Red sandalwood(Pterocarpus santalinus L. f.): biology,importance, propagation and micropropagation

Pterocarpus santalinus L. f.(Fabaceae;red sanders) is prized for its wood whose colour and fragrance is due to the presence of santalins that have pharmaceutical and industrial uses. Red sanders is listed as an endangered plant species on the IUCN red data list as a result of the exploitation of its wood and essential oil. This review emphasizes the pollination biology, seed germination, vegetative propagation and micropropagation of P. santalinus. Excessive use of P. santalinus has also caused the emergence of various adulterants, so accurate identification is essential.

Acclimatization of in Vitro-derived Dendrobium

The successful ex vitro establishment of Dendrobium plantlets raised in vitro determines the quality of the end product(cut flowers or potted plants) in commercial production for economic gain. When in vitro Dendrobium plantlets are transplanted from the culture room to greenhouse conditions, they may desiccate or wilt rapidly and can die as a result of changes in the environment, unless substantial precautions are taken to adapt plantlets to a new environment. The acclimatization of in vitro-grown Dendrobium plantlets to an ex vitro environment by gradually weaning them towards ambient relative humidity and light levels facilitates better survival of young and physiologically sensitive plantlets.Dendrobium plantlets raised in vitro must thus undergo a period of acclimatization or transitional development to correct anatomical abnormalities and to enhance their physiological performance to ensure survival under ex vitro conditions. The most common approach to improve the survival of Dendrobium plantlets upon transfer to an ex vitro environment is their gradual adaptation to that environment. Under such conditions, plants convert rapidly from a heterotrophic or photomixotrophic state to an autotrophic growth, develop a fully functional root system,and better control their stomatal and cuticular transpiration. Gradual adaptation is carried out in a greenhouse by decreasing relative humidity using fog or mist chambers and by increasing light intensity using shading techniques. This review details the acclimatization and ex vitro survival of Dendrobium plants produced in vitro. This advice is also useful for other orchids.

Leaf Expansion and Transpiration Responses of Millet Species to Soil Water Deficit

Plant processes, such as leaf expansion, stomatal conductance and transpiration, are affected by soil water, particularly in waterstressed environments. Quantifying the effects of soil water on plant processes, especially leaf expansion and transpiration, could be useful for crop modeling. In order to quantify the leaf expansion and transpiration in response to soil water deficit in three millet species, common(Panicum miliaceum L.), pearl(Pennisetum glaucum L.) and foxtail(Setaria italica L.) millets, a pot experiment was performed at the Gorgan University of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources, Gorgan, Iran. The soil water status was characterized by the fraction of transpirable soil water(FTSW). Leaf area and transpiration were measured daily. Relative leaf area expansion(RL) and relative transpiration(RT) data were plotted against FTSW. Finally the FTSW thresholds for RL and RT were calculated using linear-plateau and logistic models. The results showed that the thresholds for RL and RT were 0.68 and 0.62,respectively, based on all measured data of the three millet species using the linear-plateau model, indicating that RL and RT were constant when FTSW decreased from 1 to the threshold point. Thereafter, until FTSW = 0, RL and RT declined linearly with a slope of 1.48 and 1.43, respectively. Although millet is cultivated as a resistant crop in arid, semiarid and marginal lands, it showed an early response to soil water deficit at high FTSW thresholds. As leaf expansion and transpiration can be considered morphological and physiological variables, respectively, the results in this study indicate that millet has strong morphological flexibility when faced with soil water deficit.

The effect of ethylene inhibitors （AgNO3, AVG）, an ethyleneliberating compound （CEPA） and aeration on the formation of protocorm-like bodies of hybrid Cymbidium （Orchidaceae）

Protocorm-like bodies （PLBs） or thin cell layers （TCLs） derived from PLBs of hybrid Cymbidium Twilight Moon ＇Day Light＇ can induce new or neo-PLBs on Teixeira Cymbidium （TC） medium, which contains 0.1 mg/L a- naphthaleneacetic acid, 0.1 mg/L kinetin, 2 g/L tryptone and 20 g/L sucrose, and is solidified with 8 g/L Bacto agar. This study aimed to assess the response ofneo-PLB formation to an ethylene-liberating compound （2-chloroethylphosphonic acid （CEPA））, to two ethylene inhibitors （silver nitrate （AgNO3） and aminoethoxyvinylglycine （AVG））, and to aeration （made possible by using Milliseal~ or autoclaved filter paper）. AgNO3 at 1 or 2 mg/L in TC medium significantly increased the fresh weight of PLBs while 1 mg/L of AgNO3 also showed a significant increase in the number ofneo-PLB from both half-PLBs and from tTCLs. In contrast, AVG and CEPA inhibited neo-PLB formation. Neo-PLB formation from half-PLB or TCL explants in the presence of aeration resulted in significantly lower neo-PLB weight. The use of AgNO3 and aeration are alternative means to mass produce neo-PLBs for micropropagation purposes.