Hernández-Cruz AE¹, E Sánchez^2*, P Preciado-Rangel¹, M L García-Bañuelos², A Palomo-Gil¹, A Espinoza-Banda¹

Phyton-International Journal of Experimental Botany, Vol.84, No.2, pp. 454-460, 2015, DOI:10.32604/phyton.2015.84.454

Abstract In the production of cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.), nitrogen fertilization is one of the most costly crop practices, but important to reach high yields. However, high nitrogen (N) content in plants does not always translate into a high fibre production. One way of assessing the efficiency of the N fertilizer is through the enzymatic activity of the nitrate reductase (NR). This is a key enzyme in N assimilation, whose activity is regulated by a number of endogenous and exogenous factors that determine yield. The aim of this study was to assess the effect of N fertilization on yield, fibre quality,… More >

Yang FW, XQ Feng

Phyton-International Journal of Experimental Botany, Vol.84, No.2, pp. 444-453, 2015, DOI:10.32604/phyton.2015.84.444

Abstract Abscisic acid (ABA) plays a series of significant physiology roles in higher plants including but not limited to promote bud and seed dormancy, accelerate foliage fall, induce stomatal closure, inhibit growth and enhance resistance. Recently, it has been revealed that ABA also has an important regulator role in the growth, development and ripening of fruit. In higher plants ABA is produced from an indirect pathway from the cleavage products of carotenoids. The accumulation of endogenous ABA levels in plants is a dynamic balance controlled by the processes of biosynthesis and catabolism, through the regulation of key ABA biosynthetic gene and… More >

Sabatino M^1,2, AE Rovere¹, N Maceira²

Phyton-International Journal of Experimental Botany, Vol.84, No.2, pp. 435-443, 2015, DOI:10.32604/phyton.2015.84.435

Abstract Eryngium regnellii Malme belongs to the largest genera in the Apiaceae family, with 250 species worldwide and 65 represented in South America. It is a herbaceous species typical of hill plant communities, which, along with remnant grassland patches, are the most relevant natural habitats for the maintenance of diversity in the Southern Pampas. Eryngium regnellii is key to the maintenance of pollination mutualisms, being a generalist (displaying a diverse assemblage of pollinators) and ubiquitous species (present in all studied sierras). However, fragmentation of the Pampean landscape due to agricultural intensification has led to the loss of natural environments. Therefore, the… More >

González-Álvarez M, S Moreno-Limón^*, SM Salcedo-Martínez, EC Pérez-Rodríguez

Phyton-International Journal of Experimental Botany, Vol.84, No.2, pp. 427-434, 2015, DOI:10.32604/phyton.2015.84.427

Abstract The agricultural sector, and particularly the horticultural production, has a singular importance in agriculture, considering that it ranks second on agricultural products, nationally and worldwide. Fungal diseases are one of the major causes of vegetable loss during storage, reducing their nutritional value, quality and sale price. Vegetables are usually exposed to diverse treatments with chemical products before storage; as a result, fungal populations develop an increased resistance over time becoming more difficult to control. Because of this, research efforts toward finding more suitable chemicals to control fungal diseases are needed. Natural extracts may be an alternative solve this problem. In… More >

Kiehr M¹, R Delhey¹, J Lusto²

Phyton-International Journal of Experimental Botany, Vol.84, No.2, pp. 423-426, 2015, DOI:10.32604/phyton.2015.84.423

Abstract A new disease of lettuce has been observed in the surroundings of Bahía Blanca, Argentina. The symptoms include dwarfing, general chlorosis, wilting, root rot, and leaf blight, sometimes followed by plant death. Pythium tracheiphilum Matta was found to be consistently associated with those symptoms. The morphological and morphometric characteristics of this oomycete are described. Isolates obtained from field-infected lettuce plants were inoculated to lettuce and caused similar symptoms as those found in natural infections. Seedling emergence was also severely affected following experimental inoculation. Koch’s Postulates were fulfilled by recovering the fungus from inoculated plants. The new disease shows a high… More >

Bustingorri C, K Balestrasse, RS Lavado

Phyton-International Journal of Experimental Botany, Vol.84, No.2, pp. 407-416, 2015, DOI:10.32604/phyton.2015.84.407

Abstract Arsenic (As) and Fluoride (F) are present in many soils, affecting crops and posing risks in the food chain. We performed pot experiments on spiked soils enriched in these elements either individually or simultaneously, over a wide range of concentrations. Soybean biomass production, grain yield, As and F accumulation and distribution within the plant, and the antioxidant response to these stresses were analyzed. Arsenic was more toxic than F. At As levels >35 mg/kg and F levels >375 mg/kg, yield loss reached 60% and 30%, respectively. At the highest dose of As plants died within 2 weeks, whereas F showed… More >

Ramírez Gerardo MG¹, MA Chávez-García², J Mejía-Carranza²

Phyton-International Journal of Experimental Botany, Vol.84, No.2, pp. 397-406, 2015, DOI:10.32604/phyton.2015.84.397

Abstract In the floriculture region of Tenancingo in the State of Mexico, the application of stabilized organic matter, such as vermicompost and leachates, contributes to improve the quality of the soil and plant nutrition. However, it is important to know the chemical composition of a vermicompost and the mineralization process. This is because the amount and speed of nutrient release which will be available to the crop will depend on that knowledge. The objective of the study was to evaluate the effect of the application of a vermicompost and leachates on various quantitative variables of Solidago x hybrid, and the mineralization… More >

Kröpfl AI¹, VA Deregibus², GA Cecchi³

Phyton-International Journal of Experimental Botany, Vol.84, No.2, pp. 390-396, 2015, DOI:10.32604/phyton.2015.84.390

Abstract We developed a functional model for a shrub steppe vegetation of the eastern Monte Phytogeographical Province in Río Negro (Argentina) with six stable states and 12 transitions, based on the woody encroachment degree, characteristics of the herbaceous layer and the soil surface, and biological crust cover. Information was obtained from letters of naturalists and travelers along the region since the late eighteenth century, reports of old settlers, and our own research work. On the Monte, different functional groups can be distinguished. Our work focused on the three most conspicuous to analyze the dynamics of the system: shrubs, grasses and biological… More >

Pompa-García M¹, E Jurado²

Phyton-International Journal of Experimental Botany, Vol.84, No.2, pp. 385-389, 2015, DOI:10.32604/phyton.2015.84.385

Abstract Arctostaphylos pungens HBK is a dominant species with increasing abundance and distribution in chaparral ecosystems as a result of range management and, possibly, changes in climate. The value of this species for carbon (C) sequestration is unknown, and the standard 50% C out of total tree biomass is used as an approximate value. In this study, we aim to determine the C concentration of the primary components of A. pungens. The total C expressed as a percentage of biomass was determined with a Solids TOC Analyzer. We found the C concentration to vary among components. Leaves exhibited the highest C… More >

Osorio-Córdoba J¹, LL Rodriguez-Verástegui¹, F Díaz de León-Sánchez², E Bosquez-Molina¹, JR Verde-Calvo¹, HB Escalona-Buendía¹, LJ Pérez-F lores², C Pelayo-Zaldívar¹

Phyton-International Journal of Experimental Botany, Vol.84, No.2, pp. 375-384, 2015, DOI:10.32604/phyton.2015.84.375

Abstract Cactus stems, the cladodes of Opuntia spp. cacti, are consumed in Mexico and other countries due to their fresh and herbaceous flavor, and because of their widely known nutraceutical benefits. In order to extend the postharvest life of this vegetable, the effect of a modified atmosphere packaging (MAP) was studied in cactus stems of the cultivar Atlixco stored at 4 ± 1 °C for 20 days under three types of atmospheres: (1) air (passive atmosphere), (2) 5 kPa O₂ + 4 kPa CO₂, and (3) N₂. During storage, the titratable acidity decreased and the color of cladodes became darker and… More >