[en] Carnivorous plants use insects not only as prey, but also as pollinators. Whereas outcrossing carnivorous plants are known to avoid trapping pollinators, selfing carnivorous plants may capture the pollinators as prey. Here, we provide evidence that two selfing carnivorous plant species with short flower-trap separation, Drosera makinoi (white-colored flowers) and D. toyoakensis (pink-colored flowers), caught some major pollinator species belonging to Diptera and Hymenoptera: four out of five species in D. makinoi and one out of six species in D. toyoakensis. We also tested the function of flowers to attract pollinator or prey insects by experimentally removing Drosera flowers. Flower removal did not significantly affect the number of trapped insects. On the other hand, the removal of flowers of co-flowering neighbor plants, Eriocaulon decemflorum for D. makinoi and Lysimachia fortunei for D. toyoakensis, significantly decreased the number of trapped insects. This finding suggests an exploitative relationship between Drosera spp. and co-flowering species.

[en] Display and sexual activities of the little cormorant (Phalacrocorax niger) was studied on 19 birds from November 2000 to December 2001. The study was conducted in captivity in the Dhaka Zoo, Mirpur. Displaying behavior commenced in mid February. The male took initiative to select the nest site mostly in trees especially in vertical forked branches. The twigs of peacock flower (Caesalpinia pulcherrima) were used as nesting materials. After the response of the female the bisexual displays started. During this time the male and female always sat together and displayed. Within 1 to 2 days of mutual displays the female ate regurgitated foods from the gular pouch of the male. With this the pair formation occurred permanently. Within 2 to 3 days of pair formation mounting took place. At the end of mounting the male flew away and the female jerked her body and ruffed her feathers. Then the male started to collect nesting materials but both of the male and female placed it together on to the nest, giving more or less a circular cup-like shape. The time required in nest building was 14 to 16 days. (author)

[en] In this study, to excavate the SNP loci and candidate genes significantly assocated with the length and siliques of main inflorescence in Brassica napus, the phenotype of two traits was investigated under two environments (JXAU of Nanchang and JXIRS of Jinxian) for 300 rapeseed accessions. The genome-wide association study was carried out using 201817 SNPs makers. The results showed that the phenotypic variations of two traits were existed in two places. 22 and 41 SNP loci in two places respectively associated with the length and siliques of main inflorescence were excavated by general linear model (GLM). 9 SNPs of length of main inflorescence and 31 SNPs of siliques on main inflorescence were detected using the mixed linear model (MLM), where some of the SNPs were consistent with the results of GLM model. In addition, functions of candidate genes along the 100 kb regions of the relative SNPs were identified, and 28 candidate genes involved in regulation of carbohydrate transportation and synthesis, flower and seed development, and signal transduction etc. , which might involve in regulating the growth of main inflorescence and development of siliques in B. napus. This study reveals the genetic variations of main inflorescence traits directly, which can help the breeding of close-planting and high-yield of B. napus. (authors)

No abstract available

[en] Andromonoecious Jatropha curcas (Jatropha) has male and hermaphrodite flowers in one inflorescence. Jatropha is a potential source for biofuel raw material. The development of this plant has various constraints, such as lower fruit set that causes low seed productivity. The existence of andromonoecious Jatropha with high fruit set provides a great opportunity to overcome the obstacles. Understanding floral biology is a requirement for developing a high fruit set andromonoecious Jatropha. This study was aimed at understanding the flower's characteristics and phenology. The andromonoecious Jatropha flower's characteristics, number and viability of pollen, and phenology were observed and compared to those of monoecious Jatropha. Andromonoecious Jatropha had inflorescence with a dichasial cyme pattern. An inflorescence produced two main branches and several secondary and tertiary branches, where a hermaphrodite flower was found at whose ends. The number of inflorescence branches in andromonoecious Jatropha was higher than that of monoecious Jatropha. The diameter and size of the sepal and stalk in hermaphrodite flowers were found to be larger than those in male and female flowers. The development of andromonoecious Jatropha flowers was divided into 4 phases, namely initiation (0-3 dai = days after initiation), small bud (3-7 dai), large bud (7-20 dai), and flower blooming (20-39 dai) phases. The anthesis and anther dehiscence of hermaphrodite flowers occurred at the same time between 06:00 to 06:59 am, facilitating self-pollination of the hermaphrodite flowers. The average pollen viability during the anthesis phase was 96.26%, and 88.79% of them survived until the next day. (author)

[en] The studies of Curcuma sparganifolia improvement through irradiation using gamma rays from 40 Gy to inhibit sprouting of the rhizomes were conducted. Various effects of gamma rays on growth and development were observed in 11 parameters. Colour mutation of flowers and braces were not found except in 1 plant which showed deeper brats colour. Leaf chimera was observed but the characters for commercialization were not achieved

No abstract available

[en] Bulb lets of tuberose (Polyanthes tuberosa) were irradiated with gamma rays at 0,5,10,15,20,25 and 30 Gy, 7.12 Gy/min dose rate. Dose from 10 Gy affected growth rate in all parameter studied. Dose from 25 Gy totally inhibited growth of bulb lets. Leaf chimera was found in the irradiated plants but, colour mutation of flower was not found

[en] The original variety, chrysanthemum cv. 'Argus' and 4 mutant lines, AMI to AM4 derived from that were used to analyze the relationship between morphological characters and genetic diversity. Morphological characteristics were investigated by using 29 parameters including flower, leaf, stem types, and so on. The genetic relationship was analyzed among the five lines using the AFLP fingerprinting method. A total of 28 EcoRI and MseI primer combinations were used to analyze the genetic relationship to among the five lines using the ABI3130 capillary electrophoresis system. In the morphological evaluation, euclidean values ranged from 1.20 to 1.52. In the AFLP analysis, a total of 2085 bands were detected by the 28 primer sets, and 956(45.8%) of them were confirmed as polymorphic bands. Similarity coefficient values ranged between 0.40 and 0.72. The distribution by Euclidean distance and a similarity coefficient between the results of morphological characters and AFLP analysis showed a difference

[en] Saururaceae (lizard's tail family) comprises three genera and four species (Saururus chinensis (Loureiro) Baillon. (SC), Gymnotheca chinensis Decne. (GC), Gymnotheca involucrata Pei. (GI) and Houttuynia cordata Thunberg. (HC)) in eastern Asia, and they extend from the most primitive to the most evolutionary levels. The purpose of this study is to examine whether and to what extent the diversity of volatiles can support the accepted evolutionary scheme in Saururaceae for the four species. Volatiles from fresh leaves and flowers of Saururaceae species from different regions were analyzed comparatively by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). The samples studied showed differences in the volatile profiles of leaves and flowers among the species. In the leaves and flowers, concentrations of all monoterpenes and oxides, all alcohols, all acids and all esters were highest in SC, lowest in HC, and the concentrations of these components for GC and GI were between those of SC and HC. Concentrations of all sesquiterpenes and oxides, all straight chain aliphatic hydrocarbons, all branched aliphatic hydrocarbons, all aldehydes, and all ketones were lowest in SC, highest in HC and the concentrations of these components for GC and GI were between those of SC and HC. The results in this study could support the accepted taxonomical scheme of four species in Saururaceae. (author)