Experimental Morphogenesis and Integration of Plants

A selection of contents: Introduction. 1. Methods and General Aspects of Studies of Experimental Plant Morphogenesis. Plant Hormones as Factors of Morphogenesis and Structural Integrity in Plants. Indole and non-indole auxin. Gibberellins. Cytokinins. Abscisic acid. Ethylene. Phenols and other secondary substances. The possible participation of steroids, prostaglandin-like compounds and polyamines in the regulation of plant growth and development. Principles of the Methods for the Estimation of Growth Substances. Extraction and purification procedures. Physico-chemical methods of phytohormonex estimation. Immunochemical methods. Bioassays. Morphogenesis and Phytohormone Effects at the Molecular, Subcellular and Cellular Level. Action of phytohormones at the molecular level. Binding sites and phytohormone receptors. Morphogenesis and phytohormone effects on the cell level. Morphogenesis on the Level of Tissues. Methods of tissue culture. Regeneration capacity of explants. Differentiation in tissue cultures. Morphogenesis on the Level of Organs. Methods of classical experimental morphology. Cultures of organs in vitro. The plant as an integral organism. Transport of Phytohormones. Structure of vascular tissues. Transport of phytohormones in stem and root. 2. Plant Integrity in the Sphere of Vegetative Organs. Plant Growth Correlations. Stem/root growth correlations. Growth-correlative effects of cotyledons. Growth correlating effects of leaves and scales. Growth correlating effects emanating from tubers and bulbs and substances effects of tuberization. Senescence and abscission of leaves as phenomena of plant structural integrity. Stem apical dominance. Regeneration as the Recovery of Disturbed Plant Structural Integrity. Types of regeneration. Regeneration of adventitious buds. Regeneration of adventitious roots. Polarity as a Phenomenon of Plant Sructural Integrity. Polarity in the shoot. Polarity in the leaf and cotyledon. Polarity in the root. Polarity in the tuber. Dormancy of Buds, Tubers and Bulbs as a Phenomenon of Structural Integrity. Endogenous dormancy of buds and environmental conditions. Gradual transition of correlative bud inhibition into bud dormancy. Bud dormancy and endogenous phytohormones. Bud dormancy and exogenously applied phytohormones. Length of bud dormancy in various woody species. Endogenous dormancy of tubers and bulbs. Movements of Plants as a Manifestation of their Structural Integrity. Integrity and Exogenous Effects. Radiation. Gravity. Water and chemical effects. Temperature and frost stress. Pathogenic and symbiotic effects of microorganisms. 3. Transformation of the Vegetative Apex into a Flower Primordium. Morphogenesis and Differentiation of Bisexual Flowers. The model of Papaver somniferum. The model of Campanula rapunculoides. The model of Vernonica austriaca. The model of Digitalis purpurea. Morphogenesis and Differentiation of Flowers on Monoecious Plants. The model of Cucumis sativus. The model of Zea mays. The model of Juglans regia. Morphogenesis and Differentiation of Dioecious Plant Flowers. The model of Melandrium album. The model of Mercurialis annua. The model of Cannabis sativa. The model of Lemna gibba. The Role of Phytohormones in Sex Differentiation of Flowers. Morphological Atavisms of Flowers and Inflorescences. 4. Experimental Morphogenesis of Seeds and Fruits. Double Fertilization of Angiosperms. Seed development without fertilization. In vitro fertilization. Structural Integrity of Tissues in the Seed During Embryogenesis. Types of embryo: endosperm correlation. Disturbances in the embryo: endosperm correlation. Development of Embryo in the Seed. Zygote. Proembryo. Embryo. Embryo Development in vitro. Correlations in the development of the suspensor and embryo. Correlations in the development of the cotyledons (or scutellum) and embryo. Determination and regeneration of embryo tissues. The use of cultures of isolated embryos. Polyembryony. Induction of polyembryony on the mother plant. Induction of polyembryony in excised ovules and seeds. Induction of polyembryony in excised embryos. The Endosperm in vitro. The Origin and Development of the Fruit. The role of growth substances in the initial processes of fruit growth. The role of growth substances in fruit ripening. Fruit abortion. Dormancy of Seeds and Fruits. Dormancy of seeds and fruits and endogenous growth regulators. The effect of exogenous growth regulators on the dormancy of seeds and fruits. 5. The Importance of Studies on Experimental Plant Morphogenesis for Understanding Phylogenesis and Practical Application. Phylogenetic Recapitulation and Haeckel's Biogenetic Law. Concrete Examples of Leaf Atavisms. The Importance of Experimental Morphogenesis and Plant Integrity for Practical Plant Production. References. Subject Index.