Search

The phreatophytic tree;Prosopis juliflora(P. juliflora), of the Fabaceae family is a widespread invasive plant. The present study aimed to examine the characteristics of the anti-cancer effects potentially induced byP. julifloraleaves extracts, and to compare the bioactivity of its chemical composition in methanolic and butanolic solvents. MCF-7/breast, LS-174T/colorectal, and HepG2/liver, cancer cell lines were cultivated and incubated with various concentrations of the methanolic and butanolic extracts of the plant leaves, and hence the impact on cell viability, proliferation, and cell cycle stages have been investigated. Both extracts ofP. julifloraleave induced concentration-dependent cytotoxicity against the previously mentioned cancer cell lines. The calculated IC50 averaged 16.7, 18.04 and, 8.10μg/ml for methanolic extract, and 12.5, 32.8 and 5.17μg/ml for butanolic extract ofP. julifloraleaves on MCF-7, LS-174T and, HePG2, respectively. Detailed cellular analyses revealed that the cytotoxic action ofP. julifloraextracts was mainly via apoptosis but not necrosis for MCF7 in both extracts, either. However, apoptosis and necrosis reciprocally detected for LS-174T and HePG2 in response to the methanolic and butanolic extracts, either. The DNA-flow cytometry analysis showed cells specific antiproliferative action and cell cycle stages arrest in the tested cancer cell lines. The antiproliferative action has detected mostly at the G0/G1 rather than the S-phase of the cell cycle in both extracts. For identifying the chemical composition of the plant and evaluating the anticancer potency, both the methanolic and butanolic extracts were analyzed by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS). Betaine and nicotinamide were the major constituents detected for both extracts showing potential anti-cancer effects against breast, hepatic, and colorectal cancerous cells.

This study was conducted to evaluate the abundance and distribution pattern of three keystone Vachellia taxa in wadi Khoda and wadi Rahaba, Gebel Elba National Park, a protected area in south-eastern Egypt. These taxa included Vachellia tortilis subsp. tortilis, Vachellia tortilis subsp. raddiana, and Vachellia ehrenbergiana. In wadi Khoda, only two of these taxa were detected (V. tortilis subsp. raddiana and V. tortilis subsp. tortilis), while all three taxa were encountered in wadi Rahaba. The density of trees in wadi Khoda was 34.3 plant ha−1 compared to 26.3 plant ha−1 in wadi Rahaba. Vachellia tortilis subsp. raddiana was the most frequently observed tree, with an average of 47.93% and 68.25% in wadi Rahaba and wadi Khoda, respectively. Crown depth and tree height were mainly associated with elevation, indicating that elevation plays a key role in the growth of these Vachellia taxa. Our results suggest that human activities have had limited effect on the distribution of these three keystone taxa. Thus, management in Gebel Elba National Park should continue to limit the impact of human activities on these three keystone species.

Objective: Nowadays, one of the growing industries is the herbal drug-based medicaments. This study sought to assess the quality and yield characterizes of black cumin under different locations through Egypt to introduce final analysis information for producers and exporters in Egypt. Methods: This experiment was carried out in seven sites in different locations through Egypt to assess the growth, yield and essential oil content of black cumin plants as following; four sites in El-Minya Governorate, two sites in Bahariya Oasis, and one site in Aswan Governorate. Results: Cultivation locations significantly affected on quality and growth characteristics. The highest seed and fixed oil yields (830 kilogram seeds and 206 kilogram fixed oil) were observed under clay loam soil (Old Land farm), while the lowest yields (500 kilogram seeds and 105 kilogram fixed oil) were observed under sandy soil (El-Nanaaih farm) at El-Menya. The highest content of active substance (Fixed oil %) was observed in clay loam sandy soil of Sekem farm and the lowest in Lena farm with sandy soil at Bahariya Oasis. Neither seed yield nor fixed oil content showed significant correlation with Na+, Cl-, and HCO3--of irrigation water. Although plants cultivated in Wadi El-Nokra at Aswan produced low fixed oil content (18.3%), main components, Linoleic and Oleic acid, were relatively high. Conclusion: The assessment of Nigella sativa under different locations gave evidence of the interactions between weather and soil properties and their impact on the quality and yield of oil of Nigella sativa plants.

Background Heat stress is considered one of the most important environmental factors influencing plant physiology, growth, development, and reproductive output. The occurrence and damage caused by heat stress will likely increase with global climate change. Thus, there is an urgent need to better understand the genetic basis of heat tolerance, especially in cool season plants. Materials and Methods In this study, we assessed the inheritance of heat tolerance in perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne L. subspecies perenne) , a cool season grass, through a comparison of two parental cultivars with their offspring. We crossed plants of a heat tolerant cultivar (Kangaroo Valley) with plants of a heat sensitive cultivar (Norlea), to generate 72 F1 hybrid progeny arrays. Both parents and their progeny were then exposed to heat stress for 40 days, and their photosynthetic performance (Fv/Fm values) and leaf H2O2 content were measured. Results As expected, Kangaroo Valley had significantly higher Fv/Fm values and significantly lower H2O2 concentrations than Norlea. For the F1 progeny arrays, values of Fv/Fm decreased gradually with increasing exposure to heat stress, while the content of H2O 2 increased. The progeny had a wide distribution of Fv/Fm and H 2O2 values at 40 days of heat stress. Approximately 95% of the 72 F1 progeny arrays had Fv/Fm values that were equal to or intermediate to the values of the two parental cultivars and 68% of the progeny arrays had H2O2 concentrations equal to or intermediate to their two parents. Conclusion Results of this study indicate considerable additive genetic variation for heat tolerance among the 72 progeny arrays generated from these crosses, and such diversity can be used to improve heat tolerance in perennial ryegrass cultivars. Our findings point to the benefits of combining physiological measurements within a genetic framework to assess the inheritance of heat tolerance, a complex plant response.

Owing to its hand-picked flower heads and its applications in organic farming systems, Egyptian chamomile has a good reputation in export markets. This study was carried out to evaluate the growth,...

Climate plays an important role in crop production, and it is the main factor limiting the success of crop production in specific area. Medicinal plants are characterized by its contents of biologi...

This experiment was conducted to examine the influence of drying methods on the essential oil of chamomile (Matricaria chamomilla L.) and its chemical composition. Chamomile flower heads were dried using five different methods: sunlight for 72 h, shade for 1 week, oven at 40 °C for 72 h, solar dryer for 72 h, and microwave for 5 min. Drying methods had slight and nonsignificant impacts on dry biomass of flower heads. The highest percentages of oil in flowers (0.35–0.50%) were observed after solar-drying methods, and the lowest percentage of oil was found after microwave drying (0.24–0.33%). Drying methods significantly influenced the number of identified compounds. The maximum was identified after solar drying (21 compounds), while the lowest was identified after microwave drying (13 compounds), which revealed the solar ability to preserve compounds in contrast to microwave, which crushed the compounds. Major compounds were α-bisabolol oxide A (33.0–50.5%), (Z)-tonghaosu (10.0–18.7%), α-bisabolol oxide B (8.2–15.4%), α-bisabolone oxide A (5.4–14.6%), and chamazulene (1.9–5.2%) of essential oil. Drying methods clearly affected major compounds’ content as the lowest α-bisabolol oxide A was after sun drying, and the lowest α-bisabolol oxide B was after solar drying. (Z)-tonghaosu increased during drying compared to fresh flowers. Solar drying maintained higher chamazulene content (3.0%) compared to other drying methods. The results of this study suggest that drying under the shady conditions preserved chemical composition of essential oil with higher α-bisabolol content compared to other drying methods.

Salinity is a potential environmental stress factor for plants. Improving plant growth under salinity stress requires an understanding of resistance mechanisms. Salinity stress resistance is related to both salinity avoidance and tolerance. In this study, interspecific differences in salinity stress resistance, avoidance, and tolerance were examined in eight C3 turfgrass species, namely Agrostis alba, Agrostis tenius, Dactylis glomerata, Festuca ovina, Festuca rubra, Lolium perenne, Phleum pratense, and Poa pratensis. In a greenhouse experiment, plants were exposed to 50, 100, or 200 mM NaCl for 2 weeks supplied via a hydroponics system. We found that interspecific differences in salinity stress resistance were associated mainly with salinity tolerance. Salinity avoidance mechanisms also contributed significantly to stress resistance. The contribution of genotype towards interspecific variation in salinity resistance and tolerance was higher than that of Na+ concentration. Salinity stress had negative effects on shoot dry mass, water status, and membrane stability. Relative water content was significantly correlated with salinity resistance, avoidance, and tolerance, whereas no significant correlation was observed for ion leakage. Mineral contents showed no clear contribution to salinity tolerance. Species varied in their proline content even in control conditions, and there was a positive association between proline content and salinity resistance and tolerance, but a negative association between proline content and salinity avoidance. F. ovina and P. pratense displayed the highest and lowest salinity stress resistance, respectively. The results of this study suggest that both salinity tolerance and avoidance mechanisms contribute towards salinity resistance, and that variation in salinity stress resistance among species is attributed to differences in proline content.

This paper reports on the manufacture of ZnO nanoparticles (ZnO NPs) from Prosopis juliflora leaf extracts. Various methods of characterization were used, including X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), scanning electron microscope (SEM), and transmission electron microscope TEM. ZnO NPs has a hexagonal wurtzite structure with a preferred orientation of 101 planes, according to XRD. The functional groups found in ZnO NPs isolated from leaves are responsible for the FT-IR peaks that correspond to them. The morphology of the produced nanoparticles is a sphere-like form, as shown in the SEM pictures. TEM examination revealed ZnO NPs with a size of 50–55 nm. These ZnO NPs were used to remediate pollutants in paper mill effluents, and they were able to remove 86% of the organic pollutants from the sample at 0.05 mg/L dose and reduce 89% of the organic pollutants during a 5-h reflex time. Meanwhile, for the photocatalysis of paper mill effluents, it has been noted that COD was removed by 74.30%, 63.23%, and 57.96% for the first, second, and third cycles, respectively.

Sewage sludge improves agricultural soil and plant growth, but there are hazards associated with its use, including high metal(loid) contents. An experimental study was conducted under greenhouse conditions to examine the effects of sewage sludge on growth of the invasive tree Prosopis glandulosa, as well as to determine its phytoremediation capacity. Plants were established and grown for seven months along a gradient of sewage sludge content. Plant traits, soil properties, and plant and soil concentrations of N, P, K, Cd, Pb, Cu, Ni, Zn, Cr, Co, As, and Fe were recorded. The addition of sewage sludge led to a significant decrease in soil pH, and Ni, Co, and As concentrations, as well as an increase in soil organic matter and the concentrations of N, P, Cu, Zn, and Cr. Increasing sewage sludge content in the growth medium raised the total uptake of most metals by P. glandulosa plants due to higher biomass accumulation (taller plants with more leaves) and higher metal concentrations in the plant tissues. P. glandulosa concentrated more Cd, Pb, Cu, Zn, and Fe in its below-ground biomass (BGB) than in its above-ground biomass (AGB). P. glandulosa concentrated Ni, Co, and As in both BGB and AGB. P. glandulosa has potential as a biotool for the phytoremediation of sewage sludges and sewage-amended soils in arid and semi-arid environments, with a potential accumulation capability for As in plant leaves.

Objective To investigate the antibacterial effects of water and ethanolic extracts of henna leaves and roselle calyxes against pathogenic bacteria isolated from domestic wastewater. Methods The antimicrobial activity was determined in the extracts using agar disc diffusion method. The antibacterial activities of extracts (2.5%, 5.0% and 10.0% w/v) of both henna and roselle were tested against one Gram-positive Bacillius subtilis; two Gram-negative Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa human pathogenic bacteria. Results Ethanolic extracts had more antimicrobial activity than water extracts. Ethanolic extract of roselle had the highest antibacterial activity against all tested organisms, followed with ethanolic extract of henna. Pseudomonas aeruginosa was the most sensitive bacteria to plant extracts. Conclusion The results of this study suggested that roselle contains more phyto-chemicals with antimicrobial activity than henna on the bacteria strains under study, and these phyto-chemicals were more effective when extracted by ethanol rather than water.

Plants exposed to high temperatures frequently suffer from oxidative stress. A large difference was observed among cultivars of Lolium perenne L. in the extent to which their growth in field had been damaged during summer. This study seeks to clarify the relationships between the heat tolerance and tolerance to oxidative stress among the cultivars in this species. Twenty-five cultivars of L. perenne with different degrees of field tolerance to high summer temperatures were exposed to moderately high temperatures (36/30 °C) for 40 days in a growth chamber. The field tolerance showed a negative correlation with H2O2 content (r = −0.66**) and with the degree of lipid peroxidation (r = −0.65**) in leaves after 40 days of exposure to stress, which suggest involvement of oxidative stress in the field tolerance. The H2O2 content was positively correlated with electron transport rate (r = 0.56**) and negatively correlated with leaf thickness (r = −0.63**). Tetraploid cultivars, because of their thicker leaves, had higher field tolerance and lower H2O2 content than diploid cultivars. These results suggest that the balance between electron transport and CO2 reduction in photosynthetic response, which is largely influenced by leaf thickness, plays a pivotal role in determining H2O2 generation and resulting oxidative damage under prolonged exposure to moderate to high temperatures.

Improving tolerance to heat stress is a major challenge in many C3 crops given the threat of global warming. Populations of perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne L.) tolerant and sensitive to summer stress in the field were exposed to moderately high temperature stress (36°C) or high temperature stress (40°C). Physiological damage (maximal efficiency of photosystem II, cell membrane stability and lipid peroxidation) and contents of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) in leaves were monitored during the exposure to stress. The tolerant populations showed significantly lower degree of physiological damage than the sensitive one only at moderate levels of stress (36°C); the tolerant population had significantly lower amounts of H2O2 in leaves. The accumulated H2O2 content showed a linear relationship with the extent of physiological damage. These results suggest that population difference in heat tolerance is associated with tolerance to oxidative stress and the difference in sensitivity is due to accumulation of H2O2 rather than tolerance to H2O2.