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Changes in germination ability during genebank storage at some medicinal plant seeds belonging to the Solanaceae family
51-55.Views:129In the present work we have examined the changes of germination ability of some medicinal plant species belonging to the Solanaceae family (Datura stramonium L., Datura innoxia Mill. and Hyoscyamus niger L.) during 5-6 years' storage period. According to our results, all the three species showed an after-ripening behavior. Potassium nitrate and gibberellic acid increased significantly the rate of germination in the case of Datura species. During the storage period tested (1995-2001), the species maintained their germination ability which is favourably but not significantly influenced by the cooled gene bank conditions. The degree of ripeness affected considerably the proportion of germinated seeds at all the three species. As a consequence of our results we emphasise that propagation with completely ripe seeds is proposed, however, half-ripe seeds developped in an unadvantageous vegetation period can be also utilized in the practice. The effect of vegetation year on stramony seeds manifested in the length of after-ripening period, while in the case of henbane the germination ability was also influenced.
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Atropine and scopolamine in leaf and flower of Datura arborea L.
61-64.Views:233Angel's trumpet (Danira = Brugmansia arhorea) is a common, popular ornamental plant in Hungary. On the basis of thin layer chromatographic and densitometric alkaloid studies of leaf and flower samples collected from several places in Somogy and Baranya counties it can be stated that in samples of cultivars with different flower colour, taken approximately at the same time, the atropine and scopolamine content varies: there are samples free of alkaloids, but most of them are rich in alkaloids. Although the means do not reflect the extremes, they are suitable for determining the alkaloid accumulating capacity of flowers. Generally the amount of atropine and scopolamine is significant both in the leaf and the flower. It is conspicuous that the flower can be characterised by an extremely high scopolamine content (mean in mg/g dry matter of leaf: atropine 0.34, scopolamine 0.31; of flower: atropine 0.26, scopolamine 0.85). Thus it can be stated that the leaf, and especially the flower of angel's trumpet is a potential hallucinogen, just like in the case of Datura stramonium.