EXPERIMENTAL STUDIES OF THE PROCESS OF CUTTING THE HEAD OF CHICORY ROOTS

Reducing the energy consumption of the technological process of harvesting the main mass of chicory root buds is provided by developing, justifying the parameters and the use of advanced hooking modules. According to the results of field planned factor experiments, a regression equation is obtained, which characterizes the change in the cutting length of root heads from the initial speed of the knife, which is mounted rigidly on the pendulum of the copra at an angle to the direction of knife movement. The results of the study are the prerequisites for the development and improvement of methodology and methods of calculation and justification of rational structural and kinematic parameters of the working bodies of hook-harvesting modules of root-harvesting machines.Kеу wоrds: pendulum copier, hard knife, cutting length, knife speed, knife mounting angle, regression equation.

Heliotropium curassavicum (salt heliotrope).

Heliotropium curassavicum is an aggressive weed that rapidly colonizes new areas, in particular on disturbed saline soils and coastal areas in arid and semiarid habitats. It forms dense monospecific stands that displace native vegetation and alter successional pathways. A combination of traits, such as high seed germination and seedling establishment rates in open areas, along with its ability to shift between sexual reproduction to clonal growth (i.e., adventitious root buds) are responsible for the invasiveness and rapid spread of H. curassavicum. H. curassavicum has become one of the most common weeds in the Mediterranean Basin and the Nile Delta, where it is regarded as a serious ecological and agricultural problem, but it is also listed as invasive in countries across Europe, the Arabian Peninsula, Africa and in Anguilla in the Lesser Antilles.

Pemanfaatan FMA dan Tanaman Inang untuk Meningkatkan Pertumbuhan Bibit Cendana (Santalum album Linn.)

The sandalwood tree (Santalum album Linn.) is an important tree species as well as a primadonna for the people of East Nusa Tenggara (NTT). It has high economic value for its aromatic wood and essential oil content that have a very distinctive aroma used to make various products such as handicrafts, woodcarvings, incense, and oil for the perfume and cosmetics industry. Sandalwood is a semi parasite plant that part of its life phase requires a host plant to get the nutrients and water. There are many types of host plants that have been used, among others, Casuarina equisetifolia, Acacia mangium, Terminalia microcarpa, Sesbania grandiflora, Alternanthera sp and Capsicum annum. In this research will be tested to try sandalwood planted with Cymbopogon nardus host plants, in terms of economics can provide benefits.Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) is a group of fungi from glomeromycota phylum that can symbiosis mutualism with root system of high level plant. The working principle of the mycorrhiza is to infect the root system of the host plant, producing intensive hyphae tissue so that the plant containing mycorrhiza will be able to increase the capacity in nutrient uptake. The utilization of host plants Alternanthera sp, Capsicum annum, and its application with AMF is the best solution to overcome the problem of developing sandalwood in TTU on the nursery. The purpose of this study was to analyze the effectiveness of AMF and utilization of the atsiri host plant to increase the growth of sandalwood seedlings in TTU. This study was designed using a complete random method (RAL) in split plot design. If the treatment has a significant effect then followed by Duncan Multiple Range Test (DMRT). Parameters observed were height (cm), number of leaf, diameter of sandalwood (mm), dry weight of root, seed quality index, ratio of root buds, and haustorium observation of Sandalwood, and also number of spore, root colonization and AMF dependency of Sandalwood.The results showed that the treatment of AMF with Capsicum annum host plant was 19.8 of high, number of leaf 18.9 on FMA treatment with host plant Capsicum annum, diameter of stem 2.24 mm on Alternanthera sp host treatments without AMF and 1.83 mm at AMF treatment with host plant Capsicum annum, dry weight of buds 2.00g on AMF treatment with Capsicum annum host plant, dry weight of roots AMF (M1) with alternanthera sp 0.70 g, root buds ratio of AMF with host plant alternanthera sp 4.05, seed quality index AMF with Alternanthera sp 4.16 and 82 % of root colonization on AMF with host plant Capsicum annum.Keywords: Santalum album Linn., AMF, host plant.

The role of root buds in the regeneration of Casearia sylvestris Swartz (Salicaceae) in the cerrado, São Carlos, São Paulo state, Brazil

The present work describes the fire effects on the population structure of Casearia sylvestris Swartz (Salicaceae). Diameter and height structure as well as spatial distribution patterns of the root sprouts were analyzed pre- and post-fire. The morphology and anatomy of the underground system were also analyzed in order to investigate the nature and origin of sprouts from this system. In this study, a 10-ha of Cerrado area was sampled from February to November 2006; in August, a fire burned roughly 80% of the study area, allowing us to compare the data collected pre- and post-fire. Our findings show that the underground systems consisted of specialized roots and buds originated close to the vascular cambium. The spatial distribution of the root sprouts became clustered pre- and post-fire and most of the root sprouts were concentrated in the first size class, indicating that the sprouts from roots play an important role in the recovery of this species in burnt areas.

Transcriptome analysis of leafy spurge (Euphorbia esula) crown buds during shifts in well-defined phases of dormancy

Microarray analysis was used to follow changes in gene expression coinciding with seasonal changes in the dormancy status of crown buds of field-grown leafy spurge. Known cold-regulated genes were induced, and numerous gibberellic acid–responsive genes were down-regulated during the transition from paradormancy to endodormancy. Genes involved in photomorphogenesis were induced during endodormancy. Also, ethylene signaling responses were observed during ecodormancy rather than endodormancy. These results provide additional insights into the signals regulating expression of several genes previously associated with transition from paradormancy to growth in root buds.

Insect-Transmitted Urediniospores of the Rust Puccinia punctiformis Cause Systemic Infections in Established Cirsium arvense Plants

The rust fungus Puccinia punctiformis has potential as a biological control agent for creeping thistle Cirsium arvense, because systemically infected shoots usually die before flowering. The mechanism of rust transfer as well as the spore type responsible for systemic infections have been a source of controversy. One possibility of successful transmission is the use of the weevil Ceratapion onopordi as a vector. Our results from a garden experiment show that urediniospores transmitted by the weevil are able to induce systemic infections in established thistle clones. Furthermore, the weevil origin and the date of rust treatment significantly influenced the number of rust-infected shoots. The earlier a shoot was treated, the higher the probability of rust transmission. These results challenge the current belief that teliospores passing through the soil and infecting root buds are the major cause of systemic infections in the field. Further research on biological control of creeping thistle should therefore concentrate on the application of urediniospores to enhance systemic rust infections.

Sugars, hormones, and environment affect the dormancy status in underground adventitious buds of leafy spurge (Euphorbia esula)

Signals from both leaves and apical or axillary meristems of leafy spurge are known to inhibit root bud growth. To test the hypothesis that carbohydrates and growth regulators affect root bud growth, decapitated leafy spurge plants were hydroponically treated with glucose, sucrose, gibberellic acid (GA), abscisic acid (ABA), 1-naphthaleneacetic acid (NAA), 6-benzylaminopurine (BA), and a GA biosynthesis inhibitor, paclobutrazol. Both glucose and sucrose caused suppression of root bud growth at concentrations of 30 mM. The inhibitory effect of sucrose was counteracted by GA at 15 μM. In contrast, BA, ABA, NAA, and paclobutrazol inhibited root bud growth at concentrations as low as 1, 2, 1, and 16 μM, respectively. Sugar and starch levels were also determined in root buds at various times after decapitation. Buds of intact plants contained the highest level of sucrose compared with buds harvested 1, 3, and 5 d after decapitation. To determine how seasonal changes affect root bud dormancy, growth from root buds of field-grown plants was monitored for several years. Root buds of field-grown leafy spurge had the highest level of innate dormancy from October to November, which persisted until a prolonged period of freezing occurred in November or early December. Our data support the hypothesis that carbohydrates may be involved in regulating dormancy status in root buds of leafy spurge.