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.

Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) are known to improve plant growth and nutrition and therefore are likely to affect the competitive relationships between crops and weeds. In this study, we evaluated whether AMF (Funneliformis mosseae, Rhizoglomus fasciculatum, Rhizoglomus intraradices) change plant competition between Phaseolus vulgaris and the weeds Solanum nigrum L., Digitaria sanguinalis L., and Ipomoea purpurea L. Mycorrhizal colonization, aggressivity index, photosynthetic rates, and yield parameters were measured. While the presence of AMF reduced the total biomass of D. sanguinalis and S. nigrum when grown in competition with P. vulgaris, it increased the total biomass of I. purpurea when grown with P. vulgaris. Significantly, elevated mycorrhizal growth responses (38-44%) improved the competitive ability of I. purpurea. In contrast, the competitive ability of S. nigrum was increased only when plants colonized by R. intraradices. The total protein content of P. vulgaris pods when in competition was negatively affected by AMF, thus leading to low nutritional quality. The results suggest that AMF have the potential to affect the outcome of weed-P. vulgaris competition. We demonstrate that not only colonization with AMF but also AMF species can affect the competitive relationships between crops and weeds, and thus, AMF represent key soil organisms to be taken into account in sustainable weed management strategies.

Virus-like symptoms, including leaf deformation and curling, were observed on nightshade (Solanum nigrum) in Zhejiang Province, China. To identify possible pathogenic viruses or viroids, a symptomatic sample was subjected to deep sequencing of small interfering RNAs. Assembly of the resulting sequences led to identification of a novel geminivirus, provisionally designated nightshade curly top virus (NCTV). The complete genomic DNA sequence is 2,867 nucleotides and encodes seven open reading frames. NCTV shares 77.1% overall nucleotide sequence identity, 86.3% coat protein amino acid identity, and 78.9% replication-associated protein amino acid sequence identity with Tomato pseudo-curly top virus, a member of the genus Topocuvirus. PCR screening of nightshade field isolates indicated that NCTV is widely distributed in Zhejiang. Agrobacterium-mediated inoculation revealed that NCTV is highly infectious to Nicotiana benthamiana, S. nigrum, S. lycopersicum, and S. tuberosum. Based on pairwise comparisons and phylogenetic analyses, NCTV is proposed as a provisional member of the genus Topocuvirus.

BACKGROUND: Diaphorina citri is a vector of ‘Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus’ (CLas), which is associated with citrus huanglongbing (HLB). In this study, the adaptability and CLas titres of D. citri adults on three weed species, namely, Ageratum conyzoides, Solanum nigrum and Praxelis clematidea, which are widely distributed in citrus orchards in China, were determined. RESULTS: D. citri selected S. nigrum preferentially over the other weed species. The longest survival times of D. citri adults on A. conyzoides, S. nigrum and P. clematidea were 48, 41 and 11 days, respectively. On S. nigrum, the survivorship of females was significantly higher than that of males. The CLas titres of D. citri adults feeding on the three weeds for 1 week increased significantly during autumn but did not change significantly during spring. Conversely, the titres of adults on citrus increased significantly during spring but did not change significantly during autumn. CONCLUSION: D. citri exhibited different adaptabilities to the three weed species, but the CLas titres of D. citri adults did not decrease on any of the weeds. These results suggested that the three weed species could help dispersing of D. citri and transmission of CLas while ideal host conditions were scarce or absent. © 2021 Society of Chemical Industry.

To screen the efficient tree-herb co-planting patterns to remediate the heavy metal polluted soil, a greenhouse experiment was conducted for 150 days to examine the plant growth and metals accumula...

We investigated the effect of African eggplant (AE) (Solanum macrocarpon L) and Black nightshade (BN) (Solanum nigrum L) leaves; two tropical vegetables consumed by humans on behavioural, biochemical and histological indices in Drosophila melanogaster model of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Transgenic flies expressing human Amyloid Precursor Protein (hAPP) and β-secretase (hBACE 1) were exposed to the pulverised leaf samples (0.1 and 1.0%) in their diets for fourteen days. Thereafter, the flies were assessed for their behavioural indices and routine histology of brain cells. Furthermore, fly head homogenates were assayed for β-amyloid level, activities of acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and β-secretase (BACE-1), as well as oxidative stress markers. Result showed that the significantly lower (p < 0.05) behavioural parameters (survival, locomotor performance and memory index), higher AChE and BACE-1 activities, β-amyloid, ROS and lipid peroxidation levels, as well as reduced antioxidant indices observed in the AD flies, were significantly ameliorated (p < 0.05) in AD flies treated with the leaf samples. This study has showed that leaves of AE and BN ameliorated behavioural and biochemical indices in AD flies via neural enzyme modulatory, and antioxidant mechanisms Hence, this study further justifies the neuroprotective properties of both AE and BN.

Considering the rural poor in developing countries like Nigeria, diets that are deficient in dietary fibre and micronutrients are common. Food diversification or dietary modifications such as increased consumption of vegetables may solve the problem. This study assessed the dietary fibre and micronutrient levels of selected starchy foods (jollof rice and yam porridge) using three underutilized green leafy vegetables, namely, Ebolo (Crassocephalum crepidiodes), Odu (Solanum nigrum L), and Yanrin (Launaea teracifolia L) as sprinkles. Fresh samples of Crassocephalum crepidioides, Solanum nigrum L, and Launaea teracifolia were purchased from Ota market. The leafy parts of the vegetables were washed, cut, oven-dried at 90°C for 6 h and pulverized. Jollof rice and porridge were cooked and 2g each of dried ebolo, odu and yanrin were sprinkled on 100g of each food and stirred thoroughly. Total dietary fibre, as well as iron (Fe) and Zinc (Zn) content of the resultant diets, were determined using standard methods. The highest total dietary fibre of 8.45% was obtained in jollof rice sprinkled with Yanrin. Zn (31.75mg/kg) was highest in jollof rice sprinkled with Yanrin, and Fe (87.75mg/kg) in porridge sprinkled with Ebolo. The underutilized vegetables added more nutritional values to jollof rice and yam porridge as Ebolo, Yanrin and Odu were sprinkled on them. Keywords: Underutilized vegetables, dietary fibre, micronutrient, zinc, iron

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 a recent study, anthocyanins, which have a strong free radical-scavenging activity, were examined for their potential to effectively prevent cancer. However, clinical trials are limited by the purity of the anthocyanin. Multiple methods are used to extract and purify anthocyanins. Based on previous work on Solanum nigrum, which is a widely distributed plant, in this study, DM130 macroporous resin, Sephadex LH20, and a C18 column were used to separate cis-trans anthocyanin isomers. These anthocyanins constitute the majority of total S. nigrum anthocyanins. The results showed that this "DM130-LH20-C18 system" can be used to obtain a cinnamic acid-derived cis-trans anthocyanin, petunidin-3-(p-coumaroyl)-rutinoside-5-glucoside, with a purity of 98.5%, for effective quantitation. In order to determine the antioxidant ability of the petunidin-3-(p-coumaroyl)-rutinoside-5-glucoside cis-trans isomers, three ordinary methods were adopted. The maximum antioxidant ability of the cis-trans anthocyanin was dozens of times higher than that of vitamin C.

The seeds must be viable and non-dormant for the efficient cultivation of the species of medicinal plants. The seeds of Solanum nigrum possess primary dormancy, which restricts germination. Hence, a laboratory experiment was conducted during 2019 in the Department of Seed Science and Technology, Agricultural College and Research Institute, Madurai, Tamil Nadu. The S. nigrum seeds were primed by soaking in different chemicals viz.,GA3 100ppm, Thiourea1%, KNO3 0.5%, Succinic acid 100 ppm, Ascorbic acid 100 ppm, hydro and dry control with soaking durations of 12h and seeds were dried under shade to bring back to their original moisture content and used for assessing the seed quality studies. The results revealed that among the different priming treatments Thiourea 1% recorded higher seed quality parameters viz, speed of germination (5.6), germination (88 %), seedling length (5.92 cm) and vigour index (520) and the enzyme activity of dehydrogenase (0.072 OD value) and lower values of electrical conductivity( 0.027 dsm-1), amino acids (0.119 ?gg-1 ) and sugars ( 0.175 ?gg-1 ). Hence it could be recommended as pre-sowingg seed priming treatment in S. nigrum.

Cases of Dengue Hemorrhagic Fever (DHF), filariasis and chikungunya in Indonesia in 2018 carried by Aedes sp and Culex sp are still common. Excessive use of synthetic insecticides and larvicides cause resistance and are toxic to humans. The purpose of this study was to determine the concentration and LC50 values of lenca plant extracts (Solanum nigrum) and papaya seeds (Carica papaya) on the larvae of Culex sp and Aedes sp. The concentration variations used in the test were 0% (control), 0.50%, 1.5% and 2.5%. Total mortality of Culex sp larvae against variations in the concentration of Carica papaya extract (p = 0.373) and Solanum nigrum (p = 0.03). LC 50 extract of Solanum nigrum against Culex sp larvae at a concentration of 1.19%. Total mortality of Aedes sp larvae against variations in the concentration of Carica papaya extract (p = 0.11) and Solanum nigrum (p = 0.00). Carica papaya contains alkaloids which are toxic, proteolytic and inhibit larval growth hormone. Solanin in Solanum nigrum is neurotoxic glycalkaloid which can cause disruption of membrane function.

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.

Traditional medicine involves the use of different bioactive constituents present in medicinal plants. The present study was carried out on preliminary phytochemicals, metal binding capacity and on floral extract of Solanum nigrum plant. The alcoholic extract was tested for the presence of alkaloids, flavanoids, tannins, phenol, saponins, steroids, glycosides, quinones and coumarins. The UV–VIS spectrum analysis was done to study metal binding capacity of floral extract of Solanum nigrum with different metal chlorides. For this comparative study is done by measuring absorption intensities of the extract, metal chlorides and mixture of extract – metal chloride at wavelength ranging from 200 to 800 nm. Phytochemical screening highlighted the presence of flavanoids, tannins, phenol, steroids, glycosides, quinones and coumarins bioactive constituents in Solanum nigrum which can be used for further investigation of bioactive compounds. UV absorption studies showed the binding potential of floral extract of Solanum nigrum with various metal chlorides.

To study the purification conditions of polysaccharide from Solanum nigrum L. by S-8 macroporous adsorption resin. The effect of multi-factors on the purification of polysaccharide from Solanum nigrum were studied by static - dynamic adsorption and desorption methods with indexes of adsorption and desorption rates. The optimized purification process condition was as follows: the concentration of sample was 5 mg/mL, pH level was 7.0, temperature was 30 °C, the adsorption velocity was 0.5 mL/min, the maximun loading amount was 10 BV, 0.5 mol/L NaCl solution 5BV was used as eluent, elution flow rate was 4 mL/min. With this condition, the purity of Solanum nigrum polysaccharide was 91.00%, which was 1.989 times higher than before. S-8 macroporous resin can be used to separate and purify the solanum nigrum polysaccharide and improve the purity and quality of polysaccharides.

Solanum nigrum, known as black nightshade, is a medicinal plant that contains many beneficial metabolites in its fruit. The molecular mechanisms underlying the synthesis of these metabolites remain uninvestigated due to limited genetic information. Here, we identified 47,470 unigenes of S. nigrum from three different tissues by de novo transcriptome assembly, and 78.4% of these genes were functionally annotated. Moreover, gene ontology (GO) analysis using 18,860 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) revealed tissue-specific gene expression regulation. We compared gene expression patterns between S. nigrum and tomato (S. lycopersicum) in three tissue types. The expression patterns of carotenoid biosynthetic genes were different between the two species. Comparison of the expression patterns of flavonoid biosynthetic genes showed that 9 out of 14 enzyme-coding genes were highly upregulated in the fruit of S. nigrum. Using CRISPR-Cas9-mediated gene editing, we knocked out the R2R3-MYB transcription factor SnAN2 gene, an ortholog of S. lycopersicum ANTHOCYANIN 2. The mutants showed yellow/green fruits, suggesting that SnAN2 plays a major role in anthocyanin synthesis in S. nigrum. This study revealed the connection between gene expression regulation and corresponding phenotypic differences through comparative analysis between two closely related species and provided genetic resources for S. nigrum.

Cadmium (Cd) is a harmful heavy metal that affects the growth and development of plants. Nitrogen (N) is an essential nutrient for plants, and appropriate N management can improve Cd tolerance. The aim of our study was to explore the effects of different forms of N on the molecular and physiological responses of the hyperaccumulator Solanum nigrum to Cd toxicity. Measurement of biomass, photosynthetic parameters, and Cd2+ fluxes using non-invasive micro-test technique, Cd fluorescent dying, biochemical methods and quantitative real-time PCR analysis were performed in our study. Our results showed that ammonium (NH4+) has stronger Cd detoxification ability than nitrate (NO3-), which are likely attributed to the following three reasons: (1) NH4+ decreased the influx and accumulation of Cd2+ by regulating the transcription of Cd transport-related genes; (2) the ameliorative effects of NH4+ were accompanied by the increased retention of Cd in the cell walls of roots; and (3) NH4+ up-regulated SnExp expression.

Osmotins are multifunctional proteins belonging to the thaumatin-like family related to plant stress responses. To better understand the functions of soybean osmotins in drought stress response, the current study presents the characterisation of four previously described proteins and a novel putative soybean osmotin (GmOLPa-like). Gene and protein structure as well as gene expression analyses were conducted on different tissues and developmental stages of two soybean cultivars with varying dehydration sensitivities (BR16 and EMB48 are highly and slightly sensitive, respectively). The analysed osmotin sequences share the conserved amino acid signature and 3D structure of the thaumatin-like family. Some differences were observed in the conserved regions of protein sequences and in the electrostatic surface potential. P21-like present the most similar electrostatic potential to osmotins previously characterised as promoters of drought tolerance in Nicotiana tabacum and Solanum nigrum. Gene expression analysis indicated that soybean osmotins were differentially expressed in different organs (leaves and roots), developmental stages (R1 and V3), and cultivars in response to dehydration. In addition, under dehydration conditions, the highest level of gene expression was detected for GmOLPa-like and P21-like osmotins in the leaves and roots, respectively, of the less drought sensitive cultivar. Altogether, the results suggest an involvement of these genes in drought stress tolerance.

Chilli (Capsicum annuum L.), being the most important remunerative vegetable and is susceptible to a wide range of viruses which are the major constraints in its production resulting to heavy crop losses. Among these, after Chilli leaf curl virus, Chilli veinal mottle virus (Chi VMV) is the major prevalent virus. Host range studies under glasshouse conditions revealed that Chi VMV is transmitted mechanically. Among 41 host plants tested, nine different plant species (Datura metel, Capsicum annuum, Physalis floridana, Solanum nigrum, Lycopersicon esculentum, Amaranthus spp, Nicotiana tabaccum cv. White Burley, Nicotiana tabaccum cv. Samsun and Capsicum frutescense.) induced characteristic systemic mottling symptoms within 7 to 14 days of inoculation. The rest of the hosts remained asymptomatic.

The present study is focused on the detailed foliar epidermal anatomy of some selected wild edible fruits (WEFs) from Pakistan using light microscopy (LM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The studied species are Ficus racemosa L., Solanum nigrum L., Capparis spinosa L., Physalis divaricata D.Don, Rosa moschata Herrm. and Ribes orientale Desf. collected from various localities of Pakistan. The objective of the present study is to investigate qualitative and quantitative anatomical characters for the identification and differentiation of collected wild edible fruits. The characters studied are shape and size of epidermal cells, anticlinal wall pattern, trichome type and shape, average number of stomata, length and width of stomata and pore. The detailed microscopic investigation and variations in the characters recorded have a key role in the determination and authentication of wild edible fruits. This study possesses great potential for plant taxonomists to further evaluate the species at molecular and genetic levels.

Background: The aqueous extract of some plants has an antibacterial effect on pathogenic bacteria for humans. Objective: This study designed to investigate the antimicrobial activity of aqueous extract of some plants on some food-borne pathogenic bacteria in a laboratory setting has done. Method: In an experimental study, plants collected from of Tehran city and aqueous extract of them, extracted. To determine the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) with two ways of visual and turbidity (OD), serially different concentrations (1.25-80 mg/ml) on different cultures was prepared. Disc diffusion (DD) test in concentrations of 10, 20 and 40 mg/ml to determine the average diameter of inhibition for some bactria, done. Results: The results showed that the inhibitory and fungicidal aqueous extract of Solanum americanum on various bacteria was more than any other aqueous extracts (Staphylococcus aureus MIC = 10 mg/ml) and also Staphylococcus aureus and Salmonella typhimurium were the most sensitive and most resistant bacteria to aqueous extract, respectively. Conclusion: According to the results, we can be hopeful the extract of Solanum americanum in the treatment of pathogenic bacteria such as S. aureus, can be help and it can used in the food industry as a food protection. Recommended by extracting the active ingredients of the extract of this plant and other plants, more research done on the composition of extract.

To study the cadmium (Cd)-accumulation characteristics of the post-grafting generation of Cyphomandra betacea (Cav.) Sendt., the seeds of C. betacea grafted on Solanum nigrum L., tomato, and eggpla...

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.

The effects of aqueous extracts from bio-resources on Solanum nigrum L. Cd hyperaccumulation were determined with EDTA as control. Soil pot culture experiment and Leaching experiment were arranged and conducted. The results showed that stem extracts of Bidens tripartita L. (BT-S) significantly increased (by 61.0%) Cd shoot concentration in S. nigrum, which was higher compared (p

Solanum nigrum L., which has anti-inflammatory and antibacterial properties, has been used for disease prevention and treatment. Although the various effects of Solanum nigrum L. are well k...

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.

Cadmium (Cd) is a toxic heavy metal and an abiotic stressor to plants; however, inoculation of endophytic bacteria can raise resistance in plants against Cd, as well as improve plant growth. In the present study, two endophytic bacterial strains were isolated from Solanum nigrum, identified as Serratia sp. IU01 and Enterobacter sp. IU02 by 16S DNA sequencing. Both IU01 and IU02 were tolerant up to 9.0 mM of Cd in culture broth and successive increase in Cd concentration from 0 mM to 9.0 mM, led to an increase in the SOD enzyme activity of the isolates. Both strains were capable of indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) synthesis and phosphate solubilization, detected through gas spectrometry-mass chromatography (GC-MS) and Pikovskaya agar medium respectively. Brassica juncea plants stressed with 0–25 mg/kg Cd showed retardation in all growth attributes, however, inoculation of strain IU01 and IU02 significantly promoted the plant growth attributes as compared to control. Moreover, antioxidant enzymes and metabolites against reactive oxygen species (ROS) including polyphenol oxidase (PPO), peroxidase (POD), catalase (CAT), superoxide dismutase (SOD), alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH), reduced glutathione (GSH), malondialdehyde (MDA), flavonoid and polyphenolic contents were also significantly relieved by inoculation of IU01 and IU02 in plant exposed to different concentration of Cd stress as compared to control plants. Phytohormone production, phosphate solubilization, and/or antioxidative support of IU01 and IU02 might be responsible for growth promotion and Cd resistance in the plant.

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.

Solanum nigrum L. is a hyperaccumulator and shows very high phytoremediation potential for Cd-contaminated soil. Fertilizer addition to soil is an effective pathway to improve Cd hyperaccumulation. This article compared the strengthening roles of commonly used four nitrogen fertilizers with three organic fertilizers on S. nigrum hyperaccumulating Cd at the same total nitrogen level. The results showed that Cd concentrations in roots and shoots of S. nigrum were not affected by the addition of inorganic nitrogen like NH4HCO3, NH4Cl, (NH4)2SO4, and CH4N2O compared with the control without nitrogen addition. However, Cd concentrations in S. nigrum roots and shoots were significantly decreased (p < 0.05) when the organic nitrogen was added in the form of chicken manure, pig manure, and commercial organic fertilizer (by 15.6% and 15.1%, 30.1% and 23.6%, 20.3% and 16.8%, respectively). On the other hand, of all nitrogen treatments, the addition of (NH4)2SO4 and CH4N2O to the soil enormously increased S. nigrum biomass, i.e., S. nigrum shoot biomass increased 2.0- and 2.1-fold compared with the control. Correspondingly, Cd loads in S. nigrum shoots were also the highest in former two treatments and amounted to 79.91 μg pot-1 and 80.17 μg pot-1, respectively. Compared with the control, the addition of three organic fertilizers significantly increased (p < 0.05) pH and decreased (p < 0.05) available Cd concentrations in the soil, which could be the main reasons for their negative effects on S. nigrum accumulating Cd. (NH4)2SO4 and CH4N2O significantly increased S. nigrum biomasses and exerted no effects on the available soil Cd concentration, which made them more better fertilizers in practice. In general, the same fertilizer may show different effects on different hyperaccumulators. The selection of fertilizer should be decided in accordance with the specific conditions in the phytoremediation practice of contaminated soil.

Solanum tubersum is the fourth most challenging plant in Egypt, affected by several fungi, viral and bacterial diseases. Bacterial and fungal isolates (Brown rot disease (Ralstonia solaniserum), soft root disease (Pectobacterium carotovora) and dry rot disease (Fusarium oxisporum) were collected. The green extracts of silver nanoparticles were prepared by means of aqueous extracts of three wild plants, Physalis peruviana (leaves, red and green fruits) (N1, N2 and N3), Solanum nigrum (fruit) (N4) and Moringa oliefera (leaves) (N5). SEM, TEM, FT-IR and X-RD obtained the characterization of the biosynthesis of silver nanoparticles. The results indicated that nanoparticles were spherical, smooth and the sizes varied between 12 and 33 nm. The activity of the nanoparticle formulations was tested against the bacterial isolates using agar diffusion method and one fungus using mycelial growth method. The results also elucidated that N5 formulation showed a significantly potent antibacterial activity against R. solanacearum. However, N1 formulation was the highest active one against P. carotovra. In addition, the antifungal activity indicated that N1 had the highest effect (EC50 = 687.03 mg/L) followed by N3 (EC50 = 981.61 mg/L) against F. oxysporium. Nanoparticles synthesized by wild plants could be used as safe alternatives to harmful microbicides.

The significant use of copper oxide nanoparticles (CuO NPs) has generated worries over their impacts on the ecosystem and human health due to their release from numerous products to the environment. The Solanum nigrum L. is recognized as a phytoremediation plant and may survive within the excessive metal-stressed surroundings. Five CuO NPs levels were evaluated for their impacts on the callus of S. nigrum. Fresh, dry weight, water content, free amino acids, and potassium content of callus cells were significantly decreased due to the impact of CuO NPs. We also observed increased levels of malondialdehyde, bound phenolic compounds, soluble carbohydrates and enzymatic activity of peroxidase, and polyphenol oxidase in callus cells supplying conditions for the lowering of oxidative stress triggered by CuO NPs. Phenylalanine ammonia lyase, soluble proteins and free phenolic compounds in callus cells were increased under 50, 100 and 150 mg/L CuO NPs and were significantly decreased in most cases by the application of the highest concentration (200 mg/L) of CuO NPs. The catalase activity in calli didn’t clearly change via CuO NPs stress. Further, Cu accumulation in the callus was increased with increasing levels of CuO NPs in the medium (50–200 mg/L), as evidenced through 10.3, 17.0, 20.9 and 40.4-fold, respectively, as compared with the control. The FT-IR analysis showed alterations in most macromolecules such as phenolic compounds, lipids, proteins, carbohydrates, cellulose, and hemicellulose in callus cells-treated with CuO NPs. From these results, we can conclude that S. nigrum plants can be used to remediate the medium contaminated with CuO NPs because the plant can accumulate the metal and has a response to defend itself from the metal stress. The potential of Solanum nigrum to tolerate CuO NPs to assure its possible utilize in phytoextraction and purifying of NPs contaminated soils paving the way for the cultivation of such areas.

The fungicides used to control plant pathogenic fungi not only kill the fungi but also affect other flora and fauna in the field. To preserve beneficial flora, novel strategies and alternative approaches should be identified. Bio-pesticides are used as an alternative to chemical fungicides. The development of nanotechnology-based fungicides and pesticides are considered as promising alternatives to preserve the biota. At the global level, researchers are working on nanoemulsion and nanofungicides to control plant pathogenic fungi; however, farmers are unaware about these nano-based fungicides. Metal nanoparticles can act as potential fungicides when compared to the conventional chemical fungicides. Hence, our current study is based on utilization of the myco-nanoparticles synthesized from endophytic fungi isolated from Solanum nigrum. The mycosilver nanoparticles are characterized by SEM, TEM and EDAX analysis. The results of the study exhibited the silver nanoparticles were of different morphological shapes including spherical, cylindrical and loosely agglomerated with an average size of 2–50 nm. Further, the plant pathogenic fungi including Fusarium graminearum, Fusarium udum, Rhizoctonia solani and Aspergillus niger were treated with mycosilver nanoparticles to test the efficacy to control plant pathogens, and showed broad spectrum antifungal activity against the phytopathogens by inhibiting the radial growth.

Fifteen endophytic bacterial isolates from Solanum nigrum and S. nigrum var. villosum stems were screened for their plant growth-promoting potential and antifungal activity against Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. lycopersici (FOL). Isolates SV65, SV68 and SV109 were the most efficient in controlling the development of the disease (77-92%) and in improving tomato growth (32-62%) compared to the controls. They were characterized and identified by using 16S rDNA sequencing genes as being Bacillus amyloliquefaciens subsp. plantarum for the strain SV65 (KR818073) and B. methylotrophicus for the two strains SV68 (KR818074) and SV109 (KR818076). Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry analysis of the n-butanol extract from B. amyloliquefaciens subsp. plantarum SV65 matched phthalic acid, mono(2-ethylhexyl)ester as major compound. The bacterium B. amyloliquefaciens subsp. plantarum SV65 and B. methylotrophicus SV109 were shown to be chitinase-, protease-, pectinase-, phosphatase-, and indole 3-acetic acid (IAA)-producing agents. Furthermore, B. methylotrophicus SV68 produced chitinase, pectinase, and IAA (28.49 µg/ml), and B. amyloliquefaciens subsp. plantarum SV65 excreted siderophores andoxalic and malic acids. This study demonstrates that S. nigrum and S. nigrum var. villosum can be potential plant species for isolation of endophytic bacteria serving as biocontrol and biofertilizing agents for the improvement of production of tomato grown in FOL infested and noninfested soils.

Paracetamol is considered a priority pharmaceutical because its presence in the environment may have an impact on human health and in food chains. To remediate this problem, the use of Solanum nigrum L. plants for the clean-up of paracetamol-contaminated sites was investigated. The study revealed that this plant species can be used as a remarkable paracetamol phytoremediation instrument, thus delivering a cost-effective and eco-friendly cleanup technology for its environmental removal. Paracetamol was not toxic to plants, exerting a growth-promoting effect up to 0.5 mg L−1. Plant tolerance mechanisms resided essentially on root GST-mediated conjugation of paracetamol to GSH, powered by the γ-ECS increased activity that locally provided the GSH needed. Increased activities for GST and γ–ECS were detected in roots and shoots of treated plants and these enzymes were regulated in an organ- and gene-specific manner: at the transcription level in roots and post-transcriptionally in shoots, with GSTs of the classes Theta and Phi playing the most relevant role in the plant detoxification process.

Synthetic insecticides are widely used for crop protection both in the fields and in the food stored facilities. Due to their toxicity, and assumptions of Integrated Pest Management, we conducted two independent experiments, where we studied the influence of Solanum nigrum unripe fruit extract on the toxicity of an organophosphorus insecticide fenitrothion. In the first variant of the experiment, Tenebrio molitor larvae were fed with blended fenitrothion (LC50) and the extract in four concentrations (0.01, 0.1, 1 and 10%) in ratio 1:1 for 3 days. In the second variant, a two-day application of fenitrothion (LC40) was preceded by a one-day extract treatment. The first variant did not show any increase in lethality compared to fenitrothion, however, ultrastructure observations exhibited swollen endoplasmic reticulum (ER) membranes in the midgut and nuclear and cellular membranes in the fat body, after application of blended fenitrothion and extract. An increased amount of heterochromatin in the fat body was observed, too. In the second variant, pre-treatment of the extract increased the lethality of larvae, decreased the level of glycogen and lipids in the fat body and disrupted integrity of midgut cellular membranes. S. nigrum extract, applied prior to fenitrothion treatment can be a factor increasing fenitrothion toxicity in T. molitor larvae. Thus, this strategy may lead to decreased emission of synthetic insecticides to the environment.

Using accumulators for intercropping in agricultural production can change the heavy metal concentration in the target plants. This study aims to investigate how intercropping wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) and Solanum nigrum L. affects soil bacterial community and cadmium (Cd) absorption in response to Cd-contaminated soil. We compared the concentrations and accumulations of Cd by plants, the activities of soil enzymes and the bacterial community structures of rhizosphere soil in monoculture and intercropping system. Principal component analysis (PCA) ordinations showed that soil bacterial communities were significantly separated by MW and IW, which illustrated intercropping with Solanum nigrum L. impacted the bacterial community structure of wheat. Firstly, the results showed that the biomass of shoots and roots in intercropped wheat (IW) were significantly decreased by 16.19% and 29.38% compared with monoculture wheat (MW) after 60 days after transplanting (DAT). Secondly, the Cd concentration and accumulation of shoots in IW was higher than MW. The Cd accumulation of IW shoots and roots were increased 12.87% and 0.98%, respectively after 60 days DAT. Besides, the enzymes activity [catalase (CAT), urease (UA) and alkaline phosphatase (ALP)] of IW were decreased 35%, 6% and 21%, respectively after 60 days DAT. Finally, the diversity indexes [Abundance-based Coverage Estimator (ACE), Chao and InvSimpson] of IW were lower than MW. These results indicated that intercropping with Solanum nigrum L. inhibited the wheat growth and decreased the bacterial community diversity in wheat rhizosphere, increased the Cd concentration and accumulation in plant tissues of wheat. Therefore, intercropping Solanum nigrum L. and wheat with Cd-contaminated soil might increase the risk of excessive Cd in wheat.

Plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) are a specific category of microbes that improve plant growth and promote greater tolerance to metal stress through their interactions with plant roots. We evaluated the effects of phytoremediation combining the cadmium accumulator Solanum nigrum L. and two Cd- and Pb-resistant bacteria isolates. To understand the interaction between PGPR and their host plant, we conducted greenhouse experiments with inoculation treatments at Nanjing Agricultural University (Jiangsu Province, China), in June 2018. Two Cd- and Pb-resistant PGPR with various growth-promoting properties were isolated from heavy metal-contaminated soil. 16S rRNA analyses indicated that the two isolates were Bacillus genus, and they were named QX8 and QX13. Pot experiments demonstrated that inoculation may improve the rhizosphere soil environment and promote absorption of Fe and P by plants. Inoculation with QX8 and QX13 also enhanced the dry weight of shoots (1.36- and 1.7-fold, respectively) and roots (1.42- and 1.96-fold) of plants growing in Cd- and Pb-contaminated soil, and significantly increased total Cd (1.28-1.81 fold) and Pb (1.08-1.55 fold) content in aerial organs, compared to non-inoculated controls. We also detected increases of 23% and 22% in the acid phosphatase activity of rhizosphere soils inoculated with QX8 and QX13, respectively. However, we did not detect significant differences between inoculated and non-inoculated treatments in Cd and Pb concentrations in plants and available Cd and Pb content in rhizosphere soils. We demonstrated that PGPR-assisted phytoremediation is a promising technique for remediating heavy metal-contaminated soils, with the potential to enhance phytoremediation efficiency and improve soil quality.

Fruits constitute a major part of the diet in many parts of the world, highly recommended for the nutritional value derived from them. Fruit maturity is an important determinant of the quality as it affects the appearance, an aspect of quality considered by most consumers. Sugar content, colour, size and firmness are some of the quality indicators associated with maturity. While the ripening and maturity indicators are well documented for climacteric fruits, non-climacteric fruits such as berries lag behind. African nightshade (Solanum nigrum L.) edible berries are among them. This study evaluated the quality parameters of the edible berries of four varieties of African nightshade and found out that they accumulate glucose and fructose as they ripen with glucose being the most abundant sugar. Sucrose is only present during the senescence stage. Size remained relatively constant within each variety while firmness decreased progressively after veraison. Black NS differed with the others in colour besides fructose and sucrose content at 29.35 and 388.40 mg/100g, respectively. Giant NS recorded the highest glucose content at 172.44 mg/100g when ripe. Conclusively, the African nightshade berries are characteristically similar to other non-climacteric fruits adopted as part of the normal diet and should be considered as a valuable addition to the diet.

THIS STUDY aimed to explore the effects of zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO NPs) on physiological parameters of Solanum nigrum calli and the possibility of using it as a remediator for contaminated media. In vitro experiments were conducted to understand the mechanism of S. nigrum in the remediation of ZnO NPs (0, 50 and 100 mg L-1 used). The dry weight of calli subjected to the lowest concentration of ZnO NPs was increased (1.8 fold higher than the control). The activities of lipoxygenase and antioxidant enzymes in the callus were stimulated at the highest level of ZnO NPs. The treatment of ZnO NPs did not change the activity of phenylalanine ammonia-lyase and phenolic compounds while reducing the activity of polyphenol oxidase. The contents of phosphorus and potassium were decreased under ZnO NPs treatments. Amino acids, soluble proteins, soluble carbohydrates, and Zn content were elevated in the ZnO NPs-treated-callus. The infrared spectroscopy analysis proved the differences between most macromolecules. The results indicate that this plant can be used in the remediation of ZnO NPs in the contaminated media.

Heavy metal contamination is currently a major environmental concern, as most agricultural land is being polluted from municipal discharge. Among various other pollutants, cadmium (Cd), one of the most harmful heavy metals, enters into the food chain through the irrigation of crops with an industrial effluent. In the present study, a pot experiment was designed to assess the effect of different nitrogen (N)-fertilizer forms in the phytoremediation of Cd through Solanum nigrum L. Two types of N fertilizers (NH4NO3 and urea) were applied to the soil in different ratios (0:0, 100:0, 0:100, and 50:50 of NH4NO3 and urea, individually) along with different Cd levels (0, 25, and 50 mg kg−1). The plants were harvested 70 days after sowing the seeds in pots. Cadmium contamination significantly inhibited the growth of leaves and roots of S. nigrum plants. Cadmium contamination also induced oxidative stress; however, the application of N-fertilizers increased the plant biomass by inhibiting oxidative stress and enhancing antioxidants’ enzymatic activities. The greatest plant growth was observed in the urea-treated plants compared with the NH4NO3-treated plants. In addition, urea-fed plants also accumulated higher Cd concentrations than NH4NO3-fed plants. It is concluded that urea is helpful for better growth of S. nigrum under Cd stress. Thus, an optimum concentration of N-fertilizers might be effective in the phytoremediation of heavy metals through S. nigrum.

SOLANUM nigrum L. was transplanted from soil to hydroponic culture system with Hoagland’s solution to study its eco-physiological response to Cd and Ni toxicity. The plants were exposed to 10 or 25mg/L Cd or Ni over 7 days before harvesting for analysis. The findings of this study provided better understanding of stress adaptation in S. nigrum under Cd and Ni stress. The photosynthetic pigments and activities of antioxidant enzymes were estimated in the plant leaves. Chlorophyll content and carotenoids decreased progressively with increasing concentrations of both metals. Activities of the antioxidant enzymes POD, APX, CAT, and SOD in the leaves increased significantly by exposure to the high levels for both metals. The plant responses was varied with both metal and tested concentrations, reflecting the potentiality of using S. nigrum as phytoremediator of Cd and Ni polluted water in hydroponic culture system.

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.

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.

It is of interest to document the inhibitory studies of HepG2 and human immune cells using Solanum nigrum. We have assessed the effect of ethanolic extract from Solanum nigrum for antiproliferative on HepG2 and on human PBMC. Treatment with Solanum nigrum separates the cells that are estimated by 3-[4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl]-2,5-diphenyl tetrazolium bromide measure. Results indicated improved cytotoxicity with expanding concentrations of extract.

Cadmium (Cd) triggers molecular alterations in plants, perturbs metabolites and damages plant growth. Therefore, understanding the molecular mechanism underlying the Cd tolerance in plants is necessary for assessing the persistent environmental impact of Cd. In this study, Solanum nigrum was selected as the test plant to investigate changes in biomass, Cd translocation, cell ultrastructure, metabolites and genes under hydroponic conditions. The results showed that the plant biomass was significantly decreased under Cd stress, and the plant has a stronger Cd transport capability. Transmission electron microscopy revealed that increased Cd concentration gradually damaged the plant organs (roots, stems and leaves) cell ultrastructure, as evidenced by swollen chloroplasts and deformed cell walls. Additionally, metabolomics analyses revealed that Cd stress mainly affected seven metabolism pathways, including 19 differentially expressed metabolites (DEMs). Moreover, 3908 common differentially expressed genes (DEGs, 1049 upregulated and 2859 downregulated) were identified via RNA-seq among five Cd treatments. Meanwhile, conjoint analysis found several DEGs and DEMs, including laccase, peroxidase, D-fructose, and cellobiose etc., are associated with cell wall biosynthesis, implying the cell wall biosynthesis pathway plays a critical role in Cd detoxification. Our comprehensive investigation using multiple approaches provides a molecular-scale perspective on plant response to Cd stress.

Contamination of heavy metals is a serious threat, which causes threats to the environment. Our study aimed to determine the role of endophytic bacteria in Cd phytoremediation and heavy metal ATPase gene expression. Cadmium (Cd) resistant endophytic bacteria were isolated from Solanum nigrum on LB agar plates, contaminated with 0-30 mg/L Cd. The phosphate solubilization and indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) production of endophytes were estimated by growing them on Pikovskaya agar medium and GC-MS analysis, respectively. An experiment in a pot was performed to evaluate the effects of bacteria on rice plants contaminated with 5-25 mg/L of Cd. Expression of Cd response genes was quantified through qRT-PCR and Cd translocation from one part to another part of the plant was measured through the ICP. BLAST alignment of 16 S-rDNA gene sequences confirmed the bacterial isolates as Serratia sp. AI001 and Klebsiella sp. Strain AI002. Both strains tolerated Cd up to 25 mg/L and produced 27-30 μg/mL of IAA. Inoculation of AI001 and AI002 improved plant growth dynamics (i.e., plant length, biomass, chlorophyll contents), relieved electrolyte leakage, and improved reduced glutathione significantly (P 0.05). The inoculation of AI001 and AI002 significantly (P 0.05) induced the expression of heavy metal ATPase genes ie., "HMA2, HMA3, and HMA4" and Cd translocation compared to uninoculated plants. Both AI001 and AI002 exhibited very prominent plant-growth-promoting and Cd phytoremediation properties. The results revealed that isolates also contributed a lot to the expression of rice plant heavy metal ATPase genes and in the Cd translocation in the plant.

Diseases caused by begomoviruses are an emerging threat to many crops in tropical and sub-tropical regions of the world. Leaf curl of chili is one of the most destructive disease induced by begomoviruses causing substantial losses. Leaf curling, puckering and stunted growth of the plants are typical symptoms of leaf curl disease in chili and also in many other plants like tomato and nightshade (Solanum nigrum). Rolling circle amplification (RCA) was used to characterize the genome of the virus causing leaf curl disease in chili at Sabour, in northern state of Bihar, India. RCA product digested with BamHI and HindII released ca. 2.7 kb DNA fragments. The causal virus of chili leaf curl disease at Sabour was found to have a monopartite genome consisting of 2742 nucleotides (nt) with genome organization similar to begomoviruses, having two ORFs in virion-sense and six ORFs in complementary sense, separated by an intergenic region. The complete genomic sequence (GenBank accession No. KY010624) showed highest nucleotide identity of 98% with tomato leaf curl Joydebpur virus (tomato isolate). Hence the virus isolate under study has been named as tomato leaf curl Joydebpur virus-Sabour. An associated betasatellite DNA was 1370 nt long with a single ORF and had 99% identity with tomato leaf curl Joydebpur betasatellite. Abutting primers successfully amplified the full genome of tomato leaf curl Joydebpur virus-Sabour confirming its presence in tomato, nightshade and whitefly. Based on the findings, it is hypothesized that nightshade acts as a reservoir of tomato leaf curl Joydebpur virus-Sabour and is involved in spreading the virus from chili to tomato through whitefly (Bemisia tabaci).

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.

Increased tolerance to pathogens is an important goal in conventional and biotechnology-assisted grapevine breeding programs worldwide. Fungal and viral pathogens cause direct losses in berry production, but also affect the quality of the final products. Precision breeding strategies allow the introduction of resistance characters in elite cultivars, although the factors determining the plant?s overall performance are not fully characterized. Grapevine plants expressing defense proteins, from fungal or plant origins, or of the coat protein gene of grapevine leafroll-associated virus 3 (GLRaV-3) were generated by Agrobacterium -mediated transformation of somatic embryos and shoot apical meristems. The responses of the transformed lines to pathogen challenges were investigated by biochemical, phytopathological and molecular methods. The expression of a Metarhizium anisopliae chitinase gene delayed pathogenesis and disease progression against the necrotrophic pathogen Botrytis cinerea. Modified lines expressing a Solanum nigrum osmotin-like protein also exhibited slower disease progression, but to a smaller extent. Grapevine lines carrying two hairpin- inducing constructs had lower GLRaV-3 titers when challenged by grafting, although disease symptoms and viral multiplication were detected. The levels of global genome methylation were determined for the genetically engineered lines, and correlation analyses demonstrated the association between higher levels of methylated DNA and larger portions of virus-derived sequences. Resistance expression was also negatively correlated with the contents of introduced viral sequences and genome methylation, indicating that the effectiveness of resistance strategies employing sequences of viral origin is subject to epigenetic regulation in grapevine. Keywords Chitinase, Epigenetics, Fungus, Grapevine leafroll-associated virus 3, Pathogenesis related protein 5, Vitis Made available in DSpace on 2018-06-09T01:22:40Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 s1124801800821ArtigovpublicadaMetilacaoDNATransgenicResearch060618.pdf: 1509172 bytes, checksum: 5672593f5b611f81936933e06259921d (MD5) Previous issue date: 2018-06-08

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.

The aim of our work is to study gas exchange and antioxidant system in nine wild solanaceous species Solanum indicum, Solanum macrocarpon, Solanum acculeatissimum, Solanum sysimbrifolium, Solanum nigrum, Solanum viarum, Solanum insimum Solanum torvum, and Solanum macranthum under water logging condition. Experiments were laid in factorial completely randomized design with three replications. Photosynthesis and stomatal conductance decreased and closure of stomata was quick during flooding conditions in all the Solanum species. Species Solanum torvum performed photosynthetically better under flooding and also had better stomatal conductance. The antioxidants like SOD, catalase and peroxidase activity was significantly increased during the period of waterlogging and lipid peroxidation (MDA) content was decreased in tolerant Solanum species. An increase in the some parameters associated with oxidative stress, namely peroxides production, lipid peroxidation, and electrolyte leakage, reveals that root oxygen deficiency caused photooxidative damage in all rootstocks of solanaceous species. The ability to maintain a balance between the formation and detoxification of activated oxygen species appeared likely to increase the survival potential and the tolerance of the plants against varying oxidative stress. On basis of our observation, we conclude that species with higher photosynthetic rate and antioxidant system had improved waterlogging stress tolerance.