Floral Induction of Longan (Dimocarpus longan) by Potassium Chlorate: Application, Mechanism, and Future Perspectives

Longan (Dimocarpus longan L.) is one of the most important tropical and subtropical fruits in the world. Longan fruit has high nutritional and medical value, and is regarded as a treasure among fruits. Since it was first reported that potassium chlorate (KClO3) could be successfully applied to promote flowering in longan, this compound has been widely used in the production of on-season and off-season longan fruits. KClO3 has thus played a great role in promoting the development of the longan industry. In this review, we summarize the application methods, influencing factors, and physiological and molecular mechanisms associated with KClO3-mediated induction of longan flowering. It can be deduced that leaves may play a crucial role in the transport of and response to KClO3. Leaves supply carbon and nitrogen nutrition, and hormone and signaling molecules needed for the differentiation of apical buds. Moreover, cytokinins may be crucial for KClO3-mediated induction of longan flowering. More effort should be focused on studying the molecular mechanisms underlying this process. This will not only help us to better understand floral induction by KClO3 in longan but also enrich our understanding of flowering regulation mechanisms in woody plants.

New Insights into the Transcriptional Regulation of Genes Involved in the Nitrogen Use Efficiency under Potassium Chlorate in Rice (Oryza sativa L.)

Potassium chlorate (KClO3) has been widely used to evaluate the divergence in nitrogen use efficiency (NUE) between indica and japonica rice subspecies. This study investigated the transcriptional regulation of major genes involved in the NUE in rice treated with KClO3, which acts as an inhibitor of the reducing activity of nitrate reductase (NR) in higher plants. A set of two KClO3 sensitive nitrate reductase (NR) and two nitrate transporter (NRT) introgression rice lines (BC2F7), carrying the indica alleles of NR or NRT, derived from a cross between Saeilmi (japonica, P1) and Milyang23 (indica, P2), were exposed to KClO3 at the seedling stage. The phenotypic responses were recorded 7 days after treatment, and samples for gene expression, physiological, and biochemical analyses were collected at 0 h (control) and 3 h after KClO3 application. The results revealed that Saeilmi (P1, japonica) and Milyang23 (P2, indica) showed distinctive phenotypic responses. In addition, the expression of OsNR2 was differentially regulated between the roots, stem, and leaf tissues, and between introgression lines. When expressed in the roots, OsNR2 was downregulated in all introgression lines. However, in the stem and leaves, OsNR2 was upregulated in the NR introgression lines, but downregulation in the NRT introgression lines. In the same way, the expression patterns of OsNIA1 and OsNIA2 in the roots, stem, and leaves indicated a differential transcriptional regulation by KClO3, with OsNIA2 prevailing over OsNIA1 in the roots. Under the same conditions, the activity of NR was inhibited in the roots and differentially regulated in the stem and leaf tissues. Furthermore, the transcriptional divergence of OsAMT1.3 and OsAMT2.3, OsGLU1 and OsGLU2, between NR and NRT, coupled with the NR activity pattern in the roots, would indicate the prevalence of nitrate (NO3¯) transport over ammonium (NH4+) transport. Moreover, the induction of catalase (CAT) and polyphenol oxidase (PPO) enzyme activities in Saeilmi (P1, KClO3 resistant), and the decrease in Milyang23 (P2, KClO3 sensitive), coupled with the malondialdehyde (MDA) content, indicated the extent of the oxidative stress, and the induction of the adaptive response mechanism, tending to maintain a balanced reduction–oxidation state in response to KClO3. The changes in the chloroplast pigments and proline content propose these compounds as emerging biomarkers for assessing the overall plant health status. These results suggest that the inhibitory potential of KClO3 on the reduction activity of the nitrate reductase (NR), as well as that of the genes encoding the nitrate and ammonium transporters, and glutamate synthase are tissue-specific, which may differentially affect the transport and assimilation of nitrate or ammonium in rice.

The Chemistry of Lindo and Fages Colour Tests

Lindo test for strychnine identification is based on the reaction of the alkaloid with potassium chlorate in the presence of sulphuric acid. Fages identified chlorates and bromates using strychnine in nitric acid. In fact, it is the same reaction but with different strong acid, and the product to be identified being interchanged. The reaction series occurring in these tests has not being described. We provide the electron flow from the alkaloid to the complex oxidation product resulting from the powerful oxidation properties of chloric acid.

Barium minerals – baritе and chlorinedominant ferrokinoshitalite bafe2+3[cl2/al2si2o10] in plagioperidotites Yoko-Dovyren intrusion (Northern Baikal region) – products of epigenetic low grad metamorphism

In the plagioperidotite of the ultamafite-mafic Yoko-Dovyren intrusion captured by low-grad metamorphism (NGM) under conditions of the prenite-pumpelliite facies (PPF), mobilization of Ba, Cl and Sr is observed The content of barium in plagioperidotite ranges from 36 to 313 (an average of 130 g / t); strontium from 25 to 169 (an average of 86 g / t); Ba / Sr value varies from 0.5 to 4 (on average 1.5). Barium minerals phlogopite and plagioclase; chlorine chloroferrisadanagite from inclusions in alumochromite, late-magmatic phlogopite, potassium chlorate ferropargassite and chlorapatite in the margins of sulphide nests. During the NGM processes, these minerals were replaced by chlorites, tremolite, diopside, which included very little Ba and Cl. In the areas of barium minerals development, plagioperidotites contain 348518 g/t of barium and 46 g/t of strontium, which indicates the redistribution of Ba and the removal of Sr. Metamorphogenic barium minerals non-strontium barite and Ba-Fe-Cl mica chloro-dominant ferrokinochitalit. They coexist with the minerals of the rodingite association hydrogarnet, tremolite, diopside, chlorite, antigorite, magnetite, hydroxylapatite. Ferrokosnoshitalit replaces phlogopite, plagioclase, sulfides, contains up to 21 wt. % BaO, 31% FeO, 11% Cl and has a iron index of f = 75.890.5. The composition of the most chlorine-rich individual responds (Ba0.83K0.16)0.99(Fe2+2.63Mg0.28Fe3+0.04Al0.02Cr0.01Mn0.01)3[(Cl1.86OH0.12S0.02)2/Al1.86Si2.14O10]. Since Yoko-Dovyrenskiy ferrokynosalital is chlordominant, this is a new mineral species.