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Agave durangensis commonly known as agave cenizo, is an endemic Agave species in Mexico used for mescal production, yet its taxonomic delimitation is still controversial. This study aimed to enhance taxonomic clarity by characterizing its chloroplast genome. Chloroplast DNA was isolated from 2-year-old A. durangensis leaves. The complete chloroplast genome size was 156,441 bp, comprising a large single-copy region (LSC), a pair of inverted repeat regions (IR), and a small single-copy region (SSC). Annotation revealed 87 protein-coding genes, 38 tRNAs, and 8 rRNAs, with notable gene inversions. Phylogenetic analysis suggests, A. durangensis forms a separate lineage within the Agave genus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Encapsulation of biostimulant metabolites has gained popularity as it increases their shelf life and improves their absorption, being considered a good alternative for the manufacture of products that stimulate plant growth and fruit production. Cell-free supernatants (CFS) were obtained from nine indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) producing bacterial strains. Stenotrophomonas maltophilia (PT53T) produced the highest concentration of IAA (15.88 μg/mL) after 48 h of incubation. CFS from this strain, as well as an IAA standard were separately encapsulated in chitosan microparticles (CS-MP) using the ionic gelation method. The CS-MP were analyzed by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), showing absorption bands at 1641, 1547, and 1218 cm−1, associated with the vibrations of the carbonyl C=O, the N-H amine, and the bond between chitosan (CHI) and sodium tripolyphosphate (TPP). The effects of unencapsulated CFS, encapsulated CFS (EN-CFS), and encapsulated IAA standard (EN-IAA) on germination and growth of seven-day-old tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) seedlings were studied. Results showed that both EN-CFS and EN-IAA significantly (p < 0.05) increased seed germination rates by 77.5 and 80.8%, respectively. Both CFS and EN-IAA produced the greatest increase in aerial part length and fresh weight with respect to the treatment-free test. Therefore, it was concluded that the application of EN-CFS or EN-IAA could be a good option to improve the germination and growth of tomato seedlings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Problem statement: In Durango, Mexico, mescal is elaborated from wild plants of Agave durangensis. This species shows a high morphological variability within and among populations, what makes its taxonomic delimitation a hard task. Approach: In this study the pollen and foliar phenolic compositions of Agave durangensis were analyzed by HPLC/DAD with the aim of determining the significance of phenol profiles to delimit this taxon. Results: The foliar phenol compositions were evaluated within and among two populations and between juvenile and adult plants. Agave asperrima Jacobi, Dasylirion sp. and juvenile samples of A. shrevei Gentry subsp. shrevei, A. shrevei Gentry subsp. matapensis Gentry and A. wocomahi Gentry, were also analyzed to stand comparisons with. The results from this study indicated that pollen and foliar tissues of Agave durangneisis were rich in kaempferol glycoside derivatives (13 and 23 different compounds can be present, respectively). Principal coordinates analysis (PCO), based on foliar profiles of adults, indicated the presence of several chemotypes within the Type locality of Agave durangensis and revealed chemical differences between the both analyzed populations. Conclusion/Recommendations: Chemical and morphological differences and biogeographical evidence suggest the recognition of two different taxonomic entities in this morphological variable group. Key words: Pollen flavonoids, foliar flavonoid profiles, Agave phenolic variability, INTRODUCTION Agave is the biggest genus of the family Agavaceae, with around 166 species, from which 125 grow in Mexico (1), (2). Relevant ethnobotanic relationships have been established between the [...]

Background: Diverse plants respond differently to similar saline conditions. The aim of the current study was to determine the variation in the foliar contents of phenolic compounds, carotenoids, and proline, and the variation of the activities of catalase (CAT) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) of the edible and medicinal Physalis ixocarpa throughout three different times of exposure (24, 42, and 57 d) to three salinity levels (0, 90, and 120 mM NaCl). The specific effects of salt concentration and time of exposure were also assessed. Results: Proline increase was the only clearly salt-related response, evidencing its significant protective role in salinized P. ixocarpa under either short, medium, or chronic exposure. One phenolic acid, which increased up to 26.26 times its concentration (compared to control, under high salinity at the longest treatment) out of the eight compounds forming the phenolic profile of the species, and CAT and SOD, under 90 and 120 mM NaCl, respectively, and short and medium exposure, also made important contributions. Salt concentration mainly affected total phenolics, tannins, phenolic acids (PA), proline, and SOD, whereas exposure time mainly affected flavonoids, carotenoids, and CAT. Conclusions: The participation of the different protection mechanisms of P. ixocarpa against salinity is dynamic and complementary, and it is differentially modulated by the salt concentration and the time of exposure. Proline is the main mechanism for the species. The accurate chronic registration of the responses is needed to determine its adaptation potential to salt stress. The results have agronomic and food quality implications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Copyright of Journal of Apicultural Research is the property of Taylor & Francis Ltd and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Purpose: To evaluate the inhibitory activity of 10 wild Verbenaceae species from Mexico against α-glucosidase and α-amylase. Methods: Ethanol leaf extracts of 10 Verbenaceae species from Mexico were prepared. The inhibitory activity of the extracts against α-glucosidase and α-amylase was evaluated using enzymatic protocols. At least four serial diluted concentrations of each extract was used to calculate the half-maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50). Results: The 10 evaluated Verbenaceae species showed high α-glucosidase inhibition activity, but a low inhibitory effect on α-amylase. Aloysia gratissima (IC50 = 0.122 mg/mL), Verbena carolina (IC50 = 0.112 mg/mL), Bouchea prismatica (IC50 = 0.122 mg/mL), Verbena menthiflora (IC50 = 0.071mg/mL) and Priva mexicana (IC50 = 0.032 mg/mL) exhibited the strongest inhibitory activities against α-glucosidase. Conclusion: All the Verbenaceae species studied possess α-glucosidase inhibitory effect, with P. mexicana being the one with the strongest activity. These findings demonstrate the highs potential of these species as a source of natural antihyperglycemic agents for type 2 diabetes therapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of the current study was to determine the phenolic composition and carotenoid contents of leaves, bark, and fruits of Malpighia umbellata, assess the changes in the phenolic composition and contents of carotenoids and vitamin C of its fruits in different stages of maturity, and evaluate the antioxidant properties of its leaves, bark, and fruits. Leaves accumulated the highest levels of flavonoids (10.55 mg/g dry extract), tannins (21.16 mg/g dry extract), and carotenoids (424 63 µg/g dry tissue); whereas, the highest level of total phenolics was found in bark (47.12 mg/g dry extract). The vitamin C content decreased with the maturity of fruits. Twenty-two phenolics were characterized by high performance liquid chromatography with diode array detection (HPLC-DAD). Apigenin-7-O-glycosides, phenolic acids, and flavonols were predominant in leaves, bark, and fruits, respectively. Important chemical variations were found during fruit ripening. The 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH•) scavenging activity and 2,2ʹ-azino-bis-(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS) inhibition assays revealed important antioxidant properties for this acerola. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Epigenetic modifications are key factors modulating the expression of genes involved in the synthesis of phytochemicals. The knowledge of plant epigenetic and genetic variations can contribute to enhance the production of bioactive compounds. These issues have been little explored thus far in Rorippa nasturtium var. aquaticum L. (watercress), an edible and medicinal plant. The aim of the current study was to determine and compare the phenolic composition and epigenetic and genetic variations between wild and cultivated watercress. Results: Significant differenceswere found in the quantitative phenolic composition betweenwild and cultivated watercress. The eight primer combinations used in the methylation-sensitive amplification polymorphism (MSAP) method revealed different epigenetic status for each watercress type, the cultivated one being the most epigenetically variable. The genetic variability revealed by the EcoRI/MspI amplification profile and also by eight inter-simple sequence repeat (ISSR) primers was different between the two types of watercress. The results of the Mantel test showed that the correlation between genetic and epigenetic variations has diminished in the cultivated type. Cluster analyses showed that the epigenetic and genetic characterizations clearly discriminated between wild and cultivated watercress. Conclusions: Relevant chemical, epigenetic, and genetic differences have emerged between wild and cultivated watercress. These differences can contribute to fingerprint and develop quality control tools for the integral and safety use and the commercialization of watercress. The richness of epialleles could support the development of tools to manipulate the watercress epigenome to develop high bioproduct-producing cultivars. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Physalis ixocarpa Brot. ex Hornem. and Physalis angulata L. are two edible species of the family Solanaceae, which have an important variety of antioxidant compounds present in their roots, stems, leaves, calyces, and fruits. This work reports the development of multivariate models based on the use of partial least square (PLS) analysis and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy for the quantitative determination of total phenolics, total flavonoids, free radical scavenging activity, total antioxidant capacity, and reducing power in the extracts of roots, stems, and leaves of both P. ixocarpa and P. angulata. Standard chromatographic and colorimetric techniques were used to determine the quantitative actual values (references) in the extracts, which served as input data to develop the multivariate PLS models. Optimized FTIR-PLS models were realized by cross-validation procedures, obtaining the determination coefficients for prediction between 0.792 and 0.905 for P. ixocarpa, and between 0.756 and 0.893 for P. angulata. In this form, FTIR spectroscopy with multivariate analysis could represent a versatile tool to evaluate quantitatively concentrations of bioactive compounds and antioxidant properties in the extracts of both species, requiring a very short time at low cost. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The antioxidant properties and the foliar phenol composition of 25 Mexican varieties of Phaseolus vulgaris L. (common bean) were evaluated. Phaseolus coccineus was analysed with comparative aims. The high performance liquid chromatography with photodiode array detection analysis revealed 27 phenolics in the leaves of P. vulgaris (13 quercetin-3-O-glycosides, 8 kaempferol-3-O-glycosides, 2 myricetin glycosides and 4 phenolic acids) and 5 in P. coccineus (2 kaempferol-3-O-glycoside, 2 apigenin-7-O-glycoside and 1 luteolin-7-O-glycoside). All extracts showed high levels of phenols and flavonoids (0.964–5.601 mg g− 1 dry tissue, and 0.287–1.418 mg g− 1 dry tissue, respectively) and relevant antioxidant properties, suggesting that the leaves of the varieties of P. vulgaris are a significant source of natural antioxidants. The foliar phenol profiles were species-specific and, besides, the qualitative variation allowed discriminating among varieties of P. vulgaris. These profiles can represent an important varietal authenticity proof. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The antioxidant properties and the flavonoid composition of extracts of different hydrophobicity prepared from the entire edible flowers ofAgave durangensiswere evaluated. Separately, total extracts of tepals and anthers–pollen were analyzed in the same manner. The high performance liquid chromatography with photodiode array detection (HPLC–DAD) analysis revealed a total of eight flavonols (five quercetin glycosides and three kaempferol glycosides), varying in number and concentration in the different extracts. The total extracts of the entire flowers showed the highest flavonoid content (1210.4 µg/g dry extract) and the most complex flavonoid profile (eight compounds). All the extracts showed important antioxidant activity, which was not evidently associated with their flavonoid content. The total extracts of tepals showed the highest antioxidant properties (total antioxidant capacity, free radical scavenging activity, and iron reducing capacity: 30.2 mg ascorbic acid equivalents, EC50= 0.074 µg/mL, and IC50= 43.28 µg/mL, respectively). The flowers ofA. durangensisrepresent an important source of antioxidant flavonols. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Microsatellite markers are used in genotypic studies of Diabrotica spp. Usually commercial kits are used for DNA extraction from preserved tissues. A simplified procedure, based on the CTAB, was used to obtain DNA from tissues preserved in 75% ethanol and from fresh samples of Diabrotica spp. from Durango and Jalisco, Mexico. Significantly more DNA was obtained from fresh than preserved tissues (926 and 827 ng/μL, respectively). However, the quality of DNA was similar (A260nm/A280nm mean value = 1.93) between the two kinds of tissue. The CTAB procedure was used to isolate similar quality and quantity of DNA as obtained by using commercial kits but was less time consuming and expensive. The DVV-D2 loci, a characteristic microsatellite of Diabrotica genus, was amplified. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hericium erinaceus, known as lion's mane, is one of the most important cultivated mushrooms worldwide. It grows wild through European and North American countries; meanwhile, in Asia it is mostly artificially cultivated. Several studies revealed the difficulty of its taxonomic identification and the influence of environmental conditions over its morphological characters. The present study aimed to evaluate the morphological and genetic variability of wild specimens of H. erinaceus collected from seven different sites in the temperate forests of the Sierra Madre Occidental, Durango, Mexico. The H. erinaceus isolates showed important morphological differences between the different specimens, mainly in the length of the basidioma, in some cases presenting as twice the size (55 cm) as that previously reported for the species. Unlike the morphological results, the genetic analysis showed homogeneity among the samples. Despite the obvious differences in morphological studies, the genetic study did not indicate a significant difference between the analyzed individuals. However, current results provide new information for the morphological characterization of specimens for northern Mexico, and the first record of seven new internal transcribed spacer sequences and geographic distribution data for this species in northern Mexico. Hericium erinaceus, conocido como melena de león, es uno de los hongos cultivados más importantes en el mundo. Se puede encontrar creciendo de manera silvestre en países de Europa y Norte América, mientras que en Asia se cultiva principalmente de manera artificial. Varios estudios revelaron la dificultad de su identificación taxonómica y la influencia de las condiciones ambientales sobre sus caracteres morfológicos. El presente estudio tuvo como objetivo evaluar la variabilidad morfológica y genética de especímenes silvestres de H. erinaceus recolectados en siete sitios diferentes de los bosques templados de la Sierra Madre Occidental, Durango, México. Las muestras de H. erinaceus mostraron diferencias morfológicas importantes entre los diferentes especímenes, principalmente en la longitud del basidioma, en algunos casos con el doble tamaño (55 cm) respecto al reportado previamente para la especie. A diferencia de los resultados morfológicos, el análisis genético no indicó una diferencia significativa entre los individuos analizados. Sin embargo, los resultados presentes aportan nueva información para la caracterización morfológica de ejemplares para el norte de México, y el primer registro de siete nuevas secuencias utilizando el espaciador interno transcrito y datos de distribución geográfica de esta especie en el norte de México. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Agave durangensis commonly known as agave cenizo, is an endemic Agave species in Mexico used for mescal production, yet its taxonomic delimitation is still controversial. This study aimed to enhance taxonomic clarity by characterizing its chloroplast genome. Chloroplast DNA was isolated from 2-year-old A. durangensis leaves. The complete chloroplast genome size was 156,441 bp, comprising a large single-copy region (LSC), a pair of inverted repeat regions (IR), and a small single-copy region (SSC). Annotation revealed 87 protein-coding genes, 38 tRNAs, and 8 rRNAs, with notable gene inversions. Phylogenetic analysis suggests, A. durangensis forms a separate lineage within the Agave genus., Competing Interests: No potential conflict of interest has been reported by the author(s), (© 2024 The Author(s). Published by Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group.)