Plant, Soil and Environment, 2008 (vol. 54), issue 4
Performance index as a sensitive indicator of water stress in Triticum aestivum L.
M. Živčák, M. Brestič, K. Olšovská, P. Slamka
Plant Soil Environ., 2008, 54(4):133-139 | DOI: 10.17221/392-PSE 
Polyphasic chlorophyll α fluorescence represents a promising tool for detection of plant tolerance to various environmental stresses. In pot vegetation experiments, plants of seven winter wheat varieties were screened for their drought tolerance. The drought stress was initiated in plants by withholding water at the beginning of anthesis. While water content was measured continuously as relative water content (RWC), fast chlorophyll α fluorescence kinetics was measured and analysed on dehydrating intact leaves by the JIP-test (analysis of O-J-I-P fluorescence transient). Maximum quantum efficiency of PS II photochemistry (FV/FM)...
Plant regeneration from in vitro leaves of four commercial Pyrus species
H. Tang, Y. Luo, C. Liu
Plant Soil Environ., 2008, 54(4):140-148 | DOI: 10.17221/389-PSE
An efficient shoot regeneration from in vitro leaf sections of Pyrus communis Bartlett, P. pyrifolia Shenbuzhi, P. bretschneideri Zaosu and P. ussuriensis Manyuanxiang was successfully developed for use in future transgenic studies. On the basis of regeneration frequency and average shoot numbers, optimal shoot regeneration was obtained on leaf sections of P. communis Bartlett when cultured on Murashige and Skoog complete medium containing 6.0 mg/l BA (6-benzyladenine) and 0.1 mg/l NAA (α-naphthaleneacetic acid), while Quoirin and Lepoivre complete medium supplemented with 1.0 mg/l TDZ [thidiazuron (N-phenyl-N1-1,2,3-thiadiazol-5-ylurea)]...
Potentially dangerous fusarioid microorganisms associated with rot of hops (Humulus lupulus L.) plants in field culture
M. Gryndler, K. Krofta, H. Gryndlerová, L. Soukupová, H. Hršelová, J. Gabriel
Plant Soil Environ., 2008, 54(4):149-154 | DOI: 10.17221/387-PSE
Several fusarioid microorganisms were isolated as potential pathogens of hop (Humulus lupulus L.) but their virulence was not proved in inoculation trials in field conditions. Molecular search for other possible pathogens was then performed. Using terminal restriction fragment length polymorphism (TRFLP), Gibberella pulicaris (anamorph: Fusarium sambucinum) was identified as a probable cause of the hop wilting. The primary cause of the disease is wounding of hop crowns by feeding of rosy rustic moth (Hydraecia micacea) caterpillars or by defect pruning and other unfavourable circumstances. The specific primer HLf1 was designed...
Up-regulation of sucrose-P synthase in rice under elevated carbon dioxide and temperature conditions
K.B. Sujatha, D.C. Uprety, D. Nageswara Rao, P. Raghuveer Rao, N. Dwivedi
Plant Soil Environ., 2008, 54(4):155-162 | DOI: 10.17221/388-PSE
Basmati rice (Oryza sativa L.) cultivars viz. PRH-10 (pusa rice hybrid-10) and PS-2 (Pusa Sugandh-2) were grown under two different day/night temperatures (31/24°C, 35/28°C) at ambient (370 μmol/mol) and elevated (550 μmol/mol) carbon dioxide (CO2) concentration, respectively, to characterize how an increase in CO2 and temperature affects rice photosynthesis and carbohydrate metabolism. At elevated CO2, the photosynthetic rates increased under both the temperature regimes, compared with plants grown at ambient CO2. The photosynthetic rate, sucrose-P synthase (SPS) activity and accumulation of...
Relations between activities and counts of soil microorganisms
E. Popelářová, K. Voříšek, S. Strnadová
Plant Soil Environ., 2008, 54(4):163-170 | DOI: 10.17221/390-PSE
Microbial activities and counts of microorganisms were monitored as a part of research projects at 11 localities on arable land of different soil types during the years 2002-2006. The counts of microorganisms (total bacteria count, actinomycetes, micromycetes, Azotobacter, oligotrophic and spore-forming bacteria) and microbial activities (respiration, ammonification and nitrification tests) were evaluated using summary statistics, analysis of variance and correlation coefficients. The average counts of microorganisms corresponded with usual counts of microbes in arable soils. There were only some differences among localities in Azotobacter...
The effect of different rates and forms of sulphur applied on changes of soil agrochemical properties
M. Skwierawska, L. Zawartka, B. Zawadzki
Plant Soil Environ., 2008, 54(4):171-177 | DOI: 10.17221/391-PSE
A three-year field experiment was conducted from 2000 to 2002 in North-East Poland. Each year three sulphur fertilization rates in the form of sulphate (S-SO2-4) and pure (S-S0) sulphur were applied: 40, 80 and 120 kg/ha. In the soil horizon at the depth of 0-40 cm the triple rate of S- and S-S0) depressed soil reaction. Acidification of soil caused by S-SO2-4 became evident already in the first year of the study while that resulting from S-S0) application appeared as late as in the third year. The effect of sulphur on soil in the 40-80 cm horizon was irregular. As the sulphur...