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Crocus belongs to the Iridaceae family which comprises 88-100 species. This genus is represented in Iran by 24 species. This study analyzed relationships among the eight taxa distributed in Iran using 11 leaf anatomical characters. UPGMA (Unweighted Paired Group using average) and WARD clustering were performed using the Euclidean distance after 1000 times bootstrapping. The principal component analysis (PCA) shows that the three main components represent 85% of the variation. The PCA of anatomical traits effectively delineated the species under investigation. Furthermore, the PCA Biplot demonstrated that anatomical features can successfully differentiate between species. Notably, the condition of C. haussknechtii was found to be closely related to the two species, C. biflorus and C. michelsonii, despite C. haussknechtii being classified within the Crocus section, while the other two species belong to the Nudicapus section. Our findings indicate that additional anatomical data and molecular data are necessary for reliable conclusions regarding the studied species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AbstractIn a collaboration between Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL) and CEA, in the fall of 2020, the experimental Programme d’Étude en Transmission de l’Acier Lourd et ses Eléments (PETALE) was successfully carried out in the CROCUS reactor of EPFL. This article presents and compares the methods tested in the modeling of the experiments, specifically focusing on the metal reflectors installed at the periphery of CROCUS. A basic design model consisting of a few cuboids was refined to a fully detailed version, without impacting the run time of simulations. Notably, each reflector sheet of PETALE was segmented into 121 voxels based on topological measurements. This detailed voxelization did not affect calculation times, thanks to the use of three-dimensional lattices as available in Serpent 2. Profiling of the simulations revealed the high computational surface transformations associated with Serpent 2 and highlighted the efficiency benefits of factorizing these into universe transformations. As the CROCUS simulations were carried out using a modified build of Serpent 2, additional simulations were also performed using a standard version of Serpent 2 with a GODIVA model as a neutron source to ensure that the findings are generalizable. These additional tests confirmed the initial results, with significant performance variations observed between the models, particularly larger in surface-tracking mode than in delta-tracking mode. Consequently, the modeling method may therefore be applied to future high-fidelity modeling of neutron transmission and shielding experiments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A taxonomic and nomenclatural account on taxa of Iridaceae proposed by Ferdinand Schur, a famous investigator of the flora of Transylvania (present‐day Romania), is presented. Types are designated for 12 names, namely lectotypes for Crocus banaticus var. niveus, C. exiguus, Iris fieberi var. monantha, I. × binata, I. × cucullata, I. pseudocyperus, I. transsilvanica, I. sibirica var. salina, and neotypes for C. banaticus var. concolor, C. banaticus var. pictus, C. banaticus var. versicolor and I. pumila var. albiflora. Based on a broad examination of Schur's original and authentic material, the taxonomic application of these names, as well as of his invalidly published and unpublished names (appearing only on herbarium labels), are clarified. It is proposed to treat I. fieberi var. monantha as a taxonomic synonym of I. aphylla, I. pumila var. albiflora and I. transsilvanica as synonyms of I. pumila, and I. sibirica var. salina as a synonym of I. spuria. The names I. × binata and I. × cucullata are accepted for the hybrids I. aphylla × pumila and I. × germanica × pallida, respectively. The treatment of I. pseudocyperus as a distinct subspecies within I. graminea is supported. All names validly published by Schur in Crocus are treated as synonyms of C. heuffelianus s.l. until an adequate taxonomic revision covering the southern Carpathian allotetraploid C. cf. heuffelianus (2n = 18) is implemented. If this polyploid deserves the rank of a distinct species, the name C. exiguus, which seems to be the earliest validly published, should be accepted for this taxon. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, we investigated whether the corm tunic structure, which is the underground part of the Crocus (Iridaceae) plant, can be used for adsorption and recovery/removal of uranium from an aqueous solution. The characterization of this structure, which has not been studied for its interaction with metals before, has been elucidated by point zero charge (PZC), FTIR, and SEM analyses. Extensive investigations were conducted on the adsorption properties of the biomass used and the pH, temperature, time, adsorbent dosage, and uranyl ion concentration variables were optimized. The experimental data were interpreted using theoretical adsorption models. The Langmuir model revealed a maximum adsorption capacity of the material to be 0.286 mol kg−1. Adsorption kinetics were also described using pseudo-first order, pseudo-second order, Elovich, and intra-particular diffusion models. It is shown that the adsorption pH reaches the highest adsorption at the natural pH of the uranium solution. Experimental studies showed that the adsorption was endothermic and spontaneous. It has been shown that this biomaterial can be used as an adsorbent for the removal of uranium as well as a biomarker for determining the environmental uranium concentration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

SUMMARY: Crocins are glucosylated apocarotenoids present in flowers and fruits of a few plant species, including saffron, gardenia, and Buddleja. The biosynthesis of crocins in these plants has been unraveled, and the enzymes engineered for the production of crocins in heterologous systems. Mullein (Verbascum sp.) has been identified as a new source of crocins and picrocrocin. In this work, we have identified eight enzymes involved in the cleavage of carotenoids in two Verbascum species, V. giganteum and V. sinuatum. Four of them were homologous to the previously identified BdCCD4.1 and BdCCD4.3 from Buddleja, involved in the biosynthesis of crocins. These enzymes were analyzed for apocarotenogenic activity in bacteria and Nicotiana benthamiana plants using a virus‐driven system. Metabolic analyses of bacterial extracts and N. benthamiana leaves showed the efficient activity of these enzymes to produce crocins using β‐carotene and zeaxanthin as substrates. Accumulations of 0.17% of crocins in N. benthamiana dry leaves were reached in only 2 weeks using a recombinant virus expressing VgCCD4.1, similar to the amounts previously produced using the canonical saffron CsCCD2L. The identification of these enzymes, which display a particularly broad substrate spectrum, opens new avenues for apocarotenoid biotechnological production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Accurate estimation of snow accumulation and melt is a critical part of decision‐making in snow‐dominated watersheds. In this study, we demonstrate a flexible methodology to couple a detailed snow model, Crocus, separately to two different land surface models (LSMs), Noah‐MP and Noah. The original LSMs and the coupled models (Noah‐MP‐Crocus and Noah‐Crocus) are used to simulate snow depth, snow water equivalent, and other water and energy states and fluxes. The results of simulations are compared against a wide range of independent gridded and point scale reference data sets. Our results show that coupling the detailed snow model, Crocus, with the LSMs improves the snow depth and snow water equivalent relative to independent observations. Overall, larger improvements are obtained with coupling Crocus to the Noah LSM, with the coupled Noah‐Crocus configuration reducing the RMSE and bias of snow depth from 2% to 12% and 57% to 75%, respectively, relative to Snow Data Assimilation System (SNODAS) and snow product from the University of Arizona. On the other hand, smaller improvements are obtained by coupling Crocus with Noah‐MP. The Coupled Noah‐MP‐Crocus reduces the snow depth bias but slightly degrades the RMSE of snow depth and snow water equivalent. The corresponding impacts in other water budget terms such as evapotranspiration, soil moisture, and streamflow, however, are mixed, pointing to the significant need to improve the coupling assumptions of these processes within land models. Overall, the interoperable coupling framework demonstrated here offers the opportunity to include more detailed snow physics and processes, and to advance data assimilation systems through improved exploitation of information from snow remote sensing instruments. Plain Language Summary: We introduce a new approach that combines Crocus, a detailed snow model, with land surface models (LSMs) in the NASA Land Information System. As a demonstration, we coupled Crocus with Noah‐MP and Noah. In each time step, Crocus uses atmospheric forcing data, snow‐ground interface temperature, and soil water content from the LSMs to run snow physics. It then returns total profile snow water equivalent (SWE) and snow depth (SD) states to the LSMs. We compare the SD, SWE, and other water and energy states and fluxes from the original LSMs and the coupled models (Noah‐MP‐Crocus and Noah‐Crocus) against various independent reference data sets. The coupled Noah‐Crocus configuration improves the RMSE and bias of SD and SWE. However, the coupled Noah‐MP‐Crocus configuration improves the bias but slightly degrades the RMSE of SD and SWE. Despite the improvements in SD and SWE, a corresponding enhancement in evapotranspiration and soil moisture is not observed. We attribute these discrepancies to uncertainties in LSM parameterizations and associated biases in these variables. The coupling framework introduced here is modular and can be extended to enable the interaction between a given specialized physics model and the general LSM. Key Points: This work presents a new framework that couples the Crocus snow model, with Land Surface Models within the NASA Land Information SystemThe coupled systems improve the estimation of snow depth and snow water equivalent relative to the gridded observationsThe corresponding impacts in other water budget terms, such as evapotranspiration, soil moisture, and streamflow, are mixed [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Mesenchymal Stem Cells (MSCs) have the ability to self-renew and proliferate which gives them healing properties in various tissues. Aluminium chloride (AlCl3) is a chemical compound with harmful effects on health; oxidative stress caused by Aluminium has been reported previously. Crocin, a major component of Crocus sa-tivus (saffron), has antioxidant properties and has shown therapeutic potential. Researchers have been looking for ways to reduce the harmful effects of AlCl3. Methods: To investigate whether crocin can reduce AlCl3 cytotoxicity, rat Bone Marrow Mesenchymal Stem Cells (BM-MSCs) were isolated, cultured and divided into four experimental groups. The first group was the control, which was untreated cells. The second and third groups were treated with crocin (50, 100, 250, 500 µM) and AlCl3 (20, 25, 30 mM) for 24 hr. The fourth group was pre-treated with crocin (250, 500 µM) for 24 hr and then treated with AlCl3 (20 mM) overnight. Cytotoxicity was assessed using the MTT assay. Mineralization was evaluated by alizarin red staining. Sox-2 and E-cadherin expression were measured using real-time PCR. Results: The results showed that AlCl3 caused cytotoxicity on BM-MSCs and decreased the mRNA expression of Sox-2 and E-cadherin, which are important for the maintenance of self-renewal and proliferation of BM-MSCs. In contrast, crocin protected the self-renewal characteristic of BM-MSCs by increasing Sox-2 expression and also preserved the proliferative effects on BM-MSCs by upregulating E-cadherin expression (***p≤0.001). Conclusion: Overall, the study suggests that crocin can protect BM-MSCs from AlCl3-induced cytotoxicity by upregulate Sox-2 expression and E-cadherin expression. This suggests that crocin may be a potential therapeutic agent for the treatment of AlCl3-induced toxicity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Crocus L. (Iridaceae) is systematically a very problematic genus due to the lack of clear distinctive features, wide range of habitats and the heterogeneity of morphological features. This genus is also highly heterogeneous from a karyological point of view. Apart from the most common spiraperturate pollen grains in Crocus, the authors frequently mentioned a number of other aperture types for individual species (subspecies, variations, etc.), i.e. polyrugoidate, nonaperturate (inaperturate), polyaperturate, with more or less extensive furrows, with short furrows, etc. The purpose of this work is to perform a palyno-morphological analysis of pollen aperture types noted in the genus Crocus. The reason for the study is a significant disagreement among researchers when describing the types of pollen apertures in the genus Crocus. An analysis of the literature, as well as the results of our previous studies, showed that the genus Crocus is characterized by inaperturate (nonaperturate), polyaperturoidate, spiraperturate and net-like pollen apertures. The similar net-like apertures were observed for some representatives of the subgenus Scorpiris Sach of the genus Iris L., in particular, in Iris atropatana Grossh. In our opinion, this aperture type can serve as a link between the genus Crocus and the subgenus Scorpiris of the genus Iris. We suggest, that the spiraperturate pollen type mentioned most often for the representatives of the genus Crocus can be considered the basic type within the genus. On the other hand, formless aperture-like areas are genetically unstable transitory variations, which occurred arbitrarily due to mutations. Finally, "polyrugoidate" (or with net-like apertures) pollen type noted in the literature for C. chrysanthus subsp. punctatus F.Candan et N.Özhatay may be considered to be more advanced in the genus Crocus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Parkinson's disease (PD), the second most prevalent neurological disorder in the elderly, manifests with distinctive movement disorders, including bradykinesia, resting tremor, and stiffness. With a progressive course, current treatment strategies primarily target symptomatic relief. Crocin is a chemical compound isolated from the dry stigma of Crocus sativus, and has demonstrated neuroprotective properties. This study explores the impact of crocin on movement disorders and neuronal oxidative DNA damage in PD patients. Conducted as a randomized, blinded, and controlled trial, this research focused on patients aged 30 to 80 with idiopathic PD. Using the second and third parts of the movement disorder society-unified PD rating scale (MDS-UPDRS), aspects of daily life activity and movement disorders were assessed before and after an 8-week intervention. Patients in the crocin groups received capsules containing 30 mg of crocin twice daily. Additionally, the 8-hydroxy-2-deoxydiguanosine (8-OHdG) to urinary creatinine ratio (8-OHdG/uCr) was measured to evaluate neuronal oxidative DNA damage. Out of the initially evaluated 164 patients, 30 were randomly assigned to each group, with 53 subjects completing the study. Within-group analysis revealed a significant improvement in the second and third parts of MDS-UPDRS after 8 weeks of crocin intervention (P < 0.05). However, the 8-OHdG/uCr did not show significant changes. The well-tolerated daily dose of 60 mg of crocin demonstrated minimal side effects. This study establishes the efficacy of crocin in enhancing daily life activities and mitigating movement disorders, suggesting its potential as a supplementary intervention alongside conventional PD medications. • Crocin is a substance extracted from the Crocus sativus plant that has dopaminergic and serotonergic effects. • It seems that crocin with its dopaminergic effect can reduce movement disorders caused by Parkinson's disease. • Parkinson's patients receiving crocin have improved in the second and third parts of the MDS-UPDRS questionnaire. • Using 30 mg twice a day of crocin in patients with crocin is safe and has no dangerous side effects. • Crocin may be able to increase the quality of life by Reducing movement disorders and simultaneously improving depression. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Crocins are beneficial antioxidants and potential chemotherapeutics that give raise, together with picrocrocin, to the colour and taste of saffron, the most expensive spice, respectively. Crocins are formed from crocetin dialdehyde that is produced in Crocus sativus from zeaxanthin by the carotenoid cleavage dioxygenase 2L (CsCCD2L), while GjCCD4a from Gardenia jasminoides, another major source of crocins, converted different carotenoids, including zeaxanthin, into crocetin dialdehyde in bacterio. To establish a biotechnological platform for sustainable production of crocins, we investigated the enzymatic activity of GjCCD4a, in comparison with CsCCD2L, in citrus callus engineered by Agrobacterium‐mediated supertransformation of multi genes and in transiently transformed Nicotiana benthamiana leaves. We demonstrate that co‐expression of GjCCD4a with phytoene synthase and β‐carotene hydroxylase genes is an optimal combination for heterologous production of crocetin, crocins and picrocrocin in citrus callus. By profiling apocarotenoids and using in vitro assays, we show that GjCCD4a cleaved β‐carotene, in planta, and produced crocetin dialdehyde via C30 β‐apocarotenoid intermediate. GjCCD4a also cleaved C27 β‐apocarotenoids, providing a new route for C17‐dialdehyde biosynthesis. Callus lines overexpressing GjCCD4a contained higher number of plastoglobuli in chromoplast‐like plastids and increased contents in phytoene, C17:0 fatty acid (FA), and C18:1 cis‐9 and C22:0 FA esters. GjCCD4a showed a wider substrate specificity and higher efficiency in Nicotiana leaves, leading to the accumulation of up to 1.6 mg/g dry weight crocins. In summary, we established a system for investigating CCD enzymatic activity in planta and an efficient biotechnological platform for crocins production in green and non‐green crop tissues/organs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Assessing the progress of labor is a primary step in intrapartum care. This study was performed to assess comparison of the effects of date syrup with saffron-honey syrup on the progress of labor in nulliparous women. Materials and Methods: A randomized single-blind clinical trial study was conducted on 189 women who were referred to Bea'sat Hospital of Sanandaj from October 2019 to March 2020. Patients were randomly divided into three groups saffron-honey syrup, date syrup, and placebo syrup each including 63 cases. Each participant in the intervention and control groups received a maximum volume of 150 ml of saffron-honey syrup, date syrup, or placebo syrup. The syrups were given at the 4 cm dilation, and every 30-60 min until the end of the active phase of the first stage of labor. Data collection tools included a two-part questionnaire and a partograph form. The results were analyzed by Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) 24 using Chi-squared test, analysis of variance, and last significant difference as a post hoc test, the significance level was set at 0.05. Results: The duration of the active phases of the first (F2 = 92.70, p < 0.01), second (F2 = 66.76, p < 0.01), and third (F2 = 12.34, p < 0.01) stages of labor was shorter in the date syrup and saffron-honey syrup groups than in the control group (p < 0.01). Additionally, both experimental groups exhibited no significant difference in terms of duration between the first (p = 0.312), second (p = 0.724), and third (p = 0.911) stages of labor. Conclusions: Date syrup and saffron-honey syrup can be used as one of the safe and available herbal methods to facilitate labor. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • 39 full length MADS box genes were identified from C. sativus transcriptome database. • CstMADS19 encodes an Agamous gene and positively regulates apocarotenoid biosynthesis in Crocus by binding to promoters of pathway genes. • CstMADS19 physically interacts with CstMADS26 and both the genes co-regulate apocarotenoid biosynthesis. Flowers of Crocus sativus L. are immensely important not only for arrangement of floral whorls but more because each floral organ is dominated by a different class of specialized compounds. Dried stigmas of C. sativus flowers form commercial saffron, and are known to accumulate unique apocarotenoids like crocin, picrocrocin and safranal. Inspite of being a high value crop, the molecular mechanism regulating flower development in Crocus remains largely unknown. Moreover, it would be very interesting to explore any co-regulatory mechanism which controls floral architecture and secondary metabolic pathways which exist in specific floral organs. Here we report transcriptome wide identification of MADS box genes in Crocus. A total of 39 full length MADS box genes were identified among which three belonged to type I and 36 to type II class. Phylogeny classified them into 11 sub-clusters. Expression pattern revealed some stigma up-regulated genes among which CstMADS19 encoding an AGAMOUS gene showed high expression. Transient over-expression of CstMADS19 in stigmas of Crocus resulted in increased crocin by enhancing expression of pathway genes. Yeast one hybrid assay demonstrated that CstMADS19 binds to promoters of phytoene synthase and carotenoid cleavage dioxygenase 2 genes. Yeast two hybrid and BiFC assays confirmed interaction of CstMADS19 with CstMADS26 which codes for a SEPALATA gene. Co-overexpression of CstMADS19 and CstMADS26 in Crocus stigmas enhanced crocin content more than was observed when genes were expressed individually. Collectively, these findings indicate that CstMADS19 functions as a positive regulator of stigma based apocarotenoid biosynthesis in Crocus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The bulb flora of prefecture (nomos) Ilias in NW Peloponnese, Greece is documented with an emphasis on its distribution within the administrative unit. Families, genera and species are presented in alphabetical order. Each taxon is accompanied by a photograph, description, habitat, ecology and distribution dot map. This is the fifth contribution of the series and deals with the family Iridaceae comprising five genera — Crocus, Gladiolus, Iris, Moraea and Romulea. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Toxin and drug-induced nephrotoxicity (DIN) account for about 25% of all acute kidney injury cases and are associated with morbidity and increased utilization of healthcare services. No approved preventive compound is available for DIN. Saffron (Crocus sativus) has important biological properties like antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects. The protective effects of saffron and its main constituents in different tissues including the brain, heart, liver, kidney, and lung have been confirmed against some toxic materials or drugs in animal studies. This review covers all aspects of saffron’s preventive and therapeutic effects against toxins and DIN including proposed mechanism of action, dosing schedule, and effects on renal biomarkers and histological changes. PubMed, Embase, Scopus, and Web of Science databases were searched by these search terms: “saffron” OR “Crocus sativus” OR “crocetin” OR “crocin “OR “safranal” AND “Drug induced nephrotoxicity” OR “Renal Injury” OR “Kidney Injury” OR “Nephrotoxicity”. All 25 relevant in vitro and in vivo studies up to the date of publication were included. Promising protective effects were reported particularly on aminoglycosides, cisplatin, and ethanol. Saffron and its constituents significantly prevented biochemical and histopathological changes, mediating via antioxidant, anti-apoptosis, and antiinflammatory effects. Despite success in animal models, no human study is available in this field and further well-designed clinical trials are necessary for better judgment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: To investigate the role of the leading saffron endophyte Burkholderia gladioli strain E39CS3 (BG‐E39) in the inhibition of corm‐rot and induced systemic resistance (ISR) in the host against the saffron specific pathogen, Fusarium oxysporum. Methods and Results: We studied the interaction between BG‐E39 and the corm‐rot pathogen F. oxysporum in vitro and in vivo. BG‐E39 strongly inhibited both the F. oxysporum strains and other saffron‐specific and non‐specific pathogens used in this study. Confrontation and microscopic analyses revealed that the endophyte possessed fungicidal activity against the pathogens and effectively induced cell death in the mycelia. The endophyte produced chitinases as well as β‐1,3‐glucanase that may be involved in the pathogen cell wall degradation. BG‐E39 did not cause corm‐rot in Crocus sativus and the closely related plant, Gladiolus, thus establishing that it is non‐pathogenic to these plants. The endophyte reduced corm‐rot through antibiosis and enhanced the endogenous jasmonic acid (JA) levels and expression of JA‐regulated and other plant defence genes. Conclusions: The bacterial endophyte BG‐E39 provides resistance to the host plant against F. oxysporum corm‐rot in nature. Significance and Impact of the Study: The current study discovers the role of the saffron endophyte BG‐E39 in providing resistance to the host against corm‐rot. Therefore, this endophyte is a potential candidate for developing a microbial formulation for the biocontrol of the most common disease of C. sativus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Osteoarthritis (OA) is known to be the most prevalent form of joint disease. We conducted this clinical trial to investigate the effects of KrocinaTM, a natural product containing crocin, on the gene expression of unique transcription factors of various T cell subsets in patients with OA. We collected 40 peripheral blood samples of OA patients receiving Krocina™ and equal number of those who took a placebo (IRCT2015021910507N2, NCT03375814). RNA extraction was performed from the cultured peripheral blood mononuclear cells of the OA patients who received Krocina™ and placebo and SYBR Green Real-time PCR technique was applied to assess the relative gene expression of T-bet, GATA3, ROR-γt, and FOXP3 as the unique transcription factors of various T cell subsets. The relative gene expression of T-bet and ROR-γt insignificantly decreased in the Krocina™ receiving group as compared to the placebo group. In addition, the relative gene expressions of GATA-3 and FOXP3 after the treatment with KrocinaTM showed a significant and insignificant increase, respectively. Moreover, an insignificant decrease was observed in the gene expression of GATA-3 and FOXP3 in the placebo group. A significant and insignificant decrease in the gene expression of T-bet and ROR- γt was detected in the OA patients who received a placebo. GATA-3 is known as a unique transcription factor for the differentiation of T-cells to the Th2 subset. The significant increase in the gene expression of GATA-3 in the patients with OA treated with crocin may suggest the beneficial effect of crocin on shifting towards the Th2 subset and enhancing an anti-inflammatory condition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study evaluated the size of crocus flowers as an element of ornamental quality, depending on the biometric parameters of the plants, against the background of different growing substrates. Two types of crocus were studied: "Queen of the Blues" crocus and "Yellow" crocus. The plants were evaluated in terms of height (Ph, cm) at the beginning of flowering (Ph B-Flo) and at the end of flowering (Ph E-Flo). The size of the flowers (Fs) was evaluated based on the diameter (Fs, cm). Three different substrates were used: sand (V1), mixture of sand and compost (V2) and soil (V3). The bulbs were planted at t1 - mid-October (a), t2 - early November (b), and t3 - mid-November (c). There were 9 experimental variants: V1a - sand at t1; V2a - sand and compost at t1; V3a - soil at t1; V1b-sand at t2; V2b - sand and compost at t2; V3b - soil at t2; V1c - sand at t3; V2c - sand and compost at t3; V3c - soil at t3. The size of the flowers (Fs) varied between 3.97 cm (V1c) and 5.07 cm (V2a) in "Queen of the Blue", respectively between 3.83 cm (V1c) and 4.07 cm (V2b) in "Yellow" crocus. 3D models and in the form of isoquants graphically represented the variation of Fs depending on the physiological parameters (Ph B-Flo and Ph E-Flo). The fs estimation safety was quantified by evaluating the degree of fit between the true values (RFs) and the predicted values (PFs). PC1 explained 79.234% of variance, and PC2 explained 19.046% of variance in the case of the "Queen of the Blues" crocus, and in the case of Yellow crocus, PC1 explained 88.851% of variance, and PC2 explained 8.8951% of variance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The palynomorphology of 2 species of the genera Crocus L. (Iridaceae) of flora of Armenia was studied using light microscopy (LM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The genus Crocus L. (Iridaceae) consists of about 200 species distributed from western Europe and north west Africa to western China. The genus is taxonomically very problematic and day after day it becomes more difficult to understand the relationships between Crocus species because of the identification of new species. Recently, the studies based on DNA sequences are frequently used for the solution of taxonomic problems, the determination of species diversity and especially the evaluation of phylogenetic relationships among the studied taxa. The use of the regions belonging to nuclear DNA and especially chloroplast genome and the combinations of these regions are frequently recommended in many studies. However, there is no information about suitable barcoding regions that can be used for all plant groups. This study focuses on determination of the most succesful barcoding regions, understanding the species discrimination abilities and finally evaluation of phylogenetic relationships among the Crocus taxa using one region from nuclear DNA (ITS1-5.8S rRNA gene-ITS2) and four regions from chloroplast DNA (1. trnK-matK IGS, 2. partial psbA gene-psbA/trnH IGS-partial trnH gene, 3. rpoC1 gene, 4. partial trnL gene-trnL/trnF IGS-partial trnF gene). Sequence informations for related DNA regions were obtained from NCBI. As a result, it can be stated that the region which is only covering ITS1-5.8S rRNA gene-ITS2 separated the all taxa in species level and it is more beneficial for the phylogenetically evaluation of Crocus taxa. Furthermore, dendrogram show taxonomic problems belonging to some species in the genus such as C. biflorus taxa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

One of the elements that come to mind when human, art and aesthetics are mentioned is flowers that are the ornament of the earth with its beauty. Besides being a material for every branch of art with their beautiful colours, shapes and fragrances, flowers are also mentioned in literary works. Within this context, Classical Turkish poets who are apparently good observers of nature give place to flowers extensively in their works. The poets that belong to before mentioned poetic tradition benefit from the literary arts, combine their abilities with their artistic powers and almost present a colourful flower garden. In this article, we dealt with a eulogy whose radif "çiğdem/crocus" that is involved in the Diwan of Ahmed-i Rıdvan who is one of the Classical Turkish poets in 17th century. As it is seen in his own words, the poet was also a banner lord and served in sanjaks of Hamid and Teke. Consequently, using "çiğdem/crocus" which is a rare flower in Classical Turkish poetry as a radif in a euolgy brings to mind that Ahmed-i Rıdvan saw this endemic flower named crocus Antalyensis during his service. We dealt with what kind of flower the crocus is, associations of it, thoughts and apprehensions in the eulogy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Crocus adamioides Kernd. et Pasche, as it is currently known, was originally treated as C. biflorus Mill. subsp. adamii B. Mathew in the flora of Bulgaria by Mathew (1982) and verified by Rukšāns (2017). The taxon was afterwards described as a separate species (Kerndorff et al. 2012), the holotype being collected in Kırklareli Province, European Turkey. The species was for the first time mapped in two floristic regions of Bulgaria. The diagnostic characters based on the general morphology and leaf anatomy were defined from the natural populations of the species and compared to the type specimen and relevant data from the literature. The phylogenetic position of the species was clarified by sequencing of the internal transcribed spacer region (ITS: ITS1 + 5.SsrDNA + ITS2) and comparison of the obtained sequence with those annotated in NCBI. A phylogenetic tree was built using Bayesian phylogeny. Results have shown the highest degree of phylogenetic similarity with C. adamioides from Turkey. The closest relative C. ranjeloviciorum Kernd., Pasche, Harpke et Raca remains in the proximity. Our morphological, anatomical and molecular analyses have revealed that the Bulgarian population shows a peculiar combination of characters specific to C. adamioides. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The genus Crocus L. (Iridaceae) composed of about 200 species is taxonomically very problematic, because of introgression and backcrossing observed among closely related species. Furthermore, determination of new taxa and variable characters observed in these new taxa are other important reasons of the taxonomic problems. Recently, many molecular based studies to understand the phylogenetic relationships of the Crocus taxa show the presence of the problems among the taxa, especially in C. biflorus subspecies. As a result of this, some researchers state that the term of subspecies must be changed in the genus and the most of subspecies must be categorized as species. For these reasons, in this study, the four regions belonging to nuclear and plastid DNA (ITS1-5.8S rRNA-ITS2, psbA-trnH IGS, rpoC1 and trnLtrnF IGS) were used to understand the identification and separation abilities of taxa studied, in addition to understanding the taxonomy of C. biflorus subspecies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Opioid dependency, as a global problem is accompanied with serious personal, economic, social and hygienic disorders. Synthetic drugs beside their efficacies, have numerous adverse effects. As the medicinal plants have low costs and adverse effects, and they are also affective on different stages of dependency treatment, they attracted the attention of the researchers in the field of medicine. This study was aimed to investigate the effect of the aqueous extract of Afghan saffron on the withdrawal signs in morphine-dependent rats. Methods: Rats divided into 5 groups (1 Normal Saline, 1 Morphine, and 3 Extract groups). The rats that received morphine and extract became morphine-dependent by subcutaneous (s.c.) administration of morphine hydrochloride for 7 days (2.5, 2.5, 5, 10, 20, 40 mg/kg doses twice daily on 1st to 6th days respectively, and a single dose of 50 mg/kg on 7th day). The extract groups received 100, 150 and 200 mg/kg doses of the saffron aqueous extract by intraperitoneal (i.p.) administration simultaneously with morphine. Two hours after the administration of the last dose of morphine, Naloxone (3 mg/kg, i.p.) was injected and withdrawal signs were noted for 30 minutes. Results: The results showed that the administration of the saffron aqueous extract (100, 150 and 200 mg/kg) significantly decreased most of the withdrawal signs in morphine-dependent rats (P<0.05). Conclusion: Afghan saffron aqueous extract can alleviate the withdrawal signs in morphine-dependent rats. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Exercise training and some herbal components have an anticancer function and can suppress tumor growth. However, the role of these protective factors in altering breast cancer–related gene expression is still unknown. Thus, this study aimed to assess the effect of 4 wk of high-intensity interval training (HIIT) and saffron (Crocus sativus L.) aqueous extract (SAE) on Sirtuin-1 (SIRT1), human telomerase reverse transcriptase (hTERT), and p53 gene expression in female mice breast tumor tissue induced by 4T1 cell line. Methods: This study was performed on female BALB/c mice. The 4T1 breast cancer cells were subcutaneously implanted, and mice were randomly sorted into the following groups: control, HIIT, SAE, HIIT + SAE (n = 10 mice per group), and sham (n = 4 mice per group). Mice were sacrificed at the end of the intervention period, and the expression of SIRT-1, hTERT, and p53 was determined by real-time polymerase chain reaction. Results: The mRNA level of SIRT1 was increased in the HIIT + SAE group compared with the HIIT and control groups (P = 0.007 and P = 0.03, respectively). Moreover, the amount of mRNA of p53 was increased after a 4-wk HIIT compared with the control and HIIT + SAE groups in tumor tissue (P = 0.03 and P = 0.02, respectively). No change was found in the mRNA expression of hTERT between groups (P = 0.92). Conclusions: These findings suggest that HIIT may reduce tumor burden through the upregulation of p53 associated with tumor suppression pathway. In contrast, the combination of HIIT and SAE did not alter p53 and SIRT1 expression levels and may suppress tumor growth by other mechanisms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Aluminum (Al) exposure is among the environmental risk factors that may involve in the pathogenesis of neurodegenerative diseases. Oxidative stress has a critical role in the Al-induced toxicity. Saffron is a plant with potent radical scavenging and anti-oxidative properties. This investigation was designed to evaluate the possible protective effects of saffron extract (SE) on aluminum maltolate (Almal)-induced oxidative stress and apoptosis in PC12 cell line. Methods: In this in vitro study, PC12 cells were divided into four groups including control, Almal (500 µM), Almal+SE (50 μg/ml), and Almal+SE (100 μg/ml). After 48 hours of treatment with Almal in the absence and presence of SE, cell viability and apoptosis were determined using MTT (3-[4, 5-dimethylthiazol- 2-yl]-2, 5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide) assay and Annexin V flow cytometry, respectively. Catalase activity was determined as an index of oxidative stress. Statistical analyses were performed using one-way ANOVA (SPSS version 16.0). P<0.05 was accepted as a statistically significant difference between groups. Results: Almal decreased the PC12 cells viability dosedependently (IC50=500µM). Co-treatment of 50 and 100 μg/ml of SE with 500 µM of Al increased cell viability to 79% (P=0.04) and 86% (P=0.02) of the control group, respectively. Al also increased PC12 cells apoptosis and catalase activity to 37 and 2.7 folds of those of the control group (P<0.001 and 0.001=respectively). 100 μg/ml of SE blunted the effects of Al on the increased cell apoptosis (P=0.02) and changes in the catalase activity (P=0.003). Conclusion: SE has protective effects against Al-induced apoptosis and oxidative stress and may possess therapeutic values in the treatment of Al-neurotoxicity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Saffron (Crocus sativus L.) is a geophyte herbaceous perennial medicinal plant, whose flower's three style arms plus stigmas are used as the most expensive spice in the world. Saffron is exclusively propagated in a vegetative manner through clonal corm multiplication. Saffron stigma + style and daughter corms (also termed as progenies or propagules) multiplication and growth greatly depend on edaphoclimatic conditions (such as soil characteristics, precipitation, geographical location, and most importantly temperature), agricultural managements (such as fertilization, irrigation, planting density, date and depth, and most importantly mother corm size), as well as harvest and postharvest processing (drying, packaging, and storing). Cultivation of saffron under controlled environment provides an opportunity to produce saffron and escape from the negative impact of climate change, importantly increased temperature. Since most studies have focused on farmlands/orchards, this article aimed to provide the up-to-date knowledge on saffron culture to optimize corm and stigma + style yield and quality in open field and specifically in soil-less and soil-based greenhouse conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Saffron, a spice derived from the dried red stigmas of Crocus sativus, is one of the oldest natural food additives. The flowers have long red stigmas, which store significant quantities of the glycosylated apocarotenoids crocins and picrocrocin. The apocarotenoid biosynthetic pathway in saffron starts with the oxidative cleavage of zeaxanthin, from which crocins and picrocrocin are derived. In the processed stigmas, picrocrocin is converted to safranal, giving saffron its typical aroma.By a targeted search for differentially expressed uridine diphosphate glycosyltransferases (UGTs) in Crocus transcriptomes, a novel apocarotenoid glucosyltransferase (UGT709G1) from saffron was identified.Biochemical analyses revealed that UGT709G1 showed a high catalytic efficiency toward 2,6,6‐trimethyl‐4‐hydroxy‐1‐carboxaldehyde‐1‐cyclohexene (HTCC), making it suited for the biosynthesis of picrocrocin, the precursor of safranal. The role of UGT709G1 in picrocrocin/safranal biosynthesis was supported by the absence or presence of gene expression in a screening for HTCC and picrocrocin production in different Crocus species and by a combined transient expression assay with CsCCD2L in Nicotiana benthamiana leaves.The identification of UGT709G1 completes one of the most highly valued specialized metabolic biosynthetic pathways in plants and provides novel perspectives on the industrial production of picrocrocin to be used as a flavor additive or as a pharmacological constituent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Early-spring flowering bulbs can increase biodiversity while adding color to lawns and other grassy areas. However, few studies have investigated whether bulbs can flower and persist in warm-season lawns or provide feeding habitat for pollinating insects. Thirty early-spring flowering bulbs, including species of Anemone, Chionodoxa, Crocus, Eranthis, Hyacinthus, Ipheion, Iris, Leucojum, Muscari, and Narcissus, were established in bermudagrass (Cynodon dactylon L. Pers) and buffalograss [Buchloe dactyloides (Nutt.) J.T. Columbus] lawns in late autumn 2015 in Fayetteville AR. Bulbs were assessed over three growing seasons for flowering characteristics, persistence, and their ability to attract pollinating insects. A growing degree day model was also developed to predict peak flowering times in our region. Numerous bulb entries produced abundant flowers in bermudagrass and buffalograss lawns in the first year after planting, but persistence and flower production were reduced in both the second and third years of the trial. Five bulbs persisted for multiple years in both turfgrass species and continued to produce flowers, including Crocus flavus Weston 'Golden Yellow' (crocus), Leucojum aestivum L. (spring snowflake), Narcissus (daffodil) 'Baby Moon', Narcissus 'Rip Van Winkle', and Narcissus 'Tete-a-Tete'. Several bulbs, primarily crocuses and Muscari spp. (grape hyacinth), were also observed to attract pollinating insects, principally honey bees (Apis mellifera). These results demonstrate that some early-spring bulbs can persist in competitive warm-season turfgrasses, while providing pollinator forage, but species and cultivar selection is critical for long-term success. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• GBS data infer an autotriploid origin of saffron derived from Crocus cartwrightianus. • Saffron evolved and was domesticated in Attica (Greece). • New saffron types might be synthesized from different C. cartwrightianus genotypes. Crocus sativus , the saffron crocus, is the source of saffron, which is made from the dried stigmas of the plant. It is a male-sterile triploid lineage that ever since its origin has been propagated vegetatively. Its mode of evolution and area of origin are matters of long-lasting debates. Here we analyzed chloroplast genomes and genome-wide DNA polymorphisms obtained through genotyping-by-sequencing (GBS) to infer the parent and area of origin of C. sativus. These data were complemented by genome size measurements and analyses of nuclear single-copy genes. We could place 99.3% of saffron GBS alleles in Crocus cartwrightianus , a species occurring in southeastern mainland Greece and on Aegean islands, identifying it as the sole progenitor of the saffron crocus. Phylogenetic and population assignment analyses together with chloroplast polymorphisms indicated the C. cartwrightianus population in the vicinity of Athens as most similar to C. sativus. We conclude that the crop is an autotriploid that evolved in Attica by combining two different genotypes of C. cartwrightianus. Triploid sterility and vegetative propagation prevented afterwards segregation of the favorable traits of saffron, resulting in worldwide cultivation of a unique clonal lineage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Objectives: Medicinal and aromatic plants are sources of natural antimicrobial compounds that could be useful replacements for antibiotics. The aim of this study was to assess antimicrobial activity of Crocus sativus stigma and Cinnamomum cassia extracts against some Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. Methods: Antimicrobial activity of methanolic and aqueous extracts of the plants was tested against clinical isolates of Klebsiella pneumonia, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli and Enterococcus using the microdilution method. Minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum bactericidal concentration of each extract against the mentioned bacteria were also determined. Results: The MIC of the methanolic extract of C. cassia was 80 μg/ml against Enterococcus, K. pneumonia and E. coli. The MIC of the methanolic extract of C. sativus was 160 μg/ml against Enterococcus and S. aureus. The minimum bactericidal concentration of the methanolic extracts of C. sativus and C. cassia was 320 μg/ml against K. pneumonia and 160 μg/ml against Enterococcus. Conclusion: The extracts of C. sativus and C. cassia exhibit promising antibacterial activities against clinical isolates of the tested bacteria. Our results suggest that the extract of these plants can be further exploited as potential antibacterial agents against multi-drug resistant bacteria. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, the macro- and micromorphological seed characteristics of the genus Crocus L. series Crocus taxa, including C. pallasii, C. turcicus, C. dispathaceus, C. asumaniae, C. mathewii, C. thomasii, C. oreocreticus, and C. cartwrightianus, were observed. Morphological characteristics, such as the size, shape, color, and seed surface structures, were analyzed using stereo and scanning electron microscopes. Testa layer structures including the outer and inner testae, phytomelan layer structure and thickness, and seed endosperm cell features were studied. Differences in the seed, raphe size, seed surface patterns, inner testa features, and phytomelan layer thickness were observed at an interspecific level. The results revealed differences in the seed morphology and anatomy with a few exceptions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract The aim of this study was to contribute to the characterization of Crocus taxa using morphological, phytochemical and genetic analysis. The styles of C. cartwrightianus , C. oreocreticus and C. laevigatus, collected in the island of Crete were compared to those of C. sativus cultivated at the region of Western Macedonia (Greece). Phytochemical analysis was done using GC–MS and HPLC methods, while ISSR markers were used for their genetic characterization. Safranal was the major volatile component of the styles of C. sativus , 4-hydroxy-2,6,6-trimethyl-1-cyclohexene-1-carboxaldehyde of C. cartwrightianus and C. oreocreticus , and isophorone of C. laevigatus. C. sativus had the highest content of crocins and picrocrocin, while C. laevigatus the lowest (only 5% of C. sativus' quantity) and negligible amount of picrocrocin. According to both the genetic and the chemical analysis, C. cartwrightianus is more related to C. oreocreticus, while C. sativus and C. laevigatus are more distinct. Concordance between the two different types of data was also confirmed by the Mantel test (r = 0.932, P =.68). This is the first thorough screening of secondary metabolites (volatile and non-volatile) and also genetic and morphological characters of wild Crocus styles simultaneously, that contributes to the identification and valorisation of genotypes with similar to C. sativus traits which may be introduced as new cultivars through breeding. Graphical abstract Unlabelled Image Highlights • Comparison of C. cartwrightianus , C. oreocreticus, C. laevigatus from Crete to C. sativus. • C. sativus has the highest style volatile (GC–MS) and crocin/picrocrocin (HPLC) content. • Concordance of genetic (ISSR markers) and phytochemical analysis • C. cartwrightianus is more related to C. oreocreticus • C. laevigatus styles are morphologically, chemically and genetically distinct. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Saffron is a spice that has been traditionally used as a regimen for a variety of diseases due to its potent antioxidant attributes. It is well documented that impaired systemic oxidative status is firmly associated with diverse adverse effects including retinal damage. The aim of this study was to investigate the role of saffron administration against the retinal damage in apoE −/− mice fed a high-fat diet, since they constitute a designated experimental model susceptible to oxidative stress. Twenty-one mice were allocated into three groups: Group A (control, n = 7 c57bl/6 mice) received standard chow diet; Group B (high-fat, n = 7 apoE −/− mice) received a high-fat diet; and Group C (high-fat and saffron, n = 7 apoE −/− mice) received a high-fat diet and saffron (25 mg/kg/d) through their drinking water. The duration of the study was 20 weeks. Lipidemic profile, glucose, C-reactive protein (CRP), and total oxidative capacity (PerOX) were measured in blood serum. Histological analysis of retina was also conducted. Administration of saffron resulted in enhanced glycemic control and preservation of retinal thickness when compared with apoE −/− mice fed a high-fat diet. The outcomes of the study suggest the potential protective role of saffron against retinal damage induced by oxidative stress. Nevertheless, verification of these results in humans is required before any definite conclusions can be drawn. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The genus Crocus L. (Iridaceae) is monophyletic and contains about 100 species throughout the world. Crocus species have horticultural, medicinal and pharmacological importance. Saffron is the dried styles of C. sativus and is one of the world's most expensive spices by weight. Controversy exits about the taxonomy of the genus and the species relationship. Exploring genetic diversity and inter-specific cross-ability are important tasks for conservation of wild taxa and for breeding of cultivated C. sativus. The present study was performed to study genetic variability and population structure in five Crocus L. species including Crocus almehensis Brickell & Mathew, C. caspius Fischer & Meyer, C. speciosus Marschall von Biberstein, C. haussknechtii Boissier, and C. sativus L. by inter simple sequence repeat (ISSR) molecular markers. We also used published internal transcribed spacer (ITS) sequences to study species relationship and compare the results with ISSR data. The results revealed a high degree of genetic variability both within and among the studied species. Neighbor joining (NJ) tree and network analysis revealed that ISSR markers are useful in Crocus species delimitation. Population fragmentation occurred in C. caspius and C. sativus. Both ISSR and sequenced based analyses separated C. sativus from the other studied species. Close genetic affinity of C. sativus and C. pallisii and inter-specific gene flow was supported by both data sets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The comparative leaf anatomy of three Crocus L. taxa from series Verni Mathew (Crocus heuffelianus Herb., Crocus tommasinianus Herbert and Crocus kosaninii Pulević) in Serbia is introduced. The general outlook of the cross sections of the leaves was defined with microphotographs. More precisely, leaf shape, leaf surface, mesophyll parenchyma and vascular bundle features were examined. The biggest differences were found at the level of vascular bundles (xylem area, phloem area, sclerenchyma area) and leaf blade features (section height, section length, arm length, white stripe width, lacuna area). In general, listed parameters had the lowest values in C. tommasinianus population, while the highest values could be found in population of C. heuffelianus. Further investigations should be focused on discovering more localities followed by surveying the ecological factors of the habitats. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Laboratory for Reactor Physics and Systems Behaviour at the PSI and at the EPFL has been developing since 2013 a multi-physics platform for coupled reactor analysis named GeN-Foam. The developed tool includes a solver for the eigenvalue and transient solution of multi-group neutron diffusion equations. Although frequently used in reactor analysis, the diffusion theory shows some limitations for core configurations involving strong anisotropies, which is the case for the CROCUS research reactor at the EPFL. The use of an SP 3 approximation to neutron transport can often lead to visible improvements in a code predictive capabilities, especially for one-directional anisotropies, with acceptable added computational cost vs diffusion. Following some modelling issues for the CROCUS reactor, and in order to improve the GeN-Foam modelling capabilities, the GeN-Foam diffusion solver has been extended to allow for SP 3 analyses. The present paper describes such extension and a preliminary verification using a mini-core PWR benchmark. The newly developed solver is then applied to the analysis of the CROCUS experimental reactor and results are compared to Monte Carlo calculations, as well as to the results of the diffusion solver. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Paraquat is a common agricultural herbicide that is a strong stimulus in superoxide anions foundation. This radical is very toxic and may cause serious damages to different organs. Given the adverse effects of the free radicals, the anti oxidant compounds seem necessary. Anthocyanin in Saffron is a natural anti oxidant with active antitumor effects, antioxidants and removing free radicals, anti-pain and inflammation, and lowering blood pressure. Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate the antioxidant effect of saffron on changes in kidney tissues in mice that were treated with paraquat. Materials and Methods: : 30 male mice were assigned into 6 groups.group1 received normal food,water and corn oil. Two groups of mice were treated at a dose of 40,20mg/kg paraquat.one of these groups received Saffron at a dose of 80mg/kg.Two groups of mice were treated with paraquat and Saffron orally per day. At the end of 30 days, the mice were anesthetized and blood samples were prepared for measurement of serum parameters and kidneys were dissected out for measurment of MDA concentration and half of kidney was transferred into formalin for histological study. All data were analyzed by SPSS software.P value less than 0.05 was considered significant. Results: Kidney sections showed acute tubular necrosis and atrophy of glomerular capillaries in the mice treated with paraquat .Moreover, the rate of serum creatinine, urea and MDA concentration significantly increased in mice treated with Paraquat. While in kidney tissues of the mice treated with saffron these indicators were improved. Conclusion: The results suggest that saffron treats renal dysfunction in rats treated with paraquat. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Spatial separation between sexes within hermaphrodite flowers (herkogamy) is widespread among angiosperms and is traditionally viewed as an adaptation that reduces the likelihood of self-pollination. While different degrees of herkogamy have been reported forCrocus, the relationship between sexual organ positions and reproductive fitness has not been explored yet, and studies of the breeding system within natural populations remain scarce within the genus. We analyzed the effects of different breeding systems (spontaneous self-pollination, facilitated self-pollination and cross-pollination) and of herkogamy degree on female reproductive success of the Tuscan endemicCrocus etruscus. Results showed thatC. etruscusis monomorphic for style length and self-incompatible (SCI = 0.29). We also detected a significant negative effect of herkogamy on seed set of open-pollinated flowers. Thus, we conclude that the species avoids self-fertilization by self-incompatibility, but interestingly shows also a certain degree of spatial separation of male and female reproductive structures within the same flower. This floral trait could be useful to avoid self-interference thus reducing ovule discounting and pollen loss on its own stigma. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The experimental configurations, the construction data and the material compositions of the CROCUS reactor, a water-moderated zero-power core operated at the Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Switzerland, have been accurately determined and compiled into an OECD/NEA international benchmark for reactivities and kinetics parameters calculations. As such, the CROCUS reactor configurations provide an outstanding testbed for validating Monte Carlo codes in the context of reactor physics. In this work, we have performed extensive code–code comparisons between Monte carlo code T ripoli-4 ® developed at CEA and the enhanced version of MCNP5 developed at CRIEPI based on MCNP5.1.30 on the whole set of CROCUS configurations available from OECD/NEA. First, we have verified the coherence of the respective independent Monte Carlo models and of the simulation options by computing reactivities from multiplication factors (the so-called direct reactivities). Then, we have calculated the kinetics parameters by resorting to the Iterated Fission Probability (IFP) method and deduced the reactivities from the inhour equation (the so-called dynamic reactivities). An excellent agreement has been found between the codes. Finally, we have carried out a detailed analysis of the simulation results and we have carefully assessed the impact of nuclear data libraries on the computed quantities, with special emphasis on possible discrepancies between direct and dynamic reactivities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

MODIS is a reliable means of monitoring the snow cover extent over an entire river basin. However, it displays a few significant limitations for hydrologic forecasting, such as the inability to distinguish dry snow from wet snow, which could be addressed by the use of a technology such as synthetic aperture radar (SAR). This study is based on the Nechako River basin, located in the Coast Mountains of British Columbia (Canada), where the snowpack can reach several meters in depth. Fifteen RADARSAT-2 ScanSAR Wide images were obtained in VV + VH polarization between the months of March and July 2012 and sixteen SENTINEL-1A IW images were obtained in VV polarization between the months of February and June 2015. They were processed with an algorithm based on Nagler and Rott's methodology, but which employs a soft threshold to separate wet snow from dry snow instead of the − 3 dB hard threshold used in their method. The wet snow probability maps from this technique correspond better to the uncertainties caused by the coniferous forest found throughout the river basin. They were combined with the MODIS snow-covered area (SCA) product to exploit its ability to accurately detect the snow cover extent. The wet snow probability was also cross-referenced with the MODIS SCA product to remove discrepancies caused by forested areas or waterlogged soil. When compared to the snow metamorphism model SURFEX-Crocus at the location of the snow pillows of the basin, the combined product improves the detection of snow from 81.7 to 91.5% compared to MODIS alone. It also reliably distinguishes wet snow, dry snow, and snow-free conditions with an accuracy of 77.6%. Moreover, an agreement of 72.4% was established between this product and the MODIS Land Surface Temperature. As an example of the future application of this work for watershed management, the current dataset was used to successfully detect snowmelt and predict the peak inflow occurrence in the Nechako reservoir for the 2012 and 2015 winters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

DNA among eight selected wild Crocus species was evaluated using Ra ndom Amplified Polymorphic DNA (RAPD). These are Crocus aleppicus Baker , C. cancellatus Herbert , C.cartwrightianus Herbert ,C. damascenus Herbert, C. hermoneus Ky.ex Maw subsp . palaestinus, C. hyemalis Boiss. & Blanche, C . moabiticus Bomm . & Dinsm . ex Bomm , and C. Pallasii supsp. Haussknechtii. The cultivated species; C. sativus and C. vernus were purchased from Italy . Genetic similarities between the Crocus species were evaluated by NTSYS-pc software using Dice coefficient. The dendogram was constructed using the Unweighted Pair Group Method (UPGMA). As a result, tested Crocus species were grouped into four well-separated monophyletic clusters. The cultivated species were clustered separately from the wild collected species. Wild Crocus species collected from different sites for the same species were clustered together. Cluste r analysis indicated a high degree of inter and intra species variation within the wild Crocus species. High genetic association was found among some wild species originated from the same collection site. The wild collected C. moabiticus (a Jordanian endemic species) was found to be very close to the cultivated C. sativus. The current results showed close relationship between C. sativus and C. moabiticus. This analysis demonstrated that RAPD-P CR has proved to be a successful tool to determine genetic diversity among studied Crocus species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]