328 Abstracts
biomass allocation and phenology. The leaf material of five individuals
of S. tegetaria was collected at 12 different estuaries in the cool and
warm temperate zones to provide more details on the phylogeo-
graphic patterns of the species. The aboveground and belowground
biomass of S. tegetaria was harvested twice during summer and winter
and morphological features and physico-chemical parameters and
sediment characteristics were also measured. Differences in phenol-
ogy and morphology between the two biogeographic zones will also
be determined by comparing differences in plant height, percentage
vegetation cover, inflorescence cover and phase and the number of
inflorescence and seeds per m2. Sediment characteristics and biomass
are measured on a monthly basis at Langebaan in the cold temperate
zone and will be compared to the Kowie Estuary in the warm
temperate zone. Information from this study can be incorporated into
the National Biodiversity Assessment, estuarine plant databases and
estuarine management plans.
doi:10.1016/j.sajb.2017.01.031
Effect of soil type on agronomic traits of Lagenaria siceraria
landraces in northern KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa
V.P. Cele, A.M. Zobolo, N.R. Ntuli
University of Zululand, Private Bag X1001, KwaDlangezwa 3886,
KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa
E-mail address: NtuliR@unizulu.ac.za (N.R. Ntuli)
Lagenaria siceraria (Molina) Standl. landraces vary widely genet-
ically, morphologically and in environmental adaptation. In South
Africa, studies on analysis of agronomic characteristics of L. siceraria
grown on different soil types have never been conducted. Therefore,
the aim of this study was to investigate the effect of clay, loam and
sandy soils on seed germination percentage; vine length; shoot
growth; total leaf area; leaf growth; fresh and dry weight of roots
and shoots; root and shoot moisture content and leaf chlorophyll
content of different L. siceraria landraces in northern KwaZulu-Natal.
The performance of agronomic characteristics varied for each landrace
within different soil types. Loam soil supported high shoot and root
fresh and dry weight for KSP landrace and high leaf chlorophyll
content in NRB landrace. Sandy soil was superior to other soil types in
promoting high germination percentage for KSP landrace, total leaf
area for MR landrace, leaf growth for NRC landrace, shoot moisture
content for NRB landrace and shoot growth for all the four landraces.
Clay soil produced high total leaf area with NRB landrace surpassing
other landraces. Root moisture content of KSP and NRB landraces did
not differ significantly in different soil types. Differences were not
significant on the effects of both loam and clay soils on germination
percentage of NRB landrace, total leaf area of KSP landrace and vine
length of both KSP and MR landraces. Future research on growth of
increased number of landraces under field conditions is desirable.
doi:10.1016/j.sajb.2017.01.032
Resolving complex genomic variation with optical mapping
T.-F. Chang
Centre for Soybean Research, Partner State Key Laboratory of
Agrobiotechnology and School of Life Sciences, The Chinese University
of Hong Kong, Shatin, Hong Kong SAR
E-mail address: tf.chan@cuhk.edu.hk
Studying higher eukaryotic genomes has always been a challeng-
ing topic because of their large genome sizes and abundant repetitive
elements. Despite the advancement of sequencing technologies,
current read lengths are still far from enough to cover the complex
regions to ensure a high-quality analysis. We have developed a
new analytical method to resolve complex genomic variation using
optical mapping, an imaging technology that captures the fluores-
cent signaling patterns labelled at specific enzyme sites along a DNA
molecule. We demonstrated how optical mapping could be applied
to detect structural variations and resolve variations in complex
genomic regions by showcasing examples from samples across dif-
ferent populations. Our results indicated optical mapping can be
used to profile complex regions and distinguish various types of
genomic structures including inversions and copy number variations.
doi:10.1016/j.sajb.2017.01.033
Climate, soil nutrients, and P-acquisition traits of Podalyria
species and their distribution in the fynbos
S.B.M. Chimphango, P.M. Maistry, A.M. Muasya
Department of Biological Sciences, University of Cape Town, Rondebosch
7700, South Africa
E-mail address: samson.chimphango@uct.ac.za (S.B.M. Chimphango)
In the legume genus Podalyria, found in the Core Cape Subregion
(CCR), the closely related species P. calyptrata and P. burchellii are
allopatric; and in a separate clade, P. myrtillifolia and P. leipoldtii also
have an allopatric distribution. Allopatric species may be occupying
similar niches, with intervening niches being unsuitable. It was
hypothesized that in each closely related species pair, the traits for
P-acquisition would be similar between species due to adaptation to
their ecological niches. Soil and leaf samples for analysis of nutrients,
and climate data, were collected from three sites of each of the four
Podalyria species. In a glasshouse study, plants were grown in potted
sand mixed with 10, 25, 50 or 100 mg P kg sand-1 and supplied
with P-free nutrient solution. At harvest, plant biomass, leaf N and
P, root morphology and release of organic acids were measured.
In the field, all species occurred in soil with an acidic pH range of
3.4-4.4 and with similar concentration of major nutrients (total P,
Bray II P, N, and C), but varying annual precipitation. In controlled
glasshouse conditions, root:shoot ratio was the same in P. calyptrata
and P. burchellii which was greater than the ratio of P. myrtillifolia
and lowest in P. leipoldtii under low P supply. Comparison of the
closely related species showed that at low P supply, P. calyptrata
roots exuded more acids than P. burchellii which instead produced
roots with a greater SRL. The differences between phylogenetically
related species suggest that, of the biophysical conditions in the
fynbos, climate controls nutrient availability and hence distribution
of species.
doi:10.1016/j.sajb.2017.01.034
The role of the Selmar Schonland Herbarium and Makana
Botanical Garden in promoting social change towards
biodiversity conservation
P.V. Cimi
Selmar Schonland Herbarium, Albany Museum, Somerset Street,
Grahamstown, South Africa
 Abstracts
Botany Department, Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University, Port
Elizabeth, South Africa
E-mail address: p.cimi@am.org.za
Although teaching and learning of biodiversity conservation is
part of the school curriculum there is still a continuous lack of
effective plant conservation in South African communities. The
aim is to promote social change towards biodiversity conserva-
tion. This research was designed in response to SECTION 2 of the
Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statement (CAPS) published
in 2011 by the Department of Basic Education of South Africa. I
have used questionnaires and interviews to find information from
learners and community members. I have also used photographs
to facilitate identification of plants. This research was conducted
in Grahamstown.
doi:10.1016/j.sajb.2017.01.035
Role of strigolactones in adventitious rooting of Arabidopsis
thaliana callus in vitro
A.P. Claassens, P.N. Hills
Institute for Plant Biotechnology, Department of Genetics, Stellenbosch
University, Private Bag X1, Matieland 7602, South Africa
E-mail address: finn@sun.ac.za (A.P. Claassens)
Strigolactones, the most recently discovered phytohormones,
have a wide range of biological functions, some of which include
seed germination of parasitic weed plants, shoot branching, leaf
senescence, secondary growth and root development. In this study,
the effects of strigolactones are being investigated in an in vitro callus
system to elucidate their potential role in adventitious rooting.
Calli (50 mg) of A. thaliana Col-0 wild-type as well as strigolactone
perception (max2) and biosynthetic mutants (max3 and max4)
were placed on plain MS media with or without the synthetic
strigolactone analogue GR24, and root formation was tracked over
a period of 28d. Previously published research on A. thaliana
plants indicated that strigolactones reduce lateral root formation
and suppress adventitious rooting. However, in A. thaliana callus, it
appears that strigolactones’ function in rooting might be more
complex, as GR24 enhances, rather than inhibits adventitious rooting
from callus. In wild type, max3 and max4 calli, GR24 treatment
resulted in significant adventitious rooting, however, in max2 callus
no rooting was observed, indicating that the rooting response is
mediated through the strigolactone signalling network. The trans-
criptomes of untreated and treated calli will be analysed using
RNAseq technology to gain a deeper understanding of the rooting
phenotypes that were observed in different strigolactone biosyn-
thetic and perception mutants treated with GR24.
doi:10.1016/j.sajb.2017.01.036
Inhibition of bacterial triggers of selected autoimmune
inflammatory diseases by Harpagophytum procumbens Burch.
DC. ex Meisn. fruit extracts
I.E. Cock, A. Bromley
Environmental Futures Research Institute, Griffith University, Brisbane
4111, Australia
E-mail address: I.Cock@griffith.edu.au (I.E. Cock)
329
Harpagophytum procumbens DC. ex Meisn. (commonly known as
‘devils claw’) is used in traditional South African medicine to treat
arthritis and rheumatic diseases. The anti-inflammatory and analge-
sic properties of the fruit are well documented and have been
confirmed in pre-clinical and clinical studies. Despite their direct
effects on the inflammatory phases of these diseases, the effects
of H. procumbens extracts on the etiological agents remain to
be rigorously tested. The current study was undertaken to test
H. procumbens extracts for their ability to inhibit the growth of
the bacterial triggers of rheumatoid arthritis (Proteus mirabilis),
ankylosing spondylitis (Klebsiella pneumoniae), multiple sclerosis
(Acinitobacter baylyi and Pseudomonas aeruginosa) and rheumatic
fever (Streptococcus pyogenes). Powdered H. procumbens fruit was
extracted with solvents of varying polarity and investigated for the
ability to inhibit bacterial growth using disc diffusion and liquid
dilution MIC techniques. The extracts were subsequently tested for
toxicity in the Artemia nauplii bioassay to verify their suitability for
therapeutic usage. The H. procumbens extracts were potent inhibitors
of most of the bacterial triggers of autoimmune inflammatory
diseases. The methanolic extract was a particularly potent inhibitor
of P. mirabilis, with low MIC values determined. The methanolic
extract was also a potent inhibitor of most of the other bacterial
species tested. In contrast, the methanolic extract was a poor in-
hibitor of P. aeruginosa growth. However, this bacterial strain was
also not inhibited significantly by the control antibiotics, indicating
that it is a particularly resistant strain. All extracts were shown to be
non-toxic in the Artemia nauplii bioassay. The lack of toxicity of these
extracts and their growth inhibitory bioactivity against the bacterial
triggers of several autoimmune inflammatory diseases indicates their
potential for the prevention and treatment of rheumatoid arthritis,
ankylosing spondylitis, multiple sclerosis and rheumatic fever.
doi:10.1016/j.sajb.2017.01.037
Inhibition of Caco-2 and HeLa proliferation by Terminalia sericea
Burch. ex DC. (Combretaceae) leaf extracts and identification of
volatile components
I.E. Cocka, B. Gua, J. Sirdaartaa, S.F. Van Vuurenb
a
Environmental Futures Research Institute Griffith University, Brisbane
4111, Australia
b
Department of Pharmacy and Pharmacology, University of the
Witwatersrand, Parktown 2193, Gauteng, South Africa
E-mail address: I.Cock@griffith.edu.au (I.E. Cock)
Terminalia sericea Burch. ex. DC (Combretaceae) is used in
traditional South African medicine to treat a wide variety of diseases.
Several other Terminalia spp. have been reported to have anti-
proliferative and apoptotic activities. Despite this, the anticancer
properties of T. sericea remain to be rigorously tested. The current
study was undertaken to test a panel of T. sericea leaf extracts for the
ability to inhibit the proliferation of Caco-2 colorectal and HeLa
cervical carcinoma cells, and to identify volatile compounds using
GC-MS headspace analysis. Powdered T. sericea leaves were extracted
with solvents of varying polarity and investigated for the ability to
inhibit the proliferation of Caco-2 and cervical carcinoma cells using
MTS based colorimetric cell proliferation assays. The extracts were
tested for toxicity in the Artemia nauplii bioassay and the extract
with the most potent anti-proliferative activity was examined using
headspace GC-MS analysis to identify volatile nonpolar components.
The T. sericea leaf extracts displayed potent anti-proliferative activity
against Caco-2 and HeLa carcinoma cells. The methanolic extracts
were particularly potent inhibitors of Caco-2 and HeLa proliferation.