Spotting plants’ microfilament morphologies and nanostructures

The tracheary system of plant leaves is composed of a cellulose skeleton with diverse hierarchical structures. It is built of polygonally bent helical microfilaments of cellulose-based nanostructures coated by different layers, which provide them high compression resistance, elasticity, and roughness. Their function includes the transport of water and nutrients from the roots to the leaves. Unveiling details about local interactions of tracheary elements with surrounding material, which varies between plants due to adaptation to different environments, is crucial for understanding ascending fluid transport and for tracheary mechanical strength relevant to potential applications. Here we show that plant tracheary microfilaments, collected from Agapanthus africanus and Ornithogalum thyrsoides leaves, have different surface morphologies, revealed by nematic liquid crystal droplets. This results in diverse interactions among microfilaments and with the environment; the differences translate to diverse mechanical properties of entangled microfilaments and their potential applications. The presented study also introduces routes for accurate characterization of plants’ microfilaments.

Preplant Storage and Greenhouse Temperature Influence Flowering of Ornithogalum

We determined the effects of preplant storage temperature and duration and greenhouse growing temperature on the growth and flowering of four cultivars of potted Ornithogalum representing Ornithogalum dubium (three cultivars) and Ornithogalum thyrsoides (one cultivar) originating from Israeli breeding. Bulbs were stored at five temperatures for 1 to 4 weeks before planting. Within the range of 9 to 27 °C, lower preplant storage temperature resulted in earlier flowering and taller plants, and for one cultivar, increased bulb respiration measured after storage. When bulbs were stored at 9 °C for 3 weeks, plants flowered at least 12 days earlier compared with controls stored at 27 °C. At 9 °C, as preplant bulb storage duration increased from 0 to 4 weeks, plants flowered more quickly and were taller. Within the range of 13 to 21 °C, 17 to 18 °C forcing temperatures gave the best combination of forcing time and plant quality.

Paclobutrazol and Flurprimidol Control Stem Elongation of Potted Star of Bethlehem

Plant growth regulators (PGRs) are effective tools for controlling potted plant growth. In this article, the effects of flurprimidol, paclobutrazol, and ethephon media drenches on stem elongation of star of bethlehem (Ornithogalum thyrsoides and Ornithogalum dubium) were investigated. At the lowest paclobutrazol (0.5 mg/pot) and flurprimidol rates (0.05 mg/pot) tested, plant height was reduced 20% to 35% compared with controls in all tested cultivars. Ethephon applied as a media drench when plants reached visible bud (VB) stage had no effect on plant height or flowering. A consumer preference survey of ‘Fire Star’ star of bethlehem (O. dubium) plant height showed that about 60% of participants preferred PGR-regulated plants. With every level of preference increase for shorter plants (on a scale of 1 to 5), participants were willing to pay $0.48 more for the shorter plant.