Search Results (51)

Hormonomics represents an innovative approach to plant physiology and biochemistry. We utilized hormonomics to analyze the hormone profiles of three lily bulbs. The hormones specifically enriched in BiFeng7 lily show a strong response to secondary metabolism pathways, while the Diwanghuang lily profile was predominantly focused on growth. Physiological experiments demonstrated that Diwanghuang exhibited higher levels of primary nutrients, whereas BiFeng7 displayed a greater concentration of secondary metabolites and enhanced antioxidant capacity. Through untargeted metabolomic analysis, it was revealed that BiFeng7 highly enriched four flavonoid glycosides, two flavones, one flavan, one pyranoflavonoid, two isoflavonoid O-glycosides and one rotenoid. These findings provide valuable information for developing breeding strategies and cultivation practices aimed at achieving ornamental quality, nutritional value, or stress resilience outcomes. This research demonstrates the practical application of hormone profiling in plant evaluation and offers insights into the mechanisms underlying flavonoid synthesis in lilies, serving as a reference for breeding stress-resistant lily varieties. 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

The bulbs of the lily plant Fritillaria thunbergii Miq. possess substantial medicinal properties for relieving coughs and clearing the lungs. However, excessive pursuit of yield during cultivation has led to a decrease in medicinal ingredients. Therefore, we aimed to investigate the effects of two single-factor treatments, shading (SK0) and potassium application (S0K), and their coupling treatment (SK) on bulb biomass and medicinal substance content, along with the role of rhizosphere microorganisms. Shading increased the content of active ingredients in bulbs by approximately 11.7% while decreasing bulb biomass by approximately 11.3%. SK treatment mitigated the biomass reduction caused by SK0 treatment while enhancing the accumulation of active ingredients in F. thunbergii, up to 1.2 times higher than that of SK0 treatment. In rhizosphere soil, Allorhizobium–Neorhizobium–Pararhizobium–Rhizobium (ANPR), Chryseobacterium, Brevundimonas, and Phoma exhibited significant positive correlations with medicinal components, among which ANPR, Brevundimonas, Chryseobacterium, and Phoma were responsive to SK treatments. Also, Burkholderia–Caballeronia–Paraburkholderia (BCP) and Brevundimonas responded to changes at different growth stages of F. thunbergii. The relative abundance of these microorganisms was associated with the alterations of soil factors resulting from shading or K application. Our results indicate that these microorganisms are beneficial to the growth of bulbs and the synthesis of active components in F. thunbergii. The combination of shading and K application may regulate the accumulation of medicinal substances in F. thunbergii by modulating the structure of the soil microbial community. Our results serve as a reference for soil improvement for medicinal plant cultivation. 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

The lily is a globally popular cut flower, and managing dormancy in lily bulblets is essential for continuous, year-round production. While nitric oxide (NO) has been shown to influence seed dormancy and germination, its role in dormancy release in lilies was previously unconfirmed. In this study, we investigated the effects of NO on dormancy release in lily bulblets using SNP and c-PTIO. Results showed that SNP treatment promoted dormancy release, while c-PTIO inhibited it. Measurement of endogenous NO levels in the bulbs, along with enzyme activities of NOS-like and NR and gene expression levels of LoNOS-IP and LoNR, confirmed that NO plays a role in promoting dormancy release in lilies. To further elucidate the physiological mechanisms involved, we analyzed H₂O₂ levels, antioxidant enzyme activities, endogenous hormone levels, and carbohydrate metabolism in the bulbs. Findings demonstrated that NO facilitated dormancy release by increasing H₂O₂, gibberellins (GAs), indole-3-acetic acid (IAA), zeatin riboside (ZR), reducing sugars, and by accelerating the metabolism of abscisic acid (ABA) and starch. This study provides a foundation for deeper investigation into the mechanisms underlying dormancy release in lily bulbs. Full article

In order to evaluate the feasibility of using sugarcane bagasse (SCB) as a substitute for peat in lily cultivation, this study examines the effects of replacing different amounts of peat (0%, 25%, 50%, 75%, and 100%) with SCB on the physical and chemical properties of the substrate. The impact on the growth of cut flower and bulbs of the oriental lily variety ‘Siberia’ was investigated. The results show that the pH value, organic matter content, and reducing sugar content of the substrate were significantly increased (p < 0.05) when peat was replaced with SCB. Moreover, the bulk density, permeability porosity, water-holding porosity, and EC value, as well as the contents of hydrolyzed nitrogen, available phosphorus, available potassium, exchangeable calcium, and exchangeable magnesium were significantly decreased (p < 0.05). The bulk density (0.15–0.17 g·cm³), total porosity (64.2–69.6%), and water-holding porosity (41.0–48.4%) of the mixed media were in a suitable range. The addition of SCB led to shorter plant height, a thinner stalk, and a smaller leaf and flower diameter. The contents of total chlorophyll, chlorophyll a and b in leaves, as well as the activities of sucrose synthetase (SS) and sucrose phosphate synthetase (SPS) decreased with the increase in SCB in the substrates at different growth stages of lily cut flowers. The correlation analysis showed that, except for bulb height, other quality traits of cut flowers and bulbs were significantly negatively correlated with the pH, organic matter, and reducing sugar content of substrates. Plant height, stem diameter, leaf number, leaf length and width, flower diameter of cut flowers, as well as the fresh weight, starch content, the activities of SS and SPS of bulbs were significantly positively correlated with the bulk density, total porosity, water-holding porosity, and hydrolyzed N content of substrates (p < 0.05). The load factors of the principal components indicated that the diameter of stem and flower, leaf number, the content of chlorophyll a and b, and total chlorophyll of cut flowers and SPS activity in bulbs could be used as the core indicators for evaluating the suitability of lily cultivation substrate. In conclusion, when the proportion of peat replaced with SCB was lower than 50%, the quality of cut flowers and bulbs was the same as that found with whole peat. Thus, SCB has broad application prospects in the soilless cultivation of lily plants. Full article

Oriental hybrid lilies, known for their vibrant colors, diverse flower shapes, and long blooming seasons, require annual bulb propagation in horticultural production. This necessity can lead to higher production costs and limit their use in landscaping. The LA hybrid lily ‘Aladdin’ has shown strong self-reproduction capabilities in optimal cultivation environments, producing numerous high-quality underground stem bulblets. This makes it a valuable model for studying bulblet formation in lilies under natural conditions. Through transcriptome data analysis of different developmental stages of ‘Aladdin’ bulblets, the LaLBD37 gene, linked to bulblet formation, was identified. Bioinformatics analysis, subcellular localization studies, and transcriptional activation activity tests were conducted to understand the characteristics of LaLBD37. By introducing the LaLBD37 gene into ‘Sorbonne’ aseptic seedlings via Agrobacterium-mediated transformation, resistant plants were obtained. Positive plants were identified through various methods such as GUS activity detection, PCR, and fluorescence quantitative PCR. Phenotypic changes in positive plants were observed, and various physiological indicators were measured to confirm the role of LaLBD37 in bulblet formation, including soluble sugar content, starch content, sucrose synthase activity, and endogenous hormone levels. The findings suggest that the LaLBD37 gene plays a significant role in promoting the development of lily bulblets, offering insights for enhancing the reproductive capacity of Oriental hybrid lilies and exploring the molecular mechanisms involved in lily bulb regeneration. Full article

Hymenocallis henryae is a rare, charismatic spider lily endemic to the Florida panhandle. Currently under review to determine if listing under the Endangered Species Act is warranted, this species has undescribed genetic diversity, information crucial to the listing process. We conducted field observations of 21 historic populations across the species’ geographical range and performed genomic analyses of 279 individuals from 19 extant populations. Most populations had fewer than 40 individuals, while populations with >100 individuals were found exclusively on managed lands. Genetic diversity was uniformly low within populations (H_E: 0.074–0.093), with low to moderate inbreeding coefficients (F_IS: 0.068–0.431). Genetic differentiation was relatively low among most populations (F_ST: 0–0.098), although there was statistical support for isolation by distance. In addition, we found high genetic similarity and lack of population structure across the species range. Clonal propagation through fused bulbs is a common reproductive strategy. We confirmed current threats (habitat change, residential development, fire suppression) and identified several coastal populations threatened by sea level rise. It is recommended to continue with in situ protection and management as well as the establishment of ex situ living collections to preserve populations most at risk of extirpation from habitat loss and degradation. 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

The lotus seed and lily bulb beverage (LLB) has a problem with solid particle sedimentation. To address this issue, LLB was homogenised twice at different pressures (0~100 MPa) using a homogeniser. This study aims to investigate the changes in the particle size distribution (PSD), microstructure, rheological behaviour, sedimentation index (IS), turbidity, physicochemical properties, and sensory quality of LLBs after homogenisation treatments. The results regarding PSD and microstructure showed that the suspended particles were decomposed at high pressure with increasing homogenisation pressure, forming small particles of cellular material, cell wall fragments, fibre fractions, and polymers. The LLB showed shear-thinning behaviour and weak gelation characteristics (G′ > G″) and rheological properties. Among all homogenisation pressures, the 60 MPa sample showed the lowest sedimentation rate and the highest turbidity. When the pressure was increased from 0 to 100 MPa, the total soluble solid (TSS) content showed an upward trend, while the ascorbic acid content (AAC) gradually decreased. The highest sensory evaluation was observed in the 60 MPa sample in terms of overall acceptability. 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