Search Results (522)

Stipagrostis plumosa is a desert grass that remains relatively underexplored with respect to its phytochemical composition and biological activities, particularly against pathogens of veterinary relevance. This study aimed to characterize the phytochemical profile of S. plumosa and evaluate the antioxidant, antimicrobial, and cytotoxic activities of its extracts and solvent fractions. Aerial parts of S. plumosa were collected during the flowering season from Al-Quwai’iyah, Saudi Arabia, and subjected to methanolic extraction followed by solvent fractionation. Total phenolic and flavonoid contents, antioxidant activity, antimicrobial activity against bacterial and fungal strains, and cytotoxicity against MCF-7 and A549 cells were evaluated. GC–MS was used to characterize the ethyl acetate and chloroform fractions. The crude methanolic extract contained 72.1 mg GAE/g extract of total phenolics and 13.6 mg QE/g extract of total flavonoids. The ethyl acetate fraction exhibited the strongest antioxidant activity (IC₅₀ = 72.48 µg/mL) and the most pronounced antimicrobial activity, whereas the chloroform fraction showed the highest cytotoxic activity against MCF-7 and A549 cells, with IC₅₀ values of 173.52 and 194.17 µg/mL, respectively. GC–MS profiling revealed diverse phenolic derivatives, fatty acids and their esters, oxygenated compounds, and phytosterol-related constituents. Stigmasta-3,5-dien-7-one (14.70%) and vanillic acid (7.18%) predominated in the ethyl acetate fraction, while hexadecanoic acid methyl ester (5.28%) was among the major constituents of the chloroform fraction. Overall, the fraction-dependent biological activities and diverse phytochemical profiles highlight S. plumosa as a promising source of natural bioactive compounds with potential relevance to veterinary health and the development of alternative antimicrobial strategies. Full article

Understanding seasonal dietary shifts in reintroduced herbivores is essential for conservation, yet detailed patterns for Milu (Elaphurus davidianus) in wetland habitats remain underexplored. This study applied high-throughput sequencing to fecal samples collected across four seasons in Tianjin Qilihai Wetland, identifying 43 plant species from 24 families. Significant seasonal differences were detected in relative read abundance. At the family level, Poaceae dominated spring, significantly exceeding all other seasons; Asteraceae and Cyperaceae were highest in summer, with Cyperaceae also surpassing winter and spring; Amaranthaceae peaked in autumn, higher than spring and summer; and Celastraceae prevailed in winter. At the species level, Phragmites australis was overwhelmingly consumed in spring; Lactuca indica and Bolboschoenus planiculmis peaked in summer; Euonymus japonicus dominated winter; and Suaeda salsa was highest in autumn, exceeding spring. These compositional shifts reveal a strategic transition from a specialized diet focused on high-quality resources in spring–summer to a broad-spectrum diet including woody plants, legumes, and cultivated species in autumn–winter. Overall, Milu exhibit substantial dietary plasticity, a key trait underpinning reintroduction success, and our findings provide empirical evidence to guide adaptive forage management in wetland reserves. Full article

All taxa of plants have undergone several rounds of whole-genome duplication (WGD), accompanying interspecific and intergeneric crosses; subsequently, some part of one or both parent genomes in hybrid plants can be eliminated. The objective of this study was to evaluate the relationships of the intergeneric hybrid ×Agrotrigia (Poaceae) species with the taxa of parental genera Agropyron and Elytrigia and to determine the distribution as well as conservation or loss of parental genomes in the genomes of hybrid species. Molecular phylogenetic analysis of nuclear (ITS, ETS) and several chloroplast DNA markers confirmed that the most likely parents of this hybrid were really species of Agropyron and Elytrigia. The compositions of ribotypes (sequences of the 18S–ITS1–5.8S rDNA region) assessed by next-generation sequencing (NGS) showed that the genomes of hybrid species of ×Agrotrigia hajastanica and of the sample of ×A. androssovii from Turkmenistan carry ribotypes of both Agropyron and Elytrigia. However, the samples of ×A. kotovii and ×A. androssovii from Pskov Oblast bear ribotypes of the Elytrigia type only, whereas the genome of one sample of the ×Agrotrigia genus collected in Stavropol Krai consists exclusively of two clusters of Agropyron-type ribotypes (P genome) and may represent a new species. Therefore, these two (or three) species may be subject to the elimination of portions of the genome of one of the parents, though the extent of elimination may be different. Full article

The NSUN family is essential for RNA 5-methylcytosine modification (m5C) in eukar-yotes. However, no NSUN genes have been identified in maize, and the characteristics of ZmNSUN genes remain unexplored. Here, we performed a comprehensive in-vestigation of NSUN genes across seven Poaceae species. Our analysis identified a total of 63 Poaceae NSUN genes, including eight ZmNSUN genes in maize. Phylogenetic and feature analyses classified the Poaceae NSUNs into six subgroups (SGs), suggest-ing that the divergence of these SGs may have occurred prior to the divergence between plants and animals. Expression profiling indicated that ZmNSUN genes are generally repressed by heat stress. Co-expression network analysis suggested potential roles of ZmNSUN genes in maize development, and expression quantitative trait locus (eQTL) analysis results demonstrated that expression levels of multiple ZmNSUN genes are significantly associated with maize agronomic traits. Collectively, these findings provide novel insights into the evolutionary dynamics of the NSUN family and highlight specific ZmNSUN genes as promising candidates for molecular breeding to improve maize yield and stress adaptability. Full article

Background/Objectives: Hatching egg sanitization protocols are primarily developed to protect embryos during the embryonic stage from exposure to horizontally transmitted pathogenic bacteria, thereby ensuring their survival. This study aimed to evaluate the antibacterial efficacy of Cymbopogon nardus (L.) Rendle (Poaceae) essential oil, alone or combined with UV-C radiation, as a potential sanitization protocol for hatching eggs. Methods: Unwashed table eggs, used as an experimental model, were sprayed with C. nardus essential oil at two concentrations (0.625–1.25%) and exposed to UV-C radiation for different exposure times (0–10 min). Mesophilic bacterial load and the physical characteristics of the eggshell were subsequently evaluated. Results: A significant reduction in the mesophilic bacterial load on the eggshell surface was observed following the application of the treatments. C. nardus essential oil promoted reductions greater than 2 log₁₀ CFU/mL, demonstrating strong antimicrobial activity. The application of UV-C radiation alone resulted in a progressive decrease in the bacterial population, reaching approximately 2 log₁₀ CFU/mL after 10 min of exposure. However, the combination of the essential oil and UV-C radiation showed the highest antibacterial efficacy, reducing bacterial counts to below 1 log₁₀ CFU/mL, indicating that the combination of the two technologies was more effective than either treatment applied alone. No significant macroscopic changes were observed in the physical characteristics of the eggshells. Conclusions: The combined application of C. nardus essential oil and UV-C radiation on the eggshell surface may represent a promising sanitization protocol with potential application for hatching eggs. Full article

Mechanized agriculture has created important pathways for weed seed dispersal; yet, the influence of seed morphological and phenological traits on harvester-mediated dispersal remains poorly understood. Field surveys and simulated dispersal experiments were conducted to investigate the factors affecting weed seed dispersal in rice–wheat cropping systems. Field investigations across 60 fields identified 54 weed species retained on combine harvesters after rice and wheat harvesting, with Poaceae species dominating the retained seed assemblage. Seed retention was strongly associated with plant height, seed size, appendage type, and phenological synchrony with crops. Species with a tall stature, large seeds, and synchronized maturity were disproportionately retained by harvesters. Cluster analysis classified weed species into four mechanical dispersal types according to their dispersal potential. Simulated dispersal experiments demonstrated that seed deposition followed an exponential decay pattern with increasing harvesting distance. Seeds possessing rough surfaces or appendages showed lower attenuation coefficients and longer dispersal distances than smooth seeds. Harvester-mediated dispersal distances exceeded 2 km during continuous field operation. These findings demonstrate that combine harvesters act not only as dispersal vectors but also as selective filters favoring weed species with specific trait combinations. Integrating harvest weed seed control technologies with machinery hygiene practices will therefore be essential for sustainable weed management. Full article

Olive orchards constitute important reservoirs of floristic diversity, including species that are strongly dependent on agroecosystems for their persistence. The conservation of floristic diversity enhances the provision of essential agroecosystem services, contributing to the sustainability of olive orchard agroecosystems. The main aim of this study was to provide a descriptive analysis of the floristic diversity of olive orchards, a topic that has not been investigated extensively in Crete. The study was designed to capture variation associated with management system (MS) and agroecological zone (AZ), providing a comprehensive assessment of floristic diversity. A seven-and-a-half-year floristic survey was conducted in the Messara Valley, Crete, Greece, across nine organic olive orchards implementing Green Infrastructure (GI), eight conventionally managed orchards, and two abandoned orchards. The orchards were located in both plain and hilly agroecological zones. Within each orchard, monthly surveys were conducted in three randomly assigned square sampling stations per hectare, which remained constant throughout the study period. A descriptive analysis and univariate comparisons between the MS and AZ were conducted using six pairs of organic and conventional orchards, with three pairs located in the hilly AZ and three in the plain AZ. In total, 331 species, belonging to 60 families and 28 taxonomic orders, were identified. Most recorded species were characterised as therophytes (55%) and hemicryptophytes (31%), mainly belonging to the families Asteraceae, Fabaceae, Poaceae, and Lamiaceae. Total species richness was higher in organic (257 species, 56 families) than in abandoned (195 species, 45 families) and conventional orchards (192 species, 50 families), however, the mean species richness did not differ statistically significantly among management systems. Mean species and family richness were significantly higher in the hilly AZ than in the plain AZ, and total species richness was also higher in the hilly AZ (316 species, 59 families) than in the plain AZ (128 species, 43 families). This study highlghts the role of olive orchards as reservoirs of floristic diversity in Crete and demonstrates the influence of MS, Green Infrastructure and AZ in shaping the floristic diversity of these agroecosystems. Full article

Fire plays a central role in shaping regeneration dynamics in Pinus canariensis C. Sm. & DC. forests, yet the relative importance of different fire-related cues and post-fire environmental filters remains poorly understood. We experimentally evaluated the effects of drought, heat, smoke, ash and soil microbial extracts on the germination of seven co-occurring species representing the main functional groups of these forests. Germination responses varied markedly among species, revealing that no single cue dominates early recruitment. Drought emerged as the strongest and most consistent filter, sharply reducing germination success and slowing emergence in P. canariensis and Fabaceae, while Poaceae remained largely insensitive under the imposed water potentials. Ash enhanced germination in P. canariensis and Cynosurus echinatus L., indicating that nutrient-rich post-fire substrates can facilitate emergence when moisture is available. Soil and microbial extracts accelerated germination in fast-emerging grasses, providing the first experimental evidence that post-fire soil legacies influence recruitment in Macaronesian pine forests. In contrast, heat acted as a species-specific cue, with only limited stimulation at moderate temperatures and widespread declines under extreme heat, while the smoke treatment used in this study produced negligible effects across all species. Across treatments, germination timing emerged as a key functional axis, structuring regeneration niches, with rapid-germinating Poaceae favoured under increasing aridity. Our findings highlight the dominant role of hydric stress, the selective relevance of ash and soil legacies, and the functional divergence among species, offering new mechanistic insights into post-fire regeneration under current and future climate scenarios. Full article

Asthma and seasonal allergic rhinitis are common conditions affecting health, wellbeing, and work place productivity. Current pollen monitoring requires experienced technicians and has a lag of at least 24 h, which limits usefulness for patient management. We evaluated agreement of daily pollen concentrations from an automated real-time sampler, the Swisens Poleno Jupiter, with a traditional Hirst-type trap using technician counting over a single monitoring season in England. We used regression models to assess the impact of weather covariates on differences. Total pollen showed a strong correlation (r = 0.74) but moderate Intraclass Correlation (ICC = 0.52) between devices, due to concentrations (total and taxa level) being higher for the manual than the automated sampler. For individual pollen taxa, strong correlation and good agreement was observed for Pinus, Alnus and Fraxinus throughout the monitoring period. Strong correlation but low/moderate agreement was observed for Poaceae (grass), Betula, Quercus and Taxus/Cupressus. No correlation or agreement was observed for Corylus and Platanus. Temperature explained most of the variability between samplers. We conclude that daily total pollen can be tracked using an automated Poleno, as can grass within its flowering season, but Poleno recognition algorithms developed for mainland Europe need further refinements for UK species. Improving agreement in quantification is of particular importance given that current allergenic thresholds are based on manual readings. Full article

Solidago canadensis L. is a regulated invasive alien species in China and was first recorded in the wild in Jiangsu Province. Despite widespread concern regarding its distribution and ecological associations, province-wide information on its current invasion status and associated plant community patterns in Jiangsu remains limited. To fill this gap, we conducted field surveys at 165 sites across Jiangsu Province and combined hierarchical clustering, plant-community diversity analysis, species-level analysis of accompanying-plant composition, redundancy analysis, and MaxEnt modeling to evaluate invasion-intensity patterns, associated environmental and anthropogenic factors, and plant-community responses in invaded communities. Solidago canadensis was recorded throughout the province, but invasion intensity was highest in southern Jiangsu. Hierarchical clustering classified the 165 sampling sites into three invasion-intensity groups. Group A (74 sites), concentrated in southern Jiangsu, was classified as the severe invasion group and showed generally lower plant diversity within the invaded-site dataset. Group B (60 sites) represented moderate invasion. Group C (31 sites), mainly distributed in northern and coastal Jiangsu, represented light invasion and retained relatively higher accompanying-plant diversity. Within S. canadensis-invaded communities, we documented 183 accompanying plant species from 43 families. Asteraceae and Poaceae were the most species-rich families, and annual or biennial herbs were the dominant life-form category. Species-level analysis further showed that accompanying-plant composition varied significantly along the invasion-intensity gradient (PERMANOVA, R² = 0.035), suggesting that differences in S. canadensis dominance were associated with detectable shifts in local plant assemblages. Redundancy analysis indicated latitude, transportation route density, and floating population density were closely associated with variation in S. canadensis invasion indicators and associated community variables, with soil pH, precipitation of the driest month, GDP, and motor vehicle ownership also contributing to the observed pattern. MaxEnt modeling identified southern and central Jiangsu as the main climatically suitable areas. This pattern was broadly consistent with the concentration of higher invasion intensity in southern Jiangsu. Nevertheless, field records in northern Jiangsu suggest that areas with lower predicted climatic suitability should also remain under continued monitoring. These findings suggest the need for coordinated management, particularly along major transportation corridors and in highly disturbed urban habitats. Control efforts should combine zoning management, source control, repeated removal, and habitat restoration tailored to local conditions. Full article

Background/Objectives: Rice (Oryza sativa) is the staple food for over half the global population, and nitrogen availability is the primary limiting factor determining rice yield. As the rate-limiting enzyme in nitrogen assimilation and allocation, glutamate synthase (GOGAT) plays an irreplaceable role throughout the plant life cycle. The evolutionary history, natural genetic variation, and regulatory networks of the GOGAT family in rice source–sink tissues during grain filling remain largely elusive. Methods: Here, we combined comparative genomics, population genetics, transcriptomic and biochemical approaches to systematically characterize the GOGAT gene family. Genome-wide identification was performed across 12 angiosperm species, followed by haplotype analysis using resequencing data from ~2000 rice accessions. Transcriptomic, enzymatic activity and metabolite content determination were integrated to investigate their responses to three nitrogen gradient treatments in source (roots, flag leaves) and sink (developing embryos) tissues. Results: A total of 48 GOGAT genes were identified, clustered into two ancient subfamilies (GLU/GLT), with a Poaceae-specific duplication event generating GLT1 and GLT2 subgroups. Specifically, three rice GOGAT genes exhibited distinct domestication signatures: Fd-GOGAT showed strong indica-japonica subspecific differentiation, while NADH-GOGAT2 harbored tropical japonica-specific haplotypes. Furthermore, tissue-specific and developmental stage-dependent nitrogen response patterns were revealed, identifying 5 days after pollination as the critical metabolic switch point. OsGOGAT promoters are enriched with light-, ABA- and stress-responsive cis-elements, suggesting coordinated hormonal and environmental regulation. Conclusions: This study provides comprehensive insights into the functional divergence of the plant GOGAT gene family and coordinated strategies that rice employs under exogenous nitrogen stress, and identifies elite haplotypes for nitrogen-efficient rice breeding. Full article

The glycine-aspartic acid-serine-leucine (GDSL) esterase/lipase family is a functionally diverse group of hydrolytic enzymes involved in multiple plant biological processes, including stress adaptation and development. However, its evolutionary patterns, functional conservation, and stress-responsive mechanisms in grasses remain not fully elucidated. In this study, a comprehensive comparative genomic analysis was performed on the GDSL gene family across nine representative grass species and Arabidopsis thaliana. Genome-wide identification, phylogenetic analysis, duplication pattern detection, synteny analysis, cis-regulatory element prediction, protein–protein interaction (PPI) network construction, and RNA-seq-based expression profiling were employed. A total of 1707 GDSL genes were identified, with substantial expansion in grasses, especially hexaploid wheat. Whole-genome and segmental duplications were the major drivers of family expansion, with most duplicated genes under strong purifying selection. A grass-specific clade (C3-2) was identified, and extensive syntenic conservation was observed among closely related grasses. Promoter analysis revealed enrichment of stress- and hormone-responsive cis-elements, and RNA-seq showed dynamic GDSL expression under low-temperature stress in rice and wheat. These findings demonstrate that the expansion of the GDSL gene family in grasses is driven by polyploidization and lineage-specific duplication, accompanied by the emergence of a grass-specific clade (C3-2) and regulatory diversification, collectively shaping stress-responsive evolutionary innovation in Poaceae. Full article

The floodplains of the Paraná and Paraguay rivers form the Chaco wetland, one of the most species-rich plant ecosystems in Argentina. Because wild grasses can serve as reservoirs of fungal species that cause disease and mycotoxin contamination of cereal crops, we examined asymptomatic, wild grasses from the Chaco wetlands for the presence of the genus Fusarium, which includes multiple species that cause agriculturally important diseases and/or mycotoxin contamination of crops. We focused our efforts on the identification and characterization of the multispecies lineage known as the Fusarium fujikuroi species complex (FFSC). Using morphological traits and partial DNA sequences of the TEF1 gene, we determined that 58 isolates recovered from the grasses were members of FFSC. Fifty of the isolates were identified as one of six FFSC species, including the economically important plant pathogenic species F. proliferatum, F. subglutinans, and F. verticillioides. To our knowledge, two of the species, F. anthophilum and F. pseudocircinatum, have not been reported previously in Argentina. Our analyses also indicated that eight of the FFSC isolates were a novel species, herein described as Fusarium varsavskyanum. A polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay and genome sequence data indicate that each isolate of F. varsavskyanum isolate had only one mating type idiomorph (MAT1-1 or MAT1-2), which suggests that the fungus is heterothallic. Genome sequence analysis indicated that F. varsavskyanum has the genetic potential to produce, (i) the emerging mycotoxins fusaric acid and beauvericin (or enniatins); (ii) the pigments bikaverin, carotenoids, and fusarubin; and (iii) the plant hormones auxins, cytokinins, and gibberellins. Thus, asymptomatic grasses from the Chaco wetland can harbor Fusarium species that in some agroecosystems can cause economically important diseases and/or mycotoxin contamination of crops. It remains to be determined whether the genotypes of Fusarium species that occur on the wetland grasses, including F. varsavskyanum genotypes, can negatively impact agriculture. Full article

Cancer is one of the leading causes of death worldwide and is characterized by the uncontrolled proliferation of cells. The ongoing study of this disease has been vital for designing more effective therapeutic strategies for treating various types of cancer. In this regard, natural chemistry as a cancer treatment represents a promising alternative for redefining therapies against this disease. Natural products for treating cancer, classified as nutraceuticals, are emerging as highly interesting alternatives due to their ability to participate in different cellular pathways and their low toxicity. This study aims to provide an overview of the potential of nutraceuticals derived from edible plants in the prevention and complementary treatment of cancer, including their reported bioactive compounds and mechanisms of action. Full article

Sugarcane is a high-value crop in Egypt, yet weed communities in the understudied Upper Egypt region have not been systematically characterized. This study provides a comprehensive analysis of weed floristic composition, phytogeographical affinities, and the edaphic and canopy light factors governing vegetation structure across contrasting Nile Valley clay and reclaimed desert lands in Qena Governorate. Fourteen stands were surveyed during the 2024/2025 sugarcane growing season, recording 110 species from 33 families (68 annuals and 42 perennials), which were dominated by Poaceae, Asteraceae, Fabaceae, Euphorbiaceae, and Amaranthaceae (54.6% of the flora recorded). Therophytes were the most abundant life form (60.9%), and 51.8% of species belonged to Neotropical, Palaeotropical, Cosmopolitan, and Pantropical chorotypes. Diversity indices showed high and balanced species diversity, with no dominance by any single species. Seasonal variation showed that species richness peaked in spring, decreased through summer and autumn, and correlated with light intensity under the canopy. TWINSPAN identified four vegetation groups, which were merged into three primary vegetation groups (A, B, and C) via DCA and CCA ordinations and linked to microhabitats shaped by elevation and soil physicochemical properties. CCA revealed that Group C (stands in the Nile Riverbank lands) had the highest diversity, which was associated with organic matter, clay, and field capacity. In contrast, Group A (stands of reclaimed desert land) had low richness linked to high levels of Total Dissolved Solids (TDS), Electrical Conductivity (EC), Na, K, Mg, CaCO₃, and sandy soils. Group B (stands of Nile clay lands) was an intermediate transitional community between groups A and C. These findings establish edaphic factors as the primary determinant of weed community structure, with salinity as the critical constraint in reclaimed lands and seasonal light variation as a secondary diversity filter. Full article