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To document the dynamics of biocultural heritage, we studied traditional uses of plants on a segment of the Andean Road System, or Qhapaq Ñan, within the central Andes of Ecuador, home of the Kichwa community of Nizag. Here, residents preserved a rich diversity of plants within their agricultural fields, or chakra, of the Andean landscapes, upholding a culture steeped in traditional knowledge. Wild and domesticated plants are a cornerstone for the community, prompting the development of ethnobotanical management strategies with a conservation approach. The diverse plant uses aim to revalue their culture, fortify their self-identification as an indigenous community, and ensure the transmission of ancestral knowledge. This research aims to ascertain the ethnobotanical applications of this venerable community. Employing participatory action research, semistructured interviews were conducted with 43 community informants to gather ethnobotanical data on the flora applied within their territory, spanning categories such as food, agriculture, crafts, living fences, construction, fuel, ornamental, environmental, technological, and medicinal services. The findings indicate that age, rather than educational level and gender, significantly influences the variation in plant usage knowledge. In total, 142 plant species were cataloged, comprising herbs (58%), shrubs (23%), trees (15%), and climbers (4%). The most represented families were Asteraceae, Fabaceae, Lamiaceae, and Poaceae. Notably, 96% of these species provide some type of environmental service or fulfill a niche within the socioecological system. Medicinal uses were reported for 89% of the plants, while 56% served agricultural purposes, primarily in fertilizer production and forage. Additionally, 44% of the plants are utilized as food, typically consumed fresh. Among the medicinal plants, leaves are the most used part (58%), prepared as infusions and poultices. The prevalent ailments addressed include respiratory and urinary system conditions, with Borago officinalis, Carica pentagona, Vasconcellea pubescens, and Origanum mejorana being the most frequently employed plants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To document the dynamics of biocultural heritage, we studied traditional uses of plants on a segment of the Andean Road System, or Qhapaq Ñan, within the central Andes of Ecuador, home of the Kichwa community of Nizag. Here, residents preserved a rich diversity of plants within their agricultural fields, or chakra, of the Andean landscapes, upholding a culture steeped in traditional knowledge. Wild and domesticated plants are a cornerstone for the community, prompting the development of ethnobotanical management strategies with a conservation approach. The diverse plant uses aim to revalue their culture, fortify their self-identification as an indigenous community, and ensure the transmission of ancestral knowledge. This research aims to ascertain the ethnobotanical applications of this venerable community. Employing participatory action research, semistructured interviews were conducted with 43 community informants to gather ethnobotanical data on the flora applied within their territory, spanning categories such as food, agriculture, crafts, living fences, construction, fuel, ornamental, environmental, technological, and medicinal services. The findings indicate that age, rather than educational level and gender, significantly influences the variation in plant usage knowledge. In total, 142 plant species were cataloged, comprising herbs (58%), shrubs (23%), trees (15%), and climbers (4%). The most represented families were Asteraceae, Fabaceae, Lamiaceae, and Poaceae. Notably, 96% of these species provide some type of environmental service or fulfill a niche within the socioecological system. Medicinal uses were reported for 89% of the plants, while 56% served agricultural purposes, primarily in fertilizer production and forage. Additionally, 44% of the plants are utilized as food, typically consumed fresh. Among the medicinal plants, leaves are the most used part (58%), prepared as infusions and poultices. The prevalent ailments addressed include respiratory and urinary system conditions, with Borago officinalis, Carica pentagona, Vasconcellea pubescens, and Origanum mejorana being the most frequently employed plants.

Wild indigenous fruit trees (WIFTs) play a vital role in food and nutritional security in sub-Saharan Africa. However, these resources are currently less accessible to rural populations due to the expanding arable lands and over-exploitation of the trees in the wild, which lead to a decline in their population. This study (i) explored the availability and uses of WIFTs in the Nyamagabe and Bugesera districts of Rwanda (ii) identified challenges and potential interventions for domestication of WIFTs, (iii) assessed community perceptions on WIFTs domestication primarily as integrated system components in smallholder's farm (iv) and also determined the priority species for domestication. A total of 380 respondents from Bugesera and Nyamagabe districts were interviewed using a semi-structured questionnaire. Data were analyzed descriptively using the SPSS software analysis tools. Results revelaled a total of 19 WIFTs, 15 from the Bugesera district, and five from the Nyamagabe district with one species occurring in both districts. The recorded WIFTs were used mainly as food, medicine and fuel wood. Despite a decline in population locally, most respondents were interested in domesticating WIFTs and expressed willingness to integrate them on their farmlands once the planting materials are availed. From the study a suggestion to promote the domestication of the priority WIFTs through a collaborative initiative between the Ministry of Agriculture and Animal Resources, research institutions and other stakeholders is important. This will ensure not only the sustainability of the WIFTs species to communities but also contribute to their socio-economic development once the products are developed through proper value chains addition.

In Türkiye, the general name for aromatic plant species belonging to the Lamiaceae family is "thyme". However, species containing thymol/carvacrol type essential oil are considered "thyme". Origanum acutidens is one of the thyme species that grows endemic in the Northeastern Anatolia Region of Türkiye. The low germination rate of its seeds is one of the factors limiting the studies conducted on this plant. This study was conducted to investigate the effects of different doses of colchicine and gibberellic acid on germination in O. acutident seeds. Seeds collected from the plant's natural habitat at the end of the flowering period were used as plant material. The experiment was planned as control (only distilled water) and treatments consisting of three different gibberellic acid (GA3) [100 ppm (GA1), 200 ppm (GA2) and 300 ppm (GA3)] and four different colchicine doses [0.01 mM (C1), 0.02 mM (C2), 0.04 mM (C3) and 0.08 mM (C4)]. The applications were kept at 25±1 °C for 12 hours. After the waiting period, all seeds were filtered and placed, 50 seeds each, in 9 cm diameter petri dishes between two layers of sterile filter paper sheets. The experiment was carried out in 4 replications. Some parameters of the germination (Germination rate (GR), Germination time (GT), Average germination time (AGT)) and early seedling period (Embryonal root length (ERL), Number of embryonal roots (NER), Root fresh weight (RFW), Root dry weight (RDW), Grass sheath length (GSH)) were measured and the results were statistically evaluated. In general, the highest values obtained from all evaluated germination (92.0% GR and 1.7 day AGT) and early seedling parameters (10.4 cm ERL, 4.6 NER, 0.095 g RFW, 0.028 g RDW and 3.6 cm GSL) were found to belong to the GA3 application. The lowest values obtained from the relevant parameters were obtained with the C4 application. In our study, it was observed that gibberellic acid applications significantly increased germination in this plant and positively increased the parameters related to germination. Based on the study results, we think that colchicine stimulates germination at certain rates, but causes death by having a toxic effect in increasing doses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Qinghai Lake Basin is an important functional biodiversity protection area and one of the typical plant distribution areas on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. The plants were investigated by route investigation, quadrats investigation and literature review. The results showed that there were 348 species of wild plants, belonging to 58 families and 182 genera, and their life forms were relatively simple. The wild plant life form was relatively simple, and the perennial herbaceous plants were dominant (73.56%). The structure of families and genera was simple, mainly distributed in monospecies families (22 families) and monospecies genera (120 genera). The floristic characteristics of the genus were north temperate zone distribution (50.55%), and the resource types were mostly medicinal plants (68.60%). At the same time, 7 species of second-class protected plants, and 26 species of invasive plants were found. The results showed that (1) The distribution structure of wild plant families and genera was simple in the Qinghai Lake Basin, and the flora was mainly distributed in the north temperate zone. (2) The Qinghai Lake Basin was rich in wild plant resources, and the dominant resources with great economic use value were medicinal and forage plant resources. (3) Plant diversity conservation should be further strengthened in this area. The survey results can provide a reference for plant diversity conservation in this area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study was undertaken in Bidayuh communities in the Padawan, Bau, and Siburan districts in Malaysia to (1) compare the medicinal plant utilization, (2) compare the number of medicinal plants collected annually and total number of medicinal plant species collected, and (3) assess the influence of key socio-demographic factors on the pattern of annual collection and preferred species. Surveys were conducted on 226 households, based on stratified random sampling. Key informant in-depth investigation and group meetings were used to gather further information. A total of 44 medicinal plant species that were used to treat 25 ailments were recorded from all districts. Five primary ailments for which the plants were used were fever (11 plant species), wound (10 plant species), post-partum care (eight plant species), hypertension (seven plant species), and diseases of the skin (seven plant species). There was a difference in the number of medicinal plants collected annually (X2(2) = 8.55, p =.01) with the highest mean difference between Kuching (Mean rank = 125.65) and Siburan (Mean rank = 97.78) districts. There was a difference in total medicinal plant species collected among household heads due to education levels (X2(5) = 21.87, p =.00) with the highest mean difference between primary school (Mean rank = 138.07) and college (Mean rank = 69.00) education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article highlights the importance South African wild fruit medicinal plants including milk plum, Natal plum, wild custard apple, and wild medlar in addressing the nutritional and medicinal needs of rural communities and recommends further exploratory studies for their potential use in food and cosmetic enrichment sources.These plants are good sources of vitamins, essential elements, and bioactive phytocompounds with antioxidant, antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory properties.

The present study focuses on the yield, chemical composition, and antioxidant activity of essential oils from different parts (flowers or leaves/stems) of cultivated plants grown under pearl shade nets with a 40% shaded index or in nonshaded plants and wild-grown oregano. The chemical composition of isolated essential oils was determined by GC/MS and GC/FID. Antioxidant activity was determined using the DPPH assay. The highest yield of oregano essential oils (OEOs) was obtained in cultivated shaded plants (flowers) at 0.35 mL/100 g p.m., in contrast to nonshaded plants (flowers), where the yield of OEOs was low (0.21 mL/100 g p.m.). Qualitative and quantitative analyses of the OEOs identified 16–52 constituents that varied with origin and plant organs. The oxygenated sesquiterpene caryophylleneoxide (7.4–49.9%) was predominant in all the essential oil samples. Other major constituents were sesquiterpene hydrocarbon-germacrene D (8.4–22.5%) and (E)-caryophyllene (8.5–10.8%), monoterpene hydrocarbon-sabinene (1.6–7.7%), and oxygen-containing monoterpenes-terpinen-4-ol (1.5–7.0%). The plant part has a significant effect on the antioxidant activity of OEOs, while the influenceof modified light under the shade nets is significantly lower. The OEOs from wild flowers showed the highest antioxidant activity, with an EC50 value of 4.78 mg/mL. OEOs from cultivated nonshaded plants (flowers) recorded the lowest antioxidant activity with an EC50 value of 24.63 mg/mL. The results suggest that the yield and quality of OEOs can be scaled-up by optimizing plant production in comparison with wild-growing plants. The content and quality of OEO can be increased by optimizing its production compared to plants from the spontaneous flora. Adequate cultivation techniques, such as shading, can achieve high-quality oregano yields and better quality parameters in terms of specific OEO components and meet the different requirements of the market and industrial sectors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Borage is a wild aromatic species suitable for sprouting purposes. • Growth and nutritional traits of borage sprouts are affected by light wavelengths. • The dichromatic light was better for improving sprout nutritional value and energy saving. • B75-R25 seems the most suitable treatment for best germination and nutritional traits. Sprouts are functional foods rich in compounds beneficial to human health, that deserve enhanced study, especially those from wild and voluntary species. Among these, borage sprouts have been reported to have good nutritional traits. This work aimed to investigate whether borage sprouts quality could be improved through the modulation of light wavelengths. Borage seeds were sown under seven light treatments with the total incident photon flux density (PFD) of 200 µmol m−2 s−1 and 12/12 h light/dark photoperiod: monochromatic blue (B100); monochromatic red (R100); blue + red light at three different proportions (75 % of blue and 25 % of red, B75-R25; 50 % of blue and 50 % of red, B50-R50; 25 % of blue and 75 % of red; B25-R75), along with a wider light spectrum (WIDE) and no light (DARK). The sprouts were harvested at the fully expanded cotyledon stage, 7 days after sowing, and frozen for chemical analysis. The results revealed that borage is an interesting species for sprouting as it requires minimal inputs for germination, and it is extremely suitable for indoor cultivation under LED lights. The light treatments affected some growth parameters (lengths and cotyledons shape) and the nutritional traits (i.e. sugars, chlorophylls, and vitamin C content). Borage sprouts showed suitable growth parameters (biomass production and appearence) in DARK, WIDE, R100, and B100 (monochromatic lights), whereas the most valuable nutritional quality (high level of total sugars and vitamin C) was obtained with a dichromatic blue:red light, mainly with prevalence of blue (i.e., B75-R25). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Natural substances like phenolic and flavonoid compounds from extracts of wild plants are used for the control of many plant diseases. Endophytic bacteria were isolated from 7 wild plants growing at Maarafai and Kancesorup Wadies on Jebel Elba, Egypt, and the effect of these endophytic bacterial were studied as an alternative tool against Podosphaera xanthii infecting squash plants. This study showed the efficacy of endophytic bacteria strains (Bacillus amyloliquefaciens strain BMAT1 , B. firmus strain BMAT2 , B. pumilus strain PMOE1 and B. subtilis strain BKEC1) for controlling powdery mildew of squash plants. The effects of fresh cultures of the four bacteria on disease severity in vivo were evaluated. Mixed treatment of the tested bacteria showed the greatest reduction in disease severity, increasing peroxidase, polyphenol oxidase, and total phenols in the squash leaves as well as crop yield. The highest concentrations of phenolic compounds were found in quinic and ellagic acids, while the highest concentrations of flavonoid components were found in apeginin. Treatment with a combination of four bacterial cultures increased the maximal activity of total phenols, peroxidase, and polyphenol oxidase. These findings suggested that endophytic bacterial strains could be used as environmentally friendly substitutes for synthetic fungicides to control powdery mildew of squash plants. • Wild plants were the sources of 23 bacterial isolates used in this study. • Bacterial isolates were tested for their antagonistic effect against Podosphaera xanthii , the causal agent of powdery mildew on squash. • High reduction in disease severity was observed by a mixed treatment of endophytic bacteria. • High levels of defense-related enzyme activities were observed in the plants with mixed treatment of endophytic bacteria. • Increased phenolics were observed in the squash leaves treated by a mix of endophytic bacteria. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The coastal regions of Africa are endowed with indigenous wild fruit plants rich in nutritional and medicinal phytochemicals and micronutrients. South African wild fruit plants complement the diet and health needs of rural poor households by providing vital dietary nutrients and remedies for various health concerns, and alleviating food insecurity. Milk plum, Natal plum, wild custard apple, and wild medlar medicinal plants are found mainly in the coastal provinces of South Africa. Studies have established that these plants are good sources of vitamins, essential elements, and bioactive phytocompounds such as flavonoids, phenolic acids, and terpenoids, which demonstrate significant antioxidant, antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory activities. The plants studied possess anti-epileptic, antiplasmodial, and snake antivenom qualities. Here we highlight the views of different reports on ethnopharmacological relevance, phytochemistry, and bioactivity of the selected South African indigenous medicinal plants. We found a research gap in the phytochemical composition and phytopharmacological activity evaluation of Carissa macrocarpa and Englerophytum magalismontanum. Significance: • South African indigenous medicinal plants augment the dietary and other health needs of the rural populace. The phytochemistry and phytopharmacological activities of C. macrocarpa and E. magalismontanum have been only partially studied, hence the need for further studies to examine their worth and possible use in cosmetic product enrichment.

IntroductionIn Lebanon, wild leafy vegetables (WLVs) continue to be an essential component of people's diet. Nevertheless, little ethnobotanical research has addressed this important potential source for food and nutrition.MethodsIn this study, an ethnobotanical survey was carried out between 2018 and 2022 across 21 villages/towns involving 151 local informants by semi-structured interviews.Results and discussionA list of 158 plant species which was still gathered and consumed by traditional Lebanese communities was compiled. The species belonged to 21 families and the most diverse families were Asteraceae (77 species), Brassicaceae (22), and Apiaceae (11). Native species accounted for 147 of the cited species, five of which were endemics to Lebanon and Syria. According to the Relative Frequency of Citation (RFC) index, Anchusa azurea, Centaurea hyalolepis, Chondrilla juncea, Eruca vesicaria, Pseudopodospermum molle, Pseudopodospermum papposum, and Taraxacum sect. Taraxacum were reported for the first time among the top popular species. Basal rosettes were the main parts consumed both raw and/or cooked. Informants perceived a decline in availability primarily due to habitat loss and land degradation. According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), six of cited species were classified as globally threatened (EN or VU), five of which were narrow endemics. These species scored substantial RFC values. Findings indicate that WEVs of Lebanon offer a promising potential to support food diversity and dietary quality of traditional communities and that threatened endemic species present a high conservation priority. Future research on nutritional contents of these species and highly rated WLVs is recommended.

The use of wild poinsettia (Euphorbia heterophylla) is known as a traditional medicinal ingredient. The potential of this plant is the latex which can be used as a protease enzyme and the leaves can be used as herbal tea or tea infusion. To provide the potential of dried wild poinsettia, the total phenols and antioxidant capacity were measured by the Folin-Ciocalteu method, and the antioxidant capacity was assessed by DPPH assays. Phytochemical screening of dried wild poinsettia leaves which were dried at different temperatures (50 °C & 60 °C) and drying times (2, 3, & 4 h) showed total phenols and antioxidant capacity which have potential health properties and benefits on human health, such as anti-inflammatory, antihypertensive, anticancer, and as antimicrobial agents. The antioxidant activity values varied from 40.07 - 56.50%, and the highest values (56.50 ± 2.35) were obtained at 50 °C for 2 h of the drying process. Total phenols in those tea leave varied from 11.47 - 13.41 mg GAE/g. The highest phenol content (13.41 ± 0.30 mg GAE/g) was found in dried tea leaves which were dried at 60 °C for 4 h of the drying process. According to the result, the significant inverse linear correlation (p<0.05) was confirmed between treatments of drying duration, while not in the temperature. Generally, these dried leaves have a high antioxidant capacity and total phenol content and may be an important food source as tea infused with antioxidant phenolic compounds to prevent oxidative stress diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The cultivation of perennial wild plant mixtures (WPMs) is becoming increasingly important in Germany for providing sustainably produced bioenergy. However, perennial energy cropping systems always raise the question of how to reclaim the land for arable crops. This study examined this issue by looking at how a former WPM area was returned to arable cropping for an organic farm. From 2013 to 2018, the WPM area was harvested annually in the autumn. From 2019 to 2020, it was co-managed with the surrounding land as a semi-intensive grassland under a three-cut regime. The area was then ploughed in the spring of 2021 to grow silage maize. Weeds were controlled mechanically once. Nevertheless, the perennial wild plant species grew vigorously, with common tansy (Tanacetum vulgare L.) standing out with a total fresh matter share of 29.0%. This maize–WPM mixture achieved a dry matter yield of 15.5 ± 5.5 Mg ha−1, which was notably but not significantly (p < 0.05) lower than that of silage maize growing next to the former WPM area (23.4 ± 5.5 Mg ha−1). After silage maize, winter wheat was sown in the autumn of 2021 and further regrowth of common tansy was observed in the spring of 2022. Yield and quality effects must therefore be given special consideration in the first arable crop following WPM cultivation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Acmella radicans (Asteraceae) is a plant native to America. Despite it having medicinal attributes, studies on its phytochemical properties are scarce, and biotechnological studies do not exist for this species. In this study, we established an adventitious root culture from A. radicans internodal segments in shake flasks with indole-3-butyric acid (IBA), and then elicited it with jasmonic acid (JA) and salicylic acid (SA). The total phenolic content and antioxidant activity were evaluated, and a comparison was made using in vitro plantlets and wild plants. Internodal segments with 0.1 mg/L IBA showed 100% root induction and exhibited better growth after transfer to shake flasks with MS liquid culture medium. JA had a significant effect on biomass increase compared to unelicited roots, mainly with 50 µM JA (28%), while SA did not show significant results. Root elicited with 100 µM (SA and JA) showed a 0.34- and 3.9-fold increase, respectively, in total phenolic content (TPC) compared to the control. The antioxidant activity was also significant, and a lower half-maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) was observed as the AJ concentration increased. Roots elicited with AJ (100 µM) exhibited high antioxidant activity with DPPH (IC50 = 9.4 µg/mL) and ABTS (IC50 = 3.3 µg/mL) assays; these values were close to those for vitamin C (IC50 = 2.0 µg/mL). The TPC and antioxidant activity of in vitro plants and root cultured in shake flasks showed the lowest values in most cases; even the root cultures without elicitation were better than those of a wild plant. In this study, we demonstrated that A. radicans root culture is capable of producing secondary metabolites, while its production and antioxidant activity can be enhanced using jasmonic acid.

Objective: To evaluate the effect of indole-3-acetic acid and budwood type in the vegetative propagation by cutting cuatomate (Solanum glaucescens Zucc.) and to describe the phenological stages, in order to increase production. Design/Methodology/Approach: A completely randomized design with a 22 factorial design was used to estimate the effect of two concentrations of indole-3-acetic acid (1000 and 10000 ppm) and budwood type (secondary and tertiary) on the number of leaves and sprouts of the plant. With regard to propagation, 30-cm budwoods from secondary and tertiary branches of cuatomate were used; transversal and diagonal cuts were made at the ends of the branches that generate the canopy and the root, respectively. Data was subject to an analysis of variance, using the general linear model procedure. Results: Highly significant differences (p<0.01) were observed between the variables under study. Higher number of leaves and sprouts (16.700 and 20.000, respectively) were observed in tertiary budwoods inoculated with 1000 ppm of IAA. In the evaluation of the phenological stages, the first bud appeared at 30 days, while the first leaf and flowers appeared 40 and 180 days after inoculation, respectively. Study limitations/implications: Commercial candelilla wax was applied in the transversal cut to prevent attacks by pathogens and every single budwood was completely covered with indole-3-acetic acid. Findings/conclusions: The use of indole-3-acetic acid in the vegetative propagation of cuatomate would be an alternative to increase its production; promoting a sustainable activity in the Mixtec region of Puebla. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The determination of the flora and fauna structure of university campus areas, which can be evaluated within the scope of urban ecosystem with high human population and large living areas, is important in terms of determining the biological diversity of the related areas. Furthermore, the identification of the relevant species provides a resource for the assessment of environmental and socioeconomic impacts. This study was carried out between 2018-2019 on the determination of herbaceous plant species and their definition of impacts in Düzce University Konuralp Central campus, located in Düzce Province, Turkey. The main purpose of the study is to create a resource for the establishment of necessary measures and control programs against herbaceous plant species in the campus area and for the protection of the biological diversity and strategies of the relevant area. Based on the results, 65 taxa from 27 families were determined. The families with the most taxa were Asteraceae, Poaceae, Fabaceae and Cruciferae. When the lifetime of taxa is examined, 33 taxa have annual, one taxon has biennial, 22 taxa have perennial and nine taxa have common lifetime. According to the frequency of occurrence; Lamium purpureum and Veronica persica were the most common species with 84.4%. The species following were Anagallis monelli (81.2%), Medicago arabica (72%), Poa bulbosa (72%), Ranunculus repens (69%), Plantago lanceolata (69%), Conyza canadensis (66%) and Lolium perenne (66%), respectively. As a result of the 65 taxa identified in the campus area having different impact patterns, 108 impacts were evaluated in terms of environmental (68) and socioeconomic (40) aspects. While the most impact types were determined in the impact of strong reproduction and spreading with 34 taxa, this was followed by the impact on landscape texture with 26 taxa. When the impact statuses were examined, 65 negative and 43 positive impacts were detected. The results may provide resources for the establishment of necessary measures and control programs to reduce the negative effects of herbaceous plant taxa in campus areas. In addition, it can help develop strategies to preserve positive effects and biodiversity. Lastly, these data may be used to monitor herbaceous plant taxa changes in the campus area of Düzce University in the coming years.

This paper evaluates the potential and perspectives of wild plant species and macrofungi from short rotation coppice. The research was conducted during the years 2014 - 2018 in stands of short rotation coppice willow and miscanthus grass in southwest of Slovakia. Evaluated wild plant species and macrofungi were divided into four groups (green vegetables, fruits and seeds, flowers and nectar, subterranean parts). The results showed that ground flora of short rotation coppice consisted of 74 edible species from 34 botanical families. Asteraceae, Rosaceae, Poaceae, Polygonaceae and Cichoriaceae families were represented the most. From the evaluated categories the most species belonged to the category with consumable aerial parts like leaves and shoots (59 species). The similar representation of species was found in the category of wild fruits and seeds consumed in the raw or preserved state and in category of edible subterranean parts (27 species and 22 species respectively). Principal component analysis showed that the edible parts with the strongest effect on the functional group differentiation were the fruits, seeds and subterranean parts.

Nivik otu (Arum maculatum L.) taksonomik olarak araceae familyasında yer alan bir bitkidir. Halk arasında tirşik otu, ayı kulağı, yılan yastığı, kabargan olarak da bilinir. Bu yabani bitkinin tüm kısımları mukoz membranlar üzerinde kuvvetli tahriş edici etki gösterirken, eğer kaynatılır ya da uzun süre kurutulursa daha zararsız hale gelir. Bu yabani ot, güçlü asit içeriği nedeniyle tüketildiği an ağızda karıncalanma hissi oluşturduğundan büyük miktararın nadiren alındığı ve ciddi hasarın olağandışı bir durum olduğu bilinmektedir. Karadeniz bölgesinde doğal olarak yetiştiği bilinen nivik bitkisi, pazarlarda kış mevsiminde vazgeçilmez bir sebze olarak satılmakta ve tüketilmektedir. Bu yazıda, nivik bitkisi yedikten sonra anne ve kızında gelişen intoksikasyon deneyiminin sunulması amaçlanmıştır.

The present study focuses on the yield, chemical composition, and antioxidant activity of essential oils from different parts (flowers or leaves/stems) of cultivated plants grown under pearl shade nets with a 40% shaded index or in nonshaded plants and wild-grown oregano. The chemical composition of isolated essential oils was determined by GC/MS and GC/FID. Antioxidant activity was determined using the DPPH assay. The highest yield of oregano essential oils (OEOs) was obtained in cultivated shaded plants (flowers) at 0.35 mL/100 g p.m., in contrast to nonshaded plants (flowers), where the yield of OEOs was low (0.21 mL/100 g p.m.). Qualitative and quantitative analyses of the OEOs identified 16–52 constituents that varied with origin and plant organs. The oxygenated sesquiterpene caryophylleneoxide (7.4–49.9%) was predominant in all the essential oil samples. Other major constituents were sesquiterpene hydrocarbon-germacrene D (8.4–22.5%) and (E)-caryophyllene (8.5–10.8%), monoterpene hydrocarbon-sabinene (1.6–7.7%), and oxygen-containing monoterpenes-terpinen-4-ol (1.5–7.0%). The plant part has a significant effect on the antioxidant activity of OEOs, while the influenceof modified light under the shade nets is significantly lower. The OEOs from wild flowers showed the highest antioxidant activity, with an EC50 value of 4.78 mg/mL. OEOs from cultivated nonshaded plants (flowers) recorded the lowest antioxidant activity with an EC50 value of 24.63 mg/mL. The results suggest that the yield and quality of OEOs can be scaled-up by optimizing plant production in comparison with wild-growing plants. The content and quality of OEO can be increased by optimizing its production compared to plants from the spontaneous flora. Adequate cultivation techniques, such as shading, can achieve high-quality oregano yields and better quality parameters in terms of specific OEO components and meet the different requirements of the market and industrial sectors.

Bitkiler bağlı oldukları topraklarda gelişip çoğalarak bulundukları alanı kaplama yeteneği gösteren, ilgili oldukları alan hakkında değerli bilgiler sağlayan ve bu alanlara göre olumlu veya olumsuz etkiler sergileyebilen canlılardır. Bu nedenle bulundukları alanlarda varlıklarının ve etkilerinin tespiti önemlidir. Arkeolojik alanların sürdürülebilirliğini etkileyen en önemli faktörlerden biri de bu alanlarda görülen bitki türleridir. Arkeolojik alanların sürdürülebilirliği için pek çok önlem alınmasına rağmen, yaşayan alan olarak nitelendirilebilecek bu alanlarda bulunan bitki türleri ile ilgili çalışmalar Türkiye’de sınırlıdır. Bu çalışma bilinen tarihi MÖ III yy'a kadar dayanan ve Düzce’nin 8 km kuzeyinde bulunan Prusias ad Hypium antik kentin I. derece sit alanında bulunan otsu bitki türlerinin belirlenmesi konusunda 2018 -2019 yılları arasında yürütülmüştür. Alan çalışmaları sonuçlarına göre 22 familyadan 57 farklı bitki türü tespit edilmiştir. Tespit edilen türler en fazla Asteraceae (9 tür) familyasında belirlenirken, bu familyayı sırasıyla Fabaceae (6 tür), Lamiaceae (5) ve Poaceae (5) takip etmiştir. Belirlenen 21 tür çok yıllık (P), 17 tür tek yıllık (A), 2 tür iki yıllık (B) ve 17 tür ise farklı yaşam süresine (A/B, A/P, A/B/P, B/P) sahiptir. En fazla rastlanılan türler ise Primulaceae familyasından Anagallis arvensis L. (% 96,43), Fabaceae familyasından Medicago arabica (L.) Huds. (% 93) ve Poaceae familyasından Cynodon dactylon (L.) Pers. (% 82,14) türleridir. Prusias ad Hypium antik kent alanında yabani bitki türlerinin belirlenmesi konusu ilk kez bu çalışma ile ele alınmıştır. Dolayısıyla tespit edilen türler ilgili alan için ilk verileri sağlamaktadır. Ayrıca bu çalışmada tespiti yapılan bitki türlerine göre türlerin antik kent alanına olumlu / olumsuz etkileri genel olarak değerlendirilmiştir. Bu değerlendirmeler sadece Prusias ad Hypium antik kent alanı için değil, tüm arkeolojik alanlarda bitkilerin olası etkileri hakkında önemli bilgiler sağlar. Son olarak bu çalışma verilerinin elde edilmesinden sonra antik kent alanında kazı çalışmaları başlamıştır. Dolayısıyla veriler ilgili alandan gelecek yıllarda yapılabilecek benzer bir çalışma ile karşılaştırma olanağı sağlayabilir.

This paper evaluates the potential and perspectives of wild plant species and macrofungi from short rotation coppice. The research was conducted during the years 2014 - 2018 in stands of short rotation coppice willow and miscanthus grass in southwest of Slovakia. Evaluated wild plant species and macrofungi were divided into four groups (green vegetables, fruits and seeds, flowers and nectar, subterranean parts). The results showed that ground flora of short rotation coppice consisted of 74 edible species from 34 botanical families. Asteraceae, Rosaceae, Poaceae, Polygonaceae and Cichoriaceae families were represented the most. From the evaluated categories the most species belonged to the category with consumable aerial parts like leaves and shoots (59 species). The similar representation of species was found in the category of wild fruits and seeds consumed in the raw or preserved state and in category of edible subterranean parts (27 species and 22 species respectively). Principal component analysis showed that the edible parts with the strongest effect on the functional group differentiation were the fruits, seeds and subterranean parts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to develop a vigor test method that can be applied in the seed storage and ecological restoration of Aging chive (Allium senescens L). The impact weight of each temperature on germination was described with a sine curve equation. The closer the temperature was to 18.9 °C, the faster the germination was, and temperatures below 8.0 °C and above 29.7 °C negated the temperature accumulation effect. A verification and validation test confirmed the 'impact weight on germination' to be reasonable because it exhibited a hump-shaped relationship with the time to reach 85% germination among the temperature treatments. Furthermore, the time to reach 25, 50 and 75% germination and the change in germination with time did not differ between the actual and predicted values. The hourly accumulated value of ' impact weight on germination' was taken as the temperature score (TS), and the temperature requirement for vigorous germination was 294TS. The temperature requirement was applied to hourly temperature data from Geumsan, Korea, from 1999-2018, and the average date of vigorous seed germination was May 3. Increasing temperature elevation advanced the predicted germination date. Based on the earliest predicted date, germination will advance rapidly. If the temperature is elevated by 2.5 °C, the germination date will advance markedly to November 23. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of this work is to evaluate temporal variation of dento‐alveolar lesions in hunter‐gatherer groups who inhabited the middle course of the Negro River during the late Holocene (ca. 3000‐750 years BP) in order to discuss cultural practices and changes in the paleodiet. Caries, dental calculus, periodontal disease, periapical lesions, antemortem tooth loss, tooth wear, dislocation, and osteoarthrosic lesions in the temporomandibular joint were analysed. The sample is represented by 567 teeth and 547 alveoli, corresponding to 32 adult and subadult individuals, who were divided into two periods for comparative purposes: pre‐1000 and post‐1000 BP. The results indicate a low prevalence of oral lesions without differences between sex and age. In the pre‐1000 BP period, there is a larger frequency of antemortem tooth loss, parafunctional wear of the anterior teeth, dental dislocations, and osteoarthrosis in the mandibular condyles compared with the post‐1000 period. This tendency indicates that the individuals would have been exposed to greater stress in chewing. However, the variations were not significant, so there is no clear evidence of changes in the diet and particularly in carbohydrate and plant intake through the late Holocene. Severe tooth wear is the main factor that caused some pathologies (e.g., antemortem tooth loss), and limited the development of others (e.g., caries). The results obtained here agree with other microregions from northeastern Patagonia and differ from Humid Pampas, eastern Pampa‐Patagonian transition, and lower course of the Negro River due to differences in carbohydrate consumption in the last ca. 1000 years BP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The propagation with seeds and stem cuttings of Teucrium brevifolium were investigated in order to facilitate the use of the species in floricultural practice and as a medicinal plant. The seeds after they subjected to different types of treatments (dipping in H2SO4 for 15 min or in H2SO4 for 15 min and GA3 1000 mg l-1 for 10 min, 24 or 48h and untreated) cultured for germination in vitro at 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, and 30 °C. The cuttings were planted in a peat/perlite mixture 1:1 v/v in plastic square plug trays in order to study the rooting percentage. Seed germination was very low (2%) at temperatures of 15-25 °C, while chemical treatment with the concentrated H2SO4 for 15 min, increased germination to 8-10% at the same temperatures. Asexual propagation of the species resulted in a 52.5-61.5% rooting percentage, in all seasons except winter. Treatment with IBA 2000 mg l-1 increaseds rooting percentage.

Nivik grass (Arum maculatum L.) is a taxonomic plant in the araceae family. It is popularly known as cork grass, bear ears, snake pillow, bumps. All parts of this wild plant have a strong irritating effect on the mucous membranes but become more harmless if boiled or dried for a long time. Since this weed produces a tingling sensation in the mouth when consumed due to its strong acid content, it is known that large amounts are rarely taken and serious damage is unusual. Since this weed produces a tingling sensation in the mouth when consumed due to its strong acid content, it is known that large amounts are rarely taken and serious damage is unusual. The nivik plant, which is known to grow naturally in the Black Sea region, is sold and consumed as an indispensable vegetable in winter in the markets. In this article, we aimed to present the intoxication experience of mother and daughter after eating. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Abstract Nutritional, soluble carbohydrates and aroma volatile profiles of Tunisian wild Swiss chard leaves (Beta vulgaris L. var. cicla) have been characterized. The chemical composition of an ethanol chard leaves extract, as well as its in vitro antioxidant, α-amylase and α-glucosidase inhibition activities were carefully evaluated. The results of the proximate composition showed that total carbohydrate fraction, mainly as dietary fiber were the major macronutrient (2.43 g/100 g fw), being the insoluble dietary fiber the predominant fraction (2.30 g/100 g). In addition, leaves of Beta vulgaris L. were especially rich in Mg, Fe and Ca (4.54, 2.94 and 2.28 mg/100 g fw) and very poor in Na (0.09 mg/100 g fw). Volatile profile revealed that non-terpene derivatives and sesquiterpene hydrocarbons were the essential classes of volatiles in the chard leaves. Myricitrin, p-cumaric acid and rosmarinic acid were characterized. Moreover, the ethanol extract of wild Swiss chard leaves revealed significant antioxidant capacity. Furthermore, a good enzyme inhibitory effects on α-glucosidase and α-amylase activities were observed. These findings highlighted the potential health benefits of wild Swiss Chard as a source of nutritional and bioactive compounds. Graphical abstract Nutritional, phytochemical composition and bioactivity (antioxidant, hypoglycemic and antimicrobial activity) of Edible Swiss chard (Beta vulgaris L. var. cicla) were investigated. Unlabelled Image Highlights • Studied halophyte leaves present nutritional profile adequate for human consumption. • Swiss chard leaves exhibit high contents of Mg, Ca, K and Fe. • Swiss Chard leaves is a source of phytochemical compounds to elaborate healthful foods. • Swiss chard leaves is a good source of pigments and other phenolic compounds. • Chard leaves extract has significant biological activities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lotus garcinii is a new additional plant species to papilionaceae family in flora of Iraq for the first time found at Al-Imsad Dam region (South of Rutba) of Western Desert District (DWD) from Iraq. The species was collected in spring season of 2017 and 2018, preserved in National Herbarium of Iraq(BAG) with the numbers 59780, 59781 and 59782. The identification of the species was confirmed by using some Flora of the neighboring countries for Iraq, taxonomic treatment was done, and some distinguishing characters are given. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rust (Melampsora apocyni) on Apocynum venetum is the major constraint to the commercial development of this medicinal herb. To determine the factors influencing rust intensity (maximum disease index [DImax]), rust was investigated from 2011 to 2015 in both cultivated and wild A. venetum plants. Partial least squares path modeling (PLS-PM) was used to analyze the paths and extent of the factors related to pathogen, environment, and host that affect rust intensity. DImax exhibited considerable variations across years and study sites, with variations linked to various factors fostering disease development. PLS-PM explained 80.0 and 70.1% of variations in DImax in cultivated and wild plants, respectively. Precipitation was the key factor determining DImax in both cultivated and wild plants (path coefficient [PC] =0.313 and 0.544, respectively). In addition, the topsoil water content in cultivated plants and the total vegetation coverage in wild plants were also critical determinants of DImax via their effects on the microclimatic factor (contribution coefficients [CC] = 0.681 and 0.989, respectively; PC = 0.831 and 0.231, respectively). In both cultivated and wild plants, host factors were mainly dominated by A. venetum density (CC = 0.989 and 0.894, respectively), and their effect on DIlnax via the microclimatic factor (PC = 0.841 and 0.862, respectively) exceeded that via the inoculum factor (PC = 0.705 and 0.130, respectively). However, the indirect effects led to DImax variation, while the dilution effect on host (CC = 0.154) from weed in wild plants led to the indirect effect size in wild plants of 0.200, which was lower than -0.699 in cultivated plants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Agriophyllum squarrosum (sand rice), a member of the Amaranthaceae family adapted to arid to semi-arid conditions in central Asia, produces highly nutritious seed. Three ecotypes collected from sand dunes in the western Chinese arid desert region (Linze, Minqin and Shapotou) and three from the semi-arid desert region (Duolun, Naiman, and Aerxiang) were grown in loess soil at an experimental station (Gaolan) to characterize their performance with respect to plant architecture and seed yield-associated traits. The ecotypes originating from the more arid sites developed into taller, more strongly branching plants, formed thicker stems and a greater number of spikes. Those collected from the semi-arid sites developed larger seeds and were of shorter duration. The highest seed yields were obtained from the Aerxiang ecotype (129.55 g/m2). The same ecotype also exhibited both the highest emergence rate and the most favorable harvest index. The study represents the first assessment of the agronomic performance of sand rice and shows what needs to be done to domesticate and improve the species before it can be considered as a viable crop species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Virus‐derived small interfering RNAs (siRNAs) were extracted from leaves of wild raspberries (Rubus idaeus) sampled from three different regions in Finland and subjected to deep sequencing. Assembly of the siRNA reads to contigs and their comparison to sequences in databases revealed the presence of the bipartite positive‐sense single‐stranded RNA viruses, raspberry bushy dwarf virus (RBDV, genus Idaeovirus), and black raspberry necrosis virus (BRNV, family Secoviridae) in 19 and 26 samples, respectively, including 15 plants coinfected with both viruses. Coverage with siRNA reads [21 and 22 nucleotides (nt)] was higher in BRNV‐FI (Finland) RNA1 (79%) than RNA2 (45%). In RBDV, the coverage of siRNA reads was 89% and 90% for RNA1 and RNA2, respectively. Average depth of coverage was 1.6–4.9 for BRNV and 16.5–36.5 for RBDV. PCR primers designed for RBDV and BRNV based on the contigs were used for screening wild raspberry and a few cultivated raspberry samples from different regions. Furthermore, the sequences of BRNV RNA1 and RNA2 were determined by amplification and sequencing of overlapping contigs (length 1000–1200 nt) except for the 3′ and 5′ ends of RNA1 and RNA2 covered by primers. RNA1 of the Finnish BRNV isolate (BRNV‐FI) was 80% and 86% identical to BRNV‐NA (USA) and BRNV‐Alyth (UK), respectively, whereas the identity of NA and Alyth was 79%. RNA2 of BRNV‐FI was 84% and 80% identical to BRNV‐NA and BRNV‐Alyth, respectively, whereas NA and Alyth were 82% identical. Hence, the strains detected in Finland differ from those reported in the UK and USA. Our results reveal the presence of BRNV in Finland for the first time. The virus is common in wild raspberries and nearly identical isolates are found in cultivated raspberries as well. The results show that wild raspberries in Finland are commonly infected with RBDV or BRNV or both viruses and thus are likely to serve as reservoirs of RBDV and BRNV for cultivated Rubus spp. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study was carried out to determine the heavy metal contents of hollyhock (Alcea rosea L.) in roadside soils of Van Lake Basin. The leaf samples of the hollyhock were taken from the roadside areas affected by heavy metal pollution due to intensive motorized traffic and from areas 30 m from the roadside by taking into account prevailing wind direction in 10 different locations. There were only significant differences for Mn, Cu, and Zn contents of leaves according to the sampling locations. The mean Fe (383.3 mg kg-1), Mn (50.2 mg kg-1), Cu (19.2 mg kg-1), Zn (23.9 mg kg-1), Cd (17.9 mg kg-1), Cr (5.1 mg kg-1), Ni (3.2 mg kg-1), and Pb (3.2 mg kg-1) contents of leaves sampled from roadside areas were significantly higher than mean heavy metal contents of leaves sampled from the areas 30 m from the roadside. The increasing ratios in mean heavy metal contents of leaves were ordered as Cd (309.3%) > Cr (248.9%) > Ni (130.6%) > Fe (75.9%) > Pb (64.3%) > Mn (40.6%) > Cu (26.1%) > Zn (22.7%). High heavy metal uptake by the plants grown near the roadside occurred due to pollution by intensive motorized traffic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The propagation with seeds and stem cuttings of Teucrium brevifolium were investigated in order to facilitate the use of the species in floricultural practice and as a medicinal plant. The seeds after they subjected to different types of treatments (dipping in H2SO4 for 15 min or in H2SO4 for 15 min and GA3 1000 mg l-1 for 10 min, 24 or 48h and untreated) cultured for germination in vitro at 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, and 30 °C. The cuttings were planted in a peat/perlite mixture 1:1 v/v in plastic square plug trays in order to study the rooting percentage. Seed germination was very low (2%) at temperatures of 15-25 °C, while chemical treatment with the concentrated H2SO4 for 15 min, increased germination to 8-10% at the same temperatures. Asexual propagation of the species resulted in a 52.5-61.5% rooting percentage, in all seasons except winter. Treatment with IBA 2000 mg l-1 increaseds rooting percentage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]