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Self-compatible cultivars of Japanese apricot ( Prunus mume Shieb. et Zucc.), a tree species that normally shows S-RNase-based self-incompatiblity, have a horticultural advantage over self-incompatible cultivars. Inheritance of self-compatibility and a common S(f)-RNase allele that is observed in self-compatible cultivars was investigated using progenies from controlled crosses. Total DNAs were isolated from the parents and progenies of seven crosses that included at least one self-compatible cultivar as a parent. These DNAs were PCR-amplified with the Pru-C2 and PCE-R primer pair to determine S-haplotypes of the parents and progenies. A novel S-haplotype, S(8), was found. In all crosses examined, the S(f)-RNase gene was inherited from either the seed or pollen parent as a pistil S-allele in a non-functional S-haplotype. Self-compatibility of about 20 trees each from reciprocal crosses of 'Benisashi ( S(7) S(f))' and 'Shinpeidayu ( S(3) S(f))', and 26 selections from 16 different crosses was tested by pollination and pollen-tube growth studies. Cosegregation of the S(f)-RNase allele and self-compatibility was confirmed with all but selection 1K0-26 ( S(3) S(7)). Selection 1K0-26 ( S(3) S(7)) that originated from 'Benisashi ( S(7) S(f))' x 'Koshinoume ( S(3) S(f))' appeared to be self-compatible even without the S(f)-RNase allele. The possible role of pollen- S, a presumably existing pollen component of gametophytic self-incompatibility, is discussed.

Treatments of wastewaters containing various organic compounds in small concentrations are causing serious problems elsewhere in the world, therefore, the development of efficient process for treating wastewaters has been desired. In this study a novel Ni-supported carbon catalyst that we developed was used for gasifying the organic compounds dissolving in an industrial wastewater under hydrothermal conditions. The organic compounds were almost completely gasified above 275°C under the conditions examined. Main gaseous products were CH 4 , H 2 , and CO 2 , having the lower heating value of around 20 MJ/m 3 , indicating that the product gas can be used as fuel gas. The product gas composition was highly dependent on pressure: H 2 and CO 2 were dominant components under 5 MPa, and CH 4 and CO 2 were dominant ones under 20 MPa when the wastewater was gasified at 300°C. Equilibrium calculation for the reactions clarified that these results reflected the state of water, vapor or liquid, in the reactor. A simple calculation for mass and energy balance of the proposed process showed that 46% of the lower heating value of the organic compound (aqueous isopropyl alcohol solution of 3.33 wt% in concentration) can be recovered as fuel gas under the conditions of T g = 350°C, P = 20 MPa even when this process is operated as a stand-alone one. This result shows that the proposed process can be not only a wastewater treatment process but an energy production process if certain conditions were met.