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Body size is a trait that can affect plant–pollinator interaction efficiency and plant reproductive success. We explored the impact of intraspecific size shifts on the interactions between pollinators and flowering plants under controlled conditions. We considered two development conditions leading to the production of large and small individual flowers of Borago officinalis and Echium plantagineum. We also used the natural variability of worker size within bumblebee colonies to isolate small and large workers. We performed a fully crossed experiment with the two flower sizes of each plant species and the two sizes of bumblebee workers. Our results show that the size of both partners did not affect bee foraging behavior in most of the evaluated parameters and both bee sizes were equally efficient in depositing pollen. Significant differences were found only in pollen deposition across the life of a flower in small flowers of B. officinalis, with the greatest quantity of pollen deposited by small bees. We did not find a relationship between pollinator size and plant fitness. Our results suggest that generalist plant–pollinator interactions may be resilient to future potential mismatches in the size of the partners but remain to be tested if they are still resilient under the new environmental conditions resulting from global changes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Invasive alien plants (IAPs) pose a serious threat to biodiversity, agriculture, health, and economies globally. Accurate mapping of IAPs is crucial for their management, to mitigate their impacts and prevent further spread where possible. Remote sensing has become a valuable tool in detecting IAPs, especially with freely available data such as Sentinel-2 satellite imagery. Yet, remote sensing methods to map herbaceous IAPs, which tend to be more difficult to detect, particularly in shrubland Mediterranean-type ecosystems, are still limited. There is a growing need to detect herbaceous IAPs at a large scale for monitoring and management; however, for countries or organizations with limited budgets, this is often not feasible. To address this, we aimed to develop a classification methodology based on optical satellite data to map herbaceous IAP's using Echium plantagineum as a case study in the Fynbos Biome of South Africa. We investigate the use of freely available Sentinel-2 data, use the robust non-parametric classifier Random Forest, and identify the most important variables in the classification, all within the cloud-based platform, Google Earth Engine. Findings reveal the importance of the shortwave infrared and red-edge parts of the spectrum and the importance of including vegetation indices in the classification for discriminating E. plantagineum. Here, we demonstrate the potential of Sentinel-2 data, the Random Forest classifier, and Google Earth Engine for mapping herbaceous IAPs in Mediterranean ecosystems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Body size is a trait that can affect plant–pollinator interaction efficiency and plant reproductive success. We explored the impact of intraspecific size shifts on the interactions between pollinators and flowering plants under controlled conditions. We considered two development conditions leading to the production of large and small individual flowers of Borago officinalis and Echium plantagineum. We also used the natural variability of worker size within bumblebee colonies to isolate small and large workers. We performed a fully crossed experiment with the two flower sizes of each plant species and the two sizes of bumblebee workers. Our results show that the size of both partners did not affect bee foraging behavior in most of the evaluated parameters and both bee sizes were equally efficient in depositing pollen. Significant differences were found only in pollen deposition across the life of a flower in small flowers of B. officinalis, with the greatest quantity of pollen deposited by small bees. We did not find a relationship between pollinator size and plant fitness. Our results suggest that generalist plant–pollinator interactions may be resilient to future potential mismatches in the size of the partners but remain to be tested if they are still resilient under the new environmental conditions resulting from global changes.

Plants are not only used as energy and nutrient resources for herbivores. Plants can be ingested because of their activity against host parasites and other pathogens. This so-called medicinal role of plants is well reported in ethnopharmacology and under-reported in wild animals. More studies on wild animals are needed because any plant in the world contains bioactive compounds, and probably all plants, no matter how toxic they are, experience herbivory. For example, we tested the activity of extracts and essential oils from Papaver rhoeas and Echium plantagineum against a selection of laboratory pathogens because Great bustards Otis tarda preferred these plants during the mating season, with male fecal droppings showing a higher frequency of P. rhoeas particles than the fecal droppings of females. We hypothesized that P. rhoeas could be helpful for males in the mating season if any part of this plant harbors bioactivity against parasites and other pathogens. Males’ immune system is weakened during the mating season because of their investment in secondary sexual characters and sexual display. As a first exploration of the bioactivity of these plants, we evaluated extracts of both plants against a sample of laboratory models, including a flagellated protozoon (Trichomonas gallinae), a nematode (Meloidogyne javanica) and a fungus (Aspergillus niger). Non-polar and polar extracts of the aerial parts of P. rhoeas, especially the extracts of flowers and capsules, and the extracts of leaves and flowers of E. plantagineum showed activity against nematodes and trichomonads. The bioactivity of plants against parasites could explain the foraging behavior of stressed animals. The chemical communication underpinning the capacity of fauna to recognize those plants is far less known.

Besides being a common weed, the presence of Echium plantagineum L. in food and feed commodities can represent a safety hazard due to their content in pyrrolizidine alkaloids. In this study, the complete chloroplast of E. plantagineum isolate BPTPS251 is described, being the first available plastome from an isolate belonging to the Echium genus. The chloroplast genome is 149,776 bp in length with 37.5% GC content, displaying a quadripartite structure that contains a pair of inverted repeats regions (25,754 bp each), separated by a large single-copy (80,978 bp) and a small single-copy (17,290 bp) regions. A total of 131 genes were predicted, including 37 tRNA genes, 8 rRNA genes, and 86 protein-coding genes. The phylogenetic analysis confirmed the placement of E. plantagineum under the Boraginaceae family, belonging to the Boraginales order. This study will contribute to conservation, phylogenetic, and evolutionary studies, as well as DNA barcoding applications for food and feed safety purposes.

Green roofs (GRs) are proposed to offset against numerous environmental and socio-economic concerns associated with climate change and urban sprawl. In Mediterranean urban areas, to protect and conserve biodiversity through GRs, the use of native plant species from arid environments and with shallow roots is generally recommended. In north Europe, Echium vulgare L. is widely used on GRs for its tolerance to abiotic stresses and its attractiveness for bees; unfortunately, since this species requires cold winters to induce flowering and warm wet summers for vegetative growths, its adaptability to Mediterranean GRs has been questioned. The current study is based on the hypothesis that Echium plantagineum L. can adapt better to the Mediterranean environment than E. vulgare and offer blooms to pollinators, thus providing the important urban ecosystem service (UES) of protecting entomofauna biodiversity. To compare the adaptability of E. plantagineum vs. E. vulgare, both Echium species were grown and studied on the extensive GR installed at ENEA Casaccia Research Center, in the north of Rome, Lazio, Italy. The comparative analysis of the GR performance of the two species was based on several plant-related traits, including seed morphology, rosette stage, inflorescence, flower and root-related traits, and their biological life cycle, most of them showing significant differences (for example, rosette area was 1.42-fold major in E. plantagineum than in E. vulgare). The information provided in this manuscript will be useful to update the herbarium records for conservation biology. A dramatic water stress was purposely applied in the GR before the end of the hot summer season, and while E. plantagineum faced with success the imposed dehydration (88.4% vegetation cover), E. vulgare did not (7.5% vegetation cover), presumably because of its biennial life cycle which did not allow it to complete seed maturation (only 46.9% percentage mature seeds in E. vulgare respect to 89.5% in E. plantagineum). In summary, as the main result, this work shows that in Mediterranean areas, the inclusion of E. plantagineum in seed mixes for flower meadow GRs could represent a valuable alternative to E. vulgare in temperate areas, providing a safeguard for pollinators and allowing water and energy saving. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

12-Oxophytodienoate reductase (OPR) enzymes in dicots are categorized as flavin mononucleotide (FMN)–dependent oxidoreductases and are divided into two subgroups. Although subgroup II OPRs have been identified as being involved in a critical step in the production of jasmonic acid (JA), the functions of subgroup I OPRs are uncertain. In this study, we cloned a potential subgroup I OPR gene, EpOPR1, from Echium plantagineum using comparative transcriptome analysis. EpOPR1 expression was found to be significantly increased in root samples containing secondary metabolites such as shikonin and its derivatives. Using a transgenic hairy root system, we further explored the role of EpOPR1 in the production of these secondary metabolites. The results indicated that although the chemical profile of EpOPR1 overexpressing hairy roots (OPRO) is similar to that of the empty vector hairy roots (EV), the EpOPR1 overexpressing line considerably increased the yield of acetylshikonin by around two-fold. Our findings shed light on the potential role of subgroup I OPRs in E. plantagineum secondary metabolism regulation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Echium seed oil has been considered an important alternative source of omega 3 fatty acids (n‐3 FA) for human consumption. Considering the oxidative instability of n‐3 FA richer oils, the objective of this study was to determine the chemical and sensory parameters of the oil obtained from Echium plantagineum seeds obtained by three extraction methods (hydraulic press: HYD; continuous screw press: PRESS; and solvent technique: SOLV). Stearidonic acid (C18:4, n3), the most important n‐3 FA present in the oil, changed from 12.5% to 12.7%. Regarding the minor compounds, PRESS sample showed the highest concentration of gamma‐tocopherol (782.24 mg/kg oil), while SOLV samples presented the highest amount of β‐sitosterol (73.46 mg/100 g) with no difference of campesterol concentration (159.56 mg/100 g) among the samples. Higher values of total phenolics (19.65 mg GAE/kg oil) and β‐carotene (34.83 mg/kg oil) were also found in the SOLV samples, suggesting the influence of hexane in the extraction of these bioactive compounds. High resolution mass spectrometry identified caffeic acid and its derivatives as the main phenolic compounds present in the echium oil. PRESS sample showed the best oxidative stability as measured by PV (0.61 mmol/kg oil) and malondialdehyde (173.13 µmol), probably due to faster time of processing compared to HYD and SOLV samples. Our data showed that the extraction method changed the chemical composition of the minor compounds in the echium oil, but these alterations did not reduce its nutritional quality or sensory acceptability. Practical Application: Echium oil represents a great potential source of omega 3 fatty acids, but there is not enough information about its oxidative stability and chemical composition, especially toward minor compounds. Our study characterizes echium oil composition obtained from three extraction methods, contributing to amplify the technical information about this important alternative oil for human consumption. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Besides being a common weed, the presence of Echium plantagineum L. in food and feed commodities can represent a safety hazard due to their content in pyrrolizidine alkaloids. In this study, the complete chloroplast of E. plantagineum isolate BPTPS251 is described, being the first available plastome from an isolate belonging to the Echium genus. The chloroplast genome is 149,776 bp in length with 37.5% GC content, displaying a quadripartite structure that contains a pair of inverted repeats regions (25,754 bp each), separated by a large single-copy (80,978 bp) and a small single-copy (17,290 bp) regions. A total of 131 genes were predicted, including 37 tRNA genes, 8 rRNA genes, and 86 protein-coding genes. The phylogenetic analysis confirmed the placement of E. plantagineum under the Boraginaceae family, belonging to the Boraginales order. This study will contribute to conservation, phylogenetic, and evolutionary studies, as well as DNA barcoding applications for food and feed safety purposes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Shikonins are the main naphthoquinones in the root periderm of Echium plantagineum, as well as the hypocotyl and root hairs of young seedlings. These red pigments can be used as dyes or for medicinal uses since ancient times. Geranylhydroquinone 3″-hydroxylase (GHQH) has recently been identified to catalyze the C-3″ site of geranylhydroquinone to form 3″-hydroxy-geranyl-hydroquinone in shikonin biosynthetic pathway. In this study, we cloned a geranylhydroquinone 3″-hydroxylase candidate gene (EpGHQH1) from E. plantagineum, and further characterized its function in shikonin biosynthesis using the hairy root system by overexpression and RNA interference strategies. The obtained results showed that overexpression of EpGHQH1 increased the accumulation of shikonins, showing 2.1-fold higher in acetylshikonin yield than that of control lines. On the contrary, down-regulation of EpGHQH1 resulted in a decline in shikonin production. Furthermore, the EpGHQH1 expression levels in germinated seedlings showed a high positive relation with shikonin accumulation. These findings demonstrated the function of EpGHQH1 in enhancing shikonin biosynthesis of E. plantagineum, and provided the first example of transgenic hairy root system from E. plantagineum for functional analysis of genes in metabolite biosynthesis. Key message: We reported a possible GHQH gene (EpGHQH1), and demonstrated its positive role in shikonin biosynthesis of E. plantagineum with the transgenic hairy root system by overexpression and RNAi strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Echium seed oil is an alternative source of omega 3 fatty acids but it is highly susceptible to oxidation. A combination of three natural strategies was proposed in this study aiming to improve the oxidative stability of echium oil obtained by pressing (PO) or solvent extraction (PSO), kept in the storage condition for 180 days or during the consumption for 30 days. Our results showed that the reduction of temperature was sufficient to keep the oil stable during storage for both samples. During the consumption time, the best stability was achieved by adding a mixture of antioxidants, composed of sinapic (500 ppm), ascorbic (250 ppm), and citric (150 ppm) acids, and/or 20% of high oleic sunflower oil. The combined strategies promoted a 34 to 80% reduction of peroxide value and 0 to 85% reduction of malondialdehyde concentrations in the samples, showing to be a feasible and natural alternative to improve the oxidative stability of echium oil. Practical Application: Our study successfully applied an optimized combination of simple and low‐cost strategies to enhance the chemical stability of echium seed oil. As the use of echium oil expands around the world, the oil industry and final consumers may benefit from our results to increase the oil shelf‐life. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Oil extraction from seeds of purple viper's bugloss (Echium plantagineum) was carried out using different solvents (chloroform:methanol, n‐hexane, ethanol, 2‐propanol and ethyl acetate) at room temperature and also using Randall extraction. Extraction yields were calculated and oils were analyzed in terms of fatty acid profiles and distribution among lipid classes, total polyphenol content, oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC) and phytosterol content. No considerable differences were found on fatty acid profiles and distribution in oils regardless of the solvent and temperature used for the extraction. However, ethanol combined with Randall extraction (85 °C for 1 hour) offered the best results in terms of total polyphenol content (20.9 mg GAE/100 g oil), ORAC (468.0 μmol TE/100 g oil), and phytosterol amount (437.2 mg identified phytosterols/100 g oil) among all assayed extraction methods. A higher extraction temperature led to significantly higher concentrations of bioactive compounds and ORAC values in the oil when ethanol or 2‐propanol were used as extracting solvent, but that was not the case using n‐hexane except for the concentrations of β‐sitosterol and stigmasterol, which were significantly higher using Randall extraction than room temperature extraction with n‐hexane. Ethanol is classified as a "green solvent," and it could be considered a suitable option to produce oil from E. plantagineum seeds with a higher antioxidant capacity and bioactive compound concentration than the current commercial oil, which is usually extracted with n‐hexane. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The omega−3 (n−3) polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic (DHA) acid are well known to protect against numerous metabolic disorders. In view of the alarming increase in the incidence of chronic diseases, consumer interest and demand are rapidly increasing for natural dietary sources of n−3 PUFAs. Among the plant sources, seed oils from chia (Salvia hispanica), flax (Linum usitatissimum), and garden cress (Lepidium sativum) are now widely considered to increase α-linolenic acid (ALA) in the diet. Moreover, seed oil of Echium plantagineum, Buglossoides arvensis, and Ribes sp. are widely explored as a source of stearidonic acid (SDA), a more effective source than is ALA for increasing the EPA and DHA status in the body. Further, the oil from microalgae and thraustochytrids can also directly supply EPA and DHA. Thus, these microbial sources are currently used for the commercial production of vegan EPA and DHA. Considering the nutritional and commercial importance of n−3 PUFAs, this review critically discusses the nutritional aspects of commercially exploited sources of n−3 PUFAs from plants, microalgae, macroalgae, and thraustochytrids. Moreover, we discuss issues related to oxidative stability and bioavailability of n−3 PUFAs and future prospects in these areas.

Land use changes occurring in Europe in recent decades are generating important changes in the forest landscape characteristics and are having important effects on avian species richness and abundance. This is particularly important for some bird species of particular conservation concern that require heterogenous landscapes where breeding habitats are proximal to foraging habitats. Among these birds, the European Turtle Dove Streptopelia turtur is particularly important because of its marked population decline. In southern Europe, forest landscapes have been considered important breeding areas for Turtle Doves. We assessed the influence of the foraging area characteristics — distance to cereal crops and wild seed species abundance — and water availability on Turtle Dove breeding habitat suitability in a Mediterranean forest landscape in southern Spain. Forty-six point locations were surveyed during the spring of 2014 and 2015 on two nearby farms of a forest protected area. The average local abundance of Turtle Doves found at each point location was 1.25 ± 1.31 males, and it was significantly higher at the point locations closest to cereal crops, as well as at nesting sites where the wild seed species included in its local diet were abundant, especially Echium plantagineum. Distance to water in the studied range (average distance 475 m) did not show a significant effect on Turtle Dove local abundance, although the high availability of water in the study area could have a positive influence on the overall Turtle Dove breeding habitat suitability. To benefit Turtle Dove breeding habitat suitability, cultivated areas with cereals/legumes near those forest areas where Turtle Doves reproduce should be promoted. Likewise, the promotion of those herbaceous species that are locally important in the Turtle Dove diet, available, for example, through specific grazing management, should be taken into account when nesting habitat restoration is designed in forest areas, regardless of whether the distances to food resources are long. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, gamma‐linolenic acid (GLA) and stearidonic acid (SDA) are successfully concentrated as free fatty acids (FFA) and ethyl esters (EE) using the urea complexation method at room temperature and two sources of these fatty acids: commercial Echium plantagineum seed oil as well as extracted oil from this species which is grown in Chile. Concentration factors (% fatty acid in the concentrate/% fatty acid in the original oil) for both fatty acids are found to be between 2.35 and 2.65, although they are more efficiently concentrated as FFA than as EE using both commercial and extracted oils. This is the first work which reports the use of Echium plantagineum seed oil from Chilean origin to produce GLA and SDA concentrates as FFA and EE, with similar results that those obtained with commercial Echium oil. Practical Applications: The interest for GLA and SDA as functional ingredients is increasing in the last few years because of their beneficial effects for human health and their plant origin, as they are mainly provided by seed oils from some Boraginaceae species. In this work, GLA and SDA are selectively concentrated from the rest of fatty acids contained in Echium seed oil by the urea method at room temperature, which is a cheap, safe, and easily scalable process. These concentrates, especially as FFA because of their nutritional characteristics versus EE, may become high added‐value ingredients to be incorporated to functional oils or even substrates for the enzymatic synthesis of structured lipids providing GLA and SDA with a higher bioefficiency than currently available oils. Operational scheme developed in this work which consists of: 1) derivatization of Echium plantagineum oil from two origins (extracted from Chilean seeds and commercial oil) to free fatty acids (FFA) and ethyl esters (EE) and 2) processing of FFA and EE by urea at room temperature to concentrate GLA and SDA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The edible oil processing industry involves large losses of organic solvent into the atmosphere and long extraction times. In this work, fast and environmentally friendly alternatives for the production of echium oil using green solvents are proposed. Advanced extraction techniques such as Pressurized Liquid Extraction (PLE), Microwave Assisted Extraction (MAE) and Ultrasound Assisted Extraction (UAE) were evaluated to efficiently extract omega-3 rich oil from Echium plantagineum seeds. Extractions were performed with ethyl acetate, ethanol, water and ethanol:water to develop a hexane-free processing method. Optimal PLE conditions with ethanol at 150 °C during 10 min produced a very similar oil yield (31.2%) to Soxhlet using hexane for 8 h (31.3%). UAE optimized method with ethanol at mild conditions (55 °C) produced a high oil yield (29.1%). Consequently, advanced extraction techniques showed good lipid yields and furthermore, the produced echium oil had the same omega-3 fatty acid composition than traditionally extracted oil. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Echium plantagineum is a significant pasture weed in the Mediterranean climatic zone of several countries, including Australia. This invasive weed, introduced as an ornamental into Australia (where it is known as Paterson's curse), quickly became established and is now a significant weed of agriculture. Although E. plantagineum is a well-established, highly competitive weed that thrives under disturbance and is tolerant of a wide variety of conditions, including varying soil moisture and drought, and some aspects of its ecology remain unknown. This study investigated germination response to temperature and light, pH, soil moisture, salinity, and pre-germination exposure of seed to heat and smoke. Temperature was found to be more influential on germination than light and the species is tolerant to a wide range of pH. However, available moisture may limit germination, as may elevated salinity. Management of this weed requires approaches that minimise soil seedbank input or prevent germination of soil seedbanks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

1. In insect-pollinated plants, pollinator attraction is influenced by flowers (e.g. number, size) and their associated rewards (e.g. pollen, nectar). These traits can depend on plant interactions. Indeed, below-ground competition between plants can lead to a decrease in flower or reward production in insect-pollinated species. 2. Wind-pollinated plants, in particular, which are almost never studied in plant-pollinator networks, can alter insect-pollinated plants' attractiveness through competition for nutrients. The response of pollinators to such changes has never been investigated. 3. A pot experiment was carried out in which an insect-pollinated species, Echium plantagineum, was grown in binary mixture with three wind-pollinated species selected to exert a panel of competitive interactions. Below-ground competition was controlled using dividers limiting interspecific root competition. Floral traits of E. plantagineum ( i.e. flower production, floral display size, flower size and nectar production) were measured. For each species mixture, the visits ( i.e. first visit, number of visits, 10-min sequences) of Bombus terrestris individuals released in a flight cage containing two pots were followed, one with and one without below-ground competition. 4. Below-ground competition significantly affected nectar's sucrose concentration but did not influence flower and nectar production. Likewise, pollinator visits were not influenced by below-ground competition. Competitor identity significantly influenced flower and reward production of E. plantagineum, with a decrease in the presence of the most competitive wind-pollinated species. A tendency for faster flower visitation events was also detected in the presence of the least competitive competitor. This study raises new questions regarding the influence of wind-pollinated plants on plant-pollinator interactions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Isohexenylnaphthazarins are commonly found in the root periderm of several Boraginaceous plants and are known for their broad range of biological activities. The work described herein concerns the biological activity of compounds from the roots of Echium plantagineum L. and Echium gaditanum Boiss (Boraginaceae) collected from field sites in southern Spain and Australia. Bioactivity was assessed using etiolated wheat coleoptile bioassay and in vitro growth inhibitory activity in HeLa and IGROV-1 cells. The quantification of four isohexenylnaphthazarins (shikonin/alkannin, deoxyshikonin/deoxyalkannin, acetylshikonin/acetylalkannin and dimethylacrylshikonin/dimethylacrylalkannin) was performed by LC-MS/MS using juglone as internal standard. Correlation coefficient values for the activities and concentrations of these four analytes were in the linear range and were greater than 0.99. Acetylshikonin/acetylalkannin and dimethylacrylshikonin/dimethylacrylalkannin were present in the highest concentrations in extracts of both species. The results reveal that greatest overall inhibition was observed in both bioassays with E. gaditanum extracts. Strong correlations between time of collection, sampling location and bioactivity were identified. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, the conservation status was estimated for six important rare and endemic plant taxa from the watershed of the middle section of river Devoll. It was assessed by the Geospatial Conservation Assessment Tool (GeoCAT). The GeoCAT method is a standardized method for determination of the conservation status of the Red List species. As a result, Bubon albanicum and Echium maculatum were estimated for the first time as Endangered, while Bornmuellera baldaccii subsp. baldacii and subsp. rechingeri, respectively, were estimated as Endangered and Critically Endangered. The conservation status of Endangered was confirmed for Campanula hawkinsiana, while Festucopsis serpentini and Cistus sintenisii were proposed to be included in the IUCN Red List of species as Vulnerable and Endangered, respectively. Comments on the species distribution were also included. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of this study was to evaluate methods of overcoming dormancy, light regimens, temperature and depth of sowing variations in the physiological quality of Echium plantagineum seeds. The diaspores (agglutinated fruits from the seeds) were submitted to treatments using accelerated aging, potassium nitrate and gibberellic acid to overcome dormancy. A 7 x 2 factorial design was used to evaluate the temperatures (5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30 and 35 °C) and light regimens (presence or absence of light). A 6 x 2 factorial design was used for sowing depth (0, 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 cm) and soil coverage (presence or absence of straw). In all experiments, a completely randomized design with four replicates of 50 diaspores was used. The main evaluations were germination, first germination count, germination speed index and emergence. The seeds showed dormancy, which was overcome by the immersion of the diaspores in potassium nitrate and gibberellic acid. The ideal temperature for germination was 20 °C, showing greater germination in the presence of light, considered as preferentially positively photoblastic. The highest germination percentage occurred when the diaspores were positioned on the soil surface in the presence of straw. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The morphometric and phytochemical parameters of seeds of three populations of Echium vulgare L. were compared. Two metallicolous populations (designated as MZ and MC) originated from waste deposits left over Zn Pb ore smelting and processing and the reference population originated from an uncontaminated area (NM - nonmetallicolous population). The length, width, weight, and surface area of collected seeds were measured; additionally, the germination ability and vigour index for each population were determined. Moreover, heavy metal, seed oil, and secondary metabolite concentrations were measured. The results obtained indicated differentiation in the seed size and germination ability between the populations. The smaller size of seeds from the metallicolous populations was accompanied by lower germination ability; however, the seeds from the MC population achieved the highest vigour index. Furthermore, the MC population was characterized by the lowest concentration of allantoin and rosmarinic acid; additionally, the seeds of the MC population contained higher content of seed oils and increased contribution of saturated fatty acids and monounsaturated fatty acids by ca. 60 and 45%, respectively, and a decreased (by 16%) fraction of polyunsaturated fatty acids compared with the NM population. The strong differentiation of the MC population coincided with the high seed metal accumulation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Molinelli, María L.; Patricia, Perissé. 2016. “Especies comercializadas como “borraja” en Córdoba (Argentina)”. Lilloa 53 (2). Es ampliamente reconocida la tenden- cia popular hacia el consumo de plantas medicinales, sin embargo la circulación y empleo de estos recursos se realiza en base al conocimiento vulgar, sin una base científica. Con el nombre vernáculo de “borraja”, en Córdoba, se expenden muestras de drogas comerciales a las cuales se les atribuyen propiedades medicinales, sin embargo se desconocen las especies que comprenden dichas drogas. La Administración Nacional de Medicamentos, Alimentos y Tecnología Médica, incluye a Borago officinalis L. y Echium vulgare L. en el listado de drogas vegetales, con las cuales no se pueden preparar medicamentos herbarios. Los objetivos fu- eron (i) evaluar la calidad de muestras de droga de “borraja” adquiridas en comercios de la ciudad de Córdoba, (ii) identificar las especies presentes en las muestras, (iii) describir los caracteres morfo-anatómicos diferenciales de las especies implicadas en la situación plantea- da. Se analizaron 27 muestras de drogas adquiridas en comercios de la ciudad de Córdoba (Departamento Capital) rotuladas con el nombre de “borraja”. Se determinaron los taxones que componían cada una de las muestras, se consultaron ejemplares de herbarios, y se realizaron estudios morfo-anatómicos de las estructuras vegetativas y reproductivas presentes en las muestras, empleando distintas técnicas de histología vegetal. Los resultados demos- traron que principalmente se expende Echium plantagineum L. como droga pura sustituta de “borraja”. Sólo en una muestra se identificó Borago officinalis L. como droga pura genuina; y en otra, se identificó como sustituta una mezcla de Adiantum orbignyanum Mett. ex Kuhn, Adiantum raddianum C. Presl, Adiantum thalictroides Willd. ex Schltdl. var. thalictroides , y Adiantum thalictroides var. hirsutum (Hook. & Grev.) de la Sota. Las características morfo- anatómicas de hojas, flores y frutos presentadas aportan información de valor diagnóstico para los controles de calidad botánico de las muestras comerciales de “borraja” y la detección de la circulación de especies no autorizadas.

Bioactive plant secondary products are frequently the drivers of complex rhizosphere interactions, including those with other plants, herbivores and microbiota. These chemically diverse molecules typically accumulate in a highly regulated manner in specialized plant tissues and organelles. We studied the production and localization of bioactive naphthoquinones (NQs) in the roots of Echium plantagineum, an invasive endemic weed in Australia. Roots of E. plantagineum produced red-coloured NQs in the periderm of primary and secondary roots, while seedling root hairs exuded NQs in copious quantities. Confocal imaging and microspectrofluorimetry confirmed that bioactive NQs were deposited in the outer layer of periderm cells in mature roots, resulting in red colouration. Intracellular examination revealed that periderm cells contained numerous small red vesicles for storage and intracellular transport of shikonins, followed by subsequent extracellular deposition. Periderm and root hair extracts of field- and phytotron-grown plants were analysed by UHPLC/Q-ToF MS (ultra high pressure liquid chromatography coupled to quadrupole time of flight mass spectrometry) and contained more than nine individual NQs, with dimethylacrylshikonin, and phytotoxic shikonin, deoxyshikonin and acetylshikonin predominating. In seedlings, shikonins were first found 48 h following germination in the root-hypocotyl junction, as well as in root hair exudates. In contrast, the root cortices of both seedling and mature root tissues were devoid of NQs. SPRE (solid phase root zone extraction) microprobes strategically placed in soil surrounding living E. plantagineum plants successfully extracted significant levels of bioactive shikonins from living roots, rhizosphere and bulk soil surrounding roots. These findings suggest important roles for accumulation of shikonins in the root periderm and subsequent rhizodeposition in plant defence, interference, and invasion success. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Metabolic profiling allows for simultaneous and rapid annotation of biochemically similar organismal metabolites. An effective platform for profiling of toxic pyrrolizidine alkaloids (PAs) and their N-oxides (PANOs) was developed using ultra high pressure liquid chromatography quadrupole time-of-flight (UHPLC-QTOF) mass spectrometry. Field-collected populations of invasive Australian weeds, Echium plantagineum and E. vulgare were raised under controlled glasshouse conditions and surveyed for the presence of related PAs and PANOs in leaf tissues at various growth stages. Echium plantagineum possessed numerous related and abundant PANOs (>17) by seven days following seed germination, and these were also observed in rosette and flowering growth stages. In contrast, the less invasive E. vulgare accumulated significantly lower levels of most PANOs under identical glasshouse conditions. Several previously unreported PAs were also found at trace levels. Field-grown populations of both species were also evaluated for PA production and highly toxic echimidine N-oxide was amongst the most abundant PANOs in foliage of both species. PAs in field and glasshouse plants were more abundant in the more widely invasive species, E. plantagineum, and may provide competitive advantage by increasing the plant's capacity to deter natural enemies in its invaded range through production of novel weapons. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

UV-B radiation represents a potentially selective, yet little studied environmental factor for plant invasions, especially with respect to germination characteristics and seedling establishment in areas of high UV-B exposure such as New Zealand. To explain invasive potential of plant species pre-adaptation and local adaptation to selection factors in the invaded range are two frequently consulted concepts. To test for the relevance of these mechanisms, it is necessary to compare both invasive and non-invasive species, as well as native and exotic origins of invasive species. In the present study, germination success of two congeneric species pairs of the genera Verbascum (Scrophulariaceae) and Echium (Boraginaceae) were investigated under high UV-B intensities. Each genus comprised one species that has successfully invaded New Zealand grasslands and one species that was introduced but has not been invasive in New Zealand. In an among-species approach, pre-adaptation was tested by comparing germination success of native (European) origins of all four species in relation to their different invasive success in New Zealand. In a within-species comparison, native (European) and exotic (New Zealand) origins of the two invasive species were compared to test for local adaptation to UV-B in the invaded range. In both approaches, UV-B radiation inhibited the germination success of all study species. However, the comparison of invasive and non-invasive species of the two genera showed no UV-B-specific pre-adaptation of invasive species to high UV-B intensities. Higher germination success of invasive species probably led to an establishment advantage during colonization of the invaded range. Although local adaptation of exotic populations to UV-B could not be demonstrated in the within-species approach, a genetic shift in germination velocity between native and exotic origins was found. These differences may be ascribed to other relevant environmental factors, e.g. overall irradiation and drought, inducing similar plant responses as under UV-B radiation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Echium (Echium plantagineum L.) is an alternative oilseed crop in summer-wet temperate regions that provides floral resources to pollinators. Its seed oil is rich in omega-3 fatty acids, such as stearidonic acid, which is desired highly by the cosmetic industry. Seeds were sown in field plots over three years in western Minnesota in spring (early-sown) or early summer (late-sown), and flower abundance, pollinator visitation, and seed yields were studied. Initial flowering commenced 41 to 55 d after sowing, and anthesis duration (first flowering to harvest) was 34 to 70 d. Late sowing dates delayed anthesis, but increased the intensity of visitation by pollinators. Cumulative flower densities ranged from 1 to 4.5 billion ha−1. Flowers attracted numerous honey bees (Apis mellifera L.), as many as 35 per minute of observation, which represented about 50% of all insect visitors. Early-sown echium produced seed yields up to 750 kg ha−1, which were 2–29 times higher than those of late-sown echium. Early sowing of echium in Minnesota provides abundant floral resources for pollinators for up to two months and simultaneously produces seed yields whose profits rival those of corn (Zea mays L.). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to evaluate the anti-allergic potential of Echium plantagineum L. bee pollen and to characterize its primary metabolites. The activity of E. plantagineum hydromethanolic extract, devoid of alkaloids, was tested against β-hexosaminidase release in rat basophilic leukemic cells (RBL-2H3). Two different stimuli were used: calcium ionophore A23187 and IgE/antigen. Lipoxygenase inhibitory activity was evaluated in a cell-free system using soybean lipoxygenase. Additionally, the extract was analysed by HPLC-UV for organic acids and by GC-IT/MS for fatty acids. In RBL-2H3 cells stimulated either with calcium ionophore or IgE/antigen, the hydromethanolic extract significantly decreased β-hexosaminidase release until the concentration of 2.08 mg/mL, without compromising cellular viability. No effect was found on lipoxygenase. Concerning extract composition, eight organic acids and five fatty acids were determined for the first time. Malonic acid (80%) and a-linolenic acid (27%) were the main compounds in each class. Overall, this study shows promising results, substantiating for the first time the utility of intake of E. plantagineum bee pollen to prevent allergy and ameliorate allergy symptoms, although a potentiation of an allergic response can occur, depending on the dose used. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Highlights: [•] Oil bodies (oleosomes) were recovered from Echium plantagineum and characterised. [•] Their surface phospholipids contain a high proportion of saturated acyl groups. [•] The isoelectric point of these organelles are between pH 4 and 5. [•] Washing these organelles alters their dispersion stability. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]