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Green manure (GM) may reduce the use of chemical fertilizers, been an ecologically appropriate strategy to cultivation of medicinal plants. Crotalaria juncea, is one of the most used because it adapts to different climatic and high nitrogen content. Origanum vulgare. is widely used in cooking, pharmaceutical, cosmetic industries and food products. The objectives of this study were to evaluate the GM on biomass, essential oil (EO), phenolic and antioxidant. The experiment consisted: control; 150, 300, 450, and 600 g (Sh= leaves+steam) more 200 g roots (R); 600 g aerial part; 200 g roots; and soil with 300 g cattle manure per pot. The highest dry weights were observed in the presence of GM and cattle manure (90 days). The control had an EO production 75% lower in relation to the dose of 450 g GM (Sh+R). Principal component analysis showed that GM and cattle manure positively influenced the dry weight, content, yield, and EO constituents, and total flavonoids. The GM contributed to the accumulation of the major EO compounds (trans-sabinene hydrate, thymol, terpinen-4-ol). The GM management may be beneficial for cultivating, because it can increase the production of biomass and the active components, in addition to being an inexpensive resource.

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of ChromatiNet on vegetative growth, total antioxidant capacity, phenolic and essential oils (EOs) composition of Lippia gracilis. The plants were cultivated under full sunlight, black, blue and red ChromatiNet. The flavonoid content and antioxidant capacity were quantified spectrophotometrically. The C-glycosylflavone isomers (orientin and isoorientin) were isolated and identified by conventional spectroscopic techniques and measured using high-performance liquid chromatography-diode array detection. The EO was analysed by gas chromatography and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Environment influenced growth, total antioxidant capacity and phytochemical levels. Shoot dry weight, thymol, carvacrol and (E)-caryophyllene were favoured under red and black ChromatiNet. Root growth, EOs, caryophyllene oxide, p-cymene, flavonoids, orientin and isoorientin were favoured in sunlight. Growth and accumulation of EOs, flavonoids and photosynthetic pigments increased under blue ChromatiNet. Therefore, Lippia gracilis plants have plasticity related to the spectral quality of light and it cultivate depends of the phytochemicals of interest., (© 2023 Wiley-VHCA AG, Zurich, Switzerland.)

Populations of Culex quinquefasciatus Say, 1823 (Diptera: Culicidae) have shown resistance to insecticides of the carbamate and organophosphate classes. The objective of this study was to assess the susceptibility of C. quinquefasciatus larvae to essential oils from leaves of Eugenia uniflora L., Melaleuca armillaris (Sol. ex Gaertn.) Sm., and Schinus molle L and C. quinquefasciatus larvae's biochemical responses after their exposure to these leaves. The essential oils were chemically analyzed by GC and GC/MS. First, the lethal concentration for 50% (LC 50 ) values was estimated using different concentrations of essential oils and probit analysis. The larvae were exposed for 1 h at the LC 50 estimated for each essential oil. The susceptibility of the larvae to essential oils was evaluated using the following biochemical parameters: concentrations of total protein and reduced glutathione; levels of production of hydrogen peroxide and lipid peroxidation; and the activity of the enzyme acetylcholinesterase (AChE). The main chemical constituents in E. uniflora were E-β-ocimene, curzerene, germacrene B, and germacrone; in M. armillaris were 1,8-cineole and terpinolene; and in S. molle were sabinene, myrcene, and sylvestrene. The essential oils had LC 50 values between 31.52 and 60.08 mg/L, all of which were considered effective. All of them also promoted changes in biochemical parameters when compared to the control treatment. The essential oils of S. molle and E. uniflora inhibited the activity of the AChE enzyme, and the essential oil of M. armillaris increased it. All essential oils had larvicidal activity against C. quinquefasciatus, but the essential oil of E. uniflora was the most efficient. Thus, the findings of the present study suggest that the essential oil of E. uniflora can be considered promising for the development of botanical larvicides., (© 2022. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

Synthetic insecticides applied to control Spodoptera frugiperda (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) can have negative impacts on environment and human health. Botanical essential oils can be sources of organic molecules with biocontrol potential and advantages, such as minor impacts on the selection of resistant pest insects and low toxicity to humans. The aim of this study was to investigate the biocontrol action of essential oils from Brazilian species and methyl chavicol compounds on the development and metabolism of S. frugiperda. Essential oils of Eremanthus erythropappus (Asteraceae), Ocimum selloi, Hyptis suaveolens, and Hyptis marrubioides (Lamiaceae) were distilled by the steam distillation method and analyzed by gas chromatograph techniques. The essential oils were incorporated into an artificial diet (at 1, 2, and 4 mg mL -1 ) and offered to S. frugiperda caterpillars. Larvae of S. frugiperda at 48 h of age were fed an artificial diet containing the major constituent of O. selloi (methyl chavicol). The major compounds of the essential oils were methyl chavicol for O. selloi, α-bisabolol for E. erythropappus, bicyclogermacrene for H. suaveolens, and β-thujone for H. marrubioides. O. selloi caused 100% mortality in S. frugiperda larvae at a concentration of 1 mg mL -1 after 48 h. H. marrubioides essential oil caused 100% mortality in larvae at a concentration of 4 mg mL -1 after 48 h. O. selloi and H. marrubioides inhibited acetylcholinesterase (AchE) activity in 72.87% and 81.69% of larvae, respectively. O. selloi presented the highest toxicity to S. frugiperda and the lowest inhibition of AchE. Methyl chavicol was lethal to all larvae within 24 h at a concentration of 0.92 mg mL -1 of diet. Methyl chavicol showed the best insecticidal activity and potential to be used as a natural insecticide to control S. frugiperda.

Lippia rotundifolia Cham. is in the family Verbenaceae and is endemic to the Cerrado. This species is aromatic and characterized by the presence of glandular trichomes on its leaves that are rich in monoterpenes. The objective of this study was to evaluate the growth, photosynthetic pigment production, and chemical composition of L. rotundifolia grown in vitro under different light wavelengths and intensities. The light intensities consisted of five treatments using cool white fluorescent lamps at 20, 54, 78, 88, and 110 μmol m -2  s -1 . The light quality consisted of six treatments using light-emitting diodes (LEDs) in different light wavelengths, namely, white, red, blue, and their interactions: 1R:1B, 2.5R:1B, and 1R:2.5B. After 45 days, the biometric parameters, photosynthetic pigment content, and volatile compounds were evaluated. The lower light intensities of 20 and 54 μmol m -2  s -1 generated higher growth, photosynthetic pigment content, and biomass accumulation. Myrcene and pentadecane were highest under light intensities of 88 and 110 μmol m -2  s -1 , respectively. The highest limonene and ocimenone levels were obtained at 20 and 54 μmol m -2  s -1 intensity, respectively, and the highest myrcenone content was obtained at 78 μmol m -2  s -1 intensity. Regarding the light wavelengths, the combination of red and blue spectra further stimulated plantlet growth, and the 2.5R:1B combination obtained the best biometric data and total chlorophyll content. The z-ocimenone chemical compound contents were highest under the 1R:2.5B light spectrum. The monochromatic blue spectrum increased the myrcene and limonene content but decreased the myrcenone content, which was increased by red light. The highest pentadecane contents were obtained with the white spectrum and the red and blue combinations., (Copyright © 2019 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Yarrow (Achillea millefolium L., Asteraceae) is an important medicinal plant used worldwide for its medicinal properties such as the analgesic, antioxidant and anti-inflammatory ones. The aim of this study was to evaluate the growth and production of photosynthetic pigments and of volatile constituents of Achillea millefolium L. under different irrigation depths. The treatments were the application of 55, 110, 220, 440 and 880 mm of water for a period of 110 days. Data were submitted to polynomial regression analysis at 5% probability, while the volatile constituents were analyzed by standard deviation. Different irrigation depths provided quadratic growth responses being the highest dry matter production at the depth of 440 mm. The contents of chlorophyll a, b, total and carotenoids were higher at the lower depth tested (55 mm). The major volatile compounds identified were sabinene, 1,8-cineol, borneol and β-caryophyllene. Increased water availability reduced the complexity of the volatile fraction of essential oil. Thus, it is recommended that the species be cultivated at 440 mm irrigation depth to have a higher production of dry matter and lower variation in the volatile profile of the essential oil.

The purpose of this investigation was to determine the influence of colored shade nets on the growth, anatomy and essential oil content, yield and chemical composition of Pogostemon cablin. The plants were cultivated under full sunlight, black, blue and red nets. The harvesting was performed 5 months after planting and it was followed by the analysis of plant growth parameters, leaf anatomy, essential oil content, yield and chemical composition. The plants grown under red net have produced more leaf, shoot, total dry weight and leaf area. Plants cultivated under colored nets showed differences in morphological features. Plants maintained under red net had a higher leaf blade thickness and polar and equatorial diameter of the stomata ratio. Additionally, higher yield of essential oil in the leaves was observed under red and blue colored shade net. The essential oil of the plants grown under red net showed the highest relative percentage of patchoulol (66.84%). Therefore, it is possible using colored shade nets to manipulate P. cablin growth, as well as its essential oil production with several chemical compositions. The analyses of principal components allowed observing that pogostol has negative correlation with α-guaiene and α-bulnesene. There was difference in total dry weight and patchoulol content when the patchouli is cultured under the red colored shade nets.

Light is a basic requirement to drive carbon metabolism in plants and supports life on earth. Spectral quality greatly affects plant morphology, physiology, and metabolism of various biochemical pathways. Among visible light spectrum, red, blue, and green light wavelengths affect several mechanisms to contribute in plant growth and productivity. In addition, supplementation of red, blue, or green light with other wavelengths showed vivid effects on the plant biology. However, response of plants differs in different species and growing conditions. This review article provides a detailed view and interpretation of existing knowledge and clarifies underlying mechanisms that how red, blue, and green light spectra affect plant morpho-physiological, biochemical, and molecular parameters to make a significant contribution towards improved crop production, fruit quality, disease control, phytoremediation potential, and resource use efficiency., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

Piper hispidinervum C. DC. is popularly known as long-pepper and it owns a commercial value due to the essential oil it produces. Long-pepper oil is rich in safrole and eugenoln components that have insecticidal, fungicidal and bactericidal activity. It has been establish that to medicinal plants light influences not only growth but also essential oil production. The growth, the content of photosynthetic pigments and the essential oil production of Piper hispidinervum at greenhouses with different light conditions was evaluated. The treatments were characterized by cultivation of plants for 180 days under different light conditions, produced by shading greenhouses with 50% and 30% of natural incident irradiance, two colored shading nets red (RN) and blue (BN) both blocking 50% of the incident radiation and one treatment at full-sun (0% of shade). The results showed that the treatments of 50% shade and RN and BN were the ones which stimulated the greater growth. Blue and red light also had the best production of photosynthetic pigments. Essential oil yielded more under full sun therefore this is the most indicated condition to produce seedlings for the chemical and pharmaceutical industry.

In plant production, evaluation of salt stress protectants concerning their potential to improve growth and productivity under saline stress is critical. Bacillus subtilis (Bs) and cobalt (Co) have been proposed to optimize salt stress tolerance in coriander (Coriandrum sativum L. cv. Balady) plants by influencing some physiological activities. The main aim of this work is to investigate the response of (Bs) and (Co) as eco-safe salt stress protectants to resist the effect of salinity, on growth, seed, and essential oil yield, and the most important biochemical constituents of coriander produced under salt stress condition. Therefore, in a split-plot factorial experiment design in the RCBD (randomized complete block design), four levels of salinity of NaCl irrigation water (SA) were assigned to the main plots; (0.5, 1.5, 4, and 6 dS m−1); and six salt stress protectants (SP) were randomly assigned to the subplots: distilled water; 15 ppm (Co1); 30 ppm (Co2); (Bs); (Co1 + Bs); (Co2 + Bs). The study concluded that increasing SA significantly reduced coriander growth and yield by 42.6%, which could be attributed to ion toxicity, oxidative stress, or decreased vital element content. From the results, we recommend that applying Bs with Co (30 ppm) was critical for significantly improving overall growth parameters. This was determined by the significant reduction in the activity of reactive oxygen species scavenging enzymes: superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), and malondialdehyde (MDA) and non-enzyme: proline by 5, 11.3, 14.7, and 13.8% respectively, while increasing ascorbic acid by 8% and preserving vital nutrient levels and enhancing plant osmotic potential to buffer salt stress, seed yield per plant, and essential oil yield increased by 12.6 and 18.8% respectively. The quality of essential oil was indicated by highly significant quantities of vital biological phytochemicals such as linalool, camphor, and protein which increased by 10.3, 3.6, and 9.39% respectively. Additional research is suggested to determine the precise mechanism of action of Bs and Co's dual impact on medicinal and aromatic plant salt stress tolerance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Protected environment and substrate, as well as interaction between both, influence the formation of pepper seedlings and promote adequate plant growth. The present study evaluated different types of protected environments and substrate compositions in the initial growth of "Guaraci Cumari do Pará" pepper (Capsicum chinense) seedlings. The experiment was conducted in a completely randomized design, in a 4 x 5 factorial scheme (4 protected environments x 5 substrate compositions). Agricultural screenhouses with black polyethylene screens of 18% and 30% shading and agricultural greenhouses with polyethylene screens of 35% and 42-50% shading under the plastic film were used. In the environments, substrates 100% Carolina Soil® + 0% vermiculite, 80% Carolina Soil® + 20% vermiculite, 60% Carolina Soil® + 40% vermiculite; 40% Carolina Soil® + 60% vermiculite and 20% Carolina Soil® + 80% vermiculite were tested. The environment that provided higher growth for all substrates was with 35% shading, which increased seedling quality 2.9 times. In the 30% shading environment, better performance of the substrate (80% Carolina Soil® + 20% vermiculite) was observed, while in the 35% shading environment, better performance of the commercial substrate (100% Carolina Soil®) was observed, with greater plant height, stem diameter, number of leaves, and dry biomass. However, the 35% shading environment increased 2.4 times the quality of seedlings with the commercial substrate, regarding 40% Carolina Soil® + 60% vermiculite. Regarding seedling quality, the best substrate was the commercial substrate, i.e., 95% superior to 40% Carolina Soil® + 60% vermiculite in the average environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background & Objectives: This study was performed to evaluate the effects of peppermint and sage intercropping with application of different fertilizer resources on the dry matter yield, essential oil content, and ecological indices under drought stress. Material and Methods: A field experiment was carried out as a split split plot based on a randomized complete block design (RCBD) with 36 treatments and three replications at the faculty of Agriculture, University of Maragheh, Iran in 2019 and 2020. The main factor was three irrigation regimes included 25 (MAD25), 50 (MAD50), and 75% (MAD75) maximum allowable depletion (MAD) percentage of the soil available water (SAW) as normal irrigation, mild and severe water stress, respectively. The sub-factor was different planting patterns included peppermint monoculture, sage monoculture, and intercropping of one row peppermint + one row sage and also sub-sub factor were application of different fertilizer sources including no‐fertilizer as control, TiO2 nanoparticles (100 mg L-1), arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) inoculation, and integrative application of AMF and TiO2 (AMF + TiO2). Results: The results showed that the dry matter yield of peppermint and sage decreased significantly by 28.7, 27% in mild stress, 55.1%, and 64.1% in severe stress, respectively. The highest dry matter yield of peppermint (144.2 g m-2) and sage (172.7 g m-2) was obtained in the monoculture with integrative application of AMF + TiO2. The maximum essential oil content of peppermint (1.51%) was observed in intercropping with integrative application of AMF + TiO2. In addition, the highest land equivalent ratio (LER), actual yield loss (AYL), and monetary indices were achieved in normal irrigation with integrative application of AMF + TiO2. Moreover, the maximum net income of two plants was recorded in intercropping with application of AMF + TiO2 under normal irrigation, which was no significant difference with integrated application of AMF + TiO2 in intercropping under mild water stress. Conclusion: Generally, it can be concluded that the integrative application of AMF + TiO2 in intercropping of peppermint/sage could be suggested as a sustainable strategy to increasing the quantity and quality of essential oil of both plants under drought stress conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Biotechnology has revolutionized plant propagation by providing plant tissue culture as a rising alternative platform to conventional methods. In the present scenario, plant tissue culture becomes the key technique for the large-scale production and conservation of germplasm, maintenance of genetic stability, and meets out the economic demands of plant and plant products. It is the science of artificially growing test tube plantlets under optimized microclimatic conditions isolated from the external environment. This micro-scale environment resembles the natural environment consisting of culture vessels, humidity, gases, light irradiation, spectrum, temperature, nutritional media, and its constituents as major growth-affecting factors. The efficient architectural development of any genotype depends on these factors and requires a specifically optimized climate. Here, we are reviewing the interaction of physical factors of in vitro artificial climate including culture vessel, light, and temperature with the developing plantlets. The outcomes can increase the understanding of the developmental response of plants toward their environment in the recently changing climatic conditions. Further, this can also eliminate the challenges of cost, labor, and timings and introduce the advancements of efficient large-scale production of plant and plant products which will be effective in fulfilling the population demands. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Turiaçu pineapple cultivar produces fruits of high organoleptic value but has few biotechnological studies on seedling production. However, conventional in vitro propagation can affect the photosynthetic potential of plants when transferred to the field, thus mitigating measures should be undertaken to solve this limitation, for example by decreasing carbohydrate concentration in the growth medium, adopting bioreactors of temporary immersion with forced ventilation, and using gas permeable membranes in the culture flask. The present work focused on evaluating the growth and development of plantlets from Ananas comosus [L]. Merr. cultivar Turiaçu, an important but neglected pineapple cultivar, under different sucrose concentrations and cultivation systems. For that, the impact of the photomixotrophic and photoautotrophic growth on morphophysiological responses of plants and survival during the ex vitro acclimatization was assessed. The plants were grown in four cultivation systems: permanent immersion system with sealed flasks (PIS-SF); permanent immersion system with natural ventilation (PIS-NV); single-flask temporary immersion bioreactors (TIS-PF); and twin-flasks temporary immersion bioreactors (TIS-RALM), combined with sucrose concentrations (0, 5.0, 15.0, and 30.0 g L−1). The results indicate that Turiaçu plants have photoautotrophic potential in vitro, as the photochemical efficiency of the plants increased in cultivation systems with TIS –RALM gas exchange without the addition of sucrose. Furthermore, it also improved the performance and hardening of plants in ex vitro conditions, which constitutes a crucial step towards the diffusion of this cultivar. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Fall armyworm (FAW) Spodopterafrugiperda is regarded as a major pest of various economic crops, their caterpillars are a highly destructive and have a wide host range. The application of traditional pesticides is the main strategies used for its control, that resulting to number of negative impacts of pesticides on the environment and development of pesticide resistance. Methods: This study's goal was to assess the insecticide potency of three essential oils [rosemary (Rosmarinusofficinalis L.), lemongrass (Cymbopogoncitratus) and Cinnamon (Cinnamomumzeylanicum)] and methomyl lannate 90% commercial insecticide to control S.frugiperda (fall armyworm) and their effects on expression of caspase-8 and inhibitor of apoptosis protein genes and expression of acetylcholinesterase (AChE) gene in fall armyworm (FAW). Results: The insecticidal activity against second larval instar of fall armyworm was evaluated with five concentrations (2.5%, 2%, 1.0%, 0.5% and 0.25%) for essential oil and four concentrations 0.4%, 0.2%, 0.15% and 0.05% for methomyl lannate 90%. The findings indicated that raising both essential oil concentrations and methomyl lannate 90% resulted in increased larval mortality at high concentration. The expression levels of Ache gene treated by low dose (0.3 µ/L) of methomyl lannate were increased (by 313%) significantly compared with the control but without significant differences. Conclusions: The tested essential oils showed insecticidal activity against the second larval instar of S.frugiperda death as a result of treatment with the tested oils having an effect on the genes that the pest uses to express critical processes (genes of apoptosis). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Light emitting diodes (LEDs) as an alternative light source for plants had shown to enhance the plant material quality. Indian borage or Plectranthus amboinicus (Lour.) Spreng, a medicinal herb produces carvacrol as the major volatile organic compound (VOC). Histolocalization of VOCs and expression pattern of the terpenoid biosynthesis genes after spectral light treatment is not yet reported in P. amboinicus. This work investigated the morpho-physiological, biochemical and transcriptional responses towards red, green, blue, warm white and red-blue (RB, 1:1) LEDs treatment at 40 ± 5 μmol m−2 s−1 light intensity after 40 days. Maximal growth index (GI), leaf fresh weight and dry weight were obtained in RB (1:1) treated plants. There was one-fold increase in phenolics content and 2.5-fold increase in antioxidant activity in comparison to warm white. High quantity of terpenes and phenolics deposition were observed in the glandular trichomes of RB (1:1). Maximum carvacrol accumulation (14.45 µmol g−1 FW) was also detected in RB (1:1). The transcript levels of early terpene biosynthesis genes PaDXS, PaDXR, PaHMGR and cytochrome P450 monooxygenase genes, PaCYP1 and PaCYP9 were highly upregulated in RB (1:1) and green. The overall results suggest RB (1:1) as the better lighting option amongst the studied spectral lights for obtaining maximum phytochemicals in P. amboinicus. Work is being continued with different spectral ratios of red and blue LED lights to maximize phytochemical accumulation, the outcome of which will be reported elsewhere in near future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of this work was to evaluate the antimicrobial and biochemical activity of Aloysia citriodora essential oil in controlling Alternaria linariae. Antimicrobial activity was tested in vitro with 0.0, 0.8, 1.8 and 2.4 μL mL−1 dosages of essential oil, and mycelial growth and the growth inhibition were evaluated thereafter. Furthermore, 2.5 and 5.0 μL mL−1 essential oil doses were tested in vivo, and severity, control efficiency, diseased and healthy areas, total leaf area, number of leaves and plant height were also subsequently evaluated. Plants grown in pots in a protected environment were used for biochemical analyzes. A 2.4 μL mL−1 dose of A. citriodora essential oil inhibited A. linariae growth in vitro and a dose of 2.5 μL mL−1 reduced the severity of the disease. Essential oil application to tomato plants induced resistance against tomato black spot fungus, mainly due to β-1,3 glucanase enzyme activity. The increase in guaiacol peroxidase activity was more evident in the presence of the pathogen with or without any treatment. Thus, the use of the A. citridiora essential oil is a promising option for controlling black spot fungus and to induce resistance in tomato plants, thereby promoting efficient and sustainable agriculture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Authors report the application of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) in the plant tissue culture system for effective and reproducible in vitro propagation of Gaillardia pulchella cv. 'Torch Yellow' for the year-round production of quality planting materials for the first time. Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium augmented with 1.0 mg L−1 of 6-benzylaminopurine (BAP) resulted in the highest percentage of bud break response (98.0%). After bud break, explants were sub-cultured to MS medium supplemented with 0.5 mg L−1 BAP and 0.25 mg L−1 indole-3 acetic acid (IAA) for multiplication. The shoots were further proliferated using AgNPs with the optimized growth regulators and observed that the addition of 4.0 mg L−1 biogenic AgNPs into the culture medium had a positive impact on shoot proliferation (16.0 shoots with an average length of 5.0 cm), shoot biomass (7.0 g fresh and 2.4 g dry weights) as compared with the control experiments (11.0 shoots with 4.1 cm length; 4.4 g fresh and 1.0 g dry weights). The shoots developed on AgNPs incorporated media treatments were morphologically healthy, sturdy, and greener in color. Shoots in control experiments, lacking AgNPs were hyperhydric in nature and chlorotic. Silver nanoparticles significantly enhanced chlorophylls and carbohydrate contents and reduced carotenoids in the leaves developed in vitro. Micro-morphological developments were positively correlated with the presence of AgNPs and played important role in root induction and acclimatization of in vitro propagated plantlets. The consistent improvements in the organization of stomatal complexes and trichomes development in the presence of AgNPs suggested the progress in the integrated defense mechanism towards abiotic stress tolerance while the cultures were growing in the laboratory, which could help the plantlets to survive during acclimatization and post-acclimatization period under the greenhouse and field conditions. Key message: The use of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) in the culture medium enabled effective plantlets proliferation with improved macro- and micro-morphology and biochemical profile in a horticulturally important plant Gaillardia pulchella cv. 'Torch Yellow'. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fusarium oxysporum, an important soil-borne fungal pathogen, is a species complex consisting of multiple cryptic species. Many special forms (f.sp.) are known in F. oxysporum, on the basis of the pathogenicity of each particular fungal isolate against particular host plants. F. oxysporum f.sp. cubense (Foc) is known as the causative agent of Panama disease on banana. In the present research, fungal isolates were obtained from the pseudostems of Musa acuminata var. Dwarf Cavendish in the south of Sistan & Baluchestan Province in early 2022. A combination of two-locus sequence analysis of the concatenated rpb2 (DNA-directed RNA polymerase II largest subunit) and tef1 (translation elongation factor 1-α) partial sequences showed that the isolates belong to the Fusarium cugenangense (F. oxysporum species complex (FOSC) Clade 2). In order to use eco-friendly method for controlling fungi, the antifungal effect of some essential oils (EO) were evaluated based on mycelia growth, sporulation and spore germination and compared with a Iprodione+Carbendazim (Rovral-TS ®) fungicide. Of these, the antifungal effect of Satureja hortensis EO was higher than those from other plants examined in this research. GC/MS analysis was performed to identify the main components of S. hortensis EO. α-pinene and Myrcene were the most important components with antifungal effects. The inhibitory concentration 50 and minimum inhibitory concentration of S. hortensis EO were 95 ppm and 174.75 ppm respectively, revealing that the essential oil gave better results at low concentration than the fungicide. Furthermore, a combination of α-pinene with Myrcene resulted in a synergistic effect on the fungus. Other components showed additive effects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ontogenetic aging of tissues and the gradual decrease of adventitious rooting are known challenges for the clonal propagation of woody species, hampering clonal forestry programs. This study examined possible signatures of tissue rejuvenation/reinvigoration in different propagated materials of Eucalyptus microcorys by analyzing the total protein profile, peroxidase activity, macro- and micronutrient contents, and adventitious rooting of mini cuttings. The analyses were performed on E. microcorys shoots which were successfully obtained by seminal and grafting propagation, micropropagation with epicormic shoots, and indirect organogenesis. Among four mature trees used in the propagation, tissues from the one with the best propagation results were investigated for signs of tissue rejuvenation and/or reinvigoration. Five individuals from each technique were randomly selected and transferred to a semi-hydroponic "channel" system. After four weeks in the seedbed, the total protein, peroxidase activity, nutrient content and rooting of the mini cuttings were evaluated. SDS-PAGE enabled the differentiation of leaf samples obtained by grafting from the other propagation techniques, as revealed by two distinct bands. Materials obtained by micropropagation with epicormic shoots showed the highest peroxidase activity, while those obtained by seminal propagation and from the selected mature tree showed the lowest peroxidase activity. A portable X-ray fluorescence spectroscope (pXRF) identified adequate nutrient content in most of the nutrients tested in materials obtained by seminal and grafting propagation, and by indirect organogenesis. The analysis of adventitious rooting showed that the highest rooting percentage was observed in mini cuttings from seminal propagation (75%) followed by indirect organogenesis (35%). Based on principal component analysis, it was concluded that rooting of mini cuttings from both seminal propagation and indirect organogenesis was associated with phosphorous, sulphur, and potassium contents, which suggests a higher level of tissue rejuvenation/reinvigoration in these propagated plants. Further studies are recommended to search for other methods that present similarities with the responses to adventitious rooting in forest species and thus optimize the rescue and propagation of plants with distinct ontogenetic stages. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lonicera macranthoides, a medicinal herb mainly distributed in southern China, is widely utilized in traditional Chinese medicine for its high yield and strong pharmacological properties rich in phenolic acids and flavonoids. However, the factors regulating plant growth and secondary metabolism in L. macranthoides remain largely unknown. In this study, the effects of seven light qualities and plant growth regulators combinations on seedlings growth and metabolite accumulation were investigated. Plants under red light produced the greatest shoot and root biomass, and promoted plant photosynthesis, as indicated by significantly greater values of net photosynthetic rate (Pn), stomatal conductance (Gs), intercellular CO2 concentration (Ci), and transpiration rate (Tr), followed by white and blue light. The plant height and stem diameter of the tissue-cultured seedlings on the medium with 1.0 mg/L 6-benzyladenine (BA) + 1.0 mg/L indole 3-butyric acid (IBA) were the highest, while the seedlings on the medium containing 2.0 mg/L BA + 0.2 mg/L IBA produced the highest amounts of phenolic acids and flavonoids. Red light dramatically enhanced the accumulation of chlorogenic acid (CGA), ferulic acid, luteoloside, and rutin compared to those under other light spectrum conditions on media with low levels of auxin (0.2 mg/L IBA). However, higher auxin levels (1.0 mg/L IBA) dramatically inhibited CGA production under red light. Moreover, blue light promoted the accumulation of chlorogenic acid and luteoloside. The results indicate that the plant growth and secondary metabolism were dramatically influenced by light quality and auxin/cytokinin combinations. Our findings provide effective strategies aiming to enhance biomass yield and bioactive compound production in L. macranthoides. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The gall-host Eugenia uniflora (Myrtaceae) is adaptable to different light conditions, enabling leaf production and survival in both sun and shade. Leaves of E. uniflora in shaded environments have more mesophyll layers, and galls of Clinodiplosis profusa (Cecidomyiidae) are larger and wider. Based on these previous observations, this study investigated the morphogenesis of galls induced by C. profusa on leaves of E. uniflora in different light conditions, revealing if the galls have a potential for acclimation, as observed with leaves. For this purpose, we compared the anatomical, histometric, and histochemical development of leaves and galls at different stages of development in sun and shade environments. Additionally, we analyzed the cytological features of the tissues composing the mature gall walls. Cells of shade galls expanded more toward the end of the developmental phase, which may explain the larger volume found for shade galls in a previous study. However, during the mature phase, these galls showed no significant differences in tissue thickness and final cell elongation in the contrasting light conditions. In the ultrastructural analyses, mature galls showed a gradient distinguishing the outer and inner parenchyma cells. The inner parenchyma had nutritive cells, with dense cytoplasm and abundant organelles. A higher accumulation of starch grains in nutritive cells, with evidence of hydrolysis of starch grains detected in the innermost layers leads to the accumulation of reducing sugars, which, with the presence of plastoglobules and protein bodies, are important mechanisms of oxidative stress dissipation in the cells in contact with the gall inducer., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Austria, part of Springer Nature.)

Main conclusion: The physiological and transcriptome analysis revealed that auxin was a positive regulator of lateral root development and tanshinone accumulation inSalvia miltiorrhiza. Roots of S. miltiorrhiza are widely used as medicinal materials in China, and the root morphology and content of bioactive compounds [such as phenolic acids and diterpenoid quinones (tanshinones)] are the main factors to determine the quality of this herb. Auxin regulates root development and secondary metabolism in many plant species, but little is known about its function in S. miltiorrhiza. In this study, S. miltiorrhiza seedlings were treated (exogenous application) with the auxin indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) and the polar auxin transport inhibitor N-1-naphthylphthalamic acid (NPA) to investigate the regulatory roles of auxin in S. miltiorrhiza. The results indicated that exogenous IAA promoted both lateral root development and tanshinones biosynthesis in S. miltiorrhiza. The NPA application suppressed the lateral root development but showed no obvious effects on tanshinones accumulation. Based on the RNA-seq analysis, expressions of genes related to auxin biosynthesis and signaling transduction were altered in both treated groups. Coincidental with the enhanced content of tanshinones, transcripts of several key enzyme genes in the tanshinones biosynthetic pathway were stimulated after the exogenous IAA application. The expression profiles of seven common transcription factor domain-containing gene families were analyzed, and the results implied that some AP2/ERF genes were probably responsible for the auxin-induced lateral root development in S. miltiorrhiza. These findings shed new light on the regulatory roles of auxin on root development and bioactive compounds biosynthesis in S. miltiorrhiza, and lay the groundwork for future research into the detailed molecular mechanism underlying these biological functions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A protocol was standardized for large scale propagation through multiple shoot proliferation from the basal buds of Echinodorus argentinensis, an ornamental aquatic plant. Explants were treated for 15 minutes with commercial bleach (containing 0.825% Sodium hypochlorite as active ingredient) which was diluted with distilled water to a concentration of 15%; and were then dipped for a second in 100% ethanol to obtain axenic cultures. The axenic basal buds initiated shoot formation within a week when cultured on full strength Murashige & Skoog medium (MS medium) supplemented with 1.0 mg/l 6-Benzylaminopurine (BAP). Number of shoots produced per explant was maximum (2.5672 shoots per explant p< 0.05) on MS medium supplemented with 1.0 mg/l BAP. Shoots were elongated considerably in all the media tried for shoot multiplication and maximum elongation (2.87 cm, p< 0.05) of the in vitro developed shoots was observed on MS medium supplemented with 1.0 mg/l BAP in combination with 0.1 mg/l Naphthalene acetic acid (NAA). Root regeneration was observed on all the shoot regeneration media and the highest number of roots/shoot (3.4568 roots per shoot) was obtained on MS medium devoid of any kind of plant growth regulators. The plantlets developed in vitro were subjected to acclimatization procedure and were finally planted in the aquarium. The protocol is ready for commercialization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Asteraceae with up to 30,000 species occurs on all continents except Antarctica and in all major vegetation zones on earth. Our primary aim was to consider cypselae dormancy-break and germination of Asteraceae in relation to ecology, vegetation zones and evolution. Cypselae are desiccation-tolerant and in various tribes, genera, species and life forms of Asteraceae are either non-dormant (ND) or have non-deep physiological dormancy (PD) at maturity. All six types of non-deep PD are found among the Asteraceae, and dormancy is broken by cold or warm stratification or by afterripening. Soil cypselae banks may be formed but mostly are short-lived. Much within-species variation in dormancy-break and germination has been found. Using data compiled for 1192 species in 373 genera and 35 tribes of Asteraceae, we considered ND and PD in relation to life form, vegetation zone and tribe. Senecioneae and Astereae had the best representation across the vegetation zones on earth. In evergreen and semi-evergreen rainforests, more species have ND than PD, but in all other vegetation zones, except alpine/high-latitude tundra (where ND and PD are equal), more species have PD than ND. Tribes in the basal and central grades and those in the Heliantheae Alliance have both ND and PD. The high diversity and lability of non-deep PD may have enhanced the rate of species diversification by promoting the survival of new species and/or species in new habitats that became available following globally disruptive events since the origin of the Asteraceae in the Late Cretaceous. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigated the effects of different cropping patterns and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) inoculation on the productivity of kidney bean and the essence quantity and quality of lemon balm. The cropping patterns included kidney bean monoculture (KBm), lemon balm monoculture (LBm), and additive intercropping ratios of 100% lemon balm + 15% kidney bean (LB/15 KB), 100% lemon balm + 30% kidney bean (LB/30 KB), 100% lemon balm + 45% kidney bean (LB/45 KB), 100% lemon balm + 60% kidney bean (LB/60 KB), with or without AMF inoculation. Monoculture produced the highest dry matter yield of lemon balm [139.1 g m–2 (first harvest) and 121.0 g m–2 (second harvest)] and seed yield of kidney bean (1315 kg ha–1). AMF inoculation increased the dry matter yields of lemon balm by 9.6% and 10.9% (first and second harvests, respectively) and seed yield of kidney bean by 41.8%. The LB/45 KB intercropping ratio produced the highest essence content of lemon balm [0.17% (first harvest) and 0.16% (second harvest)], which did not significantly differ from those in LB/30 KB. Interestingly, AMF inoculation enhanced essence productivity by 33.3% in the first harvest and 21.4% in the second harvest. For both harvests, the GC–MS analyses identified 19 constituents in the lemon balm essence, with the major constituents being citronella, geranial, neral, trans-caryophyllene, and caryophyllene oxide. The LB/45 KB with AMF treatment produced the highest citronella content in both harvests. Concentrations of N, P, and K in most of intercropping patterns increased over the monocultures. We conclude that intercropping with AMF inoculation could be an agroecological strategy for improving the essence content, yield, and quality of lemon balm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bauhinia forficata Link. is a native South American plant, which possesses volatile compounds with pharmaceutical and medicinal properties such as antidiabetic and anti-inflammatory effects. However, the conservation and propagation of this plant are complicated by its recalcitrant seeds and delayed flowering transition. Hence, tissue culture is employed for the safe and efficient propagation of B. forficata. However, the optimal conditions for the in vitro cultivation of B. forficata remain unknown. Thus, this study aimed to characterize the volatile profile of adult B. forficata field plants and evaluate the effects of different light intensities (43 and 70 μmol m−2 s−1), gas exchange rates (14 and 25 µL L−1 s−1), and exogenous sucrose concentrations (0, 20, and 30 g L−1) on their in vitro development. The results showed that β-caryophyllene is the major volatile compound produced by B. forficata. Moreover, culturing in a medium containing 30 g L−1 of sucrose and flasks with membranes that allow CO2 exchange at the rate of 25 µL L−1 s−1 produced vigorous and hardened plants with high survival rates independent of irradiance. This study is the first to report the optimal in vitro culture conditions for B. forficata as a reference for future studies on micropropagation and secondary metabolite production using this species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The use of sealing lids with microporous membranes (MM) is relevant to understanding the role of gas exchange on changes in ethylene and polyamine (PA) contents and proteome profiles during seedling growth. This study aimed to evaluate the influence of sealing lids and culture media, Murashige and Skoog (MS) and woody plant medium (WPM), on the in vitro seed germination and seedling development of Dalbergia nigra and on the content of ethylene, CO2, PAs, photosynthetic index, and protein profile. Sealing lids with MM allowed higher germination of seeds. Higher CO2 and leaf abscission were observed in seedlings grown in all culture media without an MM. The contents of total free PAs and free putrescine were significantly affected by the different culture media but not by the MM. A total of 545 proteins were identified, of which 101 were differentially accumulated (DAP) in seedlings grown in MS culture medium with MM compared to those grown without MM. Among DAPs, the presence of aspartate aminotransferase protein, related to ethylene biosynthesis, in seedlings grown in culture tubes containing MS culture medium without an MM was associated with greater ethylene accumulation and, consequently, greater leaf abscission. Photosynthesis- and carbon metabolism-related proteins accumulated in seedlings grown in MS culture medium sealed with MM were affected by gas exchange and associated with a higher photosynthetic index. This is the first study showing the effects of gas exchange promotion on in vitro seed germination and seedling development in D. nigra and its interaction with ethylene and protein accumulation and is relevant for optimizing in vitro micropropagation studies in this endangered woody species from the Brazilian rainforest. Key message: The type of sealing lids and culture media affects in vitro seedling growth of Dalbergia nigra by accumulation of ethylene and changes in the protein profile. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Chitosan, a deacetylated derivative of chitin, is one of the most preferred biopolymers for use as biostimulants and biofertilizers in organic agriculture and as elicitors to enhance the productivity of plant in vitro cultures. Valued as a non-toxic, biodegradable, and environment-friendly agent, it is widely applied to improve plant growth and yield, the content of bioactive specialized metabolites, and resistance to stress conditions and pathogens. However, the influence of chitosan on the growth-defense trade-off, particularly the interplay between steroid and triterpenoid metabolism, has not been extensively investigated. Results: In this study, Calendula officinalis pot plants and hairy root cultures exposed to chitosan treatment displayed reduced biomass and altered steroid and triterpenoid metabolism. Biosynthesis and accumulation of free forms of sterols (particularly stigmasterol) were inhibited, while the content of sterol esters increased remarkably. The content of some triterpenoids (mainly free triterpenoid acids) was slightly enhanced; however, the biosynthesis of triterpenoid saponins was negatively affected. Conclusions: These results indicate that in certain plants, chitosan treatment might not positively influence the growth and metabolite production. Therefore, to avoid unexpected effects, initial studies of the conditions of chitosan treatment are recommended, including the dose and the number of chitosan applications, the type of treatment (e.g., foliar or soil), and the vegetative stage of the treated plants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Light is a determining factor in plant morphophysiology, as it influences the growth and development of agricultural crops. Thus, the objective was to investigate the effects of light sources on the growth and development of "biquinho" pepper cultivars. The experiment was performed in two stages (Exp1 and Exp2), evaluating two cultivars (BRS Moema;Airetama biquinho) in five light sources (white LEDs, red LEDs, blue LEDs, red/blue LEDs, and fluorescent lamps). In Exp1 theplants were kept in a controlled condition, with a completely randomized design, in a 2x5 factorial scheme (cultivars x light sources) until 76 days after emergence (DAE), in which growth variables and photosynthetic pigments were evaluated. In Exp2, the plants were removed from the above conditions and transplanted in pots, being kept in greenhouse for more76 DAE. At 152 DAE, the same variables as Exp1 were evaluated, as well as gain of shoot fresh and dry mass, and gain of root fresh and dry mass. In both experiments, growth variables were affected by cultivar and the light sources, however, the behavior did not follow the same trend for all variables, indicating that the light quality influences the growthof the crops, and impacting during greenhouse conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In conventional in vitro culture, plantlets are kept in closed containers to avoid contamination and drying of the explant. Ventilation inside the containers improves plant growth and affects secondary metabolism, as it modifies the microenvironmental conditions. Therefore, the objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of the use of ventilation systems on the growth characteristics and production of photosynthetic pigments and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in Aeollanthus suaveolens Mart. ex Spreng. (Lamiaceae) cultured in vitro. Nodal segments containing one pair of leaves were cultured in a conventional system (NMS) and in natural ventilation systems with one (AMS1), two (AMS2) and four (AMS4) porous membranes. At 40 days, the plantlets were evaluated for growth, VOC concentration, and photosynthetic pigment production. The number of porous membranes used in the vial cap affected growth, photosynthetic pigments and VOCs. A higher number of porous membranes (AMS4) led to greater dry weight accumulation, increased production of photosynthetic pigments, and enhanced synthesis of (Z)-β-farnesene. Lower growth and fewer photosynthetic pigments, and increase linalool acetate synthesis were observed in the culture without the use of porous membranes (NMS). The leaf area of plantlets cultivated with the use of four membranes was 3.8 times greater than that of plantlets cultivated without the use of membranes. For the photoautotrophic cultivation of A. suaveolens in vitro, the use of natural ventilation with four membranes is recommended because it promotes better growth, increases the production of photosynthetic pigments and is superior to the conventional sealed system. Key Message: Alternative membrane systems led to differentiation in the contents of the main volatile organic compound and improve anatomical characteristics, accumulation of photosynthetic pigments and dry weight. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hull-less seed trait is preferred by nut and oil industries worldwide for snacking and oil extraction as it evades the expensive decorticating (dehulling) process. This seed trait is available in C. pepo only, which has small seed cavity, sensitive to various biotic and abiotic stresses, and restricted to temperate regions for cultivation. Contrarily, the related species C. moschata has wider adaptability, disease tolerance and high seed yield. Therefore, attempt was made to transfer this trait into C. moschata through conventional pollination and ovule culture using four parents of hull-less C. pepo and six of hulled C. moschata. Through conventional approach, few viable F1 seeds (12–23) were obtained by using C. pepo as female parent, but in three crosses (HLP36 × HM1343, HLP36 × HM1022 and HLP44 × HM1022) only, whereas, its use as male parent was not successful. This incompatibility issue of reciprocals was resolved through ovule culture of C. moschata genotypes HM1343 and HM6711 after 17 to 19 days of pollination with C. pepo genotypes HLP53 and HLP72, respectively. The hybridity of interspecific crosses was confirmed through SSR markers (alleles inherited from both the parents), morphological characters and micromorphological leaf traits (differed from both the parents). The successful transfer through interspecific hybridization was further established with the presence of hull-less seed in fruits of F2 populations. Outcome of this study would pave the way for enhancing the productivity and multi-season cultivation of snack-seeded pumpkin even in subtropical and tropical regions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fibers obtained from curauá, a species of small ornamental pineapples, are known for their good mechanical properties and benefits, such as ballistic resistance, in composites. To obtain a quantity of curauá suitable for commercial application, in vitro cultivation of the plant is tested. In this work, we produced curauá plants via tissue culture (micropropagation technique) and extracted the fibers. The fibers grown in vitro were characterized to determine moisture, ash, extracts, lignin, hemicelluloses, holocellulose, and cellulose contents; and infrared spectroscopy (FTIR–ATR), X-ray diffraction, thermogravimetric analysis, scanning electron microscopy, and mechanical testing and analysis were performed. Compared with data on curauá fibers grown traditionally––i.e., cultivated outside of a laboratory setting––this curauá fiber presented a higher content of cellulose (77.2%) and lower hemicellulose content (6.8%). Another unique feature was the high crystallinity of the cellulose present in the fiber (73.53%), which reflected good thermal and mechanical properties. This study indicates that the micropropagation technique is highly advantageous for higher-scale production of this fiber for application in composites, as it generates high-quality fibers grown in a controlled plant growth environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An alternative to the agrochemicals is the use of essential oils that can act in plant defense against phytopathogens. The objective of work was to evaluate the antifungal activity, the early blight control, and the enzymatic defense in tomato treated with citronella essential oil. Mycelial disks of the pathogen were added in Petri dishes, with treatments 0, 500, 1000, 1500, 2000 and 2500 µL L-1 of essential oil and a control treatment with fungicide, thus evaluated mycelial growth and sporulation. The treatments were applied in the second pair of leaves of plants (treated) and after 72 hours the pathogen was inoculated on the second pair (treated) and also on the third pair leaves (untreated). The severity was expressed through the area under the disease progress curve (AUDPC). The enzymatic activity of peroxidase, polyphenoloxidase, and phenylalanine ammonia-lyase were evaluated. The essential oil reduced the mycelial growth and sporulation of the pathogen. The AUDPC was reduced up to 38.14% in the treated leaves and 51.32% in the untreated, and increases in the activities of enzymes were found. The essential oil of citronella could be an alternative in the control of tomato early blight by antimicrobial activity and/or resistance induction local and systemically. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research aimed to evaluate the combined effects of chemical, biological and organic fertilizers on several features of Satureja khuzistanica. As an aromatic plant with medicinal properties, endemic to Iran, S. khuzistanica was studied for essential oil (EO%) and composition. Spanning for two growing seasons (2017–2019), the experiments involved 13 nutritional treatments, ie, (a) control (C), (b) nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium (NPK; 50‐25‐25 Kg ha−1), (c) cattle manure (CM30; 30 ton ha−1), (d) CM60 (60 ton ha−1), (e) CM30 + NPK, (f) CM60 + NPK, (g) vermicompost (V5, 5 ton ha−1), (h) V5 + NPK, (i) Glomus mosseae (GM), (j) Glomus Intra (GI), (k) sulphur (S0; 0 Kg ha−1) + thiobacillus (T), (l) S250 + T (sulphur: 250 Kg ha−1,) and (m) V5 + T. At full flowering stage, samples were taken from aerial segments of plants in all treatment groups. After shade‐drying, the samples were hydro‐distillated to obtain essential oil (EO) and were then evaluated by gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS). The interaction between year and fertilizer, as two treatments, had a significant effect (P ≤ 0.01) on the oil percentage, oil constituents and essential oil yield (EO.Y) of S. khuzistanica. GM and S0 + T caused the highest oil percentage in the first (3.7%) and second year (3.9%), respectively. V5 + NPK and V5 + T resulted in a substantial rise in EO.Y in the first (30.4 kg ha−1) and second year (64.3 kg ha−1), respectively. Carvacrol was highest in the first (92.1%) and second year (95.2%), as a result of using V5 + T and NPK treatments, respectively. Biological and vermicompost fertilizers not only improved the amount of EO but also enhanced its quality and aroma, as reflected in the constituents of the EO. The GI treatment and the V5 + NPK treatment led to high amounts of K in the branches. Meanwhile, high S contents were measured in the branches in response to the V5 and the S250 + T treatments. These findings suggested that biofertilizers and organic fertilizers can benefit the cultivation of S. khuzistanica because, when combined together, they can enhance the percentage and phenolic compounds in the EO. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Rodriguésia is the property of Revista Rodriguesia and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Lilium candidum L. is a plant with rich cultural traditions and huge potential in floriculture and modern medicine. Our study analyzed the effects of light emitting diodes (LEDs) of variable quality on adventitious organogenesis induced in bulb scales placed on Murashige and Skoog medium. In addition to the spectral compositions of red (100%), blue (100%), and red and blue light (RB ratio 7:3), RB light was mixed in equal proportions (50%) with green (RBG), yellow (RBY), UV (RBUV), and far red (RBfR) light. We also tested white LED (Wled). Fluorescent lamp light (Fl) and darkness (D) served as controls. We assessed the effects of light on the morphometric features as well as the physiological and biochemical quality of the bulblets (adventitious bulbs). Bulb formation was observed under all light qualities, even in darkness, albeit to a limited extent. White LED light (Wled) treatment translated into the highest efficiency of bulblet formation and the greatest number of bulbs with developed leaves. The leaves, even though the shortest ones, also developed as a result of RBG treatment, and this light mixture enhanced the diameter of the forming bulblets. The bulbletsunder this light spectrum accumulated the most chlorophyll and carotenoids. The bulblets formed under B, RBfR and RBG LED had more than two times higher phenoliclevels than those formed under R LED and Fl. The bulbletsformed under B LED were the richest in soluble sugars, similarly to those developing in darkness (D). Key message: Efficient micropropagation of Lilium candidum L. was achieved on media without growth regulators under different LED light quality which affected organogenesis, photosynthetic pigments, soluble phenolics and sugars composition in bulblets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Anaphalis hancockii Maxim is often used as an aromatic plant in China. To effectively protect and utilize the resources of A. hancockii, a completely rapid micropropagation system has been developed. Additionally, ultra-performance liquid chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS) technology, coupled with multivariate statistical analysis and pathway enrichment analysis, was used to assess the regulatory influences of 6-benzylaminopurine (6-BA) and kinetin (KT) applied in A. hancockii. The results showed that when MS medium was supplemented with 4.0 mg/L 2,4-D and 2.0 mg/L KT, the effect of inducing callus from leaf, petiole, and root explants was the best. At this time, the leaf callus induction rate was 94.67%. Adding 3.0 mg/L KT to the medium alone had the best induction effect on adventitious shoots, and the induction rate in leaf tissue at this time was 91.96%. The optimal condition for rooting medium was MS supplement with 0.1 mg/L IBA. The use of 6-BA and KT made the endogenous metabolite content show a more up-regulated trend to a certain extent. In addition, this study found that 6-BA was advantageous to the synthesis and accumulation of phenolic acids, and KT was beneficial to the synthesis and proliferation of terpenoids. Cytokinins have a significant effect on the aromatic components of A. hancockii, and the effects of different cytokinins on aromatic components seem to be different. The results of this study indicate that plant tissue culture is an essential biotechnological means to change the pattern of aromatic components in aromatic plants. Key message: The use of 6-BA and KT both made the endogenous metabolite content show a more up-regulated trend to a certain extent in the rapid micropropagation system of Anaphalis hancockii Maxim. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Plumbagin is the major secondary metabolite found in Plumbago species, it exhibit a wide variety of pharmaceutical activities. The initial focus of this study was to establish a suitable protocol for direct shoot regeneration from nodal explants on Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium fortified with 6-benzylaminopurine (BAP) and α-naphthalene-acetic acid (NAA). Single shoot regenerated from the nodal explants when cultured on BAP alone, whereas multiple shoots regenerated with BAP and NAA. The maximum number of shoots were obtained on medium fortified with 5.5 µM BAP and 3.0 µM NAA. Furthermore, the shoot cultures were treated with biotic elicitors (lysates of Agrobacterium rhizogenes and Trichoderma viride and yeast extract). The application of elicitors was optimized by the Response Surface Methodology coupled with Box-Behnken design (RSM-BBD). The experimental and predicted values were analyzed and the elicitors were found to be stastically significant. Plumbagin was quantified by liquid chromatography/electrospray ionization tandem. The highest plumbagin yield was found to be 18-fold higher as compared to the control when treated with 1.5% A. rhizogenes lysate, 2.25% T. viride lysate and 2% yeast extract. The best model for optimum production of plumbagin was experimentally verified and the correlation between the predicted (1.751%) and actual values (1.732%) was found to be 98.7% for plumbagin production. The present study suggest that the elicitors used enhance the production of plumbagin considerably. It is the first ever study to report the successful utilization of lysates enhancing plumbagin production in the shoot cultures. Key message: In vitro production of plumbagin from Plumbago zeylenica. Analysis of plumbagin by LC-MS. Application of RSM to optimize the enhanced plumbagin yield by using eliciters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Micropropagation is a plant tissue culture technique widely used for the production of medicinal plants. Lippia dulcis is an aromatic species that has potential therapeutic use. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of a natural ventilation system (NVS) on the vegetative growth, anatomical characteristics, production of photosynthetic pigments, and antioxidant defense of Lippia dulcis plantlets grown in vitro. Nodal segments pre-established in vitro were inoculated in flasks with 50 mL of MS culture medium and sealed using lids with one (NVS1), two (NVS2), or four (NVS4) membranes or no membrane (NM). After 45 days, vegetative growth parameters, anatomical characteristics, accumulation of photosynthetic pigments and phenolic compounds, and antioxidant defense responses by nonenzymatic mechanisms were evaluated. The NVS4 group had the highest growth rates, greatest accumulation of photosynthetic pigments, and the most anatomically organized tissues, in addition to the best antioxidant defense response. This natural ventilation system with four membranes offered the best conditions for the growth and development of Lippia dulcis plantlets. Key Message: Alternative membrane system increased dry weight, improve anatomical characteristics, accumulation of photosynthetic pigments and phenolic compounds, and antioxidant defense in micropropagated plantlets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A rapid and efficient in vitro micropropagation system was developed to conserve Tripleurospermum fissurale (Sosn.) E.Hossain (Asteraceae), a rare endemic species for Turkey. Murashige and Skoog basal medium (MS) supplemented with 4.7 µM KIN was found to be the most appropriate basal medium with a 60% germination rate. MS medium supplemented with 4.9 µM 2iP and 0.5 µM IBA gave the highest shoot length of 54.3 ± 3.53 mm. Furthermore, 4.4 µM 6-BA combined with 0.5 µM IBA was superior for the highest shoot number with 3.4 ± 0.49 after 4-wk culture. Cytogenetic analyses indicated that all propagated plants have the same DNA ploidy level (x) and chromosome number (2n = 18) compared with the mother plants. After 4 wk, the rooting percentage achieved 100% in all tested rooting media. MS medium supplemented with 2.7 µM NAA favored the highest root number, root length, and secondary root number with 3.44 ± 0.5, 170.1 ± 4.91 mm, and 26.1 ± 1.65, respectively. Rooted plantlets were initially acclimatized and then transferred in greenhouse conditions. This method could be evaluated for ex situ conservation of rare endemic and endangered plant species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Boletín Latinoamericano y del Caribe de Plantas Medicinales y Aromáticas is the property of Universidad de Santiago de Chile and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Aloysia Paláu is an important herbal genus from the Verbenaceae family and possesses numerous remedial properties in the folk medicine of Asian, European, and, in particular, South American countries. Only a few reports have discussed some phytochemical characteristics associated with Aloysia species. Right the lack of an exhaustive report prompted us to organize this review article. Accordingly, besides the ethnobotanical knowledge of Aloysia species, their essential oil profiles, phytochemistry of the polar isolated fractions, and the relevant biological activities are discussed in detail. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In conventional in vitro cultivation systems, the use of polyvinyl chloride plastic film to seal the culture flasks hinders gas exchange. Consequently, morphophysiological disturbances may occur, causing economic losses and, in some cases, failure to apply plant tissue culture techniques. Therefore, the use of commercial gas permeable membranes, or the development of alternative sealing systems, are necessary for improvements in physiological processes, anatomical aspects and growth of plants propagated in vitro. Here, we proposed a simple and alternative low-cost sealing system, and evaluate its effectiveness to promote the in vitro growth and improvement of the physio-anatomical traits of Croton lechleri. The treatments were arranged in a 2 × 2 factorial scheme, two tube sealing systems (triple fabric surgical mask and polyvinyl chloride film) and two explant types (nodal segment and apical bud). The Quoirin and Leproivre culture medium supplemented with indole-3-butyric acid (0.5 mg.L− 1), sucrose (30 g.L− 1) and gar (7 g.L− 1) was applied. The mixotrophic culture system, using the triple-layer surgical mask as a closure type, allowed more gas exchange and growth uniformity, and improvement of physio-anatomical traits of Croton lechleri. Nodal segments cultivated under alternative sealing system produced plantlets with more roots, higher chlorophyll a content, and increase in thickness of palisade parenchyma and leaf blade. Additionally, our sealing system has several advantages for micropropagation, such as efficiency, does not result in contamination, and is relatively inexpensive to implement when compared to imported membranes and other alternative systems developed by other authors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Digitalis mariana Boiss. ssp. heywoodii is a source of bioactive cardenolides like glucoevatromonoside. The aim was to investigate the in vitro propagation of D. mariana ssp. heywoodii under different cytokinin concentrations and combinations, as well as distinct light intensities and wavelengths, and their effect on plant growth and total cardenolide production. Shoots were inoculated in MS culture medium supplemented with the following 6-benzylaminopurine (BAP) + thidiazuron (TDZ) cytokinin combinations. Shoots were additionally grown under different light intensities (20, 50, 78, 102 and 139 µmol m−2 s−1 LEDs) and wavelength conditions (fluorescent, white, green, blue (B), red (R) LEDs—70%R:30%B, 30%R:70%B, 50%R:50%B). The largest number of shoots was induced at BAP + TDZ concentrations of 0.5 + 0.5; 0.25 + 0.75 and 1.0 + 0.5 mg L−1, with mean values of 8.80, 10.37 and 10.60 shoot explants−1, respectively. The combination of 0.375 + 0.125 mg L−1 of BAP + TDZ (366 mg plant−1) resulted in the highest dry leaf weight. Increased cytokinin concentrations led to a larger number of hyperhydrified shoots and decreased cardenolide production. The absence of cytokinins in the medium resulted in higher contents of total cardenolides (0.310 ± 0.008%, g/g) in leaves. However, the combination of 0.375 mg L−1 BAP + 0.125 mg L−1 TDZ increased the total cardenolide production to 82.52 ± 12.52 mg TC plantlet−1. Light intensity of 139 µmol m−2 s−1 improved plant growth and cardenolide production. With respect to the light spectrum the blue/red wavelength combination encouraged shoot biomass production and elevated total cardenolide contents. Key message: Different cytokinin concentrations, light intensities and combinations of blue and red LEDs result in efficient biomass production and high yields of total cardenolides of Digitalis mariana Boiss. ssp. heywoodii. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]