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A series of activated carbons (YMBC) obtained from yerba mate twig residue (YMT) were prepared by chemical (H3PO4) and thermal activation. Five materials were synthesized, varying the carbonization temperature (400–600 °C under N2 atmosphere) and H3PO4:YMT ratio (60–80 wt%). They were physicochemically and texturally characterized by SEM-EDX, BET, FT-IR, and 31P MAS-NMR. Potentiometric titration with the n-butylamine technique was used to evaluate their acidic properties. The materials exhibited a high specific surface area (572 m2 g−1 < SBET < 1031 m2 g−1) and mesoporosity (67% < Smeso/SBET < 93%). The results showed that the acid strength and the number of acid sites increased with the H3PO4:YMT ratio and decreased with the calcination temperature increment. The FT-IR and 31P characterization revealed the presence of Hn+2PnO3n+1 species firmly (via P-O-C linkages) and loosely attached (by electrostatic interaction). The latter were successfully removed by refluxing the material in water or n-propanol. The optimal reaction conditions were applied to the synthesis of other levulinic acid esters using YMBC-500-70NP as a catalyst. Furthermore, the effective separation of the product combined with the use of a recyclable catalyst resulted in a clean and environmentally friendly strategy for the synthesis of alkyl levulinates, bioproducts of relevance to the biorefinery industry, which can be applied as fragrances, flavoring agents, as well as fuel additives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

(1) Background: Salix species occurring in Finland have not been well studied for their antimicrobial potential, despite their frequent use for lung and stomach problems in traditional medicine. Thus, twig extracts of three species of Salix that are found naturally in Finland and one cultivated species were screened for their antimicrobial properties against human pathogenic bacteria. S. starkeana and S. x pendulina were screened for antibacterial effects for the first time. (2) Methods: An agar diffusion and a microplate method were used for the screenings. Time-kill effects were measured using a plate-count and a microplate method. A DPPH-method using a qualitative TLC-analysis was used to detect antioxidant compounds in antimicrobial extracts. Metabolites from a S. myrsinifolia extract showing good antibacterial effects were identified using UPLC/QTOF-MS. (3) Results: A methanol extract of S. starkeana was particularly active against B. cereus (MIC 625 µg/mL), and a methanol extract of S. myrsinifolia showed good activity against S. aureus and B. cereus (MIC 1250 µg/mL) and showed bactericidal effects during a 24 h incubation of B. cereus. Moreover, a decoction of S. myrsinifolia resulted in good growth inhibition against P. aeruginosa. Our UPLC/QTOF-MS results indicated that proanthocyanidins (PAs), and especially the dimer procyanidin B1 (m/z 577) and other procyanidin derivatives, including highly polymerized proanthocyanidins, were abundant in S. myrsinifolia methanol extracts. Procyanidin B1 and its monomer catechin, as well as taxifolin and p-hydroxycinnamic acid, all present in S. myrsinifolia twigs, effectively inhibited B. cereus (MIC 250 µg/mL). (4) Conclusions: This study indicates that Finnish Salix species contain an abundance of antibacterial condensed tannins, phenolic acids and other polyphenols that deserve further research for the antibacterial mechanisms of action. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Expeditionary studies of the functioning of landscapes of mid-mountain monsoon (including fog) forests have been being conducted within the landscape and ecological station in the territory of the Bidoup-Nui Ba National Park and the adjacent Hon Giao since 2018 and are currently underway. One of the research objectives is to clarify the biogeochemical migrations of the material composition of soils in the "leaf debris–soil" system. We have consistently studied natural objects for their material composition as well as the intensity and rate of involvement of chemical elements in physicochemical migration processes in the "leaf debris–soil" system. Our findings indicate an active influx of a select group of examined elements (Se, Pd, Ag, Cd, Sn, Bi), particularly Bi, Pd, Se, and Cd, through the leaf debris and the detachment of aboveground plant organs, warranting their integration into organogenic soil horizons. Subsequently, lateral migration (Pd, Cd, Se) ensues. Slope processes within subordinate landscape facets, in addition to soil moisture and aeration processes, contribute to the subsequent redistribution of elemental volumes introduced into organogenic soil horizons. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Florida ranks among the most important citrus growing regions in the USA. The present study investigates the occurrence, diversity, and pathogenicity of fungal species associated with symptomatic sweet orange (Citrus sinensis) cv. Valencia plants and fruit. The survey was conducted on twigs and fruit collected in Southwest Florida during 2022. Based on morphological and molecular characteristics, the identified isolates belonged to the species Lasiodiplodia iraniensis, Diaporthe pseudomangiferae, and Diaporthe ueckerae. The pathogenicity of representative isolates was evaluated on citrus fruit and plants. Lasiodiplodia iraniensis was the most virulent on fruit and plants, followed by Diaporthe pseudomangiferae. Diaporthe ueckerae had the lowest virulence on fruit, and it was not pathogenic to plants. In vitro tests were performed to assess the effect of temperature on mycelial radial growth. The optimum temperature of growth ranged from 26.0 to 28.4 °C for all the evaluated species, and L. iraniensis showed the fastest mycelial growth. This study represents the first report of L. iraniensis as a causal agent of tree dieback and fruit stem-end rot on C. sinensis worldwide. Moreover, D. pseudomangiferae and D. ueckerae are reported here for the first time in association with citrus diseases worldwide. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, a detailed phytochemical investigation of compounds in the twigs of the mistletoe Loranthus europaeus Jacq., which belongs to the Loranthaceae family, is presented. Specimens were collected from the mistletoe L. europaeus growing on oak trees in the mainland of Greece. The alliance of oaks and mistletoes became a symbol of knowledge and strength for many centuries. Although numerous compounds of aerial tissues of other mistletoes, e.g., Viscum album, have been published, few studies have been conducted to investigate the metabolic and physiological traits of the hemiparasitic, deciduous Loranthus europaeus. LC-HRMS-based analysis led to a detailed characterization of ethyl acetate and dichloromethane extracts of the twigs of L. europaeus, which, to the best of our knowledge, exhibit enhanced antioxidant potential. Hence, twenty-four and twenty-six compounds were tentatively identified from the ethyl acetate and dichloromethane twigs' extracts, respectively; these compounds belong to fatty acids, flavonoids, and flavonoid glycosides. Also, chlorophyll, soluble sugar, starch, and lipid contents in the twigs of L. europaeus, which have not hitherto been published, were investigated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The more yerba mate infusions that are consumed, the larger the amount of grounds generated. What is more, both the infusion and the residues after brewing remain rich elements. Therefore, a strategy for the three-stage assessment of the element content was presented. A new brewing method was based on dynamic extraction, ensuring both the ease of preparing the infusion and recovering the grounds. In turn, microwave-assisted acid mineralization was used to decompose the leaves and twigs of yerba mate before and after brewing. In total, 30 products were analyzed by ICP OES in three fractions each, i.e., dry yerba mate, infusion, and grounds, to determine up to 25 elements. The elemental composition was considered in terms of the country of origin, type, or composition of yerba mate. The extraction percentages obtained with dynamic extraction were comparable to previously used ultrasound-assisted extraction, as well as data from the literature. The three-stage strategy is a novel approach in yerba mate studies, and it may be a model procedure for the laboratory preparation of yerba mate grounds (waste that can be re-used, e.g., a natural fertilizer). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Schinus terebinthifolius Raddi, popularly known as "Pink pepper", is a plant native to Brazil. The objective of this work was to analyze the chemical composition and the antioxidant and antibacterial potential of essential oils (EOs) from the leaves, fruits and twigs of S. terebinthifolius, aiming for their application in food safety. EOs were obtained by hydrodistillation and the chemical composition was determined by gas chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry. Phenolic compounds were quantified and antioxidant activity was evaluated using three different methods. The antibacterial activity was determined by the broth microdilution method against foodborne bacteria. In the chemical analysis, 22 compounds were identified in the leaves, 13 compounds in the fruits and 37 compounds in the twigs, revealing the presence of the main compounds germacrene D (12.04%, 15.78%, 20,41%), caryophyllene (15.97%, 3.12%, 11.73%), α-pinene (11.6%, 17.16%, 2.99%), β-pinene (5.68%, 43.34%, 5.60%) and γ-gurjunene (16,85%, 3,15%) respectively. EOs showed better antioxidant potential using the β-carotene/linoleic acid method with 40.74, 61.52 and 63.65% oxidation inhibition for leaves, fruits and twigs, respectively. The EO from the leaves showed greater antibacterial potential against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus with a minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of 0.62 mg mL−1, a value lower than the MIC of sodium nitrite (5.00 mg mL−1), the antimicrobial standard synthetic. The activities of pink pepper EOs suggest their potential as a biopreservative in foods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Twig blight disease is the primary disease that affects the production of Myrica rubra in China. It was reported that exogenous brassinolide (BL) can improve disease resistance in plants. Here, we examined the effects of exogenous BL on disease resistance, chlorophyll contents, antioxidant enzyme activity, ROS accumulation, and key gene expression of M. rubra to analyze the mechanism of BR-induced resistance of twig blight disease in M. rubra. The results demonstrated that 2.0 mg·L−1 of BL could significantly lessen the severity of twig blight disease in M. rubra. Exogenous BL increased the contents of chlorophyll a, chlorophyll b, carotenoids, and total chlorophyll. Moreover, exogenous BL also significantly enhanced the activity of antioxidant enzymes such as superoxide dismutase (SOD), peroxidase (POD), and catalase (CAT), and decreased malondialdehyde (MDA) content and reactive oxygen species (ROS) accumulation in leaves, such as H2O2 and O2·−. Additionally, exogenous BL dramatically up-regulated the expression of pathogenesis-related (PR) genes such as MrPR1, MrPR2, and MrPR10, as well as important genes such as MrBAK1, MrBRI1, and MrBZR1 involved in brassinosteroid (BR) signaling pathway. The transcriptome analysis revealed that a total of 730 common differentially expressed genes (DEGs) under BL treatment were found, and these DEGs were primarily enriched in four Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathways. Based on these findings, nine important candidate genes related to the resistance of twig blight disease under BL treatment were further identified. In this study, we elucidated the effects of exogenous BL on enhancing the resistance of M. rubra to twig blight disease and preliminary analyzed the potential mechanism of resistance induction, which will provide a crucial foundation for the management and prevention of twig blight disease in M. rubra. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Six new C-20 and one new C-19 quassinoids, named perforalactones F-L (1–7), were isolated from twigs of Harrisonia perforata. Spectroscopic and X-ray crystallographic experiments were conducted to identify their structures. Through oxidative degradation of perforalactone B to perforaqussin A, the biogenetic process from C-25 quassinoid to C-20 via Baeyer–Villiger oxidation was proposed. Furthermore, the study evaluated the anti-Parkinson's disease potential of these C-20 quassinoids for the first time on 6-OHDA-induced PC12 cells and a Drosophila Parkinson's disease model of PINK1B9. Perforalactones G and I (2 and 4) showed a 10–15% increase in cell viability of the model cells at 50 μM, while compounds 2 and 4 (100 μM) significantly improved the climbing ability of PINK1B9 flies and increased the dopamine level in the brains and ATP content in the thoraces of the flies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sclerotinia sclerotiorum (Lib.) de Bary (1884) is a fungal plant pathogen with worldwide distribution and a varying host range from different botanical families. It can cause damage to a large variety of crops such as sunflower, soybean, dry bean, canola, some vegetables, and ornamental plants. This article reports the occurrence of twig blight on the forsythia plant from the NE region of Romania. The disease was observed on Forsythia × intermedia Zab. plants from the Arboretum Park of the Iasi University of Life Sciences (IULS), located in Iasi City, Romania. Infected tissue was investigated through morphological characteristics using Sanger sequencing. Genomic DNA was extracted from the isolate obtained from naturally infected plants, and the ribosomal internal transcribed spacer region was amplified using the ITS1, ITS2, and LSU D1 and D2. Based on the results of this study, molecular and morphological data suggest that Forsythia twig blight can be caused by S. sclerotiorum. Constant monitoring of Sclerotinia sclerotiorum across multiple hosts and time intervals will reduce potential spread and future economic losses in cultivated species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bayberry twig blight caused by the ascomycete fungus Pestalotiopsis versicolor is a devastating disease threatening worldwide bayberry production. However, the molecular basis underlying the pathogenesis of P. versicolor is largely unknown. Here, we identified and functionally characterized the MAP kinase PvMk1 in P. versicolor through genetic and cellular biochemical approaches. Our analysis reveals a central role of PvMk1 in regulating P. versicolor virulence on bayberry. We demonstrate that PvMk1 is involved in hyphal development, conidiation, melanin biosynthesis, and cell wall stress responses. Notably, PvMk1 regulates P. versicolor autophagy and is essential for hyphal growth under nitrogen-depleting conditions. These findings suggest the multifaceted role of PvMk1 in regulating P. versicolor development and virulence. More remarkably, this evidence of virulence-involved cellular processes regulated by PvMk1 has paved a fundamental way for further understanding the impact of P. versicolor pathogenesis on bayberry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, the automatic recognition of tree species based on images taken by digital cameras has been widely applied. However, many problems still exist, such as insufficient tree species image acquisition, uneven distribution of image categories, and low recognition accuracy. Tree leaves can be used to differentiate and classify tree species due to their cognitive signatures in color, vein texture, shape contour, and edge serration. Moreover, the way the leaves are arranged on the twigs has strong characteristics. In this study, we first built an image dataset of 21 tree species based on the features of the twigs and leaves. The tree species feature dataset was divided into the training set and test set, with a ratio of 8:2. Feature extraction was performed after training the convolutional neural network (CNN) using the k-fold cross-validation (K-Fold–CV) method, and tree species classification was performed with classifiers. To improve the accuracy of tree species identification, we combined three improved CNN models with three classifiers. Evaluation indicators show that the overall accuracy of the designed composite model was 1.76% to 9.57% higher than other CNN models. Furthermore, in the MixNet XL CNN model, combined with the K-nearest neighbors (KNN) classifier, the highest overall accuracy rate was obtained at 99.86%. In the experiment, the Grad-CAM heatmap was used to analyze the distribution of feature regions that play a key role in classification decisions. Observation of the Grad-CAM heatmap illustrated that the main observation area of SE-ResNet50 was the most accurately positioned, and was mainly concentrated in the interior of small twigs and leaflets. Our research showed that modifying the training method and classification module of the CNN model and combining it with traditional classifiers to form a composite model can effectively improve the accuracy of tree species recognition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Blossom and twig blight, caused by Monilinia spp., is the main disease in apricot trees. In this study, we installed transparent rain shelters in apricot orchards to study their influence on the modification of the microclimate at the level of the tree canopy and on the reduction in moniliosis damage in twigs. Rain shelters significantly reduced the leaf wetness time measured within the foliage compared to the unsheltered trees (a reduction of between 43% and 67%). However, very few differences were observed in the daily averaged air temperature (up to 6%) and daily averaged air relative humidity (up to 1%). In the first experiment, on the apricot variety Bergarouge® (CEP Innovation, Lyon, France), moniliosis damage on twigs in the absence of phytosanitary protection was reduced by up to 62% for the trees provided with rain protection compared to the trees that did not receive rain shelters. A second experiment, involving five apricot tree varieties, made it possible to verify that fungicide protection could be reduced for the trees protected by rain covers, reducing moniliosis damage on twigs compared to full fungicide protection combined without rain protection. Finally, a third experiment comprising two apricot tree varieties has shown that in organic orchards, rain protection provides protection against moniliosis (twig blight) that is equivalent to an organic farming fungicide protection programme based on the use of copper sulphate and calcium polysulphide. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Litter humification plays a crucial role in organic matter formation and soil carbon sequestration in forest ecosystems. However, how forest gap formation and gap size variation affect the litter humification process remains poorly understood. An eight-year in situ decomposition experiment was conducted to evaluate humus accumulation (humic substances, humic and fulvic acid), humification degrees, humification ratios and optical properties (ΔlogK, E4/E6 and A600/C) of Minjiang fir (Abies faxoniana Rehder & E.H.Wilson) twig litter in four gap size treatments in an alpine primitive forest on the eastern Tibetan Plateau, including (1) closed canopies, (2) small gaps (38–46 m2 in size), (3) medium gaps (153–176 m2 in size),and (4) large gaps (255–290 m2 in size). The results indicated that the accumulation of humic substances and humic acid in the closed canopies was significantly higher than that in the large gaps during the first two years of decomposition. After eight years of decomposition, there were significant differences in the humic substance accumulations and the values of ΔlogK and A600/C among the different gap sizes. Furthermore, twig litter was humified in the first 2 years of incubation, and the net accumulation of humic substances was ranged from −23.46% to −44.04% of the initial level at the end of the experiment. The newly accumulated humus was young (mature (type Rp) humus) and transformed to mature (type A) humus after 4–6 years of decomposition. Partial least squares (PLS) suggested that gap-induced variations in twig litter chemistry (i.e., contents of cellulose, lignin, nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P), and the ratios of C/N N/P) mainly drove the process of twig litter humification. Our results presented here denote that the formation of forest gaps retard twig litter humification process, which might be detrimental to carbon sequestration in the alpine forest ecosystems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Artabotrys sumatranus is one of the Artabotrys species, which lives in Sumatera, Java, and Borneo in Indonesia. No research has been found related to its activity. The objective of this study was to explore the potential of A. sumatranus leaf and twig extracts as the source of an anti-diabetic agent through the α-glucosidase inhibition mechanism, as well as the relationship between the antioxidant and the α-glucosidase inhibition activities in these extracts. Ethanol extracts from leaf and twig A. sumatranus were subjected to several assays: total phenolic content, total flavonoid content, antioxidant activity using DPPH (2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl), radical scavenging activity, and FRAP (ferric reducing antioxidant power) analysis, as well as α-glucosidase inhibition. Later, GC-MS (gas chromatography-mass spectrometer) and LC-MS/MS (liquid chromatography-mass spectrometer/mass spectrometer) analysis were conducted to identify the compounds inside the extracts. The identified compounds were tested for potential α-glucosidase inhibition activity using a molecular docking simulation. As a result, the A. sumatranus leaf extract showed more potential than the twig extract as α-glucosidase inhibitor and antioxidant agent. In addition, from the comparison between the measured quantities, it can be deduced that most of the α-glucosidase active compounds in the A. sumatranus are also antioxidant agents. Several active compounds with a high affinity to α-glucosidase inhibition were identified using the molecular docking simulation. It was concluded that A. sumatranus twig and leaf extracts seem to be potential sources of α-glucosidase inhibitors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For about a decade, olive groves in Apulia (Southern Italy) have been progressively destroyed by Olive Quick Decline Syndrome (OQDS), a disease caused by the bacterium Xylella fastidiosa subsp. pauca (Xfp). Recently, we described an additional wilting syndrome affecting olive trees in that area. The botryosphaeriaceous fungus Neofusicoccum mediterraneum was found associated with the diseased trees, and its high virulence toward olive trees was demonstrated. Given the common features with Branch and Twig Dieback (BTD) of olive tree, occurring in Spain and California, we suggested that the observed syndrome was BTD. During our first survey, we also found a botryosphaeriaceous species other than N. mediterraneum. In the present article, we report the morphological and molecular characterization of this fungal species which we identified as Neofusicoccum stellenboschiana. In the study, we also included for comparison additional N. stellenboschiana isolates obtained from olive trees in Latium and Tuscany region (Central Italy). The occurrence of N. stellenboschiana in olive trees is reported here for the first time in the northern hemisphere. The pathogenicity and virulence were tested in nine inoculation trials, where the Apulian N. stellenboschiana isolate was compared with the isolate from Latium and with the Apulian isolate of N. mediterraneum. Both isolates of N. stellenboschiana proved pathogenic to olive trees. They caused evident bark canker and wood discolouration when inoculated at the base of the stem of two/three-year-old trees and on one-year-old twigs. However, virulence of N. stellenboschiana was significantly lower, though still remarkable, compared with N. mediterraneum in term of necrosis progression in the bark and the wood and capacity of wilting the twigs. Virulence of N. stellenboschiana and N. mediterraneum did not substantially change when inoculations were performed in spring/summer and in autumn, suggesting that these fungal species have the potential to infect and damage olive trees in all seasons. The high thermotolerance of N. stellenboschiana was also revealed with in vitro growth and survival tests. The high virulence of these Botryosphaeriaceae species highlights their contribution in BTD aetiology and the necessity to investigate right away their diffusion and, possibly, the role of additional factors other than Xfp in the general decline of olive groves in Apulia. Hence the importance of assessing the degree of overlap of BTD/Botryosphariaceae with OQDS/Xfp is discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tympanis species (Leotiales) are plant pathogens distributed mostly in northern temperate ecosystems. The diversity and identity of some species remains unclear. Tympanis vagabunda, found in Sicilia (Italy) on dry twigs of Rosa, Rubus, and Pistacia, is one example of an obscure and poorly known species. During the study of its type specimen in S, which contained one twig with a wood anatomy fitting neither of the three mentioned hosts, the microanatomic structures indicated that it belongs to the genus Rutstroemia (Helotiales). To investigate its identity, the types of R. fruticeti, R. juniperi, R. urceolus, and R. longiasca were studied for comparison. The species for which molecular data were available were included in a dataset that contained identified species of Rutstroemia, along with other select species from the families Rutstroemiaceae and Sclerotiniaceae. R. fruticeti, a saprobe frequently reported from Rubus fruticosus in Europe, is found to be a later synonym of T. vagabunda, and the combination Rutstroemia vagabunda is proposed. R. juniperi is an infrequently reported European species on twigs of Juniperus and is morphologically hard to distinguish from R. vagabunda; available molecular data support its recognition as a distinct species. R. longiasca differs from R. vagabunda in its black apothecia, smaller asci, and narrower ascospores. R. urceolus differs from R. vagabunda in having black apothecia and smaller inamyloid asci, and excipulum at the flanks and margin is composed of dark-walled hyphae. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Four stains were isolated from two fresh twigs of Helwingia himalaica and two dead woods during investigations of micro-fungi in China and Thailand. Phylogenetic analyses of four gene regions LSU, ITS, SSU and tef1-α revealed the placement of these species in Montagnula. Based on the morphological examination and molecular data, two new species, M. aquatica and M. guiyangensis, and a known species M. donacina are described. Descriptions and illustrations of the new collections and a key to the Montagnula species are provided. Montagnula chromolaenicola, M. puerensis, M. saikhuensis, and M. thailandica are discussed and synonymized under M. donacina. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gonioridleylactam (1), a new compound, is a unique dimeric aristolactam isolated from the EtOAc extract of the twigs of Goniothalamus ridleyi King. The structure of gonioridleylactam (1) consists of two different aristolactams linked together with two methylenedioxy bridges at C–3/C–3′ and C–4/C–4′, generating a ten-membered ring of [1,3,6,8]tetraoxecine. A new natural product, gonioridleyindole (3-hydroxymethyl-1-methyl-1H-benz[f]indole-4,9-dione, 2), together with eight known compounds (3–10) were also isolated from this plant. Their structures were extensively characterized by spectroscopic methods and comparisons were made with the literature. Compounds 1–4, 7, and 9 were evaluated for their α-glucosidase inhibitory activity. Of these, 3,5-demethoxypiperolide (7) displayed the highest α-glucosidase inhibitory activity, with an IC50 value of 1.25 µM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Oxylipins are important biological molecules with diverse roles in human and plants such as pro-/anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, and regulatory activity. Although there is an increasing number of plant-derived oxylipins, most of their physiological roles in humans remain unclear. Here, we describe the isolation, identification, and biological activities of four new oxylipins, chaenomesters A–D (1–4), along with a known compound (5), obtained from Chaenomeles sinensis twigs. Their chemical structures were determined by spectroscopic (i.e., NMR) and spectrometric (i.e., HRMS) data analysis including 1H NMR-based empirical rules and homonuclear-decoupled 1H NMR experiments. Chaenomester D (4), an omega-3 oxylipin, showed a potent inhibitory effect on nitric oxide (NO) production in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-activated BV-2 cells (NO production, 8.46 ± 0.68 μM), neurotrophic activity in C6 cells through the induction of the secretion of nerve growth factor (NGF, 157.7 ± 2.4%), and cytotoxicity in A549 human cancer cell lines (IC50 = 27.4 μM). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Parishin compounds are rare polyphenolic glucosides mainly found in the rhizome of the traditional Chinese medicinal plant, Gastrodia elata. These constituents are reported to have several biological and pharmacological activities. In the present study, two novel parishin derivatives not previously reported as plant-based phytochemicals were identified from a twig of Maclura tricuspidata (MT) and two new compounds were elucidated as 1-(4-(β-d-glucopyranosyloxy)benzyl)-3-hydroxy-3-methylpentane-1,5-dioate (named macluraparishin E) and 1,3-bis(4-(β-d-glucopyranosyloxy)benzyl)-3-hydroxy-3-methylpentane- 1,5-dioate (macluraparishin C), based on the experimental data obtained by UV–Visible (UV–Vis) spectroscopy, high performance liquid chromatography–quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (HPLC-QTOF-MS) and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy. Additionally, gastrodin, parishin A and parishin B were positively identified by spectroscopic evidence and the comparison of HPLC retention time with the corresponding authentic standards. Gastrodin, parishin A and parishin B, macluraparishin E and macluraparishin C were found to be the most abundant constituents in the MT twig. The compositions and contents of these constituents were found to vary depending on the different parts of the MT plant. In particular, the contents of parishin A, parishin B, macluraparishin C and macluraparishin E were higher in the twig, bark and root than in the leaves, xylem and fruit. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Biflavonoids are flavonoid dimers that are much less studied than monomeric flavonoids. Their precise distribution among plants and their role in plants is still unknown. Here, we have developed a HPLC-DAD method that allows us to separate and simultaneously determine the five major biflavonoids (amentoflavone, bilobetin, ginkgetin, isoginkgetin, and sciadopitysin) in ginkgo (Ginkgo biloba L.). We performed tissue-specific profiling of biflavonoids in ten different plant parts: tree bark, twigs bark, twigs without bark, buds, leaf petioles, leaf blades, seed stalks, sarcotesta, nutshells, and kernels. We did not detect biflavonoids in plant parts not in direct contact with the environment (twigs without bark, nutshells, and kernels). We found the highest total biflavonoids content in leaves, where sciadopitysin was predominant. In contrast, in the bark, amentoflavone was the predominant biflavonoid, suggesting that more methylated biflavonoids accumulate in leaves and seeds. This is probably related to their biological function, which remains to be determined. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In an olive orchard on the western part of Istria, Croatia, twig and branch dieback was observed on several olive trees. In total, seven samples from symptomatic trees were collected. Samples were analyzed, and four fungal isolates showed morphological similarities to the species Phaeoacremonium. One isolate, chosen as a representative, was taken for molecular identification and pathogenicity tests. Based on the DNA sequence data of the ITS, TUB, and EF1α gene regions, the isolate was identified as P. iranianum. Pathogenicity tests were conducted on detached olive branches and olive trees in the greenhouse. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of twig and branch dieback on olive caused by Phaeoacremonium iranianum. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A phytochemical investigation of the leaves and twigs of Glycosmis pentaphylla (Rutaceae), collected in Vietnam, yielded three new compounds named glyfuran (1), glyphyllamide (2), and glyphyllazole (3), along with twenty-five known compounds (4–28). The structures of isolates were determined by IR, MS, NMR, and UV data analyses. In the anti-diabetic activity screening, (+)-isoaltholacton (4), glycoborinine (17), 2′,4′-dihydroxy-4,6′-dimethoxychalcone (24), and flavokawain A (25) simultaneously exhibited inhibition of dipeptidyl peptidase-4 (DPP4) and stimulation of the glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) secretion on the murine intestinal secretin tumor cell line (STC-1). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Kaffir lime has been widely researched for use as an essential oil, alongside its main function as an Asian spice, due to the needs of numerous industries. A meta-analysis was used to summarize the variation in yield and main components of kaffir lime essential oils in response to differences in plant origins, plant parts, and extraction methods during the last fifty years. A database was constructed from 85 data items from 36 single studies, prepared by following PRISMA-P. The result showed no significant effect of extraction method on variation in oil yield and main components. In contrast, after integrating numerous single studies under a statistical approach, some interesting facts emerged, such as (i) plant origin significantly affected the citronellol, i.e., subtropical conditions were more favorable than tropical ones; (ii) caryophyllene was found in all countries, from subtropical America and tropical Asia to tropical East Africa; (iii) the richest parts of citronellal, citronellol, citronellyl acetate, and sabinene were leaves, blossoms, twigs, and fruit peels, respectively; and (iv) due to significant interaction of plant origin and plant parts, a very challenging issue in boosting oil yield could be answered by formulating location-specific and organ-specific culture practices. This study had succeeded in providing further research directions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pistachio crops have a great economic potential, as their global production has increased dramatically over the past few decades. Therefore, it is important to maintain the healthy phytosanitary status of pistachio crops. In a Chilean pistachio orchard, a dieback of the trees was observed, with blighting of twigs and severe necrosis in the trunk and twigs. Bacterial isolation, pathogenicity tests and molecular characterization were conducted to determine the causal agent of the observed disease. The bacterial isolation and analysis of 16S rRNA gene led to the identification of Pantoea genus bacteria. Pathogenicity tests carried out on fruits inoculated with Pantoea isolates induced large necrosis seven days post-inoculation. Further inoculations were carried out on pruning cuttings and on the trunk of 18-month-old pistachio plants. Thirty-one weeks after inoculation, necrotic lesions were observed in the wood of pistachio plants. Sequence analysis of housekeeping genes enabled the isolated bacterium to be identified as Pantoa agglomerans, and to verify its role as the causal agent of the pistachio dieback with necrotic lesions. This is the first report of an occurrence of P. agglomerans inducing dieback in pistachio. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Salix pseudolasiogyne (Salicaceae), the "weeping willow," has been used in traditional Korean medicine to treat pain and fever due to its high concentrations of salicylic acid and salicin. The present study investigated bioactive compounds from S. pseudolasiogyne twigs to discover bioactive natural products. Phytochemical investigation of the ethanol (EtOH) extract of S. pseudolasiogyne twigs followed by liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry (LC/MS)-based analysis led to the isolation of two salicin derivatives, salicortinol and salicortin, the structures of which were determined by interpretation of their NMR spectra and data from the LC/MS analysis. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of salicortinol isolated from S. pseudolasiogyne. The isolated compounds were evaluated for their anti-adipogenic effects in 3T3-L1 cells. Both salicortinol and salicortin were found to significantly inhibit adipocyte differentiation in 3T3-L1 cells. In particular, salicortin exhibited a strong inhibitory effect on lipid accumulation. Furthermore, salicortin inhibited the expression of lipogenic and adipogenic transcription factors, including FASN, FABP4, C/EBPα, C/EBPβ, and PPARγ, without inducing cytotoxicity. These results suggest that salicortin could be a potential therapeutic compound for the prevention or treatment of metabolic disorders such as obesity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Salix pseudolasiogyne (Salicaceae) is a willow tree and has been used as a medicinal herb in Korea to treat pain and fever. As a part of an ongoing study to identify bioactive natural products, potential anti-adipogenic compounds were investigated using the ethanol (EtOH) extract of S. pseudolasiogyne twigs. Phytochemical investigation of the EtOH extracts using liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry (LC/MS) led to the separation of two compounds, oregonin (1) and 2′-O-acetylsalicortin (2). The structures of the isolates were identified using nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy and LC/MS analysis. To the best of our knowledge, it is the first report identifying oregonin (1) in twigs of S. pseudolasiogyne. Here, we found that the isolated compounds, oregonin (1) and 2′-O-acetylsalicortin (2), showed anti-adipogenic effects during 3T3-L1 cell differentiation. Notably, 2′-O-acetylsalicortin (2), at a concentration of 50 µM, significantly suppressed lipid accumulation. Moreover, the mRNA and protein levels of lipogenic and adipogenic transcription factors were reduced in 2′-O-acetylsalicortin (2)-treated 3T3-L1 cells. Taken together, these results indicate that 2′-O-acetylsalicortin (2), isolated from S. pseudolasiogyne twigs, has the potential to be applied as a therapeutic agent to effectively control adipocyte differentiation, a critical stage in the progression of obesity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Flavonoids are a secondary metabolite group with various bioactivities, such as antioxidants. They are rich in the genus Erythrina, such as Erythrina crista-galli. This research aims to isolate and characterize flavonoids from the twigs of E. crista-galli and determine their antioxidant properties through in silico and in vitro assays. The ethyl acetate extract of E. crista-galli twigs were separated by column chromatography and characterized using spectroscopic methods. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations were performed on the isolated flavonoids and the reference compounds (ascorbic acid and quercetin) to obtain global descriptive parameters and a donor–acceptor map (DAM). We successfully isolated lupinifolin (1) and citflavanone (2) for the first time from E. crista-galli, along with lonchocarpol A (3), which has been discovered previously. The DAM suggests that these flavanones are good antiradicals with effective electron donors. However, they tend to be electron acceptors in methanol. The frontier molecular orbital analysis implies that lupinifolin (1) is a better antiradical than the other flavanones. The DPPH assays show that lupinifolin (1) has the highest antioxidant (antiradical) activity, with an IC50 value of 128.64 ppm. The in silico studies showed similar trends to the in vitro assays using the DPPH method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Comprehensive phytochemical examination from different perspectives using preparative and analytical chromatographic techniques combined with spectroscopic/spectrometric methods of the so-called "yellow twig" Nauclea orientalis (L.) L. (Rubiaceae) led to the identification of 13 tryptamine-derived (=monoterpene-indole) alkaloids. The identified alkaloids comprise strictosamide and four of its glucosidic derivatives, three oxindole derivatives, and five yellow-colored angustine-type aglycones. Qualitative and quantitative HPLC analyses showed the enrichment of strictosamide in all studied organs. Based on these results, we performed metabolomic analyses of monoterpene-indole alkaloids and made a 1H NMR in vitro monitoring of enzymatic deglucosylation of strictosamide. A comparison of the stability of strictosamide and its enantiomer vincoside lactam by theoretical calculations was also performed revealing a slightly higher stability of vincoside lactam. Additionally, we conducted two different anti-feedant assays of strictosamide using larvae of the polyphageous moth Spodoptera littoralis Boisduval. The obtained results indicate that generally two different biosynthetic pathways are most likely responsible for the overall alkaloid composition in this plant. Strictosamide is the key compound in the broader pathway and most likely the source of the identified angustine-type aglycones, which may contribute significantly to the yellow color of the wood. Its cross-organ accumulation makes it likely that strictosamide is not only important as a reservoir for the further biosynthesis, but also acts in the plants' defense strategy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

NO is a major environmental pollutant. MnO2 is often used as a denitrification catalyst with poor N2 selectivity and weak SO2 resistance. Kiwi twig biochar was chosen to modify MnO2 samples by using the hydrothermal method. The NO conversion rates of the biochar-modified samples were >90% at 125–225 °C. Kiwi twig biochar made the C2MnO2 sample with a larger specific surface area, a higher number of acidic sites and Oβ/Oα molar ratio, leading to more favorable activity at high temperatures and better SO2 resistance. Moreover, the inhibition of the NH3 oxidation reaction and the Mn3+ → Mn4+ process played a crucial role in the redox cycle. What was more, Brønsted acidic sites present on the C1MnO2 sample participate in the reaction more rapidly. This study identified the role of biochar in the reaction process and provides a reference for the wide application of biochar. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Leaf veins are the continuation of twigs, and the hydraulic system of a leaf is part of, and the continuation of, the hydraulic architecture of a tree. Previous studies have demonstrated that the vessel diameter of the widest part at the tree base is tightly related to the total stem length of a tree. Here, we demonstrate that: the vessel diameter of the narrowest part at the distal end of the tree (the terminal twigs) is closely correlated to the leaf size for an angiosperm tree. Consequently, the basic feature of the hydraulic system of an angiosperm tree may be predicted by two simple parameters: the stem length (or tree height) and the leaf size, with the tree height predicting the size of the widest vessel at the tree base and the leaf size predicting the size of the narrowest vessel at the terminal trig. Namely, there is an inherent coordination between the leaf size and the hydraulic architecture of the angiosperm tree. As leaves are replacing themselves every year, their responses to climate are direct and immediate, while the woody part of a tree is there for years and more, and thus can only respond passively to climate change. This may cause a mismatch between the woody part and leaf part of the hydraulic system, and thus endanger the hydraulic coordination between leaves and the woody part. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Stem cankers and twig dieback were the most serious disease of fig (Ficus carica) and loquat (Eriobotrya japonica) noticed in a survey of fruit tree orchards in the Fars Province, Iran. Isolates of Bionectriaceae were consistently recovered from symptomatic fig and loquat trees. Phylogenetic analyses of multiple nuclear loci, internal transcribed spacer regions (ITS) of rDNA, RNA polymerase II subunit 2 (rpb2), and translation elongation factor 1-α (tef1), combined with morphological observations, revealed that isolates could be referred to a still unknown taxon, which was formally described as Stilbocrea banihashemiana sp. nov. Phylogenetically, isolates from fig and loquat trees clustered in a well-supported monophyletic group within the Stilbocrea clade of Bionectriaceae, closely related to S. walteri. Stilbocrea banihashemiana sp. nov. was characterized by the lack of stilbella-like asexual structure in both natural substrates and pure cultures and produced two morphologically distinct types of conidia, globose and cylindrical, formed on short and long simple phialides. In pathogenicity tests, S. banihashemiana sp. nov. induced stem cankers in both fig and loquat, wood discoloration in fig and twig dieback in loquat. Pathogenicity tests also showed that the potential host range of this novel pathogen includes other economically relevant horticultural trees. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While conducting a survey of bambusicolous fungi in northern Thailand and southwestern China, several saprobic fungi were collected from dead branches, culms and twigs of bamboos, which were preliminarily identified as species belonging to Pleosporales (Dothideomycetes) based on a morphological approach. Multigene phylogenetic analyses based on ITS, LSU, SSU, rpb2, tef1-α and tub2 demonstrated four novel taxa belonging to the families Parabambusicolaceae, Pyrenochaetopsidaceae and Tetraploasphaeriaceae. Hence, Paramultiseptospora bambusae sp. et gen. nov., Pyrenochaetopsis yunnanensis sp. nov. and Tetraploa bambusae sp. nov. are introduced. In addition, Anastomitrabeculia didymospora found on bamboo twigs in terrestrial habitats is reported for the first time. Detailed morphological descriptions and updated phylogenetic trees of each family are provided herein. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Camellia oleifera (Abel) is an economic tree species and one of the four largest oil plants in the world. The leaf and twig responses and plasticity indices of C. oleifera were investigated under four light regimes in Pinus massoniana understory plantations, namely, 100% light intensity (CK), 75% of CK (HL), 50% of CK (ML), and 30% of CK (LL). The morphological characteristics, biomass allocation, and physiological characteristics of C. oleifera leaves and twigs under different light regimes, as well as their plasticity indexes, were comprehensively evaluated. The results showed that leaf area, and specific leaf area, leaf total carbon, total nitrogen, total phosphorus and chlorophyll contents, and photosynthesis increased, which indicates that plants have the strongest adaptability under HL. No fruit appeared in twigs under LL and ML. The plastic morphological traits were greater than the biomass allocation and physiological traits. The plasticity of palisade/sponge tissue thickness and lower epidermis thickness were the lowest. In conclusion, C. oleifera have differences in sensitivity and regulation mechanism according to their differences in leaf morphological characteristics, biomass allocation physiological indicators, and response to light regimes. C. oleifera plants showed obvious phenotypic inhibition under CK, while they can adjust their strategies for using light energy to maintain their own growth and development under HL. The wide range of light adaptation and strong plasticity of C. oleifera may be two important reasons for its existence in heterogeneous habitats, but it needs at least 75% light regimes to complete its normal growth development and fruit setting. The study provides insights into the optimum light regimes for the improvement of the quality and efficiency of C. oleifera in P. massoniana understory plantations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Three isopimarane diterpenes [fladins B (1), C (2), and D (3)] were isolated from the twigs and leaves of Chinese folk medicine, Isodon flavidus. The chemical structures were determined by the analysis of the comprehensive spectroscopic data, and the absolute configuration was confirmed by X-ray crystallographic analysis. The structures of 1–3 were formed from isopimaranes through the rearrangement of ring A by the bond break at C-3 and C-4 to form a new δ-lactone ring system between C-3 and C-9. This structure type represents the first discovery of a natural isopimarane diterpene with an unusual lactone moiety at C-9 and C-10. In the crystal of 1, molecules are linked to each other by intermolecular O-H···O bonds, forming chains along the b axis. Compounds 1–3 were evaluated for their bioactivities against different diseases. None of these compounds displayed cytotoxic activities against HCT116 and A549 cancer cell lines, antifungal activities against Trichophyton rubrum and T. mentagrophytes, or antiviral activities against HIV entry at 20 µg/mL (62.9–66.7) µM. Compounds 1 and 3 did not show antiviral activities against Ebola entry at 20 µg/mL either; only 2 was found to show an 81% inhibitory effect against Ebola entry activity at 20 µg/mL (66.7 µM). The bioactivity evidence suggested that this type of compound could be a valuable antiviral lead for further structure modification to improve the antiviral potential. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The demand for skin-whitening agents is high across the world, including Asian countries. An extensive screening using a tyrosinase inhibition assay was performed in order to discover novel plant materials. In our research program investigating a safe and effective agent, 50% ethanolic extracts prepared from discarded parts of Prunus persica were screened for in vitro tyrosinase inhibitory activity. Among the extracts tested, twig extract showed the most potent inhibitory activity: 38% inhibition at 500 µg/mL. The investigation of active compounds in twig extract found four flavanones that acted as moderate inhibitors, including (−)-prunin, persiconin, (+)-dihydrokaempferol, and (−)-naringenin. These compounds were only observed in the twig extract following preliminary quantification by HPLC, with the following concentrations: (−)-prunin, 1.8 mg/g sample; persiconin, 0.8 mg/g sample; (+)-dihydrokaempferol, 0.8 mg/g sample; (−)-naringenin, 1.7 mg/g sample. These results suggest that twig extracts can be more useful for skin-whitening compared with other parts of the plant. In addition, a new constituent of twig extract was identified, namely isoquercitrin, which suggests that twig extract can be a potent source of flavones and flavanones. Further studies on the identification of novel compounds from twig extract are now underway in our laboratory. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pinus taiwanensis Hayata (Pinaceae) is an endemic plant in Taiwan. According to the Chinese Materia Medica Grand Dictionary, the Pinus species is mainly used to relieve pain, and eliminate pus and toxicity. In this study, nineteen compounds were isolated from the ethyl acetate layer of the ethanolic extract of P. taiwanensis Hayata twigs using bioassay-guided fractionation, and their anti-melanoma effects were investigated through a B16-F10 mouse melanoma cell model. The structures of the purified compounds were identified by 2D-NMR, MS, and IR, including 1 triterpenoid, 9 diterpenoids, 2 lignans, 4 phenolics, 1 phenylpropanoid, 1 flavonoid, and 1 steroid. Among them, compound 3 was found to be a new diterpene. Some of the compounds (2, 5, 6, 17, 18) showed moderate cytotoxicity effects. On the other hand, the anti-melanoma effect was no better than that from the original ethyl acetate layer. We presumed it resulted from the synergistic effect, although further experimentation needs to be performed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: The diversity of thrips from olive trees in Algeria is unknown. According to the Ministry of Agriculture, thrip species have caused economic damage to the olive yield in the region of Biskra throughout the history of this crop, although the thrips pest species was unknown. To solve this question, we studied the thrips composition of one olive orchard over three years and the seasonal abundance of the species responsible of the damage of the olives in relation to the phenologic development of the olive tree This study was conducted to determine Thysanoptera species composition associated with olive trees, fruit injury, fluctuations in the abundance of the most phytophagous species relative to the phenological stages of the olive tree, and the temporal variations in the species Neohydatothripsamygdali in relation to environmental variations in Biskra province between 2018 and 2020. The olive orchard chosen for this study is located at the Experimental Station of the Technical Institute for the Development of Saharan Agriculture (ITDAS) in El Outaya (Biskra, a Saharan region of Algeria). Five trees were sampled each week, and thrips were collected by shaking 20 twigs (4 twigs per tree). Identification of thrips species was based on morphological characters of adults. Microscopic observation of the collected thrips specimens made it possible to report nine thrips species. Among them, four are reported for the first time in Algeria. Three taxa, namely Haplothrips tritici, Neohydatothrips amygdali, and Frankliniella occidentalis constituted the eudominant groups, representing 28.65%, 27.98%, and 23.39% of total specimens collected during the study, respectively. Thrips injury appeared as scaring and silvering of the fruit. The most abundant species was H. tritici, but N. amygdali was most common in the last two years of the survey. The influence of phenological stages of olive trees on the total number of H. tritici and F. occidentalis was significant. The highest numbers were recorded in flowering stage. The highest number of N. amygdali had two peaks: April (2020) and May (2018, 2019), as well as September (2020) and October (2018, 2019), when temperatures fluctuated between 20 °C and 30 °C. N. amygdali was totally absent during the other months (in winter and summer). During the three years of investigation, N. amygdali reproduced by thelytoky, with only females present. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Moringa oleifera (MO) grows throughout most of the tropics and has several industrial and medicinal uses. Besides the various uses of the plant parts such as its leaves, seed kernels, roots, or stem barks, the twigs (MT) of this plant are usually regarded as excessive parts. Although there have been few studies conducted to determine the value of this plant part, in fact, its potential uses—especially the pharmaceutical effects—of this biomaterial remains an up-to-date topic for scientists to discover due to the lack of interest so far. This study aims to identify the optimized fractions of different solvents for the extraction of antioxidants, for xanthine oxidase inhibition agents, and for anti-microbial activities. The two most active fractions obtained by column chromatography were the Hexane-Ethyl Acetate elution at a 9:1 (E1) and 8:2 (E2) ratio, respectively. With regard to antioxidant activity, E1 and E2 displayed relatively high DPPH radical scavenging capacity (IC50 = 87.7 and 99.0 µg/mL), which was only four times weaker than the control BHT (IC50 = 21.4 µg/mL). The highest inhibition activity against xanthine oxidase was also observed clearly in E1 and E2, which showed relatively low IC50 (54.7 and 42.0 µg/mL, respectively). These levels were inconsiderably higher than that of the positive control (IC50 = 20.8 µg/mL), proving that E1 and E2 exerted relatively strong antioxidant activity in terms of XOD inhibition. Regarding the antimicrobial test, E2 showed the highest inhibition activities against E. coli, K. pneumoiae, L. monocytogenes, B. subtilis, and P. mirabilis. The result indicates that (1) E1 and E2 were the strongest fractions for constraining free radical agents and several bacteria, and thus, (2) Moringa oleifera twigs are also a potential source for the prevention of gout-related symptoms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The twigs of Morus alba L. were found to show strong tyrosinase inhibition activity, and the responsible active components in the extract were further investigated in this study. A flavone, named morusone (1), and sixteen known compounds 2-17 were isolated from M. alba twigs and their structures were identified by interpretation of the corresponding ESI-MS and NMR spectral data. In the tyrosinase inhibitory test, the compounds steppogenin (IC50 0.98 ± 0.01 μM), 2,4,2',4'-tetrahydroxychalcone (IC50 0.07 ± 0.02 μM), morachalcone A (IC50 0.08 ± 0.02 μM), oxyresveratrol (IC50 0.10 ± 0.01 μM), and moracinM(8.00 ± 0.22 μM) exhibited significant tyrosinase inhibition activities, much stronger than that of the positive control kojic acid. These results suggest that M. alba twig extract should served as a good source of natural tyrosinase inhibitors for use in foods as antibrowning agents or in cosmetics as skin-whitening agents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For sustainable sea buckthorn (Hippophae rhamnoides) berry production, the task at hand is to find an application for the large amount of biomass waste arising at harvesting. Sea buckthorn (SBT) vegetation is currently poorly studied. The purpose of this research was to assess the composition and potential of SBT twigs as a source of valuable biologically active substances. Water and 50% EtOH extracts of twigs of three Latvian SBT cultivars with a high berry yield and quality, popular for cultivation in many countries (H. rhamnoides 'Maria Bruvele', 'Tatiana', 'Botanicheskaya Lubitelskaya'), were investigated for the first time. The phytochemical composition (UHPLC-ESI-MS/MS analysis) and biological activity of the obtained hydrophilic extracts were determined. The highest yield of polyphenolic compounds and serotonin was observed for 'Maria Bruvele'. Hydrophilic extracts were investigated for radical scavenging activity (DPPH˙ test), antibacterial/antifungal activity against five pathogenic bacteria/yeast, cytotoxicity, and the enzymatic activity of alpha-amylase (via in vitro testing), which is extremely important for the treatment of people with underweight, wasting, and malabsorption. The results showed a high potential of sea buckthorn biomass as a source of valuable biologically active compounds for the creation of preparations for the food industry, nutraceuticals, and cosmetics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Olive trees are infected and damaged by Botryosphaeriaceae fungi in various countries. The botryosphaeriaceous fungus Neofusicoccum mediterraneum is highly aggressive and is a major concern for olive groves in Spain and California (USA), where it causes 'branch and twig dieback' characterized by wood discoloration, bark canker, and canopy blight. During surveys of olive groves in Apulia (southern Italy), we noticed that—in some areas—trees were heavily affected by severe branch and twig dieback. In addition, chlorosis and the appearance of red-bronze patches on the leaf preceded the wilting of the foliage, with necrotic leaves persisting on the twigs. Given the severity of the manifestation in zones also subject to olive quick decline syndrome (OQDS) caused by Xylella fastidiosa subsp. pauca, we investigated the etiology and provide indications for differentiating the symptoms from OQDS. Isolation from diseased wood samples revealed a mycete, which was morphologically and molecularly identified as N. mediterraneum. The pathogenicity tests clearly showed that this fungus is able to cause the natural symptoms. Therefore, also considering the low number of tested samples, N. mediterraneum is a potential causal agent of the observed disease. Specifically, inoculation of the twigs caused complete wilting in two to three weeks, while inoculation at the base of the stem caused severe girdling wedge-shaped cankers. The growth rate of the fungus in in vitro tests was progressively higher from 10 to 30 °C, failing to grow at higher temperatures, but keeping its viability even after prolonged exposure at 50 °C. The capacity of the isolate to produce catenulate chlamydospores, which is novel for the species, highlights the possibility of a new morphological strain within N. mediterraneum. Further investigations are ongoing to verify whether additional fungal species are involved in this symptomatology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The screening of several Chinese mangrove plants for insecticidal principles showed that ethanol extract of Ceriops tagal stems and twigs possessed significant feeding deterrent activity against the red flour beetle, Tribolium castaneum (Family: Rhizophoraceae). From the ethanol extract, three feeding deterrent diterpenoids were isolated by bioassay-guided fractionation. The compounds were identified as tagalsin A, B, and H on the basis of their phytochemical and spectral data. Tagalsin A, B, and H exhibited strong feeding deterrent activity against T. castaneum adults with EC50 values of 375.3 ppm, 277.3 ppm, and 285.45 ppm, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Insect galls are characterized by high concentrations of auxins and cytokinins. We calculated the correlation between the concentrations of indoleacetic acid (IAA), trans-zeatin riboside (tZR) and isopentenyladenine (iP) and the bacterial community structure of Lithosaphonecrus arcoverticus galls. Our results indicated the concentrations of IAA, tZR and iP were positively correlated with the bacterial community structure of L. arcoverticus galls. We suggest the high concentrations of IAA, tZR and iP may affect the bacterial community structure of L. arcoverticus galls. Insect galls are the abnormal growth of plant tissues induced by a wide variety of galling insects and characterized by high concentrations of auxins and cytokinins. It remains unclear whether the auxins and cytokinins affect the bacterial community structure of insect galls. We determined the concentrations of indoleacetic acid (IAA) as an example of auxin, trans-zeatin riboside (tZR) and isopentenyladenine (iP) as cytokinins in Lithosaphonecrus arcoverticus (Hymenoptera: Cynipidae) galls and the galled twigs of Lithocarpus glaber (Fagaceae) using liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry. Moreover, for the first time, we compared the bacterial community structure of L. arcoverticus galls and galled twigs by high-throughput sequencing, and calculated the Spearman correlation and associated degree of significance between the IAA, tZR and iP concentrations and the bacterial community structure. Our results indicated the concentrations of IAA, tZR and iP were higher in L. arcoverticus galls than in galled twigs, and positively correlated with the bacterial community structure of L. arcoverticus galls. We suggest the high concentrations of IAA, tZR and iP may affect the bacterial community structure of L. arcoverticus galls. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Studies were carried for 200 trees coming from eight pure pine stands aged 25–95 years, growing in a fresh mixed coniferous forest habitat, in the Murowana Goślina Forest Experimental Station (52°34′ N, 17°00′ E) in western Poland. The aim of the study was to determine the size of the assimilatory apparatus of single pines (Pinus sylvestris L.): weight of leaved twigs (ugc), needle weight (ic), the volume of leaved twigs (ugo) and needle volume (io) and its relationship with selected dendrometric and increment traits of trees. The basic dendrometric traits were determined (height—h and diameter at breast height—d1.3) together with selected increments (heights—Ih5 and Ih10, diameter at breast height—Id5 and Id10, basal area at breast height—Ig5 and Ig10, volume—Iv5 and Iv10). A statistically significant linear correlation and a multiple linear correlation were shown between analysed traits, which confirms a strong relationship of the size of the assimilatory apparatus with tree increment. In this context, the strong correlation with the increment in basal area at breast height (correlation coefficient 0.8731 ÷ 0.9836) and with the increment in diameter at breast height (correlation coefficient 0.7835 ÷ 0.9581), after determining the increment in diameter at breast height requires only simple mathematical transformations to determine the increment in basal area at breast height. For the above-mentioned reasons, the increment in basal area at breast height is predisposed to be commonly used in the determination of the efficiency of the assimilatory apparatus of trees. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Three undescribed 8,3′-neolignans, corynol (1), 3-methoxy-corynol (2) and 3′-deoxy-corynol (3), together with two bergenin derivatives, three flavonoids, two hydrolysable tannins and six simple phenolic compounds, were isolated from the twigs of Corylopsis coreana Uyeki. The structures of the 8,3′-neolignans were elucidated by analyzing their NMR, HRESIMS and ECD spectra. All the isolated compounds were evaluated for their SIRT1 stimulatory activity, and 3′-deoxy-corynol (3) showed SIRT1 stimulation activity. Furthermore, a docking study of 3 was performed with three representative binding pockets of SIRT1. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Previous studies have revealed the numerous biological activities of the fruits of Illicium verum; however, the activities of its leaves and twigs have remained undiscovered. The study aimed to investigate the phytochemical components and antibacterial activity of the various extracts from the leaves and twigs of Illicium verum. The herbal extracts were prepared by supercritical CO2 extraction (SFE) and 95% ethanol extraction, followed by partition extraction based on solvent polarity. Analysis of antimicrobial activity was conducted through the usage of nine clinical antibiotic- resistant isolates, including Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Acinetobacter baumannii. Among the tested samples, the SFE extracts exhibited broader and stronger antibacterial activities against the test strains, with a range of MIC between 0.1–4.0 mg/mL and MBC between 0.2–4.5 mg/mL. Observations made through scanning electron microscopy revealed potential mechanism of the antimicrobial activities involved disruption of membrane integrity of the test pathogens. Evaluation of the chemical composition by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry indicated the presence of anethole, anisyl aldehyde, anisyl acetone and anisyl alcohol within the SFE extracts, demonstrating significant correlations with the antibacterial activities observed. Therefore, the leaves and twigs of Illicium verum hold great potential in being developed as new natural antibacterial agents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Apple trees (Malus domestica Borgh) are a rich source of dihydrochalcones, phenolic acids and flavonoids. Considering the increasing demand for these phytochemicals with health-benefitting properties, the objective of this study was to evaluate the profile of the main bioactive compounds—phloridzin, phloretin, chlorogenic acid and rutin—in apple tree bark, leaves, flower buds and twigs. The variety in the phenolic profiles of four apple tree cultivars was monitored during the vegetation period from March to September using chromatography analysis. Phloridzin, the major glycoside of interest, reached the highest values in the bark of all the tested cultivars in May (up to 91.7 ± 4.4 mg g−1 of the dried weight (DW), cv. 'Opal'). In the leaves, the highest levels of phloridzin were found in cv. 'Opal' in May (82.5 ± 22.0 mg g−1 of DW); in twigs, the highest levels were found in cv. 'Rozela' in September (52.4 ± 12.1 mg g−1 of DW). In the flower buds, the content of phloridzin was similar to that in the twigs. Aglycone phloretin was found only in the leaves in relatively low concentrations (max. value 2.8 ± 1.4 mg g−1 of DW). The highest values of rutin were found in the leaves of all the tested cultivars (10.5 ± 2.9 mg g−1 of DW, cv. 'Opal' in September); the concentrations in the bark and twigs were much lower. The highest content of chlorogenic acid was found in flower buds (3.3 ± 1.0 mg g−1 of DW, cv. 'Rozela'). Whole apple fruits harvested in September were rich in chlorogenic acid and phloridzin. The statistical evaluation by Scheffe's test confirmed the significant difference of cv. 'Rozela' from the other tested cultivars. In conclusion, apple tree bark, twigs, and leaves were found to be important renewable resources of bioactive phenolics, especially phloridzin and rutin. The simple availability of waste plant material can therefore be used as a rich source of phenolic compounds for cosmetics, nutraceuticals, and food supplement preparation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although the major components of various organs of sea buckthorn have been identified (particularly phenolic compounds), biological properties of many of these phytochemicals still remain poorly characterized. In this study, we focused on the chemical composition and biological activity of preparations that were obtained from sea buckthorn twigs and leaves. The objective was to investigate cytotoxicity of these preparations against human fibroblast line HFF-1, using MTT reduction assay, their anti- or pro-oxidant activities against the effects of a biological oxidant -H2O2/Fe—on human plasma lipids and proteins in vitro (using TBARS and carbonyl groups as the markers of oxidative stress). Antimicrobial activity of the tested preparations against Gram-positive (Staphylococcus aureus, S. epidermidis, Enterococcus faecalis) and Gram-negative bacteria (Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa), as well as against fungi (Candida albicans, C. glabrata) by the EUCAST-approved broth microdilution method, followed by growth on solid media, were also assessed. Our analysis showed significant differences in chemical composition and biological properties of the tested preparations (A–F). All tested preparations from sea buckthorn twigs (D–F) and one preparation from sea buckthorn leaves (preparation C) may be a new source of phenolic antioxidants for pharmacological and cosmetic applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]