Micropropagation of Capparis decidua through In Vitro Shoot Proliferation on Nodal Explants of Mature Tree and Seedling Explants
In vitro clonal propagation of Capparis decidua was achieved using nodal explants from mature trees, and cotyledonary node, cotyledon and hypocotyl explants taken from the seedlings. Explants cultured on MS medium supplemented with BAP showed differentiation of multiple shoots and shoot buds in 4–5 weeks in the primary cultures. The medium with BAP (5 mg/l) was the best for shoot bud proliferation from the nodal as well as seedling explant. Shoot multiplication was best on cotyledonary node. In the nodal explants shoot multiplication was best on medium supplemented with 5 mg/l BAP and after second subculturing further multiplication of shoot buds was highest on the medium containing 3 mg/l BAP. Shoots were separated from mother cultures in each subculturing for rooting. Rooting was best achieved using 1 mg/l IBA in the medium. Rooted plantlets were transferred td earthen pots with garden soil and peat moss mixture.
Clonal propagation and medium-term conservation of Capparis spinosa: A medicinal plant
Successful in vitro multiplication of Capparis spinosa was achieved on Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium supplemented with benzyl amino purine (BAP) at 0.8 mg/L. The highest shoot length (35.6 mm) was obtained with the use of 0.4 mg/L BAP and 0.2 mg/L 1-naphthaleneanacetic acid (NAA). Kinetin at 2.0 mg/L produced a multiplication rate of 9.7 microshoots per explants with an average shoot length of 21.3 mm. In vitro rooting was successfully achieved on MS media supplemented with different concentration of indole-3-butyric acid (IBA), indole acetic acid (IAA) or NAA at various concentrations. However, rooting did not occur in the absence of IBA, IAA or NAA. A total of 85% survival was achieved when rooted explants acclimatized ex vitro using a mixture of 1 perlite: 1 peat. In another experiment, in vitro C. spinosa were successfully stored without serious losses by using MS medium supplemented with an appropriate concentration of osmoticum (sucrose, sorbitol, mannitol or glucose) at various concentration (0, 3, 6, 9 or 12%). Two types of plant material were used (in vitro plantlets and in vitro plantlets without tips). The results obtained show that the two type of plant material could be successfully maintained in vitro and optimum treatments were identified for each plant material. Further studies are still needed on medium term conservation to enhance the survival percentages of different plant material type.
What Happened to Suicide Bombings in Israel? Insights from a Terror Stock Model
An analysis of three years of suicide bombing data in Israel reveals an increase in such attacks through March 2002 followed by a steep decline through the end of 2003. The authors propose a terror-stock model that treats the suicide bombing attack rate as a function of the number of terrorists available to plan and execute suicide bombings. The intent of Israeli tactics such as targeted killings and preemptive arrests is to reduce the capacity of terror organizations to commit attacks. When fit to the data, this model suggests that the targeted killing of terror suspects sparks estimated recruitment to the terror stock that increases rather than decreases the rate of suicide bombings. Surprisingly, only the deaths of suspected terrorists, and not Palestinian civilians, are associated with such estimated recruitment. Although Israeli actions have reduced the rate of suicide bombings over time, it is preventive arrests rather than targeted killings that seem more responsible for this outcome.