Search Results (40)

Lilium spp. bulbs are traditionally valued for their medicinal properties, yet their phytochemical profile and biomedical potential remain underexplored. This study aims to assess the antioxidant, antimicrobial, and dermatocosmetic potential of ethanolic macerates from five Lilium spp. cultivars. Bulb macerates were obtained using 70% and 96% ethanol and evaluated for total phenolic content (TPC), total flavonoid content (TFC), condensed tannins (CTC), mineral composition, and antioxidant activity (DPPH assay). Spectroscopic (FTIR) and antimicrobial analyses were also performed. Macerates from Lilium “Dark Secret” (LD-70) and Lilium asiaticum “White” (LA-70) exhibited the highest levels of TPC (225 and 162.5 mg GAE/100 g f.w.), TFC (26.12 and 21.75 mg QE/100 g f.w.), and antioxidant activity (81.5 and 58.75 mg GAE/100 g f.w.). FTIR confirmed the phenolic composition, while mineral analysis revealed a high potassium content and negligible toxic metals. Selective antimicrobial activity was observed against Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Candida albicans, particularly for LD-70 and LA-70 macerates. Based on these findings, stable hydrogel formulations incorporating LD-70 and LA-70 were developed, showing favorable pH, rheology, and sustained antioxidant activity over 60 days. These findings support the integration of Lilium-derived macerates into dermatocosmetic formulations targeting skin protection and microbial defense. Full article

Soil salinization severely impacts plant cultivation. Lilium pumilum (L. pumilum) exhibits tolerance to saline–alkali stresses. One Bacillus cereus strain, LpBc-47, possesses the ability of growth promotion and saline–alkali tolerance. The microbial diversity of L. pumilum was assessed through metagenomic sequencing. LpBC-47 obtained from L. pumilum was subjected to physiological and biochemical analyses and whole-genome sequencing. The effects of endophytic bacteria on plants were evaluated by measuring growth parameters, physiological indices, antioxidant enzyme activities, and ROS content. Microbial diversity analysis revealed that the abundance of endophytic bacteria in L. pumilum decreased under saline–alkali conditions, whereas the abundance of Bacillus cereus increased. Physiological and biochemical analysis showed that LpBC-47 has the characteristics of promoting growth and reducing plant damage caused by salt–alkali stress, such as phosphorus solubilization, nitrogen fixation, siderophore production, IAA, and ACC deaminase synthesis. Genomic analysis revealed that LpBC-47 contains growth-associated and stress-alleviation genes. GFP indicated the colonization of LpBc-47 in the roots and bulbs of L. pumilum. The LpBc-47 inoculant plant increased leaf length and dry weight, elevated proline and chlorophyll levels, enhanced antioxidant enzyme activity, and reduced oxidative damage. This study highlights the potential of LpBc-47 for improving plant growth under saline–alkali conditions. Full article

Lilium brownii var. viridulum (Longya lily) is a widely used medicinal and culinary plant in China that is valued for its potential applications and development opportunities. The bulbs of Longya lily contain a variety of active components; volatile oil, as one of the main biologically active compounds, has been widely studied, and the stems, leaves, and flowers of Longya lily are also rich in volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and related pharmacological effects, but the horizontal comparison of different organs of lily plants is lacking. In order to promote the sustainable development of resources, the composition characteristics and differences of bulbs, stems, leaves, and flowers, as well as two crop management methods (bud-removal and non-bud-removal), were comprehensively studied by GC-IMS technology in this study. Additionally, multivariate statistical analyses were used to identify the key components responsible for the observed differences among the plant organs and treatments. The research identified a total of 93 volatile organic compounds in Longya lily samples, primarily consisting of aldehydes, alcohols, ketones, and esters. If the VOCs of Longya lily are to be used as raw materials, it is advisable to choose flowers and leaves with a higher concentration of these components for harvesting. Notably, bulbs that were non-bud-removal exhibited a greater total content of volatile flavor substances compared to those that were treated with bud removal, with hexanal-D and (E)-2-hexenal-D being the most prevalent volatile organic compounds. This study provided theoretical support for the harvesting parts and crop management methods of Longya lily based on volatile organic compounds and promoted the high-quality development of the Longya lily industry. Full article

Dormancy release is an important process for improving the quality of cut-flower lily production and promoting the factory production of lily bulbs. However, the regulatory mechanisms of microRNAs (miRNAs) and their target genes during the dormancy release of lily remain elusive. Anatomy, transcriptomic, molecular biology, and transient transformation techniques involving subcellular localization were applied in our study. There were significant results showing that 0.1 mM riboflavin promoted dormancy release and floral bud differentiation and influenced the flowering time of the Lilium ‘Siberia’. Moreover, some differentially expressed miRNAs and their targets (miR395-y: LoAPS1, miR529-z: LoSPL14, miR396-y: LoCFDP1, miR1863-z: LoFBA3, miR399-y: LoDIT1, and miR11525-z: Lopgm) were identified and predicted. Exogenous riboflavin may activate primary metabolic processes and promote dormancy release in Lilium ‘Siberia’ bulbs. Furthermore, riboflavin upregulated genes related to the riboflavin pathway, H3K4me3 methylation, dormancy control, and the flowering pathway and downregulated dormancy maintenance genes. Moreover, riboflavin promoted endogenous riboflavin and acetyl-CoA accumulation. LoPurple acid phosphatase17 (LoPAP17), a pivotal gene of the riboflavin metabolism pathway, was subsequently cloned. LoPAP17 was most closely related to the orthologous genes of Acorus calamus, Asparagus officinalis, and Musa acuminata. The LoPAP17 protein was subcellularly located in the nucleus. Our study revealed that miRNAs and their target genes might regulate the primary metabolic pathway, promote the accumulation of endogenous riboflavin and acetyl-CoA, and affect protein acetylation during the riboflavin-promoted release of dormancy and flower bud differentiation in the Lilium Oriental hybrid ‘Siberia’. Full article

Lilium lancifolium Thunb. is a herbal medicine that is widely used to treat inflammation and lung diseases. In this study, a simultaneous quantitative method was developed for the quality control of BLL using high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with a photodiode array detector (HPLC–PDA), and their antioxidant effects were evaluated. Eight regalosides (i.e., regaloside A, B, C, E, F, H, I, and K) were selected as marker substances and separated on a Gemini C₁₈ reversed-phase analytical column by gradient elution with distilled water–acetonitrile mobile phase containing 0.1% (v/v) formic acid. The method was validated with respect to linearity, sensitivities (limit of detection (LOD) and limit of quantitation (LOQ)), accuracy, and precision. The antioxidant effects of the extract and each component were evaluated using the 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl radical scavenging assay and 2-2′-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) assay. The coefficients of determination values used as indicators of linearity for all components were ≥0.9999. LOD and LOQ concentrations were 0.10–0.66 μg/mL and 0.29–2.01 μg/mL, respectively. The recovery was 95.39–103.925% (relative standard deviation; RSD ≤ 2.55%), and precision RSD was <2.78%. The HPLC–PDA method was applied to real samples, and all components were detected at 1.12–29.76 mg/freeze-dried g. The evaluation of antioxidant effects showed that regalosides C, E, and K exhibited significant antioxidant effects. Our knowledge will be appropriately utilized in raw material management and conducting clinical and non-clinical studies on L. lancifolium or herbal medicine prescriptions containing L. lancifolium. Full article

The global cut flower industry, including lilies, represents a highly promising investment. Therefore, improving the quantity and quality of these commercially significant flower species is crucial. The objectives of this study were to (1) evaluate the influence of different pre-harvest chemical compounds on endogenous GA₃, phenol, flavonoids and total antioxidants levels on the leaf and petals parts of Longiflorum-Asiatic (Lilium × elegans cv. Cevennes, yellow) lily and to (2) assess the effect of these compound on the flower quality component. The study was conducted over two cycles in both greenhouse and laboratory settings. Lily bulbs were transplanted into 10 L pots and grown for 70 days. Treatments were applied by spraying twice with a five-day interval on the flowers still on the plants and not yet fully opened. The treatments included 8-hydroxyquinoline sulfate (8HQS) at 100, 200, and 400 mg L⁻¹; salicylic acid (SA) at 100 and 200 mg L⁻¹; SmartFresh™ at 1 and 2 mg L⁻¹; Harvista™ at 150 mg L⁻¹; GA₃ at 50 mg L⁻¹; and a control (water). The lily stems were harvested when one of the flowering buds began to open but was not fully opened. A post-harvest assessment was conducted in the laboratory at room temperature (20 ± 2 °C). The results showed that the lily leaf had a much higher endogenous concentration of GA₃ (256%) and lower concentrations of total phenols (22%), flavonoids (28%), and antioxidant activity (14%) when compared to flower petals. In addition, the foliar application of flower preservative compounds one week before harvesting significantly improved the endogenous levels of GA₃, total phenols, flavonoids, and antioxidants activity, especially SmartFresh™ at rate of 1 mg L⁻¹. In terms of flower quality, SmartFresh™, at rate of 1 mg L⁻¹, and 8-HQS, at rate of 200, had consistently higher vase lives compared to the control treatment across the two experimental cycles. Compared to the control, SmartFresh™ (the post-harvest ethylene control) increased the vase life of lily flowers by 35% at cycle 1 and 31% at cycle 2 while 8-HQS, at rate of 200 mg L⁻¹, increased the vase life by 21% and 15% at cycles 1 and 2, respectively. However, no significant effect was found in the petal flower color coordinates (L*, a* and b*) across the treatments. Overall, the foliar application of preservative compounds (such as SmartFresh™) at the pre-harvest stage potentially stimulates the endogenous levels of GA₃, total phenols, flavonoids, and antioxidants activity, leading to better improvements in post-harvest flower quality, specifically vase life. Full article

The protection of biological diversity in nature and in agriculture, including the production of ornamental crops, has become increasingly important in Poland as well as worldwide. The Convention on Biological Diversity, signed in 1992 at the Earth Summit of the UN in Rio de Janeiro and ratified by the Polish government in 1995, imposed new regulations related to the protection of nature and the genetic resources of cultivated crops in Poland. The conservation of the genera, varieties and cultivars of ornamental geophytes—a group of plants of great interest from a botanical and physiological, but also a horticultural point of view—takes place in situ (both in nature and in the places of cultivation) and through the establishment of ex situ gene banks and collections. The natural genetic resources of ornamental geophytes include species from the genera Allium, Fritillaria, Gladiolus, Iris, Leucojum, Lilium and Muscari, among others, and more than a dozen species are protected by law due to varying degrees of threats. Botanical gardens play an essential role in the conservation of endangered species. Their activities focus on genus monitoring, managing ex situ gene banks (including National Collections), developing propagation methods and carrying out their reintroduction. In order to protect the national genetic resources of cultivated plants, the National Centre for Plant Genetic Resources at the Plant Breeding and Acclimatisation Institute—National Research Institute, under the auspices of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, was established. Concerning ornamental geophytes, the National Centre coordinates two field collections of cultivars of the genera Gladiolus, Lilium, Narcissus and Tulipa, which are of great economic importance and have a long tradition of breeding in Poland. The first one is located at the National Institute of Horticultural Research in Skierniewice (central Poland), and the second one is at the Experimental Substation of Variety Testing in Lisewo (northern Poland). The history of tulip collections in Poland dates back to the 1960s. At that time, the first breeding work for this species began. The collection of bulbous crops in Skierniewice is currently one of the largest in Poland, with a total of 934 accessions. Most of them are tulips (522) and lilies (222). Other plants in the collection in Skierniewice are gladiolus and narcissus. The most valuable accessions are grown under special protection (tunnels with dense nets) to guard against insects and maintain a mild climate inside. The genetic resources of the ornamental bulb plant collection in Lisewo currently consist of 611 accessions, mainly tulips (358), daffodils (121) and gladioli (132). All bulbous crops in both collections (Skierniewice and Lisewo) are grown in accordance with all principles of agrotechnics (negative field selection, fertilisation, soil maintenance). A particularly important task of botanical gardens, universities, research institutes and the National Centre is leading research on the methods of storage for survival organs, in vitro cultures and cryopreservation. We have discovered that the various activities for the species conservation of ornamental geophytes require a great deal of constantly deepening knowledge and extraordinary measures, including frequent monitoring of the effects of the applied measures. Full article

The Lanzhou lily (Lilium davidii var. unicolor) is a variant of the Sichuan lily of the lily family and is a unique Chinese ‘medicinal and food’ sweet lily. Somatic cell embryogenesis of Lilium has played an important role in providing technical support for germplasm conservation, bulb propagation and improvement of genetic traits. Somatic embryogenesis receptor-like kinases (SERKs) are widely distributed in plants and have been shown to play multiple roles in plant life, including growth and development, somatic embryogenesis and hormone induction. Integrating the results of KEGG enrichment, GO annotation and gene expression analysis, a lily LdSERK1 gene was cloned. The full-length open reading frame of LdSERK1 was 1875 bp, encoding 624 amino acids. The results of the phylogenetic tree analysis showed that LdSERK1 was highly similar to rice, maize and other plant SERKs. The results of the subcellular localisation in the onion epidermis suggested that the LdSERK1 protein was localised at the cell membrane. Secondly, we established the virus-induced gene-silencing (VIGS) system in lily scales, and the results of LdSERK1 silencing by Tobacco rattle virus (TRV) showed that, with the down-regulation of LdSERK1 expression, the occurrence of somatic embryogenesis and callus tissue induction in scales was significantly reduced. Finally, molecular assays from overexpression of the LdSERK1 gene in Arabidopsis showed that LdSERK1 expression was significantly enhanced in the three transgenic lines compared to the wild type, and that the probability of inducing callus tissue in seed was significantly higher than that of the wild type at a concentration of 2 mg/L 2,4-D, which was manifested by an increase in the granularity of the callus tissue. Full article

Sugar transporters play important roles in plant growth and development, flowering and fruiting, as well as responses to adverse abiotic and biotic environmental conditions. Lilies (Lilium spp.) are some of the most representative ornamental bulbous flowers. Sugar metabolism is critical for bulb formation in lilies; therefore, clarifying the amount and expression pattern of sugar transporters is essential for further analyzing their roles in bulb formation. In this study, based on the transcriptome data of the Lilium Oriental hybrid ‘Sorbonne’ and Lilium × formolongi, a total of 69 and 41 sugar transporters were identified in ‘Sorbonne’ and Lilium × formolongi, respectively, by performing bioinformatics analysis. Through phylogenetic analysis, monosaccharide transporters (MSTs) can be divided into seven subfamilies, sucrose transporters (SUTs) can be divided into three subgroups, and sugars will eventually be exported transporters (SWEETs) can be divided into four clades. According to an analysis of conserved motifs, 20, 14, and 12 conserved motifs were predicted in MSTs, SUTs, and SWEETs, respectively. A conserved domain analysis showed that MSTs and SUTs contained a single domain, whereas most of the SWEETs harbored two MtN3/saliva domains, also known as a PQ-loop repeat. The LohINT1, which was predicted to have a smaller number of transmembrane structural domains, was cloned and analyzed for subcellular localization. It was found that the LohINT1 protein is mainly localized in the cell membrane. In addition, the expression analysis indicated that 22 LohMSTs, 1 LohSUTs, and 5 LohSWEETs were upregulated in ‘Sorbonne’ 1 day after scale detachment treatment, suggesting that they may regulate the initiation of the bulblet. A total of 10 LflMSTs, 1 LflSUTs, and 6 LflSWEETs were upregulated 4~6 months after sowing, which corresponds to the juvenile-to-adult transition phase of Lilium × formolongi, suggesting that they may also play a role in the accompanying bulb swelling process. Combined with quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) analysis, LohSTP8 and LohSTP12 were significantly overexpressed during the extremely early stage of bulblet initiation, and LflERD6.3 was significantly overexpressed during the growth of the underground bulblet, suggesting that they may be key sugar transporters in the formation of lily bulbs, which needs further functional verification. Full article

Lilies (Lilium spp.) are famous bulb flowers worldwide, with high ornamental value. Aphid damage has seriously constrained the development of the lily industry. In this study, the aphid resistance of 16 lily cultivars and 2 wild lily species was characterized in the field and greenhouse. Leaf color parameters, stomatal density and size, thickness of leaf layers, leaf waxy content, and leaf water content were determined to explore the constitutive resistance of lilies. The results show that there was a significant positive correlation between the number of aphids in the field and in the greenhouse (p ≤ 0.05, r = 0.47). This indicated that the level of aphid infestation in both the field and the greenhouse is generally consistent across different types of lily plants. Among these 18 lilies, ‘Palazzo’, ‘Nymph’, ‘Cameleon’ and L. lancifolium were resistant to A. gossypii, while ‘Black Beauty’ and ‘Magnefique’ had poor resistance. The correlation analysis results showed that the number of aphids was negatively correlated with leaf abaxial surface a*, stomatal size, water content, and thickness of leaf palisade tissue and positively correlated with leaf distal axial surface b*, C*, and waxy content. Among them, the correlation between the number of aphids and the thickness of leaf palisade tissue reached a significant level (p ≤ 0.05, r = −0.521). This indicated that the thickness of the palisade tissue of lily leaves might be an important factor influencing the proliferation of aphids. This study not only screened out aphid-resistant lilies but also established a crucial research foundation for the targeted breeding and molecular breeding of lilies with aphid resistance. Full article

Lilium davidii var. unicolor (Lanzhou lily) is rich in nutrients, making it an important economic plant widely used in the fields of food and medicine. In this study, potted lily bulbs were treated with nutrient solutions containing K+ and nutrient solutions without K+ (CK and KT). The contents of nutrients in lily bulbs at different stages after treatment were compared. It was found that the application of potassium fertilizers increased the content of total phenols, flavonoids, and flavanols in lily bulbs and the antioxidant activity in the bulbs. Simultaneously, the study observed that potassium fertilizers could impact the accumulation of polysaccharides and saponins. Furthermore, employing non-targeted metabolomics, the secondary metabolites of mature Lanzhou lily bulbs were scrutinized both with and without potassium fertilization (KT and CK). A total of 607 metabolites were identified, including 573 in positive ion mode and 34 in negative ion mode. These metabolites were classified into 13 categories at the superclass level, with lipids and lipid molecules (37.93%), organic acids and their derivatives (16.52%), organic oxygen compounds (14.88%), and phenylpropanoids and polyketides (13.61%) being the most prominent. Differential metabolite enrichment analysis between the experimental and control groups showed that the differential metabolites were mainly concentrated in metabolic pathways related to amino acid biosynthesis, such as arginine and proline metabolism, beta-alanine metabolism, alanine, aspartate, and glutamate metabolism. Additionally, it was found that the application of potassium fertilizer increased the accumulation of amino acids in Lanzhou lily bulbs. Overall, this study provides a theoretical reference for the development of nutrients and efficient cultivation techniques for L. davidii var. unicolor bulbs. Full article

Blue mold (penicilliosis) is a common disease of Lanzhou lily (Lilium davidii var. willmottiae) during postharvest storage, which not only seriously affects the appearance and reduces the quality of lily bulbs, but also leads to the accumulation of mycotoxins in rotten lily tissues, seriously endangering human health. Therefore, it is of great significance to clarify the main isolates causing postharvest blue mold of fresh Lanzhou lily and put forward effective measures to control the disease caused by these pathogens. In this study, pathogens were isolated and purified from the naturally diseased blue-mold tissue of Lanzhou lily, and then morphological and molecular biology techniques were applied to identify the isolates, verify the pathogenicity, determine the disease index and disease incidence, and finally, to analyze the control effect of ozone treatment on the blue mold of lily scale and mycotoxin accumulation. The results indicated that the main isolates causing postharvest blue mold of lily were Talaromyces adpressus, Penicillium gladioli, T. calidominioluteus, and P. polonicum. The pathogenicity test showed that P. gladioli and P. polonicum had a higher disease index than T. calidominioluteus and T. adpressus. Ozone treatment significantly reduced the incidence of disease caused by P. gladioli and P. polonicum, and effectively controlled the accumulation of patulin. This study characterized the main pathogens causing blue mold of postharvest Lanzhou lily during storage, and confirmed ozone application has a significant inhibitory effect on blue mold development and patulin accumulation in Lanzhou lily, which could be helpful in commercially controlling blue mold of postharvest Lanzhou lily during storage. Full article

Green biodegradable bio-based films have gained interest in replacing petroleum-derived plastic packaging materials as a new preservation strategy for fruits and vegetables to alleviate environmental pressures. In this study, we aimed to develop novel biodegradable composite films based on microcrystalline cellulose (MCC) reinforced polylactic acid (PLA). Our results demonstrated that the addition of 3% MCC to PLA could improve its tensile strength. Scanning electron microscopy analysis revealed that MCC dispersed well in PLA at lower content while agglomerated at higher content. It was discovered that all four types of MCC/PLA biocomposite films could retard the color change of Lanzhou lily bulbs, accompanied by maintaining favorable total soluble solid, total sugar, total polyphenols, and flavonoid content, inhibiting the activities of phenylalanine ammonia-lyase and the content of malondialdehyde during storage. Moreover, the preservation effect of MCC/PLA biocomposite films on Lanzhou lily bulbs was evaluated using a membership function, and the SSS MCC/PLA biocomposite film demonstrated a favorable fresh-keeping effect. In conclusion, four types of MCC from different biomass materials added to PLA-based products can be beneficial in improving the attractive properties of biocomposite films. These films are expected to replace petroleum-derived plastics as a new packaging material for preserving Lanzhou lily bulbs. Full article

Lilies are important crops that are commonly used as cut flowers (Lilium spp.) and edible bulb crops (Lilium davidii var. unicolor). However, virus infections can significantly impact the quantity and quality of lily production. Various methods have been developed to eliminate viruses in lilies, including in vitro culture and virus detection techniques. Meristem culture is the most effective method, which can be combined with other techniques such as thermotherapy and chemotherapy. Nonetheless, virus elimination is affected by several factors, including cultivar, explants used, virus type, and duration of treatments. Efficient diagnostic methods, such as serological and molecular techniques, have been developed to detect viral infections in lilies, including enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and real-time reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (real-time RT-PCR). However, cross-contamination and multiple-virus contamination can lead to unreliable results, and more sophisticated protocols and systems have been developed to address these issues. The objective of this review is to provide a comprehensive overview of the development of lily virus eradication, detection strategies, challenges, and solutions associated with these procedures, and how more sophisticated approaches such as multiplex RT-PCR, indirect ELISA (ID-ELISA), immunocapture RT-PCR (IC-RT-PCR), and immunochromatographic test strips (ICSs) can alleviate some of these setbacks. Full article

Scaling is the most commonly used technique to artificially propagate lilies. Scales from different positions of the donor bulb vary in regeneration efficiency; however, the mechanism underlying bulblet formation remains unclear. To investigate the relationship between scale morphological characteristics, initial nutrient status and bulblet regeneration capacities during scale propagation of Lilium, we performed comprehensive morphological and correlation analyses using scales from three lily cultivars. Principal component analysis clearly distinguished middle scale (MS) from outer scale (OS) by morphological characteristics alone. Morphological results indicated that MS and OS differ significantly in terms of scale width, facial area, basal area, volume, length-to-width ratio and width-to-thickness ratio. Correlation analysis showed that scale width was significantly positively correlated with both the quantity and quality of regenerated bulblets. Among the cultivars, starch and soluble sugars accounted for 50–80% of scale DW. And a higher initial ratio of sucrose to starch in scales was more conducive to the bulblets formation. Although light had no effect on the incidence of bulblets, the formation of bulblets was positively enhanced, and better morphological consistency was obtained. This present study achieved a comprehensive morphological and nutritional analysis focused on bulblet formation capacities of scales from different positions of lily bulbs via scaling propagation, laying a foundation for future molecular studies on bulblet formation. Full article