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Gastrodia elata (Orchidaceae) is native to mountainous areas of Asia and is a plant species used in traditional medicine for more than two thousand years. The species was reported to have many biological activities, such as neuroprotective, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory activity. After many years of extensive exploitation from the wild, the plant was added to lists of endangered species. Since its desired cultivation is considered difficult, innovative cultivation methods that can reduce the costs of using new soil in each cycle and at the same time avoid contamination with pathogens and chemicals are urgently needed on large scale. In this work, five G. elata samples cultivated in a facility utilizing electron beam-treated soil were compared to two samples grown in the field concerning their chemical composition and bioactivity. Using hyphenated high-performance thin-layer chromatography (HPTLC) and multi-imaging (UV/Vis/FLD, also after derivatization), the chemical marker compound gastrodin was quantified in the seven G. elata rhizome/tuber samples, which showed differences in their contents between facility and field samples and between samples collected during different seasons. Parishin E was also found to be present. Combining HPTLC with on-surface (bio)assays, the antioxidant activity and inhibition of acetylcholinesterase as well as the absence of cytotoxicity against human cells were demonstrated and compared between samples.

Recently, the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) issued a tolerable daily intake (TDI) for erucic acid, which is mainly found in rapeseed oil. Infants may be exposed to erucic acid from rapeseed oil indirectly through maternal consumption via breastmilk or the fat component in formula, and directly as a part of complementary feeding (CF). To check the safety of infant nutrition, scenarios for erucic acid exposure were calculated based on the daily food amounts of the German dietary guidelines. Information on erucic acid concentrations in foods was obtained from European studies for breastmilk, from EFSA samples for formula powder, and from a representative analysis of rapeseed oil samples in the German retail market. 6 scenarios were calculated for the early milk feeding phase (4 formula feeding, 2 breastfeeding) and 8 scenarios for the later CF phase (5 CF +formula feeding, 3 CF +breastfeeding). Out of the 14 scenarios, only 3 resulted in exposures that were definitively below the TDI (range 4.4.–6.0 mg/kg bodyweight; BW). Assuming either high consumption or high concentration led to high exceedances (range 7.5–26.2 mg/kg BW), especially in case of the new EU limits for formula or vegetable oils (33.6 and 43.2 mg/kg BW, respectively). In our scenarios, high erucic acid exposures occurred during a particularly sensitive developmental period. To definitively weigh the potential risks from erucic acid in infants against nutritional benefits of the dietary recommendations, reliable, timely data on erucic acid in breast milk and formula are needed, similar to those from rapeseed oil in Germany., In infancy, the diet requires both, an especially high nutritional quality and toxicological safety. In view of the recent TDI for erucic acid issued by EFSA, our scenarios show that the nutritionally safe food‐based dietary guidelines for infancy in Germany may no longer be safe with regard to potential exposure to erucic acid that originates mainly from rapeseed oil. In addition to the strong data base on erucic acid in rapeseed oil in Germany, timely data bases for human milk and formula are needed to definitely decide on the toxicological safety of infant nutrition.

Rapeseed oil is one of the most important vegetable oils in Germany. It has a favorable fatty acid composition but also contains a certain amount of erucic acid (EA). As the result of toxicological considerations regarding this fatty acid, the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) established a tolerable daily intake (TDI) for EA of 7 mg/kg body weight in 2016. On this basis, the maximum EA levels for vegetable oils allowed in the European Union have been reduced shortly from 50 to 20 g/kg, and for infant formula and follow‐on formula from 10 to 4 g/kg. However, rapeseed oil is also recommended for the preparation of homemade food for infants and children. Little is known about the actual EA concentrations of rapeseed oils on the German retail market. Current data are especially important for the necessary reassessment of its recommendation in infant and child nutrition based on the established TDI. Three hundred representative rapeseed oil samples were purchased in retail stores across Germany. EA concentrations, determined by GC‐FID, were in a range of 0.17–9.68 g/kg, with 241 samples being even below 4 g/kg. All oils were below the maximum level valid at the time of this investigation, and even below the newly established lower maximum level of 20 g/kg. The major part also met the requirements for infant and follow‐on formula. The representative results provide valuable current data for the necessary reassessment of the dietary recommendations for infant and child nutrition based on the established TDI.

The development of resilient cropping systems with high yield stability is becoming increasingly important due to future climatic and agronomic challenges. Consequently, it is essential to compare the effects of different agronomic management practices, such as cropping sequences and nutrient supply, on the stability of crop yields. Long-term experiments are a valuable resource for investigating these effects, as they provide enough time to accurately estimate stability parameters. The objective of the current study was to compare the effects of different cropping sequencing (#1: continuous v. rotational), fertilization (#2: mineral v. organic) and straw management techniques (in the case of continuous wheat; #3: removal v. incorporation) on the yield stability of winter wheat; yield risk (the probability of yield falling below a threshold yield level) and inter-annual yield variability were used as stability indicators of the effects. Long-term yield data from the Broadbalk Wheat Experiment (Rothamsted, UK) were analysed using a mixed model. Overall, the results showed that rotational cropping combined with sufficient mineral N fertilizer, with or without organic manure, ensured stable wheat yields while reducing yield risk. In contrast, higher yield risks and inter-annual yield variabilities were found in continuous wheat sections with less mineral N fertilizer or with organic manure only.

The objective of our analysis was to demonstrate a novel application of production risk (probability of a yield falling below a certain level) and yield stability analysis based on the totalized yield across a `sugar beet–winter wheat–spring barley´ crop rotation. We evaluated a long-term experiment spanning more than 60 years regarding the effect of mineral NPK fertilization and the additional supply of manure on the production risk, the risk development over time (trend), and the stability of biomass yields. We found that positive impacts such as reduced production risk and enhanced yield stability were the highest for the mineral N supply, were intermediate for the K supply, and were the lowest for the P supply. The full amount of the mineral nutrient fertilization, particularly in combination with an additional manure supply, resulted in lower production risk and more stabilized crop rotational yields compared to one-half the amount of nutrient supply. The mineral fertilization of NPK (at one-half and a full amount) led to a decreasing risk trend, particularly with the additional manure supply. The risk trend of the variants with P and K (but without N) or even no mineral nutrient fertilization only decreased over time with the manure supply. The lowest production risk and the best combination of high and stable yields of the crop rotation were found at full mineral NPK fertilization in addition to manure. In contrast, the highest production risk and the worst combination of the lowest and most unstable yields were obtained under a fertilization regime without N or even under nonfertilized management. The production risk and yield stability of this fertilization regime could be reduced via regular manure application carried out once per three-year rotation during the experimental period.

It is well known that a balanced nutrient supply ensures high crop yields and stable cropping systems. In comparison, little is known about the influence of different fertilisation regimes on the yield stability of crops. Therefore, the objective of this study was to identify the impact of mineral and organic fertilisation supplied in different combinations (P + K/N + P/N + K/N + P + K) and levels (50%/100%/100% + manure) on the stability of the winter wheat grain yield. A long-term fertilisation field experiment at Giessen University (Germany, temperate climate, silty clay), established in 1956 with a multifactorial set up, was used. For an accurate stability analysis that matches the experimental design, we subjected the data to a mixed model analysis based on the restricted maximum likelihood (REML) method calculating Shukla‘s stability variance and Finlay–Wilkinson regression and performing Eskridge's risk analysis. It was found that without any nutrient supply, the wheat yields exhibited high annual variability and only modest stability. A similar pattern was identified for the fertiliser combination of the minerals P + K. The combinations containing mineral N showed a significant improvement in yield stability in which N + P and N + K are almost identical. In all fertilisation variants, the additional supply of manure stabilised the wheat yields. The mineral supply of N + P + K with additional manure provided the best yield stability and lowest agronomic risk for yield failure.

Pratylenchus penetrans is an economically important root-lesion nematode species that affects agronomic and ornamental plants. Understanding its diversity is of paramount importance to develop effective control and management strategies. This study aimed to characterize the morphological and genetic diversity among seven European isolates. An isolate from the USA was included in the molecular analyses for comparative purposes. Morphometrics of the European P. penetrans isolates generally were within the range of the original descriptions for this species. However, multiple morphometric characteristics, including body length, maximum body width, tail length and length of the post-vulval uterine sac showed discrepancies when compared to other populations. Nucleotide sequence-based analyses revealed a high level of intraspecific diversity among the isolates. We observed no correlation between D2-D3 rDNA- and COXI-based phylogenetic similarities and geographic origin. Our phylogenetic analyses including selected GenBank sequences also suggest that the controversy surrounding the distinction between P. penetrans and P. fallax remains.

Rapeseed oil is one of the most important vegetable oils in Germany. It has a favorable fatty acid composition but also contains a certain amount of erucic acid (EA). As the result of toxicological considerations regarding this fatty acid, the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) established a tolerable daily intake (TDI) for EA of 7 mg/kg body weight in 2016. On this basis, the maximum EA levels for vegetable oils allowed in the European Union have been reduced shortly from 50 to 20 g/kg, and for infant formula and follow‐on formula from 10 to 4 g/kg. However, rapeseed oil is also recommended for the preparation of homemade food for infants and children. Little is known about the actual EA concentrations of rapeseed oils on the German retail market. Current data are especially important for the necessary reassessment of its recommendation in infant and child nutrition based on the established TDI. Three hundred representative rapeseed oil samples were purchased in retail stores across Germany. EA concentrations, determined by GC‐FID, were in a range of 0.17–9.68 g/kg, with 241 samples being even below 4 g/kg. All oils were below the maximum level valid at the time of this investigation, and even below the newly established lower maximum level of 20 g/kg. The major part also met the requirements for infant and follow‐on formula. The representative results provide valuable current data for the necessary reassessment of the dietary recommendations for infant and child nutrition based on the established TDI., The recommendation of using rapeseed oil for infant and child nutrition needs to be reassessed due to its erucic acid content and based on a tolerable daily intake (TDI) established by EFSA. Thus, this study investigated a large and diverse dataset of rapeseed oil samples found on the German retail market, where 241 out of 300 rapeseed oils exhibited erucic acid concentrations below 4 g/kg, the maximum level for infant and follow‐on formula. For the necessary reassessment of the dietary recommendations for infant and child food based on the EFSA TDI, our investigation provides valuable data.

Background and aims: Phosphorus (P) is an essential element for crop growth. However, while links of P turnover in soils to carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) availability have been described, it remains to be clarified how combinations of fertilizer C and N additions affect stocks and cycling of distinct P fractions at different soil depths. The objectives of our study were (1) to assess how soil total P stocks are affected by organic amendments and N fertilization, (2) to evaluate how different soil P fractions respond to N fertilization, and (3) to verify whether N fertilization increases soil biological P cycling. Methods: We collected soil samples from a long‐term field experiment established in 1984 in Rauischholzhausen, Germany. The soil is a Haplic Luvisol and received either no organic fertilizer (NOF), farmyard manure (FYM) or a combination of organic and mineral N fertilizer (OMF). Each treatment additionally received three levels of mineral N: 0 kg ha−1 y−1 (N0), 100 kg ha−1 y−1 (N100), and 200 kg ha−1 y−1 (N200). The organic fertilizers were applied by a manure spreader and the N fertilizer (calcium ammonium nitrate) was applied in spring as top dressing by a plot fertilizer machine. We estimated stocks of P in fractions isolated by sequential P fractionation, and assessed the oxygen isotopic composition of 1 M HCl‐extractable phosphate (δ18OP). Results: We found that increased organic matter (OM) addition and mineral N inputs caused significant decreases in the stocks of resin‐ and NaHCO3‐extractable P in the topsoil (0–30 cm). Mineral N fertilization alone resulted in significant increases in stocks of resin‐, NaHCO3‐, and NaOH‐extractable P in the upper subsoil (30–50 cm). These changes occurred for both inorganic and organic P. The subsoil δ18OP values were closer to expected equilibrium values in soil fertilized with mineral N, indicative of more intensive biological P cycling than in the treatments without mineral N inputs. Conclusions: These findings suggest that long‐term OM and mineral N fertilization promotes topsoil P losses from labile fractions by crop uptake with an enrichment of these P forms in the subsoil, and an overall increase in biological P cycling in both top‐ and subsoil horizons upon N fertilization., Journal of Plant Nutrition and Soil Science, 184 (2), ISSN:1436-8730, ISSN:0044-3263, ISSN:1522-2624

Carbon dioxide (CO2) as one of the main factors driving climate change is known to increase grapevine growth and yield and could, therefore, have an impact on the fruit quality of vines. This study reports the effects of elevated CO2 (eCO2) on berry development and bunch structure of two grapevine cultivars (Vitis vinifera L. cvs. Riesling and Cabernet Sauvignon) within the VineyardFACE (Free-Air Carbon Dioxide enrichment) experiment, using must analysis and non-invasive fluorescence sensor technology. Berry development was examined on five dates over three consecutive years by analyzing total soluble solids (TSS), pH, total acidity, organic acids, nutrition status, and non-invasive Multiplex measurements. Before harvest, secondary bunches were collected to examine bunch and berry parameters. Results showed that eCO2 had little impact on berry composition of Riesling and Cabernet Sauvignon during berry development, which could be related to bunch structure or single berry weight within single seasons. Elevated CO2 (eCO2) did not result in modified TSS accumulation during ripening but was directly related to the chlorophyll index SFR_R. Higher single berry weights (SBW), higher malic acid (MA), and lower tartaric acid (TAA) were examined at some stages during development of berries under eCO2 levels. Our study provides evidence that eCO2 did alter some bunch and berry parameters without a negative impact on fruit quality.

The effects of different agronomic practices, such as fertilization regimes, can be experimentally tested in long-term experiments (LTE). Here, we aimed to evaluate the effect of different nitrogen fertilizations on the bacterial microbiota in both rhizosphere and bulk soil of sugar beet, in the Giessen-LTE (Germany). Fertilization treatments included mineral-N, manure, mineral-N + manure and no N-amendment. Metabarcoding and co-occurrence analysis of 16S rRNA genes, qPCR of amoA, nirK, nirS, nosZ-I and nosZ-II genes and soil physico-chemical analyses were performed. The effect of the fertilization treatments was more evident in the bulk soil, involving 33.1% of the microbiota. Co-occurrence analysis showed a rhizosphere cluster, dominated by Proteobacteria, Actinobacteria and Verrucomicrobia (hub taxa: Betaproteobacteriales), and a bulk soil cluster, dominated by Acidobacteria, Gemmatominadetes and &ldquo, Latescibacteria&rdquo, (hub taxa: Acidobacteria). In the bulk soil, mineral N-fertilization reduced nirK, amoA, nosZ-I and nosZ-II genes. Thirteen Operational taxonomic units (OTUs) showed 23 negative correlations with gene relative abundances. These OTUs likely represent opportunistic species that profited from the amended mineral-N and outgrew the species carrying N-cycle genes. Our results indicate trajectories for future research on soil microbiome in LTE and add new experimental evidence that will be helpful for sustainable management of nitrogen fertilizations on arable soils.

Nitrogen (N) is an important plant nutrient and is crucial for the plant growth and grain yield formation of field crops such as wheat (Triticum aestivum L. ssp. aestivum). However, little is known about the influence of N on secondary metabolites in wheat grains which are supposed to be beneficial for human health due to their antioxidant potentials. Therefore, we investigated the influence of N fertilization on plant growth and yield performance of winter wheat, as well as on total phenolic concentration, antioxidant capacity, and the accumulation of (in)soluble phenolic acids in wheat grains during the grain‐filling phase. It was found that ferulic acid was the predominant phenolic acid in wheat grains. As expected, higher amounts of N fertilizer led to increasing grain yields, whereas the concentration of soluble ferulic acid decreased. In contrast, insoluble bound ferulic acid, total phenolic content, and antioxidant capacity were not affected by the N treatment. Insoluble phenolic compounds seemed to be less susceptible to variations in N supply.

Two Vitis vinifera L. cultivars, Riesling and Cabernet Sauvignon, were grown in the Geisenheim VineyardFACE (Free Air Carbon dioxide Enrichment) system under rain-fed conditions to investigate the effects of elevated CO2 on the productivity of grapevines for three consecutive years (2014–2016) following planting in 2012. The FACE system consisted of six 12 m diameter rings, with three at ambient CO2 (aCO2, 400 ppm), and three rings at elevated CO2 (eCO2, + 20% of aCO2 level). Vegetative growth, single leaf gas exchange and yield parameters were monitored for the three growing seasons. Vegetative growth parameters responded differently to CO2 treatments depending on biomass components. Trunk cross section area, as an indicator of perennial growth, showed a significant increase for Riesling under eCO2 but not for Cabernet Sauvignon. Fresh biomass as lateral leaf area and fresh weight of summer pruning were stimulated by elevated CO2 for both cultivars. Leaf gas exchange measurements for both cultivars showed a significant increase in net assimilation rate and an improved intrinsic water use efficiency for all three years under eCO2 conditions. However, contrary to expected stomatal behaviour of grapevines, transpiration rate and stomatal conductance were higher under elevated CO2 for Riesling and Cabernet Sauvignon in all three seasons. Higher values of pre-dawn leaf water potential recorded under eCO2 point towards an interaction with soil water availability and root system development. Elevated CO2 resulted in higher yield in terms of higher bunch weight, but did not affect average number of bunches per vine or sugar content of must at harvest date. Accordingly, bunch architecture was altered under elevated CO2 levels. The increase in primary productivity of grapevines under eCO2 indicates yield gains that can be expected under even modest near-future CO2 scenarios. However, higher water use, particularly if maintained as grapevines transition to maturity, may have critical implications for the future adaptation of non-irrigated viticulture to increasing temperature and periods of rainfall deficit.

Enhancing global soil organic carbon storage by 4 per mille (‰) per annum would be enough to halt current net greenhouse gas emissions, but this goal seems lofty for conventional agriculture, which frequently results in soil organic carbon and nitrogen losses. Replacing mineral nitrogen with organic nitrogen sources may benefit soil carbon and nitrogen cycling in agricultural soils, but long-term effects are yet to be clearly demonstrated, especially in soils of high natural fertility. Here we report the effects of 34 years of legumes (crimson clover, fava beans) and non-legumes (maize) in rotation combined with different fertilization regimes (no fertilization, PK fertilization, NPK fertilization) on soil carbon and nitrogen storage throughout the uppermost meter of the soil profile. Fava beans did not enhance profile carbon storage. However, fava beans induced positive effects on subsoil nitrogen cycling, with lower subsoil nitrogen densities indicating lower nitrogen leaching potential. Incorporating a clover green mulch every 4 years enhanced organic carbon storage by an average of 4.1‰ per annum down the full meter of soil compared with a conventional maize rotation, but only combined with phosphorus and potassium fertilization. The enhancement was detected below the plough-horizon, indicating that merely sampling topsoil is insufficient to assess soil carbon dynamics in these arable soils. In contrast, maize contributed only a small portion to SOC, with subsoil C contributions negligible. These results indicate that a careful combination of long-term, site-adapted crop and fertilization management strategies can help enhance SOC storage in naturally fertile soils without apparent C deficit.

Various medicinal plants are threatened with extinction owing to their over-exploitation and the prevalence of soil borne pathogens. In this study, soils infected with root-rot pathogens, which prevent continuous-cropping, were treated with an electron beam. The level of soil-borne fungus was reduced to ≤0.01% by soil electron beam treatment without appreciable effects on the levels of antagonistic microorganism or on the physicochemical properties of the soil. The survival rate of 4-year-old plant was higher in electron beam-treated soil (81.0%) than in fumigated (62.5%), virgin (78%), or untreated-replanting soil (0%). Additionally, under various soils conditions, neutron tomography permitted the monitoring of plant health and the detection of root pathological changes over a period of 4–6 years by quantitatively measuring root water content in situ. These methods allow continual cropping on the same soil without pesticide treatment. This is a major step toward the environmentally friendly production of endangered therapeutic herbs.

Arable subsoils store large amounts of phosphorus (P); however, it is unclear to what extent, and under which conditions, subsoil resources might supplement crop P acquisition. Here, we hypothesized that (i) insufficient supply of P in topsoil promotes P acquisition from subsoil and (ii) subsoil P cycling is regulated by nitrogen (N) supply. We sampled two German long-term fertilizer trials in Thyrow (sandy soil) and Giesen (loamy-clayey soil) to 100-cm depth. Treatments received either NPK, NK or PK fertilizer for > 60 years. We assessed soil inorganic (Pi) and organic (Po) P pools following Hedley sequential extraction, and the oxygen isotopic composition of HCl-extractable phosphate (~d18OHCl-P), which differentiates P from primary and secondary (previously biologically cycled)minerals.We found that in theHedley sequential extraction subsoil resin-P stocks (30–100 cm) in NK plots were 60% (Thyrow) and 8% (Giesen) less than those in NPK plots. Subsoil HCl Pi stocks in NK exceeded those of NPK plots by 70% in Thyrow, but not in Giesen. The NK treatments showed significantly smaller subsoil ~d18OHCl-P values than NPK treatments, indicating a predominance of primary (not biologically cycled) minerals and refuting our hypothesis that P deficiency promotes P acquisition from primary minerals. Under N-limiting conditions, subsoil resin-P stocks exceeded those under NPK fertilizer by 117% (Thyrow) and 22% (Giesen), supporting our second hypothesis. We conclude that an efficient use of subsoil P resources is achieved only when nutrient supply in arable topsoils is sufficient.

OBJECTIVES: The objective of this study was to use the recommended total daily food amounts of the German ‘Dietary Scheme for the first year of life’ (for the first time) to calculate the potential exposure of substances in the infant diet from a public health perspective. Erucic acid was taken as a concrete example, because the European Food Safety Agency (EFSA) recently issued a Tolerable Daily Intake (TDI) for erucic acid with a special note that vulnerable groups, especially young children, may be particularly at risk of exceeding the TDI. METHODS: The age of about 1 month with the highest consumption per kg body weight was chosen for scenarios for the phase of exclusive milk feeding, the age of about 8 months for the CF phase. Principle of calculation was: erucic acid exposure = food consumption volume per kg bodyweight per day x erucic acid concentration in food (from European studies for breastmilk, EFSA food samples for formula, current German market analysis for rapeseed oil, EU food law). We calculated 6 scenarios for the milk phase (4 formula-feeding, 2 breastfeeding) and 8 scenarios for the CF phase (5 CF + formula-feeding, 3 CF + breastfeeding). RESULTS: Out of the 14 scenarios, only 3 resulted in exposures in the safe range below the TDI (range 4.4.– 6.0 mg/kg BW). All scenarios assuming either high consumption (p95) or high concentration led to high exceedances of the TDI (range 7.5–26.2 mg/kg BW), especially when using maximum values of EU law for formula or vegetable oils (33.6 and 43.2 mg/kg BW respectively). CONCLUSIONS: The Dietary Scheme proved to be a suitable frame to calculate the potential exposure of substances in foods forming the daily infant diet. The results give cause for concern, as the calculated high exposure to erucic acid in the scenarios occurs during infancy as a particularly sensitive developmental period and results from the food-based recommendations as public health guidelines. Considering the scarcity of data, in addition to the proven low erucic acid concentrations in rapeseed oil in Germany, it is imperative to analyze the erucic acid content of mature breast milk and formula as well. FUNDING SOURCES: Union for the Promotion of Oil and Protein Plants (UFOP, Berlin, Germany).

The objective of this study was to examine the importance of farmers’ variety choice in organic and conventional cereal production and to understand which particular crop varieties are required by farmers for climate change adaptation. A broad-based survey was conducted which included data from 119 organic and 305 conventional farmers in Germany. Most of the farmers surveyed recognized the existence of climatic changes and their negative impacts on cereal production. Given this context, the choice of climate-adapted varieties was very important to the majority of respondents. The farmers ranked eco-stability, grain yield performance and steadiness as the most crucial varietal requirements. For cereals, farmers perceived that a higher eco-stability was most important compared to other variety types. The selection of varieties with high and eco-stable yields levels should be given increased consideration, with their use likely to improve overall cereal yields and reduced plant production risks due to climate change.

The objective of this study was to determine how to establish high and stable yields of winter rye under the impact of highly varying seeding densities and delayed sowing date. A field trial with three winter rye cultivars (two population cultivars and one F1 hybrid) was conducted on a sandy site over a period of three years. The results showed that seeding density, cultivar choice, and annual weather conditions are important factors impacting the yield variability of winter rye. Higher seeding densities led to higher and slightly more stable yields of winter rye. Moreover, a cultivar-adapted seeding date seemed to exploit yield potential advantageously. Interestingly, all three cultivars showed better yield stability with a two-week delay in seeding date. This study suggests that cultivar choice and management practices such as modulation of seeding date and seeding density play an important role in improving the grain yield and yield stability of winter rye.

Oregano ( Origanum vulgare L.) is the most favorite spice plant for the production of natural antioxidants which may vary considerably among different varieties, landraces and accessions. Genetic variability in antioxidant capacity of oregano accessions from German National Genebank was studied by measuring oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC), total phenolic content (TPC), rosmarinic acid content and essential oil content. In total, 42 accessions of Origanum vulgare from oregano collection of the genebank in Gatersleben (Germany) were evaluated. Of these 42 accessions, 19 accessions belonged to subspecies vulgare , 6 accessions to viride , 2 accessions to virens , 3 accessions to hirtum and 1 accession to gracile . The subspecies, to which the remaining 11 accessions belonged, were not known. The plants were cultivated in a pot experiment with 8–10 replications for each accession at the research station Rauischholzhausen from 2007 to 2008. The aerial parts of plants were harvested at the full flowering stage. The results demonstrated a broad variability among accessions and subspecies. The difference between the highest and lowest values was 2-fold for ORAC and TPC, while 6-fold differences were found for rosmarinic acid content. For essential oil content the differences between the lowest and highest values were almost 100-fold. The correlation between ORAC and TPC was moderately close ( r = 0.60, n = 352). Oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC) correlated neither to rosmarinic acid content nor to essential oil content. Total phenolic content (TPC) correlated moderately to rosmarinic acid content ( r = 0.39, n = 352) as well as to essential oil content ( r = 0.25, n = 352). The variation in antioxidant capacity can not be explained by the variation in the contents of rosmarinic acid or essential oil. The diversities in antioxidant capacity of oregano found in this study will allow a better plant exploitation for pharmaceutical uses and plant breeding of highly antioxidative genotypes of Origanum vulgare .

The objective of this study was to understand what particular crop variety requirements farmers were demanding in the context of climate change adaptation. A broad-based survey was used to collect primary data from 515 farmers. The majority of farmers interviewed perceived climatic change impacts on crop production, with more than half stating that they would rely on a locally adapted variety selection. The respondents identified yield stability, yield performance, and drought tolerance as being particularly important variety properties. In selecting varieties, their own experience, exchanges with colleagues, and recommendations from the State Plant Varieties Offices were identified as being important sources of information. The research highlights a need to reflect farmers’ demands in official variety recommendations such as plant breeding. This would help support the choice of varieties in agricultural practice and reduce crop production risks in regard to climate change risk.

Summary Introduction: Molecular markers are the examples of the contribution of genome technology to medicinal plant breeding through marker-assisted selection (MAS) for pharmaceutical quality. Objective: Forty-two accessions of Origanum vulgare L. originating from Europe were evaluated to detect genomic and chemotypic polymorphisms and to discover possible associations between them. Methods: A total of 477 molecular polymorphisms including 214 AFLP (Amplified Fragment Length Polymorphism) and 263 SAMPL (Selectively Amplified Microsatellite Polymorphic Loci) were used for genotyping. Components in the essential oils were identified and quantified by gas chromatography (GC) and two major compounds (two economically important monoterpenes: carvacrol and thymol) were investigated. Results: Based on results, a relatively high correlation between chemotypic patterns and genetic markers was identified. Associations between traits of interest for essential oils (carvacrol and thymol content) and genetic markers were tested using five statistical methods including three General Linear Model (GLM) and two unified Mixed Linear Model (MLM) approaches. Significant associations were found for 3 AFLP and 20 SAMPL with three key traits including essential oil yield, carvacrol and thymol content. Conclusion: These associations can constitute a useful starting point for marker-assisted selection. Therefore, the results provide the basis for molecular breeding of O. vulgare for pharmaceutical purposes.

We examined the effects of herbicides on leaf yield, chlorophyll fluorescence and phenolic compounds of artichoke (Cynara cardunculus L.) under field conditions during 2006 and 2007 at the Institute of Agronomy and Plant Breeding I, Giessen, Germany (50°36′N and 8°39′E). Artichoke (cv. Gobbo di Nizza) was cultivated in a randomized complete block replicated four times in 75 cm rows. The treatments included five herbicides (haloxyfop, phenmedipham, pyridate, quizalofop-P and prosulfocarb), applied after germination, and a mechanically weeded control. The crop was harvested two times in both experimental years. Pyridate (phenyl-pyridazine) affected the artichoke crop most adversely in both years, and resulted in minimum leaf yield during both growth phases of 2006 and second growth phase of 2007. In general, the second phase of artichoke growth resulted in higher leaf yield than that of the first phase in 2006; whereas, opposite results were obtained in 2007. Chlorophyll fluorescence measurements showed that top two damage causing herbicides were Pyridate and Phenmedipham. Visual toxicity observations showed the same trend as that of photosynthetic data. The toxic effect of the herbicide was recovered during the growth cycle of the crop depending on the prevailing environmental conditions. Phenolic compounds differed during different growth phases and experimental years. Quizalofop-p application increased falvonoids content in artichoke leaves at the first harvest compared to untreated control and other herbicide treatments.

In the face of climate change, the potential impacts of adverse weather conditions on the productivity and vulnerability of cropping systems (CS) worldwide constitute a key agronomic issue upon which global food security depends. To date, little information regarding how the diversity of CS or agricultural practices affect the long-term yield responses of winter barley is available. The aim of this study was to investigate the impact of CS diversity in terms of cropping sequences, organic matter supplies, and nitrogen (N) fertilization on the yield vulnerability of winter barley. Yields were evaluated in terms of their stability, environmental adaptability, and production risk (probability of yield loss). Data from a 27-year experiment were statistically analyzed using three mixed models giving residual maximum likelihood estimates including the Shukla stability variance index, the Finlay-Wilkinson environmental regression, and the Eskridge risk assessment approach. The results showed that winter barley grown in cropping sequences dominated by cereals had lower yield stability and environmental adaptability and greater production risks compared with winter barley grown in CS with higher crop diversity and additional organic matter inputs. When barley yields were compared at three doses of mineral N, the highest yield stability was achieved with the medium N dose (70 kg N ha−1), followed by the higher level of N (140 kg N ha−1). The most unstable yields with the highest production risks were observed when barley was grown without any mineral N fertilization. Overall, a higher level of crop diversity with organic matter inputs and intermediate N fertilization resulted in lower yield vulnerability in winter barley.

Globe artichoke (Cynara cardunculus var. scolymus L.) is not only used as a vegetable and ornamental plant, but also as important medicinal plant for the treatment of dyspeptic disorders. The European Pharmacopoeia describes a method for the quality assessment of dry artichoke leaves, which is time-consuming and requires huge amounts of organic solvents. In this study, an ultrasound-assisted extraction method was studied, which proved to be more efficient than the standard protocol of the European Pharmacopoeia, since it led to comparable results, was faster and easier to handle, and was more sustainable due to a reduced need for organic solvents.

The current study is based on a long-term field experiment that was conducted at the Rauischholzhausen field station of the University of Giessen (Germany). It includes six different crop rotation systems (CRSs), three mineral nitrogen (N) fertilization treatments and the varying annual weather conditions (AWCs) over 25 years (1993–2017). To ensure new insight into wheat cropping systems that have high yield stability, the dataset was assessed using different methods of stability analysis, including eco-valence, biplot and risk analysis. The results show that the factors which influence grain yield variation in winter wheat can be ranked in the following order: (1) N fertilization; (2) AWC; and (3) CRS. Compared to winter rye as the preceding cereal crop, field bean as the preceding legume crop had a clearly positive effect on the grain yield stability of winter wheat. Furthermore, the higher N fertilization level led to more stable grain yields of winter wheat for all investigated CRSs. Overall, in this study, crop rotation and N fertilization had a high impact on the yield stability of winter wheat. These are important factors to consider in agronomic management decisions under the increasingly difficult environmental conditions caused by climate change.

This work investigated the influence of N fertilization and grain maturity on total phenolic concentration (TPC) of wheat caryopses. A pot experiment was conducted, using soft spring wheat (Triticum aestivum cv. Thasos) which was treated with four different amounts of nitrogen (0.25–2.00 g N pot−1) and harvested at three different development stages (medium milk stage, late milk stage, and dough maturity). Phenolic compounds were extracted and analyzed as total phenolic concentration in three discrete fractions: free soluble, conjugated soluble and insoluble bound forms. TPC of free phenolic compounds rose with increasing N supply while TPC of conjugated soluble phenolics decreased at the same time. Insoluble phenolics were less affected by N treatment. Total phenolic concentration also changed with the development stage of caryopses and reached a peak at the late milk stage.

The genus Origanum is divided in several species and subspecies. Common oregano (Origanum vulgare L. subsp. vulgare) and Greek oregano (Origanum vulgare L. subsp. hirtum) are two important subspecies which are characterized by different content of essential oil synthesized in glandular trichomes. Investigations with light microscopy and scanning electron microscopy were carried out to determine the morphological parameters of the leaves and trichomes of O. vulgare subspecies cultivated in a pot experiment under field conditions. It was found that Greek oregano is characterized by higher density of peltate as well as capitate glandular trichomes on adaxial leaf side compared to common oregano. The size of peltate glandular trichomes of Greek oregano was significantly larger on both sides (abaxial and adaxial) of the leaves compared to common oregano whereas no difference between both subspecies was observed regarding the size of capitate glandular trichomes. It can be concluded that higher essential oil content of Greek oregano is caused by the combination of both higher density and larger size (larger volume) of peltate glandular trichomes.

A field experiment was carried out to determine morphological characteristics, fruit yield, oil contents and composition of accessions of anise (Pimpinella anisum L.) during 2007 to 2008. A total of fifteen accessions were studied: (1) 15104614 Martin Bauer; (2) 15104893 Martin Bauer; (3) 16101709 Martin Bauer; (4) 16103904 Martin Bauer; (5) 16104662 Martin Bauer; (6) N. L. Chrestensen Erfurt; (7) Hild; (8) Izmir Turkey; (9) Cultivar 903 Nebelung; (10) Cultivar 904 Nebelung; (11) Pharmasaat; (12) Quedlinburg; (13) Enza Zaden Nederland; (14) Heil-Z Aussaatrest 07 Landwirt Heil; (15) Heil-nB Aussaatrest 07 Landwirt Heil. The maximum number of primary branches and umbels per plant were produced by 15104614 Martin Bauer, 16103904 Martin Bauer and N. L. Chrestensen Erfurt, whereas, Heil-Z Aussaatrest 07 Landwirt Heil produced the lowest number of primary branches and umbels per plant in 2008. A greater number of primary branches and umbels per plant were observed in the year 2007, compared with 2008, for any accession, suggesting the independency of accessions. Current trials showed that a higher infection rate withCercospora malkoffii was estimated in accessions (1: 15104614 Martin Bauer, and 8: Izmir Turkey) in both seasons. The highest fruit yields of 0.47 and 0.46 t ha-1 were noticed in accessions (15: Heil-B Aussaatrest 07 Landwirt Heil and 2: 15104893 Martin Bauer), respectively, in 2007, whereas the lowest values were observed with accessions (1: 15104614 Martin Bauer, 3: 16101709 Martin Bauer, 7: Hild and 8: Izmir Turkey) in 2007. In current trials, maximum oil content was obtained in accessions 2, 11, 15 and 5, 11, 13 whereas the lowest concentration was determined in accessions 1, 3, 7 and 3, 4, 7 in 2007 and 2008, respectively. The major constituent in the essential oil of the tested accession fruits was found to be a phenylpropanoid, namely trans-anethole, which ranged from 82.9 to 90.9 and 90.5 to 95.7 in 2007 and 2008, respectively. The highest level of trans-anethole was noted in accessions 3, 7 and 8. Current results demonstrate that availability of various accessions provides the opportunity for anise production to meet the market requirement. Key words: Accessions, anise, fruit yield, estragol, trans-anethole.

Three field experiments were conducted to evaluate the effect of sowing date and plant density on phenology, fruit yield and essential oil quality of three anise cultivars (Pimpinella anisum L.) at two different ecological conditions Gross-Gerau and Giessen, Germany. The experiments were designed as RCBD under factorial plot arrangement with two factors: cultivars in main plot and plant densities in sub plots realized in two sowing dates. Results showed that aniseed sown on April 1st had higher fruit yield in comparison with two weeks delayed sowing. Delayed sowing induced strong effects on yield contributing parameters such as branches/plant, umbels/plant, fruits/plant and 1000-fruit weight which were all reduced. The highest fruit yield was related to lower plant densities of 39 plants m−2 (Giessen) and 200 and 374 plants m−2 (Gross-Gerau). Higher plant density reduced branches/plant, umbel/plant, fruits/plant and 1000-fruit weight and led to lower fruit yield. The essential oil concentration of anise fruits was not affected by different levels of plant densities. A higher concentration of essential oil was synthesized in delayed sowing date in Gross-Gerau 2009 as compared to earlier sown anise plants. The essential oil concentration of anise showed no remarkable variation regarding sowing date and plant density. Cv. Hild Samen synthesized a significant higher concentration of estragol and trans-anethole. From all tested cultivars cv. Hild Samen was characterized by lowest fruit yield as well as lowest essential oil concentration. For successful cultivation, aniseed should be sown as soon as possible in April with a plant density of 50–200 plants/m2 considering soil conditions.