Effects of high dilutions of Cymbopogon winterianus Jowitt (citronella) on the germination and growth of seedlings of Sida rhombifolia

The effects of high dilutions of Cymbopogon winterianus (citronella) on the growth and germination of Sida rhombifolia are analyzed; 5 homeopathic dilutions (3cH, 6cH, 12cH, 24cH, 30cH) and a control (water) were used, with 5 repetitions. Variables analyzed were the primary growth of the root system, length of the shoot, fresh mass total, germination percentage and germination speed index. All dilutions stimulated the primary growth of the root. Dilutions 3cH, 6cH, 12cH and 30 cH stimulated the growth of the aerial parts and 24cH inhibited it. Dilutions 6cH, 12cH, 24cH and 30cH stimulated a larger production of fresh mass than 3cH. Dilution 12cH resulted in the largest germination percentage while 24cH in the lowest. Dilution 12cH resulted in the highest score in the germination speed index, while 3cH and 24cH in the lowest. Keywords: Homeopathic dilutions; Plants; Germination; Growth; Cymbopogon winterianus; Sida rhombifolia.  Efeitos de altas diluições de Cymbopogon winterianus Jowitt (citronella) na germinação e crescimento de sementes de Sida rhombifolia Resumo Os efeitos de altas diluições de Cymbopogon winterianus (citronella) no crescimento e germinação de Sida rhombifolia são analisados; 5 diluições ho´meopáticas (3cH, 6cH, 12cH, 24cH, 30cH) e um controle (água) foram utilizados, com 5 repetições. As variáveis analisadas foram: crescimento primário do sistema da raiz, longitude do broto, massa fresca total, porcentagem de germinação e índice de velocidade de germinação. As diluições 3cH, 6cH, 12cH e 30cH estimularam o crescimento das partes aéreas, que foi inibido pela diluição 24cH. As diluições 6cH, 12cH e 30cH estimularam uma maior produção de massa fresca que a diluição 3cH. A diluição 12cH mostrou a porcentagem máxima de germinação, enquanto 24cH mostrou a mínima. Igualmente, a diluição 12cH resultou no máximo índice de velocidade de germinação, enquanto as diluições 3cH e 24cH, os mínimos. Palavras-chave: Diluições Homeopática; Plantas; Germination; Crescimento; Cymbopogon winterianus; Sida rhombifolia.  Efectos de altas diluciones de Cymbopogon winterianus Jowitt (citronella) en la germinación y crecimiento de semillas de Sida rhombifolia Resumen Los efectos de altas diluciones de Cymbopogon winterianus (citronella) en el crecimiento y germinación de Sida rhombifolia son analizados; 5 diluciones homeopáticas (3cH, 6cH, 12cH, 24cH, 30cH) y un control (agua) fueron utilizados, con 5 repeticiones. Las variables analizadas fueron: crecimiento primario del sistema de la raíz, largura del brote, masa fresca total, porcentaje de germinación e índice de velocidade de germinación. Las diluciones 3cH, 6cH, 12cH y 30cH estimularon el crecimiento de las partes aéreas, mientras que éste fue inhibido por la dilución 24cH. Las diluciones 6cH, 12cH, 24cH y 30cH estimularon una mayor producción de masa fresca que la dilución 3cH. La dilución 12cH mostró el máximo porcentaje de germinación, mientras que la dilución 24cH, el mínimo. Igualmente, la dilución 12cH resultó en el máximo índice de velocidad de germinación, mientras que las diluciones 3cH y 24cH, los mínimos. Palabras-clave: Diluciones homeopáticas; plantas; germinación, crecimiento, Cymbopogon winterianus; Sida rhombifolia.  Correspondence author: Carlos Moacir Bonato, [email protected], State University of Maringá-SP, Brazil How to cite this article: Marques RM, Marques-Silva GG, Bonato CM. Effects of high dilutions of Cymbopogon winterianus Jowitt (citronella) on the germination and growth of seedlings of Sida rhombifolia. Int J High Dilution Res [online]. 2008 [cited YYYY Mmm DD]; 7(22): 31-35. Available: http://journal.giri-society.org/index.php/ijhdr/article/view/208/342. ÂÂÂ

Comparative Analyses of Full-Length Transcriptomes Reveal Gnetum luofuense Stem Developmental Dynamics

Genus Gnetum, of which the majority species are pantropical liana, have broad industrial uses including for string, nets, and paper production. Although numerous studies have investigated anatomical structures during stem development, the underlying molecular mechanisms that regulate this developmental trajectory in Gnetum species remain poorly understood. A total of 12 full-length transcriptomes were generated from four stem developmental stages of an arborescent representative of this genus, Gnetum luofuense, using Oxford Nanopore Technologies. The results of this analysis reveal a total of 24,151 alternative splicing (AS) and 134,391 alternative polyadenylation events. A remarkably dynamic pattern of AS events, especially in the case of intron retentions, was found across the four developmental stages while no dynamic pattern was found among transcript numbers with varied poly(A) sites. A total of 728 long non-coding RNAs were also detected; the number of cis-regulated target genes dramatically increased while no changes were found among trans-regulated target genes. In addition, a K-means clustering analysis of all full-length transcripts revealed that primary growth is associated with carbohydrate metabolism and fungi defense, while secondary growth is closely linked with photosynthesis, nitrogen transportation, and leaf ontogenesis. The use of weighted gene co-expression network analysis as well as differentially expressed transcripts reveals that bHLH, GRF, and MYB-related transcription factors are involved in primary growth, while AP2/ERF, MYB, NAC, PLAZ, and bZIP participate in G. luofuense stem secondary growth. The results of this study provide further evidence that Nanopore sequencing technology provides a cost-effective method for generating full-length transcriptome data as well as for investigating seed plant organ development.

Anatomical Structure of Polygonatum Mill. Species in the Precarpathian Region

Polygonatum Mill. species are found in woods of the temperate zone of the Northern Hemisphere. There are four species growing in Ukraine, the most common of which is Polygonatum multiflorum (L.) All. In forest and shrub habitats are also widespread Polygonatum odoratum (Mill.) Druce., Polygonatum latifolium Desf. and Polygonatum verticillаtum (L.) All. Polygonatum species have rhizomes of the sympodial type. They are of a primary anatomical structure. In the primary growth of the stem, as well as rhizomes, there is the central cylinder (stele) and the cortex. The structure of the leaf blade is related to the performance of basic functions: photosynthesis, respiration and transpiration. The leaves are isolateral with a lighter adaxial and shaded abaxial sides. The leaf is covered with epidermis. Beneath the epidermis is chlorenchyma, which makes up the leaf pulp - mesophyll. The microscopic structure of Polygonatum multiflorum (L.) All. was studied. The anatomic description includes the characteristic of rhizomes, leaves and stems structure.

Comparative stages of atretic oocytes between Episesarma versicolor and E. singaporense from Thailand: Implication on the reproductive success

Informative reviews on the oocyte atresia referring to degeneration and resorptive mechanism are warranted in common animals, but it is rarely still found in carbs. In this current study, we focused on characteristics and stage of the atretic oocyte from two important female sesarmid carbs (violet vinegar crab, Episesarma versicolor, and Singapore vinegar crab, E. singaporense) during ovarian maturation. A total of 30 female samples in each carb species were collected from the Palian mangrove area of Trang province, Thailand. The results shared among those carb samples that both primary growth (PGs) and secondary growth (SGs) phases underwent a degenerative process of atresia. The latter of atresia during SGs was also divided into five stages (I, II, III, IV, and V). The degeneration of follicular cell and yolk architecture identifying in the SGs were highlighted. The number of atresias was slightly compared between E. versicolor and E. singaporense; therefore, there were no significant differences. Our observation suggested that the low number of atresia might be associated with the increased reproductive success of two female sesarmid carb living in natural habitats.