differentiation of the spike. During the summer, plants are dormant. The renewal buds are located at the top of the rhizome, next to the buds from which the shoot of the previous season originated. From the end of summer until the end of winter, the plant is in vegetative growth. From June onward, the flower stalk starts to emerge, and flowering and leaf senescence occur during the spring until the beginning of summer. The renewal buds started forming leaf primordia during or after the flowering of the above-ground annual stems and the senescence of the plant. Between December and January, the apical meristem changes to the reproductive stage, and from March, the first flower primordial could be observed. C. crispa shows similarity with other geophytes in which florogenesis and the development of new organs occurs within the renewal buds during or after the summer dormancy period. U. Steinfort, M.A. Cisternas, R. Garcia, H. Vogel y G. Verdugo. 2012. Ciclo fenologico y desarrollo floral de Chloraea crispa (Orchidaceae). Cien. Inv. Agr. 39(2): 377-385. Chloraea crispa Lindl. (Orchidaceae) es una orquidea terrestre endemica de Chile, con potencial como nueva alternativa para la industria de flor de corte. Los objetivos de este estudio fueron describir el ciclo fenologico y el desarrollo de yemas florales de C. crispa de manera de determinar el comienzo de la iniciacion floral y la diferenciacion de la vara floral. Durante el verano las plantas se encontraron en dormicion, las yemas de renuevo se localizaron en la parte superior del rizoma, cercanas a las yemas que originaron el crecimiento de la temporada anterior. Desde finales del verano hasta el final del invierno, las plantas se encontraban en crecimiento vegetativo. Desde junio en adelante el tallo floral comenzo a emerger. La floracion junto con la senescencia de las hojas ocurrio durante la primavera hasta los comienzos de verano. Las yemas de renuevo comenzaron la formacion de primordios foliares, durante o despues de la floracion de los crecimientos de la temporada y senescencia de la planta. Entre diciembre y enero, el meristemo apical cambio al estado reproductivo y desde marzo en adelante fue posible observar los primeros primordios florales. C. crispa presenta similitudes con otras geofitas, donde la florogenesis y el desarrollo de nuevos organos ocurre al interior de las yemas de renuevo durante o despues del periodo de dormicion estival.

The morphological traits of the floral mutation cultivars ‘Kagaribi’, ‘Kinshibe’ and ‘Kin-kujyaku’ of Rhododendron kaempferi that characteristically exhibit extremely narrow and/or staminoid petals were investigated. In addition, to confirm the causes of the mutations in these cultivars, the MADS-box C class AG gene homologues in R. kaempferi were isolated, and the MADS-box gene expression patterns in the floral organs of the wild-type plants and cultivars were analyzed. A morphological observation of the epidermis showed that the ‘Kagaribi’ and ‘Kinshibe’ cultivars formed staminoid flag petals and staminoid organs in whorl 2, respectively. The epidermal cells of the staminoid organs of whorl 2 in ‘Kagaribi’ and ‘Kinshibe’ resembled those of the stamens in whorl 3. In ‘Kin-kujyaku,’ the petals in whorl 2 and leaves were extremely narrow. The sepals in whorl 1 were absent, and the style in whorl 4 was split into 5 parts. The epidermal cells of the petals in whorl 2 in ‘Kin-kujyaku’ were dissimilar to the epidermal cells of the stamens in whorl 3. The deduced amino acid sequence of the isolated AG homologue from R. kaempferi was well-conserved among the AG orthologues. The expression levels of RkAG in whorl 2 to whorl 3 of ‘Kagaribi’ and ‘Kinshibe’ was approximately 27% and the same level, respectively. In ‘Kin-kujyaku,’ the expression pattern was similar to that of the wild type. These results suggest that the ‘Kagaribi’ and ‘Kinshibe’ floral mutations might be caused by the expression of RkAG in whorl 2.

A melancieira apresenta comumente flores masculinas e femininas na mesma planta, necessitando assim dos serviços de polinização para a transferência dos grãos de pólen e consequente produção de frutos. A atratividade aos polinizadores está na dependência dos recursos florais oferecidos como recompensa durante as visitas, e como consequência a planta é beneficiada com a polinização. O objetivo desse trabalho foi registrar aspectos relevantes da floração incluindo a razão sexual e a descrição da morfologia floral de variedades de melancieira. As variedades demelancieira utilizadas foram, Congo, Elisa, Crimson super e Charleston super, em cultivo orgânico, com irrigação por gotejamento. Foram avaliados quatro tratamentos e quatro repetições, utilizando o delineamento experimental inteiramente casualizado. Para todas as variedades analisadas, foi registrada a emissão inicial de flores masculinas. Não foi registrada diferença significativa na emissão de flores femininas entre as variedades, porém para as flores masculinas a variedade Congo apresentou um maior número. Foi registrada diferença nas características da morfologia floral entre variedades e tipos florais em relação ao diâmetro e altura da flor. A presença de flores hermafroditas foi registrada com média de 1,45 (Crimson) a 0,15 flores por planta (Congo). A variedade Charleston apresentou a menor média de dias para a emissão da primeira flor feminina em relação a masculina (4,6±2,81) já a Congo apresentou a maior média (9,05±3,28). A menor razão sexual foi registrada para a variedade Elisa(1:13,32) e a maior para a Congo (1:24,05). Os menores períodos de floração foram registrados para as variedades Crimson e Elisa. Flowering and floral morphology of watermelon varieties in Juazeiro-BAAbstract- The watermelon commonly presents male and female flowers on the same plant, thus requiring the pollination services for the transfer of pollen grains and consequent production of fruits. The attractiveness to pollinators is dependent on the floral resources offered as a reward during visits and as a result the plant benefits from pollination. The objective of this study was to record important aspects of flowering including sex ratio and the description of floral morphology of varieties of watermelon. The varieties of watermelon were used, Congo, Elisa, super super Crimson and Charleston in organic farming, drip irrigation. Four treatments and four repetitions were performed using a completely randomized design. For all varieties analyzed, it was registered the initial issue of male flowers. It did not record significant difference in the issue of female flowers between varieties, but the male flowers to the Congo variety presented more. There was recorded differences in the characteristics of morphology flower varieties and types in relation to the height and flower diameter. The presence of hermaphrodite flowers was recorded with an average of 1.45 (Crimson) 0.15 flowers per plant (Congo). The Charleston variety had the lowest average number of days to issue the first female flower compared to males (4.6 ± 2.81) since the Congo had the highest average (9.05 ± 3.28). The lowest sex ratio was recorded for the variety Elisa (1: 13.32) and the highest for the Congo (1: 24.05). The smallest flowering periods were recorded for the Crimson and Elisa varieties.

BACKGROUND Anthocyanin-rich blue corn is an emerging specialty crop in the USA. The antioxidant properties of blue corn offer health benefits in the human diet. The objectives of this study were to identify, characterize and quantify the anthocyanins from blue corn. Hypotheses tested were that total anthocyanin content was similar among southwestern US accessions and that it would vary across locations. It was also examined whether different anthocyanin components were unique to certain genotypes. RESULTS Across all locations and accessions, an average of 0.43 g kg−1 total anthocyanin content (TAC) was observed. Accessions Santa Clara Blue and Ohio Blue displayed the highest TAC. The TAC of accession Flor del Rio was lower by nearly a factor of six. A total of five anthocyanin components were identified. Cyanidin 3-glucoside was the most abundant, followed by pelargonidin and peonidin 3-glucoside. Succinyl and disuccinyl glycosidic forms of cyanidin were also identified. Cyanidin 3-disuccinylglucoside was newly identified as a novel form of anthocyanin. CONCLUSION Quantitative and qualitative anthocyanin expression was determined to be relatively stable across multiple southwestern environments. Increased expression of red and purple pigmentation in accession Flor del Rio appeared to be associated more with reduced TAC and cyanidin 3-glucoside than with elevated pelargonidin per se. A previously unreported anthocyanin component in blue corn, cyanidin 3-disuccinylglucoside, is present in southwestern landraces. © 2016 Society of Chemical Industry

Comparative studies of floral ontogeny represent a growing field that promise to provide new insights on floral evolution. Floral ontogenetic information has been used successfully in Leguminosae for re-examining phylogenetic relationships at different levels. Using epi-illumination light microscopy, we present original ontogenetic data in Astragalus compactus, which was chosen because of its unusual arrangement of inflorescence and variable occurrence of bracteoles on flowers. Based on our results, uncommon ontogeny of the inflorescence led to the arrangement of flowers in four different positions. Variation was observed not only in the presence of bracteoles, but also in the order of sepal initiation in flowers of the same inflorescence. Surprisingly, besides the widely stated unidirectional pattern, bidirectional, sequential and an atypical unreported order were observed. High degree of overlapping between whorls and formation of two types of common primordia also were found. The variable occurrence of bracteoles suggests that the species is in an intermediate state towards fully lacking of bracteoles. We propose that the variability of the sequence of sepal initiation is possibly a consequence of the function of mechanical forces generated by surrounding leaves. Relationships between mechanical force and auxin signalling are discussed.

Grass plants develop unique floral patterns that determine grain production. However, the molecular mechanism underlying the specification of floral organ identities and meristem determinacy, including the interaction among floral homeotic genes, remains largely unknown in grasses. Here, we report the interactions of rice (Oryza sativa) floral homeotic genes, OsMADS3 (a C-class gene), OsMADS13 (a D-class gene), and DROOPING LEAF (DL), in specifying floral organ identities and floral meristem determinacy. The interaction among these genes was revealed through the analysis of double mutants. osmads13-3 osmads3-4 displayed a loss of floral meristem determinacy and generated abundant carpelloid structures containing severe defective ovules in the flower center, which were not detectable in the single mutant. In addition, in situ hybridization and yeast two-hybrid analyses revealed that OsMADS13 and OsMADS3 did not regulate each other’s transcription or interact at the protein level. This indicates that OsMADS3 plays a synergistic role with OsMADS13 in both ovule development and floral meristem termination. Strikingly, osmads3-4 dl-sup6 displayed a severe loss of floral meristem determinacy and produced supernumerary whorls of lodicule-like organs at the forth whorl, suggesting that OsMADS3 and DL synergistically terminate the floral meristem. Furthermore, the defects of osmads13-3 dl-sup6 flowers appeared identical to those of dl-sup6, and the OsMADS13 expression was undetectable in dl-sup6 flowers. These observations suggest that DL and OsMADS13 may function in the same pathway specifying the identity of carpel/ovule and floral meristem. Collectively, we propose a model to illustrate the role of OsMADS3, DL, and OsMADS13 in the specification of flower organ identity and meristem determinacy in rice.

The apple (Malus × domestica Borkh.) is one of the commercially important fruit crops in the worldwide. The apple has a relatively long juvenile period (up to 4 years) and a long reproductive period between the flower initiation and the mature fruit (14-16 months), which prevent the fruit breeding. Therefore, the understanding of the flowering system is important to improve breeding efficiency in the apple. In this study, to examine the temporal and spatial expression patterns of the floral genes, MdTFL1, MdAP1 (MdMASD5), AFL2, and MdFT, we conducted in situ hybridization analysis in the apple shoot apex. In vegetative phase, MdTFL1 was expressed on the rib meristem zone. When vegetative meristem began converting into inflorescence meristem, the expression level of MdTFL1 was drastically decreased. At the early stage of inflorescence meristem, the expression levels of AFL2, MdFT, and MdAP1 were up-regulated in the leaf primordia and the upper region of cell layers on the shoot apex. In late stage, the expression levels of AFL2 and MdAP1 were up-regulated in the young floral primordia. At a more advanced stage, high expression of MdAP1 was observed in the inflorescence primordium through the inner layer of sepal primordia and the outer layer of receptacle primordia and floral axis. Our results suggest that AFL2, MdFT, and MdAP1 affect to convert from the vegetative meristem into the inflorescence meristem after the decline of MdTFL1 expression. After that, AFL2 and MdAP1 promote the formation of the floral primordia and floral organs.

Tecoma stans (L. Juss. Kunth) ‘Mayan Gold’ is a tropical flowering plant that was selected as a potential new greenhouse crop for its physical appearance and drought and heat tolerance. The objective of this study was to quantify how temperature during the finishing stage and photoperiod during propagation and finishing stages influence growth, flowering, and quality. In Expt. 1, plants were propagated from seed under four photoperiods (9, 12, 14, or 16 h) for 35 days. Under long-day (LD) photoperiods (14 h or greater), seedlings were 3.0 to 3.7 cm taller than those propagated under 9-h photoperiods. During the finishing stage, days to first open flower, shoot dry mass, and number of nodes below the terminal inflorescence were reduced when plants were grown under LD photoperiods. In addition, number of open flowers and branches increased under LD photoperiods. Few plants developed visible buds when grown under short-day (SD) photoperiods (12 h or less). In Expt. 2, plants were forced at average daily temperatures of 19, 20, or 22 °C after transplant. Time to first open flower was reduced by 7 days as temperature increased. Inversely, number of visible buds increased by 57 as temperature increased from 19 to 22 °C. Under the experimental conditions tested, the most rapid, complete, and uniform flowering of Tecoma occurred when plants were propagated and finished under LD photoperiods and forced at 22 °C.

The mechanisms mediating the use of flowers in the butterfly Heliconius erato phyllis (Nymphalidae) are poorly understood. Availability of nectar and pollen, nectar concentration, and abundance of Stachytarpheta cayennensis and Lantana camara (Verbenaceae), two flower species commonly used by H. erato phyllis in the Neotropics, as well as flower use by this butterfly species in the field were examined in southern Brazil. Under insectary conditions, the preference of H. erato phyllis for different sucrose concentrations (0, 10, 20, 40, and 80%) and the ability to associate sucrose concentrations with preferred and non-preferred flower colors were evaluated through choice tests. Lantana camara inflorescences were less abundant, but contained larger amounts of pollen and nectar than S. cayennensis, and H. erato phyllis utilized the flowers of the former species with higher frequency compared to the latter. In the choice tests, butterflies fed more intensely on 20 and 40% sucrose solutions, an interval in which the nectars of L. camara and S. cayennensis are situated, and were able to associate preferred sucrose concentrations with flower color efficiently within the color spectrum of L. camara flowers (i.e., preferred colors), but not within that of S. cayennensis (non-preferred colors). Thus, the greater use of L. camara flowers by H. erato phyllis is related to the plant’s superior floral rewards and not flower abundance, and to the cognitive abilities of these butterflies to adjust their feeding to the availability of pollen and nectar. To our knowledge, this is the first report showing sucrose preferences in a butterfly species.