Foliar enrichment of copper oxide nanoparticles promotes biomass, photosynthetic pigments, and commercially valuable secondary metabolites and essential oils in dragonhead (Dracocephalum moldavica L.) under semi-arid conditions

High alkaline and low organic carbon hinder micronutrients, such as copper (Cu), bioavailability in (semi-) arid soils, affecting plant nutrient quality and productivity. This study aimed at investigating the potential beneficial effects of foliar Cu oxide nanoparticles (CuONPs) and conventional chelated-Cu applications (0-400 mg Cu/L) on the biomass, physiological biomarkers of plant productivity and oxidative stress, Cu bioaugmentation, and essential oils and secondary metabolites in dragonhead (Dracocephalum moldavica [L.]) grown in Cu-limited alkaline soil in semi-arid condition. Employing a randomized complete block design with three replicates, two different sources of Cu (CuONPs and chelated-Cu), and a wide range of Cu concentrations (0, 40, 80, 160, and 400 mg Cu/L), plants were foliarly treated at day-60 and day-74. At day-120, plants were harvested at the end of the flowering stage. Results showed shoot Cu bioaccumulation, flavonoids and anthocyanin increased in a dose-dependent manner for both Cu compounds, but the beneficial effects were significantly higher with CuONPs compared to chelated-Cu treatments. Further, shoot biomass (23 %), photosynthetic pigments (chlorophyll-a and chlorophyll-b; 77 and 123 %, respectively), and essential oil content and yield (70 and 104 %, respectively) increased significantly with foliar application of 80 mg/L CuONPs compared to equivalent concentration of chelated-Cu, suggesting an optimal threshold beyond which toxicity was observed. Likewise, commercially important secondary metabolites' yield (such as geranyl acetate, geranial, neral, and geraniol) was higher with 80 mg/L CuONPs compared to 160 mg/L chelated-Cu (2.3, 0.5, 2.5, and 7.1 %, respectively). TEM analyses of leaf ultrastructure revealed altered cellular organelles for both compounds at 400 mg/L, corroborating the results of oxidative stress response (malondialdehyde and H2O2). In conclusion, these findings indicate significantly higher efficacy of CuONPs, with an optimal threshold of 80 mg/L, in promoting essential oil and bioactive compound yield in dragonhead and may pave a path for the use of nano-Cu as a sustainable fertilizer promoting agricultural production in semi-arid soils that are micronutrient Cu deficient.

The effect of different light treatments on morphogenesis, phenolic compound accumulation and antioxidant potential of Dracocephalum forrestii transformed shoots cultured in vitro

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of wavelengths of light emitted from LEDs on cultured in vitro transformed shoots of Dracocephalum forrestii. The shoots were grown on MS agar medium with 0.5 mg/l BPA (N-benzyl-9-(tetrahydropyranyl)-adenine) and 0.2 mg/l IAA (indole-3-acetic acid) under four light environments: blue, red, red/blue (7:3) and white (control). After four weeks of culture, shoot multiplication rate, biomass and morphology were evaluated, as well as bioactive phenolic content, antioxidant capacities and antioxidant enzyme activities. The hydromethanolic extracts from shoots were analyzed using UHPLC method, and antioxidant potential was evaluated using radical scavenging (1,1-diphenyl-2-picrohydrazyl and superoxide anion), and ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP), and enzymatic methods, i.e. sodium dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT) and peroxidase (POD) activity. It was found that the blue and red/blue light had the strongest effect on morphogenesis and shoot propagation; in these conditions, more than five new shoots were obtained per explant. The blue light cultures demonstrated the highest fresh (0.41 g/tube FW) and dry weights (0.045 g/tube DW), the highest levels of polyphenols (99.7 mg/g DW), i.e. almost three times greater than under white light (35.4 mg/g DW), as well as the highest antioxidant potential. Therefore, LED culture appears to be a beneficial strategy for enhancing the production of the medicinal value of transformed D. forrestii shoot culture.

Improvement of the yield-related response of mycorrhized Lallemantia iberica to salinity through sulfur-oxidizing bacteria

BACKGROUND

To investigate the effects of salinity as a serious environmental limiter of productivity on the yield-related traits of Lallemantia iberica, a split-plot experiment was performed for 2 years (2017-2018) based on a randomized complete block design with three replications at Urmia University (37°33'09″N, 45°05'53″E). The main plots included salinity stress at two levels (6.72 dS m^-1 , and 0.91 dS m^-1 as control), and subplots were inoculants at four levels (Funneliformis mosseae, Thiobacillus sp., F. mosseae + Thiobacillus sp., and no inoculation).

RESULTS

In the saline condition, serious reductions in yield and yield components (numbers of capsules per plant, seeds per capsule, and seeds per plant, 1000-seed weight, seed and biological yields), concentrations of leaf phosphorus and potassium, and relative mycorrhizal dependency were observed, but against the harvest index the leaf sulfur and sodium contents were increased. Moreover, all morphological traits (plant height, number of branches and leaves, leaf weight, stem weight, and ratio of leaf weight to stem weight) were decreased under salinity conditions. Mycorrhizal inoculation enhanced the salinity-induced reduction of yield and morphological traits to some extent. Inoculation with Thiobacillus had superiority in some of the yield and morphological characteristics compared with those in the non-inoculated plants.

CONCLUSION

Salinity stress can significantly affect the yield, morphological characteristics, nutrients content, and mycorrhizal dependency of L. iberica plants. This study exhibited the significant effects of single and simultaneous applications of F. mosseae and Thiobacillus on plant growth and yield in saline soils. © 2020 Society of Chemical Industry.

Transformed Shoots of Dracocephalum forrestii W.W. Smith from Different Bioreactor Systems as a Rich Source of Natural Phenolic Compounds

Transformed shoots of the Tibetan medicinal plant Dracocephalum forrestii were cultured in temporary immersion bioreactors (RITA and Plantform) and in nutrient sprinkle bioreactor (NSB) for 3 weeks in MS (Murashige and Skoog) liquid medium with 0.5 mg/L BPA (N-benzyl-9-(2-tetrahydropyranyl)-adenine) and 0.2 mg/L IAA (indole-3-acetic acid). The greatest biomass growth index (GI = 52.06 fresh weight (FW) and 55.67 dry weight (DW)) was observed for shoots in the RITA bioreactor, while the highest multiplication rate was found in the NSB (838 shoots per bioreactor). The levels of three phenolic acids and five flavonoid derivatives in the shoot hydromethanolic extract were evaluated using UHPLC (ultra-high performance liquid chromatography). The predominant metabolite was rosmarinic acid (RA)—the highest RA level (18.35 mg/g DW) and total evaluated phenol content (24.15 mg/g DW) were observed in shoots grown in NSB. The NSB culture, i.e., the most productive one, was evaluated for its antioxidant activity on the basis of reduction of ferric ions (ferric reducing antioxidant power, FRAP) and two scavenging radical (O₂^•– and DPPH, 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl radical) assays; its antibacterial, antifungal, and antiproliative potential against L929 cells was also tested (3-[4,5-dimethylthiazole-2-yl]-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) test). The plant material revealed moderate antioxidant and antimicrobial activities and demonstrated high safety in the MTT test—no cytotoxicity at concentrations up to 50 mg/mL was found, and less than a 20% decrease in L929 cell viability was observed at this concentration.

Chemical Diversity of Bastard Balm (Melittis melisophyllum L.) as Affected by Plant Development

The phytochemical diversity of Melittis melissophyllum was investigated in terms of seasonal changes and age of plants including plant organs diversity. The content of phenolics, namely: coumarin; 3,4-dihydroxycoumarin; o-coumaric acid 2-O-glucoside; verbascoside; apiin; luteolin-7-O-glucoside; and o-coumaric; p-coumaric; chlorogenic; caffeic; ferulic; cichoric acids, was determined using HPLC-DAD. Among these, luteolin-7-O-glucoside, verbascoside, chlorogenic acid, and coumarin were the dominants. The highest content of flavonoids and phenolic acids was observed in 2-year-old plants, while coumarin in 4-year-old plants (272.06 mg 100 g-1 DW). When considering seasonal changes, the highest content of luteolin-7-O-glucoside was observed at the full flowering, whereas verbascoside and chlorogenic acid were observed at the seed-setting stage. Among plant organs, the content of coumarin and phenolic acids was the highest in leaves, whereas verbascoside and luteolin-7-O-glucoside were observed in flowers. The composition of essential oil was determined using GC-MS/GC-FID. In the essential oil from leaves, the dominant was 1-octen-3-ol, whilst from flowers, the dominant was α-pinene.

The effect of purine-type cytokinin on the proliferation and production of phenolic compounds in transformed shoots of Dracocephalum forrestii

Dracocephalum forrestii is a perennial, endemic to China plant with a number of pharmaceutical properties. Transformed shoots of the species spontaneously regenerated from hairy roots induced by Agrobacterium rhizogenes. The transgenic nature of the shoots was confirmed by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). The shoot culture was multiplied on Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium with 0.2 mg/l IAA and 0.2, 0.5, 1.0, 2.0 or 5.0 mg/l purine-type cytokinins (mT, BAR, BPA or BAP). The highest multiplication rate (about thirteen shoot or buds per explant) was obtained on MS medium with 0.2 mg/l mT after four weeks of culture. The phenolic compounds present in the hydromethanolic extracts from the D. forrestii transgenic shoots were characterized using UPLC-PDA-ESI-MS. The shoots were found to biosynthesize three phenolic acids and five flavonoid glycosides. UHPLC analysis of the hydromethanolic extracts found the predominant phenolic acid to be rosmarinic acid, with its highest content observed in shoots cultivated with 5.0 mg/l BPA. In contrast, the greatest production of flavonoid derivatives (especially acacetin derivatives) was observed in the medium supplemented with 2 mg/l BPA.

Iron oxide nanoparticles: a novel elicitor to enhance anticancer flavonoid production and gene expression in Dracocephalum kotschyi hairy-root cultures

BACKGROUND

Dracocephalum kotschyi Boiss. is a valuable source of rosmarinic acid (RA) and methoxylated hydroxyflavones (such as xanthomicrol and cirsimaritin) with antioxidative and antiplatelet effects and with antiproliferative potential against various cancer cells. The extensive application of nanotechnology in hairy root cultures is a new sustainable production platform for producing these active constituents. In the present study, hairy roots derived from 4-week-old leaves and Agrobacterium rhizogenes strain ATCC15834 were used to investigate the impact of various concentrations of iron oxide nanoparticles (Fe NPs) in two elicitation time exposures (24 and 48 h) on growth, antioxidant enzyme activity, total phenolic and flavonoid content (TPC and TFC), and some polyphenols. Gene expression levels of phenylalanine ammonia-lyase (pal) and rosmarinic acid synthase (ras) were also analyzed.

RESULTS

Iron nanoparticles enhanced biomass accumulation in hairy roots. The treatment time and Fe NP dosage largely improved the activity of antioxidant enzymes, TPC and TFC. The highest RA (1194 μg g^-1 FW) content (9.7-fold), compared to controls, was detected with 24 h of exposure to 75 mg L^-1 Fe NP, which was consistent with the expression of pal and ras genes under the influence of elicitation. The xanthomicrol, cirsimaritin, and isokaempferide content was increased 11.87, 3.85, and 2.27-fold, respectively.

CONCLUSION

Stimulation of D. kotschyi hairy roots by Fe NPs led to a significant increase in the induction and production of important pharmaceutical compounds such as rosmarinic acid and xanthomicrol. © 2019 Society of Chemical Industry.

Changes in cambial activity are related to precipitation patterns in four tropical hardwood species grown in Indonesia

PREMISE

Cambial activity in some tropical trees varies intra-annually, with the formation of xylem rings. Identification of the climatic factors that regulate cambial activity is important for understanding the growth of such species. We analyzed the relationship between climatic factors and cambial activity in four tropical hardwoods, Acacia mangium, Tectona grandis, Eucalyptus urophylla, and Neolamarckia cadamba in Yogyakarta, Java Island, Indonesia, which has a rainy season (November-June) and a dry season (July-October).

METHODS

Small blocks containing phloem, cambium, and xylem were collected from main stems in January 2014, October 2015 and October 2016, and examined with light microscopy for cambial cell division, fusiform cambial cells, and expanding xylem cells as evidence of cambial activity.

RESULTS

During the rainy season, when precipitation was high, cambium was active. By contrast, during the dry season in 2015, when there was no precipitation, cambium was dormant. However, in October 2016, during the so-called dry season, cambium was active, cell division was conspicuous, and a new xylem ring formation was initiated. The difference in cambial activity appeared to be related to an unusual pattern of precipitation during the typically dry months, from July to October, in 2016.

CONCLUSIONS

Our results indicate that low or absent precipitation for 3 to 4 months induces cessation of cambial activity and temporal periodicity of wood formation in the four species studied. By contrast, in the event of continuing precipitation, cambial activity in the same trees may continue throughout the year. The frequency pattern of precipitation appears to be an important determinant of wood formation in tropical trees.

A database-driven approach identifies additional diterpene synthase activities in the mint family (Lamiaceae)

Members of the mint family (Lamiaceae) accumulate a wide variety of industrially and medicinally relevant diterpenes. We recently sequenced leaf transcriptomes from 48 phylogenetically diverse Lamiaceae species. Here, we summarize the available chemotaxonomic and enzyme activity data for diterpene synthases (diTPSs) in the Lamiaceae and leverage the new transcriptomes to explore the diTPS sequence and functional space. Candidate genes were selected with an intent to evenly sample the sequence homology space and to focus on species in which diTPS transcripts were found, yet from which no diterpene structures have been previously reported. We functionally characterized nine class II diTPSs and 10 class I diTPSs from 11 distinct plant species and found five class II activities, including two novel activities, as well as a spectrum of class I activities. Among the class II diTPSs, we identified a neo-cleroda-4(18),13E-dienyl diphosphate synthase from Ajuga reptans, catalyzing the likely first step in the biosynthesis of a variety of insect-antifeedant compounds. Among the class I diTPSs was a palustradiene synthase from Origanum majorana, leading to the discovery of specialized diterpenes in that species. Our results provide insights into the diversification of diterpene biosynthesis in the mint family and establish a comprehensive foundation for continued investigation of diterpene biosynthesis in the Lamiaceae.

Phytochemical Profiles of Alpine Plant Horminum pyrenaicum L. during Phenological Growth Stages

Horminum pyrenaicum L. is a medicinal, aromatic and ornamental plant native to the Pyrenees and Alps. The phytochemical composition is affected by various ecological factors, climatic conditions and cultivating factors, and especially phenological growth stages. Flavonoids, phenolic acids and triterpenic acids were identified and quantified in the above-ground parts of H. pyrenaicum during the phenological stages. The massive flowering was distinguished with the greatest total amounts of phenolic compounds (22232.8 μg/g), and rosmarinic acid was the predominant compound. The amounts of triterpenic compounds were at the lowest during the intense growth stage and significantly increased up to the massive flowering. The prevailing compounds were ursolic acid and betulinic acid, 12092.4 μg/g and 2618.9 μg/g, respectively. The major essential oil compounds were β-phellandrene (56.6%), caryophyllene oxide (5.9%), (Z)-caryophyllene (4.4%), myrcene (4.1%) and thymol (3.6%). Selecting the optimal harvesting time could ensure the herbal raw material rich with preferred bioactive compounds.

Balangu (Lallemantia sp.) growth and physiology under field drought conditions affecting plant medicinal content

Drought stress is one of the most important stresses adversely affecting plant growth and yield production. Due to the importance of global warming, the investigation of drought effects on the growth and quality of medical plants is of vital importance. Accordingly, a two-year field experiment was conducted in 2013-2014 to determine the effects of drought levels and plant species on Balangu (Lallemantia sp.) growth and physiological properties including medicinal content. The experiment was a split plot in which the drought levels (main plots) including control (D1, moisture field capacity, water potential at, 0.5 atm), moderate stress (D2, 6.5 atm) and severe stress (D3, 9.5 atm), and the Balangu species (sub plots) including Lallemantia royleana (Benth) (L1) and L. iberica (L2) were tested as the experimental treatments. Plant yield, oil content and the biochemical properties (i.e. medicinal content) including phenolic compounds, proline, carotenoids, and the activity of antioxidant enzymes including peroxidase (EC 1.11.1), super oxide dismutase (SOD, EC 1.15.1.1)) and ascorbate peroxidase (APX, EC 1.11.1.11) were determined. Drought stress significantly decreased crop yield and oil content. However, the production of phenolic compounds and proline as well as the activity of antioxidant enzymes, SOD and APX increased under stress. The species L2 was the more tolerant species under drought stress. The interesting point about this research work is the increased production of secondary metabolites (i.e. phenolic compounds) under stress, affecting both Balangu response and medicinal properties. Accordingly, it may be possible to regulate the production of secondary metabolites (medicinal contents) in Balangu species by adjusting the irrigating practices.

Enhanced accumulation of harpagide and 8-O-acetyl-harpagide in Melittis melissophyllum L. agitated shoot cultures analyzed by UPLC-MS/MS

Harpagide and its derivatives have valuable medicinal properties, such as anti-inflammatory, analgesic and potential antirheumatic effects. There is the demand for searching plant species containing these iridoids or developing biotechnological methods to obtain the compounds. The present study investigated the effects of methyl jasmonate (MeJa, 50 μM), ethephon (Eth, 50 μM) and L-phenylalanine (L-Phe, 2.4 g/L of medium), added to previously selected variant of Murashige and Skoog medium (supplemented with plant growth regulators: 6-benzylaminopurine 1.0 mg/L, α-naphthaleneacetic acid 0.5 mg/L, gibberellic acid 0.25 mg/L) on the accumulation of harpagide and 8-O-acetyl-harpagide in Melittis melissophyllum L. agitated shoot cultures. Plant material was harvested 2 and 8 days after the supplementation. Iridoids were quantitatively analyzed by the UPLC-MS/MS method in extracts from the biomass and the culture medium. It was found that all of the variants caused an increase in the accumulation of harpagide. In the biomass harvested after 2 days, the highest harpagide content of 247.3 mg/100 g DW was found for variant F (L-Phe and Eth), and the highest 8-O-acetyl-harpagide content of 138 mg/100 g DW for variant E (L-Phe and MeJa). After 8 days, in some variants, a portion of the metabolites was released into the culture medium. Considering the total amount of the compounds (in the biomass and medium), the highest accumulation of harpagide, amounting to 619 mg/100 g DW, was found in variant F, and the highest amount of 8-O-acetyl-harpagide, of 255.4 mg/100 g DW, was found in variant H (L-Phe, MeJa, Eth) when harvested on the 8th day. These amounts were, respectively, 24.7 and 4.8 times higher than in the control culture, and were, respectively, 15 and 6.7 times higher than in the leaves of the soil-grown plant. The total amount of the two iridoids was highest for variant F (0.78% DW) and variant H (0.68% DW) when harvested on the 8th day. The results indicate that the agitated shoot cultures of M. melissophyllum can be a rich source of harpagide and 8-O-acetyl-harpagide, having a potential practical application. To the best of our knowledge we present for the first time the results of the quantitative UPLC-MS/MS analysis of harpagide and 8-O-acetyl-harpagide in M. melissophyllum shoot cultures and the enhancement of their accumulation by means of medium supplementation with elicitors and precursor.

Stochastic modelling of tree architecture and biomass allocation: application to teak (Tectona grandis L. f.), a tree species with polycyclic growth and leaf neoformation

Background and aims

For a given genotype, the observed variability of tree forms results from the stochasticity of meristem functioning and from changing and heterogeneous environmental factors affecting biomass formation and allocation. In response to climate change, trees adapt their architecture by adjusting growth processes such as pre- and neoformation, as well as polycyclic growth. This is the case for the teak tree. The aim of this work was to adapt the plant model, GreenLab, in order to take into consideration both these processes using existing data on this tree species.

Methods

This work adopted GreenLab formalism based on source-sink relationships at organ level that drive biomass production and partitioning within the whole plant over time. The stochastic aspect of phytomer production can be modelled by a Bernoulli process. The teak model was designed, parameterized and analysed using the architectural data from 2- to 5-year-old teak trees in open field stands.

Key results

Growth and development parameters were identified, fitting the observed compound organic series with the theoretical series, using generalized least squares methods. Phytomer distributions of growth units and branching pattern varied depending on their axis category, i.e. their physiological age. These emerging properties were in accordance with the observed growth patterns and biomass allocation dynamics during a growing season marked by a short dry season.

Conclusions

Annual growth patterns observed on teak, including shoot pre- and neoformation and polycyclism, were reproduced by the new version of the GreenLab model. However, further updating is discussed in order to ensure better consideration of radial variation in basic specific gravity of wood. Such upgrading of the model will enable teak ideotypes to be defined for improving wood production in terms of both volume and quality.

Smelling the metal: Volatile organic compound emission under Zn excess in the mint Tetradenia riparia

This work investigated the effect of Zn excess on growth, metal accumulation and photosynthetic changes in Tetradenia riparia, in relation to possible variations in the composition of the plant volatilome. Experiments were carried out in hydroponics exposing plants to a range of Zn concentrations. Zinc excess negatively affected plant growth in a dose-dependent manner. The metal was accumulated proportionally to its concentration in the medium and preferentially allocated to roots. All the photosynthetic parameters and the concentration of some photosynthetic pigments were negatively affected by Zn, whereas the level of leaf total soluble sugars remained unchanged. Twenty-three different VOCs were identified in the plant volatilome. Each compound was emitted at a different level and intensity of emission was manifold increased by the presence of Zn in the growth medium. The Zn-induced compounds could represent both an adaptive response (f.i. methanol, acetylene, C₆-aldehydes, isoprene, terpenes) and a damage by-product (f.i. propanal, acetaldehyde, alkyl fragments) of the metal presence in the culture medium. Given that the Zn-mediated induction of those VOCs, considered protective, occurred even under a Zn-limited photosynthetic capacity, our work supports the hypothesis of an active role of such molecules in an adaptive plant response to trace metal stress.

Effects of Salt Stress on Plant Growth, Antioxidant Capacity, Glandular Trichome Density, and Volatile Exudates of Schizonepeta tenuifolia Briq

Salinity is a major abiotic factor affecting plant growth and secondary metabolism. However, no information is available about its effects on Schizonepeta tenuifolia Briq., a traditional Chinese herb. Here, we investigated the changes of plant growth, antioxidant capacity, glandular trichome density, and volatile exudates of S. tenuifolia exposed to salt stress (0, 25, 50, 75, 100 mM NaCl). Results showed that its dry biomass was reduced by salt treatments except 25 mM NaCl. Contents of antioxidants, including phenolics and flavonoids, increased at low (25 mM) or moderate (50 mM) levels, but declined at severe (75 and 100 mM) levels. On leaf surfaces, big peltate and small capitate glandular trichomes (GTs) were found. Salt treatments, especially at moderate and severe concentrations, enhanced the density of total GTs on both leaf sides. The most abundant compound in GT volatile exudates was pulegone. Under salinity, relative contents of this component and other monoterpenes decreased significantly; biosynthesis and accumulation of esters were enhanced, particularly sulfurous acid,2-ethylhexyl hexyl ester, which became the second major compound as salinity increased. In conclusion, salt stress significantly influenced the growth and secondary metabolism of S. tenuifolia, enabling us to study the changes of its pharmacological activities.

Antimicrobial, anticancer, and antioxidant compounds from Premna resinosa growing in Saudi Arabia

CONTEXT

Premna resinosa (Hochst.) Schauer (Lamiaceae) is used in many places to treat bronchitis, respiratory illness and convulsions of the rib cage.

OBJECTIVE

This study evaluates the anticancer, antimicrobial and antioxidant activities of P. resinosa, and isolates some responsible constituents.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The methanol extract of P. resinosa aerial parts and its fractions (n-hexane, dichloromethane, ethyl acetate and n-butanol) were tested. Antimicrobial activity was tested using microdilution method against three Gram-positive and four Gram-negative bacteria. The tested concentrations ranged from 4000 to 7.8 μg/mL and MIC values were determined after 24 h incubation. Anticancer activity was evaluated against three human cancer cell lines (Daoy, HepG2 and SK-MEL28) using MTT assay. Antioxidant activity was investigated by DPPH scavenging method and β-carotene-linoleic acid assay.

RESULTS

The greatest antimicrobial activity was exhibited by n-hexane fraction (MIC 10 μg/mL) against Staphylococcus aureus, Enterococcus faecalis, and Shigella flexneri. The n-hexane fraction induced the greatest cytotoxic activity against Daoy, HepG2, and SK-MEL28 cell lines with IC₅₀ values of 9.0, 8.5 and 13.2, respectively. Moreover, the dichloromethane and ethyl acetate fractions showed the highest antioxidant potential. A bioassay-guided fractionation led to the isolation and characterization of seven compounds for the first time, namely, quercetin (1), 3-methoxy quercetin (2), kaempferol (3), 3-methoxy kaempferol (4), myricetin 3,7,3'-trimethyl ether (5), lupeol (6), and stigmasterol (7).

CONCLUSION

Our results indicate that P. resinosa is a source for antimicrobial and cytotoxic compounds. However, further work is required to isolate other active principles and to determine the mechanism of action.

Climatic-Induced Shifts in the Distribution of Teak (Tectona grandis) in Tropical Asia: Implications for Forest Management and Planning

Modelling the future suitable climate space for tree species has become a widely used tool for forest management planning under global climate change. Teak (Tectona grandis) is one of the most valuable tropical hardwood species in the international timber market, and natural teak forests are distributed from India through Myanmar, Laos and Thailand. The extents of teak forests are shrinking due to deforestation and the local impacts of global climate change. However, the direct impacts of climate changes on the continental-scale distributions of native and non-native teak have not been examined. In this study, we developed a species distribution model for teak across its entire native distribution in tropical Asia, and its non-native distribution in Bangladesh. We used presence-only records of trees and twelve environmental variables that were most representative for current teak distributions in South and Southeast Asia. MaxEnt (maximum entropy) models were used to model the distributions of teak under current and future climate scenarios. We found that land use/land cover change and elevation were the two most important variables explaining the current and future distributions of native and non-native teak in tropical Asia. Changes in annual precipitation, precipitation seasonality and annual mean actual evapotranspiration may result in shifts in the distributions of teak across tropical Asia. We discuss the implications for the conservation of critical teak habitats, forest management planning, and risks of biological invasion that may occur due to its cultivation in non-native ranges.

Transcriptomic analyses reveal biosynthetic genes related to rosmarinic acid in Dracocephalum tanguticum

Dracocephalum tanguticum Maxim, a Lamiaceae species endemic to the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau and adjacent regions, is an important ornamental, medicinal and aromatic herb. In this study, a comprehensive transcriptome of 18 libraries from six organs namely, roots, stems, leaves, sepals, flowers and seeds of D. tanguticum were generated. More than 100 Gb of sequence data were obtained and assembled de novo into 187,447 transcripts, including 151,463 unigenes, among which the six organs shared 17.7% (26,841). In addition, all unigenes were assigned to 362 pathways, in which 'biosynthesis of secondary metabolites' is the second enriched pathway. Furthermore, rosmarinic acid (RA) is one of the multifunctional phenolic bioactive compounds produced in some Lamiaceae species. The six organs of D. tanguticum were confirmed to produce RA. A total of 22 predicted biosynthetic genes related to RA from the transcriptome were further isolated. Two of these genes were identified as candidates by evaluating the correlation coefficient between the RA contents and the expression of the predicted biosynthetic genes in the six organs. The new sequence information will improve the knowledge of D. tanguticum, as well as provide a reference tool for future studies of biosynthetic genes related to RA in this species.

AM fungi patchiness and the clonal growth of Glechoma hederacea in heterogeneous environments

The effect of AM fungi spatial distribution on individual plant development may determine the dynamics of the whole plant community. We investigated whether clonal plants display, like for other resources, a foraging or a specialization response, to adapt to the distribution of AM fungi. Two separate experiments were done to investigate the response of Glechoma hederacea to a heterogeneous distribution of a mixture of 3 AM fungi species, and the effects of each species on colonization and allocation traits. No specialization and a limited foraging response to the heterogeneous distribution of AM fungi was observed. An effect of the AM fungal species on plant mass allocation and ramet production, but not on spacer length, was detected. Two possible explanations are proposed: (i) the plant's responses are buffered by differences in individual effects of the fungal species or their root colonization intensity. (ii) the initial heterogeneous distribution of AM fungi is perceived as homogeneous by the plant either by reduced physiological integration or due to the transfer of AM fungi propagules through the stolons. Microscopic and DNA sequencing analyses provided evidence of this transfer, thus demonstrating the role of stolons as dispersal vectors of AM fungi within the plant clonal network.

Copper-induced alteration in sucrose partitioning and its relationship to the root growth of two Elsholtzia haichowensis Sun populations

Hydroponic culture was used to comparatively investigate the copper (Cu)-induced alteration to sucrose metabolism and biomass allocation in two Elsholtzia haichowensis Sun populations with one from a Cu-contaminated site (CS) and the other from a non-contaminated site (NCS). Experimental results revealed that biomass allocation preferred roots over shoots in CS population, and shoots over roots in NCS population under Cu exposure. The difference in biomass allocation was correlated with the difference in sucrose partitioning between the two populations. Cu treatment (45 μM) significantly decreased leaf sucrose content and increased root sucrose content in CS population as a result of the increased activities of leaf sucrose synthesis enzymes (sucrose phosphate synthetase and sucrose synthase) and root sucrose cleavage enzyme (vacuolar invertase), which led to increased sucrose transport from leaves to roots. In contrast, higher Cu treatment increased sucrose content in leaves and decreased sucrose content in roots in NCS population as a result of the decreased activities of root sucrose cleavage enzymes (vacuolar and cell wall invertases) that led to less sucrose transport from leaves to roots. These results provide important insights into carbon resource partitioning and biomass allocation strategies in metallophytes and are beneficial for the implementation of phytoremediation techniques.

Glandular trichomes and essential oil characteristics of in vitro propagated Micromeria pulegium (Rochel) Benth. (Lamiaceae)

In vitro conditions and benzyladenine influenced both content and composition of micropropagated Micromeria pulegium essential oils, with pulegone and menthone being the main essential oil components. The content and chemical composition of Micromeria pulegium (Rochel) Benth. essential oils were studied in native plant material at vegetative stage and in micropropagated plants, obtained from nodal segments cultured on solid MS medium supplemented with N(6)-benzyladenine (BA) or kinetin at different concentrations, alone or in combination with indole-3-acetic acid. Shoot proliferation was achieved in all treatments, but the highest biomass production was obtained after treatment with 10 μM BA. Phytochemical analysis identified up to 21 compounds in the essential oils of wild-growing and in vitro cultivated plants, both showing very high percentages of total monoterpenoids dominated by oxygenated monoterpenes of the menthane type. Pulegone and menthone were the main essential oil components detected in both wild-growing plants (60.07 and 26.85 %, respectively) and micropropagated plants grown on either plant growth regulator-free medium (44.57 and 29.14 %, respectively) or BA-supplemented medium (50.77 and 14.45 %, respectively). The percentage of total sesquiterpenoids increased in vitro, particularly owing to sesquiterpene hydrocarbons that were not found in wild-growing plants. Differences in both content and the composition of the essential oils obtained from different samples indicated that in vitro culture conditions and plant growth regulators significantly influence the essential oils properties. In addition, the morphology and structure of M. pulegium glandular trichomes in relation to the secretory process were characterized for the first time using SEM and light microscopy, and their secretion was histochemically analyzed.

Influence of root-knot nematode infestation on antioxidant enzymes, chlorophyll content and growth in Pogostemon cablin (Blanco) Benth

Plants adapt themselves to overcome adverse environmental conditions, and this involves a plethora of concurrent cellular activities. Physiological experiments or metabolic profiling can quantify this response. Among several diseases of Pogostemon cablin (Blanco) Benth. (Patchouli), root-knot nematode infection caused by Meloidogyne incognita (Kofoid and White) Chitwood causes severe damage to the plant and hence, the oil production. In the present study, we identified M. incognita morphologically and at molecular level using sequenced characterized amplified region marker (SCAR). M. incognita was artificially inoculated at different levels of second stage juveniles (J₂) to examine the effect on Patchouli plant growth parameters. Peroxidase and polyphenol oxidase enzyme activity and changes in the total phenol and chlorophyll contents in M. incognita was also evaluated in response to infection. The results have demonstrated that nematode infestation leads to increased peroxidase activities in the leaves of the patchouli plants and thereby, increase in phenolic content as a means of defence against nematode infestation. Chlorophyll content was also found decreased but no changes in polyphenol oxidase enzyme activity.

Increased plant growth and copper uptake of host and non-host plants by metal-resistant and plant growth-promoting endophytic bacteria

The effects of inoculation with two metal-resistant and plant growth-promoting endophytic bacteria (Burkholderia sp. GL12 and Bacillus megaterium JL35) were evaluated on the plant growth and Cu uptake in their host Elsholtzia splendens and non-host Brassica napus plants grown in natural Cu-contaminated soil. The two strains showed a high level of ACC deaminase activities. In pot experiments, inoculation with strain GL12 significantly increased root and above-ground tissue dry weights of both plants, consequently increasing the total Cu uptake of E. splendens and Brassica napus by 132% and 48.2% respectively. Inoculation with strain JL35 was found to significantly increase not only the biomass of B. napus, consequently increasing the total Cu uptake of B. napus by 31.3%, but Cu concentration of E. splendens for above-ground tissues by 318% and roots by 69.7%, consequently increasing the total Cu uptake of E. splendens by 223%. The two strains could colonize the rhizosphere soils and root interiors of both plants. Notably, strain JL35 could colonize the shoot tissues and significantly increase the translocation factors and bioaccumulation factors of E. splendens. These results suggested that Burkholderia sp. GL12 and B. megaterium JL35 were valuable bacterial resource which had the potential in improving the efficiency of Cu phytoextraction by E. splendens and B. napus in a natural Cu-contaminated soil.

Effect of simulated climate warming on the morphological and physiological traits of Elsholtzia haichowensis in copper contaminated soil

The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of temperature and Cu on the morphological and physiological traits of Elsholtzia haichowensis grown in soils amended with four Cu concentrations (0, 50, 500, and 1000 mg kg(-1)) under ambient temperature and slight warming. At the same Cu concentration, the height, shoot dry weight, total plant dry weight, and root morphological parameters such as length, surface area and tip number of E. haichowensis increased due to the slight warming. The net photosynthetic rate, stomatal conductance, transpiration, light use efficiency were also higher under the slight warming than under ambient temperature. The increased Cu concentrations, total Cu uptake, bioaccumulation factors and tolerance indexes of shoots and roots were also observed at the slight warming. The shoot dry weight, root dry weight, total plant dry weight and the bioaccumulation factors of shoots and roots at 50 mg Cu kg(-1) were significantly higher than those at 500 and 1000 mg Cu kg(-1) under the slight warming. Therefore, the climate warming may improve the ability of E. haichowensis to phytoremediate Cu-contaminated soil, and the ability improvement greatly depended on the Cu concentrations in soils.

[Phenotypic Trait Variation, Correlation and Path Analysis of Clerodendranthus spicatus]

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the phenotypic trait variation range of Clerodendranthus spicatus, and to look for phenotypic traits closely related with its yield and quality, in order to provide reference for its breeding.

METHODS

Randomly labelled plants of Clerodendranthus spicatus, observed its phenotypic traits and analyzed by variation, principal component, correlation and path analysis.

RESULTS

13 phenotypic traits in the 15 germplasms of Clerodendranthus spicatus had great variations, the variations mainly distributed in yield, growth and genetic characteristics. Correlation and path analysis showed that, the plant dry weight had an extremely significantly positive correlation with fresh weight, and a positive correlation with stem height, stem diameter and root diameter. Plant fresh weight had a majorly direct contribution to the plant dry weight, stem height, stem diameter and root diameter also had a direct contribution to the plant dry weight. The other characters, including root length, branches, the number of leaf nodes, leaf number, leaf length, leaf width, fresh weight/dry weight ratio, rosmarinic acid content and ursolic acid content all had a negatively direct contribution to the plant dry weight. Rosmarinic acid content had a positive correlation with fresh weight, and a significantly positive correlation with fresh weight/dry weight ratio. Fresh weight had a majorly direct contribution to the rosmarinic acid content, stem height and stem diameter also had a direct contribution to the plant rosmarinic acid content. The other characters, including root length, root diameter, branches, the number of leaf nodes, leaf length, leaf width, dry weight, fresh weight/dry weight ratio, and ursolic acid content all had a negatively direct contribution to the rosmarinic acid content.

CONCLUSION

The phenotypic traits of Clerodendranthus spicatus had rich variations on yield, growth and genetic characteristics. When choosing good germplasm, plant fresh weight, stem height, stem diameter and plant fresh weight/dry weight ratio having promoting effects on the plant dry weight and rosmarinic acid content should be considered comprehensively, and plant with vigorous growth, tall stem and more leaves can be choosed firstly.

Throughfall under a teak plantation in Thailand: a multifactorial analysis on the effects of canopy phenology and meteorological conditions

Valuable teak (Tectona grandis Linn. f.) plantations cover vast areas throughout Southeast Asia. This study sought to increase our understanding of throughfall inputs under teak by analyzing the abiotic and biotic factors governing throughfall amounts and ratios in relation to three canopy phenophases (leafless, leafing, and leafed). There was no rain during the brief leaf senescence phenophase in our study. Leveraging detailed field observations, we employed boosted regression tree (BRT) analysis to identify the primary controls on throughfall amount and ratio during each canopy phenophase. Whereas throughfall amounts were always dominated by rainfall magnitude (as expected), throughfall ratios were governed by a suite of predictor variables during each phenophase. The BRT analysis demonstrated that throughfall ratio in the leafless phase was most influenced (in descending order of importance) by air temperature, rainfall amount, maximum wind speed, and rainfall intensity. Throughfall ratio in the leafed phenophase was dominated by rainfall amount. The leafing phenophase was an intermediate case where rainfall amount, air temperature, and vapor pressure deficit were most important. Our results highlight the fact that throughfall ratios are differentially influenced by a suite of meteorological variables during each canopy phenophase. Abiotic variables, such as rainfall amount and air temperature, trumped leaf area index and stand density in their effect on throughfall ratio. The leafing phenophase, while transitional in nature and short in duration, has a detectable and unique impact on water inputs to teak plantations. Further work is needed to better understand the biogeochemistry of leaf emergence in teak plantations.

Effect of heavy-metal-resistant bacteria on enhanced metal uptake and translocation of the Cu-tolerant plant, Elsholtzia splendens

A hydroponics trial was employed to study the effects of Pseudomonas putida CZ1 (CZ1), a heavy-metal-resistant bacterial strain isolated from the rhizosphere of Elsholtzia splendens (E. splendens), on the uptake and translocation of copper (Cu) in E. splendens. Significant promotion of plant growth coupled with the obvious plant-growth-promoting (PGP) characters of the bacteria suggested that CZ1 would be a plant-growth-promoting rhizobacterium (PGPR) to E. splendens under Cu stress condition. The results of inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES) showed that CZ1 increased the concentration of Cu in the shoots (up to 211.6% compared to non-inoculation treatment) and translocation factor (TF) (from 0.56 to 1.83%) of those exposed to Cu. The distribution of Cu in root cross section measured by synchrotron-based X-ray fluorescence microscopy (SRXRF) indicated that CZ1 promoted the transport of Cu from cortex to xylem in roots, which contributed to the accumulation of Cu in shoots. Furthermore, CZ1 improved the uptake of nutrient elements by plants to oppose to the toxicity of Cu. In summary, P. putida CZ1 acted as a PGPR in resistance to Cu and promoted the accumulation and translocation of Cu from root to shoot by element redistribution in plant root; hence, CZ1 is a promising assistance to phytoremediation.

Inter-annual variation in the response of leaf-out onset to soil moisture increase in a teak plantation in northern Thailand

To understand the impact of inter-annual climate change on vegetation-atmosphere mass and energy exchanges, it has become necessary to explore changes in leaf-out onset in response to climatic fluctuations. We examined the response of leaf-out and transpiration onset dates to soil moisture in a teak plantation in northern Thailand based on a 12-year leaf area index and sap flow measurements. The date of leaf-out and transpiration onset varied between years by up to 40 days, and depended on the initial date when the relative extractable water in a soil layer of 0-0.6 m (Θ) was greater than 0.2 being consistent with our previous results. Our new finding is that the delay in leaf-out and transpiration onset relative to the initial date when Θ > 0.2 increases linearly as the initial date on which Θ > 0.2 becomes earlier. The delay spans about 20 days in years when Θ > 0.2 occurs in March (the late dry season)-much earlier than usual because of heavy pre-monsoon rainfalls-while there is little delay in years when Θ > 0.2 occurs in May. This delay indicates the influence of additional factors on leaf-out onset, which controls the delay in the response of leaf-out to soil moisture increase. The results increased our knowledge about the pattern and extent of the changes in leaf phenology that occur in response to the inter-annual climate variation in tropical regions, where, in particular, such research is needed.

Seedling emergence, growth and trace elements tolerance and accumulation by Lamiaceae species in a mine soil

The potential use of three Laminaceae species (Lavandula dentata, Rosmarinus officinalis and Thymus vulgaris) for the phytostabilisation of a trace elements contaminated (acid) soil has been evaluated. These species were grown in mine tailing soil unamended (TS) and amended with calcium carbonate and pig manure (ATS), and unpolluted substrate for control (CT); plant growth, root characterisation, soil trace elements contents and their accumulation in plants were measured. Results indicated that seed emergence was independent from substrate characteristics, but seedlings died in TS with 40% survival in ATS. The biomass of L. dentata and T. vulgaris and root development in R. officinalis were negatively affected when grown in TS but without differences between ATS and CT. Applicating amendments reduced soil exchangeable and extractable fractions concentrations of trace elements in ATS compared with TS. The establishment of L. dentata and R. officinalis were related to trace elements immobilisation. Trace element concentrations in plants grown in tailing soils were similar to those reported for control, although applicating amendments reduced Zn accumulation in all species, and favoured increased absorption and aerial translocation of As and Pb by L. dentata and T. vulgaris; nonetheless, levels were below toxicity thresholds. Thus, these species fulfill the criteria for phytostabilisation purposes, aided by employing amendments.

Efficient micropropagation of highly economic, medicinal and ornamental plant Lallemantia iberica (Bieb.) Fisch. and C. A. Mey

Lallemantia iberica (Bieb.) Fisch. and C. A. Mey is high valued annual ornamental and medicinal plant from Lamiaceae family that prefers dry sunny hillsides, roadsides, slopes, and fallow fields over an altitude of 500-2150 m. It bears beautiful white flowers and bloom from April to June each year. This study reports L. iberica micropropagation using cotyledon node explants isolated from 15-day-old in vitro regenerated plantlets. The cotyledon node explants were cultured on MS medium containing 0.50, 1.00 plus 2.00 mg/L BAP, 0.00, 0.01, and 0.02 mg/L NAA. Maximum shoot regeneration was noted on MS medium containing 0.50 mg/L BAP. Well-developed micropropagated shoots were rooted on MS medium containing 1.00 mg/L IBA. The rooted plants were easily hardened in the growth chamber and acclimatised in greenhouse.

[Induction of polyploid hairy roots and its plant regeneration in Pogostemon cablin]

Abstract: In order to enhance the content of secondary metabolites patchouli alcohol in Pogostemon cablin, we induced polyploid hairy roots and their plant regeneration, and determined the content of patchouli alcohol through artificial chromosome doubling with colchicine. The highest rate of polyploidy induction was more than 40% when hairy roots were treated with 0.05% colchicine for 36 h. The obtained polyploid hairy roots formed adventitious shoots when cultured in an MS medium with 6-BA 0.2 mg/L and NAA 0.1 mg/L for 60 d. Compared with the control diploid plants, the polyploid hairy root-regenerated plants of P. cablin had more developed root systems, thicker stems, shorter internodes and longer, wider and thicker leaves. Observation of the chromosome number in their root tip cells reveals that the obtained polyploid regenerated plants were tetraploidy, with 128 (4n = 128) chromosomes. The leaves contained around twice as many stomatal guard cells and chloroplasts as the controls, but the stomatal density declined with increasing ploidy. The stomatal density in diploid plants was around 1.67 times of that in polyploid plants. GC-MS analysis shows that the content of patchouli alcholol in the hairy root-derived polyploid plants was about 4.25 mg/g dry weight, which was 2.3 times of that in diploid plants. The present study demonstrates that polyploidization of hairy roots can stimulate the content of patchouli alcholol in medicinal plant of P. cablin.

Differential responses of root growth, acid invertase activity and transcript level to copper stress in two contrasting populations of Elsholtzia haichowensis

The present study aimed to test a hypothesis that acid invertases in root of metallophytes might play important roles in root growth under heavy metal stress. Plants of two contrasting populations, one from an ancient Cu mine (MP) and the other from a non-contaminated site (NMP), of metallophyte Elsholtzia haichowensis were treated with Cu in controlled experiments. The results showed that MP was Cu tolerant under 10 μM Cu2+ treatment. Cu treatment resulted in a higher root/shoot biomass ratio in MP compared to NMP. Scaling exponent in root/shoot allometric function in MP was lower than NMP. More complicated root architecture was observed in MP under Cu stress. Four full-length cDNAs (EhNcwINV, EhCcwINV, EhNvINV and EhCvINV) encoding cell wall and vacuolar invertases were cloned. Both of the transcript level and activity of the acid invertase in MP elevated under Cu treatment. There were positive correlations between root acid invertase transcript level, activity and root/shoot biomass ratio. The results indicated important roles of acid invertase in governing root growth under Cu stress. It also suggested that there was a possible interrelation between acid invertases and Cu tolerance mechanisms in MP of E. haichowensis.

Cadmium tolerance and accumulation of Elsholtzia argyi origining from a zinc/lead mining site - a hydroponics experiment

In this study, a hydroponics experiment was conducted to investigate the characteristics of Cd tolerance and accumulation of Elsholtzia argyi natively growing on the soil with high levels of heavy metals in a Zn/Pb mining site. Seedlings of E. argyi grown for 4 weeks and then were treated with 0(CK), 5,10,15, 20, 25, 30, 40, 50,100 umM Cd for 21 days. Each treatment had three replications. No visual toxic symptoms on shoots of E. argyi were observed at Cd level < or = 50 muM. The results indicated that the dry biomass of each tissue and the whole plants of the treatments with < or =40 umM cadmium were similar to that of the control, implying that E. argyi was a cadmium tolerant plant. The results also showed that the shoot Cd concentration significantly (P < 0.05) increased with the increase in the Cd level in nutrient solution. The shoot Cd concentration of the treatment with 40 umM Cd was as high as 237.9 mg kg(-1), which was higher than 100 mg kg(-1), normally used as the threshold concentration for identifying the Cd hyperaccumulating plant. It could be concluded that E. argyi was a Cd tolerant and accumulating plant species.

Pair-flowered cymes in the Lamiales: structure, distribution and origin

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

In the Lamiales, indeterminate thyrses (made up of axillary cymes) represent a significant inflorescence type. However, it has been largely overlooked that there occur two types of cymes: (1) ordinary cymes, and (2) 'pair-flowered cymes' (PFCs), with a flower pair (terminal and front flower) topping each cyme unit. PFCs are unique to the Lamiales and their distribution, origin and phylogeny are not well understood.

METHODS

The Lamiales are screened as to the occurrence of PFCs, ordinary cymes and single flowers (constituting racemic inflorescences).

KEY RESULTS

PFCs are shown to exhibit a considerable morphological and developmental diversity and are documented to occur in four neighbouring taxa of Lamiales: Calceolariaceae, Sanango, Gesneriaceae and Plantaginaceae. They are omnipresent in the Calceolariaceae and almost so in the Gesneriaceae. In the Plantaginaceae, PFCs are restricted to the small sister tribes Russelieae and Cheloneae (while the large remainder has single flowers in the leaf/bract axils; ordinary cymes do not occur). Regarding the origin of PFCs, the inflorescences of the genus Peltanthera (unplaced as to family; sister to Calceolariaceae, Sanango and Gesneriaceae in most molecular phylogenies) support the idea that PFCs have originated from paniculate systems, with the front-flowers representing remnant flowers.

CONCLUSIONS

From the exclusive occurrence of PFCs in the Lamiales and the proximity of the respective taxa in molecular phylogenies it may be expected that PFCs have originated once, representing a synapomorphy for this group of taxa and fading out within the Plantaginaceae. However, molecular evidence is ambiguous. Depending on the position of Peltanthera (depending in turn on the kind and number of genes and taxa analysed) a single, a double (the most probable scenario) or a triple origin appears conceivable.

[Endophytic bacterial diversity in Codonopsis pilosula, Ephedra sinica, and Lamiophlomis rotate: a study with LH-PCR]

To investigate the endophytic bacterial diversity in the three medicinal plant species Codonopsis pilosula, Ephedra sinica, and Lamiophlomis rotata in Ganzi of Sichuan, Southwest China, the total DNA of the three species were extracted by stringent surface sterilization, and studied with length heterogeneity-PCR (LH-PCR) method. For the same plant species, their root-, stem-, and leaf LH-PCR profiles were in a high level of similarity, with little differences in band richness. However, there existed great differences in the LH-PCR profiles among different plant species. C. pilosula had the biggest band richness, followed by E. sinica, and L. rotata. In the three plant species, the endophytic bacteria with an approximately 474 bp DNA length were dominant. The endophytic bacterial diversity of the plants was negatively correlated with rhizosphere soil available phosphorus content, but positively correlated with rhizosphere soil pH. Elevation and rhizosphere soil total nitrogen content were the important environmental factors affecting the distribution of enophytic bacteria in these plant species. The information of population diversity obtained from LH-PCR could more intuitively reflect the differences of bacterial diversity among different plant species, and thus, LH-PCR would be available to be used for analyzing the endophytic bacterial diversity in medicinal plants, providing information and guidance for the further isolation of microbial resources.

Bioproduction and optimization of rosmarinic acid production in Solenostemon scutellarioides through media manipulation and conservation of high yielding clone via encapsulation

The present study describes the role of different exogenous phytohormones, polyamines and sucrose on growth and rosmarinic acid (RA) production in whole plant culture of Solenostemon scutellarioides. It was further aimed to conserve elite clones via synthetic seed technology. S. scutellarioides was treated either singly or in combination with different phytohormones. Cultures incubated with NAA (0.5 mg L(-1)) yielded the highest RA accumulation (g(-1FW)), but negatively affected the growth. So, overall RA content was insignificant. Cultures incubated with IBA, BAP and GA3 at low concentration significantly improved growth and RA bioaccumulation. In the combinatorial study, IBA+BAP+GA3 (0.5 mg L(-1) each) was found optimum for plant biomass and RA production (65.2% improvement of total RA). Amongst polyamines, putrescine (1 mg L(-1)) exhibited 20.4% improvement of total RA content. The intracellular RA accumulation (g(-1FW)) was significantly higher between 5 and 7% of sucrose concentrations. However, the total increase in RA content was inhibited due to deterioration of the culture with increasing sucrose concentration. Based on the effect of different treatments on growth and RA accumulation, a high yielding and stable plant line was selected for conservation via alginate encapsulation. Uniform shaped alginate coated synthetic seeds conserved up to 6 months exhibited high regeneration potential and RA content.

Micropropagation effect on the anti-carcinogenic activitiy of polyphenolics from Mexican oregano (Poliomintha glabrescens Gray) in human colon cancer cells HT-29

Phenolic extracts obtained from spices are known to have anti-carcinogenic activities but little is known about the effect of micropropagation on these beneficial effects. The main objective of this study was to evaluate the cytotoxic activity of flavonoid-enriched extracts (FEE) from the leaves of wild (WT), in vitro (IN), and ex vitro (EX) grown oregano plants in colon cancer cells HT-29 and the non-cancer cells CCD-18Co. Cell proliferation of HT-29 cells was reduced to 50 % by WT, IN, and EX at concentrations of 4.01, 1.32, and 4.84 mg of gallic acid equivalents (GAE)/L, respectively. In contrast, in CCD-18Co cells, higher concentrations were required for the same cytotoxic effect. At 6 mg GAE/L, WT and IN reduced the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) of lipopolysaccharides (LPS)-stimulated control cells to 59.89 and 59.43 %, respectively, and EX to 73.89 %. The mRNA of Caspase-3 was increased 1.53-fold when cells were treated with 4 mg GAE/L of IN extract, and tumor necrosis factor receptor superfamily, member 6 (FAS), and BCL2-associated X protein (BAX) mRNA increased 2.55 and 1.53 fold, respectively. Results on protein expression corroborated the apoptotic effects with a significant decrease of B-cell lymphoma 2 (BCL2) expression for all treatments but more remarkable for EX that also showed the most intense signal of BAX. Overall, FEE extracts derived from micropropagation had increased pro-apoptotic effects, however extracts from the in vitro plants produced more efficacy at the transcriptional level while extracts from the ex vitro plant were superior at the traductional level.

Mycotoxicogenic fungal inhibition by innovative cheese cover with aromatic plants

BACKGROUND

The use of aromatic plants and their extracts with antimicrobial properties may be compromised in the case of cheese, as some type of fungal starter is needed during its production. Penicillium verrucosum is considered a common cheese spoiler. The aim of this study was to evaluate the innovative use of certain aromatic plants as natural cheese covers in order to prevent mycotoxicogenic fungal growth (P. verrucosum). A collection of 12 essential oils (EOs) was obtained from various aromatic plants by solvent-free microwave extraction technology, and volatile characterisation of the EOs was carried out by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry.

RESULTS

The most effective EOs against P. verrucosum were obtained from Anethum graveolens, Hyssopus officinalis and Chamaemelum nobile, yielding 50% inhibition of fungal growth at concentration values lower than 0.02 µL mL⁻¹. All EOs showed high volatile heterogeneity, with α-phellandrene, pinocamphone, isopinocamphone, α-pinene, camphene, 1,8-cineole, carvacrol and trans-anethole being found to be statistically significant in the antifungal model.

CONCLUSION

The use of these aromatic plants as natural covers on cheese can satisfactorily inhibit the growth of some mycotoxicogenic fungal spoilers. Among the volatile compounds present, α- and β-phellandrene were confirmed as the most relevant in the inhibition.

Postharvest management affects spearmint and calamint essential oils

BACKGROUND

The objectives of this work were to evaluate the phytomass yield, essential oil (EO) content and EO yield of Mentha spicata L. var. rubra, M. spicata L. var. viridis and Calamintha nepeta Savi in Piedmont (Italy), and to study how postharvest management (hydrodistillation of EO from fresh, dehumidified or oven-dried herbs) can affect the EO content and profile of the three species.

RESULTS

Mentha spicata L. var. rubra gave the greatest phytomass yield (1997 g m(-2)), which was statistically different from M. spicata L. var. viridis and C. nepeta. The highest EO yield was obtained from C. nepeta (3.75 g m(-2)), which was significantly different from the Mentha genus. Postharvest management significantly affected both the EO content and the EO profile of each species, with the dehumidifying process leading to a significantly higher EO content than the oven-drying process. The EO profile was different not only from species to species but also because of the postharvest management.

CONCLUSION

The dehumidifying process is a relatively new postharvest technology that has shown positive results in terms of EO yield, and it can be applied to species which have a high EO value, after evaluation of the resulting EO profile.

Irrigation of three wetland species and a hyperaccumlating fern with arsenic-laden solutions: observations of growth, arsenic uptake, nutrient status, and chlorophyll content

Engineered wetlands can be an integral part of a treatment strategy for remediating arsenic-contaminated wastewater, wherein, As is removed by adsorption to soil particles, chemical transformation, precipitation, or accumulation by plants. The remediation process could be optimized by choosing plant species that take up As throughout the seasonal growing period. This report details experiments that utilize wetland plant species native to Ohio (Carex stricta, Pycnanthemum virginianum, and Spartina pectinata) that exhibit seasonally related maximal growth rates, plus one hyperaccumulating fern (Pteris vittata) that was used to compare arsenic tolerance. All plants were irrigated with control or As-laden nutrient solutions (either 0, 1.5, or 25 mg As L(-1)) for 52 d. Biomass, nutrient content, and chlorophyll content were compared between plants treated and control plants (n = 5). At the higher concentration of arsenic (25 mg L(-1)), plant biomass, leaf area, and total chlorophyll were all lower than values in control plants. A tolerance index, based on total plant biomass at the end of the experiment, indicated C. stricta (0.99) and S. pectinata (0.84) were more tolerant than the other plant species when irrigated with 1.5 mg As L(-1). These plant species can be considered as candidates for engineered wetlands.

Effect of food and temperature on emergence from diapause in the tarnished plant bug (Hemiptera: Miridae)

Tarnished plant bugs, Lygus lineolaris (Palisot de Beauvois), overwinter as diapausing adults in North America. Overwintering adults were collected near Stoneville, MS from blooming henbit, Lamium amplexicaule L., and from plant debris during December and January and dissected to determine their reproductive status. Averaged over four winters, male and female tarnished plant bugs collected from henbit terminated diapause at a significantly higher rate than males and females from plant debris during each week of December and the first week of January. Both sexes in each habitat were nearly all reproductive by the end of January. Adults overwintering in plant debris terminated diapause during January in the absence of a food stimulus in all 5 yr studied. This emergence was thought to be controlled by an internal clock. Laboratory and field studies showed that emergence from diapause could be influenced by food, sex, and temperature. Adults overwintering on a suitable food source, blooming henbit, terminated diapause during December in the 4 yr studied, and males terminated diapause more rapidly than females. Food quality was important in emergence from diapause, and females on blooming henbit terminated diapause at a significantly higher rate than females on nonblooming mustard, Brassica juncea (L.) Cosson. Laboratory tests showed that diapausing adults reared in the laboratory and held at a diapause-maintaining photoperiod of 10:14 (L:D) h could be terminated from diapause by using food and temperature stimuli. The lower thermal threshold for development to reproductive adults was found to be near 10°C. The ability of diapausing adults to respond to food and temperature stimuli in December can enable tarnished plant bugs to take advantage of warm winters and winter hosts to produce a new generation earlier.

[Status of wild resource of medicine plant Lamiophlomis rotata and its problems in sustainable use]

OBJECTIVE

Lamiophlomis rotata is a common wild herb in Tibetan traditional medicine with important medicinal and economic value. The paper examines the wild distributions, exploitation regime, and situations.

METHOD

A variety of research methods, such as literature survey, specimens inspection, market information collection in major Chinese herbal markets, questionnaire of herbalists and employers of local governments and institutions, and field quadrat survey and AcrGIS as well, have been used for this work.

RESULT

Total stock of wild resources of L. rotata is ranging from 3 713.49 tons to 6 896.56 tons (2 519-3 314 t in Qinghai, 490-1 414 t in Gansu, 641-1 167 t in Sichuan, and 422-999 t in Tibet, respectively), acceptable harvest quantity of the herb is ranging from 908-1 675 t per year, and actual harvest quantity is 2 520 t annually far beyond the acceptable harvest quantity.

CONCLUSION

Harvesting quantity of L. rotata is far more than that of acceptable, suggesting that utilization pattern of this wild resource plant is unsustainable. L. rotata seems to act as an indicating plant of degraded ecosystem of high-altitude grassland, shrub grassland, and wetland, and distributes in those degraded and degrading plateau ecosystems, and the plant is facing with pressure of ecological protection and wild resource population degradation. Wild population monitoring and standard cultivation are of importance for although they are far from implementation due to shortage of related basic studies.

Fluctuations of cambial activity in relation to precipitation result in annual rings and intra-annual growth zones of xylem and phloem in teak (Tectona grandis) in Ivory Coast

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

Teak forms xylem rings that potentially carry records of carbon sequestration and climate in the tropics. These records are only useful when the structural variations of tree rings and their periodicity of formation are known.

METHODS

The seasonality of ring formation in mature teak trees was examined via correlative analysis of cambial activity, xylem and phloem formation, and climate throughout 1·5 years. Xylem and phloem differentiation were visualized by light microscopy and scanning electron microscopy.

KEY RESULTS

A 3 month dry season resulted in semi-deciduousness, cambial dormancy and formation of annual xylem growth rings (AXGRs). Intra-annual xylem and phloem growth was characterized by variable intensity. Morphometric features of cambium such as cambium thickness and differentiating xylem layers were positively correlated. Cambium thickness was strongly correlated with monthly rainfall (R(2) = 0·7535). In all sampled trees, xylem growth zones (XGZs) were formed within the AXGRs during the seasonal development of new foliage. When trees achieved full leaf, the xylem in the new XGZs appeared completely differentiated and functional for water transport. Two phloem growth rings were formed in one growing season.

CONCLUSIONS

The seasonal formation pattern and microstructure of teak xylem suggest that AXGRs and XGZs can be used as proxies for analyses of the tree history and climate at annual and intra-annual resolution.

Dark purple nectar as a foraging signal in a bird-pollinated Himalayan plant

• Some plants secrete coloured nectar to attract pollinators, but little is known about the chemical origins of nectar colouration and its ecological function. Leucosceptrum canum stands out as the only plant with coloured nectar recorded in the Himalayas. Here, we focused on the compound associated with the dark colour of the nectar, as well as its secretion dynamics during the flowering season and its relationship to pollinators. • Fresh nectar was analysed by semi-preparative reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), LC-MS and HRESIMS (high resolution electronspray ionization mass spectroscopy) to determine which compound causes the nectar colouration. Behavioural experiments were conducted with birds and honeybees to elucidate the effect of the nectar colour and volume on pollinators. • We identified a purple anthocyanidin, 5-hydroxyflavylium, as a natural nectar product for the first time. Two short-billed birds were found to pollinate this plant, which employs two nectar-based mechanisms to direct bird pollinators to reproductively active flowers, controlling nectar palatability and presenting a foraging signal for birds by altering nectar volume and colour in a developmental stage-specific manner. • 5-Hydroxyflavylium was found to be the cause of the nectar colouration, the function of which is to act as a foraging signal to increase pollination efficiency through nectar visibility and palatability.

Quantitative comparative analysis of the bio-active and toxic constituents of leaves and spikes of Schizonepeta tenuifolia at different harvesting times

A GC-MS-Selected Ion Monitoring (SIM) detection method was developed for simultaneous determination of four monoterpenes: (−)-menthone, (+)-pulegone, (−)-limonene and (+)-menthofuran as the main bio-active and toxic constituents, and four other main compounds in the volatile oils of Schizonepeta tenuifolia (ST) leaves and spikes at different harvesting times. The results showed that the method was simple, sensitive and reproducible, and that harvesting time was a possible key factor in influencing the quality of ST leaves, but not its spikes. The research might be helpful for determining the harvesting time of ST samples and establishing a validated method for the quality control of ST volatile oil and other relative products.

[Analyze on HPLC fingerprint of four main metropolis of herba pogostemonis]

OBJECTIVE

To establish a method for analyzing HPLC fingerprint of Herba pogostemonis and compare the variability of four main producing areas.

METHODS

Diamonsil (R) C18 column was used, the Methanol-0.1% phosphoric acid (gradient elution) as a mobile phase and detection wavelength was set at 254nm, column temperature was 25 degrees C and flow rate was 1.0 ml/min.

RESULTS

There were differences between the HPLC fingerprint of Herba pogostemonis from various places of production. The similarity of Herba Pogostemonis cultivated in tow regions of Zhaoqing Gaoyao and Guangzhou Huangcun was over 90%, and there were more differences among them with Zhanjiang Wuchuan and Hainan Wanning.

CONCLUSION

The method is reliable and accurate. The method can be used for the identification of the crude drug and the evaluation of its quality.

Responses of Gmelina arborea, a tropical deciduous tree species, to elevated atmospheric CO2: growth, biomass productivity and carbon sequestration efficacy

The photosynthetic response of trees to rising CO(2) concentrations largely depends on source-sink relations, in addition to differences in responsiveness by species, genotype, and functional group. Previous studies on elevated CO(2) responses in trees have either doubled the gas concentration (>700 μmol mol(-1)) or used single large addition of CO(2) (500-600 μmol mol(-1)). In this study, Gmelina arborea, a fast growing tropical deciduous tree species, was selected to determine the photosynthetic efficiency, growth response and overall source-sink relations under near elevated atmospheric CO(2) concentration (460 μmol mol(-1)). Net photosynthetic rate of Gmelina was ~30% higher in plants grown in elevated CO(2) compared with ambient CO(2)-grown plants. The elevated CO(2) concentration also had significant effect on photochemical and biochemical capacities evidenced by changes in F(V)/F(M), ABS/CSm, ET(0)/CSm and RuBPcase activity. The study also revealed that elevated CO(2) conditions significantly increased absolute growth rate, above ground biomass and carbon sequestration potential in Gmelina which sequestered ~2100 g tree(-1) carbon after 120 days of treatment when compared to ambient CO(2)-grown plants. Our data indicate that young Gmelina could accumulate significant biomass and escape acclimatory down-regulation of photosynthesis due to high source-sink capacity even with an increase of 100 μmo lmol(-1) CO(2).

Anti-tumorigenic activity of five culinary and medicinal herbs grown under greenhouse conditions and their combination effects

BACKGROUND

Herbs and spices have been used as food preservatives, flavorings, and in traditional medicines for thousands of years. More and more scientific evidence supports the medicinal properties of culinary herbs. Colon cancer is the third leading cause of cancer death in the USA, and the fourth most common form of cancer worldwide. The objectives of this study were to evaluate the antitumor activity of five selected herbs grown under greenhouse conditions, and to study the potential synergistic effects among different herbal extract combinations.

RESULTS

Thyme, rosemary, sage, spearmint, and peppermint extracts significantly inhibited SW-480 colon cancer cell growth, with sage extracts exhibiting the highest bioactivity, with 50% inhibition at 35.9 µg mL⁻¹, which was equivalent to 93.9 µg dried leaves mL⁻¹ of culture medium. Some mixtures of different herbal extracts had combination effects on cancer cell growth. The inhibitory effects of peppermint + sage combinations at a 1:1 ratio were significantly higher than rosemary + sage combinations at 1:1 ratio, although peppermint extracts showed lower inhibition than rosemary extracts.

CONCLUSION

Extracts from herb species (thyme, rosemary, sage, spearmint and peppermint) can significantly inhibit the growth of human colon cancer cells. Mixtures of herb extracts can have combination effects on cancer cell growth. The study suggests that these five herbs may have potential health benefits to suppress colon cancer.

Effect of Pb toxicity on the growth and physiology of two ecotypes of Elsholtzia argyi and its alleviation by Zn

Hydroponics experiments were conducted to underpin the nature of interactions between Zn, an essential micronutrient and Pb, a nonessential element on plant growth and root morphology, as well as antioxidant adaptation in mined ecotype (ME) and nonmined ecotype (NME) of Elsholtzia argyi. Plants were exposed to 50 μM Pb having normal Zn (0.5 μM), and two other treatments of the same Pb with low (0.05 μM) and high (20 μM) Zn, respectively for 12 days. Application of Pb with normal Zn caused adverse effects on the overall growth and antioxidant capacity of both ecotypes, however; effects were more pronounced in NME. The addition of high Zn along with Pb improved the growth and antioxidant capacity of both the ecotypes, while low Zn failed to show significant changes in NME plants; however slightly aggravated the Pb toxicity in the plants of ME. Zinc antagonized Pb concentrations in root and stem of both ecotypes and leaf of ME, while no significant differences were noted in Pb concentrations of NME leaf. It is suggested that in E. argyi, mechanisms of Pb and Zn uptake and translocation as well as their interactions within the plant cell may be different for both ecotypes and need to be further investigated.

Marcescent corollas as functional structures: effects on the fecundity of two insect-pollinated plants

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

Persistence of withered corollas after anthesis ('corolla marcescence') is widespread in angiosperms, yet its functional significance does not seem to have been explored for any species. This note reports the results of experiments assessing the fecundity effects of marcescent corollas in two southern Spanish insect-pollinated plants, Lavandula latifolia (Lamiaceae) and Viola cazorlensis (Violaceae).

METHODS

The effect of marcescent corollas on seed production was evaluated experimentally on wild-growing plants. Newly open flowers were randomly assigned to either control or treatment groups in experimental plants. After anthesis, withered corollas of treatment flowers were removed and those in control flowers were left in place. Fruits produced by treatment and control flowers were collected shortly before dehiscence and the number of seeds counted.

KEY RESULTS

In V. cazorlensis, removal of withered corollas had no effect on percentage of fruit set, but mean seeds per fruit increased from 9·5 to 11·4. In L. latifolia, corolla removal had no effect on the number of seeds per fruit, but reduced the proportion of flowers ripening fruit from 60 % to 40 %. The detrimental effect of corolla removal on L. latifolia fecundity resulted from the drastic increase in fruit infestation by seed-predatory cecidomyiid larvae, which occurred in 4 % and 34 % of control and treatment fruits, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

Because of their potential effects on plant fecundity, marcescent corollas should not be dismissed a priori as biologically irrelevant leftovers from past floral functions. The simplicity of the experimental layout required to test for short-term fecundity effects of corolla marcescence should help to achieve a better understanding of the ecological and evolutionary correlates of this widespread but poorly understood trait.