Search

Black nightshade, or the Solanum nigrum complex, includes a number of species that botanists consider problematic due to their morphological resemblance and the high rate of hybridization. As part of the revision of the family Solanaceae for the Flora central Africa,we realized a molecular study of the Solanum nigrum complex in the western part of the Democratic Republic of Congo. A total of 21 samples of this complex were collected and identified using the recent revision by [11]. The DNA of each specimen was extracted and then amplified by PCR for 4 molecular markers: the two nuclear regions waxy and ITS, and the two chloroplastics markers trnL-F and trnH-psbA. Additional sequences of specimens reliably identified were obtained from GenBank. The combined molecular data set allowed for the identification of two distinct groups. The first we conclude that in the western part of D.R. Congo, two species of the Solanum nigrum complex occur, both showing high morphological variability, while the true Solanum nigrum is absent from that region. The two species are Solanum americanum Mill. and Solanum scabrum Mill. The results confirm the taxonomic decisions of [11]. The generally low resolution in the analyses did not allow to visualize a geographical signal in the variation.

Growing concern about climatic influence on plants reproductive biology leads to a recent surge. Climate affects directly floral morphology of plants on this basis current study summarizes climatic effects on floral or reproductive biology of Solanum nigrum L. Effect of summer, rainy and winter seasons were recorded on floral morphology, pollens viability & germination, pollen tube growth, fruit-set percentage during investigations which were subjected to one factorial analysis of variance (ANOVA) and least significant differences at p < 0.05. Climatic conditions affect floral morphology and produce polymorphism in specific conditions. In rainy and winter seasons, polymorphism was recorded in petals, stamens and pistil which is a first record of climatic influence on polymorphism. Rainy season reported for their maximum flowers numbers which promote a huge fruit-set percentage in open pollination as compared with self and cross pollination. This study confirms the effect of various climates on different floral parts which produce polymorphism along with growth, germination, length, etc. Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) study indicated the climatic variations on microscopic observations.

In this study, genetic engineering methods, ranging from gene transformation to gene editing, were efficiently conducted on cotyledon explants in Solanum nigrum. Organogenic calli were observed on the explants following 10 days of growth on medium supplemented with 2 mg/L zeatin and 0.2 mg/L indole acetic acid (IAA), which we suggest to be an efficient shoot initiation medium (SM1). In vitro shoot production was enhanced in explants grown on media supplemented with 1 mg/L zeatin and 0.1 mg/L IAA, which we used as a proper shoot differentiation medium (SM2) in S. nigrum shoot regeneration. Direct infection of explants with Agrobacterium harboring CRISPR/Cas9 constructs can simplify the method of Agrobacterium-mediated T-DNA transformation by skipping the preincubation step. The method was applied to deliver transgenes for genome editing, such as CRISPR/Cas9 DNA. SnLazy1 locus, considered to be orthologs of tomato Lazy1, was edited using the CRISPR/Cas9 system in S. nigrum. Two independent deletion snlazy1-cr alleles were successively inherited and showed stem growth in a relatively downward direction. Our method offers rapid and simple procedure for gene transformation and genome editing that could be applicable for the enhancement of beneficial traits for precision plant breeding and engineering quantitative trait loci in S. nigrum.

One of the negative florogenesis trends is the diversification of flora with alien species, which goes parallelly with insularization of natural vegetation cover. They alter the structure of ecosystems, reduce their productivity, threaten the diversity and genetic integrity of natural flora by integration into natural communities and competition with native flora species. One of alien species of Solanaceae Juss family is black nightshade (Solanum nigrum L.) – a poisonous species of Mediterranean origin, with a Eurasian secondary area; unintentionally introduced alien species (xenophyte), naturalizing in secondary habitats (epecophyte), mesophyte, heliophyte, zoochor, naturalizing predominantly in more or less disturbed vegetative communities of South-Eastern Europe. This species is also found on salted soils, where it is registered in the communities of associations Cichorio-Lactucetum serriolae Golub et Mirkin 1986, Atriplici aucheri-Tamaricetum ramosissimae Golub et al. 1998 (subassociations A.au.-T.r. althaeetosum Golub et al. 1998, A.au.-T.r. cannabietosum Golub et al. 1998), Polygono-Aeluropodetum pungentis Golub et Mirkin 1986 and Suaedo-Petrosimonietum Golub 1986 (variant Glycyrrhiza glabra). These associations can occur on soil with a wide range of salinization degree – both on soils with weak- and high- salinity — but Solanum nigrum does not have much difference in its presence in their communities depending on this factor. The species is characterized by a weak introduction in cenoses of saline habitats – it is rare and has low abundance level.

Wild plants and weeds growing close to crops constitute a potential reservoir for future epidemies or for the emergence of novel viruses but the frequency and directionality of viral flow between cultivated and wild plants remains poorly documented in many cases. Here, we studied the diversity of viral populations between tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) and neighboring european black nightshade (Solanum nigrum) using high throughput sequencing (HTS) based metagenomics. A large variability in virome richness with only 17.9% shared Operational Taxonomy Units between tomato and nightshade, but this richness could not be linked to a particular host or to local conditions. A detailed population analysis based on assembled contigs for potato virus Y (PVY), broad wilt bean virus 1 and a new ilarvirus tentatively named Solanum nigrum ilarvirus 1 provides information on the circulation of these viruses between these two Solanum species and enriches our knowledge of the tomato virome.

Background: Solanum section Solanum has been extensively used in traditional medicine in Iran for many ailment treatments. The plant contains some substances such as total alkaloid, steroid alkaloid, steroidal saponins and glycoprotein, exhibiting anti-tumor activity. Objective: In this research, wild species of Solanum section Solanum has been studied in Iran in the field of ethnobotanical investigation such as interviews, questionnaires, scientific articles, authentic books and ancient documents in traditional medicine. The anthropological uses of the plant have also been taken into consideration. Method: The wild species of these plants in Iran were studied using field and library methods. In the first method, to determine the distribution of Solanum and its related plants, numerous trips were carried out and many samples were collected. The anthropological use of these plants has been examined through interviews and questionnaires from 39 local people. In the second method, traditional Iranian books and published articles on the subject were also studied. Results: According to this survey, these plants are commonly used for food digestion and constipation in traditional as well as current local medicine. In addition, we identified 180 different growing locations in Iran to illustrate their distribution maps. Conclusion: These plants are being used as fever-reducing agent, pain-reliever, softener, laxative, diarrhea, anticoagulant and anti-asthma. Some outstanding results are obtained in the treatments of analgesic and sedative, anemia, burns, carminative, constipation, cough, cut restoration, food digestion, infections, mouth disinfection, skin diseases, toothache etc.

RING finger family protein gene SorRma1, comprising 735 nucleotides corresponding to a polypeptide of 231 amino acids, was cloned from Solanum nigrum L. The expression characteristics of SorRma1 gene in different organs were leaf > flower > stem > fruit > root, and the difference was significant. The gene could effectively improve the viability of the transgenic yeast with SorRma1 gene to 300 mM NaCl and 35 °C heat stress compared with the control yeast. The expression characteristics of SorRma1 gene in root and leaf (0, 1, 3, 5, 9, 12 h) of Solanum nigrum were further analyzed by qRT-PCR under abiotic stresses (drought, salt, alkali, high/low temperature). These results indicated that under drought and high/low temperature stress, the early response of SorRma1 gene in root were up-regulated at 1 h or 3 h, and at 9 h with salt/alkali stress, while ascended under alkali treatment and reached the highest level at 9 h in leaf. In summary, the expression of this gene in the root showed early responses and upward trend indicated that SorRma1 gene might be involved in these stress-resistant regulation processes of Solanum nigrum.

A pot experiment was conducted to study the effects of intercropping with the cadmium (Cd) hyperaccumulators Galinsoga parviflora, Bidens pilosa, Cosmos sulphureus and Solanum nigrum on the growth ...

Aim: To study the effect of various plant growth regulators (PGRs) for induction of somatic embryogenesis and plantlet formation from cotyledon and leaflet explants in S. nigrum (night shade) an important medicinal plant used in treatment of digestive problems and skin infections. Place and Duration of Study: Department of Biotechnology, Kakatiya university, Warangal. Telangana, India, 3 years. Methodology: Cotyledon (0.8 cm2) and leaflet explants (0.8-1.0 cm2) from 3 week and 4 week old were cultured on MS medium supplemented with 30 g/L sucrose along with different concentrations of 0.5 mg/L BAP+NAA (0.5 – 6.0 mg/L) . Results: Maximum percentage of somatic embryogenesis was observed in cotyledon(89%) and leaf (98%) explants on MS medium augmented with 0.5mg/L BAP in combination with 2.0 mg/L NAA whereas the highest number of somatic embryos per explant (86 ± 0.19) was formed in leaflet explant. Conclusion: Somatic embryogenesis was induced from both cotyledon and leaf explants. Since it is threatened and medicinally important species S. nigrum, the present protocol can be used for its conservation and genetic transformation experiments.

Highlight Supply of NH4 + compared with NO3 − increased plant Cd uptake, translocation and accumulation in Carpobrotus rossii and Solanum nigrum. Cd-S was the dominant Cd species, with Cd being transported as free ions in xylem., Nitrogen fertilization could improve the efficiency of Cd phytoextraction in contaminated soil and thus shorten the remediation time. However, limited information is available on the effect of N form on Cd phytoextraction and associated mechanisms in plants. This study examined the effect of N form on Cd accumulation, translocation, and speciation in Carpobrotus rossii and Solanum nigrum. Plants were grown in nutrient solution with 5–15 μM Cd in the presence of 1000 µM NH4 + or NO3 −. Plant growth and Cd uptake were measured, and Cd speciation was analyzed using synchrotron-based X-ray absorption spectroscopy. Shoot Cd accumulation was 30% greater with NH4 + than NO3 − supply. Carpobrotus rossii accumulated three times more Cd than S. nigrum. However, Cd speciation in the plants was not influenced by N form, but it did vary with species and tissues. In C. rossii, up to 91% of Cd was bound to S-containing ligands in all tissues except the xylem sap where 87–95% were Cd-OH complexes. Furthermore, the proportion of Cd-S in shoots was substantially lower in S. nigrum (44–69%) than in C. rossii (60–91%). It is concluded that the application of NH4 + (instead of NO3 −) increased shoot Cd accumulation by increasing uptake and translocation, rather than changing Cd speciation, and is potentially an effective approach for increasing Cd phytoextraction.

Alternative host plants are among the key factors influencing the spread of invasive pests because they are utilized as a food source and provide shelter in unfavorable conditions. The South American tomato pinworm (SATP), Tuta absoluta Meyrick (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae), has a high behavioral and physiological plasticity enabling it to rapidly spread in several countries. Among the multiple strategies used by SATP in the invasion process is the use of alternative host plants including black nightshade (BNS), Solanum nigrum L. (Solanaceae), a perennial plant widely distributed across all habitats worldwide. Besides the life table and behavioral parameters of SATP on tomato, its survival and reproduction in low temperatures on alternative host plants should be assessed to evaluate the likely spread in temperate regions with harsh winters. In our study, comparing solanaceous species through generations, the primary difference was in the mean generation time with SATP reared on BNS, whereby it had a longer development time than larvae and pupae reared on tomato plants. Adults preferred tomato plants even if they had been reared as larvae on BNS. Exposure periods of 7, 14, and 21days to 4 °C indicated that more than 50% of SATP pupae reared on BNS plants survived more than 14days. The survival of SATP reared on tomato plants exceeded 21days and after exposure to 4 °C, females reared on both plants remained fertile. The life table and behavioral parameters recorded demonstrated a significant potential of BNS to support the development of SATP, also at low temperature. Therefore, even with effective border surveillance and phytosanitation processes in place, invasion through an alternative host is possible and difficult to detect.

Microbe-assisted phytoremediation for Cd-polluted soil is being regarded increasingly. However, the availability of microbes that can collaborate with Cd-hyperaccumulators effectively has become one of bottlenecks restricting the remediation efficiency. A siderophore-producing bacterium (Y16; Enterobacter cloacae) isolated from the rhizospheric soil of Cd-hyperaccumulator Solanum nigrum L. was identified by 16S rRNA gene sequencing and biochemical analysis, and then used for analyzing microbial chemotaxis, carbon source utilization, and insoluble P/Cd mobilization capacities. Besides, a soil-pot trial was performed to underlie the phytoremediation mechanism of Cd-polluted soil assisted by D-gluconate-enhanced Enterobacter cloacae colonization (DEYC) in the Solanum nigrum L. rhizosphere. Results displayed that D-gluconate was an effective chemoattractant and carbon source strengthening Y16 colonization, and Y16 exhibited strong abilities to mobilize insoluble P/Cd in shake flask by extracellular acidification (p

Black nightshade (Solanum nigrum) belongs to the Solanaceae family and is used as a medicinal herb with health benefits. It has been reported that the black nightshade plant contains various phytochemicals that are associated with antitumor activities. Here we employed a genetic approach to study the effects of overexpression of Arabidopsis thaliana production of anthocyanin pigment 1 (AtPAP1) in black nightshade. Ectopic expression of AtPAP1 resulted in enhanced accumulation of anthocyanin pigments in vegetative and reproductive tissues of the transgenic plants. Analysis of anthocyanin revealed that delphinidin 3-O-rutinoside-5-O-glucoside, delphinidin 3,5-O-diglucoside, delphinidin 3-O-rutinoside, petunidin 3-O-rutinoside (cis-p-coumaroyl)-5-O-glucoside, petunidin 3-(feruloyl)-rutinoside-5-glucoside, and malvidin 3-(feruloyl)-rutinoside-5-glucoside are highly induced in the leaves of AtPAP1 overexpression lines. Furthermore, ectopic expression of AtPAP1 evoked expression of early and late biosynthetic genes of the general phenylpropanoid and flavonoid pathways that include phenylalanine ammonia-lyase (PAL), cinnamate-4-hydroxylase (C4H), 4-coumarate CoA ligase (4CL), chalcone isomerase (CHI), and quinate hydroxycinnamoyl transferase (HCT), which suggests these genes might be transcriptional targets of AtPAP1 in black nightshade. Concomitantly, the total content of anthocyanin in the transgenic black nightshade plants was higher compared to the control plants, which supports phenotypic changes in color. Our data demonstrate that a major anthocyanin biosynthetic regulator, AtPAP1, can induce accumulation of anthocyanins in the heterologous system of black nightshade through the conserved flavonoid biosynthesis pathway in plants.

Solanum nigrum L. (black nightshade), an annual to short-lived perennial weed, has become a problem weed in farming systems in central China. Laboratory and greenhouse experiments were conducted to examine the influence of various abiotic factors on seed germination of black nightshade to develop effective weed control programs. Seeds germinated at a range of constant temperatures from 15 to 30 oC, but no germination occurred at temperatures below 10 oC or above 35 oC. Seeds also germinated at alternating temperature regimes from 15/5 to 40/30 oC, with maximum germination (> 93.5%) at the alternating temperatures of 25/15 and 30/20 oC. Germination decreased as osmotic potential became more negative, and no germination was observed at ≤ -0.8 MPa. Moreover, germination was reduced by saline and alkaline stresses and no germination occurred at ≥ 200 mM NaCl or ≥ 150 mM NaHCO3 concentrations. Seed germination was not significantly affected by pH values from 5 to 10. Seedling emergence was significantly affected by burial depth with maximum emergence (93.1%) at 1 cm depth. RESUMO: Solanum nigrum L. (erva-moura), uma planta daninha perene anual de curta duração, tornou-se uma planta daninha problemática em sistemas agrícolas na China central. Foram conduzidos experimentos em laboratório e em casa de vegetação para examinar a influência de vários fatores abióticos na germinação de sementes de erva-moura para o desenvolvimento de programas eficazes de controle de plantas daninhas. As sementes germinaram em temperaturas constantes de 15 a 30 oC, mas não ocorreu germinação em temperaturas abaixo de 10 oC ou acima de 35 oC. Também foi observada germinação das sementes em regimes de temperaturas alternadas de 15/5 oC a 40/30 oC, com germinação máxima (> 93,5%) nas temperaturas alternadas de 25/15 oC e 30/20 oC. Houve redução da germinação à medida que o potencial osmótico se tornou mais negativo, e nenhuma germinação foi observada a ≤ 0,8 MPa. Além disso, foi observada redução da germinação em função do estresse salino e alcalino, e nas concentrações ≥ 200 mM de NaCl ou ≥ 150 mM de NaHCO3 não ocorreu germinação. A germinação das sementes não foi afetada de forma significativa pelos valores de pH de 5 a 10, porém a emergência de plântulas sofreu influência significativa da profundidade de sementes, com emergência máxima (93,1%) a 1 cm de profundidade.

Over the last decades, tillage, chemical fertilizers, and pesticides have reduced the beneficial fungal population size in arable soils. Though soil inoculation can be a practical way to restore arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) population size, weeds may also be benefited, as well. This study was aimed to evaluate the effect of three AMF species (Funneliformis mosseae, Rhizoglomus fasciculatum, and Rhizoglomus intraradices) on photosynthetic rate, secondary metabolites content, reproductive organs percentage and nutrient uptake in Solanum nigrum L. and Digitaria sanguinalis L. weed species. Our results showed species variation in response to AMF inoculation, so that, while inoculation with R. intraradices fungal species decreased total biomass in S. nigrum plants significantly, it increased total biomass of D. sanguinalis plants by 26–49%. In addition, inoculation with F. mosseae species increased phenol, anthocyanin, and total terpenoid content in S. nigrum plants much more than D. sanguinalis. Increased photosynthetic rate, secondary metabolites content, and flowering percentage in AMF‐inoculated S. nigrum plants show the enhanced competitive ability and allelopathic potential of this weed when associated with AMF, which makes it a good competitor against other plant species in the environment.

The wide ranges of uses for acetophenone make it more available and expected to accumulate in the biosphere, where consequently it can threat ecosystems. To remediate this problem, the use of Solanum nigrum L. plants for the clean-up of acetophenone-contaminated sites was explored. Also, plant root and shoot biometry and metabolism where assayed to better understand the effects of this organic compound and to pinpoint possible metabolic pathways to be targeted for future manipulations for increasing this plant species' remediation efficiency. Although undergoing through some stress, detected by increases in ROS and lipid peroxidation in both organs, plants were able to rapidly eliminate all acetophenone from the nutrient solution after 7 days of exposure, being this compound mainly detoxified at the root level. Additionally, acetophenone lead to a differential metabolic response in roots and shoots, where antioxidant mechanisms where differentially activated, while nitrogen assimilation was repressed in shoots and activated in roots. These results confirm that S. nigrum is a good phytoremediation tool for acetophenone and suggest that enhancing shoot GS activity may provide more nitrogen precursors for the synthesis of thiolated proteins and glutathione to increase tolerance to acetophenone in roots and shoots, respectively.

The interest in medicinal plants is not only due to the fact that it is a source of food additives, but it is also a major source of medicines. Medical plants contain many important vital ingredients used in the treatment of many diseases. Therefore, medicinal plants are considered a safe source of medical drugs. Many medicinal plants have a significant economic importance to increase their demand. The plant families include many families, such as solanaceae family, which is one of the largest plant families with more than 3000 plant species And the plants of this family contains many important biological components and because of its importance, it was necessary to study and identify these plants by making fingerprinting, detect the molecular genetic markers for this family, study the genetic diversity of these species and determine the relationships between species of this family by using genetic techniques such as the technique of Inter simple sequence repeat (ISSR). The results obtained in the five solanaceae species (Lycium shwaii, Hyoscyamus muticus, Solanum nigrum from Northwestern coast, Solanum nigrun from Saint Katherine, and Nicotiana gluca) indicated that, 6 primers were applied. The HB15 primer which gave 12 bands, showed the highest polymorphism 58.33%, and the 49A primer, which gave 6 bands gave a lowest polymrphism 16.66% between the used plants populations, these results mean that ISSR technique is an powerful tool to make genetic diversity assessment for species.

Solanum nigrum L. is a species highly valued for its medicinal properties. In the present study, an efficient propagation system was established by using five explants of S. nigrum namely, roots, leaves, rooted hypocotyls, nodal segments and petioles. Various types of plant growth regulators (PGRs) were used to determine the most effective hormone combination for callus induction and organogenesis. Zeatin (ZT), thidiazuron (TDZ), kinetin (Kin) and indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) were found to induce multiple shoots. Shoot organogenesis was induced in the five explants. The highest mean for number of shoots per petioles (31.54±5.76) and rooted hypocotyls (44.00±1.51) with a 100% induction rate was obtained on Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium fortified with 0.4 mg/L IAA and 3.0 mg/L ZT. MS medium containing 0.4 mg/L IAA and 3.0 mg/L TDZ was found to be optimal for shoot regeneration of roots, leaves and nodal segments. The highest regeneration frequency (100%) with mean numbers of shoots equal to 38.77±6.87 for roots, 42.73±7.75 for leaves and 56.73±7.98 for nodal segments was produced. Regenerated shoots rooted effectively on half-strength MS medium and acclimatized successfully in soil with a 100% survival rate and normal growth. The protocol can be used for the large-scale propagation of S. nigrum to meet the increasing demand of commercial cultivation.

African nightshades are becoming more important as leafy vegetables in sub-Saharan Africa. Previously considered as food for the poor, their cultivation is now being promoted, and some cultivars are commercialised; however, most farmers use self-produced seeds, leading to low and varying yields. Improvement through conventional breeding depends on the available genetic diversity, the possible breeding systems, and the nutritional value of the accessions. Therefore, we review the information on these topics with the following main outcomes: the most commonly discussed species, S. nigrum, S. scabrum, S. villosum, and S. americanum, could be differentiated using molecular markers, but further sub-clustering was rarely possible, and statistical support often missing. S. nigrum and S. scabrum seem to be most closely related to each other. The mainly self-pollinating African nightshades form a polyploidy series with diploid (2n = 2x = 24) to hexaploid taxa. Interploidy hybridisations between diploids an...

The present study was conducted to evaluate the pollution phytoremediation capacity and pollution tolerance of Solanum nigrum in two habitats varied in their pollution intensity with heavy metals. We investigated the relative contributions of the hyperaccumulator S. nigrum in eliminating some pollutants from agricultural soils such as Zn, Pb, Ni and Cd in Tanta and in the sewage water irrigated area at El-Gabal El-Asfar (GA) region. The study also concluded that heavy metals pollution resulted in a significant amendment in the primary and secondary metabolic pathways of the plant. The exposure of S. nigrum to heavy metals pollution in GA region resulted in a relative accumulation in soluble sugars, soluble proteins and free amino acids in the plant root, stem and leaves, but their levels in berry were to some extent inferior to those of Tanta region. In addition, the exposure of S. nigrum plants to sewage water effluents in GA region improved the accumulation of osmoprotectant and antioxidant molecules such as proline, glycine betaine, flavonoids and phenolic compounds. Moreover, the medicinally active alkaloids have accumulated in response to sewage irrigation in various organs of GA region plants comparable with those of Tanta region.

In this study, the endophytic fungal community associated with Solanum nigrum was isolated and characterized for cadmium (Cd) tolerance and host plant growth modulation under Cd contamination for the first time. In total, 42 culturable endophytic fungal isolates representing various morphotypes were isolated, among which 14 different genera of the fungal phylum Ascomycota were identified based on the analysis of the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region of the rRNA gene. Among the identified genera, Colletotrichum (18%) represented the dominant genus followed by Alternaria (14%), and Fusarium (14%). The majority of the endophytic isolates were sensitive to a lower concentration (0.5 mM) of Cd. However, Glomerella truncata PDL-1, and Phomopsis fukushii PDL-10 showed the highest tolerance to a concentration gradient of Cd (0.5⿿2 mM). Owing to the levels of Cd tolerance detected, in order to simulate a tripartite plant-microbe-metal interaction, S. nigrum plants were inoculated with PDL-1 and PDL-10 under Cd spiking of 0, 5, 15, and 25 mg kg⿿1. The results indicated that PDL-10 inoculated plants had significantly higher Cd content in shoots as well as in roots than observed in the PDL-1 inoculated plants. Additionally, irrespective of Cd stress, PDL-1 and PDL-10 inoculation significantly improved plant growth attributes such as shoot and root length, chlorophyll content, and fresh and dry shoot/root weight as compared to those of non-inoculated control plants. The results of this study highlight the possible role of fungal endophytes harbored inside S. nigrum, which has the potential to improve the efficiency of phytoremediation or phytostabilization in the cleanup of Cd-contaminated soil.

The present study aimed to evaluate the anti-ulcerogenic activities and the possible mechanisms of action of seven desert plants from different families. Conyza dioscoridis (L.) Desf. (Asteraceae), Euphorbia hirta L. (Euphorpiaceae), Origanum syriacum L., Salvia lanigera L. (Lamiaceae), Sisymbrium irio L., Solanum nigrum Linn. (Solanaceae) and Solenostemma arghel (Del.) Hayne. (Asclepiadaceae), were tested using prophylactic and curative models of absolute ethanol-induced ulcer, at three doses (125, 250 & 500mg/kg) of each extract.The investigated extracts possessed dose dependent anti-ulcerogenic activities in both models, with LD50 higher than 5g/kg. The most effective extracts were C. dioscoridis and S. irio with percent protection of control ulcer; 91.1% and 85.4% respectively. The antisecretory activity of both C. dioscoridis and S. irio appears to be mainly related to the suppression of gastrin release. The in vitro potential radical (DPPH) scavenging activities of the investigated extracts were well supported with the reduction in gastric MDA (50.6% and 43.3%) and enhancing the level of reduced GSH (2.84, 2.59mg/g tissue) for C. dioscoridis and S. irio respectively. In addition, suppression of the inflammatory mediator TNF-α may be one of the possible mechanisms of action. The alcohol extracts of C. dioscoridis and S. irio showed no alteration on liver and kidney functions. Phytochemical screening of the investigated extracts revealed the presence of flavonoids, tannins and sterols which could be related to the activities.

Current investigation conducted to evaluate the associated fungal endophyte interactions of a Cd hyper-accumulator Solanum nigrum Korean ecotype under varying concentrations of Cd. Two indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) producing fungal strains, RSF-4L and RSF-6L, isolated from the leaves of S. nigrum, were initially screened for Cd tolerance and accumulation potential. In terms of dry biomass production, the strain RSF-6L showed higher tolerance and accumulation capacity for Cd toxicity in comparison to RSF-4L. Therefore, RSF-6L was applied in vivo to S. nigrum and grown for six weeks under Cd concentrations of 0, 10, and 30mgKg-1 of dry sand. The effect of fungal inoculation assessed by plant physiological responses, endogenous biochemical regulations, and Cd profile in different tissues. Significant increase were observed in plant growth attributes such as shoot length, root length, dry biomass, leaf area, and chlorophyll contents in inoculated RSF-6L plants in comparison to non-inoculated plants with or without Cd contamination. RSF-6L inoculation decreased uptake of Cd in roots and above ground parts, as evidenced by a low bio-concentration factor (BCF) and improved tolerance index (TI). However, Cd concentration in the leaves remained the same for inoculated and non-inoculated plants under Cd spiking. Fungal inoculation protected the host plants, as evidenced by low peroxidase (POD) and polyphenol peroxidase (PPO) activities and high catalase (CAT) activity. Application of appropriate fungal inoculation that can improve tolerance mechanisms of hyper-accumulators and reduce Cd uptake can be recommended for phyto-stabilisation/immobilisation of heavy metals in crop fields.

Solanum nigrum (black nightshade) is a common short lived perennial plant found in the Kenyan highlands and worldwide in distribution. It is a small highly branched plant that rarely adopt a habit of more than a foot in height. In more than 60 countries, it is considered a weed yet it is utilized as an important medicinal or food plant in barely over 30 countries. In Kenya it is consumed as a delicious vegetable and traditional medicine with therapeutic potentials in anti-ulcer, cancer among other diseases. Such medicinal potentials have created a need to better understand anti-microbial activities of this plant. Before this study, little was known about the antimicrobial potentials of its crude leaf extract against F. oxysporum and P. syringae, this study was therefore initiated to better understand these properties in varying concentrations. Plant leaves collected from Maseno University farm were shade dried and crushed to obtain a fine powder from where leaf extracts were obtained by cold method of extraction with ethanol as the solvent, at concentration ratio of 10%, 7.5%, 5%, and 2.5%. A control experiment was set with distilled water. Disc method was used for inoculation, replication of each leaf concentration was done and the data subjected to analysis of variance (ANOVA) and means separated and compared at Least Significant Difference (LSD) at P

The results of physico-chemical analysis of pulp and paper mill effluent sedimented sludge revealed the presence of heavy metals (mg l−1) Fe (67.53), Zn (13.90), Cu (2.15), Cr (2.30), Cd (0.255), Mn (11.0), Ni (3.30), and Pb (1.05) along with persistent chlorolignin. The major persistent organic pollutants detected by GC–MS were ethane, 1,1-diethoxy; tetradecanoic acid; furane 2,5-dimethyl; n-hexadecanoic acid; nonacosane, trimethylenebis-1,3-dioxolane; 1,3-dioxolane, 2-(phynylmethyl). Twelve representative native plants were noted based on their population number growing on pulp and paper sludge and evaluated for their phytoextraction potential of heavy metals. The result revealed that Triticum aestivum was found as root accumulator for all metals except Cu. Similarly, the Brassica campestris accumulated all metals maximum in root except Ni, Fe and Pb. While, Eclipta alba accumulated majority of metals in their shoot and leaves, But Solanum nigrum, Rumex dentatus accumulated metals in root and shoot both. Rananculus scleratus accumulated all the tested metals in their aerial parts except Cd and Pb. Cammelina benghalensis accumulated metals in root except Cd, Pd. Similarly the Phragmites cummunis and Ricinus cummunis accumulated majority of metals in their shoot and leaves. It was also noted that several evaluated plant showed bioconcentration factor (BCF) greater than one for accumulated metals i.e. Pb in T. aestivum (1.285), C. benghalensis (5.142), Cannabis sativa (3.466), P. cummunis (7.180), R. cummunis (66.80) was also noted. Furthermore, greater than one translocation factor (TF) for all these plants showed strong evidence for phytoextraction and in situ remediation potential of these plants. The overall order of phytoextraction potential of native wetland plants were C. sativa > P. cummunis > C. benghalensis > T. aestivum > B. campestris > E. alba.

Heavy metal redistribution is relevant for the quality of edible crops and the suitability of hyperaccumulators for bioremediation. Root-to-shoot transfer via the xylem and redistribution in the aerial parts via the phloem differ between various heavy metals. In general, cadmium is more slowly released to the shoot than zinc (e.g., in wheat, bean, and lupin). However, rapid cadmium transport to the shoot was detected in the hyperaccumulator Solanum nigrum L. This is a key aspect in this article and might be important for bioremediation. The radionuclides 109Cd and 65Zn were used to investigate the respective influence of elevated cadmium or zinc in the root medium on the dynamics of the two heavy metals in S. nigrum. Although transport via the xylem to the leaves was similar for 109Cd and 65Zn, the further redistribution from older leaves to younger leaves, flowers, and fruits via the phloem was far less efficient for 109Cd than for 65Zn. Furthermore, the redistribution of 109Cd within the shoot was negatively influenced by increased cadmium (but not by increased zinc) concentrations in the nutrient medium. The redistribution of 65Zn in the shoot was selectively decreased by increased zinc concentrations (but generally not by cadmium).

Brown soft scale, Coccus hesperidum Linnaues (Homoptera: Coccidae) is an economically important pest on wide range of horticultural and agricultural crops. A study was carried out to determine the suitability of three host plants, black nightshade (Solanum nigrum), mandarin (Citrus reticulata) and cotton (Gossypium barbadense), for mass rearing of C. hesperidum under laboratory conditions of 25±2 °C, 65±5% RH and photoperiod of 14D:10L. C. hesperidum was able to develop and reproduce on all three host plants. However, according to developmental period, longevity and fecundity, mandarin was the best among the three host plants.

Alkaloids are common secondary metabolites found also in plants of the large family of Solanaceae, and they contribute frequently to the economic importance of these plants as food, spices, drugs, or pharmaceuticals. Matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry imaging was applied to visualize the spatial localization of the main steroidal alkaloids in diverse plant tissues of Lycopersicon esculentum, Solanum nigrum, and Solanum dulcamara. Among others, the basic aglycons, tomatidenol, tomatidine, solasodine, and soladulcine, along with their corresponding glycoalkaloids, were identified with distinct distributions within plant tissue structures and plant parts and with respect to the degree of ripeness. The alkaloids are identified by their mass and fragmentation pattern. Multivariate unsupervised principal compound analysis and the k-means clustering analysis were calculated on the basis of all peaks, automatically picked from all selected regions, with total ion count normalization resulting in characterization of the tissues and organs with respect to their chemical similarity. It can therefore be concluded that the tissue-specific localizations of alkaloids in nightshades depend upon the ripeness status and the developmental stage of the plants.

During the last 3 years, potatoes (Solanum tuberosum L.) with symptoms typical of Rhizoctonia canker and black scurf have been found in Catalonia; from 21,546 samples submitted to the official diagnostic laboratory (Laboratori de Sanitat Vegetal, DARP, Generalitat de Catalunya), 20% were infected with R. solani. Also, basidia and basidiospores of Thanatephorus cucumeris (A.B. Frank) Donk, the teleomorph of R. solani, have been observed frequently on stems near the soil surface. Previous work (1) has reported R. solani in the same geographic area, but anastomosis groups (AG) were not identified. Isolates (103) were collected from damaged roots, mature or progeny tubers, soil, debris, and weeds (roots and stem of Oxalis latifolia, Diplotaxis eurocoides, Solanum nigrum, Sorghum halepense, and Chenopodium album) in fields where potatoes were cultivated. All isolates were multinucleate, variable in number of nuclei (mean = 12, range = 7 to 19), and with morphological features typical of R. solani (3). Following the procedure of Parmeter et al. (2), all isolates (84) were identified as R. solani AG-3. Thirty-two isolates were evaluated for pathogenicity on potato plants at 20 to 25°C in the greenhouse. Germinated tubers (sprout length 3 cm) free of Rhizoctonia were placed in pea-sand mix (3:1, vol/vol; Compo Sana Universal, Barcelona, Spain) at 5-cm depth and inoculated by placing a 5-mm-diameter plug cut from 1-week-old cultures of each isolate adjacent to the sprouts. Potatoes were harvested 20 days after planting, and both emerged and nonemerged sprouts were examined for lesions and rated using a 0 to 4 scale. The AG-3 isolates caused major damage to roots and shoots (average disease rating 3.4). R. solani isolates were recovered from diseased plants and identified as AG-3. Preliminary field studies in Catalonia (Baix Llobregat and Maresme, unpublished) indicate that disease severity is not dependent on cultivar or related to yield reduction (10 to 65%), but is related to soil and seed contamination with sclerotia and mycelium. This is the first reported occurrence of R. solani AG-3 on potato in Catalonia. References: (1) Cebolla et al. Actas del III Congreso de la SECH, 1989. (2) Parmeter et al. Phytopathology 59:1270, 1969. (3) Sneh et al. Identification of Rhitzoctonia species. American Phytopathological Society, St. Paul, MN, 1991.