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Helichrysum italicum (Roth) G. Don is a Mediterranean medicinal plant with great potential in the cosmetics, culinary and pharmaceutical fields due to its unique bioactive compounds. Its recent introduction into agroecosystems has enhanced the exploitation of genetic diversity in natural populations, although limited molecular markers have made this challenging. In the present study, primers were designed for all 43 SSRs (72.1% mononucleotide, 21% dinucleotide and 6.9% trinucleotide repeats) identified in the chloroplast genome. Populations from Cape Kamenjak (Croatia) and Corsica (France) were analyzed with ten carefully selected cpSSR markers. From the initial set of 16 cpSSRs amplified in all samples, 6 cpSSR markers were removed due to low-length polymorphisms, size homoplasy and nucleotide polymorphisms that could not be detected with allele length. Of the 38 haplotypes detected, 32 were unique to their geographic origin. The highest number of private haplotypes was observed in the Cape Kamenjak population (seven out of nine detected). Based on clustering analyses, the Kamenjak population was the most similar to the Capo Pertusato (south Corsica) population, although only one sub-haplotype was shared. Other Corsican populations were more similar to each other. A cross-species transferability test with Helichrysum litoreum Guss. and Helichrysum arenarium (L.) Moench was successfully conducted and private alleles were identified. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Medicinal and aromatic plants are a valuable source of biologically active compounds with specific effects that are useful in pharmacy, cosmetics, the food industry and phytopharmacy. These plants make it possible to replace synthetic ingredients with natural ones, what contributes to the development of innovative 'green' products and offers significant economic opportunities for growers, collectors and the processing industry. Harvesting naturally growing plants is often not sustainable, especially in the case of endangered species. Therefore, the transfer of medicinal and aromatic plants into controlled agroecosystems is encouraged to ensure a more stable supply of plant material of the desired quality. The transfer of these plants into agroecosystems is associated with numerous challenges. Firstly, the identification of representative samples and the collection from natural habitats in accordance with national and international legislation, as well as the selection of suitable agroecosystems. The observation and evaluation of individual genotypes is necessary in order to select superior plants with the desired traits (yield, quality, resistance). The uncontrolled transfer of plants from their natural habitats can be risky due to possible latent infections with pathogens that may only manifest themselves later during cultivation. Agronomic research and appropriate breeding approaches are therefore essential for cultivation and for the development of cultivars with new trait combinations, but they lag considerably behind those of other traditional agricultural crops. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study was to assess changes in mental health, gut microbiota composition, and stress marker serum cortisol due to COVID-19 lockdown in asymptomatic individuals. Healthy adults participated in anthropometric measurements, blood and stool sample collection pre-lockdown and postlockdown (n=38, 63.2% females), lifestyle and psychological questionnaires were included in pre-lockdown measurement and lockdown survey (n=46, 67.4% females). Subjects reported significantly higher body dissatisfaction (p=0.007) and anxiety (p=0.002), and significantly lower positive affect (p=0.001) during lockdown compared with pre-lockdown. According to perceived stress, 51.6% of females and 20% of males experienced moderate to high stress. This was reflected in serum cortisol levels that significantly increased only in females (p=0.006) post-lockdown and correlated with perceived stress (p=0.037) and anxiety (p=0.031). In addition to psychological measures, changes in gut microbiota composition were observed. Gut microbial alpha diversity significantly decreased (p=0.033), whereas relative abundance of Proteobacteria significantly increased (p=0.043) post-lockdown. Depression during lockdown was moderately positively correlated with changes in Bacteroidetes abundance (p=0.015) and negatively with changes in Firmicutes abundance (p=0.008). Alistipes abundance post-lockdown was moderately positively correlated with anxiety (p=0.004) and negative affect (p=0.005) during lockdown. Despite a small sample size and not being able to perform objective measurements during lockdown, the results confirm the effect of lockdown on mental health and gut microbiota composition that could have a great impact on our health (ClinicalTrials identifier: NCT04347213). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A set of 23 local varieties from Slovenia and 218 fig accessions from Californian fig germplasm collection were compared to determine the identity of genotypes and their possible genetic relationships. Figs were genotyped using twelve microsatellite loci. One hundred alleles were identified over all microsatellite loci with an average of 8.33 alleles per locus and a polymorphic information content of 0.557 per locus. DNA genotyping demonstrated a relatively high level of genetic diversity between analysed figs. Comparison of fig genotypes from Slovenia and California demonstrated that only six Slovenian varieties shared identical DNA profiles with figs from the Californian collection, while the other 17 Slovenian varieties were unique and characteristic to the North Adriatic region. The information obtained will contribute to a better management of fig genetic resources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study characterises the genetic variability of local pomegranate (Punica granatum L.) germplasm from the Slovenian and Croatian areas of Istria. The bioactive components and antioxidant and antimicrobial properties of ethanol and water extracts of different parts of pomegranate fruit were also determined, along with their preliminary nutritional characterisation. Twenty-six different genotypes identified with microsatellite analysis indicate the great diversity of pomegranate in Istria. The pomegranate fruit ethanol extracts represent rich sources of phenolic compounds (mean value of the mass fraction in exocarp and mesocarp expressed as gallic acid is 23 and 16 mg/g, respectively). The ethanol extracts of pomegranate exocarp and mesocarp showed the greatest antimicrobial activity against Candida albicans, Candida parapsilosis, Rhodotorula mucilaginosa, Exophiala dermatitidis and Staphylococcus aureus, and the same water extracts against S. aureus and Escherichia coli. To the best of our knowledge, this study represents the first report of the characterisation of pomegranate genetic resources from Istria at different levels, including the molecular, chemical, antimicrobial and nutritional properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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The article discusses a study which confirmed the presence of the Iranian vole or Microtus (M) irani in Lebanon. It notes that social voles are commonly found in the dry grasslands of north Africa and eastern Europe with various species revealing different morphological and karyotypical characteristics. M. irani species was said to be exclusively localized in Shiraz, Iran until a small collection of the species was gathered in Lebanon on May 2011.

Very few publications have documented the effects of climatic conditions on population fluctuation of Bactrocera oleae in the northeast part of the Mediterranean Basin. A field study (2005-2009) was carried out to analyze the population dynamics of B. oleae in the northern Balkans and to determine the potential correlation of population fluctuations of B. oleae and fruit infestation with abiotic parameters. The results of this study showed that despite the fact that climatic conditions had little direct influence on the population dynamics of adult males of B. oleae, minimum temperatures and precipitation have a significant effect on fruit infestation by B. oleae in the northern Balkans. The results further indicate that the annual population dynamic of the B. oleae in the northern Balkans is triple-peaked and is different from those observed in the southern Balkans. Better know ledge of seasonal population fluctuations of B. oleae in the northern Balkans could optimize the timing of insecticide applications in integrated control and thus reduce control costs and the risk of non-target effects and environmental contamination. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]