Search Results (9)

Heracleum sosnowskyi Manden. (Sosnowsky’s hogweed), originally introduced to Central and Eastern Europe as a fodder crop, has become a highly invasive species due to its ecological adaptability, high reproductive capacity, and efficient seed dispersal. Despite its negative impact on native flora and its health risks to humans and animals, the species also represents a valuable source of biologically active compounds. In this study, we demonstrate that the leaves of H. sosnowskyi contain substantial amounts of furanocoumarins—phototoxic compounds with notable therapeutic potential, particularly as natural photosensitizers in anticancer therapies. To extract furanocoumarins from H. sosnowskyi, microwave-assisted extraction (MAE) was employed, with optimization of key parameters including extraction solvent (hexane), temperature (70 °C), extraction time (10 min), and solvent-to-solid ratio (20:1). Four major compounds—angelicin (2.3 mg/g), psoralen (0.15 mg/g), methoxsalen (0.76 mg/g), and bergapten (3.14 mg/g)—were identified and quantified using gas chromatography–mass spectrometry and gas chromatography with flame ionization detection. To purify the extract and selectively isolate the target compounds, a solid-phase extraction method was developed using a Strata Eco-Screen sorbent and stepwise elution with a hexane–acetone mixture. As a result, pure angelicin, pure methoxsalen, and various mixtures of the furanocoumarins were obtained. These findings highlight the potential of H. sosnowskyi as a sustainable source of furanocoumarins for pharmaceutical applications. Full article

This study aims to investigate the endogenous gibberellin levels and related genes analysis of noxious invasive weed Heracleum sosnowskyi. Genome-wide identification, phylogenetic analysis, conserved motif analysis, and gene structure characterization of GA-oxidases were performed. We analysed endogenous GAs levels and the expression of target HsGAoxs in response to GA₃ within H. sosnowskyi developing ovaries. Twenty-seven HsGAoxs genes were identified, distributed across eleven chromosomes. Phylogenetic analysis classified proteins into the HsGA20ox, C₁₉-HsGA2ox, and HsGA3ox subfamilies, facilitating functional predictions. Among the thirteen HsGA2ox protein members, there were no C₂₀-GA2ox subfamily that distinguish H. sosnowskyi from other model plant species. The analysis of gene structure and conserved motifs confirmed the phylogenetic grouping and suggested that the evolutionary pattern was maintained within these subfamilies. The observed increase in precursor and bioactive GA levels provides evidence that they play a crucial role in promoting fruit growth. Ovary phenotypes reflected the timing of peak gibberellin levels, specifically during the cell expansion period. Exogenous GA₃ treatment promoted HsGA3ox1 expression within both the central and lateral regions of the umbel ovaries. Overall, the results show that GA levels are precisely regulated by multiple HsGAox genes for stable early fruit development, and that disturbances in this stability affect fruit development. This opens up the possibility of investigating the role of GA in H. sosnowskyi fruit formation and developing measures for invasion control. Full article

There is an urgent need to develop new compensatory and human-safe methods for controlling invasive Heracleum species. This research aimed to determine the effectiveness of H. sosnowskyi control under microwave radiation and biochemical changes in tissues and sap after irradiation. In field experiments in southern Poland, the plants were cut and irradiated with a device generating electromagnetic waves (2.45 GHz, 32.8 kW/m²). The control efficacy of plants in the rosette phase irradiated for 5, 10, or 15 min was 20%, 100%, and 100%, respectively. The control efficacy of plants in the flowering phase irradiated for 7.5 or 15 min was 66% and 100%. The metabolomic analysis of tissues and sap of irradiated H. sosnowskyi showed significant changes, mainly in the content and composition of proteins and sugars. In tissues, the treatments resulted in protein denaturation and significant changes in the metabolism of amino acids and the glyoxylate and galactose pathways. The sap was rich in sugars, glutamic acid, glutamine, homoserine, serine, and methionine. More changes in metabolite levels were observed in the tissues irradiated for 7.5 min. In conclusion, microwave radiation of H. sosnowskyi for longer times, e.g., 10 and 15 min, efficiently controls it. Full article

Sosnowsky’s hogweed (Heracleum sosnowskyi Manden.), an important invasive species in Eastern Europe, is a monocarpic perennial plant that propagates exclusively by seeds. Hence, interfering with seed viability could help control its spread. In the present study, we investigated the effect of exogenous GA₃ (25, 100 and 150 mg/L) sprayed twice onto flowering H. sosnowskyi plants on the development of fruits (mericarps) and their ability to germinate under field conditions over the growing seasons of 2018 and 2019. Mericarps from plants sprayed with GA₃ failed to develop normally. The width/length ratio of mericarps decreased by 23% to 25% after 150 mg/L GA₃ application and their average weight decreased between 7% and 39% under all GA₃ treatments. X-ray radiographs revealed that the internal structure was malformed, with many of the mericarps lacking well-developed seeds. Proportionally fewer well-developed mericarps were produced by GA₃-treated plants than water-sprayed control plants in 2018. Seed germination assessed outdoors in seeds buried in the ground was also severely reduced (from 58% to 99% after 150 mg/L GA₃ application). This indicates that exogenous GA₃ sprays result in incomplete seed development and a consequent decrease in viability and germination. As the highest GA₃ dose used resulted in significantly reduced propagation of Sosnowsky’s hogweed through seeds in the field, GA₃ provides a promising approach to the control of the spread of this invasive weed species. Full article

Biological systems are shaped by environmental pressures. These processes are implemented through the organisms exploiting their adaptation abilities and, thus, improving their spreading. Photosynthesis, transpiration, and water use efficiency are major physiological parameters that vary among organisms and respond to abiotic conditions. Invasive species exhibited special physiological performance in the invaded habitat. Photosynthesis and transpiration intensity of Fallopia japonica, Heracleum sosnowskyi, and Rumex confertus of northern and trans-Asian origin were performed in temperate extensive seminatural grassland or natural forest ecotones. The observed photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) ranged from 36.0 to 1083.7 μmol m⁻² s⁻¹ throughout the growing season depending on the meteorological conditions and habitat type. F. japonica and H. sosnowskyi settled in naturally formed shadowy shrub habitats characterized by the lowest mean PAR rates of 58.3 and 124.7 μmol m⁻² s⁻¹, respectively. R. confertus located in open seminatural grassland habitats where the mean PAR was 529.35 μmol m⁻² s⁻¹. Correlating with the available sunlight radiation (r = 0.9), the highest average photo assimilation rate was observed for R. confertus (p = 0.000). The lowest average intensity of photosynthesis rates was exhibited of F. japonica and H. sosnowskyi in shadowy shrub habitats. Transpiration and water use effectivity at the leaf level depended on many environmental factors. Positive quantitative responses of photosynthesis and transpiration to soil and meteorological conditions confirmed positive tolerance strategies of the invasive species succeeded by environmental adaptation to new habitats during their growing period sustained across a range of environments. Full article

Due to global warming, invasive species have spread across the world. We therefore studied the impact of short-term (1 day or 2 days) and longer (7 days) heat stress on photosynthesis and secondary metabolites in Heracleum sosnowskyi, one of the important invasive species in the European Union. H. sosnowskyi leaves exposed to short-term heat stress (35 °C/1 d) showed a decrease in chlorophyll and maximum potential quantum efficiency of photosystem II (Fv/Fm) compared to control, 35 °C/2 d, or 30 °C/7 d treatments. In turn, the high level of lipid peroxidation and increased H₂O₂ accumulation indicated that the 30 °C/7 d stress induced oxidative damage. The contents of xanthotoxin and bergapten were elevated in the 2 d and 7 d treatments, while isopimpinellin was detected only in the heat-stressed plants. Additionally, the levels of free proline and anthocyanins significantly increased in response to high temperature, with a substantially higher increase in the 7 d (30 °C) treatment. The results indicate that the accumulation of proline, anthocyanins, and furanocoumarins, but not of phenolic acids or flavonols, contributes to protection of H. sosnowskyi plants against heat stress. Further studies could focus on the suppression of these metabolites to suppress the spread of this invasive species. Full article

This article describes an agricultural application of remote sensing methods. The idea is to aid in eradicating an invasive plant called Sosnowskyi borscht (H. sosnowskyi). These plants contain strong allergens and can induce burning skin pain, and may displace native plant species by overshadowing them, meaning that even solitary individuals must be controlled or destroyed in order to prevent damage to unused rural land and other neighbouring land of various types (mostly violated forest or housing areas). We describe several methods for detecting H. sosnowskyi plants from Sentinel-2A images, and verify our results. The workflow is based on recently improved technologies, which are used to pinpoint exact locations (small areas) of plants, allowing them to be found more efficiently than by visual inspection on foot or by car. The results are in the form of images that can be classified by several methods, and estimates of the cross-covariance or single-vector auto-covariance functions of the contaminant parameters are calculated from random functions composed of plant pixel vector data arrays. The correlation of the pixel vectors for H. sosnowskyi images depends on the density of the chlorophyll content in the plants. Estimates of the covariance functions were computed by varying the quantisation interval on a certain time scale and using a computer programme based on MATLAB. The correlation between the pixels of the H. sosnowskyi plants and other plants was found, possibly because their structures have sufficiently unique spectral signatures (pixel values) in raster images. H. sosnowskyi can be identified and confirmed using a combination of two classification methods (using supervised and unsupervised approaches). The reliability of this combined method was verified by applying the theory of covariance function, and the results showed that H. sosnowskyi plants had a higher correlation coefficient. This can be used to improve the results in order to get rid of plants in particular areas. Further experiments will be carried out to confirm these results based on in situ fieldwork, and to calculate the efficiency of our method. Full article

The antifungal activity of volatile compounds from the fruit, leaf, rhizome and root of 109 plant species was evaluated against Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. lycopersici (FOL) race 1—the tomato wilt pathogen—by using the modified dish pack method. Eighty-eight plant samples inhibited mycelial growth, including volatiles from fruits of Heracleum sosnowskyi, which exhibited the strongest antifungal activity, showing 67% inhibition. Two volatile compounds from the fruits of H. sosnowskyi (octanol and octanal) and trans-2-hexenal as a control were tested for their antifungal activities against FOL race 1 and race 2. In terms of half-maximal effective concentration (EC₅₀) values, octanol was found to be the most inhibitory compound for both pathogenic races, with the smallest EC₅₀ values of 8.1 and 9.3 ng/mL for race 1 and race 2, respectively. In the biofumigation experiment, the lowest disease severity of tomato plants and smallest conidial population of race 1 and race 2 were found in trans-2-hexenal and octanol treated soil, while octanal had an inhibitory effect only on race 2. Therefore, our study demonstrated the effectiveness of volatile octanol and trans-2-hexenal on the control of the mycelial growth of two races of Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. lycopersici and may have potential for the future development of novel biofumigants. Full article

H. sosnowskyi (Heracleum sosnowskyi) is a plant that is widespread both in Lithuania and other countries and causes abundant problems. The damage caused by the population of the plant is many-sided: it menaces the biodiversity of the land, poses risk to human health, and causes considerable economic losses. In order to find effective and complex measures against this invasive plant, it is very important to identify places and areas where H. sosnowskyi grows, carry out a detailed analysis, and monitor its spread to avoid leaving this process to chance. In this paper, the remote sensing methodology was proposed to identify territories covered with H. sosnowskyi plants (land classification). Two categories of land cover classification were used: supervised (human-guided) and unsupervised (calculated by software). In the application of the supervised method, the average wavelength of the spectrum of H. sosnowskyi was calculated for the classification of the RGB image and according to this, the unsupervised classification by the program was accomplished. The combination of both classification methods, performed in steps, allowed obtaining better results than using one. The application of authors’ proposed methodology was demonstrated in a Lithuanian case study discussed in this paper. Full article