Effect of copper deficiency on anatomy of the stem and leaves in tomato plants

Badania mikroskopowe wykazały, że deficyt miedzi powoduje zmiany w budowie epidermy liści, tkanek łodygi i ogonków liściowych pomidora. Komórki roślin rosnących przy deficycie miedzi charakteryzują się mniejszym turgorem i mają skłonność do plazmolizy. Aparaty szparkowe są mniejsze, ale jest ich więcej niż u roślin kontrolnych. Mniejsze są również komórki tkanki miękiszowej, wzmacniającej i przewodzącej w łodydze i ogonkach liściowych. Wtórne ściany komórkowe są cieńsze i mniej zlignifikowane. Komórki ksylemu przewodzące wodę są zdeformowane i często ulegają zgniataniu przez komórki przyległe. Ten rodzaj zmian powoduje ograniczenia w gospodarce wodnej rośliny, co objawia się więdnięciem i zasychaniem liści.The microscopic study showed that the copper deficiency caused some anatomical changes in leaf epidermis, stem and petiole tissues of tomato plants. The cells of plants grown at Cu deficiency were characterized by lower turgor and some susceptibility to plasmolysis. The stomata were smaller but more numerous than in control plants. The parenchyma, collenchyma cells and the vessels showed the tendency to be smaller than in stems and petioles of control plants. The secondary cell walls were thiner and less lignificed than the control ones. The largest of xylem vessels were deformed and often collapsed by adjoining cells. These anatomical changes resulted in disturbance of water distribution in tomato plants, leading to fading and drying of the leaves

The new possibility of cucumber protection growing under cover against powdery mildew (Erysiphe cichoracearum) with using natural products

Investigations were aimed at the possibility of conventional fungicides limitation in cucumber protection against powdery mildew by sorting and introducing the most effective natural products. There were examined products with different biologically active substances: biostimulators, fertilisers and products containing silicon. The effectiveness of tested products against E. cichoracearum were evaluated with macroscopic methods (evaluation of dynamic of powdery mildew development) and microscopic methods (analyses of micromorphology of leaf epidermal surface). There were selected products characterized by the highest efficiency in the fight against E. cichoracearum. The best results were obtained after the application of products based on grapefruit extracts, tea tree extract (Melaleuca alternifolia) and orange oil. The effects of the use of products were characterized by E. cichoracearum spores and mycelia destruction. After spraying in-fected cucumber plants the distortion of hyphae and conidiospores of powdery mildew were visible

Nuclear DNA content and ploidy level of apple cultivars including Polish ones in relation to some morphological traits

Apple species and cultivars differ in nuclear (2C) DNA content and ploidy level. The majority of these genotypes are diploids, but there are some triploids and a few tetraploids. Nuclear DNA content is a specific feature and its flow cytometric evaluation can be helpful in differentiating taxa. For many apple genotypes – including all the Polish ones, these characteristics are not known. 2C DNA was evaluated in relation to leaf, flower, fruit, pollen grain and stomata sizes as well as to the flowering time for seventy genotypes (including 46 Polish cultivars) gathered in the gene bank of the Research Institute of Horticulture, Skierniewice, Poland. For standard cultivars with the known chromosome number, 2C value was 1.71 pg for diploid cultivar ‘Alwa’ (2n=2x=34), 2.55 pg for triploid ‘Boskoop’ (3x=51), and 3.37 pg for tetraploid genome (4x=68) of mixoploid ‘McIntosh 2x+4x’. In 61 cultivars (including 41 Polish ones), the nuclear DNA content ranged from 1.58 to 1.78 pg indicating their diploid chromosome number. Five cultivars were identified as triploids (‘Bursztówka Polska’, ‘Pagacz’, ‘Rapa Zielona’, ‘Rarytas Śląski’ and ‘Witos’) owing to their nuclear DNA amount ranging between 2.42 and 2.58 pg. Leaf, flower, fruit, stomata and pollen grain sizes were on average significantly larger in triploids. Thus, in 3x plants the mean leaf surface was 49.1 cm², flower diameter – 52.4 mm, fruit weight – 204.7 g, stomata length – 32.1 μm and pollen grain diameter – 33.7 μm, whereas in diploids – 36.0 cm², 46.1 mm, 162.7 g, 28.4 μm and 30.7 μm, respectively. Pollen grain viability was on average significantly higher in diploids (75.6%), compared to triploids (22%). These results confirm that in apple, as in many other plant species, the higher ploidy level of triploids is generally associated with increased sizes of pollen grains, stomata, flowers, fruits and leaves but decreased pollen viability. No clear correlation between ploidy level and flowering time was found. In the case of mixoploid apple genotypes possessing diploid and tetraploid genomes, some phenotype observation is helpful in describing the ploidy level of the histogenic layers, L1 and L2. Small stomata sizes (similar to diploid) indicate diploid L1 and larger leaf sizes, compared to diploid counterparts, show tetraploid L2. The results will be used for breeding, in which it is important to determine maternal and paternal genotypes as well as the direction of the crossing that is of great importance in obtaining seeds and materials for further selection

Assessment of changes in structure of dried tissue of sour cherry pretreated using ultrasound-assisted osmotic dehydration

Celem pracy było określenie wpływu oddziaływania ultradźwięków na strukturę wewnętrzną owoców wiśni poddawanych obróbce osmotycznej i suszeniu. Owoce wiśni odmiany ‘Nefris’ odwadniano w 60-procentowym roztworze sacharozy przez 120 min (40 ºC), w łaźni wodnej wyposażonej w przetwornik ultradźwiękowy (25 kHz, 0,4 W/cm²) i platformę wytrząsającą (30 rpm). Całkowity czas obróbki osmotycznej wynosił 120 min, w trakcie którego zastosowano różne warianty czasu traktowania ultradźwiękami (ang. ultrasound – US) i wytrząsania (ang. shaking – S). W pierwszej kolejności próbki traktowano US przez 0, 30, 60, 90 lub 120 min, po czym wytrząsano (S) przez odpowiednio: 120, 90, 60, 30 lub 0 min. Odwodnione owoce poddawano suszeniu konwekcyjnemu. Strukturę suszu osmo-konwekcyjnego owoców odwadnianych oraz surowca analizowano mikroskopowo. Potwierdzono, że zastosowanie ultradźwięków powoduje zmiany struktury tkanek. Dłuższy okres ekspozycji tkanki wiśni na działanie US sprzyjał zmniejszaniu się zwartości komórek bezpośrednio sąsiadujących z epidermą. Jednocześnie obserwowano zwiększanie deformacji komórek miękiszu dośrodkowego i zanikanie przestrzeni międzykomórkowych. Najbardziej ujednoliconą strukturą (komórki najmniej wydłużone i komórki okrągłe) charakteryzowały się wysuszone owoce poddane obróbce osmotycznej i równocześnie poddane przez 60 min: oddziaływaniu US i wytrząsaniu (60US+60S), co wskazuje na istnienie optymalnego stanu sprzyjającego redukcji naprężenia wewnętrznego. Suszenie konwekcyjne powoduje znaczny skurcz tkanki. W owocach suszonych, które nie były poddane działaniu ultradźwięków, ale były wytrząsane przez 120 min (0US+120S), zaobserwowano występowanie wolnych przestrzeni międzykomórkowych na przemian z dużymi zagęszczeniami. Zastosowanie US do 60 min sprzyjało zwiększeniu jednorodności struktury suszonego materiału (wariant optymalny – 60US+60S). Oddziaływanie ultradźwięków powyżej 60 min wyraźnie potęgowało efekt zagęszczania struktury, w związku z czym próbki traktowane US przez 120 min (120US+0S) charakteryzowały się największym skurczem tkanki.The objective of the research study was to determine the effect of ultrasounds on the microstructure of osmo-treated and dried sour cherry fruits. The ‘Nefris’ sour cherry fruit variety was osmotically dehydrated using a 60 % sucrose solution for 120 min. (40 ºC) in an ultrasonic bath equipped with a transducer (25 kHz, 0.4 W/cm²) and a shaking platform (30 rpm). The total time of osmotic dehydration was 120 min; during that time period, diverse time variants of ultrasound (US) treatment and shaking (S) were applied. First, the samples were treated by ultrasounds (US) for 0, 30, 60, 90, and 120 min.; next, they were shaken for 120, 90, 60, 30, or 0 min., respectively. The dehydrated fruits were convectively dried. The structure of osmo-convectively dried samples of dehydrated fruits and raw material was microscopically analyzed. It was confirmed that the application of ultrasounds caused changes in the structure of tissues. A longer time of exposing sour cherry tissue to ultrasounds resulted in a decrease in the density of cells directly adjacent to the epidermis. Concurrently, it was found that the deformation of parenchyma cells increased and the intercellular spaces faded away. By the most homogenous structure (the most elongated and circular cells) were characterized the dried fruits that were osmo-treated and, simultaneously, ultrasound-treated and shaken for 60 min. (60US+60S); thus the presence of optimal state was proved that supported the reduction in internal tension. The convective drying causes the tissue to considerably contract. In the dried fruits, which were not treated by ultrasounds, but only shaken for 120 min. (0US+120S), alternating free intercellular and highly compact spaces were found. The application of ultrasounds for max 60 min. caused the homogeneity of structure of the material being dried to increase (optimal variant: 6US+60S)