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Production of single-cell proteins (SCP) utilizing food wastes is an alternative solution to meet the global protein shortage and minimize pollution problems. Utilization of fruit wastes to produce SCP via fermentation using Saccharomyces cerevisiae for animal feed and potential human food was studied. The waste materials such as Mango (Mangifera indica), Prickly Custard Apple (Annona muricata), Pineapple (Ananas comosus), Papaya (Carica papaya), Banana (Musa accuminara Colla), Mangosteen (Garcinia mangostana), Cashew apple (Anacardium occidentale), Cacao (Theobroma cacao), Jackfruit (Artocarpus heterophyllus), and Pomegranate (Punica granatum) were used as the substrates for SCP production. Maximum biomass production yield and protein production were significantly higher on the fourth day ( P ≤ 0.05 ) in all the fruit waste substrates. The maximum dried biomass and the protein production were significantly higher ( P ≤ 0.05 ) in the PAM substrate (0.429 ± 0.004 g and 48.32 ± 2.84% resp.) than the others, and PGM substrate yielded significantly lower biomass and protein. Considering the moisture content and ash content, the highest values were observed in JM and BM substrates, respectively, while the least values were observed in CM and PGM substrates. The bulk density values were ranging from 0.31 to 0.61 g/cm3. The values for water absorption capacity and oil absorption capacity (mL/g) were high in all substrates, and they were comparable to each of them.

BACKGROUND: Punica granatum L. (pomegranate) with astringent activities and Matricaria chamomilla L. (chamomile) with anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties are natural remedies used for various skin disorders, including wound healing. OBJECTIVES: This study was conducted to evaluate the individual and combined wound healing activity of the methanol extracts of pomegranate and chamomile flowers. METHODS: After preparing the menthol fraction of pomegranate and chamomile flowers, the content of total phenols, total tannins, and total flavonoids of fractions was measured. For standardization of pomegranate and chamomile fractions, Gallic acid and apigenin-7-O-glucoside contents of them were determined using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Moreover, their antioxidant activities were examined using DPPH and FRAP tests. The antimicrobial assay was performed against Staphylococcus aureus, Staphylococcus epidermidis, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Three different concentrations of methanol fraction of each plant and one combination dose of fractions were investigated for their wound healing activities in an excision wound model on the rats’ dorsum. Finally, histopathological studies were done at the end of the experiment. RESULTS: Phytochemical examinations showed high amounts of phenolic compounds in pomegranate flowers, while chamomile flower fractions contained a high amount of total flavonoids. Both fractions, especially pomegranate, had potent antioxidant activity. The best results for wound closure were observed 7 days after wound induction. All treated groups exhibited superior wound contraction compared to their placebo at all measurement times. The combined form of pomegranate and chamomile had better wound healing properties compared to a single therapy, especially on time earlier to wound induction. CONCLUSION: This study represented high antioxidant and wound healing activities for methanol fraction of pomegranate and chamomile flowers, which could be related to their high content of phytochemicals. In comparison with single herb treatment, the combined form of these two fractions in lower concentrations accelerated wound closure. GRAPHICAL ABSTRACT: [Image: see text]

The juice extracted from Punica granatum L. fruit has been used for ages as an important functional food that can endow with healthcare benefits besides fundamental nutritional food that we intake. Although demonstration of antioxidant activity has been shown here, the target molecule responsible for this phenomenon remains unidentified. In this present work, we report a structural insight and antioxidant activity of its polysaccharide (PF-1), purified from water extract (WE) by precipitation with ethanol, ethanol soluble fraction (PF-2) and acetone extracted fraction (PF-3). The purified polysaccharide (PF-1) contains mainly arabinose, galactose together with lesser amount of rhamnose and glucose residues, and the molecular mass was determined 180 kDa. This fraction consists of T-(1,5)- and (1,3,5)-linked Araf; T-(1,6)- and (1,3,6)-linked Galp alongside (1,2,4)-linked Rhap residues. The glucan is found to be β-(1→3)-linked glucopyranosyl residues with a molecular mass of 9 kDa. The in vitro antioxidant activity of the active fractions was determined by using 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP), hydroxyl radical scavenging and total antioxidant activity (TAA) assays. The arabinogalactan showed the highest potential among the polysaccharides. This work involves an economically viable simple extraction method and reports promising antioxidant capacity. The studies suggest that this polysaccharide from Punica granatum L. fruit could be a natural antioxidant.

The pomegranate fruit is one of the most important horticultural products due to the presence of polyphenols, anti-oxidant and anti-fungal compounds. In the present study, we report the genetic fingerprinting, as well as genetic diversity in some Iranian commercial pomegranate cultivars by using simple sequence repeats (SSRs). In total 188 pomegranate trees of 47 presumed genotypes were used in genetic analyses. Based on multivariate and Bayesian statistical analyses, different genetic groups as well as clonal genotypes were identified. AMOVA, G’Nei as well as Jost D revealed significant genetic differentiation of the studied genotypes. LFMM analysis identified two potentially adaptive SSR alleles which differentiated pomegranate genotypes based on environmental conditions. Mantel test did not show correlation between genetic distance and geographical distances of the studied genotypes. Some of the hybrid plants obtained had new alleles which were not present in parental genotypes. These findings may be utilized in future selection and breeding pomegranate in the country.

Among different fruit piercing moths, the genus Othreis are the most harmful, causing widespread damage to pomegranate, citrus and mango fruits causing fruit fall in tropical and subtropical countries. The present communication deals with the study on the biology of Othreis materna (L) from egg to adult’s death which was carried out at room temperature of the laboratory to investigate the delicate and vulnerable stages of its life cycle. The life cycle of the moth was completed within 45-61 days, with an average 55.03 days in case of male and within 47-63 days with an average 57.07±4.92 in case of female. Eggs hatching started at night or early in the morning and duration of hatching was 2.72 days. The eggs measured were about 0.95 to 0.03 mm in diameter. The freshly emerged first instar larvae were light yellowish coloured and translucent. The first instar larvae were very active after hatching and they moved 4 to 6 feet for searching the food. The larvae were fed with the leaves of Tinospora cordifolia (Giloy or Guduchi). The total larval duration in days from first, second, third, fourth and fifth instar varied from 2.12±0.01, 1.81±0.05, 2.87±0.02, 3.90±0.11, 4.74±0.38 in days respectively and total larval period was 15.44±0.57. Pupae were dark brown in colour and total pupation period was of 13.81±0.12 days and total adult duration for male and female was 23.08±0.70 and 25.20±0.66 days respectively. The adult of O. materna was bright orange in colour and of medium size. The male was small than the female. This is first study of this type from Marathwada, which will help to trace the vulnerable and delicate stage of the life cycle of this O. materna.

Aril browning is a serious physiological disorder and major fruit quality anomaly in red-coloured pomegranates, under environmental stress such as temperature extremes. In this study, the single an...

The fungus Aspergillus tubingensis is widely known from its use in industrial fermentation and other processes. More rarely, it is an opportunistic pathogen of humans or plants. In the present study, we found one rotten pomegranate fruit (Punica granatum) with black patches of rot and sporulation on the surface. Three A. tubingensis strains were isolated from this specimen. These were identified based on analyses of morphological characters and combined rDNA ITS, β-tubulin (tub2) and calmodulin (cal) loci. A pathogenicity test demonstrated that A. tubingensis is the pathogen of the rotten fruit of pomegranate. Therefore, the rotten fruits infected by A. tubingensis should be handled with care to avoid causing public hazard.

Pomegranate (Punica granatum L.) belongs to the Punicaceae plant family. It is an important fruit due to its nutritional and medicinal properties. Pomegranates are widely distributed around the world and, therefore, have a broad genetic diversity, resulting in differences in their phytochemical composition. The scientific community has focused on the positive health effects of pomegranate as a whole, but the different varieties have rarely been compared according to their bioactive compounds and bioactivity. This review aims to provide a holistic overview of the current knowledge on the bioactivity of pomegranate trees, with an emphasis on differentiating both the varieties and the different plant parts. This review intends to provide a general and organized overview of the accumulated knowledge on pomegranates, the identification of the most bioactive varieties, their potential consumption pathways and seeks to provide knowledge on the present gaps to guide future research.

Introduction Antifungal resistance shown by different species of Candida has affected the management of candidiasis drastically. This has led to the need for newer safer therapeutic alternatives for their management. Phytochemical agents have been long known to possess numerous medicinal activities. Aim The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy and resistance of fluconazole and to compare the antifungal effects of Coriandrum sativum, Mentha piperita and Punica granatum in Candida glabrata. Materials and methods The organism was inoculated into a specific medium, and extracts are added at serial dilutions and incubated to evaluate the zone of inhibition. Results All the three extracts showed statistically significant and superior antifungal activity to fluconazole in fluconazole-resistant C. glabrata. Conclusion Although the extracts showed superior antifungal activity in resistant C. glabrata strains, further studies are needed to evaluate these extracts in patients to see if their efficacy is impeded by any systemic or local factors in the body.

Background and Aim: Interest in plants with antimicrobial properties has been revived due to emerging problems associated with using antibiotics to eradicate Helicobacter pylori. Accordingly, this study aims to assess the antibacterial effects of Punica granatum and the possible synergistic effect of its extract along with metronidazole against H. pylori. Materials and Methods: Pomegranate peel ethanol extracts (PPEE) was tested against a control strain of H. pylori (NCTC 11916) in vitro and in vivo in female Wistar rats. Moreover, the synergistic effect of PPEE in combination with metronidazole was tested in vitro. Results: The PPEE exhibited a remarkable activity against H. pylori with a minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of 0.156 mg/mL. Furthermore, the extract exhibited a pronounced urease inhibitory activity (IC50 ∼6 mg/mL) against the tested strain. A synergistic effect between PPEE and metronidazole was also observed (fractional inhibitory concentrations

BACKGROUND: Purple Queen® is an early ripening pomegranate cultivar growing well in soilless cultivation. Substrates have direct effects on plant development and, due to progressive peatland exhaustion, the request for new materials for plant growth is high. OBJECTIVE: The objective of this work was to verify the effects of a new potential substrate obtained from the remediation of marine port sediments on the nutraceutical profile of Purple Queen® fruits, using 50% and 100% of reclaimed sediment. METHODS: The study was carried out determining ellagitannins and polysaccharides obtained from peel after decoction, and anthocyanins in aril juice on fruits from two agronomic seasons. RESULTS: The presence of 100% of the sediment had a partial detrimental effect on fruits size and weight. Compared to a peat-based commercial substrate (control), remediated sediment preserved ellagitannin content and increased the anthocyanin amount (up to 40% higher) and polysaccharide content up to 34% on dry fruit. High molecular weight polysaccharides (>2000 kDa) were identified in all the fruits with glucose and galacturonic acid as the major sugars. CONCLUSIONS: Fruits from plants cultivated only on sediment or in a mixture with 50% of peat showed significant increases of bioactive compounds as stress response in two consecutive seasons.

BACKGROUND: Pomegranate juice (PJ) contains strong antioxidant polyphenols, and cardiovascular beneficial effects have been reported for the fruit. OBJECTIVE: Using a Langendorff’s model, we hypothesized that PJ has antiarrhythmic effects on isolated rat hearts. METHODS: The hearts in the control group (n = 10) were perfused with Krebs solution. The test groups (n = 10, each) were further perfused with PJ, L-NAME (L), or both (PJL). Following 30 min stabilization, all hearts experienced 30 min global ischemia and 120 min reperfusion. The hearts were monitored for the occurrence of single and salvo arrhythmias, ventricular tachycardia (VT), and ventricular fibrillation (VF). The cardiac release of creatine kinase-MB (CK-MB), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), and nitrite were measured. In addition, the markers of oxidative stress including superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GPX), catalase (CAT), and malondialdehyde (MDA) were assayed in the homogenates of the hearts. RESULTS: The PJ group showed a significant reduction in the occurrence of arrhythmias, an improvement in redox markers, and a rise in nitrite release, compared to the control. Simultaneous treatment with L-NAME significantly reduced, but not fully abolished, these effects. CONCLUSIONS: The current study suggests strong anti-arrhythmic effects for PJ, which are mainly mediated by nitric oxide.

Pomegranate (Punica granatum L.), a fruit tree of great economic and nutritional importance, is sensitive to drought stress, which largely affects its transplantation survival rate, fruit yield and quality. Abscisic acid (ABA) treatment can reduce the drought-induced adverse impacts on plants. However, our knowledge on the molecular mechanisms behind ABA-mediated drought tolerance in pomegranates is still limited. In this study, we treated the pomegranates under drought stress with exogenous ABA of different concentrations (30, 60 and 90 μM) and found that, compared to those without treatment, ABA can improve pomegranate's growth condition and related physiological responding processes. We also performed comparative transcriptome analysis between the ABA-treated and untreated pomegranates to reveal the ABA-induced mechanisms in response to drought-stress. Our results showed that exogenous ABA application substantially enhanced pomegranate drought resistance by strengthening some metabolic pathways, such as brassinosteroid synthesis, peroxisome biogenesis, photosynthesis and hemicelluloses synthesis. Furthermore, the over-dose treatment of exogenous ABA was found to trigger ABA degradation process and a feedback loop in pomegranate to balances the ABA accumulation that exceeds the optimal ABA requirement, at the cost of suppressed growth process and stress resistance. Our findings provide new insights into the molecular regulation mechanisms underlying the ABA-mediated drought-stress resistance in pomegranates.

This context was investigated to assess the in vitro antioxidant, anti-diabetic, anti-obesity, and angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibition traits of Punica granatum fruits peel extract. Initially, among various extracts tested, aqueous and ethanolic peel extracts depicted the presence of diverse phytoconstituents. In vitro antioxidative properties of peel extracts were determined using standard methodologies. Results showed that aqueous and ethanolic extracts had IC50 values of 471.7 and 509.16 μg/mL, respectively in terms of 1,1,diphenyl 2,2,picrylhydrazyl scavenging. Likewise, IC50 values of aqueous and ethanol extract were obtained as 488.76 and 478.47 μg/mL towards the degradation of hydrogen peroxide. The ethanolic extract exhibited the highest inhibition of α-glucosidase by showing activity of 53.34 ± 2.0 to 15.18 ± 1.4 U/L in a dose dependent manner (100–1000 µg/mL). Ethanolic extract was reported as the most active inhibitor of lipase with an IC50 value of 603.50 µg/mL. Ethanolic extract showed increased inhibition of ACE in a concentration dependent manner (100–1000 µg/mL) with IC50 value of 519.45 µg/mL. Fourier transform-infrared spectrum revealed the availability of various functional groups in the ethanolic extract of peel. Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry chromatogram of peel extract illustrated 23 diversified chemical constituents including 1,2,3,4-butanetetrol, Dimethyl sulfone, 9-octadecenamide, and Pentadecanoic acid as predominant compounds. In summary, P. granatum fruits peel extract revealed promising antioxidant, anti-diabetic, anti-obesity, and anti-hypertensive properties.

Pomegranate (Punica granatum L.) is an important fruit crop, rich in fiber, vitamins, antioxidants, minerals and source of different biologically active compounds. The bacterial blight caused by Xanthomonas axonopodispv. punicae is a serious threat to the crop leading to 60- 80 % yield loss under epiphytotic conditions. In this work, we have generated comparative transcriptome profile to mark the gene expression signatures during resistance and susceptible interactions. We analyzed leaf and fruits samples of moderately resistant genotype (IC 524207) and susceptible variety (Bhagawa) of pomegranate at three progressive infection stages upon inoculation with the pathogen. RNA-Seq with the Illumina HiSeq 2500 platform revealed 1,88,337 non-redundant (nr) transcript sequences from raw sequencing data, for a total of 34,626 unigenes with size > 2 kb. Moreover, 85.3% unigenes were annotated in at least one of the seven databases examined. Comparative analysis of gene-expression signatures in resistant and susceptible varieties showed that the genes known to be involved in defense mechanism in plants were up-regulated in resistant variety. Gene Ontology (GO) analysis successfully annotated 90,485 pomegranate unigenes, of which 68,464 were assigned to biological, 78,107 unigenes molecular function and 44,414 to cellular components. Significantly enriched GO terms in DEGs were related to oxidations reduction biological process, protein binding and oxidoreductase activity. This transcriptome data on pomegranate could help in understanding resistance and susceptibility nature of cultivars and further detailed fine mapping and functional validation of identified candidate gene would provide scope for resistance breeding programme in pomegranate.

Diets rich in fats are linked to elevated systemic inflammation, which augments the progression of inflammatory-related disorders including non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and neurodegene...

Punica granatum (PG) contained anthocyanin, the chemical compound that played significant role in increasing bone cell proliferabbitsion and osteoblasts differentiation in bone remodelling. This research was aimed at measuring the effect of Punicagranatum on maxilla bone remodelling relating to the profile of both osteoblast and osteoclast. Punicagranatum was extracted by using butanol while the analysis of bone remodelling was conducted by observing the profile of osteoblast and osteoclast cells using histopathologic method. Butanol hydrogel of Punicagranatum was abled to enhance bone reabsorption which was proven by the increase of osteoclast and new bone formation since the osteoblast was presented. Moreover, bone remodelling activity was characterised by increased collagen fibres and osteocyte cell, in addition, bone shape compactness was getting better. Statistical analysis revealed that the histoscore profile of osteoblast was influenced by butanol fraction dosage with significance level (p

Background Pomegranate (Punica granatum) is one of the oldest known edible fruit. Recently, there has been an increased interest in this fruit as a functional food for health benefits due to its use in disease prevention and promotion of overall health wellness. Objective This study aims to investigate the effects of pomegranate extract for the development of non-opioid substitution therapy for in-vitro and in-vivo studies. Materials and methods Anthocyanin contents consisting of cyanidin 3-glucoside, diglucoside, and pelargonidin 3-glucoside, diglucoside were detected and quantified in pomegranate extract using high-performance liquid chromatography. The optimum dosage of the extract was determined based on the regulation of MORs and cAMP proteins in U-87 cells. Co-treatment of the extract with morphine was performed to evaluate its potency in reducing the concentration levels of MORs and cAMP. For animal studies, rats were divided into two major groups representing both acute and chronic morphine-induced treatments and the Morris water maze (MWM) study was employed after treatment for each rat. The rats were sacrificed after the treatments and serum samples were collected to evaluate the levels of CREB and BDNF. Results The results indicated that each of the anthocyanin content tested in the study was present in the pomegranate extract. Additionally, in-vitro studies using pomegranate extract treatment showed that the extract was effective in decreasing the MORs and cAMP protein levels in U-87 cells at a concentration of 0.125 mg/mL. The memory impairment based on the MWM study in rats was also subsequently improved after treatment with pomegranate extract as compared to treatment with morphine. The blood serum derived from the rats treated with pomegranate extract also showed a significant decrease in CREB level and an increase in BDNF as compared to rats treated with morphine. Conclusion In conclusion, this study substantiates the potency of pomegranate extract as a non-opioid substitution therapy for in-vitro and in-vivo studies.

Schistosomiasis ranks second behind malaria in terms of overall morbidity and mortality. We evaluated the lethal effect of Punica granatum ellagitannins, extracted from the fruit rind, placenta and barks of the root and stem, on adult worms of Schistosoma mansoni (S. mansoni). All four ellagitannins were lethal to S. mansoni adult worms. However, while the rind ellagitannins were the most potent, placental ellagitannins were the least. Rind ellagitannins were capable of killing 40% of adult worms at a concentration of 25µg/mL after 5 days. The killing of 100% of the worms was achievable by rind ellagitannins at a concentration of 50µg/mL after 5 days. The LD50S of the rind ellagitannins after 96h and 120h were 41.25 µg/mL and 28.73 respectively. Ellagitannins-treated worms suffered from erosions, wrinkles, swellings and losses, degenerations of the surface tubercles and tegument. In addition, ellagitannins induced deformation and degradation of oral and ventral suckers and degenerations in the muscles of worms. Ellagitannins also caused a separation of coupled worms and reduction of their motility. Data obtained suggest that ellagitannins of pomegranate could be considered as a cheap candidate for the treatment of schistosomiasis.

Background: The current research aimed to explore secondary metabolites and antibacterial activity against bacterial agents associated with bovine mastitis from extracts prepared from the peel of fruits of Punica granatum L.. Mastitis is an inflammation in the mammary gland mainly due to infection of bacteria and can be presented clinically or subclinically. The infectious bovine mastitis disease is associated with the reduction and changes in the composition of the milk, as well as in the early disposal of the animal. Objective: We describe the bactericidal activity of ethanolic extracts of the fruit peel of P. granatum, against etiological agents of bovine mastitis (Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus and Streptococcus agalactiae). Method: The bactericidal activity was evaluated according to the standards of the European Committee for Antimicrobial Susceptibility Testing and by the broth microdilution methodology according to the standards of the Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute. The fruit peel extracts of P. granatum were prepared with ethanol solvent (90%). Results: The best results of total inhibition of bacterial growth of the three strains tested were obtained with the concentrations of 75mg/mL of the extract after 1 and 3 hours of treatment. Cell membrane integrity analysis by flow cytometry showed that 1 h of contact there was loss of integrity of the wall and cell membranes. Conclusion: We can suggest that the ethanolic extract of the fruit peel of P. granatum can be an important natural coadjutant compound in the treatment of mastitis as well as being used in the formulation of sanitizers.

Punica granatum L. is an important horticultural fruit crop with high medicinal and economic value. Its rising commercial demand necessitates the production of high-quality planting material. Here, we describe an efficient protocol for direct organogenesis in Punica granatum L. cv. Kandhari Kabuli from mature leaf explant. The optimized sterilization procedure for explant includes sequential treatment with 70% ethanol (0.75 min), 0.2% Bavistin (15 min), and 0.5% sodium hypochlorite (2 min), which resulted in 83% axenic cultures. The accumulation of phenolics was effectively controlled by subculturing of leaf explants three to four times at a regular interval of 24 h. The organogenic capability of leaf segments was investigated on full-strength Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium supplemented with different plant growth regulators (PGRs), including the cytokinins 6-benzylaminopurine (BAP) and thidiazuron (TDZ) alone or in combination with α-naphthaleneacetic acid (NAA). BAP promoted the greatest morphogenic response as compared to that from TDZ. However, the greatest frequency of shoot induction (43%) was achieved on MS medium supplemented with 10 μM BAP and 2.5 μM NAA under dark incubation for 2 wk. Furthermore, micro-shoot proliferation and elongation were achieved on multiplication medium consisting of MS medium supplemented with 9.0 μM BAP, 2.5 μM Kinetin (KN), and 0.5 μM gibberellic acid (GA3) up to the third subculturing. However, further subculturing resulted in vitrification. A hormone-free medium containing 300 mg L−1 activated charcoal (AC) was found to be effective to reduce vitrification and promote shoot multiplication. In vitro rooting was carried out on the ½ MS basal medium containing 500 mg L−1 AC using shoots from different subculture passages. Successive subculturing tends to have a positive effect on in vitro rooting and increased rooting up to 70.62%. Well-rooted plantlets were acclimatized successfully in the small plastic pots containing sterilized sand and later shifted to the soil. This optimized protocol can be routinely used for rapid large-scale propagation of pomegranate and is a prerequisite for trait improvement via genetic engineering.

By aging, male fertility and kidney function decline. Therefore, the investigation of health span-extending agents becomes more urgent to overcome aging-induced infertility and kidney dysfunction. The current research was undertaken to investigate the antiaging efficacy of Astragalus membranaceus telomerase activator-65 (Ta-65) and pomegranate supplements. Forty male Wistar rats were divided into young rats, aged rats, aged rats treated with Ta-65 (500mg/kg/day), and aged rats treated with pomegranate (250mg/kg/day). Testosterone, FSH, LH, and kidney functions were measured in serum. Sperm analysis as well as testicular histological examination was performed. Aging caused an imbalance in male sex hormones resulting in sperm abnormality and reductions in the sperm count and motility. Elevations in serum creatinine, uric acid, sodium, and potassium were reported in aged rats. Treatment with Ta-65 or pomegranate effectively ameliorated all the deteriorations induced by normal aging in male fertility and renal function. Ta-65 and pomegranate possessed strong antiaging activity by alleviating aging-induced male infertility through reestablishing the hormonal balance and testis architecture. They also alleviated the kidney dysfunction. On comparing Ta-65 with pomegranate, the improvement in FSH, LH, and sperm abnormalities caused by Ta-65 was much better than that caused by pomegranate.

In this study, whole and ground pomegranate (cv. Hicaz) seeds using conventional and microwave ovens were investigated under different parameter. The results show that the total phenolic contents of whole and ground seeds roasted in oven at (150 °C) and microwave at (720 W) for 10 and 20 min, and 5 and 7.5 min, respectively, were found to be slightly higher than those of the control group. In addition, the same roasting method of microwave at (720 W), ground seed oils showed greater fatty acids contents than those of whole seed oils. According to achieved results, roasting techniques used caused noticeable fluctuations of phenolic and fatty acids contents and that depending on which counterparts of pomegranate seeds treated. In addition, a caution recommended when using microwave oven in roasting pomegranate seeds to prevent undesirable alteration or losing of bioactive properties of this value-added product.

Pomegranate fruit extract contains many polyphenols and flavonoids of diverse biological importance including anticancer potential. In cancer, the angiogenesis process facilitates solid cancer growth and metastasis. Here, the antiangiogenic effect of pomegranate fruit extract against human pancreatic cancer (Suit-2) and colon (colo205) cell lines in the chick chorioallantoic membrane (CAM) model was studied along with the effect of pomegranate fruit extract on fibroblast growth factor (FGF2). Pomegranate fruit extract significantly reduced the tumor weight and hemoglobin content in CAM models of pancreatic Suit-2 and colon colo205.

Olive knot disease caused by Pseudomonas savastanoi pv. savastanoi is one of the important problems in olive (Olea europaea L), pomegranate (Punica granatum L.), myrtus (Myrtus communis L.) and jasmine (Jasminum officinale L.) in Hatay province, Turkey. The disease agent causes young seedling mortalities in intensive infections. The pathogenicity tests on the host plant seedling takes a long time to confirm identity and virulence of isolates/strains. In this study, we focused on a new and rapid pathogenicity test method for P. s. pv. savastanoi isolated from olive, pomegranate, myrtus and jasmine plants using carrot slices. Following inoculation of carrot slices with P. s. pv. savastanoi isolates, first typical knots were observed within a week and the knots fully developed on carrot slices 14 days after inoculation. Bacterial isolates were re-isolated from carrot slices and re-identified as P. s. pv. savastanoi using LOPAT tests, MALDI-TOF MS and molecular methods. One-year-old olive seedlings (cv. Gemlik) were inoculated with the re-isolated P. s. pv. savastanoi MKUBK-HZP14 for confirmation of carrot slice inoculation results. Typical knot symptoms were observed 60 days after inoculation of olive seedlings. The findings showed the carrot slice method to be a very simple and rapid technique for testing pathogenicity of P. s. pv. savastanoi isolates. The main advantage of this technique was found to be its sensitivity and promptness which yields correct results within 14 days.

This paper includes descriptions and illustrations of two new species namely Leipothrix mazandaranicus sp. nov. and Aceria punicae sp. nov. found on Urtica dioica L. (Urticaceae) and Punica granatum L. (Lythraceae), respectively, in Sari county, Mazandaran province, North of Iran. They are the second Leipothrix species from the plants of family Urticaceae and the second Aceria species from plants of the genus Punica.

Background Pomegranate (Punica granatum L.), one of the most important tropical fruits in Azad Jammu and Kashmir regions of Pakistan, is highly valued for its nutrition and medicinal purposes. Although pomegranate is native to this region, the genetic diversity among wild pomegranate accessions is currently unknown. Such information would be vital for germplasm conservation and breeding efforts. In the current study, genetic diversity among forty-eight wild pomegranate accessions collected from different agro-ecological zones of Azad Jammu and Kashmir was assessed using 41 simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers. Results The markers revealed 303 alleles averaging 7.39 alleles per marker. Polymorphic information content ranged from 0.12 (PGCT093B) to 0.88 (Pom006), with a mean of 0.54. The average genetic distance (GD) across all genotypes was 0.52, and was lowest between Chattar Class and Thorar genotypes (GD = 0.27), but highest between Khun Bandway and Akhor Ban (GD = 0.74). A neighbor-joining dendrogram separated the genotypes into three major clusters, with further sub-clustering within each cluster. Conclusions Overall, the results presented here show significant genetic diversity among wild pomegranate accessions in Azad Jammu and Kashmir region of Pakistan. These accessions present a valuable genetic resource to breeding and cultivar improvement programs within the region. How to cite: Aziz S, Firdous S, Rahman H, et al. Genetic diversity among wild pomegranate (Punica granatum) in Azad Jammu and Kashmir region of Pakistan. Electron J Biotechnol 2020;46. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ejbt.2020.06.002 .

Pomegranate (Punica granatum) is an important fruit-tree at southwestern Turkey, as this region (Antalya and Mugla provinces) produces and exports the great majority of the pomegranate fruits of the country. Pomegranate orchards showing severe dieback and tree mortality in the region were surveyed to determine the role of Phytophthora spp. in symptom development. Root (from 51 trees) and soil (from 136 trees) samples were collected from symptomatic trees in 113 commercial pomegranate orchards, covering 170 ha. A total of 98 isolates were obtained from the roots of 19 trees and soil samples of 79 trees, using selective medium and soil baiting. Species isolated were identified by morphological characteristics and ITS sequencing. The most frequently isolated species were P. nicotianae (37 isolates) and P. palmivora (26 isolates), followed by P. parvispora (14 isolates), P. inundata (six isolates), P. cryptogea (four isolates), P. niederhauserii (four isolates), P. taxon walnut (two isolates) and P. rosacearum (one isolate), and four unidentified species. Twelve orchards were infected with more than one species. Disease incidence and prevalence were 4.59% and 69.91%, respectively. Pathogenicity tests by soil infestation, revealed that the isolates caused root and collar rot, reducing root weights of pomegranate seedlings. Phytophthora palmivora and P. nicotianae were the most virulent species. This is the first report of any species other than P. palmivora causing root and collar rot of pomegranate trees worldwide.

Genome-wide characterization and development of first set of polymorphic Class I SSRs markers in pomegranate (Punica granatum L.) through in silico analysis using the draft genome sequence of pomegranate cv. Dabenzi (296 Mb) as reported by Qin et al. (2017). The availability of the draft genome sequence of pomegranate cv. Dabenzi presents unprecedented opportunities for the development of largescale genomic resources, such as DNA markers for genotyping applications. In this study, we identify a new set of highly polymorphic simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers by targeting the SSR motif lengths of ≥ 24 bp. A total of 1,73,633 SSRs were identified in the 296-Mb pomegranate genome assembly, reflecting an average density of 527.97 SSRs/Mb. Of these, 43,853 SSRs belong to Class I category (> 20 bp). Concerning the abundance of repeat types in the current dataset, dinucleotide (NN) repeats (31.19%) were the dominant class among all SSRs identified in the genome, followed by tetranucleotide (NNNN: 20.5%) and trinucleotide repeats (NNN: 16.8%). The top two SSR motifs in NN category were AT/AT (64.90%) and AG/CT (28.51%), whereas AAT/ATT (34.66%) and AAG/CTT (28.91%) were the most abundant among NNN repeats. Primer pairs were designed for a total of 2856 Class I SSRs and 110 primers were then assayed initially on eight pomegranate genotypes for polymorphism survey. Polymorphic fragments were obtained for 82 SSRs (77.36%), of which a subset of 13 informative SSRs was further employed to investigate genetic diversity among 46 pomegranate genotypes. Approaches, such as population structure, cluster and PCA elucidated genetic relationships among 46 diverse pomegranate genotypes. In summary, here we developed the first set of genome-wide SSRs in pomegranate that will serve as a powerful genomic tool for future genetic studies. These SSRs have widespread applications in QTL mapping and marker-assisted selection for breeding.

Natural antioxidants extracted from agri‐waste resources have gained increased economic, sustainable, and health attention due to their sustainability, safer food‐applications, and beneficial components. Pomegranate peel extracts (Punica Granatum L.) have natural phytochemicals with superior protective effects stabilizing a variety of the most common vegetable oils consumed globally. Among five different pomegranate peel extracts, methanolic extract has maximum total phenolic content of 18.89%, a total flavonoid content of 13.95 mg QE kg−1, and a relative antioxidant activity of 93% when compared to other pomegranate peel extracts. Additionally, the HPLC analysis of pomegranate peel methanolic extract exhibited the maximum number of phenolic and flavonoid fractions. HPLC fractions showed that pyrogallol and ellagic acids were the most abundant phenolic compounds with 453 and 126 mg kg−1, respectively. In terms of flavonoid fractions, hesperidine and quercetrin were the highest detected‐flavonoids with about 50 and 35 mg kg−1, respectively, from HPLC flavonoids fractions. Therefore, pomegranate peel methanolic extract was selected at different concentrations (100, 200, 400, and 600 ppm) for the stabilizing experiment of Egyptian freshly refined edible oils (sunflower, soybean, and corn oils) in comparison with synthetic antioxidant (tert‐butyl hydroquinone TBHQ‐200 ppm) during accelerated storage at 70°C for 10 days. The results from the accelerated storage experiment indicated that pomegranate peel methanolic extract (at different concentrations: 200, 400, and 600 ppm) exhibited stronger antioxidant capability in all tested oils rather than negative controls (without antioxidant) and synthetic antioxidant TBHQ‐200. Under accelerated oxidation conditions, pomegranate peel methanolic extract have the potential capability to improve the shelf life of edible oils in comparison with the most powerful synthetic antioxidant (TBHQ‐200 ppm)., The idea of using agricultural waste for the generation of powerful antioxidant is brilliant especially when applied on large scale. Pomegranate peel methanolic extract has the capability to improve the shelf life of edible oils under accelerated oxidation conditions when compared to synthetic antioxidants.

This study aimed to determine phytochemical contents, antibacterial properties, and antibiotic modulating potential of Punica granatum leaf extracts: hexane, chloroform, ethyl acetate, ethanol, and aqueous extracts as well as an extract enriched with total oligomer flavonoids (TOFs). The TOF extract contained the highest value of phenols and flavonoids. Rutin, luteolin, gallic acid, and ellagic acid were determined by HPLC analysis of this extract. The antibacterial activity was assayed by the disc diffusion method and microdilution method against Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli standard ATCC strains and clinical isolates resistant strains. The TOF extract was the most active against all tested strains. The checkerboard method was used for the determination of synergy between two antibiotics (amoxicillin and cefotaxime) and P. granatum leaf extracts. The best synergistic interaction was found with TOF extract combined with amoxicillin for penicillin-resistant E. coli and penicillin-resistant S. aureus. These results can be assigned to tannins, flavonoids, and phenolic acids found in P. granatum leaf extracts. Pomegranate leaf extracts or active compounds isolated from these extracts could be used to fight the emergence and spread of resistant bacterial strains.

A total of 17,439 mature miRNAs (~ 21 nt) earlier generated through RNA seq in the pomegranate were used for in silico analysis. After complexity reduction, a total of 1922 representative mature miRNAs were selected and used as query sequences against pomegranate genome to retrieve 2540 homologous contigs with flanking regions (~ 800). By using pre-miRNA prediction web server, a total of 1028 true contigs harbouring pri-miRNAs encoding 1162 pre-miRNAs were identified. Survey of these sequences for SSRs yielded a total of 1358 and 238 SSRs specific to pri-miRNA and pre-miRNAs, respectively. Of these, primer pairs were designed for 897 pri-miRNA and 168 pre-miRNA SSRs. In pri-miRNA sequences, hexa-nucleotides repeats were found to be most abundant (44.18%) followed by mono- (18.41%) and di-nucleotide (17.01%), which is also observed in pre-miRNA sequences. Further, a set of 51 randomly selected pre-miRNA-SSRs was examined for marker polymorphism. The experimental validation of these markers on eight pomegranate genotypes demonstrated 92.15% polymorphism. Utility of these functional markers was confirmed via examination of genetic diversity of 18 pomegranate genotypes using 15 miRNA-SSRs. Further, potential application of miRNA-SSRs for discovery of trait specific candidate genes was showed by validating 51 mature miRNA against publically available 2047 EST sequences of pomegranate by target and network analysis. In summary, the current study offers novel functional molecular markers for pomegranate genetic improvement.

This study evaluates essential and toxic element contents in dragon (Hylocereus undatus (Haworth) Britton and Rose) and pomegranate (Punica granatum L.) and possible health risks through the consumption of these fruits. Total concentrations of 15 chemical elements (Al, Br, Ca, Cd, Cl, Cr, Cu, Fe, Hg, K, Mn, Na, Ni, Pb, and Zn) were determined by instrumental neutron activation analysis (INAA) and atomic absorption spectrometry (AAS) techniques. This study indicates that these fruits are a vital source of essential elements for human health. It is observed that Pb concentrations were higher in both fruits whereas Cd concentrations were slightly higher than WHO/FAO tolerable levels only in pomegranate. The estimated daily intake (EDI) of the chemical elements was within the maximum tolerable daily intake (MTDI) values. Furthermore, target hazard quotient (THQ) values were also within the safe level (THQ

The article covers information on the following species of rare endemic and relict plants of the narrow local area that are included in the “Red Data” book of Georgia: Taxus baccata L., Pinus pityusa Stev.,, Acer ibericum M. Bieb.,, Betula litwinowii Doluch., Berberis iberica Stev. & Fisch.ex DC., Ostrya carpinifolia Scop., Diospyros lotus L., Quercus dshorochensis K.Koch., Q. Hartwissiana Steven., Q.imericna Steven ex Woronow, Q.macranthera Fisch. & C.A.Mey.ex Hohen, Pterocarya pterocarpa (Michx) kunth., Punica granatum L., Amygdalus Georgia Desf., Pyrus sachokiana Kuth., Populus euphratica Oliv, Ulmus suberosa Michx., Zelkova carpinifolia (Pall.,) K.Koch. Their biological peculiarities, duration of flowering and fruit-bearing, the similarity of seeds and their quality have been studied under the conditions of arid zone. The paper also gives a description of cambiogenetic growth nature that is a secondary meristem of 1-3-year-old spurs of these plants from the beginning till the end of their vegetation.

Polyphenols have received high attention due to their biological functions. Pomegranate (Punica granatum L.) is a rich source of polyphenols such as tannin, ellagitannin, flavonoids and other phenolic acids. The potential therapeutic uses of pomegranate appear to be wide diversity. Pomegranate contains strong antioxidant activity, and antimicrobial properties, with potential health interests. : This review has been performed on a method of systematic narrative review on the antimicrobial potency of different parts of pomegranate. A search was performed in PubMed, Web of Science, Science Direct, Scopus and Google Scholar from 1986 to 2018 to obtain related studies. The aim of this review present an overview of the aspect and advantages of Punica granatum L. and summarize the present data on the pomegranate anti-microbial activity in in-vitro and in-vivo tests, animal trial systems and human clinical trials. Also, this review discussed the pomegranate extracts activities and their future application. : The findings of this review support that the pomegranate might be possible to use in the control and potential therapeutics of some microbial infections. This review highlights the new researches on the anti-microbial activities of pomegranate.

Inflammation is commonly characterized as a defensive and protective reaction of the body to various exogenous or endogenous stimuli, which aims to maintain the body health. Punica granatum (pomegranate) and its constituent ellagic acid (EA) are recently more taken into accounts since their promising pharmacological effects. Therefore, we aimed to obtain a comprehensive review regarding antiinflammatory, anticancer, and antioxidant activities of both pomegranate and EA and their possible involved mechanisms. In the procedure, scientific databases, including Web of Science, PubMed, Scopus, and Google Scholar, were searched in the English language, until the end of January 2019. Pomegranate belonging to the Punicaceae has been used for medical purposes from ancient and in different cultures. Several studies have also supported that EA is the major active compound of pomegranate and possesses antimutagenic, antiinflammatory, antifibrosis, anticancer, and antiaging properties. It has been suggested that pomegranate and EA possess promising immunomodulatory effects in preclinical models as well as human studies through regulation of the T-cell function and suppressing humoral immunity. Hopefully, we wish that this review and information could be helpful for designing further experiments to investigate the potential protective effects of pomegranate and EA.

Nanotechnology is a promising tool to achieve great advancements in the global agricultural systems and food production. The widespread application of nanomaterials in numerous fields of life has led to increase concerns over the potential impacts of these nanoparticles on plants. In the present study, morphophysiological evaluation of the effect of zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO-NPs) was assessed in two pomegranate (Punica granatum L.) cultivars (i.e. ‘Manfalouty’ and ‘Wonderful’) under in vitro conditions. ZnO-NPs were added to a Woody Plant Medium (WPM) in six doses, i.e. 0, 1, 2.5, 5, 7.5 and 10 mg/L. Results showed that, ZnO-NPs at 2.5 mg/L induced the best proliferation rate (4.8 and 4.4 shoots/explant) compare to control (4 and 3.2 shoots/explants), while at 5 mg/L it induced the maximum shoot length (2.58 and 2.91 cm vs 2.23 and 2.36 cm in control) and biomass (0.3 and 0.37 g) compared with control (0.18 and 0.23 g) for ‘Wonderful’ and ‘Manfalouty’ cultivars, respectively. Moreover, at 1 and 2.5 mg/L of ZnO-NPs the highest total chlorophyll content (0.58 and 0.61 mg/g fresh weight) was achieved for ‘Manfalouty’ and ‘Wonderful’ cultivars compared with control (0.50 and 0.39 mg/g fresh weight), respectively. However, further increase in ZnO-NPs concentration up to 10 mg/L, did not support plant growth or related physiological parameters. These observations clearly showed the influence of ZnO-NPs on morphological and physiological traits in pomegranate under in vitro conditions, which could help in the optimal utilization of ZnO-NPs to improve pomegranate growth.

Trichinellosis is a food-borne disease caused by the ingestion of meat infected with Trichinella spiralis encysted larvae. To interrupt the circle between human and animals, proper immunization and...

Pomegranate (Punica granatum) is known to contain polyphenols with many potential health benefits, including anti-tumoral, anti-inflammatory, and anti-microbial properties. It has been used in popular medicine for cancer treatment, which still represents the major cause of cancer-related deaths in men worldwide. Importantly, pomegranate peels are valuable by-products of the food industry that are rich in polyphenols. Here we report a comparison between juice and peel aqueous extracts in prostate cancer DU-145 and PC-3 cell lines. Both extracts were able to inhibit the proliferation, migration and colony formation of those cells, although peel extracts presented more robust effects compared to juice. Besides, the growth-related mTOR/S6K signaling pathway presented strong inhibition after pomegranate extracts treatment. This study presents evidence that both juice and isolated peel extracts from promegate fruit have important anti-cancer effects against prostate cancer cells, modulating the mTOR/S6K signaling pathway.

The results of removing or reducing biofilm were determined using subinhibitory concentrations (SICs) of some local plants in the flora of Kurdistan region of Iraq on biofilm production in Listeria monocytogenes. About 10–500 µg/ml of the plant extracts were used against growth and biofilm production in tissue culture plates which were measured spectroscopically. The SIC effects of each of Eugenia caryophyllata (Clove) and Rhus glabra (Sumac) have significantly affected on planktonic cells and reduced sessile cells or biofilm formation in L. monocytogenes. Remarkably, the data showed strong biofilm reduction under synergistically effect of the plant extract mixed with the antimicrobial agents in multidrugresistant L. monocytogenes. Whereas the SIC some of other plant extracts such as Salix candida and pomegranate (Punica granatum) have significantly enhanced biofilm expression in L. monocytogenes, but the use of these extracts synergistically with some antibiotics also resulted in inhibition of biofilm in comparison to merely use of either the extracts or antibiotics. The result of statistical analyses shows that P > 0.05. The results showed that the combination of plant extract with antibiotic together has more effect than using plant merely.

This study was carried out to estimate the effect of adding pomegranate (Punica granatum L) and cactus pear (Opuntia ficus indica) juices as natural ingredients on physico-chemical characteristics, antioxidant activity, microbiological examination and sensory evaluation of stirred yoghurt. Stirred yoghurt was prepared by using cow, s milk 3% fat, and pomegranate and cactus pear juices were added at the rate of 5%, 10% and 15% W/W. All treatments were inoculated with 2% of yoghurt starter and stored at 5°C up to the end of storage period (15 days) after complete a sulation. Physico-chemical properties of yoghurt samples such as total solids, protein, fat, pH, syneresis, viscosity was carried out .Also, microbiological examination and sensory evaluation were determined of all the treatments when fresh ,and then after 5, 10 and 15 days of cold storage at 5°C. The results showed that significant differences were found between the control and stirred yoghurt fortified with juices in the total solids, protein content, pH and titratable acidity up to the end of storage period(15 days). Addition of pomegranate and cactus pear juices led to significant increase in phenolic compounds and antioxidant activity of yoghurt treatments compared with the control sample. In all samples, it was observed that the titratable acidity increased over the storage period. Low values for viscosity and high values for syneresis were belonged to yoghurt containing 15% pomegranate and cactus pear juices. Sensory evaluation results showed that there were significant differences among the yoghurt samples. Stirred yoghurt (control) and stirred yoghurt containing 5% cactus pear or pomegranate juices gained significantly highest flavour and texture scores compared to stirred yoghurt treated with 10% or 15% juices. The results of current study demonstrated that the addition of juices from pomegranate and cactus pear to stirred yoghurt milk, significantly improved the quality of yoghurt and will increase its healthy benefits.

Pomegranate (Punica granatum L.) is an economically important fruit of the Punicaceae family and widely cultivated in the world. In 2019 and 2020, pomegranate fruits showing rot symptoms initiating from seed were observed in different pomegranate-cultivated fields in Henan province of China. Bacteria as a potential pathogen were isolated from the rot tissue of pomegranate seeds, and its pathogenicity was confirmed. The bacterium was identified as Bacillus altitudinis based on morphology and sequence analysis on the 16S ribosomal DNA and the gyrB gene. This is the first report on Bacillus altitudinis causing seed rot of pomegranate.

SUMMARY The objective of this work is to investigate the feed supplementation with Bacillus subtilis-based probiotic and methanol extraction of anticoccidial herbs (leaves of Artemisia annua Linn., Dichroa febrifuga Lour., and peel of Punica granatum L.) individually or in combination as alternatives during chicken E. tenella infection. A total of 264 chickens were divided into 11 groups (n = 8 × 3). They were control group (G1), E. tenella infected group (G2), E. tenella infected with diclazuril treated group (G3). G4 to G6 were E. tenella infected and treated with 300 mg/kg body weight of methanol extract of herb in feed (3 different kinds of herbs: leaves of Artemisia annua Linn., Dichroa febrifuga Lour., and peel of Punica granatum L.), respectively. G7 to G9 were infected and probiotic-herb combined groups: 5 × 108 cfu/kg B. subtilis was added to feed on the basis of G4 to G6, respectively. The remaining groups are both feed with B. subtilis at 5 × 108 cfu/kg in feed but infected (G10) and uninfected (G11). The anticoccidial efficacy was assessed by: bloody feces scores, lesion scores, relative weight gain rate, oocysts excretion, and mRNA expression levels (occludin, ZO-1, IL-17A and IL-2) in ceca. All the interventions reduced all the indexes, as compared to that of G2. The use of B. subtilis combined with herb significantly reduced the oocysts excretion and IL-17A mRNA level as compared to herb only groups. In summary, we conclude that the combination of B. subtilis and anticoccidial herb have potential development value.

Dataset - an essential aspect and the requirement for any of the machine learning project. Collection / creation of dataset in the agriculture domain is highly challenging task because the domain itself is uncertain. Main objective of the present paper is to create an image dataset of pomegranate fruits of different grades. Accordingly, we have considered ‘Ruby’ cultivar of pomegranate and sincerely constructed the dataset. Fruits belonging to three grades are considered. The images for each fruit are covered from all the three angles. The dataset created also contains the weights of the fruits. The dataset consists of 12 folders named after their effective quality grades. The usage of this dataset is already proved in the works carried out by the authors in their previous studies. This dataset is highly helpful for the data science engineer / machine learning programmer or machine learning expert working in the field of precision agriculture.

Here we report on comprehensive chloroplast (cp) genome analysis of 16 pomegranate (Punica granatum L.) genotypes representing commercial cultivars, ornamental and wild types, through large-scale sequencing and assembling using next-generation sequencing (NGS) technology. Comparative genome analysis revealed that the size of cp genomes varied from 158,593 bp (in wild, “1201” and “1181”) to 158,662 bp (cultivar, “Gul-e-Shah Red”) among the genotypes, with characteristic quadripartite structures separated by a pair of inverted repeats (IRs). The higher conservation for the total number of coding and non-coding genes (rRNA and tRNA) and their sizes, and IRs (IR-A and IR-B) were observed across all the cp genomes. Interestingly, high variations were observed in sizes of large single copy (LSC, 88,976 to 89,044 bp) and small single copy (SSC, 18,682 to 18,684 bp) regions. Although, the structural organization of newly assembled cp genomes were comparable to that of previously reported cp genomes of pomegranate (“Helow,” “Tunisia,” and “Bhagawa”), the striking differences were observed with the Lagerstroemia lines, viz., Lagerstroemia intermedia (NC_0346620) and Lagerstroemia speciosa (NC_031414), which clearly confirmed previous findings. Furthermore, phylogenetic analysis also revealed that members outside the genus Punica were clubbed into a separate clade. The contraction and expansion analysis revealed that the structural variations in IRs, LSC, and SSC have significantly accounted for the evolution of cp genomes of Punica and L. intermedia over the periods. Microsatellite survey across cp genomes resulted in the identification of a total of 233 to 234 SSRs, with majority of them being mono- (A/T or C/G, 164–165 numbers), followed by di- (AT/AT or AG/CT, 54), tri- (6), tetra- (8), and pentanucleotides (1). Furthermore, the comparative structural variant analyses across cp genomes resulted in the identification of many varietal specific SNP/indel markers. In summary, our study has offered a successful development of large-scale cp genomics resources to leverage future genetic, taxonomical, and phylogenetic studies in pomegranate.

The effect of different plant growth regulators on flowering, fruiting, yield, and quality of pomegranate (Punica granatum L.) cv. Bhagwa was studied in a field trial at ICAR - Indian Institute of Horticultural Research (IIHR), Bengaluru, during two seasons, namely ambe bahar (January–February) 2016 and hastha bahar (September–October) 2016-17. Nitrobenzene (NB) 1.0, 1.5, and 2.0 ml plant-1, Cycocel (CCC) 500, 1000, and 1500 ppm plant-1, Uracil 25 and 50 ppm plant-1, CCC 1000 ppm + Uracil 25 ppm plant-1, CCC 1500 ppm + Uracil 50 ppm plant-1, and Control were among the eleven treatments studied. The application of uracil 50 ppm plant-1 resulted in a higher number of hermaphrodite flowers plant-1 (264.7), number of fruits plant-1 (154.0), and fruit yield (27.1 kg/plant). Fruit weight (197.6 g), fruit length (6.64 cm), total aril weight (113.63 g), 100 aril weight (27.18 g), fruit juice weight (101.94 g), TSS content (19.96 OB), fruit anthocyanin content (6.46 mg 100 g) and low titrable acidity (0.41 percent) were recorded when CCC 1000 ppm + Uracil 25 ppm plant-1 was applied. During ambe bahar, the highest fruit width (6.90 cm) and volume (162.7 ml) were observed with CCC 1000 ppm and 1500 ppm plant-1, respectively. During hastha bahar, CCC 1500 ppm plant-1 resulted in a higher number of hermaphrodite flowers (287.8), the highest percentage of fruit set (86.10), the highest number of fruits plant-1 (156.66), the highest fruit yield (54.53 kg plant-1), the highest fruit weight (348.32 g), the longest fruit length (8.53 cm), and the largest fruit volume (8.53 cm) (33.93 ml), total aril weight (224.01 g), 100 aril weight (35.09 g), fruit juice weight (119.40 g) and TSS content (16.00 OB). A foliar spray of nitrobenzene 1.5 ml plant-1 compounded the high fruit anthocyanin content (6.47 mg 100g-1). As a result of the research, it can be concluded that CCC 1000 ppm + Uracil 25 ppm plant-1and CCC 1500 ppm plant-1were the most effective treatments for improving floral characters, fruiting, yield, and quality in pomegranate cv. Bhagwa during both seasons.

Giardiasis is a major diarrheal disease affecting approximately 2.5 million children annually in developing countries. Several studies have reported the resistance of Giardia lamblia (G. lamblia) to multiple drugs. Therefore, identifying an effective drug for giardiasis is a necessity. This study examined the antiparasitic effect of Punica granatum (pomegranate) and evaluated its therapeutic efficacy in rats infected with G. lamblia. In vitro study showed high efficacy of pomegranate peel ethanolic extract in killing G. lamblia cysts as demonstrated by eosin vital staining. We showed that treating infected rats with pomegranate extract resulted in a marked reduction in the mean number of G. lamblia cysts and trophozoites in feces and intestine respectively. Interestingly, the number of G. lamblia trophozoites and cysts were significantly lower in the pomegranate extract-treated group compared to the metronidazole-positive control group. Moreover, pomegranate extract treatment significantly induced nitric oxide (NO) and reduced serum IL-6 and TNF-α, compared to infected untreated rats. Histological and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) examination of the jejunum and duodenum of pomegranate extract-treated animals confirmed the antiparasitic effect of the extract, and demonstrated the restoration of villi structure with reduction of villi atrophy, decreased infiltration of lymphocytes, and protection of intestinal cells from apoptotic cell death. In conclusion, our data show that the pomegranate peel extract is effective in controlling G. lamblia infections, which suggests that it could be a viable treatment option for giardiasis.

Little is known about rate of photosynthesis, transpiration, stomatal conductance, intrinsic water use efficiency, endogenous phytohormones (Gibberellic acid and Indole acetic acid) concomitant with leaf chlorophyll content during flowering and fruiting stages in pomegranate. As a result, a study was conducted to determine the function of various chemicals, such as Nitrobenzene (NB) at 1.0, 1.5, and 2.0 ml plant-1, Cycocel (CCC) at 500, 1000, and 1500 ppm plant-1, Uracil 25 and 50 ppm plant-1, CCC1000 ppm + Uracil 25 ppm plant-1, CCC 1500 ppm + Uracil 50 ppm plant-1, along with control at ICAR - Indian Institute of Horticultural Research (IIHR), Bengaluru, during the flowering and fruit set stages during two seasons, namely ambe bahar (January–February 2016) and hastha bahar (September–October 2016-17). Applications of Uracil 50 ppm plant-1, Uracil 25 ppm plant-1 and nitrobenzene 1.5 ml plant-1 at flowering stage resulted in highest rate of photosynthesis (16.48 µmol m-2 s-1), transpiration (7.69 mmol m-2 s-1) and stomatal conductance (0.44 mol m-2 s-1). Foliar spray of Nitrobenzene 1.5 ml plant-1, cycocel 1000 ppm plant-1 + Uracil 25 ppm plant-1 in conjunction with application of nitrobenzene 1.0 ml plant-1 registered highest rate of photosynthesis (12.55 µmol m-2 s-1), transpiration (6.19 mmol m-2 s-1) and stomatal conductance (0.19 mol m-2 s-1) at fruit set stage. Application of Uracil 50 ppm plant-1 resulted in higher levels of endogenous IAA content (394.3 ng g-1 FW and 885.3 ng g-1 FW), lower levels of GA3 content (110.7 ng g-1 FW and 144.0 ng g-1 FW), and highest total chlorophyll content (3.14 mg g-1 and 1.99 mg g-1) in the leaves at both flowering and fruit set stages. With application of cycocel 1500 ppm plant-1 at flowering and fruit set stages, highest photosynthetic rate (17.67 µmol m-2 s-1 and 15.71 µmol m-2 s-1), transpiration rate (7.68 mmol m-2 s-1 and 6.13 mmol m-2 s-1) and higher levels of endogenous IAA (946.7 ng g-1 FW and 633.0 ng g-1 FW) were registered respectively. Following application of cycocel 1500 ppm plant-1 and 500 ppm plant?1 at both flowering and fruit set stages, lower endogenous GA3 (163.3 ng g-1 FW and 276.0 ng g-1 FW) were observed. At flowering stage, cycocel 1000 ppm plant-1 + Uracil 25 ppm plant-1 recorded the highest total chlorophyll content (2.35 mg g-1). During flowering period, cycocel 1500 ppm plant-1 application resulted in the highest stomatal conductance (0.57 mol m-2 s-1). Application of cycocel 1500 ppm plant-1 + Uracil 50 ppm plant-1 resulted in the highest stomatal conductance (0.38 mol m-2 s-1) at fruit set stage.

Pomegranate is one of the oldest known fruit crops, well adapted to hot and dry areas and successfully grown in Mediterranean countries. During the last two decades, numerous publications have revealed the traditionally known associations between pomegranate consumption and health benefits, which led to increased demand by consumers and expansion in cultivation areas. Pomegranate is well adapted to areas with diverse pedoclimatic conditions and local cultivars could provide an essential source of genes for breeding. In this study, fruit phenotypic and genetic variability, and relationships, were studied in 26 Greek and foreign pomegranate cultivars/accessions grown in an ex situ collection located in Naoussa Greece, using Inter Simple Sequence Repeat (ISSR) and Start Codon Targeted (SCoT) molecular markers. Results from the principal component analysis made on fruit phenotypic characters revealed five components that accounted for 74.8% of the total variance, the first being related to skin color parameters and the second to juice antioxidant contents and aril color. Clustering from phenotypic data allocated individuals into four clusters. A total of 184 bands were generated for all markers applied across the 26 pomegranate cultivars/accessions, with an average of 77 bands per ISSR markers and 82 bands for SCoT markers. Low variability in the phenotypic and genotypic level was indicated, nevertheless, results from the association study between phenotypic traits and molecular markers that were obtained using Multiple Regression Analysis (MRA) could prove valuable for marker-assisted breeding programs, especially from SCoT markers that were found to be strongly or averagely associated with the morphological traits and chemical components.

Nowadays, natural dyes are expected by the cosmetic and food industries. In contrast to synthetic dyes, colorants derived from natural sources are more environmentally friendly and safer for human health. In this work, plant extracts from Gomphrena globasa L., Clitoria ternatea L., Carthamus tinctorius L., Punica granatum L. and Papaver rhoeas L. as the natural and functional dyes for the cosmetics industry were assessed. Cytotoxicity on keratinocyte and fibroblast cell lines was determined as well as antioxidant and anti-aging properties by determining their ability to inhibit the activity of collagenase and elastase enzymes. In addition, the composition of the extracts was determined. The obtained extracts were also applied in face cream formulation and color analyses were performed. It has been shown that the obtained extracts were characterized by no cytotoxicity and a high antioxidant potential. The extracts also show strong ability to inhibit the activity of collagenase and moderate ability to inhibit elastase and provide effective and long-lasting hydration after their application on the skin. Application analyses showed that the extracts of P. rhoeas L., C. ternatea L. and C. tinctorius L. can be used as effective cosmetic dyes that allow for attainment of an intense and stable color during the storage of the product. The extracts of P. granatum L. and G. globasa L., despite their beneficial effects as active ingredients, did not work effectively as cosmetic dyes, because cosmetic emulsions with these extracts did not differ significantly in color from emulsions without the extract.