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A graphoidal cover of a graph G (not necessarily finite) is a collection ψ of paths (not necessarily finite, not necessarily open) satisfying the following axioms: (GC-1) Every vertex of G is an internal vertex of at most one path in ψ, and (GC-2) every edge of G is in exactly one path in ψ. The pair (G, ψ) is called a graphoidally covered graph and the paths in ψ are called the ψ-edges of G. In a graphoidally covered graph (G, ψ), two distinct vertices u and v are ψ-adjacent if they are the ends of an open ψ-edge. A graphoidally covered graph (G, ψ) in which no two distinct vertices are ψ-adjacent is called ψ-independent and the graphoidal cover ψ is called a totally disconnecting graphoidal cover of G. Further, a graph possessing a totally disconnecting graphoidal cover is called a graphoidally independent graph. The aim of this paper is to establish complete characterization of graphoidally independent infinite cactus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the main cactus pear (Opuntia ficus-indica)-producing region in the State of Mexico, fruit production occupies the largest cultivated area with 15,800 ha, while 900 ha are cultivated for edible young Opuntia pads ("nopalitos") which are consumed as vegetables. Two composite samples consisting of cladodes of plants for fruit production (n = 6) and another of "nopalitos" (n = 6) showing virus-like symptoms were collected. Both sample sets were subjected to high-throughput sequencing (HTS) to identify the viruses and viroids. The HTS results were verified using RT-PCR and Sanger sequencing. Subsequently, 86 samples including cladodes from "nopalitos", plants for fruit production, xoconostles, and some wild Opuntia were analyzed via RT-PCR with specific primers for the viruses and viroids previously detected via HTS. Three viruses were discovered [Opuntia virus 2 (OV2), cactus carlavirus 1 (CCV-1), and Opuntia potexvirus A (OPV-A)], along with a previously reported viroid [Opuntia viroid 1 (OVd-1)]. Additionally, two new viroids were identified, provisionally named the Mexican opuntia viroid (MOVd, genus Pospiviroid) and Opuntia viroid 2 (OVd-2, genus Apscaviroid). A phylogenetic analysis, pairwise identity comparison, and conserved structural elements analysis confirmed the classification of these two viroids as new species within the Pospiviroidae family. This is the first report of a pospiviroid and two apscaviroids infecting cactus pears in the world. Overall, this study enhances our understanding of the virome associated with cactus pears in Mexico. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: The cactus moth is from South America and feeds on prickly pear cacti (Opuntia sp.). However, it is now present in North America and threatening the native Opuntia plants there. We are investigating a potential biological control agent, the wasp Apanteles opuntiarum, as a sustainable method to control the cactus moth population. This wasp is a larval parasitoid. We studied several aspects of A. opuntiarum reproduction and laboratory rearing. We documented the morphology of the wasp eggs and larvae. We found that A. opuntiarum prefers to lay its eggs on previously parasitized larvae compared to unparasitized larvae. We also found that exposing cactus moth larvae without the cactus and in groups of 20 larvae resulted in the highest parasitism and produced the most wasp offspring, suggesting that these factors reduced defensive behaviors of the cactus moth larvae. Understanding the wasp's preference for previously parasitized larvae and how the cactus moth larvae interact with their environment will allow us to manipulate these factors to improve wasp production in laboratory colonies. Efficient laboratory production will be critical for successful release of this wasp as a biological control for the invasive cactus moth. The cactus moth, Cactoblastis cactorum (Berg) (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae) is native to South America and has been used as a biocontrol agent of Opuntia (Cactaceae) in Australia and South Africa. Its invasion in North America has raised concerns for the native Opuntia in the USA and Mexico. We investigated the reproductive biology and rearing procedures of a host-specific potential biocontrol agent, Apanteles opuntiarum Martínez and Berta (Hymenoptera: Braconidae). Given the gregarious nature of the parasitoid larvae, we studied the morphology of the immature stages and evaluated evidence of polyembryony and superparasitism. We also investigated the effects of host exposure arena and host density on parasitism rates and wasp production. The morphological descriptions provide a basis for comparison with other species. Early larval instars of A. opuntiarum are similar to other microgastrine immature stages. However, the mature larva exhibits placoid sensilla in the epistomal region, a unique character not previously reported. We provide evidence that A. opuntiarum eggs are not polyembryonic; females frequently superparasitize and have an oviposition preference for larvae parasitized 1–2 d previously. Exposing larvae of C. cactorum to wasps while inside the cactus resulted in lower parasitism and fewer offspring from each host than exposing larvae in the arena without the cactus. Parasitism and mortality rates were higher at lower host densities, possibly due to reduced host group defensive behavior. These results suggest that preference for superparasitism, host defensive behavior, and interactions with the cactus may play an important role in per-host wasp production under laboratory conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A phylogenetic study of Uebelmannia investigates the relationships of a newly discovered taxon in this enigmatic, early‐diverging genus that is sister to all the other c. 460 species of tribe Cereeae. Here we present a coalescent‐based phylogenetic tree inferred with nuclear genes captured by the Cactaceae591 probe set encompassing all Uebelmannia species. The new taxon U. nuda is sister to U. pectinifera, while U. gummifera and U. buiningii form another pair of closely related species. The unusual characteristics of the new cactus (semi‐subterranean/geophytic habit, turbinate stem, naked areoles) distinguish it from all other Uebelmannia species. The definition of the relationships within this early‐derived genus endemic to the campo rupestre of Minas Gerais State became more evident, and this new find adds to the importance of this biogeographic province for the evolution of tribe Cereeae. The new species is described, and a preliminary conservation assessment is presented. Additionally, a key for all taxa of the genus is provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is well-accepted that knowledge of a small molecule's target can accelerate optimization. Although chemogenomic databases are helpful resources for predicting or finding compound interaction partners, they tend to be limited and poorly annotated. Furthermore, unlike genes, compound identifiers are often not standardized, and many synonyms may exist, especially in the biological literature, making batch analysis of compounds difficult. Here, we constructed an open-source annotation and target hypothesis prediction tool that explores some of the largest chemical and biological databases, mining these for both common name, synonyms, and structurally similar molecules. We used this Chemical Analysis and Clustering for Target Identification (CACTI) tool to analyze the Pathogen Box collection, an open-source set of 400 drug-like compounds active against a variety of microbial pathogens. Our analysis resulted in 4,315 new synonyms, 35,963 pieces of new information and target prediction hints for 58 members. Scientific contributions With the employment of this tool, a comprehensive report with known evidence, close analogs and drug-target prediction can be obtained for large-scale chemical libraries that will facilitate their evaluation and future target validation and optimization efforts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The cactus pear fruits were under the two conditions of normal and low temperature treatment, logistics packaging by foam mesh bag, foam filler, laminated isolation plate, plastic wrap, a total of 8 kinds of treatments. The influence of different logistics packaging on the quality of cactus pear fruit was studied, by measuring fruit firmness, soluble solid, titratable acid, weight loss rate, juice yield, rate of intact fruit, ethyl alcohol, glucose, vitamin C content before and after logistics transportation, in order to select suitable logistics packaging methods for cactus pear fruits. The results showed that low temperature significantly reduced the quality reduction of cactus pear fruit during logistics transportation. Compared with foam filler, foam mesh bag, laminated isolation plate, logistics packaging by plastic wrap can maintain the firmness of fruit, decrease the content of vitamin C, soluble solid, glucose, juice yield, rate of intact fruit, and reduce the increase of ethanol and weight loss rate. There was no significant effect on titratable acid content of cactus pear fruit by different packing treatments. In summary, low temperature and the use of plastic wrap packaging can improve the quality of cactus pear fruit in logistics transportation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Four Color Theorem implies that the independence number of every planar graph is at least n / 4. A cactus graph is a connected planar graph whose block is either an edge or a cycle. In this paper, the lower bound for independence number of cactus graphs is improved to ⌈ n / 3 ⌉. Moreover, the maximum spectral radius of cactus graphs with fixed independence number is determined. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Prickly pear (Opuntia ficus-indica) is a multipurpose plant in drylands. The objective of this study was to synthesize the livelihood benefits, survival threats and management of cactus pear in Tigray (Ethiopia). Metadata were generated from 63 available articles. Accidental interviews (n = 35) and frequent field observations were also used to substantiate the metadata. Descriptive statistics and descriptions were used to analyze the data. In the meta-analysis, cactus is a viable biological measure to maintain soil quality and moisture, as it has high water use efficiency. In addition, cactus provides an average yield of 16.20 ± 8.33 tons fruits per ha. The plant is also a source of income and a live fence in low rainfall sites. The dryland plant has bridged the food and forage gaps. The cochineal insect, which eats only cactus, was introduced for a dyeing business. However, mismanagement of the insects invaded vast cactus-rich sites at an alarming rate. The infested areas increased from 17 villages in 2011 to 139 villages in 2018 with an average damage of 3,890 ha of cactus per year. The study highlights that research institutions and Tigray government have failed to address the cochineal infestation for about 15 years. Consequently, the poor farmers received neither cactus benefits from harvesting carmine nor other ecosystem services. Therefore, we suggest that integrated pest management efforts and expansion of cactus plantations along the western escarpment in the Rift Valley improve food availability and defend the landscape against the expansion of desertification in northern Ethiopia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Neotropical seasonal dry forest (NSDF) is one of the most threatened ecosystems according to global climate change predictions. Nonetheless, few studies have evaluated the global climate change impacts on diversity patterns of NSDF plants. The lack of whole biome‐scale approaches restricts our understanding of global climate change consequences in the high beta‐diverse NSDF. We analysed the impact of global climate change on species distribution ranges, species richness, and assemblage composition (beta diversity) for 1,178 NSDF species. We used five representative plant families (in terms of abundance, dominance, and endemism) within the NSDF: Cactaceae, Capparaceae, Fabaceae, Malvaceae, and Zygophyllaceae. We reconstructed potential species distributions in the present and future (2040–2080), considering an intermediate Shared Socioeconomic Pathway and two dispersal ability assumptions on the taxa. Using a resource use scores index, we related climate‐induced range contractions with species' water stress tolerance. Even under a favourable dispersal scenario, species distribution and richness showed future significant declines across those sites where mean temperature and precipitation seasonality are expected to increase. Further, changes in species range distribution in the future correlated positively with potential use of resources in Fabaceae. Results suggest that biotic heterogenization will likely be the short‐term outcome at biome scale under dispersal limitations. Nonetheless, by 2080, the prevailing effect under both dispersal assumptions will be homogenization, even within floristic nuclei. This information is critical for further defining new areas worth protecting and future planning of mitigation actions for both species and the whole biome. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effect of non‐native herbivores on ecosystems and diversity has become a global concern in conservation. Management challenges associated with non‐native free‐roaming equids have existed for decades in a wide range of ecosystems yet have been difficult to resolve. Although much of the challenge is associated with non‐biological considerations, empirical ecological research is crucial for guiding sound management decisions. We conducted a field study on the associations between feral burros (Equus asinus) and elements of the Sonoran Desert ecosystem in Arizona, USA, during 2017–2019. We identified areas with and without established burro herds, and collected data on vegetation, ungulate sign, small mammals, birds, and herpetofauna at multiple, randomly selected grids within these areas, while accounting for vegetation community and distance to water. We predicted that burros would be associated with differences in vegetation metrics such as lower ground cover, smaller perennial plant size, and lower plant density, foliage density, recruitment, and species richness among perennial native plants susceptible to burro foraging or trampling. We further predicted that these differences would be accompanied by lower density or relative abundance and lower species richness of small mammals, birds, and herpetofauna. Finally, because burro distribution has been documented to be associated with water in this arid landscape, we predicted that effects would be most pronounced near water. The results of our study did not consistently support our predictions, perhaps because of small sample sizes or, in several cases, inherent complexities associated with seasonal burro habitat use and plant phenology patterns. However, our study documented that the presence of this feral equid is associated with a number of key differences that may be ecologically important and have the potential to alter community structure in this sensitive arid ecosystem. In areas with established burro herds, we documented lower ground cover, plant density, foliage density, or smaller plant size in several species, and changes were often influenced by distance from water. For example, density of Engelmann's prickly pear cactus (Opuntia engelmannii) was 94% lower and Anderson wolfberry (Lycium andersonii) plants were 49% smaller in areas with established burro herds. In areas with burros, we also recorded lower density of white bursage (Ambrosia dumosa) in areas distant from water. Of notable concern was that our metric of recruitment indicated 63% lower recruitment in saguaro cactus (Carnegiea gigantea) and that foliage densities of yellow paloverde (Parkinsonia microphylla) and desert ironwood (Olneya tesota) were lower in areas with established burro herds. Data on some plant species did not support our predictions. For example, white bursage and Anderson wolfberry plants were found at similar densities in areas with and without established burros near water, but they occurred at lower densities far from water in areas with established burros. Our data revealed that in 4 of 7 small mammal species evaluated (Bailey's pocket mouse [Chaetodipus baileyi], desert pocket mouse [C. penicillatus], deer mice [Peromyscus spp.], and Merriam's kangaroo rat [Dipodomys merriami]), density was associated with an interaction between burros and distance to water, with lower densities close to water in burro areas. Contrary to predictions, 3 of these species (Bailey's pocket mouse, desert pocket mouse, and deer mice) exhibited higher densities in burro areas than in non‐burro areas at grids farther from water. Density of a fifth species (Arizona woodrat [Neotoma devia]) was 68% lower in burro areas than in non‐burro areas, and the densities of 2 species were not associated with burros. Across species, we did not find consistent patterns in our analysis of bird group density, with some species exhibiting a negative effect associated with burros and others exhibiting a positive effect. When we categorized birds by hypothesized nesting and foraging vulnerabilities (low, medium, high), vulnerability levels did not predict the effect of burros. However, all categories exhibited a negative burro effect distant from water but not close to water, contrary to our expectations. Relative abundance of common side‐blotched lizards (Uta stansburiana) was 26% lower in areas with established burros, but data on other herpetofauna species did not support our predictions, with some species exhibiting higher relative abundance in areas with established burros. Our data did not reveal an association between burros and bird, small mammal, or herpetofauna species richness, but species richness of native perennial plants was higher in burro areas close to water. We recommend that future bird studies focus on riparian birds and nest success, and possibly evaluate potential effects in relation to other aspects of bird ecology such as feeding guilds or nesting ecology, and that future herpetofauna studies use survey methods that can better account for detection. Although some results did not support our predictions, our study documented negative associations between burros and a number of native plant species, and density in some small mammal species. These associations are important and of concern in and of themselves because changes in long‐lived keystone plant species and in small mammal densities indicate that the long‐term sustainability of portions of this ecosystem may be affected, and it is likely that these changes can have additional indirect effects on plants and wildlife in this ecosystem. Field data on ungulate sign (fecal groups and tracks) suggested that the associations detected in our study were related to burros and not cattle (Bos taurus) or native ungulates such as mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus) or bighorn sheep (Ovis canadensis). Our results indicate that the presence of established burro herds was associated with changes, primarily in the plant community that is critical for ecosystem function, and we suggest that current management of this feral equid may not be adequate for maintaining the long‐term viability of this arid and fragile ecosystem. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article explores a recently introduced graph invariant called reciprocal status distance (RSD). For a connected graph G, RSD is defined as the sum, weighted by vertex status, of the reciprocal of distances between all pairs of vertices {u,v} in G. Mathematically, RSD(G) is given by the expression:RSD(G) = Σ {u,v}⊆V (G) σG(u)+σG(v) /dG(u,v) . Our primary objective is to explore the extremal properties of reciprocal status distance. Initially, we identify, among all nontrivial connected graphs of a specified order, those graphs exhibiting the maximum and minimum reciprocal status distances, respectively. Subsequently, we characterize the nontrivial connected graph with a given order, size, and the maximum reciprocal status distance, along with the unicyclic graph and cactus displaying the maximum reciprocal status distance, respectively. Finally, we established the lower and upper bounds for the reciprocal status distance in terms of various graph invariants, including the Wiener index, Harary index, degree distance, the first status coindex distance sum, first status connectivity and coindex, the first Zagreb index and Zagreb coindex, reformulated Zagreb index and the forgotten topological index. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cacti are a distinguished group of plants that stand out for their great nutritional values, diverse uses, and unique morphology, allowing them to grow and thrive under different conditions such as dry, xeric, and even low‐temperature environments. The world is going through significant climate changes that are affecting the agriculture system. Therefore, sustainable and multifunctional crops, as many species of the Cactaceae family are, might be a good alternative in the near future. In this work, the uses of cacti in human food were analyzed through a scientific prospection from the point of view of their temporal and spatial distribution and potential uses. Brazil is the country with more publications related to the scope of this work, followed by Mexico. The presence of cacti in these countries can influence their interest in these species, which might reflect the results encountered in this study. The uses and ethnobotanical applications of cacti vary in different countries worldwide. Cactus is consumed fresh (in salads), in preparations (jams and sweets), and juices, being also present in traditional dishes in countries like Mexico. This study emphasizes cacti's importance in people's diets and ongoing world changes. Their ability to thrive even in hot environments with low water resources will lead to a greater focus on these species in the upcoming years. Furthermore, these plants have great flavor and contain several beneficial chemical compounds with desirable nutritional and health properties. Therefore, knowledge dissemination combined with technological innovations will allow greater use of these multifunctional species for human consumption. © 2024 Society of Chemical Industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Different commercially available culture media have been long in use for microorganisms. But in Tigray, Ethiopia, the high price and scarcity of these culture media on local market have made it difficult for microbial researchers to conduct their research. The aim of current study was to create a low-cost, locally accessible culture medium for Lactobacillus species growth using cladodes extracted from cactus pear (Opuntia ficus-indica) cladodes. Samples of cactus pear cladode were collected from Adigrat, Tigray, Ethiopia. Lactobacillus reuteri and Lactobacillus mali were the two bacterial species that were examined. Evaluation and comparison of Lactobacillus species growth on cactus pear cladode agar and broth (40, 20 and 13.33 g/L) with de Man, Rogosa, and Sharpe (MRS) medium (control) were conducted. Each prepared cactus pear cladode agar (CPCA) medium was transparent and light brown in color. The current finding shows that after 72 h of incubation, both tested Lactobacillus species produced small, spherical and white colonies on CPCA that lacked any pigments or odor. In comparison to other cactus pear cladode broths (40 and 13.33 g/L), the cactus pear cladode broth (20 g/L) showed the fastest exponential growth after 24–36 h of incubation. The bacterial colony counts in the cactus pear cladode broth (20 g/L) were higher than those in the other formulations (40 and 13.33 g/L), but they did not differ significantly (P < 0.05) when compared to MRS medium. This study showed that the cactus pear cladode (20 g/L) medium could be used as a culture medium for Lactobacillus growth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The emerging alien cactus Cylindropuntia pallida (Rose) F.M. Knuth originates from northern Mexico and introduced into South Africa in 1940s as an ornamental plant. Multiple populations of C. pallida have been detected in various areas of South Africa. C. pallida has effective propagule dispersal and rapid recruitment making it a likely key future invader, and thus, is a target for eradication in South Africa. To eradicate C. pallida populations, a foliar spray (i.e. using a 2% concentration of herbicide with fluroxypyr and triclopyr) has been applied to plants in nine populations, with population sizes ranging between 535 and 2701 plants and populations covering areas of 100 –1000 ha. The aims of the study were to investigate the efficacy of the foliar spray method used to eradicate C. pallida; to investigate the impacts of C. pallida invasions on native vegetation integrity; to apply species distribution models (SDMs) to identify suitable climates for C. pallida in South Africa; and to document the biomes vulnerable to the negative impact of C. pallida in South Africa. Results show that foliar spray killed many C. pallida plants (mean percentage of dead plants ± SE, 83.3 ± 6.4; n = 9; range, 70–96%), with adult plants taking about 2 months to die completely. The efficacy of the herbicide was not affected by plant size or the concentration of the herbicide used. The invaded site had significantly greater vegetation cover which persisted across winter compared to the uninvaded site, but the latter site's vegetation cover significantly dropped in winter. Also, the invaded site had lower plant species diversity than the uninvaded site and was dominated by species in the Poaceae and Asteraceae plant families. Additionally, a normalised difference vegetation index (NDVI) analysis shows that the uninvaded site has higher vegetation cover and health than the invaded site wherein a notable decline in vegetation health was observed between 2019 and 2022. A large area (> 15 million hectares) was predicted to be suitable for invasion by C. pallida in provinces with arid and warm temperate climates - the fynbos and grassland biomes are the most vulnerable. Because of the observed negative impacts, high environmental compatibility, and high cost of clearing large infestations, we advocate for considering the biocontrol method for effectively managing C. pallida invasion in South Africa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lead is a highly toxic metal associated with many human health diseases that can be caused by several environmental changes. Innovative sustainable solutions for water remediation have been recently encouraged by using renewable, low-cost and earth-abundant biomass materials to ensure public health conditions. In this article, Cereus jamacaru DC (popularly known as Mandacaru) was investigated as a biosorbent in the Pb2+ removal from aqueous solution using a two-level factorial design. The analysis of variance suggested a significant and predictive model (R2 = 0.9037). The maximum efficacy of Pb2+ removal in the experimental design was 97.26%, being the optimized conditions: pH 5.0, contact time 4 h without adding NaCl. The Mandacaru was divided into three types according to the plant structure and this parameter did not present a significant interference in the biosorption process. This result corroborates with slight differences in the total soluble proteins, carbohydrates and phenolic compounds found in the Mandacaru types investigated. FT-IR analysis revealed the presence of O–H, C–O and C = O groups that were responsible for the ion biosorption process. The optimized procedure was capable to remove 97.28% of the Pb2+ added in the Taborda river water sample. The kinetic adsorption results show the pseudo-second-order model, suggesting chemisorption process. Thus the treated water sample can be considered in accordance with technical standards issued by CONAMA Resolution Num. 430/2011 and Ordinance GM/MS Num.888/2021 of WHO. In this way, the Mandacaru proved to be an efficient, fast and easy-to-apply bioadsorbent in Pb2+ removal and has great environmental application potential. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Prickly pear (Opuntia ficus-indica) is a multipurpose plant in drylands. The objective of this study was to synthesize the livelihood benefits, survival threats and management of cactus pear in Tigray (Ethiopia). Metadata were generated from 63 available articles. Accidental interviews (n = 35) and frequent field observations were also used to substantiate the metadata. Descriptive statistics and descriptions were used to analyze the data. In the meta-analysis, cactus is a viable biological measure to maintain soil quality and moisture, as it has high water use efficiency. In addition, cactus provides an average yield of 16.20 ± 8.33 tons fruits per ha. The plant is also a source of income and a live fence in low rainfall sites. The dryland plant has bridged the food and forage gaps. The cochineal insect, which eats only cactus, was introduced for a dyeing business. However, mismanagement of the insects invaded vast cactus-rich sites at an alarming rate. The infested areas increased from 17 villages in 2011 to 139 villages in 2018 with an average damage of 3,890 ha of cactus per year. The study highlights that research institutions and Tigray government have failed to address the cochineal infestation for about 15 years. Consequently, the poor farmers received neither cactus benefits from harvesting carmine nor other ecosystem services. Therefore, we suggest that integrated pest management efforts and expansion of cactus plantations along the western escarpment in the Rift Valley improve food availability and defend the landscape against the expansion of desertification in northern Ethiopia.

Abstract Cactus (Opuntia ficus-indica) is a drought-resistant plant and the source of food and income for many farmers during the rainy season, and the only option to feed livestock during the dry seasons, especially in the southern part of the Tigray region of Ethiopia. The region is currently suffering from a damaging parasitoid of cactus called Dactylopius opuntiae- ficus biotype. An experimental study was conducted from August 2022 to February 2023 to investigate the efficacy of herbal extracts against cochineal insects. The experiment was conducted on the insecticidal property of methanol extracts of Solanum linnaenum, Euphorbia tirucalli, Nerium oleander, Tephrosia vogelii, Calpurnia aurea, Argemone Mexicana, Datura stramonium and Ricinus communis. Herbs were extracted, and their efficacy and LC50 were determined. Phytochemical screening for secondary metabolites was performed. There was a statistically significant difference in the mean mortality of insects across the levels of the herbs (F (8, 71) = 57.812, p = 0.0001, ƞ2 = 0.867) and the experimental extract concentrations (F (1, 71) = 4198.3, p = 0.0001, ƞ2 = 0.983). The individual extracts of S. linnaenum and N. oleander caused average mortality rates of 99.3% and 97.4%, respectively, at 5% extract concentration. Tannins and saponins were the major metabolites found in the extracts. The present study demonstrated the promising insecticidal efficacy of herbal extracts against the damaging cacti pest D. opuntia-ficus biotype, providing insights into sustainable pest control strategies for protecting vital cactus resources in the Tigray region.

Directional liquid transport has been widely observed in various species including cacti, spiders, lizards, the pitcher plant Nepenthes alata, and Araucaria leaves. However, in all these examples the liquid transport for a specific liquid is completely restricted in a fixed direction. We demonstrate that Crassula muscosa shoot surfaces have the ability to transport a specific liquid unidirectionally in either direction. This is accomplished through the presence of asymmetric reentrant leaves with varying reentrant angles, which yields the variation in liquid meniscus heterogeneity. These findings enable engineered biomimetic structures capable of selective directional liquid transport, with functions such as intelligent flow direction switching, liquid distribution, and mixing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The proposal for a method of identifying the occurrence of desertification that has a strong association with in situ data leads to more assertive results when analysing the contribution of climate and social and economic factors to advancing the process. This study aimed to develop a methodology called the RisDes_Index to evaluate the evolution of the desertification process based on satellite data. The concept of the RisDes_Index method was based on the reflectance variables of the R, B and G bands, albedo and LAI of the Landsat 5/TM and Landsat 8/OLI satellites. Principal component analysis was used to assess the biophysical basis of the RisDes_Index by associating the results with micrometeorological data, physical and chemical properties, and vegetation cover data collected from five experimental sites in the semi-arid region of Brazil. These sites included one from a seasonally dry forest (i.e., the Caatinga), an agricultural cactus plantation, an area undergoing desertification, and two irrigated sugarcane crops (wetlands), one with and one without straw cover. The RisDes_Index was applied to all pixels of the images from 5 December 1991, 14 November 2001, 20 November 2009 and 6 October 2016 of an important desertification nucleus (DN) in the semi-arid region of Brazil, i.e., the DN of Cabrobó. The proposed RisDes_Index was able to identify areas with significant processes of desertification, which mainly occur in areas of sandy, acidic, bare soils with a high β value (Bowen ratio) and high soil temperature. The results of the RisDes_Index showed that in 5 December 1991, desertified areas comprised 38% of the total area of the DN of Cabrobó, expanding to 51% in 2016. Application of the RisDes_Index confirmed the advance of desertification in the DN of Cabrobó. This was due to a consequent increase in the water deficit and intensified deforestation to increase the areas of livestock farming. The RisDes_Index proved to be a robust method, as its estimation based on simple satellite products exhibited a strong association with biophysical variables of areas with different land uses and degradation levels. Thus, it is suggested that the RisDes_Index be applied in various regions of the world, with the idea of directing action to meet the advance of desertification. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Forage cactus in semiarid region: morphological and nutritional characterization. • Forage cactus: sustainable food alternative and coexistence with drought. • Variability in forage cactus: morphology and nutrition. • Morphological and nutritional variability in cladodes. • Genetic diversity of forage cactus for technology development. The plant species of the genus Opuntia are widely cultivated in the Semiarid region of Brazil and are considered as a sustainable technological alternative for coexistence with drought. The objective of this work was to characterize, by order of the cladodes, seven varieties of forage cactus of the genus Opuntia , cultivated under a rainfed regime, through morphological and nutritional parameters. The study was conducted at the IPA Experimental Station in the city of Caruaru-PE. The experimental design used was in randomized blocks, with three replicates. The varieties studied were: Gigante, Redonda, Clone IPA-20, F-08, Orelha de Elefante Mexicana, V-19 and Orelha de Elefante Africana. The number of total cladodes of the plant (NC), cladode length (CL), cladode width (CW), cladode area (CA), cladode thickness (CT), cladode volume (CV), cladode perimeter (CP), total fresh weight (FW), total dry weight (DW), total photosynthetic area (TPA), cladode area index (CAI), plant height (PH), plant width (PW), total fresh matter yield (TFMY), total dry matter yield (TDMY), total water accumulation (H 2 O), survival (SV), dry matter (DM), mineral matter (MM), organic matter (OM), neutral detergent fiber (NDF), acid detergent fiber (ADF), protein (P), hemicellulose (HEM), nitrogen (N), potassium (K) sodium (Na) and calcium (Ca) were determined at two years of age of the plants. Variability was observed in some of the morphological and/or nutritional characteristics among the order and/or phenological stage of the cladodes within the varieties. The varieties were divergent among themselves in the characteristics, NC, CL, CW, CA, CT, CV, CP, PH, PW, SV, P, N and Ca; and are related to genetic variation among the materials. The knowledge of the variability existing within and among botanical materials of forage cactus serves for the development of technologies aimed at each genetic material. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Loquat (Eriobotrya japonica Lindl.), a non-climacteric fruit, is susceptible to physical and mechanical damage, as well as decay, especially after minimal processing, resulting in a short postharvest lifespan The objective of our study was to evaluate the impact of a cactus pear (OFI) mucilage-based edible coating enriched with glycerol and l-glutamine on the quality and nutraceutical value of minimally processed white-flesh Martorana loquat fruits during cold storage. After washing and processing the cladodes, mucilage was extracted, and two different coatings (EC1: 60% OFI mucilage, 40% glycerol; EC2: 67% OFI mucilage, 30% glycerol, 3% glutamine) were formulated and compared with an untreated sample (CTR). Our analyses covered various parameters, including color, total soluble solid content, titratable acidity, antioxidant activity, and total phenols. Additionally, sensory analysis was conducted and visual scores were obtained. The results suggest that the application of a cactus pear mucilage-based edible coating, supplemented with glycerol and L-glutamine, effectively preserves the quality attributes of minimally processed loquat fruits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The mountaintops of eastern Brazil harbor the highest rates of plant endemism in South America. However, local biodiversity faces constant threats due to habitat loss and mining activities. About 89 rare and endangered species are exclusive to this region, including the threatened species Arthrocereus glaziovii. This study aims to evaluate the potential distribution of A. glaziovii based on abiotic variables and soil elements and to characterize the distribution of mineral titles that may restrict the species' occurrence areas. We used the Bioclim, Domain, MaxEnt, GLM, and Random Forest algorithms to model this ecological niche under future climatic scenarios, in addition to modeling the layers of mineral titles corresponding to areas already mined and those slated for future mining projects. Our predictions indicate an expansion in the future distribution of A. glaziovii. Nevertheless, the future predicted occurrence areas of the species are already compromised due to mining. According to our findings, we emphasize the looming threat of the predicted extinction of this species. Therefore, implementing conservation strategies to ensure the survival of A. glaziovii is imperative. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Key message: Contrasting morphologies in Disocactus are the result of differential development of the vegetative and floral tissue where intercalary growth is involved, resulting in a complex structure, the floral axis. Species from the Cactaceae bear adaptations related with their growth in environments under hydric stress. These adaptations have translated into the reduction and modification of various structures such as leaves, stems, lateral branches, roots and the structuring of flowers in a so-called flower-shoot. While cacti flowers and fruits have a consistent structure with showy hermaphrodite or unisexual flowers that produce a fruit called cactidium, the developmental dynamics of vegetative and reproductive tissues comprising the reproductive unit have only been inferred through the analysis of pre-anthetic buds. Here we present a comparative analysis of two developmental series covering the early stages of flower formation and organ differentiation in Disocactus speciosus and Disocactus eichlamii, which have contrasting floral morphologies. We observe that within the areole, a shoot apical meristem commences to grow upward, producing lateral leaves with a spiral arrangement, rapidly transitioning to a floral meristem. The floral meristem produces tepal primordia and a staminal ring meristem from which numerous or few stamens develop in a centrifugal manner in D. speciosus and D. eichlamii, respectively. Also, the inferior ovary derives from the floral meristem flattening and an upward growth of the surrounding tissue of the underlying stem, producing the pericarpel. This structure is novel to cacti and lacks a clear anatomical delimitation with the carpel wall. Here, we present a first study that documents the early processes taking place during initial meristem determination related to pericarpel development and early floral organ formation in cacti until the establishment of mature floral organs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Key message: Through a multidisciplinary study we found that Gymnocalycium bruchii, an endemic cactus from central Argentina, acts as a dioecious species, which is the first record in this genus. Cactaceae species are typically hermaphroditic; however, about 2% have other different reproductive systems. These non-hermaphroditic species may develop sexual dimorphism in flowers or other reproductive, vegetative or ecological traits, besides a specific breeding system and floral ontogeny. Therefore, multidisciplinary research is necessary to fully understand reproduction in those species. For this purpose, we studied Gymnocalicium bruchii, a globose cactus endemic to central Argentina that is presumably dioecious or gynodioecious. We made observations in two natural and two cultivated populations. We made morphological observations of plants and flowers, and performed quantitative analyses to determine the sex ratio, size of plants and flowers, flower production, fruiting, among other variables. We performed hand-pollination, self-fertilization and free-pollination tests to determine the breeding system. Finally, we studied the anatomy and ontogeny of the reproductive organs using permanent histological slides of flower morphs at different stages. Our results confirm that Gymnocalicium bruchii is a dioecious species. Female flowers have atrophied anthers and a functional gynoecium that produces fruits and seeds. Male flowers are bigger and have a functional androecium but a sterile gynoecium. In the cultivated population, the sex ratio was 1/1, whereas the number of male individuals was higher in both natural populations. Pollination tests corroborated dioecy. Ontogenetic studies revealed that in female flowers the anthers collapse before microspore maturation, while in male flowers the gynoecium shows normal development of the ovary, style, stigma, and ovules; however, the latter are never fertilized. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The availability of large datasets is providing the impetus for driving many current artificial intelligent developments. However, specific challenges arise in developing solutions that exploit small datasets, mainly due to practical and cost-effective deployment issues, as well as the opacity of deep learning models. To address this, the Comprehensive Abstraction and Classification Tool for Uncovering Structures (CACTUS) is presented as a means of improving secure analytics by effectively employing explainable artificial intelligence. CACTUS achieves this by providing additional support for categorical attributes, preserving their original meaning, optimising memory usage, and speeding up the computation through parallelisation. It exposes to the user the frequency of the attributes in each class and ranks them by their discriminative power. Performance is assessed by applying it to various domains, including Wisconsin Diagnostic Breast Cancer, Thyroid0387, Mushroom, Cleveland Heart Disease, and Adult Income datasets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The cactus graph has many practical applications, particularly in radio communication systems. Let G = (V, E) be a finite, undirected, and simple connected graph, then the edge metric dimension of G is the minimum cardinality of the edge metric generator for G (an ordered set of vertices that uniquely determines each pair of distinct edges in terms of distance vectors). Given an ordered set of vertices Ge = fg1, g2, ..., gkg of a connected graph G, for any edge e ∈ E, we referred to the k-vector (ordered k-tuple), r(ejGe) = (d(e, g1), d(e, g2), ..., d(e, gk)) as the edge metric representation of e with respect to Ge. In this regard, Ge is an edge metric generator for G if, and only if, for every pair of distinct edges e1, e2 2 E implies r(e1|Ge), r(e2|Ge). In this paper, we investigated another class of cacti different from the cacti studied in previous literature. We determined the edge metric dimension of the following cacti: C(n, c, r) and C(n,m, c, r) in terms of the number of cycles (c) and the number of paths (r). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Seeds maintained on seed banks are submitted to two conditions of light during discontinuous hydration: presence or absence. We aimed to investigate the influence of light during discontinuous hydration and its relationship with the establishment of the cacti species. We raised two hypotheses: discontinuous hydration increases the longevity of seeds, and the presence and the absence of light during hydration/dehydration cycles (HD cycles) present different benefits in maintaining their viability in the soil seed bank for a longer time. We subjected seeds to HD cycles in the presence and absence of light. After that, we established a soil seed bank and analyzed the germinative behavior and biochemical compounds at intervals of 0, 3, 6, 9, 12, and 15 months. HD cycles prolonged seed longevity, confirming our first hypothesis. Treatments of HD cycles in the darkness provided the maintenance of seed viability for a period longer than 9 months, which corroborates our second hypothesis. HD cycles in the presence of light only favor the germination behavior of fresh seeds. Reducing sugars are consumed during the first months in seeds buried in the soil. However, protein concentration remains higher in seeds not submitted to HD cycles after 12 months. Our study proposes the existence of a "seed dark hydration memory" related to seed longevity and a "seed light hydration memory" related to the germination of fresh seeds. Thus, the response to light incidence during discontinuous hydration represents an important strategy for the reproductive success of positive photoblastic species in their natural environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper introduces an instrument, the Classroom Approaches to CLIL and Translanguaging Inventory (CACTI), to help primary and secondary teachers and academic researchers collaboratively develop awareness of bi/multilingual practices when academic subjects are taught in English. While teachers can develop explicit awareness of their language policies and practices, and of critical gaps that require action toward more equitable and productive learning spaces, researchers can learn what different bi/multilingual practices mean to teachers, and what concerns are salient for teachers regarding these practices. The practices may include (1) teaching for knowledge transfer across languages, (2) cultivating linguistic analysis skills, (3) raising critical awareness of the value placed on different languages in society, (4) developing bi/multilingualism and bi/multiliteracies, and (5) involving ALL students' languages in the social and academic life of the class, even if they are not the official medium of instruction. Besides explaining what brought us to develop the CACTI, we illustrate two ways it can be used for collaborative reflection, one with pre-service teachers and one with in-service teachers. For each application, we discuss how our understanding was challenged by teachers, and what insights we offer for teachers on theirs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The objective of the present study was to examine the impact of explant type and varying concentrations of 2,4-Dichlorophenoxyacetic acid and 6-Benzyladenine growth regulators on the San Pedro cactus callus morphological and biochemical characteristics. Research method: Four types of explants were used i.e. explants with areola, without areola, with truncated areola, and with central tissue. Additionally, five combinations of BA and 2,4-D, were tested (0 mg/L BA + 2 mg/L 2,4-D, 2 mg/L BA + 2 mg/L 2,4-D, 3 mg/L BA + 3 mg/L 2,4-D, 4 mg/L BA + 4 mg/L 2,4-D, 0 mg/L BA + 0 mg/L 2,4-D). Findings: The results indicated that callus formation induced in all treatments 6 days after inoculation. There were significant differences in growth parameters, including fresh weight, volume, moisture, tissue firmness, total phenols, total flavonoids and antioxidant activity of the callus (P < 0.01) and dry weight of callus (P < 0.05). Explants holding a segment of central tissue, yielded the least favorable results in most of experimental treatments, and the application of 2,4-D in the absence of BA had an inhibitory and toxic effect on the San Pedro cactus explants. Research limitations: No limitations were found. Originality/Value: Specifically, use of 2 mg/L BA + 2 mg/L 2,4-D and explants with areola resulted in callus with higher fresh weight, volume and total flavonoids, as well as good tissue integrity and firmness. The reported results are a valuable resource for future research related to cell tissue culture and the elicitation of secondary metabolites in Echinopsis spp. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The short-read whole-genome sequencing (WGS) approach has been widely applied to investigate the genomic variation in the natural populations of many plant species. With the rapid advancements in long-read sequencing and genome assembly technologies, high-quality genome sequences are available for a group of varieties for many plant species. These genome sequences are expected to help researchers comprehensively investigate any type of genomic variants that are missed by the WGS technology. However, multiple genome alignment (MGA) tools designed by the human genome research community might be unsuitable for plant genomes. Results: To fill this gap, we developed the AnchorWave-Cactus Multiple Genome Alignment (ACMGA) pipeline, which improved the alignment of repeat elements and could identify long (> 50 bp) deletions or insertions (INDELs). We conducted MGA using ACMGA and Cactus for 8 Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) and 26 Maize (Zea mays) de novo assembled genome sequences and compared them with the previously published short-read variant calling results. MGA identified more single nucleotide variants (SNVs) and long INDELs than did previously published WGS variant callings. Additionally, ACMGA detected significantly more SNVs and long INDELs in repetitive regions and the whole genome than did Cactus. Compared with the results of Cactus, the results of ACMGA were more similar to the previously published variants called using short-read. These two MGA pipelines identified numerous multi-allelic variants that were missed by the WGS variant calling pipeline. Conclusions: Aligning denovo assembled genome sequences could identify more SNVs and INDELs than mapping short-read. ACMGA combines the advantages of AnchorWave and Cactus and offers a practical solution for plant MGA by integrating global alignment, a 2-piece-affine-gap cost strategy, and the progressive MGA algorithm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A cactus is a connected graph in which each edge is contained in at most one cycle. We generalize the concept of cactus graphs, i.e., a k -cactus is a connected graph in which each edge is contained in at most k cycles where k ≥ 1. It is well known that every cactus with n vertices has at most ⌊ 3 2 (n − 1) ⌋ edges. Inspired by it, we attempt to establish analogous upper bounds for general k -cactus graphs. In this paper, we first characterize k -cactus graphs for 2 ≤ k ≤ 4 based on the block decompositions. Subsequently, we give tight upper bounds on their sizes. Moreover, the corresponding extremal graphs are also characterized. However, for larger k , this extremal problem remains unsolved. Besides, we prove that every 2-connected k -cactus (k ≥ 1) with n vertices has at most n + k − 1 edges, and the bound is tight if n ≥ k + 2. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For a fixed property (graph class) Π , given a graph G and an integer k , the Π - deletion problem consists in deciding if we can turn G into a graph with the property Π by deleting at most k edges. The Π -deletion problem is known to be NP-hard for most of the well-studied graph classes, such as chordal, interval, bipartite, planar, comparability and permutation graphs, among others; even deletion to cacti is known to be NP-hard for general graphs. However, there is a notable exception: the deletion problem to trees is polynomial. Motivated by this fact, we study the deletion problem for some classes similar to trees, addressing in this way a knowledge gap in the literature. We prove that deletion to cacti is hard even when the input is a bipartite graph. On the positive side, we show that the problem becomes tractable when the input is chordal, and for the special case of quasi-threshold graphs we give a simpler and faster algorithm. In addition, we present sufficient structural conditions on the graph class Π that imply the NP-hardness of the Π -deletion problem, and show that deletion from general graphs to some well-known subclasses of forests is NP-hard. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cactus (Opuntia ficus-indica) is a drought-resistant plant and the source of food and income for many farmers during the rainy season, and the only option to feed livestock during the dry seasons, especially in the southern part of the Tigray region of Ethiopia. The region is currently suffering from a damaging parasitoid of cactus called Dactylopius opuntiae- ficus biotype. An experimental study was conducted from August 2022 to February 2023 to investigate the efficacy of herbal extracts against cochineal insects. The experiment was conducted on the insecticidal property of methanol extracts of Solanum linnaenum, Euphorbia tirucalli, Nerium oleander, Tephrosia vogelii, Calpurnia aurea, Argemone Mexicana, Datura stramonium and Ricinus communis. Herbs were extracted, and their efficacy and LC50 were determined. Phytochemical screening for secondary metabolites was performed. There was a statistically significant difference in the mean mortality of insects across the levels of the herbs (F (8, 71) = 57.812, p = 0.0001, ƞ2 = 0.867) and the experimental extract concentrations (F (1, 71) = 4198.3, p = 0.0001, ƞ2 = 0.983). The individual extracts of S. linnaenum and N. oleander caused average mortality rates of 99.3% and 97.4%, respectively, at 5% extract concentration. Tannins and saponins were the major metabolites found in the extracts. The present study demonstrated the promising insecticidal efficacy of herbal extracts against the damaging cacti pest D. opuntia-ficus biotype, providing insights into sustainable pest control strategies for protecting vital cactus resources in the Tigray region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A phytochemical investigation was carried out on cladode extracts from Opuntia microdasys and Opuntia macrorhiza. • Cladodes proved to be a source of phytochemical compounds to elaborate healthful foods. • Cladodes extracts have been shown to exert significant biological activities such as antimicrobial, antifungal, analgesic and anti-inflammatory. The prickly pear is a plant belonging to the Cactaceae family, and it is the best-known species that has gained significant recognition in recent years. Opuntia sp. cladodes have been traditionally utilized as a functional food and in traditional medicine for treating chronic diseases. Therefore, this study aims to evaluate the antioxidant, antimicrobial, and pharmacological activities of cladode extracts from Opuntia microdasys (Cl1) and Opuntia macrorhiza (Cl2), as well as to identify their phytochemical compounds. The chemical composition of the cladode extracts was analyzed using spectrophotometric methods, while the antioxidant activity was determined through DNA nicking assays. Microdilution assays were employed to assess the antimicrobial activity. Analgesic and anti-inflammatory activities were determined using the acetic acid writhing test in mice and the carrageenan-induced Wistar rat paw edema test. The results revealed that the two extracts of cladodes from Cl1 and Cl2 were characterized by a high phenolic content (58.13 and 44.58 GAE/g of extract, respectively). All the tested extracts exhibited antimicrobial activity against the strains tested, with Minimum Inhibitory Concentration (MIC) values ranging from 0.312 to 5 mg/mL and Minimum Bactericidal Concentration (MBC) values ranging from 1.25 to 10 mg/mL. The cladode extracts of Cl1 and Cl2 at a dose of 300 mg/kg showed a dose-dependent inhibition of acetic acid-induced writhing in mice, with respective values of 64.76 % and 61.91 %. The maximum anti-inflammatory activity of all doses of cladode extracts was observed 5 h after carrageenan-induced paw edema, and all tested doses significantly inhibited the induced inflammation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of giant cactus harvest time and the inclusion of pigeon pea hay in improving the ensiling process and the nutritional composition of cactus silage. In total, 40 polyvinyl chloride-PVC mini-silos (10 × 40 cm) were used. Mini-silos were distributed in a 2 × 5 factorial scheme, referent to 2 harvest times (18 and 24 months) and 5 levels (0, 10%, 20%, 30%, and 40%) of pigeon pea hay inclusion in a randomized design. Effluent losses (p < 0.001) showed a negative linear effect as the inclusion of pigeon pea hay increased. Gas losses (p < 0.001), dry matter (DM) recovery (p < 0.001), and pH (p < 0.001) revealed the interactive effects between the pigeon pea hay inclusion and the harvest time. The DM content was higher in the giant cactus harvested at 24 months. The difference in nutritional composition promoted by the harvest time did not affect the silage quality. The gradual inclusion of pigeon pea hay improved the fermentative and bromatological characteristics of giant cactus silage. It is important to highlight that the inclusion of pigeon pea hay contributed to the increase in pH without affecting the necessary acidity for ideal conservation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

CAMP proposes a hierarchical cache subsystem for multi-core mixed criticality processors, focusing on ensuring worst-case execution time (WCET) predictability in automotive applications. It incorporates criticality-aware locked L1 and L2 caches, reconfigurable at mode change intervals, along with criticality-aware last level cache partitioning. Evaluation using CACOSIM, Moola Multicore simulator, and CACTI simulation tools confirms the suitability of CAMP for keeping high-criticality jobs within timing budgets. A practical case study involving an automotive wake-up controller using the sniper v7.2 architecture simulator further validates its usability in real-world mixed criticality applications. CAMP presents a promising cache architecture for optimized multi-core mixed criticality systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cacti are one of the most diverse and widespread plants globally. They are useful in numerous ways, including food, medicine, and ornamental plants. This review aimed to synthesise current and potential uses of cacti, methods of propagation, threats by invasive cacti, control and management of invasiveness, and socio-economic synthesis of the cacti industry. Because of the attractive unique morphology of the plant, it's used as ornamental plant globally. For commercial scale cacti production, both molecular and classical breeding methods are employed. Advantages of micropropagation of cacti for mass-scale production, compared to sexual propagation were identified. The potential for the application of molecular techniques in the cacti industry is high. Regardless of slow growth, cacti trade is a highly profitable market. However, due to slow growth, the cost of cultivation and maintenance should be considered. Sometimes, wild cacti are used for commercialisation in the international and illegal market. The species selection for commercialisation is vital for farmers. However, introduction of high quantities of ornamental cacti to other countries increases the risk of cacti being invasive in the future. In this review, while managing invasive cacti, the international trade in rare expensive cacti is addressed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective was to produce an innovative biopolymeric ecofilm, using hydrotested and reused alcohol for mucilage extraction and incorporation of calcium lactate into the film. The mucilage of Nopalea cochenillifera (L.) Salm‐Dyck was extracted with ethyl alcohol P.A. (99.8%) or reused alcohol after hydrodistillation (82%). Mucilage powder was hydrated (4% w/v), glycerol at a concentration of 60% and calcium lactate (0% and 2%) were added and the emulsion was then placed in the oven for 24 h to prepare the films. The innovation of this work was the recycling of the ethanol used to extract cactus mucilage in order to prepare ecofilms, which resulted in a more environmentally friendly production process. The industrial yield of mucilage extracted using distilled ethanol (1.3%) was lower than that of P.A. alcohol (3.3%). However, the mucilage extracted using distilled ethanol had a higher concentration of carbohydrates and phenolic compounds and lower levels of Na+ and K+, leading to reduced electrical conductivity. The biopolymeric ecofilm obtained was thinner (0.15 mm) and had lower solubility in water (43%) and moisture content (15%), greater transparency (12.65%) and higher tensile strength (12.91 MPa). The addition of calcium lactate in biopolymers decreased water solubility while increasing permeability and thickness. Furthermore, it enhanced the resistance and thermal stability of biopolymeric ecofilms. Thus, biopolymeric ecofilms of mucilage obtained showed potential for use in biofilms and edible coatings on fruits and vegetables, with a strong appeal for lower environmental impact and, consequently, being able to reduce manufacturing costs for the industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For a connected graph G , we denote by m G (μ) , c (G) and p (G) the eigenvalue multiplicity of μ in G , the cyclomatic number and the number of pendant vertices in G , respectively. In 2020, Wang et al. (2020) proved that m G (μ) ≤ 2 c (G) + p (G) for any μ ∈ R , the equality holds if and only if G is a cycle and μ is a multiple eigenvalue of the cycle. We find that when ∥ μ ∥ ≥ 2 , the bound 2 c (G) + p (G) is much rough. Thus we are motivated to improve the bound of m G (μ) from 2 c (G) + p (G) to c (G) + q (G) for the case when ∥ μ ∥ ≥ 2 , where q (G) is the number of quasi-pendant vertices of G. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A 2-tone coloring of a graph assigns two distinct colors to each vertex with the restriction that adjacent vertices have no common colors, and vertices at distance two have at most one common color. The 2-tone chromatic number of a graph is the minimum number of colors in any 2-tone coloring. A cactus graph has every block a cycle or edge. We determine the 2-tone chromatic number of all cactus graphs with maximum degree Δ ≠ 6. When Δ = 6 , we determine the 2-tone chromatic number of all cactus graphs that are triangle-free and those with circumference at most 8. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Resource allocation in plants is a fundamental aspect of life history theory. In Cactaceae, the specific trade‐off between sexual reproduction and vegetative growth has still not been studied. The aim of this work was to assess if there is a trade‐off between growth and reproduction, and to analyse whether both growth and allocation to reproduction depend on size of the individual.In this study, we used Gymnocalycium monvillei, a globose cactus endemic to the mountains of central Argentina, as a model species. Specifically, we analysed the relationship of growth (percentage increase in diameter) and size of individuals (diameter) to seed production, seed mass, germination, and mean germination time. To relativize the effect of size on seed production, two variables were calculated: the ratio of seed production to plant size (RSPS), and the ratio of total seed mass to plant size (RSMS).We found that both seed production and total seed mass were significantly related to cactus size. However, growth was not related to seed mass or to seed production, even when they were relativized. Germination and mean germination time were not related to plant size or growth.In the studied species, a slow‐growing globose cactus, we did not find a trade‐off between growth and reproduction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Supplementary irrigation can be strategic for forage cactus, aiming to guarantee higher levels of productivity and economic return. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the growth dynamics, productivity, evapotranspiration, and water economy indices of three forage cactus clones under different water regimes. The study was carried out in the Brazilian semi-arid region during two cycles between 2020 and 2022. Clones of forage cactus Orelha de Elefante Mexicana—OEM (Opuntia stricta (Haw.) Haw.) were evaluated; IPA Sertânia—IPA and Miúda—MIU (both species Nopalea cochenillifera (L.) Salm-Dyck) were subjected to four water regimes: rainfed and three irrigation depths (4, 8 and 12 mm). Growth dynamics and evapotranspiration were evaluated throughout the cycles, and productivity and water economy indices were based on data from the harvest time. The OEM clone showed higher dry matter productivity (21.8 Mg ha−1). The MIU clone, when intended for seed sales, presented a higher economic return (USD 20,823.33). The use of irrigation brought forward the cutting time and reduced water saving rates. With this, it can be concluded that the increase in water availability in cactus increases water consumption and reduces economic-water indices but brings important productive returns. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Increased food, feed, and biofuel demands of the future will require a greater reliance upon crop production systems in arid and semi‐arid regions around the world. Diminishing freshwater resources and hotter and drier climatic conditions will also necessitate the use of highly drought tolerant and water‐use efficient crops. Cactus pear (Opuntia ficus‐indica) is a low‐water input, climate‐resilient crop capable of high biomass production due to its use of crassulacean acid metabolism (CAM). Cactus pear produces both food and forage/fodder, a wide variety of high‐value byproducts, and serves as a bioenergy feedstock for biogas or bioethanol production. Here, we evaluated the biomass productivity of 14 Opuntia spp. accessions from the National Arid Land Plant Genetic Resources Unit (NALPGRU) in Parlier, CA under semi‐arid conditions with a planting density of 6667 plants ha−1 over a 3‐year period to identify high‐yielding biomass producers. Mean annual cladode fresh weight (CFW) (73.7 Mg ha−1 year−1), cladode dry weight (CDW) (5.2 Mg ha−1 year−1), and cladode count (CC) (10.5 cladodes plant−1) increased by 2.9‐, 2.8‐, and 2.8‐fold in year 3 compared with year 1. PARL 845, hybrid no. 46 (O. ficus‐indica × O. lindheimerii), showed the highest annual mean CFW (152.8 Mg ha−1 year−1), CDW (13.3 Mg ha−1 year−1), CC (22.1 cladodes plant−1), and dry matter content (DMC, 11.2%) among all accessions tested. Non‐hybrid accessions PARL 242 (O. cochenillifera), PARL 582 (Opuntia sp.), and PARL 584 (Opuntia sp.) showed 100% cladode establishment rates and CDW productivity of >6 Mg ha−1 year−1. Such biomass productivity results indicate that cactus pear displays great potential as a crop with many uses with lower water inputs than conventional crops for arid and semi‐arid environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The taxonomic history of Parodia Speg. is marked by many incongruences regarding its circumscription. The main question remains regarding the union of five genera into Notocactus s.l. and, later, the union of Notocactus s.l. with Parodia s.s. , leading to Parodia s.l. Given that the ovules are conserved structures and that their anatomical structure remains unexplored within the genus, we sought to identify whether the anatomical traits of these structures show potential taxonomic applicability and whether they provide information that allows the genus to be circumscribed. Samples of flower buds of 15 species and two taxa in synonymy were processed and stained using plant anatomy methods for light microscopy. The ovules of Parodia are campylotropous, bitegmic, and crassinucellate, with the micropyle delimited by the inner integument; in Parodia s.s. we observed the nucellus and embryo sac projection and changes to the micropyle type, characteristics that reflect the circumscriptions that distinguish this genus from others in the synonymy of Parodia s.l. The results may also be useful with regard to infrageneric issues, allowing the distinction of some morphologically similar taxa, adding to the discussion of their infrageneric positions. Thus, we highlight the importance of ovule anatomical traits within the taxonomic context of Parodia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A comprehensive analysis of phytochemicals, digestive stability, and bioaccessibility was conducted on a golden barrel cactus extract from 3- and 6-year-old plants. Both ages contained lutein and four chlorophyll derivatives (chlorophyll a, b, pheophytin a, and b), but younger cacti revealed a significantly higher abundance. Total phenolics reached 3545.35 mg gallic acid equivalent/100 g dry weight in the 3-year-old extracts compared to 2557.96 mg/100 g in the older ones. Antioxidant activity, assessed by DPPH, ABTS, and FRAP assays, was consistently higher in the younger group. While digestion impacted all compounds, lutein exhibited relative stability at 69.03% and 58.33% retention for 3- and 6-year-old extracts, respectively. Chlorophylls displayed lower stability (37.64% and 33.34% remaining for younger and older cacti) despite showing higher bioaccessibility (73.385% and 64.65%). Phenolics also demonstrated promising bioaccessibility (76.39% and 69.88%) despite moderate digestive degradation (60.52% and 56.89% retained). Conclusively, all investigated attributes—phytochemical content, digestive stability, and bioaccessibility—favored the younger golden barrel cactus extracts. This highlights the crucial role of plant age in maximizing the potential health benefits of these extracts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]