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Herbal functionalized nanofibres are widely used in wound healing, tissue engineering, and air filters due to their efficient antimicrobial properties. Spinning nanofibres using herbs requires initial studies to check the compatibility of the herb, nanofibre formation, and spinnability. Efforts are being made to spin nanofibres using Abutilon indicum. Nanofibres produced using electrospinning techniques excel in unique structural and functional properties. Their structure aids in encapsulating active substances and controlled release of these substances. Abutilon indicum, also known as Indian mallow or Thuthi leaf, is a plant with various medicinal claims and antimicrobial properties. The current study focuses on developing nanofibres using the electrospinning technique with Polyvinyl Alcohol (PVA) polymer and Indian mallow extract (IME). Nanofibres were developed with PVA/IME in different proportions. The developed nanofibres were characterized for surface morphology, Fourier-transform infrared spectrum, material thickness, swelling ratio, tensile strength, and antimicrobial property. The addition of IME to PVA did not affect the spinnability of the nanofibres. Among the samples developed with different ratios, the 50:50 PVA/IME sample was observed to have enhanced antimicrobial activity due to the higher proportion of IME within the polymer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Abutilon theophrasti is a weed that is spreading worldwide and that has had to adapt to different combinations of environmental conditions. Wide interpopulation variability has been reported regarding dormancy and germination. This variability, controlled by the interaction of genetic diversity and maternal effect, could hinder the adoption of Integrated Weed Management (IWM) tools. A collaborative project was conducted to compare emergence dynamics of 12 European and North American populations under diverse environmental conditions. The main aim was to assess interpopulation variability and explain this according to environmental conditions in the seed collection sites. Seeds were sown at six experimental sites, and seedling emergence was monitored. The AlertInf model was tested to evaluate its ability to predict emergence dynamics of the different populations. A wide interpopulation variability was observed for emergence percentage and dynamics with consistent trends across sites and related to different seed dormancy levels. Populations from Catalonia, Iowa and Minnesota reached higher emergence percentage with earlier and concentrated emergence flushes probably due to low dormancy level, while populations from Croatia, Serbia and Hungary, given their low average emergence percentage, presented high dormancy levels. Good predictive accuracy of AlertInf model was obtained at the different sites, confirming the possibility of adopting it across a wide range of environmental conditions. Achieving a better knowledge of interpopulation variability can allow specific control strategies to be designed, facilitating the replacement of solely herbicide‐based management with true IWM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Natural fibres are environmentally friendly and therefore often used in the automotive industry as an alternative to glass or mineral fibres. In order to meet the demands of natural fibres for the European automotive market, mainly flax and hemp are cultivated in Europe, but the import of other fibres, like kenaf, is also necessary. To increase the possibilities of fibre use and to reduce the dependency of fibre import, additional fibre plants from European countries could be a solution. An alternative fibre crop with fibre properties described as suitable for high value fibrous applications, could be Abutilon theophrasti (velvetleaf). However, there are no European studies about the cultivation of velvetleaf published. Besides cultivation, economically and ecologically acceptable fibre extraction methods are essential for successful implementation of velvetleaf in Europe. Field trials at three different sites are carried out and, in addition, the effect of water shortage on biomass and fibre yield is investigated. Furthermore, four different fibre extraction methods, known for other fibre plants (chemical and mechanical extraction, water and dew retting) are investigated concerning linear density, breaking tenacity and tensile elongation at break. Over the two experimental years and three different sites, velvetleaf biomass yield varied between 5.2 and 12.8 t ha −1 dry matter (DM), and the fibre yield ranged from 0.7 to 2.4 t ha −1 DM. Additional irrigation significantly increased the fibre yield in 2016 by 29%. Among the different methods for fibre extraction, water retting and chemical extraction by 4% sodium hydroxide solution showed the lowest values of linear density (57 and 58 dtex, respectively). Over all extraction methods, the linear density ranged from 53 to 115 dtex. The highest breaking tenacity was determined for chemical extraction by 0.4% sodium hydroxide solution (52.4 cN tex −1 ) and water retting (50 cN tex −1 ). Generally, cultivation and fibre extraction of velvetleaf are possible under the conditions in southwest Germany. Due to the different fibre characteristics of velvetleaf compared to flax, hemp, and kenaf, this plant should be assessed in future research for its applicability as a renewable resource for industrial fibres. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Petroleum ether extract from Abutilon theophrasti Medic. leaves was optimized by response surface methodology, and the optimal extraction conditions were as follows: ratio of solvent to material (20.12 mL/g), extraction time (5.45 h), and Soxhlet extraction temperature (61.32°C). And the yield of petroleum ether extract collected in August, September, and October was (2.05 ± 0.02)%, (2.39 ± 0.01)%, and (2.32 ± 0.02)%, respectively. The September and October extracts exhibited a better antioxidant activity, which was proved by DPPH·scavenging ability (IC50 value of 327.5 and 331.5 μg/mL), ABTS·+ scavenging ability (IC50 value of 170.1 and 182.1 μg/mL), and reducing power (0.31 and 0.28 mmol Fe2+/100 μg/mL). Meanwhile, the gas chromatograph-mass spectrometry analysis revealed that the main antioxidant components contained 9, 12, 15-octadecatrienoic acid and 9, 12, 15-octadecatrienoic acid, ethyl ester (Z,Z,Z) in three petroleum ether extracts. Therefore, petroleum ether extract from Abutilon theophrasti Medic. leaves can be a potential resource of natural antioxidants in pharmaceutical, medicine, food, and chemical industries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Julius-Kühn-Archiv is the property of Julius Kuehn Institut and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Julius-Kühn-Archiv is the property of Julius Kuehn Institut and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The complexity of plant response to density in nature has been recognized, but seldom interpreted, especially in the context of various abiotic environments or plant ontogeny. Our objective was to investigate whether and how soil conditions and plant growth stage affected plant responses to density in a variety of traits under field conditions. Abutilon theophrasti (annual species) was planted at low, medium, and high densities (13.4, 36, and 121 plants m, respectively) under good or poor soil conditions and harvested 30, 50, or 70 days after seedling emergence. Responses of many traits to density varied with soil conditions and growth stages. Initially, leaf size, petiole angle, and stem diameter were decreased by high density in good soil, but not in poor soil. After 50 days, high density induced extra stem elongation and stem mass increment in both soil conditions; this was at the cost of biomass allocated to other organs in good soil. In contrast, in poor soil, high density decreased more morphological traits, with less effects on allocation patterns. At 70 days, there were decreases in more traits in response to density in poor soil, whereas most traits remained stable in good soil. Results demonstrated that density-plasticity was inherently complex, including multiple responsive trends within and among traits, and revealed that the ability of the plants to adapt to variation in density via responses of various modular traits has been underestimated. Soil conditions and growth stage may affect these responses, either directly through effects on plant size and competition strength, or indirectly through effects on strength of stem response. Contrasting stage-dependent plasticity to density under two soil conditions also revealed different growth strategies of plants in dealing with biotic environmental challenges. These findings highlighted the importance of considering roles of abiotic environmental factors and growth stage in modulating plasticity to biotic environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nine novel 2-(1-(3-chloro pyridin-2-yl)-3,5-dimethyl-1H-pyrazol-4-yl) acetic acid derivatives B1-B9 were synthesized from acetylacetone, ethyl bromoacetate and 2,6-dichloropyridine. The synthesis route included a series of reactions such as substitution, alkylation, cyclization, hydrolysis, and acidification condensation. The chemical structures were characterized by 1H NMR and MS. Preliminary bioassay showed that most of the above compounds displayed herbicidal activities at the concentration of 150 g/hm2. The inhibition rates of B2, B3, B6 and B8 against Abutilon theophrasti Medicus, Amaranthus retroflexus and Amaranthus lividus L. were nearly 100%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abutilon theophrasti Medik., previously found to be rather insensitive to benzoxazinoid containing rye mulch and the allelochemical benzoxazolin-2(3 H)-one (BOA), can be associated with the zygomycete Actinomucor elegans, whereby the fungus colonizes the root relatively superficially and mainly in the maturation zone. The fungus mitigates necrosis of the cotyledons when seedlings are incubated with 2 mM BOA, in contrast to those that lack the fungus. In liquid cultures of the fungus, tryptophan was identified. The accumulation of tryptophan is increased in presence of BOA. This amino acid seems to be important in protecting Abutilon against BOA and its derivatives since it suppressed the accumulation of BOA derived, highly toxic 2-aminophen-oxazin-3-one (APO) in the medium and on the root surface during BOA incubations of Abutilon seedlings. Although A. elegans is insensitive to BOA and APO, the fungus is not able to protect the plant against harmful effects of APO, when seedlings are treated with the compound. Abutilon can detoxify BOA via BOA-6-OH glucosylation probably by a cell wall associated glucosyltransferase, but only low amounts of the product accumulate. Low tryptophan concentrations can contribute to a degradation of the toxic intermediate BOA-6-OH by Fenton reactions, whereby the amino acid is oxidized. One of the oxidation products was identified as 4(1H)-quinolinone, which is the core substructure of the quorum sensing molecule 2-heptyl-3-hydroxy-4-quinolone. The mutualistic association of Abutilon theophrasti with Actinomucor elegans is considered as opportunistic and facultative. Such plant-fungus associations depend rather likely on environmental conditions, such as the mode of fertilization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tomato yellow leaf curl virus (TYLCV) causes huge losses to tomato production worldwide. In July 2011 and July-August 2012, we screened for potential TYLCV hosts in a tomato-growing area in Shandong Province, the core vegetable-producing region in China. PCR detection showed that 5 species of plants, Zinnia elegans, Acalypha australis, Gossypium hirsutum, Abutilon theophrasti, and Nicotiana tabacum, were infected. Full genomic sequences of the new TYLCV isolates were obtained and submitted for sequence analysis. Sequence alignment and similarity analysis showed that they all belonged to the TYLCV-IL strain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The spread pattern of Abutilon theophrasti (velvetleaf ) in Austria, the Czech Republic, and Slovakia was analysed based on an exhaustive distribution data set (389 records). Cumulative number of all records showed a continuous increase since its introduction in the 19th century and > 1970 its spread gained momentum with an exponential increase > 2000. In fields, the species remained rare until 2000. Since then, A. theophrasti has invaded fields much more frequently (78% of all records in fields > 2000) and it was mainly found in sugar beet and maize. Approximately a total of 188 000 ha of the agricultural area are currently at risk of being invaded. Given the on-going spread into fields, the results provide evidence that A. theophrasti may cause serious impacts. Control measures should focus on the prevention of spreading seeds and the establishment of new foci. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Pesticides & Phytomedicine / Pesticidi i Fitomedicina is the property of Institute of Pesticides & Environmental Protection and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Reservoirs created by damming rivers and inundating terrestrial areas can have serious effects on ecosystem structure and functions of riverine wetlands. Here, we tested the hypothesis that reservoir shorelines had similar vegetation characteristics to adjacent riverine wetlands due to propagule dispersal and examined whether vegetation distribution in reservoir shorelines was related to topographic factors. We investigated 146, 44, and 67 plots in shorelines of the Danjiangkou Reservoir, upstream and downstream wetlands, and tributary wetlands, respectively. Results revealed that reservoir shorelines had a similarity of 45% to riverine wetlands in species composition. Two-way indicator species analysis demonstrated that communities in reservoir shorelines were dominated by mesophyte species such as Cynodon dactylon and Abutilon theophrasti, while communities in riverine wetlands were largely dominated by hygrophyte species including Paspalum paspaloides, Alternanthera philoxeroides, and Polygonum hydropiper. Moreover, species diversity and percentage of perennial species in reservoir shorelines were lower than those in riverine wetlands. Canonical correspondence analysis indicated that topographic factors including landform, slope, and distance to water were important factors regulating species and community distribution in reservoir shorelines. Landform and slope also strongly influenced the species diversity of shoreline vegetation. Results from this study may contribute to a better understanding of shoreline vegetation in large subtropical reservoirs and provide information for future re-vegetation in the Danjiangkou Reservoir after dam heightening. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Weed seeds in and on the soil are the primary cause of weed infestations in arable fields. Previous studies have documented reductions in weed seedbanks due to cropping system diversification through extended rotation sequences, but the impacts of different rotation systems on additions to and losses from weed seedbanks remain poorly understood. We conducted an experiment in Iowa, USA, to determine the fates of Setaria faberi and Abutilon theophrasti seeds in 2-, 3- and 4-year crop rotation systems when seed additions to the soil seedbank were restricted to a single pulse at the initiation of the study. Over the course of the experiment, seedlings were removed as they emerged and prevented from producing new seeds. After 41 months, seed population densities dropped >85% for S. faberi and >65% for A. theophrasti, but differences between rotation systems in the magnitude of seedbank reductions were not detected. Most of the reductions in seedbank densities took place from autumn through early spring in the first 5 months following seed deposition, before seedling emergence occurred, suggesting that seed predation and/or seed decay was important. For S. faberi, total cumulative seedling emergence and total seed mortality did not differ between rotation systems. In contrast, for A. theophrasti, seedling emergence was 71% lower and seed mortality was 83% greater in the 3- and 4-year rotation systems than in the 2-year system. Results of this study indicate that for certain weed species, such as A. theophrasti, crop rotation systems can strongly affect life-history processes associated with soil seedbanks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Theoretical models predict that seed size and seed-bank persistence evolve interdependently, such that strong selection for one trait corresponds with weak selection for the other. This framework has been supported and rejected by empirical data, and thus, conclusive evidence is lacking. We expanded the seed size–persistence framework to include seed-coat thickness, a defence trait previously correlated with seed survival in soil. To do this, we used Abutilon theophrasti accessions with varied evolutionary histories and we quantified associations among seed traits including morphology, size, coat thickness, dormancy (percentage of viable seeds that fail to germinate under optimum conditions) and seed-bank persistence (percentage of viable seeds remaining after 1 year of burial). Statistical models were developed to test the hypothesis that combined measurements of seed-coat thickness and seed size better explain variability in seed-bank persistence than seed-size data alone. Results indicated that measurements of seed size (length, width, mass) were negatively correlated with coat:width ratio (coat thickness relative to seed width) and coat:mass ratio (coat thickness relative to seed mass). Accessions characterized by smaller seeds with proportionally thicker seed coats were more dormant and more persistent in soil than accessions characterized by larger seeds with proportionally thinner seed coats. Seed-coat thickness data improved the explanatory power of logistic regression models for seed-size effects on both seed-bank persistence and dormancy. These results indicate that supplementing seed-size data with seed-defence data may clarify previously reported contradictory results regarding trade-offs between seed size and seed-bank persistence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chinese Abutilon theophrasti fiber (AF) ranks first in the world for yield; however, its application in the textile field is limited due to its characteristics. In this study, AF was used to reinforce high-density polyethylene (HDPE). Mechanical property tests, observations of the internal combination, creep behavior, and resistance to accelerate ultraviolet (UV) aging were conducted on these composites with different mass ratios. The results showed that the addition of the fiber could improve the impact resistance of the AF/HDPE composites. However, when the additive fiber content was > 60%, the flexural properties and resistance to creep deformation of the composites significantly decreased. Under the same conditions, the hygroscopic properties of the composites increased. After exposure to accelerated UV aging, the flexural strength of the composites decreased, but their impact resistance slightly improved. Infrared analysis demonstrated that lignin and other botanical compositions induced oxidative degradation in the composites. When the fiber-to-HDPE mass ratio was 60:40, the properties of the material were optimal. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Listy Cukrovarnicke a Reparske is the property of VUC Praha a.s. and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

A method of reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography (RP-HPLC) was established for the simultaneous determination of gallic acid, protocatechuic acid, catechin, vanillic acid, caffeic acid, ferulic acid, rutin, quercetin and syriacusin A in the ethanolic extracts from the five parts (roots, stems, leaves, seeds and exocarps) of Abutilon theophrasti Medic. The nine components in the sample were extracted with 70% ethanol solution in an ultrasonic bath for 25 min and chromatographically separated on a C18 analytical column (250 × 4.6 mm i.d., 5 µm) by gradient elution with water containing 0.1% (v/v) formic acid (pH 2.4) and acetonitrile as mobile phases, at a flow rate of 1.0 mL/min. The detection was conducted by ultraviolet-visible absorption. The proposed method showed good linearity between the peak area of each analyte and its concentration. Relative standard deviations of the instrumental intra-day and inter-day precision and method precision were less than 2.0, 3.5 and 2.0%. Recoveries were within the range of 87.3–100.8%. Limits of detection and quantification were 0.045–0.400 µg/mL (signal-to-noise ratio: 3) and 0.090–1.115 µg/mL (signal-to-noise ratio: 10), respectively. The proposed method was successfully applied to determine common phenols and flavonoids of Abutilon theophrasti Medic. The results indicated that the RP-HPLC system may provide a rapid method for the quality control of Abutilon theophrasti Medic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Diversified cropping systems can have high soil microbial biomass and thus strong potential to reduce the weed seedbank through seed decay. This study, conducted in Iowa, USA, evaluated the hypothesis that weed seed decay is higher in a diversified 4-year maize-soyabean-oat/lucerne-lucerne cropping system than in a conventional 2-year maize-soyabean rotation. Mesh bags filled with either Setaria faberi or Abutilon theophrasti seeds and soil were buried at two depths in the maize phase of the two cropping systems and sampled over a 3-year period. Setaria faberi seed decay was consistently greater at 2 cm than at 20 cm burial depth and was higher in the more diverse rotation than in the conventional rotation in 1 year. Abutilon theophrasti seeds decayed very little in comparison with seeds of S. faberi. Separate laboratory and field experiments confirmed differences in germination and seed decay among the seed lots evaluated each year. Fusarium, Pythium, Alternaria, Cladosporium and Trichoderma were the most abundant genera colonising seeds of both species. A glasshouse experiment determined a relationship between Pythium ultimum and S. faberi seed decay. Possible differences in seed susceptibility to decay indicate the need to evaluate weed seedbank dynamics in different cropping systems when evaluating overall population dynamics and formulating weed management strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND Root-knot nematodes and soil-borne diseases constrain the rapid development of protected agriculture in China, especially while phasing out methyl bromide ( MB). The fumigant sulfuryl fluoride ( SF) is currently used as an alternative to MB for the disinfestation of buildings and post-harvest commodities. Our experiments aimed to evaluate a novel application of SF as a soil fumigant in greenhouses in China. RESULTS Dose-response experiments indicated that SF has good efficacy on root-knot nematodes ( Meloidogyne spp.) and moderate activity against Fusarium spp. and weeds ( Digitaria sanguinalis (L.) Scop. and Abutilon theophrasti Medicus). The field trials indicates that SF has good efficacy, between 80 and 94%, on Meloidogyne spp., and Fusarium spp. at the rates of 25-50 g m−2 in tomato and cucumber in Beijing and Shandong Province. Marketable yield and plant vigour was not significantly different in SF and MB treatments. SF has lower emissions than MB during the fumigation operation. It is simple to apply, can be used at low temperature, and has a short plant-back time. SF was found to be an economically feasible alternative to MB for nematode control in China. CONCLUSION SF can be used as a soil fumigant to control root-knot nematodes and to reduce the levels of key soil pathogens. © 2013 Society of Chemical Industry [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Soyabean ( Glycine max) was grown at ambient and projected levels of atmospheric carbon dioxide (+250 μmol mol−1 above ambient) over two field seasons with and without the presence of a weed, Abutilon theophrasti, to quantify the potential effect of rising atmospheric carbon dioxide concentration on weed-crop interactions and potential yield loss in soyabean. Under weed-free conditions, elevated CO2 resulted in stimulations in soyabean seed yield and associated components, including pod number. At an approximate density of 6 plants m−2, A. theophrasti competition resulted in a significant reduction (−40%) in soyabean seed yield. Although differences in seed yield reduction by A. theophrasti were observed as a function of year, the relative decrease in seed yield with A. theophrasti biomass did not differ in response to CO2. Although careful weed management will be necessary if CO2-induced increases in seed yield for soyabean are to be achieved, these data suggest that soyabean seed yield may be more resilient in competition with A. theophrasti as a function of rising atmospheric levels of carbon dioxide. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Gesunde Pflanzen is the property of Springer Nature and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Depletion of the ozone layer leads to increasing UV-B radiation on the earth's surface, which may affect weeds and their responses to herbicides. However, the effect of increased UV-B radiation on weeds and the interaction of weeds and herbicides are still obscure. The objective of this study was to compare glyphosate efficacy on velvetleaf that was grown under with and without increased UV-B radiation. Leaf area, dry weight and net photosynthesis of velvetleaf seedlings were adversely affected by increased UV-B radiation. Leaf cuticle wax significantly increased by 28% under increased UV-B radiation. Glyphosate efficacy on velvetleaf, evaluated by shoot dry weight, was significantly decreased by increased UV-B radiation. Exposure to increased UV-B radiation significantly decreased 14C-glyphosate absorption from 49% to 43%, and also resulted in less 14C-glyphosate translocation out of treated leaves and less glyphosate accumulation in newly expanded leaves. The decrease in glyphosate efficacy was due to changes in absorption and distribution, which were attributed to increased cuticle wax and decreased photosynthesis caused by increased UV-B radiation. These results suggest that the responses of weeds to herbicides may be affected by increased UV-B radiation, to the extent that higher rates may be required to achieve the desired effects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

W esterman PR, H eiermann M, P ottberg U, R odemann B & G erowitt B (2012). Weed seed survival during mesophilic anaerobic digestion in biogas plants. Weed Research 52, 307-316. Summary Digestate, the semi-solid leftover after anaerobic digestion in biogas reactors, is frequently used as a crop fertiliser. The ability of seeds from five plant species (four weed species and one vegetable crop) to survive commercial biogas plants was tested, to assess the likelihood that these could be spread via digestate and to compare with results obtained from laboratory-scale reactors. Seeds were selected from among the best surviving species in experimental batch reactors in an earlier study. They were exposed for 1-9 days in two large-scale, commercial mesophilic biogas plants. The resulting exponential decay functions were estimated. The decimal reduction time, D, was estimated at 1.5 days for Abutilon theophrasti population D2003, 2 days for A. theophrasti population ES2008, 5.8 days for Malva neglecta, 4.7 and 19.7 days for Chenopodium album, and 1.2-9.1 days for Fallopia convolvulus. Given the differences in ranking of plant species, laboratory reactors are not necessarily a good model system for commercial reactors. Seeds could survive passage through biogas plants, although at (extremely) low numbers. If the objective is to eliminate all risks and dispose of all weed seeds, it will be necessary to either add extra sanitation steps, or to identify and manipulate the factors that are responsible for high seed mortality. However, it is currently unknown what these factors are. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The lucky find of 934 carbonized seeds of Abutilon theophrasti Medic. in a storage jar at the Late Neolithic site of Hódmezővásárhely-Gorzsa, south Hungary, suggests that the seeds of velvetleaf were intentionally gathered, processed and stored by the inhabitants of this Tisza culture tell-site. Today this ancient fibre and oil plant, the seeds of which can be used for food and medicine, has become a pestilential weed worldwide. Until now, there has been no archaeobotanical record of velvetleaf. Conflicting reports as to the native origin of velvetleaf exist, including India, China and even the Mediterranean area. Since the progenitors of velvetleaf have not yet been found the centre of origin of the species is still unidentified. The huge floodplain swamps and flood-free loess-silt areas in the heart of the Pannonian plain provide this temperate species with suitable growing conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and purpose: Using plants for cleaning up the soil contaminated with pollutants, especially heavy metal compounds has been increased in the last decade. Decrease in the availability of heavy metals in soil by plants is one of the major challenges of phytoremediation. This study was conducted to determine the role of EDTA, ammonium citrate and ammonium phosphate in the mobility and availability of Pb and Cd in soil by native plants of Mazandaran Province. Materials and methods: In this study, sampling was randomly done from the soil around the highway and industrial and agricultural areas in two cities of Amol and Babol. Three native plants of northern areas in Iran, namely, Abutilon theophrasti, Amaranthus retroflexus, and Zea maize, were studied. Lead and cadmium concentration in the soil and plant samples was determined by Atomic Absorption Spectrometry (AAS) Perkin-Elmer 603 of Tehran University Analysis Lab. Results: In EDTA treatment, maximum concentration of lead in Zea maize, Amaranthus retroflexus and Abutilon theophrasti was 686.5, 538 and 264.5 mg/Kg, respectively, while maximum cadmium concentration (36, 43, 66) was observed in Amaranthus retroflexus, Abutilon theophrasti and Zea maize. Minimum lead concentration existed in Abutilon theophrasti (15 mg/Kg) and minimum cadmium was in Zea maize (5.5 mg/Kg) which was related to ammonium phosphate treatment in the studied plants. In EDTA and ammonium citrate treatments, mean concentration of lead in the shoots of Amaranthus retroflexus and Abutilon theophrasti were more than that of the roots (contrary to Zea maize), while cadmium concentration in roots of plants was more than shoots in all treatments. In this study, maximum lead and cadmium concentration existed in Zea maize and Amaranthus retroflexus, respectively. Conclusion: There is considerable amount of uptake of heavy metals such as lead and cadmium in the soil by non-edible plants (Amaranthus retroflexus and Abutilon theophrasti). Moreover, low concentration of heavy metals is observed in the soils around the industrial areas of the northern provinces of Iran. Therefore, phytoremediation technology is a fundamental step toward preserving the environment and promoting the health of the society. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We examined two co-occurring species of Malvaceae in the savanna of central Texas to determine their photosynthetic response to varying levels of light. Abutilon theophrasti had a mean (61 SD) density of 4 ± 4 plants/m² in the open-grassland phase of the savanna, and a density of 1 ± 2 plants/m² under canopy of woody mottes. Malvaviscus arboreus var. drummondii was not in the open- grassland phase and had a density of 3 ± 6 plants/m² under canopy of woody mottes. Mean midday levels of light in the open and canopy were significantly different at 2,004 versus 192 mmol/m²/s, respectively. Maximum photosynthetic rate of A. theophrasti (34.6 ± 3.6 µM CO2/m²/s) occurred at a photosynthetic-flux density of 2,000 ± 0.0 mM/m²/s and was significantly greater than the maximum photosynthetic rate of M. arboreus var. drummondii (14.8 6 2.2 µM CO2/m²/s), which occurred at a photosynthetic-flux density of 1,350 ± 173.0 µM/m²/s. Light saturation, light-compensation point, dark respiration rates, stomatal conductance, and transpiration rates for A. theophrasti were higher than rates of M. arboreus var. drummondii. These species have significant differences in most gas-exchange measurements, reflecting differences in their habitats. Based on these differences, M. arboreus var. drummondii is a sun-shade intermediate and A. theophrasti is a sun plant. However, maximum- photosynthetic-rate values and levels of light at maximum photosynthetic rate suggest that M. arboreus var. drummondii would do well in edge or partially shaded habitats. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Velveatleaf (Abutilon theophrasti Med.) is present for a long time in Croatia, but as a weed in agriculture is known since 1980's. Last few years velvetleaf spreads very fast and uncontrollably. It is mostly distributed in the continental part of the country but recently it is also found in coastal areas. Besides competitive abilities it also has allelopathic potential. In this study the aqueous extract of velvetleaf was prepared from mature capsule with seeds to investigate the effect of velvetleaf on germination, and the length of radicle and shoot of three test plants: lettuce, carrot and red beet. Germination inhibition was significant only in carrot (41.2%,) while the reductions of the length of radicle were significant for all test plants. Velvetleaf inhibited the length of radicle in carrot by 83.8%, in red beet by 49.4% and lettuce by 37.4%. Length of shoot was significantly reduced in carrot (88.1%) and red beet (66.4%). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study we summarized occurrence and temporal dynamics of three important invasive weed species, which infested field crops stands in the Slovak Republic. The study was realized in the years 1994-2009 as a weed survey. Studied were: Abutilon theophrasti Med., Iva xanthiifolia Nutt and Sorghum halepense L. Very dangerous grassy weed species Sorghum halepense L. occurred only in the maize stands and on the stubbles after winter or spring cereals in the maize production region. Actual weed infestation with this species was only to 5% of acreage. Iva xanthiifolia Nutt and Abutilon theophrasti Med. occurred mainly in maize for grain, sugar beet and sunflower stands. We detected that the infestation with Abutilon theophrasti very significantly rises in the stands: maize for grain in the maize and sugar beet production region, sunflower in the maize production region, sugar beet in the maize and sugar beet production region. Weed infestation with Iva xanthiifolia rises very significantly in the sugar beet stands in maize and sugar beet production region. In the last five years of weed survey, Abutilon theophrasti became one of the most problematic weeds in the maize and sugar beet canopies. In the sunflower canopies, Iva xanthiifolia showed its rising tendency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Davis AS & Raghu S (2010). Weighing abiotic and biotic influences on weed seed predation. Weed Research 50,402–412. Weed seed predation is an important ecosystem service supporting weed management in low-external-input agroecosystems. Current knowledge of weed seed predation focuses on biotic mechanisms, with less undersatanding of the relative impact of abiotic variables. In order to quantify relative contributions of abiotic and biotic variables to weed seed predation rates, a field study was made within a maize crop in central Illinois, USA, in 2005 and 2006. From late July through to mid-October, weekly measurements of Abutilon theophrasti, Ambrosia trifida and Setaria faberi seed removal rates by invertebrate and vertebrate granivores, and seed losses because of abiotic processes were recorded. Weed seed rain was measured concurrently in contiguous plots, as were air temperature, precipitation, wind speed, thermal units and invertebrate activity-density. Statistical models supported the possibility that higher-level trophic interactions were contributing to variation in seed predation rates. Approaching granivory in agroecosystems as a food web may help future attempts to regulate this ecosystem service. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mirsky SB, Gallandt ER, Mortensen DA, Curran WS & Shumway DL (2010). Reducing the germinable weed seedbank with soil disturbance and cover crops. Weed Research 50, 341–352. Ecologically based weed management relies heavily on a greater integration of cultural and mechanical control tactics than conventional weed management. As such, management outcomes are more dependent on biotic interactions among the crop, weed and methods of management. In this study, we assessed the influence of soil disturbance and cover cropping on the germinable seedbank of Chenopodium album, Abutilon theophrasti and Setaria spp. across a range of initial weed seedbank densities. Cover crop system treatments ranged from greater reliance on tillage at one extreme, to a greater reliance on cover cropping to accomplish weed suppression at the other. In general, seedbank losses to germination were highest when soil disturbance was associated with cover cropping. Of the five cover crop systems (1 year duration), the summer fallow and the yellow mustard/buckwheat /winter rape mixture consistently decreased the weed seedbank. The magnitude of decline in these high disturbance systems reached complete depletion of the Setaria spp. germinable seedbank and an 85% and 80% reduction for C. album and A. theophrasti respectively. Both systems included tilling the soil three to four times throughout the growing season. In contrast, treatments which involved less soil disturbance had weed escapes that set seed in one or more site years. Cover crop systems that stimulated weed seed germination and where weeds were either suppressed by the cover crop or where subsequent tillage provided control, resulted in the greatest weed seedbank declines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The crop of corn in the ofmarshy blanck soil type to two year trial investigated the efficacy of tembotrion (herbicide Laudis) and foramsulfuron, jodsulfuron-methyl-sodium (herbicide Maister OD). Evaluations of herbicides efficacy was based on the number of weeds and their fresh weight per unit area. Using tembotrion, as so foramsulfuron, jodsulfuron-methyl-sodium recorded good efficacy in control sensitive anual broadleaf weed species. For the evaluation of action investigated tembotrion, as so foramsulfuron, jodsulfuron-methylsodium followed by the number of weeds and fresh weight, based on which the calculated efficiency of the studied treatments. Given these elements has been registered different effectiveness on the dominate annual broadleaf weed species. In both years the research was concluded frekvently Abutilon theophrasti Medik., Datura stramonium L., Hibiscus trionum L., and Portulaca oleracea L., which can be correlated with biological characteristics weed species, and effect uncontrolled environmental factors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A direct chemical application end effector was developed to directly apply chemical via a weed''s vascular tissue by cutting the weed''s stem and wiping chemical on to its cut surface. The end effector consists of two micro-pumps, a custom-designed circular saw with a DC motor, an applicator, a chemical tank, a flow controller, and a micro reservoir. The field robot, equipped with a computer and a 5-degree of freedom arm, controls the movement of the direct chemical application end effector. A direct chemical application end effector was tested to quantify the application dose and to examine the potential for controlling weeds. The average application dose of the end effector ranged from 21.89mg to 56.18mg per target, with a coefficient of variation (CV) range of 33.79–60.85%. Using the direct chemical application end effector, chemical was applied to two species of weeds, yellow foxtail (Setaria glauca) plants and velvetleaf plants (Abutilon theophrasti) as representative grass and broadleaf weeds, respectively. The majority of the weeds (90.9%) treated by the end effector showed symptoms of chemical application on the sixth day and was dead ten days after application although the end effector used only 22% of active ingredient of a broadcast application. The developed end effector may provide a solution to reduce chemical use in field application, to increase herbicide efficacy, and to limit the herbicide contamination in the environment by directly applying a minute amount of herbicide only to weeds. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Abutilon theophrasti (Malvaceae) is a widely distributed weed that infests a variety of agricultural crops. Cotton is in the same botanical family, precluding the use of selective chemical herbicides. An Abutilon-specific pathovar of Colletotrichum coccodes has been considered as a potential bioherbicide for the selective control of A. theophrasti. An evolutionary balance between microorganism and weed maintains a relatively low virulence of the microorganism, such that it does not destroy its food supply by rapidly killing its host. We overexpressed the oahA (oxaloacetate acetylhydrolase) gene in C. coccodes to increase oxalate production, as oxalate inhibits plant-defensive callose synthase by chelating calcium, an obligate co-factor of this enzyme. C. coccodes oahA transformants acidified the surrounding medium, an indication of acid production by hydrolysis of oxaloacetate. Less callose was seen visually around lesions caused by C. coccodes oahA transformants than the wild type in preliminary experiments, but this was not biochemically quantifiable. Further optimization might be obtained through gene stacking, or the addition of multiple virulence genes to this potential biocontrol agent. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Spirabutilon citrinum Krapov. A new genus and species from Espirito Santo, Brazil is described. It is related to Abutilon, from which it differs by its spiralized anthers, a unique character in the family. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two mycotrophic species ( Lactuca sativa and Abutilon theophrasti) and one nonmycotrophic species ( Beta vulgaris) were grown in a P-deficient soil, and the effects of mycorrhizal inoculation on three variables that determine growth rate were assessed for each. The phosphorus-use efficiency (PUE, d W/d P) is the ratio of d. wt increase to P content increase. Plant P is the amount of P (the limiting resource) controlled by the plant, which can be allocated to various purposes. The phosphorus efficiency index (PEI, d P/ Pd t) is the efficiency with which plant P is used to acquire P from the soil. Inoculated and control plants of a given species initially contained the same amount of P because all plants were grown from seed. Mycorrhizal colonization significantly increased the PEI of Lactuca and Abutilon (by 23 and 32%, respectively). As expected, mycorrhizal inoculation did not significantly increase the PEI of Beta. As a result, mycorrhizal inoculation significantly increased the P content of Lactuca and Abutilon, but not Beta. Mycorrhizal colonization decreased the PUE of lettuce, but did not significantly affect that of Abutilon or Beta. Mycorrhizal inoculation therefore slightly increased the growth rate of Lactuca, greatly increased the growth rate of Abutilon, and ultimately had no significant effect on the growth rate of Beta. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Anthocyanin indexes, quercetin, kaempferol and myricetin may provide industry with potential new medicines or nutraceuticals. Velvetleaf (Abutilon theophrasti Medik) leaves from 42 plant introductions (PI) were analyzed for anthocyanin indexes while both leaves and fruit were used for quercetin, kaempferol and myricetin concentration analysis by reverse-phase high performance liquid chromatography. Leaf anthocyanin indexes ranged from 6.15 to 11.25 among PI. Leaf quercetin and kaempferol concentrations ranged from 1.50 to 4.79 mg/g and 0.43 to 2.17 mg/g, respectively. Fruit quercetin, kaempferol and myricetin concentrations ranged from 0.061 to 0.266 mg/g, 0.054 to 0.734 mg/g, and 0 to 35.87 μg/g, respectively. Significant differences in leaf weight were also observed. Significant correlations were found between several traits. This information regarding anthocyanin indexes, quercetin, kaempferol and myricetin concentrations will be useful for velvetleaf cultivar development. Breeders and other scientists could use this germplasm that contains high concentrations of anthocyanins, quercetin, kaempferol and myricetin to develop new medicines or nutraceuticals from an extremely useful weedy species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Total cationic peptides from seeds of plants of the family Malvaceae were separated by chromatography. The molecular weights of the isolated peptides were determined by MALDI-TOF mass spectroscopy. The antifungal activity of total cationic peptides from seeds of plants of this family against Phytophtora infestans was demonstrated on potato disks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article focuses on Abutilon theophrasti specie, a specie out of family Malvaceae's 160 species. It says that A. theophrasti commonly grows in Republic of Uzbekistan, and is also distributed in some part of Europe and Central Asia. Moreover, it states that A. theophrasti's roots, flowers, and leaves were used as a substitute for Althea in folk medicine, wherein it is used as emollient and expectorant. Moreover, it discusses the substances found in the extracted leaves of A. theophrasti.

The authors discuss their experimentation with root growth in Abutilon theophrasti or Malvaceae, with the goal of articulating the nature of plant responses to environmental and other conditions. The experimental approach is described. Dyes were injected into root systems to measure their distributions in soil and the extent of root and shoot biomass. Results are described for plants grown alone and near competing plants.