Media containing Weblite were compared to various media for its effectiveness in germination, plant growth and rooting. The 2M media were compared by determining the percentage germination and the dry weight after U2 days of Lycopersicon esculentum cv Better Boy, grown to transplant size. These media were composed of various proportions and combinations of Weblite, vermiculite, Jiffy Mix, peat moss and sand. The available moisture, porosity,field capacity and permanent wilting point of these 2b media were determined. This information was compared with the results from the germination and growth study of tomato plants. Weblite was a constituent of the seven best media for germination. Tomato plants grown in media containing vermiculite had the highest dry weights. Chrysanthemum morifolium cv Sunny Mandalay stem cuttings were rooted in six media. These media were composed of various proportions and combinations of sand, peat moss, Weblite, and perlite. Their root system and foliage condition were evaluated 18 days later. Weblite was significantly better in rooting Chrysanthemums than the six other media.Dianthus caroyphyllus cv Caribe stem cuttings were rooted in nine media. These media were composed of various proportions and combinations of sand, peat moss, Weblite. perlite, and vermiculite. Their roots, stem and foliage condition were evaluated 26 days later. The best root system developed in media with vermiculite as its main constituent. / Master of Science

Alpha-amylase synthesis can be induced in wheat and barley half-seeds by addition of gibberellic acid (GA) to the incubation medium. In maize, induction in de-embryonated kernels by exogenous GA has been reported in some studies but not others. Alpha-amylase induction was investigated in maize by measuring activity in extracts from whole and de-embryonated kernels incubated with and without GA during germination. Alpha-amylase activity was first detected on the 3rd day of germination in whole kernels and GA-treated endosperms and on the 4th day in the controls. Thereafter both whole kernels and GA-treated endosperms followed approximately the same time course in α-amylase activity with the control lagging a day behind. Studies indicated that maximum α-amylase activity occurred on the 7th day in whole kernels and GA-treated endosperms and the 8th in control endosperms. Maize α-amylase was purified using differential solubility, column chromatography, glycogen precipitation and polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, of these, the best purification method was glycogen precipitation. Maize α-amylase exhibited isozymes. The isozyme patterns were qualitatively similar in all samples and throughout incubation. Wheat and barley α-amylase isozymes have been divided into two groups on the basis of a number of characteristics. Genetics analysis revealed these isozymes to be the result of two multigene families. To shed light on the genetic basis of the maize α-amylase isozymes, physicochemical characterization was initiated. Studies of pH and temperature profiles and optima showed no differences between maize isozymes. The pH optima was pH 5 and the temperature optima was about 37°C. / Master of Science

No description available.

[Truncated abstract] Wheat is the main crop in Australia and there are stringent quality requirements. Preharvest sprouting induced by rainfall between maturity and harvest lowers grain quality from premium to feed grades and reduces yield. Wheat production has expanded into the southern Western Australian region where preharvest sprouting occurs in ~1 in 4 seasons and development of more preharvest sprouting tolerant genotypes is required. The main mechanism for improving preharvest sprouting tolerance is grain dormancy. There is genetic variation for dormancy based in the embryo and seed coat but dormancy is complex and is influenced by environmental conditions during grain filling and maturation. Screening and selecting for preharvest sprouting tolerance is problematic and the level of tolerance needed for regions which differ in the level of dormancy they impose, requires clarification. The research presented here aims to answer the underlying question for breeders of how much dormancy is required for preharvest sprouting tolerance in contrasting target environments of the central and coastal wheat belt regions of Western Australia. In the central and coastal wheat belt regions, field trials with modified environments were used to determine the environmental influence on dormancy. Water supply (without directly wetting the grain) and air temperature were modified during grain development in a range of genotypes with different mechanisms of dormancy to determine the influence of environment on dormancy. ... Genotypes with embryo dormancy were consistently the most preharvest sprouting tolerant, even though this dormancy was influenced by the environmental conditions in the different seasons. Pyramiding the embryo component with the specific seed coat component and/or awnless head trait removed some of the environmental variation in preharvest sprouting tolerance, but this was generally considered excessive to the environmental requirements. The methods developed here, of field imposed stresses may provide a valuable tool to further understand the influence of environment on the regulation of dormancy, as different phenotypes can be made with the same genotype. Moisture stress, sudden changes in water supply or high temperatures during the late dough stages influenced dormancy phenotype and should be considered and avoided if possible when selecting locations and running trials for screening for genetic differences in preharvest sprouting tolerance. In the Western Australian context, the embryo component of dormancy appeared to be sufficient and should be adopted as the most important trait for breeding for preharvest sprouting tolerance.

No description available.

Submitted by Erika Demachki (erikademachki@gmail.com) on 2016-10-21T19:37:51Z No. of bitstreams: 2 Dissertação - Juliano Pereira de Sousa - 2016.pdf: 1561269 bytes, checksum: da5c7e084574855374b666040fb52342 (MD5) license_rdf: 0 bytes, checksum: d41d8cd98f00b204e9800998ecf8427e (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Erika Demachki (erikademachki@gmail.com) on 2016-10-21T20:14:32Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 2 Dissertação - Juliano Pereira de Sousa - 2016.pdf: 1561269 bytes, checksum: da5c7e084574855374b666040fb52342 (MD5) license_rdf: 0 bytes, checksum: d41d8cd98f00b204e9800998ecf8427e (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2016-10-21T20:14:32Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 2 Dissertação - Juliano Pereira de Sousa - 2016.pdf: 1561269 bytes, checksum: da5c7e084574855374b666040fb52342 (MD5) license_rdf: 0 bytes, checksum: d41d8cd98f00b204e9800998ecf8427e (MD5) Previous issue date: 2016-08-10 / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior - CAPES / The insertion of new forestry methods of operation can change plant growth beneficially, bringing larger increments to a forest. This work was conducted to study biomass, carbon and nutrient allocation in the first interventions sprouting eucalyptus. The study was developed in the Forest II farm belonging to Co-op COMIGO in the town of Rio Verde - GO. The experimental design used was a randomized block with two treatments and four replications. The treatments were early sprouting and conventional sprouting. Seventeen months after clearcutting forest, one tree per plot were harvested for quantification of biomass, carbon and nutrient allocation. With regard to biomass, carbon and nutrients for the tree, the study showed no statistical difference between the early and conventional treatments of sprouting. However, when the values of biomass, carbon and nutrients was analyzed per hectare occurred no significant statistical difference between treatments, it was caused by low survival in the conventional sprouting treatment, showing greater increase for carbon biomass and nutrients for early sprouting treatment. / A inserção de novos métodos de operação florestal pode alterar o crescimento das plantas beneficamente, trazendo maiores incrementos para uma floresta. Assim, este trabalho foi realizado com objetivo de estudar biomassa, carbono e alocação de nutrientes nas primeiras intervenções de desbrotas em eucalipto. O estudo foi desenvolvido na fazenda Florestal II pertencente a Cooperativa COMIGO situada na cidade de Rio Verde - GO. O delineamento usado foi em blocos ao acaso, com dois tratamentos e quatro repetições. Os tratamentos aplicados foram: desbrota precoce e desbrota convencional. Dezessete meses após o corte raso da floresta, uma árvore por parcela foi colhida para quantificação de biomassa, carbono e alocação de nutrientes. No que tange a biomassa, carbono e nutrientes por árvore, o estudo não apresentou diferença estatísticas entre os tratamentos desbrota precoce e convencional, mas quando foi analisado o valor de biomassa, carbono e nutrientes por hectare houve diferença estatística significativa entre tratamentos, causada pela baixa sobrevivência no tratamento desbrota convencional, mostrando maior incremento para biomassa, carbono e nutrientes para o tratamento desbrota precoce.

Kindling epileptogenesis has been associated with a number of different forms of neuroplasticity in the hippocampus, including mossy fibre sprouting and an increase in both intracellular calcium and zinc. The purpose of this thesis was to determine whether interfering with the influx of calcium via the voltage gated calcium channels would interfere with kindling- induced plasticity. Both kindled and control rats were injected with either 5 or 25mg/kg of the L-type voltage gated calcium channel blocker, nifedipine, or a control vehicle, DMSO (dimethylsulfoxide). The kindled groups received a kindling stimulation twice a day for 11 days. It was revealed that both doses of nifedipine significantly increased afterdischarge duration (p<0.001) and furthermore, both doses of nifedipine were capable of significantly interfering with the rate of kindling (p<0.001). Three weeks following the last kindling stimulation, rats were perfused and brain tissue was processed according to the Timm method. The density of Timm granules, an indication of the level of intracellular zinc in the mossy fibre pathway, was quantified. The results of this analysis revealed that 25mg/kg of nifedipine is capable of significantly reducing the amount of intracellular zinc in both the IML (p<0.04) and the CA3 (p<0.01) region of the mossy fibre pathway, regardless of whether the rats had received kindling stimulations or not. These results provide support for the notion that nifedipine (5 or 25mg/kg) is an effective anticonvulsant agent. These results also suggest that, at a sufficient dose (25mg/kg), nifedipine can reduce the amount of intracellular zinc in the mossy fibre pathway in both kindled and non-kindled animals, suggesting that nifedipine may be a useful therapeutic agent for pathologies that have been associated with zinc-induced neurotoxicity. / Thesis / Master of Science (MSc)

Call number: LD2668 .T4 1984 U62 / Master of Science

Dissertation submitted in partial compliance with the requirements for a Masters Degree in Technology: Homoeopathy, Durban University of Technology, 2008. / Introduction This study investigated the effectiveness of homoeopathic dilutions of abscisic acid (ABA), molybdenum and allopurinol on inhibiting or promoting the germination of barley seeds (Hordeum vulgare cv. Stirling, ex Caledon, Western Cape, South Africa, 1998 harvest). Recent research involving ABA and seed germination has shown mixed results, with Bruni (2001), finding there to be statistically significant biological effects, but Couchman (2001) not. Objective/Aim/Purpose The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of homoeopathic dilutions of ABA, molybdenum and allopurinol (two substances which have an effect on ABA metabolism), especially those above the 10-23 level (Avogadro’s dilution limit), on germination, in light of recent findings. Abscisic acid, a plant hormone and molybdenum, a trace element, both play an essential role in inducing dormancy of the seed. Allopurinol, a therapeutic drug, has also been shown to affect ABA metabolism and therefore seed germination. The study used all three substances individually and in combination, in homoeopathic dilutions ranging from 4CH to 200CH potency. Methodology There were 7 treatments with 5 potencies per treatment (4CH, 9CH, 15CH, 30CH and 200CH). Each potency level for each treatment had a control, which meant there were 5 controls per treatment. The seeds (distally cut) were placed in 9cm Petri dishes (20 seeds in each), with 5 repetitions, 100 seeds per dilution level with one control of 20 seeds. There were thus 600 (120 x 5) seeds per treatment and 4200 seeds in total (600 x 7 treatments). Seeds were germinated in the dark at a constant temperature. Counts were done every 24 hours for 3 days and the data recorded. The criterion for germination was radical emergence. Results The data was analysed statistically using Univariate Analysis of Variance (STATISTICA version 6). The results showed statistically significant interaction between treatments and potencies and a One-Way Anova was then used to analyse each treatment to determine the effectiveness of each potency. Statistically significant differences were noted between potencies for each treatment. From the results it was clear that the most effective treatment for stimulating germination was the treatment utilizing homoeopathic dilutions of allopurinol. The most effective treatment for inhibiting germination was the treatment utilizing ABA in homoeopathic dilutions. The 30CH (10-60) showed a statistically significant effect on the stimulation of germination across almost all treatments, whereas the 15CH (10-30) showed a statistically significant effect in inhibiting germination in most treatments. Conclusion It is evident from the results of this study that all the treatments produced distinct biological effects, whether it be stimulating germination or inhibiting germination in homoeopathic dilution.

Submitted in partial compliance with the requirements of the Master’s Degree in Technology: Homoeopathy, Durban University of Technology, Durban, South Africa, 2016. / Aim The aim of this controlled, experimental study was to compare the biological activity of various homoeopathic potencies of gibberellic acid manufactured radionically (AMS transfer device) and conventionally (GHP) in terms of their respective influence on germination rate and seedling development of barley seeds; all the respective results being contrasted against those produced by the distilled water control. Methodology The research was completed by employing quantitative research techniques and followed true experimental design. Homoeopathically (Hahnemannian) prepared gibberellic acid followed the manufacturing guidelines of method 5a involving liquid preparations, as specified in the German Homoeopathic pharmacopoeia (GHP) (Benyunes 2005). A second radionic ‘equivalent’ version of each of the Hahnemannian potencies was manufactured using the ‘AMS wave transfer’ device. Four sources of data were collected namely, germination count and rate, seedling development (root length), seedling dry mass, and number of seeds with measurable roots. All the data was collected and documented on a data collection sheet using Microsoft Excel. All the data was statistically analysed and subjected to analysis of variance (ANOVA) using GenStat Version 14 (VSN International, UK) at the 5% level of significance. The statistical data was used to produce a comparison between the different remedies and distilled water. Results All of the remedy treatment groups (Radionic 200c, Hahnemannian 200cH, Radionic 4c and Hahnemannian 4cH) displayed suppressive effects (to certain extents respectively ) on seed growth and development in comparison to the control group (distilled water). The control group displayed greater seedling development in comparison to all remedy treatment groups which was most evident in the average root lengths and high vigour seed lot root lengths having longer roots than all remedy treatment groups. The control group also displayed a higher number of seeds with measurable roots compared to all the remedy treatment groups in both total number of seeds and in the seeds accounted for in the high vigour lots. This suggests that all Homoeopathic remedies irrespective of potency or manufacture method (Radionic or Hahnemmanian) had similar suppressive effects on root growth and seedling development and this suppressive effect was in turn not evident in the control group. Conclusion The experiment results suggest that radionically manufactured homoeopathic remedies (AMS wave transfer device) have similar biological effects (suppressive effects) to the equivalent Hahnemannian manufactured homoeopathic remedies, although further research in this field is necessary to confirm these findings the results from this study are supportive of the use of radionically prepared remedies in homoeopathic practice. / M