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Puccinia striiformis Westend. f. sp. tritici Erikss. (Pst) infects wheat and causes stripe rust. The rust is heteroecious with wheat as the primary uredinial and telial host and barberry (Berberis spp.) as the alternate pycnial and aecial host. More than 40 Berberis species have been identified as alternate hosts for Pst, and most of these are Chinese Berberis species. However, little is known about Berberis species or their geographic distributions in the Yunnan-Guizhou plateau in southwestern China. The Yunnan-Guizhou plateau is considered to be an important and relatively independent region for the evolution of the wheat stripe rust pathogen in China because the entire disease cycle can be completed within the region. In this study, we conducted a survey of barberry plants in the Yunnan-Guizhou plateau and identified the eight Pst-susceptible Berberis species under controlled conditions, including B. julianae, B. tsienii, B. veitchii, B. wilsonae, B. wilsonae var. guhtzunica, B. franchetiana, B. lepidifolia and B. pruinosa. These species are reported here for the first time to serve as alternate hosts for the wheat stripe rust pathogen under controlled conditions.

The native flora of Chile has unique characteristics due to the geographical situation of the country, with the vast desert in the North, Patagonia in the South, the Andean Mountains on the east and the Pacific Ocean on the west. This exclusivity is reflected in high concentrations of phytochemicals in the fruits and leaves of its native plants. Some examples are Aristotelia chilensis (Molina), Stuntz (maqui), Berberis microphylla G. Forst. (calafate), Peumus boldus Molina (boldo), Ribes magellanicum Poir. (Magellan currant), Ugni molinae Turcz. (murtilla), Rubus geoides Sm. (miñe miñe), Drimys winteri J.R.Forst. & G.Forst. (canelo), Luma apiculata (DC.) Burret (arrayán) distributed throughout the entire Chilean territory. Some of these Chilean plants have been used for centuries in the country's traditional medicine. The most recent studies of phytochemical characterization of parts of Chilean plants show a wide spectrum of antioxidant compounds, phenolic components, terpenoids and alkaloids, which have shown biological activity in both in vitro and in vivo studies. This manuscript covers the entire Chilean territory characterizing the phytochemical profile and reporting some of its biological properties, focusing mainly on antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, chemopreventive and cytotoxic activity, and potential against diabetes, metabolic syndrome and gastrointestinal disorders.

A new species of Berberis L. from the region of Tucuman (Argentina), locally known as “sacha mikuna”, was described as Berberis burruyacuensis. The phylogenetic position was evaluated with ITS DNA sequences, particularly with respect to Berberis mikuna Job and other Berberis species of West-South America. The autonomy of the species, beyond the observed morphological and phenological traits, was confirmed through high maximum likelihood bootstrap values and bayesian support. Moreover, a 3 nucleotides insertion, together with two transversions and one transition, characterizes B. burruyacuensis ITS1 DNA region with respect to the rest of the species of the genus. B. burruyacuensis clustered in a very interesting position, that is as an outgroup to the rest of the South American species of Berberis. This position may suggest for this species the maintenance of relatively plesiomorphic characters with respect to the rest of the clade.

Puccinia striiformis f. sp. tritici is the causal agent of wheat stripe rust that causes severe yield losses all over the world. As a macrocyclic heteroecious rust fungus, it is able to infect two unrelated host plants, wheat and barberry. Its urediniospores infect wheat and cause disease epidemic, while its basidiospores parasitize barberry to fulfill the sexual reproduction. This complex life cycle poses interesting questions on the different mechanisms of pathogenesis underlying the infection of the two different hosts. In the present study, transcriptomes of P. striiformis f. sp. tritici during the initial infection of wheat and barberry leaves were qualitatively and quantitatively compared. As a result, 142 wheat-specifically expressed genes (WEGs) were identified, which was far less than the 2,677 barberry-specifically expressed genes (BEGs). A larger proportion of evolutionarily conserved genes were observed in BEGs than that in WEGs, implying a longer history of the interaction between P. striiformis f. sp. tritici and barberry. Additionally, P. striiformis f. sp. tritici differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between wheat at 1 and 2 days postinoculation (dpi) and barberry at 3 and 4 dpi were identified by quantitative analysis. Gene Ontology analysis of these DEGs and expression patterns of P. striiformis f. sp. tritici pathogenic genes, including those encoding candidate secreted effectors, cell wall–degrading enzymes, and nutrient transporters, demonstrated that urediniospores and basidiospores exploited distinct strategies to overcome host defense systems. These results represent the first analysis of the P. striiformis f. sp. tritici transcriptome in barberry and contribute to a better understanding of the evolutionary processes and strategies of different types of rust spores during the infection process on different hosts. [Formula: see text] Copyright © 2021 The Author(s). This is an open access article distributed under the CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 International license .

Insect pollinator communities associated with the three medicinal plant species of genus Berberis (B. chitria, B. lycium and B. asiatica) were studied in and around Nainital, Western Himalaya, Utta...

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.

This paper presents the results of the field study on species composition, geographical distribution, phytocoenotic diversity and resources of crop wild relatives (CWR) in Kazakhstan's ranges of the Tien Shan Mountains. Taxa of not only cultivated genera of crops are taken into account, but also a wider range of species of high socio-economic importance, including medicinal, fodder, essential oil and other species. List of CWR includes 289 species belonging to 39 families and 145 genera. Among them, 9 species listed in the Red Data book of Kazakhstan: Pistacia vera, Rheum wittrockii, Armeniaca vulgaris, Malus sieversii, Allium pskemense, Allochrusa gypsophilloides, Sorbus sibirica, Vitis vinifera and Artemisia cina. The highest plant diversity is recorded in intermountain plains and river valleys where meadow vegetation forms a high abundance of forage and resource plants. The diversity of wild fruit plants is concentrated in gallery forests. CWR of cereals are confined to dry steppe slopes in low piedmont belt. The populations of almond, pistachio, plum and cherry were recorded at dry slopes of low mountain belt. The estimation of the raw material base for 13 resource plants is given. Only Rumex tianschanicus, Berberis sphaerocarpa are recommended for industrial harvesting; for local pharmacy chain – Mentha longifolia, Origanum vulgare, O. vulgare subsp. gracile, Ziziphora clinopodioides, Hypericum scabrum, Hypericum perforatum, and five Rosa species. Keywords: Crop wild relatives, Flora, Vegetation, Resources, Mountains, Kazakhstani Tien Shan

We, the Editor and Publisher of Journal of Plant Interactions have retracted the following article: Journal of Plant Interactions: Sajid Mehmood, Marina Sajid, Lili Huang & Zhensheng Kang (2020) Alternate hosts and their impact on genetic diversity of Puccinia striiformis f. sp. tritici and disease epidemics, Journal of Plant Interactions, 15:1, 153-165, DOI: 10.1080/17429145.2020.1771445 . The above article has been retracted as a result of the Editor and the Publisher determining, through post-publication review, that there is significant overlap with a previously published article by the same authors, Mehmood S, Sajid M, Zhao J, Huang L, Kang Z. Alternate Hosts of Puccinia striiformis f. sp. tritici and Their Role. Pathogens. 2020; 9(6):434. . We have had the full cooperation of the authors during our investigations. We have been informed in our decision-making by our policy on publishing ethics and integrity and the COPE guidelines on retractions. The retracted article will remain online to maintain the scholarly record, but it will be digitally watermarked on each page as “Retracted”.

Today, many living organisms are negatively affected by climate change and anthropogenic activities, which leads to a decrease in their numbers. One of these rare and endangered plant species is the Ili barberry (Berberis iliensis) and the Karkaraly barberry (Berberis karkaralensis). This work is devoted to the optimization study of the cultivation conditions for a rare and endangered species of Ili barberry and Karkaralinsky barberry in vitro. To obtain sterile and viable explants, the sterilizing agent was a solution of 0.5% «Domestos» (7 min). For the regeneration of the main shoot of the barberry, the optimal nutrient medium is Murashige and Skoogwith the addition of 6-benzylaminopurine- 0.5 mg/l, gibberellic acid- 1.0 mg/l, indole-3-butyric acid -0.01 mg/l, where regeneration was 80% for the Ili barberry, barberry karkaralinsky - 70%. For the multiplication of Berberis iliensis microshoots, the Quoirin & Lepoivre culture medium with the addition of 0.75 mg/l - benzylaminopurine is optimal; the number of microshoots formed was 3.6 per explant. Root formation is one of the most difficult stages in micropropagation. For the rooting of microshoots of Karkaralinsky barberry, a nutrient medium of ½ Murashige and Skoog was used with the addition of indolylbutyric acid -1.5 mg/l.

The study dealt with the patterns of adaptation of the genus Berberis L. low-abundant alien plants to the climatic conditions of the steppe zone of Ukraine. The success of the introduction, which was conducted on the territory of the Botanical Garden of Oles Honchar Dnipro National University (city of Dnipro) near 60 years ago, was evaluated by a set of indicators. According to the study of phenological rhythms, introduced plants can be characterized as plants with a relatively short growing season, a relatively long shoot growth, a short flowering period and a long maturing period. This indicates the lability of the phenological rhythms of the introduced plants, which respond to changes in environmental conditions in terms of the beginning and end of the phenological phases. The aquatic regime of introduced plants reflects the level of their adaptation to the environment due to the ability of plant organism to withstand water consumption. The study of water exchange features of Berberis L. plants revealed a moderate decrease in the intensity of transpiration and a moderate water deficit in the plant leaves, which indicates the adaptation of the species to the difficult climatic conditions of the steppe zone. The response of introduced plants to the level of moisture in the steppe region confirmed the universal mechanism of plant adaptation to arid conditions. Comparative analysis of the reproductive ability of introduced plants of the genus Berberis L. in the conditions of the Botanical Garden revealed a significant variability of quantitative indicators. The weight of 100 fruits ranged from 12.5 g (B. vulgaris) to 16.3 g (B. declinata). Seed length varied from 4.5 mm (B. canadensis) to 5.2 mm (B. declinata, B. amurensis), seed width varied from 1.8 mm (B. amurensis, B. vulgaris) to 2.1 mm (B. koreana). The highest mass of 1000 seeds was observed in the species B. koreana. To compare sample averages, the criterion for the significant difference of Tukey's group averages was used. The investigated plants of the genus Berberis L. can be recommended for the introduction into large-scale and individual gardening in order to expand the range of fruit products and obtain biologically valuable raw materials for the industrial production of functional products.

The process of invasion, naturalization, dispersion and invasive activity of non-native woody species in 5 regional floras, 5 urban floras and over 30 floras of the protected areas is discussed. It has been established that 182 non-native species out of 95 genera and 45 families are currently at different naturalization stages in the spontaneous flora of Ukraine. In terms of life-forms, they may be divided as follows: trees – 41%, shrubs – 35%, trees/shrubs – 15%, lianas – 9%. Most species spread both via seed dispersal and the vegetative way – 56%, using only seed dispersal – 42%, only the vegetative way – 2%. According to the preliminary rating of species-wise invasive activity, 71 species (40%) have naturalized completely, among them 20 invasive species, including 12 transformer species, 29 potentially invasive species, and 22 naturalized species which demonstrate no invasive tendencies. The initial stages of invasion of 111 species are as follows: introduction – 9%, survival – 36%, adaptation of the reproductive sphere – 28%, establishment, formative of local populations – 27%. In terms of dispersion, non-naturalized species are divided as follows: rare – 45%, local – 16%, sporadic – 6%, unique – 12%, spreading under control beyond collections and expositions in botanical gardens and arboretums – 21%. Twelve transformer species, the greatest threat to local diversity, are Acer negundo, Ailanthus altissima, Amorpha fruticosa, Bupleurum fruticosum, Elaeagnus angustifolia, E. rhamnoides, Fraxinus ornus, Parthenocissus quinquefolia, P. vitacea, Robinia pseudoacacia, Rhamnus alaternus, Salix × blanda and 8 invasive proper species: Berberis aquifolia, Colutea orientalis, Daphne laureola, Prunus cerasifera, P. serotina, Quercus ilex, Viburnum tinus, Vitis vinifera. The list of alien species, most widespread in 50 regions of Europe, includes Robinia pseudoacacia (42 regions), Ailanthus altissima (40), Acer negundo (38), Prunus cerasus (34), Quercus rubra (34), Rosa rugosa (34), Prunus domestica (31). The mitigation of the impacts of these species on local biodiversity is possible via the restoration of local native plant communities, land use organization, strict selection of introduced species prior to the introduction, culture of planting management, preventive measures and extending awareness and sharing of information about plant invasions. Therefore, Ukraine’s spontaneous flora is notable for the active process of naturalization of non-native woody species with considerable involvement of invasive alien species. This is the first and preliminary evaluation of the invasive activity of woody species in Ukraine’s flora. The manifestations of the global tendency of increased involvement and invasive activity of alien woody species in domestic flora have been confirmed. These conclusions are also relevant for elaborating the system of preventive, containing and mitigating measures regarding plant invasions in Ukraine.

Due to overlapping and diverse morphological characters, Berberis is among the most taxonomically complex genera. Palynology is one of the taxonomic tools for delimitation and identification of complex species. In this study, pollens of 10 Berberis species were analyzed through light and scanning electron microscopy. Qualitative as well as quantitative features (pollen shape, size, presence or absence of colpi, colpi length and width, exine thickness, ornamentation, pollen class, aperture, and polar-equatorial ratio) were measured. Five species were observed to have colpate (pantocolpate) with elongated ends, radially symmetrical, isopolar, monads, and psilate-regulate pollens. In polar view, six pollen were spheroidal, two were ovoid, one spherical, and one oblate. Similarly, variation in pollen length was prominent and the largest pollen on polar view was recorded for B. psodoumbellata 60-65 μm (62.4 ± 0.9), while the smallest one was observed for B. lycium 29-35 μm (32.2 ± 1). The observed variation in both quantitative and qualitative features were important in taxonomic identification. This shows that palynological characters are helpful in identification of Berberis genus at the species level.

One of the methods for breeding of fruit trees is the identification and selection of superior genotypes in different regions. Owing to climate changes in the recent years and the urgent need to changing the pattern of cultivation, it is essential to use adapted species to climatic conditions. Barberry is one of the plants that have been naturally grown in some areas of Isfahan province. For accessing the promising genotypes of barberry in Isfahan province, this research was carried out in the main areas of barberry growing. For this purpose, some physiological and pomological traits of about 100 barberry genotypes from different regions of Isfahan province were evaluated according to Union for the Protection of New Varieties of Plants descriptor. Evaluated traits were recorded in each year in four stages, including the physiological dormancy of the tree, the flowering, the vegetative growth of the tree as well as the ripening and harvesting time of berry stages from 2014 to 2016. According to the results, seven genotypes were selected, including Dolat Abad, Semirom, Dehaghan, Red leaf, and Evergreen genotypes as well as two wild genotypes. The results showed that the berry length ranged from 1.06 to 9 mm and the berry width ranged from 0.4 to 5.2 mm. The dried barberry per kilogram of fresh berries was between 200 and 700 g. The leaf length and leaf width of the studied genotypes were in the range 26–81 and 9–26 mm, respectively. The thorn length varied between 9 and 91 mm. The seed length and seed width were recorded in the range 0–4.5 and 0–2.6 mm, respectively. Dolat Abad and Dehaghan genotypes had the highest berry length and berry width, respectively. The most dried barberry per kilogram of fresh berries belonged to these two genotypes. Evergreen and Red leaf genotypes had the highest leaf length and leaf width, respectively. The highest seed length and seed width were observed in two wild genotypes of collected barberry. The results of correlation analysis of traits showed that tree growth vigor had a significant positive relationship with berry size, thorn length, seed length, and seed width. Berry firmness had negative correlation with berry length and berry width. On the basis of cluster analysis, genotypes were placed in three groups, so that genotypes from Dolat Abad, Semirom, and Dehaghan regions were placed in a same group. Red leaf and Evergreen genotypes with ornamental application were in another group, and two wild genotypes were also placed in the third group. Eventually, Dolat Abad, Semirom, and Dehaghan genotypes were introduced as the promising genotypes because of seedless berry with the highest berry length and berry width and the most dried barberry per kilogram of fresh berries.

The medicinal plants are utilized globally considering the cheap and chemical free source, but their correct identification and authentication is prerequisite for safety and efficacy of plant-based medicines. The present study encompassed traded medicinal plants (16) with high therapeutic value from diverse families like Brassicaceae, Berberidaceae, Malvaceae, Salicaceae, Myrtaceae, Papilionaceae, Ascelpiadaceae, Colchicaceae, Violaceae, and Vitaceae for detailed microscopic study of characters that is, morphology, pollen shape and sizes, P/E ratio, pore length and width, spine length, colpi dimensions, and exine sculpture pattern. The plants showed noteworthy differences in microscopy of Wattakaka volubilis having pollinia, translator and corpusculum like structures while pores were visible in Colchicum luteum, Alcea rosea, and Hibiscus syriacus. The spines were observed in Centipeda minima, A. rosea, and H. syriacus being dimorphic spines in A. rosea and monomorphic in H. syriacus. The exine sculpturing pattern was reticulate in mostly studied plants however distinctive exine pattern was noted in Berberis aristata and Berberis lyceum. The highest polar diameter, equatorial diameter and exine thickness among studied plants were observed in H. syriacus (161 μm), C. luteum (50 μm) and Vitis jacquemontii (1.10), respectively. Thus, microscopy of medicinal plants in addition to other taxonomic evidence offers a supportive skill in authentication, consequently utilization by local consumers and pharmaceutical industries.

Puccinia striiformis f. sp. tritici (Pst), the stripe rust pathogen infecting cereal crops and grasses, was believed to have a hemicyclic life cycle consisting of uredinial and telial stages before the recent discovery of barberry (Berberis spp.) as an alternate (aecial) host for the fungus. This discovery has improved the understanding of the biology of the stripe rust pathogen. The Himalayan and near-Himalayan regions of Pakistan, China, and Nepal are considered as the center of diversity for Pst pathogen. High genetic diversity has been reported in these areas, probably resulting from the sexual reproduction of the stripe rust fungus. To determine if Berberis species growing in Pakistan are susceptible to Pst, we collected seeds of five species and two subspecies from the Himalayan region in 2016 and inoculated the seedlings with germinated teliospores of a Pakistani Pst isolate under controlled conditions. Pycnia and aecia were produced on all inoculated plants of these species and subspecies, and were demonstrated as Pst by successful infection of wheat plants with aeciospores. This study showed that the tested Pakistani Berberis species and subspecies are susceptible to Pst under controlled conditions.

Formulation of the problem. Representatives of the genus Berberis L. (Berberidaceae Juss.) are extremely promising as valuable medicinal, melliferous, fruitful and also decorative shrubs. But rusty mushrooms (Puccinia graminis Pers.) are progressing, which are parasitizing on cereals. The danger forgrowing cereal crops, barberries have when some of their species are growing close to the field. The aim of the study was an estimation of risk of growth rusty mushroom on cultivated species of barberries, that gave a possibility to detect the most stable to such diseases species and to recommend them for using in decorative landscaping or in plantations of raw materials. 30 species of barberries, which arecultivating in botanical garden Yurii Fedkovych Chernivtsi National University, were exploring during 2014-2018. The growth of rusty mushrooms on barberries was studied by degree of affected leaves. The analysisof weather indicator from April-May confirmed dependence from their active germination taleotospores Puccinia graminis and formation of basidiyas with basidiospores by period of outsight. The intensity of affection barberries leaves by rusty mushrooms is comparatively not high and isn’t over 12-15 %. Also 8 species of barberries are detected as absolutely resistant against rusty mushrooms, so that there were no features of affection on them. If we compare these indicators with information about origin of separate species barberries, we can mark that the most resistant to rusty mushrooms are species, which are originate from South China (East Asian) region. Most of them didn’t have any features of affection by rusty mushrooms in all period of outsight at all (5 years). The biggest affection from rusty mushrooms was noticed in species of barberries which come from the Himalayas, Central Asia and Europe. Therefore, in planning barberries cultivations it is expedient to consider the origin of separate species and accordingly determine risks of their introduction in culture. We excreted 3 groups of species among barberries by degree of fortitude to rusty mushrooms: 1. Completely resistant species, which don’t affect by rusty mushrooms in different weather conditions: (B. beaniana, B. brachypoda, B. dasystachya, B. dielsiana, B. gagnepainii, B. gilgiana, B. holstii, B. thunbergii) – 8 species; 2. Relatively resistant species, the level of affection of rusty mushrooms not more than 10 % of leaf surface (B. аetnensis, B. аggregata, B. аngulosa, B. сircumserrata, B. lycium, B. oblonga, B. orthobotrys, B.spathulata) – 8 spesies; 3. Unstable to rusty mushrooms species in which the affection is more than 10% of leaf surface (B. аemulans, B. аlksuthiensis, B. аmurensis, B. аristata, B. сoreana, B. dielsiana, B. edgeworthiana, B. giraldii, B. integerrima, B. laxiflora, B. notabilis, B. regeliana, B. reticulata, B. vulgaris) – 14 species. As we can see from the table, the intensity of growth rusty mushrooms on the barberry’s leaves are changing the separate years. The literature confirms that the activity of dissemination taleotospores, development of mushroom hyphae with formation basidiyas and basidiospores, also dissemination the last one depends on weather conditions of April-May, that is the period when they are progressing and carrying by wind and insects affecting barberries leaves. We compared the indicators of affection leaves with average indicators of total average daily temperaturesand precipitations in April-May by the period of observation, and between them had been detected certain dependence. The degree of rusty mushroom growth on barberries leaves was detected proportional to dynamics of increase middle-daily temperatures of air and inversely proportional to increasing amount of precipitation at this period. The most dangerous for cereal fields are higher named completely resistant species barberries from the first group, which we can introduce in culture for different purpose: decorative landing, plantations of medical, nutritional or melliferous purpose. Some limitationsare expedient in planning cultures with groups of relatively resistant species (the second group), which don’t have to grow close to the cereal fields. In our opinion, the sufficient barrier for them can be a protective zone with woods 10-15 meters wide. At last, unstable to rusty mushrooms species of barberries (the third group), we can grow nearby the cereal fields just in forestry environment (woods and shrubs), which must be 50-100 m wide or to cultivate them where will be no growing cereals. In conclusion. Thereby, in terms of wet and warm climate in Chernivtsi region the cultivation of most barberries (16 species of the first and second group) don’t make any significant threat for growing cereals even when the last one are close to these cultures.

Berberis laurina (Berberidaceae) is a well-known medicinal plant used in traditional medicine since ancient times, however, it is scarcely studied to a large-scale fingerprint. This work presents a broad-range fingerprints determination through high-resolution magical angle spinning (HR-MAS) nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy, a well-established flexible analytical method and one of most powerful &ldquo, omics&rdquo, platforms. It had been intended to describe a large range of chemical compositions in all plant parts. Beyond that, HR-MAS NMR allowed the direct investigation of botanical material (leaves, stems, and roots) in their natural, unaltered states, preventing molecular changes. The study revealed 17 metabolites, including caffeic acid, and berberine, a remarkable alkaloid from the genus Berberis L. The metabolic pattern changes of the leaves in the course of time were found to be seasonally dependent, probably due to the variability of seasonal and environmental trends. This metabolites overview is of great importance in understanding plant (bio)chemistry and mediating plant survival and is influenceable by interacting environmental means. Moreover, the study will be helpful in medicinal purposes, health sciences, crop evaluations, and genetic and biotechnological research.

Gramineous grasses are a large group of species, many of which act as accessory (secondary) host for a large number of rust fungi, including devastating rust pathogens of cereals. Among the rust fungi, some are known to be heteroecious and have a complete macrocyclic life cycle with five types of spores on distinct plant species, but for many others the complete life cycle is unknown. Puccinia achnatheri-sibirici, a rust fungus infecting grasses in the genus Achnatherum, has been known for only its uredinial and telial stages; however, the other (pycnial and aecial) stages have not been identified. In this study, we demonstrate that P. achnatheri-sibirici is a heteroecious, macrocyclic fungus with the sexual stage on barberry (Berberis spp.) through inoculation. Pycnia and aecia were successively produced on the inoculated barberry plants. Inoculation of Achnatherum extremiorientale leaves with aeciospores produced yellow-orange uredinia with high infection types, whereas inoculation of wheat variety Mingxian 169, highly susceptible to Puccinia striiformis f. sp. tritici which causes stripe rust on wheat, produced chlorotic flecks but no uredinia. The ITS sequence analysis of P. achnatheri-sibirici did not match with any sequence in the NCBI database and had the highest homology with 94% compared to Puccinia brachypodii and Puccinia aizazii. Observations of the uredinial, telial, and basidial stages on A. extremiorientale and pycnial and aecial stages on Berberis shensiana using light and scanning electron microscopes revealed its characteristics. Morphological characteristics of urediniospores and teliospores are most similar with those of P. achnatheri-sibirici described in the literature. This study proved (1) the life cycle of P. achnatheri-sibirici as heteroecious and macrocyclic and the alternate host as barberry; (2) the description of life stages in the sexual cycle, especially the morphologies of aecial, pycnial, and basidial stages; and (3) the expansion of knowledge on the rust flora on barberry.

Seedless barberry (Berberis vulgaris L. var. asperma) is cultivated in arid and semi-arid areas of Iran. It is widely used as a food additive. Thirty-nine morphological characteristics were evaluat...

The authors have fixed organogenesis and ontogenesis features of 29 Berberis species at culture (Chernivtsi region). Genus Berberis L. of Berberidaceae Juss. family conyains nearly 175 species and has various vital forms such as trees, shrubs and perennial grasses. They are common in Europe, North Africa, North and South America, Middle Asia and Caucasus. The center of its genus area is China-Tibet plant-climate region. There is only one species in Ukraine, Berberis vulgaris L., which grows in Crimean Mountains, the Dnepr and the Dnister valleys. We have discovered the differences in special age periods of development and common ontogenesis durability of this species. We have also distinguished three periods in barbarizes ontogenesis: virgin (from sprout till definitive stage), generative (sexual) and old. Virgin period of B. vulgaris lasts from two to three years of most introduced species. Generative period begins with the first flowering of these plants (B. vulgaris – on the third, introduced species – on the fourth year). Flowering and fruiting intensity depends on the year weather within the limits of 25–30 %. We have analyzed winter resistance and reproductive capabilities of this species. First signs of old could be fixed at 10–12 year of axial shoots; they finished flowering and after 2–4 year died off fully. But in general barbarizes ontogenesis continues for 60–80 years in general. We have distinguished some specific peculiarities of seasonal development depending on geographical origin. The authors have also determined potential possibilities at flowering and fruiting phases of barbarizes in culture, analyzed those nectars and fruiting productions, which would be at household use (beekeeping, foodstuff, treatment). As a result of forged investigations we have defined 3 groups of species, which will be perspective for cultivation in Bukovina climatic conditions. Our recommendations for barbarizes in culture are as follows: these plants are the best for hedges, borders and decorative groups among flowerbeds or lawns, for planting near lakes or glades. They can be used for honeyed, medical and food-producing plantation as well.

Biogenic volatile organic compound (BVOC) is an important part of forest healthcare effect, while it has not received enough attention in urban greenspace construction. Consequently, the aim of this study was to analyze BVOC emission rates and compositions released from leaves and flowers of landscape species in urban greenspace and to make suggestions for species selection and planting configuration in urban greenspace construction. BVOC emissions were collected and analyzed using dynamic flow enclosure technique with GC-MS in summer months (for leaf) and spring months (for flower) from 14 woody landscape species in northern China, which are 2 coniferous species (Pinus tabuliformis and Sabina vulgaris) and 12 broad-leaved species (Viburnum opulus, Kolkwitzia amabilis, Philadelphus pekinensis, Lonicera maackii, Cercis chinensis, Deutzia parviflora, Berberis thunbergia, Kerria japonica, Rosa xanthina, Syringa oblata, Syringa reticulata, and Cerasus serrulata). We found leaf emission rates of coniferous species were more than 20 μg∙g−1Dw∙h−1 and mainly consisted of monoterpenes, while that of sampled broad-leaved species were less than 10 μg∙g−1Dw∙h−1 and mainly consisted of fatty acid derivatives. Most broad-leaved species had relatively high emission rates of flowers, ranging from 15 to 115 μg∙g−1Dw∙h−1. Flower emissions of Syringa oblata and Syringa reticulata contained large amounts of aldehydes, and that of other broad-leaved species mainly contained terpenes, alcohols, and esters. We suggest the species with leaves that release large amounts of monoterpenes, and species with flowers that release large amounts of fragrant compounds are classified as healthcare species, while species with a dense crown and low emission rates of pungent compounds are classified as space-creation species. Based on this, planners could design urban greenspace with healthcare effects, and develop multi-functional, innovative, and sustainable urban greenspaces.

In the present research work the ecological community study was carried out of District Lower Dir Laram Timargara Khyber Pakhtun Khwa Pakistan. Salvia-Cynodon-Berberiscommunity (SCB). This community comprises a total of 24 plants species. Among these 16 are herbaceous plants, 8 are shrubby plants, while there is no single tree species found in this community. The community is dominated by Salvia moocruftianaWall, Cynodon dactylonand Berberis lyceum. The Species richness (S.R) is 1.31055873, similarity index (S.I) is 33.33333 and its Maturity index (M.I) is 49.Verbascum-Buddleja-Cotoneastercommunity (VBC).This community comprises a total of 23 plants species. Among these 10 are herbaceous, 8 are shrubby plants, while the remaining 5 plants are tree species. The community is dominated by Verbascum thapsus, Buddleja crispa and Cotoneaster nummularia.Species richness (S.R) of the community is 1.499237, similarity index (S.I) is 30.188679while its Maturity index (M.I) is 46.Cyperus-Calotropis-Ziziphuscommunity (CCZ).This community comprises a total of 32 plants species. Among these 20 are herbaceous, 8 are shrubby plants, while the remaining 5 plants are tree species. The community is dominated by Cypres rotundus, Calotropis procera and Cotoneaster nummularia. The Spcies richness (S.R) of the community is 1.146771, similarity index (SI) is 24.39024 and its Maturity index (M.I) is 58.3783. The aim of the present study to explore the flora of Laram Timargara Mountains.

Many woody plant species that originate from various regions of the world have been introduced in other regions or continents and are used in ornamental gardening, silviculture, erosion control, for fruit sources or other purposes. Woody plants selected for introduction usually originate from regions with similar climate conditions; therefore, after certain time lag they start to spread outside places of cultivation, become naturalized or even invasive. In addition to 77 woody alien plant species reported in Lithuania, ten new species were recorded and analysed in this paper. Information on the native and anthropogenic ranges, first record in Lithuania, size of populations, habitats, reproduction and naturalization of Aralia elata, Berberis thunbergii, Caragana frutex, Celastrus orbiculatus, Cornus alba, Cytisus austriacus, Hydrangea arborescens, Pinus strobus, Rhus typhina and Thuja occidentalis is presented. All these species have been introduced intentionally and are used mainly in ornamental gardening. Three of the reported species, Berberis thunbergii, Hydrangea arborescens and Thuja occidentalis, currently are casual species. Remaining seven species were recognized as naturalized in Lithuania, and five of these, i.e. Aralia elata, Celastrus orbiculatus, Cornus alba, Pinus strobus and Rhus typhina as well as Berberis thunbergii, which currently is treated as a casual, have very high or high probability of getting invasive. Constant survey of potential habitats, detection of new escaped alien plants, particularly of trees and shrubs, is the best way to reveal potentially dangerous species and make timely decisions for their control or eradication, if necessary., Daug sumedėjusių augalų, kilusių iš įvairių pasaulio regionų, buvo introdukuota kituose žemynuose arba regionuose ir auginama dėl jų dekoratyviųjų savybių, sodinama miškuose, naudojama erozijai stabdyti, auginama maisto gamybai ar kitais tikslais. Introdukuoti atrinkti medžiai ir krūmai paprastai būna kilę iš regionų su panašiomis klimato sąlygomis, todėl po tam tikro laiko jie ima plisti iš auginimo vietų, natūralizuojasi arba netgi tampa invaziniais. Anksčiau Lietuvoje buvo užregistruoti 77 rūšių sulaukėję medžiai ir krūmai. Šiame straipsnyje pateikiami duomenys apie 10 naujai Lietuvoje aptiktų medžių ir krūmų rūšių savaiminį paplitimą, jų antropogeninį arealą, nurodoma, kada jie Lietuvoje pirmą kartą užregistruoti sulaukėję, aptariamas populiacijų dydis, buveinės, dauginimasis ir natūralizacija. Straipsnyje aprašyti sulaukėję sumedėjusieji augalai: Aralia elata, Berberis thunbergii, Caragana frutex, Celastrus orbiculatus, Cornus alba, Cytisus austriacus, Hydrangea arborescens, Pinus strobus, Rhus typhina ir Thuja occidentalis. Trijų rūšių augalai (Berberis thunbergii, Hydrangea arborescens ir Thuja occidentalis) dabar laikomi atsitiktinai sulaukėjusiais, o kitų septynių rūšių sumedėjusieji augalai Lietuvoje yra natūralizavęsi. Yra labai didelė arba didelė tikimybė, kad šešių rūšių naujai aptikti sumedėję augalai (Aralia elata, Berberis thunbergii, Celastrus orbiculatus, Cornus alba, Pinus strobus ir Rhus typhina) gali pradėti sparčiai plisti Lietuvoje ir tapti invaziniais. Labai svarbu nuolat vykdyti potencialių svetimžemių augalų buveinių tyrimus, kad būtų galima kuo anksčiau nustatyti sulaukėjusius arba atsitiktinai patekusius svetimžemius augalus, ypač medžius ir krūmus, laiku įvertinti jų galimą pavojų ir, esant reikalui, imtis jų kontrolės ir naikinimo priemonių.

An extensive literature search was performed to review current knowledge about endophytic fungi isolated from plants included in the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) dossier. The selected genera of plants were Acacia, Albizia, Bauhinia, Berberis, Caesalpinia, Cassia, Cornus, Hamamelis, Jasminus, Ligustrum, Lonicera, Nerium, and Robinia. A total of 120 fungal genera have been found in plant tissues originating from several countries. Bauhinia and Cornus showed the highest diversity of endophytes, whereas Hamamelis, Jasminus, Lonicera, and Robinia exhibited the lowest. The most frequently detected fungi were Aspergillus, Colletotrichum, Fusarium, Penicillium, Phyllosticta, and Alternaria. Plants and plant products represent an inoculum source of several mutualistic or pathogenic fungi, including quarantine pathogens. Thus, the movement of living organisms across continents during international trade represents a serious threat to ecosystems and biosecurity measures should be taken at a global level.

Leaf and shoot characteristics of the following four European barberry taxa from the Balkan Peninsula and Sicily were investigated in the present study: Berberis croatica, B. vulgaris, B. aetnensis and B. cretica. Analyses were based on 10 populations of B. croatica, five of B. vulgaris and two populations of both B. aetnensis and B. cretica. Populations were randomly selected within the natural distribution area of these species. Eight leaf traits, three shoot traits and the blade length/width ratio were analysed. Multivariate analysis (principal component analysis, canonical discriminant analysis and cluster analysis) distinguished B. cretica and B. aetnensis populations and, to a lesser extent, the populations of B. croatica and B. vulgaris. ANOVA showed that the analysed populations of both B. aetnensis and B. cretica were homogeneous within the species. All populations of both B. croatica and B. vulgaris showed different degrees of intraspecies variability. Lack of complete separation, the observed grouping of populations and high intraspecies variability in B. vulgaris and B. croatica may reflect the fact that the sampled B vulgaris and B.croatica populations were located at environmentally variable sites (unlike B. aetnensis and B. cretica), resulting in high phenotypic plasticity in those populations. Even though the observed patterns of morphological variation support the idea of four barberry taxa on the Balkan Peninsula and in Sicily, because of suspected adaptive phenotypic plasticity of the analysed Berberis taxa, the true taxonomic status of these taxa needs to be additionally confirmed by molecular methods.

Taxonomy of the genus Berberis is quite complex, due to overlapping morphological characters, making it very difficult to differentiate the species within the genus. In order to resolve this taxonomic complexity, the foliar anatomy of 10 Berberis L. species was carried out, for the first time from Pakistan, using light microscopy (LM). Significant variation in terms of epidermal cells shape, size, cell wall pattern, and stomata type was observed. B. baluchistanica has the largest epidermal cells, Adaxial: length = 45-(53.9 ± 3.6)-62.5 μm; and width = 22.5-(26.3 ± 1.3)-30 μm; Abaxial: length = 37.5-(43.25 ± 2.5)-50 μm; and width = 20-(22.6 ± 0.8)-25. The highest number of stomata was observed in B. glaucocarpa as 62 on the abaxial surface while the lowest number of stomata was recorded in B. baluchistanica as 8 on the adaxial surface. Of 10 investigated species, 6 possess anomocytic type stomata, while 2 species that is, B. aitchisonii and B. parkeriana have both anomocytic and anisocytic stomata while B. baluchistanica and B. calliobotrys have only paracytic type stomata. The highest number of cells per unit area was present on the adaxial surface of B. calliobotrys ranging from 245-(252.4)-260 followed by B. parkeriana with 209-(227.8)-250 on the abaxial surface. Stomatal index (SI) also varied considerably and was the lowest (2.6) percentage in B. baluchistanica and highest (31.9) percentage in B. kunawurensis. A taxonomic key based on micro-morphological characters is provided for species identification.

Ethnopharmacological relevance: Patagonia is the southernmost part of the South American continent including Chile and Argentina. Berries and wild fruits have been gathered by the native Patagonians as food and medicine for over 14,000 years. The economic potential of the native berries as health promoting and relevant sources of bioactive substances has become apparent with several studies in the last decades. Aim of study: This work aims to provide an insight into the ethnohistorical records of wild edible fruits from Patagonia starting with the archeobotanical studies to the contemporary use of the resources. The chemical and bioactivity studies on the native fruits are presented and discussed. Methodology: A search of electronic databases including Scopus, Scielo, Google Scholar, PubMed, ScienceDirect and SciFinder, as well as hand-search was carried out to perform an integrative review on the native Patagonian berries. Results: The use of native berries as food and medicine by the ancient hunter-gatherer societies can be traced back to the early occupation of Patagonia. The same species used in prehistoric times are still used as food by the contemporary population in this area. Chemical and bioactivity studies have reported remarkable activities in several of the native berries, including calafate (Berberis spp.), native strawberry (Fragaria chiloensis), currants (Ribes spp.), Patagonian raspberries (Rubus spp.) and maqui (Aristotelia chilensis) fruits. The increasing demand for maqui and calafate led to the selection of varieties for commercial production. The fruit constituents show strong antioxidant and inhibitory effect towards enzymes associated with metabolic syndrome, including α-amylase, α-glucosidase and lipase. Some berry constituents exert anti-inflammatory effects in vitro. The phytochemicals identified include a wide array of phenolics of different structural skeletons. Changes in composition and bioactivity after simulated gastric and intestinal digestion, as well as colonic fermentation, have been reported in some Patagonian species. Conclusions: Patagonian berries are a relevant source of bioactive compounds with several health promoting properties. The long tradition of use and the interest of the population for their consumption has led to the development of some of this fruits as new potential crops. The ethnobotanical evidence shows a shared knowledge among the different indigenous communities on plant uses according to the local resources, and an integration of the ancient knowledge into the contemporary society. Other species are being investigated to get a more complete picture of the food and medicinal plants from Patagonia. Fil: Schmeda Hirschmann, Guillermo. Universidad de Talca; Chile Fil: Jiménez Aspee, Felipe. Universidad de Talca; Chile Fil: Theoduloz, Cristina. Universidad de Talca; Chile Fil: Ladio, Ana Haydee. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Patagonia Norte. Instituto de Investigaciones en Biodiversidad y Medioambiente. Universidad Nacional del Comahue. Centro Regional Universidad Bariloche. Instituto de Investigaciones en Biodiversidad y Medioambiente; Argentina. Universidad Nacional del Comahue. Centro Regional Universitario Bariloche. Laboratorio de Ecotono; Argentina

Barberry (Berberis spp.) is an alternate host for both the stripe rust pathogen, Puccinia striiformis f. sp. tritici (Pst), and the stem rust pathogen, P. graminis f. sp. tritici (Pgt), infecting wheat. Infection risk was assessed to determine whether barberry could be infected by either of the pathogens in Asia and Southeastern Europe, known for recurring epidemics on wheat and the presence of barberry habitats. For assessing infection risk, mechanistic infection models were used to calculate infection indices for both pathogens on barberry following a modeling framework. In East Asia, Bhutan, China, and Nepal were found to have low risks of barberry infection by Pst but high risks by Pgt. In Central Asia, Azerbaijan, Iran, Kazakhstan, southern Russia, and Uzbekistan were identified to have low to high risks of barberry infection for both Pst and Pgt. In Northwest Asia, risk levels of both pathogens in Turkey and the Republic of Georgia were determined to be high to very high. In Southwest Asia, no or low risk was found. In Southeastern Europe, similar high or very high risks for both pathogens were noted for all countries. The potential risks of barberry infection by Pst and/or Pgt should provide guidelines for monitoring barberry infections and could be valuable for developing rust management programs in these regions. The framework used in this study may be useful to predict rust infection risk in other regions.

Barberries as undemanding shrubs with high aesthetic value are often planted in city parks and street greeneries. However, severe urban environment combined with climate change puts pressure on these plants in terms of their ability to cope with drought. In order to avoid plantation fall-offs, a common garden experiment was carried out on the drought tolerance of two Asian barberry species, namely Hooker's barberry (Berberis hookeri Lem.) and warty barberry (Berberis verruculosa Hemsl. and Wils.). Higher leaf relative water content, postponed but more sensitive stomatal closure (decrease in stomatal conductivity for water) as well as osmotic adjustment (free proline accumulation) and antioxidant defence onset (total antioxidant activity of the hydrophilic phase), and faster photosynthetic pigment decomposition in Hooker's barberry transplants compared to warty barberry, point to better water management and advanced protection of leaf structures in this species under limited soil moisture. Moreover, warty barberry plants with half total leaf area suffered from drought earlier, because of enhanced soil water loss through evaporation. Thus, Hooker's barberry can be taken as more drought tolerant than its counterpart, therefore making it more suitable for plantings in areas that are prone to this environmental constraint.

Two new prenylated flavonoids, thunbergiols A (1) and B (2), along with three known compounds, chrysin (3), quercetin (4) and berberine (5) were obtained from the methanolic extract of roots of Berberis thunbergii DC. MS, NMR and other spectroscopic techniques were employed for their structural characterisation.

Barberry is a valuable medicinal plant that belongs to family Berberidaceae. In the current research, phenotypic variations of 34 individuals of wild barberry (Berberis integerrima) were evaluated. Significant phenotypic diversity was detected between the studied accessions based on morphological traits. Significant correlations were found for variables related to seed and berry, so that seed quantity, seed width, seed weight and seed length were positively correlated with berry quantity, berry weight, skin bloom and berry length, respectively. Leaf length was in significant positive correlation with berry shape, berry skin bloom, seed length, and seed weight and in negative correlation with seed quantity. Principal component analysis showed that 77.75 % of the phenotypic variability was explained by all components for the studied individuals. Variables such as seed length, width and weight, berry length and weight, spine length, leaf length, berry quantity, and seed quantity were predominant in the first three components and contributed most of the total variation. The present results have an important implication for characterization, improvement and conservation of barberry germplasm.

Due to a growing concern for black stem rust (BSR) disease in wheat-producing regions of the USA and Canada, the sale and movement of barberry plants to ‘quarantined’ regions is restricted to just a few cultivars approved as being BSR-resistant. Currently, verification of a given barberry plant as being ‘true-to-type’ of the approved cultivar relies on comparing its morphological features with those of its reference cultivar. Frequently, this approach leads to mis-identification of cultivars due to the similarity of morphological features among young plants. The approach is complicated, or not at all useful, when the plants are dormant, which is the stage at which plants are sold. A reliable technique that could be used at any stage of plant growth to identify and verify cultivars is needed. In this study, the genetic diversity of 51 barberry cultivars was assessed using microsatellite markers, and their genotypic profiles were developed based on the allele composition of different microsatellite ...

Previous studies on the relationship of barberry (Berberis spp.) and wheat stem rust suggested that, although some barberry species can serve as alternate hosts for the stem rust fungus Puccinia graminis f. sp. tritici, barberry plants play no role in wheat stem rust development and virulence variation of P. graminis f. sp. tritici in China. In the present study, severe rust infections on Berberis shensiana, B. brachypoda, B. potaninii, B. soulieana, and B. aggregata were observed during field surveys in 2011 and 2012. Through artificial inoculation of wheat seedlings (‘Mingxian 169’) under greenhouse conditions with aeciospores from naturally infected barberry plants, 185 isolates of P. graminis f. sp. tritici were obtained. From the 27 selected isolates that were tested on a set of wheat genotypes used to differentiate P. graminis f. sp. tritici races in China, 18 races were identified, of which 8 races were new and others were of Chinese 21 and 34 race groups. In addition to the information of virulence or avirulence patterns on the Chinese differentials, none of the races were virulent to resistance gene Sr31. The virulence frequencies based on individual Sr genes or differentials ranged from 0 to 96%. Using molecular markers for P. graminis f. sp. tritici, 75 of 4,036 samples of single aecia were identified as P. graminis f. sp. tritici. The low detectable rate of P. graminis f. sp. tritici was verified based on both infection and molecular marker tests. This observation may be correlated with the low levels of wheat stem rust in the surveyed regions. This study shows that P. graminis f. sp. tritici can produce new races through sexual reproduction on Berberis spp. in China.

The stripe rust pathogen Puccinia striiformis f. sp. tritici frequently causes significant yield losses in China, due to rapid development of new races that overcome resistance in wheat cultivars. Indirect evidence suggests that sexual reproduction occurs in the P. striiformis f. sp. tritici population in China but direct evidence was still lacking. In this study, a large-scale survey of barberry (Berberis spp.) was conducted in Gansu, Shaanxi, Tibet, and Xinjiang provinces in western China. In total, 9,297 single-aecial (SA) samples were used to inoculate a susceptible wheat cultivar to identify samples of P. striiformis f. sp. tritici. Sixteen of the SA samples were identified as P. striiformis f. sp. tritici. When tested on the wheat differentials for identifying P. striiformis f. sp. tritici races, 15 of the 16 SA samples had different virulence patterns, indicating that they were sexually produced through barberry. From the 16 SA samples, 118 single-uredinium (SU) isolates were obtained, from which 88 virulence patterns were identified when tested on 17 Yr single-gene lines. The virulence patterns had relatively narrow virulence spectra, ranging from 0 to 9, with a mean of four virulences per SU isolates. Of the 17 Yr genes, no virulences were detected for Yr5, Yr10, and Yr15; virulences to YrTr1, Yr24, and Yr27 were extremely low (

Mycological Progress, 6 (1), ISSN:1617-416X, ISSN:1861-8952

Berberis lycium Royle (Kashmal) belongs to Berberidaceae family and it has a small edible purple berry. It is grown wildly grown in Himalaya. The berry anthocyanins were characterised by HPLC coupled to a photodiode array (PDA) and mass spectrophotometer (MS) detectors. Twelve anthocyanins were identified in the purified extract of berberis berry. Two anthocyanins delphinidin-3-glucoside (35.3 %) and cyanidin-3-glucoside (47.2 %) were characterized as major components. Ten minor anthocyanins were Cyanidin-3-lathyroside (0.08 %), Cyanidin-3-rutinoside (0.53 %), Cyanidin-3-galactoside (1.62 %), Pelargonidin-3-pentoxilhexoside (2.26 %), Malvidin-3,5-dihexoside (4.21 %), Pelargonidin-hexoside (0.58 %), Pelargonidin- 3,5-diglucoside (1.05 %), Cyanidin-3,5-dihexoside (6.12 %), peonidin-3-rutinoside (0.77 %), pelargonidin-3-rutinoside (0.22 %). Apart from anthocyanins, six phenolics were also identified as chlorogenic acid, coumaric acid, caffeic acid, syringic acid, vanillic acid and quercetin. Antioxidant activity evaluated by DPPH assay revealed IC50 value of anthocyanin was 25.3 μg ml(-1). FRAP and CUPRAC assay also gave significant antioxidant activity. MTT assay gave the absorbance of 0.53 at 250 μg ml(-1). It may be concluded that the wild berry should be exploited as a source of nutraceuticals for its constitutive phenolics and its activity.

The edible berries of three plants indigenous to the Tibetan plateau, namely Nitraria tangurorum B. (NTB), Hippophae rhamnoides L. (HRL) and Berberis dasystachya M. (BDM), have been used for medicinal purposes for a long time. For these three berries that occur in the wild, it is important to understand the differences between the content and biological activity of their seed oils. Therefore, this study was designed in order to determine the total polyphenol content (TPC), carotenoid content (TCC), steroid content (TSC) and fatty acid composition of seed oils obtained from these three berries, using standard analytical methods. In addition, in vivo anti-fatigue activity of three seed oils were investigated using forced swimming mice. Free radical scavenging activity and antioxidant capacity were estimated using different assays. The results indicated that seed oil of these three berries contained a variety of active compounds. BDM seed oil showed a higher TPC concentration of 281.61 ± 19.06 µg/g compared to the other berries; HRL seed oil showed a higher TSC concentration of 329.06 ± 16.53 µg/g compared to the other berries. The total content of polyunsaturated fatty acids in seed oils from the three berries was found to be 331.6, 342.91 and 305.39 µg/mL for NBT, HRL, and BDM, respectively. The antioxidant assay results indicated that the seed oil obtained from HRL was significantly more active in scavenging free radicals compared to the other seed oils. Therefore, the results indicate that such seed oil supplements could prevent lipid oxidation in forced swimming mice.

Berberis aristata, an endangered plant, is an important component in different medicinal formulations. The low seed germination rate coupled with fructification at high altitudes during the rainy season makes the task of seed collection difficult. In order to increase the yield of relevant plant material for medicinal and conservation purposes, an efficient in vitro regeneration protocol is important. Regeneration of endangered B. aristata from leaf-derived callus may offer an efficient alternative to natural propagation through seeds. When compared with nodal segments taken from in vitro-germinated seedlings and inoculated onto the same medium, leaf-derived callus was found to be better for shoot induction and multiplication. In optimization experiments, the rate of shoot multiplication from leaf-derived callus was increased from 17.6 ± 0.6 to 26.5 ± 0.2 shoots per callus by supplementing Woody Plant (WP) medium with 0.5 μM thidiazuron (TDZ) in place of 8.88 μM benzyladenine (BA) + 2.68 μM naphthalene acetic acid (NAA). Although shoot length was decreased when using TDZ, this could be alleviated by gibberellic acid (GA3) treatment. Rooting was achieved on half-strength WP medium supplemented with indole butyric acid (IBA) in either a one- or two-step rooting method. The two-step rooting procedure was found to be superior; under the best overall conditions, 55.6 ± 2.1% of plantlets formed roots within 25.7 ± 0.3 d. Well-rooted plantlets were successfully established in earthen pots under greenhouse conditions, with a 61.1% survival rate. This procedure is suitable for large-scale production of plants via in vitro propagation for this endangered plant species.

Until recently, it was thought that Berberis thunbergii (Japanese Barberry), a non-native invasive plant that has become particularly widespread in certain regions of New Jersey, benefited from a lack of herbivorous defoliators. However, in 2007 extensive defoliation was documented across a wide geographical distribution in New Jersey, calling this assumption into question. We tested whether Japanese Barberry was negatively affected by partial defoliation by manually clipping 50% or 100% of leaves on current-year stems on small and large plants in the summer of 2008. We found almost no impact of defoliation on growth, carbon storage, or leaf-level physiology for either treatment. We noted some differences between large and small plants, but these were not related to defoliation treatments. Our results suggest that, even in the presence of herbivory, Japanese Barberry is capable of maintaining growth and carbon reserves, thus making it an effective competitor for resources.