Pakistan Journal of Biological Sciences1028-88801812-5735Asian Network for Scientific Information10.3923/pjbs.2009.565.573Picris asplenoides L. and Urospermum picroides L. (Asteraceae) in Egypt]]>Abd El-WahidAmal A. SolimanMagda I. M. RizkReda M. RizkRehab 72009127Achene morphs of Picris asplenoides L. and Urospermum picroides L. were investigated in order to gain insight into its genetic variation based on the evidence obtained from karyotype analysis, electrophoretic pattern of achene proteins as well as nucleic acid analysis. In Picris asplenoides L., three achene morphs were observed from every inflorescence as follows: violet, brown and white, these morphs differ in their color. In the inflorescence of Urospermum picroides L., three achene morphs were differ also in their color were observed as follows: white, brown and black. All achene morphs of Picris asplenoides and Urospermum picroides were diploid, with ten chromosomes observed in somatic cells. Karyotype studies showed that the achene morphs of Picris asplenoides and Urospermum picroides have different karyotype formulae. However, the chromosome type nearly submetacentric (-) and nearly metacentric were common in all karyotype formulae of all different achene morphs of Picris asplenoides and Urospermum picroides. Not only the dissimilarity was found in the morphology of chromosomes but also in the Mean Chromosome Length (MCL) and Diploid Chromosome Length (DCL). Types and proportions of abnormalities for different achene morphs of Picris asplenoides and Urospermum picroides observed at mitotic division were analysed. The electrophoretic analysis of Picris asplenoides revealed the presence of fourteen bands of molecular weight ranging from 145.00 to 20.00 kD. The band with molecular weight 20.00 kD was restricted to brown achene from and can be used as molecular marker to distinguish brown achene form from violet achene form. The electrophoretic analysis of Urospermum picroides reveals the presence of nine bands of molecular weight ranging from 95.00 to 22.00 kD. The band with molecular weight 22.25 kD was restricted to white achene from and can be used as molecular marker to distinguish white achene form other achene forms. The nuclear DNA content for Picris asplenoides were 0.0295 and 0.0183 μg g-1 fresh weight for violet and brown achene, respectively, while RNA content were 25.347 and 35.069 μg g-1 fresh weight for violet and brown achene, respectively. The nuclear DNA content for Urospermum picroides were 0.093, 0.115 and 0.145 μg g-1 fresh weight for brown, black and white achene, respectively while RNA content were 10.417, 17.361 and 21.528 μg g-1 fresh weight for black, white and brown achene, respectively.]]>Abraham, Z. and P.N. Prasad,19834895101Bradford, M.M.,197672248254Bremer, K. and A.A. Anderberg,1994Pages: 752Pages: 752Boulos, L.,19951st Edn.,Pages: 283Pages: 283Brullo, S. G. Majorana, P. Pavone and M.C. Terrasi,197794055Burton, K.,196862315323Chattopadhyay, D. and A.K. Sharma,198863283287Dische, Z.,19621962pp: 484-488pp: 484-488Dolezel, J., J. Greihuber, S. Lucretti, A. Meister, M.A. Lysak, L. Nardi and R. Obermayer,1998821726Ellner, S. and A. Shmida,1984Picris (Compositae) in Mediterranean and Arid regions.]]>332539Greilhuber, J. and F. Septa,1976Scilla hohenackeri group. S. persica and Puschkinia (Liliaceae).]]>126149188Harper, J.L.,1997Huziwara, Y.,196249116119Imbert, E., J. Escarre and T.J. Lepar,1996Crepis sancta (Asteraceae).]]>157309315Kamel, E.A.,199933118Koller, D. and N. Roth,1964ymnarrhena micrantha (Compositae).]]>512635Kuzmanov, B. and P. Jurukova,197726557565Laemmli, U.K.,1970227680685Loeve, A. and E. Kjellqvist,19744153211Mc-Evoy, P.B.,1984Senecio jacobaea.]]>61160168Morton, J.K.,1977Hieracium and Taraxacum ) of the British isles.]]>11211223Nazorva, E.A.,197519597Nevo, E., B. Baum, A. Beiles and D.N. Johnson,1998Hordeum spontaneum, in the fertile crescent.]]>45151159Reeves, A.,20014439443Schmitt, J., D. Ehrhardt and D. Swartz,1985(Impatiens capensis).]]>126570575Schnee, B.K. and D.M. Walter,1986Amphicarpaea bracteata (Leguminosae), an amphicarpic annual.]]>73376387Schoen, D.J. and D.G. Lioyd,198423303322Shibko, S., P. Koivistoven, C.A. Tratnyek, A.R. Newhall and L. Friedman,196719415528Sorensen, A.E.,1978276174176Tackholm, V.,1974Tanowitz, B.D., P.F. Salopek and B.E. Mahall,1987Hemizonia increscens (Asteraceae).]]>74303312Telenius, A. and P. Torstensson,1989Spergularia marian in relation to dispersal by wind and water.]]>80206210Venable, D.L.,1985126577595Venable, D.L. and L. Lawlor,198046272282Venable, D.L. and D.A. Levin,1985Heterotheca latifolia: I. Achene structure, germination and dispersal.]]>73133145Walter, D.M.,1984Impatiens capensis.]]>38427440Zarco, C.R.,198635526530Zohary, M.,1950414031409