Plants

Blueberry (Vaccinium virgatum Aiton; Kinisato 35 Gou) leaves have recently attracted increasing attention as a useful material for the prevention of lifestyle diseases. Here, we examined the effects of the hot water extract of blueberry leaves (BLEx) on lipogenesis and uric acid production in 3T3-L1 adipocytes. The results showed that BLEx suppressed lipid accumulation and the mRNA expression of differentiation markers in 3T3-L1 adipocytes. A fractionation study showed that the highly polymerized proanthocyanidin-rich fraction was responsible for this effect. Upon maturation to adipocytes, 3T3-L1 cells produced uric acid and tumor necrosis factor-, and hypoxia stimulated the production of uric acid and xanthine oxidoreductase activity. BLEx suppressed the production of uric acid under these conditions. Although BLEx inhibited the enzymatic activity of xanthine oxidase, this activity was observed in several fractions containing catechin, epicatechin, chlorogenic acid, rutin, and low molecular weight proanthocyanidins. Taken together, these results indicate that BLEx contains various compounds with the ability to suppress lipid accumulation and uric acid production in adipocytes. Full article

Fire blight is a severe bacterial plant disease that affects important chain-of-value fruit trees such as pear and apple trees. This disease is caused by Erwinia amylovora, a quarantine phytopathogenic bacterium, which, although highly distributed worldwide, still lacks efficient control measures. The green revolution paradigm demands sustainable agriculture practices, for which antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) have recently caught much attention. The goal of this work was to disclose the bioactivity of three peptides mixtures (BP100:RW-BP100, BP100:CA-M, and RW-BP100:CA-M), against three strains of E. amylovora representing distinct genotypes and virulence (LMG 2024, Ea 630 and Ea 680). The three AMPs’ mixtures were assayed at eight different equimolar concentrations ranging from 0.25 to 6 μM (1:1). Results showed MIC and MBC values between 2.5 and 4 μM for every AMP mixture and strain. Regarding cell viability, flow cytometry and alamarBlue reduction, showed high reduction (>25%) of viable cells after 30 min of AMP exposure, depending on the peptide mixture and strain assayed. Hypersensitive response in tobacco plants showed that the most efficient AMPs mixtures and concentrations caused low to no reaction of the plant. Altogether, the AMPs mixtures studied are better treatment solutions to control fire blight disease than the same AMPs applied individually. Full article

Chinese cabbage is an important dietary source of numerous phytochemicals, including glucosinolates and anthocyanins. The selection and development of elite Chinese cabbage cultivars with favorable traits is hindered by a long breeding cycle, a complex genome structure, and the lack of an efficient plant transformation protocol. Thus, a protoplast transfection-based transformation method may be useful for cell-based breeding and functional studies involving Chinese cabbage plants. In this study, we established an effective method for isolating Chinese cabbage protoplasts, which were then transfected with the pCAMBIA1303 binary vector according to an optimized PEG-based method. More specifically, protoplasts were isolated following a 4 h incubation in a solution comprising 1.5% (v/v) cellulase, 0.25% (v/v) macerozyme, 0.25% (v/v) pectinase, 0.5 M mannitol, 15 mM CaCl₂, 25 mM KCl, 0.1% BSA, and 20 mM MES buffer, pH 5.7. This method generated 7.1 × 10⁶ protoplasts, 78% of which were viable. The gfp reporter gene in pCAMBIA1303 was used to determine the transfection efficiency. The Chinese cabbage protoplast transfection rate was highest (68%) when protoplasts were transfected with the 40 µg binary vector for 30 min in a solution containing 40% PEG. The presence of gusA and hptII in the protoplasts was confirmed by PCR. The methods developed in this study would be useful for DNA-free genome editing as well as functional and molecular investigations of Chinese cabbage. Full article

In Africa, medicinal plants have been traditionally used as a source of medicine for centuries. To date, African medicinal plants continue to play a significant role in the treatment of wounds. Chronic wounds are associated with severe healthcare and socio-economic burdens despite the use of conventional therapies. Emergence of novel wound healing strategies using medicinal plants in conjunction with nanotechnology has the potential to develop efficacious wound healing therapeutics with enhanced wound repair mechanisms. This review identified African medicinal plants and biogenic nanoparticles used to promote wound healing through various mechanisms including improved wound contraction and epithelialization as well as antibacterial, antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities. To achieve this, electronic databases such as PubMed, Scifinder^® and Google Scholar were used to search for medicinal plants used by the African populace that were scientifically evaluated for their wound healing activities in both in vitro and in vivo models from 2004 to 2021. Additionally, data on the wound healing mechanisms of biogenic nanoparticles synthesized using African medicinal plants is included herein. The continued scientific evaluation of wound healing African medicinal plants and the development of novel nanomaterials using these plants is imperative in a bid to alleviate the detrimental effects of chronic wounds. Full article

Dogroses belong to a taxonomically difficult genus and family and represent important phytogenetic resources associated with high ornamental, pharmaceutical-cosmetic and nutritional values, thus suggesting a potentially high exploitation merit. Triggered by these prospects, wild-growing Rosa canina populations of Greece were selected for investigation and evaluation of their potential for integrated domestication. We collected ripe rosehips from Greek native wild-growing populations (samples from seven genotypes) for phytochemical analysis (total phenolics, total flavonoids, antioxidant activity and vitamin C content), leaf samples for DNA analysis using the ITS2 sequence (nine genotypes) and fresh soft-wood stem cuttings for propagation trials (seven genotypes). After evaluation of these materials, this study reports for the first-time distinct DNA-fingerprinted genotypes from Greece with interesting phytochemical profiles mainly in terms of Vitamic C content (up to 500.22 ± 0.15 mg of ascorbic acid equivalents/100 g of sample) as well as effective asexual propagation protocols for prioritized R. canina genotypes via cuttings. The latter highlights the importance of the levels of external hormone application (2000 ppm of indole-3-butyric acid), the effect of season (highly-effective spring trials) and genotype-specific differences in rooting capacities of the studied genotypes. All inclusive, this study offers new artificially selected material of Greek native R. canina with a consolidated identity and interesting phytochemical profile. These materials are currently under ex-situ conservation for further evaluation and characterization in pilot field studies, thus facilitating its sustainable exploitation for applications in the agro-alimentary, medicinal-cosmetic, and ornamental sectors. Full article

Wheat head detection is a core computer vision problem related to plant phenotyping that in recent years has seen increased interest as large-scale datasets have been made available for use in research. In deep learning problems with limited training data, synthetic data have been shown to improve performance by increasing the number of training examples available but have had limited effectiveness due to domain shift. To overcome this, many adversarial approaches such as Generative Adversarial Networks (GANs) have been proposed as a solution by better aligning the distribution of synthetic data to that of real images through domain augmentation. In this paper, we examine the impacts of performing wheat head detection on the global wheat head challenge dataset using synthetic data to supplement the original dataset. Through our experimentation, we demonstrate the challenges of performing domain augmentation where the target domain is large and diverse. We then present a novel approach to improving scores through using heatmap regression as a support network, and clustering to combat high variation of the target domain. Full article

Asian pear scab is a fungal disease caused by Venturia nashicola. The identification of genes conferring scab resistance could facilitate the breeding of disease-resistant cultivars. Therefore, the present study aimed to identify a scab-resistance gene using an interspecific hybrid population ((Pyrus pyrifolia × P. communis) × P. pyrifolia). Artificial inoculation of V. nashicola was carried out for two years. The segregation ratio (1:1) of resistant to susceptible individuals indicated that resistance to V. nashicola was inherited from P. communis and controlled by a single dominant gene. Based on two years phenotypic data with the Kruskal–Wallis test and interval mapping, 12 common markers were significantly associated with scab resistance. A novel scab resistance gene, Rvn3, was mapped in linkage group 6 of the interspecific hybrid pear, and co-linearity between Rvn3 and one of the apple scab resistance genes, Rvi14, was confirmed. Notably, an insertion in pseudo-chromosome 6 of the interspecific hybrid cultivar showed homology with apple scab resistance genes. Hence, the newly discovered Rvn3 was considered an ortholog of the apple scab resistance gene. Since the mapping population used in the present study is a pseudo-BC₁ population, pyramiding of multiple resistance genes to pseudo-BC₁ could facilitate the breeding of pear cultivars with durable resistance. Full article

Morphology and nomenclature are essential issues of botany, in which both extant and fossil plant taxa follow the same nomenclature code. Devonian (419.2–358.9 Ma) herbaceous lycopsid Barsassia, one of the earliest coal-forming plants in geological history, possesses a characteristic, easily recognized, step-like stem and has been thought to be an index fossil for dating and correlating the Middle Devonian strata, especially those in the paleoblocks of Siberia, Kazakhstan, Xinjiang, and North China. Here, we systematically study the Devonian lycopsid Barsassia in terms of its morphology and nomenclature, based on the new materials from the Middle Devonian Hujiersite Formation of West Junggar, Xinjiang, China, and the International Code of Nomenclature for algae, fungi, and plants (Shenzhen Code). Barsassia ornata is determined as the type species of the genus, and a neotype is designated for that name. Barsassia ornata consists of fan- or rectangular-shaped leaves with awl-shaped or finger-like distal tips. Its leaves are pseudo-whorls and imbricately arranged on the stem surface forming distinct step-like structure. Full article

Charcoal rot is an emerging disease for peanut crops caused by the fungus Macrophomina phaseolina. In Mexico, peanut crop represents an important productive activity for various rural areas; however, charcoal rot affects producers economically. The objectives of this research were: (a) to identify and morphologically characterize the strain “PUE 4.0” associated with charcoal rot of peanut crops from Buenavista de Benito Juárez, belonging to the municipality of Chietla in Puebla, Mexico; (b) determine the in vitro and in vivo antagonist activity of five Trichoderma species on M. phaseolina, and (c) determine the effect of the incidence of the disease on peanut production in the field. Vegetable tissue samples were collected from peanut crops in Puebla, Mexico with the presence of symptoms of charcoal rot at the stem and root level. The “PUE 4.0” strain presented 100% identity with M. phaseolina, the cause of charcoal rot in peanut crops from Buenavista de Benito Juárez. T. koningiopsis (T-K11) showed the highest development rate, the best growth speed, and the highest percentage of radial growth inhibition (PIRG) over M. phaseolina (71.11%) under in vitro conditions, in addition, T. koningiopsis (T-K11) showed higher production (1.60 ± 0.01 t/ha⁻¹) and lower incidence of charcoal rot under field conditions. The lowest production with the highest incidence of the disease occurred in plants inoculated only with M. phaseolina (0.67 ± 0.01 t/ha⁻¹) where elongated reddish-brown lesions were observed that covered 40% of the total surface of the main root. Full article

Kale (Brassica oleracea L. var. acephala DC) is a popular cruciferous vegetable originating from Central Asia, and is well known for its abundant bioactive compounds. This review discusses the main kale phytochemicals and emphasizes molecules of nutraceutical interest, including phenolics, carotenoids, and glucosinolates. The preventive and therapeutic properties of kale against chronic and degenerative diseases are highlighted according to the most recent in vitro, in vivo, and clinical studies reported. Likewise, it is well known that the application of controlled abiotic stresses can be used as an effective tool to increase the content of phytochemicals with health-promoting properties. In this context, the effect of different abiotic stresses (saline, exogenous phytohormones, drought, temperature, and radiation) on the accumulation of secondary metabolites in kale is also presented. The information reviewed in this article can be used as a starting point to further validate through bioassays the effects of abiotically stressed kale on the prevention and treatment of chronic and degenerative diseases. Full article

Ultraviolet-B (UVB) irradiation causes skin damage via deleterious effects including oxidative stress, inflammation, and collagen degradation. The photoprotective effects of a hyperoside-enriched fraction obtained from Houttuynia cordata Thunb. (H. cordata) on the attenuation of UVB-induced skin aging in human fibroblasts were investigated. The solvent-partition technique was used to establish the hyperoside-enriched fraction of H. cordata (HcEA). The active compounds identified in the H. cordata extracts were hyperoside, quercitrin, chlorogenic acid, and rutin. With regard to the photoprotective effects of H. cordata on UVB-irradiated dermal fibroblasts, HcEA and hyperoside inhibited intracellular ROS production and inflammatory cytokine secretions (IL-6 and IL-8), while increasing collagen type I synthesis along with downregulating MMP-1 gene and protein expressions. Mechanistically, the hyperoside-enriched fraction obtained from H. cordata inhibited UVB-irradiated skin aging through regulation of the MAPK signaling pathway by attenuating the activation of JNK/ERK/c-Jun in human dermal fibroblasts. The hyperoside-enriched fraction of H. cordata exerted potent anti-skin aging properties against UVB exposure. The findings of this study can be applied in the cosmetics industry, as H. cordata extract can potentially be used in pharmaceutical or cosmetic formulations as a photoprotective or anti-skin aging agent. Full article

UN Sustainable Development Goal 2 Target 2.5 focuses on the conservation of genetic diversity in soundly managed genebanks. In examining the term “soundly managed”, it becomes quickly evident that there is much more to long-term conservation than placing samples of seeds or other germplasm in long-term conservation conditions. There are several important factors that determine whether germplasm samples will remain viable in storage for long periods of time. To manage these factors efficiently and effectively, genebanks require sound data and quality management systems. The CGIAR Genebank Platform, coordinated by the Crop Trust, put in place a number of mechanisms that enabled effective online reporting, performance management, quality management, audit and external review and validation. These mechanisms do not conform to the usual monitoring systems put in place for research programs and have only been possible thanks to the flexibility of CGIAR in recognising that the genebanks were exceptional. As a result, in the past 10 years, CGIAR genebanks have significantly improved their performance and the conservation status of collections. Full article

Ceratonia siliqua (Carob) is an evergreen Mediterranean tree, and carob pods are potentially nutritive and have medicinal value. The present study was carried out to estimate the possible biological activities of phytochemical-characterized carob pod aqueous extract (CPAE). The phytochemical contents of CPAE were determined by using colorimetric methods and HPLC. In addition, the free radical scavenging properties and anti-diabetic, anti-hemolytic, and antimicrobial activities were estimated by using standardized in vitro protocols. The phytochemical analysis revealed that CPAE was rich in polyphenols, flavonoids, and alkaloids, where it contained a significant amount of gallic acid, catechin, and protocatechuic acid. Furthermore, CPAE exhibited strong antioxidant activity where it prevented the formation of 2, 2-Diphenyl-1-picryl hydrazyl, hydroxyl, and nitric oxide free radicals. Additionally, it had a potent inhibitory effect against digestive enzymes (amylase, maltase, sucrase, and lactase). Moreover, CPAE exhibited anti-Staph aureus, anti- Escherichia coli, anti-Candida albicans, and anti-herpes simplex type I virus (HSV-I). Finally, CPAE protected the erythrocyte membrane from hypotonic solution-induced hemolysis. Altogether, CPAE could be regarded as an interesting source of biologically active antioxidant, anti-diabetic, and antimicrobial preparation for a potential application in pharmaceutical and food supplement fields. Full article

One of the characteristics of hyperhydric plants is the reduction of cell wall lignification (hypolignification), but how this is related to the observed abnormalities of hyperhydricity (HH), is still unclear. Lignin is hydrophobic, and we speculate that a reduction in lignin levels leads to more capillary action of the cell wall and consequently to more water in the apoplast. p-coumaric acid is the hydroxyl derivative of cinnamic acid and a precursor for lignin and flavonoids in higher plant. In the present study, we examined the role of lignin in the development of HH in Arabidopsis thaliana by checking the wild-types (Ler and Col-0) and mutants affected in phenylpropanoid biosynthesis, in the gene coding for cinnamate 4-hydroxylase, C4H (ref3-1 and ref3-3). Exogenously applied p-coumaric acid decreased the symptoms of HH in both wild-type and less-lignin mutants. Moreover, the results revealed that exogenously applied p-coumaric acid inhibited root growth and increased the total lignin content in both wild-type and less-lignin mutants. These effects appeared to diminish the symptoms of HH and suggest an important role for lignin in HH. Full article

K (K) is of paramount importance for apple (Malus × domestica Borkh.), not only for tree growth and development but also for the size and quality of fruit yield. The apple plant’s demand for K varies, along with the progression of phenological phases, during the growing season. The K demand peaks during ripening of fruits featuring relatively high concentration of K comparable to that of the leaves. The mainstream method of apple tree K fertilization is through application of the fertilizer to the soils to improve K uptake by the roots. The bioavailability of K depends on assorted various factors, including pH, interaction with other nutrients in soil solution, temperature, and humidity. An important role in making the K from soil available for uptake by plants is played by plant growth-promoting microorganisms (PGPM), and the specific role of the PGPM is discussed. Advantages of fertigation (the combination of irrigation and fertilization) as an approach include allowing to balance application rate of K fertilizer against its variable demand by plants during the growing season. Excess K in the soil leads to competitive inhibition of calcium uptake by plants. The K-dependent deficiency of Ca leads to its predominant channeling to the leaves and hence to its decline in fruits. Consequently, the apple fruits affected by the K/Ca imbalance frequently develop physiological disorders in storage. This emphasizes the importance of the balanced K application, especially during the last months of the growing season, depending on the crop load and the actual K demand. The potential use of modern approaches to automated crop load estimation through machine vision for adjustment of K fertilization is underlined. Full article

Many plants cannot vitrify themselves because they lack glassy state-inducing substances and/or have high water content. Therefore, cryoprotectants are used to induce vitrification. A cryoprotectant must have at least the following primary abilities: high glass-forming property, dehydration strength on a colligative basis to dehydrate plant cells to induce the vitrification state, and must not be toxic for plants. This review introduces the compounds used for vitrification solutions (VSs), their properties indicating a modification of different plant vitrification solutions, their modifications in the compounds, and/or their concentration. An experimental comparison is listed based on the survival or regeneration rate of one particular species after using more than three different VSs or their modifications. A brief overview of various cryopreservation methods using the Plant Vitrification Solution (PVS) is also included. This review can help in alert researchers to newly introduced PVSs for plant vitrification cryoprotocols, their properties, and the choice of their modifications in the compounds and/or their concentration. Full article

Oil palm crops are the most important determinant of the agricultural economy within the segment of oilseed crops. Oil palm growing in their natural habitats are often challenged simultaneously by multiple stress factors, both abiotic and biotic that limit crop productivity and are major constraints to meeting global food demands. The stress-tolerant oil palm crops that mitigate the effects of abiotic stresses on crop productivity are crucially needed to sustain agricultural production. Basal stem rot threatens the development of the industry, and the key to solving the problem is to breed new oil palm varieties resistant to adversity. This has created a need for genetic improvement which involves evaluation of germplasm, pest and disease resistance, earliness and shattering resistance, quality of oil, varieties for different climatic conditions, etc. In recent years, insights into physiology, molecular biology, and genetics have significantly enhanced our understanding of oil palm response towards such stimuli as well as the reason for varietal diversity in tolerance. In this review, we explore the research progress, existing problems, and prospects of oil palm stress resistance-based physiological mechanisms of stress tolerance as well as the genes and metabolic pathways that regulate stress response. Full article

Known especially for its negative ecological impact, Fallopia japonica (Japanese knotweed) is now considered one of the most invasive species. Nevertheless, its chemical composition has shown, beyond doubt, some high biological active compounds that can be a source of valuable pharmacological potential for the enhancement of human health. In this direction, resveratrol, emodin or polydatin, to name a few, have been extensively studied to demonstrate the beneficial effects on animals and humans. Thus, by taking into consideration the recent advances in the study of Japanese knotweed and its phytochemical constituents, the aim of this article is to provide an overview on the high therapeutic potential, underlining its antioxidant, antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory and anticancer effects, among the most important ones. Moreover, we describe some future directions for reducing the negative impact of Fallopia japonica by using the plant for its beekeeping properties in providing a distinct honey type that incorporates most of its bioactive compounds, with the same health-promoting properties. Full article

Triticum timopheevii Zhuk. is a tetraploid wheat that is utilized worldwide as a valuable breeding source for wheat improvement. Gene-based biotechnologies can contribute to this field; however, T. timopheevii exhibits recalcitrance and albinism in tissue cultures, making this species of little use for manipulation through genetic engineering and genome editing. This study tested various approaches to increasing in vitro somatic embryogenesis and plant regeneration, while reducing the portion of albinos in cultures derived from immature embryos (IEs) of T. timopheevii. They included (i) adjusting the balance between 2,4-D and daminozide in callus induction medium; (ii) cultivation using various darkness/illumination schedules; and (iii) inclusion of additional concentrations of copper ions in the tissue culture medium. We achieved a 2.5-fold increase in somatic embryogenesis (up to 80%) when 50 mg L⁻¹ daminozide was included in the callus induction medium together with 3 mg L⁻¹ 2,4-D. It was found that the dark cultivation for 20–30 days was superior in terms of achieving maximum culture efficiency; moreover, switching to light in under 2 weeks from culture initiation significantly increased the number of albino plants, suppressed somatic embryogenesis, and decreased the regeneration of green plants. Media containing higher levels of copper ions did not have a positive effect on the regeneration of green plants; contrarily, the elevated concentrations caused albinism in plantlets. The results and relevant conclusions of the present study might be valuable for establishing an improved protocol for the regeneration of green plants in tissue cultures of T. timopheevii. Full article