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Thursday. March 24. 1977
University Daily Kansan
Avocado furnishes genetic data
Staff Reporter
Bv ROBERT MACKEY
Until five months ago, nothing was known about the genetic activity of the avocado. But information now is being gathered by the study of Kansas researchers on the subject.
Andrew Torres, professor of botany, said yesterday that he and Ulrike Didenhoefen, Gerolstein, West Germany, graduate student, have identified 10 genetic markers, two of them possibly situated on one of the plant's 12 chromosomes.
"No single genetic characteristic was known until now," Torres said. "What we have done so far was done purely by chance."
The chance, in this case, was provided by some students in a biology class taught by Torres last semester. The students were interested in the reported presence of ethyl alcohol in pulpy fruit. Ethyl alcohol is the active ingredient in all alcoholic beverages.
"The biological question is why is the alcohol there," Torres said. "So I had them check various fruits for alcohol or DDH, an alcohol-producing enzyme."
Torres, who usually studies sunflowers,
said that he became involved in the project
when he found that avocado pulp contained
a large amount of ADH and other isozymes.
Lozymes are groups of enzymes, or protein molecules that cause substances to change chemically in a given plant or animal system. They are similar to selves. They are similar in their action but vary in physical characteristics. They also provide a measurable way to trace genetic information.
Ionzyme studies allow avocado growers to select the genetic characterities that they want, thus enabling them to produce more quality fruits.
Genes contain the basic coding for the production of isozymes within an organism. Organisms that reproduce by mating pass this code to their offspring.
Growers cross varieties, which are grafted to existing root stocks, hoping to grow the ideal avocado. Because the genetic history of an individual variety is unknown, the process doesn't always produce the desired characteristics. That of the 10 characteristics that he and Diedenhofen had found, more than 17,000 combinations could be made.
"It may be possible to characterize each race and variety of avocado genetically," Torres said. "This has a very direct commercial tie-in."
Avocados, which originated in the Western Hemisphere, have three distinct markets: Mexico, where they are grown; Japan, where they are grown; and
Indian. But growers have selected, through grafting, more than 500 named varieties. All the named varieties are genetically identical to others of the same variety. But the individual genetic compositions are hard to determine.
The reason for the difficulty, Torres said, is the nature of the plant itself. Avocado plants live a long time, require four to five years, and are hard to reproduce their reproductive method is complicated.
Avocado flowers contain both male and female sexual organs, as do most flowers. Torres said the flowers are classed A-type and B-type.
The A-type flower, which opens in the morning hours, is actively female. But the next afternoon, the flower opens again, and the male part is active.
The B-type flower operates in exactly the opposite way, that is, during the time the A-type female flower is open, the B-type male flower is open.
Torres said that this switching mechanism prevented inbreeding by forcing the individual plants to pollinate each other and not themselves.
"All plants of any variety will be either A or B," he said. "Growers know that they have to have both types or they don't grow any avocados."
Torres said that growers seeking to
Law student leads a double life
By HANNES DEAR Staff Reporter
There's often much work associated with being a law student. And there's often much work associated with being a state legislator.
Mike Meacham is both.
Meacham, a third-year law student at the University of Kansas, was elected in November to the Kansas House of Representatives from the 83rd district in Wichita.
Meacham commutes from KU to Topeka every day while the House is in session. His day begins around 6:30 a.m. so he can arrive by 8 a.m. at his Capitol office.
BUSINESS BEGINS with a calendar
name, as the Merchandise
Marecham recently launched.
The day continues with committee meetings, beginning with a 9 a.m. session on labor and industry. When the session ends, Meacham goes to the house gallery at 10 a.m., when the House convenes. Here he remains until noon, and during the latter legislative session, when the work load becomes heavier, he may stay much later.
"At this point, on some days, I'll have the rest of the afternoon to answer mail, make phone calls or do whatever is necessary," Meacham said.
Meacham takes a lunch break after the house recesses for the day, and then is off to another committee meeting on local government, which usually lasts until 9 p.m.
But Meacham's day isn't over yet. After a full day in the House, Meacham often attends cocktail parties and dinners sponsored by lobby groups.
HOWEVER, ON other days, at 3:30, we House Commercial and Financial Institutions Committee, of which Meacham is chairman, and its session continues until almost 5 p.m.
Wednesday and Thursday nigne,
Meacham hurries back to Lawrence
to switch from legislator to KU student.
He is taking only six hours of law classes so he
can spend more time to the legislature, he said, but he plans to graduate by next December.
Meacham said that now he was much
Study to benefit civil servants
Kansas civil servants may benefit from a report summing up a six-month study of the
The report, prepared by Norman Hanson, director of a personnel management review study group under the state department of administration, will be used by the Kansas State to determine whether a proposed civil service pay raise should be granted.
The legislature is considering a bill that would boost all civil service pay by at least 2.5 per cent. Other civil service employees could get a larger increase.
Kansas civil servants reported are paid less than their counterparts in the private sector.
more adjusted to working in the legislature than to working at school.
"TM thankful that the classes I'm taking all require written papers rather than final exams."
After class, Meacham can finally return to his Lawrence apartment. Many times, however, this is the time to do his "homework" on hills he is supporting. It isn't unusual for his day to end as late as 11:30 or midnight.
Meacham decided to run for the House in November because he was still in school.
"As a lawyer, it's very difficult to run for the legislature in some cases," he said, "but when you're hired by a firm, you are expected to be there all the time and they're really not interested in subsidizing your business. You're gone three months out of the year."
DURING HIS campaign, people didn't seem concerned about his age, Meacham
"For the most part, people were very pleased to see someone younger getting interested and involved," he said, "especially old people. They're not all the
anti-youth thing we think they are sometimes."
Meacham said he has worked hard to avoid the appearance of being brash, but he has discovered he is impatient with the legislative process.
"As an institution, it has to move slowly." Meacham said, "and I understand that in my mind. It's my emotions that get in the way sometimes."
HIS IMPATIENCE doesn't seem to extend to the future, however. Meacham has decided to spend the next two years examining his feelings about his office, and deciding whether he'll run for another term. And chances were good that he'll run again.
If he does run again, much of his campaign will depend on young people, he said.
Meacham said the influence of Watergate had brought about some good changes in people's attitudes, especially those of the Bush administration. Ask questions and check issues, be said
"No matter whether or not they vote for me," he explained, "if they are trying to find a rational reason by which to make judgments, then that's a good sign."
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2120 W. 9th
U.S. MO Medieval Rim, Union
Abe Miller from the Topeka Veteran's Hospital will show a film and talk about part-time jobs at the VA Hospital. John Hall from IBM will be looking for graduating seniors for possible jobs with IBM. All vets are urged to attend.
CAMPUS VETERANS GENERAL MEETING
Thursday, Mar. 24th
4:30 Meadowlark Rm., Union
Class of '78 Committee Positions Open to All
Submit names to Boco Office, 113B Union between 10:30-3:30, to sign up for following committees:
PUBLICITY SOCIAL
CLASS GIFT HOPE AWARD
develop new avocado varieties would benefit from the genetic information that he received.
Deadline: Wed., March 30
Two scientists interested in the work Torres is doing will visit KU next week. They are Robert Knight, a horticulturist for the United States Department of Agriculture and B. O. Bergh, a scientist at the University of California at Riverside. Torres that he contacted both scientists when he began working and that they seemed interested in his results. They were plenty of avocados for research purposes.
"I find it really cute that I'm in Kansas working heavily with people in Florida and California," Torres said, "because the fruit grows only in tropical climates."
The most current results of Torres' work will be presented to the American Genetics Society convention this summer in Austin. Be sure that when others hear
"I have a feeling that when others hear this, there will be a wild scramble," he said.
--car Use
A GROCERY STORE in JAYHAWKER TOWERS??
Not quite,but we do have pop,candy bars pizza,sandwiches (hot to go),potato chips lunchmeat, dairy products,fruit pies Twinkies, HoHo's,donuts,cookies paper goods,dishwashing soap laundry soap,soup, ice and much much more,New items every week.
OPEN DAILY 9:30 a.m.-12:00 p.m.
Fri. and Sat. 10:00 a.m.-1:00 p.m.
--car Use
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