The effects of wild and cultivated Brassicaceae host plants on diamondback moth, Plutella xylostella (L.), oviposition, egg hatch, larval survival, infestation level, parasitism rate by Diadegma insulare (Cresson), and the developmental time and sex ratio of D. insulare were studied. Diamondback moth egg laying was highest on the Brassica crops, especially broccoli, and lowest on wild Brassicaceae, especially Berteroa incana L. DC. and Erysimum cheiranthoides L. Percentage of egg hatch was not significantly different among host plants. Diamondback moth larval survival was generally higher on the Brassica crops than on wild Brassicaceae and there was no survival on Barbarea vulgaris R. Br. Developmental time of diamondback moth larvae was generally longer on the wild Brassicaceae than on the Brassica crops. Percentage of parasitism by D. insulare was lowest on B. incana, Lepidium campestre R. Br. and E. cheiranthoides. Percentage of parasitism was higher when diamondback moth larvae fed on B. kaber than on the wild Brassicaceae. When fed on E. cheiranthoides, Thlaspi arvense L., and B. incana, parasitized diamondback moth larvae took significantly longer time to develop to D. insulare pupae than when they were fed on the other Brassicaceae plants. The female/male sex ratio was higher on Brassica species than on non-Brassicas. Diamondback moth infestation and percentage of parasitism in the field were higher on broccoli than on the other Brassica crops, but the proportion of D. insulare females versus males was not significantly different. The presence of wild Brassicaceae, especially B. vulgaris and B. kaber, in the field could reduce diamondback moth populations, increase the impact of D. insulare, provide a reservoir for insecticide-susceptible diamondback moth, and increase the success of diamondback moth management programs.

Circular vessels differentiate in the secondary xylem of the short stem of Arabidopsis thaliana at the rosette level, where many inflorescence s grow following the repeated cutting of developing inflorescences over several weeks. The circular vessels differentiate adjacent to developing buds, but are not found in branching regions of the inflore scence s.

Molecular genetics is becoming an important tool in the breeding and selection of agronomically important traits. BN28 is a low temperature induced gene in Brassicaceae species. PCR and Southern blot analysis indicate that BN28 is polymorphic in the three diploid genomes: Brassica rapa (AA), Brassica nigra (BB), and Brassica oleracea (CC). Of the allotetraploids, Brassica napus (AACC) is the only species to have inherited homologous genes from both parental genomes. Brassica juncea (AABB) and Brassica carinata (BBCC) have inherited homologues from the AA and CC genomes, respectively, while Sinapsis arvensis (SS) contains a single homologue from the BB genome and Sinapsis alba (dd) appears to be different from all the diploid parents. All species show message induction when exposed to low temperature. However, differences in expression were noticed at the protein level, with silencing occurring in the BB genome at the level of translation. Results suggest that silencing is occurring in diploid species where duplication may not have occurred. Molecular characterization and inheritance of BN28 homologues in the Brassicaceae may play an important role in determining their quantitative function during exposure to low temperature.

Orychophragmus violaceus O.K. Schulz is a member of Brassicaceae. This plant is mainly distributed in China, where a number of people collect its flower stalks from the wild as a traditional vegetable. The purpose of the present study is to obtain more information about this new germplasm and to exploit it in breeding of horticultural brassicas. The test material used were O. violaceus and a Brassica campestris var. purpuraria L.H. Bailey as a control. The experimental methods include domestication, cultivation, nutrient analysis and evaluation of comprehensive nutritive value. The main results are as follows: 1) The result of domestication shows that the wild species O. violaceus can be domesticated. It has numerous branches, from which flower stalks with your flower buds can be collected as a vegetable; 2) When O. violaceus was sown in September in Chengdu, it had a yield of flower stalks about 14,200 kg/hectare, which was a good yield. Yield can be improved when appropriate agronomic techniques are applied; 3) The comprehensive nutritive value of O. violaceus is higher than other members of Brassicaceae with the highest content of protein and higher contents than most of the others of fat, calcium, iron, carotene and vitamin. Therefore, it is suggested that O. violaceus is a potential new vegetable which can be exploited in breeding of horticultural brassicas.

Variation in flowering time of Arabidopsis thaliana was studied in an experiment with mutant lines. The pleiotropic effects of flowering time genes on morphology and reproductive yield were assessed under three levels of nutrient supply. At all nutrient levels flowering time and number of rosette leaves at flowering varied among mutant lines. The relationship between these two traits depended strongly on nutrient supply. A lower nutrient supply first led to an extension of the vegetative phase, while the mean number of leaves at flowering was hardly affected. A further reduction resulted in no further extension of the vegetative phase and, on average, plants started flowering with a lower leaf number. At low nutrients, early flowering affected the timing of production of siliques rather than the total output, whereas late flowering was favorable at high nutrients. This may explain the fact that many plant species flower at a relatively small size under poor conditions. Flowering time genes had pleiotropic effects on the leaf length, number of rosette and cauline leaves, and number of axillary flowering shoots of the main inflorescence. Silique production was positively correlated with the number of axillary shoots of the main inflorescence; the number of axillary primordia appeared to have a large impact on reproductive yield.

Variation in flowering time of Arabidopsis thaliana was studied in an experiment with mutant lines. The pleiotropic effects of flowering time genes on morphology and reproductive yield were assessed under three levels of nutrient supply. At all nutrient levels flowering time and number of rosette leaves at flowering varied among mutant lines. The relationship between these two traits depended strongly on nutrient supply. A lower nutrient supply first led to an extension of the vegetative phase, while the mean number of leaves at flowering was hardly affected. A further reduction resulted in no further extension of the vegetative phase and, on average, plants started flowering with a lower leaf number. At low nutrients, early flowering affected the timing of production of siliques rather than the total output, whereas late flowering was favorable at high nutrients. This may explain the fact that many plant species flower at a relatively small size under poor conditions. Flowering time genes had pleiotropic effects on the leaf length, number of rosette and cauline leaves, and number of axillary flowering shoots of the main inflorescence. Silique production was positively correlated with the number of axillary shoots of the main inflorescence; the number of axillary primordia appeared to have a large impact on reproductive yield.

The presence of a borate-rhamnogalacturonan II (RG-II) complex was examined in cell walls of 24 species from higher plants. We studied two species in Brassicaceae, three in Cucurbitaceae, four in Leguminosae, two in Apiaceae, two in Chenopodiaceae, two in Solanaceae, two in Asteraceae, one in Liliaceae, one in Araeae, two in Amaryllidaceae and three in Gramineae. In all the species examined, cell-wall boron was judged to be associated with RG-II. Moreover, in 15 species it seemed likely that RG-Ii might be the exclusive carrier of boron in the cell wall

The use of Brassicaceae forages as a winter feedstuff for ruminants has been limited by the occurrence of haemolytic anaemia. Typical signs accompanying the anaemia are loss of appetite, reduced weight gain, fall in milk production in cattle and wool production in sheep. Poisoning results from ingestion of free amino acid (+)-S-methyl-L-cysteine sulphoxide (SMCO) which is by rumen bacteria converted to methanethiole and dimethyl disulphide. These volatile toxins are absorbed from the rumen to blood stream and cause haemolytic anaemia. Nutritive value of Brassica forages and distribution of SMCO within them are reviewed.

Unfertilized mature ovules of Brassica L. contain an abundance of starch in the integument cells from the micropyle to a plane approximately at the level of the central cell polar nuclei. Inside the embryo sac central cell, in the coinciding region, there are transfer cell-like wall projections with plasma membranes appressed to their inner surfaces. H+-ATPase is present along the inner surfaces of the wall projections as indicated by reactivity with antibody raised against plasma membrane H+-ATPase. A number of mitochondria are in close association with wall projections in the region of the egg apparatus. Antibody raised against corn plasma membrane H+-ATPase cross reacts with a protein of the same size in extracts of Brassica napus indicating that the two species contain a similar plasma membrane H+-ATPase.