Search

Content of malondialdehyde (MDA), proline, phenolics, and saccharides was analyzed during different developmental stages of in vitro root and shoot organogenesis in saffron. The highest content of MDA, proline, and phenolics was detected in nodular calli. Significant changes were also found in the content of polysaccharides, soluble saccharides, oligosaccharides, and reducing saccharides during developmental stages. Histological investigation of nodular calli showed meristematic zones with small and densely stained cells situated at peripheral zones of calli. The meristematic zones surrounded some vascular areas from which de novo organs originated. The parenchymatic cells of inner zones of calli converted to procambium cells that produced vascular tissues. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is well known that phenolic compounds are constituents of many plants. In this study, the total phenolics content in Crocus sativus L. corms in dormancy and waking stages were determined by the Folin-Ciocalteu method. Analysis was carried out by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) after silylation by N-methyl-N-trimethylsilyl trifluroacetamide (MSTFA) + %1 trimethyl iodosilane (TMIS). Numerous compounds were detected and 11 compounds were identified. The highest phenolics content in waking corms was observed for gentisic acid (5.693 ± 0.057 μg/g) and the lowest for gallic acid (0.416 ± 0.006 μg/g); also these two phenolic compounds are the highest (0.929 ± 0.015 μg/g) and lowest (0.017 ± 0.001 μg/g) phenolics in dormant corms, respectively. The results from quantization and GC-MS analysis showed a high concentration of phenolic compounds in waking corms than the dormant stage. Furthermore, the radical scavenging activities of saffron corms were studied by 1,1-diphenyl-2-pycrylhydrazyl (DPPH) test and EC50 values were determined about 2055 ppm and 8274 ppm for waking and dormant corms, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effect of various hormonal combinations on regeneration of shoots and roots from meristem-derived callus of Crocus sativus L. and activities of antioxidant enzymes have been studied. The most efficient regeneration occurred with 1.0 mg dm−3 1-naphthaleneacetic acid (NAA) + 1.0 mg dm−3 thidiazuron and 1.0 mg dm−3 NAA + 2.0 mg dm−3 kinetin. For sprouting, regenerated shoot were subcultured on Murashige and Skoog medium containing 1.0 mg dm−3 NAA + 1.0 mg dm−3 benzylaminopurine (BAP). Protein content and superoxide dismutase activity decreased in regenerated shoots and roots and increased in sprouting shoots, while catalase (CAT), peroxidase (POX) and polyphenol oxidase (PPO) activities increased during organogenesis and decreased in sprouting shoots. High CAT and PPO activities were detected in regenerated roots, whereas high POX activity was observed in regenerated shoot. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article reports on the study of antioxidant enzyme activity changes and its isoenzyme profile during in vitro formation of Saffron in Tehran, Iran. Researchers used basal salts in the experiment and found that those using Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium with different concentrations of Thidiazuron have highest frequency of shoot formation. Those using peroxidate (POD), catalase (CAT), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and polyphenoloxidase (PPO) have increased concentrations in the first stages.

The shoot apex development during the life cycle of Crocus salivus L. was characterized by light microscopy and two-dimensional gel electrophoresis. Using silver staining of polyacrylamide gels, numerous quantitative and qualitative changes in the populations of polypeptides were observed during transition from vegetative to prefloral and from prefloral to floral stages. Using 80 µg protein, we were able to detect 352 polypeptidic spots. In comparison with the vegetative apex, 89 new polypeptides were identified in the prefloral meristem and 29 polypeptides were missing. In the reproductive meristem, 94 new spots were identified and 44 spots were missing. Thus, substantial quantitative and qualitative changes in the populations of polypeptides occurred during the prefloral stage, a point of no return in plant development, i.e., and before floral primordia initiation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]