M. A. Vishnyakova, R. A. Shaukharov, N. V. Kocherina
et al.
Background. Guar (Cyamopsis tetragonoloba (L.) Taub.) is a leguminous crop plant of tropical origin that has gained unprecedented popularity in recent years due to the presence of gum in its seeds. The use of guar gum in the oil and gas industry gives the crop strategic importance. This was the reason for its introduction to the Russian Federation (RF) at the beginning of the 21st century and for the active breeding of domestic cultivars. The demand for the guar collection has increased dramatically, serving as an impetus for its active study.Materials and methods. The materials of the study were guar accessions from the VIR collection: 50 accessions in 2023, and 30 most productive of them in 2024. The accessions were phenotyped for 13 traits important for breeding at Volgograd Experiment Station of VIR. The indicator of early maturity was assessed by indirect methods. Statistical processing of the research results was performed using the Statistica 13.3 software package.Results. Seed productivity of guar accessions was analyzed, its structure and interrelations among its defining characteristics. Differentiation of the guar gene pool for the studied traits was revealed. The most productive accessions were identified. Previously obtained data on the relationship of guar collection accessions to the photoperiod served as a basis for proposing a modified algorithm for determining the photoperiod sensitivity of accessions as an indirect indicator of their earliness.Conclusion. The data obtained for guar accessions from the VIR collection under the conditions of the Russian Federation will make it possible to use this germplasm effectively as source material for breeding domestic cultivars.
Rengasamy Anbazhakan, Xin-Meng Zhu, Neng-Qi Li
et al.
<i>Malania oleifera</i> Chun & S.K. Lee, an endemic monotypic species that belongs to the family Olacaceae, is under continuous pressure of decline owing to several ecological and physiological factors. The present study aimed to establish an efficient in vitro protocol for callus-mediated indirect somatic embryogenesis in <i>M. oleifera</i> by alleviating tissue browning. Internodes and leaves obtained from seedlings were used as explants. Antioxidant pre-treatment (ascorbic acid, AA) followed by different carbon sources (sucrose, maltose, glucose, and fructose) and plant growth regulators in various concentrations and combinations were employed in Woody Plant Medium (WPM) to alleviate explant browning and induce callus formation from the explants. AA pre-treatment and subsequent culture on maltose at a concentration of 116.8 mM were optimal for controlling phenolic exudation on >90% of both explants. The highest responses of 53.77% and 57.43% for embryogenic calli were induced from internode and leaf explants, respectively. The highest responses, 85.22% and 93.80%, were observed for somatic embryos that matured into the globular, heart-shaped and torpedo stages at different percentages on NAA 2.5 mg/L in combination with BA 1.0 mg/L for both explants. The matured somatic embryos were finally germinated at a maximum concentration of GA<sub>3</sub>, 2.0 mg/L. All plantlets were successfully hardened and acclimatized under culture room conditions and then transferred to the greenhouse. The current study suggests an efficient protocol for indirect somatic embryogenesis by alleviating phenolic exudation from the explants of <i>M. oleifera</i>. This first successful report of in vitro culture establishment in <i>M. oleifera</i> may offer an effective alternative measure to conserve this species and provide a system for analyzing bioactive chemicals and for use in the oil industry.
Timothy J. Pegg, Daniel K. Gladish, Robert L. Baker
Flooding can cause root hypoxia and can lead to significant agricultural losses. Therefore, understanding plant adaptations to flooding, including root aerenchyma development, is one important avenue for insuring future global food security. We investigated cell wall modifications during root aerenchyma formation in response to the prolonged 0–48 h flooding of <i>Phaseolus coccineus</i>, <i>Pisum sativum</i>, and <i>Cicer arietinum</i> seedlings. Using transmission electron microscopy, toluidine blue O (TBO) staining, and immunolabeling with antibodies targeting de-methyl-esterified homogalacturonan (DMEH), partially DMEH, and methyl-esterified homogalacturonan (MEH), we examined changes in cell wall composition. Transmission electron microscopy and TBO staining revealed degradation of cell walls and middle lamella, with accumulation of DMEH near flooding-induced aerenchyma cavities. Immunolabeling indicated increased DMEH epitope availability in flooded roots, suggesting a role in cell wall remodeling. Enzyme pretreatments, used to “unmask” homogalacturonan by removing cellulose and hemicellulose, revealed that specific forms of homogalacturonan, particularly DMEH complexed with calcium and MEH, are masked by these cell wall components. The study highlights the complex interplay of pectin, cellulose, and hemicellulose in cell wall degradation during aerenchyma development, providing insights into legume flooding stress responses.
Based on morphological and molecular phylogenetic analyses, two new species, Tuber marroninum and Tuber conditum, belonging to the Latisporum group, were described from Yunnan province of southwest China. Morphologically, Tuber marroninum is distinguished from other Latisporum species by whitish and glabrous ascomata and a two-layered peridium, measuring 150–200 µm in total thickness, with an outer layer ranging from 40–60 µm. Tuber conditum is diagnosed by its thinner peridium (120–200 µm) and larger ascospores (49–66.5 × 34.5–60 μm in one-spored asci). According to the outcome of the ITS rDNA sequence analysis, the species of T. marroninum and T. conditum each form a distinct and well-supported group within the Latisporum group, respectively.
Pu’er raw tea, a representative tea with a positive correlation between quality and storage time, has a unique aging process. It can not only reduce the heavy astringent taste of newly produced tea, but also has a complex and fragrant aging aroma. However, the extremely slow natural aging process often takes years or even decades for quality transformation, along with the risk of termite infestation, odor absorption, etc. This study found that UV-C irradiation could significantly accelerate the aging process of tea. It enhanced the richness of the aroma, while reducing astringency and creating a smoother and mellower taste. The results of substances analysis revealed an increase in key aroma compounds such as alcohols, aldehydes and terpenes, and a decrease in catechin and caffeine with UV-C irradiation, which is consistent with the natural aging trend. An efficient and safe rapid aging technology of Pu’er raw tea has been successfully established.
Flood events are likely to increase in the near future and are one of the events most threatening to agricultural production. Barley is the fourth most important crop and the cereal most sensitive to excessive moisture stress. Improving the stress tolerance of crops to a variety of stress factors caused by a more volatile climate is an important task for the coming years. The aim of this study was to investigate the efficacy of cold atmospheric plasma-treated water (PTW) as a foliar spray to stimulate the antioxidant system of Hordeum vulgare and thereby improve plant stress tolerance. For this purpose, we analysed the components of the ascorbate-glutathione cycle in barley leaves and roots without stress and under waterlogging conditions. PTW increased the content of total and reduced ascorbate in leaves as well as the content of reduced ascorbate in roots four weeks after treatment. This was observed both, under stress free conditions and after waterlogging and re-aeration. In leaves, enzyme activities also increased after re-aeration, and in roots, total and reduced glutathione levels increased after waterlogging compared to the control. The accumulation of low molecular weight antioxidants may increase tolerance to a variety of stress factors through more efficient scavenging of ROS. Overall, treatment of plants with PTW may trigger an adaptive response that leads to mitigation of the negative effects of stress, and thus, could be used as a priming agent for protection against subsequent more severe stress factors that occur in the plants' natural environment.
Juan F. Pío-León, Jesús A. Carrillo-García, Bladimir Salomón-Montijo
et al.
Resumen
Antecedentes y Objetivos: Durante exploraciones biológicas en el bosque espinoso cercano a las costas de Sinaloa, se colectaron especímenes de cuatro taxones no reportadas previamente para este estado, incluyendo el primer registro del género Castela, el cual se trató de una especie nueva para la ciencia. El objetivo de este trabajo fue describir e ilustrar a Castela juyyaania, así como reportar los tres nuevos registros adicionales para la flora de Sinaloa que comparten hábitat con la especie nueva.
Métodos: Se realizaron colectas botánicas en el norte de Sinaloa durante 2022 y 2023. Para la descripción de la especie nueva se consultó la literatura disponible del género, ejemplares de herbarios y bases de datos electrónicas. Se elaboró una clave de identificación para la sección Castela en México, mapa de distribución, lámina comparativa con las especies más relacionadas y evaluación de vulnerabilidad de acuerdo con la Unión Internacional para la Conservación de la Naturaleza (UICN). Para los nuevos registros se presentan fotos y mapas de distribución actualizada.
Resultados clave: Castela juyyaania es microendémica de la Península El Guachapori, en el norte de Sinaloa. Crece en bosque espinoso cercano a la costa, en un área de aproximadamente 25 km2, altamente amenazada por la expansión agropecuaria. De acuerdo con los criterios de la UICN, se propone en la categoría de Peligro Crítico. Se relaciona morfológicamente con el complejo C. erecta, de las que se diferencia por presentar hojas pecioladas, margen no conspicuamente revoluto, estilos presentes y semillas no reticuladas. El área de distribución presenta algunos elementos del desierto sonorense, incluyendo los nuevos registros Ebenopsis confinis, Gossypium davidsonii y Malpighia diversifolia.
Conclusiones: Con la nueva adición, el género Castela llega a siete especies en México con cuatro endémicas, consolidándolo como su principal centro de diversidad. Los nuevos registros y la especie nueva aportan elementos valiosos para la conservación de los bosques secos altamente amenazados en México y Sinaloa.
María Virginia Palchetti, Fernando Zamudio, Sebastián Zeballos
et al.
Plants are essential for our lives because they provide food, medicine, fuel, shelter, and immaterial resources. Understanding patterns of plant uses through large-scale plant use analysis may contribute to the development of a biocultural conservation approach. We conducted a systematic review to assess current knowledge of the ethnoflora of Argentina, as well as to identify taxonomic and geographic patterns of ethnobotanical uses of native plants at the large scale. We analyzed 124 articles reporting the use of 1706 species. We found that the most widely studied region and use category were Chaco and medicine, respectively. The number of useful native species within a family was positively related to the total native species in each family at the country level. In general, species of greatest cultural importance at the country level had a wide distribution. Almost 70% of native plants used in one phytogeographic province were exclusive to it, and species with the highest importance were characteristic elements of its vegetation. We found that southern Argentina has an exclusive ethnoflora that differs from that in a large area of central and northern Argentina. Our review highlights that plants used by people are intimately associated with the local environment, and that species with great cultural importance across phytogeographic provinces are frequent in the landscape. We provide the first analysis of ethnobotanical studies and a database of useful native plants across Argentina. This information highlights strengths and gaps in knowledge of useful native species, which is crucial for conservation, sustainability and human well-being.
Ecology, General. Including nature conservation, geographical distribution
Sofia Bertacca, Andrea Giovanni Caruso, Daniela Trippa
et al.
A real-time loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) assay was developed for simple, rapid and efficient detection of the Olea europaea geminivirus (OEGV), a virus recently reported in different olive cultivation areas worldwide. A preliminary screening by end-point PCR for OEGV detection was conducted to ascertain the presence of OEGV in Sicily. A set of six real-time LAMP primers, targeting a 209-nucleotide sequence elapsing the region encoding the coat protein (AV1) gene of OEGV, was designed for specific OEGV detection. The specificity, sensitivity, and accuracy of the diagnostic assay were determined. The LAMP assay showed no cross-reactivity with other geminiviruses and was allowed to detect OEGV with a 10-fold higher sensitivity than conventional end-point PCR. To enhance the potential of the LAMP assay for field diagnosis, a simplified sample preparation procedure was set up and used to monitor OEGV spread in different olive cultivars in Sicily. As a result of this survey, we observed that 30 out of 70 cultivars analyzed were positive to OEGV, demonstrating a relatively high OEGV incidence. The real-time LAMP assay developed in this study is suitable for phytopathological laboratories with limited facilities and resources, as well as for direct OEGV detection in the field, representing a reliable method for rapid screening of olive plant material.
Climate change inevitably affects the geographical distribution of species on earth. Conifers, which are important components of forest tree species, are highly threatened and particularly sensitive to climate change. Approximately 23.6% (145/615 species) of the world’s conifers are native to China, among which 53 species are threatened. Thus, understanding the impact of climate change on the species richness and distribution of threatened conifers endemic to China (hereafter referred to as threatened conifers) is of great importance. Here, we investigated the habitat suitability under present climate conditions and predicted the impact of future climate change on these threatened conifers using species distribution modeling. Combined with the current natural reserve system, we evaluated the conservation effectiveness, determined the key conservation areas, and proposed suggestions for the future protection of these threatened conifers. Our results showed that the threatened conifers were mainly distributed in mountainous areas and climate variables played a major role in the distribution of these threatened conifers. We also found that the richness hotspots were predicted to shrink and move northward with a changing climate. The lowest elevation of threatened conifers predicted to contract their species range mainly occurred below 1000 m or above 2000 m, while most species whose lowest elevations ranged from 1000 to 2000 m were projected to expand their distribution areas under the future climate scenario. Therefore, different conservation measures should be taken for threatened conifers with different distribution patterns. The central Hengduan Mountains and the Western Sichuan Plateau were identified as “areas needing attention” and “areas worth exploring”, respectively, which should be given more attention in future field surveys and conservation efforts. This study highlighted the critical role of these threatened conifers as good indicators for measuring and proposing conservation strategies to minimize the impacts of climate change.
Shabtai Cohen, Hinanit Koltai, Gopinath Selvaraj
et al.
Emerging needs for diversifying human diet and to explore novel therapeutic procedures have led to increasing attempts to retrieve traditional nourishments and recruit beneficial wild plant species. Species of the genus <i>Erodium</i> (Geraniaceae) harbor medicinal indications and substances known from folklore and scientific research. Hairy stork’s bill (<i>Erodium crassifolium</i> L’Hér), is a small hemicryptophyte that inhabits arid southeast Mediterranean regions. <i>E. crassifolium</i> is among the very few Geraniaceae species known to produce tubers. Traditional knowledge holds that the tubers are edible and used by Bedouin tribes. However, no scientific information was found regarding nutrition or medicinal properties of these tubers. The objectives of our project are to unravel potential nutritional and medicinal benefits of the tubers, conduct initial steps towards domestication and develop agricultural practices enhancing <i>E. crassifolium</i> tuber yield and quality. Tubers show high water content (90%), low caloric value (23 Kcal 100<sup>−1</sup> g) and considerable contents of minerals and vitamins. In addition, the tubers contain significant amounts of catechins and epigallocatechin, polyphenolic compounds known for their antioxidative, anti-inflammatory and antiproliferative activities. Furthermore, in vitro experiments demonstrated significant anti-inflammatory effects on human cell cultures. <i>E. crassifolium</i> is highly responsive to environmental changes; fertigation (700 mm) increased tuber yield by 10-fold, compared to simulated wild conditions (50–200 mm). These results indicate a significant potential of <i>E. crassifolium</i> becoming a valuable crop species. Therefore, there is a need for continued efforts in domestication, including ecotype selection, breeding, development of suitable agricultural practices and further exploration of its medicinal benefits.
Background: Malignant arrhythmias require drug therapy. However, most of the currently available antiarrhythmic drugs have significant side effects. Ginsenoside Rg2 exhibits excellent cardioprotective effects and appears to be a promising candidate for cardiovascular drug development. So far, the oral toxicity and antiarrhythmic effects of Rg2 have not been evaluated. Methods: Acute oral toxicity of Rg2 was assessed by the Limit Test method in mice. Subchronic oral toxicity was determined by repeated dose 28-day toxicity study in rats. Antiarrhythmic activities of Rg2 were evaluated in calcium chloride–induced arrhythmic rats. Antiarrhythmic mechanism of Rg2 was investigated in arrhythmic rats and H9c2 cardiomyocytes. Results: The results of toxicity studies indicated that Rg2 exhibited no single-dose (10 g/kg) acute oral toxicity. And 28-day repeated dose treatment with Rg2 (1.75, 3.5 and 5 g/kg/d) demonstrated minimal, if any, subchronic toxicity. Serum biochemical examination showed that total cholesterol in the high-dose cohort was dramatically decreased, whereas prothrombin time was increased at Day 28, suggesting that Rg2 might regulate lipid metabolism and have a potential anticoagulant effect. Moreover, pretreatment with Rg2 showed antiarrhythmic effects on the rat model of calcium chloride induced arrhythmia, in terms of the reduced duration time, mortality, and incidence of malignant arrhythmias. The antiarrhythmic mechanism of Rg2 might be the inhibition of calcium influx through L-type calcium channels by suppressing the phosphorylation of Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II. Conclusion: Our findings support the development of Rg2 as a promising antiarrhythmic drug with fewer side effects for clinical use.