Volume / tomas 27(1)

LITHUANIAN INSTITUTE OF HORTICULTURE 

Lithuanian University of Agriculture, 

agronomy faculty, department of 

plant growing and animal husbandary 

LITHUANIAN ACADEMY OF SCIENCES, 

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURAL AND 

FORESTRY SCIENCES 

LITHUANIAN SOCIETY OF PLANT 

PHYSIOLOGISTS 

Abstracts of international scientific conference 

Actualities in Plant 

Physiology 

Lithuanian Institute of Horticulture 

Lithuanian University of Agriculture 

12–13 June, 2008

ORGANIZING COMMITTEE 

Prof. habil. dr. Pavelas Duchovskis – chairman 

Dr. Aušra Brazaitytė – secretary 

Doc., dr. Česlovas Bobinas 

Prof. habil. dr. Veronika Vasiliauskienė 

Doc., dr. Egidija Venskutonienė 

Doc., dr. Liuda Žilėnaitė 

Doc., dr. Virginijus Venskutonis 

Doc., dr. Vytautas Liakas 

Dr. Audrius Sasnauskas 

Jonas Olkštinas 

Dr. Giedrė Samuolienė 

Msc. Akvilė Urbonavičiūtė 

Scientific committee 

Habil. dr. Nijolė Anisimovienė (Lithuania) 

Prof. habil. dr. Bozenna Borkowska (Poland) 

Prof. habil. dr. Pavelas Duchovskis (Lithuania) 

Prof. habil. dr. Oleg Ilnitsky (Ukraine) 

Dr. Edite Kaufmane (Latvia) 

Prof. Aleksandr Lukatkin (Russia) 

Prof. habil. dr. Alfonsas Merkys (Lithuania) 

Prof. habil. dr. Lech Michalchiuk (Poland) 

Prof. habil. dr. Algirdas Sliesaravičius (Lithuania) 

Prof. habil. dr. Vidmantas Stanys (Lithuania) 

Prof. habil. dr. Veronika Vasiliauskienė (Lithuania) 

CONFERENCE SPONSORS 

2

CONFERENCE PROGRAM 

June 11 (Wednesday) 

ARRIVAL, ACCOMODATION. Addresses: Reval Hotel Neris, 

Donelaičio str. 27, Kaunas, LT-44240, and Guest house of Lithuanian University 

of Agriculture, Studentш str. 11, LT-53361 Akademija, Kaunas distr. 

Sightseeing of the Old Town of Kaunas – free afternoon will allow you to 

discover Kaunas city. 

June 12 (Thursday) 

8 00 –10 00 REGISTRATION – Park of Agriculture Science and 

Technologies of Lithuanian University of Agriculture 

(8A Universiteto str., Akademija) 

For oral presentation electronic material should be supplied during 

registration 

Poster should be set up before 10 00 

10 00 –10 30 OPENING OF THE CONFERENCE 

WELCOME 

Chairman of the Organizing Committee – 

Prof. habil. dr. Pavelas Duchovskis 

Director of the Lithuanian Institute of Horticulture – 

Dr. Česlovas Bobinas 

Chairman of the division of Agricultural and Forestry Sciences of 

Lithuanian Academy of Sciences – 

Prof. habil. dr. Veronika Vasiliauskienė 

Chairman of the Lithuanian Society of Plant Physiologist – 

Prof. habil. dr. Alfonsas Merkys 

10 30 –12 40 SESSION 1 

Chairs: A. MERKYS, A. BRAZAITYTĖ, V. ŠLAPAKAUSKAS 

10 30 –10 50 20 YEARS FOR LABORATORY OF PLANT PHYSIOLO- 

GY OF LITHUANIAN INSTITUTE OF HORTICULTURE 

Pavelas DUCHOVSKIS 

Lithuanian Institute of Horticulture, Lithuania 

10 50 –11 20 Applications of complementary solid-state 

lighting technology in greenhouses 

Artūras Žukauskas 

Institute of Materials Science and Applied research, 

Vilnius University, Lithuania 

3

11 20 –11 40 ACTUALITIES IN PLANT COLD ACCLIMATION: 

RESEARCH ON THE IMPLICATION OF AUXIN 

Nijolė ANISIMOVIENĖ, Jurga JANKAUSKIENĖ, 

Leonida NOVICKIENĖ 

Laboratory of Plant Physiology, Institute of Botany, Lithuania 

11 40 –12 10 SPECTROSCOPY OF PHOTOSYNTHETIC PROTEINS 

Leonas VALKŪNAS 

Institute of Physics, Molecular Compound Physics Laboratory, 

Lithuania 

12 10 –12 40 The possibility to control the metabolism 

of leafy vegetables using light emitting 

diode illumination 

Akvilė Urbonavičiūtė 1 , Giedrė Samuolienė 1 , 

Aušra Brazaitytė 1 , Raimonda Ulinskaitė 1 , 

Julė Jankauskienė 1 , Pavelas Duchovskis 1, 3 , 

Artūras Žukauskas 2, 3 

1 

Lithuanian Institute of Horticulture, , Lithuania 

2 

Institute of Materials Science and Applied Research, 


3 

JSC ‘Hortiled’, Lithuania 

12 40 –13 40 Lunch and poster viewing 

13 40 –15 10 SESSION 2 

Chairs: A. SLIESARAVIČIUS, N. ANISIMOVIENĖ, 

G. SAMUOLIENĖ, L. MICHALCZUK 

13 40 –14 10 Skierniewice Horticultural Portal – 

an Internet-based tool for knowledge and 

technology transfer in horticulture 

Lech Michalczuk, Danuta Goszczyсska, 

Agnieszka PeŁka, Mariusz Klarzak 

Research Institute of Pomology and Floriculture, Poland 

14 10 –14 30 Photosystem II thermostability of apple 

tree leaves: Effect of rootstock, crown 

shape and leaf topology 

Peter Ferus 1 , Marián Brestič 1 , Katarína OlŠovskÁ 1 , 

Anna KubovÁ 2 

1 

Department of Plant Physiology, Slovak Agricultural University in 

Nitra, Slovakia 

2 

Experimental Orchard, Slovak Agricultural University in Nitra, 

Slovakia 

4

14 30 –14 50 Flowering initiation in carrot and caraway 

Giedrė SamuolienĖ 1, 2 , Akvilė UrbonaviČiŪtĖ 1, 2 , 

Gintarė ŠabajevienĖ 1 , Pavelas Duchovskis 1, 2 

1 


2 

Lithuanian University of Agriculture, Lithuania 

14 50 –15 10 In vitro adventitious shoot regeneration 

from cotyledons and leaves of apricot 

Zoltán Kirilla 1 , Annamária MÉszÁros 2 , Ildikó Balla 1 , 

Andrzej Pedryc 3 

1 

Research Institute for Fruitgrowing and Ornamentals, 

Hungary 

2 

Agricultural Research Institute of the Hungarian Academy of 

Sciences, Hungary 

3 

Corvinus University of Budapest, Faculty of Horticulture, 

Department of Genetics and Plant Breeding, Hungary 

15 10 –15 40 Coffee break and poster viewing 

15 40 –17 00 SESSION 3 

Chairs: E. VENSKUTONIENĖ, A. URBONAVIČIŪTĖ, V. TITOK 

15 40 –16 00 Application of chlorophyll fluorescence 

for screening of wheat (Tr i t i c u m ae s t i v u m L.) 

genotypes susceptibility to drought and 

high temperature 

Marek ŽivčÁk, Marián Brestič, Katarína OlŠovskÁ 

Slovak University of Agriculture in Nitra, Dpt. of Plant 

Physiology, Slovakia 

16 00 –16 20 COARSE-GRAINED MODELING OF LIGHT 

HARVESTING IN PHOTOSYNTHESIS 

Gediminas TRINKŪNAS 

Institute of Physics, Lithuania 

16 20 –16 40 BASIC SCIENTIFIC TRENDS AND RESEARCH RESULTS 

OF THE LABORATORY OF FUNCTIONAL PLANT 

GENETICS AT THE INSTITUTE OF GENETICS AND 

CYTOLOGY OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCE 

OF BELARUS 

Vladimir Titok 

Institute of Genetics and Cytology, National Academy of Sciences, 

Republic of Belarus 

5

16 40 –17 00 Ozone effects on silver birch 

(Be t u l a pe n d u l a Roth.) saplings 

PHotosYnthetic APPARATUS 

Brigita sERAFINAVIČIŪTĖ,Vidas sTAKĖNAS 

Lithuanian Forest Research Institute, Ecology Department, Lithuania 

17 00 –17 40 POSTER SESSION 

Chairs: D. RAKLEVIČIENĖ, L. ŽILĖNAITĖ, 

P. DUCHOVSKIS 

17 40 –18 00 General discussion of conference 

18 00 WELCOME PArTY 

june 13 (Friday) 

8 00 excursion 

6

POSTER PRESENTATIONS 

1. Effects of the spectral distribution of light on 

the growth of vegetables 

I. KARÂNE, I. ALSIŅA, L. DUBOVA, V. ŠTEINBERGA 

Latvia University of Agriculture, Latvia 

2. Alteration of source-sink relations in the 

leaves of in vitro plants of two So l a n u m tu b e r o s u m 

L. genotypes under hypothermia 

Nina Astakhova, Alexander Deryabin, Maxim Sinkevich, 

Stanislav Klimov, Tamara Trunova 

Timirayzev Institute of Plant Physiology, Russia 

3. RHIZOBACTERIA INFLUENCE ON GROWTH AND 

DEVELOPMENT PROCESSES IN TOMATO 

Alexander KILCHEVSKY, Dmitry BAZHANOV, Olga BABAK, 

Natalia NEKRASHEVICH, Alesia BAZHANOVA 

Institute of Genetics and Cytology of National Academy of Sciences of 

Belarus, Laboratory of Ecological Genetics and Biotechnology, Belarus 

4. EFFECT OF PLANT STAND DENSITY ON FLAX 

(Li n u m Usitatissimum L.) LEAF AREA, CHLOROPHYLL a, 

CHLOROPHYLL b and CAROTENoids CONTENT 

Marius balčiūnas 1 , Zofija jankauskienė 1 , 

Pavelas duchovskis 2 

1 

Upytė research station of lia, lITHUANIA 

2 


5. Heavy metal aftereffect in maize plants: gystochemical 

application 

Dmitry I. BasHmakov, Ekaterina F. Palatkina, 

Alexander S. Lukatkin 

Mordovian N. P. Ogariov State University, Department of Botany and Plant 

Physiology, Russia 

6. INFLUENCE OF CLIMATIC CONDITIONS OF NORTHEAST- 

ERN POLAND ON GROWTH AND YIELD OF FIVE VARIE- 

TIES OF BOWER ACTINIDIA 

Zdzisław KAWECKI, Anna BIENIEK 

Department of Horticulture, University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn, 

Poland 

7

7. PROSPECTS FOR USING OF ISOZYME MARKERS IN 

IDENTIFICATION OF APPLE CULTIVARS 

Alena Biryuk, Zoya KazloVskaya 

The National Academy of Sciences of Belarus, The Institute for Fruit 

Growing, Belarus 

8. TOMATO GROWING IN GREENHOUSES AFTER USE 

LIGHT-EMITTING DIODES FOR SEEDLINGS 

Aušra Brazaitytė 1 , Pavelas Duchovskis 1 , 

Akvilė Urbonavičiūtė 1 , Giedrė Samuolienė 1 , 

Julė Jankauskienė 1 , Gintarė Šabajevienė 1 , 

Raimonda Ulinskaitė 1 , Algirdas Novičkovas 1, 2 , 

Zenonas Bliznikas 2 , Kęstutis Breivė 2 , Artūras Žukauskas 2 

1 


2 

Institute of Materials Science and Applied Research, Vilnius 

University, Lithuania 

9. RAPID AND SLOW RESPONSE REACTIONS of plants ON 

salinization and drought 

N. V. Budagovskaya 

Institute of Plant Physiology of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Russia 

10. The influence of fertilizers with nitrification 

inhibitor on edible carrot photosynthesis 

parameters and productivity 

Ona Bundinienė, Aušra Brazaitytė, Pavelas Duchovskis 


11. Expression possibilities of yeast 

Sa c c h a r o m y c e s ce r e v i s i a e K2 preprotoxin gene in transgenic 

plants 

Brigita Čapukoitienė 1 , Vidmantas Karalius 1 , Elena Servienė 1 , 

Juozas Proscevičius 1, 2 , Vytautas Melvydas 1 

1 

Institute of Botany, Lithuania 

2 

Vilnius Pedagogical university, Department of Natural Sciences, 

Lithuania 

12. THE INFLUENCE OF 2-CHLORETHYLPHOSPHONIC ACID 

ON THE GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT OF 

Actinidia Ko l o m i k ta 

Laima Česonienė, Remigijus Daubaras 

Kaunas Botanical Garden of Vytautas Magnus University, Lithuania 

13. INVESTIGATIONS OF THE USE OF BLACK CURRANT BUDS 

FOR THE PRODUCTION OF ESSENTIAL OILS 

Edita DAMBRAUSKIENĖ, Pranas VIŠKELIS, Audrius SASNAUSKAS 


8

14. H + -ATPase OF WHEAT COLEOPTILE CELL PLASMALEMMA 

Jūratė DARGINAVIČIENĖ, Sigita JURKONIENĖ, Nijolė BAREIKIENĖ, 

Vaidevutis РVEIKAUSKAS 


15. Plant response to the complex influence of 

radionuclides and heavy metals 

Jūratė Darginavičienė 1 , Virgilija Gavelienė 1 , Donatas Butkus 2 , 

Benedikta LukŠienė 3 , Sigita Jurkonienė 1 

1 


2 

Vilnius Gediminas Technical University, Lithuania, 

3 

Institute of Physics, Lithuania 

16. Impact of elevated ozone on different spring 

barlEy cultivars 

Kristina DĖDELIENĖ, Romualdas JUKNYS 

Vytautas Magnus University, Lithuania 

17. THE CONTENT OF DIENOIC AND TRIENOIC CONJUGATES 

IN LEAVES OF POTATO PLANTS TRANSFORMED WITH A 

GENE OF ∆12-ACIL-LIPID DESATURASE UNDER 

HYPOTHERMIA 

N. Demin 

Institute of Plant Physiology RAS, Russia 

18. THE EFFECT OF SELECTED BIOLOGICAL PREPARATIONS 

ON THE GROWTH OF PATHOGENIC FUNGI OCCURING 

St e wa r t i a Ps e u d o c a m e l l i a (MAX.) SEEDLINGS 

Halina KurzawiŃska, Joanna Duda-Surman 

Department of Plant Protection, Agricultural University in Krakow, Poland 

19. Control of shoot apex development and 

reproductive organs formation in oilseed rape 

Virgilija Gavelienė, Danguolė Kazlauskienė, 

Leonida Novickienė 

Institute of Botany, Laboratory of Plant Physiology, Lithuania 

20. MAPPING OF THE Cf-6 TOMATO LEAF MOULD 

RESISTANCE LOCUS USING SSR MARKERS 

Zoya GRUSHETSKAYA 1 , Valentina LEMESH 1 , 

Valentina POLYKSENOVA 2 , Lubov KHOTYLEVA 1 

1 

Institute of Genetics and Cytology, National Academy of Sciences of 

Belarus, Belarus 

2 

Department of Botany and Mycology, Belarus State University, Belarus 

9

21. COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF REGENERATIVE ABILITY OF 

LINSEED AND FIBER FLAX CULTIVARS 

Elena GUZENKO, Valentina LEMESH, Lubov KHOTYLEVA 

Institute of Genetics and Cytology of National Academy of Science of 


22. CHANGES OF CHEMICAL STRUCTURE AND ENERGY 

CONTENT IN WHEAT’S GRAIN BY APPLICATION 

24-EPIBRASSINOLIDE 

Frantíšek hnilička 1 , Helena hniličkovÁ 1 , 

Jaroslava MartinkovÁ 1 , Ladislav bLÁha 2 , Pavel kadlec 3 

1 

Czech University of Agriculture in Prague, Faculty of Agrobiology, 

Food and Natural Resources, Czech Republic 

2 

Research Institute for Plant Production, Czech Republic 

3 

Institute of Chemical Technology, Department of Carbohydrate Chemistry 

and Technology, Czech Republic 

23. Water regime and drought resistante of plants 

and their cooperation with optikal affenities 

of leaves in the nearest infra-red range and 

the thickness of leaf 

Oleg Ilnitsky 1 , Sergey Radchenko 2 , Ivan Paliy 1 , 

Nikolay Radchenko 2 

1 

Nikita Botanical garden, Ukraine 

2 

Agrophysics SRI, Russia 

24. THE EFFECT OF ADDITIONAL FERTILIZATION WITH 

LIQUID COMPLEX FERTILIZERS AND GROWTH 

REGULATORS ON POTATO PRODUCTIVITY 

Elena JAKIENĖ 1 , Virginijus VENSKUTONIS 1 , Vytautas MICKEVIČIUS 2 

1 


2 

Kaunas University of Technology, Lithuania 

25. THE INFLUENCE OF VARIOUS SUBSTRATUM ON THE 

QUALITY CUCUMBER SEEDLINGS AND PHOTOSYNTHESIS 

PARAMETERS 

Julė JANKAUSKIENĖ, Aušra BRAZAITYTĖ 


26. THE FERTILIZATION IMPACT ON GARDEN CRESS 

RESISTANCE TO SUBSTRATE ACIDITY AND HEAVY 

METAL CADMIUM 

Irena JANUŠKAITIENĖ 

Vytautas Magnus university, Lithuania 

10

27. Complex effect of UVB and ozone on 

photosynthesis pigmenT system OF different PEA 

(Pi s u m sat i v u m L.) morphotypes 

Rima JUOZAITYTĖ, Asta RAMAŠKEVIČIENĖ, 

Algirdas SLIESARAVIČIUS, Natalija BURBULIS, Ramunė KUPRIENĖ, 

Aušra BLINSTRUBIENĖ 

Lithuanian University of Agriculture, Dept. of Plant Science and Animal 

husbandry, Lithuania 

28. Effects of UVB radiation on photosynthesis 

pigmens system and growth of pea (Pi s u m sat i v u m L.) 

Rima juozaitytė, asta RAMAŠKEVIČIENĖ, 

Algirdas SLIESARAVIČIUS, Natalija BURBULIS, Ramunė KUPRIENĖ, 

Aušra BLINSTRUBIENĖ 

Lithuanian University of Agriculture, Dept. of Plant Science and Animal 

husbandry, Lithuania 

29. CHANGES OF SOME PHYSIOLOGICAL PARAMETERS 

DURING DEVELOPMENT OF SWEET PEPPER FRUITS 

Maria Leja, Gabriela WyŻgolik, Iwona KamiŃska 

Department of Plant Physiology, Faculty of Horticulture, Agricultural 

University, Poland 

30. GROWING, YIELDING AND QUALITY OF DIFFERENT 

ECOLOGICALLY GROWN PUMPKIN CULTIVARS 

Rasa Karklelienė, Pranas ViŠkelis, Marina Rubinskienė 


31. THE ADAPTIVE PATHWAYS OF PLANTS TO LOW 

TEMPERATURE 

S. V. Klimov, T. A. Suvorova, G. P. Alieva 

Timiryazev Institute of Plant Physiology RAS, Russia 

32. The Influence of Temperature and Epibrassinolid 

upon Phytohormone Growth Stimulating 

activity of Cucumber Plants 

T. S. Kolmykova, S. V. Aparin, A. S. Lukatkin 

State University of Mordovia, Russia 

33. EFFECT OF DIFFERENT MINERAL NITROGEN AND 

COMPOST nutrition ON some compounds of CORN 

SALAD (Va l e r i a n e l l a Lo c u s ta (L.) LATTER.) 

Anna KoŁton 1 , Agnieszka Baran 2 

1 

Department of Agricultural Chemistry, Faculty of Agriculture and 

Economics, Agricultural University, Poland 

2 

Department of Plant Physiology, Faculty of Horticulture, 

Agricultural University, Poland 

11

34. LECTINS ACTIVITY OF OUTER ORGANELLE MEMBRANES 

AS RELATED TO ENDOGENOUS LIGANDS IN 

COLD-ADAPTED SEEDLINGS OF WINTER WHEAT 

E. Komarova, T. Trunova 

Timiryazev Institute of Plant Physiology, Russian Academy of Sciences, 

Russia 

35. PECULIARITIES OF BIOPOTENTIAL FORMATION OF 

SPRING RAPE IN THE CROPS OF DIFFERENT DENSITY 

DEPENDING ON FERTILIZATION RATES 

Auрra marcinkevičienė, Rimantas VELIČKA, 

Pavelas Duchovskis, Robertas KOSTECKAS 


36. EVALUATION OF WINTER RAPESEED SEEDLING COLD 

RESISTANCE 

Ramunė Kuprienė, Natalija Burbulis, Auрra Blinstrubienė, 

Rima Juozaitytė, Regina Malinauskaitė 


37. Effect of the photoperiod duration on the 

growth of Ch r y s a n t h e m u m plantlets in vitro 

Anželika Kurilčik 1, 2 , Stasė Dapkūnienė 2 , Genadij Kurilčik 3 , 

Silva Žilinskaitė 2 , Artūras Žukauskas 3 , Pavelas Duchovskis 1 

1 


2 

Botanical Gardens of Vilnius University, Lithuania 

3 

Institute of Materials Science and Applied Research, 


38. BIOLOGICAL CONTROL OF POTATO AGAINST 

Rh i z o c t o n i a So l a n i (KŪHN) 

Halina KurzawiŃska, Stanisław Mazur 

Department of Plant Protection, Agricultural University in Krakow, Poland 

39. Effect of harvest maturity on quality and 

storage ability of apples cv. ‘Ligol’ 

Nomeda KVIKLIENĖ, Alma VALIUŠKAITĖ, Pranas VIŠKELIS 


40. IDENTIFICATION OF FLAX GENOTYPES USING RAPD AND 

SSR MARKERS 

Valentina Lemesh 

Institute Genetics and Cytology of National Academy of Sciences of Belarus, 

Belarus 

12

41. On sugar beetroot grown for biothanol 

production fertilizer ratios 

Albinas ŠIULIAUSKAS, Vytautas LIAKAS, Elena LiakienĖ, 

Vytautas RAUCKIS, Virgilijus Paltanavičius 


42. LIGHT QUALITY EFFECTS ON THE GROWTH AND 

MORPHOLOGICAL FEATURES OF GARDEN CRESS IN 

SIMULATED WEIGHTLESSNESS 

Regina losinska, Danguolė Raklevičienė, 

Danguolė ŠvegŽdienė, Ramunė Stanevičienė, 

Dalia Koryznienė, Rokas jackevičius 

Institute of Botany, Laboratory of Plant Physiology, Sector of Gravitational 

Physiology, Lithuania 

43. EFFECT OF A ROOTSTOCK AND SOIL MAINTENANCE 

SYSTEM ON CHANGES IN ORGANIC COMPOUNDS IN 

APPLES DURING STORAGE 

Bogumił MARKUSZEWSKI, Jan KOPYTOWSKI 


Poland 

44. Chlorophyll fluorescence in senescing leaves 

of alstremeria 

Barbara Michalczuk, Boźenna Borkowska, Jadwiga Treder, 

Danuta M. GoszczyŃska 


45. Alteration of isoprenoid biosynthesis pathways 

in plum (Pr u n u s do m e s t l c a L.) infected with 

Plum pox virus 

Katarzyna Kowalczys, Danuta WÓjcik, Lech Michalczuk 

Research Institute of Pomology and Floriculture, Department of Plant 

Physiology and Biochemistry, Poland 

46. Elucidation of auxin binding proteins 

COMPARTMENTATION in KIDNEY BEAN CELL 

mitochondria 

Rima Mockevičiūtė, Nijolė Anisimovienė 

Laboratory of Plant Physiology, Institute of Botany, Lithuania 

47. Use of in vitro technologies for a rapid 

propagation of Fi c u s el a s t i c a Roxb. 

Eugen V. Mokshin, Alexander S. Lukatkin 

Mordovian State University, Department of Botany and Plant 


13

48. A CONSIDERATION OF FACTORS AFFECTING THE SEED 

YIELD AND QUALITY OF OILSEED RAPE (Br a s s i c a Na p u s L.) 

Leonida Novickienė 1 , Laimutė Miliuvienė 1 , Virgilija Gavelienė 1 , 

Lina PakalniŠkytė 1 , Irena Brazauskienė 2 , 

Bronislava BUtkutė 2 , Eglė Petraitienė 2 

1 


2 

Lithuanian Institute of Agriculture, Lithuania 

49. ENLARGEMENT OF WHEAT GENE POOL BY REMOTE 

HYBRIDIZATION 

Olga ORLOVSKAYA, Lidiya KOREN, Lyubov KHOTYLEVA 



50. EFFECT OF APPLE TREE FRUIT BUD THINNING ON THE 

YIELD AND SELECTED QUALITY TRAITS OF APPLES. 

PART I. EFFECT OF APPLE TREE FRUIT BUD THINNING 

ON THE YIELD OF THREE VARIETIES OF APPLE TREE 

Jadwiga WaŹbiŃska, Marek Adamczak, Stanisław Tyburski, 

Beata PŁoszaj 

Chair of Horticulture, University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn, 

Poland 

51. EFFECT OF APPLE TREE FRUIT BUD THINNING ON THE 

YIELD AND SELECTED QUALITY TRAITS OF APPLES. 

PART II. EFFECT OF APPLE TREE FRUIT BUD THINNING 

ON SELECTED QUALITY TRAITS OF APPLES 

Jadwiga WaŹbiŃska, Marek Adamczak, Stanisław Tyburski, 

Beata PŁoszaj 


Poland 

52. Oxidative stress in the tobacco plants at 

hypothermia 

Valeriy Popov, Olga Antipina, Tamara Trunova 

Institute of Plant Physiology, Russian Academy of Sciences, Russia 

53. POSSIBILITIES to SIMULATE productivity of spring 

barley using model DSSAT v4 

Virmantas Povilaitis 1 , Sigitas Lazauskas 1 , 

Pavelas Duchovskis 2 

1 

Lithuanian Institute of Agriculture, Department of Plant Nutrition and 

Agroecology, Lithuania 

2 


14

54. EFFECT OF SEEDLING TYPE ON THE ROOTING OF 

EVERGREEN BARBERRIES (BERBERIS JULIANAE 

C. K. Sc h n e i d., BERBERIS VERRUCULOSA He m s l . 

Et E .H. Wi l s o n) 

Urszula Puczel 


Poland 

55. PHOTOMORPHOGENIC RESPONSES OF Le p i d i u m Sat i v u m 

TO LIGHT UNDER ALTERED GRAVITY CONDITIONS 

Danguolė Raklevičienė, Danguolė ŠvegŽdienė, 

Regina Losinska 

Institute of Botany, Laboratory of Plant Physiology, Sector of 

Gravitational Physiology, Lithuania 

56. OZONE INFLUENCE ON PHOTOSYNTHESIS PIGMENTS 

SYSTEM AND GROWTH OF SOYA (Gly c i n e Ma x (L.) MERR.) 

IN WARMING CLIMATE 

Asta RamaŠkevičienė, Rima Juozaitytė, 

Algirdas Sliesaravičius, Egidija Venskutonienė, 

Liuda Žilėnaitė 


57. REACTION OF MODEL PLANT CREPIS CAPILLARIS TO 

STRESS-INDUCING FACTORS – OZONE AND UV-B 

Vida RANČELIENĖ, Regina VYŠNIAUSKIENĖ 


58. Effect of abiotic factors oN risk of 

Ve n t u r i a in a e q u a l i s infection depending on 

apple-tree growth stages 

Laimutis Raudonis, Alma ValiuŠkaitė, Elena Survilienė 


59. Activity of photosynthetic apparatus of spring 

barley (Ho r d e u m vu l g a r e L.) in fluctuating 

environmental conditions 

Jana Repkova, Mariłán Brestič 

Slovak University of Agriculture, Faculty of Agrobiology and Food Resources, 

Department of Plant Physiology, Slovakia 

60. THE INVESTIGATIONS OF LEAF – FEED FERTILISERS 

EFFECT ON SUGAR BEET 

Kęstutis Romaneckas, Regina Romaneckienė 


15

61. Quality changes of black currant berries during 

ripening 

Marina RUBINSKIENĖ, Pranas VIŠKELIS, Vidmantas STANYS, 

Tadeušas ŠIKŠNIANAS, Audrius SASNAUSKAS 


62. EFFECT OF GROWTH REGULATORS ON APPLE TREE 

CV. ‘JONAGOLD KING’ PHOTOSYNTHETIC SYSTEM 

Gintarė ŠABAJEVIENĖ, Nobertas USELIS, Nomeda KVIKLIENĖ, 

Giedrė SAMUOLIENĖ, Audrius SASNAUSKAS, Pavelas DUCHOVSKIS 


63. RADISH RESPONSE TO DISTINCT OZONE EXPOSURE AND 

TO ITS INTERACTION WITH ELEVATED CO 2 

CONCENTRATION AND TEMPERATURE 

Jurga Sakalauskaitė, Aušra Brazaitytė, 

Akvilė Urbonavičiūtė, Giedrė Samuolienė, 

Gintarė Šabajevienė, Sandra Sakalauskienė, 

Pavelas Duchovskis 

Lithuanian Institute of Horticulturae, Lithuania 

64. NUTRITIONAL DIAGNOSIS OF AN APPLE-TREE GROWING 

IN THE NITROGEN FERTILIZER FACTORY REGION 

Jurga Sakalauskaitė 1 2, 4, 

, Eugenija Kupčinskienė 

Darius Kviklys 1 , Laisvūnė Duchovskienė 1 , 

Akvilė Urbonavičiūtė 1 , Gintarė Šabajevienė 1 , 

Aida Stiklienė 2 , Juratė Bronė ŠiKŠnianienė 1 , 

Ričardas TaraŠkevičius 3 , Alfredas Radzevičius 3 , 

Rimantė Zinkutė 3 , Pavelas Duchovskis 1 

1 


2 

Lithuanian University of Agriculture, Department of Ecology, Lithuania 

3 

Institute of Geology and Geography, Department of Environmental 

Geochemistry, Lithuania 

4 

Kaunas University of Medicine Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry 

and Pharmacognosy, Lithuania 

65. Complex influence of different humidity and 

temperature regime on pea photosynthetic 

indices in VI–VII organogenesis stages 

Sandra Sakalauskienė 1 , Gintarė Šabajevienė 1 , 

Sigitas Lazauskas 3 , Aušra Brazaitytė 1 , Giedrė Samuolienė 1,2 , 

Akvilė Urbonavičiūtė 1,2 , Jurga Sakalauskaitė 1 , 

Raimonda Ulinskaitė 1 , Pavelas Duchovskis 1, 2 

1 


2 

Lithuanian University of Agriculture, Lithuania, 

3 

Lithuanian Institute of Agriculture, Lithuania 

16

66. SMALL BERRY RESEARCH ACCORDING TO 

COST 863 ACTION 

Audrius SASNAUSKAS, Rytis RUGIENIUS, Tadeuрas ŠIKŠNIANAS, 

Nobertas USELIS, Laimutis RAUDONIS, Alma VALIUŠKATĖ, 

Aušra BRAZAITYTĖ, Pranas VIŠKELIS, Marina RUBINSKIENĖ 


67. EUROPEAN SMALL BERRY GENETIC RESOURCES 

CREATED BY GENBERRY PROJECT 

Beatrice DENOYES-ROTHAN 1 , Audrius SASNAUSKAS 2 , 

Rytis RUGIENIUS 2 , Philippe CHARTIER 3 , Aurelie PETIT 3 , 

Stuart GORDON 4 , Julie GRAHAM 4 , Alison DOLAN 4 , Monika HÖFER 5 , 

Walther FAEDI 6 , Maria Luigia MALTONI 6 , Gianluca BARUZZI 6 , 

Bruno MEZZETTI 7 , Jose F. SANCHEZ SEVILLA 8 , 

Edward ZURAWICZ 9 , Margaret KORBIN 9 , Mihail COMAN 10 , 

Paulina MLADIN 10 

1 

UREF – INRA, France, 

6 

CRA-FRF, Italy, 

2 

LIH, Lithuania, 

7 

SAPROV – UNIVPM, Italy, 

3 

CIREF, France, 

8 

IFAPA, Spain, 

4 

SCRI, Great Britain, 

9 

INSAD, Poland, 

5 

JKI, Germany, 

10 

FRIP, Romani 

68. PRELIMINARY RESULTS OF ADAPTATION OF MALUS 

REGENERANTS USING WATER TREATED WITH 

GLOW-DISCHARGE PLASMA 

Svetlana SEMENAS 

Institute for Fruit Growing, Biotechnology Department, Belarus 

69. SUGARS REDUCE THE INTENSITY OF OXIDATIVE STRESS 

UNDER HYPOTHERMIA 

Maxim S. SINKEVICH, Alexander N. DERYABIN, Tamara I. TRUNOVA 

Laboratory of Frost Resistance, Timiryazev Institute of Plant 


70. CORRELATION BETWEEN FLUORESCENCE OF PRIMROSE 

(Pr i m u l a Ma l a c o i d e s FRANCH.) AND DNA POLYMORPHIC 

BANDS 

Vytautas ŠLAPAKAUSKAS 1 , Vidmantas STANYS 2 , 

JuditaVARKULEVIČIENĖ 3 

1 

Department of Botany, Lithuanian Agriculture University, Lithuania 

2 

Biotechnological Laboratory, Lithuanian Institute of Horticulture, 

Lithuania 

3 

Kaunas Botanical Garden of the Vytautas Magnus University, Lithuania 

17

71. REACTION OF YOUNG CRANBERRY PLANTS 

(Va c c i n i u m Ma c r o c a r p o n AIT) TO ABIOTIC STRESS IN PRES- 

ENCE OF ERICOID MYCORRHIZA 

Bozenna Borkowska, Iwona Sowik 


72. The evaluation of Rhizobium strain efficiency in 

peas and garden beans grown in different soils 

A. AnŠevica, V. Šteinberga, L. Dubova, I. AlsiŅa, 

I. Karpova 

Latvia University of Agriculture, Latvia 

73. The influence of growth regulators on seed 

germination power and biometrical parameters 

of ecologically grown vegetables 

Elena Survilienė, Julė Jankauskienė 


74. Gravisensing of garden cress roots under 

varying g-loads 

Danguolė švegždienė, Dalia Koryznienė, 

Danguolė Raklevičienė 

Institute of Botany, Laboratory of Plant Physiology, Sector of 

Gravitational Physiology, Lithuania 

75. FIBER FLAX HIGH QUALITY CULTIVARS IDENTIFICATION 

BY STEM PROTEINS FINGERPRINTING 

Vladimir TITOK 1 , Svetlana KUBRAK 1 , Viktor LEONTIEV 2 , 

Svetlana YURENKOVA 1 

1 

Institute of Genetics and Cytology NAS of Belarus, Belarus 

2 

Belarusian State Technological University, Belarus 

76. The effect of differential nitrogen 

fertilization on winter wheat growth and 

harvest formation 

Tatjana Tranavičienė 1 , Ilona Vagusevičienė 1 , 

Algirdas Sliesaravičius 1 , Akvilė Urbonavičiūtė 2, 3 

1 

Lithuanian University of Agriculture, Department of Crop Science and 

Animal Husbandry, Lithuania 

2 


3 

Lithuanian University of Agriculture, Department of Botany, Lithuania 

18

77. IDENTIFICATION OF SCAB RESISTANCE GENES BY 

MOLECULAR MARKERS IN APPLE IN BELARUS 

Oksana URBANOVICH, Zoya KAZLOVSKAYA 1 

Institute of Genetic and Cytology, NASB, Belarus 

1 

Institute of Fruit Growing, Belarus 

78. Evaluation of the methods of soil supervision 

growing dessert strawberries in beds 

Nobertas Uselis, Juozas Lanauskas, Vytautas Zalatorius, 

Pavelas Duchovskis, Aušra Brazaitytė, 

Akvilė Urbonavičiūtė 


79. ECOLOGICAL VARIABILITY OF OIL AND PROTEIN 

CONTENT IN FLAXSEED 

Svetlana VAKULA 1 , Viktor LEONTIEV 2 , Lidia KOREN 1 , 

Vladimir TITOK 1 

1 

Institute of Genetics and Cytology NAS of Belarus, Belarus 

2 

Belarusian State Technological University, Belarus 

80. Changes in the activity of antioxidant enzyme 

superoxide dismutase in Cr e p i s ca p i l l a r i s plants after 

the impact of UV-B and ozone 

Regina VYŠNIAUSKIENĖ,Vida RANČELIENĖ 


81. THE INFLUENCE OF VARIOUS LIGHT INTENSITY ON NET 

PHOTOSYNTHESIS RATE AND SOME GROWTH PARAM- 

ETERS OF SWEET PEPPER 

Gabriela Wyźgolik, Joanna Nawara, Maria Leja 

Department of Plant Physiology, Faculty of Horticulture, Poland 

82. Genetic variation and development between 

morphologic features in Va c c i n i u m ox y c o c c u s 

Judita Žukauskienė 1 , Algimantas Paulauskas 1 , 

Remigijus Daubaras 2 

1 

Vytautas Magnus University 

2 

Kaunas Botanical Garden of Vytautas Magnus University, Lithuania 

83. Chlorophyll fluorescence in senescing leaves 

of alstremeria 

Barbara Michalczuk, Boэenna Borkowska, Jadwiga Treder, 

Danuta M. GoszczyŃska 


19

oral presentations 

20 YEARS FOR LABORATORY OF PLANT 

PHYSIOLOGY OF THE LITHUANIAN 

INSTITUTE OF HORTICULTURE 

Pavelas Duchovskis 

Lithuanian Institute of Horticulture, Kauno 30, LT-54333 Babtai, 

Kaunas distr., Lithuania, e-mail: p.duchovskis@lsdi.lt 

The Laboratory of Plant Physiology at the LIH was established on 16 th of 

April in 1988. From the beginning there was attained to create modern scientific 

base and actual topic for the researches. Today there is established the phytotron 

complex with 10 climate chambers, experimental greenhouses and vegetative 

field. The laboratory is provided with automatic equipment for analysis of plant 

physiological processes, there are high-performance liquid and gas chromatography 

systems and other analytical equipment. 

The following main scientific directions were formed in laboratory: plant 

morphogenesis, flowering initiation, ecophysiology, photophysiology, plant 

productivity physiology. The main subjects of the Laboratory of Plant Physiology 

are designed for the development of plant flowering initiation theory and 

for investigations of plant morphogenesis. The model of flowering initiation in 

wintering and biennial plant was developed in the laboratory (P. Duchovskis). The 

mechanisms of photo and thermo induction, evocation and flower initiation and differentiation 

are investigated. The role of phytohormones, carbohydrates and other 

metabolites is analysed during these processes (P. Duchovskis, G. Samuolienė, 

A. Urbonavičiūtė, G. Šabajevienė, A. Kurilčik). The possibility to understand and 

manipulate the processes of plant growth and development permits to intensify 

the technologies in horticulture. 

The photophysiological investigations are carried out on purpose to design 

the new generation semiconductor lamps for plant irradiation in greenhouses, 

phytotron and in vitro cultivation systems (P. Duchovskis, A. Urbonavičiūtė, 

G. Samuolienė, A. Kurilčik, A. Brazaitytė, R. Ulinskaitė). The parameters of such 

lamps can be very easily changed or programmed, thus it allows to control plant 

photosynthetic, photomorphogenetic, phototropic processes and to affect the trend 

of plant metabolic processes. These works are carried out together with physics 

of Vilnius University (prof. A. Žukauskas). The significant results presumed to 

attract the private capital for the patent of these data and for the expanding of 

20

new plant irradiation technology business. The offset company UAB HORTILED 

was established. 

Very important direction of our investigation is the influence of unfavorable 

natural and anthropogenic factors on plant physiological and biochemical indexes. 

Also it is important to determine the tolerance rate and adaptivity to various 

stresses and concurrent capacity in conditions of volatile climate and environmental 

pollution (A. Brazaitytė, J. Sakalauskaitė, S. Sakalauskienė, G. Samuolienė, 

A. Urbonavičiūtė, G. Šabajevienė, P. Duchovskis). These are the complex works, 

which are carried out with other institutions of agricultural and biological profile. 

The final goal of these investigations is to formulate the recommendations for 

stability increasing in agriculture and forestry, rural and forest ecosystems. 

The physiological investigations of field vegetables and other crops and 

garden plants are expanded in our laboratory (A. Brazaitytė, J. B. Šikšnianienė, 

G. Šabajevienė, P. Duchovskis). It allows to notice on time the variation of photosynthetic 

parameters and to control these processes by technological means on 

purpose to improve plant productivity and quality of production. 

It was publicised over 500 scientific publications, whereof 250 in international, 

Lithuanian and foreign publications. There was defended 1 degree of 

doctor habilitatus and 4 doctoral degrees. 

Currently there are working tree research workers, two technicians and six 

PhD students are studying in the laboratory. 

21

Applications of complementary 

solid-state lighting technology in 

greenhouses 

Artūras Žukauskas 

Institute of Materials Science and Applied research, Vilnius University, 

Saulėtekio al. 9-III, LT-10222 Vilnius, Lithuania, 

e-mail: arturas.zukauskas@ff.vu.lt 

Light-emitting diodes (LEDs) are semiconductor-based sources of incoherent 

light, in which the process of power conversion to light requires no heating of the 

material or its particles. Therefore LEDs can be more efficient than other sources 

of light and already feature numerous advantages, such as mechanical robustness, 

compactness, longevity, fast switching, no abrupt failure, low operation voltage, 

compatibility with computer electronics, narrow-band emission without undesired 

spectral components, freedom from harmful materials (mercury), and flexibility in 

terms of assembling into arrays of different shape. This results in that solid-state 

lighting is gradually penetrating in all spheres of application of artificial light. 

Since semiconductor technology allows for tuning the emission spectrum in a 

wide range, LEDs can be tailored to the absorption spectra of photosynthetic and 

photomorphogenetic pigments of plants. However, despite numerous successful 

demonstrations of solid-state lighting in plant cultivation, large-scale applications 

of this technology in greenhouses are still hindered by insufficient efficiency of 

commercial LEDs, high price, and thermal and long-term stability issues. 

While economical constraints do not allow for the complete converting from 

discharge and fluorescent lamps to LEDs, the advantages offered by solid-state 

lighting can be exploited in complementary greenhouse lighting technologies, 

such as short-period specifically targeted illumination or supplementation of 

conventional sources by particular spectral components. 

Here we report on complementary solid-state lighting technologies that 

were developed and are being tested under projects HORTILED and PHYTO- 

LED supported by the Lithuanian Science and Studies Foundation. One of those 

technologies is a method of the reduction of the harmful nitrate amount in already 

grown plants using a short-term treating under LED-generated light. Another 

technology is the use of short-wavelength LEDs concurrently with high-pressure 

sodium lamps. 

A patent-pending method of the reduction of nitrite amount in greenhouse 

vegetables relies on a solid-state illuminator capable of generating of high-density 

photosynthetic flux without plant overheating, which invokes saturation of photosynthesis 

intensity. This is achieved by using a heat sink that declines thermal 

radiation of the illuminator in the direction opposite from the treated plants. In 

22

particular, treatment of lettuce and marjoram by 640 nm photosynthetic flux with 

the density of 500 мmol m –2 s –1 for three days was shown to result in a decrease 

of the nitrate concentration by several times with simultaneous increase in the 

amount of useful saccharides and vitamins. The driving circuit of the illuminator 

is equipped by a photoregulator that compensates thermal and aging drift of the 

LEDs output and allows saving power by dimming the LEDs in the presence of 

bright sun. 

High-pressure sodium lamps, which are widely used in greenhouse lighting 

technology, lack emission in the blue-green range of the spectrum. This may result 

in unwanted photomorphogenetic effects, such as slow development of plants at 

particular stages of ontogenesis. To this end, we have developed a set of solid-state 

lamps based on short-wavelength (450 nm, 470 nm, 505 nm, and 520 nm) LEDs. 

Such lamps employ nitride-semiconductor LEDs that can operate at increased 

temperatures and therefore require inexpensive heat sinks. We report on tentative 

results of application of such supplementary lighting in greenhouses. 

23

ACTUALITIES IN PLANT COLD ACCLIMATION: RE- 

SEARCH ON THE IMPLICATION OF AUXIN 

Nijolė Anisimovienė, Jurga Jankauskienė, Leonida Novickienė 

Laboratory of Plant Physiology, Institute of Botany, Žaliųjų ežerų 49, 

LT-08406, Vilnius, Lithuania, e-mail: nijole.anisimoviene@botanika.lt 

In most cases while analysing cold acclimation mechanism the attention is 

focused on changes of COR/LEA genes expression, proteins of these gene product 

formation, and phytohormone abcisic acid (ABA) level. The role of other phytohormones 

in cessation of plant growth, developmental and metabolic processes 

during cold acclimation are indefinite. 

The aim of our investigation is to understanding how the phytohormone 

indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) may be implicated in regulatory network of plant 

adaptive processes, among them poorly cold acclimated, too. 

We consider that there are several expectancies for IAA impact elucidation. 

One of them is the clarification of auxin type compounds effect on the changes of 

protein composition during cold acclimation and its role for wintering. Another 

is the analysis of IAA level and status in plant organs significant for wintering 

and metabolic routes that takes part in its turnover and homeostasis maintenance 

at various stages of autumn growth and cold acclimation periods. 

The data on the role of soluble and membranous proteins composition 

transformation, the changes of IAA level, the metabolic pathways taking part 

in IAA turnover and IAA reserve fund formation in winter rape terminal bud, 

developing inflorescence, root collum tissues in accordance with autumn growth 

and cold acclimation peculiarities in plant cold acclimation processes will be 

discussed in report. 

Acknowledgement. The research was partially supported by Lithuanian State 

Science and Studies Foundation. 

24

SPECTROSCOPY OF PHOTOSYNTHETIC 

PROTEINS 

Leonas Valkūnas 

Institute of Physics, Molecular Compound Physics Laboratory, 

Savanorių 231, LT-02300 Vilnius, Lithuania, e-mail: valkunas@ktl.mii.lt 

Results of the different spectroscopy methods used for studies of the excitation 

dynamics in various photosynthetic pigment-protein complexes will be 

introduced. Temperature dependence of the absorption spectra, as well as the effect 

of the light-induced changes of the excitation kinetics will be analysed. Discussion 

of possible mechanisms responsible for the non-photochemical quenching 

of excitations in plants will be presented on the basis of recent experimental 

observations. 

25

Skierniewice Horticultural Portal – 

an Internet-based tool for knowledge and 

technology transfer in horticulture 

Lech Michalczuk, Danuta Goszczyńska, Agnieszka Pełka, 

Mariusz Klarzak 

Research Institute of Pomology and Floriculture, Pomologiczna 18, 96-100 

Skierniewice, Poland, e-mail: lmichal@insad.pl 

Knowledge-based production systems and fast implementation of innovative 

technologies is a prerequisite for sustained development of horticultural production 

and for maintaining competitiveness on world markets. However, effective 

information and technology transfer to numerous fruit and vegetable producers 

is a difficult task. To improve this, a new tool, Skierniewice Horticultural Portal, 

is being developed by researchers from the Research Institute of Pomology and 

Floriculture in Skierniewice, Poland. The project, financed in part by European 

Union within European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), aims at developing 

an Internet-based system which will facilitate an efficient transfer of knowledge 

and technology to fruit and vegetable producers and processors from the region 

and the country. The users will find there multimedia lectures on techniques 

and processes important for horticultural production, innovative technologies 

offered for implementing, on-line information on prices in the main wholesale 

horticultural markets in Poland, professional market analyses and prognosis of 

market development, database of food processing enterprises, and virtual fruit and 

vegetable market. Available will be also advisory service on line, where scientists 

will answer all sort of questions related to fruit and vegetable production, storage 

and processing. This tool will help to implement more effectively new technologies 

developed at the Institute and other Polish R&D entities, which will result 

in faster technological progress in Polish horticulture and will help to speed up 

economic development. 

26

Photosystem II thermostability of apple 

tree leaves: Effect of rootstock, crown 

shape and leaf topology 

Peter Ferus 1 , Marián Brestič 1 , Katarína Olšovská 1 , 

Anna Kubová 2 

1 

Department of Plant Physiology, Slovak Agricultural University in Nitra, 

Tr. A. Hlinku 2, 949 76 Nitra, Slovakia, e-mail: Marian.Brestic@uniag.sk 

2 

Experimental Orchard, Slovak Agricultural University in Nitra, 

Tr. A. Hlinku 2, 949 76 Nitra, Slovakia 

Apple tree leaves usually experience extremely high summer temperatures, 

which might cause disturbances to their photosynthesis and negatively influence 

fruit loading and quality. In this respect, in apple trees of cv. ‘Idared’ we evaluated 

effect of rootstock (very dwarfing M.9 and vigorous MM.104), crown shape 

(modified Slender spindle and modified Schlцsser palmette) and leaf topology 

(leaves from the top of annual shoots, from the middle of the annual shoots and 

from short sprouts on the tree trunk) on the photosystem II (PS II) thermostability 

at the end of summer 2006. For this purpose we analysed chlorophyll a fluorescence 

induction curves after exposure of leaf samples to 30 minutes of 42 °C. 

Neither rootstock types nor crown shapes caused any changes in the leaf PS II 

thermostability, however, significant differences in this characteristics were found 

in relation to leaf position in the apple tree crown. In comparison to leaves from 

annual shoots, which exhibited only moderate thermotolerance, a considerable 

increase was observed in leaves from short sprouts on the tree trunk. Measured 

high capacity of PS II thermotolerance is discussed in respect to plant polarity 

principles. 

Acknowledgement. This study was supported by the scientific-technical 

project of the Grant Agency for Applied Research of the Slovak Ministry of Education 

(AV/1109/2004). 

27

The possibility to control the metabolism 

of leafy vegetables using light emitting 

diode illumination 

Akvilė Urbonavičiūtė 1 , Giedrė Samuolienė 1 , Aušra Brazaitytė 1 , 

Raimonda Ulinskaitė 1 , Julė Jankauskienė 1 , 

Pavelas Duchovskis 1, 3 , Artūras Žukauskas 2, 3 

1 


Kaunas distr., Lithuania, e-mail: A.Urbonaviciute@lsdi.lt 

2 

Institute of Materials Science and Applied Research, Vilnius University, 

Saulėtekio al. 9-III, LT-10222 Vilnius, Lithuania 

3 

JSC ‘Hortiled’, Lithuania 

The influence of different solid-state lighting spectrum on the metabolism, 

as the indice of internal nutritional quality of green vegetables (lettuce, onion 

leaves, dill, parsley, basil, marjoram, wheatgrass, barleygrass and leafy radish), 

was investigated. Plants were illuminated with the basal red 640 nm light emitting 

diodes, supplemented with 450, 660 and 735 nm components for three to five 

days in different developmental phases. Reference plants were grown under highpressure 

sodium lamps. The contents of carbohydrate, nitrate, vitamin C, phenolic 

compounds and the antioxidant activity of selected vegetable extracts were evaluated. 

According to the obtained results, the red light effect on the metabolic system 

is the plant-specie dependant. The lettuce, marjoram, wheatgrass and leafy radish 

were found to be the potentially suitable for cultivation under the light emitting 

diode lighting, due to the positive increase in monosugar content, reduction of 

nitrates, higher vitamin C contents and promoted antioxidant activity. 

Acknowledgements. This study was supported by the Lithuanian Science and 

Study foundation under the high technology project PHYTOLED. 

28

In vitro adventitious shoot regeneration 

from cotyledons and leaves of apricot 

Zoltán Kirilla 1 , Annamária Mészáros 2 , Ildikó Balla 3 , 

Andrzej Pedryc 4 

1 

Research Institute for Fruitgrowing and Ornamentals – Park utca 2, 

Budapest, Hungary, H-1223, e -mail: kirilla@mikrolab.t-online.hu 

2 

Agricultural Research Institute of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences, 

Brunszvik utca 2, Martonvįsįr, Hungary – H-2462, 

e-mail: meszarosa@mail.mgki.hu 

3 

Research Institute for Fruitgrowing and Ornamentals – Park utca 2, 

Budapest, Hungary, H-1223, e-mail: kirilla@mikrolab.t-online.hu 

4 

Corvinus University of Budapest, Faculty of Horticulture, Department of 

Genetics and Plant Breeding – Ménesi śt 44, Budapest, Hungary, H-1118, 

e-mail: andrzej.pedryc@uni-corvinus.hu 

We have been developing regeneration methods for apricot cultivars based 

on earlier works by foreign research groups. We were successful in promoting 

regeneration using both leaves from in vitro shoot cultures and cotyledons. In case 

of cotyledons only immature ones gave any response, mature ones did not respond 

at all. We set up experiments to evaluate the importance of several factors: basal 

culture medium, position of the cotyledon on the surface of the medium during 

regeneration, thidiazuron (TDZ) concentration, light and genotype. The highest 

regeneration rate was achieved using modified QL medium developed for apricot 

and the cotyledons placed with the adaxial side down onto the medium. The other 

factors had no significant effects on the regeneration. To obtain fully developed 

adventitious shoots we had to transfer the cultures onto media with very low TDZ 

concentration for 8 weeks and finally onto elongation medium for 16 weeks after 

culture initiation. In case of leaves from in vitro shoot cultures, we have obtained 

adventitious shoot regeneration only when we first isolated the meristems from 

the shoot tips together with 2–3 leaf primordial and then we used the youngest 

leaves from shoots developed from the isolated meristems as explants to initiate 

shoot regeneration. On the isolated leaves the petioles formed calluses and then 

the adventitious shoots emerged from them. This juvenilization procedure proved 

to be essential to promote regeneration from leaves. These methods will from the 

basis for transformation experiments in the future. 

29

Flowering initiation in 

carrot and caraway 

Giedrė Samuolienė 1, 2 , Akvilė Urbonavičiūtė 1, 2 , 

Gintarė Šabajevienė 1 , Pavelas Duchovskis 1, 2 

1 

Lithuanian Institute of Horticulture, LT-54333 Babtai, 

Kaunas distr., Lithuania, e-mail g.samuoliene@lsdi.lt 

2 

Lithuanian University of Agriculture, LT-53361, Akademija, 

Kaunas distr., Lithuania 

The aim of this paper was to analyze the influence of external factors 

such as short and long day, vernalization and temperature on the generative 

development rate in biannual plants and on sucrose and gibberelic acid metabolism 

in apical meristems during flowering initiation. The researches were 

carried out during 2004–2007 in phytotron complex of the Lithuanian Institute 

of Horticulture according to vegetative assay methodology under controlled 

conditions. Edible carrot (Daucus sativus (Hoffm.) Röhl.) var. ‘Garduolės’ 

and common caraway (Carum carvi L.) var. ‘Gintaras’ with 9 leaves in rosette 

were kept in a phytotron chambers with different photo and thermo 

periods for 120 days: 0 h – 4 °C; 8 h – 4 °C; 16 h – 4 °C; 8 h – 21/17 °C; 

16 h – 21/17 °C. Different developmental rates and ways in two disputed Apiaceae 

species were observed in subject to environmental factors. Thus the peculiar 

sucrose supply in shoot apex and differences in GA 3 

concentration during evocation 

under particular environmental conditions influenced the formation rate of 

inflorescence stem in carrot and caraway. We deduced that vernalization makes 

stronger positive effect on carrot flowering initiation, whereas high temperature 

blocks the formation of generative organs. The flowering initiation in carrots is 

more dependent on temperature than photoperiod regimes during different ontogenesis 

stages. Long day and vernalization determines almost full flowering, 

high temperatures independently from photoperiod results in partial flowering and 

short day and vernalization is the limiting factor of caraway flowering. 

30

Application of chlorophyll fluorescence 

for screening of wheat (Tr i t i c u m ae s t i v u m L.) 

genotypes susceptibility to drought and 

high temperature 

Marek Živcak, Marián Brestič, Katarína Olšovská 

Slovak University of Agriculture in Nitra, Dpt. of Plant Physiology, 

Tr. A. Hlinku 2, Nitra, 949 76, Slovakia, e-mail: marek.zivcak@uniag.sk 

Drought often accompanied with high temperature represents one of main 

constraints of plant production over the world. Breeding for better drought tolerance 

is relatively difficult and it needs some helpful methods, which could make 

this breeding process more rapid and efficient. One of very promising methods 

is rapid measurement of chlorophyll fluorescence and its analysis by JIP-test. 

Therefore, we tried to apply this technique for considering its ability to record 

the differences in sensitivity of genotypes to abiotic stresses. In our experiments 

with two different genotypes of winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) we assessed 

the influence of drought and high temperature on their PS II efficiency. We observed 

also differences among genotypes in sensitivity of PS II to comparable 

water deficit in leaves. Although classic florescence parameter as F V 

/F M 

were less 

sensitive up to the strong water deficit, especially in more tolerant genotype, some 

other parameters like performance index (PI ABS 

) better reflect level of drought 

stress and appears much more useful for sensing of drought tolerance. Heat stress 

induced by temperatures over 40 °C strongly affected primary photosynthetic 

processes as showed by substantial decrease of maximum quantum efficiency 

of photochemistry (F V 

/F M 

) and substantial increase of minimal fluorescence F 0 

, 

which indicates qualitative changes in light harvesting system. Leaves of observed 

genotypes exposed to border temperature (40 °C) showed different sensitivity 

of photosystem II as shown by measured parameters. Thanks to its rapidity and 

sensitivity, the method of fast chlorophyll fluorescence measurement looks very 

promising for screening of genotypes for improved tolerance to drought and 

high temperature. 

31

COARSE-GRAINED MODELING OF LIGHT 

HARVESTING IN PHOTOSYNTHESIS 

Gediminas Trinkūnas 

Institute of Physics, Savanorių pr. 231, LT-02300 Vilnius, Lithuania, 

e-mail: trinkun@ktl.mii.lt 

During the last decade the elucidation of the structures of a number of 

pigment-protein complexes as well as supramolecular organization of the whole 

bacterial and plant antenna systems revealed the segregated arrays of densely 

and loosely packed pigments. Uneven distribution of the pigments demands the 

revision of the former light harvesting models. A vast amount of the obtained 

linear and nonlinear photobiological data suggest that in the pigment-protein 

complexes comprising the densely packed arrays of pigments the fast relaxation 

of coherent excitonic excitations most often takes place whereas these complexes 

are linked by the slower incoherent energy transfer. The distinction of the time 

scales of these energy transfer steps by more than the order of magnitude suggests 

reviving the lattice antenna models by applying the coarse-grained view of the 

photosynthetic antennae organization. 

Recently a coarse-grained lattice model has been successfully used to 

describe the fluorescence kinetics of Photosystem II (1). In the present study 

the application of this model is extended for the light harvesting in antennae of 

Photosystem I and bacterial photosystems. The coarse-grained models reveal 

equal importance of the excitation trapping and migration. 

1. K. Broess, G. Trinkunas, Ch. D. van der Weij – de Wit, J. P. Dekker, 

A. van Hoek and Herbert van Amerongen. 2006. Excitation energy transfer 

and charge separation in photosystem II membranes revisited. Biophysical J. 

91: 3 776–3 786. 

32

BASIC SCIENTIFIC TRENDS AND RESEARCH 

RESULTS OF THE LABORATORY OF FUNCTIONAL 

PLANT GENETICS AT THE INSTITUTE OF 

GENETICS AND CYTOLOGY OF THE NATIONAL 

ACADEMY OF SCIENCE OF BELARUS 

Vladimir Titok 

Institute of Genetics and Cytology, National Academy of Sciences, 

Akademicheskaya St. 27, Minsk, 220072, Republic of Belarus, 

e-mail: V.Titok@igc.bas-net.by 

Scientific investigations are carried out in the following trends in the Laboratory 

of Functional Plant Genetics: 

- study on molecular-genetics and physiologic mechanisms of metabolic system 

control in formation of productivity and quality of cross- and self-pollinating 

agriculture plants; 

- determination of taxonomic status, assessment of genetic and breeding potential 

of genus Linum based on the development of new molecular-genetic and physicochemical 

methods of the analysis; 

- study on phylogenetic relationships between subspecies of Linum usitatissimum 

L. and their wild relatives for establishing diagnostics criteria for initial 

material under screening of donor genotypes with high values of productivity, 

fiber and oil quality; 

- development of effective biotechnology for producing fiber flax with modified 

structure of cell wall when introducing additional gene controlling the cellulose 

biosynthesis process into plant genome for enriching gene pool when developing 

high-productive competitive cultivars with high yield of long fiber; 

- study on the role of genetic heterogeneity of the linseed collection for the content 

of biologically active compounds in seed and development of the technology for 

producing phytopreparations with prophylactic and medicinal properties; 

- genetic principles of bioenergy heterosis conception, expanding insight into the 

mechanism of hybrid power formation and promoting selection of initial forms 

for obtaining high-productive F 1 

hybrids of plants are being developed; 

- development of new genetic methods of applying heterosis, periodic and recurrent 

selection for effective practical use of gene pool of tomato, pepper, triticale, 

white cabbage, wheat, fiber flax, linseed and maize; 

- development and maintenance of genetic collections of wheat, triticale, flax 

and tomato. 

33

Ozone effects on silver birch 

(Be t u l a pe n d u l a Roth.) sapling 

PHotosYnthetic APPARATUS 

Brigita Serafinavičiūtė, Vidas Stakėnas 

Lithuanian Forest Research Institute, Ecology Department, Girionys, 

LT-53101 Kaunas distr., Lithuania, e-mail: b.serafinaviciute@mi.lt 

The study examined ozone effects on morphological parameters of 

4-year-old potted silver birch (Betula pendula Roth.) saplings. From June 1 till 

June 28, 2005 the saplings were placed in 4 walk-in closed chambers of controlled 

environment (40 m 3 each) and exposed to ozone concentrations of 0 µg/m 3 , 80 µg/ 

m 3 , 160 µg/m 3 , and 240 µg/m 3 for 7 h/day, 5 days/week. After the fumigation 

seedlings were harvested and dry biomass of different fractions was determined. 

During fumigation the extent of the visually estimated symptoms tended to increase 

and the chlorophyll content in the foliage decreased with increasing ozone 

concentrations. The dry mass of the foliage of ozone, which affected saplings, 

was lower compared to the control saplings. 

Acknowledgements. This research was funded by the Lithuanian State Science 

and Studies Foundation under the umbrella of the state project APLIKOM. 

34

Poster presentations 

Effects of the spectral distribution of 

light on the growth of vegetables 

I. Karāne, I. Alsiņa, L. Dubova, V. Šteinberga 

Latvia University of Agriculture, Liela iela 2, Jelgava, 3001, 

Latvia, e-mail: Ina.Alsina@llu.lv 

The experiments were carried out to investigate the effect of colored plastic 

films on the vegetable seed germination and plant growth. Six different plant species 

were used: spinach (Spinacia oleracea), cucumbers (Cucumis sativus L.), 

green and red basil (Ocimum basilicum), lettuce (Lactuca sativa), borage (Borago 

officinalis L.) and garden cress (Lepidium sativum L.). The films were control – 

uncolored, blue, red, and yellow, respectively. 

In order to determine the germination efficiency of the seeds and the germination 

energy, the germination tests in Petri dishes were carried out and the 

number of germinated seeds was counted. The length of the seedlings, the content 

of chlorophyll and carotenoids were determined. In the vegetation pots the dry 

weight, the fresh weight of the plants and leaves pigment content were determined, 

and for the cucumbers male and female blossoms were counted. 

It was found that the color of the plastic films had a significant effect on 

the germination processes of spinach and red basil. The chlorophyll content was 

significantly lower in the cucumbers’ cotyledons grown under red or blue films. 

Colored films increased carotenoid content in cucumbers. 

The color of the films had a significant effect on the growth of green basil, 

lettuce, garden cress, spinach and cucumber. The film color had no significant 

effect on the dry mass in lettuce and red basil grown in substrate. On the other 

hand garden cress and cucumbers grown under colored films had significantly 

higher dry mass compared to control. It was found for the cucumbers that a significantly 

higher amount of female blossoms were formed when growing under 

the red or the yellow films. 

Polyethylene films of different colors had different light transmittance 

decreased during the vegetation period due to exposure to light. The smallest 

changes were found in the uncolored film. The lowest average transmission is 

found in the yellow film. For the red film the transmission increased during the 

vegetation period. 

35

Alteration of source-sink relations in the 

leaves of in vitro plants of two 

So l a n u m tu b e r o s u m L. genotypes under 

hypothermia 

Nina Astakhova, Alexander Deryabin, Maxim Sinkevich, 

Stanislav Klimov, Tamara Trunova 

Timirayzev Institute of Plant Physiology, Russian Academy of Sciences, 

Botanicheskaya ul. 35, Moscow, 127276 Russia, 

e-mail: trunova@ippras.ru 

Growth, ultrastructural organization of photosynthetic apparatus and CO 2 

– 

exchange were investigated in the leaves of potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) plant 

cv. ‘Désirée’ of wild type (control) and transformed with vector carrying yeast 

invertase gene under the control of tuber-specific patatin promoter B33 class 

I, fused with proteinase II inhibitor leader peptide to provide enzyme location 

in apoplast. Plants grown in vitro on the Murashige and Skoog medium supplemented 

with 2 % sucrose. At optimal for growth a temperature (22 °C), the 

transformed plants differed from the plants of wild type by retarded growth and 

a lower rate of photosynthesis as calculated per plant. Photosynthesis to leaf dry 

weight ratio in transformed plants was higher than in control plants. Under hypothermia 

(5 °C), dark respiration and especially photosynthesis of transformed 

plants turned out to be more intense than in control plants. After a prolonged 

exposure to low temperature (6 days at 5 °C), in the plants of both genotypes, the 

ultrastructure of chloroplasts changed. Absolute areas of sections of chloroplasts 

rose in transformed plants. By some ultrastructural characteristics: the number of 

granal thylakoids (per chloroplast section area), transformed plants turned out to 

be more cold resistant than control plants. The obtained results are discussed in 

connection with changes in source-sink relations in transformed potato plants. 

These changes modify the balance between photosynthesis and retarded efflux 

of assimilates, causing an increase in the intracellular level of sugars and a rise 

in the resistance to chilling. 

Acknowledgements. This work was supported by the Russian Foundation for 

Basic Research, project no. No. 07-04-00601. 

36

RHIZOBACTERIA INFLUENCE ON GROWTH AND DE- 

VELOPMENT PROCESSES IN TOMATO 

Alexander Kilchevsky, Dmitry Bazhanov, Olga Babak, 

Natalia Nekrashevich, Alesia Bazhanova 

Institute of Genetics and Cytology of National Academy of Sciences of 

Belarus, Laboratory of Ecological Genetics and Biotechnology, Minsk, 

Akademicheskaya st., 27, e-mail: babak_olga@mail.ru 

The aim of this investigation was to study rhizobacteria influence on growth 

and development processes of tomato accessions and also variety specificity of 

interaction between tomato accessions and bacteria strains. 

Objects of research were two rhizospheia bacteria strains from the 

laboratory of ecological genetics and biotechnology: Herbaspirillum sp. 46, 

Burkholderia sp. 418, and ten tomato accessions: ‘Kalinka’, Line 7, Line 164, 

Lycopersicon Pimpinellifolium (L.) Mill., ‘Ruzha’, ‘Rif’, ‘Subarctic mini’, 

‘Zorka’, ‘Microtom’, wpR – 188. 

The experiments were performed in a glass greenhouse of the IGC on three 

sites: the control, the site for interaction with Herbaspirillum sp. 46, the site for 

interaction with Burkholderia sp. 418. Treatment of plants by microorganisms was 

conducted in three stages: inoculation of seeds before sowing, seedlings before 

singling, and transplant seedlings before planting to greenhouse. 

As a result of research, specificity of bacteria influence on tomato accessions 

was revealed depending on the traits under study and the developmental 

stage of a plant. Change in the values of biometric parameters under the influence 

of bacteria was within the limits of: in underground seedlings: 24.1–321 %, in 

seedlings: 72.4–167.6 %, at the stage of transplant seedlings 84.2–152.0 %, and 

an adult plant: 30–160 %. Change in the values of productivity traits was within 

the limits of 77–328 %. 

The results obtained have shown the total increase in germination percent, 

plant heights, early yield in the majority of accessions as well as commercial yield 

in early-ripe forms under the effect of the strains studied. 

The positive bacteria influence on most of productivity traits was characteristic 

to the accessions Line 164, ‘Zorka’, neutral and negative influence – to 

wild species L. pimpinellifolium. 

37

EFFECT OF PLANT STAND DENSITY ON FLAX 

(Li n u m usitatissimum L.) Leaf AREA, 

CHLOROPHYLL a, CHLOROPHYLL b and CAROTENoidS 

CONTENT 

Marius balčiūnas 1 , Zofija jankauskienė 1 , Pavelas duchovskis 2 

1 

Upytė research station of lia, Linininkш 3, Upytė, Panevėžys district, 

e-mail: marius@lzi.lt, soja@lzi.lt 

2 


Kaunas distr., Lithuania, e-mail: p.duchovskis@lsdi.lt 

Trials were conducted during 2005–2007 at LIA Upytė Research Station 

experimental crop rotation and at the Lithuanian Institute of Horticulture 

(Laboratory of Plant Physiology). The effect of plant stand density on flax 

(Linum usitatissimum L.) chlorophylls a and b, carotenoid content were investigated. 

Flax variety ‘Hermes’ with different plant densities was sown (that 

means flax was sown in 7 different seeds rates). The objective of this study 

was to estimate the dynamics of flax assimilating area in the stands differing 

in density and to identify the factors that affect it. It aims to investigate the 

effect of plant stand density on flax (Linum usitatissimum L.) chlorophyll (a), 

(b), carotene content. The trial was replicated three times. To estimate flax 

assimilating area, 0.25 Ч 0.25 m sub-plots were marked in the experimental 

plots. In 2005–2007 flax samples for the determination of assimilating area 

were taken at 4 different dates of the growing season. Intervals of days in 

2005–2007 differed because growth stages differed, too. All plants were irrigated 

and kept in a cool room until flax assimilating area was measured by a leaf area 

meter CID. The contents of carotenoids and chlorophylls a and b were measured 

in 100 % acetone extract using spectrophotometer Genesys 6. During the period 

of vegetation assimilating area increased, but in the green ripeness phase it was 

smaller, than in phase of flowering. The largest assimilating area was identified 

in the treatments whose stand density was 2 100–2 380 plants m -2 . Chlorophyll 

b amount in stems was smaller, when plant density is very high (2 100 and 

2 380 plants m -2 ). Higher ratio of chlorophyll a/b was identified, when plant density 

is high (2 100 and 2 380 plants m -2 ). The largest amount of carotenoids in stems 

(0.13 mg g -1 ) was identified in stand densities (1 540 and 2 380 plants m -2 ). 

38

Heavy metal aftereffect in maize 

plants: gystochemical application 

Dmitry I. Bashmakov, Ekaterina F. Palatkina, 

Alexander S. Lukatkin 

Mordovian N. P. Ogariov State University, Department of Botany and Plant 

Physiology, Bolshevistskaya st., 68, Saransk, Russia, 

e-mail: aslukatkin@yandex.ru 

Recently heavy metals (HM) became the object of ecological monitoring 

scrupulous attention in connection with a problem of anthropogenic environment 

pollution. However, in the prevailing majority of cases the estimation of their 

uptake and accumulation in ecosystem components is carried out on the analytical 

methods basis. Therefore, the received quantitative information not always opens 

how heavy metals get in plants and are allocated on organs and tissues. The aim 

of our research was gystochemical studying of heavy metals accumulation and 

allocation in maize root tissues in Pb 2+ and Zn 2+ afteraction. 

Experiments were conducted in stationary conditions (illumination 

by fluorescent lamps with light intensity about 200 µM m -2 s -1 , a photoperiod 

of 14 h, temperature 21 °C). Seedlings of maize cultivar ‘Katerina’ were 

grown on the filter paper moistened with 1 mM; 0.1 mM or 10 µM solution 

of Pb 2+ or Zn 2+ . The control plants were grown on distilled water. After 

7 days of germination all seedlings were relocated into distilled water. In 7 and 

9 days we prepared for series of root cross sections. The received preparations 

stained with diphenylnitrocarbazon and examined under microscope (× 300). 

Localization of Zn 2+ ions was judged by characteristic crimson, and Pb 2+ – on 

red coloring of tissue sections. 

It was visible on the sections that zinc was postponed mainly in cellular 

walls of all tissues. Especially plenty of zinc was found out in rhysoderm cellular 

walls, and in xylem and phloem cells its contents was insignificant. In variants 

with Pb 2+ on 7th day we marked the presence of the metal in all tissues of maize 

root. However, at 10 µM coloring was less intensive. Comparison of accumulation 

of Zn 2+ and Pb 2+ in equimolar concentration indicates that coloring in a variant 

with lead was a little bit more intensively. 

By results of visual supervision after the relocation of plants into water it is 

possible to notice that the HM contents in tissues has little changed. Reduction 

of saturation of central cylinder cell coloring in variants with zinc can testify the 

decrease in concentration of the metal in tissues. In the plants grown on Pb 2+ , 

39

coloring of phloem cells considerably decreased. 

Obviously there was a redistribution of metal in tissues. From the literature 

cases of insoluble metal fraction deposition in vacuoles and on a cellular wall are 

known, but in our research root biolits weren’t revealed. Besides, HM can involved 

in various physiological processes, that also can lead to their redistribution and 

decrease in the maintenance in root tissues. 

40

INFLUENCE OF CLIMATIC CONDITIONS OF NORTH- 

EASTERN POLAND ON GROWTH 

AND YIELD OF FIVE VARIETIES OF 

BOWER ACTINIDIA 

Zdzisław Kawecki, Anna Bieniek 


ul. Prawocheсskiego 21, 10 – 719 Olsztyn, Poland, 

e-mail: anna.bieniek@uwm.edu.pl 

Studies of the growth dynamic of vegetative and generative bower actinidia 

(Actinidia arguta Sieb. et Planch.) shoots (‘Purple Sadovaja’, ‘Kijevskaja Gibrydnaja’, 

‘Kijevskaja Krupnoplodnaja’, ‘Figurnaja’ and ‘Sientiabrskaja’) were 

carried out in 2005–2007 in the Experimental Garden of University of Warmia 

and Mazury in Olsztyn. The shoot length and diameter as well as the number of 

leaves on one-year-old generative and vegetative shoots were recorded every two 

weeks from the beginning of vegetation. 

As a result of three years of observation, varieties ‘Sientiabrskaja’ and 

‘Kijevskaja Gibrydnaja’ produced the longest one-year-old vegetative shoots 

(103.62 cm and 77.79 cm). The most intensive growth of shoots was observed 

in 2006 and 2007. The shortest vegetative shoots were of variety ‘Figurnaja’ 

(31.3 cm). The longest generative shoots were of variety ‘Sientiabrskaja’ (mean 

for 3 years: 34.23 cm), the shortest shoots were of variety ‘Kijewskaja Gibrydnaja’ 

(14.44 cm). The highest diameter of generative shoots was of variety ‘Purpule 

Sadovaja’ (0.51 cm). The lowest increasement was recorded of variety ‘Kijewskaja 

Gibrydnaja’ (0.42 cm). The largest number of leaves on the vegetative shoots was 

of variety ‘Sientiabrskaja’, but the smallest number of leaves was on generative 

shoots of variety ‘Purpule Sadovaja’. 

The most resistant to spring ground frost (freezing of flowers) was ‘Purpule 

Sadovaja’ and ‘Kijewskaja Gibrydnaja’. Most varieties of bower actinidia 

cultivated under conditions of northeastern Poland did not have flowers on their 

shoots in 2007. It happened as a result of ground frost on 1st, 2nd , and 3rd of 

May: -6.0 °C, -7.1 °C, -5.8 °C, respectively. 

41

PROSPECTS FOR USING ISOZYME 

MARKERS IN IDENTIFICATION OF 

APPLE CULTIVARS 

Alena Biryuk, Zoya Kazlovskaya 

The National Academy of Sciences of Belarus, The Institute for Fruit 

Growing, 2 Kovalev str., Samokhvalovichy, Minsk reg., 223013, Belarus, 

e-mail: biohimbel@rambler.ru 

The question of plant cultivar identification is important both for the researchers’ 

work and for decision of questions of fundamental science. The analysis of 

cultivars at the isozymes provides the fast way for identifying plant cultivars. 

A preliminary analysis of the discriminating power of isozyme electrophoresis 

for identification of apple cultivars is presented. The research objects were 

57 apple cultivars. The material was leaves and buds. Leaves were collected in 

June; buds were collected in November. The polymorphism in five enzyme systems, 

peroxidase (PRX), malat dehydrogenase (MDH), alcohol dehydrogenase 

(ADH), glucose phosphate isomerase (GPI) and diaphorase (DIA) was analysed 

using polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. The highest number well detectable 

bands were obtained for PRX. Only peroxidase showed considerable variation 

among investigated apple cultivars. The polymorphism of PRX was sufficient 

for identification of most samples. 

42

Tomato growing in greenhouses 

after the use of light-emitting 

diodes for seedlings 

Aušra Brazaitytė 1 , Pavelas Duchovskis 1 , Akvilė Urbonavičiūtė 1 , 

Giedrė Samuolienė 1 , Julė Jankauskienė 1 , Gintarė Šabajevienė 1 , 

Raimonda Ulinskaitė 1 , Algirdas Novičkovas 1, 2 , 

Zenonas Bliznikas 2 , Kęstutis Breivė 2 , Artūras Žukauskas 2 

1 

Lithuanian Institute of Horticulture, Babtai, LT-54333 Kaunas district, 

Lithuania, e-mail: a.brazaityte@lsdi.lt 

2 


Saulėtekio al. 9-III, LT-10222 Vilnius, Lithuania 

Primary objective of our studies was to study growth, development and 

yielding of tomato in greenhouse after the use of various sources of light-emitting 

diodes for growing of their seedlings. Tomato seedlings were grown in phytotron 

chambers. System of five high-power solid-state lighting modules with the main 

447, 638, 669 and 731 nm LEDs were used in the experiments. Supplemental 

LEDs of different wavelength were used in particular modules: L1 – 380 nm, 

L2 – 622 nm, L3 – 595 nm, L4 – without additional LEDs, L5 – 520 nm. The 

similar photon flux density (PFD) in all modules was maintained by regulating 

PFD of 638 nm LEDs. Tomato seedlings were transplanted to peat substratum 

and grown in greenhouses. Organogenesis stage, plant height, leaves number, 

photosynthetic pigments content of plants and yield were measured during experiments 

in greenhouse. Tomato seedling growth was enhanced under additional 

UV 380 nm light. Such plants had greater apex, formed more leaves till apex and 

flowers in first inflorescence. Additional LEDs of 520 nm and 622 nm wavelengths 

influenced reduced growth and development of these seedlings. Such tendencies 

of these plant growth and development in greenhouse persisted about month. Later 

significant differences between tomatoes, which seedlings grew under various 

sources of light-emitting diodes, were not determined. Photosynthesis pigments 

content in tomato seedlings were greater under modules withou additional LEDs 

and under additional UV 380 nm, and lower under modules with additional LEDs 

of 520 nm and 622 nm wavelengths. Such tendencies in greenhouses persisted for 

two weeks. Yield insignificantly higher was in plants, which seedlings grew under 

modules without additional LEDs, under additional UV 380 nm and 520 nm. In 

summary, we state that effect of LEDs on seedlings persist about one month after 

43

growing tomato in greenhouses. Neither of combination of light-emitting diodes 

had significant positive effect on tomato yield. 

Acknowledgements. The work was supported by the Lithuanian State Science 

and Studies Foundation. 

44

RAPID AND SLOW RESPONSE REACTIONS of 

plants ON alinization and drought 

N. V. Budagovskaya 

Institute of Plant Physiology of the Russian Academy of Sciences, 

Botanicheskaya 35, Moscow 127276, Russia. 

Rapid (min) and slow (h) response reactions of leaves and stems of oat, 

barley, wheat, rice and buckwheat plants on increase and decrease in NaCl 

concentration and drought at the root zone have been studied using a highly sensitive 

method – laser interference auxanometry. Addition of NaCl in increased 

concentration to the root zone of plants caused a two-phase response reaction of 

leaves: decrease and the following increase in their growth rate in each phase. 

Duration of the 1 st phase was shorter than that of the 2 nd . Growth rate of leaves 

was restored by the end of the 2nd phase. The 1 st phase may be related to rapid 

adaptive reactions and changes in leaf turgor, the 2 nd – to slower adaptive processes 

– de novo synthesis of protectors. Introduction of NaCl in high concentration 

caused stoppage in leaf and stem growth and shrinking of their tissues as result 

of dehydration. Washing the roots of NaCl rapidly restored the turgor of leaves 

and increased their growth rate. Under drought conditions the growth rate of 

shoots decreased rapidly. Shrinking of leaf and stem tissues was observed after 

the stoppage of shoot growth under drought as well as at high level of salinization. 

The data obtained provide information on dynamics of response reactions 

of shoots on increase and decrease of NaCl concentration, drought and watering 

at the root zone. 

45

The influence of fertilizers with 

nitrification inhibitor on edible carrot 

photosynthesis parameters and 

productivity 

Ona Bundinienė, Aušra Brazaitytė, Pavelas Duchovskis 


Kaunas distr., Lithuania, e-mail: o.bundiniene@lsdi.lt 

In 2005–2006 in the experimental field of the Lithuanian Institute of 

Horticulture, in the IDg8-k / Calc(ar)i- Epihypogleyc Luvisols – LVg-p-wcc 

it was investigated the influence of fertilizers with nitrification inhibitor 

DMPP on the photosynthesis parameters of carrot cultivar ‘Samson’ (Daucus 

sativus Rцhl.) and their relation with productivity. Sowing rate was 

0.8 mln. unt. ha -1 of shoot seeds, sowing scheme – 62 + 8 cm. It was established 

that fertilizers with nitrification inhibitor DMPP (Entec-Avant 12 7 16 + 

microelements + DMPP) increased assimilation area of carrot leaves and 

crop and photosynthesis potential. The biggest total (70.1 t ha -1 ) and standard 

(49.7 t ha -1 ) carrot root-crop yield and the best standard yield output (70.7 %) 

were obtained applying fertilizers with nitrification inhibitor. Standard carrot yield 

increased, when plant (r = 0.88) and crop (r = 0.92) assimilation area and photosynthesis 

potential (correspondingly plant photosynthesis potential r = 0.74, crop 

r = 0.91) increased, and the increasement of the pure photosynthesis productivity 

had negative (though not big) influence (plant photosynthesis potential r = -0.54, 

crop r = -0.23) on productivity. 

Acknowledgements. This study is supported by Lithuanian State Sciences 


46

Expression possibilities of yeast 

Sa c c h a r o m y c e s ce r e v i s i a e K2 

preprotoxin gene in transgenic plants 

Brigita Čapukoitienė 1 , Vidmantas Karalius 1 , Elena Servienė 1 , 

Juozas Proscevičius 1, 2 , Vytautas Melvydas 1 

1 

Institute of Botany, Žaliųjų ežerų 49, Vilnius 2021, Lithuania, 

e-mail: vytautas.melvydas@botanika.lt 

2 

Vilnius Pedagogical university, Department of Natural Sciences, 

Studentų 39, Vilnius 08105, Lithuania, 

e-mail: juozas.proscevicius@gmail.com 

The aim of this work was to investigate expression possibilities of yeast K2 

preprotoxin gene in plant Nicotiana tabacum. This research will provide important 

insights into more general aspects of foreign gene functioning in transgenic 

organisms. 

All experiments were performed using general methods of gene engineering, 

microbiology and molecular biology. 

Plant transformation vectors (pART/CGT-Kil2 and pGA/ADH1-K2) 

carrying S. cerevisiae K2 preprotoxin gene under control of Cauliflower 

mosaic virus CaMV and yeast ADH1 promoters as well as yeast plasmids 

pAD/CGT-Kil2D and pAD/CGT-Kil2R (K2 under control of CaMV) were constructed. 

Analysis of expression of K2 gene controlled by CaMV promoter in 

yeast showed 72–75 % stability of plasmid and weak killer activity with suicidal 

phenotype. Study of peculiarities of K2 killer gene functional activity in yeast 

demonstrated, that this gene expression is not strictly dependent on the context 

of regulatory sequence. 

The plant transformation vector with K2 type killer preprotoxin gene under 

transcriptional control of ADH1 promoter was introduced into plant Nicotiana 

tabacum via Agrobacterium mediated transformation. The transgenic plants possessed 

active K2 type toxin. Such results allow conclude that promoter of yeast 

gene ADH1 is transcriptional active in plant as well as preprotoxin can be proceeded 

in plant cell. Since K2 type toxin can prevent developing of some pathogen 

fungus it may be adopted in future to construct disease resistant plants. 

Acknowledgements. This study is supported by Lithuanian State Sciences 


47

The influence of 2-chlorethylphosphonic 

acid on the growth and development of 

Actinidia ko l o m i k ta 

Laima Česonienė, Remigijus Daubaras 

Kaunas Botanical Garden of Vytautas Magnus University, 

Ž. E. Žilibero 6, LT-46324, Kaunas, Lithuania, 

e-mail: l.cesoniene@bs.vdu.lt 

The growth regulator 2-chlorethylphosphonic acid is used with a purpose 

to maintain a balance between growth and productivity of horticultural plants. 

Wide spectrum of influence was determined applying this growth regulator on 

male and female plants of A. kolomikta. Plants of male clone M3 and female 

cultivar ‘Landė’ were sprayed with 2-chlorethylphosphonic acid solution of 

0.2 % and 0.1 % concentration. Strong changes of growth of shoots were stated. 

It has been determined that the number of flowering shoots of male and female 

plants was statistically reliably larger as compared to that of plants treated by 

0.2 % solution. 

The spraying of plants by 2-chlorethylphosphonic acid solution of 0.1 % and 

0.2 % significantly reduced the number of flowers and berries of cultivar ‘Landė’ in 

comparison to the control plants. The plants of cultivar ‘Landė’ affected by 0.1 % 

and 0.2 % solution of 2-chlorethylphosphonic acid on average had 21.7 and 14.6 

flowers (control plants – 27.7 flowers) per meter length of branch, respectively. 

They set 14.9 and 10.2 berries (control plants – 19.3 berries), respectively. 

Assessment of growth regulator related changes in the parameters of berries 

and their mass confirmed that the average mass of berry enlarged by treatment of 

0.1 % solution in comparison to control plants: 2.53 g and 2.04 g, respectively. 

The average berry mass of plants affected by 0.2 % solution was significantly 

less – 1.61 ± 0.01 g. 

The plants of A. kolomikta affected by 0.1 % and 0.2 % solution finished 

vegetation for 9–15 days earlier in comparison to the control. 

48

Investigations of the use of black 

currant buds for the production of 

essential oils 

Edita Dambrauskienė, Pranas Viškelis, 

Audrius Sasnauskas 


Kaunas distr., Lithuania, e-mail: e.dambrauskiene@lsdi.lt 

Investigations of black currant (Ribus nigrum L.) buds were carried out at 

the Lithuanian Institute of Horticulture in order to establish their productivity and 

suitability for the production of essential oils. There were investigated six cultivars 

more often grown in Lithuania: very early ‘Joniniai’; averagely early ‘Almiai’ and 

‘Gagatai’; late ‘Ben Alder’, ‘Ben Lomond’ and ‘Ben Nevis’. It was established 

that at various months of the cutting of currant branches, cultivars ‘Almiai’ and 

‘Ben Nevis’ produced the biggest amount of essential oils (approximately 1.5 %); 

a little less – ‘Gagatai’ and ‘Ben Lomond’ (approximately 1.2 %). Cultivar ‘Almiai’ 

had the biggest buds. Cultivar ‘Joniniai’ forms the biggest number of buds 

on branch (averagely 28.4). 

49

H + -ATPase OF WHEAT COLEOPTILE CELL 

PLASMALEMMA 

Jūratė Darginavičienė, Sigita Jurkonienė, Nijolė Bareikienė, 

Vaidevutis Šveikauskas 

Institute of Botany, Žaliųjų ežerų 49, LT-08406 Vilnius, Lithuania, 

e-mail: jurate.darginaviciene@botanika.lt 

Plant cell plasmalemma H + -ATPase is a proton pump playing a key role in 

plant nutrient uptake, intercellular pH regulation, cell elongation and as integral 

protein participating in early cellular signaling events (Osses, Godoy, 2006). 

Plasmalemma ATPase phosphorylating activity of perennial grass meadow fescue 

(Festuca pratensis Huds.) had characteristic seasonal activity pattern: the peak 

values of activity were revealed in early spring just before growth renewal, and 

lowest values – during transition to winter growth cessation (Darginavičienė 

et al., 2007). 

The aim of the present work was to characterize ATPase activity of wheat 

coleoptiles cell plasmalemma and check up its coupling with ATP-dependent H + 

transport under the influence of indole-3-acetic acid and environmental stresses 

(salt and cold). 

ATPase activity was controlled in plasmalemma isolated from four-dayold 

spring wheat (Triticum aestivum L. cv. ‘Nandu’) coleoptiles by the method 

of differential ultracentrifugation and purification on sucrose density gradient 

(Merkys et al., 1995). Plasmalemma marker enzyme K + Mg 2+ -ATPase activity 

and its suppression by sodium ortovanadate, diethylstilbestrol, dicyclohexylcarbodiimide 

and also inhibitors of possible contaminating ATPases – oligomicin 

and nitrate, also proton pumping activities lead to the conclusion that isolated 

plasmalemma fraction contains mg 2+ -dependent, K + activated vanadate-sensitive 

H + -ATPase (EC 3.6.1.35). 

Artificially created transmembrane electrochemical potential activated 

indole-3-acetic acid influence on plasmalemma ATPase hydrolytic activity and 

H + transport. Cold and salt stresses induced changes in coupling of these processes. 

50

Plant response to the complex 

influence of radionuclides 

and heavy metals 

Jūratė Darginavičienė 1 , Virgilija Gavelienė 1 , Donatas Butkus 2 , 

Benedikta Lukšienė 3 , Sigita Jurkonienė 1 

1 

Institute of Botany, Žaliųjų ežerų 49, LT-08406 Vilnius, Lithuania, 

e-mail: jurate.darginavicienė@botanika.lt 

2 

Vilnius Gediminas Technical University, Saulėtekio 11, 

LT-01513, Lithuania 

3 

Institute of Physics, Savanorių 231, LT-01513 Vilnius, Lithuania. 

The aim of the work – to evaluate peculiarities of complex influence, frequently 

taking place in natural environment, of 90 Sr or 197 Cs with heavy metals and 

components of mineral nutrition on the growth of seedlings of spring wheat. 

10 days-old green seedlings of wheat (Triticum aestivum L., ‘Nandu’) 

were grown in sand and nutritional medium with additions of 90 Sr, 137 Cs and 

heavy metals (mixture: Co(NO 3 

) 2 

, Cd 2 

(NO 3 

), ZnCl 2 

, CuCl 2 

, CrO 3 

, Pb(NO 3 

) 2 

and 

Ni(NO 3 

) 2 

. Obtained data show that the influence of 90 Sr and 197 Cs on growth, 

weight and activity of RNA-polymerase II in the model system of the isolated 

nuclei depends on the nutritional medium and changes from activation to inhibition 

of the processes. Inhibition was characteristic for complex influence of 90 Sr 

or 137 Cs with heavy metals. 

Acknowledgements. The work was partly supported by Lithuanian State Science 

and Studies Foundation. The help of assistant Liudmila Chramova is gratefully 

acknowledged. 

51

Impact of elevated ozone on different 

spring barlEy cultivars 

Kristina Dėdelienė, Romualdas Juknys 

Vytautas Magnus University, Vileikos str. 8, LT-44404 Kaunas, Lithuania, 

e-mail: k.dedeliene@gmf.vdu.lt 

The main aim of this study was to compare sensitivity of different barley 

cultivars to the impact of ground level ozone. The experiments were carried out at 

the phytotron complex of the Lithuanian Institute of Horticulture. Seven cultivars 

(‘Annabell’, ‘Henni’, ‘Scarlet’, ‘Barke’, ‘Jersey’, ‘Tolar’ and ‘Aura’) of spring 

barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) were grown under controlled conditions. Plants were 

sown and grown in 5 l pots of neutral (pH 6.0–6.5) peat substrate, 25 plants per 

pot. A photoperiod of 16 h was used and air temperature of 21/17 °C (day/night) 

was maintained in phytotron chamber throughout the experiment. One part of 

seedlings of each cultivar was grown in the reference chamber without ozone 

treatment and other part of barley seedlings was exposed to 240 µg m -3 ozone 

concentration. All treatments were run in three replicates. Ozone concentration 

was generated by ozone generator OSR-8 (Ozone Solution, Inc.). Height of 

seedlings was measured; dry over-ground biomass and concentration of photosynthetic 

pigments (a, b chlorophylls and carotenoids) were determined at the 

end of experiment. It was established that exposure to ozone caused reduction 

in plant dry biomass and concentration of photosynthetic pigments. The least 

difference from the reference treatment in dry biomass was observed for local 

cultivar ‘Aura’ (19 %), the most reduction in biomass (39 %) was characteristic 

to cultivar ‘Annabell’. According to investigated indicators, cultivars ‘Aura’, 

‘Jersey’ and ‘Tolar’ were evaluated to be most tolerant, while ‘Henni’, ‘Scarlet’ 

and ‘Annabell’ – most sensitive to ozone impact. 

52

THE CONTENT OF DIENOIC AND TRIENOIC 

CONJUGATES IN LEAVES OF POTATO PLANTS 

TRANSFORMED WITH A GENE OF ∆12-ACIL-LIPID 

DESATURASE UNDER HYPOTHERMIA 

I. N. Demin 

Institute of Plant Physiology RAS, Moscow, Russia, 


Processes of lipid peroxidation in leaves of potato plants (Solanum 

tuberosum L.) have been studied. Plants were transformed with a gene desA of 

∆12-acil-lipid desaturase of cyanobacter Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803. In particular 

the content of dienoic and trienoic conjugates under the hypothermal stress 

was analyzed. It should be noted that dienoic and trienoic conjugates are initial 

products of lipid peroxidation. Dienoic conjugation is a process leading to the 

formation of the coupled double bonds between molecules of fatty acids. Such 

bonds are formed as a result of lipid peroxidation processes and it is possible to 

detect the intensity of these processes using the method of dienoic and trienoic 

conjugates detection. The content of dienoic and trienoic conjugates was detected 

according to the Bligh and Dyier method with own modifications. The method 

is based on the properties of the coupled double and threefold bonds to absorb 

intensively in ultra-violet spectrum with characteristic maxima (232 and 275 nm). 

Analysis of the content of dienoic and trienoic conjugates has a great value for 

an estimation of lipid peroxidation processes intensity because it reflects an early 

stage of oxidation of fatty acids. Our researches had shown that in leaves of not 

transformed plants the content of dienoic and trienoic conjugates was higher, than 

in leaves of transformants under normal temperature conditions of cultivation. 

After influence low temperature stress concentration of both dienoic, and trienoic 

conjugates in leaves of not transformed plants continued to increase, while in 

transformed plant leaves this indicator has decreased a little, even in comparison 

with not cooled control variant. Thus, introduction of desA gene of ∆12-acil-lipid 

desaturase in potato plants promotes lower intensity of lipid peroxidation processes 

under hypothermia. 

Acknowledgements. This work is supported by RFFI project 

No. 07-04-00601. 

53

THE EFFECT OF SELECTED BIOLOGICAL 

PREPARATIONS ON THE GROWTH OF 

PATHOGENIC FUNGI OCCURING IN 

St e wa r t i a Ps e u d o c a m e l l i a (MAX.) SEEDLINGS 

Halina Kurzawiņska, Joanna Duda-Surman 

Department of Plant Protection, Agricultural University in Krakow, Al. 29 

Listopada 54, 31-425 Krakow, Poland, e-mail: hkurzaw@ogr.ar.krakow.pl 

Under Polish climatic conditions there is not many ornamental shrubs and 

trees species as attractive at any season as Stewartia pseudocamellia. This exotic 

plant, which belongs to Theace family, is characterized by beautifully blossom 

in summer, leaves overcolouring on red and orange during autumn, and in winter 

and spring it resembles Platanus. However, since few years the necroses of lower 

stem parts and bark falling are observed. Mentioned disturbing symptoms occur 

both on young plants and a little older. 

Conducted investigation aims at determination the typical composition of 

fungi occurred on diseased Stewartia pseudocamellia seedlings and the in vitro 

effect of biological preparations based on natural substances on the mycelium 

linear growth of fungi eventual pathogenic to Stewartia plants. 

There were examined preparations: Bioczos BR (B. A. S. garlic extract), 

Biochikol 020 PC (B. A. S. chitosan), Biosept 33 SL (33 % extract from grapefruit 

seeds and pulp); each at 3 concentrations. As standard fungicide Bravo 500 SC 

(B. A. S. chlorotalonil) was applied. Estimation of the preparations effect on the 

mycellium linear growth of dominant species isolated from the Stewartia seedlings 

was carried out using Kowalik and Krechniak method (1961). 

In the laboratory experiment from roots and stems base with observed 

disease’s symptoms the 14 fungi species and 10 bacteria were isolated. The 

dominant fungi were: Alternaria alternata, Cylindrocarpon radicicola, Fusarium 

oxysporum, Fusarium avenaceum, Phomopsis thea. 

Received results showed that all the preparations taken under consideration 

significantly reduced mycelium linear growth of tested fungi. The effect of 

preparations was different and depended on the concentration and the type of 

preparation. 

Acknowledgements. The studies were financed by The Ministry of Science 

and Information within grant No. G-1634/KOR/07-09. 

54

Control of shoot apex development and reproductive 

organs formation in 

oilseed rape 

Virgilija Gavelienė, Danguolė Kazlauskienė, 

Leonida Novickienė 

Institute of Botany, Laboratory of Plant Physiology, Žaliųjų ežerų 49, 

Vilnius 08406, Lithuania, e-mail: virgilija.gaveliene@botanika.lt 

In our work we studied the development of spring oilseed rape cultivars 

‘Mascot’ shoot apex, the mitotic activity of apical meristem cells and reproductive 

structures under the effect of auxin physiological analogue TA-14 (4 mM) 

by anatomical, morphological and cytological methods. 

The anatomical analysis of oilseed rape vegetative cone at the 3 rd –4 th leaves 

stage showed that in the control variant the vegetative cone was in vegetative 

stage – only leaves primordial were developed. The compound TA-14 stimulated 

vegetative cone meristem cells division, buds formation and accelerated the transition 

from vegetative to generative development stage. Morphometric measurements 

of vegetative cone width and height (from the top to the leaf primordial 

axis) showed that under the effect of the tested compound width and height of 

vegetative cone increased. 

The investigations on oilseed rape vegetative cone meristem cells mitotic 

activity demonstrated that cells mitotic index (MI) of plants treated with TA-14 

was by 43 % higher in comparison with MI of the control variant. Cross-sections 

of oilseed rape shoot apex of test variant revealed that meristem cells occurred in 

the prophase, metaphase and some even in the anaphase, whereas the most cells 

of control plants were found in the prophase. 

Thus, compound TA-14 activated shoot apical meristem cell division, inflorescence 

meristem formation, flower primordial as well as their anatomical and 

morphological structure formation. 

Acknowledgment. This study was partly supported by Lithuanian State Science 

Foundation (Project “Biokuras”). 

55

MAPPING OF THE Cf-6 TOMATO 

LEAF MOULD RESISTANCE LOCUS USING 

SSR MARKERS 

Zoya Grushetskaya 1 , Valentina Lemesh 1 , 

Valentina Polyksenova 2 , Lubov Khotyleva 1 

1 


Belarus, Academicheskaya st. 27, Minsk, 220072 Belarus, 

e-mail: z_grushetskaya@mail.ru 

2 

Department of Botany and Mycology, Belarus State University, Minsk, 

220030 Belarus 

The tomato leaf mould, or cladosporiosis, caused by fungus Cladosporium 

fulvum Cke., is considered to be one of the most harmful for the 

greenhouse tomato cultures in the world. The Cf-6 gene of tomato conferring 

resistance to the Belarus population of the leaf mould was mapped to 

the chromosomal region, located 2.2 and 3.4 cm apart from the microsatellite 

markers, SSR128 and SSR48, respectively. It was demonstrated that the 

Cf-6gene, like the Cf-2/Cf-5 cluster, was located on the short arm of tomato chromosome 

6. However, Cf-6 differed from these genes concerning phytopathology 

and molecular characteristics. Based on the Cf-2 gene sequence, a molecular 

marker, 2-2C, capable of identification of the Cf-6, Cf-2, and Cf-5 loci, was 

constructed. 

56

COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF REGENERATIVE A 

BILITY OF LINSEED AND FIBER FLAX CULTIVARS 

Elena Guzenko, Valentina Lemesh, Lubov Khotyleva 

Institute of Genetics and Cytology of National Academy of Science of 

Belarus, Akademicheskaya str. 27,220072 Minsk, Belarus, 

e-mail: E.Guzenko@igc.bas-net.by 

Recently development of new flax cultivars with improved characteristics 

becomes complicated due to insufficient genetic and morphological diversity 

of starting forms. Working out of effective methods for genetic transformation 

will considerably intensify inclusion of predetermined valuable traits in already 

existing genotypes. Success in transformation by alien genes depends on a chosen 

genotype and culturing conditions. The aim of our research was to evaluate a morphogenetic 

potential and to select the most responsive genotypes for subsequent 

agrobacterial transformation. Six flax cultivars were used: 3 new fiber flax cultivars 

of Byelorussian breeding (‘Leto’, ‘Surpriz’, ‘Fort’) and 3 linseed cultivars (‘Gold 

Flax’ (Canada), ‘Nebesny’ (Russia), ‘Lirina’ (Germany)). Hypocotyls of 7-dayold 

seedlings, 3–5 mm in length, were chosen as explants because this type of an 

explant is the most convenient for successful initiation of callus, organogegenesis 

and embryogenesis in Linum usitatissimum L. The medium MS 5524 supplemented 

by phytohormones was used for morphogenesis induction: 1 mg/l BAP 

(6-Benzyl-aminopurine) and 0.05 mg/l NAA (α-Naphthalene-acetic acid). The 

morphogenetic potential of the crop was evaluated as a ratio of the number of 

calli with regenerative structures to the total number of explants that formed 

callus. Regeneration efficiency was determined in 5 weeks following the onset 

of culturing as a ratio of the shoot number (above 5 mm in length) to the total 

number of explants. The genotypes under study exhibited an unequal ability for 

morphogenetic response under the given culturing conditions. Buds formation, 

number and rate of shoot development and formation of root structures proceed 

quicker in linseed cultivars. 

The analysis of the obtained data on the efficiency of organogenesis and the 

regenerative ability depending on the genotype (Fig.) has shown that use of linseed 

cultivars in programs applying methods of biotechnology and gene-engineering 

is more preferable since the regeneration level in the given cultivars is 1.9 times 

as high as in fiber flax cultivars. 

57

Fig. Analysis of the obtained data on the efficiency of organogenesis and the 

regenerative ability depending on the genotype 

58

Changes of chemical structure and 

energy content in wheat’s GRAIN BY 

application OF 24-epibrassinolide 

Frantíšek hniliéka 1 , Helena hniliéková 1 , Jaroslava Martinková 1 , 

Ladislav bláha 2 , Pavel kadlec 3 

1 

Czech University of Agriculture in Prague, Faculty of Agrobiology, Food 

and Natural Resources, Prague, 129 Kamżckį street, Prague 6 – Suchdol 

165 21, Czech Republic, e-mail: hnilicka@af.czu.cz 

2 

Research Institute for Plant Production, Prague, 507 Drnovskį street, 

Prague 6 – Ruzynģ 161 06, Czech Republic 

3 

Institute of Chemical Technology, Department of Carbohydrate 

Chemistry and Technology, 5 Technickį street, Prague 6 – Dejvice 166 28, 

Czech Republic 

The aim of trial was to acknowledge the influence of 24-epibrassinolide on 

chemical structure and energy content in wheat grains under stress. 

A pot experiment with wheat varieties – ‘Ebi’, ‘Estica’, ‘Samanta’, 

‘AC Helena’, ‘Mollera’ and ‘Lucia’ was set up in greenhouse conditions – 

control (70 % of field water capacity, 23 °C/15 °C), stress (37 % of field water 

capacity, 33 °C/20 °C) and combination stress with 24-epibrassinolide. The 

24-epibrassinolide was applied in the form of a spray at the 61.DC in a concentration 

of 10 -9 M. After harvest of the seeds, the analysis of crude protein content, 

lipids content, total starch content, damaged starch content and net energy content 

were provided. 

The stressed plants and stressed plants with application of 24 epibrassinolide 

had decrease of protein content in comparison with control (decrease 

is 4.82 %). The largest decrease was at cultivar ‘AC Helena’ (decrease is 

0.16 g kg -1 ) and lowest decrease cultivar ‘Ebi’ (0.02 g kg -1 ). The highest 

lipid content was at the control (3.1 g kg -1 ), the lowest value was at stress 

(0.22 g kg -1 ). The starch content was not significantly influenced (‘Mollera’, 

stress – 5.85 g kg -1 ; ‘AC Helena’, control – 6.83 g kg -1 ). The starch content by 

stressed grains was within the value interval of 5.89 (‘Mollera’) to 6.45 g kg -1 

(‘Estica’). Cv. ‘Samanta’ had the lowest rate of decrease, by 0.18 g kg -1 , while 

the highest decrease was recorded for the variety ‘Mollera’ by 1.22 g kg -1 . The 

energy content in the wheat grains was from 14.07 MJ kg -1 (‘Estica’, stress) to 

17.31 MJ kg -1 (‘Ebi’, control). 

The cultivars ‘AC Helena’, ‘Samanta’ are tolerant to the stress in comparison 

with ‘Estica’ a ‘Lucia’, which have low level of tolerance. The application of 

24- epibrassinolide raised of content protein in comparison with plant stressed. 

59

The content of proteins was in terms of variants experiment relatively level. The 

differences among variant is possible chance at content of lipid and starch. The 

energy content was lowest at grains from stressed plants in comparison with 

other variant. 

Acknowledgement. These results are financially supported by project of 

research by the project QF 3056 and project No. MSM 6046070901. 

60

Investigation of water regime and 

drought resistance of various 

kinds of plants applying 

phytomonitoring methods 

Oleg Ilnitsky, Sergey Radchenko, Ivan Paliy, 

Nikolay Radchenko 

Nikita Botanical garden, st. Yalta, Ukraine, 

e-mail: ilnitsky@yalta.crimea 

Agrophysics SRI, st. St.-Petersburg, Russia, 

e-mail: radchenko@peterlink.ru 

It was made the investigation of optical abilities of leaves in the near infrared 

radiation (970 nm) of the plants intact organs in the number of agricultural 

and decorative species on the background of water regime changes. Instrument 

of the study served portable laser photometer “Perfot-93” and micrometer type 

“Turgomer 1”. Investigations were made on different plant species and in different 

regions (Krasnodarsky region, Leningrad district-Russia, Southern Coast 

of Crimea-Ukraine). It was determined linear dependence of absorption and 

high correlation (0.97–0.98) of optical parameters of leaves with the thickness 

(watering) of intact leaves differences in sensibility of optical characteristics 

to the changes of water regime. Because of eco-physiological peculiarities of 

plants were noted. There is a principle opportunity to use the methods of parallel 

control of optical affinities of leaves in the near infra-red radiation and water 

status of plants as an instrument for investigation of ecological- physiological 

character and as an element of precise agriculture technology for the control of 

water regime in sowings. 

61

THE EFFECT OF ADDITIONAL FERTILIZATION WITH 

LIQUID COMPLEX FERTILIZERS AND GROWTH 

REGULATORS ON POTATO 

PRODUCTIVITY 

Elena Jakienė, Virginijus Venskutonis, Vytautas Mickevičius 

Lithuanian University of Agriculture, Studentų 11, Akademija, 

LT-53067, Kaunas distr., Lithuania, e-mail: Elena.Jakiene@lzuu.lt 

Kaunas University of Technology, Radvilėnų pl. 19, LT-50270, Kaunas, 

Lithuania, e-mail: Vytautas.Mickevičius@ctf.ktu.lt 

Field tests were carried out at the Research Station of LUA during the period 

2004–2006. The effect of complex fertilizers and growth regulators on potato 

growth, tuber development and productivity was investigated. 

It was determined that the greatest addition to the potato yield 

(8–9 t/ha -1 ) was produced and app. 60 % of bulky potatoes in one plant grew after 

additional foliar fertilization at the end of bud stage with liquid complex fertilizers 

Atgaiva-2 or Atgaiva-P from “ARVI fertis”. 

After spraying the potatoes with solutions of growth regulators Penergetic- 

P lapams 

or Stilitas-123, bulky potatoes constituted 55–58 % of yield structure. Under 

the influence of the above mentioned growth regulators, potato yield significantly 

increased by 5–6 t/ha -1 or 16–19 % in comparison with the control variants. 

It is advisable to fertilize table potatoes additionally with the blend of complex 

fertilizer Atgaiva-2 and growth regulator Humicop. After additional foliar 

fertilization with this blend, bulky potatoes constituted even 78 % of the yield 

structure, while small potatoes were almost not found (only 0.5 %) at all. Under 

the influence of the aforesaid additional fertilization, potato yield reliably increased 

by 4.7 t/ha -1 or 14.8 % in comparison with the control variants. 

62

The influence of various substratum 

on the quality OF cucumber seedlings and 

photosynthesis parameters 

Julė Jankauskienė, Aušra Brazaitytė 


Kaunas distr., Lithuania, e-mail: j.jankauskiene@lsdi.lt 

Cucumber hybrids ‘Mandy’ were grown in the greenhouse covered with 

double polymeric film at the Lithuanian Institute of Horticulture in 2004–2006. 

Cucumber seedlings were grown in different substratum: peat, peat + perlite 

(1 : 1), peat + perlite (2 : 1), peat + zeolite (1 : 1), peat + zeolite (2 : 1). During 

the experiment seedlings biometrical measurements were carried out, the amount 

of dry matter and pigments in seedlings leaves, photosynthesis productivity 

was established, cucumber yield calculations were fulfilled. Seedlings grown in 

peat are higher, have bigger leaf area than the seedlings grown in peat-perlite, 

peat-zeolite substratum, but in leaves and roots they accumulate less dry matter 

and plant fresh weight also is smaller. When the amount of zeolite and perlite in 

peat is smaller, cucumber seedlings accumulate in leaves more photosynthesis 

pigments. When zeolite is mixed into peat substratum, shoot photosynthesis productivity 

becomes bigger than this of the cucumbers grown in peat. Nevertheless, 

the mixing of zeolite and perlite into seedlings substratum do not have positive 

influence on cucumber yield. 

63

THE FERTILIZATION IMPACT ON GARDEN CRESS 

RESISTANCE TO SUBSTRATE ACIDITY AND HEAVY 

METAL CADMIUM 

Irena Januškaitienė 

Vytautas Magnus university, Daukanto 28, Kaunas LT-3000, Lithuania, 

e-mail: I.Januskaitiene@gmf.vdu.lt 

This study aimed to investigate the impact of different concentrations of 

nutrients on garden cress resistance to substrate acidity and heavy metal cadmium. 

Laboratory experiments with Lepidium sativum L. were performed at the 

Department of Environmental Sciences, Vytautas Magnum University (VMU). 

Garden cress was grown in optimal 23 ± 2 °C temperature on sterile cotton wool 

flooded with different concentrations of ammonium nitrate (as a fertilizer) and 

cadmium. There was investigated impact of ammonium nitrate on the garden 

cress resistance to medium acidity and cadmium. Garden cress was grown on 

medium with various pH values (6.0 – optimal, 4.0 – acid and 9.0 – alkaline) and 

with different concentrations of ammonium nitrate, also parallel with 0.05 mM 

concentration of cadmium. 

Fertilization decreases negative effect of substrate acidity. In neutral pH 6.0 

medium optimal (0.1 mM) ammonium nitrate concentration stimulated seedlings 

growth about 5 % (p < 0.05), but the highest positive effect of 0.1 mM ammonium 

nitrate on seedlings growth was in acidified (pH 3.5) medium, where garden cress 

seedlings height increased about 242 % comparing to control (p < 0.05). It shows 

that in acidified substrate fertilization optimum moved to higher concentrations. In 

acidified medium the effect of fertilization on garden cress resistance to cadmium 

was also positive, but statistical not significant. 

64

Complex effect of UVB and 

ozone on photosynthesis pigmenT 

system of different pea morphotypes 

(Pi s u m sat i v u m L.) 

Rima juozaitytė, asta Ramaškevičienė, 

Algirdas Sliesaravičius, Natalija Burbulis, 

Ramunė Kuprienė, Aušra Blinstrubienė 

Lithuanian University of Agriculture, Department of Plant Science and 

Animal husbandry, Studentų 11, LT-53067 Akademija, 

Kaunas distr., Lithuania, e-mail: rima.juozaityte@lzuu.lt 

Research was carried out in phytotron complex at the Lithuanian Institute 

of Horticulture and Laboratory of Agrobiotechnology at Lithuanian University 

of Agriculture. 

Separate and complex effect of UV_B and ozone has been investigated on 

two different morphotypes peas (Pisum sativum L.) leafy cultivar ‘Ilgiai’ and sub 

leafy cultivar ‘Profi’. Plants were grown in 5 l vegetative pots in nearly neutral peat 

substrate (pH 6.0–6.5), 25 plants per pot. A photoperiod of 16 h and a temperature 

at 21 °C/17 °C (day/night) was maintained throughout the experiment. 

The peas were divided in two groups: the first groups were exposed preliminary 

five days to 3 kJ m -2 UV_B or to 120 µg m -3 for 7 h by day’s ozone. 

The other plants were grown under the same conditions without any treatment. 

After that plants were exposed for seven days to the triple dose of UV_B or for 

five days – to the triple dose of ozone, alone or in various combinations with 

preliminary exposed to UV_B or ozone plants in the next treatments: O 3 

+ O 3 

; 

UV_B + UV_B, O 3 

+ UV_B; UV_B + O 3 

. Concrete dose for UV_B was 9 kJ m -2 

and for ozone – 360 µg m -3 for 7 h by days. 

During adaptation period carotenoid content was decreased in cultivar ‘Ilgiai’ 

leaves under relatively low concentration of ozone. Influence of studied triple 

stress carotenoid content was strongly morphotype/genotype depended. UV_B 

radiation as well as ozone significantly increased carotenoid levels in cultivars 

‘Profi’ leafs, however carotenoid content in cultivar ‘Ilgiai’ was decreased. 

Acknowledgement. The research was funded by Lithuanian State and Studies 

Foundation under the priority research project “Complex effect of anthropogenic climate 

and environmental changes on vegetation of forests and agro ecosystems”. 

65

Effects of UVB radiation on 

photosynthesis pigmenT system and growth 

of pea (Pi s u m sat i v u m L.) 

Rima Juozaitytė, Asta Ramaškevičienė, Algirdas Sliesaravičius, 

Natalija Burbulis, Ramunė Kuprienė, Aušra Blinstrubienė 

Lithuanian University of Agriculture, Department of Plant Science and 

Animal husbandry, Studentų 11, LT-53067 Akademija, 

Kaunas distr., Lithuania, e-mail: rima.juozaityte@lzuu.lt 

Research was carried out in phytotron complex at the Lithuanian Institute 

of Horticulture and Laboratory of Agrobiotechnology at Lithuanian University of 

Agriculture. Plants were grown in 5 L vegetative pots in nearly neutral peat substrate 

(pH 6.0–6.5), 25 plants per pot. A photoperiod of 16 h and a temperature at 

21 °C/17 °C (day/night) was maintained throughout the experiment. High-pressure 

sodium lamps ‘Son-T Agro’ (Philips) were used for illumination. UV_B radiation 

was generated using UV_B lamps (TL 40W/12 RS UV-B Medical, Philips). Plant 

were treated with UV_B radiation 5 days. Investigated UV_B radiation doses of 

0 (control), 1, 3, 5, 7 and 9 kJ m -2 each day. 

The object of the work was to determine the effects of UV_B radiation on 

growth of peas (Pisum sativum L.) and tolerance on photosynthesis pigment 

system. Shoot height, dry weight, stomata density and leaf area were measured at 

1, 3, 5 day of experiment immediately. Content of photosynthesis pigments were 

determined spectrophotometrically in 100 % acetone extracts. 

After 1 day of UV_B radiation exposition toxic UV_B effect was established 

on above-ground length, dry biomass and number of leaves. It was established 

that increasing UV_B radiation doses and expositions, tendency was decrease 

content of pigments. 

Acknowledgement. The research was funded by Lithuanian State and Studies 

Foundation under the priority research project “Complex effect of anthropogenic climate 

and environmental changes on vegetation of forests and agro ecosystems”. 

66

Changes of some physiological 

parameters during development 

of sweet pepper fruits 

Maria Leja, Gabriela Wyżgolik, Iwona Kamiņska 


University, 29 Listopada 54, 31-425 Krakуw, Poland, 

e-mail: mleja@bratek.ogr.ar.krakow.pl 

Sweet pepper of cultivar ‘Spartacus’ F 1 

was grown in the foil tunnel of two 

different light intensities. Nitrate nitrogen as well as its reduced form (ammonium 

and urea) was applied by the fertigation technique. Fruits were harvested in three 

maturity stages: green, turning and red. Total phenolics, total carotenoids and 

evolution of endogenous ethylene were estimated. 

The soluble phenol content was detected by the photometric method with 

Folin’s reagent, carotenoid level in hexan extracts was measured photometrically, 

ethylene evolution was determined by GC. 

The significant accumulation of both phenolics and carotenoids was accompanied 

by increase in ethylene production. The most distinct synthesis of 

carotenoids was observed when fruits were converted to the full maturity stage 

(red colour), while soluble phenol constituents were accumulated gradually during 

the whole ripening period. Neither light nor nutrient nitrogen form effect on 

the above parameters was found. 

Acknowledgment. The study was financed by the State Committee for Scientific 

Research, Poland, under project No. 2 P06R 021 30. 

67

Growing, yielding and quality 

of different ecologically grown 

pumpkin cultivars 

Rasa Karklelienė, Pranas Viškelis, Marina Rubinskienė 


Kaunas distr., Lithuania, e-mail: R.Karkleliene@lsdi.lt 

Investigations were carried out at the Lithuanian Institute of Horticulture 

in the greenhouse of ecological seed-growing covered with double polymeric 

film, in the natural soil – in loam on loam, more deeply epihypogleyic luvisol 

(IDg 4-k, /Calc(ar)i – Epihypogleyc Luvisols – LVg-p-w-cc) (Buivydaitė et al., 

2001), enriched with peat-compost substrate. There was grown Cucurbita pepo L. 

cultivar ‘Beloruskaja’ and two cultivars of Cucurbita maxima Duch. – ‘Gele 

Reuzen’ and ‘Bambino’. 

Pumpkins were sown in the heated nursery on May 4 th , 2007. Into the 

constant growing place in the greenhouse shoots were planted at the distances 

of 140 × 90 cm, three plants per each replication, on May 29. Experiment was 

carried out in three replications. Pumpkins of technical maturity were gathered 

on September 20. During pumpkin growing, morphological parameters of fruits 

were evaluated: height, diameter, weight and the average yield. In the pumpkins 

of technical maturity there was established: total amount of dry matter – gravimetrically; 

dry soluble solids – by refractometer, ascorbic acid – by titration with 

2.6-dichlorphenolindophenol sodium chloride solution; amount of nitrates – potentiometrically 

with ion-selective electrode; amount of carotenoids – spektrophotometrically 

according to Scot. 

The averages of experiment data and the standard errors were calculated using 

“MS Excel” program packet. For the evaluation of the data significance there 

was applied statistic program ANOVA (Tarakanovas, Raudonius, 2003). 

At the beginning of June, 2007 weather was slightly cooler. This might 

influence pumpkin flower formation; therefore they started to bloom only in the 

middle of June and started fruits at the first half of July. Morphological indices of 

pumpkin fruits were fixed in three stages. It was established that the main pumpkin 

fruit growth took place in August. Then they already had fruits characteristic to the 

cultivar. In September ripening processes occurred in fruits, therefore fruit weight 

didn’t differ strongly from the second weighting of pumpkin fruits. Investigations 

showed that pumpkin cultivar ‘Gele Reuzen’ produced fruits, which weighted on 

the average from 8.0 to 8.7 kg. 

68

Pumpkins accumulate on the average 4.73 % of dry soluble solids. Cultivar 

‘Beloruskaja’ distinguished itself with bigger their amount. Sugar concentration 

in pumpkins changed from 3.1 % to 4.29 %. The least amount of sugars was 

established in pumpkins of cultivar ‘Bambino’, the biggest one – in pumpkins 

of cultivar ‘Beloruskaja’. These vegetables accumulate little amount of ascorbic 

acid – on the average 3.33 mg 100 g -1 . Dependently on the cultivar, the amount 

of the accumulated nitrates in pumpkins change in wide limits – from 105 (‘Gele 

Reuzen’) up to 636 (‘Bambino’) mg kg -1 . The amount of carotenoids was investigated 

in the edible part of pumpkins. More of them there were established in 

cultivar ‘Beloruskaja’ (5.94 mg 100 g -1 ). 

69

THE ADAPTIVE PATHWAYS OF PLANTS 

TO LOW TEMPERATURE 

S. V. Klimov, T. A. Suvorova, G. P. Alieva 

Timiryazev Institute of Plant Physiology RAS, Moscow, Russia, 


Strategy of plant adaptation to low temperatures is connected with intracellular 

freezing avoidance. That kind of strategy is realized through numerous 

adjustments on different levels of plant structural organization. On whole plant 

level there are spatial or temporal frost exclusion and frost mitigation. Frost 

mitigation is realized through: active and passive frost protection; storage of heat 

by the plant; heat uptake from the surroundings; heat production during freezing; 

metabolic thermogenesis; metabolic arrest. On the cellular and subcellular 

levels there are: decrease of vacuole and increase of cytoplasm with organelles 

and another cytoplasmic particles; cytoskeletal depolymerization. Adaptation 

to low temperatures on the organelle- chloroplastic level is realized through 

the diminishing of grana stacks and through the complete degradation of starch 

granules. On the membrane level there are: augmentation of membranes under 

appearing of invaginations and folding; decrease of protein particles number on 

area of lipid bilayer; increase of fluidity of lipid bilayer due to homeoviscosity 

adaptation. Homeoviscosity adaptation on molecular level is result of: increase 

in ratios phospholipide / sterole, phophatidylcholine / phosphatidyletanolamine, 

digalactolipide/monogalactolipide, unsaturated / saturated fatty acids. On molecular 

level there is realized also the activation of hydrolytic enzymes, in particular 

activation of amylase, phospholipase and enzymes with antioxidative action. 

Following of bioenergetical concept of plant adaptation to low temperatures (Usp. 

Sovrem. Biologii. 1997. V.117, 2: 133–154) the maintenance of photosynthesis at 

low temperature after complete hydrolysis of starch and another form of reserve 

polysaccharides, in particular maintenance of increasing ratio of photosynthesis to 

respiration is prerequisite for adaptation. These processes are realized through the 

accumulation of sugars, proteins, lipids and of other cell byochemical ingredients 

and are visualized through the ultrastructural rearrangement of cell. The main way 

of adaptation to low temperatures apparently is realized through initial increase 

in cellular concentration of water-soluble carbohydrates. 

70

The Influence of Temperature and 

Epibrassinolid upon Phytohormone Growth 

Stimulating activity of Cucumber Plants 

T. S. Kolmykova, S. V. Aparin, A. S. Lukatkin 

State University of Mordovia, Saransk, Russia, 

e-mail: tskolmykova@yandex.ru 

Phytohormones are known to play an important role in plant adaptation processes. 

Under unfavorable conditions, the concentration of stimulating hormones 

decreases, whereas the activity of growth inhibitors increases. Such changes in 

hormone concentrations result in inhibition of the growth and in lowering of the 

exchange processes that ensure the survival of plants in unfavourable conditions. 

For this reason, the activity of stimulating phytohormones in cucumber sprouts 

has been studied at epibrassinolid in preseminal treatment of cucumber seeds. 

Cucumber sprouts of the sort “Izyashchny” were subject to epibrassinolid 

treatment. Preseminal soaking of seeds during 8 hours was made in 

water solutions of the regulator of different concentrations: 10 -6 M, 10 -7 M, 

10 -8 M, 10 -9 M. The seeds that had been soaked in water for 8 hours served 

as the control sample. When seed leaves sprang up, one part of the seeds 

from each variant was held at the temperature optimal for this culture 

(23–24 °C), the others two parts were held both at a lower temperature (10 °C) 

and a higher temperature (33–34 °C) for 3 days. The content of phytohormone 

active forms was determined quantitatively by biological tests. 

The determination of auxin activity showed that at the optimal temperature, 

the highest activity was observed at the concentration 10 -8 M, though a certain 

increase in the auxin activity was observed at the concentration 10 -7 M. Higher 

concentrations lowered the activity as compared to the control variant. A similar 

picture was observed at the high temperature: the highest content of auxin active 

forms was observed at the concentration 10 -8 M. However, the total content of 

phytohormones active forms in all expositions was lower than that at the optimal 

temperature. With an increase and a decrease of the concentration, the auxin activity 

became twice as less as compared to the control variant. At the temperature 

of 10 °C, an increase in the auxin activity was observed in this variant starting 

from the concentration 10 -7 M. The maximum content of auxin active eorms was 

observed in this variant at the lowest concentration 10 -9 M, exceeding the control 

variant by 4 times. 

The determination of gibberellins activities showed the preseminal epibrassinolid 

treatment to inhibit their activity of seeds in comparison with the control 

71

variant. This was clearly observed at the optimal and lower temperatures. At 

higher temperatures, the epibrassinolid treatment of seeds in the concentrations 

10 -8 M and 10 -9 M resulted in a small increase of the quantity of hybberellin active 

forms in comparison with other temperature variants, which was not higher 

than the control values. 

The determination of cytokinin activity showed that in the control variant, 

the highest activity was observed at the optimal temperature. In the concentration 

10 -6 M and 10 -7 M, the cytokinin activity showed a certain increase, but with a 

decrease in the regulator concentration this activity sharply decreased. At a lower 

temperature, the regularity mentioned above took place, although some minor 

differences were observed. First of all, the general content of cytokinin active 

forms in the control plants was by one order lower and, secondly, the maximum 

increase in these forms was observed at epibrassinolid treatment at the concentration 

10 -6 M, only. 

Further lowering of the concentration resulted in a decrease of the hormone 

activity. At temperatures of 33–34 °C, epibrassinolid stimulated the cytokinin 

activity of cucumber sprouts in the inverse dependence. At lower concentrations, 

the content of cytokinin active forms considerably increased, reaching the 

maximum at the concentration 10 -9 M. In this exposition, the leaf surface and dry 

mass were observed to grow up. 

Thus, the experiments carried out showed that at lower temperature epibrassinolid 

leads to an increased auxin activity. At high temperature, epibrassinolid 

stimulates cytokinin activity and increases the leaf surface area and dry 

mass. The preseminal cucumber seed treatment by epibrassinolid decreases the 

gibberellins activity. 

72

EFFECT OF DIFFERENT MINERAL NITROGEN 

AND COMPOST nutrition ON some 

compounds of CORN SALAD 

(Va l e r i a n e l l a Lo c u s ta (L.) LATTER.) 

Anna Kołton, Agnieszka Baran 

Department of Agricultural Chemistry, Faculty of Agriculture and 

Economics, Agricultural University, Mickiewicza 21, 31-120 Krakуw, 

Poland 



e-mail: koltona@ogr.ar.krakow.pl 

During spring and autumn in 2007 corn salad ‘Noordhollandse’ was grown 

in containers under shading cloth. The containers were filled with the clay loam 

soil. Before of the both sewing dates mineral nutrition was supplemented to the 

level 250 kg NPK · ha -1 in ratio 2 : 1 : 2. Mineral fertilizers and compost of the 

known composition were used as a source of nitrogen. The following treatments 

were applied in the experiment: 1 – control (without fertilization), 2 – Ca(NO 3 

) 2 

, 

3 – NH 4 

NO 3 

, 4 – compost. In both dates of growth climatic conditions were 

different. 

Contents of phenols, soluble sugars, chlorophyll a and b and carotenoids 

were analyzed in fresh material. Corn salad leaves harvested in autumn contained 

significantly more sugars and phenols than the spring ones. Mineral and compost 

fertilization decreased soluble sugar concentration as compared with control 

sample in both growing cycles, but only mineral fertilization decreased content 

of phenols. Compost treatment significantly increased content of phenols in 

corn salad in comparison with mineral fertilization and increased soluble sugar 

concentration as related to Ca(NO 3 

) 2 

application. Corn salad leaves of spring 

experiment had more chlorophyll and carotenoids than those of autumn one. At 

both growing period mineral fertilization increased carotenoids and chlorophyll 

concentrations as compared to control. In the spring the level of pigments was 

higher in the case of compost treatment than in the control sample, however, in 

autumn no significant differences were observed. Cultivation of corn salad fertilized 

with either mineral or compost may bring high quality yield both in spring 

and autumn growing cycles. 

73

Lectins activity of outer Organelle 

Membranes as Related to Endogenous Ligands 

in Cold-Adapted Seedlings of 

Winter Wheat 

E. Komarova, T. Trunova 

Timiryazev Institute of Plant Physiology, Russian Academy of Sciences, 

Botanicheskaya ul. 35, Moscow, 127276 Russia, e-mail: ifr@ippras.ru 

The hemagglutinating activity of lectins of outer organelle membranes was 

studied in freezing-tolerant winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L., cv. ‘Mironovskaya 

808’) plants in the course of hardening at 2 °C, in parallel with the effects of 

endogenous ligands from the soluble fraction on hemagglutinating activity. 

Low hardening temperature divergently changed hemagglutinating activity of 

lectins in the outer membranes of nuclei, plastids, mitochondria, and microsomal 

membranes: hemagglutinating activity was increased in nuclei and plastids and 

decreased in mitochondria and microsomal membranes. Under hardening conditions, 

with plant growth slowed down, hemagglutinating activity of lectins from 

outer organelle membranes was inhibited in the presence of the soluble fraction 

components (soluble ligands); such inhibition was not observed in the case of 

actively growing nonhardened seedlings. Hemagglutinating activity of outer 

membranes of nuclei and plastids enhanced by hardening manifested positive 

correlation with freezing tolerance and negative correlation with the growth rate. 

In contrast, hemagglutinating activity of outer membranes of mitochondria and 

microsomes was positively correlated with plant growth and negatively correlated 

with freezing tolerance. As negative and positive effectors of membrane-dependent 

processes, lectins of outer organelle membranes seem to control membrane functional 

activities in the course of cold adaptation. 

74

Peculiarities of biopotential formation of 

spring rape in the crops of different 

density depending on fertilization rates 

Aušra marcinkevičienė, Rimantas Velička, 

Pavelas Duchovskis, Robertas Kosteckas 

Lithuanian University of Agriculture, Studentų 11, LT-53361, Akademija, 

Kaunas distr., Lithuania, e-mail: robertas.kosteckas@gmail.com 

Over 2007 the research was carried out on (Calc(ar)i-Epihypogleyic Luvisols) 

of the Experimental station of Lithuanian University of Agriculture. The objective 

of this investigation was to compare the influence of crop density (50.1–100, 

100.1–150, 150.1–200, 200.1–250, 250.1–300, 300.1–350, 350.1–400, 400.1– 

450 plants m -2 ) and top fertilizing (without top fertilizing, with top fertilizing) on 

spring rape (Brassica napus L.) ‘Sponsor’ productivity. The crops were formed 

with the precise sowing machine taking into consideration seed germination and 

1000 seed mass. In top fertilization plants were fertilized two times: before rape 

sowing (N 60 

K 60 

) and at the budding stage (N 60 

). 

At rape crop density of 100.1–350 plants m -2 in comparison with the thinnest 

crop (50.1–100 plants m -2 ) the assimilating leaf area significantly decreased and 

the photosynthetic potential of plants significantly increased. The net photosynthetic 

productivity of the spring rape crop decreased. With the increase of the 

number of the plants in plot unit 250.1–300 plants m -2 the yield of the rape seeds 

significantly increased. 

At rape crop density of 150.1–200 plants m -2 and with top fertilizing a significant 

highest rape seed yield is observed. 

The research results indicated that the photosynthetic parameters of spring 

rape crop at a density of 100.1–250 plants m -2 was optimal and provided the basis 

for a high rape biopotential. 

75

EVALUATION OF WINTER RAPESEED 

SEEDLING COLD RESISTANCE 

Ramunė Kuprienė, Natalija Burbulis, Aušra Blinstrubienė, 

Rima Juozaitytė, Regina Malinauskaitė 

Lithuanian University of Agriculture, Studentų 9, Akademija, Kaunas distr., 

LT-53361, Lithuania, e-mail: r.kupriene@gmail.com 

A major factor affecting winter rapeseed (Brassica napus L.) production in 

Lithuania is winter-hardiness or cold tolerance, which can be enhanced by cold 

acclimation. The effect of endogenous and exogenous factors on cold tolerance 

of winter rapeseed seedling in vitro was investigated. Experiment was comprised 

of four hardening term, three freezing temperature, eight winter rapeseed cultivars, 

and four concentration of sucrose in medium. Seedlings of 2 weeks growth 

stage were hardened in a vernalization chamber at 4 °C for 14, 28, 42 and 56 

days. Then plants were placed in a programmable freezing chamber at 3 °C and 

temperature decreased/increased 1°C h -1 to and from a minimum temperature. 

Freezing temperature was -7, -9, and – -11 °C, duration of freezing temperature 

was 24 h. After freezing, seedlings were transferred to a growth chamber for 30 

days. The numbers of living seedlings were determined for each treatment. It was 

established that optimal hardening term and cold resistance of winter rapeseed 

seedling in vitro is strongly genotype depended. Increasing levels of sucrose 

in culture medium significantly improved cold resistance of tested genotypes. 

Optimal freezing temperatures for genotype differentiation in vitro have been 

obtained. Winter rapeseed cultivars differing in cold tolerance were selected for 

future investigation. 

76

Effect of the photoperiod duration on the 

growth of Ch r y s a n t h e m u m 

plantlets in vitro 

Anželika Kurilčik 1, 2 , Stasė Dapkūnienė 2 , Genadij Kurilčik 3 , 

Silva Žilinskaitė 2 , Artūras Žukauskas 3 , Pavelas Duchovskis 1 

1 



2 

Botanical Gardens of Vilnius University, Kairėnų 43, LT-10239, Vilnius, 

Lithuania, e-mail: a.kurilcik@lsdi.lt 

3 


Saulėtekio 9-III, LT-10222 Vilnius, Lithuania 

We report on the influence of the photoperiod duration on chrysanthemum 

growth that was studied using light-emitting diode (LED)-based illuminator. After 

transplantation, culture of chrysanthemum (Chrysanthemum morifolium Ramat. 

‘Ellen’) was in vitro grown in Murashige & Skoog modified nutrient medium in 

a phytotron for 42 days at 26/22 °C day/night temperature. Five groups of plants 

were simultaneously grown under independently set different photoperiod regimes: 

8 h, 12 h, 16 h, 20 h and 24 h, respectively. All treatments were illuminated 

using an illumination system consisting of four groups of LEDs emitting in the blue 

(450 nm), red (640 and 660 nm), and far-red (735 nm) spectral regions. The intensity 

ratio of the light components was fixed at 14 % for 450 nm, 36 % for 640 nm, 

36 % for 660 nm, and 14 % for 735 nm component. The total photon flux density 

(PFD) in all treatments was maintained at the same level (55 ± 5 µmol m -2 s -1 ). 

Morphological and biometric parameters and concentration of photosynthetic 

pigments and phytohormones in the plantlets were measured after the experiment. 

With an increase of photoperiod duration from 8 h to 24 h, the dry and fresh 

weight (DW and FW, respectively) as well the number of leaves and DW to FW 

ratio continually increases. The highest values of the length of shoots and roots, 

and number of roots were observed in plantlets grown at 16 h photoperiod. The 

interaction between the growth parameters and the concentration of phytohormones 

was established. Meanwhile, differences in concentration of photosynthesis 

pigments were not significant. 

Acknowledgment. The authors would like to acknowledge the support from 

the Lithuanian Science and Studies Foundation. 

77

BIOLOGICAL CONTROL OF POTATO 

AGAINST Rh i z o c t o n i a So l a n i (KŪHN) 

Halina Kurzawińska 1 , Stanisław Mazur 2 

1 

Department of Plant Protection, Agricultural University in Krakow, 

Al. 29 Listopada 54, 31-425 Krakow, Poland, 

e-mail: hkurzaw@ogr.ar.krakow.pl 

2 

Department of Plant Protection, Agricultural University in Krakow, 

Al. 29 Listopada 54, 31-425 Krakow, Poland 

The application of fungicides is the most frequent treatment in plant protection 

including protection of potatoes. In the modern plant protection increasing 

interest of biological method is observed. Mentioned biological method consists 

of replacing pesticides with bio-preparations based on antagonistic microorganisms, 

plant extracts or organic compounds. 

The studies were carried out both in vitro and in vivo conditions. The in vitro 

evaluation of bio-preparations Polyversum (B. A. S. Pythium oligandrum) and 

Biochikol 020 PC (B. A. S. chitosan) on the Rhizoctonia solani mycelium linear 

growth was investigated. As the standard fungicide the Vitavax 2000 FS (s. a. 

karboxin and thiuram) was used. Preparations taken under consideration were 

applied at 3 concentrations. The field experiment was conducted at the Experimental 

Station at Mydlniki near Krakуw owned by Department of Plant Protection 

Academy of Agriculture during 2005–2007. The aim of this study was the effect of 

bio-preparations Polyversum and Biochikol 020 PC used during potato vegetation 

period on the tuber infestation by sclerots of Rhizoctonia solani. According to the 

results, obtained from in vitro tests the significant effect on the inhibition percent 

of Rhizoctonia solani mycelium linear growth (in comparison to the control) was 

observed by Vitavax 2000 FS and Polyversum preparations and only at the highest 

concentration (2 %) by Biochikol 020 PC preparation. 

On the received results of investigations, was ascertained, that tested preparations 

during potato vegetation period influenced on lower (in comparison with 

control) degree of bulbs infestation by sclerots of Rhizoctonia solani. Degree of 

tubers infestation by this pathogen in combination with tested preparations was 

also essentially lower in comparison with control. 

78

Effect of harvest maturity on quality and 

storage ability of apple cv. ‘Ligol’ 

Nomeda Kviklienė, Alma Valiuškaitė, Pranas Viškelis 


Kaunas distr., Lithuania, e-mail: n.kvikliene@lsdi.lt 

The effect of fruit maturity on apple cv. ‘Ligol’ storage ability and rot development 

was investigated at the Lithuanian Institute of Horticulture in 2003–2004. 

Fruits for storage were harvested 5 times at weekly intervals before, during and 

after predictable optimum harvest date. Fruit internal and external quality changes 

were measured during harvest period, and the presence of storage disorders and 

mass losses at the end of storage. During investigation period fruit quality parameters 

changed according to harvest date and were specific for each trial year. 

Later harvested fruits were softer. Content of soluble solids did not depend on 

harvest time. Fruit storage ability was closely connected to fruit maturity. After 

180 days of storage apples picked one week before climacteric peak were of the 

best quality and with the smallest mass losses caused by decay and water loss. 

79

IDENTIFICATION OF FLAX GENOTYPES 

USING RAPD AND SSR MARKERS 

Valentina Lemesh 

Institute Genetics and Cytology of National Academy of 

Sciences of Belarus, Akademicheskaya st. 27, 220072 Minsk, Belarus, 

e-mail: v.lemesh@igc.bas-net.by 

RAPD and SSR analysis has been applied to detect genetic variation in the 

collection accessions. We used RAPD method for the analysis of flax species. 

It was shown that each species has its own certain spectrum of RAPD products 

differing from the other in the number of fragments, their size and the expression 

degree. However, the variation between closely related accessions is difficult to 

identify by RAPD. We performed more detailed investigations of the flax accessions 

by SSR. Forty seven accessions of a different geographical origin (Belarus, 

Lithuania, Poland, Russia, the Netherlands, France, Canada, USA) were used. 

A cluster analysis allowed distinction of all the analysed cultivars. They were 

divided into two groups of fiber flax and linseed type though this division was 

characterized by low bootstrap values, with genetic distances between fiber flax 

cultivars being much less as compared to linseed cultivars. Fiber flax cultivars 

are subdivided into two subclusters. One of them consists of some cultivars of 

West European breeding, such as ‘Laura’ and ‘Belinka’, as well as of Lithuanian 

cultivars ‘Baltučiai’. Another subcluster contains ancient and modern cultivars of 

Belarusian breeding. All these facts indicate that the breeding methods, used at 

present in fiber flax cultivars, result in the reduction in genetic diversity. A similar 

tendency is not observed among linseed cultivars. On the other hand, RAPD locus 

variability, detected in modern fiber flax cultivars, was on the average moderate. 

Judging by the share of the fixed recessive RAPD loci in fiber flax cultivars released 

in various years, no evidence of genetic erosion was found over the 80-year 

period of carrying out breeding programs in the Belarus area. 

80

On sugar beetroot grown for biothanol 

production fertilizer ratios 

Albinas Šiuliauskas, Vytautas Liakas, Elena Liakienė, 

Vytautas Rauckis, Virgilijus Paltanavičius 

Lithuanian University of Agriculture, Studentų 11, LT-53067 Akademija, 

Kaunas distr., Lithuania, e-mail: vytautas.liakas@gmail.com. 

At the experimental station of the Lithuanian University of Agriculture 

(Kaunas region) in 2002–2004 and in Eiriрkės (Panavėюys region) in 

2005–2007 the trials on sugar beetroot fertilization ratios were carried out in order 

to determine the possible yields. Varieties comparison data obtained from the trials 

carried out in Kaunas experimental station of plant varieties were assessed. The 

soil of the experimental station in Kaunas region is Calci – Epihypogleic Luvisols 

IDg8-k (LVg-p-w-cc). Granulometric composition – loam of average heaviness. 

The soil metathesis acidity – pH kcl 

7.0–7.2, humus – 2.2–2.5 %. Phosphorus content 

165–173, potassium content 119–174 mg kg -1 . The soil of the experimental 

station in Panevėюys region is Endocalcari-Endohypogleyic Cambisols. The soil 

metathesis acidity – pH kcl 

7.4–7.6, humus – 2.4–2.8 %. 

During 2002–2004 variety ‘Anna’ was used in the trials, whereas in 

2005–2007 there was used variety ‘Belmonte’. 

Trail data revealed that in cases without limitation for sugar beetroot quality 

such as alpha aminonitrogens, amount of natrium and potassium in the roots, the 

fertilization ratios in comparison with the ratios determined for the plants grown 

for sugar production might be increased two and more times. In 2002–2004 the 

maximum fertilization ratio – N 200 

P 150 

K 300 

resulted in sugar beetroot yield increase 

30.5–41.8 t ha -1 in comparison with not fertilized variant and optimum fertilization 

ratio N 80 

P 60 

K 120 

determined for the sugar beetroots grown for sugar production. 

Data of 2005–2007 indicated that in the years favorable for sugar beetroot growth 

the efficacy of the maximum fertilization ratio was even higher. In the variants 

of the maximum fertilization N 200 

P 80 

K 190 

the yields were by 20 t ha -1 higher than 

in the variants fertilized with N 80 

P 80 

K 190 

. Although under the influence of higher 

fertilization ratios the saccharinity of the sugar beetroots decreased considerably, 

however the sugar content in this variant was by 1.97–3.78 t ha -1 higher. 

The expediency of the sugar beetroot growing for biothanol is proven by 

the yields 67.0–87.8 t ha -1 or sugar output in Kaunas plant variety experimental 

station. 

81

light quality effects on the growth and 

morphological features of garden cress in 

Simulated weightlessness 

Regina Losinska, Danguolė Raklevičienė, 

Danguolė Švegždienė, Ramunė Stanevičienė, 

Dalia Koryznienė, Rokas Jackevičius 


Physiology, Žaliųjų ežerų 49, LT-80406 Vilnius, Lithuania, 

e-mail: regina.losinska@botanika.lt 

The influence of spectral components of light on growth, 

morphological and tropistic responses of garden cress (Lepidium sativum L.) 

seedlings was investigated in weightlessness simulated by slow (3-rpm) horizontal 

clinorotation (HC). Unidirectional monochromatic blue (450 nm, 4.5 µmol m -2 s -1 ) 

or red (660 nm, 9.0 µmol m -2 s -1 ) illumination was applied separately or simultaneously. 

The seedlings were cultivated for four days under HC and in a vertical 

stationary position (control, 1 g), the both in the dark or in continuous (24 h/d) as 

well as in 8 h/d light. Growth, morphogenic and curvature responses of hypocotyls 

and leaves caused by altered gravity and light were evaluated and compared with 

control samples at 1 g or in the dark. In 8 h/d blue light the elongation of hypocotyls 

did not change significantly, however, that of leafstalks was promoted by 65–70 % 

in both gravity conditions. Continuous lighting suppressed the elongation of hypocotyl 

and promoted the growth of leaves more considerably as compared with 

8 h/d light photoperiod. Red and blue light applied separately did not significantly 

affect the angles between the two primary leaves, but, applied together, enhanced 

the leafstalk opening in both 1-g and clinorotated seedlings. Complex action of 

blue and red light promoted the opening of leaves more significantly under HC 

as compared with 1 g conditions. Blue light applied in 8 h/d and 24 h/d increased 

the area of 1-g leaves by 55 % and 81 % and that of clinorotated leaves by 44 % 

and 77 %, respectively. Elimination of gravitropic induction in light affected the 

leaf surface altering the density and parameters of stomata. Continuous lighting 

eliminated differences in leaf growth related to gravitational environment. The 

obtained results confirmed the assumption about the interaction between physiological 

responses induced by light and gravity. 

Acknowledgements. This work was supported by the Lithuanian State Science 


82

EFFECT OF A ROOTSTOCK AND SOIL 

MAINTENANCE SYSTEM ON CHANGES 

IN ORGANIC COMPOUNDS IN APPLES 

DURING STORAGE 

Bogumił Markuszewski, Jan Kopytowski 


Ul. Prawocheсskiego 21, 10-719 Olsztyn, Poland, 

e-mail: bogumil.markuszewski@uwm.edu.pl 

A study was undertaken to analyze the chemical composition of fresh and 

stored apples picked from trees grafted on various rootstocks and cultivated in 

different systems of soil maintenance. 

The experiment was conducted in Rakowice near Lubawa (province of 

Warmia and Mazury) in 2003–2005. It covered apple trees of cultivar ‘Szampion’ 

grafted on M.26 and MM.106 rootstock; cultivar ‘Gloster’ grafted on M.26 

rootstock; and seedling of cultivar ‘Antonуwka’ with B9 graft. Six systems of 

soil maintenance were applied under rows of trees: control, bark mulch, sawdust, 

black polypropylene cloth, manure, and herbicide fallow. All treatments applied 

in the orchard followed methods of integrated production. The chemical analysis 

of fruits was carried out annually on fresh fruits and those stored for four months 

under common cold storage conditions. The fruits were measured for contents of 

dry matter, vitamin C, total sugars, monosaccharides and organic acids. 

The content of chemical constituents in fruit appeared to depend on the 

period of analysis, year of study, cultivar, rootstock and soil maintenance system. 

After storage, the fruits contained less dry matter, vitamin C and organic acids, 

and more total sugars and monosaccharides. Low precipitation in the vegetative 

season accompanied by higher temperatures facilitated accumulation of dry matter, 

vitamin C and organic acids in the fruits. The highest value of fruits was reported 

for cv. ‘Szampion’ grafted on MM 106 rootstock. The system of soil maintenance 

in the orchard was found to affect fruit quality, especially with a combination of 

polypropylene cloth and manure. 

83

Chlorophyll fluorescence in senescing 

leaves of alstremeria 

Barbara Michalczuk, Bożenna Borkowska, Jadwiga Treder, 

Danuta M. Goszczyńska 

Research Institute of Pomology and Floriculture Pomologiczna 18, 96-100 

Skierniewice, Poland, e-mail: bmichal@insad.pl 

High sensitivity of photosynthetic apparatus to biotic and abiotic stresses as 

well as its decreasing structural and functional integrity in senescing plant organs 

is well known. In the presented study it has been attempted to utilize chlorophyll 

fluorescence parameters as indices of plant physiological age. The experiments 

were done on alstremeria plant cv. ‘Juanita’ grown in greenhouse under either 

optimal watering or water stress. Chlorophyll a fluorescence parameters were 

measured on leaves varying in age (differently positioned on the stem) with the 

help of MINI-PAM florescence analyzer (Walz, Germany). 

It has been demonstrated that fluorescence parameters ETR, qP and Fo are 

influenced most by the stress conditions during plant growth, whereas parameters 

Fv/Fm, Fo i Fv/Fo are reflecting best the progress of plant senescence. The usefulness 

of chlorophyll fluorescence measurements for evaluating physiological age 

of cut alstremeria flowers and their predicted vase life is discussed. 

84

Alteration of isoprenoid biosynthesis pathways 

in plum (Pr u n u s do m e s t l c a L.) infected with 

Plum pox virus 

Katarzyna Kowalczys, Danuta Wójcik, Lech Michalczuk 

Research Institute of Pomology and Floriculture, Department of Plant 

Physiology and Biochemistry, Pomologiczna 18, 96-100 Skierniewice, 

Poland, e-mail: lmichal@insad.pl 

Isoprenoids have often been suggested to play a major role in plant defense/ 

response to herbivore attack and pathogen infection (Wanke et al., 2001; Ferry 

et al., 2004). Unfortunately, the knowledge about regulation of their biosynthesis 

in higher plants is limited. The mavolonate-dependent pathway in plants has been 

known for many years, but a new, 1–deoxyxylulose-5-phosphate (DXP)-mediated 

pathway was identified in the last few years and its related intermediates, enzymes, 

and genes have been characterized quite recently. 

In our studies on molecular mechanisms of plum (Prunus domestica L.) 

resistance to plum pox (sharka), cDNA-AFLP product showing differential expression 

upon infection with Plum Pox Virus (PPV), was cloned and sequenced. 

BLAST analysis (tblastx; National Center for Biotechnology Information, http:// 

www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov), revealed its high homology (87 %) to Lycopersicon 

esculentum 1-deoxy-D-xylulose-5-phosphate reductoisomerase gene. This may 

suggests that isoprenoids play a role in sharka pathogenesis/resistance in Prunus 

domestica. 

85

Elucidation of auxin binding proteins COM- 

PARTMENTATION in KIDNEY BEAN CELL mitochondria 

Rima Mockevičiūtė, Nijolė Anisimovienė 

Laboratory of Plant Physiology, Institute of Botany, Žaliųjų ežerų 49, 

LT-08406 Vilnius, Lithuania, e-mail: rima.mockeviciute@botanika.lt 

It was possible to assume, that plant cell mitochondria has the capacity to 

produce indole-3-acetic acid (IAA), although the role of this organelle (having 

the unique genome and several individual protein synthesis machinery) in IAA 

physiological function realization in respect to this organelle and the whole cell 

has not been investigated so far. The aim of our investigation was to elucidate if 

the specific auxin binding proteins (ABPs) are localized and functioning in plant 

cell mitochondria. 

The earlier data of our investigations show that the specifically bound 

IAA-ABP complexes could be formed in intact and functioning mitochondria at 

optimal pH 7.0. The main characteristics (K A 

, amount of specifically bound IAA 

with protein unit, specificity of formed IAA-ABP complexes, K D, 

number of IAA 

binding sites – n) of IAA-ABP complexes formed in mitochondria are different 

from IAA-ABP complexes formed in other plant cell compartments: plasmalemma, 

chloroplast membranes and stroma, and cytosol. 

Elucidation in which sub-compartment of mitochondria is localized and 

functioning ABPs was complicated. Based on experimental results the possibility 

of ABPs functioning in matrix has been refused. The difficulties on elucidation 

of ABPs functioning in these organelle membranes have been concerned with 

solubilization of mitochondria membrane proteins. 

According to obtained results, it has been proposed: mitochondrial ABPs 

may be localized in membranous structures; this feature may be characteristic 

for integral membranes proteins. 

86

Use of in vitro technologies for a rapid 

propagation of Fi c u s el a s t i c a Roxb. 

Eugen V. Mokshin, Alexander S. Lukatkin 

Mordovian State University, Department of Botany and Plant Physiology, 

Bolshevistskaja Str., 68, Saransk, 430000, Russia, 

e-mail: aslukatkin@yandex.ru 

One of perspective modern ways of species diversity enlarging in regards to 

room ornamental plants is the method of in vitro clonal propagation. This method 

allows fast multiplying planting material; besides, it allows increasing reproduction 

coefficient considerably. 

The object of research was room ornamental plant Ficus elastica. The experiment 

included sterilization, introduction in culture in vitro, micropropagation. For 

obtaining well growing sterile culture plant material was subjected to stepwise 

sterilization by following: 1 – object was dissected on some parts; 2 – the segments 

were sterilized by KMnO 4 

, C 2 

H 5 

OH, chloramin, Domestos; 3 – then explants were 

triply washed with sterile distilled water; 4 – thin layers of explant boards were 

undercut apart 1–1.5 mm from each side of segments; 5 – the explants were divided 

into segments of 5 Ч 5 mm and each placed on agarized medium. As the basic 

medium was used Murashige and Skoog (MS) basal medium (pH 5.8–5.9) with 

0.7 % agar, vitamins thiamin and pyridoxine (to 1 mg/l), ascorbic acid (15 mg/l), 

sucrose (40 g/l), supplemented with growth regulators indolylacetic acid (IAA) 

from 0.5 to 1.5 mg/l and 6-benzylaminopurine (6-BAP) from 0.5 to 4.0 mg/l. 

Culture was growing at the temperature of 18–23 °C and illumination by white 

luminescent lamps with light intensity 3 kLx (about 120 µmol photons m -2 s -1 ) 

for 8 weeks. 

The first stage of the introducing in culture in vitro was the screening of 

explant sterilization effective conditions. As a result of the research there was 

found that the best sterilizing agent for F. elastica had 6 % chloramin with 

5 minutes exposition. 

The second stage was the micrpropagation of F. elastica by shoot formation. 

Different concentrations of IAA and 6-BAP were supplied into medium for shoot 

formation induction. Maximum shoot quantity on F. elastica explants (24 shoots/ 

explant) were in variant with 1.5 mg/l 6-BAP + 1.5 mg/l IAA. Besides shoot 

quantity, growth regulators influenced shoot size. The medium supplemented with 

1.5 mg/l 6-BAP + 1.5 mg/l IAA promoted maximal shoot length (14.2 mm). 

The obtained in vitro F. elastica plants were propagated according to the 

standard method. The basic medium was changed by variation in ratio and concentrations 

of growth regulators (6-BAP, IAA). The researches have shown that 

the medium supplemented with 2.0 mg/l 6-BAP + 1.5 mg/l IAA was the most 

87

effective for F. elastica shoot formation (up to 25 shoots/explant). Also this variant 

of medium showed the maximal shoot length (15 mm). The growth regulator 

levels in medium influenced leave formation in vitro. Most effectively this process 

was in medium variants supplemented with of 1.5 mg/l 6-BAP + 1.5 mg/l IAA 

or 2.0 mg/l 6-BAP + 1.5 mg/l IAA (7 leaves/shoot). 

At the micropropogation stage there was observed intensive rhizogenesis. 

The best development of root system was on medium supplemented with 1.5 mg/l 

6-BAP + 1.5 mg/l IAA. At the first week in this medium it was shown the formation 

of roots with multiple root hairs. Then light-brown roots formed. After 

roots appearance, the intensive plant growth started; the leaf plates and shoots 

elongated. 

Thus, in vitro propagation is very important way of multiplying of ornamental 

plant F. elastica Roxb. The method has some features, which need to be used 

introducing F. elastica Roxb. culture in vitro. 

88

CONSIDERATION OF FACTORS AFFECTING SEED 

YIELD AND QUALITY OF OILSEED RAPE 

(Br a s s i c a Na p u s L.) 

Leonida Novickienė 1 , Laimutė Miliuvienė 1 , 

Virgilija Gavelienė 1 , Lina Pakalniškytė 1 , Irena Brazauskienė 2 , 

Bronislava Butkutė 2 , Eglė Petraitienė 2 

1 

Institute of Botany, Žaliųjų ežerų 49, LT-08406 Lithuania, 

e-mail: leonida.novickiene@botanika.lt 

2 

Lithuanian Institute of Agriculture, Dotnuva-Akademija, 

Kėdainiai distr., Lithuania 

The fact that plant varieties differ in their specific genetic information 

concerting growth and development, which is differently used in the course of 

ontogenesis should be kept in mind while improving rape-growing techniques. 

The plant growth regulators are playing important role too in crop production; 

they are increasingly being used to manipulate plant growth and yield. 

The aim of presented work is to compare the growth, development, seed 

yield and their quality of winter oilseed rape linear varieties ‘Accord’, ‘Casino’ 

and hybrid ‘Kasimir’ and to study the effect of auxin physiological analogues 

on these parameters. 

Summarizing our data we stated that auxin analogues – compound 

TA-12 (417 g ha -1 ) and – TA-14 (370 g ha -1 ) showed positive effect on rape cold 

acclimation – preparation for wintering, wintering, plant growth and development 

in spring. Under the effect of compound TA-12 seed yield of variety ‘Accord’ 

increased 0.40 t ha -1 , - TA-14 – 0.38 t ha -1 , the control yield 2.42 t ha -1 ; seed yield 

of rape variety ‘Casino’ increased respectively by 0.45 t ha -1 and by 0.64 t ha -1 , 

the control yield being 3.53 t ha -1 ; seed yield of hybrid ‘Kasimir’ increased respectively 

0.57 and 0.43 t ha -1 , the control yield – 2.86 t ha -1 . 

Seed quality is an important parameter. Tested compounds did not significantly 

change the quantity of raw fat and raw protein. Though, the dynamics of 

fat in ripened ‘Casino’ seeds showed that compounds TA-12 and TA-14 had a 

considerable effect on fat concentration in the seeds of siliquae of lateral (I–III) 

branches. 

Thus, by applying auxin physiological analogues the stable seed yield and 

its quality is obtained. 

Acknowledgment. This study was partly supported by Lithuanian State Science 

Foundation (Project “Biokuras”). 

89

ENLARGEMENT OF WHEAT GENE POOL BY 

REMOTE HYBRIDIZATION 

Olga Orlovskaya, Lidiya Koren, Lyubov Khotyleva 


Belarus, 220072, Minsk, Academicheskaya st. 27, Belarus, 

e-mail: O.Orlovskaya@igc.bas-net.by 

The strategy of plant breeding at the advanced level of development is aimed 

at increasing cultivar resistance to abiotic and biotic stresses with maintaining a 

high crop capacity and product quality. Development of diverse gene pool adapted 

to growth conditions is of great importance for solving this problem. On view of 

this, wild relatives, which carry genes determining many agronomic traits, are 

more often involved in enlarging the gene pool of cereals. 

Tetraploid species (T. persicum, T. dicoccum, T. dicoccoides, T. dicoccoides 

K5199, T. polonicum, T. turgidum, 2n = 28) and diploid species T. monococcum 

(2n = 14) of genus Triticum were involved in crosses with common wheat cultivars 

(2n = 42) for enriching and improving Triticum aestivum gene pool. Thirty four 

crossing combinations (out of them 14 direct and 20 back crosses) were carried 

out. Common wheat relatives acted as both a maternal and paternal crossing 

component since a success of interspecific hybridization depends not only on 

species involved in hybridization, but also on a crossing direction. 

Seed setting ranged between 1.39 and 44.4 %. Steady high values for the 

analysed parameter were observed using remote hybridization of T. persicum 

K11899 (26.2–37.2 %). The analysis of the obtained results has shown that, 

crossing hexaploid and tetraploid wheat, fertilization proceeds more successfully 

when a pollinator is multichromosomal species. However, filling of set seeds 

was higher in those combinations where tetraploid species acted as a pollinator. 

On back crossing combinations, seeds were more wrinkled with poorly filled 

endosperm and in some of them endosperm was practically absent. Application 

of biotechnological methods in vitro will make it possible to keep the obtained 

hybrid material in all the crossing combinations in future. 

90

EFFECT OF APPLE TREE FRUIT BUD 

THINNING ON THE YIELD AND SELECTED 

QUALITY TRAITS OF APPLES 

PART I. EFFECT OF APPLE TREE FRUIT 

BUD THINNING ON THE YIELD OF THREE 

VARIETIES OF APPLE TREE 

Jadwiga Waźbińska, Marek Adamczak, Stanisław Tyburski, 

Beata Płoszaj 


ul. Prawocheсskiego 21, 10-957 Olsztyn, Poland, 

e-mail: beata.ploszaj@uwm.edu.pl 

The experiment was established in commercial orchard with integrated fruit 

production, located in the area of Rypin, on three varieties of apple tree (‘Elstar’, 

‘Jonica’, and ‘Sampion’) in 1997–1999. ‘Elstar’ was planted on M.26 rootstock 

at a spacing of 3.8 × 1.8 m, ‘Jonica’ on M.9 rootstock at a spacing of 3.8 × 1.3 m, 

and ‘Sampion’ on M.26 rootstock at a spacing of 3.8 × 1.6 m. The crowns of the 

trees were trimmed in the form of spindle. 

The following variants were established in the study: control; hand thinning; 

Pomonit R –10 at a dose of 0.2 ml (NAA – 20 mg) together with Flordimex 420 SL 

at a dose of 0.4 ml (Etefon – 168 mg) per liter of water; Pomonit R – 10 at a dose 

of 0.3 ml (NAA – 30 mg) together with Flordimex 420 SL at a dose of 0.6 ml (Etefon 

– 252 mg) per liter of water; Pomonit R- 10 at a dose of 0.2 ml (NAA – 20 mg) 

together with fertilizing urea (46 % of nitrogen) at a concentration of 2 %. 

The effect of various methods of fruit thinning on the mean yield of fruits 

per tree was differentiated. The highest mean yield per tree was obtained after the 

application of Pomonit R – 10 at a dose of 0.2 ml (NAA – 20 mg) together with 

2 % urea, whereas the lowest was with the application of NAA 30 mg/l with etefon 

252 mg/l, wherein the buds were thinned to the greatest extent. Hand thinning 

reduced the mean yield of fruits per tree compared to the control variant. 

Experimental years were also found to affect the mean yield of fruits per tree 

and per hectare. A higher yield per tree was obtained in 1998 and 1999, whereas 

the lowest yields per ha were reported in 1997. 

The investigated apple tree varieties produced different yields of fruits per 

tree as affected by different methods of fruit bud thinning. Varieties ‘Elstar’ and 

‘Sampion’ were characterized by the greatest decline in the mean yield per tree 

after application of NAA 30 mg/l with etefon 252 mg/l. 

As a result of the thinning methods applied, the method of thinning was found 

to affect the mean fruit yield per hectare. The highest yields per ha were obtained 

after the application of NAA 20 mg/l with 2 % urea, whereas medium yields per 

ha were obtained after the application of NAA 20 mg/l with etefon 168 mg/l and 

NAA 20 mg/l with 2 % urea. 

91

EFFECT OF APPLE TREE FRUIT BUD 

THINNING ON THE YIELD AND SELECTED 


PART II. EFFECT OF APPLE TREE FRUIT 

BUD THINNING ON SELECTED 


Jadwiga Waźbińska, Marek Adamczak, Stanisław Tyburski, 

Beata Płoszaj 



e-mail: beata.ploszaj@uwm.edu.pl 

Research was carried out on three varieties of apple trees (‘Elstar’, ‘Jonica’ 

and ‘Sampion’) in 1997–1999. The following variants were established in the 

study: control; hand thinning; Pomonit R – 10 at a dose of 0.2 ml (NAA – 20 mg) 

together with Flordimex 420 SL at a dose of 0.4 ml (Etefon – 168 mg) per liter of 

water; Pomonit R – 10 at a dose of 0.3 ml (NAA – 30 mg) together with Flordimex 

420 SL at a dose of 0.6 ml (Etefon – 252 mg) per liter of water; Pomonit R – 10 at 

a dose of 0.2 ml (NAA – 20 mg) together with fertilizing urea (46 % of nitrogen) 

at a concentration of 2 %. 

Significant differences were observed in the mean weight of a single fruit 

between particular thinning variants. The weight of a fruit from the three experimental 

years ranged from 165.9 g to 179.5 g in the thinned trees and was higher 

than that in the non-thinned trees (149 g). The highest weight of a single fruit 

(179.5 g) was obtained with the application of higher concentrations of NAA 

30 mg/l with etefon 252 g/l. This variant (67 %) was also the most efficient in 

yielding the highest number of large fruits (diameter > 7.5 cm). 

No explicit effect of the applied variants of hand and chemical thinning was 

found on the increase in the number of apples with blush among the varieties 

examined. The higher degree of fruit bud reduction was, however, observed to 

increase the number of fruits with blush. 

92

Oxidative stress in the tobacco 

plants at hypothermia 

Valeriy Popov, Olga Antipina, Tamara Trunova 

Institute of Plant Physiology, Russian Academy of Sciences, Botanicheskaya 

Street 35, 127276 Moscow, Russia, e-mail: trunova@ippras.ru 

Tobacco plants (Nicotiana tabacum L.) transformed with the desC gene for 

acyl-lipid ∆9-desaturase from a thermophilic cyanobacterium Synechococcus 

vulcanus were cultivated on the agarized Murashige and Skoog medium at 22 °C 

and a 16 h photoperiod. Tobacco plants transformed with an empty binary vector 

pGA482 served as the control. The investigations showed that, in contrast to the 

control, transgenic plants maintained a higher activity of antioxidant enzymes 

during 2 h incubation at 2 °C, as a result, these plants resisted more efficiently 

the accumulation of reactive oxygen species and reduced the rate of the lipid 

peroxidation. The activity of antioxidant enzymes in the transformed plants is 

apparently related to the operation of the introduced desC gene for acyl-lipid 

∆9-desaturase because the enhanced activity of the latter increased the relative 

content of polyunsaturated fatty acid in membrane lipids and in this way promoted 

the liquid state of membranes during the chilling period. These changes helped 

to preserve the cellular homeostasis and thereby maintain the steady synthesis 

of antioxidant enzymes at hypothermic conditions; as a result, cold resistance of 

transformed tobacco plants increased. 

Acknowledgments. This work was supported by the Russian Foundation for 

Basic Research, project no. 06-04-48291. 

93

POSSIBILITIES to SIMULATE productivity of 

spring barley using model DSSAT v4 

Virmantas Povilaitis 1 , Sigitas Lazauskas 1 , Pavelas Duchovskis 2 

1 

Lithuanian institute of agriculture, Department of plant nutrition and 

agroecology, Akademija, Dotnuva, Kedainiai distr., Lithuania, 

e-mail: virmantas@lzi.lt 

2 

Lithuanian Institute of Horticulture, Laboratory of Plant Physiology, 

Kauno 30, LT-54333 Babtai, Kaunas distr., Lithuania, 

e-mail: p.duchovskis@lsdi.lt 

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the possibilities of model 

DSSAT v4.0.2.0 to simulate the main agronomic parameters of spring 

barley. The model was tested using the results of experiments conducted at the 

Lithuanian institute of agriculture on light loam soil. Spring barley varieties (‘Roland’, 

‘Aidas’, ‘Auksiniai 3’) were grown under two levels of intensity (with and without 

mineral fertilizes and plant protection) and two levels of seed density (3.0 millions 

and 4.5 millions seed per ha -1 ). The meteorological conditions can be defined as 

optimal for barley growth in 1990, 1991 and 1993, and too dry in 1992. 

The model input was supplied with actual experimental site soil parameters 

and meteorological data, which are typical for Middle Lithuania – the most 

productive area of spring barley. The model DSSAT v4.0.2.0 relatively well 

simulated the number of days from planting till grain maturity, and number of 

productive stem per m -2 . The grain yield was simulated satisfactorily in years 

with sufficient rainfall, and poorly in dry year. The relatively highest deviations 

of simulated values from experimental data were found for the one-grain weight. 

There is a need for further research aimed at reducing of the inadequacy between 

the simulated values and actual experimental data, especially targeting models 

soil and plant genetic blocks. 

Acknowledgements. The authors gratefully acknowledge the financial support 

from the Lithuanian Science and Studies Foundation. 

94

EFFECT OF SEEDLING TYPE ON THE ROOTING OF 

EVERGREEN BARBERRIES (Be r b e r i s Ju l i a n a e 

C. K. Sc h n e i d., Be r b e r i s Ve r r u c u l o s a He m s l . 

Et E. H. Wi l s o n) 

Urszula Puczel 



e-mail: upuczel@uwm.edu.pl 

The experiment was performed on two evergreen barberry species, Berberis 

julianae – wintergreen barberry and Berberis verruculosa – warty barberry, both 

considered to be relatively winter-hardy and suitable for growing under Polish 

climate conditions. The objective of the study was to determine the effect of 

seedling type on rooting percentage and root system quality in the barberry. 

The experiment was carried out at the Experimental Station of the University 

of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn (NE Poland). Stem cuttings (double-node for 

B. verruculosa, single- and double-node for B. julianae) were taken on September 8, 

2006 from seven-year-old maternal shrubs. In both species, thorns were removed 

from half of the seedlings prior to transplanting. The experiment was established 

on September 9, in five replications per combination, 10 seedlings per replication. 

A total of 300 seedlings were produced. AB root-growing powder, composed of 

1-naphthaleneacetic acid – 0.2 %, 4-indol-3-ylbutyric acid – 0.1 %, 

1-naphthaleneacetic acid amide – 0.1 %, was used. The seedlings were placed in 

boxes filled with peat substrate mixed with 10 % perlite. The boxes were placed in 

the greenhouse, on unheated benches. Rooting percentage and root system quality 

were estimated after 7 months of rooting, on April 13. The results were verified 

statistically by analysis of variance, at a significance level of p = 0.05. 

Considerable differences were observed between the investigated barberry 

species with respect to rooting percentage. Almost all wintergreen barberry seedlings 

(94 % on average) had taken roots; thorn removal had no effect on rooting 

percentage. A much lower rooting percentage (44–52 %) was recorded in warty 

barberry seedlings. In this case more thornless seedlings had taken roots. A comparison 

of root system morphology indicated that thornless seedlings produced 

longer roots. Not in all cases the number of roots was dependent on the presence 

or absence of thorns on the seedling; in wintergreen barberry the number of roots 

was affected by seedling length. 

95

PhotoMorphogenic responses of 

le p i d i u m sat i v u m to light under altered 

gravity conditions 

Danguolė Raklevičienė, Danguolė Švegždienė, 

Regina Losinska 



e-mail: danguole.rakleviciene@botanika.lt 

The purpose of the present research was to determine growth and 

developmental responses of garden cress (Lepidium sativum L.) to blue 

(450 nm, 2–4 µmol m -2 s -1 ), red (660 nm, 13 µmol m -2 s -1 ) or far red (735 nm, 

0.8–1.0 µmol m -2 s -1 ) light under gravity altered by a 50-rpm horizontal clinostat 

(HC). Effects of light on seedlings were evaluated after 5 days of cultivation 

on HC or vertically at a stationary position, both in a 12 h/d light photoperiod 

and without illumination. Plants were grown on a transparent MS medium 

with Ѕ salts and 0.2 % (w/v) gelrite in special containers attached to control and 

centrifuge-clinostat devices. Data of morphometrical and spectrophotometrical 

analyses on the growth and development of garden cress on HC in the dark and 

light were evaluated and compared with those at 1 g (control). Inhibition of 

hypocotyl elongation and promotion of leaf expansion caused by applied lighting 

was common for both 1-g and clinorotated plants. Simulated weightlessness 

enhanced the elongation of leaves in the dark. In blue light the apical-basal 

axes of leaves were longer on HC, but no differences in the areas of leaf blades 

were determined. The curvature of hypocotyls and leaves towards blue light and 

synthesis of photosynthetic pigments were promoted on the clinostat. However, 

the differences between clinorotated and 1-g seedlings were negligible when red 

lighting was added to blue light. Blue and far red light suppressed the growth on 

HC more significantly than at 1 g. The data support the opinion that interactions 

between photo- and gravitational responses can be modulated by the precise 

parameters of light. 

Acknowledgements. This work was supported by the Lithuanian State Science 


96

OZONE INFLUENCE ON PHOTOSYNTHESIS 

PIGMENTS SYSTEM AND GROWTH OF SOYA 

(Gly c i n e Ma x (L.) MERR.) IN WARMING CLIMATE 

Asta Ramaškevičienė, Rima Juozaitytė, 

Algirdas Sliesaravičius, Egidija Venskutonienė, 

Liuda Žilėnaitė 

Lithuanian University of Agriculture, Studentų 11, LT-53067 Akademija, 

Kaunas distr., Lithuania, e-mail: astar@vic.lt, astara@delfi.lt 

The aim of this work: to estimate ozone influence on Soya in warming 

climate. Experiments were performed at the Laboratory Agrobiotechnology 

of the Lithuanian University of Agriculture and at phytotron complex of the 

Lithuanian Institute of Horticulture. Climate conditions were modeled as follows: 

current climate – temperature day/night 21/14 °C CO 2 

concentration – 

350 ppm (700 mg m -3 ), warming climate – temperature day/night 25/16 °C and 

photoperiod – 14 h. The investigated concentrations of ozone were as follows: 

20 ppb (40 µg m -3 ) – control, 40 ppb (80 µg m -3 ) and 80 ppb (160 µg m -3 ) 

(7 h each day, 5 days per week). The plants were grown in 5 litre pots in 

peat substrate (6–6.5 pH), 25 units per pot. Experiments were provided in 

3 replications. Before germination and one week after, seedlings were grown in 

the greenhouse and then moved to phytotron. At the end of the experiment the 

aboveground part of Soya shoots was cut and its length and dry biomass were 

measured. Photosynthesis pigments content was determined in green leaves. 

Under current climate conditions ozone inhibited the length of shoots and 

biomass of Soya accumulation. But at warming climate conditions all ozone 

concentrations stimulated biomass accumulation and length growing, respectively 

50 % and 66 %. Ozone influence in photosynthetic pigments in leaves of Soya 

was toxic in both climate variants, but at warming climate ozone influence was 

lesser. Ozone influence on carotenoids in the leaves of Soya at current climate 

conditions was toxic, the level of this pigment was lower by 18–29 %, but at 

warming climate conditions the level of carotenoids were similar to control. 

Acknowledgment. Research was supported by Lithuanian State Science and 

Studies foundation. 

97

REACTION OF MODEL PLANT Cr e p i s Ca p i l l a r i s ON 

STRESS-INDUCING FACTORS-OZONE AND UV-B 

Vida Rančelienė, Regina Vyšniauskienė 

Institute of Botany, Žaliųjų ežerų str. 49, Vilnius LT-08406, Lithuania, 

e-mail: vida.ranceliene@botanika.lt 

Stress inducing effect of ozone and UV-B on plants is well known. 

However, despite of the different molecular mechanisms of their action 

both factors have also common mechanisms as affected photosynthesis and 

synthesis of photosynthetic pigments, induction of oxidative burst. Action 

of the different doses of both factors was compared on the same plant material 

of Crepis capillaris in experimentally changed temperature (21/14 °C and 

25/16 °C) and CO 2 

(350 and 700 ppm) conditions. The doses of UV-B were 0; 

2; 4 kJm 2 

and O 3 

– 20; 40; 80 ppb. The most sensitive character for both UV-B 

and O3 was the leaf area, which decreased proportionally to dose of UV-B and 

O 3 

. C. capillaris has primarily developed mechanisms of adaptation to alterations 

of the tested environmental conditions. That was shown by increased activity of 

SOD (superoxide dismutase), relatively stable level of pigment synthesis and only 

slow alteration of protein content in leaves. Decrease of the mitotic activity and 

especially more strong such effect in the varying environmental conditions may 

also be considered as an adaptive-reaction. It may be mechanism allowing for 

plant to avoid of an accumulation of the DNA lesions. Such mechanism is well 

known for the animal cells (action of the p53 protein). 

Acknowledgements. This research was supported by the Lithuanian State 

Science and Studies Foundation programme “APLIKOM”. The authors gratefully 

acknowledge the Lithuanian Institute of Horticulture for possibility to perform our 

experiments in growth chambers of the Institute. 

98

Effect of abiotic factors ON risk of Ve n t u r i a 

in a e q u a l i s infection depending on apple-tree 

growth stages 

Laimutis Raudonis, Alma Valiuškaitė, Elena Survilienė 


Kaunas distr., Lithuania, e-mail: l.raudonis@lsdi.lt 

The influence of abiotic factors on risk of apple scab infection depending on 

fruit tree growth stages was studied in 2006–2007. Scab warning equipment Metos 

D in 2006 and Internet based system iMETOS in 2007 were used for prediction 

of infection risks of apple scab. Long duration of leaf wetness, depending on air 

temperature induced light, medium and strong scab conidia infection. Conidia 

infections start to occur at 69 (end of flowering) growth stage, when leaves, young 

shoots and other parts of apple tree are developed. Peak of conidia infections 

occur from 71 (fruit size up to 100 mm) and it lasts till beginning of 74 (fruit 

diameter up to 40 mm) or 75 (fruit about half final size) growth stages. The next 

peak of infections starts from the end of 75 or the beginning of 77 (fruit about 

70 % of final size) growth stages and it lasts till the end of the season. There are 

no conidia infections from 69 till 71 growth stages and from the beginning of 74 

or 75 till the end of 75 or the beginning of 77 growth stages. 

99

Activity of photosynthetic apparatus of 

spring barley (Ho r d e u m vu l g a r e L.) UNDER 

fluctuating environmental conditions 

Jana Repkova, Marián Brestič 

Slovak University of Agriculture, Faculty of Agrobiology and Food 

Resources, Department of Plant Physiology, Trieda A. Hlinku 2, 

949 76 Nitra, Slovakia, e-mail: Jana.Repkova@uniag.sk 

During vegetation plant light environment exhibit large changes in both 

intensity and spectral quality. For a cereal crop species such as rice, wheat and 

barley, acclimation of photosynthesis to the light depend upon the intensity of 

incident sunlight and the restriction of sunlight by the canopy with assumption 

of changes in photosynthetic properties of lower leaves to shade conditions. 

At midday, irradiance values at the top of the canopy achieved approximately 

1 200 µmol m -2 s -1 , whereas the lower leaves reached less than 100 µmol m -2 s -1 . 

Results showed that periods of full sunlight caused the stomatal closure and decreased 

of net photosynthesis rate of exposed inner-canopy and shade leaves in 

compare with non-exposed inner-canopy leaves. Delay of the first phase of OJIP 

curve and decrease of maximal fluorescence for leaves acclimated to low light 

showed that efficiency of photochemical reactions dropped in response to a loss 

of fluorescence yield. Daily progress of photochemical and nonphotochemical 

processes recorded inhibition effect of high light and increasing portion of inactive 

reaction centers in exposed inner-canopy and shade leaves. Sensitivity of leaves 

was influenced by position of leaves inside the canopy and their acclimation to 

different light regime. 

100

The Investigations of Leaf-feed 

Fertilisers Effect on Sugar Beet 

Kęstutis Romaneckas, Regina Romaneckienė 

Lithuanian University of Agriculture. Studentų str. 11, 53067, Akademija, 

Kaunas district, Lithuania, e-mail: kestas.romaneckas@lzuu.lt. 

Our investigations were carried out on the light loam soil in the Experimental 

station of Lithuanian University of Agriculture in 2004–2006. The soil reaction 

was slightly alkaline or neutral with a lot of phosphorus and some potassium. The 

aim of our trial was to investigate influence of popular used Lithuanian leaf-feed 

fertilizers on sugar beet yield, quality of roots and economical efficiency of use 

of leaf-feed fertilizers. Field trial was designed according following scheme: 

1 – no additional fertilization (control); 2 – Delfan (1.5 l ha -1 ); 3 – Tradecorp AZ 

(0.5 kg ha -1 ); 4 – Kemira ferticare (2 kg ha -1 ) + Tradebor (1.5 l ha -1 ); 5 – Atgaiva – 

1 (40 l ha -1 ); 6 – Atgaiva – 2 (70 l ha -1 ). 

According to the results of investigations, onetime leaf-feed fertilization had 

not regular and significant influence on sugar beet yield and quality. The use of 

leaf-feed fertilizers was economically profitless because fertilizer Tradecorp AZ 

gave minimal positive economical effect by 57.63 Lt ha -1 only. 

101

Quality changes of black currant 

berries during ripening 

Marina Rubinskienė, Pranas Viškelis, Vidmantas Stanys, 

Tadeušas Šikšnianas, Audrius Sasnauskas 


Kaunas distr., Lithuania, e-mail: m.rubinskiene@lsdi.lt 

Black currant ‘Pilėnai’, ‘Vyčiai’, ‘Kriviai’ and ‘Gagatai’ berries of different 

maturity were investigated at the Lithuanian Institute of Horticulture. The aim 

of this study was to evaluate berry quality and to investigate the accumulation of 

biologically active substances and other chemical compounds in black currant 

berries during ripening, selecting the most suitable time of harvesting. 

In black currant berries there were established: dry soluble solids, ascorbic 

acid, titratable acidity, total amount of anthocyanins, expressed as cyd-3-rut. 

Black currant ‘Pilėnai’ and ‘Vyčiai’ berries, which reached technical maturity, 

distinguished themselves for the biggest mass, respectively – 1.54 g and 

1.48 g. When berries overripened their mass decreased from 2.9 % (‘Kriviai’) 

up to 38.3 % (‘Gagatai’). During technical maturity, berries of cvs. ‘Pilėnai’ 

and ‘Kriviai’ are distinguished for firm skin, respectively – 63.09 N/cm 2 and 

53.9 N/cm 2 . During black currant berry ripening their skin firmness decreases. 

The bigger amounts of ascorbic acid were found in berries at the beginning 

of ripening. Among various cultivars, ‘Pilėnai’ and ‘Gagatai’ berries of 

different maturity had the biggest amount of ascorbic acid, respectively – 

152–114 mg 100 g -1 and 147–103 mg 100 g -1 . With the exception of berries 

of cvs. ‘Vyčiai’ and ‘Pilėnai’, the bigger amounts of pigments accumulate in 

the overripen berries. Among cultivars, berries of technical maturity and overripen 

berries of cvs. ‘Kriviai’ and ‘Gagatai’ are distinguished for the bigger a 

mount of anthocyanins, respectively – 387.61–450.63 mg 100 g -1 and 

349.79–393.91 mg 100 g -1 . The bigger amounts of dry soluble solids were 

found in overripen berries of cv. ‘Kriviai’ (14.55–16.95 %). During ripening 

the amount of titratable acidity in black currant berries decreases. Significantly 

bigger amounts of acids were fount in ‘Pilėnai’ berries of various maturity 

(3.27–2.41 %). 

Acknowledgement. This work was partly supported by Lithuanian State Science 


102

EFFECT OF GROWTH REGULATORS ON 

APPLE TREE CV. ‘JONAGOLD KING’ 

PHOTOSYNTHETIC SYSTEM 

Gintarė Šabajevienė, Nobertas Uselis, Nomeda Kviklienė, 

Giedrė Samuolienė, Audrius Sasnauskas, Pavelas Duchovskis 


Kaunas distr., Lithuania, e-mail: G.Sabajeviene@lsdi.lt 

The primary biochemical and physiological effect of plant growth regulators, 

which determinates secondary effects in fruit trees and might differently affect 

photosynthesis apparatus and influence fruit loading, was investigated. Experiment 

was carried out at the Lithuanian Institute of Horticulture in 2005–2008. 

Investigations included cv. ‘Jonagold King’ apple trees sprayed with growth 

regulators: Regalis (prohexadione-calcium), Cerone (brand ethephon plant regulator) 

and Paturyl 10 SL (10 % benzyladenine). This study examined the effect 

of different action plant growth regulators on photosynthetic pigments system in 

apple tree leaves and variation of non-structural carbohydrates (fructose, glucose 

and maltose) concentrations in treated apple trees shoot bark. 

Application of different growth regulators significantly affected photosynthetic 

apparatus of apple tree cv. ‘Jonagold King’. Meteorological conditions 

during spraying with used implements deeply influenced treated orchard state. 

Paturyl and Cerone application decreased accumulation of chlorophylls in fruit 

trees leaves. Due to relatively high amount of chlorophyll b in treated trees leaves 

chlorophyll a/b ratio was higher or the same as in not treated ones. By the way, 

storage of researched carbohydrates was found to be more active in apple trees 

treated with Regalis and Paturyl. Fruit trees sprayed with Cerone accumulated 

the lowest general quantity of sugars in the shoot bark tissues. 

103

Radish response to distinct ozone 

exposure and to its interaction with 

elevated CO 2 

concentration and 

temperature 

Jurga Sakalauskaitė, Aušra Brazaitytė, Akvilė Urbonavičiūtė, 

Giedrė Samuolienė, Gintarė Šabajevienė, 

Sandra Sakalauskienė, Pavelas Duchovskis 


Kaunas distr., Lithuania, e-mail: j.sakalauskaite@lsdi.lt 

The objective of investigation was to evaluate the consequences of ozone 

(O 3 

) stress and interaction of ozone with elevated carbon dioxide (CO 2 

) and temperature 

on some physiological aspects of growth and photosynthesis in radish 

plants. Two different experiments with 12-days-old radish plants were carried out 

under phytotron conditions. During the first experiment, plants were exposed to 

40, 80 and 160 µg m -3 O 3 

concentrations, ambient CO 2 

; day/night temperature was 

21/14 °C. During the second experiment the same O 3 

concentrations were kept, 

CO 2 

concentration was 700 ppm; day/night temperature was 25/16 °C. 

The primary effect of ozone on plants was reduction in growth. Dry weight 

accumulation, leave area and rhizocarp diameter were reduced significantly under 

ozone stress. In combined treatment, elevated CO 2 

and temperature protected 

the adverse effect of O 3 

on radish plants. It was established the accumulation of 

biomass and induced development of radish rhizocarp under increased O 3 

concentration 

in the interaction with elevated CO 2 

and temperature. 

Ozone does not have significant negative impact on photosynthesis pigment 

synthesis. Intensified photosynthesis pigment synthesis was determined in 

the radish leaves, which developed under ozone exposure. Integrated impact of 

ozone and elevated CO 2, 

and temperature induced chlorophyll a, b and carotenoid 

synthesis in old and newly developed radish leaves. 

Elevated CO 2 

concentration and temperature caused elimination of toxic 

effect of O 3 

on radish plants. 

Acknowledgements. The work was supported by Lithuanian State Foundation 

of Science and Studies under project APLIKOM. 

104

Nutritional diagnosis of apple-tree 

growing in the nitrogen fertilizer 

factory region 

Jurga Sakalauskaitė 1 , Eugenija Kupčinskienė 2, 4 

Darius Kviklys 1 , Laisvūnė Duchovskienė 1 , 

Akvilė Urbonavičiūtė 1 , Gintarė Šabajevienė 1 , Aida Stiklienė 2 , 

Juratė Bronė Šikšnianienė 1 , Ričardas Taraškevičius 3 , 

Alfredas Radzevičius 3 , Rimantė Zinkutė 3 , Pavelas Duchovskis 1 

1 


Kaunas distr., Lithuania, e-mail j.sakalauskaite@lsdi.lt 

2 

Lithuanian University of Agriculture, Department of Ecology, Studentų 11, 

LT-5336 Kaunas, Akademija, Lithuania 

3 

Institute of Geology and Geography, Department of Environmental 

Geochemistry, T. Ševčenkos 13, LT-03223 Vilnius, Lithuania 

4 

Kaunas University of Medicine Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry 

and Pharmacognosy, Mickevičiaus 9, LT-44307 Kaunas, Lithuania 

The aim of the study was to evaluate the changes in the content of macroelements 

(N, P, Ca, mg and Fe), microelements (Mn, Zn, Cu, B, Co, Mo,) and 

nonessential elements (Ti, V Cr, Pb, Ba, Ni, Ag, Al, Sr, Sn) in the leaves of the 

apple-trees as a reflection of the impact of chemical nature pollution in the nitrogen 

fertilizer factory area as the main industrial pollution source in Lithuania. As a 

control, a garden in a ‘relatively clean’ district (Babtai) was selected. A deficiency 

(< 2.1–2.4 %) of the nitrogen in the leaves of the apple-trees was documented 

in the investigated sites. The greatest amount of P was determined in the leaves 

collected from control trees, where deficiency of the nitrogen was the highest. 

According to our results, we maintain that apple-trees growing in Babtai garden 

sustain deficiency of N, Ca, Fe, Zn and greatly accumulate P and Ba. Apple-trees 

growing in the vicinity of nitrogen fertilizer factory sustain the deficiency of N, Ca, 

Mn, Zn, B and Zn; the P, Fe and Mo accumulated greater than optimum content. 

Under the influence of the nitrogen fertilizer factory, accumulation of some heavy 

metals (Fe, Mo, V, Ti, Pb) in the leaves of the apple-tree may occur. 

Acknowledgement. This work was supported by Lithuanian State Science 

and Studies Foundation under project FIBISTRESS. 

105

Complex influence of different humidity 

and temperature regime on pea 

photosynthetic indices in 

VI–VII organogenesis stages 

Sandra Sakalauskienė 1 , Gintarė Šabajevienė 1 , 

Sigitas Lazauskas 3 , Aušra Brazaitytė 1 , Giedrė Samuolienė 1, 2 , 

Akvilė Urbonavičiūtė 1, 2 , Jurga Sakalauskaitė 1 , 

Raimonda Ulinskaitė 1 , Pavelas Duchovskis 1, 2 

1 


Kaunas distr., Lithuania, e-mail: s.sakalauskiene@lsdi.lt 

2 

Lithuanian University of Agriculture, Studentų g. 11, LT-53361, 

Akademija, Kaunas distr., Lithuania 

3 

Lithuanian Institute of Agriculture, LT-58343 Akademija, Kėdainiai distr., 

Lithuania, e-mail: sigislaz@lzi.lt 

The aim of the study was to investigate the influence of different humidity 

and temperature regime on pea photosynthetic indices. Vegetative experiments 

were carried out in the phytotron complex of Plant Physiology Laboratory at 

the Lithuanian Institute of Horticulture in 2007. There was investigated pea 

cultivar ‘Pinochio’ (Pisum sativum L.). Peas were grown under conditions of 

different temperature (21/16 °C and 30/23 °C day/night) and humidity (40–45 % 

and < 10 % normal/dryish) regime. Different combinations of temperature and 

humidity regime significantly influenced plant physiological processes. There was 

established the smallest clear photosynthesis productivity, relational growth speed, 

fresh and dry weight of the pea, which grew in dry substratum at the temperature 

of 30 °C. High temperature and the lack of humidity also inhibited the synthesis 

of chlorophylls a and b. At the temperature of 30 °C under both humidity regimes 

the accumulation of carotenoids in pea became more intensive. 

Acknowledgement. Authors are grateful to Lithuanian State Foundation of 

Science and Studies and Lithuanian Agricultural Ministry for financial support. 

106

SMALL BERRY RESEARCH ACCORDING 

TO COST 863 ACTION 

Audrius Sasnauskas, Rytis Rugienius, Tadeušas Šikšnianas, 

Nobertas Uselis, Laimutis Raudonis, Alma Valiuškatė, 

Aušra Brazaitytė, Pranas Viškelis, Marina Rubinskienė 


Kaunas distr., Lithuania, e-mail: A.Sasnauskas@lsdi.lt 

Strawberry and blackcurrant cultivars and promising hybrids were investigated 

according to COST 863 Action. 

Strawberry cultivars ‘Dangė’, ‘Saulenė’ and ‘Elsanta’ had the biggest number 

of crowns, leaves and runners, while ‘Elsanta’ and ‘Kent’ had the biggest amount 

of flower clusters and berries. The most productive were strawberries of ‘Elsanta’ 

and ‘Kent’. Venta’ and ‘Rosie’ had highest average berry size in strawberry collection. 

The best appearance was of ‘Rosie’ and J973854, berry firmness – 005004 

and ‘Rosie’, best taste of 64 and ‘Venta’. 

The highest bushes had blackcurrant cultivars ‘Titania’ and ‘Ben Lomond’, 

the lowest – ‘Gagatai’ and ‘Almiai’. The widest bushes were of ‘Цjebyn’ and 

‘Ben Nevis’, narrowest – of ‘Ben Tron’, ‘Ben Alder’ and ‘Ben Tirran’. The highest 

average yield was received from ‘Ben Tirran’, ‘Titania’ and ‘Цjebyn’. ‘Joniniai’, 

‘Vyčiai’ and ‘Laimiai’ had the biggest berries. 

‘Dangė’ and ‘Honeoye’ strawberries distinguished themselves by intensive 

photosynthesis at period of full blooming. 

Biological efficiency of fungicide Signum WG against blackcurrant powdery 

mildew (Sphaerotheca mors-uvae (Schw.) Berk. et Curt), leaf spot (Mycosphaerella 

ribis Lind.), anthracnose (Pseudopeziza ribis Kleb.), berry grey 

mould (Botrytis cinerea) and insecticide-acaricide Envidor 240 SC against twospotted 

spider mite (Tetranychus urticae Koch.) was investigated. Applying the 

rates of 0.5–1.0 kg/ha four times per vegetation (until blooming, after blooming 

and after harvesting) Signum WG effectively prevented powdery mildew and 

leaf spot. Applying the rates of 0.3–0.6 l/ha three times per vegetation (until 

blooming, after blooming and after harvesting) Envidor 240 SC was effective 

against two-spotted spider mite. 

Sequence specific marker (SCAR) associated with strawberry resistance to 

red stele (Phytophthora fragariae) Rpf1 gene was developed after cloning and 

sequencing of RAPD marker. Using SCAR marker occurrence of Rpf1 gene in 

different strawberry cultivars and seedlings were estimated. According to these 

data, cultivars ‘Redgauntlet’, ‘Anapolis’, ‘Tristar’, ‘Dangė’ and promising hybrids 

have this gene. 

107

Expression of COR47 gene homologues in strawberry was evaluated during 

cold acclimation in vitro. It was established that maximal accumulation of this 

gene transcript occurs on 30 th day of cold acclimation. 

Acknowledgement. We’re grateful to Agency for International Science and 

Technology Development Programmes in Lithuania for help and support realizing 

COST 863 Action. 

108

EUROPEAN SMALL BERRY GENETIC 

RESOURCES CREATED BY GENBERRY PROJECT 

Beatrice Denoyes-Rothan 1 , Audrius Sasnauskas 2 , 

Rytis Rugienius 2 , Philippe Chartier 3 , Aurelie Petit 3 ; 

Stuart Gordon 4 , Julie Graham 4 , Alison Dolan 4 , Monika Höfer 5 , 

Walther Faedi 6 , Maria Luigia Maltoni 6 , Gianluca Baruzzi 6 , 

Bruno Mezzetti 7 , Jose F. Sanchez Sevilla 8 , Edward Zurawicz 9 , 

Margaret Korbin 9 , Mihail Coman 10 , Paulina Mladin 10 

1 

UREF – INRA, 71 Avenue Edouard Bouleau, BP81, 33883, 

Villenave d’Ornon, France 

2 

LIH, Kauno 30, LT-54333 Babtai, Kaunas distr., Lithuania, 

e-mail: A.Sasnauskas@lsdi.lt 

3 

CIREF, Maison Jeannette, 24140, Douville, France 

4 

SCRI, Dundee DD2 5DA, Scotland, Great Britain 

5 

JKI, Pillnitzer Platz 3a, D-01326 Dresden, Germany 

6 

CRA-FRF, Via La Canapona 1bis, 47100, Forlм, Italy 

7 

SAPROV – UNIVPM, P.zza Roma 22, 60121, Ancona, Italy 

8 

IFAPA, Tabladilla s/n, 41071, Sevilla, Spain 

9 

INSAD, Pomologiczna 18, PO Box 105, 96-100, Skierniewice, Poland 

10 

FRIP, Marului street 402, PO Box 73, 1, Pitesti, Romania 

Small berries are vital fruit crops for maintaining activities in European 

rural areas. In the last few years it has become apparent that there is a need for 

new varieties specifically adapted to local environmental conditions. Recording 

and evaluating currently available genetic resources is fundamental in this. 

The GENBERRY project, partly funded by the European Community, has been 

designed to ensure that agricultural biodiversity of small berries is preserved, 

characterized and used to improve varieties adapted to local European regions. 

Strawberry (Fragaria × ananassa) and raspberry (Rubus ideaus) represent two 

main cultivated small berries. The project is divided in different objectives, 

which represent different work-packages. This project will help to improve the 

conservation of small berry genetic resources by construction of core collections, 

development of passport data list, selection and definition of appropriate primary 

and secondary descriptors, characterization of genotypes using molecular markers, 

identification of health nutritional compounds and disease evaluation for a 

large subset of the collections and the establishment of the European small berry 

database sustained by continuous long term network. 

Acknowledgements. Financial support provided by the European Commission 

(Agricultural Commission DG AGRI) and the national governmental supports to 

participating institutes are acknowledged. 

109

Preliminary results of adaptation of Ma l u s 

regenerants using water treated with 

glow-discharge plasma 

Svetlana Semenas 

Institute for Fruit Growing, Biotechnology Department, Kovalev str. 2, 

Samokhvalovichi, Minsk region, Belarus, e-mail: svese7@yahoo.com 

Apple regenerants of rootstock 54-118 were propagated in vitro on modified 

MS medium (1/4 concentration of NH 4 

NO 3 

) supplemented with 2.0 mg/l BA, 

0.2 mg/l IBA and 0.5 mg/l GA 3 

and rooted in the same medium with 0.2 IBA and 

0.5 GA 3 

. Regenerants were planted into 2 containers and adapted to non-sterile 

conditions in a climatic room. The substrate consisted of BIONA-112 and perlite 

(2 : 1). Distilled water was halved and one part was treated with glow-discharge 

plasma. One half of substrates was moistened with distilled water (A), the rest was 

moistened with treated water (B). Later plants were watered by usual tap water. 

In 6 months after planting, plants B were more vigorous. The average shot 

length was 11.7 cm (A) and 17.8 cm (B). Plants B had more adventitious shoot 

per plant than plants A (2.1 and 1.4 correspondingly). 75 % of rootstocks B had 

more than 1 shoot, while only 30 % of plants A possessed adventitious shoots. 

Plants B developed filaceous roots 12.9 cm long as compared with 10.7 cm long 

roots of plants A. In addition, more plants B survived the adaptation period than 

plants A (88.6 % and 65. % correspondingly). 

Thereby, the one-time moistening of substrate with water treated with 

glow-discharge plasma before regenerants were passed from in vitro culture to 

non-sterile conditions resulted in improvement of plant vitality during adaptation 

period. 

110

SUGARS REDUCE THE INTENSITY OF 

OXIDATIVE STRESS UNDER HYPOTHERMIA 

Maxim S. Sinkevich, Alexander N. Deryabin, 

Tamara I. Trunova 

Laboratory of Frost Resistance, Timiryazev Institute of Plant Physiology, 

Russian Academy of Sciences, Botanicheskaya str. 35, Moscow 127276 

Russia, e-mail: trunova@ippras.ru 

Reactive oxygen species are well known for their destructive role during early 

periods of stress. After series of experiments we supposed that relation between 

tolerance to hypothermia and changes in carbohydrate metabolism (described 

earlier) was provided by higher antioxidant capacity of sugar-rich plants. 

Our study was carried out with potato plant (Solanum tuberosum L.) cultivar 

‘Dйsirйe’. Plants were transformed with vector carrying yeast invertase gene under 

the control of tuber-specific patatin promoter B33 class I, fused with proteinase 

II inhibitor leader peptide to provide enzyme location in apoplast. Plants were 

obtained in cooperative work of Max Plank Institute of Molecular Plant Physiolgy 

(Golm, Germany) and Laboratory of Growth and Development, Timiryazev 

Institute of Plant Physiology RAS, and gently provided by employees of the last. 

Plants were grown in vitro at 22 °C under diffused fluorescent light (16 hours a 

day, LB-80 lamps, 4 klx) on MS nutrient medium, containing 2 % of sucrose. 

Oxidative stress was induced by hypothermia (short-term exposition 

at –7 °C) or by treatment of extracts of potato leaves using model systems, which 

generate reactive oxygen species (H 2 

O 2 

and OH). It was established that sugars 

reduced the intensity of oxidative stress by scavenging of reactive oxygen species, 

thus performing as low molecular weight antioxidants. 

Acknowledgement. The study is supported by Russian Foundation for Basic 

Research (project No. 07-04-00601). 

111

CORRELATION BETWEEN FLUORESCENCE OF PRIM- 

ROSE Primu (Pr i m u l a Ma l a c o i d e s FRANCH.) AND DNA 

POLYMORPHIC BANDS 

Vytautas Šlapakauskas 1 , Vidmantas Stanys 2 , 

Judita Varkulevičienė 3 

1 

Department of Botany, Lithuanian Agriculture University, Lithuania, 

e-mail: vytautas.slapakauskas@lzuu.lt 

2 

Biotechnological Laboratory, Lithuanian Institute of Horticulture, 

Lithuania, e-mail: v.stanys@lsdi.lt 

3 

Kaunas Botanical Garden of the Vytautas Magnus University, Lithuania, 

e-mail: j.varkuleviciene@bs.vdu.lt 

Plant material of primrose (Primula malacoides Franch.) varieties as well 

as hybrids where grown in the greenhouse. 

The total DNA was isolated from leaf material according Doyle and Doyle 

(1990). Eleven primers were used for DNA amplification. Chlorophyll fluorescence 

was recorded on portable fluorometer (PAM-210, Walz, Germany). Correlation 

coefficient and regression equations were used to demonstrate reciprocity among 

distribution of polymorphic DNA fragments and fluorescence parameters. 

A number of common polymorphic markers obtained for varieties and hybrids 

of primrose using 11 DNA primers were demonstrated to have low negative 

correlation to electron transport rate (ETR) of photo system (PS II) of the plants. 

Polymorphic bands generated using DNA primers 1A and 3C had a negative 

correlation to ETR for varieties of primrose, while hybrids displayed a positive 

correlation. DNA markers characteristic to every variety or hybrid were obtained 

after choosing two or more primers that enabled not only to identify them, but 

also to differentiate the state of photosynthetic machinery. 

112

REACTION OF YOUNG CRANBERRY PLANTS 

(Va c c i n i u m ma c r o c a r p o n AIT.) TO ABIOTIC 

STRESS IN PRESENCE OF ERICOID MYCORRHIZA 

Bozenna Borkowska, Iwona Sowik 

Research Institute of Pomology and Floriculture, 96-100 Skierniewice, 

Poland, e-mail: bborkow@insad.pl 

Cranberries (Vaccinium macrocarpon Ait) are calcifuges plants that grow 

naturally in acid soils of low to moderate fertility, rich in organic matter and water. 

These specialized cultivation requirements make a barrier for their commercial 

production. Exploitation of the technology of plant inoculation with mycorrhizal 

fungi can increase tolerance to not optimal conditions. 

Micropropagated and rooted ex vitro plantlets of cv. ‘Pilgrim’ were mycorrhized 

with ericoid fungi (ERM) isolated from different ecosystems. Inoculated 

plants were planted into substrate at pH 5.4 and 3.9. The response of the plants 

to different inocula was assessed by characterization of growth and physiological 

parameters. 

Shoot growth, leaf area and chlorophyll content were lower for control plants 

(non-ERM) growing in substrate with high pH than low pH. Some isolates of 

ERM fungi decreased negative effect of high pH. Measurements of photochemical 

activity showed activation by particular isolates of ERM the defensive mechanisms 

against stress conditions. 

Mycorrhization of cranberry plants is able to diminish their high requirements 

to soil pH. It is postulated that also other cultivation requirements could 

be alleviated by mycorrhization. Activity of mycorrhizal fungi highly depended 

on kind of isolates. 

Acknowledgements: This research was partly financed by Polish Ministry of 

Science and Higher Education within the project PBZ-KBN-112/PO6/02/4/4. 

113

evaluation of Rhizobium strain 

efficiency in peas and garden beans 

grown in different soils 

A. Anševica, V. Šteinberga, L. Dubova, I. Alsiтa, 

I. Karpova 

Latvia University of Agriculture, Liela iela 2, Jelgava, 3001, Latvia, 

e-mail: Laila.Dubova@llu.lv 

The experiments were carried out to investigate the effect of Rhizobium 

leguminosarum and Rhizobium phaseoli on the growth and yield formation of 

peas (Pisum sativum) and garden beans (Phaseolus vulgaris). Seeds of plants 

were inoculated with an effective strain of Rhizobium sp. from the nodule bacteria 

collection of the Institute of Soil and Plant Sciences Latvia University of Agriculture. 

Control was without inoculation. Plants were grown in 5 l vegetation pots 

filled with peat substrate or soil from the experimental field of Latvia University 

of Agriculture. Plants were analyzed at the stage of butonisation, anthesis and 

pod formation. 

The plant length, fresh weight, dry weight, protein content of the plants and 

leaf pigment content were determined. 

It was found that plant grown in the peat substrate developed more quickly. 

Plants were taller, but the dry matter and protein content was significantly less in 

comparison with the soil grown ones. 

The significant difference in the protein content in the vegetative part of 

peas and garden beans was observed. The highest protein content was observed 

at the buttonisation stage of plants. The effect of presowing seed treatment with 

an effective strain of Rhizobium was observed in the peat substrate. Obviously, 

soil, which contain sufficient amount of indigenous nodule bacteria, provide plants 

with symbiotically fixed nitrogen. 

114

The influence of growth regulators 

on seed germination power and 

biometrical parameters of ecologically 

grown vegetables 

Elena Survilienė, Julė Jankauskienė 


Kaunas distr., Lithuania, e-mail: e.surviliene@lsdi.lt 

The influence on seed germination power and biometrical parameters of 

ecologically grown vegetables was started to investigate at the Lithuanian Institute 

of Horticulture in 2007. The seeds of ecologically grown red beet ‘Joniai’, carrot 

‘Svalia’ F 1 

, ‘Garduolės’, onions ‘Babtų didieji’, radish ‘Babtų žara’, tomato 

‘Rutuliai’ and ‘Arvaisa’ F 1 

, cucumber ‘Krukiai’ F 1 

were soaked in the solutions 

of growth regulators Biojodis, Biokal 01, Bioforse, Agronom effect, Inzar, Penergetic 

p., Oksigumat. Control – the seeds soaked in water. After soaking seeds 

were sowed into polymeric cassettes, in which plants were grown for 30 days 

under conditions of vegetation experiment in greenhouse. It was established 

the seed germination energy, seedling biometrical measurements (plant height, 

weight, leaf number, leaf area) were carried out. Leaf area was measured with leaf 

area measurer Win DIAS (Delta-T Devices, England). Plant growth regulators 

Oksigumat, Agronom effect, Bioforse, Penergetic p. positively influenced seed 

germination energy of onions, radish, tomato and the growth and development 

of cucumber, red beet, tomato, carrot and radish seedlings. 

115

gravisensing of garden cress 

roots under varying g-loads 

Danguolė Švegždienė, Dalia Koryznienė, 

Danguolė Raklevičienė 



e-mail: danguole.svegzdiene@botanika.lt 

Gravisensing in roots occurs within specialized cap cells – statocytes containing 

starch-filled amyloplasts (statoliths). Changing a magnitude and/or direction of 

gravity force, statolith position or movement provides the information leading to 

growth response of organ. The aim of the present work was to study and compare 

the sensitivity of roots and intracellular positioning of statoliths, when the gravity 

forces of lower than 1 g magnitude were applied for stimulation. 

After 30 h of growth under 1 g conditions, etiolated seedlings of garden cress 

(Lepidium sativum L.) were gravitropically stimulated on a centrifuge-clinostat 

with two-orthogonal axes, allowing to eliminate the unidirectional action of Earth 

gravity by horizontal clinorotation (50 rpm) and simultaneously to generate the 

centripetal forces of desirable magnitude. For root sensitivity study, the seedlings 

were exposed to transverse directed forces up to 0.019 g and following clinorotation 

for 60 min. Root responses have been measured as curvature from the 

previous growth direction on root digital pictures. After quantitative analysis of 

curvature kinetics, the threshold doses of 2 and 4 g × s were evaluated for roots 

exposed to 0.004 and 0.019 g, respectively. Statolith positioning was analyzed in 

roots subjected (for 4 h) to transverse directed forces of 0.001 g to 0.156 g. Measurements 

were performed by light microscopy on semi-thin median longitudinal 

sections of the root apices fixed in glutaraldehyde and embedded in Epon. Plastid 

location has been evaluated by estimating the relative distances of its center to 

the distal and bottom-side wall of the statocytes in the 2 nd –4 th columella storey. It 

was determined a slight transverse sedimentation of amyloplasts only in response 

to the total 60 g ґ s stimulus dose produced by the force of 0.004 g. It exceeds 

considerably the earlier evaluated threshold dose for gravitropic root stimulation 

by the 0.004 g force. Our data imply that there is no significant relation between 

the sensitivity of garden cress roots to the transverse action of low magnitude 

forces and the alteration in amyloplast positioning within statocytes. It allows 

the supposition that a slight, however, transient, translocation of statoliths may 

trigger and transmit the gravitropic stimulus. 

116

FIBER FLAX HIGH QUALITY CULTIVAR 

IDENTIFICATION BY STEM PROTEINS 

FINGERPRINTING 

Vladimir Titok 1 , Svetlana Kubrak 1 , Viktor Leontiev 2 , 

Svetlana Yurenkova 1 

1 

Institute of Genetics and Cytology NAS of Belarus, 

Akademicheskaya St. 27, Minsk 220072, Belarus, 

e-mail: V.Titok@igc.bas-net.by 

2 

Belarusian State Technological University, Sverdlova St. 13а, Minsk, 

220050, Belarus, e-mail: Leontiev@bstu.unibel.by 

The goal of the work was to study genetic heterogeneity of fiber flax cultivar 

collection (Linum usitatissimum L. subsp. usitatissimum convar. elongatum) in 

terms of a comparative electrophoretic analysis followed by a mass spectrometric 

one of stem proteins for estimating functional activity of genome during ontogenetic 

development of plant (stages – “rapid growth”; “budding”; “flowering” 

and” green ripeness”). 

Thus, variability of protein ensembles in fiber flax stem is caused by differential 

activity of genes determining de novo synthesis and degradation of 

structural and enzymatic proteins during plant ontogenesis. The genotypes 

showing a unique set of protein components were revealed. When studying 

protein extracts from the stem of these forms, polypeptides, which were 

absent in accessions with poor flax fiber quality, were detected. They were 

analyzed by ESI-MS (HPLC system “Waters” with a “Micromass ZQ 2000” 

MS-detector). 

The received data have shown that analyzed breeds of long-fibred flax are 

characterized by wide genetic diversification. Nine types of protein spectrums 

were revealed in an investigated collection of 50 long-fibred flax breeds. In all 

investigated long-fibred flax breeds the greatest quantity of protein components 

was shown at “rapid growth” stage. These results can testify to hyperactivity of 

biosynthetic processes directed on differentiation, formation of cellular walls 

and elongation up to the final length of basic stem best fibers. Thus, growth and 

development of long-fibred flax stem represents result of finely balanced dynamic 

interaction of genes activation and transcription, new formation and disintegration 

of structural and enzymatic proteins, polysaccharides, etc., that results in whole 

plant real metabolism changes. 

117

The effect of differential nitrogen 

fertilization on winter wheat 

growth and harvest formation 

Tatjana Tranavičienė 1 , Ilona Vagusevičienė 1 , 

Algirdas Sliesaravičius 1 , Akvilė Urbonavičiūtė 2, 3 

1 

Lithuanian University of Agriculture, Department of Crop Science and 

Animal Husbandry, LT-53067 Akademija, Kaunas distr., Lithuania, 

e-mail: kokybe@kauno-grudai.lt 

2 



3 

Lithuanian University of Agriculture, Department of Botany, 

LT-53067 Akademija, Kaunas distr., Lithuania 

The experiments were performed in the experimental station of Lithuanian 

University of Agriculture in the period of 2006–2007. The influence of nitrogen 

rates on the winter wheat development, photosynthetic productivity and on the 

grain harvest was evaluated. The tests were performed with the following two 

species of Lithuanian winter wheat: Ada, having very good baking peculiarities 

and Seda, having satisfactory baking peculiarities. It was established, that higher 

rates of nitrogenous fertilizers stimulated the more rapid development of winter 

wheat and positively affected the photosynthetic productivity of both species. In 

the BBCH 34–39 stage, photosynthetic productivity of Ada wheat specie was in 

43 % higher, when fertilizing with N 150, in comparison with reference treatment 

(N 90). Meanwhile, the Seda wheat species was influenced by nitrogenous 

fertilizers not in such a great extent. Grain harvests correlated with norms of 

nitrogenous fertilizers and photosynthetic productivity. 

118

IDENTIFICATION OF SCAB RESISTANCE GENES IN 

APPLE BY MOLECULAR MARKERS IN BELARUS 

Oksana Urbanovich 1 , Zoya Kazlovskaya 2 

1 

Institute of Genetic and Cytology, NASB, 220072 Akademichiskaya str. 27, 

Minsk, Belarus, e-mail: O.Urbanovich@igc.bas-net.by 

2 

Institute of Fruit Growing, 223013 Samokhvalovitchi, Kovaleva str. 2, 

Minsk region, Belarus, e-mail: zoya-kozlovskaya@tut.by 

Apple scab is a widespread and the most economically important fungal 

disease of apples in Belarus. Apple breeding is aimed at creating varieties with 

durable scab resistance. Scab resistance is complicated biological character 

formatted by genetic determination and morphogenesis. Durable scab resistant 

varieties are established through a combination of major resistance genes and 

polygenic resistance. 

The developed molecular markers allowed detecting major genes in apple 

accession of our collection. According to our field investigation, the pool formed 

by 130 accession including old, modern and introduced cultivars. The presence of 

genes Vf, Vm, Vr1 and Vh2 was to be checked in the collection. Molecular markers 

OPB12STS, AD13 and OPL19 linked to genes Vm, Vr1 and Vh2 respectively were 

used. Gene Vf was identified with markers VfC, AL07 and AM19. 

Gene marker Vr1 (from scab resistance source R12740-7A) was detected 

in both modern cultivars and cultivars grown in Belarus from XIX century, such 

as ‘Papirovka’, ‘Bely naliv’, ‘Korobovka krupnoplodnaya’, etc. Marker OPL19 

is present in genome of 81 accessions. Probably, marker OPL19 not always determines 

the presence of gene. Gene Vm from M. Xmicromalus was revealed in 

7 accessions originally related to McIntosh and SR0523. Gene Vf, which is got 

from M.X floribunda 821 and introduced into cultivated cultivars, was identified 

in 41 cultivars of diverse breeding (France, USA, Poland, Russia, Belarus, etc.). 

The presence of the gene provides a high scab resistance of apple cultivars. This 

was verified by the data of the field trials in 2004–2007. The cultivars containing 

gene Vf and some with polygenic resistance have demonstrated a high scab 

resistance for both leaves and fruits. 

119

Evaluation of the methods of soil 

supervision growing dessert 

strawberries in beds 

Nobertas Uselis, Juozas Lanauskas, Vytautas Zalatorius, 

Pavelas Duchovskis, Aušra Brazaitytė, Akvilė Urbonavičiūtė 


Kaunas distr., Lithuania, e-mail: n.uselis@lsdi.lt 

The aim of the study was to investigate the influence of the methods 

of soil supervision on strawberry shrub development, plant generative development, 

their physiological processes and berry yield. The investigations 

of the methods of strawberry plantation soil supervision were carried out 

at the Lithuanian Institute of Horticulture in 2005–2007 growing strawberries 

according to the scheme: 1 – not mulched with film, not irrigated, 

2 – not mulched with film, irrigated, 3 – mulched with film, not irrigated, 

4 – mulched with film, irrigated. Strawberries were grown for the usual (not covered) 

and earlier (covered with agrofilm) yield. It was established that in the case 

of low temperature (~ -30 °C) and little amount of snow, strawberries mulched 

with white film wintered best of all. In the beds mulched with film all the plants 

wintered, and in not mulched beds only 64–97 % of shrubs survived. The biggest 

amount, up to 30 %, of strawberry blooms were frost bitten in the mulched beds. 

In not mulched beds there were frost-bitten only 10 % of strawberry blooms. The 

positive influence of mulching on the number of leaves per plant, fresh weight 

and assimilation area was significant only in the first year of growth. The methods 

of soil supervision and irrigation do not influence significantly the amount 

of chlorophylls in strawberry leaves. In the first year of yielding, strawberries 

mulched with film produced the biggest amount of berries. In the second year of 

yielding, berry number per plant essentially didn’t depend on soil mulching or 

irrigation. In the first year of yielding, strawberries grown in the beds mulched 

with white film yielded better. In the second year of yielding, the productivity 

of strawberries grown without cover didn’t differ. Strawberry irrigation didn’t 

influence their productivity. 

Acknowledgement. Authors are grateful to the State Science and Studies 

Foundation for financial support. 

120

ECOLOGICAL VARIABILITY OF OIL AND 

PROTEIN CONTENT IN FLAXSEED 

Svetlana Vakula 1 , Viktor Leontiev 2 , Lidia Koren 1 , 

Vladimir Titok 1 

1 

Institute of Genetics and Cytology NAS of Belarus, Akademicheskaya St., 

27, Minsk 220072, Belarus, e-mail: V.Titok@igc.bas-net.by 

2 

Belarusian State Technological University, Sverdlova St., 13а, Minsk, 

220050, Belarus, e-mail: Leontiev@bstu.unibel.by 

Flax is among many plant materials studied for beneficial effects on health 

and as a neutraceutical. The chemical composition of flaxseed is under strong 

impact of cultivation conditions. Because flaxseed oil and flaxseed proteins play 

diverse and important role in plant physiology and food chemistry our investigation 

focused on determination of variability of these compounds in flaxseed. 

Samples of 25 flaxseed cultivars were obtained from one location (CBG, Minsk) 

during 2005–2006 growing seasons. Protein content of defatted meal was determined 

according to the Kjeldal method; oil content was determined by standard 

Soxhlet procedure. 

The multivariative analysis of variances revealed significant influence of 

year, a cultivar and year-cultivar interaction on the content of investigated components 

in seeds. Fisher LSD test was used to segregate stable and environmentally 

sensitive cultivars. Principal components analysis differentiates investigated 

cultivars and factors under their contributions to the general variability. 

121

Changes in the activity of antioxidant enzyme 

superoxide dismutase in 

Cr e p i s ca p i l l a r i s plants after the impact of 

UV-B and ozone 

Regina Vyšniauskienė, Vida Rančelienė 

Institute of Botany, Žaliųjų ežerų str. 49, Vilnius LT-08406, Lithuania, 

e-mail: regina.vysniauskiene@botanika.lt 

Strong abiotic factors such as cold, drought, UV-B irradiation and ozone 

frequently cause phytotoxic impact upon plants. Usually these factors act not 

singly but together. The stress caused by these abiotic factors predetermines the 

excess of free radicals that acts as a signal triggering the protective antioxidant 

mechanisms of plants to detoxify the free radicals. Enzyme system is one of them. 

The aim of the work was to determine the changes of antioxidant enzyme superoxide 

dismutase (SOD) activity in model plant Crepis capillaris after the impact 

of UV-B and ozone. Comparison of the SOD activity in Crepis capillaris leaves 

after the effect of small adaptational doses of UV-B and ozone with the control 

revealed that after UV-B (3 kJm -2 ) the SOD activity increases 1.4 times and after 

the impact of ozone the SOD increases by 1.94 times. After larger UV-B (9 kJm -2 ) 

doses the SOD activity increases even 2 times. Still three times higher ozone dose 

already inhibits the SOD activity but does not reach the level of the control. 

Investigations of the impact of SOD adaptation on repeated impact of UV-B 

and ozone showed that SOD activity to Crepis capillaris plants is similar and 

increases by 1.74 and 1.98 times comparing with the control. Even when plants 

are adapted to one factor and influenced by the other (cross adaptation), the SOD 

activity remains similar. The research showed that adaptation by small UV-B and 

ozone doses to one and the other factor influences the increase of SOD activity 

in plants. The increased SOD activity after UV-B irradiation and ozone should 

be considered as adaptational response of a plant to oxidative stress caused by 

unfavourable factors. 

Acknowledgements. This research was supported by the Lithuanian State 

Science and Studies Foundation programme “APLIKOM”. The authors gratefully 

acknowledge to the Lithuanian Institute of Horticulture for availability to perform 

our experiments in growth chambers of Institute. 

122

The influence of DIFFERENT light 

intensity on net photosynthesis rate and 

some growth parameters of sweet pepper 

Gabriela Wyźgolik, Joanna Nawara, Maria Leja 



e-mail: gabriela.wyzgolik@bratek.ogr.ar.krakow.pl 

The influence of different light intensity on growth, net photosynthesis rate 

and yielding of bell pepper cultivar ‘Spartacus’ F 1 

, was investigated. Sweet pepper 

was grown on rockwool in plastic tunnel divided into two parts covered by 

polyethylene films (Ginegar – part I, Gemme 4S – part II), which differentiated in 

light permeability, it’s dispersion and PAR exertion. In part I light intensity was 

lower than in part II. Gas exchange was measured by LCi (ADC England). WUE 

was expressed as net photosynthesis to transpiration ratio. Photosynthetic pigments 

were determined according to photometric method given by Arnon. LAI and LAR 

were calculated using leaf blade area, dry matter content and tunnel area per single 

plant. Different light intensity influenced growth parameters and photosynthesis 

but not yield. Plants grown under lower light intensity were significantly higher and 

had larger leaf blades, so as a result value of LAI and LAR were higher. The level of 

chlorophylls and carotenoids was also higher but photosynthesis intensity was lower. 

WUE was low 1.85 µmola (CO 2 

) · mol -1 (H 2 

O) and stable while in plants 

grown in part II was higher but decreased gradually during the day from 

4.17 µmola (CO 2 

) · mol -1 (H 2 

O) to 2.46 µmola (CO 2 

) · mol -1 (H 2 

O). 

Acknowledgement. The study was financed by the State Committee for Scientific 

Research, Poland under project No. 2 P06R 021 30. 

123

Genetic variation and development OF 

morphologic features in Va c c i n i u m ox y c o c c u s 

Judita Žukauskienė 1 , Algimantas Paulauskas 1 , 

Remigijus Daubaras 2 

1 

Vytautas Magnus University, Vileikos 8, Kaunas, 

e-mail: a.paulauskas@gmf.vdu.lt, j.zukauskiene@fc.vdu.lt 

2 

Kaunas Botanical Garden of Vytautas Magnus University, 

Ž. E. Žilibero 6, 46324, Kaunas, e-mail: r.daubaras@bs.vdu.lt 

Plant morphogenesis has provided useful systems for physiological, biochemical, 

and molecular biological studies on plant development. The diversity 

in plant form is produced mainly because different parts of the plant grow at 

different rates. Furthermore, the growth of an individual structure is different in 

various dimensions. Such differential growth rates are very well orchestrated by 

genetic factors. 

Understanding the relationships among wild cranberry morphologic and 

genetic characteristics may provide insights for better utilizing germplasm. The 

objectives of this research were to determine the relationships between genotype 

and development of morphologic features. Four morphologic characteristics 

(vegetation and flowering time, ripening start and ending) of 25 morphologically 

diverse genotypes from the two Lithuanian bogs were analyzed using random 

amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) classifications. To compare morphologic 

characteristic there were used 213 RAPD bands of wild cranberry (Vaccinium 

oxycoccus). Comparing wild cranberry genetic and morphologic features there 

were found some significant variations. 

124

The effect of selenite on the yield and storage 

of onions 

L. Zegnere, I. Alsiтa, L. Dubova, V. Šteinberga 

Latvia University of Agriculture Liela iela 2, Jelgava, 3001, Latvia, 

e-mail: Ina.Alsina@llu.lv 

Two years field and vegetation trials were carried out to investigate the 

growth, development and storage of three onion cultivars: ‘Stuttgarter Riesen’, 

‘Red Baron’ and ‘Snow Ball’. Onions were grown at experimental field and 

greenhouse. During growth season onions were once treated with 50 mg m -2 , 

100 mg m -2 or 200 mg m -2 of sodium selenite or iron selenite. Control – without 

selenite treatment. Plant weight, number and weight of onions leaves were 

determined. Fresh and dry weight of onions and content of ascorbic acid were 

tested after harvest. 

The harvest weight of onions: ‘Stuttgarter Riesen’ weighed 12.9 % more 

than ‘Red Baron’ and 44.8 % more than ‘Snow ball’. The onions grown in 

greenhouse were 24.9 % heavier than the field ones. The average weight 

of the onions increased in presence of selenite. A statistically significant 

weight increase was observed in the greenhouse experiments for plants given 

200 mg m -2 selenite. Plants that were given sodium selenite showed positive 

correlation between selenite dose and onion weight. In the field experiments the 

largest onion weight was observed for the dose 100 mg m -2 for both iron and 

sodium selenite. 

There were significant differences in content of dry matter between cultivars. 

A statistically non-significant finding was that onions given iron selenite had 

slightly lower average dry weight than those given sodium selenite. In the field 

grown onions a significant increase in the dry weight was found for all variants 

when the plants were given a dose of 100 mg m -2 of iron selenite. 

The onions quality on storage depended on the cultivar. Onions grown in 

greenhouse loosed 6.6% less weight in comparison with field ones. A positive 

correlation was observed between storage temperature and weight loss of the 

onions during storage. Selenite treatment of greenhouse onions decreased weight 

loss during storage by 25.65 % in comparison with control. Iron selenite treatment 

protect onion weight loss and rotting more than sodium one. Selenite doses 

50 mg m -2 and 100 mg m -2 prevented onions rot by 4.8 % in comparison with 

control. 

125

Volume / tomas 27(1)

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