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An experiment was conducted to study the effect of 5-sulfosalicylic acid (5-SSA) on the vase life of cut flowers of Gladiolus grandiflora variety 'Green Willow'. The vase solution having 5-SSA significantly increased cumulative uptake of vase solution, vase life, number of opened florets and decreased the number of unopened florets compared to the controls. Spikes kept in vase solution containing 5-SSA also exhibited lower respiration rates, lipid peroxidation and lipoxygenase (LOX) activity, and higher membrane stability, soluble protein concentration, and activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase. Results suggest that 5-SSA increases vase life by increasing the reactive oxygen species (ROS) scavenging activity of the Gladiolus cut flowers.

A pot experiment with 17 diverse genotypes of cucumber with four levels of salt stress viz., 0, 2, 4 and 6 dS m -1 was carried out during 2006. ANOVA revealed significant differences amongst genotypes and genotype 9 salt stress interaction indicating the genetic variability and differential response of the genotypes to different salt stress levels. The salt stress adversely affected the biochemical parameters; effects were severe under 4 dS m -1 . No genotype could survive at 6 dS m -1 . Sodium content, Na ? -K ? ratio, proline, reducing sugars, phenol and yield reduction (%) increased significantly as the salt stress increased. Potassium, chlorophyll, membrane stability index and fruit yield decreased significantly under salt stress in all genotypes. However, the genotypes CRC-8, CHC-2 and G-338 showed lower accumulation of sodium, lesser depletion of potassium, lower Na ? -K ? ratio and higher accumulation of proline, reducing sugars, phenols, better membrane stability and lower yield reduction (%) under salt stress, while CH-20 and DC-1 were sensitive to salt stress. Thus, a combination of traits such as higher membrane stability, lower Na ? -K ? ratio, higher osmotic concentration and selective uptake of useful ions and prevention of over accumulation of toxic ions contribute to salt stress tolerance in cucumber. These traits would be useful selection criteria during salt stress breeding in cucumber.

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The influence of varied concentrations of sucrose and ammonical (NH 4 ? ) nitrogen on in vitro induction and expression of anthocyanin pigments from Rosa hybrida cv. 'Pusa Ajay' was investigated. Of two explants (petal and leaf discs) selected and cultured under two different conditions (light and dark), leaf discs were found to be most suitable for callus initiation. Profuse and early callus induction was observed when leaf discs of rose were cultured under total dark conditions on solid Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium supplemented with 4.0 mg l -1 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D). Early pigment initiation, enhancement and maximum anthocyanin production from calluses were recorded when leaf discs were cultured on Euphorbia millii (EM) medium supplemented with 7% sucrose compared with calluses cultured at 4% sucrose concentration under 16/8 h (light/dark) photoperiod regime. Reducing the concentration of NH 4 ? nitrogen in the solid MS medium led to slight improvement in anthocyanin production in rose leaf calluses.

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The objective of the present investigation was to study the role of calcium on antioxidative enzymes activity during the post-harvest life of Gladiolus (Gladiolus grandiflorus). Among the various calcium (Ca) treatments, 50 mmol l -1 Ca treatments caused the highest increase in the vase life of the spike, from 5.5 days in control to about 9 days. Relative water content and membrane stability index (MSI) decreased from I to V stage. However, significant increase in relative water content and MSI were observed by 50 mmol l -1 Ca as compared to control. Indices of oxidative stress such as lipid peroxidation and lipoxygenase activity increased from I to V stage, but decreased significantly in 50 mmol l -1 Ca treatment. The activities of antioxidant enzymes superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) decreased initially from stage I to II, followed by an increase in stage III and thereafter started to decline at stages IV and V. Ascorbate peroxidase (APX) activity increased initially from stage I to III and thereafter declined in stage IV and V in both control and treatment. However, Ca with concentration of 50 mmol l -1 increased the activities of SOD, CAT and APX at all the stages. The results revealed that spikes treated with Ca (50 mmol l -1 ) solution maintained higher level of antioxidant enzymes activity and also showed delayed senescence in comparison to control.