Plant morphology

About: Plant morphology is a research topic. Over the lifetime, 1174 publications have been published within this topic receiving 24418 citations. The topic is also known as: phytomorphology & morphology of higher plants.

The effect of trifluralin and colchicine treatments on morphological characteristics of jimsonweed (Datura stramonium L.).

Abstract: Datura is a pharmaceutical plant with a wide range of properties. Polyploidization sometimes causes large-scale genomic reorganizations and is accompanied by a wide variety of phenotypic alterations in vegetative and morphological characteristics. Several polyploid datura plants were developed by trifluralin and colchicine treatments and were compared with their diploid counterpart for vegetative and morphological characteristics. There were doses related effects of the ploidy treatments on quantitative traits resulting in reductions in traits such as plant height, number of leaves per branch, but increases in number of branches, number leaves per plant, leaf dry weight and chlorophyll content. This finding demonstrates the existence of genetic variation for the morphological response to ploidy change in Datura sramonium L.

Evaluation of a lucerne germplasm collection in relation to traits conferring grazing tolerance

Abstract: A collection of 90 accessions of different germplasm groups from the Medicago sativa complex was evaluated at Lodi, Italy, for dry-matter yield, time to anthesis, height of regrowth, plant diameter, stem density, vegetative recovery after winter, and presence of deep-set crown and ability to spread with creeping roots or rhizomes, these latter characters possibly contributing to grazing tolerance. The germplasm groups proved rather distinct for these traits, but all included types potentially suitable for grazing. Interesting types combining deep-set crown and high yield occurred mainly in subsp. x varia and materials originated from artificial crosses involving at various extent the subspecies falcata, sativa and x varia. Though belonging to subsp. sativa, “mielga” wild populations from Spain had aerial traits similar to those of the long-dormant, low-yielding subsp. falcata. Deep-crowned plants had greater plant diameter than shallow-crowned plants, and could be categorised into four distinct top-growth models according to their habit and vigour. One of these models combined spreading ability with high yield. The about 150 plants selected for their combination of deep crown, wide diameter, and good yield were characterised by a branch-rooted system. There was general correspondence between top-growth and root morphology of each model. Of the four deep-crowned models, three had rhizomes, with wide range of underground development and morphology, while the fourth had creeping roots. The latter model was the most rare among the examined accessions, never appearing in either cultivated or wild subsp. sativa. The implications of the results on the development of grazing-tolerant lucerne varieties are discussed.

Pharmacognostic studies of the seed of Syzygium cumini Linn.

Abstract: Jamun is a very common, large evergreen beautiful tree of Indian subcontinent. The scientific name of Jamun is Eugenia jambolana Lam or Syzygium cumini Linn belongs to the family myrtaceae. The seed of Syzygium cumini is considered as an antidiabetic in folklore medicine. In present investigation, the detailed pharmacognostic study of Syzygium cumini leaf is carried out to lay down the standards which could be useful in future experimental studies. The study includes macroscopy, microscopy, preliminary phytochemical screening and physicochemical evaluation.

Agronomic characterization of diploid hybrid families derived from crosses between haploids of the common potato and three wild Argentinian tuber-bearing species

Abstract: Five diploid hybrid families derived from crosses between haploids of three Argentinian cultivars and three diploid wild species, Solanum gourlayi, S. chacoense and S. spegazzinii, were evaluated in a field experiment in Balcarce. All plants were androsterile and, thus, could not be screened for 2n pollen production. Data on agronomic tuber traits were statistically analyzed. Differences among families were non-significant for tuber number/plant, but were significant for tuber weight/plant and dry matter content (with values above 21.0% in two of them). The relative frequencies of tubers in the categories established for size, skin texture, and eye depth were family dependent, but they were familiy independent in the categories established for tuber shape and skin color. Great morphological variability was detected for all the traits studied, and plants with high yield and high dry matter content were identified. These families can be used as sources of germplasm in breeding and to explore heterotic responses in 2x x 4x crosses, given the capacity of some plants to produce 2n eggs, as found in a related investigation.