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The current research study centers on exploring natural fibers due to the increasing need for sustainable and eco‐friendly alternatives in various industries. In India, where coconut trees are widely grown for their tender coconuts and by‐products, the leftover fruit leaf stalks become agricultural waste once the coconut is harvested from the trees. So this research work involves the development of composite materials with natural fiber components by using unsaturated polyester resin (UPR) as the matrix material along with alkali‐treated coconut tree secondary flower stalk fiber (ACSF) for reinforcing. The composite materials were formed using the compression molding technique with different weight compositions of 20%, 30%, and 40% of ACSF and 80%, 70%, and 60% of UPR, respectively. From the results, the 30ACSFC reveals a maximum value of 42 N/mm2, 58 N/mm2, 10 kJ/m2, and 48 HD in flexural, tensile impact, and hardness tests, respectively. In the water absorption analysis, 20ACSFC had observed a lower moisture content, which explains the low weight percentage of ACSF in the composite. From the TGA analysis, 30ACSFC had a residual mass of 18% due to the significant change in the cellulose because of alkali, leading to strong adhesion in the composition matrix. The SAC analysis reveals that at the peak and trough levels of frequency, varying the composition of composite materials leads to improved sound absorption coefficients that surpass the performance of the 30ACSFC composite. The SEM study was carried out to identify the mechanism of failure in the elongated specimens of the tensile test, which was based on the phenomena of matrix crack, fiber pull‐out, fiber shearing, void and interfacial bonding, and de‐bonding. These results indicate the possibility of creating lightweight composites with improved strength and stiffness, making them suitable for use in roof panels, door panels, insulation, and other related applications. The incorporation of ACSF as a reinforcing material introduces new prospects for sustainable and environmentally friendly composite materials, showcasing promising mechanical and thermal properties. Highlights: Enhanced mechanical strength: Evaluation of tensile strength, flexural strength, and impact resistance showcases how ACSF reinforcement improves the composite's load‐bearing capacity and durability.Effective acoustic dampening: A study of sound absorption and transmission properties reveals the composite's potential in noise reduction applications, such as architectural acoustics and automotive soundproofing.Thermal insulation potential: An assessment of thermal conductivity and expansion helps identify whether the composite is suitable for applications requiring enhanced insulation or efficient heat transfer.Moisture resistance and stability: An analysis of moisture absorption and dimensional changes informs the composite's suitability for humid environments, ensuring its resistance to degradation and maintaining the dimensional stability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Determining the productive potential of flowering vegetation is crucial in obtaining bee products. The application of a remote sensing approach of terrestrial objects can provide accurate information for the preparation of maps of the potential bee pasture in a given region. The study is aimed at the creation of a novel algorithm to identify and distinguish white flowering honey plants, such as black locust (Robinia pseudo-acacia) and to determine the areas occupied by this forest species in mixed forest ecosystems using UAV-based RGB imaging. In our study, to determine the plant cover of black locust in mixed forest ecosystems we used a DJI (Da-Jiang Innovations, Shenzhen, China) Phantom 4 Multispectral drone with 6 multispectral cameras with 1600 × 1300 image resolution. The monitoring was conducted in the May 2023 growing season in the village of Yuper, Northeast Bulgaria. The geographical location of the experimental region is 43°32′4.02″ N and 25°45′14.10″ E at an altitude of 223 m. The UAV was used to make RGB and multispectral images of the investigated forest massifs, which were thereafter analyzed with the software product QGIS 3.0. The spectral images of the observed plants were evaluated using the newly created criteria for distinguishing white from non-white colors. The results obtained for the scanned area showed that approximately 14–15% of the area is categorized as white-flowered trees, and the remaining 86–85%—as non-white-flowered. The comparison of the developed algorithm with the Enhanced Bloom Index (EBI) approach and with supervised Support Vector Machine (SVM) classification showed that the suggested criterion is easy to understand for users with little technical experience, very accurate in identifying white blooming trees, and reduces the number of false positives and false negatives. The proposed approach of detecting and mapping the areas occupied by white flowering honey plants, such as black locust (Robinia pseudo-acacia) in mixed forest ecosystems is of great importance for beekeepers in determining the productive potential of the region and choosing a place for an apiary. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The brief longevity of tree peony blossoms constrains its ornamental value and economic worth. Gibberellins (GAs) are crucial in the modulation of flower senescence, and GA 20-oxidase (GA20ox), GA 3-oxidase (GA3ox), and GA 2-oxidase (GA2ox) catalyze the synthesis and deactivation of bioactive GAs. In Paeonia ostii, a total of three PoGA20ox, ten PoGA3ox, and twelve PoGA2ox proteins were identified and comprehensively analyzed. The analysis of the gene structures, conserved domains, and motifs revealed structural similarities and variances among the GA20ox, GA3ox, GA2ox-A, and GA2ox-B subfamilies. The synteny analysis indicated a scarcity of collinear blocks within the P. ostii genome, with no tandem or whole-genome duplication/segmental duplications found in PoGAoxs. The investigation into the binding of transcription factors to PoGAox promoters and the assessments of the expression levels suggest that PoGA2ox1 and PoGA2ox8.1 are promising candidate genes implicated in the regulation of floral senescence. Further, Pos.gene61099 (BPC6) and Pos.gene61094 (CIL2) appear to modulate PoGA2ox1 transcription in a positive and negative manner, respectively, while Pos.gene38359 (DDF1) and Pos.gene17639 (DREB1C) likely enhance PoGA2ox8.1's expression. This study lays a foundation for an in-depth understanding of PoGAox functions and the development of strategies to delay flower senescence in tree peony. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Selenium nanoparticles have drawn interest recently, due to their distinctive physicochemical characteristics and potential usage in numerous applications, including medicine, electronics and catalysis. In this study, we employed Biancaea sappan (BS), often known as sappan wood or Brazilwood, which is a flowering tree that is endemic to Southeast Asia. Due to its antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and anticancer properties, this tree's heartwood is frequently used in traditional medicine. Additionally, the wood is used to make natural dyes. In this study, we aim to develop an ecofriendly selenium nanoparticle using BS , as a natural reducing agent and curcumin as a capping agent. The nanoparticles were synthesized using the green synthesis method and characterized using various techniques. Biocompatibility was evaluated using hemolytic assay and the bioactivity of the nanoparticles was assessed using anti-inflammatory and antioxidant assays. Selenium nanoparticles (BCSeN) were successfully synthesized using BS bark extract and functionalized with curcumin. The nanoparticles were characterized by UV-Vis Spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy and Energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX) analysis, confirming their morphology, crystallinity, functionalization, elemental composition, size and stability. In vitro, bioactivity studies revealed that the BCSeN exhibited significant anti-inflammatory activity. They also demonstrated notable antioxidant efficacy against DPPH (2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl) and were also found to have minimal hemolytic potential. Our findings highlight the potential of BCSeN as a promising candidate for anti-inflammatory and antioxidant applications. However, further in-depth analysis is required to fully understand their efficacy and toxicity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Green spaces can support human stress reduction and foster positive emotional well-being. Previous research has suggested that biodiversity (i.e. the variety of species of plants and animals in a given location) can enhance recovery from stress even further. However, there is limited experimental evidence testing this hypothesis and results, to date, have been mixed. This study aimed to provide further understanding of the role of biodiversity (actual or perceived) on human well-being by experimentally manipulating species richness and stress. Participants (372 in total) took part in an online experiment, where they received an episode of mild stress before watching a 360-degree video to recover. The video showed the same location, an urban woodland, but at one of four artificially manipulated levels of biodiversity. The participants reported their Positive and Negative Affect before and after the stress induction and after watching the video, providing a measure of their stress and well-being throughout the experiment. Participants also reported their perceptions of biodiversity (i.e. how diverse they thought the location was) and elaborated on their responses with brief comments. Repeated Measure Analysis of Variance revealed that exposure to all levels of biodiversity reduced the participants' Negative Affect, but with no significant difference between the conditions. However, the analysis showed higher Positive Affect in those participants who perceived the environment as more biodiverse. Comments from participants indicated that those who reported noticing flowers and trees in the environment also showed higher Positive Affect. This suggests that perceiving biodiversity promotes more positive emotions, but critically one needs to actually notice (engage with) the components of biodiversity to elicit these extra benefits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Alstonia scholaris (L.) R.Br., a traditional herbal medicine, exhibits many biological activities in humans. Several activities have been confirmed either in vitro or in vivo. The plant might also provide health benefits in other living things. Its pharmacological activities let us expect the essential effects on fish species. To date, A. scholaris activity in Channa striata (Bloch, 1793), an economic farmed fish, has not yet been studied. In this study, we aimed to determine the effects of the plant's flower extract on growth performance and serum biochemical indices in C. striata. The experimental fish were fed with a control diet, comprising 0.3, 0.6 and 0.9 mg/kg extract supplement for 90 days. The results showed that the growth indices became significantly different (P < 0.05) after 60 days of the trial. Growth parameters; weight gain, average daily gain, specific growth rate, feed conversion ratio, and protein efficiency ratio tended to be improved in a dose-dependent manner. Serum ALT and triglyceride were significantly decreased in all treatment groups. Serum glucose was also affected by the extract. The results revealed that A. scholaris flower extract exhibits a beneficial effect on C. striata growth and health. The plant could be further determined as a valuable commodity for the aquaculture industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Keystone components in green urban spaces can make a big difference in supporting either impoverished or rich animal communities. Trees that produce thousands of flowers at densities higher than that of herbs and produce much more nectar than the latter can be such keystone structures. However, there is a lack of specific information on trees, both native and alien, and their flower visitors in urban/suburban contexts, which blurs the conservation role that such species can perform. In 2019 and 2020, we thoroughly recorded the flower visitors to a silk-floss tree in suburban Guadalajara, Mexico. To our knowledge, this is the first comprehensive inventory of silk-floss tree flower visitors. We documented 79 species/morphospecies of insects; eight of birds, and one of mammals visiting the flowers. All, except two, are native to the region; three are endemic/quasi-endemic to Mexico. Besides direct and indirect floral resources, the silk-floss tree offered perches, resting/hiding cover, nesting substrate, and seed fibres used by several birds, and feeding substrate for gleaning insectivorous birds. Four species are on one or more conservation listings: monarch butterfly (endangered), pink-spotted swallowtail (vulnerable), sparkling-tailed hummingbird (threatened), and lesser long-nosed bat (near-threatened). Our data supports that small patches can enhance the quality of urban green spaces, and that rather than geographic origin, flower output drives visitation. Alien trees can be pollination enhancement 'devices' for imperilled pollination networks. Silk-floss trees are a potential option for conservation-oriented urban greening, as well as to contribute to enhancing human enjoyment of nature, and provide opportunities for public outreach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Generalist species are core components of ecological networks and crucial for the maintenance of biodiversity. Generalist species and networks are expected to be more resilient, and therefore understanding the dynamics of specialization and generalization in ecological networks is a key focus in a time of rapid global change. Whilst diet generalization is frequently studied, our understanding of how it changes over time is limited. Here we explore temporal variation in diet specificity in the honeybee (Apis mellifera), using pollen DNA metabarcoding of honey samples, through the foraging season, over two years. We find that, overall, honeybees are generalists that visit a wide range of plants, but there is temporal variation in the degree of specialization. Temporal specialization of honeybee colonies corresponds to periods of resource limitation, identified as a lack of honey stores. Honeybees experience a lack of preferred resources in June when switching from flowering trees in spring to shrubs and herbs in summer. Investigating temporal patterns in specialization can identify periods of resource limitation that may lead to species and network vulnerability. Diet specificity must therefore be explored at different temporal scales in order to fully understand species and network stability in the face of ecological change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The current investigation represents of the synergistic effects of application of potassium nitrate (KNO3) in combination with putrescine (Put) on flowering, productivity, and fruit quality on Ewais mango (Mangifera indica L.) trees during the seasons 2021/2022 and 2022/2023. The selected trees were sprayed at three different stages, including flower bud differentiation, full bloom, and beginning of the fruit set, with one of the following treatments: control, 2% KNO3, 4% KNO3, 50 ppm Put, 75 ppm Put, 2% KNO3 + 50 ppm Put, 2% KNO3 + 75 ppm Put, 4% KNO3 + 50 ppm Put, 4% KNO3 + 75 ppm Put. Results showed that all treatments were successful in improving the productivity of mango trees by increasing flowering terminal shoots, fruit set, fruit retention, number of fruits/tree, yield, and fruit yield increment while reducing the percentage of fruit drop, as well as improving the quality of mango fruits cv. Ewais by increasing fruit length, fruit diameter, TSS, total sugars, V.C, and total phenol and carotenoid content, but at the same time, diminishing the total acidity, as compared with control. Based on this research, the application of 4% KNO3 in conjunction with 75 ppm Putrescine has shown the most prominent advances in enhancing Ewais tree productivity and fruit quality. The investigation successfully highlighted the synergistic effect of using KNO3 and putrescine to improve mango fruit yield and quality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sappanwood is a resourceful, flowering tree belongs to the family Leguminosae with its origin mainly reported from Southeast Asia. It has been used for ages to cure human ailments including heart diseases, jaundice, respiratory problems, coughs, wounds, and allergies. The different parts of sappanwood including wood, heartwood, seeds, leaves, and bark are reported with bioactive constituents, which deliver essential assistance to the human body. Beyond contribution to health status, they also have encouraging benefits for food industries. The brazilin extracted from the heartwood part of sappanwood has been used as a food preservative and as an ingredient for functional foods. The studies prescribed in the given manuscript defined the role of sappanwood and its parts (wood, bark, seeds, leaves, and heartwood) in nutritional, food, and pharmacological area. Recent studies have shown several promising activities, particularly relaxant, digestive, antioxidant, antimicrobial, antispasmodic, anticancer, and antagonistic effects. The popularity of sappanwood because of its medicinal and industrial importance specifies comprehensive references for its nutritional benefits. The existent work stated the recent research conveyed till date for valuation of nutritional eminence, phytochemicals constituents, industrial applications, and pharmacological significance of sappanwood. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The foraging activities of pollinators depend on a variety of factors, such as the availability of pollen and nectar resources or the seasonality. We performed measurements on the activity patterns of Apis mellifera adansonii Latreille by focusing on different factors: (i) we counted the number of bees entering the hives during 10 min per hour starting from 05:00 AM to 06:00 PM, once a month and along the year, (ii) we measured the hive weights at different intervals during the study and (iii) we characterised the diversity of melliferous plants within a 1 km radius around the hives. Our results show that melliferous flora is composed of 83 species. During the dry season, the honey bees foraged on flowering trees and shrubs, whereas in the rainy season herbaceous plants provided forage for honey bees. The results revealed a significant correlation between foraging activity and the mean hive weights (r = 0.9) while relative humidity was negatively correlated but not significantly with, respectively, mean hive weights (r = −0.5) and foraging activity (r = −0.6). Thus, the combination of biotic and abiotic factors resulted in two distinct periods, namely a phase of honey flow followed by a phase of honey scarcity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tree peonies are an economically important crop with flowers of high ornamental value. Most tree peony cultivars in gardens are once-flowering, and the continuous flowering (CF) trait has been revealed only in a few tree peony cultivars, such as 'High Noon' ('HN'). However, the molecular mechanism underlying its CF remains unclear. Here, we demonstrated that PsTFL1 functions as a floral inhibitor via the ectopic expression of PsTFL1 in transgenic Arabidopsis thaliana plants. Our findings suggest that PsFT and PsTFL1 interact with PsFD, and the detected interactions may occur in the nucleus. Compared with the non-CF variety, the gene expression patterns of PsFT, PsTFL1, and PsFD during the flower development indicate that these three genes may be related to the CF habit in tree peony 'HN'. These findings will aid future investigations of CF behavior and promote the breeding of tree peonies and other perennial woody plants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Korla fragrant pear (Pyrus sinkiangensis Yü) depends on cross‐pollination by honeybees (Apis mellifera) but may suffer from low honeybee visitation.We assessed whether honeybee abundance and visitation frequency are enhanced by using synthetic Nasonov gland pheromone (NGP), which is naturally produced by worker bees to stimulate the aggregation of bees to food resources or nesting sites.The response of honeybees to synthetic NGP was firstly assessed using Y‐tube olfactometer tests in the laboratory, and subsequently in the field, by placing NGP lures on Korla fragrant pear trees in orchards with and without beehives. Honeybee abundance was assessed using coloured pan traps while honeybee visits were assessed by visual observations on pear flowers.Y‐tube olfactometer tests showed a significant preference of honeybees for NGP. In pear orchards with beehives, honeybee abundance was 2.5‐fold higher on trees with NGP lures than on trees without NGP, and 2.2‐fold higher in orchards in which all trees contained NGP lures than in orchards without NGP lures. Such positive effects were not observed in orchards without beehives.Flower visitation by honeybees was significantly higher in trees with NGP lures than without NGP lures, irrespective of the presence (5.7‐fold higher) or absence of beehives (27.6‐fold higher).In mixed pear‐apricot orchards, honeybee abundance was higher in pear trees with NGP lures than without lures.Our results show that NGP lures attract honeybees to flowering pear trees in monoculture pear and mixed pear‐apricot orchards, and that this effect is greatest in orchards with beehives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Detection of flowering and quantification of flowering phenology are key to monitoring the reproduction of tropical trees and their response to global change. However, effective monitoring of flowering over various scales from individuals to forest ecosystem levels is lacking due to the relatively small sizes of flowers, diverse flowering strategies across species, and the short duration of flowering, making accurate flower detection difficult. Drone-based surveys require less time and human resources than traditional ground-based flower surveys and thus may be able to help address this in a cost-effective manner but remain underexplored in species-rich tropical forest ecosystems. Here, we developed a method that integrated the Residual Networks 50 (ResNet50) deep learning algorithm with high resolution imagery (c. 0.05 m) from monthly drone surveys done in a 50-ha tropical forest plot on Barro Colorado Island (BCI), Panamá, over 2018–2020 to detect a diversity of flowering species in this tree community and to track the timing of flowering throughout the year. We built a comprehensive training library of canopy components (flower, leaf, branch, and shade) from this forest plot throughout the study period, trained a single deep learning model across all drone imagery, and validated it using five-fold cross validation at the pixel scale. We further generated image- and tree-crown-specific supervised classifications to evaluate the deep learning model at the tree-crown scale. Our deep learning method accurately classified flowers (User's accuracy = 95.3 %, Producer's accuracy = 85.8 %) while maintaining high predictive power for the other three classes (Overall accuracy = 98.4 %). Our results also demonstrated high consistency against tree-crown-specific supervised classifications for flower (r2 = 0.85), leaf (r2 = 0.84), and branch (r2 = 0.92) components, with lower agreement observed for the shade component (r2 = 0.59). These results demonstrate the effectiveness of our method in advancing fine-scale flower monitoring in the tropics, with potential to be extended to other regions or other remote sensing platforms with frequent high-resolution monitoring. The method will allow us to better monitor flowering in tropical forests and improve our understanding of how phenology and reproductive success may be affected by climate change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Allergic rhinitis (AR) is a widespread disease with increasing prevalence in developed countries. The only treatment that tackles the underlying causes is allergen immunotherapy (AIT). This treatment is performed through two application routes, the subcutaneous immunotherapy (SCIT) or the sublingual immunotherapy (SLIT). However, persistence during the long course of treatment over 3 years is key for the efficacy of this treatment option. The impaired adherence significantly impacts public health resources. The aim of this study was to assess the persistence of AIT for both application routes. Methods: IQVIATM LRx was used to identify patients starting AIT between 2009 and 2018 with grass pollen (GP), early flowering tree pollen (EFTP) and house dust mite (HDM) allergens. Patients were classified within each allergen category by AIT groups (subcutaneous depigmented polymerised allergen AIT [dSCIT], other subcutaneous AIT [oSCIT] and SLIT) and age (5‐11 years, 12‐17 years, 18+ years). Furthermore, they were followed up for up to 3 years until the cessation of treatment. Patients, who were still on treatment after 3 years were deemed to be censored. Kaplan‐Meier curves of persistence were generated and compared by log‐rank tests. Results: The number of patients included in the three allergen categories was 38,717 GP, 23,183 EFTP, and 41,728 HDM AIT. In all allergen categories and for any product group, patient persistence decreased with increasing age class with the difference between 5‐11 years and 12‐17 years greater than between the latter and 18+ years. The percentage of patients completing the first year of AIT was low, particularly for SLIT where 22.2%–27.1% of patients remained persistent after 12 months. The equivalent figures for dSCIT were 52.0%–64.1% and for oSCIT 38.3%–50.3%. Conclusion: Persistence in AIT in AR was low in this retrospective prescription‐based database and was clearly linked to patient age and application route. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

General flowering (GF), irregular synchronous mass flowering of multiple tree species across multiple families, is a unique biological phenomenon of the mixed lowland dipterocarp forest in Southeast Asia. Characterizing the spatial extent and temporal dynamics of GF is essential for an improved understanding of climate–vegetation interactions and the potential climate change impact on this species‐rich rainforest. We investigated the utility of newly available high‐temporal (daily) and high‐spatial (3–4 m) resolution remote sensing by the PlanetScope commercial satellite constellation for detecting flowering trees in a dipterocarp rainforest at Lambir Hills National Park, Sarawak, Malaysia. Our study was focused on the latest GF event known to have occurred in the region in the year 2019. PlanetScope successfully acquired 13 clear‐sky or minimally cloud‐contaminated scenes over the park during a study period of January 1, 2019 to August 31, 2019 encompassing the 2019 GF event. In situ phenology observations verified that the PlanetScope images detected the flowering crowns of tree species that turned into white or orange. This multitemporal image dataset also captured the flowering peak and species differences. The correlation coefficients between the multitemporal image signatures and in situ phenology observations were moderate to very strong (0.52–0.85). The results indicated that the 2019 GF event was a whole‐park phenomenon with the flowering peak in May. This study reports the first successful satellite‐based observations of a GF event and suggests the possibility of regional‐scale characterization of species‐level phenology in the dipterocarp forest, key information for biodiversity conservation in Southeast Asia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abnormal vertical growth (AVG) in macadamia is a syndrome that reduces flowering and alters tree architecture, resulting in significant yield losses. The epidemiological parameters suggest the cause is probably a biotic agent with the ability to modulate plant hormone production or signalling. To determine if a fungal pathogen is the cause of AVG, we compared the fungal profile of macadamia trees with or without AVG symptoms using conventional culturing and DNA metabarcoding techniques. A diverse range of fungi was isolated from leaf, root and stem samples of macadamia cultivars HAES 344 and A16. The abundance of the isolated fungi was at least three‐fold higher in trees with AVG symptoms than in trees at the non‐AVG site. Similar results were obtained using DNA metabarcoding. Although the fungal genus Sebacina was the most dominant in the DNA metabarcoding, whereas Diaporthe (>40%) was dominant using the culturing techniques, no unique fungal species was consistently associated with all AVG samples. Therefore, we conclude that it is unlikely that the cause of AVG in macadamia is a fungal pathogen. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The advances accelerated by next‐generation sequencing and long‐read sequencing technologies continue to provide an impetus for plant phylogenetic study. In the past decade, a large number of phylogenetic studies adopting hundreds to thousands of genes across a wealth of clades have emerged and ushered plant phylogenetics and evolution into a new era. In the meantime, a roadmap for researchers when making decisions across different approaches for their phylogenomic research design is imminent. This review focuses on the utility of genomic data (from organelle genomes, to both reduced representation sequencing and whole‐genome sequencing) in phylogenetic and evolutionary investigations, describes the baseline methodology of experimental and analytical procedures, and summarizes recent progress in flowering plant phylogenomics at the ordinal, familial, tribal, and lower levels. We also discuss the challenges, such as the adverse impact on orthology inference and phylogenetic reconstruction raised from systematic errors, and underlying biological factors, such as whole‐genome duplication, hybridization/introgression, and incomplete lineage sorting, together suggesting that a bifurcating tree may not be the best model for the tree of life. Finally, we discuss promising avenues for future plant phylogenomic studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study focuses on the determination of the mechanical characteristics of composites under static and dynamic conditions. The composites are prepared by reinforcing with 3 mm, 7 mm, and 10 mm short-treated coconut tree primary flower leaf stalk fiber (CPFLSF) in the polymer matrix. The 3 mm untreated CPFLSF composite (3UTCPFLSFC) reveals the lowest tensile, flexural, and impact properties, whereas 7 mm Alkali-Treated CPFLSF Composite (7ATCPFLSFC) indicate the maximum tensile strength of 34.31 MPa, tensile modulus of 1.81 GPa, flexural strength of 58.43 MPa, flexural modulus of 3.23 GPa, and impact strength of 8.25 kJ/m². Dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA) reveals that the 7ATCPFLSFC had enhanced loss and storage modulus compared to untreated and other alkali-treated CPFLSF composites. The maximum decomposition is obtained for 7ATCPFLSFC in the region of 550°C temperature with a residual mass of 18% compared to other compositions. From the water absorption test, it was observed that, when increasing the soaking time of the composites, water intake properties gradually increased in the composite. However, the 7ATCPFLSFC absorbed water, compared to the other composites. A scanning electron microscope confirms better bonding in the composite, fracture of fiber, pull-out, fiber shearing, and tearing in the treated and untreated composites. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article critically examines the complex negotiations of gender, class and caste identity in the Kannada film Cheluvi [Beautiful Girl] (1992), a film about a young woman's ability to transform herself into an exotic fragrant flowering tree. It was the recipient of the 'National Film Award for Best Film on Environment Conservation/Preservation' by the Government of India in the year 1992. The film written and directed by the acclaimed veteran Indian playwright/director and actor, Girish Karnad, forms a part of his larger body of work exploring themes around gender and environment. By deconstructing the narrative, this film provides an insight into how the experience of embodied gendered identities are constitutive of unique subject positions constructed through the layering of both immediate and overarching social markers. In the context of this film, it is this mélange of seemingly incongruent identities that defines the thematic spine of the cinematic narrative of Cheluvi as a visual text. Using the analytical lens of the 'silence versus speech', this article demonstrates the intersectional dynamics of identity in relation to caste, gender and class and its significance in shaping the lived experience of marginalization of people and ecology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Crapemyrtle (Lagerstroemia sp.) is a top-selling deciduous flowering tree in the United States, and its salability is often compromised by cercospora (Cercospora lythracearum Heald & F. A. Wolf) leaf spot. To compare cercospora leaf spot resistance, 32 crapemyrtle cultivars belonging to Lagerstroemia indica, Lagerstroemia fauriei, L. indica × L. fauriei, and L. indica × L. fauriei × Lagerstroemia limii and 12 cultivars or unnamed selections belonging to L. indica, L. indica × L. fauriei, L indica × L. fauriei × L. limii, L. limii, and Lagerstroemia subcostata were planted in field plots in 2004 and 2011, respectively. The experiment was a completely randomized block design with three and four replications in the 2004 and 2011 plantings, respectively. Plants were evaluated for cercospora leaf spot disease severity and defoliation using a scale of 0% to 100% foliage affected from August to October of 2015, 2016, and 2017. Area under the disease progress curve (AUDPC) was calculated for the evaluation period of each year. L. fauriei cultivars Fantasy, Kiowa, Townhouse, and Woodlander’s Chocolate Soldier and L. indica × L. fauriei Apalachee from the 2004 planting, and the L. subcostata and L. limii selections from the 2011 planting had lowest cercospora leaf spot disease severity ratings, AUDPC, and defoliation. L. indica × L. fauriei cultivars Choctaw, Miami, Natchez, Osage, Sarah’s Favorite, Tonto, Tuscarora, and Tuskegee, and L. indica × L. fauriei × L. limii Arapaho were moderately resistant to cercospora leaf spot, whereas cultivars belonging to L. indica and L. indica × L. fauriei × L. limii Cheyenne were highly susceptible to cercospora leaf spot. Results from this research may aid breeders, nursery producers, and landscapers in selecting crapemyrtle species and cultivars with cercospora leaf spot resistance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Woodlands can play an important role in supporting bee abundance and diversity in agricultural landscapes. However, in temperate‐region studies, the canopy is rarely sampled, and our understanding of its contribution is limited.To explore this, we sampled bees in late spring with blue vane traps in the understory (n = 30) and crowns of mature Quercus robur (n = 35) at the exposed southern edges and in the interiors (ca. 25–75 m from woodland edges) of 15 woodland sites across an English agricultural landscape.A significant proportion of bee abundance and diversity was found in the canopy: canopy‐trap catches were estimated to be a third as large as understory‐trap catches, and 23 of the 29 sampled species were present in the canopy. Of the seven most common species sampled, four were equally abundant in woodland edge and interior traps; three were more abundant in understory traps, and a single species—Bombus lapidarius—was more abundant in canopy traps. The sex ratio of the most abundant species, B. pratorum, was female‐skewed in the canopy. Additionally, the presence of nearby Acer pseudoplatanus trees in flower greatly increased canopy‐trap catches in woodland interiors.These results suggest that both the woodland canopy and understory have a significant role to play in supporting farmland bee communities; they indicate the importance of nectar‐producing trees in woodland interiors, opening avenues for canopy‐based management; and they demonstrate that a diverse bee community has the potential to exploit canopy floral resources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the objective of the study is to improve the mechanical properties and reduce the hydrophilic nature of new novel bio fiber of coconut tree secondary flower leaf stalk (CSF). As per the state of art, raw and various chemical treated CSF studies are not well established and not enough to characterize and sustainability of novel fiber polymer reinforcement material. So CSF was subjected to alkali, silane, permanganate, and benzoylation surface treatments and further investigation was made. After the different chemical treatments the physical, chemical, mechanical, thermal stability (TGA), morphology analysis (MA), crystallinity and crystal size (CA), and functional groups were analyzed. The results revealed that tensile strength (650.54 MPa) and Young's Modulus value (1.89 GPa) significantly increased due to benzoylation treatment of the CSF. In TGA, compared to other treatments, the benzoylation treated CSF thermal stability, exhibited a maximum holding temperature of 567°C. From the XRD analysis, considerable variations were observed in the crystallinity size and index, due to the new chemical bond formation in the CSF. FTIR analysis confirmed the presence of cellulose, hemicellulose, lignin, and wax in CSF. SEM revealed that resulted in a better rough surface, fewer impurities, and exposure of the inner fibrillar structure in CSF. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Delineating chilling and forcing periods is one of the challenging topics in understanding how temperatures drive the timing of budburst and bloom in fruit tree species. Here, we investigated this question on olive trees, using flowering data collected over six years on 331 cultivars in the worldwide collection of Marrakech, Morocco. Using a Partial Least Squares approach on a long-term phenology (29 years) of 'Picholine Marocaine' cultivar, we showed that the relevance of delineating the chilling and forcing periods depends more on the variability of inter-annual temperatures than on the long-term datasets. In fact, chilling and forcing periods are similar between those delineated by using datasets of 29 years and those of only 6 years (2014–2019). We demonstrated that the variability of inter-annual temperatures is the main factor explaining this pattern. We then used the datasets of six years to assess the chill and heat requirements of 285 cultivars. We classified Mediterranean olive cultivars into four groups according to their chill requirements. Our results, using the Kriging interpolation method, indicated that flowering dates of most of these cultivars (92%) were governed by both chilling and forcing temperatures. Our investigations provided first insights to select adapted cultivars to global warming. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Paeonia suffruticosa Andr., a member of Paeoniaceae, is native to China. In its 1600 years' cultivation, more than 2000 cultivars for different purposes (ornamental, medicinal and oil use) have been inbred. However, there are still some controversies regarding the provenance of tree peony cultivars and the phylogenetic relationships between and within different cultivar groups. In this study, plastid genome sequencing was performed on 10 representative tree peony cultivars corresponding to 10 different flower types. Structure and comparative analyses of the plastid genomes showed that the total lengths of the chloroplast genome of the 10 cultivars ranged from 152,153 to 152,385 bp and encoded 84–88 protein-coding genes, 8 rRNAs and 31–40 tRNAs. The number of simple sequence repeats and interspersed repeat sequences of the 10 cultivars ranged from 65–68 and 40–42, respectively. Plastid phylogenetic relationships of Paeonia species/cultivars were reconstructed incorporating data from our newly sequenced plastid genomes and 15 published species, and results showed that subsect. Vaginatae was the closest relative to the central plains cultivar group with robust support, and that it may be involved in the formation of the group. Paeonia ostii was recovered as a successive sister group to this lineage. Additionally, eleven morphological characteristics of flowers were mapped to the phylogenetic skeleton to reconstruct the evolutionary trajectory of flower architecture in Paeoniaceae. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Floral constituents of the Australian tar tree, Semecarpus australiensis , distributed in Melanesia and Northern Australia, were extracted with solvent, and analyzed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. The main constituents were 16- and 18-carbon fatty acids and their ethyl esters. Amongst the 67 identified compounds, zingerone was detected in minute quantity, providing the chemical basis for previous observations of fruit fly attraction to the flowers. The present study is the first to report the chemical profile of tar tree flowers. Floral constituents of the Australian tar tree, Semecarpus australiensis , have been extracted and analyzed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Among the 67 identified compounds, zingerone was detected in minute quantity, providing the chemical basis for previous observations of fruit fly attraction to the flowers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The tree peony (Paeonia section Moutan DC.) is the candidate flower in China, with abundant germplasm resources and high ornamental value. However, the short and concentrated flowering period severely restricted the improvement of the economic value of tree peonies. Based on the full-length transcriptome database of tree peonies, the PoVIN3 (GenBank ID: OP341879), involved in the flowering regulation of tree peonies were identified and cloned for the first time. The PoVIN3 was also characterized by bioinformatics methods, quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR), and the establishment of a transgenic system. The expression levels of PoVIN3 in seven different petals developmental stages were the highest at the initial flowering stage of the variant cultivar of Paeonia ostii 'Fengdan,' the initial decay stage of the normal flowering Paeonia ostii 'Fengdan,' and the half opening stage of the late flowering Paeonia suffruticosa 'Lianhe.' Tissue-specific expression analysis showed that the relative expression levels of PoVIN3 were the highest in sepals of both normal flowering Paeonia ostii 'Fengdan' and the late flowering Paeonia suffruticosa 'Lianhe,' and the highest expression was in stamens of early flowering mutant Paeonia ostii 'Fengdan.' In addition, the flowering time of pCAMBIA2300-PoVIN3 transgenic plants was significantly earlier than that of the wild-type, indicating that PoVIN3 could promote plant flowering. The results provide a theoretical basis for exploring the role of PoVIN3 in the regulation of flowering in tree peonies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In China, Prunus mume is a famous flowering tree that has been cultivated for 3000 years. P. mume grows in tropical and subtropical regions, and most varieties lack cold resistance; thus, it is necessary to study the low-temperature response mechanism of P. mume to expand the scope of its cultivation. We used the integrated transcriptomic and metabolomic analysis of a cold-resistant variety of P. mume 'Meiren', to identify key genes and metabolites associated with low temperatures during flowering. The 'Meiren' cultivar responded in a timely manner to temperature by way of a low-temperature signal transduction pathway. After experiencing low temperatures, the petals fade and wilt, resulting in low ornamental value. At the same time, in the cold response pathway, the activities of related transcription factors up- or downregulate genes and metabolites related to low temperature-induced proteins, osmotic regulators, protective enzyme systems, and biosynthesis and metabolism of sugars and acids. Our findings promote research on the adaptation of P. mume to low temperatures during wintering and early flowering for domestication and breeding. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tropical flowering tree belonging to the family Elaeocarpaceae. It is distributed in Srilanka, SouthIndia, Assam, Bangladesh and other parts of North Indian Subcontinent. The fruit of the tree is commonly eaten and the people also use for ornamental and folk medicinal purposes. Elaeocarpus serratus is also known as Ceylon olive. Studies indicate Elaeocarpus serratus possess anti diarrhoeal, analgesic, antidiabetic and anti-arthriticactivity. Various other effects like antioxidant, antimelanogenesis and anti-microbial studies have also been studies. These results are very significant and this literature review was intended to study about the plant more extensively to confirm these results and reveal other potential therapeutic effects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rose chafer beetles (Protetia cuprea) are pollinators as well as agricultural pests, flying between flowers and trees while foraging for pollen and fruits. Calculating the energy they expend on flying during foraging activity faces the challenge of measuring the metabolic rate (MR) of free‐flying insects in an open space. We overcame this challenge by using the bolus injection of 13C Na‐bicarbonate technique to measure their metabolic energy expenditure while flying in a large flight arena. Concurrently, we tracked the insects with high‐speed cameras to extract their flight trajectory, from which we calculated the mechanical power invested in flying for each flight bout. We found that the chemical (metabolic) energy input converted to mechanical flight energy output at a mean efficiency of 10.4% ± 5.2%, with a trend of increased efficiency in larger conspecifics (efficiency scaled with body mass to the power of 1.4). The transition in the summer from a diet of pollen to that of fruits may affect the energy budget available for foraging. Starved P. cuprea, feeding on apples ad libitum, increased their body mass by an average of 6% in 2 h. According to our calculations, such a meal can power a 630‐m flight (assuming a carbohydrate assimilation efficiency of 90%). Pollen, with a low water and carbohydrate content but rich in proteins and lipids, has a higher caloric content and should assimilate differently when converting food to flight fuel. The high cost of aerial locomotion is inherent to the foraging behavior of rose chafers, explaining their short flight bouts followed by prolonged feeding activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Linden trees (Tilia spp.) have for a long time been associated with bumblebee (Bombus spp.) mortality in Europe and North America. Several explanations have been suggested for this phenomenon. This study aimed to explore to which extent the factors of predation, ageing, starvation, and poisonous nectar serve as explanations for bumblebee mortality in association with linden trees.Starvation, ageing, and predation all contributed to mortality of bumblebees found under flowering linden trees. The mean weight of a dead wild bumblebee found under linden trees was found to be close to the weight of a starved bumblebee of the same size. This indicated that starvation was the main driver for many of the deaths.A significant proportion of the dead bumblebees collected under linden trees had injuries indicating predation. The authors suggest that predation may serve as a secondary explanation for the bumblebee mortality, after weakening by starvation or other factors.A small proportion of the bumblebees may have died from physical degradation or age. The present study did not support the poisonous nectar hypothesis. It is necessary to explore the covariation between the suggested hypotheses more closely, to better understand the interplay between the different factors. In addition, there is a need to investigate alternative hypotheses for the association between bumblebees and linden trees. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pollinating insects are decreasing worldwide in abundance, biomass, and species richness, affecting the plants that rely on pollinators for fruit production and seed set. Insects are often sensitive to high temperatures. The projected temperature increases may therefore severely affect plants that rely on insect pollinators. Highly specialized mutualisms are expected to be particularly vulnerable to change because they have fewer partner options should one partner become unavailable. In the highly specialized mutualism between fig trees and their pollinating fig wasp, each fig species is pollinated by only one or a few wasp species. Because of their year‐round fruit production, fig trees are considered a keystone resource for tropical forests. However, to produce fruits, wild fig trees need to be pollinated by fig wasps that typically travel a long one‐way trip from the tree donating pollen to the tree receiving pollen. In a few previous studies from China and Australia, increasing temperatures dramatically decreased fig wasp lifespan. Are these grim results generalizable to fig mutualisms globally? Here, we use survival experiments to determine the effect of increasing temperature on the lifespan of Neotropical fig wasps associated with five common Panamanian Ficus species. Experimental temperatures were based on the current daytime mean temperature of 26.8°C (2SD: 21.6–31.7°C) and the predicted local temperature increase of 1–4°C by the end of the 21st century. We found that all tested pollinator wasp species had a significantly shorter lifespan in 30, 32, 34, and 36°C compared to the current diurnal mean temperature of 26°C. At 36°C pollinator median lifespan decreased to merely 2–10 h (6%–19% of their median lifespan at 26°C). Unless wasps can adapt, such a dramatic reduction in lifespan is expected to reduce the number of pollinators that successfully disperse to flowering fig trees, and may therefore jeopardize both fruit set and eventually survival of the mutualism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Prunus mume (Siebold) Siebold & Zucc., a beautiful winter flowering tree with exquisite, scented flowers foretelling the arrival of spring, is illustrated; its introduction, horticultural merits and cultivation are discussed. It is native to southwest China and widely cultivated across East Asia both for its value as an ornamental tree and for its edible fruits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Differences in interaction specializations between nectarivorous birds and plants across continents serve as common examples of evolutionary trajectory specificity. While New World hummingbird-plant networks have been extensively studied and are considered highly specialized, knowledge on the network specialization of their Old World counterparts, sunbirds (Nectariniidae), remains limited. A few studies from tropical Africa indicate that sunbird-plant networks are rather generalized. Unfortunately, these studies are limited to dry seasons and high elevations at the tree line, environments where niche-based hypotheses also often predict lower resource partitioning. In our study, we explored the specialization of sunbird-plant networks and their spatiotemporal variability on Mt. Cameroon (Cameroon). Using a combination of automatic video recordings and personal observations, we constructed eight comprehensive sunbird-plant networks in four forest types at different elevations in both the dry and wet seasons. As reported in previous studies, the montane forest plants, birds and whole networks were highly generalized. Nevertheless, we observed a much higher specialization in forests at lower elevations. Except at the lowest altitude, the wet season was also characterized by higher specialization. While less specialized flowering trees dominated in the dry season networks, more specialized herbs and shrubs were visited by birds during the wet season. As our findings do not support the generally accepted assumption that Old World bird-plant networks are rather generalized, we need further studies to understand the differences in bird-plant specializations on individual continents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bird pollination systems are diverse, ranging from narrow‐tubed flowers pollinated by specialist nectarivores such as hummingbirds and sunbirds, to relatively open flowers pollinated by opportunistic (i.e. generalist) nectarivores. The role of opportunistic avian nectarivores as pollinators has historically been under‐appreciated. A key aspect to understanding the importance of opportunistic birds as pollinators is to investigate how efficiently they transfer pollen among flowers. Here, we document the pollination and breeding systems of Schotia brachypetala, a southern African tree known as the 'weeping boer‐bean' on account of its prolific production of dilute hexose‐dominated nectar. The cup‐shaped flowers of this tree attract a large number of bird species, including both opportunistic and specialist nectarivores.We identified floral visitors using observations and camera traps and quantified the floral traits responsible for animal attraction. We documented the breeding system, used selective pollinator exclusion to test the contribution of birds to fecundity, and performed supplemental pollination to test for pollen limitation. Single‐visit pollen deposition trials were undertaken to determine the efficacy of bird pollinators.Controlled hand‐pollination experiments showed that S. brachypetala is genetically self‐incompatible and therefore dependent on pollinators for seed production. Supplemental hand‐pollination experiments showed that natural fecundity is limited by either the amount and/or the quality of pollen on stigmas. Flowers from which birds but not insects were experimentally excluded set fewer seeds than open control flowers. Opportunistic birds deposited more pollen per visit than did specialist sunbirds.We conclude that S. brachypetala has a generalized bird pollination system that mainly involves opportunistic nectarivores. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The flowering time of tree peony is short and concentrated in spring, which limits the development of its industry. We previously achieved tree peony reflowering in autumn. Here, we further shifted its reflowering time ahead through proper gibberellin (GA) treatment plus nutrient supply. GA treatment alone initiated bud differentiation, but it aborted later, whereas GA plus nutrient (G + N) treatment completed the opening process 38 days before the control group. Through microstructural observation of bud differentiation and starch grains, we concluded that GA plays a triggering role in flowering induction, whereas the nutriment supply ensured the continuous developing for final opening, and both are necessary. We further determined the expression of five floral induction pathway genes and found that PsSOC1 and PsLFY probably played key integral roles in flowering induction and nutrient supply, respectively. Considering the GA signaling, PsGA2ox may be mainly involved in GA regulation, whereas PsGAI may regulate further flower formation after nutrient application. Furthermore, G + N treatment, but not GA alone, inhibited the expression of PsTPS1, a key restricting enzyme in sugar signaling, at the early stage, indicating that sugar signaling is also involved in this process; in addition, GA treatment induced high expression of PsSnRK1, a major nutrient insufficiency indicator, and the induction of PsHXK1, a rate-limiting enzyme for synthesis of sugar signaling substances, further confirmed the nutrient shortage. In short, besides GA application, exogenous nutrient supply is essential to shift tree peony reflowering ahead in autumn under current forcing culture technologies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Almond (Prunus amygdalus Linnaeus) is very beneficial for human health in terms of high oil, calcium and other mineral substances it contains. It is consumed as fresh almonds, dried nuts, and roasted almonds (with or without salt), as well as in the food industry in the confectionery, chocolate and pastry industries, almond oil, cosmetics and pharmaceutical industries, and also as animal feed because its green peel contains sugar. One of the factors that negatively affect production in almond cultivation is plant protection factors. One of these factors is Tropinota hirta (Poda) (Coleoptera: Cetoniidae). In many parts of the world, it causes damage by feeding on the flowers of the trees in commercial almond orchards and is considered as an economically important pest because it causes product losses. In this study, it was carried out to determine the trapping of T. hirta, which is harmful in almond orchards in Mardin province, has an important potential and economic importance in almond production, in different types of traps. The studies were carried out in a garden with at least 100-150 trees at weekly intervals between February and May in 2018. In the experiments, funnel, basin, bucket and sticky plate-shaped pheromone and blue-colored trap types without pheromones were studied. As a result of 13 counts made in 8 different traps, 4 with pheromone and 4 without pheromone, 6,518 T. hirta were caught. In the experiments, it was determined that in terms of the number of traps of T. hirta in both pheromone and non-pheromone traps, the most in funnel-type traps, followed by washtub, water bearer and blue-colored sticky sheet traps. The first emergence of the pest into nature was the beginning of the phenological flowering of almond trees on March 01, when the daily air temperature was 8-10 °C on average. In the period between the second week of March and the second week of April, where the average daily temperature is between 13-15 °C and the average daily humidity was between 40-60% in the gardens, the population density of the pest was at maximum levels and it only fed on flowers during this period. It was determined that the population density of the pest started to decrease rapidly with the end of the flowering period and ended in the third week of May. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Silviculture can be a powerful tool for restoring and enhancing habitat for forest-dependent wildlife. In eastern North America, regenerating timber harvests support abundant wildflowers that provide essential forage for native pollinators. Factors driving floral resource availability within regenerating forests remain almost entirely unstudied. Recent efforts to increase the area of regenerating forests (<10 years old) through overstory removal harvest in the central Appalachian Mountains provide an opportunity to investigate the development of forest wildflower communities following canopy removal. We conducted 1208 surveys of blooming plants across 143 harvests, recording 1 525245 flowers representing 220 taxa spanning 47 families. The number of flowers within recently harvested stands was negatively associated with fern and sapling cover but positively associated with grass and bramble (Rubus spp.) cover. Early in the growing season, more flowers bloomed in older regenerating stands (e.g., >5 years old), but this pattern reversed by the end of the growing season. Ultimately, our study demonstrates that the abundance of flowers available to pollinators within regenerating hardwood stands varies with factors associated with advancing succession. Recognizing the potential trade-off between woody regeneration (i.e., saplings) and pollinator forage availability may benefit forest managers who intend to provide floral resources to flower-dependent wildlife like pollinators via silviculture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

【Objective】This paper explored the temporal and spatial expansion characteristics and industrial operation mode of farmers’ cooperatives in different topographical areas of Chongqing, mastered the development law of farmers’ cooperatives in Chongqing and analyzed the differences in the selection of different industrial modes, in order to provide data support for promoting the classified cultivation of cooperatives and the formulation of differentiated support policies.【Method】This paper used 2528 farmers’ cooperatives in Chongqing as a sample, comprehensively used terrain distribution index, standard deviation ellipse and other methods to analyze the temporal and spatial patterns and expansion characteristics of cooperatives of different industrial types in four types of terrain. And combined with the questionnaire survey, combed and refined the cooperative operation mode. 【Result】（i） The development of farmers’ cooperatives in Chongqing showed four growth stages in general, with slow growth from 2002 to 2006, rapid growth from 2007 to 2010, the growth rate slowed down from 2011 to 2014, and the growth rate from 2015 to 2018 has dropped significantly. From the perspective of topographical area, the growth rate of Area Ⅳ is the fastest, followed by Area Ⅱ and Area Ⅰ, and Area Ⅲ had the slowest growth rate.（ii） The growth advantages of cooperatives in different industries vary significantly. The growth advantage zone of livestock and poultry industry was Area Ⅳ. The growth advantage zone of the fruit and vegetable, grain and oil, and comprehensive industries were Area Ⅰ and Area Ⅱ. The growth advantage zone of the flower, tree, tea, and peppercorn industries are Area Ⅱ, the tobacco and Chinese medicinal materials industries are Area Ⅲ and Area Ⅳ.（iii） Except for the grain and oil industry cooperatives in the southeast-northwest direction from 2002 to 2006, the rest of the industrial cooperatives had a southwest-northeast distribution at various stages.（iv） There were six main modes of cooperative industrial operation, the livestock, poultry, fruit and vegetable, flower and tree and grain and oil industries use the ‘company + farmers’ cooperative + base + farmer’ model. The ‘company + farmers’ cooperative + farmer’ model was used by fruits and vegetables, flower and tree, grain and oil industries. The industries that use the ‘farmers’ cooperative + base + farmer’ model include fruit and vegetable, flower and tree industries, and the industries that use the ‘Internet+ farmers’ cooperative + farmer’model include livestock, poultry and other industries. The industries of the ‘farmers’ cooperative + farmer household’ model include fruit and vegetable, grain and oil industries, and livestock industry using the model of ‘company + farmers’ cooperative + base + family farm’. 【Conclusion】The number of farmers’ cooperatives in Chongqing is growing, and the advantageous area of different industries has a difference, and it has evolved in the northeast direction, and the operation mode of each industry is diverse. According to the spatio-temporal expansion characteristics of the cooperative and the local conditions, we should accurately find the mode of industrial operation and promote the steady development of cooperatives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tabebuia is the largest genus of the Bignoniaceae family, with great importance due to its beautiful decorative flowering trees, as well as, its remarkable biological activities. The exact identification of Tabebuia species is important, not only, for cultivation purposes but also for exploration of their phytochemical and biological potential. DNA fingerprinting technology is now considered an easily accessible, quick, and accurate method of species identification. The current study investigated the genetic diversity among five Tabebuia species, using start codon targeted (SCoT), and inter simple sequence repeats (ISSR) markers. Results indicated the efficiency of both markers for genetic fingerprinting of the five tested Tabebuia species with ISSR analysis being more polymorphic than SCoT analysis. The dendrogram generated from the combination of ISSR and SCoT analyses classified the tested species into two main clusters. Cluster I included T. guayacan, while Cluster II was separated into sub-cluster I comprising T. rosea and sub-cluster II that was further subdivided into sub-cluster IIa (T. pulcherrima) and subcluster IIb (T. argentea and T. pallida). Furthermore, the antitrypanosomal activity of the alcohol extracts of stems and leaves of the five tested Tabebuia was evaluated. Results revealed a variation in activity between extracts from different species. The highest antitrypanosomal activity was recorded for the stem and leaf extracts from T. pulcherrima, with IC50 (6.4-7.2 µg/mL) and (8.3 and 8.9 µg/mL) after 48 and 72 h respectively, followed by T. pallida leaf then T. rosea stem extracts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• First confirmation of bird pollination in the Old World Bignoniaceae Bird pollination is well-established in New World Bignoniaceae, but studies of species with floral traits suggestive of bird pollination in the Old World are lacking. Here we studied the pollination ecology of Mayodendron igneum to test the prediction of pollination by specialist flower-visiting birds. Observations from multiple sites showed that both the Streaked Spiderhunter (Arachnothera magna) and pollen-collecting bees were floral visitors. However, almost no fruit was produced if birds were excluded, suggesting that bees do not play a role in pollination, and that pollination is performed almost exclusively by birds in this self-incompatible tree. Measurements of floral traits revealed a typical bird pollination syndrome, and the nectar concentration and volume were both within the proposed ranges based on other flowers pollinated by specialist birds. However, the rather low level of sucrose (less than 2 %) in nectar sugar contradicts the expectation for nectar of flowers pollinated by specialist nectar-feeding birds. Although the Streaked Spiderhunter is among the longest-billed flower-visiting birds in Asia, its bill is only 2/3 of the corolla tube in length, suggesting that the bird can extend the tongue to access nectar. This study is the first to experimentally confirm bird pollination in the Old World Bignoniaceae. It also indicates aspects that are possibly characteristic of spiderhunter pollination systems, i.e. high degrees of specialization, unusual nectar sugar composition, and floral tubes much longer than bird bills. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gibberellin (GA) is frequently used in tree peony forcing culture, but inappropriate application often causes flower deformity. Here, 5-azacytidine (5-azaC), an efficient DNA demethylating reagent, induced tree peony flowering with a low deformity rate by rapidly inducing PsFT expression, whereas GA treatment affected various flowering pathway genes with strong pleiotropy. The 5-azaC treatment, but not GA, significantly reduced the methylation level in the PsFT promoter with the demethylation of five CG contexts in a 369 bp CG-rich region, and eight light-responsive related cis-elements were also predicted in this region, accompanied by enhanced leaf photosynthetic efficiency. Through GO analysis, all methylation-closer differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were located in the thylakoid, the main site for photosynthesis, and were mainly involved in response to stimulus and single-organism process, whereas GA-closer DEGs had a wider distribution inside and outside of cells, associated with 12 categories of processes and regulations. We further mapped five candidate DEGs with potential flowering regulation, including three kinases (SnRK1, WAK2, and 5PTase7) and two bioactive enzymes (cytochrome P450 and SBH1). In summary, 5-azaC and GA may have individual roles in inducing tree peony flowering, and 5-azaC could be a preferable regulation approach; DNA demethylation is suggested to be more focused on flowering regulation with PsFT playing a core role through promoter demethylation. In addition, 5-azaC may partially undertake or replace the light-signal function, combined with other factors, such as SnRK1, in regulating flowering. This work provides new ideas for improving tree peony forcing culture technology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Michelia × alba (M. alba) is a flowering tree best known for its essential oil, which has long been used as a fragrance ingredient for perfume and cosmetics. In addition, the plant has been used in traditional medicine in Asia and dates back hundreds of years. To date, there is a limited number of publications on the bioactivities of M. alba, which focused on its tyrosinase inhibition, antimicrobial, antidiabetic, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant activities. Nevertheless, M. alba may have additional unexplored bioactivities associated with its bioactive compounds such as linalool (72.8% in flower oil and 80.1% in leaf oil), α-terpineol (6.04% flower oil), phenylethyl alcohol (2.58% flower oil), β-pinene (2.39% flower oil), and geraniol (1.23% flower oil). Notably, these compounds have previously been reported to exhibit therapeutic activities such as anti-cancer, anti-inflammation, anti-depression, anti-ulcer, anti-hypertriglyceridemia, and anti-hypertensive activities. In this review paper, we examine and discuss the scientific evidence on the phytochemistry, bioactivities, and traditional uses of M. alba. Here, we report a total of 168 M. alba biological compounds and highlight the therapeutic potential of its key bioactive compounds. This review may provide insights into the therapeutic potential of M. alba and its biologically active components for the prevention and treatment of diseases and management of human health and wellness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The mosquito transmitted dengue virus (DENV) the causative agent of dengue fever (DF) remains a significant public health burden in many countries. Thailand, along with many countries in Asia and elsewhere, has a long history of using traditional medicines to combat febrile diseases such as DF. Screening bioactive compounds from traditional medicines reported to have antipyretic or anti-inflammatory activity may lead to the development of potent antivirals. In this study oroxylin A (OA), a flavonoid derivative found in Oroxylum indicum (commonly called the Indian trumpet flower or tree of Damocles), was screened for antiviral activity towards DENV. Results: Cytotoxicity analysis in BHK-21 cells showed a 50% cytotoxic concentration (CC50) of 534.17 µM. The compound showed no direct virucidal activity towards DENV, and pre-treatment of cells had no effect on virus production. A deficit was seen in virus production when cells were post-infection treated with oroxylin A. Under conditions of post-infection treatment, the EC50 value was 201.1 µM, giving a selectivity index (SI) value of 2.66. Accumulation of DENV E protein inside the cell was seen under conditions of post-infection treatment, suggesting that oroxylin A may exert some effects at the virus assembly/egress stages of the replication cycle. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bee populations have declined in many parts of the world, raising concerns over their conservation and the pollination services they provide. As a result of declines in agricultural areas, agri-environment schemes have been designed and implemented in order to reverse these trends. Until now, these schemes have largely focused on providing an abundance of herbaceous flowering plants which predominantly provide pollen and nectar during the summer, but flowering trees and shrubs may have been overlooked as a source of earlier-flowering resources. Using Bombus terrestris (L.) microcolonies, we investigated differences in pollen quality from eight woody and six herbaceous plant species using compositional analyses and efficacy assays. Pollen from herbaceous plants had a higher average crude protein and lipid content, but there were no differences in the protein:lipid ratio when compared to woody plants. However, when measuring amino acids directly, woody plants had a slightly higher total and essential amino acid content. Despite these minor differences, microcolonies fed on woody plant pollen produced a greater mass of larval offspring and had a lower rate of larval ejection. There was substantial variation between individual studied plant species, and whilst no individual woody plant pollen outperformed the best herbaceous pollen, they all exceeded the performance of the worst herbaceous pollen. This consistent performance suggests that woody plants may be good candidates for inclusion in bee-focused agri-environment schemes in order to provide suitable pollen resources in the early part of the season. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Plumeria pudica Jacq. Commonly known as nag champa belongs to family Apocynaceae. The plant is native to India and various parts of the plant has been used for the treatment of several diseases. A Genus Plumeria (Apocynaceae) contain largely of shrubs or flowering trees which are grown throughout the tropical region including many parts of India. The plants are well known for their religious value, cosmetic importance and tremendous potential to be used as medicinal agents to cure infections, digestive diseases, anti-inflammatory and antipyretic action, anti-tumor potential, anti-oxidant properties etc. The article highlights the phytochemicals and pharmacological activities of the plant. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In dioecious, bee‐pollinated tree species, male and female flowers offer different resources. It is unclear how this unbalanced quantity and quality of floral resources affects flower visits and pollen transfer to female flowers. We asked, what characteristics of flowering and dynamics of resource production by trees favour flights of bees between male and female trees.We quantified the floral resources produced by individual flowers and entire trees of Myracrodruon urundeuva (Anacardiaceae), measured pollen flow to female flowers, fruit set of naturally pollinated flowers and determined the effective pollinators.Crown volume of male trees was four‐fold, flower number 15‐fold and nectar volume 60 times higher than in female trees. While ~70% of male flowers opened in the morning, ~70% of female flowers opened in the afternoon. Fruit set was 27%. Stingless bee species were the main pollinators, while honeybees were common only on male flowers.Strongly unbalanced production of floral resources, high potential lifespan of female flowers and anticipated opening of male flowers favour pollinator movement and pollen deposition on female flowers, albeit low (0.003% of pollen that reached stigmas), but sufficient to produce thousands of fruits per tree. Besides being an astonishing pollen and nectar source for numerous social bee species, only a few of them were effective pollinators. Our quantitative approach to floral resource production of each gender provides new insights, such as the proportion of resources allocated to each gender and the corresponding behaviour of flower visitors, for understanding the reproductive strategy of dioecious tropical mass‐flowering trees. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]