Biological Sciences - Botany

Both Western and Russian scientists are working on the inheritance of environmental effects on plants. A Russian botanist has soaked the seeds of several kinds of plants in water, dried them and produced plants with considerable drought resistance. His claim that several successive gen¬erations remain drought resistant was not supported with evidence. An antiseptic varnish, containing 0.25% phenyl mercury nitrate, may soon be available for combatting fungus growth in trees. Experiments showed that the varnish alone, or when combined with several common fungicides, was not sufficient. A “vaccine” is being sought that will prove toxic to the parasitic dwarf mistletoe, but not to the ponderosa pine on which it grows. Effects of research are being tested by atomic energy tools, including radioautographs.

The initial acceleration of a dwarf mistletoe seed shot out of its pod is thousands of times faster than that of a man-made rocket.

The aster yellow virus, which affects asters, lettuce, spin¬ach and carrots, is carried from sick to healthy plants by the corn leafhopper. This insect, when it sucks up the virus, is able to eat and thrive on foods that normally would have poisoned it—asters and carrots. A new field of research into the possible beneficial effects of plant viruses may therefore open up. The growing world population and present wear and tear on farm land probably make it necessary to develop tropical areas into major producers of food.

Many plants suitable for farming in temperate zones are not suitable for the rainy tropics, because the natural vegetation of the tropics is so different. While fertilizers are being used, important sub¬stances, such as phosphorus and potassium, are in short supply and make indefinite experimentation in the tropics difficult. Experiments with a “mechanical cow” that extracts fifty percent of the protein from leaves or grass are being made by the British Agricultural Research Council, with the idea of combatting malnutrition in undeveloped countries. After filtering, the protein is separated from the juice thus ob¬tained. Juiceless choppings and waste juice are being fed to pigs, and in small-scale experiments they are thriving on the new diet.

Experiments have shown that some unknown globulins in skim milk halt the destructive effects of a plant virus in tobacco, pepper and tomato plants. Further research may show that this milk substance will be useful in controlling animal virus diseases. Derived seaweed products, chiefly colloids, already have much use as thickeners and agents in a variety of manufac¬tures, such as icings, chocolate and cosmetic creams. The demand for natural products of seaweed is growing rapidly, for animal foods and fertilizers. Experiments with kelp meal, manufactured only in Norway, are still going on in this country because of the high protein, vitamin and mineral content of this meal.

Entomology

Why is it necessary to establish a program for eradication of the imported fire ant? Studies are being conducted at the Harvard University Biological Laboratories on the odor trail produced by this ant. The nature of the odor trail and the way it is laid down need to be studied.