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Ornamental plants constitute a major source of invasive species.Gaillardia aristata(great blanketflower) is planted worldwide and its escape has been reported in several European countries without ecological impact assessment on the invasive potential. As there is a markedly spreading population with invasive behaviour in Hungary, we aimed to reveal the distribution, impacts and traits ofG. aristata. We gathered occurrence data outside the gardens in Hungary, based on literature, unpublished observations by experts and our own records. We investigated the impacts of an extended population, where the species invaded sandy old-fields within a 25 km2area. Here, we compared the species richness, diversity, community composition and height of invaded and uninvaded vegetation. Furthermore, we evaluated the traits potentially associated with the invasiveness ofG. aristatain comparison with other herbaceous invasive species in the region. We found thatG. aristataoccurred mostly by casual escapes, but naturalised and invasive populations were also detected in considerable numbers.G. aristatausually appeared close to gardens and ruderal habitats, but also in semi-natural and natural grasslands and tended to spread better in sandy soils. We found lower plant species richness and Shannon diversity in the invaded sites and the invasion ofG. aristatasignificantly influenced the composition of the plant community. The trait analyses revealed that the invasive potential ofG. aristatais backed by a wide germination niche breadth, extremely long flowering period, small shoot-root ratio (large absorption and gripping surface), large seeds (longer persistence) and dispersal by epizoochory of grazing livestock (mostly by sheep), probably helping the species’ survival and spreading in the disturbed, species-poor, sandy, open habitats. These functional traits, as well as the ornamental utilisation, may act together with the aridisation of the climate and the changing land-use practices (e.g. abandoned, disturbed sites) in the success ofG. aristata. We raise awareness of the rapid transition ofG. aristatafrom ornamental plant to casual alien and then to invasive species in certain environmental conditions (i.e. sandy soils, species-poor communities, human disturbances), although it seems to be not a strong ecosystem transformer so far. Nonetheless, banning it from seed mixtures, developing eradication strategy and long-term monitoring of this species would be important to halt its spreading in time.

Background The Canadian prairie ecosystem presents a rich source of natural products from plants that are subjected to herbivory by grazing mammals. This type of ecological competition may contribute to the production of natural products of interest in cell biology and medical research. We provide the first biological description of the sesquiterpene lactone, pulchelloid A, which we isolated from the prairie plant, Gaillardia aristata (Asteraceae) and report that it inhibits mitosis in human cells. Methods and results We found that G. aristata (Blanket flower) extracts were cytotoxic to human cell lines and used phenotypic assays to characterize the bioactivity of extracts. Before dying, cells were characterized by a rounded morphology, phospho-histone H3 signals, mitotic spindles, and active Cdk1. By biology-guided fractionation of Gaillardia extracts, we isolated a sesquiterpene lactone named pulchelloid A. We used immunofluorescence microscopy and observed that cells treated with pulchelloid A have phospho-histone H3 positive chromosomes and a mitotic spindle, confirming that they were in mitosis. Treated cells arrest with an unusual phenotype; they enter a prolonged mitotic arrest in which the spindles become multipolar and the chromosomes acquire histone gamma H2AX foci, a hallmark of damaged DNA. Conclusions We propose that pulchelloid A, a natural product present in the prairie plant Gaillardia aristata, delays cells in mitosis. There is a growing body of evidence that a small number of members of the sesquiterpene lactone chemical family may target proteins that regulate mitosis.

As part of ongoing efforts to understand, document, and conserve the flora of southeastern North America, we propose a number of taxonomic changes, nomenclatural changes, interpretations of nativity, and distributional accounts. Regarding the Asaroideae (Aristolochiaceae), we support continued recognition of Hexastylis (and other segregates of a very broad Asarum s.l.) at generic rank and make the necessary combinations to continue the use of Hexastylis in southeastern North America floras. In Conoclinium (Asteraceae), we present morphological and distributional evidence corroborating the recent suggestion (based on molecular evidence) that Chapman’s 1878 C. dichotomum is distinct, warrants recognition, and is present as a second Conoclinium in the southeastern North American flora. An analysis of historical accounts of Gaillardia pulchella (Asteraceae) strongly suggests that its modern occurrence east of Texas is adventive, rather than native. Two rare southeastern United States skullcaps, Scutellaria mellichampii and S. ocmulgee (Lamiaceae), have been persistently confused with one another and other species; we present a reassessment of the taxonomic distinction between them, best ways to distinguish them and similar species, and their known distributions. A reassessment of the taxonomy, distribution, and ecology of Linum carteri (Linaceae), a rare southern Florida endemic, confirms that two species should be recognized by modern species concepts; we make the necessary new combination to effect the recognition of two narrowly endemic species. In Andropogon (Poaceae), we propose that A. virginicus var. decipiens warrants recognition as distinct at species rank from other entities in the Andropogon virginicus complex. We also present more comprehensive information on the distributions of four species of “bushy bluestems” (Andropogon glomeratus s.l.), their ecology, and their practical recognition. In the Violaceae, modern reassessment of the taxonomy of many species (especially in the genus Viola) by H.E. Ballard, Jr. and collaborators have been vexed by uncertain application of many “old” names; we here provide a first installment of typifications and nomenclatural interpretations needed to move forward with a modern treatment of the genus in our region. In Xyris (Xyridaceae), we re-establish the generally ignored X. elliottii var. stenotera based on careful and extensive study of its morphology and ecology in comparison to X. elliottii var. elliottii, including a transplant study. English naturalist Mark Catesby (1683–1749) has been honored by having a genus and fifteen species of plants named for him, but most of these honorific names have been constructed in manners contrary to the Shenzhen Code; as these are “errors to be corrected,” we therefore propose to correct and standardize these honorifics by restoring his name ‘catesby-‘ as the root of the names. Similarly, in seven names (variably formed) employed by W.W Ashe to honor his cousin and (later) wife Margaret Haywood Henry (Wilcox) (Ashe), we also standardize and correct the root of the names to be accurately based on her name, ‘margaret-,’ in conformance with the Shenzhen Code.

China aster and gaillardia are flowering plants with high economic importance in floriculture. In the present investigation, response of China aster and gaillardia seedlings to inoculation with the arbuscular mycorrhizal fungus Funneliformis mosseae + the plant growth-promoting rhizobacterium Bacillus sonorensis was studied by growing in multipots (pro trays). The germination percentage and plant growth parameters: length of shoots, roots and whole seedlings, stem diameter, biovolume index, plant strength, vigor index, dry weight and nutrient uptake, were analyzed 60 days after sowing. The microbial parameters, mycorrhizal root colonization and spore count, and the population of B. sonorensis in the substrate were also determined. The results brought out that growth of inoculated seedlings was significantly improved as compared to uninoculated seedlings. Based on the plant growth and microbial parameters studied, it was concluded that inoculating the substrate in pro trays with the microbial consortium results in producing vigorously growing seedlings.

The present research was conducted during September 2018 to June 2019 at Floricultural Research Station, Hyderabad, India to examine the influence of different times of planting on seed attributes in Gaillardia pulchella local cultivars. The experimental design is Factorial Randomized Block Design comprising of two cultivars namely Local yellow (C1) and Local red (with yellow tip) (C2) and five times of planting namely, 1st week of October (T1), 1st week of November (T2), 1st week of December (T3), 1st week of January(T4) and 1st week of February (T5) with three replications. The plot size is 2×2m with spacing followed is 30 × 45 cm. The results revealed that, maximum number of seeds/inflorescence was recorded with T1 (1st week of October) and minimum with T2 (1st week of November). T4 (1st week of January) recorded maximum seed yield /hectare, seed yield/plot and seed yield/plant and minimum in T2 (1st week of November). Germination percentage was recorded maximum with T1 (1st week of October) and minimum with T5 (1st week of February). Among cultivars, significant variation was observed in germination percentage. C1 (local yellow) showed higher germination % than C2 (local red with yellow tip). Interaction effect between cultivars and different planting times was non-significant in all the characters. Hence, it can be concluded that the cultivars namely Local yellow and Local red (with yellow tip) performed well with respect to seed yield. T4 (1st week of January) gave higher seed yield among different planting times and could be the best time of planting for seed production in Gaillardia pulchella.

Samples from Valeriana fauriei Briq. plants were collected from six prefectures to survey viral pathogens. By next-generation sequencing and RT-PCR analysis, asparagus virus 2 (AV-2), broad bean wilt virus 2 (BBWV-2), cucumber mosaic virus (CMV), gaillardia latent virus (GaILV), ligustrum necrotic ringspot virus (LNRSV), and tomato spotted wilt orthotospovirus (TSWV) were detected. Many collected samples were coinfected with 2–4 viruses. V. officinalis was also back-inoculated with one or a mixture of isolated viruses to confirm pathogenicity of isolated viruses. This report is the first of GaILV and LNRSV in Japan and the first of AV-2 on V. fauriei.

Wild bees are major contributors to pollination of economically important crops. However, widespread habitat conversion to agriculture and pesticide exposure are associated with declines in wild bee abundance and biodiversity. A growing number of studies have investigated the incorporation of a variety of flower species in agroecosystems to augment resource and habitat availability to wild bees and pollination of nearby crops. Here we investigated if wildflower strips containing Gaillardia pulchella Foug. (Asteraceae) in 2018 and G. pulchella, Rudbeckia hirta L. (Asteraceae), and Monarda citriodora Cerv. ex Lag. (Lamiaceae) in 2019 could promote pollinator abundance and pollination of nearby peanut and cotton. We used bee bowls in crop fields to capture bees and identified the pollen on the bees. We captured a total of 291 bees in peanut and 89 bees in cotton that were comprised of 2 families (Apidae and Halictidae) with 10 species represented from these families. The species in peanut were comprised mostly of Melissodes communis Cresson and Melissodes bimaculatus Lepeletier (Apidae). The bee species in cotton was comprised of mostly Lasioglossum reticulatum Robertson (Halictidae), M. communis, and M. bimaculatus. At peak abundance in peanut, 48% of bees bore both G. pulchella and peanut pollen. At peak abundance in cotton, 37% of bees bore 1 or more wildflower strip pollen and cotton pollen. Throughout the season, 62% of the bees captured in cotton had unidentified pollen from surrounding sources. These results indicate that the wildflower buffers had provided pollinators and bee foragers to these crops in early season. By studying bee foraging between crop fields and wildflower strips based on identification of pollen grain on bee bodies, we showed the potential to increase pollination in crop fields through the provision of floral resources throughout the growing season. Resumen Las abejas silvestres son las mayores contribuyentes a la polinizacion de cultivos de importancia economica. Sin embargo, la conversion generalizada del habitat a la agricultura y la exposicion a plaguicidas estan asociadas con la disminucion de la abundancia y la biodiversidad de las abejas silvestres. Un numero creciente de estudios ha investigado la incorporacion de una variedad de especies de flores en los agroecosistemas para aumentar la disponibilidad de recursos y habitats para las abejas silvestres y la polinizacion de cultivos cercanos. Aqui investigamos si las tiras de flores silvestres que contienen Gaillardia pulchella Foug. (Asteraceae) en el 2018 y G. pulchella, Rudbeckia hirta L. (Asteraceae) y Monarda citriodora Cerv. ex Lag. (Lamiaceae) en el 2019 podria promover la abundancia de polinizadores y la polinizacion del mani y el algodon cercanos. Usamos cuencos para capturer las abejas en el campo de cultivo e identificar el polen en las abejas. Capturamos un total de 291 abejas en mani y 89 abejas en algodon de 2 familias (Apidae y Halictidae) con 10 especies representadas en dichas familias. Las especies del mani estaban compuestas principalmente por Melissodes communis Cresson y Melissodes bimaculatus Lepeletier (Apidae). Las especies de abeja en el algodon estaba compuesta principalmente por Lasioglossum reticulatum Robertson (Halictidae), M. communis y M. bimaculatus. En el pico de abundancia de mani, el 48% de las abejas tenian polen de G. pulchella y mani. En el pico de abundancia del algodon, el 37% de las abejas tenian 1 o mas tiras de polen de flores silvestres y polen de algodon. A lo largo de la temporada, el 62% de las abejas capturadas en algodon tenian polen no identificado de fuentes circundantes. Estos resultados indican que el buffer de flores silvestres habia proporcionado polinizadores y recolectores de abejas a estos cultivos a principios de la temporada. Al estudiar la busqueda de alimento de las abejas entre los campos de cultivo y las franjas de flores silvestres con base en la identificacion del grano de polen en las abejas, demostramos el potencial para aumentar la polinizacion en los campos de cultivo mediante la provision de recursos florales durante la temporada de crecimiento. Key Words: Arachis hypogaea; Gossypium hirsutum; Asteraceae; floral resources; native bees View this article in BioOne

The studies were carried out to study the effect of nitrogen and Phosphorus on flowering and yield of Gaillardia (Gaillardia pulchella Foug.) cv. Local Yellow under Jhalawar condition. The experiment consisting 16 treatments combination with two factors i.e. nitrogen with four levels (control, 100 kg ha-1, 200 kg ha-1 and 300 kg ha-1) and phosphorus with four levels (control, 100 kg ha-1, 200 kg ha-1 and 300 kg ha-1) in Factorial Randomized Block Design with three replications. The individual application of nitrogen treatment N3 (N 300 kg ha-1) Earliest first flower opening (60.93 days), Earliest 50% flowering (91.26 days), maximum flower diameter (6.67 cm), maximum number of flower per plant (111.67), maximum weight of flower per plant (0.437 kg), number of flower per plot maximum (2615.83), maximum weight of flower per plot (11.53 kg), maximum flower yield (121.25 q/ha). The individual application of phosphorus treatment P3 (P 300 kg ha-1) recorded minimum (63.25 days) to first flower opening, earliest (95.25 days) 50% flowering, maximum flower diameter (6.56 cm), flowers per plant (108.83), weight of flower per plant (0.446 kg), number of flower per plot (2574.83), flower weight per plot (10.78 kg) and flower yield (115.08 q/ha).

Virgilia L���H��r., Virgilia [unpaginated]. I���V.1788 [nom. rejic.] Typus: V. helioides L���H��r. = Gaillardia Foug., Observ. Phys. 29: 55. 1786. Virgilia helioides L���H��r. [unpaginated]. I���V.1788. Lectotypus (designated here by Callmander & Lack): UNITED STATES: ���Habitat in Louisiana ���, s.d., Anon. s.n. (G-DC [G00456995]!). = Gaillardia pulchella Foug. in Hist. Acad. Roy. Sci. M��m. Math. Phys. (Paris, 4to) 1786: 5, tab. 1: 1788. Notes. ��� Virgilia L���H��r. (Asteraceae) was rejected against Virgilia Poir. by the VI IBC held in Amsterdam (GREEN, 1940: 105) based on a proposal by REHDER et al. (1935). A specimen in G-DC originating from the L���H��ritier herbarium is designated here as the lectotype of Virgilia helioides . CANDOLLE (1836: 651���652) quoted the engraving included in L���Heritier���s Reliquiae when writing his account of the genus Gaillardia Foug., the name he accepted for Virgilia L���H��r. Virgilia helioides L���H��r. [unpaginated]. I���V.1788. Lectotypus (designated here by Callmander & Lack): UNITED STATES: ���Habitat in Louisiana ���, s.d., Anon. s.n. (G-DC [G00456995]!). = Gaillardia pulchella Foug. in Hist. Acad. Roy. Sci. M��m. Math. Phys. (Paris, 4to) 1786: 5, tab. 1: 1788. Notes. ��� Virgilia L���H��r. (Asteraceae) was rejected against Virgilia Poir. by the VI IBC held in Amsterdam (GREEN, 1940: 105) based on a proposal by REHDER et al. (1935). A specimen in G-DC originating from the L���H��ritier herbarium is designated here as the lectotype of Virgilia helioides . CANDOLLE (1836: 651���652) quoted the engraving included in L���Heritier���s Reliquiae when writing his account of the genus Gaillardia Foug., the name he accepted for Virgilia L���H��r., Published as part of Lack, Hans Walter, B��hme, Katrin & Callmander, Martin W., 2021, Augustin-Pyramus de Candolle's L'Heritier Reliquiae: A volume of miscellaneous prints kept in Geneva, pp. 145-165 in Candollea 76 (1) on page 163, DOI: 10.15553/c2021v761a15, http://zenodo.org/record/5684646, {"references":["GREEN, M. L. (1940). Additional Nomina Generica Conservanda (Pteridophyta and Phanerogamae). Bull. Misc. Inform. Kew 1940: 81 - 134.","REHDER, A., C. A. WEATHERBY, R. MANSFELD & M. L. GREEN (1935). Conservation of later generic homonyms. Bull. Misc. Inform. Kew 1935: 341 - 544.","CANDOLLE, A. - P. DE (1836). Compositae. Prodr. 5."]}

Nowdays it is established that ischemic brain damage like ischemic stroke is one of the leading cause of death and disability in the population that assumes relevance development of anti-ischemic drugs. The work studied the anti-hypoxic and anti-ischemic effect of 7 plant extracts. Antihypoxic activity was assessed on models of hypobaric, hypercapnic, histotoxic, hematotoxic hypoxia. Anti-ischemic activity of test-extracts was studied on the focal cerebral ischemia model. Administration of Tagetes patula, Gaillardia pulchella, Sorbaria sorbifolia, Grossularia reclinata, Ribes nigrum, Rubus caesius and Lysimachia punctata extracts contributed to the necrosis zone reduction by 56.6% (p

We conducted a hand pollination experiment to test the effects of supplemental pollen and pollen identity on subsequent reproductive success in three American wildflower species: Chamaecrista fasciculata, Gaillardia pulchella and Salvia coccinea. These species are commonly used in ecological restoration plantings and vary in pollination syndrome and compatibility system. We hypothesized that for all three species, treatments that supplemented pollen would yield greater fruit and seed set. Plants were germinated in a closed greenhouse until flowering, then divided into three treatments: “control”, with no supplemental pollen added; “self”, with supplemented self-pollen; and “outcross”, with supplemented outcross pollen. Treated flowers were bagged and allowed to develop to mature fruit stage, and any resulting fruits and seeds were counted and weighed. Results varied between species. Outcross C. fasciculata flowers had significantly higher fruit set than self or control treated flowers, whereas S....

The taxonomy of complicated native African taxa, Biscutella maritima (Brassicaceae) and annual species of Sesuvium (Aizoaceae) is discussed. The distribution of B. maritima is widened to the most of the coastal areas of NE Algeria and N Tunisia. Morphological differences with regard to other North African members of Biscutella ser. Biscutella are reported to facilitate the identification of B. maritima. We propose to accept four annual Sesuvium species (instead of the one previously accepted species, S. sesuvioides sensu amplissimo) with different distributions in Africa: S. digynum, S. hydaspicum, S. sesuvioides s.str. and S. nyasicum. A delimitation key based on morphological and carpological characters is provided. Lectotypes of S. digynum, S. digynum var. angustifolium, S. hydaspicum, S. nyasicum, Diplochonium sesuvioides (Sesuvium sesuvioides) and Trianthema polysperma (synonym of Sesuvium hydaspicum) are selected. Other discussed taxa belong to the alien elements of the flora. Atriplex semibaccata (Amaranthaceae-Chenopodiaceae) is reported as a new species for Cape Verde. Gaillardia × grandiflora (Asteraceae) is discovered as a new species for Africa found in Morocco. Prosopis velutina (Fabaceae) is collected for the first time in Northern Africa (Morocco). Mollugo verticillata (Molluginaceae) is recorded as a new species for DR Congo. Its morphology, including seed ornamentation, is discussed in reference to other similar-looking Molluginaceae. Incidence of American species Heterotheca subaxillaris (Asteraceae) in North Africa is discussed. Vernonanthura polyanthes (Asteraceae) is recorded as a naturalized invasive species in eastern Zimbabwe. It seems to be the first documented discovery of this ergasiophyte in Africa. Alicia Vicente was funded by the FPU grant programme from Ministerio de Educación, Cultura y Deporte (Spanish Government). The research on Biscutella by M. Ángeles Alonso and Manuel B. Crespo was partly supported by the I+D+i project CGL2011-30140 from Dirección General de Investigación, MICINN (Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad, Spanish Government), and the grants ACIE 14-01, ACIE 16-03 from the University of Alicante. The research of Alexander P. Sukhorukov and Maria Kushunina was supported by the Russian Science Foundation (revision of the herbaria in the UK, Belgium and France: project 14-50-00029) and the Russian Foundation for Basic Research (carpological investigations: project 17-04-00418a). C. Chapano and A. Maroyi would like to acknowledge funding from Southern African Systems Analysis (SASAC).

Disease samples of Gaillardia × grandiflora cvs. Goblin and Baby Cole were received at the Hampton Roads Agricultural Research and Extension Center in Virginia Beach in early April 2002. Samples were from a nursery in eastern Virginia, and most diseased plants had several to more than a dozen, round, flat, white to tan spots with indistinct margins up to 1 cm in diameter on their leaves. The spots later turned brown and necrotic, followed by necrosis of the entire leaf. Leaves of ‘Baby Cole’ were beginning to wilt and were more spotted than those of ‘Goblin’. Fungal fruiting bodies were not observed on the surface of diseased leaves. However, microscopic examination of internal leaf tissues revealed masses of round, double-walled, pale green-to-yellow spores approximately 12 μm in diameter and typical of the ustilospores of Entyloma polysporum (2,3). Inoculum for pathogenicity tests was prepared by blending 10 diseased leaves in 200 ml of sterile distilled water (SDW) for 2 min in a blender at low speed. The spore suspension was adjusted to 5 × 105 spores per ml with SDW. Healthy ‘Goblin’ gaillardia plants were obtained from a nursery where smut symptoms had never been seen. Four plants in one-gallon containers were inoculated by spraying them to runoff with the spore suspension. Four control plants were sprayed with SDW only. All plants were maintained in a greenhouse (15 to 35°C) and covered with a clean polyethylene plastic sheet overnight (14 h) to maintain high humidity and separated to avoid potential cross contamination. Inoculated and uninoculated plants were hand-watered separately, with application of water to the foliage to enhance spread of the disease. Typical white smut symptoms were observed on inoculated plants 2 weeks after inoculation, and numerous spores of E. polysporum were observed in the diseased tissues. No disease symptoms were seen on control plants. White smut has been reported on gaillardia in a few other states (1), but to our knowledge, this is the first report of the disease on gaillardia in Virginia. Growers at the affected nursery reported observing white smut symptoms on gaillardia in previous years, but in the spring of 2002, almost the entire gaillardia crop was destroyed. The disease has not been seen on gaillardia in any other nurseries, but it could have significant impact on production if it spreads. References: (1) D. F. Farr et al. Fungi on Plants and Plant Products in the United States. The American Phytopathological Society, St. Paul, MN, 1989. (2) W. Fischer. Manual of the North American Smut Fungi. Ronald Press, New York, 1953. (3) D. B. O. Savile. Can. J. Res. 25(C):109,1947.

To date, stress is a common medical and socially significant disease that requires rational pharmacotherapeutic correction. The anti-stress properties of ethnolic and aqueous extracts obtained from leaves of Ribes nigrum L., inflorescences of Gaillardia pulchella Foug., stems of Lysimachia punctata L were studied in this work. Acute stress was modeled by immobilization of rats for 2 hours. The test-extracts were administered per os prophylactically in a dose of 1/20 of LD 50 (2000 mg/kg). The following parameters were evaluated: organs mass coefficient (adrenal glands, thymus, spleen), the number of stomach erosion; the biochemical changes in the blood serum (adrenaline, cortisol, total protein and glucose concentration); the mitochondrial function parameters in brain and myocardium (evaluation of mitochondrial pore transitional permeability opening and mitochondrial membrane potential). 70% ethanol extract from Gaillardia pulchella Foug. inflorescences has the highest anti-stress activity, the course application of which contributed to the normalization of the weight index of organs, a decrease in glucose concentration by 64.5% (p

We investigated the response of Gaillardia pulchella seeds to desiccation and aging stress to gain some perspective on the germplasm storage potential and seed vigor of this species. Seed–water relations of mature, freshly harvested G. pulchella seeds were characteristic of desiccation-tolerant species. For example, initial seed water potential (−53 MPa) was well below the lethal water potential limit (−15 MPa) for desiccation-sensitive seeds. Desiccation tolerance was confirmed by high (>70%), rapid (t50 range 4–7 days), and uniform germination following equilibration drying. Likewise, post–saturated salt accelerated aging (SSAA) germination tests indicated a high degree of vigor of fresh seeds. The substantial level of desiccation and aging-related stress tolerance in G. pulchella seeds suggests that these organs potentially display orthodox storage physiology and an ability to endure variable seed bed conditions.

Blanketflower (Gaillardia aristata) is a popular flowering plant commonly used in parks and gardens, belonging to Asteraceae. Starting in May 2017, 6-month-old plants grown in a private garden located near Biella (latitude, 45°36′00″N; longitude, 8°03′00″E) in Northern Italy showed signs and severe symptoms of a previously unknown disease. About 70% of the 30 G. aristata plants were affected, exhibiting circular spots on leaves, from 0.8 to 1.3 cm in diameter, sometimes coalescent. Amphigenous spots were light green and 6 to 9 days later turned brown and necrotic. Microscopic examination of leaf tissue sections showed sori composed by massive double-walled hyaline to yellowish spores in the intercellular spaces of the host tissue, ranging from 9.8 to 12.3 μm (mean, 10.5 μm) in diameter, typical of the teliospores of the genus Entyloma (Vanky 1982). Hyaline, cylindrical, nonseptate conidia from straight to curved, 12.5 to 19.5 × 2.5 to 3.8 μm, of the anamorphic stage were also observed. DNA was extracted from sori by using the E.Z.N.A. Fungal DNA Mini Kit (Omega BioTek). The internal transcribed spacer (ITS) regions of rDNA were amplified using the primers ITS1/ITS4 (White et al. 1990) and sequenced at the BMR Genomics Centre (Padua, Italy). The 442-bp product of this isolate (IT62) was deposited at GenBank (accession no. MF521597), and a BLASTn search showed a 100% similarity with Entyloma gaillardianum (accession no. AY081037). Pathogenicity was confirmed by spraying a spore suspension (5 × 10⁴/ml), prepared from homogenized infested leaves, on three potted (3 liter) plants of G. aristata, and the same number of control plants were sprayed with sterile water. Plants were kept in a growth chamber at 21 to 24°C under 100% relative humidity for 5 days. All inoculated plants developed typical spots after 10 days, showing sori and spores similar to those previously described, whereas no symptoms developed on the control plants. Pathogenicity tests were carried out twice with the same results. Leaf smut caused by E. gaillardianum was reported on G. aristata in Germany, Israel, Romania, and Ukraine (Farr and Rossman 2017) and on Gaillardia × grandiflora in North America (Glawe et al. 2010). The presence of this pathogen is critical because Entyloma sp. causes severe economic losses on many different Asteraceae hosts, including Gaillardia sp. This is, to our knowledge, the first report of E. gaillardianum on G. aristata in Italy.

Blanketflower (Gaillardia pulchella Foug.) is a tall herbaceous annual (more than 1 m long), usually subjects to slanting if it was grow alone in pot. So, the present investigation was carried out at Orman Botanical Garden, Giza, Egypt during the seasons of 2012/2013 and 2013/2014 in order to reduce its tall and branched stem by spraying the foliage with the aqueous solution of either paclobutrazol (PP-333) at 0, 50 and 100 ppm or cycocel (CCC) at 0, 1000 and 2000 ppm concentrations, two times with 3 weeks interval, and to study the effect of these treatments on flowering and chemical composition of 75-days-old seedlings of such winter annual when grown in 15-cm-diameter plastic pots filled with about 1.5kg of an equal mixture of sand and clay (1:1, v/v). The obtained results indicated that both PP-333 and CCC at various concentrations significantly decreased all vegetative and root growth criteria, with few exceptions compared to control in the two seasons. The low level of PP-333 caused about 20% reduction in height and branching of treated plants giving plants near at its size to those of control ones. On the contrary, the high level of CCC (2000 ppm) excessively decreased these parameters to more than 65% compared to control treatment, and that was accompanied with reducing root length to less than 10 cm in both seasons. However, the most appropriate size wherefrom height, branching and number of leaves was gained from applying either PP-333 at 100 ppm or CCC at 1000 ppm, with the preference 100 ppm PP-333 treatment which resulted the most suitable plant size in harmony with the pot size. The flowering was delayed due to all the used treatments, but delaying by CCC treatments was more than that by PP-333 ones (about 7-9 days against only 4-5 days, respectively). All other flowering characters were significantly decreased by the different levels of growth retardants used in this work in most cases of both seasons, except for the two rates of PP-333 which were raised inflorescence diameter and number of ray florets/inflorescence, with the superiority of PP-333 at 100 ppm treatment, as it gave the widest inflorescence with the utmost high number of ray florets per inflorescence at all. This treatment also resulted the shortest stalk length which was useful in restricting flower head nutation phenomenon in this plant. Paclobutrazol at any rate markedly increased chlorophyll a and b, carotenoids, total soluble sugars, total indoles and total phenols content in the leaves, whereas CCC treatments decreased content of these constituents with the exception of total phenols content that was greatly increased. From the previous results, it is recommended to spray the foliage of 75-days-old seedlings of Gaillardia pulchella winter annual plant with PP-333 at 100 ppm level, twice with 3 weeks interval for production of petit, dwarfed, flowering-pot-plant from commercial point of view.

Growth responses of potted ornamental crops to municipal biosolids in the semiarid southwestern USA are not adequately known. In 10- to 11-wk greenhouse pot studies, we evaluated the effects of dried biosolids-amended growing media on four ornamental crop species: Garden chrysanthemum (Dendranthema Xgrandiflorum ‘Megan’), butterfly bush (Buddleia davidii ‘Nanho Blue’), Japanese honeysuckle (Lonicera japonica ‘Purpurea’), and blanket flower (Gaillardia Xgrandiflora ‘Goblin’). The biosolids were composted without bulking agents (100% sewage sludge) and incorporated into growing media at rates ranging from 0 to 593 kg m−3, or 0 to 72% by volume. Biosolids increased substrate pH from 5.8 to 7.2 and electrical conductivity (EC) from 2.6 to 47.3 dS m−1. Any addition of biosolids (≥30 kg m−3) reduced total plant dry matter (DM) of chrysanthemum. Conversely, shoot DM of blanket flower and butterfly bush increased by four- to five-fold at biosolids rates of 59 to 148 kg m−3 (7 to 18% by volume) with corres...

Substrate material used for the purpose of growing ornamental plants in the Great Plains is generally shipped a significant distance, primarily from the Southeastern United States. Eastern redcedar (Juniperus virginiana; ERC) chips have been identified as a possible alternative to pine bark (PB) for nursery substrates. Landscape establishment of Ulmus parvifolia ‘Emer II’ (elm), Rosa ‘Radtkopink’ (rose), Ilex glabra ‘Compacta’ (holly), Miscanthus sinensis ‘Little Kitten’ (maiden grass), Gaillardia ×grandiflora (blanket flower), Sedum ‘Autumn Fire’ (sedum), Hosta ‘Sum and Substance’ (hosta), and Hemerocallis ‘Charles Johnston’ (daylily) plants were grown in three substrate mixes. Substrate mixes were composed of 80:20 PB:sand (PBS), 40:40:20 PB:ERC:sand (PBERCS) or 80:20 ERC:sand (ERCS) (by vol). The study was split into production and landscape phases. During the production phase, pH and EC were among the parameters measured. For both phases of the study, growth index (GI), SPAD, caliper and shoot- and root dry weight were measured. At the end of the production phase, differences in growth were observed in elm, holly, and maiden grass where substrates containing PB or a mixture of PB:ERC resulted in greater growth over a primarily ERC-based substrate. Sedum also exhibited growth differences, with plants growing larger in ERCS as a production substrate. At the conclusion of the landscape establishment phase, there were no observed differences in growth for tested species with the exception of holly and hosta which grew best if produced in PBS and/or PBERCS prior to transplanting based on shoot- and root dry weights as well as GI on most evaluation dates. The majority of species in this study overcame any growth shortages present at the end of production within the first growing season in the landscape. Therefore, ERC is a viable substrate option for producing and planting many nursery crops, though it is advisable for each nursery to evaluate their particular crops for production in alternative substrates.