ALBERT

Notes: The biosynthesis of nonvolatile compounds by tomato fruit parallels the growth rate of the fruit, regardless of varieties studied. Volatile reducing substances (VRS, mμ100 g), reducing sugars (percent), water-soluble pectins (percent), and organic acids (mg/100 g) progressively increase in quantity with advancing maturity. Total titratable acidity (percent) and total pectic materials (percent) increased during the initial stages of maturation, but gradually decreased as the fruit ripened. Ascorbic acid (mg/100 g) increased with the maturity of fruit but declined slightly in the later (red and red-ripe) stages of maturation. Concentrations of compounds (chlorophylls, mg/100 g; carotene and lycopene, mg/100 g) contributing to the coloration changed significantly as the fruit passed through various degrees of maturation. The pattern of physiological and chemical changes during the development of tomato fruit was nearly identical in both varieties studied. However, V. R. Moscow fruit contained higher amounts of pigments, reducing sugars, pectins, organic acids, ascorbic acid, and VRS than the fruit of Fireball variety, regardless of maturities studied.

Notes: Idli is a popular breakfast and hospital food in South India which is prepared by fermenting a mixture of soaked and milled parboiled rice and dehulled black gram (Phaseolus mungo).In the present investigation, no appreciable increase in methionine was found after 24 hours of fermentation, when idli would normally be steamed. The PER and digestibility in rats were the same as of the unfermented mixture. The riboflavin content was decreased. Because of the presence of Streptococcus faecalis in the fermented batter, the presence of pharmacological active amines such as tyramin was expected but they were not detected.It seems that the nutritive advantage of this interesting food may lie mainly in its increased acceptability, but not in an increased nutritive value.

Notes: Tomatoes of V. R. Moscow and Fireball varieties grown in a greenhouse varied markedly from previously reported data on field-grown lots of the same varieties with regards to total titratable acidity, color development, free reducing sugars, pectins, volatile reducing substances (VRS), organic acids, and ascorbic acid. Concentrations of all the nonvolatile attributes except total titratable acidity (%) were low as compared with field-ripened tomatoes. Lower concentrations of VRS, organic acids (mg/100 g), and sugars (%) considerably affected flavor, aroma, and taste in greenhouse tomatoes. Color (beta-carotene and lycopene) development was defective. In general, tomatoes grown in the greenhouse were “flat” and tasteless.

Notes: SYNOPSIS. Babesiosoma ophicephali n. sp. (Babesiidae; Haemosporidia), from the red blood cells of the freshwater teleost fish Ophicephalus punctatus Bloch, collected from suburbs of Calcutta, is described. Giemsa-stained films of blood from the caudal region of 20 fishes were examined, and 2 fishes were found to be infected. The genus Babesiosoma is described for the first time in India. The systematic position of the parasite is discussed in detail.

Notes: Plants of Impatiens balsamina L. grown under long days were divided into 5 lots to receive 1, 2, 4, 8 and 16 consecutive short day (SD) cycles respectively. Each lot was divided into 5 groups to receive 1, 2, 4, 8 and 16 long day (LD) cycles subsequent to SD regime and the cycles were repeated till the end. Observations on the number, position and time of emergence of floral buds, flowers and extension growth were recorded.The floral buds are initiated and these develop into flowers even when Individual SDs are intercalated with 16 LD cycles, showing that the sub-threshold stimulus is not wiped off but becomes effectively summated through a long non-inductive period.The floral bud initiation in lots receiving less than 4 and flowering in those receiving less than 8 consecutive SD cycles are delayed with decreasing number of consecutive SDs and increasing number of intercalating LDs. This progressive delay is probably due to the delay that is caused by these treatments in the completion of requisite number of SD cycles.The first node to show floral bud initiation is shifted up with increasing intercalated LDs only in plants receiving less than 4 SD cycles and not in those receiving more. Some of the lower floral buds in plants receiving less than 8 consecutive SD cycles either abort or revert to vegetative growth. The first node to flower is, therefore, shifted up. The number of such buds increases either with a decrease in the number of consecutive SDs or an increase in the number of intercalated LDs.The number of floral buds produced in plants receiving 2 or more and flowers in those receiving 4 or more consecutive SD cycles does not differ much with the number of intercalated LDs, but decreases in those receiving less number of SDs. Some nodes bear more than one floral bud and flower. Such nodes are observed in plants receiving individual SD cycles only when intercalated with individual LDs but in all groups in plants receiving 16 consecutive SD cycles.The rate of extension growth increases with an increase in the number of consecutive SDs. The rate in plants receiving individual SDs closely resembles that of plants grown under continuous LDs and that of consecutive 16 SDs with that of control SD plants. The attainment of maximum and the consequent steep fall preceding senescence is successively delayed with an increase in the number of intercalated LDs in plants receiving 16 consecutive SD cycles.Light interruption of the dark period inhibits both the initiation of floral buds and their development Into flowers. showing that in this plant. short days are necessary both for the initiation of floral buds and their development into flowers.

Notes: Photoperiod controls the initiation and development of roots on cuttings of Bryophyllum tubiflorum. Root initiation occurred when either the mother plant or the cuttings were exposed subsequently to SD conditions. Cuttings from LD plants exposed to LD did not root at all even after 4 weeks showing that short days are necessary for rooting of cuttings of this plant. The short day requirement can be substituted by IAA or IBA as roots were initiated in cuttings from LD plants when treated with the auxins under LD conditions. GA stimulates rooting of cuttings under SD conditions but does not replace the SD requirement. It failed to induce rooting under LD conditions.

Notes: The investigation dealt with starch accumulation in four species of Cuscuta (Cuscuta campestris, C. indecora, C. planiflora and C. reflexa), a leafy mistletoe (Dendrophthoe falcata) and a chlorophyll-lacking root parasite (Orobanche aegyptiaca). The highest content of starch occurred In O. aegyptiaca, with a maximum of 45 per cent of dry weight Starch in Cuscuta filaments and mistletoe leaves showed a maximum of about 10 per cent of dry weight. The starch content varied along the length of the Cuscuta vine, with a maximum in the apical region. Orobanche had a higher starch content when it was still submerged than it was fully developed. Cuscuta vines did not show any marked diurnal alteration in the starch content. The content of ethanol-soluble carbohydrate was only a tenth of the starch in Orobanche, but was relatively higher in the other parasites. the neutral sugars in Cuscuta filaments were sucrose and glucose, whereas fructose was also present in mistletoe and Orobanche. Raffinose and stachyose were absent or present only ill traces in parasite tissue. Starch granules from Cuscuta and Orobanche bad ADPG/UDPG-starch synthetase activity and homogenates starch phosphorylase activity. The former enzyme appeared to be responsible for synthesis of starch and the latter for utilization. The four different species of Cuscnta, growing on alfalfa, had more or less the same activity of starch synthetase and also of phosphorylase activity. Hosts infected by Cuscuta had significantly less starch per plant than the controls. A characteristic feature of invasion by Cuscuta and Orobanche was increased phosphorylase activity in the host tissues. The protein content of the tissues of Cuscuta and Orobanche was of a lower level than that of the host shoot system or foliage, indicating that the parasite differed from the host in having a higher carbon (of starch) to nitrogen (of protein) ratio.