Alain Coudret

Relationship between PSII activity, CO2 fixation, and Zn, Mn and Mg contents of Lolium perenne under zinc stress

Summary The effect of zinc toxicity on photosystem II (PSII) activities, photosynthetic function, and some mineral concentrations in hydroponically-grown Lolium perenne was studied at four ZnSO 4 concentrations (1, 5, 10, and 20 mmol/L) in the nutrient solution. Ryegrass showed a very strong capacity to protect itself against toxic zinc concentrations, requiring a large amount of ZnSO 4 (20 mmol/L) to inhibit growth. In the leaves, the increase in zinc content was accompanied by an increase in manganese concentration, which never reached a toxic level. This increase in manganese concentration may limit the decrease in the F v /F m ratio and ΦPSII due to zinc stress, and thus granting zinc resistance to ryegrass. The net photosynthesis rate was significantly reduced, and after 15 days, with a zinc concentration of 2.7 mg g −1 DW in the leaves, the carboxylase activity was nearly nil. At the same time, the oxygenase activity of RuBisCO was unaffected or even increased, another possible contribution to the tolerance of ryegrass to excess zinc. The carboxylase and oxygenase activities of RuBisCO were identical (93 μmol (e − ) m −2 s −1 ) with a zinc concentration in the leaves of 1.6 mg g −1 DW after 8 days and 1.4 mg g −1 DW after 15 days, corresponding to 5 mmol/L zinc and 1 mmol/L zinc in the growth medium, respectively.

Effects of abscisic acid and high concentrations of PEG on Hevea brasiliensis somatic embryos development

Abstract The effects of polyethylene glycol (PEG) and abscisic acid (ABA) were analysed on Hevea brasiliensis somatic embryos development. The presence of osmoticum greatly reduced the phenomenon of secondary embryogenesis and improved the conversion of proembryonic masses (PEMs) into torpedo-shaped embryos, while the addition of exogenous ABA favoured only the formation of globular-stage embryos. The development of embryos with a desirable morphological appearance (regular shape with a smooth and well-defined epidermis) was only observed in the presence of PEG in the solid culture media. The endogenous level of ABA was lower with these culture conditions than in control one (less than 10 nmol/g), indicating that PEG would not act through an endogenous ABA synthesis. However, the addition of 10 −5 M of ABA in the presence of the osmoticum increased its endogenous level (higher than 150 nmol/g) and the conversion into torpedo-shaped embryos but did not modify their morphological appearance. This effect of ABA was PEG-dependent and the best development occurred in the presence of 140 g/l PEG and 10 −5 M ABA. Further, the use of sucrose or PEG as osmotica has been discussed and an original method to achieve solid media with high concentrations of PEG has been proposed.

Treatment of domestic wastewater by an hydroponic NFT system

The objectives in this work were to investigate a conceptual layout for an inexpensive and simple system that would treat primary municipal wastewater to discharge standards. A commercial hydroponic system was adapted for this study and the wastewater was used to irrigate Datura innoxia plants. Influent and effluent samples were collected once a month for six months and analysed to determine the various parameters relating to the water quality. The legal discharge levels for total suspended, biochemical oxygen demand and chemical oxygen demand were reached with the plant system after 24 h of wastewater treatment. Total nitrogen and total phosphorus reduction were also obtained. NH4(+)-N was reduced by 93% with nitrification proving to be the predominant removal process. Significant nitrification occurred when the BOD5 level dropped 45 mg/l. Similar results were obtained for six months although the sewage composition varied widely. D. innoxia develops and uses the wastewater as the unique nutritive source.

The Production of Pyrethrins by Plant Cell and Tissue Cultures of Chrysanthemum cinerariaefolium and Tagetes Species

Pyrethrins, the most economically important natural insecticide, comprise a group of six closely related monoterpene esters. The industrial production is based on their extraction from Chrysanthemum cinerariaefolium (Pyrethrum) capitula. The world production of natural pyrethrins still falls short of global market demand stimulating the research in in vitro production as an alternative to conventional cultivation methods. The different biotechnological alternatives such as callus cultures, shoot and root cultures, plant cell suspension cultures, and bioconversion of precursors by means of enzymatic synthesis or genetically engineered microorganisms, as well as the progress achieved in methods for the identification and quantitation of insecticidal compounds have been reviewed. Although technology for plant cell culture exists, industrial applications have, to date, been limited due to both the low economical viability and technological feasibility at large scale. Bioconversion of readily available precursors looks more attractive, but more research is needed before this technology is used for the industrial production of pyrethrins.

Long-term somatic embryogenesis and maturation of somatic embryos in Hevea brasiliensis

A high frequency of secondary embryogenesis was induced from isolated early cotyledonary-stage somatic embryos of Hevea brasiliensis. A long-term embryogenic line was established by the use of recurrent embryogenesis and maintained for 3 years on hormone-free medium by the transfer of selected proembryogenic masses every 10 days. The addition of 234 mM sucrose as stress with sucrose and 10−5 M abscisic acid (ABA) to the culture medium enhanced the maturation of somatic embryos. Under these culture conditions, the embryo population was composed of 45% globular, 18% oblong and 37% torpedo-stage embryos. These somatic embryos had well-formed tissue structure, a well-defined epidermis, protein storage bodies, and a high accumulation of starch. The triglyceride content was five times as high in the torpedo-stage embryos that developed on medium supplemented with 234 mM sucrose and 10−5 M ABA as in embryos obtained on basal medium with 58 mM sucrose.

Growth and gas exchange responses of Hevea brasiliensis seedlings to inoculation with Glomus mosseae

Abstract The beneficial effect of arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi on plant growth is well known, but the physiological processes involved are still discussed. The purpose of this study was to determine if Glomus mosseae affects the growth of Hevea brasiliensis seedlings and, if it is the case, if it could be associated with variations in leaf CO2 and H2O gas exchange. H. brasiliensis rubber trees were grown for 9 months in a medium containing either propagules of G. mosseae or sterilized inoculum. Plant size, root collar diameter and leaf area, as well as net CO2 assimilation, stomatal conductance (gs) and water-use efficiency of photosynthesis were evaluated during the first 5 stages of growth. At stage 2, a growth depression occurred in the mycorrhizal seedlings coincident with the first AM infections. Then, at stage 5, Glomus mosseae-inoculated plants had moderate colonization (47% of root length) and were taller than control plants with a larger root collar diameter and an enhanced leaf organogenesis. This enhanced growth was accompanied by increased photosynthesis, transpiration, and stomatal conductance. After 9 months, dry weights of shoots and roots of inoculated plants were greater than those of controls by 27 and 17%, respectively.

The ultrastructure of micropropagated and greenhouse rose plant stomata

Stomata of leaves from in vitro grown rose plantlets remain opened in the dark. The ultrastructure of their guard cells was studied after a 7 h light and a 7 h dark period, and compared to that of functional stomata from plants which have been acclimatized to greenhouse conditions. Qualitative and quantitative observations concerning the shape of the guard cells, mitochondria, plastids and starch grains, demonstrated the similarity in guard cell ultrastructure. The peculiarity of guard cell ultrastructure of in vitro cultured plants was the inability to close in the dark; vacuolar area was 40% of the whole guard cell area during both light and dark period whereas, in guard cells from greenhouse plants, the vacuolar area was 40% of the whole guard cell area during the light and only 25% during the dark period. These results indicate that stomata from in vitro plants are duly developed and possess an ultrastructure suitable for a typical functioning. The inability to close in the dark results from atypical water relation.

Effect of abscisic acid and cytokinins on the development of somatic embryos in Hevea brasiliensis

Addition of liquid medium, conditioned by an embryogenic suspension, to MH1 solid medium (3,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid 9 μM, 6-benzyladenine 9 μM) permitted the frequent induction of highly embryogenic calli from slices of internal integument of immature seeds of Hevea brasiliensis Müll. Arg. The proliferation of embryogenic cell clusters was achieved in MH1 liquid medium. Abscisic acid (ABA), cytokinins and adenine were tested for their ability to affect development of somatic embryos to plantlets. The transfer of embryogenic cell clusters on auxin-free solid medium with 10-5M ABA for 2 months stimulated embryo development. When torpedo-shaped embryos were transferred to medium with adenine or cytokinins they turned green in 1 month. Green embryos produced secondary embryos when they were collected and placed on medium without growth regulators.

Treatment of domestic wastewater using the nutrient film technique (NFT) to produce horticultural roses.

Removal of organic matter, nitrogen and phosphorus was investigated in a pilot based on the nutrient film technique system used for horticultural production. Rosebushes producing commercial roses were set on an inclined impermeable surface over which a thin film of domestic wastewater flowed directly through the root matrix. The roses produced with wastewater as nutrient solution were qualitatively and quantitatively similar to those produced traditionally and can be marketable. In the presence of the rosebushes, the lowering of chemical oxygen demand (COD), biological oxygen demand (BOD5) and suspended solids (SS) increased with their influent strengths in a linear fashion correlation. Whatever the pollutant load of the influent, within the range studied, the level of organic pollution required to allow the discharge of the effluent into water courses was reached after 24 h of treatment. At this time, the COD reached 39 +/- 13 mg L(-1), the BOD5 7 +/- 4 mg L(-1) and the SS 8 +/- 6 mg L(-1). The removal percentages were 89, 95 and 94, respectively, whereas without plants they were 55, 33 and 53, respectively. The rosebushes had a beneficial effect on the removal of phosphorus from 20% to 23% greater in their presence than without. In presence of plants, the nitrate was the principal form of nitrogen from 48 h of treatment whereas without rosebushes, nitrite represent more than 20% of initial nitrogen whatever the treatment duration. The root matrix served not only as a filter for the organic matter, but also provided a microhabitat suitable for nitrifying bacteria and heterotrophic micro-organisms, which responded rapidly to the pollutant load.

Identification and assay of pyrethrins in Chrysanthemum cinerariefolium calli

Callus from four clones of Chrysanthemum cinerariaefolium have been investigated for pyrethrins biosynthesis. Calli from disc-flowers, bud-flowers, stems and leaves of clone HY D were cultivated. Best growth was obtained by initiating the culture on Murashige and Skoog medium containing 3% sucrose, 1% agar, 4 ppm β-naphtoxy acetic acid (ANA) and 0.4 ppm 6- benzyl aminopurine (BAP) for 28 d, then transfering explants on \({\raise0.7ex\hbox{